The only time to eat diet food is while you're waiting for the steak to cook.

-Julia Child



Yeah. That would be Seamus.  This freakin cat is being the biggest poop about his food.  I bought the chicken flavored Fancy Feast and mixed it with both of the renal canned foods I had.  He barely touched it.  I knew this would happen.  Oh, did I also mention that I crockpotted (that's a word, right?) BROTH for him?  My parents purchased a big ol' turkey breast as extra meat for Thanksgiving.  It was cooked plain- so I took the carcass and threw some water in a crockpot and set it on warm and left it overnight.  I made broth.  For Seamus.  I mixed it with some of the renal food- I even warmed it in the microwave.  No luck.  I'm taking Seamus back to the vet on Friday, hopefully they ordered in some of the Canin food.  Seamus's girlfriend (the vet), said that was the most palatable brand. 

Also, are there recipes for cat gravy?  I mean like the kind that comes in wet food cans.  That seems to be what Seamus eats first, then he'll consider eating the bits that are left.  I imagine... some sort of gelatin?

I've given up and have just started giving him the Fancy Feast.  Baby (my other fur-son) obviously knew what was up with the food.  I couldn't not give him some of the wet noms.  And they do this silly thing where I put food in front of each of them, but they go over to the other's dish to eat.   However, here is a picture of the two of them eating together.  No growling, no fussing.  Just chowin' down on some good ol' Fancy Feast.  Of course, that night, they both woke me up.  Baby was walking around me, meowing at me, nudging me, scraping on my wardrobe.  Ain't no rest for the wicked I guess, but man, give a girl a break every now and then.  I've tried to start feeding them later in the evening so there's less of a chance of them waking me up.  So far it seems to be working.

Seamus got to take Thanksgiving off for his subQs.  Lucky boy.  But Friday and Monday we were at it again.  He has a little box that he likes to sleep on, so we always set him up on top of it.  Usually he'll just curl up and accept it but yesterday was particularly hard.  And ever since I put the whole unit into a freezer bag and warmed it up, there have been a bunch of bubbles in the line.  Apparently all you have to do it flick the line til the bubbles roll to the top (thanks, Mom!) but it's still just a little annoying. 

Giving the fluids is getting easier.  I don't know what I would do if I lived alone.  I am so grateful and thankful for having my mom and sister around to help me out (both nurses).  More than that, I would need someone to read the bag and open/close the line while I'm trying to keep him from running off (about 100ml mark).  Of course, Baby will be up in his perch and see us fussing over Seamus which will force him to come down and see what's going on. 

 Baby still has his tendencies of being a little jerk to Seamus.  But that's what baby brothers are for, right?  Even if they aren't related, right?  According to my sister, she laid down for a nap earlier with Baby (who will sometimes be referred to as "the baby") and Seamus jumped up and pressed his head against Baby's face and had him lick his head.  Baby obliged for a little bit and Seamus just curled up beside my sister and napped with them.  These are the things I like to hear :)

Here's hoping that the vet visit will be positive on Friday.  I'm a little worried that the extra "normal" cat food won't be helping his creatinine levels.  I should ask the vet about his phosphorous and protein levels as well.  His blood work revealed a few other things that were out of healthy ranges but were never mentioned to me.  I'm sure they're all just a result of the kidney issue but it wouldn't hurt to ask.

Well, it's bed time for us.  Seamus is sleeping in front of my sister's full length mirror.  This is a new past time for him.  He likes to face it and look at himself or sleep.  Of course other times he likes to see what's going on in the room.  Basically, Seamus just like to be near things that have changed or moved.  He's such a character.  So is Baby though.  I love my boys.

Good News For The Lot Of Us!

I continue to struggle with Seamus and eating.  I feel like he is waiting for something better, since I've been trying a new food almost every day.  Okay, so there's only been three different kinds.  He likes his first meal but quickly loses interest.  "This again, Mom?"  He is keeping me up all hours of the night, knocking things over, closing my laptop, meowing at me, and just being a huge pain.  While I am grateful that he has this energy and zest, it's driving me crazy.  

His face after the exciting call from the vet!

However, the doctor called this evening with some awesome news.  Seamus's creatinine levels have gone from 8.5 to 7.3!  This means everything we've been doing so far is benefiting his charming little self.  We can now cut back to fluids 3 times a week instead of every day.  And now I can introduce some of his normal food into his renal diet.  I'm not sure how well this is going to work out.  The doc prefers wet food for the extra liquid.  I've read that a bunch of CRF cat owners buy Fancy Feast.  I'm not sure why that is.  Hopefully I'll be able to mix the renal with the wet and hope he isn't the wiser.  But he will be.  He always is!

Earlier tonight, Seamus was just chillin' on the floor when Baby came over.  Baby was rooting around in Seamus's booty and Seamus swatted him in the face.  I haven't seen Seamus assert himself like this in a long time.  Little things like this have been happening which has put Baby back in his place.   Baby had been going out of his way to attack and annoy Seamus for a little over a month now, but it seems to be winding down now.  My sister has texted me with updates of them lying next to each other and licking each other.  Of course, it turns into biting but at least they are having some good moments!  Currently, they are both sleeping on the same cat tree.  Granted, they're sleeping on different levels but I know they sense each others' presence.

Seamus is due back in to see the vet next week.  I'm supposed to them bring him in every couple weeks/month.  Man, I've done a complete 180 from just a week ago.  Yesterday will be a week of dealing with this renal failure.  I went from completely sobbing, drooling, and hiccuping to level-headed and calm.  Sure, the idea that he has an issue and probably won't live out a full cat life and yes, that makes me incredibly sad and if I think about it too long, I start to cry about it.  (Also, commas.)  But for now, it's best to just be grateful for the quasi-healthy little guys that I have right now.  I know tough times are ahead for sure.  In the now is where I need to be.  So that's where I'll try to be.

I would love to hear from any other owners out there with CRF companions!  Positive suggestions and/or anecdotes are always welcome!

Picky Eaters and Vet Visits

Yesterday was a great day with Seamus. During the night, he had been knocking cups over, walking across my laptop (that I keep opened while I sleep), and being his normal disruptive self.  He had been scratching at my wardrobe, since that's where I keep his food.  It was probably 3am, so it took me a while to figure out what he wanted.  I put some crunchies in his food and he just looked at me.  I put some water in it and he gobbled it up.  Throughout the day he was running around, lying near Baby, playing around and just being an awesome cat. Of course, that night (last night), he refused to eat.  He had had enough of this kidney diet crap.  I was afraid to give him human food, but I read that I could put some catnip in it to try to entice him.

This didn't work.  So he jumped up on the bed next to me, suddenly noticed his Fishies, jumped down, picked them up, and brought them to his dish and began eating.

This picture is proof that Seamus had eaten.

The vet called me on my way to school yesterday morning, asking me to bring Seamus in for a follow-up.  She said we would be checking his creatinine levels.  If his creatinine levels went up, it was means for concern.  If they went down or remained the same, then we could maintain the same treatment we have been  running with so far.  The increase in creatinine means that his kidneys are working overtime and that we would have to consider more aggressive treatment.

Getting ready for the vet wasn't as easy as the last two visits.  I hadn't given seamus his subQ fluids or his potassium pill, so I thought I stood a chance for a not-so-cranky Seamus.  Unfortunately, his blue carrier is officially associated with bad times at the vet.  It was only a matter of time.

The visit was good.  He's put about eight ounces back on.  The vet said some of it could be the fluids, but that's okay with me.  She gave me some canned foods to try with him.  I've since given him some and he lurves it.  Let's just hope he keeps that up.  The vet was thoughtful enough to ask if I'd given him his subQs and offered to do it for me for free.  (See why I love her so much?)

When we were in the waiting room, there was this nasty little dog that kept yapping at Seamus and me. I felt particularly bad for Seamus this time around.  I took out my hair tie and put it through the holes.  I accidentally misspoke and said, "Do you want your fishies?"  In Seamus language, fishies = his favorite pair of red fishnets.  He's obsessed with them just as much as hair ties.  Seamus has had the same pair of fishnets since he was less than a year old.  Anyway, the owner of the yappy dog says, "Oh, I bet you wish you had some fish treats too, huh?"  I'm like, lady, if you even knew what fishies meant.  I decided just to smile.

Anyway, the blood work was initially supposed to have been run at the vet but it was sent out to a lab.  Unfortunately this means that I won't get his results on his creatinine levels until Friday but the vet said Seamus doesn't need his subQs tomorrow.  This makes me so happy for him.  He's been sitting through pretty uncomfortable treatments like such a champ.  I'm going to keep looking into his condition to see how I can make some things easier on him.  First thing on my list is to warm the IV bag before I give him his subQs.  Watching him twitch as the water moved around his body was a little disheartening.

Well, that about wraps it up.  Seamus has bounced back incredibly well and I couldn't be happier.  Fingers are crossed for positive news on Friday :)


Hey- have a happy Thanksgiving tomorrow, folks.  Stay safe and try to be kind to your family (the pinkies as well as the fur).

Seamus at the vet.

This is Seamus busy being a goose at the vet.  Everything is so new to him each time we go, even though we have the same room every time.

Guilt and Roller Coasters

This is my third day of knowing that Seamus has "low kidney function."  The tech referred to it as "kidney disease."  The research I've done points to CRF (or chronic renal failure).  All of those phrases/terms are pretty devastating, don'tcha think?  It all feels pretty roller-coasterific right now.  Seamus and I used to start our day together when my alarm went off and he would follow me around like an orange and white shadow.  Now the alarm goes off, I give him his Tumil-K (potassium supplement), give him his Prescription Diet k/d Feline Renal Health crunchies, and dread the subcutaneous (or subQ) fluids I will have to administer later in the day.  And then I go about my normal business... with him following me around like a white and orange shadow.

Ok, to translate all of that for people that don't have a pet with CRF...  Low kidney function causes a potassium deficiency, so Seamus has been prescribed a supplement to help with that.  The subQ fluids are fluids that are administered with a needle under the skin.  I have an IV bag set up in my room and a little baggy of new needles.  The fluids are to help with dehydration.  Some cats begin vomiting and stop drinking water when their kidneys start failing them.  The vet tech said we were just flushing out his kidneys, and to do it everyday. 150ml of solution inserted into his scruff.  Lastly, the renal health food is supposed to minimize the stress on the kidneys (so says the description).

While I haven't received an official diagnosis of "chronic renal function," I'm accepting that that is what it is.  The vet is supposed to call me tomorrow to talk more about Seamus's future.  She had mentioned a possible kidney biopsy, but I don't think I want to put Seamus through that.  She also said it's possible that he could be in early signs of kidney cancer.  Please, shoot me now.

So... what does this all mean?  I'm not entirely sure yet. I've been doing some research, joining online support groups, and just trying to keep a straight head about it.  All I can think of is, "Why didn't I look up his extreme thirst or his extreme number of trips to the litter box?"  Now that I look at the symptom list for CRF, he has almost every single one.  He's been having this excessive drinking/peeing thing for over a year now.  We tested his urine last year and he was fine.  I have no idea why we didn't check his blood.  Maybe the doc ruled out kidney issues because Seamus is so young (he's only 5).   Also, let me make it blatantly clear that I love Seamus's vet.  I completely trust her judgement for the care of my fur babies.  And she has always given him compliments and said how handsome he is.  She always gives me options and always knows how much everything costs.  She's fully aware that out-of-pocket medical care is not easy.  And Seamus responds to her incredibly well, so I call her his girlfriend.

I figure I'm starting this blog to 1. cope and 2. maybe provide a space for people who are going through the same thing I am.  I searched for blogs like mine and the only ones I found were.... finished.  So, while I don't want to make Seamus a spectacle (meaning, I don't want to blow his health out of proportion and I would rather treat him like a "normal" cat), I would like to connect with the community that I know is out there.  It would also serve as a good log for how he's doing :) I'll also post about the other fur baby, Baby (real name: Jameson).

So that is all for my first post about Seamus.  I didn't think it was entirely necessary to go into the hysterical crying that occurred when I was on the phone with the vet.  Or how I almost had a break down when I had to give Seamus his subQ.  Things aren't horrendous right now, so there's no need in posting negatively.  If and when things do get hard, however, I fully reserve the right to flip my shit.