Tabitha

We are a poor bunch these days! Yes, our cat has a bladder infection, which has been treated. Come to find out, it's a symptom of the bigger problem, and that is renal failure. Her kidneys are shutting down slowly, and it's a very typical way for cats to die. It's terminal.

So what do we do? She is in the early stages, and we're hoping some new meds we have will 1) Keep her comfortable. 2) Stop the incontinence. Big time! 3) Buy her a little time.

And we have such a history with this little lady. We got her the summer of 1992, right after losing one of my most favorite cats in my whole life died very tragically. Tabitha was a little spitfire of fresh air. Little Miss Destruction Furball. Yet, very sweet and cuddly and loving.

Now, in the last 4+ years, she has definitely become "old" in that she doesn't play much, and sleeps a lot. She gets a little cranky with the kids if they pet her too much or overwhelm her. She doesn't bite but definitely gives a warning hiss. When she started doing that, we knew she was getting old.

Then the incontinence started a few weeks ago, and how gross it has been. And things that can't be peed on have been. Like my banker's boxes of business papers for my business. That will be fun to explain to the cpa. But we took her to the vet, and was told bladder infection, come back in 10 days for a follow up.

During that 10 days on antibiotics, we saw some improvement, but not a cure. Still some incontinence. And other things were becoming apparent. It all has to do with bowel and urinary things, so I'll save you the details. I told the vet this a few days ago when I took her for the follow up. And the vet said what I had suspected, renal failure had set in. She is 16 after all!

I have to back up here. We had a cat die about 8 years ago from the late stages of renal failure, and it was awful. Her symptoms didn't show up until the really terminal stage. But the vet will try to do everything to save her....and we weren't wise. We spent $1000 trying to treat it, only to send her to the Kitty Bridge.

Hubbie and I have conferred--we won't do that this time. If we can keep her comfortable, happy, and in good spirits, we will if it's affordable. But I won't prolong the inevitable, or the suffering. She has had a great 16 years, and we want to make sure her final moments are just as great.

The picture shown above was taken yesterday. She is pretty much doing what she usually does, lounge around and sleep. And we are hoping the meds start to work that she is on, and that we can have a wonderful last few moments with her, however long that may be.