Feline Inflammation of the Bowel

As if pregnancy weren't enough to deal with, I have a sick cat. Alamo who will be 5 in August has been ill for almost 18 months now. During the summer of 2007, Alamo was near 17 pounds and her brother was bigger yet so we decided to put them on a diet.

Several months later I noticed Alamo was losing weight. I figured the diet was working. (This does coincide with Chinese pet food scare.) By December I realized that she had lost about 4 pounds which is very significant for a cat and that this wasn't normal. In early 2008 we began seeking vet treatment. She was tested, had an endoscopy and ultrasound and more. Nothing remarkable was found. She had cancer-like symptoms but no cancer. She was diagnosed with inflammation of the bowel. I took this to mean, "We have no idea but it must be bowel related because of the symptoms.) For Alamo, this meant, weight loss, large, I mean really large stools, incessant appetite and she became the pickiest eater I ever met. What she would love one day, she would not touch the next. In fact, many time she wouldn't even finish an entire can of something. We tried every wet food out there. We also began putting her on steroids as prescribed by the vet.

For a long time we stabilized her at 12 pounds but then she began her decline and hit 10 pounds. She still is a lovable cat and doesn't seem to be in pain. Our specialist called and suggested we see a different kind of doctor. Basically the direction was, "We can't help her, she isn't responding to medicine, this is her last chance." I appreciated this although I felt he waited a long time to admit something I had already figured out.

I called the Homeopathic doctor as suggested. I didn't know what to expect but fully understand that Alamo's options were very limited. I understood the basic principles and although this might not have been my first plan of action, there really was nothing to lose and everything to gain. Sean and I set a time frame and a dollar amount of what we were willing to invest knowing it was a long shot. She was not responding to the medications so it didn't bother me that we would be taking her off of them. Giving pills to Alamo wasn't always the easiest thing either.

Over the past month:
We have tapered Alamo off of the steroids.
We have been giving her some type of supplement that is prescribed. Sometimes we use treats to get her to take them, but sometimes she just eats them.
We have continued with the weekly B12 shot.
We gave her a natural one-time sulfur treatment.
We have switched to a completely RAW diet of rabbit meat. (We buy this from a specialty pet store, although if anyone is interested in starting a rabbit breeding business, please let us know.)

The progress report:
It took a couple of days, but she now eats the rabbit without issue and seems to enjoy it.
Her stool is still large and not always formed, however we are hoping this will get better.
Her coat looks much better. She was getting very straggly before.
She is actually playing a lot more.
She is crying/meowing a lot less which I believe she used to do because she was always so hungry even though she would eat so much when she wasn't being picky and not eating at all.

Although it is really too early to say, the best news is that Alamo, the kitty that reached a 10 pound low just over a month ago, is now 11 pounds, 12 ounces and continues to be gaining weight. This is progress and we have new found hope.

Leprechaun Tights and Hobbit Feet

As I approach 39 weeks and just two more full days of pregnancy, there is time to reflect. It's too hot on the third level to sleep. Laying down is my least favorite position. There is just no easy way to center the belly and the baby doesn't like it when I lay on her parts at all. I look in the mirror and don't recognize the body I see at all. From one angle I don't look very big (I can still see my feet) and hope that the baby will be a good solid weight when she is born. Then when I turn, I think, how many tons of ice cream did I eat during my pregnancy?

This pregnancy seemed to drag on and for the first 16 weeks, I didn't think I would actually make it. I was miserable. Sick, weak, tired, disoriented, it was a constant struggle. Relief was discovered with Zofran. After about 16 weeks, I started feeling better and gaining some of the weight I had lost during those very rough first months. Overall, I would say I was lucky. It took me 9 months to come to this realization. I did not develop pre-eclampsia or gestational diabetes. I was never put on bed rest and actually went into the office until this past Thursday. The three days I will work from home were productive and I worked hard.

I only wish I could have chosen my symptoms. I pictured a big checklist or a negotiation.... I'll take vomiting if you take all-day nausea. I'll taking the night sweats if you take fatigue. Hell, I'll take the recent heartburn if you take metal mouth. If you give me an appetite the first months, I'll take the hourly trips to the bathroom overnight, even though I think that is cruel.

Let me just say that I won't miss the maternity wardrobe. A lot of the maternity clothing is spring based which meant I wore a lot of layers over the winter. I didn't splurge and wore the same 5 pants and same 6 shirts and the same 4 dresses over and over! I brought back the stretch pants under dresses fad! I bought panty hose for a special occasion, and I never got them past my thighs. I'm certain I bought the right size, and I surely didn't grow taller, but they were definitely made for a leprechaun. I never did wear them.

Now I sit, tired but awake, just about 56 hours from the birth of our little girl. Where has the time gone? She's already a little troublemaker and not good with directions. Otherwise, her head would be in the right place. As the temperatures soared this weekend, I made another negotiation... I'll take swollen hobbit feet (which have turned up the past couple of days), if you take summer pregnancy! Ha!

Now it's the time for final negotiation. I'll take the whole experience for what it is, just deliver us the perfect little girl we are all waiting to meet.