Completely satisfied fifteenth Birthday to my beautiful seal mitted Ragdoll cat, Charlie!
As I sit down to write down this, I simply completed giving Charlie sub q fluids, and I take into consideration how a lot has modified since his final birthday. Actually although, a lot has modified since late Might/early June, when my different Ragdoll cat, Trigg, received sick and died.
Across the identical time, I came upon about how sick Trigg was. The vet phoned me a number of days later to let me know that Charlie’s kidney values had progressed—that they had been in stage 1 or a questionable raw-fed weight loss program stage (BUN could be greater when you’re a raw-fed cat). I’m uncertain which “stage” he’s in now, as my vet by no means likes to “diagnose” that – she a lot believes it will depend on the cat.
And she or he doesn’t like me to fret about these issues – she’d relatively I deal with the medical cat. The truth is, I used to be stunned that his values elevated as a lot as they did as a result of he had been consuming and performing properly. Given his values, our vet steered I begin giving Charlie fluids twice weekly.
I didn’t begin something till after Trigg died – I couldn’t deal with something extra.
Whereas Trigg was dying (which I didn’t know was taking place – I say that in hindsight), Charlie solely swatted him as soon as; the animal communicator had warned me that may occur – that generally, when one cat is sick, the more healthy cat might assault them. And Charlie did – however solely within the type of a swat. Moreover that, he was solely respectful of Trigg and normally sat with him wherever he was.
I discovered loads about Charlie by way of Trigg’s dying course of and, after all, after that. I didn’t know the way very a lot Charlie appreciated Trigg. I knew he beloved him, however I didn’t know the way a lot he appreciated him. Typically, it was Trigg who approached Charlie, not the opposite means round. So when Trigg was lastly gone, Charlie went right into a despair and a grief stage. It was robust to see him mourn whereas navigating my grief. We each nonetheless have bouts of it, too – and I’d guess that can proceed for a bit longer.
As soon as Trigg was gone and our flea drawback beneath management (sure, the day after the evening I put Trigg down, I found Charlie had fleas), I began to consider giving Charlie fluids.
When Charlie was youthful, we have been going to a special vet (I went to the identical vet for nearly 12 years – and I switched in 2020 to a brand new vet as a result of I wished to be extra holistic in my strategy with my cats. I wanted a veterinarian who was aligned with that). And Charlie wanted fluids for one thing – he went nuts and virtually all the time became Chuckie, his alter ego, on the vet.
It was terrifying, and having had three kidney cats and understanding 85% of cats die of kidney failure, I figured there was an excellent likelihood it was in my future. I simply hoped it wouldn’t be with Charlie as a result of I didn’t suppose it will be attainable to provide him fluids. I requested our vet then, “What occurs once you can not give a kidney cat fluids?” She stated, “I had one like that, and so they simply die sooner.” I used to be totally ready for that after I first came upon that Charlie had kidney markers.
So after Trigg was gone, and we nonetheless doubtlessly had fleas, I requested my mother to return decide Charlie and I up in her automotive – I knew Charlie was flea free, however didn’t suppose that my automotive was. So, she got here to choose us up, and the vet would see us as a walk-in for fluids.
We waited patiently within the automotive (ready within the ready room on the vet pisses off Charlie), and the vet tech got here to get him. She was gone with him for some time and ultimately introduced him again out. I believed for certain he’d gotten fluids as a result of they’d been gone so lengthy; nevertheless, as she handed him to me, she stated, “He wouldn’t let me do it.” And this was a VERY skilled vet tech that’s been doing it for like 15 years.
You possibly can think about my feeling understanding we made all that effort in the summertime warmth, and he didn’t get fluids. I used to be so excited for him to have the fluids, too, given what he’d been by way of with Trigg and the fleas—little question he wasn’t consuming, and so on., like regular.
Our vet, who was out of the workplace on the day that occurred, instructed me to return the subsequent day, and she or he would attempt. So I did, and we received it carried out! It was nothing wanting a miracle as a result of it was fairly darn straightforward! Our present vet has by no means wanted to “sedate” Charlie to attract blood or look at him, whereas our outdated vet all the time REQUIRED he be on a small dose of Gabapentin.
I requested if we might return in 2 days to get extra fluids. She was okay with that, and we did. That point, we screwed up 4x – poked him 4x, and he was comparatively compliant for being poked 4x. I couldn’t imagine it.
Please know, nevertheless, that none of it will have been attainable if Pam of Completely Holistic hadn’t gotten his Feline Hyperesthesia Syndrome beneath management two years in the past.
I bear in mind when Dr. Sally noticed Charlie after we had labored with Pam diligently to get him higher. Dr. Sally stated, “He’s like a special cat.” And I replied, “Sure, his physique is not on fireplace, so he’s not bothered by each little factor that touches him.”
That’s why he was in a position to deal with the 4 pokes. If we hadn’t carried out the work with Pam, I don’t suppose he would have allowed even one poke.
On my drive residence from Dr. Sally’s 2nd set of fluids, I believed, “Man, I’ve gotta do that at residence to see if I can do it on my own.” The primary cat I gave fluids to on my own was Caymus – my sister Amy had bravely carried out it by herself, so I knew I needed to attempt the identical. I did fluids on my mother and father’ cats, Caymus and Murphy, and my Rags, Trigg, Hobbs, and Maddie (my Aunt Jean’s Ragdolls), so I’m an skilled fluid giver.
So, I made a decision to get the braveness up and take a look at it. The primary poke went by way of like an ear piercing. The second was excellent, however then Charlie bolted away, so it got here out. I needed to pierce him another time, and we received it. He stayed, and I received the fluids in. I virtually held my breath whereas they have been working. Nonetheless, I discovered a very long time in the past from a veterinary acupuncturist that you just by no means need to maintain your breath with a cat as a result of that’s the one time she received bitten.
It felt like I held my breath, however I didn’t do this on function. As soon as we have been carried out with the fluids, I cheered and clapped my arms, kissed him, and hugged him. He was excited as a result of he knew I used to be excited. Then I picked him up and began crying, saying, “We are able to do that, Woo!”
The considered hauling him forwards and backwards to the vet for fluids – a process that takes lower than half the time to drive to the vet, was overwhelming. And I do know that fluids can and can get to the purpose the place they want them day by day, so I simply didn’t know if I might do it that means without end. And my caregiver fatigue is out of this world proper now, so I didn’t need another factor to do.
I’ve continued fluids at residence. General, he’s nonetheless doing properly with it – there was one Chuckie look. That’s extra of my fault, although – I ought to have paid extra consideration to the place he was in his day (he wasn’t keen to remain put). He has additionally bolted away from the road a number of instances, inflicting the needle to fall out, however I don’t need to re-poke him, so he will get a bit much less. I nonetheless can not imagine I’m giving Charlie: 1. fluids, 2. on my own. BLOWS MY MIND.
I instructed Charlie a number of weeks in the past, “Bub, it began with you and me, and now it’s simply you and me once more.”
In the event you imagine in manifesting what you need, it labored for me getting my Charlie. The primary Ragdoll in our household, and the rationale I wished one for myself, was Halston, a seal mitted with a blaze Ragdoll cat. I all the time wished a seal mitted with a blaze due to Halston.
After I began Floppycats and knew I wouldn’t have my Rags for much longer, I had a imaginative and prescient board. I put a cat that appeared virtually precisely like Charlie on that imaginative and prescient board. Earlier than Rags died, I had a consolidated record of breeders I knew who have been nonetheless breeding cats associated to Rags. A kind of was Soulmate Ragdolls in North Carolina.
About 5 months after Rags died, I used to be in Albuquerque, New Mexico, wanting by way of the out there kittens on that consolidated breeders’ record – I simply went to every of their web sites to see if that they had listed one thing new.
I wasn’t prepared for kittens. However that evening, staring again at me was “Casey” – which was Charlie. It’s humorous as a result of “Casey” sounds aloud like “KC” (Kansas Metropolis), which is the place I’m from. Though I wasn’t prepared for a kitten, I knew he was imagined to be mine. He was excellent…and had an ideal hourglass blaze.
I nonetheless can not imagine I lucked out with a seal mitted with an ideal blaze. He was like a needle in a haystack and simply sitting cute as a button on Soulmates’ web site years and years in the past.
Charlie has been one in all my biggest lecturers. When he had his energetic hyperesthesia, I believed for certain the one means for it to cease was for him to die – I wouldn’t have put him to sleep. I simply thought there was no means he would ever get higher.
However a good friend inspired me (after I had spent 1000’s and gone to a number of veterinarians) to attempt Pam of Purrrfectly Holistic. And I watched as Charlie’s little physique healed from the harm I had carried out feeding him dry kibble (why he has kidney illness), giving him too many topical flea medicines, giving him too many vaccines, and residing in a poisonous setting with too many harsh chemical compounds and fragrances. Whereas Charlie’s not excellent, given the kidney state of affairs now, how a lot he has circled is outstanding. I can not thank Pam sufficient for the cat I’ve now vs. the one I had then.
Talking of surprises with Charlie, his willingness to eat uncooked is wonderful. I additionally received assist from Pam to get my cats to eat uncooked – and I used to be very proud once they transitioned. I’m nonetheless loopy proud. I CANNOT BELIEVE Charlie eats uncooked. I can not, although I serve it to him. I’ve needed to swap him to eggshell as an alternative of bone. Eggshell is fabricated from calcium carbonate, whereas bone is fabricated from calcium phosphate – and phosphorus is an issue for kidney cats, so limiting or eliminating bone is finest. Fortunate for me, he loves this new boneless recipe I’m following. However he’ll solely actually eat pork – he tells the animal communicator that it digests simply for him. This August will mark two years since Charlie has been raw-fed. Loopy.
Charlie is a kind of pets with F.A.D – also called flea allergy dermatitis. It’s MISERABLE. Even when they don’t keep on him – if a flea bites him, it’s all downhill. He scratches, itches, and licks like a loopy man. The pinnacle tremor he received from topical flea medicines comes again, and it’s a residing hell for us each – though in all probability extra only for me.
On prime of making an attempt to handle Charlie’s loopy response to the flea bites, you have to sustain with vacuuming, cleansing, and so on., in order that the flea inhabitants doesn’t improve. I’ve discovered loads from our summers with fleas – and their magnetism to Charlie. I launched a free collection on pure flea management due to it. If Charlie will get a flea (one flea), I do know fairly shortly now and have a complete plan to take motion to get it off of him and get them out of my home. It’s not a enjoyable course of, nevertheless it’s extra methodical, organized, and efficient than a yr in the past.
Charlie is a really outgoing cat however has been extra subdued since Trigg died. He sleeps in spots the place he can not hear every thing in the home.
I’m engaged on new dietary supplements with him to assist his immune system after the fleas – and in addition for his kidneys. I’m seeing some optimistic adjustments, and I hope these proceed.
Charlie has been instrumental in my Floppycats’ enterprise. He normally saves the day relating to me getting footage of him utilizing a product (which is de facto essential when reviewing a product—however it’s not all the time the simplest factor to have your digicam prepared the moment they’re utilizing it. Cat scratchers are the toughest!). Anyway, even at virtually 15, he knocked this one out of the park for me this yr, and I’m grateful.
I’ve discovered loads from Charlie within the final two years. I’ve discovered loads about what makes kitties sick, what makes them stronger, what merchandise we can provide to assist them, what assessments we are able to do to get them higher, what we are able to feed that can give them optimum well being, and a lot extra. I’m very grateful for that. I’m sorry that Charlie has gone by way of what he has gone by way of due to my ignorance. I hope the life classes I’ve discovered will help many different Floppycatters and lots of extra of my cats.
I want I might shock Charlie together with his Chiggy for his birthday—I can’t think about how stunned he’d be.
I don’t know how for much longer Charlie has—and I truthfully by no means thought Trigg wouldn’t be celebrating his fifteenth birthday—so that you by no means, ever know. However after what I’ve gone by way of with Caymus, Murphy, and Trigg, I’ve determined to deal with high quality with Charlie, not amount.
Completely satisfied fifteenth Birthday, my stunning boy! I hope you will have many, many extra birthdays.
Hello, I’m Jenny Dean, creator of Floppycats! Ever since my Aunt received the primary Ragdoll cat in our household, I’ve beloved the breed. Impressed by my childhood Ragdoll cat, Rags, I created Floppycats to attach, share and encourage different Ragdoll cat lovers world wide,
