Saturday, December 3, 2011

Weekend Update

Greetings, Fellow Felines!

Possum here. Pixie had a very bad week. On Tuesday, our Human made good on her threat to take her to the v-e-t to have her teeth and gums checked. The v-e-t said he couldn't find any problem there. There is some plaque on her teeth but not that much, nor could he find any mouth ulcers. He gave Mummy some appetite-enhancing capsules for her and told her to open them and mix the contents with Pixie's food. He also gave her a prescription for three different kinds of medication, some to be taken as often as three times a day! But the appetite-enhancing medicine made Pixie throw up and she refuses to take the other pills. Mummy doesn't know what to do. She says Pill Pockets aren't available in Israel, so she tried to concoct some homemade Pill Pockets, by wrapping the pill fragments (like, a quarter pill 3 times a day) in smoked salmon. But Pixie got suspicious and refused to take the bait. And when she tries to force them down Pixie's throat, Pixie just spits them out. I used to do that too, when I was sick last year.
Pixie wants a word now. Over to you, Pixie.

Pixie here, Fellow Felines!

I think Mummy is trying to poison me! She took me to the  v-e-t and he said I was in a very bad way. It's true, I was feeling very bad. My tummy hurts a lot and I often feel nauseous. He gave her some medications for me and a prescription for 3 other kinds of pill. He also gave her a very tasty new kind of food for me but he said only to give me a little (because it's not food for kitties with kidney disease, it's food designed to trick a kitty into eating). Well, Fellow Felines, when we got home, she mixed an evil-tasting powder into the food and because it was something I'd never tasted before (it contains pork!) and also, because it smelled so good, I fell into the trap and ate quite a lot of it before the taste hit me! Fellow Felines, it was awful! It made me feel really sick and I vomited the whole lot.UGH!
The next day, she came home with three different kinds of pill, white ones and pink ones and orange ones - and a thingy for slicing them, because I'm supposed to have a quarter white pill twice a day, a quarter orange pill three times a day and a third of a pink pill three times a day. That's a lot of pills. She tried forcing them down my throat, because of course, I wouldn't take them. She knows I spit them out, so she has tried holding my mouth shut for a few minutes. But I outwitted her. I held them under my tongue and then, when she let me go, I spat them out. A couple of times, they partially melted in my mouth and I might have swallowed a bit. 
She says that if I take them, my tummy will feel better and I won't feel nauseous.  Today, she tried to trick me again. She offered me little rolled up balls of smoked salmon. But I won't fall into that trap again.I remember that white powder.
Fellow Felines, as Possum has told you, I have had a bad week. Often, I feel a bit better at weekends, because Mummy can spend lots more time with me and feed me several times a day, smaller amounts, but I feel I may be called to the Bridge much sooner than we all thought and hoped. In case I don't get a chance to talk to you again, I want to tell you all how much I love you and value your Friendship.

7 comments:

Whisppy said...

Hi Pixie's Mommy,
Have you tried using cheese to hide the pills? Since the cheese is strong smelling? Leave the cheese to get to room temperature so you can squish the pill (crushed if necessary) between 2 pieces (the slightly melted cheese will hold the pill much like a pill pocket. Do give Pixie a tiny piece or two without pills first to gain her trust. We hope it helps!

Admiral Hestorb said...

Pixie sweetest little girl..I hope and pray you will allow mamma to help you. Please.

Fuzzy Tales said...

Pixie, we're sending you our purrs and purrayers. We'd like to you stick around and be blogging for a long time to come, but sometimes that's not possible, not for the Being's Highest Good.

Mom Kim here.

I lost my Annie last February and I'm still grieving her. There was no illness like cancer to diagnose, just a series of problems that only got worse after her 5-day vet clinic stay. Eventually, on February 16th, I had to let her go because her lungs will filled with fluid and it was time. She clearly told me it was time, and in truth my heart knew it two days before, but my head kept telling me maybe I was wrong, maybe we could do this, that or the next thing.

Only you and Pixie will know if it's time for her to cross, but I will say this: Quality of life is everything. I will also say that having lost my angel Chumley suddenly one night almost 5 years ago (blood clot), the situation with Annie was far worse, because I felt I had to "play god," as it were. Even though the vet was "glad" I brought Annie in that day to help her across. It truly is a terrible, terrible thing to have to do--I've been through a lot of emotionally difficult times in my life, but that was the worst by far. But it was act of mercy for her at that point.

I hope that you can find a way to help Pixie, but sometimes our prayers fall on deaf ears, IMO.

The other thing I want to write really revolves around that quality of life. Vet medicine has come so far in recent decades that our companion animals are living so much longer, and we have so many more treatment options too. But sometimes we put our companions through awful tests and procedures, force them to endure suffering because WE can't let go, and all for a few weeks of existence--weeks with no quality of life. I'm NOT suggesting that's what you are doing, far from it. I don't know Pixie or you, don't know what her condition really is like, and I have no vet training. As I wrote, only you and Pixie will know IF or when it's time to let go.

Whatever happens, please be at peace. Please don't torture yourself emotionally as I have done, questioning the vet care, etc.

Whatever happens, know you have given Pixie the gift of a wonderful and loving forever home, and that's worth more than anything else in the world.

(((Hugs))) and universal Blessings to you both.

GreatGranny said...

Mom, you have received some good advice here and there's nothing I can add, except that this is so sad . I feel for you, Possum and little Pixie and what she must be feeling. I don't know what I'd do. It is so hard to pill a cat or force liquids. And it's hard to let go. Please know that you all are still in my thoughts and prayers.

meowmeowmans said...

We are purring and praying for you Pixie. And for your Mom. We love you both, and Possum, too. We lost our Maggie about two and a half weeks after Fuzzy Tales' Kim lost Annie, and we agree with everything she has said.

CATachresis said...

Possum you are a good sort x

Being a bit human here, I do agree with the comments above. You will come to the point where you will know what to do for the best and we hope and pray you are at peace with your decision. We've all been there. Our first kitty got cancer and at age 11 we knew we couldn't let her suffer. It was the right time to let her go.

You are all in my thoughts and prayers. x

Smudge said...

This is such a hard thing for humans who've developed such a strong bond with us felines. My dad certainly feels for you, and I hope, some day, hundreds and hundreds of years from now when it's my time, mom and dad's tears won't flood our home.