Fall is a 12-year-old calico--the color of fall foliage. He got her in the fall---hence her name. The vet ran various tests and told him her kidneys were failing, she had a heart murmer, too. They checked her heart and said she had heart disease, also. She had never been sick up to this point. He asked the vet to give him an accurate prognosis. She said Fall was so bad that there was little hope. If they treated the kidneys by giving her fluids, it would put serious strain on her heart. They suggested putting her to sleep.
He called me, and we were both upset. The vet explained it all to me on the phone. I love Fall as if she was my own. She is a precious cat without a mean bone in her body. I was heartbroken. Kevin felt bad about me not being able to see her, so they told him they could give her fluids and send her home. She would be good for a couple days. She wouldn't eat or drink, but she wouldn't be suffering.
Kevin always thinks of everyone else before himself. He brought her home so we could all spend one last evening together. She was in very bad shape. She still wobbled when she walked. It was a struggle. All she did was just lay on her side and breathe hard. She did use the litterbox a few times.
When I left, I kissed her goodbye--never expecting to see her again. The next morning, I went riding with my sister, and Kevin was going to take her to his vet.
He called me at the beginning of the ride and said she was drinking and walking better! He wasn't going to take her to the vet just yet. Instead, he came out to the barn to take care of his horse.
Afterwards, we went to see her. I was amazed. She could walk well and she was drinking a lot. She even ate a few treats! We made an appointment at his vet. They couldn't see her for a couple more days. That evening, she ate more, drank more and clawed her yoga mat! She even walked up to me so I could pet her a little. The next day she was even better! We couldn't believe it! The following day, we took her to the vet and told them the whole story.
They ran some test on her. She is only at the beginning stages of kidney disease and her heart is just fine. Though her numbers were literally off the chart when she was at the emergency vet--and it wouldn't have been surprising if she would have died that very night, with only one round of sub-q fluids, she improved dramatically. They would keep her a few days on IV fluids and then see how she does after that. It is possible that she may be able to cope with only a diet change. If she needs more, we can give her the sub-q's.
When my Siamese, Indi, was 12, she was diagnosed at early stage kidney disease, and she was able to go 5 years on just the diet change. I don't think Fall will be that fortunate--Siamese are such strong, hardy cats. Indi lived until she was 19. Still, we are thrilled that we can have her a while longer. She really is only alive because Kevin wanted me to have a little more time with her.
No one will commit to why she got as bad as she did. She stays inside all the time. It was extremely hot--into the 90s. That may have had something to do with it. The vet thinks the vomiting caused dehydration, but what caused her to vomit that much?
Whatever the case, we have her for a little while longer. She is such a wonderful cat.
So far, she is doing well. She isn't eating the food they gave her with much enthusiasm, but she is eating it. Next week, she goes back to the vet.
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