I used to post here a long time ago. I have two cats which are fine, but my life has changed a lot since I last posted.
The short of it is I have moved in with my boyfriend who also has a cat named Bob. Shortly after moving in Bob (the cat - get it Bobcat) stopped eating and was depressed. We figured it was because of the stress of moving and two new cats in his territory. We were wrong. After about two weeks of Bob's non existent appetite, we took him to the vet. The vet couldn't find anything and after a couple of days of debate about the recomendation we take him to the specialist for an estimation of about 700-1000 dollars plus, we decided to go ahead and spend the money (we barely have) and take him to the specialist. 1285 dollars later and much worrying, it turns out Bob has a fungus called Histoplasmosis.... This is a rare, rare fungus that usually, espescially doesn't get to indoor cats. Bob goes outside ten minutes once a week with supervision. Chances are that we brought some dirt on our shoes in the house with the fungus. It's is from bird & bat feces. And most animals and people fight it off naturally. Bob's immune system is just very weak so his body did not fight it off. With that Bob has a kidney stone, and an enlarged kidney and the other kidney doesn't function. The doctor was very, very nice and understanding.....but the short of it is that because of Bob's weak immune system, we don't know if he'll make it through this. We have to force feed him twice a day, give him a liquid medication that's goin to run about 150 every two weeks for the next 6 months or so, give him a steroid once a day for a few days (the steroid is a gamble because it weakens the immune system but gives him strength and the strength needed trumps the risk right now), give him an appetite stimulant & an antibiotic!!!!
Bob is not my cat.....He is Kevin's cat and Bob has never taken to me, he won't let me pet him, he likes to slap at me....but depsite that, I have always loved him. He is after all a cat and I love cats for all their quirkiness. I guess the reason i mention these things is because I am hurting despite the fact that Bob is technically not mine. I had to be the one to pay the medical fees because I have some extra cash (not anymore). And I'm the one that broke down in tears with the news. I do feel guilty because in the back of my head I worry about the debate of finances vs. his life. Kevin has been out of work (he's working now as a programmer, but he's playing catch up). I hate to do all this and then the worst happen and we're broke on top of it. And then I feel terrible for thinking that in the first place.
What hurts is not the really money, or the fact that neither of us are good at pilling cats or force feeding them, but the fact that a) why did he have to get a fungus that an indoor cat shouldn't be getting - it's like winning the unlucky lottery & b) even after we try this, he basically may not make it. The doctor said the next five days will tell - that it's really up tp Bob to fight this off. And I;m scared Bob doesn't have the fight in him. It's like he's given up. And has he given up becasue of me and my boys moving in?
I don't know what I'm looking for here - is there any chance any of you have been through this fungus before with you pets? And maybe just words of encouragement - some cat prayers. H e is a good boy - he is sick and doesn't know why. He wants to fight us on the feeding, which is vital to his survival. I want to stay hopeful, but my nature is negative. So maybe some of you could give me some hope or a different angle of looking at this.
I'm sorry maybe I just needed to get this out in a place where no one thinks you are nuts for talking about a cat so much. Thanks in advance for your understanding.
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