Geez and I thought dealing with one cat with a URI was bad. He's finally starting to get a little better and it's been around two weeks or so. I hope things get better for you and your herd.
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Geez and I thought dealing with one cat with a URI was bad. He's finally starting to get a little better and it's been around two weeks or so. I hope things get better for you and your herd.
Good to hear that at least Tucker is doing a bit better meanwhile! Hopefully the other kitties will also show first signs of improvement soon!
Sounds like really hard work for you, and you're taking good care of them!
You and the kitties are staying in our thoughts here, a speedy recovery to all of them!
Kirsten
Here are a couple of pictures of my baby boy, Tucker. You can see how his eyelids are, he is mouth breathing, and his fur is stiff from all the drooling.
He is improving, but not out of the woods yet....please pray for my baby boy!!!
http://fluffandstuff.homestead.com/files/SickBaby6.jpg
http://fluffandstuff.homestead.com/files/SickBaby.jpg
Kim, I am so glad you emailed me about the URI plague!!!! I have been too busy to follow Pet Talk of late and hadn't seen your posting. And you know I love Tucker and your furrkids!!! As I told you in the email, we had a URI go through our Pride in Jan/Feb...scared me to death. It wasn't as bad as what you are experiencing; however, we just had everyone on antibiotics.
I had to use a syringe to give water to some of them that wouldn't drink - they can't argue when water shoots into their mouths. A few had high temps, but only Chauncey (19 this week) really got bad to the point where we had to put him on a kitty decongestant. He could NOT breath, so couldn't eat...
You are such a God send for all those rescues...and I certainly will now follow this post and will of course pray for all to recover. You've had some wonderful support from this group - aren't cat people just the best????
Kim, you are so supportive of everyone else - I don't know how you had time with all of this tomake the beautifull birthday card you did for Chauncey, but I am going to keep it on his web page furrrrever!!!
Love to your babies from the Pride
Bari
Glad to hear Tucker is doing a little better, hope the other kitties will soon be showing signs of improvement also. I will be keeping the kitties and you in my prayers.
Love & Hugs
Christine
I know how hard it is to care for one sick kitty, you and your hubby are wonderful people to care so for these little guys! My prayers and thoughts have been with you this week since I first read your post, and I just wanted to let you know that.
I think everyone will be all right, it's like having kids when a flu hits - it runs throught he family!!! Headbonkies and bellyrubs to all your furbabies!!
Hang in there, KIM!!!!! I know a few more days of meds will make a difference in these kitties lives.
Thanks, Bari_d, for your suggestions and encouragement!!!
Please, Kim's babies, gett better!!!
Kim, I'm so glad to hear that Tucker is feeling better. Prayers are on the way for the rest of your herd. Please get well soon kitties. I also hope that the kittens are spared from this URI outbreak. Please take care.
Thankfully, everyone is fairly stable right now. Tucker slept well on my chest all night!!! ;) He is not wanting to drink today though, so I am forcing Nutri-Cal on him. His breathing is much improved, and his temp is down some .... he will be fine I'm sure now... just gonna take a few more days!!!!
The worst still at this point, is Feral Tuxedo boy, Boots. He doesn't seem any worse though this morning, so I am pleased about that. Most everyone else is mostly a little sluggish and sneezy, but still eating the tuna!!!! ;)
Best news of all.... the six kittens are secluded in one of our bedrooms and going nutso in there!!!! :D I can't imagine them getting sick at this point... but I can't be sure ... so please continue to pray that they will be spared from this! I'm hoping that at least if they do get sick ... by then the others will be improving and I can focus completely on the babies. I'm not going to take chances with them though ... if they develop this nasty bug, they are going to the vet for fluids!!!!!
Thank you EVERYONE soooooo much for your support, encouragement, advice, and concern. It means so much to me to know that I have friends all over the world who are thinking of me and my babies!!!!
Bari D, it was soooooo nice to talk with you on the phone last night.... thanks so much for being such a special friend!
Love to all!
Kim,
I am so pleased that things are starting to look up. You sound so much happier. :D
Prayers for Tucker, Boots and other sick kittys, you have to get well soon for your mummy.
Thinking of the six kittens, going crazy in the spare room. This is the best thing for you guys at the minute. Try not to break anything.
Its wonderful to have good news today. I hope very much that everything continues to improve and that the kittens stay well.
Prayers are streaming your way constantly right now! I have tears in my eyes just thinking of ALL that you and your babies have gone through, especially Boots right now. I was relieved to read that there has been much improvement, but I feel your pain and fear, and how you must be overwhelmed. You are doing ALL the right things though, and they WILL continue to get healthy, just as all of Bari's Pride returned to normal!
LOVE TO YOU ALL!!!!!!!!! Keep us posted and God Bless!!!! PRAYERS and HUGS! Ginny
Kim, your Sunday update is certainly encouraging and we're continuing our prayers for everyone, but as Ginny said, extra prayers especially for Boots and the kittens now. When we talked on the phone yesterday, I could hear your purrecious Tucker sneezing and coughing...poor things - they hate that , and it is so hard for them to eat and drink when their noses are full.
We love you, babies...keep taking your meds and allow Kim to do all she can for you...
Snuggles to them all and a hug your you, Kim! Hope you're able to get some rest too!
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Father of all, we ask that you please watch over Kim and her babies...help them to respond to medication and love, encourage them to eat and drink, and strengthen Kim and her family as they work together to bring about the healing of these sweet babies. We're grateful that you hear our prayers always, Lord, and for the comfort which comes from having you in our lives and in the lives of all we care for. Amen
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Bari and the Pride
Good news is such a relief! Keep on getting better all you fur-babies, and kittens, stay healthy now, you hear?!?
Thank you so much for the lovey prayer, Bari .... brought tears to my eyes!
Hugs!
I'm so glad to hear that Tucker and the gang are showing more signs of improvement. :) Prayers are still on the way for everyone. Please stay healthy now little kittens.
I am sorry I haven't had time to check on this thread in a while. Wow Kim! It sounds like you have been busy trying to keep all of your sweet kitties healthy! I am glad to hear that Tucker is doing better and that the kittens are doing well bouncing around.(any chance you can post some new kitten photos once you get the other cats healthy and you get some sleep?)
I think it is so nice that Bari has popped in to help you through this, she is one of my favorite Pet Talkers and I love her Cat Happy website. :)
Kim, I think both you and Bari should check out ChrisH's thread in Cat General called "Please take a look at beautiful Holly", she is a pretty cat that I think will put a smile on both of your faces.:) :)
Tuna for Tucker tonight!;) Still hoping that Tucker and the other cats get well soon!
I'm so relieved to hear they're all doing better meanwhile! :)
Just saw the pics you've posted and it's heartbreaking to see Tucker looking so miserable! Poor boy!
A speedy recovery to all of them, hope they're all over the worst now!
Best wishes,
Kirsten
Thanks so much for all the support, I can never tell you ALL how much your every word means to me!!!
Tucker just drank a few sips from his fountain and nibbled a few bits of food!!!! He is trying soooooo hard to get better!!!
Boots is hanging in there too ..... I put some tuna in front of him earlier and he quickly came to it ... but when he hovered over it, he just stopped! :( I buy the water packed cans, so I got a teaspoon and spoon fed him a few bites / drinks of the tuna flavored water! He didn't especially appreciate it, but it made me feel a bit better.
All the other sick ones are fairly stable .... they are still eating and just sort of lying around sneezing now and then. I don't know if everyone is really improving, or if I am just getting used to seeing them like this??? :confused:
No, as long as they are eating / drinking, I know they are doing ok! How can they NOT be with so many people praying for them???
:)
As tough as it sounds, I really think all the TLC you are giving all your furkids is going to pay off - it's just sooooooo hard to watch them suffer. I am so glad to hear of signs of improvement, and thank goodness the kittens are doing allright! My thoughts are with you, and prayers as well!
Just got up to check on everyone .... it's far from over yet.
Grace (my alpha girl) seems worse now ... I thought she was not going to get too bad, but it seems she has just taken longer to progress in this thing. :( The same goes for Roxie .... she took 3 days to show any symptoms, now she is starting to slow down too! Harper is seeming a bit worse too now ... but he is still eating his tuna.
Hallie (my next girl in line) is not eating or drinking again .... as soon as hubby gets home (around 7am) I am going to get his help in giving her another steroid shot. It's just too difficult to give them by myself. I've had two bad experiences so far. First, Bonnie escaped with just the needle (no syringe) and she ran around the house until it finally fell out .... SOMEWHERE!
Second, Harper jumped while I was administering one of his shots, apparently it made the needle hit him in a nerve or something. It was horrible!!! He screamed bloody murder for several minutes (seemed like hours) and fell over on his side with his leg all retracted up!!!! I thought I had lamed him!!! :( :( :(
When he stood up, he was still holding his leg up to his belly, I was terrified, bawling my eyes out ... with no one to help me.
I finally got him down, rubbed his leg and gently pulled it back "out" from his body... it was fine.... THANK GOD! Needless to say, I am afraid to give any more shots without my hubby to assist.
Dexter is getting more congested as well. Apparently he was another slow progresser.
:(
Tucker is doing a little better again .... trying to eat / drink a little ... and Boots drank lots and lots of water and ate lots of tuna just now! THAT is the bright spot for this update! ;)
Babies are still fine for now... but these ones who I thought were "ok" but are just slow progressing, are making me more worried that the babies may still take sick!:confused:
I'll check in later today.
Oh Kim, this is such a tough time for you and your kitties to go through... :( And these horrible experiences with these shots! :eek: Poor Harper would have scared me to death! :( :( :(
Poor poor baby - and poor you! I don't think I could give my baby a shot either, and I hope things work better with your hubby's assistance!
I'm keeping you and the kitties in my thoughts, get-well-hugs to all of them,
Kirsten
Kim, I've been off Pet Talk for a while and was reading this today for the first time. My first thought was, 'Kim and hubby must be exhausted!"
Take care of yourself - we all know that angels are watching over all of your furbabies, and that you, yourself are a guardian angel in human form for these babies.
Ritzy says "us tuxeedos are tuffies" and to hang in there, you'll be inspiration for the other furries to get better too!
God's blessings
Kim, you have such a way with kitties I just know that the illness will subside soon! I promise!
Cats can manufacture such interesting illnesses - I know. Not all illness turn out to be lethal. I bet you're kitties will have a recovery like you have never seen before!
I trust your little ones will be fine too!
SAS:)
Kim, I did see the new pictures you posted in Cat General of your precious babies. I just know everything is going to be all right. I worry about you, being so tired. I hope you were able to take Jen L's advice and that your hand will heal quickly. I am sure you are trying to be very careful about handwashing and surface sanitizing. Again I wish there were a way someone could give you a hand while your husband is at work.
My heart goes out to you and your kitties.
I know we all hoped you'd seen the worst of this, and that everyone was on the mend, but the good news is the first ones ill ARE getting better. This virus is a nasty one, to say the least, and I know you are exhausted (probably because "people" call you on the phone in the middle of your naps!!!)
I read some of your postings I hadn't seen before about your wanting to quit rescue. I do hope you will feel better about everything once your babies are well. The rest of us will just try to give you the support and prayers you need to keep going right now! I only wish I lived nearby and could help you! When our babies came down with the URI in Jan/Feb, we hadn't had ANY outside contact at all...don't blame yourself.
One thing I did do (and kept doing for weeks after they got well) was to put a container of Clorox wipes on the kitchen counter and I continually cleaned with those and threw them away. I also mopped with Pinesol and washed all their bedding every week. I don't know if all that was necessary, but we didn't have a second go 'round!!
It is good news that Boots is now eating and drinking. We will all keep our hearts and prayers going your way...
Bari and the Pride
Awww, Kim, my heart goes out to you and your WHOLE FAMILY!!!!!! Like Bari said, I too wish I lived by you and could help you! You must surely be exhausted, even just from keeping all of us updated in these posts. You are SUCH a GOOD PERSON!!! Just know all our LOVE and PRAYERS are with you every moment!!! Bari had some good suggestions, seeing that she had to nurse all her babies through that terrible experience as well! GOD BLESS ALL OF YOU THERE!!!!!! Take care of yourself too, although I know that feels so difficult right now! Love, Ginny
You really are doing a marvelous job, honey. Consider that you and your hubby are also going through a form of greiving, and that in itself tends to make our minds lay all kinds of trips on us. So sit back (when you can :) ), do something for you that you enjoy - a candle lit bath, a moment with a good book, or time in prayer or meditation. I wondered how you are giving the shots - do they tell you to give them in the loose skin behind the head? Having never done that myself, I ask out of curiousity, not as an advisor. However, Dad has vetted many animals in his day and tells me for cats that's the place - my vet says the same. Never hesitate to call your vet for guidance and support - after all, they're there for us as well!! :)
Much love and many prayers for you and yours - and many thanks for taking the time out of your busy life to inquire about Grasshopper. You're quite the delightful being. Love, Ko & Grasshopper
Kim,
Hang in there!!!!!! I know it is getting to you, and I feel so much for you, but, it WILL get better!!!!!!!