Life At K & L's

[K & L]

Hello Everyone

It’s been awhile since I’ve been here so thought I’d update you on what’s been happening with the Doyle menagerie. Besides being extremely busy, our son-in-law was in the hospital, we’ve been taking the oldest granddaughter back and forth to the orthodontist, and have been taking the cats in 2 by 2 for exams, the long hairs shaved for the summer, and vaccine updates.

Beavis, Parker and Olive came through with flying colors. Got their shaving, update on shots, and a clean bill of health. Bailey and Bear didn’t do as well. Bailey had to have 13 teeth extracted and Bear 16! Bear also had a slight URI and painstakingly had to be medicated. He’s still traumatized by the whole ordeal. He runs whenever I’m around and hides anywhere he can get to.

Now for Blaze…a little update on him. He is the most feral we own and it’s a miracle if we can even touch him. The last vet appointment (years ago) was so traumatic we decided it wasn’t worth it, and wouldn’t do it again unless necessary. Just trying to catch him caused such trauma to him he pooped and peed all over the place. Well this morning during feeding hour Blaze went near one of the carriers whose door just happened to be open. I set his plate in front of it and as he turned to eat I easily shoved him in the carrier and got the door shut. I figured we’d have him shaved, shots updated, and possible teeth extractions. The vet just called and Blaze has some kind of growth in the back of his throat. They will be running blood work and doing a biopsy so we won’t know anything until tomorrow. The vet said it’s either a tumor or something from a weak immune system. We’ve had Blaze for around 8 to 9 years now. There’s big concern because he will be next to impossible to medicate. If he needs a checkup (which I’m sure he will) to catch him again will be a miracle. Anyway, we’ll do whatever needs to be done and if he has to remain at the vets for a week or so, then so be it.

We still have several more to take in for exams and shot updates so hopefully we won’t get anymore bad news. Alot of our cats are reaching the 6 - 9 years of age so I'm sure things will begin to happen more and more.

Thanks for listening especially since I’ve missed so many of your posts.

P.S. As for Scooter he is doing very well. He waits by the bedroom door for his diaper to be put on and then runs all over the house. He loves the cat tree and chasing Mouser.

Here's Blaze:

[Laura's Babies]

Poor Blaze, he is beautiful but looks scared out of his wits! Hopefully, whatever that growth is, it can be removed and he be alright.

Sounds like you have been keeping yourself busy as a bee.. Please check in from time to time here so we will know you are OK... OK?

[AbbyMom]

I've been wondering where you were...hope your son-in-law is OK.

Blaze is a beauty and I'm glad you got him to the vet after all these years. Good luck with all the others!

[catmandu]

We are going to add both Blaze and Your Son In Law to Our Prayers and we hope taht they both will be well.
I know what you mean as Rocca as cute as she is is Peronna Non Grata at 2 Vets,and she would be , like Blaze impossible to catch and deal with.
Its good to have you back where you belong.

[Lizzie]

Ferals and medical care are an extremely difficult mix I know, and I don't have nearly the experience with this that you have. Congratulations on getting Blaize into the carrier! It's usually serendipity that allows this to happen occasionally. Are you so experienced that you don't have to quell your heart-pounding feelings as you move in to capture, just in case the cat can sense them?

It becomes very difficult as they age, even if they do mellow a little, since you know the vet visits become more vital and know that medication is near impossible. Do you have a vet who is very experienced with ferals? You must have or you would not be able to leave Blaize there. My vet has a large gouge mark in the plaster wall of one of the examination rooms from where Macduff raced up it on his second visit and I don't think he (the vet) has ever quite forgiven me for it.

I hope Blaize can be treated, he looks lovely. And good luck with all the other check-ups.

[CultureJunky]

I hope your family get better and all is well, myself and Jack & Sunny are wishing and hoping Blaze is okay and doesnt' have to go through too much trauma, paws crossed.

[jenluckenbach]

HEY! I missed you!!!

Best of luck with Blaze and the others.

[catlover4ever]

Well we can see now why you have been so busy. I hope your son-in-law is OK and keep up the good work with the kitties. I hope Blaze makes out OK with his vet visit...he sure is a looker.

[Barbara]

You describe very well the problems of getting so many kitties to the vet- only thing I know is how invisible Filou can become when he goes in for his weekly fluids. A cat can fit in a crack in the wall if he wants to disappear.

I am sorry about the tooth patients and especially about poor Blaze. I hope he will see that everyone only wants to help him.

[Beauty17]

I hope for the best for poor little Blaze. A tumor scares me. I hope it isn't that. Wishing for the best for you and Blaze.

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

I figured you've been extremely busy and yup, I was right!

16 & 18 teeth removed?!?!? Makes you wonder just how many teeth they have to begin with. Poor kitties.

And poor little Blaze. He does look scared in that pic, but, if you remember Jonza's Fister's stories, it seemed everytime Fister spent time at the vet or the pension, he was much more relaxed, calm and talkative once he got back home again. Hopefully the same will be true with Blaze.

So cute about Scooter how he waits for his diaper. So glad he's able to get out and about and is mingling well with the others.

Good luck with all the rest of them. I can't imagine having to take.....21 is it now?....cats to the vet - whew!

[K & L]

Thanks everyone! Answers to some of the questions:

(Q)Are you so experienced that you don't have to quell your heart-pounding feelings as you move in to capture, just in case the cat can sense them?

(A)This happened so fast I didn’t even have time to think about it. I knew Blaze needed to go to the vet since I noticed some drooling on his chin and figured he was having teeth problems like the others. When I saw him near the carrier I just figured it’s now or never. He had his back to me so I grabbed, tossed, and shut the door. After it was over with I was shaky!

(Q) Do you have a vet who is very experienced with ferals?

(A) Our vets are WONDERFUL. I can’t say enough about them. They work with us on everything, including all the park cats. We never have to make an appointment. They just let us drop-off at our convenience. We even got them to start ear-tipping for us. Blaze is in GOOD hands.

(Q) I hope your son-in-law is OK.

(A) He went to the ER last week, and believe me something had to be wrong since we can never get him to go to a Dr. He was having severe chest pains. They admitted him for a possible heart attack because he was having an irregular heart beat. He is out now, but has a follow-up with the cardiologist because a test came back that something is not functioning properly. So we were picking up after school and babysitting while my daughter stayed at the hospital, all very nerve wracking.

(Q) I can't imagine having to take.....21 is it now?....cats to the vet - whew!

(A) Well it’s 25 now and I’m losing count! Not only is it difficult time wise for 25, the expensive is breaking the ole credit cards. Bear & Bailey alone was $950! No telling what Blaze will run, and we still have several to go.

Thanks you all for missing me. It’s hard to get on PT from work (my boss is away for a bit right now so I snuck on), and with home life being so chaotic, I haven’t had much time there either. I will try and catch up soon!

[K & L]

**UPDATE**
I talked with the vet today, and although the biopsy results are not in he said Blaze is doing well. They had to extract several teeth. Why all our cats are having this issue is beyond me. It must be due to their genes since most came from the park. The Dr. believes we're dealing with reactive tissue, which if this is the case, is chronic. Blaze kept turning blue while under and they believe it was due to the tissue flapping over his wind tunnel. He will remain there this evening so they can administer more antibiotics. This problem may be due to his teeth, but we won't know all until biopsy results are back. His blood results came back with a high count on something, and I can't remember what he said. He does believe the high count is due to the growth. I will let you all know more when I hear the results. They said they've been approaching him very slowly and trying not to spook him too much. Poor guy.

[K & L]

We're waiting for the vets office to open to see if we get to bring Blaze home. I will update as soon as I know anything.

[sandragonfly]

hi there lisa! always good to see you back. I've been wondering about you all. when I had two strays over my home a couple weeks ago, (amelia & brock - there's a thread about them somewhere), thought of you immediately, would love to have some advices from you. (and I never have saw brock again since).

anyway, blaze have fanstancized me - I hope he'll have no more new issues and can be fixed allright soon! he's a beauty hit, I love him.

how's mouser? (the one who lost tail, correct?) - I think we should start a special thread of furdoyles! thanks for a few updates, enjoyed reading them. don't forget to ..take care of you!