Jen!! I had a big reply and was reveiwing it and it suddenly disappeared!!! I will try again!!!
This is the hard time in a cat owner's life(or in your case, a foster cat that you LOVE as your own). But, please remember, we are here for you and BraveHeart. I like the www.felinecrf.org, which is Tanya renal site. It is maintained by Helen, who is just wonderful. She does answer questions. I had no idea that if you put the needle that you were going to use to give sub q's in the FREEZER, the needle in easier to insert into the cat!! Spunky was the absolute PITS when it was sub q time. I ended up putting a dish of baby food with some chicken in it, get him to eat, so I could put in the needle and prayer that the 100 cc's went in quickly!!. There comes a time that it is best to let the cat eat what it wants. I still cringe when I think about Molly eating Nine Lives and Fancy Feast!! I would cook up chicken, turkey, liver, the ultimate bribe food, baby food. And it is OK if the cat eats, and it is still OK, if the cat does not eat. Keeping oneself calm, is the key to not stressing out the cat. Keep giving BraveHeart the pepcid, at least 20 minutes before he eats. It really does help with the nausea feeling. I remember giving Boo her fluids, she looked up at me, I petted her and told her, You are not going to get better, I cannot make you better, you are not going to live forever, BUT I promise you your dignity, comfort, quality of life, and no pain. I kept that promise to Boo and to all the other cats that have gone to the Bridge. I was once a member of a Yahoo renal group. As a nurse, I thought what are these people doing, why are they so concerned about giving the cat all sorts of pills, having procedures done, and they were nuts about the lab values. And for what, they were just causing the cat so much stress and pain. There comes to a point when that is it, nothing more can be done(BraveHeart is not there yet, is he??). I know that BraveHeart is in the BEST of loving hands with you caring for him. HUGS FOR JEN and MANY PRAYERS FOR DEAR BRAVE BRAVEHEART......Sandra