My foster, Mama Rosie - poor prognosis post 29

**cassiesmom** · 07-13-2007, 02:32 PM

Oh, Miss Rosie, you are soooo thin! You are almost up to four pounds, though... Just a few more ounces. How wonderful that you sought out a caring person to help you! Lizzie, how old is Miss Rosie? (And what is AD?) Gentle pet to you, pretty girl.

**Lizzie** · 07-13-2007, 06:39 PM

I took Rose to the vet this morning to weigh her and she has gained almost a pound (15 ounces) in the past two weeks!

The vet would feel comfortable now giving her light sedation in order to properly examine her mouth. I just have to get the funds from the shelter, no easy task when they are going to want to have it done more cheaply by another vet (one of the three that mis-diagnosed her and allowed the shelter to believe that she either wasn't eating enough because her mouth was sore or because she had some age-related medical condition - GRRRRR!)

Rose is 15. When she was 14, her family moved and decided against taking her with them - rather like the old furniture they probably left behind, another GRRRRR!

Right now she is lolling on a very sunny deck with a full tummy - just the way she should be.

**catmandu** · 07-13-2007, 06:50 PM

What A Poor Emaciated Cat. But If Theres Anyone Who Can Help Mama Rosie Its You.
Please Send Us Photos As She Recovers And Becomes A Healthy Cat.
That Will Be Proof That With Love And Tlc Theres Hope For Any Cat. May You Get Well Mama Rosie In Gods Name.

**CultureJunky** · 07-14-2007, 05:23 AM

Lizzie, please give her tummy rubs and ear scritches for me whilst she's enjoying her time sunning herself

**jazzcat** · 07-14-2007, 11:36 AM

Oh my, how sad. I'm so glad you are helping her.

She is 15 years old? She's a tough cookie!

**fragrancehound** · 07-14-2007, 01:35 PM

Lizzie,

You have such a kind heart.

**columbine** · 07-14-2007, 02:05 PM

Thank you for taking care of this hungry little kitty! Warm cuddles to Rosie - mangia, baby!

Love, Columbine

**sasvermont** · 07-14-2007, 03:55 PM

Is there something we can contribute to, to help this poor girl have a good quality of life, and help you too? She looks so pathetic, but still surviving, thanks to you.

Gosh, such a sad story. She must have such a strong will to live.

Let us know about helping out with the cost. OK?

**Pawla** · 07-16-2007, 01:27 PM

THANK GOD for people like you! You truly are an angel, and she is truly a beautiful, and lucky girl. She knew what she was doing when she meowed her way toward you. Please keep us updated on this special kitty with reports, and photos.

**cassiesmom** · 07-18-2007, 03:30 PM

Lizzie, it's about 3:30 PM in Chicago and I have been thinking about you and Mama Rosie all day. Did the veterinarian examine her mouth yet, and how did it go? Is she still putting on weight? Could you give her a gentle pet for me, please.

How is the other foster kitty (post #24)?

**cassiesmom** · 07-19-2007, 12:22 PM

Lizzie, is Mama Rosie still putting on weight? Does her coat look better? Could you give her sub-q fluids (and maybe nutrients) as her ability to swallow wanes? It sounds she's got a lot of spunk for what Catmandu always refers to as a "senior kitty-zen". Could you give her another petting for me, please. I am so glad she has you!

**Lizzie** · 07-19-2007, 12:47 PM

She hasn't put on any more weight but then, when they weighed her yesterday, she hadn't eaten since 8pm the night before. She was a bit goofy for a while last night because they'd had to give her injected sedation instead of gas and intubation, and it was nice to see her so relaxed. She is not a laid-back cat in general. I thought she'd only want one feeding, but she demanded another before we went to bed, and this morning she made me fill up a third syringe.

It's this extreme desire for food that would make me say no to any idea of giving her fluids only if she can't eat. If Rose can't eat, she won't be really living. She goes to extreme measures to get food, even when she's just had a feeding. I can't eat in the same room with her because she will climb all over me to get into my plate. She will thrust her head into a snack packet, dive into every single cat's food bowl, has managed to get into the cupboard where the dry food is stored and tore open a bag. She can't eat any of the food she is aiming for, can't get it into her mouth, but she is truly that desperate constantly to find food and eat. I think she was demanding last night and this morning because the hunger of the morning reminded her of being starved recently. Her stomach is full, very full, but the drive to stave off starvation is powerful. I've tried to find it touchingly amusing, but I can't, it's just terribly sad.

She's been getting sub-q fluids since she came to me, just 100cc a day because she really fights it. At least it's easier now to get the needle in. At first I simply couldn't pull up a tent so would try to fold over a flap only to find the needle going in and coming out the other side. Now I can make a small tent.

Her coat does look better. I try to give her a short bath every day, just using a large wash bowl with a few inches of warm water in the bottom. I can only get her back feet in it because she clings to the sides with her front. It's enough anyway to sponge away the gunk, old and new. Her back legs are almost normal now and she never lost fur from them. The front look much cleaner but it's amazing what a thick coating of saliva and food is ingrained in her fur there. She may fight it, but she really appreciates being cleaner.

I'll try to take photos of her this weekend to post - but I could be rather busy reading the last H.P. book.

**cassiesmom** · 07-16-2007, 12:04 PM

Originally Posted by Lizzie

I took Rose to the vet this morning to weigh her and she has gained almost a pound (15 ounces) in the past two weeks!

The vet would feel comfortable now giving her light sedation in order to properly examine her mouth. I just have to get the funds from the shelter.

I too am waiting for word about a Help Rosie fund. Come on Rosie girl, you are almost at five pounds now, you can top five if you eat eat eat!

**kimlovescats** · 07-16-2007, 12:38 PM

Lizzie, God bless you for taking Rosie in and giving her a whole new life!!! I know that girl has got to be so very happy to have a warm, loving home and someone who is taking the time and effort to help her. I can't imagine someone letting her starve like this. Is the hairloss on her legs just from the drool and mess accumulating so long in her fur??? How very sad!

Is she able to drink water on her own? I know they move their tongues forward when lapping as well?

Does your vet think that he can make her tongue mobile again? That would be so wonderful! I know, so many questions! Sorry!

Give that sweet girl some love from me too!

Kim

**Lizzie** · 07-16-2007, 12:55 PM

I talked to the director of the shelter on Saturday and he agreed to fund the sedated examination of Rose's mouth and biopsies. There was a lot of hemming and hawing, and he could get it done much cheaper, but in the end he agreed. It wasn't that he didn't want to help Rose, he just wanted to use yet another vet linked with the shelter - though this time one with more experience. I think he was a little embarassed at the way Rose had been neglected. She will undergo the procedure on Wednesday.

As to how other vets didn't diagnose her correctly, I don't know how it happened. She was drooling heavily and not eating, her blood results were normal, she probably didn't like having her mouth examined, so they jumped to an easy conclusion - that's my guess. In fact, she drools because she is starved. Now that she is only hungry and no longer starving, she drools far less.

She's far more active now, which is great except that she jumps up on the kitchen counters all the time. It's very sad really, she's always trying to get into food that smells good but it's impossible for her to take up any at all, not a drop or a shred.

The shelter is covering all her medication, including fluids therapy, and all food. They reimbursed me for the vet visit and her pain meds. so the only money if my own I've spent on her is part of a bag of Feline Pine litter. She takes up a lot of my time, but she is a very cheap guest.

Thank you all for your good wishes and offers of help. Now that I've taken some photos of him, I'm about to post about another foster that was also severely malnourished. In fact, he was reduced to eating slugs to survive. Now, I'm being faced with surgery for him also so I hope you will feel like helping him instead.