There’s been a lot going on this summer with our four-legged family. Many people have asked about some of our animals who have been facing medical challenges, so we wanted to share the following updates.
ADELINE
Addie is one of our special needs kitties. Prior to coming to the sanctuary, she had been hit by a car, which shattered her pelvis and left her incontinent and tail-less. As a result of complications from her accident, Addie frequently has issues with elimination, which we monitor and treat.
However, Addie developed a very severe bladder infection and case of constipation. Dr. Patterson at Sheep Meadow Animal Hospital was able to treat her infection and clear her intestines, but Addie was slow to recover and would not initially eat on her own. Once she got her appetite back, we brought her home, only to rush her back to Sheep Meadow a few days later. The infection seemed resistant to treatment and Addie was not feeling well. Dr. Patterson took x-rays and discovered a stone in her bladder. Addie is too underweight and compromised to perform surgery, so she is staying at Sheep Meadow for dietary treatment of the stone. She receives daily fluids and assistance with eliminating. Many thanks to Dr. Patterson and staff at Sheep Meadow for their loving care of Addie. We are hoping for improvement, but there has clearly been nerve deterioration from her injuries. Your kind thoughts are greatly appreciated.
MARTA
Marta was diagnosed with liver disease several months ago. While this is a sad development, we can at least report that our sassy gal is still purring for people, swatting at other cats, and drinking from the tap, of course!
Our veterinarians drain the fluid from her belly when it gets large enough to put pressure on her diaphragm, making it difficult for her to breathe. We do our best to keep her comfortable. She routinely licks all the gravy off the et cat food when we are preparing meals, much to the chagrin of the other cats. So we started giving her bowls of chicken broth and little pre-packed bowls of soup for cats. This suits her just fine, and then she hops back into her favorite spot – the kitchen sink.
TIG
Tig arrived last September with his buddies Jeb and Brodie. Despite his 15 years, he has the energy of a youngster. He is often so excited to go outside that he launches himself in the air and for just a moment, he rather resembles a dog-shaped kite flying high at the end of a leash-shaped string.
Tig recently experienced some digestive issues and we also discovered a large lump that had developed near the top of his tail. Imagine our relief when the veterinarian determined that the lump is benign and proscribed a round of antibiotics to help his upset stomach. Tig is back to his usual frolicking in the yard, competing with Brodie in their daily game of fetch.
BETTY
Betty is our senior gal, better known as the “Empress Dowager.” At her medical check-up a year ago, Dr. Patterson noticed that her eyes were getting cloudy from age. About a month ago, we realized that she had finally lost her vision when she began bumping into walls.
Miss Betty doesn’t let blindness stop her! She has her favorite spot by the window and knows how to navigate her way down the cat tree to the food and water bowls and to the litter boxes. She paws at the air until she finds her footholds and bravely makes her way to where she needs to go. When we’re serving wet food, she hollers from her perch by the window for us to serve her breakfast and dinner in bed. Of course we are happy to oblige the senior lady of the house.
APRIL
Our 29-year old Palomino mare April was diagnosed with Cushings in May. She had arrived last November very thin and underweight. We are proud of her progress – she gained over 200 lbs despite the cold winter months. Even though she had reached an ideal weight, her coat was still very itchy and she had a bad case of dandruff. An allergy test confirmed that she’s allergic to wheat and oats, so we’ve modified her diet to reduce the grain. We bathed her with medicated shampoo and she began to shed when the weather got warmer to the point of having bald spots. Her coat has since grown back in and we were delighted to see that she now has beautiful dapples! Way to go April!! We want to thank her wonderful sponsor, Patricia Roberto, for supporting her success!
ELLIOT
Elliot is a senior cat who we rescued from a shelter in December of 2017. He has always been a sturdy fellow, but we noticed that he had been steadily gaining a lot of weight. When we witnessed him laying – not standing – at the water bowl lapping up large quantities of water, we made an appointment with the veterinarian. We are sad to report that Elliot has been diagnosed with diabetes. He is currently on antibiotics and receives insulin shots twice a day. He’s such a good sport about it!
Elliot continues to enjoy naps in his favorite chair and will chatter loudly and happily with anyone who stops to pet and cuddle him. His medication is expensive and he would greatly benefit from the support of a sponsor.
Won’t you please consider sponsoring this sweet senior cat or making a one-time donation toward the cost of his insulin?
Not only will you receive a lifetime of good karma, but heaps of gratitude from Elliot and his caregivers as well! Thank you!
