This Winter has brought some new challenges to our family of felines. We want to keep you updated and to thank all of our friends for the outpouring of kindness and support.
KATARINA is one of our senior kitties who will be turning 18 years old in May of this year. She began to show signs of not feeling well in late February. We quickly got her to our veterinarian at Sheep Meadow Animal Hospital, where our fears were confirmed: Katarina has diabetes. We currently have two other cats with diabetes at the sanctuary – Elliot and Otis — so we already had insulin supplies and blood glucose test kits. We started Katarina on daily insulin and have been successful in keeping her blood glucose around 105, which is ideal. About two weeks later, she suddenly lost the use of her back right leg, dragging it behind her. Due to the suddenness, we rushed her back to the vet fearing that she had experienced a stroke or blood clot. Thankfully, it was neither. The issue is neuropathy caused by the diabetes. Dr. Patterson recommended a B vitamin supplemnent to help recover greater mobility. After only two days, Katarina showed marked improvement! She is a little wobbly on her feet, but she has regained the use of her back leg! We are so proud of our sweet senior Siamese and are cheering her on every day.
HUBBLE is another one of our senior cats here at the sanctuary. Always friendly and sociable, Hubble wins hearts with his sweet personality and adorable wall-eyed gaze. In late February, he suddenly stopped eating, which is very unusual. Hubble has a history of IBS, so despite a hearty appetite and the high calorie diet we give him, he is very thin due to his inability to absorb nutrients. We have tried multiple supplements and medication to treat his IBS, without much success. Hubble simply cannot afford to lose any more weight, so we rushed him to Sheep Meadow Animal Hospital for an emergency appointment. Dr. Patterson did bloodwork and put him on antibiotics and an appetite stimulant. We also started giving him sub-cutaneous fluids. Hubble started eating again, much to our relief. However, the bloodwork came back with disheartening news: Hubble has kidney disease. He is also anemic because his kidneys have stopped signaling his bones to produce red blood cells. We have started treatment with Epogen to increase his red cell count. And finally, Hubble has a high white cell count, which Dr. Patterson believes is pancreatitis and thankfully not cancer. Through this whole ordeal, Hubble has remained as sweet as ever, purring happily for pets and lap time cuddles. He is such a beautiful soul and beloved member of our family here at The Lily Pond. We are committed to doing everything we can to maintain Hubble’s health and comfort.
MERLIN is also a senior kitty here at the sanctuary. He arrived last summer and will be turning 19 this year! Merlin is a shy fellow, but enjoys the company of the other cats and can often be found lounging in the main room. In December, he began isolating himself at the top of the stairs and howling. We made an appointment with Sheep Meadow Animal Hospital and discovered that Merlin had just lost a tooth – one of his front incisors! Dr. Patterson put him on antibiotics and pain medication. A few days later, Merlin was back to his favorite spots in the main area of the cat house. Shortly after this, we began to notice that Merlin was startled whenever he was approached from behind. He knows his name, but when we called, he did not respond. That’s when we realized that Merlin has lost his hearing. He is as sweet as ever, but definitely prefers to hang out with his back to a wall so that he can see all the action and not worry that anyone is behind him. Merlin loves to be pet and brushed and he can always be counted on to show up for treats!
