Thursday, July 7, 2011

Pads & Tampons...YUM!

So like many cats (and dog's too) my Jake has an appetite for sanitary pads, tampons, string, rubberbands, spaghetti straps, carpet etc etc etc...

This past Friday I got home from work early & felt like doing a bit of cleaning. I was in a fabulous mood and super excited about the 4th of July holiday weekend. Odd, I know (the cleaning, not my excitement.) I wanted our condo to feel tidy for the rest of the weekend, since I'd planned to be in and out. Nothing irks me more than a messy home...especially my own.  Anyhoo, it was that time of the month, and I kept the bathroom door closed so Jake couldn't go hunting through my trash for what he considers to be his own personal pot of gold.


The end of the ranbow for Jake :)
Even better if they're used.


Once I'd taken out the trash, I felt it was safe to leave the bathroom door open.  However I'd forgotten I'd left an entire open container of new Kotex pads.  Next thing I knew there was a clean pad, sans wrapper, on my living room floor. Jake looked guilty.


Kind of like this...


But truthfully I didn't put too much thought into it considering he's pooped out his fair share of questionable items.  It wasn't until Saturday afternoon when he start vomiting that I became worried.  Jake is the kind of cat that rarely vomits.  I can confidently say maybe 7 times in almost 8 years. Prior to this disaster, the last time he puked was about 6 mos ago after he ate part of my beloved house plant "Norman." But I can confidently say that my cat has a stomach of steel.  Not this time...

He continued to vomit and avoid food like the plague into Saturday evening...I texted my Sis to let her know what was going on, as she's a vet tech at the clinic I adopted him from. Side note: She enticed me to adopt his orphan-butt from the clinic back in 2003...Some ass face pet store handed him over claiming he was sick.
Sar said if he wasn't better by morning to let her know. Come Sunday morning he was still vomiting and lethargic.  Of course as I mentioned, this was over the 4th of July weekend and most clinics aren't open on Sunday anyway.  We had to make a trip up to a fancy top notch ER about 20 minutes North.  I was already stressed about him feeling so bad, but to add insult to injury, Jake isn't the kind of cat you can just "take" to the vet. He's very aggressive, and becomes dangerous outside of his comfort zone. You can read more about that in a previous post titled, "No, Your Cat Isn't Crazy."

Long story even longer, 2 rounds of heavy sedatives did nothing to allow for the ER vet to even get close to opening his carrier door.  They had to anesthetize him in order to get x-rays of his abdomen....which of course costs a pretty penny.  When I first saw the "pre-estimate" of planned services, I about choked. My eyes zero'd in on $1600! Thank gawd my Sis was able to say "We can wait on this, I can get this at the clinic, this isn't really necessary right now.." That coupled with the fact that we said we lived together, got an additional discount (because her clinic refers business to this ER.)  When all was said and done the bill was $500. HUGE difference.  I thank gawd she was there with me, because it all sounded and read like Chinese. I feel for pet owners that don't have someone in the industry to help them decipher terms and what's necessary and what not. Even with the immense reduction in price, I still have no clue how I'll pay it.  It will take a while as my finances have been focused on wedding stuff. 

Most important, the Vet did not see any 'major' blockages in his stomach or intestines.  They sent us home with a very cranky, groggy and sick feeling Jake. The discharge instructions were keep him on a very bland diet for 2-3 days, prilosec & anti naseaus meds...if he didn't show improvement in the next 48 hours, I was to follow up with them or our personal vet. Luckily Sarah  (my Sis) was able to give him subcutaneous fluids as well as anti naseau meds.  He growled, but she donned gloves and went for it. A true feat in and of itself.  But it helped that he was in his own home.


Sarah is giving the thumbs up....1st round of fluids.



Jake was still lethargic and loopy into Sunday evening, but survived ;) the night.  By Monday morning he still wasn't eating, but hadn't vomited since Saturday.  By the afternoon, we gave him another round of fluids and he actually ate a bit of bland Science Diet ID prescription wet food.  I almost had tears streaming down my cheeks at the site.  Instead of calling him a piglet I was encouraging each lick of food.

When I got home from 4th of July fireworks at my parents he didn't seem well...still crouched tightly in the bottom half of his carrier.  BUT, by Tuesday morning he was a NEW MAN!  He wanted food, he was purring, he jumped up on the windowsill, it was all music to my ears. It was as if he snapped back to normal overnight.

I think the entire weekend took a lot out of the both of us.  Admittedly, I was a complete emotional wreck.  I think he sensed that because he's be overly affectionate the last 2 days.  I love my little shit more than words can express. He came into my life when I needed him most, and has been there for me for almost 8 years.

Speaking of shit, he's pooped twice now...one poop had what looked like a tampon string in it. Not sure if he ate both a tampon and a pad wrapper, or just one.  Needless to say, I have never been so happy to see cat poop in my life.

"Thousands of years ago, cats were worshipped as gods. Cats have never forgotten this." - Anonymous

XOXO J

4 comments:

  1. Our pets are our children. There is very little I wouldn't do for my boys. They are the loves of my life. Ear scritches to Jake and a stern "stay away from the bathroom!!" I am glad it has all worked out (literally)

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  2. Thanks DD! I know you understand! xoxo

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  3. I'm glad Jake is better now. What an ordeal!

    I'm really glad my cat only eats flowers.

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  4. Oh my gosh I would have FREAKED too!!! And I'm so glad you had your sister there to help (I've done sub-q fluids on my cats and it can be nerve-wracking in itself - you look at the needle and say "you want me to stick this harpoon where?!" lol)- it's hard to decide what to do when you are so emotional - it's like JUST FIX HIM!!! Also counting my lucky stars that my cat isn't into digging through the trash, my purse, or wherever and eating things - lol... Happy this all turned out well - he's a handsome boy!

    xo

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