Disappointment

Today’s plan was to pick up Clueless after work, and bring him and his new three-week course of antibiotics home for a well-deserved rest. These plans fell apart this morning when CW once again tossed his cookies. At this point, we’re running out of non-invasive options. And I’m not sure what to do next.

The clinic wants to do exploratory abdominal surgery. Neither radiographs nor ultrasound show anything truly amiss, but there are things that both radiographs and ultrasound can miss. I know this, and yet I do not want to subject CW to surgery, especially if it’s only to find out he has something untreatable. I can handle him having a terminal illness, but there is no way I want to make his last days more uncomfortable than they have to be.

And yet I have no proof that this is untreatable. And it isn’t fair to give him every chance there is. He’s only eleven, and should have quite a few years left to him. I owe it to him to see he gets those years, if at all possible.

I speak as if I have a decision to make, but to be honest, there really isn’t any choice. If we can’t figure anything else out, then we go into surgery with this. The only decision to make is what to do during/after surgery, depending on what they find.

I visited with Clueless for half an hour after work last night. He was happy enough to see me, but was a little sluggish, and was happy to make himself at home in my lap while I stroked his fur. Either he went to sleep for a bit, or he put a good show on of napping. If plans hold up, I’ll visit him again tonight after work. I wish I’d brought his catnip pillow (his favorite toy, which he carries all over the house and leaves in really odd places at times). When I left the apartment this morning though, I thought I was bringing him home, and never considered bringing his toy, just in case. There’s a pet store on the way to the veterinary hospital; I’m hoping they have a suitable substitute for the beloved catnip pillow that I can take when I visit tonight.


The pet store didn’t have a catnip pillow. I got something called a “whoopie cushion” instead. It’s a mat with foam padding inside and a zippered compartment where you can put catnip. It was a lucky choice on my part. Clueless had evidently taken to sleeping in his litter box at the vet. He’s used to his kitty bed at home, and the litter box was the closest thing to a cat bed available to him, I guess. I spent nearly an hour visiting with him. As he was yesterday, CW was glad to see me, but not particularly curious about things. He was taken with the whoopie cushion, and immediately started to knead and lick it. One of the techs there has taken a shine to Clueless, and called me at home later to let me know that he had stopped sleeping in the litter box and was now sleeping on his new mat, with some old towels I left snuggled over him. They staff at the vet hospital all seem quite taken with Clueless, which makes it marginally easier to leave him there. I know he’s getting extra attention. CW tends to do best when given lots of attention.

He has developed diarrhea now, which gives me cause to think he may not be coming home tomorrow either. Kitten and Warrior Princess have taken to tussling with each other far more often than normal. With their normal sparring partner away, I think they’ve been forced to re-evaluate each other’s company.

Older sister has offered to help out with expenses. I really haven’t built up any savings after my illness, and this is going to break my account. I’m either going to have to ask if the clinic finances this, or find an alternate means of paying. Even with help, it’s rapidly becoming more than I can shoulder right now. I have decided whether to apply to my savings bank or to the local branch of Socialist Savings and Loan. I hate the idea of doing either one. Other than my car loan I’ve never owed on anything. Having to do it now is necessary, but leaves a foul taste in my mouth.


Of interest in the news: Genetically modified cats for sale.

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7 Comments

  1. I’ve been thinking about you and CW all day. I’m sorry things are no more conclusive.

    I’m sure you’re right to go ahead with the surgery. And I’m glad CW has made friends at the vet’s. His new bed makes me think of the bean bag I made Sura, and which we can’t bring ourselves to get rid of. He just loved it.

    It’s good that Older Sister has offered to help. CW was a wonderful companion to your mother, and I’m sure OS feels that link, too.

    And don’t be chary of accepting help from Socialist Savings and Loan. The two of you support each other in all sorts of ways; why make an exception for money? (That’s a rhetorical question, by the way)

  2. It doesn’t surprise me that they all love Clueless at the vet’s office. I continue to hope he just has some nasty stomach bug that will go away promptly as if nothing ever happened.

    You don’t think he could have picked up something at the party, do you? I guess it hasn’t been long enough, though.

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