Glad fifteenth Birthday, Charlie! 🥳 🎉

Glad fifteenth Birthday to my beautiful seal mitted Ragdoll cat, Charlie!

As I sit down to put in writing this, I simply completed giving Charlie sub q fluids, and I take into consideration how a lot has modified since his final birthday. Actually although, a lot has modified since late Could/early June, when my different Ragdoll cat, Trigg, bought sick and died.

Across the identical time, I came upon about how sick Trigg was. The vet phoned me a number of days later to let me know that Charlie’s kidney values had progressed—that they had been in stage 1 or a questionable raw-fed weight loss plan stage (BUN will be increased if you find yourself a raw-fed cat). I’m uncertain which “stage” he’s in now, as my vet by no means likes to “diagnose” that – she a lot believes it depends upon the cat.

And she or he doesn’t like me to fret about these issues – she’d quite I deal with the medical cat. Actually, I used to be shocked that his values elevated as a lot as they did as a result of he had been consuming and performing nicely. Given his values, our vet urged I begin giving Charlie fluids twice weekly.

I didn’t begin something till after Trigg died – I couldn’t deal with something extra.

Whereas Trigg was dying (which I didn’t know was taking place – I say that in hindsight), Charlie solely swatted him as soon as; the animal communicator had warned me that may occur – that generally, when one cat is sick, the more healthy cat might assault them. And Charlie did – however solely within the type of a swat. In addition to that, he was totally respectful of Trigg and often sat with him wherever he was.

I realized so much about Charlie via Trigg’s dying course of and, in fact, after that. I didn’t know the way very a lot Charlie preferred Trigg. I knew he cherished him, however I didn’t know the way a lot he preferred him. Usually, it was Trigg who approached Charlie, not the opposite manner round. So when Trigg was lastly gone, Charlie went right into a melancholy and a grief stage. It was powerful to see him mourn whereas navigating my grief. We each nonetheless have bouts of it, too – and I might guess that may proceed for a bit longer.

As soon as Trigg was gone and our flea drawback underneath management (sure, the day after the night time I put Trigg down, I found Charlie had fleas), I began to consider giving Charlie fluids.

When Charlie was youthful, we had been going to a distinct vet (I went to the identical vet for nearly 12 years – and I switched in 2020 to a brand new vet as a result of I wished to be extra holistic in my method with my cats. I wanted a veterinarian who was aligned with that). And Charlie wanted fluids for one thing – he went nuts and virtually all the time became Chuckie, his alter ego, on the vet.

It was terrifying, and having had three kidney cats and realizing 85% of cats die of kidney failure, I figured there was likelihood it was in my future. I simply hoped it wouldn’t be with Charlie as a result of I didn’t assume it could be doable to provide him fluids. I requested our vet then, “What occurs while you can not give a kidney cat fluids?” She stated, “I had one like that, they usually simply die sooner.” I used to be absolutely ready for that once I first came upon that Charlie had kidney markers.

So after Trigg was gone, and we nonetheless probably had fleas, I requested my mother to come back choose Charlie and I up in her automobile – I knew Charlie was flea free, however didn’t assume that my automobile was. So, she got here to choose us up, and the vet would see us as a walk-in for fluids.

We waited patiently within the automobile (ready within the ready room on the vet pisses off Charlie), and the vet tech got here to get him. She was gone with him for some time and finally introduced him again out. I believed for certain he’d gotten fluids as a result of they’d been gone so lengthy; nonetheless, as she handed him to me, she stated, “He wouldn’t let me do it.” And this was a VERY skilled vet tech that’s been doing it for like 15 years.

You may think about my feeling realizing we made all that effort in the summertime warmth, and he didn’t get fluids. I used to be so excited for him to have the fluids, too, given what he’d been via with Trigg and the fleas—little doubt he wasn’t consuming, and so on., like regular.

Our vet, who was out of the workplace on the day that occurred, instructed me to come back the following day, and he or she would strive. So I did, and we bought it finished! It was nothing wanting a miracle as a result of it was fairly darn straightforward! Our present vet has by no means wanted to “sedate” Charlie to attract blood or study him, whereas our outdated vet all the time REQUIRED he be on a small dose of Gabapentin.

I requested if we might return in 2 days to get extra fluids. She was okay with that, and we did. That point, we screwed up 4x – poked him 4x, and he was comparatively compliant for being poked 4x. I couldn’t consider it.

Please know, nonetheless, that none of it could have been doable if Pam of Completely Holistic hadn’t gotten his Feline Hyperesthesia Syndrome underneath management two years in the past.

I keep in mind when Dr. Sally noticed Charlie after we had labored with Pam diligently to get him higher. Dr. Sally stated, “He’s like a distinct cat.” And I replied, “Sure, his physique is not on fireplace, so he’s not bothered by each little factor that touches him.”

That’s why he was capable of deal with the 4 pokes. If we hadn’t finished the work with Pam, I don’t assume he would have allowed even one poke.

On my drive dwelling from Dr. Sally’s 2nd set of fluids, I believed, “Man, I’ve gotta do that at dwelling to see if I can do it on my own.” The primary cat I gave fluids to on my own was Caymus – my sister Amy had bravely finished it by herself, so I knew I needed to strive the identical. I did fluids on my mother and father’ cats, Caymus and Murphy, and my Rags, Trigg, Hobbs, and Maddie (my Aunt Jean’s Ragdolls), so I’m an skilled fluid giver.

So, I made a decision to get the braveness up and take a look at it. The primary poke went via like an ear piercing. The second was good, however then Charlie bolted away, so it got here out. I needed to pierce him another time, and we bought it. He stayed, and I bought the fluids in. I virtually held my breath whereas they had been working. Nonetheless, I realized a very long time in the past from a veterinary acupuncturist that you simply by no means wish to maintain your breath with a cat as a result of that’s the one time she bought bitten.

It felt like I held my breath, however I didn’t try this on objective. As soon as we had been finished with the fluids, I cheered and clapped my fingers, kissed him, and hugged him. He was excited as a result of he knew I used to be excited. Then I picked him up and began crying, saying, “We are able to do that, Woo!”

The considered hauling him backwards and forwards to the vet for fluids – a process that takes lower than half the time to drive to the vet, was overwhelming. And I do know that fluids can and can get to the purpose the place they want them every day, so I simply didn’t know if I might do it that manner eternally. And my caregiver fatigue is out of this world proper now, so I didn’t need another factor to do.

I’ve continued fluids at dwelling. General, he’s nonetheless doing nicely with it – there was one Chuckie look. That’s extra of my fault, although – I ought to have paid extra consideration to the place he was in his day (he wasn’t prepared to remain put). He has additionally bolted away from the road a number of instances, inflicting the needle to fall out, however I don’t wish to re-poke him, so he will get a bit much less. I nonetheless can not consider I’m giving Charlie: 1. fluids, 2. on my own. BLOWS MY MIND.

I instructed Charlie a number of weeks in the past, “Bub, it began with you and me, and now it’s simply you and me once more.”

In the event you consider in manifesting what you need, it labored for me getting my Charlie.  The primary Ragdoll in our household, and the rationale I wished one for myself, was Halston, a seal mitted with a blaze Ragdoll cat. I all the time wished a seal mitted with a blaze due to Halston. 

After I began Floppycats and knew I wouldn’t have my Rags for much longer, I had a imaginative and prescient board. I put a cat that appeared virtually precisely like Charlie on that imaginative and prescient board.  Earlier than Rags died, I had a consolidated record of breeders I knew who had been nonetheless breeding cats associated to Rags.  A type of was Soulmate Ragdolls in North Carolina.

About 5 months after Rags died, I used to be in Albuquerque, New Mexico, trying via the accessible kittens on that consolidated breeders’ record – I simply went to every of their web sites to see if that they had listed one thing new. 

I wasn’t prepared for kittens.  However that night time, staring again at me was “Casey” – which was Charlie.  It’s humorous as a result of “Casey” sounds aloud like “KC” (Kansas Metropolis), which is the place I’m from.  Though I wasn’t prepared for a kitten, I knew he was imagined to be mine. He was good…and had an ideal hourglass blaze.

I nonetheless can not consider I lucked out with a seal mitted with an ideal blaze. He was like a needle in a haystack and simply sitting cute as a button on Soulmates’ web site years and years in the past.

Charlie has been certainly one of my biggest lecturers. When he had his lively hyperesthesia, I believed for certain the one manner for it to cease was for him to die – I wouldn’t have put him to sleep. I simply thought there was no manner he would ever get higher.

However a good friend inspired me (after I had spent hundreds and gone to a number of veterinarians) to strive Pam of Purrrfectly Holistic. And I watched as Charlie’s little physique healed from the injury I had finished feeding him dry kibble (why he has kidney illness), giving him too many topical flea drugs, giving him too many vaccines, and residing in a poisonous surroundings with too many harsh chemical compounds and fragrances. Whereas Charlie’s not good, given the kidney state of affairs now, how a lot he has circled is exceptional. I can not thank Pam sufficient for the cat I’ve now vs. the one I had then.

Talking of surprises with Charlie, his willingness to eat uncooked is superb. I additionally bought assist from Pam to get my cats to eat uncooked – and I used to be very proud after they transitioned. I’m nonetheless loopy proud. I CANNOT BELIEVE Charlie eats uncooked. I can not, although I serve it to him. I’ve needed to swap him to eggshell as an alternative of bone. Eggshell is manufactured from calcium carbonate, whereas bone is manufactured from calcium phosphate – and phosphorus is an issue for kidney cats, so limiting or eliminating bone is finest. Fortunate for me, he loves this new boneless recipe I’m following. However he’ll solely actually eat pork – he tells the animal communicator that it digests simply for him. This August will mark two years since Charlie has been raw-fed. Loopy.

Charlie is a kind of pets with F.A.D – often known as flea allergy dermatitis.  It’s MISERABLE.  Even when they don’t keep on him – if a flea bites him, it’s all downhill.  He scratches, itches, and licks like a loopy man.  The top tremor he bought from topical flea drugs comes again, and it’s a residing hell for us each – though in all probability extra only for me.

On prime of making an attempt to handle Charlie’s loopy response to the flea bites, you will need to sustain with vacuuming, cleansing, and so on., in order that the flea inhabitants doesn’t enhance.  I’ve realized so much from our summers with fleas – and their magnetism to Charlie. I launched a free collection on pure flea management due to it. If Charlie will get a flea (one flea), I do know fairly shortly now and have a whole plan to take motion to get it off of him and get them out of my home. It’s not a enjoyable course of, however it’s extra methodical, organized, and efficient than a 12 months in the past.

Charlie is a really outgoing cat however has been extra subdued since Trigg died. He sleeps in spots the place he can not hear every little thing in the home.

I’m engaged on new dietary supplements with him to assist his immune system after the fleas – and in addition for his kidneys. I’m seeing some optimistic adjustments, and I hope these proceed.

Charlie has been instrumental in my Floppycats’ enterprise. He often saves the day relating to me getting footage of him utilizing a product (which is actually crucial when reviewing a product—however it’s not all the time the best factor to have your digital camera prepared the moment they’re utilizing it. Cat scratchers are the toughest!). Anyway, even at virtually 15, he knocked this one out of the park for me this 12 months, and I’m grateful.

I’ve realized so much from Charlie within the final two years. I’ve realized so much about what makes kitties sick, what makes them stronger, what merchandise we can provide to assist them, what exams we will do to get them higher, what we will feed that may give them optimum well being, and a lot extra. I’m very grateful for that. I’m sorry that Charlie has gone via what he has gone via due to my ignorance. I hope the life classes I’ve realized can assist many different Floppycatters and plenty of extra of my cats.

I want I might shock Charlie together with his Chiggy for his birthday—I can’t think about how shocked he’d be.

I do not know how for much longer Charlie has—and I truthfully by no means thought Trigg wouldn’t be celebrating his fifteenth birthday—so that you by no means, ever know. However after what I’ve gone via with Caymus, Murphy, and Trigg, I’ve determined to deal with high quality with Charlie, not amount.

Glad fifteenth Birthday, my stunning boy! I hope you’ve many, many extra birthdays.