Our Spencer....

Our healthy Spencer

It all began with advocacy, as it so often does. Trey and Milo, Murray and Dharma and so many others before Spencer. But Spencer was special right off the bat. He was older, meaning he wasn't quite as likely to be adopted as a kitten or younger kitty would be. And he was also obese, a whopping 22.46 pounds when brought into the shelter in June of 2013. His face appeared on my cyber desktop one morning and my heart nearly stopped! I could imagine that if my sweet little Dalton hadn't died at age 6 months, he would have grown up to look exactly like Spencer...the white snout with white feet and chest, the white tummy and the beautiful smoky grey body with adorable expression. Within one short day, I became obsessed with getting this baby out of the shelter and into some place safe - saving this boy's life, since I wasn't able to save baby Dalton. 

I networked him across the internet, I sent out his picture and notified friends I thought might be interested or could help with finding me someone else who would be interested in adopting him. And I printed out his picture and put it on my fridge to remind me not to let the ball drop on this one! 

The rescue - drooling, oozing eyes & weight down to 16 lbs

As days passed without even so much as a nibble from anywhere I knew it was going to be up to me, so I mentioned this to my husband. He'd already seen the photo and was a little edgy about this cat dying too, if we didn't rescue. Then when a second photo was released by the shelter and it was evident that Spencer was actually getting sick with kitty cold, (URI) I knew we had to act and quickly. A URI (Upper Respiratory Infection) is easily treated if someone wishes to, cares enough to do it. But so far, there was no one and he would just continue to get sicker until they killed him.
So the decision was made for us not by us and off we went to Philly ACCT! Spencer needed out! Stat! And we were going to make sure he did!

The first thing was to isolate him at home and away from the other five...having one sick cat is costly enough. Having six is financially crippling. If we'd only known at that time...not that anything would have really changed but perhaps we could have braced ourselves for what was to come.

We took him to our vet the first chance we got to have him vetted and recorded there. By this time we'd had him five days and he hadn't eaten or defecated in the litter pan...early concerns begin. We tell ourselves, nothing in nothing out, hoping this is the only reason. It wasn't. After numerous attempts to syringe feed him and subcataneous fluid replacement every night, and having him get more and more distressed and learning to dislike us, his new kitty-parents intensely, we needed to get to the bottom of it! So off to Critical Care!
The bottom line was Triaditis! Inflamed pancreas, liver and small intestine. Survival rate 50-50 and a very l-o-n-g recovery time if they were to survive.

He went into OR and had an e-tube inserted into the side of his neck & that led to his tummy. Through this we were to feed him cruel and nine medications...antibiotics, pain killers, anti nausea medicines, hunger stimulants. Literally hours every day to administer thesae things, all different dosages on a complicated schedule. But just when we began to wonder if we were blowing it all out the window, he began to look better. The URI was long gone and he was not as weak or wobbly on his feet. He would even play with catnip toys, rolling on the floor & 'wrestling' it. The day he got up onto the bed all by himself, we knew we were on the right track. He was improving and you could see it happening right before our eyes.

Interactive feathers

We still have a ways to go yet. He still isn't really eating on his own, though he has sampled Hormel chicken and some deli chicken. He did eat human baby food for a few days but has stopped that for now, but he does like the Temptations kitty treats...also chicken. The upside of eating those is that while he can't have them as a steady diet, they are cat food! Which is something that he's turned his nose up to since Aug. 3rd, this now being Oct 6th as I'm writing! And so, we know we're in this for the long haul. Seven weeks and counting.
On other matters, he goes for his Wednesday at the hospital where they do blood work and ultrasound, checking to see how things are proceeding. They are quite happy with his progress so far...we thought he might even be taken off insulin...yes, he's diabetic as well, but so far he's staying on that.

 He adores my husband and has now begun to forgive me at least for shoving food down his throat pre e-tube. I hope to one day have him sit on my lap so that I can assure him I love him and everything I'm doing is because I love him.
We will make him well! We have to make him well! Thousands of dollars have been spent now, but if he is well, none of that matters. If you are reading, please keep him in your thoughts.

20 kitty cookies disappear...

Having Temptation kitty cookies late at night with Mama! We've found at least one cat food that he likes so right now it's less about quality and more about quantity!  He needs to eat again. He is a big boy...or was. He's just 17 pounds now and doctor would like to see him back up to at least 18. He must have loved to eat at one time - we need to tap into that hunger he used to have and make him well again and for good!
 
 The day he ate chicken on his own and from a dish, was one of the happiest days on my year. We just need to make it happen all the time so he can have his e-tube removed and become a normal kitty once more.  He does really like chicken and completely ignores everything else, turning his head away in disgust! 

Having Hormel and enjoying it immensely! 10-1-13

BOO! BOO TO YOU!!!!!

 And we're finding odd little things...he doesn't like eating in a dish with sides, preferring a plate. Or better still, off the floor or from a spoon!? But whatever his little heart desires is what he will get right now, in order for us to get what we want - a kitty eating on his own!
He is such a beautiful boy...a celebrity with everyone who's come in contact with him. Yes, he's special. We don't know why, are just aware that he is.
And with Halloween fast approaching, he even gave me a spooky Halloweenie picture the other night and I will share that with you too.