putting up a fight!

Hi fellow cats -- Kit here.  Well, it happened to me again today.  I got shoved into the PTU and taken to the v-e-t for my follow up thyroid appointment.  I howled all the way there!

When we got there, the tech came and took me away from my mom to go get my blood stolen.  They took off my collar, and I was so mad at them that they didn't even try to put it back on!  I get my results on Monday.  Then the v-e-t came out to talk to my mom about our food situation.  I have gained a little weight, so the situation is not dire, but they would like me to be a) eating more and b) not yakking.  The v-e-t gave my mom some prescription food for cats with upset tummies.  We will try that tonight.  I am sure Athena will eat it.  Athena eats everything.

ha ha

Ha ha, mama, we fooled you!

Mama was sure we'd lost weight on our new food because we were eating so little.  She measured our food yesterday and it was worse than she'd thought.  We only ate 1/4 of a 5.5 ounce can twice a day and 1/4 of a cup of dry food.

Mama got these calming chews for us to eat before we went to the v-e-t.  They tasted good, but they didn't work!  We still howled in the PTUs alla way to the v-e-t, then we froze up and wouldn't come out for our weight check.  We fooled mama!  We didn't lose weight, efun though we've been eating so little!  Howefur, the v-e-t was not happy when she heard how little we haf been eating.  She said Kit needs to eat more so he can gain more weight -- the hyperthyroid medicine alone can't do it all.  He is still too thin.  So, she said to switch us back to our old food acause he really liked it.  We are going to switch back gradually so we don't get upset tummies.

Mama has already been to the store to buy the old food and has mixed it up wif the new food, and Kit and I are bof eating. Our ordeal is almost ofur!  Hooray for the old food coming back!  The v-e-t asked what we were eating afore and she said that nutritionally it is fine.  We efun get our Temptations back!  We are still going to get the dental treats, though, but that is okay acause we like them.  

uh-oh -- UPDATED

Hi fellow cats -- Kit here.

Not good news.  The PTU is out again, and Mom has been on the phone with the v-e-t.  I heard my name.  The bedroom door is shut so I can't go UTB.  I wish Mom would stop doing her own v-e-t research!  She keeps talking to a v-e-t on the web because she is worried about me.  I keep trying to tell her I'm fine by cuddling up to her and eating my food and eating my medicine treat, but she is still worried.  I wish she would just leave me alone.

In other news, there has been a lot of noise outside our window.  A man came with a noisy machine and trimmed our bush back.  Another man came and sprayed something on the flower bed where our bird feeder is.  And now another man is cutting the grass.  Athena runs and hides, but I like to watch.

I'll let you know what happens at the v-e-t.  They better not try to steal any more of my blood!  I need it all!

UPDATED:

Whew!  That wasn't so bad.  Don't get me wrong, I hate going in the PTU, but this time when Mom opened it up in the exam room I hopped right out to explore.  It turns out that when Mom and the v-e-t were talking on the phone about my blood, they meant my blood pressure, not stealing it!  Something about hypertension secondary to hyperthyroidism.  Anyway, two very nice vet techs came in.  One was a big guy who held me while the girl did her thing.  I growled at her to start with, but as soon as she said the word "muzzle" I stopped doing that.  The guy tech was petting me and my mom was petting me too.  The girl tech shaved a patch on my leg!  Between that and my shaved belly and sides I am feeling quite nekkid.  She put some kind of gel and a sensor on the bare patch and something around my leg.  Then she used a machine to make the thing around my leg squeeze my leg!  It felt weird, but it didn't hurt.  The gel was cold, though.  The v-e-t came in and told my mom that my blood pressure was perfect and that my mom doesn't have to worry.  Mom feels much better!  And I am not mad at mom.  I am not a grudge-holding kitty.

Hopefully this will be the end of my v-e-t trips.  Wait, what Mom?  I have to go back in two weeks to have my thyroid levels rechecked?  Great.  At least everyone at my v-e-t is nice.

back to the v-e-t

Hi fellow cats -- Kit here.

Well, Mom started worrying about me again.  I've been going to our water fountain about once an hour.  She talked to an online v-e-t who advised taking me in to have my kidneys tested, since hyperthyroid can mask kidney disease.  As you may remember, one of my kidneys is smaller than normal and one is larger than normal.

So, I got loaded into the PTU.  Mom had to go UTC to get me!

I was brave at the v-e-t.  They stole some more of my blood.   At this rate I'm not going to have any left!  Mom and I waited for the results.  I explored the office.

The v-e-t came back to tell Mom that my kidneys are normal!  She is not sure why I have been drinking so much water.  It could be because I am eating more crunchies than I was.  I do NOT have diabetes.  She said not to worry about it, they will check everything again in two and a half weeks when I go back to have my thyroid levels rechecked.

We got some really good news -- I have gained almost half a pound!  Mom finally found a brand of grain free stinky goodness that both Athena and I like -- Wellness.  We also like the Blue Wilderness crunchies.

Here I am eating!

I am eating my medicine treat, too, twice a day.  Mom had to put it in my throat twice but other than that I am eating it.  Athena is jealous that I get an extra treat.

Mom is so happy that I have gained weight!  I weigh 7.3 pounds now.

update on kit

Hi -- Kit here.

The nice lady v-e-t called my mom late today with the results of my thyroid test.  It is slightly elevated.  The nice lady v-e-t does not know whether that slight elevation is enough to explain why I have lost so much weight, so I am having an ultrasound tomorrow.  Another lady v-e-t is going to do that for me.  I don't get to have any breakfast!

Speaking of food, tonight my mom gave us a new brand of food -- Weruva.  She said she wanted to find something to whet my appetite.  Boy, did it ever!  I loved it!

I am going to have to take medicine for my thyroid, no matter what the ultrasound says.  I am going to get it in the form of a chewy treat.  Hopefully I will like it, because neither my mom nor I want to deal with pills.  I am a really tough cat to pill, if I may say so myself!  I may be small, but I'm strong!

Thanks for all the purrs and purrayers so far, my mom and I really appreciate them.  If you could keep them going for the ultrasound, we would really appreciate it!

Here is a picture of me with my head in a food bag.  As you can see, I do like to eat!  Hopefully tomorrow we will figure out why I have lost so much weight and what we can do about it.

purrs and purrayers needed -- UPDATED

Hi fellow cats -- Kit here.

We got loaded into the PTUs this morning.  We put up a good fight, but it was to no avail.  We went in the car and it was as I feared -- we were going to the v-e-t.  The tech came out and, one at a time, took us back and microchipped us and clipped our claws.  The microchip hurt!  The tech nice, though.  It only hurt for a moment.  The problem came when she weighed us.  I had lost "a significant amount of weight."  Now, I am a skinny cat to begin with.  I can't afford to lose any more weight.  So, they are concerned.  Mom is REALLY concerned.  In fact, she is just plain scared.  They want to see me again this afternoon at 3:00 for a full checkup and bloodwork.  Cats, could you please purr for me?  I will update you later.  Thanks!

UPDATE:

Kit here.  Well, she got me into the PTU again and back to the v-e-t.  I howled all the way there and shook the walls of the PTU trying to get out!  When we got there, they took me away from my mom to steal my blood and pee.  They did my senior wellness exam at the same time, without my mom there, because I was getting so upset from having my blood and pee stolen they didn't want to waste any time getting me back to the room where my mom was waiting for me.  One time when I was there I tried to bite a tech who was giving me a bath -- I guess they weren't taking any chances!  I have gingivitis and tartar.  Mom is going to get my teeth cleaned, yuck.  The vet doesn't think that's the problem, though, because I can still eat fine.

The vet asked about my appetite.  I have always been a very good eater -- I eat a lot, actually -- but my appetite has been a little off lately.  I am a chronic vomiter, too.  The vet didn't feel any masses in my belly.  Mom told on me -- I have a habit of eating plastic.  She tries to keep all the plastic away from me, but sometimes she forgets or isn't fast enough and I chomp down.  She was worried that it might be in my belly, but the vet didn't feel anything there.  My blood and pee came back okay, but my thyroid test won't be back until tomorrow.  If that comes back okay, the next step is an ultrasound.  The vet said some words like "inflammatory bowel disease" and "cancer."  I don't know what those things are, but my mom's eyes got leaky when she heard them.

Thanks to efurryone for your purrs and purrayers.  My mom is hoping it is my thyroid and not something more serious.  I am just worried that I will have to take pills!  I know my mom and the nice lady vet will take good care of me.