The Continung Trials and Tribulations of Miss Olive Bean

[sihayadesigns]

Today was a very hard day for both of us.

It was a metals shop day for me, so I was 15 minutes from walking out the door when I went in to check on the Bean. Changing her diaper, wiping her down, etc. And there was blood. Lots of blood.

I immediately got on the phone to the vet. 2pm appointment. So, I did the only thing I could think to do: the metals shop is a block away from my vet. I packed Olive up and went. While I worked, or rather, while I attempted to work, Bean looked up at me from her piddle-pad swathed pen at my feet. She did well, overall. She didn't mind the box (seriously, what cat minds being in a box?)... she just didn't like the bus ride or the fact that the box wasn't on her turf. Luckily, it was my metal sorting day, so it was her and me in the office together, away from customers (except the odd curious one), and relatively quiet.

Cue customer who got me all riled up, telling me it was probably kidney failure. I cried. A lot. At work.

2pm came around. More blood, peed all over the vet. He seems more or less sure it's just a bad UTI (though he assures me we caught it as early as we could... she actually had an appt to check for UTI in her incontinence issues later in the week because it was a mild suspicion). He took samples, and we'll get the answer on Monday. It could be cystitis or a tumor. More rare, it could be something amiss and serious with her kidneys. But I am crossing my fingers that it's a UTI, and we caught it at a treatable time.

Because whoo boy, there is a lot of blood, and it is freaking me out mightily. She is on a UTI medication, a veterinary cranberry suppliment, and various odds and ends. The vet sold us his bottle of dry shampoo so we won't have to put her in the tub every time she needs a cleaning.

(He did say that otherwise she looks good-- good color, good coat, she's picked up a half pound, and is very active. So there is that.)

Please, please, think good energy for the Bean. It has been a rough day for her, and her parents, too. I am totally, totally out of cope. I passed on dance practice tonight because I am frazzled and fragile and generally just not able to do anything worthwhile, lest I start to stress-cry. I am almost looking forward to the hurricane just so I have an excuse to sleep.

Comments

[flewellyn.livejournal.com]

Yeah, probably UTI. I've seen that peeing blood thing from cats with UTIs. I HOPE that's all it is.

Poor Olivebean!

[zenmaster.livejournal.com]

Thinking good thoughts for the Bean and her folks.

[ravnsdaughter.livejournal.com]

Ugh, what kind of jerk says something like that to someone who is obviously going to be distressed about their cat, considering the cat was with her at work? Sheesh!

My Hermione-kitty (who is sitting next to me meowing as I type this) and I are sending healing energy for poor Olive.

[roaming.livejournal.com]

I don't think the person intended to be insensitive. Sharing what might be useful information is thought to be helpful in general. And the customer has no way of knowing how distressed someone is bound to be. Myself, I'd rather have more information than less. Wondering what among the options is more stressful, at least to me, than knowing what I could be dealing with so I can take the appropriate action.

[sihaya09.livejournal.com]

Well, I was already tearing up, and she did try to suggest that I'd somehow poisoned her or allowed her access to toxins, so there was also that. I don't think she intended to be insensitive either, but at a certain point-- when the person you're talking to is crying, let the vet do the diagnosing.

[roaming.livejournal.com]

oh, that's very different! She IS a jerk!

[tamnonlinear.livejournal.com]

Poor Bean. She is a cat of remarkable temperament, to deal so well with so much. She is secure in being loved and cared for, and it shows in her equanimity in her responses.

For anything involving blood, it's often worse than it looks- it doesn't take much blood in the urine to make a bad sight. Stressful for you, but hopefully not too serious for her. Her body is probably having a hard time flushing bacteria with the loss of bladder control. I hope the mess provide a quick improvement.

[sihaya09.livejournal.com]

The good news is that the vet said if it IS a UTI, she should get some measure of bladder control back once it's cleared up. It would be nice to go back to one or two accidents a week (well, we bought piddle pants, but still) instead of "every time she moves."

[vconaway.livejournal.com]

I've lost cats to kidney failure, and the biggest symptom was massive weight loss; up half a pound is hugely reassuring. Best wishes to you both.

[wilhelmina-d.livejournal.com]

Agreed! My Christabelle dropped weight precipitously when her kidneys started shutting down. And as someone says below, my Corky had a UTI and he had a lot of blood in his urine, too. Scared the crap out of me, but he turned out to be ok after meds and some TLC.

[kita0610.livejournal.com]

Thoughts and prayers, and FUCK that idiot who diagnosed your cat via here-say.

<3

[changeofthemoon.livejournal.com]

I don't usually comment, but I just wanted to say that I'm sending good thoughts to Olive! I really hope it's not serious!

[mermaiden.livejournal.com]

I'm sending you guys so much love and good energies, sweetheart!!! <3 <3 <3

[kythryne.livejournal.com]

Thinking good thoughts and hoping it's just a uti. I've had cats peeing blood before, and that's what it was.

[naamah-darling.livejournal.com]

*hugs*

I will keep my fingers crossed for her, and for you. I hope you get some rest soon.

[marinatempest.livejournal.com]

I lit a candle for miss olive today. I know it was a scary day but I'm confident she'll bounce back. Hope you both are able to relax this weekend. Love you girls.

[roaming.livejournal.com]

I'll be wishing for good outcome on Monday. But meanwhile, I'm so thankful you found her, and she found you and Jason. You're saving her, even if it doesn't feel like it at the moment.

[costumenut.livejournal.com]

I am sending positive energy your way! Poor kitty!

[wilhelmina-d.livejournal.com]

Lots of good wishes!!! Energy and light to Olive and to you!

[tenar.livejournal.com]

much much good energy to olive and family.

[vvalkyri.livejournal.com]

poor both of you! bright thoughts!

[miserywaterfall.livejournal.com]

Sending love and hugs to you all, bless her, she's so beautiful!

[willow-cabin.livejournal.com]

*hugs* and sending good thoughts your way ♥ ♥

[zooropababy.livejournal.com]

I've been having similar (well, the blood and pee and BLOOD and PEE), with my little man, Kona.

Problems in the box (7 times an hour), what he could produce was bloody. We thought it was a UTI. Turns out that it's anxiety - he's so stressed from me splitting with my ex that it's affecting his urinary tract.

Hoping it's just a UTI and they get the right meds for her. Sending so much good energy to her and her parents.

[sihaya09.livejournal.com]

I'm sure some of it is stress for Olive, too. Hopefully these meds will take care of it!

[zooropababy.livejournal.com]

Have you guys thought about adding anything for stress? Maybe even just Rescue Remedy - shouldn't interfere with her treatment...

The half pound gain is such a good thing! *hugs for the Bean*

[sihaya09.livejournal.com]

I was thinking of doing rescue remedy. We talked to our vet about generalized anxiety stuff, and he suggested it wouldn't be terribly helpful for her right now, and detailed why. But rescue remedy is not off the table. It's just a matter of getting my hands on some. There's a GNC down the road that sells it, but businesses in this area are shutting down this weekend due to Irene.

[zooropababy.livejournal.com]

I had been doing it for Kona until it just wasn't enough - crashing at my father's place, and his cat... Not so friendly :-(

Good luck with the crazyStorm - all battened down here; no one is sure just how strong it's gonna be NW of Philly.

[firebirdgrrl.livejournal.com]

Poor honey. Sending much love to her and to you guys too.

[jerushajen.livejournal.com]

I'm usually just a lurker here, but my cats and I are sending lots of good wishes for you & yours!