Topic: RIP Chubby: FIV, chubby cat and non-retracting claws (Read 43016 times)

Tigerlily (Allison) · « **Reply #99 on:** January 10, 2013, 08:46:38 AM »

Sheila, I've just read the whole of this thread as I hadn't before. I'm now sat at my desk desperately trying not to

What a special little man Chubby was.

Janeyk · « **Reply #98 on:** January 04, 2013, 07:51:52 AM »

I'm so sorry Sheila

God Bless Chubby xx

funkiechicken · « **Reply #97 on:** January 01, 2013, 00:09:10 AM »

oh sheila i'm so very sorry

God Bless you Chubby xx

sheilarose · « **Reply #96 on:** December 29, 2012, 16:37:16 PM »

Just a note to say if anyone wishes to send a small donation to Catwork, you can e-mail them directly for their details to the mailbox on their website.
I have the address to send cheque donations as they don't have a Paypal donations account.

Sue P (Paddysmum) · « **Reply #95 on:** December 29, 2012, 07:38:54 AM »

Oh Sheila.

There's no more special gift that you each gave the other than this:

Quote

I held his tiny, muddy head while he spoke softly to me, he couldn't see me but he could feel me, and I'm glad he knew love right to the end.

Gill (sneakiefeline) · « **Reply #94 on:** December 28, 2012, 20:29:50 PM »

I am sure that the donation will be very gratefully received and Chubby will be honored for it to be in his name

sheilarose · « **Reply #93 on:** December 28, 2012, 20:13:39 PM »

Thanks for your kind thoughts everyone.

It came as a terrible shock, not least that in his throes he'd managed to almost throttle himself on a russian vine and had to be cut free before we could take him to the vet.
So many times I've "rescued" this little man, but this time I heard him calling from the bottom of the garden and just knew it was the end.

Having cried myself back to my senses, and given myself a headache doing so, I'm determined that Chubby's inimitable spirit must live on.

With this firmly at the front of my mind, I've decided to send a donation in honour of The Chubster to CATWORK, the FIV/FELV sanctuary.

http://www.v63.net/catsanctuary/sanctuary.html

Their work towards providing sanctuary for these "minority" cats and in providing a vital centre of information for our veterinary and rescue communities is unique and unsurpassed in the welfare of these much misunderstood furbabies.

Bless your heart Chubs, my little FIV pal. xx

Sue P (Paddysmum) · « **Reply #92 on:** December 28, 2012, 18:39:02 PM »

A very special boy has crossed the bridge. my heart aches for you Sheila.

Jiji · « **Reply #91 on:** December 28, 2012, 18:22:24 PM »

So sorry to hear the Chubster has gone to the bridge

Dawn F · « **Reply #90 on:** December 28, 2012, 18:12:49 PM »

oh Sheila I'm so sorry

Tiggy's Mum · « **Reply #89 on:** December 28, 2012, 17:18:42 PM »

So sorry to hear about Chubby

At least he knew love and kindness in his golden years with you and your OH

Kay and Penny · « **Reply #88 on:** December 28, 2012, 15:12:16 PM »

so sorry, Shelia - but I am glad when Christmases come round again, you will be able to remember Chubby's last days with you, rather than his death

if it has to happen, and of course it does, then I reckon you and Chubby managed it very well

Gill (sneakiefeline) · « **Reply #87 on:** December 28, 2012, 14:11:12 PM »

Oh Sheila I am so sorry, words fail me at present. Chubby was so loved and he he had you with him right to the end and knew your love and that you were with him by his side.

RIP Chubby you were so loved and have left a purr in your slaves heart

pappilon · « **Reply #86 on:** December 28, 2012, 14:04:33 PM »

Oh Sheila i am so sorry

RIP sweetheart.

For you and OH.

Liz · « **Reply #85 on:** December 28, 2012, 13:45:08 PM »

Oh Sheila my heart goes out to you and your Oh on the loss if Chubby

He did give you one last Christmas and seems to have chosen his time to leave you xx

cazzer · « **Reply #84 on:** December 28, 2012, 12:48:31 PM »

Oh Sheila so sorry to hear about Chubby

xxxxxx

CarolM (Wendolene) · « **Reply #83 on:** December 28, 2012, 12:40:31 PM »

Oh Sheila, my heart breaks for you.

sheilarose · « **Reply #82 on:** December 28, 2012, 12:27:32 PM »

We lost him today, PTS at 1130.

My little fighter went to the Bridge having suffered a seizure in his beloved garden and fitted.

His brain was damaged and there was no more we could do than pick him up and take him to the vet to be helped.

I held his tiny, muddy head while he spoke softly to me, he couldn't see me but he could feel me, and I'm glad he knew love right to the end.

I miss you already my little tramp. Go play at the Bridge, my darling Chubster.

I'll love you always xx

Gill (sneakiefeline) · « **Reply #81 on:** December 22, 2012, 14:13:42 PM »

Thats great news and so pleased Chubby has another Christmas and may confound the vets yet

Wishing Chubby a wonderful Christmas and lots of tasty stuff

sheilarose · « **Reply #80 on:** December 22, 2012, 12:53:14 PM »

Back from the vet, Chubby lives to fight another day.

He's not speaking to me as we had to poke him out from under the bed again (how do they know??) then he led us a merry bloomin dance all over the house.

By the time I'd got a blanket over him and bundled him into the carrier I was soaked

He was good for Neil though, and although he has lost more weight (now 3.3kgs, down 0.2 on last the visit) the lump feels the same and he's still got plenty of go in him. Neil is happy for me to carry on as we are but says I'm to limit the metacam to days when he won't eat, as he's worried about his kidneys reacting adversely to the metacam.

Next appointment is 3rd January, so we're hopeful that not only has Chubby exceeded expectations by making it to Christmas (well almost

) but he's possibly got little longer on top.

He was sitting out in the rain scowling at me through the window until I put some chicken out for him - in like a shot, wolfed it down, then with a filthy glance over his shoulder at me shrugged off to bed.

I know Chubby has acquired a bit of a fan club on here, thanks to everyone for your support this year, Ol' Chubby is not ready to go anywhere just yet, except perhaps back to bed for a snooze

Gill (sneakiefeline) · « **Reply #79 on:** December 11, 2012, 14:53:04 PM »

Chubby is adorable and so pleased he is having his metacam, also in my experience its strange that cats dont like the taste. Ducha used to eat the bit of food with it in first and leave the rest!

I do hope that Chubby gets through to the new year

Sue P (Paddysmum) · « **Reply #78 on:** December 11, 2012, 07:47:32 AM »

Sheila, am sending very gentle snoozles for the cherishable Chubby, who was a very good boy letting you trim his claws.

I remember that look from Paddy, who also in his latter days used to like to just sit next to us, and would even let us rest a comforting hand on his back or a skinny little haunch.

They are the best.

sheilarose · « **Reply #77 on:** December 11, 2012, 07:32:26 AM »

So far so good.

He's got the hang of his metacam now, although he doesn't like the taste (unusual in my experience) he seems to forget quite quickly when it's followed by a handful of chikkun which he wolfs down.

After 30 minutes or so he's wobblin off to scour the kitchen for proper cat food, so his weight appears to be holding fast at the moment

I managed to clip one set of his dreadful claws last night as he was sticking to the settee fabric, so although he wriggled about it hasn't phased him and he sat with me all evening having tickles and strokes. As you can see, he will allow me to handle/clip/groom him these days but is generally happiest just sitting next to me with that "now what you doing?" look.

(NB my double chins are down to camera angle!

)

His next appointment at the vet is 3rd Jan. If we make that far it would be a minor miracle. Fingers crossed everyone.

JackSpratt · « **Reply #76 on:** December 05, 2012, 22:48:18 PM »

Sheila, I'm so glad Chubbs found his way to your home. He sounds such a wonderful lad and it's so apparent how loved he is by how you write about him.

Kay and Penny · « **Reply #75 on:** December 04, 2012, 19:58:31 PM »

come on, Chubbs - no hanging your stocking up just yet - only 20 more wobbly days to Christmas, and Santa will have extra Dreamies for you

Gill (sneakiefeline) · « **Reply #74 on:** December 04, 2012, 15:14:29 PM »

Chubby sounds like he is still enjoying his life with you and hope he can for a good time yet

Tiggy's Mum · « **Reply #73 on:** December 04, 2012, 15:13:11 PM »

Quote from: Jiji on December 04, 2012, 14:41:54 PM

So very sorry to hear this Sheila have always had a soft spot the the Chubster and hope he has many more wonderful days with you

Can only echo this

Jiji · « **Reply #72 on:** December 04, 2012, 14:41:54 PM »

So very sorry to hear this Sheila

have always had a soft spot the the Chubster

and hope he has many more wonderful days with you

Dawn F · « **Reply #71 on:** December 04, 2012, 11:02:12 AM »

oh chubby

I hope he has lots more dreamies to come

sheilarose · « **Reply #70 on:** December 04, 2012, 11:00:19 AM »

Managed to get Chubby in a box this morning and off to see Neil for his weight check.

Although Chubby has been feeling well and is obviously a happy little man in his own quiet way, he's dropped another 0.2 kilos in the last two months, down to 3.4kg

and Neil thinks he can feel a lump in his intestine which appears to be a gastrointestinal lymphoma. He's also a touch anaemic suggesting his bonemarrow is struggling, one kidney is showing a lumpy surface and he has developed a minor heart murmur

We discussed his prognosis, chemotherapy, options such as cortizone and intrusive biopsies, but when it boils down to it, Chubby is a happy little cat for now but has a lot of emerging problems which would be a very hard road for a cat who does not take well to the stress of vet visits.

We decided not to spoil his happiness with a myriad of concoctions that would involve many vet visits, make him feel rubbish and may not extend his life by much anyway. It's about quality now, not quantity. I'm monitoring his motions and watching out for sickness or appetite loss.

This has nothing to do with his FIV, he's been lucky with the vets he's been treated by who both understand FIV and wanted him to have this chance with us. We rescued him just in time for him to have some good quality life as a pet cat, because he wasn't doing well on the outside.

So Chubby is home again, still alive, he wobbles around the house like a little tramp on his wonky back feet - hoovering up stray Dreamies and crunching his way happily through whatever food is put in front of him, digs furiously in the garden, tears holes in his scratching post and leaves his disgusting fur everywhere, but we love him and he loves us, and we will make sure he doesn't suffer for one minute.

Go Chubby!

cat~mad · « **Reply #69 on:** November 04, 2012, 18:31:15 PM »

Quote from: sheilarose on October 01, 2012, 11:19:33 AM

So, yet another idiopathic cat. I'm getting quite good a reading Neil's face when he's about to deliver the news that actually he doesn't know what's going on

Yes, my wonderful vet Adam has often had that look in the past.....mostly from my previous old boy Thomas! He, Thomas, was a marvel at coming up with bizarre syptoms

adam hasn't yet met George or Suzi, my two FeLV+ babies, yet! Probably won't either as we are moving house (40+ miles south) soon so I'll be on the lookout for a GOOD vet who understands the disease.

Soooo wonderful to hear that Chubby is not diabetic.....and he looks like a completely different cat in that pic....more happy and relaxed and contented

Janeyk · « **Reply #68 on:** November 02, 2012, 19:41:17 PM »

snuggles for gorgeous Chubby

Tiggy's Mum · « **Reply #67 on:** October 01, 2012, 15:58:46 PM »

Pleased to hear this Sheila

Go Chubby!

Gill (sneakiefeline) · « **Reply #66 on:** October 01, 2012, 15:03:10 PM »

Thats wonderful newws and you have answered my question on the other thread,,,,,,,,,,,,,,you know that big one LOL

I never think of Sly as Sylvetser

So pleased for Chubby and you

sheilarose · « **Reply #65 on:** October 01, 2012, 11:19:33 AM »

Phew, he's home, alive.

He's lost another 1lb in weight though

but he's hanging in there at 3.75kg, not as little as he looks so Neil is positive he will still be fine throughout our hols. (We leave on Wednesday).

Bless his heart, Chubby did a wee in his carrier so we got the long hoped for sample after all

All completely normal - inc no sign whatsoever of diabetes. Also, no worrying lumps or bumps, no nasty blood level readings, good heartbeat, no respiratory or mouth/gum infection, great teeth (what's left of them) in fact apart from a little discrepancy on his liver function, he's utterly normal

The liver is a worry, though not an immediate one, as although it might be signifying degerative disease, it's not likely to take him down rapidly. The only other thing may be an unseen tumour sapping his calorie intake. That may mean ultrasound tests when we get home, but his weight loss is slow and steady (he's marked out a graph for me so I can see what rate he's losing weight) so isn't something we need to be troubled about.

So, yet another idiopathic cat. I'm getting quite good a reading Neil's face when he's about to deliver the news that actually he doesn't know what's going on

Prescription is now kitten food and lots of it - and try to keep Sylvester's nose out of the trough.

I've been to PaH and spent a small fortune on JW kitten food, a new litter tray and 3for2 Dreamies, kitten grade cat milk... you name it, I've got it. OH doesn't need to know, OK?

I texted our wonderful catsitter to give her the good news, and now I'm thinking of going back to bed - having prepared myself for the worst (and shed a few tears overnight) I'm now thrilled and exhausted.

As I write here, Chubster is stuffing his face on Turkey flavoured kitten food from James Wellbeloved (I think even Sly will have trouble getting a look in there!), whilst staring at me over the rim of the bowl with that "How very DARE you" look.

A small celebratory banana dance, I think

Liz · « **Reply #64 on:** October 01, 2012, 06:11:11 AM »

Sending you all our best for todays visit and the Clan will cross all their paws for Chubby at 9am

Tiggy's Mum · « **Reply #63 on:** October 01, 2012, 05:16:54 AM »

Hope everything goes OK for the Chubster

CarolM (Wendolene) · « **Reply #62 on:** October 01, 2012, 00:13:02 AM »

Sending lots of positive vibes for a fruitful and stress-free vet visit and of course lots of these

for Chubby and for you Sheila.

sheilarose · « **Reply #61 on:** October 01, 2012, 00:07:23 AM »

I hope so, Gill. Thank you.

We're in for the first appt at 9am. Hope I can catch him without too much stress.

Gill (sneakiefeline) · « **Reply #60 on:** October 01, 2012, 00:05:05 AM »

Sending loads of good vibes for Chubby and hope the vet can work out what the pronlem is and help

Author Topic: RIP Chubby: FIV, chubby cat and non-retracting claws (Read 43016 times)