I am so sorry for you. It is heartbreaking to lose your kitties and I know you cherish each day.
I don't know what makes one cat predisposed to live long....I grew up with a cat, Meow Murphy aka "Kitty" who lived to be 17. She ate canned food- grocery store, and dry food -purina, everyday. She also really liked mayonnaise and the occasional bird.

If I had cats now I would also be researching and giving the best I could which would not be what Kitty had for 17 years. We also had a cockapoo who lived to 14 eating kibbles and bits, a bowl of ice cream each evening and the neighbors old catfood.

Ah Elly, I am sorry you've had such a rough time of it.

I've had recent conversations with one of my oldest and dearest friends who is battling BC (another bout after 4 years); we often hear/read stories about people who don't smoke or drink to excess, who eat healthy (at least most of the time), exercise--in short, take decent care of themselves, and then drop dead of a heart attack, or get incurable cancer, or _________.

We do the best we can for ourselves and for our pets because that is what we can control. The rest as they say, "is up to G-D." So, we control what we can and go on knowing that we did our best. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't, but at least we are not left feeling as though we could have, should have done more.

I'm so sorry, Elly - that is a lot of pain, expense and loss in a short amount of time. Hope all will be OK with Puja.

I know how you feel, the illnesses and vet bills are overwhelming. One of our kitties has IBD, and after food changes, steroids, exploratory surgery and various other meds and lots of money, she is just not getting better, nothing has improved. She is skin and bones, but still eating and playing and hanging in there.

I think cats are like people, some of them just have bad genes and are prone to illnesses, regardless of the care they receive. And others are like those people you hear about who had eggs and bacon for breakfast every day, shunned vegetables, smoked, and still lived to 100. It sucks that we have so little control.

I am so sorry elly :(

But maybe these kitties come to you for a reason - There are a lot of people out there who wouldn't have the time or patience you have to deal with this. They've needed you.

I kind of know how you feel to a degree. Coda is the first animal I have had in my entire life that I have put as much effort as possible into feeding all the right things, doing all the right things, avoiding all the bad stuff - and she is the only animal I have ever had to take to the vet for major problems, and several of them, and she's only not quite 4. I suspect we will never be in the clear with her.

Sorry about your pets and your bills, it all can get over whelming sometimes...

I've had UTI's myself and I think they are quite common...

But is it common to cost $300 to diagnose UTI for a cat? I don't think it costs that much to diagnose it in a human. $85 at the walk in clinic and maybe $10 for antibiotics...

When I suspect something is up with my dog's pee, frequent urination or dribbling pee, I take a grab sample, the vet checks it, hands me an antibiotic. If that doesn't clear it up, then we come back for more extensive tests. For a sample and antibiotic, I don't think it costs more than $75...(my memory isn't that great, 'cuz its been awhile, but its probably less than that)

First of all, you chose to take in Puja and the stray. It wasn't against your wishes. Sometimes you just have to say NO. You can't save every animal. If you don't want the cats anymore, take them to a shelter.

Thanks, everybody for your good wishes and guidance.

JPW: yes, yes and yes. But because she hadn't peed in 24 hours, I was afraid to wait and be more discerning with my vet; and I am in a part of NJ where they are very expensive. They have you over a barrel. I had Puja at work with me for the afternoon and tried to get a urine sample, but she was not peeing. So.

I am not happy with the BS about the urinalysis. I wish I did not have to have the cystocentisis. I can't wait for them to tell me there is blood in the urine, which happens when you stick a needle in the bladder! And all they have to do is look through a microscope for white blood cells and I know that. In fact, no one called me today, and so I called the office, only to have the receptionist tell me that my doctor is out today and if no one called me it's because "the results have not come in yet." I told her that In know urinalysis takes hours, maybe a day, so I insisted she check to see if there are results. Which of course there were. She said the doctor would call me "after hours," which is fine with me after $300. In fact, they should buy me dinner and they would still be ahead.

But again, I am over a barrel.

And I regretted adopting Puja when I did, but the shelter was teeming with kittens when she was 9 weeks old, I knew she would not show well in the shelter. Not so nice. When James arrived, I was told someone else would take him, and when they did not, I wanted to be the end of the line for this poor boy, not passing him along.

I do feel my responsibility to these animals. A friend suggested that if the bills are higher, I should get the cats euthanized and cut my losses. But I feel my responsibility. And I don't think I will do this again.

Oh, Elly, I am so sorry. There is a reason you bother, you are one of the "good" ones. We can't stand to see any animal without love or a good home, and we help them regardless of the circumstances or how we would like the outcome to be.

Unfortunately I understand being tied to an inevitable vet bill, do you have any other vets (you mentioned "vet friends") in the area you can contact who would work with you on cheaper visits?

Some cats, like people, are prone to certain maladies, we can't know this when we get chosen by them. Love on them, keep doing what you can, and get other opinions from vets about food (you KNOW certain posters will chastise you and try to bully you into a raw diet, stick with professional advice!) but know in your heart that you are a really good cat mom, and that love will come back around when you least expect it and most need it.

Furbaby hugs,
Michelle

I think we have to remember that no matter what we do, genetics plays a huge part in how healthy any animal will be. All we can do is give them the best we can, but strays and rescues tend to come from genetic stock that is already compromised in some way, and it's a risk we take when we agree to adopt these animals.

I don't have cats - I'm more of a dog person. I've had 5 dogs thus far, and all rescues. My first dog (mutt) had seizures & spinal problems. Gabriel, my Doberman/Lab mix, happened to inherit a genetic problem common in Dobermans where he has a spinal abnormality that could eventually paralyze him if we aren't careful. Another Doberman I rescued (full dobe) had both hip problems, and an eating/weight disorder no one could figure out (she eventually had to be put down due to unmanageable pain in her hips). The collie I adopted died from idiopathic thrombocytopena - no one could figure out why. And Lucy, my young German Shepherd/Lab mix was recently diagnosed with Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency - she can't digest food on her own, and requires a special diet and enzymes for life now.

So yeah, I've been there, thinking that it's just not fair, doesn't matter, etc. But really, it does matter. Because of the extra care I'm willing to give these dogs, they get to live longer and healthier than their genetics predispose them to. I really would like, just once, to have a dog with no medical problems...but because I feel more compelled to adopt rescue dogs than to buy responsibly bred dogs, I can only hope for the best.

But what I get in exchange is worth it to me - even if the time is short, I still can't imagine my life without my dogs, and wouldn't trade them for all the medical bills I've paid over the years.

That said, it's not for everyone, and no one can fault you for just not being able to do it anymore. You need to do what's right for *you*.

Hang in there...

Jamie
Gabriel (Dobe/Lab, CVI) & Lucy (GSD/Lab, EPI)

(((Elly))) I'm so sorry you're going thru this. But as Michelle said, you are one of the "good" ones. Hope Puja gets better soon and has a long, healthy life. And James, too.

We also had what seemed to be never-ending problems with our cats. Niku's bladder had to be sewn up (it broke into fragments when she fell from the top of a wardrobe), once had to be taken to the emergency clinic when she ingested plastic (I took her from the street and wasn't aware she was used to eating plastic whether hungry or not), there were complications from her spay surgery, then Max's giardia which wouldn't go away, Simba's seizures, Jasper's diarrhea which went on for more than 6-7 months (of course vets insisted on the freshest sample, preferably every three days, and of course it did not get tested immediately so they never found anything - but the vets earned a lot) ...

I said to DH that not ONE of our cats has had it easy - but as time passed things have settled down. (Touch wood!) Of course, there's the chin acne issue with Niku and Max I'm dealing with right now, but I'm sure it will get resolved.

Hang in there, things will get better. I know we stretch our resources for our furbabies because we love them so and want them healthy and happy. Hope for the best.

Hugs,
Pranjal

I am sorry Elly that you feel so frustrated.. Anyone would! Not to make your mind spin any worse.. have you ever thought about the quality of the cat sand? NO advice here but.. this is just that I have been worrying about that myself .. Knock on wood, my cats haven't had any UTIs (except for a brief one in our CRF cat in his late stage)... Dusty cat sand is BAD for cats -I yet have to find a (non clumping) clay litter that is dust free, in spite of what the bag says! I have been using Cat's Pride for years, but I have sampled others--staying away from the clumpng varieties. My thinking is that whatever cats inhale, lick off their paws or coat might cause problems for the bladder (and lungs of course).
The only reason I'm starting to question cat sands is that one of my recently adopted 3 cats has developed a bare area on her belly near the tail from over licking that area.. I am using Yesterdays News (mixed with a little Cat's Pride at the bottom. A reaction to this specific cat sand? Only my older Calico has stayed on the clay litter as she doesn't like the paper one. May be starting a new thread on cat sands and scratching soon.. Could that be a cause of acne, Pranjal?

Pranjal, about eating plastic.. Our 3 'new' cats are plastic eaters, too.. We have learned to hide many things, but they always seem to find the one plastic item we had not thought about!!! We are learning!

Well, Elly, keep us posted about Puja. Hope she will be OK!
Anne-Marie

Thanks again for all your support and ideas.

Anne marie, I never thought of that, and it is something for me to look into. I use Nature's Miracle cat litter, which is fine ground corn or pine with enzymes for odors. Unlike clay, it is biodegradable and flushable, and I thought it was the best stuff. (No clay dust.)

The results of her urinalysis: Negative, not concentrated, no crystals, Ph the high end of normal. That does not account for her slight fever the other day. She is on clavamox and soupy food, and she's been peeing normal.

I think I was somewhat misunderstood: I was complaining because whatever I do, my cats get sick and die young; it's not that they are ill, although that is sad and frustrating. They die too young.

don't be sad, you didn't know any better. An animal like a cat or a dog needs meat- plan and simnple, its common sense. no grains, no fillers,ect. thats what killed your cats, grain, and mold, and all the other awful stuff that goes into most pet foods.

you were ignorent, and people can get away with alot in this day and age when they say they just "didnt know" i remember hearing a story about a low income mom that couldnt buy powdered baby milk, so to save money she stretched the mix and made it so thin and watery the baby almost died, they saved the baby but it had brain damage.. and because she was "ignorent" brain damaged baby gets returned to the bad,suitation and momma get parenting classes. why she ever got pregnant and had a kid,is beyond me, just shows IMHO how stupid and selfish people are these days.

Anyway back to the point. There are many natural pet food forums, like holisticat.com that would probably take in your cat/kitten, if thats what you want to do. if you keep the kitten/cat and wish to aviod grain based issues, you are going to need to feed something like Innova EVO, Orijen, Ziwi peak, this should run you about as much as vet food. vets crank up the costs, of food because they are in it for $$. or if they are not the people who make and sell them the food are, to a vet it makes perfect sense $$ wise to get people buying garage brands, then they not only get kickbacks from the food corps, but also money from frustrated owners, like yourself who suddenly have dental issues, or UTI, kidney issues.or cancers that the animals get after eating so poorly.

I know way more than you do, Runswalken, and I recommend you do not respond to any of my posts. I do not heed nor need your help. I read the first sentence and stopped reading.

whatever, just trying to help

I really think that the huge emphasis on this forum on expensive designer dog/cat foods and vet visits for every little ailment does a real disservice to people who love their pets but don't have the $$ to spend needlessly.

If I don't go to the doctor for small things, why would I take a pet. The natural immune system was made to cure and synthetic medicines very often compromise that process.

No flames please. This is JMHO

Carmen - I'm not saying this with intent to flame, so don't take it that way.

But when people come on a forum because their pet is exhibiting xyz symptoms it is completely and utterly irresponsible for anyone who isn't a licensed vet to advise them on the medical care their pet needs. We don't know the answers and for us to all say "Eh, it's fine" when the owner is obviously worried enough to start looking for answers, is not okay. Someones pet could die because of poor advice regarding veterinary care. It's better to be safe than sorry.

And you don't go to the doctor for small things because you know exactly how you feel. Our pets can't tell us why they're behaving the way they are, and if it's serious or not. And if people are on here asking for advice it's obviously not some 'small thing'.

I have never taken a pet to the vet for what turned out to be just some small thing. Everytime I have taken my pet in when they were sick - it could have gotten serious and fast, and most often they exhibited 'small' symptoms.

I also believe you don't need to see a vet for every little thing - but if someone is looking for medical advice, it's kind of a social obligation to refer them to someone who is qualified to give it.

But, that's my opinion. I would hate to be responsible for some elses pet dying because I gave them poor advice when their animal desperately needed medical care.

Rather than asking, "should I take my pet to the vet"..

The question should be WHEN I take my pet to the vet, are there certain questions I should ask, certain tests I should be aware of... looking for advice so you can go into the vets office informed - is going to be better received and makes more sense...

Experienced pet owners know its instinctual for pets to hide any sign of illness, pain or discomfort. So if you pet is exhibiting some type of health related behavior, it IS time to go to the vet.

I have one dog who will almost cry- if she could - over the smallest pain- a stubbed toe type of thing - and be running out the door playing the next second. But I know when things are wrong and when something just needs a day to get over it because she ate rabbit poop out in the yard.
Anyway, I don't think she ever hides pain.
I have taken her to the vet because of wheezing - only to find out dogs sneeze backwards! And to have a torn dew nail clipped - and one vet almost mocked me for taking her to him over what he considered a fingernail cut to the quick. (I don't go to him anymore but he was a kind and very good vet, just needed some more customer service lessons)
Anyway, lots of pet owners are not experienced and need help from us to sort out what is a necessary vet trip and what isn't.

actually in the long run evo, and other "fancy food" is better economically then $200, tests and treatments for cancer/UTI, ect.

better to spend money "needlessly" on food then to spend it on a sick animal

I have had vets that would work with me to keep costs down. For example, they would refill the last prescription without a visit or tests if the pet had the same symptoms for things that tended to recur. And while I have spent $$$$ for surgery etc if the prognosis is good for a full recovery, I have also said goodbye to pets rather than being very aggressive.