::panic attack...subsiding::

[trinityvixen]

It started out as nothing-much-doing evening. I took a nap when I got home, exercised, ate dinner with feiran and darkling1. I retreated to watch a Netflix movie while they watched Veronica Mars, and feiran came to let me know that I could use the TV since they were done. She accidentally let the kitties into my room. Oscar went for the window, caused chaos, his usual. Wally hopped up on the bed and stayed there a while until I went to leave and tried to pull them both out. I went to scoop up Wally...

...he started yowling at me. Then hissing. He sprinkled on my sheets and hid under my bed. He didn't tear out or rush about, which is his usual MO when he gets startled or is not pleased. I asked feiran what she thought could be the problem. She mentioned Wally hadn't been right at her feet looking for dinner when she got the tin of cat food out (highly unusual). He spent a long while yowling and hissing if we tried to touch him, and he was sprinkling all over but not able to really pee even though he was clearly trying. feiran looked up his symptoms online and found that he probably had a urinary tract infection. We almost decided to wait and take him in the morning, but rising panic and the fact he was in clear pain (and a phone call to kitty expert viridian) prompted us to take him to an emergency vet clinic over on 55th on the west side. (All hail wellgull who not only drove us to and fro but stayed with us as we waited.)

The vet who saw him told us he wouldn't have survived until morning (most likely). I almost cried right then and there. (He could have been more delicate in communicating to us that we made the right decision, but I guess it's more important that we know what to do than be comforted.) Long story short, we're putting out an extremely large amount of money, but Wally is going to be okay. The UTI isn't actually an infection but a common problem, especially in male cats, where a bladder got inflamed and the urethra got blocked. He suggested we consider surgery to remedy the urethral blockage if it happened again. (Female cats have thicker, shorter urethras and tend to get over this without the need to be catheterized. The surgery would shorten and widen Wally's urethra to similar effect.) We almost signed on right away, despite the cost, because if this happens again, it almost pays for itself with what this emergency-type stuff costs.

I'm so tired, but I can't sleep. I know Wally is now going to be fine, but this is just a shattering sort of thing. I am now more worried than I was. (Not because of money. I told feiran and wellgull that I don't even care about it. I have to watch my spending, end of story. I didn't buy a computer. I saved my cat. This is fine.) I want to hug my kitty. I'm post-stressed stressed. Sigh.

Comments

[trinityvixen.livejournal.com]

No estimate of time was provided by the doctor, but the web seems to think it could be fatal inside of 48 hours if totally blocked. Given how much blood is in his urine, I'd say that's a generous estimate (unless he'd been having trouble long before).

It's a hard thing to consider--whether you can afford to keep a pet that is so expensive to care for. I'd say the "right" choice is next to impossible make. It's a no-win situation.