posted 10-14-2003 10:25 AM         

I had seen an ad in the paper and made my way to this woman's place of residence. Turns out that it was a filthy trailor and she kept this poor thing in a rusted old cage. No one wanted him because he has poop all over him. He was flea infested. A kitten at only two months of age should never be flea infested. I paid for this kitten. Now a month later when i found out he had leukemia I could have taken him back...but why would I bring him back to a place like that?

When I brought him home I had given him many baths to rid him of the fleas. While bathing him I noticed little lymphnodes on his neck. When you get a kitten that is not tested for AIDS or LEUKEMIA and you notice little bumps on their neck (or anywhere on their body),take them to the vet immediately! Swollen lymphnodes are a huge symptom of leukemia and one of the initial ones. We thought he had ear mites so we thought the lymphnodes were because of that.

After a few weeks I noticed him vomiting and peeing in many different places. (Before he had gone in the litterbox so it was very strange). Many people are anxious to punish their animals for urinating outside of the litterbox. DON'T! That is usually a sign of illness.

After the vomiting, I took him to the vet. They tested him for leukemia twice...and he was positive. They gave me antibiotic for discharge in his eyes and nose but soon after he became much more ill. He had a 106 fever and had discharge coming out of his rectum. He would not eat nor drink so I had to force him to do these things.

The doctor gave him Clavamox and the kitten started to do well. His fever went down to 103. (Cats should have temps of 101.5-102) But till his death his temperature was consistantly high (104.5-105) I never did get his temperature down so he could recieve vaccines.

Soon though, I noticed when I touched his belly it hurt him. I got so worried I brought him to an emergency animal hospital. Turns out he had a giant lesion on his leg. After the lesion was discovered, everything went downhill. He got lesions in his mouth and couldn't eat, his eye became infected again, he couldn't walk, he couldn't swallow. It was heartbreaking because I had taken care of him and felt like he was my baby but I had to let him go. He was suffering too much.

I am not trying to discourage anyone from adopting a leukemia positive cat or even suggesting given them away if you discover they have this illness. I encourage loving and nurturing these ill types of cats and kittens because they are the ones that need it most. I loved my kitten very much and before he died all he did was purr in my arms. I hated putting him to sleep but I am glad I took him out of the envirnoment he was in. At least he was loved before he died and when he was ready to go, he did not fight. If I had brought him back he would have not gotten the care he did while he was alove. And he was a wonderful, amazing, adorable, loving kitten.

I know people are concerned with the vet bills and medication. If you find a goof vet they will try to charge you as little as possible.

posted 10-14-2003 10:37 AM         

We've had several different sicknesses in our four cats (and thank God they all survived and are healthy and happy to this day). But, it was well worth the money we had to put into our cats to get them better and keep them comfortable. We actually had to go onto a payment plan for the one cat who had an obstruction in his intestines.

posted 10-14-2003 10:58 AM         

Your kitten was very lucky indeed to find you, and you will forever know that you were there for him when he needed someone the most.