Skinny Cat

Meet "Brunswick"

We adopted Ella from the SPCA in November of 2006.  We had a cat, Ariel (I did not name her! I swear!), who was a bit neurotic and we thought she might like some company.  We picked Ella by going into the big cat room with a few dozen cats and sitting down in the middle of the room.  Kiddo was trying her best to be good, but she was still a squirming, excited two-year old.  We waited to see who would come to us.  Ella climbed right into the kid's lap and purred her head off.  She was not frightened or skittiesh at all.  She was not the most attractive cat in the bunch, but she was a love muffin.

Feed me!

She was also big.  Really big.  There was discussion of naming her "Brunswick" after the bowling ball manufacturer.  She had been left in front of the SPCA in a box.  She was spayed, de-clawed, and clearly used to being cuddled and hand fed people food.  She loved people food.  Especially cheese.

As it turned out, Ariel did not appreciate our kind gesture.   Despite our efforts to provide a good introduction, Ariel chased her through the house.  Ella claimed our bed as her own and for a few weeks she was either on my pillow or at the food bowl.  She even liked Ariel's kidney diet cat food.

She thinks she is invisible under there.

Ariel passed on and Ella was lonely.  We got two rescue kittens.  Ella liked them.  She loved their kitten food.  She did not exactly play with them, but she seemed more active.  Slowly, she lost some weight but she was still a substantial cat.

A little privacy please?

At least she was.  Six months ago she started loosing weight.  Then we got the dog.  She lost more.  1.5# in 3 months.  That is a lot for a cat.  You can feel the bumps of her spine as you pet her back.   Three months ago the vet was not concerned.  Now at 11.5 pounds, she is being tested for feline hyperthyroidism.

Skinny!

Initial lab results all came back looking good.  No diabetes, kidney, or liver disease.   We are waiting to hear back for confirmation that it is in fact hyperthyroidism.  Do you know that it costs about a grand to make your cat glow in the dark with radioactive iodine?  She won't take pills.  We have no idea how old she is.  So now we wait for definitive diagnosis and treatment options.

I hate waiting.