I moonlight at the local Emergency Animal Hospital as a relief veterinarian and that is where I met a cat that would open my heart again and make me believe in fate.
Mr. Bobby is was your basic black cat with mesmerizing green eyes. He presented to the ER in severe pain and kidney failure due to a urethral blockage which kept him from peeing.
After developing an estimate, I entered the room to speak to the owners. They were devastated this had happened to their cat. After a lengthy discussion where I explained we did not have any options other than to get him unblocked the owners stated they could not do it due to financial constraints. They felt they had no option but to put him to sleep. I left the room both understanding and frustrated knowing I could help this patient if I was only allowed.
The technicians had placed an intravenous catheter to administer a pain medication while I was with the owners. Bobby was laying on his side breathing heavy and occasionally meowing in pain. I reached to listen to his heart and he looked up and began to rub his head against me. Our eyes connected and my heart broke into a million pieces. Unable to put him to sleep yet I asked one of the technicians to go and speak to the owners again and confirm their wishes to euthanize.
The technician was gone a while. I began to wonder if the owners were reconsidering. Suddenly she came back through the door to the treatment area with a huge smile on her face that seemed inappropriate for the circumstances. “Unblock him” she stated. I asked if they had come up with the funds. “No”, she said, “they agreed to release him to us”. I was shocked.
Taking on released pets due to lack of funding can often cause huge headaches and even social media storms from pet owners. I did not want to get swept up in any drama but looking at Bobby I could not deny he was special. Our family had recently lost a cat to feline leukemia and I felt Bobby could help fill the huge hole in our hearts and home.
I agreed and unblocked him with moderate resistance. He was hospitalized 3 days for acute kidney failure. He came home to his new best friend my son Corbin and has remained a loving companion ever since.
His final diagnosis was Feline Urinary Cystitis. This condition is often induced by stress and is more common in male cats. There is no cure but there are a variety of products on the market used to enrich the environment for indoor cats and help prevent reoccurrence. After trial and error, I finally discovered the Doc and Phoebe mice feeders. They have been proven to help reduce urinary issues and promote wellness in cats. I now recommend this product to everyone because, after 2 years I am convinced it has helped keep my Mr. Bobby healthy and given us the gift of a special cat in our home. Click here to watch my video to learn more about this product!