Harry

I had Harry's blood and urine tested this week. Yesterday I got the results. He has some liver and kidney damage that is atypical in a 23 month old cat. Specificially his creatinine and ALT levels are way too high.

Harry was not a huge fan of the Iams and Nutro cat pouches, but I always offered him half a pouch, same as Marmie, and he would take two bites and fart off somewhere.  Often he drank the gravy - both cats loved the gravy.  And we all know what was in the gravy. So I think it's pretty obvious why he has some organ damage.  Harry's other food was Iams dry, which I will also never use again but which I will be hanging onto nonetheless.  Just in case.

We can manage his condition with a special diet and some vitamins for his liver.  He is not in pain and otherwise seems quite healthy.  He's clearly lonely for Marmalade - still looks for him and calls for him -  but as stress can increase these levels, I will hold off on introducing a new friend into the household until we have it under control.

And, oh, it isn't free.  Oh no.  So far, this little adventure has cost me one cat and over $1600 in vet bills.  With Harry's special food and vitamins, and new tests scheduled for April, the meter is still running.

When I adopted kittens, I knew there would be expenses.  I knew that it would cost money to neuter them, to get them vaccinated and dewormed, and I knew that somewhere down the road, they might get sick - for example, diabetes and kidney problems are not uncommon in older cats. And I was prepared to meet those expenses when and if they arose.

But this?  I didn't sign on for this.  Somebody owes me and thousands of other pet owners big time.