Hello Tracie,

I actually have a few questions to ask you, along with a little story.

About 8 months ago I lost my best friend of 16 years, a wonderful and absolutely crazy fun cat named Frisky. We went through a lot in the last 4 months of his life. I grew up with this cat, and always just listened to what my parents told me to do with him for the most part, until 6 years ago. I was becoming more of an adult and Frisky started gaining weight. I researched Feline nutrition and switched frisky over to a wet food (Castor & Pollux Organix). He slimmed down a bit, but he continued to stay a slightly larger (but my vet said -not overweight-) cat.

The last 4 months of his life he began to lose some weight. The vet said he was still in great health, and not to worry… but I did anyway. I didn’t really freak until I noticed changes in his appetite, his behavior, and he started to vomit yellow, which scared me. This is when I decided my vet didn’t know a damn thing and took Frisky to other vets. It turns out he was having liver problems. While every place I took him to told me the same things about his liver, none of the vets or animal hospitals could tell me why it was happening or how to help him. They all prescribed Hills Prescription diet (which Frisky would not eat) and sent me home. Eventually his illness progressed and he became unhealthier and skinnier and his kidneys began to fail. He was taking medication for that, but his appetite waned to barely anything and I had to begin syringe feeding him. All the while Vets and Hospitals still could not tell me what was causing this and how to help or what to change or what to do!?

Frisky went through weeks of ups and downs. Right before he died he went through a wonderful month long period of getting better. I actually thought that he was going to get better for good that time. He even started eating on his own again. Then, during his last week it all went downhill. The vomiting started again, he had absolutely no appetite and despite all of our efforts, it got to the point where I was afraid to sleep because I didn’t want him to die while I was asleep, alone and in pain (I think, at the most, I slept 3 or 4 hours that entire week). So, we took him to the animal hospital and had him euthanized.

This was the worst experience of my life. I don’t say that because of his death… I am okay with him dying now. He was an older cat and I wasn’t expecting him to last forever. But I knew my cat, inside and out, and he had never had a serious illness or any health related problems his entire life. Up until his last 4 months, Frisky was acting just the same as he always had… Rambunctious, sometimes a little nasty, but always had energy and a big bad boy “I own this place.” attitude. Up until the night he died, he was still trying to get up and jump around and do all of his little rituals and routines. I know he didn’t want to die, and that hurt me the most of all. Knowing that this cat wanted to be better, but the vets and hospitals and clinics had no answer after thousands of dollars (I don’t regret one cent!), dozens of scary tests, hospitalization, and months of his precious time left.

It still upsets me, to this day, how horribly every Vet, Animal Hospital, and Emergency Animal Clinic treated me and my slightly mean old cat. Why do they know so little? Why is there no proven treatment for these illnesses? What is wrong with the animal health care community that they cannot treat a failing liver correctly and my cat had to suffer for months? In Frisky’s own words “grrrrrrrrr”.

So, I have to admit, my main reason for contacting you is for advice in a new veterinarian choice and information on holistic / total feline health care and nutrition.

I’m about to adopt a beautiful Tortoiseshell female from Bobby & The Strays (no kill) Animal Shelter in NY. She’s 2 and a half years old and overweight. From picking her up, I’d place her anywhere between 16-18 pounds. She’s currently on a diet of [1] 3oz can of wet food per day and a free feeding bowl of kibble.

What is the best way to transition her to a good quality wet food and routine meals? What is the best brand of food and amount to feed for this size cat to help her get down to a healthy weight? Or should I keep her food consistent with what was fed in the shelter for the first month or two at home and then start a transition. She is a rescued feral and my first priorities are making her feel safe, giving her a home and people she can own and trust, and getting her in good health and wellness. I had my Frisky from 10 weeks old, and I had very minimal, easy experience changing him over to a wet food diet… (even when he was fed dry food, he still had feeding times). So, I’m really unsure of how to go about this with a cat that barely knows me and has a history of neglect. She is a sweetheart of a cat (I have visited with her over the past two weeks to get a sense for her personality) but I don’t want to screw her up. She deserves the best after being rescued and I really want to make her transitions as smooth as possible.

I also want to know if you can recommend any books (besides your own, which I absolutely love!), that give a reliable approach to total Feline Health during all stages of a cat’s life. When Frisky got sick, I was absolutely astonished at the lack of reliable information on Feline health risks and the illnesses of senior cats. Beyond even that, I was abhorred by how little veterinarians actually know about feline health and treatment. What should I be looking for in a new vet this time around? I want to try to do as much right as I can this time, and make sure my new girl is as healthy and as happy as can be. Any Advice is greatly, greatly appreciated.

Thank you,
Adrianna
(and sorry about the length of the email…)

Dear Adrianna,

I took some time before responding because I share your rage and horror at the incompetence and even seeming disinterest of all those vets who could not diagnose nor treat nor protect your lovely boy, despite your relentless efforts to do the best by him. I wish I had some words of wisdom, but all I can do is offer the comfort of empathy for what you both went through.

I am going to share your email with Dr. Elizabeth Hodgkins, the official vet of CAT CHAT® and a seriously generous woman with her time, wisdom, advice and her own sense of moral outrage at how cats are often mistreated by her profession.

I will tell you right off the bat that the book you are looking for is YOUR CAT by Dr. H – it is linked on my website www.TracieHotchner.com on Dr. H’s own page as the vet of Cat Chat® – you’ll be glad to have this excellent book as a complement to mine (by the way,send you address and I’ll send you an autographed bookplate to put in The Cat Bible and some goodies as well.

As for The Transition: go cold turkey, as they say. Get that kitty crack right out of your house — literally out of the building or the cat will smell it’s noxious fumes from wherever you stash it and may beg for more of what he’s hooked on, with all its downsides. Give what’s left over to a feral cat rescue or a private shelter/rescue — they all have financial burdens and that can be of use to them.

My website is filled with Q&A’s and Blogs about feeding — you’ll get all the info you need on how to offer two wet meals a day and in your case there is no issue about rejecting wet food, so it’s going to be a piece of cake.

The only other thing I would BEG you to do is sign up right now for pet insurance — with your bookplate I can send you a card for Pets bet insurance with a discount as my listener but don’t even wait — call the toll free number on my website and let them give you a quote — it should be really reasonable for a young kitty and the rate locks in for 8 years. You know only too well the cost of quality vet care these days (even when the outcome is not “quality”) so protect yourself from day one, please. And I hope you never need it!

Keep up your good spirits and enjoy life with your lucky new pussycat – he’s got a great guardian in you.
Tracie

I received the fairly cranky email below from Thomas, but I jumped right in to help since the fellow was obviously distraught over his kitty cat’s condition. All’s well that ends well and I must say I gave myself and the wonderful Dr. Phil a big pat on the back to get support for this situation in a matter of days. I am often told that there are no authors or radio hosts who do anything personal like this, but honestly I feel so fortunate to have made lasting and trusting relationships with some of the great practitioners and “thought leaders” in the animal world that it is a privilege to share them with all of you.

You need to update your web site. Philip Padrid has moved out of state and is no longer at Family Pet in Chicago. I wasted my hopes and time today as I have a cat just diagnosed with 2 months to live with asthma. Do you know of another cat asthma specialist in Chicago?

So I wrote him back that I was sorry to hear his cat was not well and I’d try to reach Dr. Phil, who only just left Chicago and is in transit to New Mexico. I hoped Dr. Phil would have someone else to recommend  but, in the meantime, if Thomas wanted to give me any particulars about the cat’s condition I could pass it along for any comments or advice from Dr. Phil.

Thomas jumped right back in as follows:

Thanks for getting back to me. My cat, Sandy, is a male and just turned 15 yrs old this mo. He has always been a strong, healthy cat with yearly vet checkups. Last year he had teeth removed and the vet said he had bronchitis and put him on terbutiline which I gave him 2x day. I took him in for check up a in July and they took X-rays (which the former vet never did). They said he had severe asthma and sent me to a specialist in Buffalo Grove, Illinois who said there was not much to do for him. The vet put him on Flovent 2x day and Albuterol 3-4x day which I give him religiously with an inhaler extender. Sandy is not getting worse since on the inhalers. He eats well and is still pretty active for his age and seems content.

Recently I got a card from the vet at Portage Park Animal Hospital wanting to take another X-ray. I am on Social Security Disability and ran up bills on Care Credit of $1200.00, which I am paying off interest free for 12 mos. My thought is to get another opinion and have his prior X-rays sent to the advising vet with the hope there may be something additional to prolong his life.

Thanks for your help.

I was able to reach Dr. Phil on the road and therefore could send Thomas this reassuring news:

Incredibly kindly, Dr. Padrid immediately was able to help you by suggesting the following:

Hi Tracie- I am in Charleston giving lectures. I was in my new home in New Mexico for only 4 days before leaving for this conference!! My poor new wife is all alone with the darkness and centipedes…

In answer to Thomas’ question, there are no other asthma specialists in the Chicago area. There is a faculty member at Missouri but she is only good in research. There are only 4 clinical pulmonologists in the entire USA and one of them (who is self-trained) still denies that inhaled medications have been used enough to warrant recommending them (although they have now been used successfully for 13 years).

I trained my business partners well in asthma care at Family Pet in Chicago. I would have him take the cat to my former partner Rae Ann Van Pelt. She will contact me for any questions, will send films to me if there is any doubt etc…

So Thomas, you were fortunate to be my listener and I am fortunate to have such caring experts on my “team.” I do hope the kitty continues to have success, as seems to be the case. If you ever do get a copy of THE CAT BIBLE® be sure to send me your mailing address so I can inscribe a bookplate inscribed to Sandy.

Tracie

Here’s a listener who paid very close attention to what must have been my Freudian slip! Sadly the show is only an hour long but I wanted to put her mind to rest immediately about what to feed to a cat with kidney problems.

I listened to your show on Sept 24th when your phones were down and at the end you briefly mentioned the possibility of extending this week’s show to 2 hours. I desperately want to hear Elizabeth Hodgkins talk about the Renal Failure diet this week as I have a cat with Renal Failure who I recently took off Purina NF dry food (veterinary prescribed) and she has now been eating Wellness canned food for about 6 weeks now. Please let me know your schedule for Oct 1, as I cannot miss this show.
Thank you from Denise

Hi Denise
Oh golly, if I did say something about having two hours it was joking wishful thinking! So many listeners wish I could be on for two hours but that is WAY out of my hands – you’d have to write in to Martha Stewart radio and ask if that could ever happen. I often feel there just isn’t enough time to cover everything and get to everyone.

Dr. Elizabeth will not be on the show until October 15th but what she and I will be telling everyone is that the vet prescribed diets are based on old science and generally are not effective as claimed and often exacerbate the very problem they are intended to cure.

The best diet for kidney issues is a wet food with good protein. You can get a copy of YOUR CAT, Dr. Hodgkin’s wonderful book, right off her page on my web site – as well as read the very many blog postings and Q&A’s on my web site on this topic. Please call in this week and we can talk about it – we’ll sort your kitty out, don’t worry!

Tracie

Thanks for taking my call tonight. Per your request here is a little history on Sebastian (Sabi) my 3 1/2 years old Mini Schnauzer – 14 lbs. (+ -)

On and off for a year he had blood in his urine, appearing the last few drops after he had emptied his bladder. This in addition to accidents in the house – my vet thought it was bladder infections coming and going or crystals. My Vet prescribed Clavamox (spelling) on and off in various doses with no results. After a Radiograph stones were discovered (16) and they were removed surgically Jan 2, 2008.

His diet since has been vet prescribed Hills Science Diet G/D wet with some Dry mixed in. I do add water to make it juicy to get more liquids in him. He does drink but not a lot.
You are right, I read the G/D bag/can after I got home and there is clearly bad stuff in his food. I feel awful feeding him this now, what I thought was “helping” (and vet recommended) is not. When you know better you do better and hopefully you can assist in pointing me in the right direction!!

You mentioned Honest Kitchen – Ice pups: Can you fill me in again on how to give this, I think you said mix with water to encourage drinking. What about daily diet for my little guy to hopefully prevent more stones. Which I know can return. Thank you so much for asking me to write!

PS: I’m off to order the DOG BIBLE Book via your site link now….I so enjoy listening to you in my car and on my I pod!  Now I can enjoy reading too.
Chrissy, Sabi’s Mom in Atlanta, GA

The great thing is that even before I could answer, my wonderful listener Helen, the Doberman rescue lady, jumped right in!  I did tell Chrissy about Ice Pups from the Honest Kitchen- a delicious chicken and herb powder that you can put just a little of into a bowl of water and your dog who never drinks will slurp to beat the band! My Scooby Doo nearly died of struvite stones in his bladder, so it’s a big issue for me, too, since he has no natural appetite to drink.

Tracie

Last night on CAT CHAT® you had a caller with a schnauzer who has calcium oxalate stones. One of my Dobies had calcium oxalate stones removed two years ago, and the first thing the highfaluting surgeon did was shove some canned Science Diet at me. He told me to feed Luigi that, but also said “It won’t work and he will be back for surgery to remove more stones in a year or so. No diet works on these stones.”

Well that was BS!

I immediately went onto the net and some people I knew mentioned the “Fuzzer Diet.” I found the person who created that diet on her yahoo list where she outlines the diet and her story. Luigi’s been on the diet now for two years, and is doing very well.

This group is very supportive. These are real people helping other dog owners who love and want to do the right thing by their dogs. The Fuzzer diet is particular to oxalate stones, and they also help/support other people whose dogs have struvites and other kidney/bladder problems. They’re the best!

http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/K9KidneyDiet/

The owner of this store, b-naturals supplements for dogs, is also a member of the list. She has the diet spelled out here on her site by the originator of the Fuzzer Diet, Leslie Bean.

http://www.b-naturals.com/newsletter/calcium-oxalate-uroliths/

Great group for owners of dogs with these issues! Great diet for oxalate dogs! Eegads, not enough people know about the Fuzzer diet and the yahoo list that supports people with dogs with these problems. It is a wonderful resource, and the woman who devised it, Leslie Bean, is a gem. She’s in the medical field, and had two little dogs that had wall-to-wall oxalate stones. Inoperable. Vets said nothing to do but watch them expire. She said, “Like hell!” So went to work and through her own knowledge and her contacts in the medical field, put the Fuzzer diet together, and low and behold, those dogs’ stones shrunk! Fuzzer was one of her beloved dogs who had the stones.

I sent the diet to my regular vet and that uppity surgeon. I’m sure they glanced and tossed it aside. I’m SO sick of the attitudes of these vet-gods. Argh! The advice I got was to have the urine tested every few weeks for “stuff,” but found out, like you, that doing an ultra sound IS the way to test for these stones and urine testing is money out the window. My vet said x-ray, but I said I didn’t want to expose Luigi to that much radiation. “Oh, well, dogs don’t live as long as us, so if they get cancer from it, they’ll be old anyway.” Did I mention how sick I was of these attitudes?

I was strolling along the Net yesterday and found an interview you did in April on the Conscious Dog network. You’re everywhere, and thank God you are! Keep it up!

This is one of the longer – more intelligent and caring – and heartbreaking emails I have gotten . I want to share it with you – along with my reply – as a heads-up that we really need to be advocates for our cats and that even when we are, it can still be frustrating, to put it mildly.

Hello Tracie –

I actually have a few questions to ask you, along with a little story.

About 8 months ago I lost my best friend of 16 years, a wonderful and absolutely crazy fun cat named Frisky. We went through a lot in the last 4 months of his life. I grew up with this cat, and always just listened to what my parents told me to do with him for the most part, until 6 years ago. I was becoming more of an adult and Frisky started gaining weight. I researched Feline nutrition and switched frisky over to a wet food (Castor & Pollux Organix). He slimmed down a bit, but he continued to stay a slightly larger (but my vet said -not overweight-) cat.

The last 4 months of his life he began to lose some weight. The vet said he was still in great health, and not to worry… but I did anyway. I didn’t really freak until I noticed changes in his appetite, his behavior, and he started to vomit yellow, which scared me. This is when I decided my vet didn’t know a damn thing and took Frisky to other vets. It turns out he was having liver problems. While every place I took him to told me the same things about his liver, none of the vets or animal hospitals could tell me why it was happening or how to help him. They all prescribed Hills Prescription diet (which Frisky would not eat) and sent me home. Eventually his illness progressed and he became unhealthier and skinnier and his kidneys began to fail. He was taking medication for that, but his appetite waned to barely anything and I had to begin syringe feeding him. All the while Vets and Hospitals still could not tell me what was causing this and how to help or what to change or what to do!?

Frisky went through weeks of ups and downs. Right before he died he went through a wonderful month long period of getting better. I actually thought that he was going to get better for good that time. He even started eating on his own again. Then, during his last week it all went downhill. The vomiting started again, he had absolutely no appetite and despite all of our efforts, it got to the point where I was afraid to sleep because I didn’t want him to die while I was asleep, alone and in pain (I think, at the most, I slept 3 or 4 hours that entire week). So, we took him to the animal hospital and had him euthanized.

This was the worst experience of my life. I don’t say that because of his death… I am okay with him dying now. He was an older cat and I wasn’t expecting him to last forever. But I knew my cat, inside and out, and he had never had a serious illness or any health related problems his entire life. Up until his last 4 months, Frisky was acting just the same as he always had… Rambunctious, sometimes a little nasty, but always had energy and a big bad boy “I own this place.” attitude. Up until the night he died, he was still trying to get up and jump around and do all of his little rituals and routines. I know he didn’t want to die, and that hurt me the most of all. Knowing that this cat wanted to be better, but the vets and hospitals and clinics had no answer after thousands of dollars (I don’t regret one cent!), dozens of scary tests, hospitalization, and months of his precious time left.

It still upsets me, to this day, how horribly every Vet, Animal Hospital, and Emergency Animal Clinic treated me and my slightly mean old cat. Why do they know so little? Why is there no proven treatment for these illnesses? What is wrong with the animal health care community that they cannot treat a failing liver correctly and my cat had to suffer for months? In Frisky’s own words “grrrrrrrrr”.

So, I have to admit, my main reason for contacting you is for advice in a new veterinarian choice and information on holistic / total feline health care and nutrition.

I’m about to adopt a beautiful Tortoiseshell female from Bobby & The Strays (no kill) Animal Shelter in NY. She’s 2 and a half years old and overweight. From picking her up, I’d place her anywhere between 16-18 pounds. She’s currently on a diet of [1] 3oz can of wet food per day and a free feeding bowl of kibble.

What is the best way to transition her to a good quality wet food and routine meals? What is the best brand of food and amount to feed for this size cat to help her get down to a healthy weight? Or should I keep her food consistent with what was fed in the shelter for the first month or two at home and then start a transition. She is a rescued feral and my first priorities are making her feel safe, giving her a home and people she can own and trust, and getting her in good health and wellness. I had my Frisky from 10 weeks old, and I had very minimal, easy experience changing him over to a wet food diet… (even when he was fed dry food, he still had feeding times). So, I’m really unsure of how to go about this with a cat that barely knows me and has a history of neglect. She is a sweetheart of a cat (I have visited with her over the past two weeks to get a sense for her personality) but I don’t want to screw her up. She deserves the best after being rescued and I really want to make her transitions as smooth as possible.

I also want to know if you can recommend any books (besides your own, which I absolutely love!), that give a reliable approach to total Feline Health during all stages of a cat’s life. When Frisky got sick, I was absolutely astonished at the lack of reliable information on Feline health risks and the illnesses of senior cats. Beyond even that, I was abhorred by how little veterinarians actually know about feline health and treatment. What should I be looking for in a new vet this time around? I want to try to do as much right as I can this time, and make sure my new girl is as healthy and as happy as can be. Any Advice is greatly, greatly appreciated.

Thank you.
(and sorry about the length of the email…)
-Adrianna

Dear Adrianna

I took some time before responding because I share your rage and horror at the incompetence and even seeming disinterest of all those vets who could not diagnose nor treat nor protect your lovely boy, despite your relentless efforts to do the best by him. I wish I had some words of wisdom, but all I can do is offer the comfort of empathy for what you both went through.

I am going to share your email with Dr. Elizabeth Hodgkins, the official vet of CAT CHAT® and a seriously generous woman with her time, wisdom, advice and her own sense of moral outrage at how cats are often mistreated by her profession.

I will tell you right off the bat that the book you are looking for is YOUR CAT by Dr. H – it is linked on my website www.TracieHotchner.com on Dr. H’s own page as the vet of Cat Chat® – you’ll be glad to have this excellent book as a complement to mine (by the way,send you address and I’ll send you an autographed bookplate to put in The Cat Bible and some goodies as well.

As for The Transition: go cold turkey, as they say. Get that kitty crack right out of your house – literally out of the building or the cat will smell it’s noxious fumes from wherever you stash it and may beg for more of what he’s hooked on, with all its downsides. Give what’s left over to a feral cat rescue or a private shelter/rescue – they all have financial burdens and that can be of use to them.

My website is filled with Q&A’s and Blogs about feeding – you’ll get all the info you need on how to offer two wet meals a day and in your case there is no issue about rejecting wet food, so it’s going to be a piece of cake.

The only other thing I would BEG you to do is sign up right now for pet insurance – with your bookplate I can send you a card for Pets Best insurance with a discount as my listener but don’t even wait – call the toll free number on my website and let them give you a quote – it should be really reasonable for a young kitty and the rate locks in for 8 years. You know only too well the cost of quality vet care these days (even when the outcome is not “quality”) so protect yourself from day one, please. And I hope you never need it!

Keep up your good spirits and enjoy life with your lucky new pussycat – he’s got a great guardian in you.

Tracie

This is such a cute appeal from a blog-reader who begged to be heard! So here are her concerns – which are all pretty fair questions.

Kit-Kat and I follow your blog but I still can’t figure out how to start a new topic instead of responding to one already posted.  Please take pity on me and answer online or by e-mail if you can.

This is my first summer with my cat, who is about 3 years old.  She is used to spending a lot of time outdoors; she was on her own for almost a year before I found her and took her in.  (I thought she’d been abandoned but it turns out she ran away.)  In southern California, our temps are in the triple digits now.  Is it safe to let a cat out when it’s that hot?  She sits by the door, hoping to be let out, but I’m concerned about her safety.  She has been spayed and doesn’t usually go too far away.  She eats only wet food but almost never drinks water.

I recently met my cat’s original owner, who took her in after witnessing her being abused as a very small kitten.  Before she ran away from that home (she didn’t like the four male cats there), she was spayed and had the first two vaccines.  I called a vet about getting the third vaccine and they said if it’s been over a year, she needs all of them repeated and can get them all at once.  Is this a good idea?

Thanks for all your information.  My e-mail address is new but mailing address is the same.  I am buying another cat and dog bible for gifts if you are still sending the bookplates.

Thanks again,
Susan

Here are my replies to her issues (If she’s going to keep on buying The Bibles, how can I NOT answer her, right?!)

Dear Susan – Both your concerns are valid and the answers are easily found in  The Cat Bible (which you already own, lucky girl – and it has a super-dooper index that captures every possible word or topic) and also the Q&A’s on my website touch on some of this. But I’m feeling kindly today(!) so here are the quickie versions of the answers

1) No cat should be going outside no matter what the temperature. Is it too hot? Heavens yes! But spayed or not, she can be harmed or killed by cars, coyotes, dogs, parasites, other cats and oh – did I mention cars? Check out the link on my website for Purr.fect fence to make an easily erected, affordable, non-permanent enclosure for her outdoors- when it cools down!

2) Cats do not naturally need to drink water – unless they are eating “kitty crack” which makes them unnaturally thirsty because dry highly processed carbohydrates are not a mouse or bird. A cat is supposed to get her hydration from the fluids inside her prey – or inside the can of wet food you’re feeding her. Not drinking water when a cat is eating only wet food is a sign that she is healthy and satisfied.

3) Re-vaccinating or multiple vaccinations are ill advised at best. Cats do very poorly with over-vaccinating. The Q&A’s on my website and THE CAT BIBLE talk about this and how getting a blood test to check her immunity against various diseases (called getting a “titer level”) is the best way to know if a cat is protected. If she has areas in which she has no immunity but she is an indoor cat only then she is at no risk in any case. She needs only rabies, as required by law, but every 3 years, not every year. No matter what, giving vaccines all at once really puts her at risk of a bad reaction and I would look for a feline practitioner, or cats – only vet, if you can.

Tracie

Tracie,

I am sitting here searching for answers on the Internet and thought I’d give you a try as I often hear you on Cat Chat and you seem so knowledgeable.  My 17 yr old cat is peacefully sleeping nearby.  He has been having some problems with a limp for a few months, but over the last few days he walks like he is drunk.  Other that this balance issue – he seems fine. Purring, eating, etc.  Bathroom issues have been frequent over the last months and are now worse.  we took him to the vet yesterday and he gave him a steroid shot and pills for us to give him (he has been on tapizol for thyroid condition for several years).  We are faced with the tough decision and don’t know what to do.  He is not in pain, but is definitely frustrated by not being able to climb up on our bed, or go upstairs.  If he were in pain the decision would be easier, but like I said to my husband – would you put me down because I can’t walk?  I would prefer he die naturally, but it is hard to see him struggle.  I am so conflicted.  it doesn’t seem like he is ready to go yet – but then am i just being selfish?

Susan in Oakland, California

Dear Susan –

Thank you so much for writing, and for your trust in me to help you live well with your pet. I have so little time to give you as along a reply as I’d like but the short answer is: BE PATIENT!  I really don’t think now is the time to end your cat’s life – balance issues like this originate in the inner ear and often resolve on their own or with assistance from the vet. If you have any doubts that your doctor has diagnosed this as probably being an inner-ear issue and is treating this effectively, now would be a time for a second opinion. The kitty’s quality of life sounds otherwise really good so please be patient and help her regain her balance and the pleasure of your company. As you suggested to your husband, you’d hope he would do the same for you!

Good luck,
Tracie