Update on Tigger
 

At about 10:30 last night a neigbor came to my door asking if I had a Tigger. She said he was injured and in the street, possibly hit by a car. It was heart breaking to do, but I carefully picked him up and took him in the house. After checking him over I didn't see any signs of physical truama. I gave him some tuna which he enthusiastically ate some (about an ounce). But he could barely stand and was very disorented like he was dizzy. He would fall over on his side. He also looked emeciated and extremely dehydrated. So I took him to the animal hospital. They have him on an IV and will be doing a full blood exam and exrays. It's now a little after two in the morning and I just got back home.

I'll find out more in the morning. But he looks so bad, I'm worried he won't make it through the night. But at least he made it home, and now there's no more wondering what happened to him (with the exception of why he never came back).

Fingers crossed for Tigger. Whatever happened he at least tried to make it back to you. Keep us updated.

Oh man, so sorry to hear about this. It is amazing you are able to keep your head on through all of that -- stay strong and we will keep our fingers crossed for Tigger as well.

I'm so sorry. I'll be hoping it all turns out ok.

Here's hoping you'll soon be sharing some good news about Tigger. I hope he found you in time.

fingers crossed for Tigger and you. I want a belated xmas gift to come through for your family. C'mon universe, give us some good news!

I'm so happy to know the Tigger is back in your care and I hope the vet can make him all better. Let us know as soon as you know anything.

The fact that he ate is a very good sign, RS. I'm so glad you found him finally, and so sorry it was under these circumstances. Fingers and toesies crossed for quick kitty recovery!

Yeah! Good news!!
 

Thanks everyone!

OK, he made it through the night. Looks like we did find him in time. :snap: :D

He has no major injuries, just a bad bacteria infection of his kidneys. They will be keeping him on IV and antibiotics until tomarrow morning when I pick him up at 7:00am and take him to the vets office for further treatment.

He is getting stronger, and eating a little. He wouldn't eat cat food but they gave him baby food. I never thought of that. He wouldn't eat cat food for me either, but he would eat canned tuna (his favorite treat) that I left quite wet so he got some water as well.

It's still a little touchy but I think he will pull through.

I hope that good samaritan lady stops by again so I can thank her and give her the reward I had offered. If it weren't for her I'm sure he would have been run over in the street or just died there overnight. And then I would have found him dead, as he was just 3 doors down. That's the worst thing ever....

So glad he's back and recovering!

Wow, what a lucky little cat.

Fingers and toes crossed here, from Rose and I and all our lil critters.

Yay! Here's hoping recovery continues.

I'm so happy he is doing better today! My furry critters and I are pulling for him! It was wonderful of her to come and make sure it was/nt Tigger.

Oh the update is very good news indeed! Go Tigger! {{Kitty recovery vibes!}}

Adding more recovery vibes for Tigger! Our pooch had a bug for a couple days that had me worried but he's on the comeback trail, I am sending get well prayers for your furbaby as well!

Great news that he's recovering. Sending best wishes from Downunder.

I bet Tigger was having a great time on his Jack Kerouacian adventure when then he got sick. He probably turned his wheels around and headed for home knowing that he was going to need the help of the people who loved him. He almost made it home when his wheels stalled leaving him almost at his distination and wishing he had never wanted to be a Beatnik cat in the first place.

Tigger, you can be cool and be a homebody, man! Swank is ll in the attitude!

Kitty! :)

Here's hoping that Tigger gets back to normal soon.
:)

Glad to hear this encouraging news about Tigger! We and the kitty send positive vibes for a speedy recovery.

Wow! Tigger found! Tsunami, Illuminati and I are doing a healthy kitty dance for Tigger!

Thanks again, guys! It means a lot to us that you are pulling for him!

In case anyone is wondering what happened and missed it Here's the start of the story.

We never thought we'd see him again, and we are elated!

This is fabulous news! Yay for Tigger!

Yay for Tigger. I'm so happy that he's going to recover and he found his way back to you. :) I bet you he won't ever try to do that again.

Much as Kerouac often ran home to his mother.

I'm very happy the cat is back, but he deserves a good talking to.

Glad Tigger is back.

Smokey, Snowy, Rocky, Randy, Scotty, Patches, Lightning, Cow, Henry and Oakley are all cheering right now....you should see it, quite the show!

I will continue to send good vibes for a complete and swift recovery.

Yay, Tigger!!

so very glad to hear this!

Good kitty vibes for Tigger!

I am wondering if he was accidently locked in a garage.

Happy to hear that Tigger is back! Huzzah! Markus, J & I will do the happy healthy kitty dance, during which Markus will proclaim "Meow, see... Gots ta keep Tigger healthy, see!"

*hugs* to you guys!

That would certainly make sense.

Poor kitteh. I'm so glad that you've found each other again though. Please let us know how he's doing.

That's a strong possability, and that they were on vacation at Christmas.

This morning I took him from the hospital to the Vet. It's not looking good. He is still having major neurological problems that don't seem to be connected to any of his other health problems. It could likely be permanent brain damage. He can't walk or move around on his own. I'm having the vet hook him back up to IV and give him 2-3 more days to see if he improves, but the Dr isn't very hopeful. :(

Oh, I'm so sorry to hear that, RS. Poor little Tigger kitty.:(

Oh no. Well i'm going to keep on praying. How can anyone decent human being have a cat locked in the garage and not know? Sorry but they must have either not been home or just been plain stupid.
My fingers are still crossed for you and Tigger. Do you know if he was locked in a garage who's it was? Maybe go over and talk to them. They probablly are so oblivious to anything nowadays. People suck.

We really have no idea what happened. We are only speculating at this point. I'm thinking that if he was missing durring the holidays that it's possible someone locked him in by accident (if he snuck in and was hiding they wouldn't have seen him) and then left on vacation. But at this time we have no clue what he went through....

I'm not completely giving up hope yet. We will see what the next couple of days bring.

Good don't give up hope. Regardless of the situation if he was accidently locked in someone's garage and they went away there would have been signs of something living in the garage. But if no one was at home no one would have known til they came back and he was able to escape.

Keep us posted and my fingers are crossed for him.

If a cat is in a garage (or most anywhere else) and doesn't want to be found, it would be difficult for someone not looking for it to find it. Hell, sometimes I can't find my cat in our bedroom closet when I know she's in there.

if he was locked away in a garage, he may have drank anti-freeze. the symptomology sounds somewhat similar.

symptoms of antifreeze poisoning

Positive vibes are being sent to Tigger from myself and my furry children

The adventurer kitty returns, huzzah! That was quite an explore for Tigger. When I first saw the title of the thread I was nervous about what I might read. I'm so happy for you and your family. Thanks for the update and I hope Tigger heals quickly.

Yeah for kitty return!

Susan had a cat named Tiger who jumped into the bed of the family pickup (under the tonneau cover) while the vehicle was being packed for a Christmas trip to see Grandma in Las Vegas. Prior to closing the tailgate, dad gave a few loud raps on the cover to make sure there were no kitties. This scared Tiger who didn't move (though no one knew this).

As they stopped in Barstow for a potty break, they heard a very faint "mew" coming from the bed of the truck. After a frantic search, Tiger was located, scared and very cold, but otherwise none the worse for wear. He rode in the (already cramped) cab of the truck the rest of the way to Vegas.

accidentally closed one we had between the steel screen door and the front door once. :rolleyes:

the mailman actually knocked on the door to let us know there was a cat sleeping in the little 3 inch wide gap between the two. she did indeed look like we'd woken her up

It is always remarkable how kitties can flatten themselves, it's like their bones can hook and reconnect at will.

Tango is no longer the lithe girl she was 2 years back, she's gotten (quite happily) fat at 14 lbs. Last night, she managed to get underneath my filing cabinet to hunt down and destroy a spider and it's tight down there. She can also kitty limbo under the open shower door because I really can never go use the bathroom alone. She won't user her box if I'm in there (it's in the bathtub) but god forbid I can go use the loo in private (it's the en suite).

When Tigger first went missing, I checked often at the front door that also has one of those security screens. Our other cat, Dopey (because she is!) was at the door looking for him as well. I didn't know this, and shut the door pinning her in the three inches there. I walked back to the living room and sat down and heard her yelling (she has a loud meow) and opened the door to find her there. She looked at me like WTF? :p
No, I asked. His kidney count was about 80 when normal should be 30, so only slightly elevated. Glycol poisoning would cause the count to be 260-300, which is deadly. Also, he has no nausia, diareha, or vomitting. In fact he is eating, which he most likely wouldn't do if it were antifreeze. So thank goodness, but that has been ruled out.

Well, thank goodness for that! C'mon Tigger, we're all pulling for you!

More prayers flying for Tigger....thankfully our furbaby perked back up ... telling Missy he'd died was NOT on my list of things I want to do anytime soon.

I'm glad to hear that bit of good news!

It sounds like Tigger is doing better, eating is always a good sign. I hope he makes a speedy recovery and is home where he belongs soon!

This morning the Dr said tests came back that he is diebetic. This could be part of what is giving him the neurological problems. More tests results are comming in this afternoon, but the Dr warns that the prognosis is bleak....:(

I suspect he was locked in a garage and went without eating for a long time which is causing his diabetic test results. He may also have fatty liver disease from lack of nutrition. I wouldn't give up on him yet. Some good nutrition might make things ok over time as long as his kidneys and liver are still able to function.

I had a kitty with diabetes, and while it's tricky it can be managed. He'll definitely have to be an indoor kitty from now on if he has this, as you really have to keep an eye on their diet and such. Diabetes can cause the behavior Tigger is exhibiting, and the symptoms diminish once the levels get back to normal. My Ninja kitty had to have insulin, which was a bit challenging- we would wait until he was eating, then sneak up on him and give him his shot.

Yeah, fatty liver disease was the first thing I thought of but I assume the vet would have figured that pretty quick.

Anyway, here's hoping for a positive outcome.

Kitty :(

Still praying for an answer that can be treated and managed to give Tigger a full and happy life.

More prayers for Tigger and oodles of hope for a recovery.

I wondered if this was possible. Thanks!
Thanks Alex. He lost 1/3 of his body weight in a short period of time. This did cause a slightly fatty liver, but the Dr. said his nuero response was more severe than that. But if he had fatty liver along with the bacteria infection and diabetes, I could see that really messing with his head. The question is, how much is it reversable, does he have permanent brain damage?

For now, we wait and see.

Another thing about diabetes, he can be showing signs of diabetes but, once nutritional balance is restored, the signs and symptoms can go away. When Jack was really sick with UTIs he test results showed diabetes, but a week later he was fine.

I take care of MANY cats (and dogs) with diabetes. I give insulin on a pretty regular basis. If that's what you need to do with Tigger, I can help you get going if you need me. It's really pretty easy once you get the hang of it. It's a SubQ shot, so it makes it pretty easy.

Thanks, NA. That makes me feel better. My wife is diabetic. Right now she takes pills, but while preggy had to take insulin. I have given her shots, so I'm at least familiar with the human side.

And that's my thought as well, that he is so off balance after nearly starving, that he could return to normal after getting healthy.

When my mom developed diabetes, she wasn't sure she could do the shots. I cheerfully told her I could, but that it would involve a plateful of tuna and being jabbed in the neck. :D

I have experience giving cats insulin injections as well. And considering how freaked out I get when I'm the recipient of a shot, I didn't think I could do it at first. After the first couple of times, however, it really does become routine.

Now, administering an IV to a cat is a totally different challenge that I wouldn't wish on anyone. Let's just say that they aren't much interested in staying still during the process and it is something that I never felt comfortable doing.

Best wishes to you and Tigger.

Just because I want in one the game, back in high school I had a sixth month period of giving a weekly antibiotic shot to my king snake.

We had a diabetic dog who's first symptoms were neuro problems. Yep the shots are fairly easy. Actually giving the shot while they are eating serves another purpose; being sure that they have food in their system so they don't have a huge insulin spike.

Good thoughts for Tigger. He's already shown himself to be a fighter, so let's hope that trend continues.

First of all, I would like to thank all of you for your kind support through this trying time. You have all been wonderful, and you helped me get through.

However, Tigger's neurological condition had not improved. The tests all came back clean. His body was improving, but his mind was not. The diabetes, bacterial infection, dehydration, and starvation were not the reason for his worst problem. There were no other problems with him physically. He was unaware of his surroundings and unable to control his body. He would not respond to us like he should.

The doctor said the problem with his brain most likely would have occurred whether he was out or at home, and may have been the reason he never came home. He had no idea where he was or how to take care of himself. A brain tumor was the most likely reason.

So, at noon today we said our last good byes. Our daughter met with us as she practically grew up with him, and considered him to be her cat. We shed some tears, but were grateful that we had the opportunity to see him one last time. It gave us closure. Tonight as the sun set, Tigger was put to sleep.

So I packed up his belongings and put them away. I had held on to them with hope all of these weeks. It will be hard to not be looking for him as I drive down the street. I have a particular sound I make with my mouth, a bit like a loud, long, projected kiss that I used to call him when I wanted him to come to me. While he was missing I would go to the front door and call him to see if he would come. Tonight, in his memory, I called to him one last time.

Rest in peace Tigger. You will be missed.
:(

I had an awful feeling it might be that when I saw your new post on this thread this late at night. I'm so sorry for your loss.

Im so very sorry to hear this. as sad as it is, I think you did right by your old friend. :(

be at peace Tigger.

:(


I'm sorry, RS. Poor Tigger, and poor you and your family. He was a lucky boy to have such a great family, and I'm glad that- heartbreaking though it was- he was able to come home before the end. Big, big hugs from us.

Oh, no. I'm very sorry, R. What a sad decision, but good that it is a decision you were able to make because he came home to you before the end. Tigger knew he was loved. I'm so sorry you had to say goodbye to him.

{{{HUGS}}}

Tigger was one handsome boy. As difficult as the decision was, you made a right one and wherever he is now, he's grateful to have had such a wonderful and loving family.

RIP Tigger :(

kitty

Ugh. I'm sorry, RStar.
:(

I'm so sorry.

I was afraid that this was coming, but, I am glad that you had closure, and a chance to give a loving farewell. <major hugs>

Very sad...but good on you for easing his passing. Good thoughts to you and yours as you mourn your sweet furry friend.

I'm so so sorry to read this, I was holding out hope that we'd get a miracle for Tigger but you did the hard thing and made the choice best for your loved furbaby.

I am so very sorry.

I know all of us have been pulling for a happy ending. Please find peace in knowing that Tigger had a gentle passing and that he was able to make his way home to the people who loved him. My thoughts are with you and yours tonight.

So Sorry to hear the news. Big Bear Hugs


...but Gosh Darn it, your post has me in tears !!! :(

Our thoughts are with you and your family. Very sorry to hear this news, but I will echo others who have said that you made the right, and the most humane, decision. I hope you can find peace in that.

:(

my sympathies

Not the ending I was looking for, but you did right by the cat. From start to finish. My sympathies.

Poor sweet kitteh. It's clear how much you loved him and how much he will be missed. I just know he must have known that.

So sorry to hear about Tigger, RStar.

I'm sorry

Very sorry to hear the news. Your post shows how much he was loved and will be missed. Brought tears to my eyes too :(

I am sorry to hear about your loss RStar. You gave Tigger a loving home. While the decision was difficult, I know you know it was the right one.

:(

What a bittersweet ending. I'm glad you were able to find Tigger and not continue to wonder where he was, but this wasn't the ultimate outcome we were hoping for. Hugs to you.

I'm so sorry to hear the news. Hugs to you and your family.

I'm so sorry.

So sorry. Much love to you and your family.

So sad - our thoughts are with you and Tigger will be remembered.

How awful, at least he came back to you so you could be there with him in the end - I'm so sorry for your loss

[BOh how heartbreaking! :( I am so sorry. [/b]

So sorry to hear the outcome. ((HUGS)). At least you did get a chance to say goodbye as hard as that was. Tigger is at peace and he knows he was loved and cared for. He looks like our Jonny cat. :)

I'm sorry that things ended up this way, but I know you did the right thing for Tigger both after you found him and making the decision to say good bye. Hugs to you and your family.

I'm so proud of Tigger for making it home...and leaving home the way he did. His memories will live on forever!

Thank you all for your kinds words and warm thoughts. It is very much appreciated. May all of your furbabies give you as much pleasure as Tigger did for our family.