[__ Prayer __] Opie need prayer

[sheshisown]

For Opie ;->

Heya Vic~

Well guy, I know how you feel about a special kinda cat, my little girl kitties name was Idgee... she was lost for three days once, and I pleaded with the Lord to bring her back to me. He did, He placed her on the porch of a cat loving neighbor who waited patiently, and cared for her needs at a distance; and finally called my phone number on her collar the moment she let him touch her.

It is the character of God to know the falling of a tiny sparrow, to value the lives of each minute creature He has so lovingly made. I know He cares for His son, and especially for your tender-heart toward your Opie. :yes

How our Father turns His eyes on His children when they love, how He values our hearts care toward His creatures. This was His first command to Adam, to tend His garden--- filled with His living creatures. :heart

Lord Jesus~ From Your merciful hand we ask for healing for Opie, that You would keep his little cat-life for Your son's heart' safety, for Vic' assurance of Your powerful love, that You may further prove Your faithful watch over Vic, as a witness to all who know him of Your Fatherly care. May You fulfill all Your will oh Lord~ As You watch carfully over Your son, and his Opie. In Jesus name... :amen

;) bonnie

 

[Vic C.]

Opie is my cat. Yeah, praying for a cat may sound trivial but I'd think God is compassionate enough to care whether or not our family pets suffer or live out their lives in some sort of comfort.

Here's what's happening;

He used to eat well. Too well, actually. :D He went from having a good appetite to a poor appetite to not eating at all. I've been feeding him the last couple of days by hand. He's lost a few pounds. He was 16 lbs. and now he's down to 12. :gah Blood work showed no diabetes and no kidney problems, but blood needs to be sent out for further tests to see if there is a liver or gall bladder problem. If there is, he will need an ultrasound to pinpoint the problem and rule out intestinal blockage.

The Vet hopes this is reversible and that he gets his appetite back, so he won't need a stomach tube for feeding. Right now he is taking some antibiotics and a appetite enhancing pill. He's 12 years old and up to now has been a very healthy and happy cat.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Vic C.]

Well I tried creating a new thread and moving these posts into it, but they posted in reverse order! :bigfrown

Oh well. :D

Thanks much Bonnie. :angel3

 

[sheshisown]

Vic~

I pray that your moving this thread--- in making it possible for others to read about your Opie's need for prayer, will cause many to pray for him.

Lifting up your kitty again this noon, may our Father be gracious, Jehovah Rapha, He is the Healer of His people. May He hold you today right next to His heart, and touch your little Opie with His virtuous healing power. May He restore his hunger, and grant his Vet wisdom and discernment in ministering to this precious cat created by our Lord. For the name of our God I pray. :amen

bonnie

 

[Vic C.]

Friday morning is the ultrasound and we'll consider and discuss further treatment(s) from that point. It may mean additional meds or just a prolonged period of hand feeding until he gets back his desire to eat on his own. Jaundice and liver problems can be tricky to diagnose and heal.

Man, I am learning so much about cats, their diets and what makes their inner systems "tick".

Did you know both Dick Van Patton and Paul Newman (r.i.p.) produce their own brands of high quality pet foods? :yes

 

[sheshisown]

Hey Vic~ :waving

I will pray for Opie's test coming up on Friday, for a clear and quick diagnosis. May our Father be merciful and grant that no hidden illness be allowed in Opie as well. Most cats are such characters, my Idgee loved her routine, and she was supremely spoiled I'm afraid. She would not eat anything but Iams chicken flavored dry food.

Her Vet told me to only allow her to have tuna rarely as a treat because it is harmful as a regular diet. She loved most fruits, nectarines, and peaches, were her favorites. She was especially intelligent I think as well. I taught her to fetch and return marbles, and she taught herself to turn the faucet on so she could enjoy fresh dripping water. Pretty kooky-kat huh? :crazy

I have purchased some of Newman's dressing but had no idea about his pet food products. So does the company use fancy names for its cat food? So, what designates a high quality food for cats?

bonnie

 

[Vic C.]

... I have purchased some of Newman's dressing but had no idea about his pet food products. So does the company use fancy names for its cat food? So, what designates a high quality food for cats?

bonnie

http://www.newmansownorganics.com/Raisi ... _Foods.pdf

It's supposed to be good stuff, but it's a little low on the protein %. If the vet's diagnosis is correct, he will want a higher protein % for a speedier liver recovery. More protein means less carbs and fat. The carb content is just as important. The cat liver doesn't process carbs efficiently. The unprocessed carbs are stored as fat. It's better off that a cat with certain liver problems rely on proteins, which the liver precesses effectively. Remember, in the wild, they are ultra carnivorous creatures, who eat raw meats (proteins).

So I opted for some Natural Balance cat food (canned). It's higher in moisture than dry food and is higher in proteins (aprox. 42%)than Newman's. http://www.naturalbalanceinc.com/catfor ... anned.html It seems all these foods have organ meat in them. The vet may want to avoid organs meats and may want me to feed him Hills prescription I/d.

Hand feeding this brat, I mean cat, is wearing us out. I don't know who's more stressed, me or him!

 

[sheshisown]

I just had to laugh with ya Vic~

Don't know HOW many times I felt the same way about my Idgee. She used to nag at me the minute I got in from work. :nag

You certainly are becoming a wiz on healthy kitty diets. Ya know - several of my previous cats used to leave my family presents of the heads of high-protein gophers on our doorstep. Not too fun to step onto when embarking for school... EWE! :verysick Yep, ultra carnivorous is right!

But my mom said it meant they really loved us. :heart

Your choices are sound, and your sacrifice makes your love very clear too... Awwwwwww...

How's yer mom doin' ?

Lord bless ya guy! bonnie

 

[Vic C.]

Mom? She claims to be in pain, but that's understandable considering she had part of her rectum and colon removed and stitched back together.

Ya know - several of my previous cats used to leave my family presents of the heads of high-protein gophers on our doorstep. Not too fun to step onto when embarking for school... EWE! :verysick Yep, ultra carnivorous is right!


But my mom said it meant they really loved us.

Your Mom is correct. Domestic outdoor cats do that sometimes. It's like this:

"Look here, my significant human other! Look what I caught, just for you!". :chicken "Aren't you proud of me?"

Yeah, ok... :verysick

 

[sheshisown]

Vic~

Wow, your mom has undergone so much! May our Father protect her from any infection, and graciously grant her seasons of relief from the pain as she heals. I am thankful to our Lord for bringing her through it all this far. :yes

My significant human other... :toofunny !

That was my Idgee alright. I sure miss having a cat, but for now it is best to keep my lifestyle simple. School next semester (my last in Community college) is going into high gear. 20 units, with... astronomy and algebra, and ASL second year, and philosophy, and communication, and art! As my youngest daughter says; YOWSERS!!! :crazy

Have you experienced the little surprizes your significant-kitty-other leaves you when he thinks you have neglected him? My Idgee cat used to push all the papers and pens off my desktop whenever I left her home alone too long. Then she would watch me with a satisfied cat-grin spreading across her face as I ranted out my frustrations about living with such a destructive animal. :angry2

Gotta luv em though, cats are the best. How did Opie's ultrasound come out, any results? Will you need to continue to attend his tummy rumblings by hand?

bonnie

 

[Vic C.]

Have you experienced the little surprizes your significant-kitty-other leaves you when he thinks you have neglected him? My Idgee cat used to push all the papers and pens off my desktop whenever I left her home alone too long. Then she would watch me with a satisfied cat-grin spreading across her face as I ranted out my frustrations about living with such a destructive animal.

Heh, ranting teaches them nothing! First of all, it doesn't phase him one bit most the time. He'll usually sit there and stare at me as if I was an alien or something like that. :robot It does stress out my other cat though, so I try to refrain from raising my voice; it only raises my blood pressure anyway.

I can't even remember all the things he has done to me. He has drank my milk from the glass, he has licked the butter off my toast, he has eaten the ham sticking out of the side of the sandwich, he eats my popcorn from the popcorn bowl, he'll scatter cat litter all over the bathroom if he even thinks I've neglected to clean the litterbox in timely fashion.

There is something even more effective than raising your voice to him; it's called a squirtgun! He hates water! :fullauto

:D

The ultrasound revealed a small section of the liver that is inflamed. The antibiotics should reverse this. If it doesn't, he may require a needle biopsy of that section of the liver for further inspection. In the meantime, he still isn't eating on his own, so I continue to hand feed him. The liver enzymes are still a bit elevated. This can only be reversed by a high quality, high protein cat food, like I mentioned above. It varies from cat to cat and depending on the severity, I could be feeding him this way for another two to six weeks.

There is no know cause for this disease right now in his case. He was a bit overweight and may have stopped eating as a result of separation anxiety from when I went to Florida for a week to tend to my mom. Overweight cats who stop eating, feed off of their body fat, which is no good for the liver. They just can't process fat properly. :gah

It didn't affect my other cat Alex one bit and thank God, it's not an infectious disease. He's Mr. independent, a bit of a hermit. He doesn't like anyone else but me. :D He runs and hides when there is company in the house. We call him... scaredy cat. :yes

[attachment=0:1okxeqmx]opie.jpg[/attachment:1okxeqmx]

 

[sheshisown]

He is really a beauty Vic. The orange/butter-rum colored tabby cats are usually very lovable too. What color are his eyes?

Actually my girl kitty Idgee had her own water bottle that I used to spray her with when she was bad. It had her name on it, and I had to refill it often enuf, she kinda liked the water too much. But once in a while she would get my dander up and I can't say I yelled at her, but ranted, oh yeah, thats like crazy mumbling, no coherant words come out just babbling. :o I have no blood pressure issues, however I avoid "hollering folk" these days myself.

The only time I raised my voice was to call her when she would climb atop the roof of our apartment and I had to get her over to the side I had planted the ladder. She was really persnickety!

Sounds like you have felt your cats retribution as well... Can I ask, did he put his paw into the glass and dip it in the milk~ and then lick it off his paw? That was Idgee's favorite treat. She loved milk as much as I do. You cannot really blame Opie for chewing on your sandwich ham thou, carnivore, right? I was forced to put my kitty to sleep 2 years ago~ she was suffering so much that she would growl at everyone but me, she was 16, the Vet said it was best. It was so hard... Boy! Animals can catch your heart can't they? :nod

Well - it sounds like you are well informed and ready to do what it will take, I will keep Opie in my prayers, especially now that I have seen a pic of his pretty face. He looks soft-furred and sweet-tempered. Its a good thing you have a pair, they really need each other even when one is a loner.

Lord bless ya guy. ' ) bonnie

 

[Vic C.]

Oh, I don't have blood pressure issues either. That was just a figure of speech. :D

His eyes are brown and the the yellow in the whites of his eyes from the jaundice is slowly starting to clear.

No, he put his head right into the mug and drank the milk with his tongue! He's not even supposed to have cow's milk, he's lactose intolerant. :nag

The two cats get along great. At 12, they still clean each other. There was one day when I came home from work... I must have interrupted one of their little "cat fights". The first thing I usually do when I get home is feed them. Their bowls are side by side. They parked themselves in front of their bowls and before they ate, they traded a few growls. They looked at each other and did this:

1<grrrr> 2<grrrr> 1<grrrr> 2<grrrr> 1<grrrr> 2<grrrr>

... then proceeded to eat. It was hysterical! :D


Sorry about your cat. What was wrong? Did you even mention it. If you did, I missed it.


Oh, I forgot to mention... the Vet has him on Novifit S (NoviSAMe). It's a controled, stable form of SAMe. It helps older cats maintain mental activity and is supposed to aid in healing a not so healthy liver.

http://www.virbacvet.com/news/article/1012/

SAMe, the human form, can be bought from health food stores like GNC, etc. Check this out people:

The Food and Drug Administration has not rigorously evaluated SAMe, let alone approved it. (Federal law permits the unregulated sale of naturally occurring substances as long as marketers avoid therapeutic claims.) And the studies that researchers have conducted are not of the magnitude the FDA would require for a drug approval. But that doesn't mean SAMe is "untested." In dozens of European trials involving thousands of patients, it has performed as well as traditional treatments for arthritis and major depression. Research suggests it can also ease normally intractable liver conditions. SAMe doesn't seem to cause adverse effects, even at high doses. And doctors have prescribed it successfully for two decades in the 14 countries where it has been approved as a drug.

Until recently, few Americans had heard of the stuff. An Italian firm developed it as a pharmaceutical in the early 1970s but lacked the will or the resources to make a run at a drug approval in the United States. Then, this spring, two U.S. vitamin companies, GNC and Pharmavite, started importing large quantities of SAMe to sell as a supplement. The product took off quicklyâ€â€Pharmavite's Nature Made brand now ranks 25th among the 13,000 supplements sold in grocery and drugstoresâ€â€and the impact is still growing. When you consider that some 50 million Americans suffer from arthritis or depression, the implications are staggering.

SAMe (known formally as S-adenosylmethionine) is not an herb or a hormone. It's a molecule that all living cells, including our own, produce constantly. To appreciate its importance, you need to understand a process called methylation. It's a simple transaction in which one molecule donates a four-atom appendageâ€â€a so-called methyl groupâ€â€to a neighboring molecule. Both the donor and the recipient change shape in the process, and the transformations can have far-reaching effects. Methylation occurs a billion times a second throughout the body, affecting everything from fetal development to brain function. It regulates the expression of genes. It preserves the fatty membranes that insulate our cells. And it helps regulate the action of various hormones and neurotransmitters, including serotonin, melatonin, dopamine and adrenaline. As biochemist Craig Cooney observes in his new book, "Methyl Magic," "Without methylation there could be no life as we know it."

http://biopsychiatry.com/sameart.html

You all really need to read the link, especially if you or someone you know may be suffering from depression, arthritis, liver problems, etc. It is clearly much less toxic than prescription antidepressants.

 

[Vic C.]

He took a turn for the worse Thurs. evening. I was up with him all that night and Friday morning. It was the most horrible time I've ever encountered with a pet. He wouldn't let me leave his side and I spent the whole night on the living room carpet just trying to comfort him.



I took him to the hospital Friday morning, where they set him up with an IV for hydration and nutrition. He wasn't drinking on his own and couldn't be sustained from the water I was force feeding him.

I got the call from the vet this morning and Opie had died from liver disease complications. No way of pinpointing the exact cause without an autopsy. I didn't bother and we buried him in my sister's backyard with her cat and two rabbits.

Thanks for all who had us in their thoughts and prayers and THANK YOU Bonnie for consoling me during this time. :smt056

 

[sheshisown]

Oh Vic~

I understand your broken heart and the torment you must have suffered through with your Opie. I so want to give you a big momma-hug just now guy. :smt056 May our Lord grant you a peaceful heart, knowing Opie is at rest and out of all pain. He sure was a beautiful cat, brother. I pray you consider thinking of replacing him one day for the sake of his kitty-roomate. What was your other cat's name? I didn't get it.

Psalms 119: 49-50 Remember the word to Your servant, Upon which You have caused me to hope. This is my comfort in my affliction, For Your word has given me life.

I once had a young cat who came home sick on the fourth of July, after being out all night. She would not eat, then no water, and by evening she began to have convulsions. She laid in my lap howling and spitting up and shaking while we called every Vet down to San Diego, but none were available. My ex-husband and I didn't know what to do for her, she was obviously in grave danger, possibly dying.

So he took her out to his cousins back acre and shot her. :o Some people might say that he was terrible for this, but I was so grateful that she was no longer suffering. Our Vet called the next day and said she had probably been poisoned~ by antifreeze or something. A cat will drink it he said, because they cannot see the color or smell the chemical. I guess it could have been in the neighborhood, God only knows.

We did not have a backyard to bury her in, thou I have buried a few kitties thru the years in my childhood backyard in Whittier. It is a sweet way to say goodbye. :yes

You asked about my cat Idgee, she had to be put to sleep because of her temper. She had become mean, she chased everyone who came anywhere near her domain (my bedroom). She stayed inside and I had placed her bed under my own. She began growling at me, and finally she clawed my grand daughter who had always loved her and treated her kindly. The Vet said it could be illness, but he said the tests would be costly. I did not have the money Vic, so I decided to put her to sleep. I held her when he gave her a shot to put her to sleep, then after saying goodbye, I left her little body to him. She was a pretty little cat, grey and white swirl-striped, super soft with big green eyes. I miss her still, its been 1 1/2 years now. :bigcry

I think the Lord gives us animals to nurture~ so we will become more gentle and kind with each other. They respond with emotions and have personalities that we get to know and enjoy, and sometimes dislike too. I think cats are more like people than dogs in some ways, because they don't need you every single minute, they are somewhat independent.

I will keep you in my prayers Vic. May our God of all comfort be your cloak of protection and care thru your saddness. :adore

In Jesus' love... :heart bonnie

 

[Vic C.]

Once again, thank you for your kind and comforting words.

Oh Alex, my other cat... I don't know what to do about him right now. He seems to sense something is not right. He looked for Opie this morning and again this evening. This is their feeding times. For the past 12 years they have fed together. Alex is a pick and run eater; he'll eat a little then come back later for the rest, but they always started their meals at the same time. Creatures of habit, they are.

Unlike Opie though, he wasn't affected by my seven days absence. Like I said at the beginning of this thread, he's a bit of a loner, Mr. Scaredy Cat. He may simply adjust, I don't know. He may also not take kindly to having another, strange cat in the house. I really need to prayerfully consider this. However, he wasn't affected when I brought in an Iguana a few years ago. Maybe it is because the iggy lives in a large cage and isn't a threat to his "territory". :yes

 

[sheshisown]

Vic~

You have certainly been a good steward over your "little family". I can see just what you are saying about possibly causing Alex more difficulty rather than givning him peaceful fellowship. Afterall, every new member of a household changes the apmoshere and pecking order of all other members.

I for one agree with Alex. I have lived alone for so long and so enjoy my alone-times that people around me think I'm kinda weird. :eyebrow As I get older I have become more of a hermit than ever before. Is this usual do ya think? Many single folk I talk to just get used to being alone, and doing everything alone. :shades

An iguana? Why would you wnat one? Is he/her socialable or a good conversation starter or maybe he/her shedds its skin in some cool fashion or eats something alive? Just guessing. At least its not a huge snake. :shocked! I know you are gonna tell us that it is healthy to keep an iguana, a snake or something, right? :yes

Seriuosly now, I will be praying for your Alex and for you...

In our Lord so securely... bonnie :D

 

[Vic C.]

Sammi is one of my adopted pets, just like Opie and Alex. I got him/her... it, from a friend of my sister's. His wife didn't like it anymore because for her, it was just too much to handle. Iguanas need a lot of attention and handling when they are young if you want them to be somewhat tame, let alone sociable.

So, I opted to take it off their hands. It was two at the time. It's now 6, maybe 7... I've forgotten how long I've had it. It lives in my spare room, in a very large dog kennel/cage, lined on the sides with plexiglass and pegboard on top, with all the proper lights and heaters. On the weekends I open the door and it comes and goes as it pleases. Both cats learned to live with it. Basically they just got out of it's way when it struts around the house.

Most iguanas are herbivores. They eat nothing but fruits and veggies. Collard greens, apples and bananas are it's favorites. It loves to take warm showers! So once in a while, I put it in the shower stall and run warm water for a few minutes.

My brother had one; my sister has one too. That reminds me... a few years ago, they went to the Poconos ( A resort in the mountains in Pa.) for a few days. I was in charge of going to their house to feed the dog and iggy. I noticed the iggy was rather listless, so I took him home and watched over it for three days. I noticed it wasn't eating or drinking so I had to feed it water, baby food and plain yogurt until they got home to bring it to the Vet. The Vet gave it an IV and sent it home with specific instructions on how to care for it.

Thank you God for the internet. It seems I was spot on with what I was doing. I caught it in time and was able to keep alive until they could get it professional help. The information I got off the Net was invaluable. They kept up that diet for a week or two and it started to eat on it's own.

I found out a little later that the iggy got out of it's tank for over a day and they couldn't find it at first (it was still young and small at the time). It lost all it's body heat and they didn't notice it was becoming emaciated. Fortunately, it didn't suffer any liver or kidney damage and is rather healthy to this day.
_________________________________________

Oh, Alex is becoming extremely aware something is wrong. He is pacing back and forth, from room to room, sniffing everything, especially the pet box with the blanket in it that I used to carry Opie back and forth to the Vets. Alex never paces. Pacing and scoping out the territory was always Opie's "job" He was the alpha cat for sure. :yes
__________________________________________

I'm single and have gotten very use to having my own way at home. I actually enjoy the solitude, though it will be a little strange around here for a bit as I adjust. I won't have that certain little orange furball greeting me at the door every evening when I get home from work. Hey I still have my family and my extended church family and my work, which I do enjoy and... I will always have the comfort of the Lord.

What more can I ask for?! :amen

 

[sheshisown]

Hiya Vic~ :waving

Sammi sounds too fun, especially after I googled for pics of iguanas and cats... check this out!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWQi9YumOaI

Struttin' Sammi... well, this beats squirrels any day! They say truth is stranger than fiction, I guess so. So~ is Sammi green, red, or ? Is Sammi a big iguana? Is six/seven very old for an iguana? Does Sammi pay you any rent for the priviledge of having his own room? So is owning an iguana like an italian thing~ or is it just in your family?

Here’s a bit of info I found on the good ol’ internet about new associations and an iguana, ~especially with cats.

I had a cat named ebony who loved showers so much she would leap up from a bathroom shelf while I was in there and jump in! SCARED the water off me! :shocked! I had to shower with the door closed after that. I have had some weird animals...

http://www.greenigsociety.org/otherpets.htm

The itty bitty baby iguanas are really cute, only God could make a baby iguana cute!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdQOUxxjNNM

Ya know Vic, my grandson Caleb would think of you as a heroe. He just loves all animal rescuers! Especially Diego... Diego is a cartoon animal rescuer... but Caleb doesn't know it~ cause Caleb is only three. :D

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I am praying for Alex... he misses his buddy. How beautiful even in this saddness~ that the Lord reveals how He made every creature to relate to another...

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Yes Vic, our loved ones in and out of church are the God-made support for us. But I have found that only our Lord loves us when we are really un-lovely. :yes He is so tender-hearted and full of compassion. May He shine His Light on you guy! :amen

In Him... bonnie

 

[handy]

Vic, in the midst of taking care of Dad this summer/fall, Steve called me at mom's to let me know my beloved Miranda died. It was hard to grieve for her when everything was happening with Dad, but later, grieve I did. Pet's are special and the love I have for my pets is as the love I have for family. I do understand what you mean about Alex. When I got back home, each of the other cats seemed to understand something was wrong as well. Then, strange but true, each of the other cats seems to have taken on Miranda's "chores". Snowball now sits on my lap. Mr. Mittens is sure to alert us to the fact that the food bowl is empty. Boo-Boo (who looks just like Opie) makes sure that the dog stays in his place. Salem makes sure that I still can't streatch my legs out when in bed. I never realized how 'busy' Miranda was.

Anyway, I'm sorry for your loss. Opie sounds as though he was quite a guy. As painful as it is to lose a pet though, the love and joy they bring are well worth it.