Pixel (the cat)

Murrmurr

Murrmurr

SF VIP
Location
Sacramento, California
So I just got the vet's diagnosis yesterday. Pixel has FIV, feline immunodeficiency virus. It's kind of like what Lupus is to humans. It's pretty common among free-roam cats, and Pix was roaming free until the day he walked into my (old) apartment a couple years ago. I'd stepped out to put some food down for Danny, the husky orange cat I was hoping would move in, and this little black 'n white tuxedo cat slipped in behind me and made himself at home.

I said, "No! Not you, dammit!" and then immediately felt bad about it. So I was like, "Ok, whatever. A cat's a cat" but it wasn't like I needed a cat. It's just that me & Paxton fed and watched this one orange cat every day, and Paxton named him after a cartoon show about family values that starred a 4-year old orange tiger named Daniel. Daniel Tiger.

But anyway, the much younger tuxedo cat moved in uninvited, except that I left the door open. He was probably about 4 or 5 months old....not more than 6, for sure. His pattern looked pixelated here and there, like when you enlarge a digital photo, a black and white one in this case, and he had one large pixel right under his bottom lip, so, obviously, that's why I named him Pixel.

Anyhow, I took him to see a vet because he'd been choking every time he ate. I started giving him wet food only, pate` only, and watered it down and smooshed it up and even strained it, and he still choked on it. After a few weeks, he'd only eat when he was super hungry.

The FIV diagnosis didn't make sense to me until the vet showed me that Pixel's gums are really swollen and inflamed. Apparently, he wasn't actually choking, he was reacting to pain. 😿

There's no cure for FIV, and the only treatment is antibiotics PRN for infections, and steroid injections every 6 weeks or so, but the steroids have some side effects that could make him kind of miserable.

Doctor said to keep serving him pate` soup, let him rest whenever he wants, keep him inside, and don't expect him to play much. Pixel can live a fairly long time with FIV but he'll probably have symptoms as it progresses; frequent infections, pain, weakness and fatigue. He was kind of a butthead until the past few months. Now he just wants to sit in my lap all day and sleep on me all night. (i sleep on my side, and Pixel sleeps on the side that's up)

Here's a few pictures of him...

on my crappy but comfy recliner...

Pixel 2-23.jpg Pixels pixel.jpeg

and walking right in front of me making sure I make it to the kitchen ok....

Pixel 2-22.jpg
 

Pixel started limping last night, holding his hind leg off the ground when he walks. He let me massage his hips and the thigh of that leg, but he won't let me touch his foot.

He'd been licking that foot for several days before he stopped walking on it. I saw him doing that, and a few days ago it became obvious he wasn't just grooming, because he was doing it so often and so aggressively. So I thought maybe he'd stepped into some glue in my shop or had a boo-boo on his toe or something, but he wouldn't let me look at it.

And now he's not even setting that foot down. Also, for 3 days now, he's been staying under my bedside table a lot....almost all day. He's in pain, right? The poor guy's in pain.

When I took him to see his vet, the man said Pixel is FIV positive and in the advanced stage; the immuno-compromised stage. Today, I read this here....

"As the virus continues to spread through the immune system, cats will enter a progressive immuno-compromised state during which secondary infections may occur. Most illness related to FIV is not from the virus itself, but from these secondary infections or problems with the immune system. Cats may develop chronic or recurrent infections of the skin, eyes, urinary tract, or upper respiratory tract. Inflammation of the gums and severe dental disease, known as gingivostomatitis, is common in cats infected with FIV, and they are significantly more likely to develop cancer and immune-mediated blood disorders than healthy cats. Weight loss, seizures, behavioral changes and neurological disorders are all possible. The severity of these illnesses can vary greatly, but once cats become ill with multiple critical infections or cancers, survival time is usually no more than a few months." ~ Cornell Feline Health Center

Pixel has the inflamed gums. He also has ulcers at the back of his throat, the vet said, and in his esophagus. That's why Pixel was violently choking every freaking time he ate. He wasn't actually choking, the food was hurting his mouth, and I'm sure it hurt to swallow.

So I've been totally pureeing his food, plus watering it down, and he's been doing a lot better on that.... basically a liquid diet. He used to eat 1 1/2 cans of wet plus 3 or 4 ounces of kibble per day. Now it's 3/4 to 1 can of the wet stuff plus a couple ounces of pre-soaked kibble, all pureed together. But the vet said that's adequate nutritian in a day.

Pixel's losing weight, though. I can tell when he's in my lap and when I pet him. But the worse thing is, he's in pain. That's getting really obvious. So I'm waiting for his vet's office to call me back so we can set up an appointment asap. I'm thinking maybe it's time to talk about euthanasia.
 

Murrmurr said:
Pixel started limping last night, holding his hind leg off the ground when he walks. He let me massage his hips and the thigh of that leg, but he won't let me touch his foot.

He'd been licking that foot for several days before he stopped walking on it. I saw him doing that, and a few days ago it became obvious he wasn't just grooming, because he was doing it so often and so aggressively. So I thought maybe he'd stepped into some glue in my shop or had a boo-boo on his toe or something, but he wouldn't let me look at it.

And now he's not even setting that foot down. Also, for 3 days now, he's been staying under my bedside table a lot....almost all day. He's in pain, right? The poor guy's in pain.

When I took him to see his vet, the man said Pixel is FIV positive and in the advanced stage; the immuno-compromised stage. Today, I read this here....

"As the virus continues to spread through the immune system, cats will enter a progressive immuno-compromised state during which secondary infections may occur. Most illness related to FIV is not from the virus itself, but from these secondary infections or problems with the immune system. Cats may develop chronic or recurrent infections of the skin, eyes, urinary tract, or upper respiratory tract. Inflammation of the gums and severe dental disease, known as gingivostomatitis, is common in cats infected with FIV, and they are significantly more likely to develop cancer and immune-mediated blood disorders than healthy cats. Weight loss, seizures, behavioral changes and neurological disorders are all possible. The severity of these illnesses can vary greatly, but once cats become ill with multiple critical infections or cancers, survival time is usually no more than a few months." ~ Cornell Feline Health Center

Pixel has the inflamed gums. He also has ulcers at the back of his throat, the vet said, and in his esophagus. That's why Pixel was violently choking every freaking time he ate. He wasn't actually choking, the food was hurting his mouth, and I'm sure it hurt to swallow.

So I've been totally pureeing his food, plus watering it down, and he's been doing a lot better on that.... basically a liquid diet. He used to eat 1 1/2 cans of wet plus 3 or 4 ounces of kibble per day. Now it's 3/4 to 1 can of the wet stuff plus a couple ounces of pre-soaked kibble, all pureed together. But the vet said that's adequate nutritian in a day.

Pixel's losing weight, though. I can tell when he's in my lap and when I pet him. But the worse thing is, he's in pain. That's getting really obvious. So I'm waiting for his vet's office to call me back so we can set up an appointment asap. I'm thinking maybe it's time to talk about euthanasia.
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@Murrmurr

It sounds like you've done the best you can for Pixel, and you are making the right decision. Pixel is very
fortunate to have found you.

Now, you will show him the deepest love you can, by not allowing him to suffer any more pain and discomfort.
 
I took Pixel back to the vet today....a different one. And this time I had a video of him having a choking episode and it included this really sad crying, moaning thing he does afterward. The vet and her assistant got kind of choked up about it themselves. They examined him a bit better than the other vet.

Tooth and gum disease is real common with cats who are FIV positive. Pixel's gums are infected. It's pain that's causing the choking episodes. Basically, he's trying to completely spit out and cough up his food when it causes his constant mouth pain to massively flare up.

So today he was given a topical Rx pain medication that lasts for 4 days. Plus I brought some home to start giving him after the 4 days. They're pills, and he has to take one every day. Pix was also Rx'ed an antibiotic and a throat-soothing gel. I'll be squirting the gel at the back of his mouth once a day.

These are what the vet called Band-Aids. The long-term treatment is to get all his teeth pulled. The teeth cause the infection, and the infection will keep coming back as long as he has them.

I can't do that. I'll keep him on the meds for as long as the vet allows, and then I'll talk to her about euthanizing him.

Here's the thing; FIV to a cat is sort of like AIDS is to a human in that it severely suppresses the immune system. Pixel's very susceptible to infection and has difficulty healing after injuries and cuts and even flea bites. If he gets all his teeth pulled there's no guarantee his gums will heal well, heal as quickly as they should, and resist infection.

It just makes more sense to me to keep him on the pain meds, maybe even increase the dosage at some point until the vet says she can't Rx it anymore, and then put him to sleep.

It's awful he's been in pain all this time....over a year now....and then he has to contend with being toothless? I'd rather keep him as comfortable as possible for as long as possible, and then just let him drift into a forever peaceful sleep.
 
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