ET’s condition was steadily worsening during the months and weeks leading up to February 2012. After his third suffocation episode at the beginning of February, I knew that his time was nearing. So, I began to track and take notes on his progress with increasing frequency.
These were my notes:
2/1 9lb 12oz episode after running around with cereal. frightened expression, lied onto side, sound of airway obstruction like moist valve opening and closing. lasted 45-60sec. returned to upright position with usual labored breathing. pre-episode for 2 months furosemide dosage gradually reduced until .5ml twice a day, for 2 weeks 1/4 benazepril every other day. for past 1-2 weeks noticed gradually increasing amount of labored breathing, increasing abdomen size, increasing movement of both sides of chest like frog, and decreasing appetite. night before episode very much like frog. post episode furosemide dosage increased to 1ml twice a day, 1/4 benazepril once a day, isolated from cereal when not supervised.
2/2 9lb 13.8oz
2/3 9lb 13.1oz
2/5 9lb 14oz
2/7 7:11a 9lb 10.8oz noticeable decrease in abdomen size and frog-like breathing, appetite is increasing.
2/8 1:00a 9lb 12.8oz
2/8 9:15p 9lb 7.6oz
2/9 8:13p 9lb 10oz
2/10 10:31p 9lb 8.2oz appetite good.
2/11 frog-like breathing has become minimally perceptive (more visible on left side as usual), breathing still labored but minimal, occassional deep breaths.
2/16 5:18p 9lb 14.4oz abdomen very large after 3 consecutive days of 1/4 benazepril and 1.5ml furosemide once a day while we had and nursed baby at PIH.
2/17 7:38p 9lb 12.2oz some frog-like breathing but less apparent than last night
2/19 10:33a 10lb 0.6oz was not isolated in small area last night. weighs more than cereal now. frog-like breathing apparent.
2/20 12:00a found large amount of stool on cool bathroom floor. then found ET to be in severe state of distress in hallway. airway obstruction severe. he tried to lay on both sides but was not able to find comfort. mouth remained wide open. he made his way to the cool kitchen floor. distress continued. very difficult to breath. occassional loud meows to express distress. defecated a little as he made his way out of the kitchen. ended up at an air vent in the floor. very cool air was seeping out of the vent. he was looking for more oxygen. more meows. moved to another vent. almost 2:00a. remaining near the vent, breathing became so difficult that he spasmed periodically. he could not move himself anywhere at this point. foam came out of his mouth. defecated one last bit. now barely moving, barely breathing. mouth closed. I went to sleep at 2:30a nearby.
2/20 5:00a I woke up to find ET walking around, searching for something. The litter box was in the other room, so I brought it to him and he immediately went inside to urinate. Also brought him a bowl of water, which he began to drink. Administered 1.5ml furosemide to begin max dosage schedule of 1.5ml per 24 hours. He drank more water, and used the litter box to urinate some more. He returned to the water and remained with head over the water bowl for the next few hours. Fur appeared poofy.
2/20 8:30am i woke again and found him nearby, in better shape. Fur was much less poofy. He used the litter box to urinate again, and drank some more water. He was able to pur.
2/20 1:31p 9lb 9.4oz in much better shape, able to curl up to sleep in a cat bed. Administered 1.5ml furosemide. He did not attempt to eat much.
2/20 3:30p he climbed onto the king bed in the master bedroom. resting and sleeping, and getting some sunlight from the windows/blinds.
2/20 10:00p 9lb 2.8oz he has continued lose weight, as he still has not eaten. Not sure if he has drank more water, since the water bowl in the master bedroom is very large. He didnt give up when he was near-death in suffocation, but not sure if he is giving up by no longer eating. Administered 1.5ml furosemide and 1/4 benazepril.
10/21 6:00a 1.5ml furosemide. He was sleeping and resting on the larger cat bed in the living room. He has not eaten.
10/21 9:00a attempted to hand-feed wellness dry food. He chewed and let the pieces without swallowing.
10/21 10:00a opened up a new can of wellness chicken. He licked and swallowed a little, but soon acted as if he was full and licked his paw, then walked away from the food. Presented the food to cereal in the other room, who happily ate most of it.
10/21 2:00p breathing was very calm, as he laid in curled position on the opened futon in the living room. Did not seem like he needed medication, but i still administered 1.5ml furosemide on schedule. Found the fur on his front paws and rear feet to be a bit pale. Possibly due to combination of reduced oxygen and lack of nutrients in blood supply from not eating since sunday night. presented the water bowl to him. He sniffed around above the water, but did not drink. Gave him 2.5ml water via syringe.
10/21 5:00p he continued to sleep on the futon. Gave him 2ml water via syringe. He has not drank, despite the furosemide. In the months leading up to this day, he used to immediately drink plenty of water and eat food to quench thirst and clear the bitter taste of furosemide from his mouth. He has done no such thing since the 2:00p dosage. He may have drank some water before or after today’s 6:00a dosage (the paper towel under the water bowl was soaked), but i did not see what he did.
10/21 6:00p 9lb 2.2oz opened up the meow mix “mcdonalds” for outside cat xiao bai. ET immediately got up and jumped off the futon to come have some. Hand-fed him 30-40 pcs, about .2oz worth, 1 pc at a time. It seemed like his appetite was suddenly very good. He licked both paws and washed his face afterward. He purred the whole time.
10/21 7:30p ate 10 more pcs of meow mix. He drank from the water bowl on his own.
10/21 7:45p urinated in the litter box. 9lb 2oz.
10/21 8:30p i went to sleep on the futon, while ET slept on the cat bed nearby. Planned for another furosemide dosage at 10:00p.
10/21 10:00p woke up to find ET not at his bed. Searched for a while before finding him on his side, behind the curtain. His breathing rate was very rapid, approximately 3 very short breaths per second. His mouth was open, eyes wide open…a panicked expression, just like previous episodes. This was the final straw. I could not see him suffer like this anymore. I prepared the purple carrier, the same one that used to stay with florie. I placed ET into the carrier, as he panted frantically. We headed for the nighttime animal clinic. On the way there, ET defecated again. His head was down, and he was barely breathing. Upon arrival at 10:30p, he was no longer gasping for air. He was moved to the back to have a catheter placed, but it took some time, and several attempts to get the tube into a vein. I could hear his meows. His veins were too small and frail. He was brought back to the private room, wrapped in a towel, with catheter placed. He was calmed, as if he was already on a sedative. He was shivering, tired, and seemingly ready to accept his fate. I spoke to him and comforted him, and he responded with purrs. We spent some more time together. I would hold his paw, and he would return the hold with paw open and chin on my hand. After some time, I notified the staff that we were ready.