My foster, Mama Rosie - poor prognosis post 29

[Lizzie]

A few weeks ago, I visited the shelter to check on three fosters I'd returned for adoption. I didn't have a carrier in my car. I had no plans to take any cats home with me. But....on my way to help socialize some new feral FeLV+ kittens with a friend, I stopped for a visit in the geriatric room. I was about to leave when a very skinny cat, drooling heavily and caked from her face through her chest, all her legs and her tail in reddish brown residue came out of her box and meowed her way towards me. They told me she had stomatitits and the stains were from her constant drooling. They were force feeding her sometimes. She didn't appeal to me at all. I didn't have any room because I still had two sick fosters at home with all my own cats. But I couldn't walk away from her. They had never fostered out a geriatric cat but I persuaded them to let me take her. Here she is after a week after coming home with me when her weight had gone all the way up to 3 pounds 11 ounces! They were giving her 35-70cc of AD mixed with Friskies each day. I boosted it to 50cc of AD three times a day (and have boosted it even further since then.)

I think this photo, though not very good, shows how thin she was:


And this one shows how, when I tried to soak away all the mess caked into her fur, it simply came away in places:


It breaks your heart, doesn't it?

I took her to my vet at the end of the first week when her cold got worse and found out that she didn't have stomatitis after all. The reason she is incapable of eating on her own is not that she is in pain and doesn't want to, but that her tongue cannot move forward. It's almost completely fixed in place due to old scarring from sores and current sores, and possibly some growths. She is far too weak still to sedate and examine. When she is ready, I'm going to battle for my vet to do the job because three shelter vets misdiagnosed her.

She is so easy to force feed, simply sitting in front of me as I sit on the floor and opening her mouth for the syringe like a baby bird. After all the starvation she suffered, she craves her feedings.

I call her Rose.

[Catty1]

OHHH, what a lovely girl! Sweet Rose.

Your mom will just keep on feeding you and you just keep on eating. And when you are stronger, a whitecoat will look at you, and I hope he can free up your poor tongue! And all your fur will grow back, you'll see, shiny and soft and new.

An adult girl at three pounds!

THANK GOD you took her, Lizzie - I know you had no room, but this little one can be saved.

HUGS and give that girl some nice pets for me.

[jennielynn1970]

OMG.. what a heart breaker. That poor girl has found an angel to help her, truly. She would have died in that shelter. Bless you for taking that poor soul in. Gentle hugs and kissies to Rose. You will be beautiful once more my dear girl, you have gentle and loving hands to care for you.

[LuckyNumber7]

Your post made me cry, it's really touching to know that there are angels out there like you who will step up to the plate in these situations, when most people wouldn't. Rose is a lovely girl, and she's so, so lucky that she walked up to you!

[Killearn Kitties]

What a heartbreaking story. Thank you so much for helping this beautiful girl.
I hope she thrives in your care.

[CultureJunky]

Oh my goodness! I was totally shocked at how thin she is in that picture, and her fur oh good god. Please please hold on to her and get her better, she seems to be a total darling, I'd have her in a heartbeat if was near you.
This post has made me so sad but at the same time happy she is with somebody who knows what they're doing. Bless you for taking this sweet old lady.

[Medusa]

This makes me so sad one minute and happy the next because you're a braveheart and took her in. I know she's going to thrive in your care. No matter what her history, love works miracles. Bless you for not being able to turn your back on her. Sweet little Rose will blossom again soon.

[mruffruff]

Thank you for taking in this poor girl. She needs more care than a shelter can give.

I hope the doctor can free up her tongue once she is heathier.

Once again you are an angel to a cat in need.

[caffeitina]

Poor Rose! Your new Meowme was so good to take you in. I hope you're very happy there at your new home (I'm sure you will be). Just get lots of rest and cat naps, keep eating all the food Meowme gives you....and soon you'll be just like all the other fat, spoiled kitties here on PT

[Donnaj4962]

What a sad story, but now that she is in your loving hands, she will do well, I am sure! She is such a beauty!

She knew what she was doing when she came to you, meowing for you to take her in and help her!

[cassiesmom]

Oh, Miss Rosie, you are soooo thin! You are almost up to four pounds, though... Just a few more ounces. How wonderful that you sought out a caring person to help you! Lizzie, how old is Miss Rosie? (And what is AD?) Gentle pet to you, pretty girl.

[Lizzie]

I took Rose to the vet this morning to weigh her and she has gained almost a pound (15 ounces) in the past two weeks!

The vet would feel comfortable now giving her light sedation in order to properly examine her mouth. I just have to get the funds from the shelter, no easy task when they are going to want to have it done more cheaply by another vet (one of the three that mis-diagnosed her and allowed the shelter to believe that she either wasn't eating enough because her mouth was sore or because she had some age-related medical condition - GRRRRR!)

Rose is 15. When she was 14, her family moved and decided against taking her with them - rather like the old furniture they probably left behind, another GRRRRR!

Right now she is lolling on a very sunny deck with a full tummy - just the way she should be.

[catmandu]

What A Poor Emaciated Cat. But If Theres Anyone Who Can Help Mama Rosie Its You.
Please Send Us Photos As She Recovers And Becomes A Healthy Cat.
That Will Be Proof That With Love And Tlc Theres Hope For Any Cat. May You Get Well Mama Rosie In Gods Name.

[CultureJunky]

Lizzie, please give her tummy rubs and ear scritches for me whilst she's enjoying her time sunning herself

[jazzcat]

Oh my, how sad. I'm so glad you are helping her.

She is 15 years old? She's a tough cookie!