Zurik And My Finger

I weighed Zurik last night.

Drum rolllllll……

He tipped the scales at 4.5kg!!!

Every little bit of increase is celebratory!!!

When Zurik was first diagnosed with suspected FIP, he only weighed 3.9kg. During his hey day, he was a robust 6.5kg and even Cow lost in a fight with him. He inflicted “invisible” blunt force trauma (with his internal taiji yin-energy) and we wouldn’t even have known about it if we hadn’t checked Cow thoroughly. No puncture wounds, hence no bleeding, but it was blue-black.

That’s Zurik yin-energy infliction of blunt force trauma at work.

From 3.9kg, Zurik went down to 3.7kg and looked totally emaciated. It was due to the protein loss through vasculitis, which is what FIP does to a cat.  It’s a deadly disease with no cure.

We began supportive “treatment” (more of supportive care since FIP cannot be treated per se). Zurik’s care package consisted of Prednisolone (anti-inflammatory steroidal dose), Vetri DMG, RetroMAD1 (it doesn’t cure, it just prolongs life, if it works, that is) and I added B Complex (for appetite and better feeling of wellbeing) and fish oil (anti-inflammatory).

The only change we made is to increase the Prednisolone to twice a day now (but still on an anti-inflammatory dose).

The steroids gave Zurik an increased appetite. I quickly learnt what foods he loves, so I stocked up on this. Zurik now eats raw chicken fillet and various flavours and brands of high-protein kibble (Cindy’s Naturelle and Solid Gold’s Indigo Moon).

As a community cat, Zurik loved kibble.  I did offer him wetfood, but he preferred kibble.

Zurik eats very well, many times a day. His meal patterns is so similar to Vincent who also had a eat frequently because of protein loss due to his degenerative kidneys.  It’s amazing how the body knows what to do and tells the brain to do it. Both Vincent and now, Zurik, have to replenish the loss protein so they eat very frequently.

I’m grateful that Zurik is eating very well and he is happy and playing.  Last night, he explored the tunnel upstairs. We bought two of them. One is downstairs and it’s Heidi’s bomb shelter and we put one upstairs. Zurik came up to explore. Zurik even comes upstairs now to look for me.

So, all is going as good as it can get for now and I am thankful.

Wow! Look at those eyes!! And those ears!!

We are back, aren’t we?

My favourite villain, Loki!

In the course of feeding Zurik his medicines 3 times a day (steroids is twice daily and RetroMAD1 is thrice daily), I have a permanent swell on my finger (the one that I use to push the “bread pills” in)! Yes, he does bite, but not hard. If it’s hard, it would have far worse than this.

Cow: Yes, I lost to Zurik….sometime back. 

Cleo: I haven’t lost to Zurik before. But then again, I have not fought him before…

Who is afraid of Zurik-Loki?  I have a more far more formidable ancestry…

Hail all….bow to your queen!!

KNEEL…..before your Asgard ruler, you pathetic earthlings!!

Make me!

Your reality is only one of many… I can create a thousand more…

Source: https://myanimalcare.org/2019/05/09/zurik-and-my-finger/

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