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Written by Becca Gordon
The following was written days ago. At the time it was a post about a palliative cat. This is no longer a post about a palliative cat that EHS is caring for but one we cared for.
You may recall an urgent plea from us back in April, for a long-term foster. A senior cat had been surrendered to us and since then he’d sadly been bounced from foster to foster.
Winnie was surrendered at the age of 15, due to allergies in a new family member. Since arriving in our care he’d been displaced a few times. Through a series of unfortunate events and no fault of his, foster homes had fallen through. Eventually we were able to secure the long-term foster we so desperately sought.
Winnie was living with new people in a completely new environment to him. This was a time in his life when he should have been living comfortably in his very own home. Despite this change in his life he adjusted. He slowly learned to trust his new people.
Unbeknownst to his former family Winnie had heart disease, which, by the time he arrived in our care, had progressed to early stages of congestive heart failure. Congestive Heart Failure is often referred to as the silent killer. Until the end, symptoms are discrete and almost undetectable. Heart disease is easily managed with medication but cannot be cured.
This is why annual vet checks are so very important. The vet can listen to the heart and detect any abnormalities. Seniors especially should have “Geriatric Blood Profiles” done annually to make sure everything is in working order.
All measures were taken to provide Winnie with a healthy and comfortable home in his last days, one where he was truly cared for. We wanted him to know that his life mattered and he was still wanted. He became playful and curious and was often seen looking at himself in the mirror. While being on medication he gained healthy amounts of weight as he’d been very skinny when he arrived to us.
Early evening of July 5th Winnie was rushed to one of our vets as he was struggling to breath. He sadly succumbed to his disease. His foster family and EHS volunteers are saddened by this news but grateful that in the end Winnie was given the love and vet care he needed.