Growler and FIV

I haven’t posted about this yet because my heart was too heavy. But in January my cat Growler (aka cooooolest cat ever) was diagnosed with FIV (Feline Immunodeficiency Virus). It was so very hard to hear this from my vet. But a blood test revealed the facts, and a later blood test from a Barcelona clinic reconfirmed the sad fact.

I have done a lot of research and I read that FIV does not mean a death sentence but it is a debilitating disease nonetheless. We have been fighting several infections – upper respiratory infection, ear infection, bone infection. And he has always beaten them but then to turn around with something new making him feel bleh with a fever and no appetite. Can I tell you how much this breaks my heart? I have cried several times about my sweet Growler.

Six years ago random mama cat brought us seven babies.

They hung out. Followed mama around everywhere.

And out of those seven, four survived. Growler, Holmes, P Diddy and Cow.

And never in my life have I had a cat. Actually I was VERY allergic to cats. But once we were blessed with those kitties, I have never had a reaction to cats ever again. Along the years we have gained two more cats, LD (which stands for Little Dude, but she is now the fattest cat ever) and Eva (the terrorista). Thankfully none of the others have FIV – which makes me think Growler contracted FIV from a cat bite he got a few years ago.

A week ago we changed his medicine to Prednisolone and antibiotics to treat a strange limp he has had for a long time now and we haven’t been able to cure. And it is working!! I haven’t seen him back to his normal Growler man self until now. Keep positive thoughts going for my sweet cat. He says, rawrr meowwww, which means thank you.