Kramer's Story
Our $4000.00 Kitty
Prepared by Marianne Larkin, Volunteer
Kramer -- Our $4000.00 Kitty Cat
It’s always difficult to put a price tag on what you can afford, and what you are willing to do in the best interests of an animal that is your pet, and your companion. We were faced with a situation in the not too distant past (over the last three years or so) where a not so loveable feline had to have us decide what to do in his circumstance. Here is Kramer’s story.
Kramer, a Persian kitty with orange colored fur, was discovered wandering. Kramer’s disposition was not exactly friendly and his fur was long and matted. He had not been having an easy time of it running loose through the neighborhoods, and as a result he used every talent at his disposal to let you know that he was wary, and more than willing to use intimidation and the weapons at his disposal – sharp claws and teeth should he need to. The breath that hissed over his tongue and between his teeth didn’t have the acrid smell of canned cat food that a well fed cat might have, instead it smelled of the small prey and trash tidbits that Kramer had found to scrounge. The smell of his breath was only slightly stronger however, than the smell from his matted coat. He was a mess.
Kramer stared wild eyed, and snarling at each of us who approached him in the small pet carrier he had been placed in. Kramer has reddish - orange fur, and an added unusual effect of the lights was to illuminate his eyes with orange, fiery brilliance. Near the bottom of each of his eyes, a solid black caking of matter had accumulated that ran down each side of his nose. Kramer was truly a wild boy. He looked tough and tenacious, and that made him an obvious choice to give but a single chance. If Kramer was truly feral, he would not be able to live in a house with humans, and that would severely limit his options for adoption.
Kramer came to his foster home and was placed in a spacious kennel, for him to acclimatize to his new environs. He was given tender words, a steady supply of food and water, a clean cat box, and the semi-privacy he needed to grow accustomed to where he was at, and his new circumstances. He wasn’t alone in his situation. Several other felines, some youngsters, others over a decade old were in kennels nearby. Kramer was in a place where he could listen to the other cats’ interactions with the humans in this place, and he began to sort out how he felt about being there.
Within a few weeks it became obvious that Kramer was not well. Very often when a cat is introduced to a group environment where many animals are kept together, their systems are stressed, and they develop susceptibility to common maladies. The most common is known of as “kennel cough” and refers to an upper respiratory infection, which both dogs and cats encounter in these types of situations. It is treatable if recognized early by a veterinarian through the use of antibiotics.
Kramer was also treated for ear mites – tiny insects that live in the ear canal and make the ears look dirty from the fecal matter they secrete as they live gorge, grow and die in the tender tissues inside the ears. His time wandering about had not only brought his this little parasite, but also given him a flea infestation. It didn’t take long to rid Kramer of both of these pestering problems, and without the fleas draining his energy by drawing out his blood for their food Kramer’s disposition began to improve.
Recovering from his respiratory condition and through playing host to unwelcome travelers (fleas), Kramer seemed to have another, potentially serious problem. When Kramer breathed, you could see his sides move in and out all of the time. Kramer made many trips to the veterinarians to find out why he had such a hard time breathing. Kramer moved slowly, and seemed to exert himself heavily when walking only a few feet. He appeared to be a very old cat, though from his size, and the lack of tartar on his teeth, he was probably only a year to two years old.
The general consensus was that he had a condition known as C.O.P.D., chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. So the decision was made for Kramer to live as one of the family in his foster parents’ home. Kramer had finally gotten a forever home. Over the next two years it became increasingly harder for Kramer to breath. One day he nearly passed out from difficulty breathing. He was panting very hard which is not a normal behavior for a cat. Kramer was rushed to the emergency vet for x-rays to look at his lungs. To every one’s surprise it looked like his heart was the size of a tennis ball. It appeared that Kramer might be going into heart failure. To get a firm diagnosis, the emergency veterinary hospital where Kramer was being treated called the nearest veterinary cardiology emergency hospital and rushed Kramer right over.
When Kramer arrived, his breathing was extremely labored, so he was placed in an oxygen tent to help him breathe. Was it heart failure, or a tumor around his heart? Neither guess at a diagnosis turned out to be the case. Kramer turned out to have a rare congenital defect where the diaphragm wall that was supposed to separate his internal organs to was not in the right place. The diaphragm was there, but Kramer’s lungs were being squeezed by his heart and other internal organs. The doctor’s had to contemplate performing a surgical procedure to move Kramer’s organs around to position them so that the diaphragm would protect his lungs.
The next morning Kramer went in for surgery. The surgical team worked for several hours, and it looked like Kramer’s operation went pretty well. The wait for his recovery would be to ensure that he survived any swelling or other complications in the first few days, and the possibility of infection as well. The cost for all of his bills at both veterinarians for a week of care, a difficult surgery and follow-ups came to right at four thousand dollars.
A bit groggy, Kramer soon made it known that he had come through with flying colors. He got used to wearing the Elizabethan collar that would protect his stomach incision and stitches from his propensity to lick for cleanliness. He got his appetite back quickly and was past the first few days most critical to his survival.
Kramer is now about a year past his operation. When Kramer first came to us he was an old man. Now he seems to have found his inner kitten. His favorite past time is chasing the laser light with the other cats around the rumpus room. He likes to climb to the top of the cat tree. He comes to seek attention and receive a few pets of his fur. He delivers the occasional lick of your fingers to let you know that he is appreciative of the attention. He is enjoying life.
We are happy that the generosity of donors made this possible for him. Thank you for all of you that donate to helping with the animals that gain assistance through the Pet Assistance League.
Did you find the information in this article interesting? Why not help our Pet Friends waiting to go to their new homes with a donation for food and vetrinary care. You can use this convenient link to donate by credit card: