Boris is having a scan

[cathyday]

Dear All

Pet Plan have agreed to pay for a CT scan for Boris and we're booked in for Thursday at 9:30am. It is a 60 mile round trip for us, but Vet Steve is confident all will go okay so we're going ahead.

Boris has lost a little more weight in the last couple of weeks, but he seems to be holding at 4.8kg, which still isn't bad for a 16 year old. He still can't chew so the blender is coming in handy. He's got a good appetite and now the weather is warmer is outside all day too.

Overall he's doing quite well, but I just hope we can find out what's causing his chewing problems. The scan is very expensive so I hope it works.....

Thanks for your continued support.

Cathy and Boris aka Howly Boy.

[Carol B]

Hope all goes ok.................xCx

[HRHFluffy]

Will be thinking of you on Thursday. It'll be an anxious day for you all. Glad to hear that Boris is doing well in himself. That must be a good sign.

[Crewella]

Hope all goes well on Thursday.

[lilynmitz]

Another step forward - pleased to hear Boris is enjoying the sun and that you're getting some food into him, but it must be such a worry for you. Good luck for Thursday, hope all goes well and it gives a helpful outcome.

[cathyday]

Thanks everyone! I don't mind telling you that I am very nervous and anxious about this Thursday. First there's the no food rule from 10pm the night before. That won't go down well with Mr Howly. Then there's the 30 mile trip to Frodsham to the vet surgery where the scanner is. Then he'll have an aneasthetic, which he reacted to the last time he had one. He passed out once we got him home. Scared the life out of me. Then there's the trip home.... if he makes it through the day of poking, prodding and scans.

I have spoken to Steve our vet before deciding to proceed. He was confident all would fine so we're going for it.

Please keep everything crossed for us.....

Thank you.

[meriad]

crossing fingers and toes and everything else that can be crossed; and sending tons of vibes for a relatively stress free day

fusses to your boys

[lilynmitz]

Cathy, I was all over the place with worry before Lily's last op - like you, mainly worried about the anaesthetic on a 16 yr old frail cat. But the vet checked her bloods, kept her on a drip for hours before, and overnight after, and she was fine. I think anaesthetics are much better than they used to be, and the monitoring equipment in a place like the one you're going to should be good as well. He's in as good a place as you can get.

I don't envy you overnight fast and the journey though! Poor lad, he can't understand this is for his own good. Tough it out, and the moment you get him home, all that wailing will have been forgiven and forgotten.

[Marmalade77]

I don't think I've seen any posts about Boris before so not familiar with his problem but I hope all goes well and that you get an answer. Good luck.

[Camdengirl]

Everything crossed for Boris on Thursday, Cathy, I hope all goes well and you get to the bottom of the problem. Fusses to your lovely lad and of course to his troublesome sidekick!

[lilynmitz]

Marmalade - Boris and H are Catchat celebrities!

[greenkitty]

Keeping everything crossed for Thursday.

[Camdengirl]

LOL Anna, Boris is famous and H is infamous!!

[Lyn from Australia]

Finger's crossed Cathy. I hate to be stupid, but who is H, apart from Horatio Kain on CSI Miami? Or is it H for Howley Boy?

[Camdengirl]

H is Boris's young (and very cheeky) black and white pal. I believe the moniker comes from his being named 'little herpes virus kitten' by staff at the vet clinic who were caring for him before Cathy adopted him...

[cathyday]

I'm quite to chuffed to know my boys are so 'famous'

For those of you who aren't familiar with Boris and H here's a little background....

Boris - Came from the RSPCA in 1999 with his brother Herman. Both had been bred for cancer research in a cage with up to 30 other cats. We had them when the RSPCA closed Hillgrove Farm and claimed over 800 cats. They came to live with us in Luton in a house with all the associated noises, which was very alien for them both. It took a good 6 months before they started coming to us and were allowed outside, but once they'd settled in they both became lap cats and so affectionate with it. We lost Herman in early 2008 to CRF. Boris was lonely and the house seemed empty with only 1 cat so we searched for another.

H - I came across a sorry looking little bundle of black and white fur called 'Mr H' on the internet. He'd been at a vets in Middlewich with the Herpes virus since he was a very small stray kitten. The vets had called him 'Little Mr Herpes Virus Cat'. We shortened it to H. He came to live with us on the day we met him, mainly because on opening his cage he walked straight into my arms and made himself at home against my chest, purring happily. He was 5 months old when we got him but he was the size of a 3 month old kitten. He is still small now, but he makes up for that in character. If there's mischief to be had he's in the middle of it, as many on this forum will tell you.

As of now Boris at 16 years old has had both thyroid glands removed and is currently suffering from a problem with his mouth which prevents him from chewing. Our vet Steve thinks it's a tumour hence needing the CT scan on Thursday.

Little H still suffers from bouts of Herpes (severe cat flu), but we're starting to control these with a regular dose of L-Lysine and Olbas oil on his collar. He will be 6 this year, but he still runs about and plays like a kitten. He was last seen an hour ago heading inside the creeper growing over next doors shed. That'll be another collar lost by the time he comes in...

[Carol B]

What a lovely story..............I know you are going through a tough time with Boris but this has bought a smile to my face...........thank you

[JulieandBarney]

Hi Cathy, what beautiful boys you have there......lots and lots of luck to Boris for Thursday..... Please let us know how he gets on, will keep everything crossed here for you...will be thinking of you.....fusses to Boris and gentle headbutt from Barney....x

[Scatty]

Hope all goes well on Thursday.

[Camdengirl]

I'm quite to chuffed to know my boys are so 'famous'

Haha, I for one will never forget H's 'Dear Glen' letter...

[Crewella]

That's a wonderful story.

Paws crossed for Boris tomorrow. xx

[cathyday]

Camdengirl - If only I could find that letter again. So well written for a small cat.....

The nerves are building as tomorrow gets closer. Boris is oblivious to my anxiety. He's flat out on our bed.... zzzzzzzzzzz......... He will twig something is up tomorrow morning when he gets no breakfast.

Thanks everyone for your support.

[Camdengirl]

Fingers and paws crossed for Boris today x

[meriad]

Also crossing fingers and toes and all paws (there's lots in my household) for Boris today

[Crewella]

All paws here crossed too.

[JulieandBarney]

Good luck Boris !!! Paws well and truly crossed here !!!!...x

[HRHFluffy]

Thinking of you all today!!

[lilynmitz]

Thinking about you and Boris today. Hope he's behaving, and all goes well. Anna, Pete and Lily x

[cathyday]

Hello All.

Firstly thank you sooo much for all your good wishes. They really mean a lot to us.

After a long and surprisingly quiet journey, my boy was dropped off at 10:00 this morning with a really nice vet called Professor John Williams. They've done all they needed to do today, including full bloods (all perfect!), scan, prod and poke. They have found a lump in Boris's left ear which they think could be the cause of his discomfort. On closer inspection it's turned out to be a huge lump of WAX!! Bless him..... Nothing else showed on the scan so we can pick him up and bring him home.

The vet was amazed how well Boris is for a cat of his age. He thought he was about 9 or 10

We're off to go get my boy in a few minutes. Hopefully all will be well now...

[greenkitty]

That's great news, what a relief!