When you work in the capacity of rescue, sometimes it falls on you to make hard decisions; unpopular ones as it were if you ask someone who has never rescued their opinion about it. Now today, I find I am faced with a hard choice in regards to Indiana. He has been under the care of my vet for a week and a half with the only symptom being a very high fever. They have tried all sorts of different avenues to promote healing, but so far nothing not: sub cu fluids, antibiotics, pain meds, steroids are able to lower his body temp for long. Last night he quit eating so now they are force feeding him. It is costing me $12.00 a day to keep him there and that is just the boarding costs not the meds, treatments, tests etc that he has had to endure. He is playful, using the litter box although now I am told he has diarrhea and he shows no other symptoms besides the fever.

I have two options here- I could sign the papers to have him euthanized but this I would not do, because I just saw him yesterday and he shows no indication that he wants to end this. Or, I can sign him over to the vet clinic and they will make all decisions now in regards to his care. So I chose the latter and signed him over this morning.

My husband is going to need long-term supportive care. The antibiotic they have him on, the ONLY one the foot is responding to is $800.00 a month. I had to ask myself who was more important, this gray kitten that was dumped in my lap or the man I chose over 21 years ago to “love, honor and cherish.”

I love every cat and kitten in my home. Anything that is done to them healthwise comes out of our pocket unless I happen to get a donation or two and those are always welcomed. But I have to be realistic here- it is highly likely that with his refusal to eat that Indiana has decided it just isn’t worth it anymore and he has started to shut down. The next step if he doesn’t take to the force feeding is to tube him and so I am stepping down as his caregiver and not making anymore choices about his fate. Let someone else have that responsibility. I hope he pulls through as he is a loving kitten.