Joanie and Suki

Mother and daughter are doing fine today. For those of you who don't know this case, Joanie was a stray cat who suffered from obstructed labour. When we were called to help, she was already dying - her babies had decomposed to a gaseous state, and the vets think she could have been in that state for at least a week. Her prognosis was so bad that the vets thought she would not even survive the surgery, but she did. She was in a critical condition for the next few days, but gradually, she showed promising signs of recovery. Please click on the Joanie label in this website if you wish to know her story: http://www.myanimalcare.org/search/label/Joanie

Suki (aka Xiao Li) was rescued by Yen Ling after having fallen into the drain THREE times. Hers was a sad case because her own mother did not bother about her. Maybe the mum was afraid of water as Suki was found covered with filth, oil and moss in the dirty drain. She was only about 2 weeks old, and the mortality rate for kittens this young is very high.

To cut a long story short, I decided to put the two together. I felt Joanie was depressed because she had lost all her babies. Suki needs a mother's warmth and love. So, I tried, and it seems to be working well now.

Joanie is responding exactly as a mother-cat would. She lets Suki suckle all day, and is very protective of her. The vet tells me that although technically, Joanie has no milk anymore, sometimes the suckling can make her produce milk again. The milk production does not come from the ovaries (Joanie had a total hysterectomy to remove the uterus and all her decomposed babies), but it is from the brain.

I don't know if there is milk, but little Suki is so happily suckling.

Whatever it is, the emotional bonding is helping both of them.

Joanie is still not fully recovered. Those of you who have been keeping up with her news would know about her urinary problem. That part of the tissue connecting the urethra to the vulva was already dying due to the extent of septicaemia. We are now hoping that somehow, it will heal. To hope that it will regenerate is...well, too much to hope for. We would be happy enough if it heals and she can urinate daily. If she cannot, it can lead to severe kidney problems.

The good sign last night was that she squated to urinate - that's voluntary urination. Earlier on, the vets and I said we would already be so happy even if she just leaks it out. So, that's already a bonus!

The vets continue to be amazed at Joanie's recovery. Until today, they say Joanie is a total miracle. Every day of her being alive IS a miracle.

Yes, miracles do happen, sometimes, if you believe and work towards it. And even if it doesn't and things do not work out as you wish it would, at least you've tried your best, and that's all that counts.