01/06/2026
REAL STORY - Lucky Big Beautiful BLUE
Blue had been off food for 4 days, over the Anzac holidays. He had had one vomit a few days before but not lots. He was a Main C**n cat so a big gentle giant, however he had a slim body, so I was worried for him.
At the vet clinic, we started with the usual blood tests. Noticing the electrolyte changes were abnormal we got him on an IV fluid drip straight away. The next day we took some X-rays to give us some clues. They didn't help us much initially, but a series of X-rays over the next couple days showed some changes. His case didn't align with the text book!
He started to eat again, and poo was coming through, but I could feel something odd and small in the middle of his abdomen that remained consistent. He was now happy though! He had a day at home but luckily we had warned them that he might need a scan or surgery to really find out what was going on.
Blue had also vomited again, so we didn't hesitate and took him to surgery as soon as practical. An inch piece of small intestine was NOT normal and attached to itself so had to be cut out ( like repairing a damaged section of hose). Several small sutures were placed to join the two ends together and make it water tight!. This was quiet time consuming.
But I wasn't done. I then felt a solid object in his stomach. His food isn't that solid!. Dam, I have to open the stomach too. I had to make a reasonable-sized opening to get the bent object out. What was it? A giant fur ball, felted together by the stomach contractions and folded in half. It was so big it wasnt going to pass forwards or backwards! I got out before I found anything else, as it was well passed lunchtime and I was starting to get tired.
He recovered smoothly and later that night rolled on his back. My little motto is 'an upside cat is a happy cat.' The next day he was looking for food but he had to wait a little while yet. Once allowed, he started to nibble the small amounts of food that was offered. Although a messy eater, he was eating well and appeared comfortable. One day I noticed him scooping food out of his bowl with is paw and eating it off his paw. Only a handful of cats I have seen do this. His mate at home, Charlie does this too so he is obviously the copycat!
Blue had to stay five days in hospital, which is the critical time to watch for complications. I spent some evenings talking to him while he sat on the couch in the consult room as I let him have a change of scenery.
He was lucky his owner brought him in, when the 'sooner in, sooner home' is usually the outcome. Unfortunately this case wasn't a simple upset tummy, but the majority of them are. Who would have known what was really happening and hidden inside. And that there would be not just one, but two problems to fix.
We sent the intestinal tissue to the lab to check the diagnosis. He was young so we were optimistic about a good prognosis.
Luckily the owners were willing to go the distance with both finance and nursing care. With any pet, it pays to have an emergency fund ready, whether that is a pet's own bank savings account or insurance pay-outs prearranged. It adds to the stress of the situation, for owners and vets alike, when money is a concern. There is no way to predict the final vet bill.
They were also prepared to keep him to a monitered feeding routine and keep him confined away from his furry family members while he recovered from his delicate surgery.
I haven't minded caring for Blue over the two weekends, going in at least twice, if not more, each day, as there was also other inpatients coming and going. It has been a full house lately, with lots of litter boxes to change – often when you're just about to leave for home.
He is such a character, coming straight up to your face for attention. It has been a pleasure. This is my favourite part of my job - when I see them starting to show their normal behaviours again, like eating and grooming. That's when I know they are feeling better.
Now it's up to him to heal.
'A box of fluffies' was his parents' comment when they came back for stitches out ten days later. He was back to his normal self and had gained a half a kilogram, which was nice to see. Luckily his lab result indicated a possible foreign object (although very small) that had caused a massive reaction in the intestine – who knew!
Top Tip - Get prepared to finance surgery, as well as nurse your own pet through of a major surgery. It is easy when you know how.
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