I drove to the hospital this morning, thinking I would be greeted by happy mews from Bobtail and Teddybear, especially when Bobtail had perked up a little when I left him yesterday evening.
But my hopes were completely dashed.
Bobtail was lying against the door of the cage and he looked incredibly weak. His body was also wet. I picked him up and he was almost lifeless, but he mewed a little, as though greeting me.
I then quickly called the helper in and asked for some ID to feed Bobtail. I also made glucose water and syringed some into his mouth, which he swallowed, but he was obviously very, very weak. Then, I asked the helper for a hair-dryer to dry his body.
It was then that I noticed that the drip had come off. I was aghast and I asked the helper to quickly call the vet in.
The helper hair-dryed Bobtail as much as possible while I continued feeding him glucose water. But Bobtail was fast wasting away. I could see that.
I held him in my arms and chanted to him. I also told him to hang on as the vet would be coming very soon.
But he was very, very weak, and hardly responding anymore. I fed him ID as well, and for each bite, his teeth sank deep into my fingers as he just wanted to grit his teeth very tightly.
As I was doing this, I was also holding the hair-dryer to warm him as his body was very cold.
Finally, Bobtail was very still, and I think his breathing had stopped. I wasn’t sure if he were gone, so I continued talking to him, and encouraging him to hang on.
The vet arrived soon and I quickly asked him to check. But by then, I knew Bobtail was already gone. The vet listened to his heartbeat with a stethoscope and shook his head.
Bobtail was gone.
Little Bobtail passed away peacefully in my arms. He was very weak, but he swallowed the bits of glucose water I gave him, and he even urinated before he breathed his last. There wasn’t any struggle at all. He was calm and at peace. I was the one struggling to dry him and feed him. He seemed to know exactly what he wanted and what was going on.
The senior vet came in later and I told him what had happened. He looked at the drip and found teeth marks. So he concluded that Bobtail must have bitten off that part and this caused the remaining fluids to drain out, thereby making his towel wet.
I cradled Bobtail in my arms for a long time after that. I just held him close to my heart. His eyes were still open, so I closed them gently.
I felt so very sad that we had failed to save his life. It was already too late when he was brought to us. Even the vet said he had never seen any kitten this severely emaciated and dehydrated before.
We had tried our level best.
We will never know how, from a perfectly healthy kitten, Bobtail got into this terribly emaciated state. If only the fosterer had brought him back to us earlier or informed us that Bobtail had stopped eating, he might have had a better chance of survival. But there’s no point talking about “if only”s now. Bobtail’s ordeal was a result of negligence, ignorance and probably, karma.
Bobtail passed away this morning, after we tried our level best to save his life for the past two days. I stayed with him for two days at the clinic to nurse him.
I am extremely saddened by his passing, but we have to move on now. Teddybear is also fighting for his life. Both of them were severely emaciated and seemed to be suffering from the same infection.
Comments
9 responses to “Bobtail breathes his last in my arms”
metta to bobtail
He must been waiting for you before he passed away
Because you are special
I bet hes now telling everyone in the other world how wonderful you are.
Thank u so much Kah Yein
This updates bring tears to my eyes. Though we are sad for those who has left us, we must mourn short and remember those who are still living and need help – Teddybear.
It is a positive note to read that Teddybear is 'walking towards food'. A good sign.
Yes, the size between Xiao Li no. 2 and Bandit and Teddybear is HUGE difference.
Be strong.
shocked, saddened and angry by this news :'(
this couldn't have happened if a little TLC
is put into the fostering.
RIP Bobtail, ure in better hands now.
That is truly a tragic ending. I'm very sorry to hear this terrible news. My best hopes for Teddybear.
only God knows what I did. Bobtail, sorry I cant do much. Teddybear, I know you still active an energetic during leaving my place, keep it up and gain more as your are in the perfect place now.
Dear Dr Chan,
As u had always said 'Do not put the blames to other' but IF the fosteror had realli let u knw earlier on the condition of Bobtail, tis wouldnt end tis way… Its realli sad to first knw Bobtail's condition and its realli heartbroken to knw he had to suffer tis negligence…
RIP Bobtail…
As a fellow rescuer, I am very, very shocked and angry (very, very, very angry) over the handling of poor little Bobtail by the irresponsible fosterer.
I actually sat down and put all the little pieces the jigsaw puzzle together, bit by bit and this is my shocking and indignant discovery:
Fact 1: Bobtail had been healthy and bigger in size than Bandit and Xiao Li on Feb 9 upon handover to the fosterer.
Fact 2: Up to the point of Bobtail's return to Animalcare and rushed to the hospital, the fosterer had always maintained that Bobtail and Teddybear had been alright and doing fine when regular enquiries were made regarding their welfare and progress.
Fact 3: Upon return of Bobtail to Animalcare, he was emaciated, skin and bones. Such drastic physical transformation does not happen overnight in the space of 24 hours or in a few days. The gradual physical deteroration could not have been missed at all if you have eyes to see as you feed and attend to his needs daily.
Fact 4: Bobtail ate A/D hungrily and voluntarily from KY's hand on his own when he was returned, so he could not have been refusing to eat on his own while at the fosterer's.
Fact 5: Bobtail had been a rescue and ward of Animalcare … meaning that if he should need any medical attention at any time, it would have been borne readily and fully by Animalcare, not by the fosterer, who only needed to make a phone call to KY day or night (even midnight, knowing KY). There was no financial constraint whatsoever on the part of the fosterer.
My terrible conclusion upon analysis of the whole situation is that Bobtail had not been given food (starved) and totally neglected (same for Teddybear). This is outrageous! This is rightdown willful cruelty committed.
I am not mincing words because this must never, never be allowed to happen again! No one must take up fostering of precious animals we rescuers put in so much effort and energy to rescue only to be treated and lost this way.
For God's sake, don't ever foster if you are not serious or committed. Even if asked to, you can always say "No". There is no gun pointing at your head.
Don't pretend to be kind and have a secret personal agenda which only you know what it is!
RIP, darling Bobtail …
We paid a visit to the fosterer's house on two occasions and noticed that his own cats were well-fed and also vaccinated.
Our first experience with him was with Babykit where he offered his mother-cat. The next day, I checked, and he said the mother had no milk, so we brought Babykit back. It was too late to save Babykit, but granted, Babykit was only 2 days old, and the mortality rate of such tiny kittens is high. Still, Babykit was very active when brought to him.
The second occasion was when I asked if he could help foster Teddybear and Bobtail. He said yes. I asked for his terms. Just provide food, he said. We provided food. He said he would take care and put them up for adoption on petfinder. I checked every few days by sms if Bobtail and Teddybear were ok. He always said they were.
It was another routine sms on that fateful morning when he replied Bobtail had not been eating. I told him to send Bobtail immediately to the hospital in PJ. The rest is history and everyone can read the postings. Bobtail was emaciated and severely dehydrated. He was dying. Teddybear (whom he said was "ok") was brought back the next morning and he too was severely emaciated. Their conditions shocked the vet.
I am extremely saddened by this turn on events. My only regret is that as difficult as it was, I should have fostered Bobtail and Teddybear myself. I wish the fosterer could have informed me when Bobtail stopped eating. He should know that the moment a kitten stops eating, it is a cause for concern and needs veterinary attention.
When I asked why Bobtail was so thin, he merely gave cynical answers. I find it very uncomfortable dealing with cynicism when I need information from him to help Bobtail.
Please take a look at Xiao Li and Bandit's photograph and compare them to Bobtail and Teddybear. Xiao Li and Bandit were the weakest of the lot.
I did not hand over sick kittens to the fosterer. All the kittens had been checked and treated by the vet before I put them up for adoption or fostering.
I reserve further comments on the fosterer as nothing can turn back the clock now. Bobtail is gone.
P.S. The fosterer even sent two of his females cats to us for spaying under our full sponsorship.