Nene passed away on December 12, 2021 and my heart is broken. I can’t believe she’s gone, and I am grieving.
I still look for her, bargain with the universe to bring her back, call out for her, and miss her constantly. She was a kitty with many special needs, and I dedicated my life to her comfort. She was the most affectionate cat I have ever had; constant face licks, hair biting, love-bites on my nose, and non stop head butting. She knew when I crawled in bed and would run from wherever she was to jump on the bed and cuddle - I didn’t need to call her to bed, she would hear me get under the covers and race to join me. She rested herself next to me, always curled up, often crawling under the covers to spoon. Other curling spaces included my armpit, my neck, my abdomen, my legs, and of course my chest. Nene was mute, and was unable to vocalize, so her purrs were silent. I could feel her purring when she pressed her body against mine. She purred when we cuddled, each and every day.
Nene, also known as Starbuck, was uniquely affectionate with special needs.
I learned more from Nene than I ever imagined I would.
When she was about 6 years old, Nene suffered a bladder blockage requiring emergency surgery, and our lives would never be the same. At that time, numerous struvite bladder stones were removed. We simultaneously learned she also suffered from Small Cell Intestinal Lymphoma (SCL) as well as Hyperthyroidism (hyperT). Over the years as I cared for her and focused on her comfort, we also discovered she had chronic urinary tract infections (unusual for a female cat), and her allergies were off the charts; she battled regular ear infections until we were able to mitigate her many allergies.
Nene taught me more than the typical fur baby I’ve cared for; I learned how to handle a special needs animal. As a result, I made the decision to focus only on the adoption of pets with special needs, of any age, Seniors included. I will pay it forward. I will honor Nene with my actions. I will honor Nene’s life by saving others who can benefit from what she taught me.
Adopting a special needs pet is extremely rewarding and enables your pet to live a dignified, comfortable life full of love.
I found this to be the most rewarding experience of my life.
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What does “Special Needs” mean?
Special needs range from medical diagnosis, to senility, to behavioral issues; too many people give up on senior animals and drop them off at shelters simply because they don’t want to put in the work. Truth is, the work isn’t that difficult, it merely requires patience, and doing something rather than nothing. The same rule applies to an animal who develops behavioral or medical issues. This is all manageable, if you’re patient & know what to do. We all deserve to be loved.
6 Tips for caring for a special needs pet:
Adopt. Save a life & show an animal in pain that love is possible.
Reach out to the local shelter and look into local rescues. Great rescues have close relationships with shelters and will help you find your next fur baby. It’s a google search away: “local shelter and pet rescues”.Assemble a veterinary team.
I worked with Nene’s general practitioner, a veterinary oncologist, a veterinary behaviorist to ensure Nene’s comfort. I sought recommendations, assessed each specialist through research, and worked with the most dedicated, gentle, passionate veterinarians I’ve ever met. Moving forward, they are my top veterinarians. Nene’s GP will care for any animal I have as long as they’re still in town.Understand the power of veterinary specialists.
If a general practitioner recommends a specialist, it’s for a reason. If you seek a second opinion, go to the appropriate specialist. If you aren’t sure, call the veterinary hospital where specialists are located and ask. For Small Cell Lymphoma, Nene went to an oncologist. For hyperT she saw an internist. For fear & anxiety related to her illnesses, we worked with a veterinary behaviorist. For oversight, bladder issues, allergies, ear infections etc Nene saw her regular general practitioner. In fact, Nene’s GP was also our form of oversight; I made sure to keep her informed and she was considered the leader of Nene’s team. A great GP will encourage specialists when it’s the best approach.Find your people.
In Nene’s case, I was able to locate an amazing online community for humans with pets who have SCL, as well as hyperT. I read the message boards regularly, posted my questions without hesitation, and made human friends for life. I couldn’t have done it without them. If you are interested in these groups, see my contact info below.Be proactive about medical records. This is vital, and easy to do. Make sure all veterinarians involved have records from every visit, everywhere. Call each veterinary hospital and ask them to send you every document; ask them to email documents to the other veterinarians on your team. Your copies will be backup.
REMEMBER: There are no hopeless behavioral cases. This includes litter box issues, barking, hiding under the bed, swatting, hissing. None of this is hopeless. None of it. Call a veterinary behaviorist. Don’t wait.
Got questions about caring for a special needs (or senior) pet? I would love to help you find answers.
Have you ever adopted or cared for a special needs animal? I’d love to hear your experiences and any tips you want to add to the list. Tweet to me or DM me @coreythrace or shoot me an email corey [at] not shocking [dot] com.