| City Kitty Pet-Sitting Service LLC |
| Customized in-home care for your felines |
| Pet Partner Casper PROFILE |
Casper passed away on January 21, 2009, after suffering renal failure
that weekend. He put on a courageous fight to live but could not stave
off the damage to his kidneys. He was alert on January 20th when I
visited him at Peach Tree Animal Hospital, giving me his typical glare of
"how dare you leave me here" and wanting to be petted. He also
spoke to me in soft meows which was something he never did. I
thought he would live forever as he had survived so much. Casper
was around 18 or 19 as best we could determine.
that weekend. He put on a courageous fight to live but could not stave
off the damage to his kidneys. He was alert on January 20th when I
visited him at Peach Tree Animal Hospital, giving me his typical glare of
"how dare you leave me here" and wanting to be petted. He also
spoke to me in soft meows which was something he never did. I
thought he would live forever as he had survived so much. Casper
was around 18 or 19 as best we could determine.
A Rescued Cat’s Beginnings with CSC
Casper was rescued last August by Columbia 2nd Chance who has given him a second lease on life, and hopefully soon a
permanent home of his own.
You see unbeknown to CSC, Casper had hyperthyroidism (hyperT), a condition that is typically age-related with symptoms
including weight loss, rough coat, aggression, and hyperactivity. When Casper’s health continued to decline, CSC took Casper to
Columbia Veterinary Hospital (CVH) and the MU College of Veterinary Medicine (MUVM). MU confirmed Casper’s diagnosis of
hyperT, recommending Iodine131 treatment. Iodine131 is the treatment of choice for most feline hyperT but it is expensive. Given
Casper's diagnosis and the cost associated with treating his condition, we did consider putting him to sleep. But his loving
personality gave us hope that curing his hyperthyroidism would make him adoptable.
Casper received the Iodine131 treatment in early October 2004. By December 2004 Casper’s T4 count was 1.8, down from his
initial T4 count of 12.2. His hyperthyroidism was cured and he was eligible for adoption. But Casper’s story does not end here.
Casper and Feline Hypertension
As part of Casper’s care at the MU College of Veterinary Medicine, veterinarian faculty advised CSC that Casper may have feline
hypertension, or feline high blood pressure. Feline high blood pressure is diagnosed if a cat’s systolic blood pressure values are
consistently over 160 mmHg. Casper’s initial systolic values were in the 190s prior to the Iodine131 treatment but dropped to the
mid-160s by November 2004. Casper was started on drug therapy with Norvasc, a calcium channel blocker, the drug of choice for
his condition. His high blood pressure continues to stabilize with the use of Norvasc.
Casper’s health continues to improve too—he has gained weight, his coat is full and fluffy, and he now gets along with the other
cats in his foster home. He has a laid back personality, enjoying a sunny snooze on the deck as well as the occasional bath and
blow dry. He is very affectionate around people and other cats at least. He just loves having his chin scratched and someone to
pull a leather shoelace for him to chase!
Finally - Casper Finds a Forever Home
I adopted Casper in January 2006 after trying for 2 years to find a forever home where he could be an only cat. He continues to
be treated daily with Norvasc and is seen by the top vets at UMC Small Animal Clinic annually. His normal vets reside at Peach
Tree Animal Hospital (Drs. Jill Moseley and Chris Leach). He is a sweet loving cat and enjoys his weekly visits to Candlelight
Lodge as part of his Delta Society Pet Partners work.
Casper was rescued last August by Columbia 2nd Chance who has given him a second lease on life, and hopefully soon a
permanent home of his own.
You see unbeknown to CSC, Casper had hyperthyroidism (hyperT), a condition that is typically age-related with symptoms
including weight loss, rough coat, aggression, and hyperactivity. When Casper’s health continued to decline, CSC took Casper to
Columbia Veterinary Hospital (CVH) and the MU College of Veterinary Medicine (MUVM). MU confirmed Casper’s diagnosis of
hyperT, recommending Iodine131 treatment. Iodine131 is the treatment of choice for most feline hyperT but it is expensive. Given
Casper's diagnosis and the cost associated with treating his condition, we did consider putting him to sleep. But his loving
personality gave us hope that curing his hyperthyroidism would make him adoptable.
Casper received the Iodine131 treatment in early October 2004. By December 2004 Casper’s T4 count was 1.8, down from his
initial T4 count of 12.2. His hyperthyroidism was cured and he was eligible for adoption. But Casper’s story does not end here.
Casper and Feline Hypertension
As part of Casper’s care at the MU College of Veterinary Medicine, veterinarian faculty advised CSC that Casper may have feline
hypertension, or feline high blood pressure. Feline high blood pressure is diagnosed if a cat’s systolic blood pressure values are
consistently over 160 mmHg. Casper’s initial systolic values were in the 190s prior to the Iodine131 treatment but dropped to the
mid-160s by November 2004. Casper was started on drug therapy with Norvasc, a calcium channel blocker, the drug of choice for
his condition. His high blood pressure continues to stabilize with the use of Norvasc.
Casper’s health continues to improve too—he has gained weight, his coat is full and fluffy, and he now gets along with the other
cats in his foster home. He has a laid back personality, enjoying a sunny snooze on the deck as well as the occasional bath and
blow dry. He is very affectionate around people and other cats at least. He just loves having his chin scratched and someone to
pull a leather shoelace for him to chase!
Finally - Casper Finds a Forever Home
I adopted Casper in January 2006 after trying for 2 years to find a forever home where he could be an only cat. He continues to
be treated daily with Norvasc and is seen by the top vets at UMC Small Animal Clinic annually. His normal vets reside at Peach
Tree Animal Hospital (Drs. Jill Moseley and Chris Leach). He is a sweet loving cat and enjoys his weekly visits to Candlelight
Lodge as part of his Delta Society Pet Partners work.
Oct. 2005 - Casper readies for his
Halloween Party debut, then later
spends time with his best CSC buddy
Misha who was just recently adopted
leaving Casper a little lonely.
Halloween Party debut, then later
spends time with his best CSC buddy
Misha who was just recently adopted
leaving Casper a little lonely.
Casper and Misha late 2005
| Casper August 2004 |
Rusty and Casper July 2005
| Casper January 2005 |
Casper November 2005
Casper July 2005
| CASPER PASSED HIS QUALIFICATION TEST IN 2005 AND HIS RECERTIFICATION TEST IN 2007 TO SERVE IN DELTA SOCIETY'S PET PARTNERS ANIMAL ASSISTED ACTIVITY PROGRAM |
| DELTA SOCIETY PET PARTNERS PROGRAM: The Pet Partners Program is a service program of the Delta Society. Registered Pet Partners bring the physical and emotional benefits of human-animal interactions to people in a variety of settings. A person and their animal can register as Pet Partners for either Animal Assisted Activities (AAA) or Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT) when the person has completed the volunteer training requirements, the animal has completed a health screening, and the person and animal have passed the skills and aptitude screening together. The requirements set by this program assure health and human services providers that the volunteers who enter their facilities are well prepared and that the animals have been carefully screened. For more information contact www.deltasociety.org Animal Assisted Activity: Provides opportunities for motivational, educational, and/or recreational benefits to enhance quality of life. Delivered in variety of environments by a specialty trained professional, paraprofessional, and/or volunteer, in association with animals that meet specific criteria. |
| Nearly all will agree that the best purr of all, the purr that speaks most directly to the heart, is the faint purr that comes from a frightened stray cat. That is the purr that is quite irresistible, the language that only a brute would fail to heed. --Beverly Nichols |
| CONTACT US Sarah A. Grim, MSPH, CHE Certified Professional Pet-Sitter City Kitty Pet-sitting Service LLC 1205 Club Meadows Drive Columbia, MO 65203 573-268-8004 citykittypets@aol.com |
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