Over the last few days when Melbourne was gripped by footy Grand Final fever, we spent it waiting at our vets and then later, to Animal Emergency to get Pud the care he needed.

Over time you get to notice the change in behaviours of your pet. We noticed that he wasn’t using his kitty litter, nor was he eating all his food, and when he did, he vomited it all up. He was losing weight and lethargic. When he tried to go to the kitty litter, he’d yowl in pain.

The first time we took him with the same problem was back in late May. More running around to vets and the animal emergency centre for x-rays and scans. He had an enema and as soon as he had that it was like he was a different cat. Back to his normal self with medication to boot.

Then it happened again.

This time we noticed the signs a lot earlier. Two days in the animal emergency centre (which was longer than expected), chats with the vets and specialist doctors there, we know now that Pud has mégacôlon.

His colon is not functioning properly so he stores stools unable to pass them because of the lack of nerve function that enables contraction to happen.

He’s had another enema but now he’s on laxative liquid, Metamucil and a high fibre gastrointestinal food plus medication that helps the contraction for the rest of his life. If these measures don’t work, we will consider him undergoing an operation that removes the part of the colon that is not functioning. Our vet (whom we have been seeing for all over pets now for 20+ years) believes the operation would give him better quality of life. We can’t be putting him under anaesthesia and giving enemas to him regularly. It’s traumatic for the cat but also for us, besides it’s very expensive too.

For now, we will monitor him to make sure that he’s okay. He’s my little friend and I just want him happy, healthy and with us for a long time yet.

For now, he’s back with us where he belongs.