Sorry if this is a downer to y'all...

I've been a bit distracted lately.

Our 14 year old black short-hair stout bodied female cat Kira hasn't been doing too well lately. A couple of days ago, she began to run a fever and sometime gasp for breath in order to cool down. NOT a good thing in a cat so old! I thought it was the heat getting to her, so I kept her cool, turned up the AC and fans-- took her outside at night to hang out on the much cooler front porch, that sort of thing. It seemed to help. She was still eating and such okay and lively enough. Eyes bright and alert.

Yesterday, though, it was cloudy and in the upper 70s nearly all day, so that it was still humid, but much cooler-- and her symptoms were all worse. Actually panting and really hot. Not able to find a local vet who could take her, Gerick brought her outside and ran the hose on her (gently!) just to cool her down. He soaked her thoroughly and got her cooled off for the night.

It worked, though-- her fever nearly disappeared and she was much more comfortable and breathing normally again.

But this morning when I got up (late-- due to fatigue and fact I didn't have to go in to work) she was hot and panting again. She followed me around the house as I got dressed and such and actually howled at me. So-- thinking she was literally asking me to cool her down (she spends her time trying to find the coolest spots to lay down in) I took her outside and hosed her off for a second time.

Now people say cats don't like water. But Kira's never been that bad. We bathe her maybe once a month because she has extra-oily fur. She was calm and patient while I soaked her gently, and immediantly much better afterwards. Hours later and she still is running that fever, but she doesn't feel as bad.

We have an appointment with a vet for Saturday, but I wonder if she'll make it that long...