Nine years ago, Mulley's owner, Cassandra, adopted a 9 month old female cat and named her Bizby. Upon taking Bizby to the doctor for vaccinations and to be spayed, the veterinarian informed Cassandra that Bizby was probably pregnant. This is a fairly common scenario because determining if a female cat is pregnant before physical signs are apparent is nearly impossible without an x-ray or an ultra-sound. A pregnant Bizby was certainly more responsibility than Cassandra had signed up for but she decided to let Bizby have her litter and get her spayed after she had found homes for all the kittens. However, Bizby had another surprise in store for Cassandra - her litter consisted of not several little kittens but one male, a "huge monster" that Cassandra decided to keep (a litter consisting of one sole kitten is unusual). Since that time Cassandra has had no regrets about keeping the "huge monster" and naming him Mulley.
Unfortunately, Mulley recently developed a very common ailment in male felines - a urethral obstruction (inability to pass urine) resulting from Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD). In these cases, the urethra becomes severely inflamed and physically blocked by a build up of mineral deposits. This is a serious condition that can become life-threatening in as little as 24-48 hours depending upon the severity of the case. These mineral deposits result from an overabundance of urinary crystals, the presence of which can be related to diet, quality of drinking water, and even stress. Sometimes the mineral deposits will develop into actual urinary "stones", for which a surgery called a cystotomy is often indicated.
Also, Mulley experienced a reappearance of symptoms (not uncommon) about one week following his initial hospitalization. The good news is that Mulley seems to be holding his own against those urinary crystals, that is, with the help of a diet specially formulated to help maintain the PH of Mulley's urine and thus hindering the growth of crystals.
According to Cassandra, Mulley is back to normal. He snores when he sleeps and loves to play. What type of toy does Mulley prefer? A toy purchased from the store? Not Mulley - he prefers the lids to pringles cans and hair ties! He's also back at his post as "official greeter", rubbing against the legs of any visitor, and to enjoying having his nails trimmed. That Mulley is one unique individual! 8) Thanks to Cassandra and Mulley for their participation!
