Espy is apparently seven. (Espy stands for Salt and Pepper). He's the
only cat I know that has an award named after him.

I thought he was five or so but the fiirst vet visit was 2003. He
wasn't noticeably lethargic until yesterday and even then he was
walking around investigating things just like always. But he did lie
back in an empty box like sick cats do during the evening.

While he turned down food, he did hit the water fountain fairly often
so I was wondering about diabetes. He was also spending a lot of time
licking his butt and I noticed liquid under him when I picked him up
out of the box. I thought that he might be drooling after eating
something foul like some bug- I've had cats do that.

Blood work won't be back until tomorrow, but the Xray showed that the
immediate cause of his problem was that his uretha was blocked -
something worse than a mucous plug. The bladder was twice normal size
and was impinging on the intestines preventing him from pooping. With
three cats it's almost impossible to notice this stuff. I might catch
one peeing or pooping but it's tough to notice one is failing to
pee/poop.

The vet expressed the bladder and Espy is apparently feeling better.
The vet said that he was eating although he just turned down his wet
food - he has apparently eaten recently. He did eat a few Temptations
which I am happy about.

As for the underlying cause, there is definitely something going on in
one kidney. The vet did not feel that CRF is in the immediate future
although his guess is that reduced kidney functioning is the cause of
the blockage.

Well, $400 in lab tests will get us the big picture tomorrow. I don't
think there is a test that was left out. Hmm. I don't recall seeing
Ova and Parasites but that was probably in there also.

Thanks for the concern, I'll let you all known when I know.

Still far from out of the woods (so to speak). He is eating some food
but not much. Actually, that's pretty much his normal pattern but
eating somewhat less.

The oddest behavior is with the Temptations. He will pick them up but
they sort of fall out of his mouth. Then he ignores them. I really
can't figure it.

I got a few minutes to examine the backyard (before the daily
torrential downpour began - this is important I think). Under the deck
are a few big old surface roots from a tree that died maybe five years
ago. They were totally white - mildew or some other kind of mold. I've
really never seen anything like it before, almost like it had snowed
on just the roots. It was so glaring that stared at it for a few
seconds before I realized what it was.

A few days ago I had noticed a stick around an inch in diameter and
four inches long that was very crumbly because it was rotting. The
middle part of it looked like something had been chewing on it. It was
around one of Espy's favorite spots on one of the steps leading down
from the deck. Maybe Espy was chewing on the stick?

Just this morning there was an ad on the radio for something I never
heard of before - Scott's Lawn Mold Fighter or something like that.
Because we have had SO much rain in June (set a 100 year record or
more) there are mold and mushrooms everywhere. I wonder if there is
going to be some epidemic of creatures dying from mold ingestion?

Plus, someone did throw up a small amount of liquid with something
white in the middle of it on some pants just the other day - when Epsy
was already sick. Damn I washed those pants - should have saved it.

I saw Espy in the litterbox this morning. He did pee successfully and
cover it up, but then he squatted again for a few seconds. Nothing
more came out but that was unusual behavior. I'll keep an eye out. I
wonder if I can set up some sort of surveillance camera on the
litterbox?

Well, I'll pass this info by the vet today and see what he says, but
I'm betting it's the mold.