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We don't know for sure that she had a brain tumor. That was a best guess.
Looking at my original post, the year of Stormy's death was 2007. Her problems
started on about Jan. 14, 2007 with the first episode that paralyzed her front
let after she threw up just a little. She had been throwing up on and off for a
while, but it had stopped after a shot for worms in Nov. 2006. I took her to the
vet that day. He could detect no problems. I brought her home, and even though
she limped and walked on the top of a front paw, she improved for about 10 days.
Then came her second episode, with _very_ rapid breathing, tongue darting in and
out, and both rear legs paralyzed. She was again very distressed as was I. I
took her to the vet and she had settled down by then. STormy was left overnight
at the vets for X-rays. They revealed no broken bones, no spinal infury, no
enlarged heart. She was able to use one of her rear legs reasonably well, so she
was back up to 3 legs. Her other rear leg was not well---again the paw was
curled under and back so she walked on the top of that paw, when she used it.
She could get to/from her food and water and litter box. She could get up on the
couch, though I helped her sometimes. She improved, but had a third episode
about 9 days latter at 2:00 in the morning. I was up at the time. Even Jaws, my
other cat, knew she was in distress. She tried to get under things but I
wouldn't let her, so we comprmised on the laundry closet. I checked later and
she was sitting up rather than lying on her side. OK, I thought. I went to bed,
but heard her claws dragging on the floor as she came into my room, then
silence. I checked and she had laid down on the floor. I scooped her up and put
her on the bed where I could keep an eye on her for the night. This third
episode caused no further impairment. She seemed OK until early March and it
just appeared that she was going downhill. She gradually ate less and less. She
was less active. She was quite content to curl up on my lap when I was watching
TV or curl up and nap on my belly when I napped on the couch. Often, I'd look
down at her, and she would be staring right into my eyes--she'd always done
that. We had bonded. We were friends. Time was running out. During the week end
March 31, 2007, I knew I should do something. I was going to take her to the vet
on Friday of that week, but she'd stopped eating almost completely. I took her
to the vet on March 28, a Wed. I thought it was time--she was skin and bones,
but not in pain. I the vet thought it was time to euthanize her as well. Then,
in just a few short minutes, she was gone. All I had left was Stormy in a
cardboard box.

You see, during the periods where she didn't want to eat much, I gave her some
canned foods. She did eat some of that, but not much. Jaws ate most of it. I
guess that, if I had given Stormy bad food by accident, I would have lost Jaws
as well. Jaws seems fine. Still, I can't help but wonder. Maybe, it _was_ just a
brain tumor.

Now, I read today that some dog biscuits are suspect. Someone needs to step
forward and accept responsibility for all this. They need to "fall on the
sword". People at least deserve answers rather than ever-changing lists of
contaminated cat and dog foods.

MM