When we first brought Benji home, I thought he was the cutest little thing I've ever seen. I was so entranced by this tiny creature that was filled with curiosity as he slowly made his round, sniffing every corner of our home. Benji also seemed to get along fine with our first cat Chubbster, so it looked like everything was going great.
It was only later that night when we realised that Benji was not eating. Whenever we lead him to his food bowl, he'd completely ignore it and stare silently at his food. Refusing to eat or drink, he would remain still, almost statue-like and would not budge until we picked him up. We initially attributed it to discomfort in adapting to his new surroundings but his condition persisted throughout the night. He was also very clingy and looked almost vulnerable, like we do when we fall sick.
The next day, we took Benji to our neighbourhood vet where we were assured that he was merely acting up due to his new environment. He was sent home after a worm shot but his condition worsened and he became extremely listless and could barely walk. We started to panic then as we supposedly purchased a healthy kitten, but all the signs were obviously showing otherwise.
We decided to rush Benji to Healing Rooms pet hospital in Subang Jaya for a second opinion. As it turned out, Benji was suffering from a type of feline condition with a really weird and long name, which I still can't recall until today. If left untreated, he would not have made it for another night! With much reluctance, we left him behind for observation and treatment. He had to be put on drip since he wasn't taking any food or water. We visited him the next day and I snapped this picture using my phone camera, which is why the quality is rather poor. One of his legs had to be shaved to accommodate the drip and he had to use a collar to prevent him from chewing the tube. Benji looked miserable and was meowing desperately for us to bring him home, poor baby!
After 3 nights at the pet hospital, we were allowed to bring him home with a clean bill of health. His treatment came up to almost RM400 but we were just relieved to have our baby back that we didn't bother much about the cost. Our happiness was short-lived however as he was attacked by another condition several weeks later; a skin problem, which led to some serious fur shedding and unsightly patches on his skin. This time, we had to take him for a weekly medicated wash, which including consultation cost us minimum RM70 per visit. This amounted to a very high sum in the end but since Benji was showing gradual improvement, we continued his treatment for several months. Benji was rather moody and depressed during this period. Notice the red patch on his nose?
By the way, when he was younger, Benji's eyes were a beautiful shade of blue. We noticed his eyes gradually changing color after a while and enquired about the possibility of his disease causing this change. The vet assured us that this was not the case. Usually when eyes change colour, it is due to age and genetics but this would normally occur before 6 months old. It is normal for this to happen but you can of course have your cat checked by the vet to ensure there are no major malignancies that are causing this pigmentary change.
Our little scare with Benji really opened our eyes to the fact that caring for cats is a major responsibility that could get quite costly, especially if you're handling Persians like me. Aside from their food, vet bills and grooming maintenance, there are emergencies where you need to be financially ready for. If we had some form of pet insurance for Benji back then, perhaps we could have saved a bit of money. Apparently, there are insurers who provide pet protection such as Autonet HGV Insurance Group. Besides the usual car, truck, home and travel insurance, Autonet HGV Insurance Group also offers Pet Insurance at unbeatable prices with a money back guarantee. They will gladly give you a refund if you can find another cheaper pet insurance with equal coverage. Covering both cats and dogs, this pet insurance will definitely give pet owners added peace of mind knowing that their hefty vet bills will be covered should something happen to your furry friend. So if you're a pet owner who'd like to find out more on the exclusions and coverage provided, do stop by Autonet HGV Insurance. You can also get a quick online quote for a tailored pet policy, according to your pet's needs and requirements.
Today, Benji is a healthy, chubby cat with beautiful brown eyes. His favourite pastime is lazing around and snacking. We love the fact that we have our own little Benji tale to tell our friends; we tend to get so dramatic when relating the story on how we almost lost Benji when he was a kitten. From a scrawny looking thing that was so sickly at one point, Benji has grown into our chubbiest cat with the longest and healthiest coat of fur. In fact, he just turned 2 a few days ago so Happy Birthday Benji! We love you and hope you'll remain healthy and fluffy forever! :)
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