Happy New Year! I’m hoping that 2005 will be a positive one for Amber. On the relationship front, my goal is that by the end of the year, Amber will not only let me pet her, but that she will also enjoy it. I know that this is a far stretch, but I have high hopes for Miss Amber.

So far, I’m not very close to reaching my goal. Last week, I attempted to pet Amber, obviously prematurely. She swatted at me. Luckily, she did not make use of her claws while doing this, so I wasn’t hurt. I decided to take it much slower, and not try that again for a while.

On the health front, we have some not so positive news. As mentioned in the last update, Amber went for an ultrasound last week, due to a heart murmur that was detected on her intake exam. Well, the results of the ultrasound showed us that Amber has HCM, the most common kind of heart disease in cats, in which some of the heart’s walls become thickened, which can impair the function of the heart.
You can read a succint description of HCM in cats here.

The best treatment for HCM, in Amber’s case right now, is medicine given to her once daily in her ear. It is a gel that is applied by gently rubbing a small amount in the top inside of one of her ears. Surprisingly, the workers have been able to administer the medication to Amber almost each day now! This is actually good news. The fact that Amber can receive the medicine that she needs is a huge relief to us. Right now, Amber shows no symptoms of heart disease. It is certainly possible that Amber will live a healthy life for years to come. Unfortunately, it is also a possiblity that Amber could develop symptoms at any time, and need more serious treatment. Of course, we are all hoping that she’ll continue to stay symptom free!

The fact that Amber also has kidney disease (CRF) does complicate matters a bit. She is still on a special diet for this condition. We will keep you updated on Amber’s health each month. Hope for the best, as we are! Thank you once again for your support of Amber. It enables her to receive the treatment that she so clearly needs.