Dear Team Boots,

First, let me apologize for inevitably scaring you with a “special update.” Rest assured that our boy is very much alive. I pray that it won’t be long before we can say that he is alive and well. But, I’m afraid today the sweetest tuxedo is having a very hard time indeed. Since you are his beloved sponsors, we wanted to keep you up to date on all of this. It’s only right that, as you support Boots through all his ups and downs, we keep you in the loop.

Boots’ trial began yesterday morning, when he didn’t want to come out of his crate. Normally, after a night in his “bachelor pad,” Boots is quite ready to re-join the free world in the lobby, so this was worrisome in itself. Our vet tech, Denise, quickly found that Boots also had a high fever and an abnormally full bladder, all of which could suggest that he was becoming blocked (always a danger for male cats in particular). A trip to the emergency vet was in order.

En route to the emergency vet, Boots peed in his crate – which, we hoped, was a good thing, indicating that he wasn’t blocked after all. However, the team at the emergency vet found his bladder to be still quite full, and his fever still soaring. It was time for additional testing – and a lot of prayer.

Mysteries would continue to compound in the afternoon. Boots’ blood work was perplexingly normal, shedding no light on his problems. An ultrasound showed that Boots just might have inflammatory bowel disease – an interesting, but incidental finding, unrelated to the current crisis. The emergency vet’s team would have liked to treat Boots with fluids, which could lower his fever and make him feel better. However, his severe heart disease would make this too risky. (Fluid support is good for a lot of what ails a cat, but it can aggravate fluid around the heart or even cause heart failure in a kitty like Boots with severe cardiac issues.)

Our beloved tuxie’s fever, at last, seemed to break, inching its way down towards normal. Alas, we rejoiced too soon: today Boots’ fever has spiked back up to 106, and the emergency vet team reports that he’s feeling “pretty punk.” He’s stable, but this is all quite worrisome, of course – and, for the moment, mysterious.

I wish I could offer you a less murky summary of the situation, dear sponsors, but I promise to keep you posted as we learn more. For the moment, Boots is hunkered down at the emergency vet, who is giving him oodles of kisses and cuddles for all of us – and for you.

It’s thanks to your generosity and love that we can give Boots this critical intensive care. Thank you for helping him to get through this (and I do believe he will get through it) – and thank you, so much, for keeping him in your prayers. He is blessed to be loved by you. I hope to write with better news soon.