The start of 2026 was challenging. Owning two cats is like having children. In early January, I woke up in horror during the start of my weeklong leave to find patches of blood on the kitchen floor, and some splattered on the lower walls. Tucked in the corner of the room, I saw Kano sitting under my bicycle, his face clearly in pain. Blood covered his hind legs and pelvic area. I had no idea what just happened.
It took me a while to realize that he was experiencing a full-blown urinary tract infection, which was a late-stage, visible consequence.
I thought it was impossible to put Kano into the carrier and bring him to the nearest vet, given his state and condition. I immediately considered requesting an animal ambulance as the most appropriate response. After performing an online search, I decided to call Saiful to check if he has any experience similar to this.
Saiful assured me that it is better to put Kano into the carrier and use Tada to bring him to the recommended animal hospital, which is located at Bukit Timah, recommended by Elizabeth. She even booked the ride for me; all I needed to do was clean Kano as much as possible and bring him to the vehicle.
Surprisingly, getting Kano into the carrier was quite effortless. He did not struggle or make a sound; even though I could clearly see that he was moving rather sluggishly.
Upon arrival at the hospital, I was greeted by Joss, Elizabeth’s friend who is working as a nurse. She promptly grabbed the carrier from me and told me that this was indeed a clear symptom of urinary tract infection.
I stayed at the hospital for a few hours. Joss informed me that Kano needed to be hospitalized overnight, and since he had lost blood, he would need to undergo subcut (Subcutaneous Therapy). I had no idea what that was until I learned that it was actually drip therapy delivered via injection under the skin, and this must be done once a day for the next five days. Immediately, I was worried about the idea of delivering the injection myself on my cat.
I tried to put that thought at the back of my mind for now. The only thing that I am worried about is Kano’s condition. I hope it was not life-threatening.
On the way home I thought of the things that I needed to do, cleaning the kitchen was top priority. I had planned to use the week to finish the thesis, which is due by the end of the week, but it appears that I have to make some adjustments; I will still need to return to the hospital tomorrow to bring Kano home should the vet allow it.
That evening Dr K, the senior vet from the hospital, informed me over the phone that Kano has been cleared to be sent home. So the next day, I headed down to the hospital for the payment and medication. True enough, I was required to administer the subcut via injection daily for a course of over five days.
On the very same day that Kano returned home, I tried to administer the subcut on him, but I didn’t have the courage to do so. Saiful gave me the phone number to Kak Julia, who is a cat-sitter living in Jurong West area. I called her up, and she agreed to take Kano in for 5 days at $20 per day. She will feed him and do the subcut daily. This is god-sent for me.
Days turned into weeks and although recovery was a little slow for Kano, it was only after the 3rd or 4th week that I could see that his appetite and bowel movement improved significantly.
This incident allowed me to understand that it is important for wet food to be integrated significantly into their daily diet, not just dry food. Although it is impossible for me to let them eat wet food if I am on shift, the least I could do is to refill the auto-feeder with only dry food that is specific for urinary care.