Feline Leukemia Natural Treatment

One cool September evening, a group of boys were walking through Philadelphia’s Fairmount Park on their way to their friend’s house. With approximately a little more than half a mile to go, they noticed a kitten had picked up on their trail and was slowly lagging behind, but they didn’t think much about it. Later that evening when the boys exited their friend’s home they saw a kitten lying on the ground and walked over to inspect it. The One boy’s Mother came to the scene and provided some food and water after noting the kitten’s very depleted condition. It was quite late and she didn’t know what to do. She had an older cat and would not bring this sick kitten into their home so it was left outside. The next morning the kitten still lay where it had been left. More food with a little antibiotic meant for humans was offered. (Note: administering prescribed antibiotics meant for humans can kill an animal and should not be done.)

On my arrival to visit with my friend later that afternoon, I was told about this kitten and how it could not walk and lay dying in the grass. We walked over to it, and there in the grass lay some breathing bones covered with fur. It was a very sad sight – I stooped down to greet the little one and stroked the top of its head with my fingertips while mentally sending a little prayer up there for him/her. It was quite clear this kitten was extremely ill. In addition to being starved, it also had a very bad cold and was wheezing, sneezing and coughing. Its eyes and nose were caked with dried mucous – one eye was completely closed shut with the other barely open. As we were walking back towards my friend’s house we were discussing what should or could be done. I quickly caught my friend’s drift but in my mind there was absolutely no way I would even consider bringing this critter home with me, and was rapidly talking myself out of even entertaining this possibility. My friend was not the only one with an older cat; I also had one of 15 plus years and would not jeopardize his health. As I was relaying this fact I heard: “Oh my God Karen, it’s walking.” I turned my head to see this little tiny thing coming towards us and remember thinking “uh-oh.” My friend slowed her pace but I did not, and actually think mine quickened. This kitten seemed to be on a mission! My friend had bent down to speak to him/her but s/he kept on trotting and seemed to be coming right for my heels. My friend commented that she could not believe how this kitten was latching onto me when she had been the one that had fed and given it water. I laughed and said: “Nice try but that ploy won’t work.” Even though I sensed what was up, I was so hoping this was not the case! I opted to try a little test, and went out of my way to walk around my vehicle. Sure enough, this crying little thing followed me. It was a very determined creature no doubt and even tried to follow me into the house.

I had not seen my friend in quite some time and we had some catching up to do but this kitten was becoming the major topic. My friend is an intelligent woman but tried to claim she was not sure what she should or could do. In my mind this was not rocket science and one thing was certain – the kitten clearly needed shelter. I also knew what my friend was up to and was not buying into any of it – there were several options and none had to include me. Her mansion was much larger than my small spring house, and every room had a door. Therefore, my first suggestion was to bring the kitten in and isolate it in one of the many unused rooms so that it could be cared for. When this failed, I then recommended calling a vet or an animal rescue service, which finally ended this discussion. As it turned out, the kitten had its own plan that came as no surprise to me and is exactly what my little car test had been all about. Shortly after dusk, I was ready to head home and discovered the kitten waiting under my vehicle. As soon as it heard my voice it sprung into action. I stood looking down at this little crying baby who stood looking up at me. I could almost hear it begging “please take me with you.” Needless to say, the kitten left with me, and it was a good thing too. Some very strong weather with flooding moved in later that evening, and this little one would not have survived had it been left outside for another night.

On the drive home, I was weighing the options. Due to the late hour, it was a given this kitten would be spending at least one night with me, but not in my small house. There were no doors and there was no room that could be used for isolation. Therefore, the kitten would stay in another building located on the property and we would see what the following day brought, as I was not certain s/he would even make it through the night. I made a soft bed with towels and a blanket, turned the heat up, provided water, some food with a little Colloidal Silver (natural antibiotic), and tucked the kitten in. The next morning I walked over to the studio and was not sure what I would find. As it turned out, this little one was still very much alive. “She” was very weak but also seemed a bit stronger too. I sat with her and began to talk to her about her condition. I told her that I would do what I could to help her. I came back to my house and prepared her breakfast with more colloidal silver added. As she was eating, I heard coughing and then saw mucous begin to pour from her eyes and nose. She was in trouble, and I was in over my head, and took her to a local animal hospital immediately.

Fluids for dehydration were administered right away and then various tests were performed. About 3 ½ hours and $350.00 later the results were in. The kitten was between 3-4 months old, weighed right around 3 pounds, had mange, worms, walking pneumonia, herpes, an eye infection, and feline leukemia (FeLV) on top of it all. Bottom line – she was given a few days at most to live. My heart sunk on hearing this news. I stood looking down at this little one who was staring off into space. I began to think about the amount of energy she had expended. She could barely see but willed herself to walk a little more than half a mile and then collapsed on the ground and did not move again until I showed up late the next afternoon. It almost seemed like she was conserving what little strength was left for my arrival and then she seemed to beg me to take her with me. I honestly did not get that an animal would fight that hard or walk that distance if it was not going to live. I decided to give her a chance, and try everything I could to help her regain her health. The vet gave me the bill with a few bottles of medication and wished me luck. On the way home, I spoke with the kitten about her condition and told her that I would do my very best but ultimately it was all up to her. Aside from the leukemia, the other conditions would be fairly easy to treat but this little one was already extremely depleted and the vet’s assessment had not offered much hope. The first thing to come through was to give her a strong name that would serve to help her. ‘Fairmount’ was the abbreviation for ‘Fair Mountain’. Mountains are strong and rugged and this little one definitely could use some fairness. Additionally, Fairmount Park is where she had lived, and it seemed as if this Fair Mountain had given her the strength to make one final walk so our paths would cross. The name fit and was appropriate for her to carry.

Once we were home, Fairmount was taken to her room and I hit the computer to begin researching. I didn’t know much about the FeLV leukemia virus but learned the big factor with the disease is that it causes severe “immunosuppression” – a weakened immune system. This information clearly indicated supporting and strengthening the immune system was crucial. This meant all normal drugs including vaccines should be avoided because this would only produce the opposite effect and further weaken the immune system. There were many articles relating to the more traditional pet care therapies but not much in the way of natural treatments. However, I did find one article concerning the benefits of pureed liver and how cats with the FeLV virus craved the enzymes. This article was a light bulb moment. Several years earlier, I had maintained a small practice as a medicinal cook for a few with various health conditions and well knew the medicinal value of food. Additionally, I also knew of a woman that once had leukemia who was given approximately 6 months to live 25 plus years ago. Therefore, I decided to attack all of Fairmount’s symptoms aggressively with food and herbs, along with some energy healing. All of which would have to be scaled down proportionate to her size/weight.

The following is the first phase of Fairmount’s all natural treatment. The photograph above reflects approximately one month of care. In addition to constantly asking the spiritual realms and Fairmount for help, I relied heavily on trusting my intuition (what came through me in the way of thought/feeling) when it came to how to proceed, what to feed and how much to administer on any given day. It is important to note that even though I believe organic whole foods are the best way to go and all of my animals have been subjected to my beliefs, I have always used the highest quality pet food I could locate as a base. Another factor for consideration is meat byproducts of any kind along with added preservatives are not good for healthy animals and definitely should not be given to an animal that is ill. Therefore, my animals were fed food made by Pet Guard, which is USDA certified organic.

Foods (Dosage ranges employed.)

Pet Guard – 1/2 can 2 times per day.
Fresh Daikon Root – 1/3 teaspoon grated to dispel excessive mucous. 1 serving per day.
Aduki Beans and Juice – 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of mashed beans with 1 tablespoon of juice. 3-4 times per week to support and strengthen the kidneys/bladder during toxin release.
Short Grain Brown Rice – 2 to 3 tablespoons to stabilize system, and also treat constipation and/or diarrhea.
Fresh Kale – small amount slightly blanched and finely chopped. 1 serving per day.
Carrots – small amount either grated raw or cooked and then finely chopped. If juiced – 1 tablespoon juice with 1-2 teaspoons of pulp. 1 serving per day.
Pureed liver – 1-2 tablespoons mixed into food or a small bowl between meals with as much as she would eat. High source of protein and enzymes.
Raw egg yolk – High source of protein. 2 times per week.
Organic Whole Chicken Boiled – Meat with marrow extracted from bones. 2-3 times per week.

Herbs

Fresh Ginger- 2 to 3 drops to rev up circulation. 1 time per day.
Fresh Garlic – 1/4 to 1/2 clove finely minced for parasites. 1 time per day.
Flax Seeds – 1/3 teaspoon for skin and coat. 1 time per day.

Natural Antibiotic

Colloidal Silver- 1/2 teaspoon internally 2-3 times per day. 1/4 teaspoon 2 times per day after improvement. 1/8 teaspoon 1 time per day thereafter. Also used as eyewash to treat eye infection.
Powdered Calcium Ascorbate Vitamin C – 1000 to 1500 mg per day to start. 500 mg per day after improvement. 250 mg per day thereafter.

Herb Tinctures

Burdock Root- 2 to 4 drops to purify blood system. 3-4 times per week.
Echinacea Golden Seal- 2 to 3 drops to strengthen immune system. 2-3 times per week.

Fairmount was given a few days to rest and gain some strength before she was given her first bath with some of my own personal organic shampoo. Thereafter, she underwent 4 additional baths for 4 days in a row with one gallon of boiled lemon water added to treat the mange. The bathtub was filled with just enough water to cover her feet and no more than half of her legs. After the initial 4 baths, she received daily lemon water sponge baths in my lap until the mange and itching was under control (approximately 10 days).

Homeopathic Remedies

Sulphur 30 C- for skin, mange, and herpes. 10-14 day treatment. 3-4 pellets 3 times per day for approximately 5 days. 1 time per day thereafter.
Sulphur 6x (animal strength) – 3 pellets 1 time per day. Administered as a precaution for approximately 6 additional days once mange was under control.

She received daily healing sessions 2x per day – first thing in the morning and last thing at night. The initial sessions lasted as long as they did for an adult. This was not the norm because animals usually require much less healing energy. However, Fairmount was at death’s door so I was willing to work for as long as the energy continued to flow through me. Approximately one week after our healing work began and during one healing session, her body began to shake uncontrollably. I thought for sure she was dying in my lap and began to pray. Within a few minutes, she began sneezing and I became very concerned. I placed her on the floor to observe her. After the sneezing - she stretched, walked over to her food and began to eat. I continued to observe. After she finished eating I asked, “Are you OK?” She walked over to receive some stroking and then went and curled up on her bed. I sat talking to her for a while before leaving for the night. I did not sleep well, as the healing session played out over and over in my mind. After tossing and turning for a few hours, I bundled up and walked over to the studio to check on her – she was still alive. The next morning and much to my surprise, she was at the door waiting for me and seemed to have a lot more energy. During our healing session, I noticed the wheezing heard and felt in her chest was greatly reduced. I began to realize the trembling she had gone through the night before was very similar to what some of my human clients go through when we get into deep release work. “The healing shivers” is the term I use, and this must have been what Fairmount went through. The session the night before had been our turning point and the walking pneumonia’s hold had been broken. At this point, I felt much more confidant and knew we were on the road to recovery.

After about 6 weeks of treatment, the last of my 3 animal companions of 15 plus years suddenly became ill. My cat Asher had been diagnosed with a heart condition around age 3 that was supposed to shorten his life, but he had outlived them all. He was an amazing little spirit who captured the hearts of everyone that ever met him. I absolutely adored him and now he was dying. He wanted and demanded my undivided attention for 4 consecutive days – even monitored my phone time and would scream whenever someone called to let me know when their time was up. My visits with Fairmount were also cut very short – I pretty much delivered her food and left. After Asher’s death, I did not want to be around any animals but could not completely ignore Fairmount. While mourning my loss, it began to occur to me that Asher might have opted to depart so Fairmount could move into our home. It was cold outside and going back and forth to the studio was taking a toll. However, I had no plans of keeping this kitten. My only intention was to help her regain her health and then locate a good home for her – HA! The thought of one I greatly loved possibly opting to leave so this new cat could move into his home kind of pissed me off. I remember thinking “No way in hell is she ever moving in here!” Another HA! – Fairmount moved in 3 days later. She definitely lifted my spirits with her great personality – it was like she had always been living here and knew the routine. She absolutely loved to give me baths with her sandpaper tongue that hurt after about the third pass. I did my best to keep myself covered at night but sometimes a foot would pop out from under the covers, and it was a given that it would be bathed if she was anywhere near it. My head hair was not the right length but my eyebrows were, and I will never forget the first time she discovered them. A painful scraping sensation on my eye lid had me opening my eyes one morning to see her face right there over mine, which definitely made me jump!

As time progressed, she became stronger and I began to cut back on some of the supplements and eliminated others when she stopped eating the pureed liver, which indicated she no longer needed to be bombarded. After an approximate age was determined and given her depleted state, I had initially believed she probably would not come into season around the usual 6 months of age. Wrong! Contrary to what I thought and/or wanted, she did not wait. Her first season hit in the middle of the night on Christmas Eve. I did not realize she was in heat and thought she was in pain as she screamed the house down. It wasn’t until the next day that I realized she was very fine. I had also mistakenly believed cats came into season every 6 months so this would be the first and last time I would have to go through this. Wrong again! In January she came into her second season and it was then that I learned cats come into season every month. Needless to say, there be absolutely no way I would live with several days of monthly screaming sessions until the spring. Our local vet was contacted the next day. But he would not spay her without giving her a rabies, and distemper shot. I tried to appeal to his better nature and explained the special needs of feline leukemia cats and how giving her these shots could cause a set back or kill her. He understood but his position was firm. We were locked in a stalemate, and he would not bend the rules. Although, he did suggest I contact the initial hospital where she had been treated because they had not required any shots to work with her. However, this hospital suddenly expressed concern about the possibility of rabies, distemper, or some other infectious disease. Go figure! I reminded them of the fact they didn’t seem to have any problems with the treatment and charging a very significant amount of money when this infectious “stray” was initially brought into their office. I also pointed out that contrary to their death sentence, this stray was still very much alive, and had not set one foot on the ground outside, or come in contact with any other animals. All of my reasoning attempts fell on deaf ears and they refused to spay her without shooting her up with their drugs first.

The end result had me taking Fairmount to a holistic vet located almost 2 hours away where she would receive the kind of care she required, but it was not at all cheap. After the appointment for February was arranged and the approximate cost given, I hung the phone up and sat in shock. This little stray kitty was costing more in medical bills than all of my animals and me combined in the last 25 years. I turned to see Fairmount in the middle of a bath, and informed her that she best not have any plans of checking out on that table, and she better hang around and give me my investment back!

The morning had come and Fairmount was driven to the vet where she remained for 48 hours. I was a bit nervous about leaving her but more so about the procedure. Coming into season at her normal time was a good sign and reflected she was healthy. But waiting to undergo such and invasive procedure was definitively my preference. I was assured her system would be supported from administering a mild does of anesthesia to receiving an acupuncture session directly after she regained consciousness. Leaving her was hard. I found myself remaining in mental communication to assure her I would be returning along with telling her she had to stay strong. The vet provided constant updates before, during, and after the procedure. What was becoming clear with each new call is the vet was falling in love with Fairmount, which had me feeling relieved. When I went to pick her up, she was as happy to see me, as I was to see her. The vet informed me that all secondary conditions had cleared, and she was symptom free but had still tested positive for feline leukemia. This was good news and tackling the leukemia would become the primary focus now.

The second phase of treatment
In addition to maintaining the following foods, additional supplements suggested by her vet were included. Her feeding was reduced to once per day with one to two days of fasting each week. Fasting gives the system a break and stimulates the immune system. Fairmount would also see her vet once every 2 weeks for a form of healing therapy known as the “JMT Technique,” which she seemed to like very much. My plan was to have her retested for the leukemia in a few months and compare the actual numbers in the blood work to monitor her progress.

Foods

Pet Guard – 1/2 can 1 time per day.
Aduki Beans and Juice – 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of beans with 1 tablespoon of juice to support and strengthen the kidneys/bladder during toxin release.
Short Grain Brown Rice – 2 to 3 tablespoons to stabilize system, and also treat constipation and/or diarrhea.
Fresh Kale- small amount slightly blanched and finely chopped. 1 serving per day.
Carrots – small amount either grated raw or cooked and then finely chopped. If juiced – 1 tablespoon juice with 1-2 teaspoons of pulp. 1 serving per day.
Fresh Meat – when it comes through to give this to her.

2 times per week

Acidophilus Yogurt – 1 tablespoon.
Egg Yolk.

Vitamin Supplements – 1 time per day

Liquid Vitamins with high vitamin “A” content.
Co-Q 10 – 1/3 of 30 mg capsule.
Acetylator – 1/2 capsule.
ProZyme Natural Enzyme -1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon per day.

Immune system

Scan – small pinch added to food. 1 time per day.
Powdered Calcium Ascorbate Vitamin C – 250 mg 2 times per week. More if needed.

Fairmount made it to her vet for 3 healing sessions before she changed things with her own plan. She developed an aversion to riding in the car and became extremely stressed on our way to the vet for her fourth session. I had initially thought she would mellow out as we drove but we were half way there and she was still screaming. I saw no benefit in taking her in for a session when nothing other than reducing her level of stress would be accomplished, which would be canceled out on the drive home. Not to mention, stress is a major trigger for this disease, and I was not willing to risk her health. I turned the car around and brought her home. To this day, I have no clue whether the leukemia is still active, or if it is in remission, or how long she will live. What I do know from my research is that if a kitten with leukemia survives beyond two years then there is a very good chance they will go on to live a full and long life. Fairmount has been with me for almost five years now, and she knows what I want and that I am actually expecting to get at least twelve years if not more! However, this choice is entirely up to her.