09/19/2026
Thomas has been having some serious health issues lately, in addition to his seizures and neurological problems, which have caused his remaining front leg to become bent and require him to walk on his forearm.
He also recently started having very loud, unusual noises coming from his gut, along with projectile vomiting that smelled almost like f***s. He has also been having difficulty in the litter box, struggling to stay upright long enough to keep p**p and litter from getting stuck to his feet, tail, and stomach.
We took him to the vet about three weeks ago because of the loud noises coming from his abdomen. At that time, they didn’t hear anything concerning, and his bloodwork looked good. He had vomited once around that time, but because I was at work when it happened, I wasn’t sure who it was. I suspected it was either Thomas or Brandon.
Last weekend after several occurrences , I finally witnessed Thomas vomit the unusual-smelling vomit myself, so we got him back to the vet.
They repeated his bloodwork, which showed that he is slightly anemic, as he was on the first bloodwork as well, although thankfully it has not progressed significantly. He was also dehydrated, had pale gums, and was experiencing labored breathing.
They performed X-rays, which showed some changes in his lungs. Since he has asthma, the vet believes those changes may be related to that. They also performed a point-of-care ultrasound, and that imaging showed thickening of the small intestines as well as a mild-to-moderate amount of fluid in his abdomen. These findings raise concern for significant abdominal disease, with lymphoma being one of the primary concerns discussed.
I have him scheduled for a full abdominal ultrasound as recommended, with the hope that it will give us a much clearer diagnostic picture of what is going on.
For now, Thomas is on quite a long list of medications: phenobarbital, gabapentin, mirtazapine, prednisolone, maropitant, and his albuterol inhaler.
Thomas is 15 years old, so obviously all of this is incredibly concerning. At his age, we also have to consider his quality of life and recognize that there may come a time when we have to make that heartbreaking decision to help him move on to his next adventure. We are not there yet, but it is something we have to be mindful of as we navigate everything happening with him.
We will keep everyone updated as we learn more. In the meantime, please send Thomas lots and lots of love. ❤️
Sir Thomas the Brave of Tripaw is truly one of the most gentle former ferals we have ever had the privilege of working with. From the day he came to us 10 years ago, after his amputation, he has been an absolute joy.
He has also become our little socializer — helping countless feral cats understand that they are safe, that people can be trusted, and that they are loved. From tiny kittens to adult ferals, Thomas has always had exactly the calming presence they needed.
He is, without a doubt, one of a kind. ❤️
And meanwhile… please enjoy his little bath adventure from today.
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