Holistic Help For Autoimmune Disease In Cats: Pooh Bear’s Story
Pooh Bear
I love stories with happy endings! Perhaps it’s because in real life this isn’t always the case, especially in the lives of rescue cats. I want you to meet a very special kitty to me; his name is Pooh Bear. His name, probably inspired by the lovable orange bear we all know from childhood stories, resonates a loving, cuddling blob of orange fluff. And that is how his cat moms, Jae and Adrienne, famously known as The Two Crazy Cat Ladies, would likely describe him now. Pooh Bear, unfortunately, developed feline autoimmune disease about six years ago, and this is his story.
Meet Pooh Bear
Jae and Adrienne adopted Pooh Bear years ago when the resident kitty of his previous owner made life a living hell and didn’t want to share his home. Rather than surrendering him to a high-kill shelter Jae and Adrienne stepped in. Unfortunately, blending him into their multi-cat household didn’t go as easily as they had hoped. Blame it on hormones or hierarchy, some cats just don’t get along well with others.
In an effort to maintain peace, the moms decided to make him an outdoor kitty and hoped that their back yard could be his new safe space. Sadly, he was attacked by a feral cat, injuring him enough to need medical attention.
In what I compare to being medically held hostage, the vet refused to treat him without giving him a rabies shot, despite the fact he had been vaccinated as a kitten. In forced compliance they agreed because they knew Pooh Bear needed urgent medical help.
Vaccinosis from the rabies vaccine
Not long after his rabies shot, he began to develop blisters around his mouth. These are commonly found in animals with weakened immune systems. Jae recalls, “It was within 2-3 months after getting the vaccine he started developing eosinophilic granulomas. We decided to bring him inside and changed his diet. Fortunately, this stopped the lip ulcers.” They began to use several supplements and products to boost his immune system, too.
In addition to the immune system challenges, Pooh Bear also struggled to get along with other cats in the house, especially Scotch. Growling, aggression and hostility became the norm as he managed to co-exist. In fact, his behavior would resemble characteristics of the rabies disease itself!
Fast forward two years later all hell broke loose. Witnessing some dogs outside the house Pooh Bear got extremely angry and aggressive. As a result of the stress, an ulcer burst in his mouth, and he began spewing blood. In a panic, Jae and Adrienne rushed him to the emergency vet.
Diagnosis: Feline Autoimmune Disease
After careful examination and looking at all his symptoms he was diagnosed with feline autoimmune disease. This is a very serious and potentially life-threatening condition in which the immune system attacks its own cells. Ernest Ward, DVM, describes this disease further:
Our bodies have an immune system that protects us from foreign invaders that can cause disease and infection; however, if you have an autoimmune disease, your immune system attacks itself by mistake, causing serious illness. The immune cells fail to distinguish the body’s normal healthy cells from foreign cells and thus try to destroy the normal tissues. The cause of this “mistake” is not well understood. Autoimmune disease can affect a single system or multiple body systems. Autoimmune diseases can affect skin, connective tissue, nerves, muscles, the endocrine system (the system that controls hormones and other chemicals), red blood cells, and the digestive system.
In order to reduce the likelihood of flare ups of the disease the vet prescribed a daily dose of Prednisolone. In conjunction with this, Jae and Adrienne also added several immune-building supplements to his diet over the past several years. These included CATalyst, Vita-Cat, Oxy-Cat, Cat Calm, Krill Oil, Ubiquinol, Probiotics, Kidney/Liver Supplement, and Curcumin.
During a flare up Pooh Bear bleeds from his eyes and mouth and develops red, irritated areas on his legs and ears.
Autoimmune disease and steroids
No cat parent wants to put their cat on steroids for life. In fact, even vets know about the negative side effects and lack of efficacy long term use can result in. Like other steroids, Prednisolone suppresses the immune system, preventing the body from defending itself against illnesses and diseases the way it is designed to. Therefore, Jae and Adrienne made it their intention to strengthen Pooh Bear’s body naturally as best they could in order to lower his dose over time.
Thankfully, they have been able to reduce his dose of Prednisolone to 2.5 mg every other day. Their vet is amazed that he has been doing so well because the prognosis for most cats with an autoimmune disease is not good. In fact, she’s never seen a cat with vascular inflammation like Pooh Bear’s live past three years old. His issues have been going on for six years!
The struggle remains, however, as they monitor his health daily. Whenever his body does have a flare up he bleeds from his eyes and mouth, and his skin and ears become very red. He is clearly miserable!
Evaluating a cat with autoimmune disease using a holistic approach
My goal as a muscle testing expert is to find and address the underlying cause of a condition or symptoms. Next, I energetically determine which tools the body needs in order to heal itself. Pooh Bear’s case was unlike anything I have encountered before, so it required some research.
When my evaluation was complete I was able to provide Jae and Adrienne a clear picture of all the stressors and energetic blocks resonating in his body, along with a road map to help his body restore itself and heal. Here’s a brief overview of what that looks like:
Stressors and blocks found
- Food sensitivity to salmon
- Trapped emotions of heartache, vulnerability, rejection, confusion, peeved and conflict
- Rabies vaccine
- Liver, kidneys, thyroid gland, endocrine system, immune system
- Cats including Mr. Bittles, Scotch and Girl Friday
Recommendations to support his body
- Rabies detox protocol using the homeopathic remedy Lyssin
- Supplements including CATalyst, krill oil, probiotics, kidney/liver support, curcumin, CBD, Organic Mushroom Complex and Thyroid Support Gold
Energetic cellular release, a form of energy work, was also used to energetically remove the physical and emotional stressors to his body in order to allow it to heal and balance itself.
Pooh Bear is a changed cat after holistic approaches were taken to restore his health
Mind-blowing results
Several days later Jae, Adrienne and I hopped on FaceTime to discuss my findings. Unbeknownst to them, the energy work I performed on Pooh Bear using his photo was completed on Thursday evening. Friday morning they began to notice changes to Pooh Bear’s personality they had never seen before! He was transforming before their eyes in to a more relaxed, cuddly cat, and they were amazed. In addition, they noticed the cats’ relationships drastically changing for the better. Furthermore, improvement continued to manifest in his overall condition throughout the following week!
A week later, they reached out because he was beginning to have a flare up. In the pictures they sent me his ears were turning red, his leg had a huge red spot, and his eyes were starting to redden as well. In my mind I thought, this resembles an allergic reaction! Muscle testing revealed several stressors and blocks: immune system, anxiety and insecurity. I did some more energy work to remove and clear these and recommended a homeopathic dose of Apis Mel 200C. His condition improved!
Since that time he has received one more dose of Apis Mel and zero doses of Prednisolone! As of the date this article is being published he’s going on 15 days now without a Prednisolone pill! As Jae and Adrienne can attest, Pooh Bear is a different cat, and they continue to see his health and emotional wellbeing improve. Needless to say, they are over the moon with excitement! Listen to them tell the story in the way they are known best, with humor and charisma, in their YouTube video below!
Use a holistic approach for illness & autoimmune disease in cats
In conclusion, using a holistic approach can work even with very serious illnesses or conditions, including autoimmune disease, in cats. The key is looking at the whole cat; in other words, addressing the mind, body and spirit. Only then can true healing manifest. Patience and diligence are also key. I often describe working with cats like peeling back layers of an onion: you can remove one layer only to reveal another layer that needs to be addressed underneath. These things can take time and perseverance, so don’t give up!
For me, muscle testing is the missing link in pet wellness. The energy that resonates with an animal can point the wellness provider in the right direction on the path to health and healing. I am excited to follow Pooh Bear’s progress and step in whenever needed and help him continue to heal.
Are you interested in having an analysis done for your cat? If so, check out the Optimal Cat Health Analysis and how it works here.
