Preparing for Fluids at Home — Mickey’s Furious Mode

This is a personal record of my life with my cat, Mickey, who lives with a chronic illness.
The English version is translated with the help of AI tools, with care and love.
This post was originally published on May 27, 2025.

A New Challenge at Home

It has been about one month since Mickey was diagnosed with kidney disease. He has been receiving subcutaneous fluids at the hospital 2–3 times a week, and although his appetite still has ups and downs, we’ve been managing his medications and days together.

One day, our vet gently suggested:
“Would you like to try giving fluids at home?”
The idea of fewer hospital visits and no worry about clinic holidays sounded wonderful.

So we received a demonstration from the vet on how to administer subcutaneous fluids at home. The fluid is given by inserting the needle under the loose skin between the shoulder blades — it might look a little uncomfortable, but the vet assured us that, for cats with enough body fat like Mickey, it would be okay.

Mickey’s Reaction Was… Unforgettable

With trembling hands, I tried to insert the needle, thinking, “Here we go…”
But instead of a smooth start, I barely managed a shallow prick — and that was enough to unleash Mickey’s fury.
Two or three powerful cat punches followed by a symphony of hisses and aggressive faces.
It was without a doubt the angriest we’ve ever seen him in the past 10 years.

(Mickey… I’m really sorry! But this practice is important…)

A Successful Second Try with Help

We didn’t give up. This time, the vet held Mickey’s neck gently and supported him, and then… success!
The needle went in smoothly, and I finally breathed a sigh of relief.
And then it hit me… We are really going to try this at home.
To say that I was nervous would be an understatement.

What We Learned

The fluids we use are Solulact IV fluids. We take home a 500 mL bag each week and plan to use it in a few days’ time. Knowing we will soon face our first real at-home fluid session makes my heart pound.

Sometimes I worry — Will this damage our trust? Will Mickey hate me?
But the vet reassured me with kind words:
“If it’s still difficult, don’t hesitate to come back to the hospital.”
That thought gave me courage.

Mickey… let’s do our best with at-home fluids.
Our hearts may be shaking, but we’re in this together.