Zigrit: The Tiny Tiger Princess with the Fancy Calcium

Let’s talk about Zigrit. Queen Zigrit. Princess Zigrit. She answers to all of the above, preferably while reclining in sunbeams or perched like royalty on her favorite soft pink blanket. Zigrit is one of our littermates we adopted together from the shelter with her brother Lars, the world’s most sensitive cuddlebug. When they were kittens, they curled up together constantly. It was so adorable, like they knew they were starring in a Hallmark special called Two Tiny Tabbies Find a Home. These days, they’re more “roommates with a soft spot” than cuddle buddies, but there’s definitely a sibling bond. Lars is the only one she lets bother her without throwing paws. Everyone else? Not so lucky.

Small but Mighty (and Spicy)

At about ten pounds, Zigrit is the smallest of our feline crew. Her paws are tiny, her face is dainty and her frame is positively doll-sized next to Butabi’s solid 14.5 pounds of fluff and muscle. But don’t let the size fool you, she’s got the heart of a lion and the sass of a Broadway diva. She chases Butabi around like she’s twice his size and he runs from her like she means it. Because… she does. If Ziggy or Butabi even look at her wrong, she’ll let them know the princess is not in the mood. But Lars? He gets a pass. Always.

The Calcium Mystery

Now, despite her queenly mischief, Zigrit has actually been one of our healthiest cats, thankfully! But a couple years ago during a routine checkup, our vet found something a little strange. Her calcium levels came back high on her bloodwork. Nothing too scary yet, but high enough that we were told to fast her overnight and run the tests again. This time, they’d include a special “ionized calcium” test, which sounds fancy (and is, judging by the bill!!).

Sure enough, the sensitive calcium test came back high again. That opened up the possibility of something far more serious, like a tumor on her parathyroid gland. Gulp.

High calcium in cats can be caused by a few things: certain cancers (like lymphoma), a parathyroid tumor, kidney disease or in rarer cases, vitamin D toxicity. So…enter the high anxiety and stress. We thought it best to do an ultrasound and full-body x-rays to look for any signs of hidden tumors.

The Results? Peace of Mind

Thank the Lord, everything came back squeaky clean. No tumors, no kidney issues, nothing concerning at all. So the vet gave it a name: idiopathic hypercalcemia. Which is just a fancy way of saying, “Her calcium is high, and we have no idea why.” Not super satisfying if you like clear answers (hi, that’s me), but it was a huge relief to know she wasn’t secretly harboring something serious.

The Plan (Or Lack of One)

The good news? No treatment needed. No meds. No diet changes. We just keep an eye on it with her regular checkups and hope her mysterious calcium situation stays quietly mysterious. Zigrit, of course, remains completely unfazed. She’s too busy bossing Butabi around and strategically choosing which lap to grace with her royal presence.

Tiny body, giant attitude and a medical mystery tucked behind her sharp little eyes. That’s our Zigrit. May we all age as gracefully and with as much attitude.