Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Miss Jag

Wow it has been quite a long time since my last post!  There really hasn't been a lot to say.  My feral kitties have been doing well - until recently.


Doodle and Jag

Jag was at the vet this morning.  She is a beautiful, approximately 13 year old kitty I have been caring for since 2002.  She is quite tame so capturing her this morning was super easy.  I put food in a carrier and in she went within a few minutes.

Jag had some kind of "thing" on the left side of her face just below her ear.  I tried getting pictures so I could get a good look but she wasn't very cooperative.  Looking back at the fuzzy pictures I wonder if this "thing" was a tick.  The cats have had these ugly things before.  The spot on her face changed into more of an ugly sore and again getting decent pictures proved challenging.

I feed twice daily now that winter is here.  In the morning I leave food for the kitties.  When I return just as the sun is setting I remove all the dishes and give the kitties fresh food to get them through the night.  Full tummies help to keep them warm.  Jag was not showing up for a lot of the feedings and I assumed that she was coming out after I left in the mornings.  I could go days without seeing her.  

A couple weeks ago her sore appeared to be healing.  I gave her antibiotics when she showed up, but they only work when I can give them daily.  She was still only showing up every 3 or 4 days.  

Since my return after Christmas she was coming out every feeding and her sore wasn't looking bad but around  her left eye was looking swollen.  Her balance was not good either.  She was stumbling or falling over if she jumped to an uneven surface.  I started her on antibiotics and was pleased she was getting them at both the a.m. and p.m. feeding.

Yesterday she came out with a new sore close to the original site.  Arghhhhhhhh......Jaggy, Jaggy, Jaggy.  

When I returned for the p.m. feeding last night I had a cat carrier.  I set it up in the spot Jag usually eats.  Ollie saw the carrier and took off back into the sleeping shelter.  Jag didn't come out for dinner last night.  I waited and waited.  I left the carrier there overnight with the door locked to keep other critters from investigating.
Jag and Ollie

This morning I knew Jag would be hungry.  She went in the carrier in no time.  Off to the vet we went.

Jag is now in my garage in my giant dog crate.  She has a special pet heating pad in the carrier for some warmth, a litter box and food and water.  She was eating when I left her.  

Next week we will return to the vet to see if she is recovering well.  The vet said she either has an infection behind her eye or there is a mass.  If it's an infection then I think we can deal with this with antibiotics.  If it's a mass I will have to help this beautiful little cat over the rainbow bridge.  I'm pulling for an infection and one that will respond well to the antibiotics.

Jag now recovering