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

Piccolo

Trapped, at last

Finally after numerous attempts I was able to trap Piccolo and get him in to be neutered.  I have tried and tried and then last Tuesday evening he was in the trap within 10 minutes of setting everything up.  What a relief.

In the carrier, in a dog crate to recover from surgery

Wednesday morning I was up super early to get him in for his surgery and later that afternoon I picked him up to go to Joanne's for his recovery.  Piccolo spent a three nights in recovery and this morning I picked him to return him to join the East Side Gang.  

Just about to be released

Boomer, my sweet orangie boy kitteh

Boomer has been through a lot in the past two weeks.  After 9 days in hospital he came home on Friday evening.  YAY.  Mike and I are really glad he is home.



home at last

Last Wednesday he had a cystotomy to remove a rock pile of stones and crystals from his bladder. The stones are being sent off for analysis so we know what kind of a special diet he should be on for the rest of his life.  In the meantime Boomie, Annie Sparkles, Cinder and Howie are eating Urinary SO and it is possible they will stay on this diet.  I'm just glad they like this food, both the canned and the dry.

shaved tummy

Boomie may be home but he is still confined to a large dog crate while his surgical site heals and to keep his movement somewhat limited.  As well he has to wear a lovely blue e-collar but I'm glad it is not the hard plastic kind.  

The first evening I guess I didn't put the collar on properly and Boomie managed to get his front legs through it so it ended up around his middle.  The easiest way to get it off was to rip it off.  Then I had to get my sewing machine out to sew it back together.

Since arriving home and for a few more days Boomie is on a strict medication schedule of four different drugs.  Getting the meds into Boomie is not too difficult but I wonder if, as he gains his strength, he will fight me more and more.  

Today is day 5 post op and I can see that Boomie is more like his sweet orangie self.  

I have known for a long time that a urinary blockage in a male cat is a serious issue and must be dealt with immediately.  What I didn't understand was what fixing the problem involved.  I had no idea that it could take as long to fix not to mention the expense.  I have learned my lesson and hope with all my heart that because Howie is still very young and has started the special diet we never have to deal with this again.

Annie Sparkles (on top of crate), Cinder (left) and Howie
welcoming Boomie home



Howie on top of crate staring down at  Boomie

 

my little blue collar kitteh

Howie visiting Boomie

I'm hoping that once Boomie's stitches are removed he will no longer be confined to the dog crate. The first I am going to do when we get the okay is to take Boomie out into the backyard. He loves being outside (always under supervision) and I enjoy having him out there while I putter.