Working with PTSD kittens has its many challenges and bumps along the road. Yesterday, it was time to de-flea everyone. I generally use Revolution as it not only kills fleas, but also earmites. The clinic was out due to Covid, so I switched to Advantage and administered all the doses. No problem until it came to Ash’s turn.

A few minutes after she received her proper dose, she let out this shrill series of meows and started foaming at the mouth. Still screaming, she raced through the house, foaming as if she were rabid and poop just flying out of her rear. I have never encountered such a reaction. Foaming, yes, if they lick at where the application spot was located, but she was dosed (as were they all) on the back of the neck. It took me 45 minutes to corral her into the bathroom and examine her.

She was in a high state of agitation, pawing at the ground, shaking her head. I was scared. I grabbed the DAWN and gave her three baths in a row. Needless to say, she was not compliant in getting a bath although they had many baths when they first arrived here due to the exposure of the ashes and toxins from the wildfires.

I sat down on the floor and dried her off. She was violently shaking for about 30 minutes after the bath even though she was bone dry at the time. I promised her it would never happen again. I apologized over and over for hurting her. She was not impressed. All she wanted to do was escape her jailer. When I opened the bathroom door finally, she streaked out and ducked into her cave,

I don’t like putting chemicals on cats, but I also know first-hand the real damage that fleas can do to kittens and cats, Just that knowledge, cancels out my feelings about these flea treatments. I’ve tried the natural remedies,  most of them out there do not solve the problem effectively when you have so many cats- some of them being unapproachable.

I didn’t pursue her, nor did I force her out of hiding and demand of her  to stay on my lap. I just let her be and let her decompress from her horror. She has not once since being here, jumped on my lap or even made an appearance from her cave until sunset. I wanted so badly to comfort her, but I also knew that forcing things on her is a bad move.

I had fallen asleep in my chair when I felt a cat jump on my lap. Woke up and it was getting dark. I figured Magoo (who just recently started testing out my lap) was asking for food. I turned on the light and to my surprise, Ash was on my lap! I did not make eye-contact, just turned the light off and waited to see what she would do next. She laid down on my lap, I covered her up with my lap quilt. It was 3:00 p.m at the time. I put my world on hold and sat with her until 8:00 p.m.She wasn’t trembling, I got the sense that she was thanking me. She did not try to bite me or hurt me. On her own accord, she jumped down at 8:00 and ran over to the food bin. It was past time for dinner.

This morning at 4:00 a.m. (always my wake-up time to feed the ferals outside) She jumped on the bed and woke me up by walking up to my chest, snuggling down and kneading her way into my armpit. It hurt like the dickens to be kneaded there, but I took it all in and thanked God for this “breakthrough.”

As i sit here processing the events of yesterday and this morning, I have to wonder if her sensitivity to this chemical might have something to do with the toxins she inhaled during those awful first days of her life? I can’t figure out a few things:  How when they both were trying to survive, searching for mom (who died in the fire), they both suckled the environment around them. Unhealthy as it was, it was the only thing available for them to eat. Although both of them (when first stimulated) were pooping ashes, dirt, gravel and small twigs- Magoo was never as sick as Ash. He was also able to be stimulated and fed without vomiting up the formula or trying to shred my hand and going ballistic anytime a moist cotton ball was placed on his rectum. Their eyes were still shut  when they first arrived here. Perhaps Magoo had been able to get some nutrition from mom before Ash did? We will never know.

What I do know is that Ash will never have Advantage touch her skin again. In such a shared horrible experience for both of us, she has finally decided to trust me. I am also glad although she fought the multiple baths horribly yesterday, that I decided it prudent to give her three baths at once. Hopefully I got most of the toxin off her body before it did irreparable harm. I never purchase store-bought flea treatment. I always buy from the vet. Some of the flea treatments sitting on store shelves are counterfeit and can cause great damage. With the vets you know that it is coming straight in from the source. Yesterday, there was finally a breakthrough, but not one I would ever hope to experience again…