This morning, bright and early, Roscoe and I were back in our least favorite place the V*T’s office! Most of the swelling from his encounter with the bungee cord has simmered down, but there was still a good bit of swelling under his chin. It was hard as a rock and I suspected an abscess so off we went.

It indeed had abscessed and also had coccidia inside of it, so they gave him a shot, and opened up the wound to drain it. He was not a happy camper. They flushed it out and gave him another shot an antibiotic because he still has issues swallowing. Poor boy was moaning, he was so scared and in pain, but he is doing much better now that he is home.

You can see the swelling under his chin in the photo –

I put an ad up for Jordan this afternoon and within ten minutes, received 3 calls on her! I was so joyful because she is so miserable here among the other cats. She now has after three families were evaluated, her own people to love her- a mom and two young boys. She will eventually have a German Shepherd puppy to accompany her through life. It is a GREAT home and I am grateful that Erin called me today-

Jordan

Temp this morning at 2:00 a.m. was 103.4 first time it has stayed below 105-106 At 7:00 a.m. 100.7- I am not breathing easier yet- because now, I can’t get her to eat anything. But I am sure her body is whipped.

Isn’t she a doll?

Amber

The kittens are growing like weeds! Pirate’s eye is all cleared up along with Drake, Parker and Morgan.

Mom & Babies

They have done everything they can for her and now it is my turn to give her sub-cu’s supportive care and TLC and just pray that God will allow her more time with us. They have no clue what is going on- chalking it up to a “mystery illness” but as you can see by the photo, she is now eating on her own- but my goodness, she looks so hammered. 🙁

Cagney

Cagney fell unexpectedly ill in the middle of the night. She is now in strict isolation where they are giving her fluids and supportive care. Her fever this morning at 9:30 was 106.3! There was no indication that she felt bad- she just suddenly plummeted down. She stopped eating today- they are force feeding her and say her appetite is poor.

The other kittens “seem” fine- even Mannix and Kojak who is only dribbling stool now from time to time instead of constantly. To say my stress meter is pegged today is putting it mildly. We are such poor substitutes for the queens. I can only do the best I can with what I have- and hope God doesn’t call any of these babies home to Him.

Star is getting spayed today and the three kittens: Mannix, Kojak and Paris went back for a recheck. Kojak was very accomodating and started leaking out his rear the minute we got to the vet. The vet said the fecal was negative, but he took another smear hoping to find answers. The kittens are now on Neomycin to help overcome the parasite found in their stools. Hopefully this time tomorrow the diarrhea will lessen and they will start feeling better.

Then I came home to an email from a couple who adopted one of my kittens about a month ago- and when I look at this photo, all the worry, stress, concern about the kittens, the mounting vet bills, how I will keep the house together as the kittens grow vanish. This is what makes it all worthwhile!

Maize

Phone call this afternoon from a woman and her husband looking for two cats:

“We would like two cats, not kittens..”
“OK”
We want these cats to be indoor/outdoor cats..
“OK”
“We want these cats to be mousers”
“OK”
“We want two cats who don’t use litterboxes!”

Okay that stumped me. I very carefully told this woman that cats need to have litterboxes if they are inside/outside cats and that she can’t just put these cats outside tomorrow and expect them to stay on her property. Since she is about 45 minutes from my house, I suspect if she got one of my cats and popped it outside, it would just head back to my house where sanity reigns (sometimes).

She got a bit offended and said that her and her husband are older and they don’t want to mess with litterpans. I told her that if the cats don’t have a litterpan, they will find an alternate place to poop and pee and she might not like the end results. *G* I told her that putting cats into a new place and not providing them with a litter pan would be just like her and her husband building their dream home with every comfort but a bathroom. The bathroom would be across the road so if they had to go potty- they would have to go outside to do so. She then hung up on me and I hope she doesn’t call someone else and get these cats- they don’t sound like they would have a very good life.

One week ago, this wee one weighed 14.5 ozs. This morning, he weighs 12.3 ozs! I have taken him to the vet three times for evaluation. He is eating, he is drinking and he has diarrhea but not huge amounts- just tiny spurts. We have put him on forte flora, then a prebiotic/probiotic powder- changed him over to A/D to try and get weight on and still he loses weight. He is always hugging the heaters (although the room is a toasty 84 degrees) He is constantly shivering and I am at my wit’s end trying to figure this out. He has been dewormed twice so now I am going to try and catch some of his stool to take it in for a fecal. I am thinking giardia or coccidia- but his brothers are growing like weeds- and both of those are so contagious. You can tell he has the feel-bads but I cannot tell you what is wrong with him-