Help, I want to cry...

Long story,

I was on my daily bike ride and spied a 5-6 w/o kitten by the side of the street, being a sucker I picked it up and took it home.

When I got home Aya was not pleased. she hissed and growled at the kitten. I put him in her carrier and placed it in the shower room and shut the door and waited an hour to take the kitten to the Vet.

At the Vets we looked at several problems:
-fleas
-fecal test (negative)
-an old abscess, cleaned cultured and should be fixable with antibiotics
-more concerning is the kitten's unsteady gait and visible 3rd eyelid. the Vet says that these things in combination are often signs of a neurological problem brought on by malnutrition that may or may not be permanent.

Good signs: big appetite, loud voice, and very friendly (more than Aya ever was).

I'm going to post the rest in part 2...

Part 2:

After shelling out roughly 80 dollars in yen for the kitten's care I took him home. Well, Aya was not pleased to see him back. I quickly cleared out the bathroom (I had to move Aya's food dishes, but I live in a studio so this is unavoidable). I put the kitten in there.

Once I put the kitten in there Aya turned on me and attacked, violently and repeatedly cornering me in various part of the apartment. She continued to lunge even after I froze or retreated from her. I now have a good sized gash in my arm.

Now, I know she's not the most friendly of cats. She hides when strangers come, but she's gotten used to my friend Meaghan, and her ferrets she loves. She still play bites on a regular basis. But this was different this was violent agression. completely wigging out. I've never been scared of my own cat before now.

I did manage to vanilla everybody (self-included), but it was not helpful.

To make matters worse my OOARS rescue contact is out of the country on vacation. Luckilly I was able to call Meaghan and she agreed to take the kitten for a few days. She cannot keep him. I don't know that he's save-able at any rate. I'm going on vacation in 10 days and the kitten has to be gone by then as she's also my cat sitter.

This also opens up a lot of questions as to how Aya will cope next year when I have to fly her (in cargo) home to my family and our family cat Midori.

I guess I can't rescue anymore street orphans.

Lyrajean, I've heard of one example of something like this before. It came up in the behavior lounge, and the situation was not a cat brought into the home, but a stray cat hanging around outside that someone's kitty did NOT like - would always hiss and get aggressive when he saw the stray. But kitty's dad, I think it was, made the "mistake" of petting the stray, and coming in - to be attacked by his cat. If I remember correctly, this actually went on for several days when he tried to be friendly with his kitty.

I'll see if I can find the thread and the advice. Are you able to purchase Feliway in Japan?

I'm also going to PM someone very experienced with cats who may have good ideas about how to handle the situation.

...all of the trouble aside, thank you for rescuing this kitty!

Laurie

OK - I didn't remember the story exactly correctly, but here's the thread where kitty was attacking someone with another's cat scent on him:

http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=196188

He never came back to update - so hopefully it worked! ?!?!



Laurie

Lyrajean,

I am sorry that your cat felt she had to attack you. You were carrying stress pheremones by the numbers that your kitten picked up at the vet's office, making you smell unfamiliar to your resident cat. She did not know who you were and she assaulted you defending her territory.

How is she acting now? you can lower the threat by not making direct eye contact with her (invitation to battle in cat language) keeping low to the floor and just ignoring her for a few days but not ignoring her needs. I suspect you will not be able to rescue any more kittens or cats because some cats just like to be solo cats in a home.

I hope you went to the hospital to see to your gash in your arm, even on cats living with us for a long period of time- they can carry some nasty bacteria in their claws.

Let me know how your cat is acting now, and you want to take this to PM that is fine with me.

Aya seemes better now. She's acting like herself this morning. She didn't really calm down until after Goma (the kitten) left and I showered and cleaned up all the places the kitten had been (bathroom, shower...) which is ahrd to do while you're looking over your shoulder and being cornered by a hissing growling and pouncing feline.

It's very clear Goma can't stay with us. I am unsure what to do. OOARS got back to me last night. As they have no shelter and house exclusively with foster families they require a FELV/FIV test to intake cats or kittens, which I totally understand.

Can I test a 5-6 w/o kitten?

If I can't get him placed in 10 days, do I release him back to the street or PTS? I've resigned myself to PTS if he tests positive.

Meaghan my friend says he pooped and peed in his makeshift box last night at her place and seems much more energetic this am. He is also very friendly. Likes tummy rubs.

Oh, and I forgot. I've never seen feliway here. I haven't really looked though. There's only one pet store that might have it, but I doubt it.

From what my vet told me when I fostered a 6-8 week old kitten a couple of years ago, testing for FeLV may be performed at any age. But, since infection may take up to 1-3 months to develop, results in young kittens are slightly less reliable than if the kitten was older. With FIV, maternal antibodies may interfere with testing in kittens. There seem to be differing opinions as to when FIV screening may be performed accurately. My vet says 6 months. That said, all of the rescues/shelter here test for FeLV/FIV prior to putting kittens up for adoption, generally at 10-12 weeks.

Would the group your working with accept test result on a kitten as young as the little one you rescued? Maybe they can retest him when he's a little older?

Sending lots of vibes for him and you.

UPDATE:

"Goma" the kitten is with my friend still. Aya has gotten over the intrusion. She didn't seem to mind when I came home the following day from the Vet's after dropping him off again. He's a total head butting, purring luv bug so avoiding being snuggled during the 2nd vet visit was not really feasible. I thought I would have to dash for the shower on returning, but Aya was cool with whatever smells I brought home. So long as he's not on her turf. I guess she made that clear.

Goma's much perkier than he was when found and the abcess is healing well. He still walks funny and has a visible 3rd eyelid. He got a negative FELV/FIV test. The Vet readilly admitted its only about 80percent accurate at this age due to Mom's influence on his immune system. But it was good enough for the rescue group.

My friend's boyfriend was interested in looking at the cat and seeing if he wanted to take him permanently. Also the rescue group has a foster home lined up for him just in case. I'm a little nervous as they have never had cats before, and have 2 small children, and this kitten is definitely not 100percent well at this point. But I guess the best I can do is the best I can do given my time constraints. I should be grateful he has somewhere to go besides back on the street or PTS.

Hopefully by this weekend we will have him placed.

Lyrajean, that is great news! Just make sure to tell them about the TCS forums if they do decide to adopt him!

What a wonderful thing you've done.

for his health and a wonderful life! Thanks to you!

Laurie

Wonderful outcome for Goma - you certainly have been his guardian angel Bless you for caring

UPDATE:

Well, Goma left my friend's place and went to live with a foster family through the rescue group here.

The Vet had been waffling on whether his ungainly gait was due to malnutrition or a neurological problem. Well, after getting better for a week and eating well, it seems to have localized on his left side, meaning most likely some sort of neurological damage. He turns his left from paw under, splays his back left foot out when he sits and his left third eyelid is the one that won't fully open. He'll never be 100% but hopefully he's young enough to learn to compensate and his winning personality gets him a furever home.

Bye Goma!

As you know, any one of a thousand things could cause the neurological problems. Oxygen deprivation at birth. A blow to the head. A serious infection.

In nature, such a kitten would probably not live very long. In a human's home, he may well live a long and happy life.

Originally Posted by mrblanche

As you know, any one of a thousand things could cause the neurological problems. Oxygen deprivation at birth. A blow to the head. A serious infection.

In nature, such a kitten would probably not live very long. In a human's home, he may well live a long and happy life.

Click to expand...

I hope so. Meaghan and I were debating whether he's so sweet because he's a little daft or mentally defective. Most of the really smart cats I've had are a little stubborn have their own ideas about what they want to do and when. Goma's just Mr. mellow.

Funny thing is, it doesn't matter a bit in a housecat. He's just really sweet! I miss him already.

Awww..... I'm so glad he's gone to a foster home, and I'm sending vibes for him to find a purrfect furrever home! I'm sure he'll be easy to love!

Laurie

Just wanted to update further. the foster family called and Goma now has a furever home. His foster family just couldn't let him go. Particularly their young daughter. He's still a super love bug and is responding well to all her attention. Apparently the two have bonded and Mom is loath to separate them.

She also tells me that his disability, if it is one, is now hardly noticable. He runs up stairs with the best of them and his eyelid is opening virtually normally.

Yeah Goma has a family!

Oh my goodness! What wonderful news!

Thank you so much for saving that baby!

What fabulous news!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That is such great news! It brought tears to my eyes! I have a kitty with a neurological probelm and he is BEST EVER! I have soft spot for them now. Everything aligned alright for this kitty I guess. So happy your were in the right place at the right time.

p.s.-I wouldn't worry too much about bringing Aya home. Its not her home so she may be less territorial. You just can't tell till you get there I guess.

Wow - what a wonderful outcome for Goma!!! You have been such a guardian angel for that sweet boy
I once had a brain-damaged cat named Forrest Gump who was such a joy for the entire family. Many blessings for Goma & his forever family