Please pray for my Missy

First a little background - Missy was a kitten from the feral colony I take care of, I messed with her all the time and when she was 4 or 5 months old I finally got her tamed enough I could get her in a pet taxi & get her spayed.  I was going to keep her inside during her recovery, and happily her being so young she calmed right down and became my pet who stayed in most of the time.  I do not like outdoor cats and fully believe they should all be inside.  But Missy was determined to be both indoor/outdoor she liked to potty outside and would cry and cry until I would give in and blame it on her feral days.  Usually she'd be out for a while then back in.  I'm not going to make excuses I knew better, I should have been stronger willed and never have given in to her, I screwed up now Missy is paying for it. 

Missy also has a passion for climbing trees.  Her and one of the strays would play and play in trees all the time.  Often climbing much higher than I was comfortable with.  Well this past tuesday morning, Missy went out like always only an hour later I found her injured.  I took her to the vet to find out she has 2 broken hips!  The vet says the only thing he can figure out is she had to have fallen out of a tree and either landed extremely hard, back legs first or possibly fell and hit my Dads truck which was parked under one of the trees.  His suggestion was instead of jumping right into surgery, we give her 4 weeks to see if she may heal on her own, which he says is highly possible with her only being about a yr old and being healthy, and not over weight.  So he gave us some pain meds and we are keeping her confined in a dog crate.  She did extremely well the first 2 days eating, drinking, rotating herself from side to side throughout the day, but yesterday was a little rougher.  Which I've always heard day 3 is the worst for anything because the first couple of days are shock, adrenaline & exhaustion.  I don't know if this is true, but she just wasn't very active yesterday.  She ate & drank, but I had to rotate her.  She seems a little depressed.  Which I'm sure is possible, with the injury and being confined. Today was a bit better but not alot.   Also she is urinating but didn't have a bowel movement wed, thurs, or today which could have something to do with her not feeling too good either.  We have an appointment in the morning for her to get an enema.  Yikes! 

Anyway I have been reading alot on these forums about cats with similar injuries, which has helped give me some hope but with my nerves being shot, exhaustion from getting up all hours then working, and just pure feeling heart broken for her I was hoping to throw this out and maybe get some extra prayers for her.  Also wish me luck getting her to the vet tomorrow, I just hate moving her even though I know it has to be done I'm terrified of hurting her.

Good luck with Missy at the vet today. Poor muffin.
Like you said she started out as a feral and was so used to climbing trees and being outside that keeping her in all the time would have been extremely difficult. Don't beat yourself up about it - at least now she's getting vet care and lots of love. I still think her life will be a better one than if she'd stayed a feral.
As for her injury, it sounds like she will need a long time time to heal and it's going to be a tough time for you as you help her through. Lots of for both Missy and you.

Awww, poor baby! I'm so sorry to hear that happened.

I know how it is trying to keep a kitty inside that was used to going out when ever it wanted. I've dealt with this with my boy, & now he only goes out on a leach, in a harness w/ me. This was my compromise for him. (I try to take him out for about 30+ Min's. in the morning, & after work).  He doesn't love it, but I know it's safer & I have peace of mind. (even though it takes more time out of my schedule).

I will pray for Missy, & your right, It can't hurt to put it out there, the more prayers the better!

Maybe having to be in for so long to heal, she will finally be okay with being a total indoor cat.

If not, when she is completely healed, I would get her a harness & leach, & only take her out that way,

for her safety.

Is there any kind of splint or something the vet can put on her to help??  With hips, it must be hard.

If she will let you, (& ask the vet) maybe putting a very small pillow, or rolled up hand towel between her legs

when she is laying on her side, to keep the hips from collapsing. Less painful to be supported??

(like we do when we sleep on our sides).

Good luck & keep us posted.

You will both be in my prayers!!

Thanks guys.  Vet visit went well, he said she looks great considering, eyes are bright, she's still got spunk, not at all dehydrated.  Did the enema, which took affect on the ride home of course lol  He also said she has great use of her tail and anal muscles which is good, means no nerve or tenden damage.  So pretty much the only negative we had to deal with today was clean up duty which is difficult but we will just keep pressing on doing the best we can.  She is longhaired which doesn't help but I did have him to shave her bottom which helped a bunch and if all goes well in a couple of days I may see if I can shave a little off the underside of her tail to make things go faster and easier too.  She has definately felt better since her "results" today, she's even tried to help me groom her a bit, she does the outside of her hips and I get what she can't reach, and she has ate like a horse and even played with a string with me for a while.  So thank you for the prayers, keep 'em coming cause they sure help.  I never thought about the pillow thing but it is definately an idea, that is what people do when they hurt a hip so may have to check into that one.  Any more ideas or advice I will for sure take, this entire site has been very helpful.  Thanks again and I will keep you posted.

Awww jreene25, I am so happy to hear Missy is doing better!!!  She has been in my prayers, & thought of her this morning as well.  That's all great news!!

I'm glad she is feeling much better, eating & playing, YEY!!!!!!!!!!!  Good signs.

Yes, I will continue to pray for her healing!

Do you have any pictures of her you can post? Would love to see her!

Yay!!! Glad she is doing well!!!

Missy is doing really well so far.  She is moving around alot today, every time I check on her she is in a different spot in her kennel and laying on a different side.  She mostly belly crawls but that is ok for now.  She did take a couple of steps the other day, and she has been moving her legs more, stretching and straightening them, so that is a very good sign.  Also I never thought I would be so happy about cat poop  but I found myself cheering her on last night when she had her very first all by herself bowel movement!  (only on this site is typing that sentence acceptable lol)  Thanks for all the good wishes, keep those prayers coming and surgery may not be in her future, that would be a total blessing to us both.  Also I do have pics I will post as soon as I can, my laptop crashed so I will have to upload them to this computer first, but I will work on it so ya'll can put a face with the name.  Everyone have a blessed day. 

That's wonderful to hear! Yes, you are right, "only on this site"  We are defiantly meowmys, with all the poopy talk! LOL! 

When Angel was having some tummy trouble a few months ago, the girls at the vets office & I always joke because we use food to descibe consistency.

"Was it more like soup, cream of wheat, or soft serve?"

I am so glad your precious Missy is improving and doing well.  We rescued an adult feral back in July 2011 and she is doing very well considering she had never had human contact before. I put a post on the feral section about it.  She cried at night for a few weeks and considered letting her go but that was out of the question since we were selling our house.  We brought her 2600 miles and she is a very happy "indoor" puss camper.  She does not let us touch her but she is comfortable around us and gets along with our other 4 guys/gals.  Hope your Missy keeps doing well.

Ken

Finally got some pics up of my beautiful, goofy girl.

Sorry if pics come up twice, kept telling me there was a problem with the system and couldn't continue so I did it again.

merstockgto said:

I am so glad your precious Missy is improving and doing well.  We rescued an adult feral back in July 2011 and she is doing very well considering she had never had human contact before. I put a post on the feral section about it.  She cried at night for a few weeks and considered letting her go but that was out of the question since we were selling our house.  We brought her 2600 miles and she is a very happy "indoor" puss camper.  She does not let us touch her but she is comfortable around us and gets along with our other 4 guys/gals.  Hope your Missy keeps doing well.

Ken

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That's awesome, most ferals don't have such a happy ending. 

Thanks everyone for the well wishes, the prayers and support here have been amazing and a great comfort, like knowing someone's got your back

Glad to hear your baby is doing better. and she is GORGEOUS!

She is just beautiful!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  How's she coming along?

Aww thank you!  She is doing really really well, this is just day 12 and she has made so many improvements.  Yesterday was her birthday, but she gave me the gifts.  I turned away to fill her food bowl, turned back and she was sitting up!  A shocking sight when you haven't seen it in over a week.  Sat that way for about 10 min. then laid down and used her right back foot to scratch behind her ear.  I swear I just stood there staring at her in aww of how tough she is.  Then later she managed to pee in the litter box.  I don't know how I didn't see her do it, but the proof was there.  She hasn't sat up since but I was thrilled with those 10 minutes.  My biggest concern right now is she is only urinating once a day, but a large amount?  She isn't drinking like she was the first few days though either, she is drinking but she was drinking ALOT at first but she may have had a fever then I don't know.  She acts great so I will just have to keep an eye on her and make sure she isn't getting dehydrated.  I don't know what "normal" amount of urinating was for her before because I wasn't watching her like a hawk like I am with her confined.  Anyway so far so good.  I'm cutting her pain med. down slowly and it doesn't seem to be bothering her, if anything it lets her be more alert.  I will keep ya'll updated.  Aug. 28th will be 4 weeks and that's when he said we will do more x-rays and see if surgery is needed.  I will be ready and not ready for that, anxious and terrified.  The improvements she is making though are really getting my hopes up.  I've kept a journal every day of her actions, meds, eating, drinking, bodily functions lol etc.  and she really has amazed me with daily improvements.  Animals are so much braver and tougher than people!

"That's such great news!!"  Sounds like she is on her way to healing. Hopefully she won't need the surgery, with the progress she is making.  

"Good job Missy!!"   I'll keep praying!!

LOL! You sound like me with the taking notes. So much has been going on w/ all of this, I think I'm just going to print my thread out, & put it in his records book. (rather than re-write it all!)

(Yea, I made & printed out my own pages for a record book & bought a notebook to put it in. Those little record books are just to small!)

UPDATE:  Missy is still doing amazingly well, she is off her pain meds which means she isn't as sleepy and much more active........eeek that's a good thing but still scares me a little when she gets to moving around too much.  She would really like to get out of her kennel and I feel bad keeping her in it but it has to be done I sure don't want her to re-damage any healing that has happened.  So I just love on her, give her extra treats & ask her to be patient.  I crawled in with her the other day and lay beside her for a bit, that was a sight I'm sure lol.  She is peeing & pooping on a regular basis now, eating & drinking great & sitting up usually once a day atleast.  Today she even squatted in the litter box!!!   This tuesday will be the 3 week mark, she has made amazing improvments still not sure about her walking abilities yet she has only taken a couple of steps at a time, but that counts in my book....only time will tell.  We go back to the vet some time after the 28th.  She is really getting my hopes up for no surgery!!! 

Oh my goodness! I've been following this thread on your Missy and just had to pop in and let you know that I've been sending healing vibes and prayers for your little girl. The photos are awesome--she's one beautiful baby! Go, Missy, go!!

Yeeey!!!!! That's wonderful news!  That Beautiful little girl of yours is coming along great!    You sound like me, I'd be getting in there to lay w/ my baby too! I think it's sweet.

"That's just what us Meowmys do."  "We gotta get in that snuggle time ya know!"

Missy continues to be in my prayers!!!!

What a beautiful girl! to you for rescuing her - and for being such a good momma! I've TNR'd and rescued feral cats for over 10 years now. We're very fortunate in that none of ours wanted back outside. But sometimes it's what they need to make them truly happy. :rub: I spend far more "worry" time on the outside kitties (the feral colony) than I do the inside cats. That lack of control is just... part and parcel of loving feral kitties. :heart2: I'll send vibes that not only does she completely heal, but that she doesn't want back outside.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!