Unfortunate New Pregnant Foster

gilmargl

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Yesterday, both my fostered cats were to be either released back into the wild or rehomed and I was looking forward to finally giving their living quarters a thoroughly good clean out. But no sooner had I started to empty the first litter box the telephone rang and I was told that a pregnant cat which had been roaming the streets for some time, had finally been caught and was on its way to me. I told the driver to drive slowly as my other cat was not due to be collected for another 30 minutes and so it happened that I only had 10 minutes to clear up after the one guest left and the next one arrived.

Actually, I was quite happy to have a pregnant cat again. TNR is all very well but one doesn't have much time to get to know these unfortunate creatures and sometimes it breaks my heart to see cats, which quite obviously could be domesticated if only one had at least 6 months to spend on each individual, released to fend for themselves.

But now I have a different problem. At the moment we refer to our new guest as "Palette". We live in Germany so this is pronounced "Paletta" which doesn't sound quite as harsh as the English pronunciation. She is a rather messy tricolour, hence the reference to an artist's palette. She could be quite attractive if only her ears were not torn, one eye was not injured and her tail had not been cut off quite short. She is a bit timid but not an unfriendly cat. Unfortunately, one doesn`t feel like touching her, a dirty cat with ugly injuries. I think she senses this, feels insecure and her ears go back though she hasn't hurt anyone yet. The best vet in town is on holiday and although the other veterinaries are good for routine matters, the Cat Rescue would rather wait and not risk a faulty diagnosis or treatment. Palette has been walking around in this condition for several weeks and, although her tail Looks dreadful, it is obviously not a new injury. She sneezed this morning so her eye condition could be made worse by cat flu.

I spent this evening with her - putting blankets on the floor in the cellar in the corners where she seems to like to sit. Although, we do not expect an imminent birth, she already has a washing basket, under a desk, as a possible birthing box. Tomorrow, I will add another one under the shelves. She is an active kitty - plays with the cat-toys - has already lost 2 table-tennis balls; eats well.

It's such a shame that her appearance is so off-putting. Next week, I'll take her to the vet and perhaps I'll find out a bit more about the causes of her injuries and if anything can be done. Hopefully, her kittens will be healthy. Wish us luck and ideas for a better name than Palette will be appreciated (but nothing derogatory - like Stumpy - she deserves something better after her ordeals).
 

ondine

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I think Paletta is a lovely name - it catches her looks and has a pleasant sound.  Thank you for helping this dear cat; it does sound like she's had a rough time.

Keep us posted - hopefully, she see a vet before the kittens are born.  She'll probably need antibiotics for the eye thing but hopefully, that will be all.

Oh and I've had revolving doors on my foster room too. Two out, three in; four out, two in and so forth.  You are right, too.  Sometimes we can't get to know the cats very well.  It's nice to be able to spend some time with one...
 
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StefanZ

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Im sending a lot of *vibes!* together with my very best wishes   I will follow this errand too. 

  I too think  the name Paletta is good enough.  Or perhaps lend a name from some good woman painter (ie a woman who is / was a first rate painter).

I understand she isnt very shy?  If she turns out to be a good mother, she can perhaps proceed as a foster mother?   It will give her a lot of sympathy - and thus - create love for her.
 
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gilmargl

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Thank you for the good wishes. Today she didn't look half as dirty, maimed and distrustful as yesterday. Even my daughter said that she's got a nice nature and there are many far less attractive cats running around.
I think Paletta is a lovely name 
 I too think the name Paletta is good enough. Or perhaps lend a name from some good woman painter (ie a woman who is / was a first rate painter).
Today, I wasn't so sure about the name "Paletta" - the surname of an Italian footballer - not quite so inappropriate when I consider how she dribbles a ping-pong ball around the cellar! I then wondered about the name  "Frida" (Kahlo), the Mexican artist who suffered so much during her life. At the moment, I'd prefer something more affectionate. What do you think about "Chérie"? What's the matter with me, I do believe I love this cat already!
If she turns out to be a good mother, she can perhaps proceed as a foster mother? It will give her a lot of sympathy - and thus - create love for her.
What a nice idea! She is one of the first pregnant cats caught this year, so there may be a need for a foster mother once her kittens have been weaned. I'm not aware that this Cat Rescue Organisation has used foster mothers. In the past we had an excellent woman willing to bottle feed newborn kittens every 2 hours, day and night, carrying them around with her whenever she had to leave the house. Amazing woman!

She is a friendly cat - rubs against our legs and allows us to stroke her. She comes to greet us whenever we enter the room. I did my ironing in her room this evening, just to keep her company. She was so inquisitive, that I was frightened she would jump up onto the ironing board to investigate where the hissing sound was coming from. (I wonder how she lost her tail?)

Once, when I went to stroke her head, she thought I was playing and took a swipe at me - but she didn't have her claws out. She hasn't tried to sit on anybody's lap yet.

I have told the Cat Rescue to make an appointment at the vets asap - the vet returns on Friday morning but the chances of getting an appointment on her first day back at work is unlikely. Meanwhile, I will be given something to help improve her immune system (Echinacea Complex?).

Thanks again for your replies - I'll keep you up to date.
 

ondine

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Oh - I like Chérie - much more descriptive and sweet.

It sounds like she's coming along.  Thank you so much for helping her.  We do tend to fall in love ...
 
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gilmargl

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Thank you for the good wishes. Today she didn't look half as dirty, maimed and distrustful as yesterday. Even my daughter said that she's got a nice nature and there are many far less attractive cats running around.
I think Paletta is a lovely name 
 I too think the name Paletta is good enough. Or perhaps lend a name from some good woman painter (ie a woman who is / was a first rate painter).
Today, I wasn't so sure about the name "Paletta" - the surname of an Italian footballer - not quite so inappropriate when I consider how she dribbles a ping-pong ball around the cellar! I then wondered about the name  "Frida" (Kahlo), the Mexican artist who suffered so much during her life. At the moment, I'd prefer something more affectionate. What do you think about "Chérie"? What's the matter with me, I do believe I love this cat already!
If she turns out to be a good mother, she can perhaps proceed as a foster mother? It will give her a lot of sympathy - and thus - create love for her.
What a nice idea! She is one of the first pregnant cats caught this year, so there may be a need for a foster mother once her kittens have been weaned. I'm not aware that this Cat Rescue Organisation has used foster mothers. In the past we had an excellent woman willing to bottle feed newborn kittens every 2 hours, day and night, carrying them around with her whenever she had to leave the house. Amazing woman!

She is a friendly cat - rubs against our legs and allows us to stroke her. She comes to greet us whenever we enter the room. I did my ironing in her room this evening, just to keep her company. She was so inquisitive, that I was frightened she would jump up onto the ironing board to investigate where the hissing sound was coming from.

Once, when I went to stroke her head, she thought I was playing and took a swipe at me - but she didn't have her claws out. She hasn't tried to sit on anybody's lap yet.

 I have told the Cat Rescue to make an appointment at the vets asap - the vet returns on Friday morning but the chances of getting an appointment on her first day back at work is unlikely. Meanwhile, I will be given something to strengthen her immune system Echinacea Complex
 

StefanZ

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Funny with this last post here above.  It appeared two minutes ago.   But I saw this post, or its one-egg twin, a couple three days ago!!!

Did you take down your original post, but reposted now??
 
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gilmargl

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Sorry about that: somehow I had saved my last post and this morning couldn't get rid of it.

Why do these things happen when I'm in a hurry?

Well, now: The Good and the Bad News – What would you like to hear first?

Yesterday I had an appointment with the vet who had a good look at Chérie. I'm sorry I didn´t write immediately, but due to ill health of the manager of the Cat Rescue Organization, we all have to take on extra tasks. I had to deliver cat food and litter to handicapped pet owners, and pack 3 large boxes of contributions to the Easter tombola. I was presented with 1000 m wrapping foil and worked till one o'clock this morning, much to the amusement and delight of my 3 cats! (By the way, wrapping parcels is not my favourite pastime).

First thing this morning I was back at the vets with a cat for dental treatment, whose owner cannot drive. I tried to write this while waiting for the phone call announcing that he was ready to be taken home. No such luck but the cat is now back home with his owner and my car is once more full of more interesting whatnots to pack this evening for the tombola on Saturday.

Back to Mon Chérie!

So the good news (at least for the Cat Rescue Organization), Chérie is not pregnant! Not sure whether it's good or bad news for me or for the cat. At least I will have no sleepless nights, wondering if her kittens have been harmed by all that she's experienced in recent weeks. She's evidently already been castrated.

Bad news: she has, as expected, cat flue so it's antibiotics for the next 8 days followed by deworming and then....

Worst news (for everybody concerned), she'll need an operation on the remains of her tail as soon as she's fit enough. On hearing of my slight disappointment at not having a pregnant foster cat, I was offered the chance to swap Chérie for a newly trapped cat, who is expected to deliver in the next few days. But, I'm going to keep Chérie at least until she's had her OP and fit enough to go to either another foster home, where she can socialize with other cats and perhaps have access to an enclosed garden or, better still to a new permanent home. Will try to reply to individual responses in this (and other) threads as soon as things have calmed down and I have some time to answer all the kind comments and good wishes I have received.
 
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gilmargl

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Just a quick update and a question.

It's been 6 weeks and 6 visits to the vet since my last post.

Chérie has had one-and-a-half vertebra removed from the end of her short tail. She never even tried to remove the bandages and plasters which she needed for 3 weeks. Although she can raise the short stump it was no surprise to be told that she has no feelings left in her tail. At least this fact makes it easier to study the healing process.

I may be imagining it but since her operation she is much more sensitive to being touched (best to keep hands close to her head and avoid her back). Tremours along her back (feline hyperesthesia) are very frequent but, since she hasn't been with me for very long, I cannot say whether this is unusual for her or not.

She does not have another appointment at the vets but I have been warned to look out for signs of necrosis. The end of her tail is healing well, but she has a small red patch on one side where there is no fur growing back. I told the vet that it looks like a sore spot resulting from the fact that she sits on her bent up stump. This could be true but I was told to watch out in case this red patch gets any bigger or starts to smell. I marked the boundary but 24 hours later I could no longer see the ink. The patch seems to be getting darker and is not such a contrast to the black fur but it is still surrounded by skin-coloured tissue where no fur has reappeared. Has anyone any thoughts about what I should be watching out for and how long it could be before the danger is over?
 
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