What a dreadful day! And it's not over yet. The worst thing has been Wellington - I was painting a door and he rushed at it, being chased by one of the others. He ran under my brush, and it streaked him along one side. The paint was white and glycerine, so I had to get it off quickly, but it was difficult to see on his fur. He went into a corner and started to try to lick it off, so I rushed over, wrapped him in a dishtowel, and then tried to use a damp sponge, but that did no good at all. Still holding him, I called my vet who said to use a little white spirit on a cloth, then to shampoo it off immediately in warm water. So I did that, shampooed him till I could not smell anything, and rubbed him as dry as I could. But he was freaking out by then, crying and howling, and turning round in circles and licking and biting at his side. He was so good with me, and I felt so terrible, and the only marks I have are where he tried to jump out of the bath, not a deliberate attack. So I called the vet again, who said to shampoo him again, which I did. The poor cat was in a total state by then and it brought on an asthma attack, one of the worst he has ever had. I waited till he had calmed down a little and gave him some of his medicine, and a syringe of water, in case he had ingested any paint or white spirit. Now, four hours later, he is crouching in a dark corner under the stairs, still wheezing with every breath, but otherwise calm. He has eaten, and had more water by syringe. One thing that scares me is that he has had bouts of trying to use the litter box and doesn't seem able to - he goes from one box to another with no result. There is no vet available to see him for another hour, and I am debating whether it will be more stressful to take him in, or to see if he continues to make progress. I feel like I have been torturing him all afternoon, and I am in a state of near panic myself. I looked up white spirit and one report it was poisonous if absorbed through the coat or skin (the vet didn't say that - in fact, told me to use it if I washed it off at once) and another says it has to be swallowed in large quantities to be fatal.
This morning I was woken at 6 by my neighbour to say the ponies were down the lane in her drive! So I grabbed some grain and carrot and went to catch them. Fortunately they came like lambs, but I cannot understand how it happened - there are two bolts on their paddock gate, and both were undone. I am sure I locked them in last night, so I am in a quandary over that. What a day.
This morning I was woken at 6 by my neighbour to say the ponies were down the lane in her drive! So I grabbed some grain and carrot and went to catch them. Fortunately they came like lambs, but I cannot understand how it happened - there are two bolts on their paddock gate, and both were undone. I am sure I locked them in last night, so I am in a quandary over that. What a day.