Sick, possibly FIV+ Feral Kitten

[Kat0121]

 
Yes, rest is such a healer.  It doesn't bear thinking about, what she's been through.

She doesn't have to see the vet again for a while so that's good.

So true and it's real rest. The "I know I'm safe so I don't have to sleep with one eye open" kind of rest. Hopefully she continues to improve. 

 

[Columbine]

I'm glad she's gained a bit of weight. Hopefully the cold medication will work quickly and she'll feel better soon. :cross: that the remaining black stuff is just dirt or grease.

Heal quickly and get strong Happy

 

[catwoman707]

I also agree with the comment by Kat0121 about real rest. I imagine the high alert status of a homeless cat, never truly able to sleep deeply or unguarded so to speak.

Once an unowned cat finds peace and safety, I'd think they would want to sleep for a month! 

Plus this is excellent for healing time. This is so true, when in sleep mode, our brain nearly stops, nothing from the eyes that see anything, very little from ears, smells, etc. so the brain having the least activity then, it is able to focus best on healing itself.

Mind and body's connection.

Regarding her ears, it doesn't surprise me at all that she had some dirt, what you will be watching for are the edges having any small bumps, blister looking spots, small sores or little scabby or scaly area, darkened, dryness.

Not all of these but any of them. Also sort of a crunchy feel to the edge rather than a soft feeling to them.

 

[Freedom]

Just read through this entire thread.  Thank you for picking up this kitty and caring for her.  She is clearly  happy to have a Caregiver!

 

[mani]

@Norachan, how's Happy?

 

[Norachan]

She's doing really well, thanks. She's about half way through her cold medicine and already improving, I no longer have to soak her eyes open in the morning and she hardly sneezes at all.

The only thing is I think she might be bored. She's in the cat cage out on the deck so I have to keep the cage covered in water proof sheets and a tarp so she stays warm and dry. I usually open the front of the tarp up every morning so she can see what's going on, but it's been to wet too do that recently.

In the past five weeks we've had two, two days when it didn't rain. The rest of the time it's been either cloudy and drizzling or full-on monsoon rains. The past few days have been really windy, so the rain is blowing sideways into her cage. I go out there several times a day to chat to her, but I can't leave the tarps open as she'll get soaked.

At least she is getting plenty of rest.

 

[mani]

Well, maybe that's not a bad thing, that she can't run around. 

That's a lot of rain!

 

[Norachan]

 
Well, maybe that's not a bad thing, that she can't run around. 

That's a lot of rain!

That's what I think. By the time the monsoon is over she should have recovered from her cold and have enough energy to run around with the rest of them.

I'll probably have succumbed to cabin fever and trench foot by then.

 

[Columbine]

So good to hear that Happy's doing well

I really hope the monsoon is over soon[emoji]9748[/emoji][emoji]9748[/emoji][emoji]9748[/emoji][emoji]9748[/emoji][emoji]9748[/emoji]

 

[Norachan]

Hello.

Just thought I'd give you all a quick Happy update. She's finished her cold medicine and has stopped sneezing all together now. Her eyes are looking clear and bright and she's spending a lot of time grooming herself. The past three days have been warm and dry, so I opened her cage door to see if she's come out. It took a couple of hours for her to venture outside the first time, but by day 2 she was comfortable with walking around the whole enclosure. Her back legs seem really weak, she can walk OK but she hasn't got the muscle power to jump. Even a little 50 cm platform, that the other cats just hop onto, was too high for her. She clambers up things rather than jumping onto them. I guess as she puts on weight her muscles will get stronger.

Today she's been out since 10 am and now she is refusing to go back into her cage, even for a bowl of warm chicken. She seems to be friends with Sophie and Toby, the three of them have been hanging out together all day. I'll try and take some photos of them tomorrow.

 

[Columbine]

So great to hear that Happy's doing well and already has some feline friends With all the love and good food you're giving her, I'm sure she'll be jumping in no time :nod:

 

[shadowsrescue]

I was thinking about Happy and hoping she was doing well.  How nice she is making friends.  Can't wait to see pics of her.

 

[catwoman707]

I love how she is doing, making friends, her uri seems to be cleared up now, and feeling her independence again!!

In time she will get stronger, gaining muscle tone takes longer than gaining weight unfortunately, but in time

 

[Norachan]

So, you know how I said Happy wasn't very good at climbing?

Happy10.jpg

• Norachan
• Jul 14, 2015

She gave me such a scare yesterday. She wouldn't come in on Sunday night and when I got up the next morning she was nowhere to be found. I searched the house, inside and under, checked all around the enclosure, spent about an hour going round the fence looking for gaps or holes or tunnels underneath and couldn't find anywhere that she might have got out.

I was thinking "No, she can't have climbed over. Those huge boy cats have spent all year trying and failing to get over the fence. She can't have found a way out in just one night!"

Then at about 4 pm she suddenly reappeared. She had a drink of water and then disappeared again, but this time I knew she couldn't have got out so checked all the tree tops and there she was. She chose the easiest tree to climb, it's basically a spiral staircase covered in bark.

It took me an hour to coax her down. I think she must have been scared up there by one of the other cats and decided that was her spot. Anyway, she's in no state to be missing meals and going without water all day, so she's back in her cage now.

It's hard to get a decent picture of her because she starts rolling over and doing head stands as soon as I go near her, begging to be petted. These are a few I took this afternoon.

Happy11.jpg

• Norachan
• Jul 14, 2015

Happy12.jpg

• Norachan
• Jul 14, 2015

Happy13.jpg

• Norachan
• Jul 14, 2015

Happy14.jpg

• Norachan
• Jul 14, 2015

 

[Kat0121]

She's obviously getting stronger so that's good news! Are the others picking on her or was she just startled by them? She's such a cutie and it looks like her name suits her perfectly!! 

 

[Columbine]

:heart3: [emoji]128571[/emoji] :heart3: She is just gorgeous! I love that pic of her in the tree. She's definitely in her element. She's clearly in love with you too. I'm so glad she's found you :nod: She's looking so much better than she did at the beginning. She'll be wreaking havoc before you know it :lol3:

 

[mani]

Oh Happy!

   I just love this story. 

 

[ondine]

Bless her heart!  She does look a lot better.  Her adventures are just beginning...

 

[Norachan]

Thanks everyone. @Kat0121  I think the other cats may have scared her. There weren't any problems while I was watching, but they're all a lot more active at night so I guess she climbed up there to get some peace and quiet.

I thought about making her a hammock for that tree, but I'm worried that if she gets too comfortable up there she'll never come down. 

Maybe I'll fence off her own corner of the enclosure for her so she can get to know the others through the net. That worked for Mia, she used to hate the other cats but after 6 months of having her own private garden she got used to them and is now part of the gang.

 

[catwoman707]

Oh I just adore her pics! She adores YOU!! Clearly. 

 

Before you know it her fur will come in clean and plush and the white will be white, she's coming along so nicely!