Traumatized, Blind Rescue Kitty....

[ellentheartist]

Anyone have experience with a blind, traumatized rescue kitty ???
I took in a 2 yr. emaciated DSH spayed female calico housecat on Thanksgiving Eve...the woman was going to have her put to sleep, because she "didn't want it anymore"...I don't think she even knows Missy is blind and I don't know how she could miss that she was so starved...she complained Missy wasn't reliable about using the litterbox, either...
Missy (now Sweet Missy LaPurr) was extremely upset and growling in her carrier upon arrival...
Some cat rescue volunteers helped me get her to the vet the a.m. after Thanksgiving day (I had to work, Xmas retail....). Missy tested negative for FeLV and FIV, earmites (had already been treated twice recently for internal and external parasites) and I'd sent a note along for the vet to check her eyes...his report back was that she's got a genetic abnormality of the iris muscles...she can't constrict them...
Watching her for three weeks now, she seems about 95% blind to me...she seems to see huge shapes, maybe, but not much else...
She doesn't budge from a couple of huddled positions in the nice and roomy "cat condo" pet porter I set up for her...she's almost catatonic...uses her wood pellet-filled litterbox perfectly, by the way...
My other rescue kitties take much, much better to a new face if there's a long introduction...they hardly bat an eyelash when I let the new guy out for longer and longer periods of time....
Missy wouldn't eat for me at first....the woman warned me she wouldn't eat anything but Chef's Blend dry cat food, which has turned out to be true...she wouldn't touch canned food, tuna in oil, human baby food, etc...
I was having to dab Nutrical gel on her mouth and give her subcutaneous fluids twice a day.....finally she began to eat!!!!!
Missy's eating and drinking normally now, digestion normal....she just seems to have been terribly misunderstood and neglected....the woman said you could hardly pet her...well, she ever so slowly will rest her chin in my hand and not budge...I can feel the faintest vibration of a purr under her chin....
I'm thinking she just needs a very long recovery time, mentally and physically....she's such a sweet little girl....
A cat rescue friend with a HUGE amount of experience has assured me she'll eventually compensate quite well...
Missy'll have as much time as she needs...I love seeing her slowly come around...I think at first she was not wanting to live anymore...I told her things could be a lot better for her, that she could be happy....
Any insights would be greatly appreciated...
Thanks,
Ellen in VA

 

[hissy]

Ellen, I had two blind (and brain damaged) kitties. I would be happy to share with your some tips on how to make their life easier- you can email me off the site or send a PM

 

[kathryn41]

God bless you, Ellen. You have given this poor little cat a new lease on life - poor little girl. I get so angry at some people who shouldn't have animals and do - like Missy's former owner. I am sure that Missy will blossom under your love and your care and will always be a very special little girl. I am just so happy that she came into your hands and now will have a chance in life.

Kathryn

 

[kelleylove]

Oh God I'm just about crying reading this. Poor little girl. All I can say is when I took in Kelley who had been abused, I didn't push myself on him. I let him hide under the bed as much as he wanted and let him come to me when he was ready. If he happened to be out of his hiding place I *would* approach him to pet him and he seemed to get used to that. Just let the little girl get comfortable and "allow" you to pet her, etc.

I REALLY hope she gets rehabilitated with you. I get so angry at these people who neglect their animals, especially to this point. I won't even go there right now, I know I'll say something inappropriate.

Good luck to you and little Missy!

 

[maverick_kitten]

i've got nothing to add except good luck, you did a wonderful thing by taking her in. its awful how little animal life seems to mean to some people.

 

[ellentheartist]

Missy gave me a tiny, slow head butt on my hand today!!! I waved my hand back and forth and she seemed to track it, but her eyes weren't focussed on it...just sort of a vacant look on her face...I'm going to click my "pet clicker" training tool and see if she can hear that....
Will keep everyone updated...Missy is gonna teach me alot, I think....

 

[jennyr]

This is such a wonderful story and I am sure it is going to get better and better! With a blind kitty I think you probably have to be a little more pro-active in getting them to come to you but it sounds as though Missy knows well that you love her and are there for her. I really congratulate you and wish you the best of luck.

 

[ellentheartist]

I tried snapping my fingers outside the "kitty condominium" I set up for Missy, and her nearest ear definitely reacted by moving toward the sound...I'll have to observe her awhile longer to understand how much she can see and hear...
She's eating and drinking totally normally....still hiding out in the back of her "condo" mostly.
I was going to have a physical/blood panel done on her to investigate her thudding, heavy heartrate -- it does this even when she's seemingly relaxed...but for now had to postpone, I am completely exhausted from Xmas retail work and Missy's doing very, very well otherwise...I am scheduled to work every weekday until Xmas eve...will do the bloodwork on her in a week, or so...vet thinks a taurine deficiency could've damaged her sight and heart...will need to run some tests....
Today was my only day off for nine days...turns out I had to take my little rescue papillon, Mickey Mouse, to the emergency vet due to vomitting, and learned he's got a bladder stone...thank goodness for doggy health insurance....that's two ACL repairs, one bout of hepatitis (cause unknown), and now a bladder stone for Mick....he's a high maintenance little guy....I've had him for 7 years now...came out of the local animal control facility in awful condition....took six months to rehab him....I told him, I hope you get along with cats....he tolerates them...thinks the only good thing about them is their cat food!!
I think the critters are taking turns going to the vet these days....lost my 17.5 yr siamese mix two Sundays ago...her kidneys failed and she also had a brain tumor, had started having seizures...medication controlled those, but her kidneys gave out and I couldn't let her suffer, she was assisted peacefully in my arms by the emergency vet, and went on to her next adventures as a kitty angel....
So two Sundays out to three, I've been at the emergency vet....groan.....I'm just in a bad patch now....
Will keep you updated on Missy's progress,
Ellen and the Herd

 

[ellentheartist]

Sweet Missy's starting to gain weight!!! Hooray!!! And she's eating and drinking quite well!!! She's a quiet, gentle little soul....one of my other rescues, a 6 month kitten asked to go into Missy's "condominium" a couple days ago and they got along!!! Missy's first new buddy!!! His name's "Peekaboo Whiskers" and he's a DSH blk/white tuxedo kitty....he's feral, but he comes VERY close to me and is just starting to let me pet him...he's VERY VERY curious and hangs out close to me, has an amazing attention span!!! I think he'll be friends with Missy!!!
She slowly and gently reached out a skinny little white mitten paw and drew my fingers to herself to be petted the other day!!!!
Missy's coming along, slowly but surely!!!!!!

 

[dragonlady]

Wow, you have really won Missy's heart! Great Job!

 

[valanhb]

Ellen that is fantastic progress with both Missy and Peekaboo Whiskers!

How wonderful that she reached out for you to pet her...that had to just melt your heart.

 

[ellentheartist]

Missy's coming along at her usual extremely slow-turtle pace....which is just fine, whatever she thinks is okay...she seems to reach out incredibly carefully with her little front paw to check out the texture of things....she's loving being petted....
Last night, she came an extra step closer to the front of her kitty condominum/apartment that I set up for her...I can't change a thing in her environment, she's very scared then.....so, we go at her pace...it's been two months, but oh well....
Peek-A-Boo Whiskers is coming along nicely, too!!! He's letting me pet him pretty well now, and his high-strung feral littermate, Mr. White Fang Whiskers, is also letting me pet him, by some miracle!!!! The brothers were the only two in the litter, all I ever saw with their mom...Mrs. Prissy Whiskers...
White Fang is also a handsome tuxedo kitty, but he's dove grey and white, with a plumey tail and medium length hair....even as a tiny kitten, he was a piece of work!!!! I saw his fangs alot, he'd charge me to protect Peek-A-Boo, when he thought that I was going to get too close to Peek.....very especially hissy, too!!! Quite "lion-hearted"!!!!
They look like twins, except for their different colors...each has a solid patch over one eye, like little pirates!!! I humane-trapped them outside the store where I work, trapped their feral mom and got her fixed and released her...she had other sources of food, I think, as she was in extremely good shape for a feral cat...I deeply regret releasing her....she used to wait for me, only about once a week, and I'd put food out for her....she had the very same, watchful and awesomely observant nature as Peek-A-Boo....
I hope she charmed the other people who fed her and is now in someone's house also...it's been months and I still look for her every day...if I see her again, I will trap her and take her home to stay....
Thanks,
Ellen and the Herd of Critters

 

[cirque]

Wow that is so great to hear. I am so glad you were able to save her from being put down and have been able to provide a home she can live in and get proper care. I hope she continues to improve and enjoys her life. That is just so wonderful!

 

[ellentheartist]

Hi Everyone...it's Missy Update Time!!!!

I discovered much to my shock, that Sweet Missy LaPurr LOVES to be combed!!!!!!! She's still bony/thin (though starting to gain weight now...) and has a sparse coat, but she took to being combed like a duck to water!!!!! AMAZING!!!!!

She sniffed the flea comb and nibbled on it a bit, then I slowly started combing around her neck....she's still moving soooo slowly, like a South American Tree Sloth...hates to come out of the "kitty condo" if I gently lift her out, so I have to be patient awhile longer...Missy reaches out slowly with her white mitted paw and feels things when I ask her to move forward....tapping and gently calling her works fine....

It's been two months now....she's improving....sooo amazing that I crossed paths with her.....such a sweet and utterly gentle little soul....

Heaps of Meows,

Ellen and Sweet Missy LaPurr

 

[sashacat421]

WOW! Ellen,what an angel in disguise you are. What a tremendous thing you have done and contribution you have made to this little life. I read with earnest every single word and am speechless at your goodness.

She is one lucky girl and no doubt will flourish under your hand. I, too, just got a rescue kitten/jr. cat myself, who is a little love and loves to be brushed. I am not first party to her rescue, but second party, and her rescue family (GlowbugM on this site) deserves all the credit as they found her emaciated and surviving in the wild. I understood the mammoth amount of care they gave her before I answered Mayree's SOS, and words can't say enough to you.

Please continue to post updates and tell us how things are going!

Elizabeth

 

[millyanddaisy]

Ellen thank you so much for this wonderful story. It's very heartening, and I hope little Missy continues to improve. There's nothing so uplifting as watching a mistreated animal blossom under proper care. Well done you.

Sue

 

[tulip2454]

Thats great news Ellen - I was wondering how she was getting on. What has the vet said about her eyesight - how much vision does she actually have? Glad that Peekaboo and White Fang are there the help out!

 

[snowleop]

Ellen,

You are definitely Missy's guardian angel! It brings tears to my eyes to read about the progress this little girl has made under your care and protection. You are a wonderful woman. God bless you!

 

[ellentheartist]

You're all very kind....I'm trying my best in uncharted territory with Sweet Missy LaPurr....she's a puzzle!!!!
I had an appointment to take her into the vet last Wednesday, along with my 16# Long-haired white cat,(with a bit of brown tabby) Colonel Cupcake No ("cupcake" cause he's sweet and fluffy and not always good for you....kind of a daredevil housecat....very stocky and POWERFUL!!! And "no" cause he hears that fairly routinely, "No, Cupcake, No!!!!" HA HA...
I lifted Missy out of her kitty condo the night before, as a trial run for going to the vet the next a.m. and she totally panicked....I'm going to give her just a little longer, the vet agreed with me on this one...Missy's definitely on the right path....don't want to have the vet sedate her right now if there's nothing urgent going on....her heart rate's so thudding, the vet and I are thinking she may have a heart problem....I won't wait much longer to get her a checkup...next week (I'm working the next five days straight)...when I don't have Cupcake to carry along and can focus on Missy....
Will keep you all updated!!!!!
Thanks and Hugs to All your Kitties!!!
Ellen and the Herd of Critters

 

[ellentheartist]

One curious thing happened this a.m.....Missy started meowing very loudly (not her nature) and she was staring out of the kitty condo, right at Peek-A-Boo Whiskers!!! He was several feet away and her gaze was FIXED on him!!!! Her pupils weren't constricted or normal looking, but I'm wondering if her vision is improving just a bit....this is the first behavior I've seen like this from her!!!!! Maybe the vitamins and nutrients in her food are helping her eyes out?????
I'll still love her, no matter what her level of vision...this was just a very unusual and interesting action on her part...she definitely had something very important on her mind....seemed like urgent meows....
Thanks,
Ellen and Sweet Missy LaPurr