Scarlett Has A Sick Tummy

Scarlett puts on her best pitiful face.

"I hope to make people realize how totally helpless animals are, how dependent on us, trusting as a child must that we will be kind and take care of their needs... they are an obligation put on us, a responsibility we have no right to neglect, nor to violate by cruelty." ~ James Herriot

Miss Scarlett has been on her thyroid medication for over two weeks now and she still acted as if she couldn't sit still for very long. This past Friday she had the surgery to remove her bladder stones. She did very well and didn't even have to stay the night. The analysis is in progress to tell us what kind of food she needs to prevent them from recurring.

The dreaded collar.

She is supposed to be quiet and no jumping for two weeks... do you know how long it took her to break the jumping rule? About an hour. Her worst problem right now is this plastic collar; she must wear it for two full weeks. Bless her heart, Scarlett is having a time figuring out how to eat with it on. I did notice a bit of a depression in the food bowl so perhaps she is starting to get the hang of it. She has accepted being separated from the other kitties and seems to love the extra attention. The vet gave three days of pain medication and ten days of antibiotic. She hates pills and liquid and has to have the medicine with food. Right now to make sure she is getting enough water and calories, I am feeding her a special anorexic diet with a syringe three times a day, with her medicine. Sometimes she does ok, and sometimes she gets more food on the collar and on the outside of her face than in her mouth.

It is so funny to watch her try to walk around the room. If she walks too close to the door, the collar hits the edge and she stops dead in her tracks. Scarlett tried to exit through the cat door but couldn't negotiate the pesky collar through the flap. Poor baby. I hope that by Thursday she can spend a few hours in the sunroom without all the curious kitties bothering her too much.

Scarlett: "I'll never be able to wear a bikini again!"

Oh, yes... I almost forgot her little shaved tummy. Just a tiny incision, three stitches... but before they come out I know she will be completely frustrated. And I bet they are going to itch.

Scarlett will tell her ordeal to any cat who will listen today at Cats on Tuesday, hosted by gattina. There will also be cat tummies at Tummy Tuesday over at catstuff, and though her tummy shot had to be done quickly, (Scarlett doesn't like to be on her back at all) she still is proud of her stitches.

Update(4/5): Scarlett has made it with the collar for one week. She isn't happy about it and is very comical to watch as she tries to wind through the kitchen and under the table, but we do attempt to contain our laughter. She seems to be learning how to navigate her food and water with it, but it took several days. Today she got to spend the day in the sunroom and enjoyed the light and warmth. I think she is up to visiting the animals at Friday's Ark hosted by the Moderator. And by Sunday she might find another kitty having to suffer with "the collar", so she won't feel conspicuous at the Carnival of the Cats, hosted by Bad Kitty Cats this week. See you there.

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