Rescued-- UPDATE & New Kittens- update Silo sighting 7/26

[candyappy]

The loft seems empty with just Calliby and Rufus running amok but they came right for me this morning and Rufus actually submitted to some loving. I am waiting for them to purr when I pet them . Calliby purrs like a demon when I am playing with her.

I took BK in to get spayed yesterday and they called to say she had a runny nose and maybe lung/ throat issues??? She has never acted anything but 100% and I still haven’t seen a runny nose or any breathing issues but that is their policy . They did give her a treatment for worms, fleas & mites so we are good there.

She looked big in the carrier and weighed 8 pounds so maybe she isn’t as small as I thought??

So, I picked her up with a 10 day round of oral antibiotics ( oh goody) and she will get done on Monday the 29th now. Round 1 went swimmingly ( i am being sarcastic) and anyone who has tried to give an unwilling cat meds by mouth knows what I am talking about.

Who knew 1 ml could be so much and how many legs, paws , claws a cat can sprout at will, to keep you from getting it in a carrier or a tiny syringe in her mouth??

I hope todays goes better…

[Rackonteur]

I hope so too. None of the how-to videos I’ve watched show the dreaded horrible tongue-sticking-out, reverse-lapping defense! That tongue can push hard enough to send sticky liquid med to the nearest cheek, chest, or ear. Thank goodness it’s never hit Velvet (or me) in the eye!

[3PonyFarm]

I would rather give an unwilling horse meds than an unwilling cat. I think the horse is easier.

[gailbyrd]

Not ideal but you might want to try to mix the antibiotics into really soupy wet food (add a little each time to disguise the antibiotic) to see if you can get the antibiotics into her that way instead of taking risking your hands (and body) to all out claw war.

[BrownDerby]

I did similar when my second batch of compounded meds did not have the tuna flavoring. I syringed a small amount of tuna juice, and then added the meds. It wasn’t perfect but it helped a lot.

You could practice with pure tuna juice as well.

[tikihorse]

@3PonyFarm

I would rather give an unwilling horse meds than an unwilling cat. I think the horse is easier.

Same here! It’s amazing how much more difficult it is to give medicine to a tiny little cat! And… those teeth and claws are SHARP!

[shiloh]

I had a feral female who got a horrible uti after her spaying. I had to give her meds and let me tell you there was no way I was sticking my hand in that buzz saw. She was truly a nasty cat - never socialized or treated well and fiercely protective of her kittens. I got the meds into her food - really strong smelling fishy stuff or chicken baby food. In fact it got so she got so used to funny tasting food that when I served her food with out meds she turned up her nose - to her it wasn’t “right.”

[chestnutmarebeware]

Yep, they’ve got quite a launching system!

What is the bright pink liquid antibiotic that stains the hell out of everything it lands on when the cat sprays it out of her mouth? Not amoxicillin, I don’t think.

I actually had to repaint my white living wall and throw away several articles of clothing after one of the girls had a round of that particular medication!

[candyappy]

I have to say that yesterdays dosing was completely uneventful and we got it all down her throat and not on me!

I guess the first time she was still traumatized by her daytime outing and first car ride in the carrier?

Yesterday I just sat down on a hay bale and when she jumped up to me I grabbed her by the scruff of her neck and wedged the syringe in and down it went. Then I petted and praised her and gave her some wet food.

Hopefully that will be our daily pattern. I just remember my mom’s horror stories of trying to give her cats needed medication. I never had to!

@chestnutmarebeware our medicine is the bright pink liquid

[chestnutmarebeware]

Lol! My advice is to wear dark clothing!

[candyappy]

@chestnutmarebeware

Lol! My advice is to wear dark clothing!

My “chore clothes” are so stained and filthy even after washing , who would notice??

[shiloh]

yes. amoxicillin. yes, it’s effective but man the stains. I have outfits from when I had to medicate Bonnie many years ago that still have the stains on them. and it was a beast to get off the walls.

[candyappy]

A couple of weeks later finds them extremely " food motivated". They were all sleeping up on the hay bales and I got some sleepy face pictures while they waited for their breakfast. They love the wet food.

Barn Kitty finally got spayed on Monday and was given a clean bill of health!!

Both Rufus & Calliby are enjoying being petted and held more and Calliby has started to purr when I pet her

Silo will play with me a bit now, lets me get right up to him when he is eating , so I am hopeful that one day he will rub up against me when I am getting the food. He really wants to and I don’t ever make a move toward him. Patience.

[rubygirl1968]

Congratulations on mama kitty! She deserves a happy life not making babies.

When will Rufus and Calliby be old enough?

[candyappy]

They have a date set for Oct 5th for both of them.

[tikihorse]

Yay for Mama kitty getting spayed! The others are still just as cute if not cuter. Glad to know that their neuter and spay appointments have been made.

[moonlitoaksranch]

Well done!

[candyappy]

3 months old now. My babies are getting big. Who knew canned cat food was addicting? They go nuts at feeding time.

I found Calliby with a small mouse, flinging it and rolling around and had the unpleasant experience( crunch/ splat noise) of stepping on a big one that someone left on the loft floor

Despite the abundant food they are still mousers

[JBCool]

Yay to mousing like good barn kitties! Boo to leaving them as surprises for Mom. [Shudder] They look wonderful!

[tikihorse]

That’s baloney about starving your kitties to make them better mousers. A well-fed cat is likely to make a better mouser.