Whisky Speaks

Hey everyone! It's me, Whisky. Did you all miss me? It seems like MY blog has been sabotaged by the kitties.

Mommy brought me to the V-E-T last week for a "general checkup". They took my weight (5.2 kg or 11.5 lbs), stole my blood (my results were normal) and touched me all over then declared me healthy. I could have told them that, silly peeps! And if only Mommy listened to me, she could have saved all that $$$.

Whisky : Uh, Mommy, can we go home now?
Whisky sitting on my lap as we wait for the blood test results

Would you like a tomato, Whisky?
Whisky : Ack. Smells icky

How about a carrot?

Whisky : That's more like it! YUMMY!

Silly Meow-Me and Naughty Bernie

Meow-Me thinks she's a koala-cat

See how clean my towel is? Yeah, that's right, Mommy. It's because I'm not wearing that ridiculous cone!

As most of you know, Bernie had his left foot amputated on Friday. We went back to the vet on Sunday to get the bandage changed and his incision was healing very nicely.  When we got home, we removed the e-collar so he could eat and groom himself. A little later, we went out to get some groceries and when we got home, the collar was off, his bandage was almost off and he had pulled out a stitch, leaving a little gaping hole. We bandaged him back as well as we could and brought him to the vet on Monday. And it was then that the vet declared he had not only ripped out one stitch, but he had also loosen a few other stitches which meant the stitches had to be removed and the site stitched up again.  Bernie, Bernie. Now when we put the collar back on, we have to do the "tug-test" to make sure it's very secure. My heart thumps harder and louder every time I check on Bernie for fear of what I may find...

Bernie has also been throwing tantrums every time he has his collar on. He would pee and scatter poop all over the towels instead of his litter box (he's litter box trained) which means there's that many towels I have to wash. Today, I put bed pads on top of the towels, so hopefully it helps to make cleaning easier.

I really hope there will be no more "excitements" until 7 June when he goes back to the vet to have the stitches removed. We'll try to visit everyone soon...till then, don't forget us!

Tutu Has A Friend and Bernie Update

Tutu is doing very very well, and is now allowed to run around for a few minutes, several times a day. But she isn't allowed to climb until she gets the go ahead from the vet (her next vet visit is around the first week of June).

Maddie is the same age as Tutu (4+ months) and was rescued off a busy street as a very very young kitten by her pawrents. Her pawrents want her to socialize with her own kind and while Maddie was a little wary of the adult cats, she has found a playmate in Tutu (and vice versa) when she comes for boarding!

As they are still warming up to each other, their "play" consist of some chasing (usually Tutu does the chasing - she's like a little gangster!) and lots of Halloween Cat hops. There's no physical contact...yet.  :)

Tutu : Well, well....who do we have here?

Maddie : Eeeeek! Don't sneak up like that!

Tutu : Okay, okay...let's start over. Is this better?
Maddie : Definitely! Now, ready, steady.....GO!

Tutu : AND OFF I GO!
This picture of Tutu just makes me laugh and laugh

Kittens testing the boundaries

Bernie update : The abcess on Bernie's toe just won't clear up with the antibiotics (it was also very painful) so to prevent it from spreading and getting worst, the decision was made to amputate his foot at the mid-femur yesterday (Friday). While this might seem drastic, his foot also had nerve damage and he was dragging it around so it made a lot of sense to have it removed. He came home right after the surgery and is doing very well as a tripod bunny. We have placed carpet on the ground so he has better traction and also soft towels to prevent sores from developing on his good foot. Oh, and we help scratch his left side and left ear (and keep it clean).  He is eating, drinking, pooping and peeing so all is well. Some prayers that the incision heals without a hitch would be appreciated!  :) 

Bernie : I can't see, but something seem to be missing....yup, the PAIN!
Mommy : In this photo, he isn't wearing his e-collar because I wanted to give him an opportunity to groom himself. He'll be in the collar until the wound has healed (when I'm not around to keep an eye on him)

We Have A Cat Tree!

Boomer : Hey Felix! We have a cat tree now...you don't have to climb the netting to look outside anymore

Felix : This is pawsome! 
Boomer : Just the perfect height and spot to check out the outside
Meow - Me : What's in there?

Felix : ANYBODY in there?!

Boomer : Oooooffff!

Peek-A-Boo!

Thanks, Mommy. This cat tree is PERFECT!

Mommy here : We bought a cat tree for the boarding room recently so that our cats and also the boarding cats have a nice tall perch to enjoy bird / squirrel TV. All the cats took to the tree immediately, without any hesitation.  Boomer is most often on the tree, enjoying the view.  :)

What Do You Spy, Ling?

Ling : OMC!

Let me try looking at it from a different angle

Unbelievable! How shocking!

Mommy! Have you looked at our fan recently!?

Oh dear...yes, Ling, I see it now. I'll get the ladder!

Bernie And His Toe

Last Tuesday (just before Tutu's troubles), I brought Bernie (the rabbit) to the other vet at Dr Doom's (didn't want to stress Bernie in a car ride). He had chewed off his nails on his back paw which then got infected (2 toes). With rabbits, an abcess is baaaaad news. Long story short, the vet removed the nail bed of one of the nails but couldn't get the other one out. He was prescribed antibiotics.

Today, I was supposed to bring him back for a follow up but after the bad experience with them and Tutu, I decided to bring him to my regular vet who proceeded to remove the other nail bed (it was still infected and pus filled) and cleaned out the wound. Since he also has some nerve damage to that foot, causing the foot to buckle and him to drag his wound on the ground, I asked if he could device something to help prevent that (the other vet couldn't think of anything).

After some thought, he proceeded to make something like a "cast" which allows the wound to breathe and for me to spray antiseptic on it while keeping it protected from being scrapped along the floor or being chewed by Bernie.

Hopefully we have filled the quota for vet visits for a long time to come! And most important lesson learnt from these 2 experiences, stay away from Dr Doom!

I can't see what the heck was done to my foot but boy, does it feel a whole lot better

Doesn't Bernie's foot look like it is wearing a rugby player's helmet? The cast has hardened and I plan to leave it on, even after the wound has healed, at least until the fur grows back...that is if Bernie leaves it alone.  :)

Tortie Tuesday

Thank you Katie and Auntie Carole for suggesting I got my OWN Tortie Tuesday.  :)

Having a nice good scratch on my brand NEW scratch pad

I got a new toy too!

Come on little mousie...come to Tutu!

Let Tutu give you a nice big hug!

Tutu is still under strict cage rest to let her fracture heal properly. She is healing well, show no signs of pain and have been doing her potty regularly on her own. Another 23 days to go before we go for a follow up with the GOOD vet.  :-)

Tutu Sunday

Sunday, day 5. Tutu is showing definite improvement. Yesterday, she did her pee and poo after taking the valium. Today, she presented me with the best ever Mother's Day present. A perfect poo and pee WITHOUT valium. She is clearly in less pain as she wanted very much to go exploring but I had to stop her and put her back in her cage. She made it vocally clear she didn't like that!

Her vet called on Saturday to let me know the blood test results were back and all her levels look very good. Her calcium is also within the normal range, but that could also be due to the supplement she had taken before the blood was drawn. What is important now is to keep her on her meds and supplements and strict cage rest. I try to alleviate her boredom by taking her for "walks" while she sits in her potty. She says hello to all her furblings, she sits with me while we watch TV and I bring her outside for some sun therapy. She seem happier and actually started to purr again.  :)

I think the worst is over, and that Tutu will make a full recovery. Thank you again, for all your purrs, woofs, prayers and positive vibes. I know that definitely helped!

We're sorry for not coming around the last few days, and now that Tutu's recovery is on track, we'll be visiting everyone to say thank you personally.

PS / I'm so glad we went for a second opinion. The first vet made me feel like a total failure and in his words as he looked at her xrays still ring in my ears, "Ohhhhh. Your cat is hypocalcemic and can die anytime!". All these without even suggesting a blood test to confirm his diagnosis. How irresponsible.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY to all the wonderful mothers out there!  :)

Ohhhh...what a lot of things to see and smell!
Tutu getting some sun therapy

She put me back in here just as I wanted to go exploring.  Spoil sport.  :(

Maybe if I look cute she'll let me out?

How about now?

No? Still nothing?  Dang, she's strict
As much as I can restrict her movements outside the cage, I cannot stop her from rolling around in the cage. I suppose she would know not to do it if it hurts.  So to see her this way just means she feels better (she couldn't do this yesterday without crying)

Tutu Update

I brought Tutu to my regular vet for a second opinion on Friday afternoon. I asked for his interpretation of the x-ray and after looking at the images carefully, he said there is a fracture on her lumbar (almost at the center of the back). He also observed that her bone doesn't seem as dense for a 4 month old kitten. However, he does not believe it is hypocalcemia. And he says it is "fixable" with proper supplements, nutrition and cage rest.  He stole some of her blood to get a full blood profile done. We should get the results by Monday.

Tutu had also not urinated since Wednesday night (11:30pm) so we decided to express her bladder (it was very distended and she was very uncomfortable). We had to sedate her in order to do this (muscle relaxants did not work). The vet is a little concerned that there might be some nerve damage from the fracture, causing her not to urinate on her own. She is already on nerve supplements so he prescribed valium (2 days worth) to see if it will help. She did scratch at her litter before we left for the vet and assumed the pee position but gave up after a few seconds. Depending on the situation, I may set up a few acupuncture sessions for her.

Tutu's appetite is very good. She ate 2 helpings each for lunch and dinner, and drank water all on her own. She's really such a trooper and I'm so proud of her. She did walk a little after dinner then lay down with her back plastered to my leg.  :)  I informed Tutu's rescuer (the lady who rescued her from the trash) about the situation this evening and she came right over with her husband to visit Tutu. They still care very much for her.

Thank you everyone for your purrs, woofs and prayers. We truly appreciate all our blog friends. You guys are the best! We aren't out of the woods yet, so do keep her in your prayers!

Waiting for the sedation to wear off

Tutu : You promised to carry me when we got home. We're home now. CARRY ME!
I have to carry her straight like a plank with her entire body on my forearm and her feet dangling down to keep her spine stable

Eating her dinner

Resting after taking her medicines

I can stand AND walk...but not for too long.....yet.
Thank you for all your prayers and purrs and woofs. I can feel all of it and I know it will help me get better.

Please Say A Prayer For Tutu

We would appreciate it very much if you could send Tutu some purrs and keep her in your prayers.

I brought her to the vet on Thursday morning after she screamed out in pain on Wednesday night and would scream when I touched her. After a physical examination and xrays, the vet suspects she is probably hypocalcemic, based on how faint her bones looked against her organs. A blood test was not done to confirm this.  However, the vet says she is able to see some "fractures" on her spine, along with some bone chips, one of which is close to the spinal column.

She is home now and is on Prenisolone, Clavomox (antibiotics), Daneuron (nerve supplement) and also calcium gluconate. There is no pain killers as the Pred should help with pain control. The vet says the situation is "salvageable" (since she is still so young - 3.5 months), unless it turns out to be something genetic. That would come with a very grim prognosis.

Tutu is now confined in her cage and only allowed out to walk under close supervision (she is not allowed to jump or run around). She still has some discomfort but is able to get up and take a few steps (she couldn't stand last night). She cries when I have to move her.

If anyone has any experience with this, please do share. I would appreciate it very much. As you can imagine, I am a total wreak. :(

Monday Mehs

One Kibble, One Tutu, One Boomer....who wins?

Superpower Stare Beams....ON!

Boomer : Oh goody! She's given up...now's my chance

Slowly does it.....

Felix : Oh HEY! A kibble! *crunch crunch*

???????

What in Cod's name just happened?

A Surprise Package

For Cody's 5th Birthday, he had a huge give-away and we won a surprise from him and Mommy Caren! And the package has arrived! Woo hoo!

Tutu : Buzz off MY package!

Hey, what's this? 

Mom Caren and Cody were nice enough to include a cute little bandana for Whisky
Whisky : How do I look?  :)

The stash for the kitties

Cosmo : I choose the ModShaker! Hey, now YOU buzz off, Tutu. You're too young to appreciate nip

Boomer : OMC. This bird won't stop TALKING!

Felix : I choose you, cute feather tailed mouse

Coco :  This mouse is fun to fling about

Felix : Give it back! I saw it first. The mouse is MINE

Ling : Oh....I can't decide but they all smell nommy!
(Stay tuned for Ling's pick!)

Thank you again, Mommy Caren and Cody for the awesome selection! We LOVE it!