Sunday 13 June 2010

Back again with the 'Tail' of the Cat


I cannot believe it has been so long since I last blogged. So much of my little furball's life has happened in a cacophony of everyday life beating at the walls and the humans. Suffice to say we have survived and so has little Red, who is getting decidedly not so little.

As I write he is here by my side playing with a bag handle. He is a joy to play with as his enormous tiger paws are velvet soft and he is always so gentle. You can lift up his paw and play with it and he never scratches or used his claws. Sometimes, if he is caught up in the game, he will take a little gentle bite but a soft "no bitey" warning does it and he immidiately begins apologetic licking.

So what has changed in all these months. Well, he hasnt got as enormous as we anticipated but he is certainly getting very tall and long limbed. So if he fills in his light little frame then he is on target to become a fairly substantial boy. His tail on the other hand seems to belong to another breed of cat, it is long, lustrous and about the same size as his torso. it is soft and silky with the exception of the end which is like the softest cotton wool ball you could imagine. This has earned him a new nickname of the 'Cottonwool Kid'. He still eats like a horace and tries to eat all of Magic's food to save his own for later as she never touches his bowl. He has also learned to come into the bedroom when I get dressed as this means he gets a share of Magic's sweet treat before I leave the house.

In terms of losses, his cutie tootie baby face has now gone to be replaced by a little grown up boy's face. I was really sad when I realised this as he was a truly adorable kitten. As an adult he will be no less special but I do miss the little face.

The other losses were his little 'ginger nuts' when he was 8months old. He will always be a house cat and we had no intention of breeding from him so it was planned he would be neutered. We were also wary of him becoming an adult cat and attempting to 'exercise his urges' on Magic as there was a fair to middling chance she'd rip them off without anaesthetic. As it was, we had to be away for various commitments and the cattery wouldn't take him as an unneutered adult so the time was upon us before we knew it.

He was a star at the vet's and charmed them all. Our vet is a very good one but it is unfortunately the most expensive in the area. At Red's pre-op booking they asked me if I wanted him fed post-op. I was a little surprised as normally making sure an animal, and a human, are ok post-op involves them resuming normal diet and fluids. Aside from this he had been starved for 14hrs and I wasnt coming back until after work. Of course I wanted him fed!!! I was then told in sombre tones it would cost 68p for his food...! I wanted to say that at home he eats his way through far more than that...but instead I said of course I want him fed as he will be hungry and it would be unfair to leave him.

When I came back for him he was terribly sheepish looking but delighted to see me which was nice. He is such an independent little soul that it is hard to know how connected he is sometimes as he seems entirely happy to toddle off and play by himself, or wind Magic up for entertainment. As the vet nurse was giving me all the post-op instructions she told me they had given him a couple of teaspoons of plain chicken and rice food which he seemed to have 'enjoyed'. She also said this should continue every few hours until tomorrow when he could resume a light normal diet. As I headed home, babbling sweet words to him till he fell asleep on the short journey, I thought I'd probably have to go out to either get him special food or buy chicken for our dinner to share. However, that was solved when I went home as he rocketed into Magic's room and cleared her food dish. So normal diet was well and truly resumed and his recovery went without incident. Some things never change.

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