Better to write for yourself and have no public, than to write for the public and have no self. - Cyril Connolly
Monday, April 07, 2008
Furball Fury
There are 18 pounds of drugged out ginger fury in my basement bathroom right now.
Pumpkin tolerated the anesthesia and surgery well, but when the vet tech went in to check his catheter and bandages at 8:00 this morning, he "behaved badly" as the vet said. Yeah, badly is right. He attacked the vet tech and broke the catheter in the process, so they had no choice but to pull it before he tore his urethra. It was supposed to be in till tomorrow. Since he was so angry and in so much pain, they kept him pretty drugged up the rest of the day, and because he was out of it, with no bladder control from the spinal block - he pretty much peed all over himself most of the day. The techs tried to clean him up, but he looks pretty bad and has his right foreleg shaved - along with a bad Brazilian job which makes him look bow legged.
Because I have to now keep him completely separate from his brother for a week (which is like trying to separate ink from a page) in order to monitor his urine output and feed him a special diet, I put a litter box, food, and water (in a new circulating fountain) in the basement bathroom. I made a bed out of old rags, towels and an old rug, so if he pees on it, I can either toss it in the washing machine or just toss it out.
His back end is wobbly due to the spinal block, and his eyes are dilated thanks to the pain meds, so it's painful to watch him wobble around. I tried to wash him up a little, but he wasn't happy. He knows he is home, and is purring up a drunken storm when he isn't moaning. He's eating like he's got post spliff munchies, but the water fountain is freaking him out. I think he sees it as some kind of monster. He loves to play in water, so as soon as the drugs wear off, I'm sure he'll like it.
I sat with him for about an hour, and then tried to sneak out and let him sleep it off for a while. Meanwhile, his brother is laying next to the door meowing and won't leave his side. I brought his food and water upstairs and offered him treats, but he won't leave his brother's side. I'll bet he sleeps down there tonight on the laundry room floor.
Oh no, poor thing (the cat and you)! I didn't realize he had surgery. Hope you're both doing a bit better now?
Youngest Sister