[OrchidJulie]

Our Vet got the ‘ear rubbing’ prescription because it wasn’t available in a liquid and she already understood that a pill was HOPELESS.

At one time Vetcro was prescribed a liquid opiate because of an infection on her “rear end”;
the Vet had given her a long- lasting antibiotic.
The first few doses of the opiate were OK, but then I gave up because “there is no point in one of us getting a heart attack as I chase her around the house.”
She obviously was not in much pain.

One of our indoor girls (Panda) suffered a shattered pelvis (we presume she got hit by a car, it's the reason we rescued her and brought her in) and we had to rehab her, confined, for about 6 weeks. One of her meds was a liquid opiate. Most of the time it wasn't a big hassle, it kept her pretty snoozy for long stretches. Early on, she was in pain, poor baby. Happy to say she did eventually recover, but I don't think I'd want to see a current Xray, I suspect there are still some broken bones. Doesn't seem to trouble her, although we notice that she doesn't always seem comfortable lying down in certain ways.

[jgnfld]

One of our indoor girls (Panda) suffered a shattered pelvis (we presume she got hit by a car, it's the reason we rescued her and brought her in) and we had to rehab her, confined, for about 6 weeks. One of her meds was a liquid opiate. Most of the time it wasn't a big hassle, it kept her pretty snoozy for long stretches. Early on, she was in pain, poor baby. Happy to say she did eventually recover, but I don't think I'd want to see a current Xray, I suspect there are still some broken bones. Doesn't seem to trouble her, although we notice that she doesn't always seem comfortable lying down in certain ways.

Gurlcat about whom I've posted before got run over as a (cat) teen after she escaped once. X-ray showed pelvis and hips in 6-10 pieces. Final X-ray after 6 months of nursing showed amazing healing. That said, her rear leg strength is down to this day and she does things like climbing with mostly her shoulders which are amazingly developed.

[reh321]

One of our indoor girls (Panda) suffered a shattered pelvis (we presume she got hit by a car, it's the reason we rescued her and brought her in) and we had to rehab her, confined, for about 6 weeks. One of her meds was a liquid opiate. Most of the time it wasn't a big hassle, it kept her pretty snoozy for long stretches. Early on, she was in pain, poor baby. Happy to say she did eventually recover, but I don't think I'd want to see a current Xray, I suspect there are still some broken bones. Doesn't seem to trouble her, although we notice that she doesn't always seem comfortable lying down in certain ways.

Both of our current cats were adopted as ‘rescues’. {Black} Leila learned her lesson and is scared of doors that lead out, but {Tortie} Annie seems afraid of nothing - although I’ve noticed she never wanders too far from her food dish. We call her “Annie” because she reminds me in attitude of “Annie Oakley” {“I can do anything better than you”}; the Rescue Folk called her “Maria” because she came from the West side of town. Our previous cats were adopted from families where they were born.

[OrchidJulie]

Gurlcat about whom I've posted before got run over as a (cat) teen after she escaped once. X-ray showed pelvis and hips in 6-10 pieces. Final X-ray after 6 months of nursing showed amazing healing. That said, her rear leg strength is down to this day and she does things like climbing with mostly her shoulders which are amazingly developed.

If you saw Panda today you wouldn't know about the injury, unless you watched her walk, there's a tiny little hitch in her rear legs, but it doesn't seem to affect her motion in any significant way. She runs and plays and jumps more or less normally. Funny little cat, she has some congenital deformity in her tail, which is very short and chubby. For a long time she didn't seem to have normal control of it, couldn't move it the way cats do, but over the years she's gradually attained some motion in it, can't curl it but she can move it side-to-side and move the tip a bit. When we had her at the vet for the initial injury, he said, "you need to fatten her up", she'd been a member of the outside gang then and was a little underweight. Now, she's a chubby little thing, quite a small cat compared to the others. Spoiled rotten!

[OrchidJulie]

Both of our current cats were adopted as ‘rescues’. {Black} Leila learned her lesson and is scared of doors that lead out, but {Tortie} Annie seems afraid of nothing - although I’ve noticed she never wanders too far from her food dish. We call her “Annie” because she reminds me in attitude of “Annie Oakley” {“I can do anything better than you”}; the Rescue Folk called her “Maria” because she came from the West side of town. Our previous cats were adopted from families where they were born.

All four of our indoor girls are rescues. Two were injured (Panda and Beau), one was just too cute to leave outside (Punkin), and one was literally rescued from my former employer's dogs (Boo). Also injured, but not seriously. None of them seems the least inclined to go outside now, although one does park her butt near the back door...not interested in going out, mind, just waiting for one of us to come back in. All four of them are spoiled rotten. Punkin has now claimed the pillow on the bed and lords it over the others, Boo is not amused!

[WPRESTO]

No image to post, but some news about Annabelle. She's been out hunting at night and over the past two week has captured at least four mice. Two of them were pretty much intact when I found them, one that she had just brought in so I took it from her ASAP. The other intact mouse was the second caught last night, She had eaten all of the first one except for it's head so I guess she wasn't hungry enough to eat the second. The first victim, about ten days back, was only evidenced by the head and "giblets." At her age, about 15, you'd think she would retire from such activity. I also worry that she will encounter a second mouse-hunter, a fox or big owl either of which could easily kill her. BTW: all the mice have been Microtus, more properly called voles. She has not caught any Peromiscus, commonly called deer mice, which are the type that get into our basement with exasperating ease and frequency. Why doesn't she do her hunting down there where she'd be safe from bigger predators??

[OrchidJulie]

Well, easier said than done, of course, but keeping her indoors would negate the threat of "bigger predators". She's bringing the prizes to you, possibly to make her contribution to the food supply.
Our outdoor gang occasionally catch small rodents but in general they don't bring them to the door. At least not recently. I find them in the yard once in a while, usually intact (not eaten, IOW). I suppose it's possible that some victims have been consumed and I just didn't find the evidence.

[reh321]

Well, either r said than done, of course, but keeping her indoors would negate the threat of "bigger predators". She's bringing the prizes to you, possibly to make her contribution to the food supply.
Our outdoor gang occasionally catch small rodents but in general they don't bring them to the door. At least not recently. I find them in the yard once in a while, usually intact (not eaten, IOW). I suppose it's possible that some victims have been consumed and I just didn't find the evidence.

‘House Cats’ started living with people because we attract mice and cats will hunt them even if fed. Ours have made the few mice that have ventured into our house miseable. Good!!

[reh321]

My wife has just returned from a trip to California to see her Mother. This morning, black Leila patiently waited for her to return to her "nest". At first, I used way too much flash, so of course, Leila left, but I had saved both "raw" and JPG, so I worked with the "raw" to get a version to show:

[OrchidJulie]

‘House Cats’ started living with people because we attract mice and cats will hunt them even if fed. Ours have made the few mice that have ventured into our house miseable. Good!!

Well, with a concrete block house, there aren't crevices for rodents to stage invasions, so mice aren't an issue for us. For which thanks! But we get our share of bugs, lizards, geckos and the like, so the cats have prey to stalk if they want to. There are, of course, plenty of critters outside for hunting.

[reh321]

Well, with a concrete block house, there aren't crevices for rodents to stage invasions, so mice aren't an issue for us. For which thanks! But we get our share of bugs, lizards, geckos and the like, so the cats have prey to stalk if they want to. There are, of course, plenty of critters outside for hunting.

I’ve been told that the hair of cats contains an oil which rubs off and is smelled by other cats and mice, so a place doesn’t tend to have mouse problems if cats live there. In fact, we have had only one mouse in the part of the house where we allow cats to roam, and now I’m going to make a practice of allowing the cats to periodically roam all parts of the house. Thank you for reminding me - it is about time to allow the cats in the garage and our furnace room; we tend to keep them out of the latter because I also use the latter as a “work room”, with tools that could be dangerous for the cats, and for starting seedlings {which the cats tend to dig up }.

[OrchidJulie]

I’ve been told that the hair of cats contains an oil which rubs off and is smelled by other cats and mice, so a place doesn’t tend to have mouse problems if cats live there. In fact, we have had only one mouse in the part of the house where we allow cats to roam, and now I’m going to make a practice of allowing the cats to periodically roam all parts of the house. Thank you for reminding me - it is about time to allow the cats in the garage and our furnace room; we tend to keep them out of the latter because I also use the latter as a “work room”, with tools that could be dangerous for the cats, and for starting seedlings {which the cats tend to dig up }.

Cats do "scent mark" their territories, identifying themselves to other cats ("Mine! Back off!"), I'm quite sure rodents can smell it, too. I know about restricting parts of the house...R won't let them into his "office", too much potential mischief in there.

[MarkJerling]

Thanks! May give it a try, although in our case, it does require the holder to actually hold the kitty burrito firmly, and that's the issue here...HOLD THE CAT, Ron....
as soon as she starts squirming he loosens up and lo! One paw, two paws...hopeless.

The trick, I find, is to wrap the cat tightly enough so that the legs can't get out, but not so tightly that the cat's suffocated.

[MarkJerling]

Cats do "scent mark" their territories, identifying themselves to other cats ("Mine! Back off!"), I'm quite sure rodents can smell it, too. I know about restricting parts of the house...R won't let them into his "office", too much potential mischief in there.

One of our two cats, Milo, is a "marker". He has an intense dislike of our dog, Polly, so he marks around the area the dog frequents.

But right now the fat little bugger is sitting here by me acting all sweet and cuddly. Cunning.

[OrchidJulie]

The trick, I find, is to wrap the cat tightly enough so that the legs can't get out, but not so tightly that the cat's suffocated.

Quite a trick, I should think! I'll keep it in mind. Fortunately, so far, the mild sedation works well enough. She doesn't squirm too much, we're able to administer the drops without any major struggle. And her eye is improving, which is the important part!