Living in a Cat Household

It is sad to see so many homeless animals trying to survive on a day to day basis.  Most of my cats have been from the streets needing care in one form or another. And to be honest, it is a huge responsibility as they depend on you for their life. We take into consideration their needs and well being for decisions done in the home. It's similar to child proofing your house. And when their time comes to go to the Rainbow Bridge, the heart break is staggering.

But seeing them grow from a scrawny, frightened kitten to a beautiful, confident cat is a reward in itself. And each of them have their own unique personality. I've observed that each may have the following characteristics or a combination of some.

- the brat - he comes first
- the affectionate one - always happy to see me
- the obsessive one - always happy to see me and never leaves my side, always almost causing me to fall on my face
- the loner - lives in his own world except at meal times
- the bully - has his own private space and woe to the kitty who trespasses
- the lap kitty - always has time to snuggle whenever a lap is available and the reason for my stocks of lint roller refills
- the prima donna - her attitude is that every other cat is beneath her

No matter the character or temperament, they all have a special place in my heart and I couldn't imagine life without them.

Christmas Presents

Except for the babies, Bitty is the only cat I have who is not neutered. Since he is blind, I am extra paranoid about having him separated from familiar surroundings. He also gets stressed out when he is held by strangers. The only time I was forced to leave him at the hospital was the time he was ill and dehydrated. He would hiss at the nurses and they would be afraid to go near him. Incidentally, I became the mayor of Animal House in Foursquare because of the amount of time I spent there, falling asleep with Bitty on my lap so that he won't be too agitated. Anyway, now that he is 11 years old I am not comfortable with him undergoing any surgery unless it is imperative.

Late last year, Cupcake, one of my female cats came into heat. She had to undergo blood tests and then be scheduled for spaying. She's quite small, so we didn't think she'd be in heat so soon. Bitty and Cupcake didn't interact, with Bitty being the snob that he is. And I was also thinking, he's blind, chances of him getting her pregnant were small. Well, I will never underestimate you again, Bitty!

We welcomed 3 beautiful babies last January 5, 2011. I was at work when my Mom called and told me "You have to get home right away, Cupcake's about to give birth".  I was so excited to see Bitty and Cupcake's babies. When I got home, Bitty's miniature version was already born. During the intervals, we got clean cloths, a bigger box for Cupcake, some sterilized scissors and a small dropper. Cupcake didn't have any problems with the two other babies, but the fourth one was breeched. She must have been exhausted at this point so we had to rush to the hospital. Sadly the fourth one didn't make it.

We named them Toffeenut, Peppermint and Macchiato. They are all boys and all welcome addition. As they are growing up each are showing their distinct characteristic, Toffeenut is the wild child, Peppermint is the sweet-always-in your face-kitten and Macchiato is the big and quiet type.

Cupcake has been spayed after the 3 kittens were weaned. But her mother instincts are still there, the other cats better beware when they play rough with her babies. Mommy Cupcake just comes out of nowhere to defend her babies even if they are bigger than her now.

It is a delight to watch these three kittens grow up. Whenever I get home, seeing all of them happy and healthy just makes it all worthwhile :).

Peppermint

Toffeenut aka Bitty Junior

Macchiato

Bitty Hurt His Eye

I got quite a scare a few nights ago. I was out having coffee with friends and my siblings when my Mom called to say that Bitty's eye was bleeding. Bitty is our 9 year old blind cat. We hurried home and looked at Bitty, his left eye which is protruding looked like it was deflated and there was blood. We brought him to the hospital which was, thankfully, open 24 hours. The doctor gave him antibiotics and pain relievers. He also administered topical antibiotics and medication which was deproteinized calf's blood extract to heal the wound. Bitty was so quiet throughout the whole procedure and kept on going to my side to hug me. I felt like something was squeezing my chest to look at my little boy. He may have scratched his eye. He didn't act like he was wary of the other cats.

After the hospital, we then proceeded to look for a 24 hour drugstore to buy his medication. I'm applying his topical medication twice a day. We have to wait at least 5 minutes after placing the antibiotic before applying the wound medicine so that the antibiotics will have enough time to seep into the eye. He was also prescribed a pain reliever to be taken every 12 hours.

It's a good thing we've been on holiday. Bitty has been by my side constantly and he has me all to himself.

Are blind cats really more sensitive?

 

It's quite amazing that cats seem to know what day it is and expect you to do your usual routine together. My cat Bitty knows when it's time for me to go home and if I'm not there on time, he makes a loud fuss. By the time I get home, he would usually treat me like I'm not there. Sundays are our favorite time together. We wake up together, usually late in the morning. If I don't have breakfast, he won't have breakfast. But on regular days, he would wake up early and wait for his meal. And he expects me to be there with him the whole day. He follows me from room to room and when it's time for our nap, he would lead the way upstairs. But on Sundays when I have to do errands, he really gets upset. He knows when it's a workday and when it's a weekend.

Bitty is a blind kitty, maybe that's why he's a little more sensitive than our other cats. When I have to pack for a business trip, he's the first one to get in the luggage. I have to be quick because he's going to pee, naughty kitty that he is :-). Packing is a tiring business, I have to put all the clothes in and get all the cats out. When I get back, he gives me the silent treatment. But he's back to his sweet self when we retire for the night. It's hard to get up in the mornings because he would be wrapped around my arm, sleeping soundly.