For those of you that have been following the plight of my cat Rover, here's an update. For those that haven't and need to get brought up-to-date, last weekend, I noticed something wrong with my cat. He wasn't eating and for two days, he just lay on a small pile of laundry and slept. I had just about decided to get him to the vet when he started showing signs of improvement (eating and jumping in my lap). At that point, I noticed a swollen spot on his neck and thought he may have been bitten by a spider.

Anyway, the swelling when down and he seemed back to normal until last night when the effected area obviously began to itch. When I went to bed last night, he had scratched a dime-sized area on his neck completely raw. This morning, the raw area was about five times larger. Well, this amateur vet knows an infection when he sees one so, to the hospital we went.

The good vet listened to my spider bite theory then took one look at Rover and told me exactly what happened. Rover had been bitten, all right. By another cat! He even showed me the teeth marks. He said that's what cats will do to each other. Then their saliva gets under the skin and abscesses and about a week later, infection sets in.

Then I got to thinking about the day I first noticed that he seemed hurt. It was a Sunday morning and I remember coming down stairs and realizing to my horror that my back door was no longer a door, it was now ajar, and Rover was missing. I was about to start an outside search when something told me to check all the rooms inside the house first. That's when I found him sleeping on the laundry. But now it all makes sense. He went out last Saturday night and got in a fight (and lost).

So the vet is going to anesthesize him and clean the area and I can get him and bring him back home between 3:00 and 4:00 this afternoon. This time, I feel sure there will be a happy ending.

By the way, he is a 100% indoor cat. In five years, I can think of exactly 3 times that he's gotten out and he hasn't liked it any of those times. Maybe he's learned his lesson. I've certainly learned mine.

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Once in a while you can get shown the light, in the strangest of places if you look at it right.

charlierat - this is the first time I heard about Rover.

I feel so bad for Rover. Some other meanie cat doesn't like your Rover and attached him. The kitchen door ajar must have been too tempting. Hopefully he learned a lesson and will stay home from now on.

I know what you are going through. My cat Noah has come home and did the same thing - Didn't eat and just layed on the couch. This went on for almost 2 weeks. Finally I saw what happened. Not sure if it was because of another cat, but he had a hole in his head. I really think someone hit him with something. This same think has happened twice over the years. He also has a "slice" cut mark on his year (happened about a year ago). Don't know how that happened; guess he got caught on something. Atleast you noticed Rover's boo bo before I noticed Noah's.

I know I shouldn't let my cat out. But he is 15 years old (this month) and has always gone out. Since we put our dog Jessie to sleep about 7 weeks ago, Noah has been pretty much been staying around the house. Either he is depressed missing Jessie or maybe he is sick.

Rover should be coming home about now. Bet he is happy to get out of that Vet hospital. So how much was the Vet bill.

Keep us updated and give Rover a big hug for me.

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March 25-April 22, 2010
Aruba since 1985

charlie, so glad rover is going to be ok. let us know when the baby is back home.

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Thanks, y'all:

He's home now (and curled up in my lap). It's been a helluva day for him I suppose. He's got this really gross area on the right side of his neck with a drainage tube sticking out. Makes him look like a feline Frankenstein.

He doesn't seem to be in any pain or other discomfort and, amazingly enough, doesn't seem to be trying to pull out his plug.

I have to take him back in 3 days to have the thing removed. I don't know how I'm going to get him back in that carrying case. He protested all the way there and all the way back. But, all in all, I'm glad I got him to a vet that I trust.

For the record, the damage came to $153. Not bad for surgery.

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Once in a while you can get shown the light, in the strangest of places if you look at it right.

When I was a teen, (many moons ago)my dog was bitten by a cat, and his paw swole up badly, and he too had to have an intervention to clear up the infection. That taught him to respect the felines!!!

charlierat..glad Rover is going to be okay. Good thing you took him when you did. Enjoy his homecoming.
ruba

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Only happy people allowed!

I'm happy too that Rover is going to be OK! How scary! I don't know if he has learned his lesson. Right before my trip to Aruba, my 8yr Persian Figgie disappeared from the house! I didn't know it, but on Thursday night when I had my rug pulled up in the basement due to the flood, he ran out the side door. I spent Friday am searching the entire house. Friday afternoon I went outside. I was talking on the phone and he must have heard me. He was filthy, smelly and soaking wet.

This week, I opened the front door and there he was ready to go again! Keep an eye out, Charlie!

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Besides a Dysfunctial Thread (which I still haven't post on yet - I still can't come up with the words) but we now have a cat thread.

I just love this board.

So all you cat owners and cat lovers - lets hear your cat stories.

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March 25-April 22, 2010
Aruba since 1985

Poor little Rover has a boo boo! It's a sad little story... bad cat bit
him! Get well soon little one...

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The countdown's begun!
January 30th to February 27th!

Yeah, Rover got bit. But I'd hate to see the bite he put on the other cat!
So, anyway, the vet sent me home with a bottle of stuff and instructions to administer one dropper full orally twice a day. Okay, first complication: the stuff in the bottle is a powder. Read the fine print and it says to mix the stuff with 23 cc's of water and shake well. 23 cc's??? The only thing I have in my house that can measure liquids is a measuring cup. It does have metric graduations on one side but they start at 100 cc's. So I'm guessing at about 1/4 of the way up to 100 cc's has got to be close.
It apparently isn't going to matter, however, because that cat is no way going to let me squirt some pink powdery suspension into his mouth on this night. Better luck tomorrow.

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Once in a while you can get shown the light, in the strangest of places if you look at it right.

can you squirt it in his food maybe?

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can you squirt it in his food maybe?

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Hmmmm...a syringe would be a good thing to use...ask for one at the pharmacy. Then set the tip in the corner of his jaw...at the end of the teeth...hold his mouth closed...then slowly squirt it in.

How is he feeloing today??

Charlie - how's our Rover today????

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The countdown's begun!
January 30th to February 27th!

He's doing great today! He's got all his energy back and he's as talkative as ever.

I have to take him back on Friday to have his plug removed. I'll ask the vet then about alternative ways to get that pink stuff in him. Squirting it on his food just made him eat around the effected areas. The syringe suggestion might work but, with the eyedropper, I can accomplish close to the same thing. A syringe would definitely have more squirting power. What I need is someone at the vet's office to give me demonstration.

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Once in a while you can get shown the light, in the strangest of places if you look at it right.

Success! I just got a big squirt of pink stuff down Rover's throat and he actually seemed to like it! He didn't care for the procedure, mind you, but he swallowed the stuff and licked his lips and didn't shred my arms to ribbons and run away.

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Once in a while you can get shown the light, in the strangest of places if you look at it right.

Just think if you mixed it with a little rum or something!! lol

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The countdown's begun!
January 30th to February 27th!

Then there wouldn't be any left for Rover!

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Once in a while you can get shown the light, in the strangest of places if you look at it right.

Glad that Rover is on the mend.

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March 25-April 22, 2010
Aruba since 1985

Now why didn't I think of that?? Silly me!!!

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The countdown's begun!
January 30th to February 27th!

omg too funny, your cat is named rover!

you can get a measurement syringe at any pharmacy or at the vet's office.

last time we had to give one of our animals medicine by syringe, it was our beloved "pinky" the guinea pig. she was a good pet......died at the ripe old age of 7 which is real old for a guinea pig.

glad to hear of rover's recovery


andrea

His sister's name is Fido. Fido, unfortunately, decided to move out during the summer of '04; too much commotion in the household at that point in time.

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Once in a while you can get shown the light, in the strangest of places if you look at it right.

I had another Figgie scare last night! Gosh, this darn cat!

I had a guy come and put sealer on my basement floor. He came up to the kitchen when he was done so we could pay him, and there runs Figgie like a bat out of h*** out of the kitchen, down the stairs, into the basement! Just had to see what was happening. Of course, he lands right on the sealer. After a minute or two he comes back up. Sealer paw prints all over the kitchen and dining room. As I am going nuts trying to clean them up (and he has BIG paws), it occurs to Steve he now has chemicals on his paws! Steve grabs Figgie while I got a washcloth with soap and water and tried to clean his paws as best as possible. For the next hour, he is still smelling bad so little Frankie is hissing and spitting and keeps attacking him(all this was after a busy day at work). ANd finally Figgie disappears. I couldn't find him anywhere. I didn't sleep all night thinking he died from poisoning. He showed up from wherever at 7am, smelling clean and looking good. I was relieved he was hungry, so I don't think he got sick from the sealer.

It's a good thing I love cats..................

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Rover went back to the hospital today to get his drain removed. Now they've sent him home with staples in his neck and I have to bring him back in a week to have them removed. Poor cat is about fed up with that travel cage and the car rides. Hopefully (1) by next Friday, he will have forgotten somewhat and I can get him back in the cage and (2) the vet is actually going to be open on the Friday after Thanksgiving.

Compared to the problems our Jersey-girls are going through, Rover's situation seems pretty trivial. Amie, Liz, and Elisa, you're in my thoughts.

(And, just so nobody feels left out, Corrine, I can sure relate to the travails Figgie is putting you through.)

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Once in a while you can get shown the light, in the strangest of places if you look at it right.

Poor Rover - I sure bet that he is real fed up.

I think Rover deserves some turkey on Turkey Day.

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March 25-April 22, 2010
Aruba since 1985

Oh, he'll get some turkey. In fact, I'm wondering if those same enzymes or whatever it is in turkey that makes people sleepy will also work on cats. If it does, that will simplify my job next Friday - just dope him up on turkey and let the vet do the rest.

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Once in a while you can get shown the light, in the strangest of places if you look at it right.

May I interrupt this cat thread with a dog story?? Yes?? Thanks....you're all so kind!

Bro. had a nice big dog...german shepard/ lab mix....named Rufus....stop laughing!!

Well, Rufus got into a spot of trouble....what do you expect...male....teen (in dog years), and broke a paw. The vet had to keep him for 3 days. Now Rufus LOVED my bro, they were unseperable..(uhh...is that a word?). Bro. was the one to bring him in to the vet. When bro. went to pick Rufus up at the vet....Rufus wouldn't even LOOK at him. He walked out to the car,nose in the air, got in...slobered kisses all over bro. wife....then sat down...ignoring bro.

This lasted two whole days. I think he was mad at bro. for abandoning him!!!


OK, now you can get back to your regular program!!

I enjoyed that Susanna! Cats normally do that, but I never heard of a dog doing that.
Charlie - Do you back Rover in his travel cage, butt first? The vet taught me that last year and because they cant see where they are going, it is easier to get them in that way.

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It never occurred to me to try backing him in. Actually, the last time I had to put him in the cage (yesterday), he went right in with no issues. However, that backing in strategy makes sense and since I have to take him back at least one more time, I will definitely remember that tactic.

Thanks for the tip!

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Once in a while you can get shown the light, in the strangest of places if you look at it right.

You're welcome! I get the 8year old in that way - the only way I can! Good Luck!

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Charlie, I just read this thread. Yes, I'm late. Sorry! How's Rover doing? Your POOR baby! I LOVE cats and have 3 furballs of my own. Missy Sue, Chester, and Angel. Speaking of what Corrine does and backs her cat into the cage when she takes her cat to the vet, I had a cat once that I had to do that with. In fact I had to go once step further. When Sassy had to go to the vet I couldn't even show her the cage. I had to put the cage into the other room and put Sassy into my arms as I backed her up into the room so she couldn't see the cage. I positioned the cage with the door facing the ceiling. Yes, this cat was super smart and not that exactly pleasant when it was time to go to the vet. When I got close to the cage, I turned and quickly dropped her bottom feet first into the cage while I talked to her and held her under her front legs. As long as I did it quickly and she didn't see the cage, I as OK. But if she saw what I was doing, her back legs went wacko, her claws came out and I had a crazy cat on my hands. One time I even had to put a small towel over her head so she couldn't see where she was going because she accidently saw the cage coming up from the downstairs and I had to go and find her. She was on to me and we played hide and seek for almost a half hour before I finally found her. But I will say that most of the time this worked. After she was in, I'd turn the cage into its original position. Let's just say going to the vet with this cat was a major ordeal and one I hated. It completely wore me out, and it wore Sassy out. Plus I don't think that Sassy was the vets favorite patient.

Anyway, I wish Rover Good Luck and you, and I hope he enjoys Turkey Day day too!

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The towel over the head is a great idea, Sandy! I may need to remember that. What kills me is that after giving me such a hard time, my cats are perfect angels when the vet examines them. So I can't understand what the fuss is about!

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Basically I believe cats want you to know that they're in charge. Like they say, we don't own them, they own us. When they want to cuddle, it's on their terms and when they feel like it. When they feel like ignoring you, so be it. If my cats decide they don't want to pay attention to me, and I call them, they'll turn their face away from me, and won't even look at me no matter how loud I call their name. How rude! If they decide they're hungry at 4 in the morning, I won't get any sleep until I get up to feed them. If I'm working on my bills and they want to be petted, I better pet them. If I don't, my bills get pushed all over the floor because they get up on the desk and roll all over over them and start pushing the bills off the desk. And when it's time to go to the vet, I think there's certain cats that like to give their owners a hard time and want to let them know who's still the boss.............THEM! Then you get to the vet and they act like little angels. Except for Sassy, she was no angel and she wanted everyone to know she was in charge from start to finish. Yep, cats are little wonders and have a mind of their own.

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When I first started reading your post Sandy, I thought you were talking about men!!!

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The countdown's begun!
January 30th to February 27th!

Ack!!! That's funny!!!!

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LOL!!!

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Okay, the first time one of you puts a towel over my head and starts walking me backwards, there's going to be trouble!

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Once in a while you can get shown the light, in the strangest of places if you look at it right.

Even if it's for your own good? We wouldn't want you to hurt yourself, or for us to get scratched! Wait, I thought we were talking about cats!

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OK Charlie...........So you wouldn't want a towel over your head. But I watched a program the other night where they were rounding up ostriches. They grabbed their necks and threw a big towel type thing over their heads so they couldn't see. Then they wrapped it around their thin necks. The ostriches all of a sudden calmed down and the guys could put them in the trucks. One minute those ostriches were kicking like crazy and they said these things have something like 2,000 lbs. kicking power. Once they couldn't see, they just basically became mellow and went right into the truck. I did see one ostrich give them a little bit of trouble when it couldn't see, but mainly most of them did cooperate. Anyway, that's my little story.........now back to Rover, cats, and you not wanting a towel over your head or anyone walking you into a room backwards.

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Okay, okay. If it's for my own good and if it works on ostriches, you can blindfold me with a towel and lead me backwards wherever I need to go.

Just keep the gag balls out of play (Elaine).

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Once in a while you can get shown the light, in the strangest of places if you look at it right.

OOOOOOK.........I haven't been here long enough to even ask about that last comment, so I won't even go there.

But I'm glad my ostrich story worked on you! Don't worry, we'll be gentle on you. (I think)

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Ooooooooooooh Charlie.... "girls just wanna have fun!"

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The countdown's begun!
January 30th to February 27th!

See Sandy - And you felt bad about going off topic? At least we were innocently talking about EYEGLASSES not gag balls!

I do like that towel over the head thing though...................

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Charlie, charlie, charlie!!

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The countdown's begun!
January 30th to February 27th!

She started it!

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Once in a while you can get shown the light, in the strangest of places if you look at it right.

Well, I know you couldn't mean me Charlie! I was only talking about ostriches, cats, backing up into a room with a towel over your head, and whatever other topic I went off topic on. I NEVER mentioned gag balls! Furballs, many posts ago, yes, but not gag balls!

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Not to worry Sandy, he was talking about me!! lol

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The countdown's begun!
January 30th to February 27th!

And I only brought up gag balls to point out that there was no need to bring up gag balls! It's Elaine that is so fascinated by the devices. (And then she's going to try to act all innocent and angelic!)

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Once in a while you can get shown the light, in the strangest of places if you look at it right.

By the way, nice batch of new smilies, Elaine!

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Once in a while you can get shown the light, in the strangest of places if you look at it right.

Do you notice that when I don't do anything, I still do it!! AND... I was even being nice and taking the blame for something that I didn't do!! I can't seem to win!! lol

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The countdown's begun!
January 30th to February 27th!