myanimalcare: June 2013

Saturday, June 29, 2013

Pilling Mr Zurik

It was 3pm, time for Mr Zurik's first dose of oral antibiotics.

I wasn't sure how I was going to pill him yet. Play it by ear, I guess.

I have decided that he does not need the e-collar as that could be a source of great stress for any animal.

The good news is that when Mr Zurik sleeps, he's totally flat out on his belly, with four feet in the air. That means he's very relaxed, which is a good sign.

Now, how was I planning to pill him?

I decided to cut the little tablet into four quarters and mix it with Monge. Let's just try though this method has never worked with Bunny & Friends. They will smell the tablet out and walk away, preferring to fast and starve, if necessary.

I did that - tablet in to four quarters and I mixed it with some Monge.

I put the bowl into the cage, but Mr Zurik was not interested to even sniff at it?

Oh, perhaps he's not motivated by wetfood?

So I added some kibbles and he was more interested this time, but still refused to touch the food. He just sat.

I was all prepared to try pilling him (open jaw, pop pill in method) later, so I left him in the cage with the food.

After 15 minutes, I went back and voila...the food was all finished. No signs of the four quarters of the tablet.

Yay! Success is mine. Round One - Ding, ding, ding!!

Hello, Mr Zurik! Good boy!!

The wound in the middle toe is so much better today. It's hardly visible (see the shaven part?).

The notched-ear looks fine too.

This is the really bad wound with green pus and was almost maggoty yesterday.

It looks good. Dry and clean. Clavomox is great for wounds, I know.

Mr Zurik plays his cards well. He's not in a position to negotiate his freedom right now and he knows this. So, he's friendly and passive. I can't help likening him to a politician, somehow, though that analogy could be somewhat unfair to Mr Zurik, and if so, I do apologise. You're far better than a politician, of course, Mr Zurik. You're incredibly smart. AND you're nice too. So no, I take back my words. You are NOT a politician.

I added a bit more kibbles (since he liked it) and some Halo treat.

He wasn't the least bit interested.

Hmm...not motivated by food.

Maybe food is associated to being trapped so he has declared food the enemy?

Halo also failed to tempt him.

Hmm...a very, very smart cat you are, Mr Zurik!

Obesity will not become you. 4.75kg is a good weight to maintain.

Let's hope you stay this way despite the confinement in the cage for 10 days.

Aww...

Mr Zurik wants to play...

He wanted to play more than eat.

That's nice, I suppose. Glad to see him happy.

But I am NOT happy!!!!

After 4 hours, it was dinner time.

Good faeces and urine in the litter box - that's great!

Mr Zurik had finished the earlier kibbles with the Halo and I've given him some more food now.

All seems well. I'm glad.

P.S. Willy ate his dinner outside at his spot and ET seems to have found his way home already!

Elmo is ET and is Mr G's friend

It's confirmed!

Elmo belongs to Mr G's house and his name is ET. The owner thinks he's male but she is not sure and no, he (or she) is not neutered yet.

Mystery solved!

Go home, ET!

Friday, June 28, 2013

Elmo? Is that you?

As I hurriedly got dressed for work and was coming down the stairs, I saw a little orange kitten coming up the stairs!

Hello...and who might you be?

I saw his cute little face and remembered him as the little orange kitten on the ledge some weeks back....Elmo!

http://myanimalcare.org/2013/06/03/hello-you-must-be-new-around-here/

http://myanimalcare.org/2013/06/05/elmo-watches-from-the-ledge/

He ran down the stairs and went into panic mode when he came face-to-face with Timmy. The little orange kitty ran for his life and fled out of the house.

I thought all was well and went into the kitchen. As I was filling my water tumbler, suddenly a little orange kitty face popped up and banged on the window. It was the orange kitty, Elmo! He was trying to get into the kitchen from the patio garden.

There he is...

He seemed scared and was desperately trying to get out of the patio garden.

I thought I'd let him go out on his own and not frighten him.

So I went out to my car and saw Ginger and Willy on guard at the pillar.

Orange guards!

But I heard a lot of noise in the patio now, so as late as I already were, I had to go see what was happening.

Elmo was so scared, he was trying to scale the wall to escape.

I noticed his tummy bulging...

Maybe Elmo is a pregnant female?

Timmy was fluffing up by now.

Elmo was cornered.

Indy and Bunny were not exactly friendly either.

It IS Elmo, the little orange kitty from the ledge.

I think he comes from Mr G's house.

Seeing how helpless he was, I paved the way for Elmo to go out of the house.

Elmo ran off.

Only to hide under this drain cover right outside my house!

I have written to Mr G's owner to ask if Elmo is her cat. Let's wait and see what she says.

My husband says he has seen Elmo on our roof a few times. He's the one who defecates on our roof...oh dear.

The possibilities;

1. Elmo comes from Mr G's house.

2. Elmo is someone's pet who happened to have lost his way and entered a wrong house this morning. That explains why he went upstairs.

3. Elmo came to look for Mr Zurik! The two are friends.

4. The shrews sent Elmo to help Mr Zurik escape. That explains why Elmo stayed at the patio.

(I leave the rest to your imagination!)

Mr Zurik's scent precedes him!

And so we were talking about cats taking over the world?

Well, yes, on one extreme, we have conquerors like Mr Quack who can be likened to Atilla the Hun or Genghis Khan. Then, we have the diplomatic types (but make no mistake, they are as effective in their conquest of the world) like Mr Zurik who are smart negotiators who know when we act tough and when to be really nice and accomodating...

Mr Zurik at breakfast this morning.

He has already figured out that he cannot escape (for now), so he's very much settled down.

And on the other extreme, we have scaredy cats like...

...Willy.

For some reason, he was too scared to eat his food this morning despite being served across the road.

It also took a long time to call him out.

Now, who is he scared of now, with Mr Zurik already caged up?

Surely it's not the shrews?

And oh, by the way, I haven't seen any shrew lately....and that's quite scary.

Willy sniffed the bowl and appeared to be very scared.

But why?

Rosie was under the car, but very far away. I'm sure he doesn't find Rosie a threat?

I changed places 5 times, placing the bowl further and further away from my house.

Willy followed, obviously hungry, but simply was too scared to eat.

Who or what was he afraid of?

Timmy wanted to come over to help.

You've got trouble eating? Call Timmy!

Happiness is....being able to eat.

Not eating?

Are you hungry or not, Willy?

'Coz I'm going to be late for work if this goes on...

Sniff, sniff...(but still not eating).

A brainwave occurred to me...could it be that Mr Zurik had used this bowl yesterday and his scent is there??

So I brought out another bowl and poured the food into it.

Willy sniffed at the food, but still refused to eat.

So, this time, I went in, brought out another bowl, and changed the food as well!

No?

Finally...Willy ate!

Wow...Mr Zurik, your scent certainly precedes you!

Mr Zurik....zzzzz

Close to midnight....

It's been a very long day for him...

Water still in the bowl!

Good Night, Sleep Tight by Louis Armstrong

Good Night
Time to call it a day
Sleep tight
Dream your troubles away
Good night, in spite of any sorrow
There's a brand new day
On it's way tomorrow
Someday
All your dreams will come true
Some way
For me and you
So close your eyes
And dream of it my darling
Till then good bye
Good night sleep tight