I'm so glad at least someone is eating. I'm betting they both are. It sounds like they're starting to understand just how lucky they are to have found themselves in your care. I'm no good at talking anyone out of keeping just one more, (or two for that matter!). There's something so special about the bond that forms between a caregiver and an animal in desperate need. They are often so grateful to have a safe environment to lay their heads and knead their biscuits.
My Kimba Cat was in the same devastated condition when I trapped him, (he was a stray turned feral that I'd been trying to catch for a couple of years, but he was just too wily). I got him neutered, got rid of the earmites, put Revolution on him, cut off the massive matts and cleaned him up as best I could, (he had a flea allergy and the poor thing had lost most of his hair on his back and tail, when you rubbed his back you could feel all the little scabs and your hand would come up black like you'd been reading a newspaper too long). A couple of days after I released him, he started to warm up to me and would let me pet him when I put out food for the ferals. After not too long a time, he decided that he didn't want to live on the street anymore and my house seemed mighty inviting to him. You know how some cats bolt the front door to get out when you open it? Well, Kimba started doing that to get in! With barking dogs and all, I'd have to squeeze in the front door to keep him out, he was relentless. This is the same cat that when I initially tried to confine him in my garage, he dug through the wire mesh and cement of one of the air vents and escaped! (That was a lesson in just how far a cat will go to get free). I finally gave in and let him join the household as a "foster". You folks may remember my looking for a home for him. Well, he found one, mine!
Nina
[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
Guess what?! When I just checked on them, the plate of soft food I had left was GONE! At least one of the ATE! Whoo-hooo! I'm going to put another plate of food in there before I go to bed, I don't want to give them too much after not eating for days, I'd hate for them to over-do it and puke up everything they ate.
Thanks for the suggestion of giving them privacy! It really worked! I thought it would have been mean to close them in the closet with no way to see out, but I guess they wanted the security.
Jenn
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Well, they have been fed. They actually didn't do too bad, really, once they realized it tasted good. I'm not used to Persian faces though, and it took me a few minutes to realize that you can't force the mouth open from the side like in most cats because they have weird shaped jaws, however, their bottom teeth stick out more than the top (an overbite?) and if you just put the syringe in the front, and pull slightly down on the bottom teeth, they open right up. After the first little bit, they would just lick it up if I just squeezed it out right on their upper lip. Persians can't lick their bottom jaw, I don't think, at least these two seem to not be able to, but they can lick over the top of their nose. LOL, cute little gremlins! After I got 9 CC's each of a California Natural canned cat food, Nutri-Cal, and water mix down them, they seemed to perk up a bit. I let it go at just that little bit for now, and of course left some free-choice. I closed off the livingroom, and gave them about 5 minutes of "check it out" time, and they were walking around and being a bit more lively. I was petting Spirit after I fed him, and after just a few minutes of me reassuring him, he began to snuggle up and really get into it. He even came to me to be petted more after he explored a few minutes. I've got them back in isolation now, and I covered the glass with a sheet, so they can have some privacy. Maybe they will realize they are hungry now that they got a bit more relaxed.
I'm really worried about the rescue taking them now, what IF they turn out to be FELV or FIV+? I'm going to have to ask the rescue if they keep FELV+ cats, because if they might be euthanised, I'd hate to give them to that rescue. I wish I had enough money to get them tested before the rescue arranges transport! (All I need is ANY excuse to allow myself permission to keep Spirit, and I would! He's really growing on me.)
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