Here is a better photo of Stums-

Mike and I were saying this morning that projects which used to take us maybe a day to finish, are sure taking a lot longer these days! I know he is so frustrated at the limitations of working from a wheelchair, but we are slowly getting her cage done.

This time, I am going to be smart and on the top level, I am going to create a way that once the cat is up there, I can pull something down and secure it. This way, the cat stays trapped and unable to get out of the cage until the litterpans are emptied, food bowls filled and water refreshed. Plus, if another cat gets in the cage, there will be no cat fights for territory. Whether I am going to use a thick shutter or what- I am not sure yet.

The window you see in the photo is where she will have limited access to the outside world. We will be in the future building a screened in platform for her to be able to get out of the cage environment and stay safe. She has already tried to approach the pitbull but when he sets off barking she runs away. Brandy seldom barks-

Here is the start of her cage

And although my husband swears he wasn’t taking a nap, he was “thinking” he’s in the photo too- LOL At least part of him-

Poor kitty- they had to again recast his leg due to swelling this morning. I guess it is a good thing that he will be on an extended stay at the vets because this is the second time they had to recast him because of the swelling and damage to his leg. The extended care is estimated at an additional $400.00 I would rather he was here with us, but he is receiving the best possible care available in this area.

Here is Stumbles-

His leg was really swollen this morning, so they took off the cast and retaped his leg. Because of the situation, they have asked to keep him for two weeks at the clinic so they can monitor his progress and be on top of any problem before it can get out of hand. This will also give the vaccines a chance to work as it is a two week period plus a booster before the kitten is fully protected. So looks like he won’t be coming home for awhile and a boarding fee will be in play as well.

I would rather have him out of danger then here at the house dealing with possible exposure. I am trying to find a foster for him, but he will need a lot of TLC and monitoring. My last foster family ended up adopting the kitten they were fostering- and everyone else is already fostering cats for us.

The goal has been reached with a bit to spare for Stumbles aftercare. The vet explained yesterday, that because he is such a young kitten with BIG paws it will be necessary to go in every few weeks, remove the cast and check the splint. They may have to change the splint depending on his growth factor. They splinted the leg yesterday because of the pain but his surgery isn’t until today.

I wish you guys could see him, he is so loving and so trusting. Thank God not a feral bone in his body. He is a soft gray though not a mackeral tabby and someone put a lot of love in him.

One of the vet’s theories is that someone saw this kitten being mistreated and took it to “safer ground.” I don’t know, don’t suppose we will ever know what led him to my door.

But thank you for those who donated to his care. I will do all I can to make his recovery as swift and painless as possible.

My vet is so wonderful. He is going to only charge CATS Inc., half of what this operation would normally cost. The original estimate was $1,300.00 but they are going to now call it an “extended neuter” and only charge $600.00. So basically, tomorrow when Stumbles goes in for his neuter, they will also pin his leg and cast his leg. I dropped the vaccinations off at the clinic earlier (to help cut costs) and they will vaccinate and flea treat at the same time. He will be on cage rest for quite awhile but they will keep him until Friday. I can set up a big padded cage in the living room, off the floor so the other kitties have to work to visit with him. I still have some leftover x-ray film so I can make him a custom-made e collar.

The vet just called and said they have a fracture of the long bone in the right front leg. By the nature of the break, it doesn’t look like a normal break and it is quite unstable, it is about an inch away from the joint itself. Normally, if a cat breaks his leg naturally it breaks at the joint. So the plan is to go in surgically and put a pin in the bone to stabilize it, then they will cast the leg and Stumbles will be on cage rest for quite awhile.

He is a sweet, sweet boy and I hope he comes out of this with flying colors!

While he is there, they will neuter him, vaccinate him and I can pick him up Monday. So if any of you have loose change rattling around in your pocket and want to send it my way- Stumbles could sure use it.

That is what I am calling this beautiful, young gray tabby cat someone stuffed into a carrier and placed on our porch. I had my arms full when I came out of the house and I almost stepped on the carrier and tumbled down the ramp.

I brought him inside and opened the door for him waiting for him to make the first move. That’s when I noticed his right front paw as hanging in an awkward position. I gently lifted him out of his carrier (thank God he is a sweet boy) I noticed right away he was a Tom and he can’t walk at all on that front paw.

He did let me touch him, and explore a bit, when I rotated the paw, it made a grinding noise (that broke my heart) So I stopped all exploring and rushed him to the vet.

I am waiting to hear on what they find. I don’t know if they can save the leg, but the instructions I left was do everything possible (after testing first for disease) to save this sweet kitty. I will find a way to cover costs if there is an operation involved.

Mike joked and said we should call him “Don’t Belong!” But I told him that all creatures belong to us- we are the stewards over them here on earth. So I settled for the name Stumbles. Now I wait to see what they find out about his poor leg. 🙁 It doesn’t look like a new injury so he has been suffering for quite awhile I would bet.

I placed a carefully worded ad about Jedi several weeks ago. I have found someone who is willing to take her and although that thrills me, it also concerns me. I am not in the habit of adopting out a cat with so many issues, and lately she has started spraying! She is not sick per se, she just is outside during the day and I have outside kitties who spray so she is marking her territory. It is not the small short spurts of urine that signify a UTI it’s more like “Hey Mom, this spruce is on fire! Let me put it out!” I have to say for a female, it is quite an impressive hose she has there. *G*

Since the spraying is a new behavior for her, putting her into a home just doesn’t seem like the right option. Mike and I have been discussing about building a special cage for her- a big playground type of cage off our back porch. If she gets into the barn cat food, the diarrhea starts. If she slips into the house and gets into that food, the diarrhea starts and it explodes out of her poor girl. I know it’s a food sensitivity because when she stays on her special canned food- she is fine. She’s also started to bite people and that is a new behavior. It’s a love bite on the face, but it is hard and it hurts. I can’t in good conscious take her to a stranger and expect them to understand her and accept her behavior. Instead, I will call Hannah and explain and perhaps get to to accept a kitten or a cat who is completely healthy.

I have a feeling deep in my soul that Jedi is living on borrowed time. I can’t explain it, but with all she’s been through; being dumped deep in the mountains then in the vets for two weeks of isolated treatments and everything else, I just feel like her time with us is short. I think the best option is to try and scrape together enough funds to build her a special cage where she can play, stay safe and eat the right foods. Mike says we are looking at about $200.00 to do it right. If it keeps her safe, it will be worth the time and effort to build it and make it her new place.

Last night quite late, I heard a horrible crash outside. I didn’t want to get out of bed as the temp was in the teens but then the sirens started and our bedroom lit up like a christmas tree. Some kid, going way to fast on icy roads took his brand new pick-up and smashed it into the hills. The saving grace was that he smashed the back half of the truck into the hills and not the front half. All he suffered was a broken rib and a broken arm. Damn lucky I would say. His truck was skrunched up like an accordian.