Diva's Distress

We haven't had these two kitties a year yet, but I've learned a lot about them.

#1. They can act like spoiled brats.

#2. They bury themselves into your hearts despite the problems.

#3. They can get expensive.

There is a lot more, but #2 and #3 lead to this story about Diva's problem. She's fine now, but she gave us quite a scare.

She started to act different late on a recent Friday afternoon. By 4 p.m. I called the vet to ask if he could see her. I was told he could stay over if I wanted to pay an additional $85 over whatever treatment she would need. Since there wasn't anything specific, over the fact that she wouldn't eat, I said I'd watch her through the weekend and then see. For Diva, not to eat is a red flag. She's turning into a chunky cat who steals food from her own Baby. Baby is still a lean bundle of energy at about a year old. Diva prefers to loaf around the house and watch from any of her window perches. I can't keep Baby inside for longer then it takes to eat and sleep. But Diva does venture outside on occasion. It was one of those occasions that brought her down.

By Saturday of that weekend, she had also quit drinking water. She was hiding from us and wouldn't let us touch her. I was getting real worried. By Sunday I knew I'd be up early on Monday and calling the vet. But Monday, she ate and drank and seemed better. So I watched and waited.

Then late Monday afternoon, I found a small lump on Diva's hip. Bear had been saying her hip was hurting her. But she was walking without any limp, so I wasn't sure what her problem was. I phoned the vet again and asked for an appointment. The vet told me to bring her in and leave her Tuesday morning. It's called a drop off appointment. He was booked full, but this way he would get to her as soon as he could. Tuesday morning the lump had gotten much larger and Diva was in obvious pain. I was waiting on the steps when they unlocked the vet office.

Around 10 a.m., he called me. He'd found where she'd been bitten on her hip and he had drained over a half cup of infection from two golf ball sized cysts. Her temperature was 104.4 and he was trying to get it down. I was able to pick her up later that day. Her hip was shaved over the bites and where he had to cut her and I had instructions to cover the area with a wet warm compress several times a day. He said she'd like it. HA! I managed to put it on her, but never for the five minutes he wanted. I even let her walk with it hanging there till she pulled it off. But she seemed to be improving. Then on Friday I found another lump. They said to bring her right back in.

Bear had just left for work, but he goes in early. I called him and he met me at the vets. Diva is heavy in that cage and it's all I can do to carry her because she moves from one end to the other and won't settle down. I didn't go with them when they took her in because I didn't want to see them cut her again. But Bear went in. They didn't have to cut her again. They drained this infection with a needle and then Bear said they shot peroxide into the area and let it foam out. The vet told Bear that Diva wasn't near as mad at him as she'd been the first time. He said she was one pissed off kitty the first time. Draining all that infection the first time had relieved most of her pain. Maybe this time she saw him more as a friend. Because......

#4. I've learned how smart cats can be that way.

Diva's recovery has been a rocky road, and expensive. But in less then a year, she has become worth it to both Bear and I.

P.S. We don't know what bit Diva. But, we have a pretty good idea. There is a black and white feral cat that attacks everything. It has an awful habit of slashing eyes and there are two neighborhood cats out there now with an eye missing. It attacked a neighbors cat and slashed her side. I've never been one to want any animal killed, even though I grew up on the farm and accepted the slaughter of food animals, but I want that black and white cat killed before it hurts another pet. It's so wild you can't get close and it runs as soon as I open the door to go after it when it comes on our property. I highly entertained my son and grandson one Saturday in early spring when I chased that darn cat all the way down the alley in back. I was so mad because it came right up on our deck after Baby and I heard the ruckus. I got there quick. Todd and Bryce told me they didn't know I could run that fast. I didn't know either, and I paid for it the next day when I could hardly move. I'm not the only one after that black and white cat, and I hope someone gets it soon. Even if it's not the one that bit Diva.