Just Rescued 2 Ferals... Questions

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KrisinOhio

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ok, so I am officially in anxiety mode. I will bring T home tomorrow after work. Today the vet said that she is ok, her incision looks good.

In preparation I have washed all of the blankets and bedding in their room, cleaned the litter boxes, vacuumed everything. I am going to remove all of the tall cat trees, I bought a small one with a cave and perch. I'll put it between their window sill perches, hopefully she will use it as a step stool to get up there. I also put some cat beds under the perches, hopefully providing a soft landing spot. With her being semi-feral still, and in light of the drama to get her in the carrier, I expect she will be pretty freaked when she gets home. Hopefully she will just hide in the ground level caves I have for her. I am going to ask them to wipe her with a towel before loading in the carrier, and i am taking a towel that MK has been laying on to put in the carrier. Hopefully their reunion will be ok.

I'm planning on keeping them in their room and sleeping with them Fri/Sat nights.

Monday I have to go to work, I will contain them in their room when i am gone.

Some of my many concerns -- since they are now used to being out overnight what do I do after the first couple of days? Let them stay out or keep them confined to their room at night for 2 weeks. I am sure MK will not like that, and T probably won't either. And getting them in might become an issue. When MK was spayed they had only been inside for a couple weeks, so they stayed in their room most of the time of their own volition.

I apologize in advance - I'm sure this is just one of many posts during T's recovery.
:gaah:
 

shadowsrescue

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Breathe..... You are doing all of the right things. I think after being home a day or two she will be just fine. I would keep them both in their room while you are at work Monday and then see what happens. Do you plan to let them out of the room during the day on the weekend? If so you can judge then how things are going.

Remember that you need to stay calm too. If she senses you are freaked out then she will be freaked out. Try to keep everything as normal as possible. Meal times, where they eat, when you visit. You don't want her coming home to everything all shiny and new. That will only freak her out. Cats like routine so keep her routine the way it was.

Just take it day by day. You will know when the time is right to allow them both more time out and about. Ask the vets for specifics on what she can and cannot do. Short jumps are ok. Miss Kitty did just fine and so will T. You are so very very prepared.

We are here for you too! I just know it will all go smoothly!
 

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I'm just catching up here! My e-mail isn't getting notices that there are new posts!

KrisinOhio KrisinOhio - you are really very well prepared for T's return! You can see how it goes over the first few days and decide if you need to confine them at night and for how long. Two weeks does sound like a long time and it might not be necessary. It is nice that you have the weekend to keep an eye on them! And of course, you can always call your vet with questions and concerns. I'll bet you are right and T will keep a low profile for a while and MK will probably be mostly interested in giving her a good sniffing!

Pretty soon, things will be back to normal, all will be forgotten and forgiven, and you can concentrate on enjoying these sweet kitties!
 
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KrisinOhio

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We are home. The reunion was low key, some nose & butt sniffing. (I'll take it, at least there was no aggression!) T hasn't eaten yet, I had all her favorites out, but she isn't interested. She did a couple tours of the house (up and downstairs before I could block them off). Now she is in her favorite hiding spot in the family room. She seems a bit out of sorts, but at least she isn't hiding behind her cabinet in their room (which is where she goes if she is really upset). Let the fun begin - I am hoping to get them to go into their room overnight. If not i'll sleep in the family room with them to shut down any roughhousing. I am concentrating on staying calm so as not to add to any stress she is feeling.

Thanks Avery Avery and shadowsrescue shadowsrescue for your support! shadowsrescue shadowsrescue -how is your hand?
 

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Sounds pretty darn good! And so sweet of you to spend the night with them if necessary to "shut down any roughhousing" -- I laughed at that! The things we go through for our cats! You are a wonderful cat mom!
 

shadowsrescue

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KrisinOhio KrisinOhio I am so happy that all is going so well. Thank goodness T did so well and seems happy to be home. I am sure she will eat soon. Is she still on any pain meds?

I too would have slept with them ! With everything I went through with Cisco, I had my DH go to the guest room so I could have Cisco in bed with me and watch him closely. We did this for a week! Definitely the crazy things we do for our cats.

Thankfully I think my hand is getting better. I was worried last night as it was very warm and swollen again. I iced it and took ibuprofen. Today it is soooo much better. I am getting a bruise, but the redness and heat are gone! I am taking very good care of it. Thanks for asking!

Keep us updated on how T and MK do this weekend. I hope you are able to sleep and relax!
 
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KrisinOhio

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KrisinOhio KrisinOhio I hope all went well last night
Hi shadowsrescue shadowsrescue ! I think it went pretty well. I stayed with the cats in their room. T ate a little bit before bed and used the litterbox. They both stayed pretty calm, T used the "steps" I put below their window perches and didn't jump too much. I let them out this morning because both were fussing at the door. She didn't eat much for breakfast, and paced around the family room for about an hour (she did the stairs several times too - if I block them off the tries to climb over the gate). Then she finally ate and took about a 2 hour nap. She's back to walking around now. The vet sent her home with 1 dose of pain meds for me to give this morning (they gave them to her for the 2 days she was there, so this was the last dose). It's to be syringed orally - I do not see that happening. I am going to put it in some food later and see if she will eat. She doesn't seem to be in pain, she is walking and moving normally. She seems calm, acting like she always does, checking things out, looking out the sliding doors. I hope to be able to get them in their room again tonight and stay with them again. I also can't really check her incision - I have to wait for her to get close and try to take a peek. I am counting the minutes until the 2 weeks is up!
 

shadowsrescue

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So glad they did well. Just put the meds in her food. I have had to do that before. Is it buprenex or buphrenorphine? She's probably ok now since it's been over 2 days. I am sure they will be happy for freedom again today. Once they get a taste for freedom, it's so hard to confine again.
 
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KrisinOhio

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They gave her buprenex. I'll put it in some baby food, but so far she hasn't been interested in it. Just kibble and chicken.
 

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Good morning, KrisinOhio KrisinOhio ! I hope that the kitties (and you!) had another good night and that things continue to go well. Were you able to get the pain medicine in T's food and did she eat it? As shadowsrescue said, I'll bet she is feeling OK by now and if she didn't get that extra medicine, she should be fine. How are they getting along? Do things seem back to normal yet? Did they give you a mother's day present?!
 
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KrisinOhio

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Hi Avery Avery ! Yes, we had another good night! I slept in their room again. I did get the pain meds in some food, I think she got at least some of it. But, she certainly doesn't act like she's in too much pain. I put the tall cat trees on their sides, flat on the floor, and both cats are looking at me like i'm nuts! But it is keeping her from jumping! She has been going up and down the stairs quite a bit, but it's one step at a time, no big jumps. Tonight I think I will sleep on a couch in the family room and leave them out overnight. I should hear them if they get too playful. No mother's day present for me other than a full litterbox - how about you?
 

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It sounds as all is going well and T will be just fine. Soon you will be back in your own bed!! Happy Mother's Day.
 
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KrisinOhio

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So last night didn't go as planned. I hoped to leave them out, and sleep in the family room to keep an eye on them. They started playing, jumping and running up and down the stairs, i thought it was too much for T. So we all 3 slept in their room again last night. Once in they settled down and slept. I just fed them breakfast. Heres hoping they behave in there today while i am at work. I dont know what im going to do tonight. Day 5 of recovery.... 9 more to go!
 

shadowsrescue

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Hopefully they will be calm tonight. It's good to be cautious the first week. Yet after 7-10 days, I would think she would be just fine. Keeping a cat confined is so hard once they get that taste of freedom. I always try to think that I have to trust that the cat does know it's body and isn't going to do anything on purpose to hurt themselves. Now of course they could accidentally fall or do something while playing. But it is impossible to keep them in a bubble.

When Cisco had his pu surgery 2 years ago, he too had to be confined for 2 weeks. He also had to wear a cone. It was awful awful awful. My DH slept with him for 10 nights. When I was in the room with him he tried so hard to get out. Yet he was more afraid of my DH so he just slept! It was the longest 2 weeks. He had to wear the cone for 3 weeks.

I hope all goes well today.
 
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KrisinOhio

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2 weeks of confinement! I can't imagine. But it is the same with my DH... the cats are afraid of him too and behave much better for him. They walk all over me! I agree with you that T knows her body, but I am afraid that MK will be too rough in their playtime. She's 10 lbs and T is barely 6. She's never really aggressive, but I just don't want her to jump and land on her. I will feel much better about them in 7 - 8 days...
 
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KrisinOhio

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Hi shadowsrescue shadowsrescue ! Thanks for checking! Last night I let the cats stay out. I was back and forth on what to do all evening. Finally I was thinking that hopefully she won't do something that hurts her. MK can get worked up, but it is never aggressive, so I assume T would just go away. I did hear a lot of running back and forth (hopefully most of the noise was MK!). This morning both went in their room for breakfast and T seems ok. She ate and used the litterbox. I can't really look at her incision, I have to wait until she sits a certain way and then try to position myself to see it! Fingers crossed that no harm was done. Today is a week....
 
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