Wah..I miss her!

[otto]

I miss having Queen Eva with me and the other cats in bed at night. I miss seeing her curled up with Tolly. I miss seeing her run and play and play and play.

And mostly I feel so sad that she is locked up and doesn't know why. I tell her why, all the time, but I don't know if she understands. She doesn't try to get out, even when I open the door and crawl half in to cuddle with her.

I worry that her personality will change, that, by the time her incarceration is over she won't want to burrow any more or play her funny games or give me such sweet face rubs.

I hardly slept last night and had bad dreams about Queen Eva when I did doze off, so I'm feeling kind of low this morning.

 

[catsallaround]

When my cat Gabby had issues after a spay(seemed to be a reaction to drugs and a virus going at same time as she had signs of both) I felt bad cause she was in a cage in room with all the recovering kittens(her kids and "nieces")

Long term shes been fine. She was a bit wary of me(granted I was medicating her and force feeding her so many times a day everytime she woke up it must have felt like i was there yet again.

Also be noted this was a cat that came from a bad scene-abuse/not eating all the time, not spayed(none of the cats were)

How long is she on cage rest? Can she come out into a bathroom for cuddles and to stretch her legs.

 

[otto]

Thank you for this!

Intellectually I know she is fine, but my emotions want to fret, and any people who want to share positive experiences of when they had to crate their kitty for health reasons will be welcome.

She has to stay in her Castle for two weeks. It's a large dog crate so she has plenty of room.

She is not supposed to be doing any jumping around, and the bathroom has many places to jump, though I have thought about it a few times.

I do cuddle her a lot, by poking the top half of my body in the crate. I just realized, that must be where all these tender spots on my head are from. I noticed last night that I seem to have a lot of bumps on my head. I must be bumping it when I am in her Castle.

 

[darlili]

Otto, didn't you say the last time Eva was out of Castle she hurt herself a bit and ran right back to Castle? I'm wondering if for the moment she associates being out of a cage with hurting a bit? At the vet she was in a cage and starting to feel better, and at home she was all frisky and happy inside Castle - it was when she was out that she accidentally hurt herself a bit.

Eva's a smart girl - she might just feel darn safe in Castle for the moment, but I'd guess as she continues to heal, her curiosity and energy will get her out of the Castle to play.

I know you feel bad - when Dante had his crystal issues, the vet recommended leaving him in a bathroom with the plastic litter so we could get a sample - honestly, I was the one who couldn't manage a whole 24 hours. And when Dharma felt low on Clavamox, I hovered over her, probably too much. Both of them are just fine now, back to their old personalities. But Eva is a growing girl - even without this health scare, her personality was probably going to change a bit. But let her heal, and just keep telling yourself that she's getting better day by day and you're doing everything humanly possible to make sure she's fine.

 

[my4llma]

Is there anyway you can bring her cage in your room at night? So she'll at least be in the room with you.

 

[ldg]

Aw sweetie, we never had to confine our kitties, so I've no experience to share. BUT I'm sending heaps of vibes to you and to Queen Eva!

 

[chinacat]

Thankfully I've never had to confine either of my two but I just wanted to say I am so sorry you are feeling low.
You are doing the best thing for Queen Eva (and always have done since destiny brought you together). Two weeks must seem like an age but you have so many cuddles and so much playtime to look forward to once she is better.
When she is fully recovered you will have the joy of watching her feisty, mishievious, adorable little personality develop further.
I bet it's not long til she's back to knocking over lamps!
Positive vibes on their way to you...

 

[otto]

Thanks for your replies everyone.

I figured out a way for Queen Eva to be in bed with us at night!

Actually it was Queen Eva's idea. Last night, right before I went to bed, I put her in the carrier to clean her litter box ( I really don't put her, she walks right into it. It's the same routine as when she used the Castle outside, so it's like we've been practicing for this all along)

Anyway, when I opened the carrier door for her to go back into the Castle, she wouldn't, she just sat there and purred. So I thought, well, I'll bring her in on the bed in the carrier, while I read. She liked that.

When I was ready to turn out the light I brought her carrier back to the Castle, but she didn't want to get out, still, so I just brought her back to bed and she slept in the carrier right next to me on the bed all night. I think the other cats liked it too. Tolly slept right next to the carrier, and Mazy and Jennie were in their accustomed places too.

I'm so relieved.

Queen Eva got restless about a half hour before I had to get up, so I figured she needed her litter, and that's when I put her back in. I went back to bed for that half hour though.

Yay, Queen Eva can sleep with us at night!

My4LLMA: She can see the bedroom from her Castle in the living room, she can see us in the bed better from there than if I brought the the whole thing into the bedroom, but now that she's figured out a way she can be with us it doesn't matter.

 

[ldg]

Oh that is GREAT!

SUCH a smart little girl!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[otto]

I know it! I just can't get over how clever she is, to figure that out, and to communicate it to me.

It makes me so much happier that I can have her on the bed at night, though I probably won't sleep as well, I know I will be listening for her if she needs me to take her to the bathroom.

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

How great that you TWO figured out a way for her to sleep with you and still be safe (from herself

). You're BOTH smart!!

 

[bastetservant]

That's great that you figured out a way for her to be near you (or she figured it out - whatever).

Two weeks of confinement seems like a VERY long time. Is that for sure? Are you taking her in to the vet after the first week or something to check on how she is progressing?

I don't know if I could stand two weeks of that.

Glad it's you and not me.

Robin

 

[otto]

Thanks Robin. yes, two weeks. Queen Eva saw the vet today, and will see the vet again next Wednesday. Maybe then we will get the okay to break her out early.

It's not easy keeping her contained. I mean it's not easy for me, emotionally. Queen Eva has adjusted quite well, does not complain, or fuss, or try to dash out when I open the door to care for her.

She does like going into her carrier for a change of pace. When she's in the carrier I set it up on top of the Castle, so she gets a different perspective.

 

[garyganoo]

When Sophie got spayed at 5 months of age, her stitches got infected and she chewed on them until they started to come apart. I took her to an emergency vet because it was "off hours" when I noticed the problem. He gave me antibiotics for her infection and wrapped her up in something that looked like a giant "Ace Bandage" so that it wouldn't open up. . He told me to bring her my regular vet in 2 days where she had the proper surgery. After the trimming and restitching surgery, they left the "ace bandage" off and gave me a cone to put around her neck. She would not tolerate the cone. She went nuts and eventually figured how to take it off by frantically running backwards and crashing into things until it eventually came off. So I just left it off and she didn't fuss with her stitches and everything healed up OK. I wasn't told to confine her.

Here is a picture of Sophie wearing her Ace Bandage which she didn't mind a bit.

 

[otto]

Aww...Sophie is so beautiful. Queen Eva did have a bandage around her middle for the first few days she was in the hospital, she was in hospital five days due to complications. It was teal and she hated it.

Queen Eva hasn't messed with her spay incision at all, so never did need a collar, thank goodness for small favors.

While I've never had to keep a cat contained for so long before, coping with the e-collar would have made things much worse, I think.

I'm glad I already had her Castle and that she was already used to being in it (when I took them outside in their fenced yard, she would stay in her Castle) Like this:

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

Just checking in to see how Queen Eva is doing? I've missed hearing about her antics, but hopefully she hasn't been up to any antics lately, since she's supposed to be recouperating!!

 

[ldg]

I'm checking in too. I'm getting worried we haven't heard from you - haven't seen you around TCS for - it seems like forever!

And her follow-up visit is tomorrow! More !!!!

 

[bastetservant]

It's been a week since we heard anything from Otto, and I've been anxious about it for a few days.

I sent her a private message a little while ago asking if everything is OK with her and her brood.

I hope she checks in soon.

I'm also sending positive energy her way.

Robin

 

[otto]

Thank you so much everyone for thinking about us.

Queen Eva had her final check up today, and is all better! Since Thursday night, with vet sanction, I began letting her out of the crate for short periods, but then putting her back in. Only once on Thursday, Friday and twice on Saturday, but on Sunday I let her out multiple times, then when she got tired put her back in.

Monday I had a very long working day, and other than stopping in to feed and check on them I was not home for 14 hours, so she didn't get to run. When I got home at 1 a.m. I let her out and kept her out!

It was wonderful to have her sleep with me and the other cats again, and she curled up under the covers next to my stomach right away.

This picture shows what happened that first night when I had to get up in the night. Before I got up, Mazy and Jennie were where you see them here. Tolly was sleeping in my arms squeezed between me and Jennie, and Queen Eva was under the cover curled up next to my stomach.

Tolly got up with me, and went on to play a Solitary Game of Throw the Mouse down the Stairs, chase it, bring it back up and Throw it down again. But when I went to get back into bed this is what I found

:

No Room


I took the Castle down yesterday and put it away, hopefully forever.

This episode has taken a lot out of me and I have been feeling overwhelmed with stress and exhaustion, so have been staying out of busy forums for a while. I appreciate everyone's concern and will be back on full time soon.

Oh by the way, even though she wasn't happy to find herself at the vet again, when my vet walked in Queen Eva was clearly delighted to see her, strained toward her and purred and purred.

Much love and hugs and headbumps to all of you from me and Tolly, Mazy, Jennie and Queen Eva.

<edit> one more thing. Tolly Mazy and Jennie are very happy to have Queen Eva back in the swing of things. Now hopefully life can get back to normal.

 

[kailie]

So glad she is doing well hun!

Please give her a kiss for me!