I feel like a horrible Kitty Mother today.
Tiggers was doing pretty good after the vet visit yesterday, had a nice dinner, couple of treats... around bedtime, she was looking so comfy in front of her cubby here on my desk, that I decided not to move her and take her to the bedroom. I left her there, with some food and treats near her.

In the morning she was on the couch. I went to feed her, and discovered a half inch patch of torn skin on the side of her tummy. Looks like she fell off the desk, and caught it's corner and it tore her skin as she was falling down. By the direction of it, it looks like she was falling down up-side down. I'm guessing that my other kitty confronted her to get to the food, and she had to get out of there in a hurry, and fell....

The tear is very shallow, it didn't go all the way through the skin, just chafed off the top part and took a chunk of fur out. It just looks ugly, and probably burns a bit, like a mild road rash or a rug burn might.  It's not bruised... I checked her out all over and I don't see any other bruises or tender spots. Tigger mostly acts like it's not even there.

I on the other hand feel horrible. I should have taken her to the bed with me, and shouldn't have left the food behind her (so Bubba needs to go over her to stick his nose in it)... I didn't protect my litte baby kitty.... plus, after the vet visit yesterday, I lost a lot of hope.... and then on top of it all, the darn dog broke Tiggers food dish...    I think I need a hug!

Okay Mom kids fall down and go boom!  That's what kids do.  Don't beat yourself up.  Tigger is well and it was just one of them things.  Give her a great big hug and all is better.  :O)   Big HUG to you!

Big HUG to you and Tiggers

I know the guilty feeling when something happens but if Tigger is acting like nothing happened follow her lead. Obviously she doesn't think you were a bad kitty mother ;-) 

I wish I could send you one of my cat dishes to replace Tiggers broken one, for some reason my mother thinks her "grandkitties" need at least three each so I have quite the collection (not that the little brats eat out of them, it's more fun to scoop the food out and spread it all over the kitchen floor before eating it).

BIG hug for you Connie!  When you have more than one cat these things happen.  Don't forget that as you are stressed out, so is Bubba, and he doesn't even know what's happening.  I know it's difficult at the moment, but you have to stay strong for Tigger and Bubba.

When we were dealing with our dying cat Purrdita (the one who turned up starving on our doorstep on Christmas Eve last year), we had built her kitty steps to get down to her litter tray from her chair but she decided to take a flying leap and badly sprained her wrist.  We felt dreadful about it, particularly as it dropped her quality of life to such an extent that we had to have her put down as she couldn't push herself up to eat, even with the bandage, and just gave up.  It probably, acording to the vet, didn't shorten her life by more than a few days but we still felt dreadfully guilty about it.  We shouldn't have done though, as we couldn't do anything about it.  Cats do their own thing, it's what we love them for.

There are good times and bad times when you have pets and this is one of the bad times.  As not quite dispassionate (all right, quite passionate) outsiders, the news from the surgeon could have been a whole lot worse.  Tigger still has a chance at surgery which could give her some more years of life. We're rooting for you all and thinking of you all.

Hug

shhhh..... kitties never, ever admit a momentary lapse of grace. It didn't happen, don't know what you're talking about, that boo-boo just mysteriously appeared. ;)

On the other hand, it's a dog's job to break something every once in a while. Kitty dishes are a prime target. I can't even count the number of kitty dishes Kirby broke during his 14 years, even though he tried so hard to pick them up and not drop them.

You are an excellent Kitty Mom, Connie! And Tigger would say the same thing. And now you have a reason to get Tigger (and Bubba) brand new matching dishes.  

Thank you guys, you are all so wonderful! I'm too out of it to thank each and one of you personally, but you definately deserve it.  Yesterday was a very rough day, at work and at home.

It turns out there was no accident, but that Tiggers is starting to develop sopme sort of sores on he skin. :crying:   there are two of them, one about a size of a quarter, on her left side, and a smaller one on her right. The vet says probably from toxicity... but he's looking into what we can do to minimize them and keep her comfy, I took pictures of them and emailed them to the doc, and I'm hoping to hear back soon. He's doing his calls after 6PM for a while, after appointment hours. Tiggers is acting like the sores not there and doesn't mind me poking and prodding them.

The surgery has been eliminated as an option, especially with this latest development of sores... unless she continues to improve significantly. Tiggers is a bit low key last couple of days, but not feeling bad. Snuggling and eating at least 30% of her food on her own and lapping up a fair amount of milk, just not pacing around as much as she did this weekend. And, she doesn't miss a chance to try and look graceful and dignified.

Connie, if all cat parents (can't really talk about owners, because in my experience cats always just take over your house and own you) behaved like you I'd have a little bit more faith in the human race. A catzillion of hugs from me, my family and my two cats, Piri and Isotta.

Lorenzo

P.S. Please don't ask me what a catzillion is... ^^

Awww, Lorenzo, what you said is sweet beyond words sniffle  Thank You!
I dunno what catzilion is either, but Tiggers says she understands purrfectly.

Just checking in on your and the Tiggers sweetie ;)

Hang in there, I hope the sores will resolve themselves or you get some meds for them.  Dont be discouraged about the surgery, because you weren't going to know for a while anyway, so think of it as nothing on that score has really changed for right now :)

You are doing a wonderful job, the dedication and love is surely helping Tigger heal :)

HUGS

Deb

Connie, you say that Tigger is drinking a fair bit of milk, this might be exacerbating the sores.  We had a cat that suddenly developed milk allergy and burst out in sores. Alfie didn't mind them being touched, and ignored them until they scabbed up and itched.  He wouldn't drink kitty-milk either.  Goat's milk is supposded to be OK, thought it was worth a shout to mention this.  Not saying it isn't toxicity, just wondering if there was an allergy as well.  Perhaps you should ask your vet about this.

We all rooting for Tigger and are really sorry that the sugery has been ruled out.  There isn't a lot that we can say except hugs and kisses all round.  Purrs from all our cats to Tigger!

Thanks Lady Elf and Cardinal Biggles!

I think I figured out what the sores are from - I mean what exacerbated the skin sensitivity!
When I saw those two sores appear so quickly, I fully expected to see more of them on her body, but no new ones!

The way she was sitting looking at me this morning with her head up, wanting to be fed, I noticed that her feeding tube is pointing right at the sore, just half an inch short of it.

Yesterday I rebanaged her tube, and did it so it has more play in it, and so I can check the incision daily. The vet had it wrapped around much tighter, and the tube had less play, and was much tighter against her body, AND would be reaching that half inch fartehr out, right at the top of the sore, and would explain a direction of the tear. Both sores have a pointy triangular start to them, like a little rip.

When she turned her head to the other side, and the tube flipped, same thing, it was pointing right at the other sore!

The plug for the feeding tube does have somewhat sharp edges, I can certainly see it creating a chafing or a tear - especially with Tiggers getting more energetic. She does that catty thing where her head goes up in an instant and eyes wide open if she's woken up from dead sleep (when Bubba jumps to close to her), and when it was bandaged up much tighter, I can just see that motion jabbing the tube end in her side. I just wasn't buying it that random sores would have such straight squared off edges. ...and OMG, if my vet says, I dunno, it's probably the toxicity, she's in a bad shape, one more time .... I'm going to scream!

Maybe it happened when we were at the other vet's office, when they were taking x-rays. One tear has a little chunk of fur hanging off of it. The other, doesn't. I looked all over the house and her usual spots and in my car for couple chunks of fur, trying to figure out what and how it happened. Found all kinds of other things, but no Tigger fur.

So... like I said, I rebandaged it looser yesterday, and this morning I taped a thick cotton ball and a pad over the end of the tube, so if she gets jabbed, it won't scrape her up anywhere else. She looks like she has a dandylion at the end of the tube now.

As for Tiggers, she is upbeat, and still eating about 1/3 of her meal on her own, and does pester me a little bit when she's hungry, and walks around a little, and wants to go outside when it's warm and sunny.

Good detective work, Connie! I had wondered about allergies, too, now that she's spending more time out in the grass. But connecting the dots on where that feeding tube end touches her sounds much more logical.  

Yep, sounds like you found the problem!  I'm sure Tiggers appreciates the effort you've gone to in making sure it won't bother her anymore. 

Whew!  That's a relief Connie.  I'm sure that you are right and have found the cause.  Glad Tigger continues to eat by herself and wander around.  You are an all around, top class, Grade A+ cat mom!

Tiggers is truly such an amazing little kitty girl.
Having some extra pukies last day or so, but she's also having a stubborn piece of poo she's struggling with.
She wants to go outside, but it's been overcast... She's looking at me like... Mommy, make the sun shine...   For her, I would do it if I could, no matter what it took.

We know what you mean Connie, they look at you saying 'why haven't you turned the heater on?'.  Hope Tigger gets rid of her poo soon.

Quote - We know what you mean Connie, they look at you saying 'why haven't you turned the heater on?'. 

Oh, gosh, exactly. When they give you that trusting wanting look... Just like little children... I'm a huge pushover when they do that.

Tiggers is managing to wrap the neighborhood around her tail, like she did it where I used to live.
Our home is on a corner, so when I take Tigger outside, we are sitting on a lawn, where neiogbors drive around or walk their dogs. They're stopping by and asking about how she's doing... and she's eating it up. She always perks up when she sees more people.... she lifts her head and her little snubby perky nose, and watches them like she understans what they're saying... and everyone is falling for it.  What a baby!

Hmm, sure she is not got a little pig in her somewhere?  Really sounds like she is hamming it up.  Glad to hear she is still holding her own and showing signs of improving, this has got to be encouraging.

What a drama queen, and why not lol :)

Poor thing is having a really hard time with the poo this time :(  it's been almost three days... it's making her pukey and miserable. I hope she gets rid of it soon.

I hope she gets rid of the poo soon, too.  :o(  Nice detective work, though, Connie!  :o) 

Hi Connie,
just checking everything is "reasonably" all right with you and Tiggers...

Hugs & Kisses, Purrs & Meows,

Lorenzo

I'm glad Tiggers is feeling well enough to enjoy being the center of attention in your neighborhood.  Hopefully she will get rid of the poo soon and feel better.

We too hope that Tigger's poo arrives soon.  Hugs to you, Tigger et al.

Still no poo, and she's looking miserable and weak :(    I hope this blows over....
Major stressing and worrying here on my end.

Hmm, wondering if a warm (hot water bottle) enema would help her.

Quote - Hmm, wondering if a warm (hot water bottle) enema would help her.

Probably would. I was thinking aout aking her to the vet. Only had half a day at the office today, and came home about an hour ago. She's outside right now, working on the poo. I think one little piece came out already, and she's resting to give it another, ummm, push.

Poor Tigger.  :sad: 

Ooooo - hope Tigger solves her poo problem.

scanmead - thanks for the sardine tip - Fred loved 'em,  along with canned tuna
P-ewe - what a stink!!

Fred sends his purrs (and a sneeze or two -sorry) for Tigger!!

Poor Tigger :(  All our cats send purrs of encouragement, hope Tigger can poo soon!

Thank You guys!
Sill no poo, but she's not looking as miserable and puky today.
I started her back on anti-biotics couple days ago, looked like the feeding tube was giving her grief and getting a tad inflamed. I imagine when it gets inflamed, it gives her a very sore throat. I've seen this before, couple days after putting her on anti biotic, she livens up. Maybe she was running a bit of fever.

I'll ask the doc if we can't just have a low dose we can keep her on. I don't like this on-off on-off... but what do I know.

Glad Fred like the fishy guts! ;) What we won't endure for the critters: stinky, stinky things.

Tell Tigger we're all on edge waiting for her litter box to get dirty, ok? Sending telepathic tummy rubs her way....  

Yaaaaaay, she squueeeezed out a poo.
She went outside and tried, and it made her puke, and she howled a tiny bit.

So, I took her and the diapers in my car, and we went for a drive around the block. Half ways through, she howled a bit again, and out it came! Not all of it, but it's major progress.

"Tell Tigger we're all on edge waiting for her litter box to get dirty"

LOL, I'm visualizing a group of people holding the edge of a litter box, all white knuckled, leaning in going... did she do it... um, no, not yet....   how about now? - nope.... now? oh, she almost did it...   How about now? .....

I found a kitten food here, that smells just like fish guts mixed with sardines. Tigger turns her nose up at it, but Bubba will eat it up. Tigger on the other hand LOOOVES tuna... as long as it came out of people food can, not a kitty food can.  Her favorite kitty foods are salomon flavors. She's not that keen on chicken, unless it's real chicken, out of the oven.

Yay, we're so glad to hear that Tigger made progress! 

When Leftie had a kidney infection and was on medication the only thing he could eat without puking was Gerber baby food.  People must have thought I had a small army of babies at home for all the baby food I was buying LOL.

Quote - Yay, we're so glad to hear that Tigger made progress! 

When Leftie had a kidney infection and was on medication the only thing he could eat without puking was Gerber baby food.  People must have thought I had a small army of babies at home for all the baby food I was buying LOL.

Awww, too adorable.

In my case, I think the local pharmacy people must think I'm a druggie... the feeding tube takes syringes, and those only last few days a piece till they lose suction or get stuck etc...  So I keep buying new ones, or getting them 10 or so a piece. Luckily they're only a dollar or two a piece.

I know this sounds weird but, congratulations on your poo Tigger, hope you get rid of the rest soon!  Our cats love Tuna out of a people can too Connie, obviously great kitty minds think alike :)  Mrs. B mentioned that going for a long motorcycle ride helps her in that situation but I don't know if Tigger has a Harley lol.

Have you tried pro-biotic yoghurt to help Tigger with her digestion?  I know there are special ones for cats but our vet reckons that the human ones are OK so long as the cat doesn't have a milk allergy and it isn't used for too long.  Our vet really doesn't like cats to have milk for too long.

All the best to Tigger et al., hugs, thoughts and purrs coming your way.

Cardinal Biggles, Funny you should mention it, Tigger does actually have a Harley, a Softail Custom, black, just like her. 

Yesterday she settled for riding shotgun in a convertible camaro... but wasn't much in the mood for a top-down ride. Also black like her. She does like the heat those black leather seats give off after some time in the sun. Like putting a heating pad on her tummy.
She wasn't too crazy about the 'depends' diaper pads I put on the car seat, but she made good use of them ... LOL   

Thanks for all the purrs and snuggles, Tiggers is hanging in there pretty good today.

Low key, but she doesn't look miserable. Head is up, especially when she hears a rattle of a treat-baggy, and when she sleeps, she's comfortably curled up. She's not eating on her own at the moment. I suspect she'll start again when the tube infection subsides a bit more.

YAAAAAAAAY, she did it, a big one !!!!!!
We can party now!

.... ummm... I think this just gave a term "Party Pooper" a whole new meaning.

It was exhausting, so she's taking a nap... but she looked quite happy and relieved when it was all over.

Well, since we are giving terms whole new meanings, poo hoo for her! (and I mean that in only the nicest ways).  LOL

Why do I feel like an ABBA song is coming?

Super Pooper lights are gonna find me
Shining like the sun
Smiling, having fun
Feeling like a number one

... okay, maybe a number two...

ROFL... she trully is a super pooper... poo hoo for her!
This thread is turning into a Tigger Poop watch.

Actually, I have to tell you guys how my kitties got their names... it seems relevant at this point.
Just before I went to pick them up from a shelter, my best friend whom was going with me told me this corny little joke about the standard "Tigger and Pooh"

She says,
-what is Tigger doing looking in the toilet?
-Looking for Poo!

So, I wasn't sure what to name the kitties at first, I decided to give them time to settle in and se what fits their personality.  About an hour after I brought them home, and they m,ade their way around the bedroom, it all of a sudden got very quiet.... so, I snooped around to see where they went....
I find them in the bathroom, the boy, a gray tabby is in the farthest corner of the bathroom, hiding behind the toilet, in a little nook between the toilet and the shower. The black female kitty is standing on top of the toilet's water tank, staring down at him, as if saying, what the heck are YOU doing goofball????

So, that's how she became Tigger, and he became Poo (which turned into Bubba when he got big and chubby).

So that's how a black kitty got the name Tigger! She caught poor Bubba being a scaredy cat. ;)

The hardest one to name was Roxi's sister Sugar (now gone). Picture the oddness of my sister and I sitting out on the porch trying every name in the book, waiting for the new kitty to tell us she liked one. I think she was just tired of the whole thing by the time we got to the end on the S's. The easiest was my huge siamese, Jackie Chan. Came home, and he did the goofy running, with tail arched, all over the furniture, acting, well, silly. Fist cat I've had who has a definite sense of humor... and actually likes water.  

Yogurt is great when you've been on anitibiotics, because they can kill off a lot of the beneficial bacteria, but I've never gotten any of my cats to eat it. They just give me a look that says "But this milk is SOUR!". 

So glad Tigger got some relief, and now she can rest up in comfort. We'll all talk in whispers for a while, so as not to disturb her. ;) 

Ah, so that's how a kitty gets named Jackie Chan.... LOL, I was wondering.
Probably not any more then people wodering how come a black kitty is named Tigger... LOL. 

She does have stripes... when she's in sun, and you look really really hard, it looks like there's a bit of residual striping. I call it Black on Dark Black. I called her my little Pather for a while, but kept wanting to call her Panty... that got a bit awkward. Often I call her "Tiger Lilly".

Cheers and hurrahs for Tigger's bottom!!  :)

Hey Sorry i was gone...Flu!

Good to hear Tigger is doing better... so happy the "poo" watch was succesful! :D

Hugs to you all...

Ariana and the "Boys"! 

Ever notice the more personality a cat has, the more alternative names they collect? Tiger Lily seems to fit her well!  

Quote - Ever notice the more personality a cat has, the more alternative names they collect? Tiger Lily seems to fit her well!  

No kidding!
She has a few little pet names.
Her daddy (my ex) calls her 'daddy's precious little girl', and she actually ansers to 'precious' aside from Tigger. When we're snuggling, and she's sleepy, you can start whispering to her "mommy and daddy's precious little girl', and she'll turn up-side down for a tummy snuggle, as if on cue!  My ex used to take afternoon naps with her in his lap, and would whisper to her over and over again ...'daddy's precious little girl'...'daddy's precious little girl'...

She's doing good today, livened up compared to last few days, no pukies yet today.
My project is over for now, so I have a lull, and I'm at home making poser content. tiggers wandered off to the front yard, and is sitting in her usual sunny spot.

She was doing quite well last night, after a few tough days she was in a mood for a snuggle, and was quite relaxed. Seeing her happy and comfy made me tear up!!!! Happy tears.