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Cuckoo posted:Thanks for the advice so far, guys. This is pretty drat  but I recall years ago there was this girl who attempted to neuter a pet rat or mouse herself. It did NOT end well and I can't begin to imagine what she was thinking.
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Jul 13, 2016 04:28
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Welp it's done. Or in process right now, anyway. I got him to the vet this morning. From the time of my last update until now, I have been keeping him inside during the evenings and trying to acclimate him more to the indoors as well as get him to trust me even more. It's been a huge success. He's apparently a drooler  when he gets really into petting or cuddling he'll just start drooling like crazy. This only happens during long petting sessions, so I'm pretty sure it's a happy drool and not illness related. He'll also get up and leap for your hand like a loving dolphin to headbutt it for pets, it's hilarious. He will tear you up with kneading though, as sometimes he likes to pause in thought mid-knead with his claws out and digging into you lovingly. He's even gotten into the habit of reaching for my face with his claws (in a friendly way) - his paw moves very slowly and gently with his claws in and out while kneading, so I know it's not a play or overstimulated aggression act. Because yesterday morning he didn't show up even though I've been trying to make him show up regularly in the morning with treats, as he had to be at the vet's by 7AM, I chose to trap him inside for the night and stayed up with him all night on the couch. He was a good boy, quiet and seemingly just fine with being inside as long as he had access to food and water. He hit the litterbox once and holy poo poo I forgot how bad a Tom's piss smells. This morning went somewhat smoothly. We put an assload of treats into the far end of the carrier, and when he mostly leaned in we shoved the rest of his catbutt inside and locked it. He made these tiny little plaintive mews the entire car ride, it was heartbreaking and made me feel like the world's biggest rear end in a top hat for doing this.  Anyway, he will definitely be much better off with neutering and shots. At one point I went to the wrong address for the vet building and he started to thrash around in his carrier. I put my leg next to him and talked soothingly and he stopped moving. Amazing that he trusts me even after I shoved him into the nightmare box and carted him out of his territory. Tonight is going to probably be a bit rough for all involved, too. I want to keep him inside and in the livingroom, but we're having company tonight and I don't want him to have to deal with the stress of guests while recovering. We can't have him in the carpeted bedrooms though, because allergies are still an issue. Not sure how to handle that. Anyway, pics:   Forget teeth or claws, look at those loving guns! I should have named him Swole 
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Jul 14, 2016 13:14
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Cuckoo posted:This morning went somewhat smoothly. We put an assload of treats into the far end of the carrier, and when he mostly leaned in we shoved the rest of his catbutt inside and locked it. He made these tiny little plaintive mews the entire car ride, it was heartbreaking and made me feel like the world's biggest rear end in a top hat for doing this. I don't think any cat likes being in the carrier for any reason my cat is the same (except when going home from the vet) complains the whole time. Funniest part though is, I leave the carrier open in the corner of my living room and she'll go nap in there all the time, so it's probably not that bad, they just don't like being told what they can't do (get out of the carrier if they feel ike it).
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Jul 14, 2016 13:19
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Oh my god. The vet called. Rory has FIV. gently caress this world. Now I have to decide wether or not to put him down.
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Jul 14, 2016 18:25
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Cuckoo posted:Oh my god. there are FIV positive cats who can live long, good lives, just don't get any other cats
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Jul 14, 2016 18:49
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Yeah, I feel a little better after reading up on FIV. I talked with the SO and we made a decision to keep him. Neither of us could live with ourselves if we put him down while he still seemed healthy and happy.
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Jul 14, 2016 18:58
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Cuckoo posted:Yeah, I feel a little better after reading up on FIV. I talked with the SO and we made a decision to keep him. Neither of us could live with ourselves if we put him down while he still seemed healthy and happy.  YAY! IT seems like you have found A Good CatTM
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Jul 14, 2016 19:00
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Cuckoo posted:Oh my god. Echoing that he can live a good long life. A childhood cat of mine contracted FIV from a cat outdoors and lived to be 15, she was just a bit more delicate than the cats we had before. Just keep an eye on him and make sure he doesn't get into any more fights. It's incredibly common in cats that fight other cats outdoors, at least in this area. He will let you know if he needs to be put down. A good gauge is if he is having more bad days than good (because of his disease) or if he is in extreme pain. I would say please give him a chance, he might surprise you. In happier news, I'm glad the surgery went well for both you and Rory. Hopefully that's the last one he needs. And congrats on the job! I hope your first day is enjoyable. Edit: I spent long enough typing that you posted again.
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Jul 14, 2016 19:05
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Cuckoo posted:Yeah, I feel a little better after reading up on FIV. I talked with the SO and we made a decision to keep him. Neither of us could live with ourselves if we put him down while he still seemed healthy and happy. My wife volunteered at a no-kill shelter where she took care of cats with FIV. One of the cats there had been there over a decade before passing, and who knows how old he was when he made it there. Seeing as he would be your only cat that makes it the perfect environment for an FIV cat since he can stay indoors 24/7 and not be exposed with his weakened immune system and you don't have to worry about any other cats in the household.
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Jul 14, 2016 19:51
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I wanted to at least give one more post-neutering update and wasn't able to earlier. I was so exhausted between crying about the FIV news and staying up all night that after Rory was definitely ok I just kind of passed out. The spirit of this little guy is incredible - even in a situation in which the world's nicest cats turn into total shits, at least temporarily, Rory has still been unrelentingly nice. He meowed a little bit when back in the car, but once in my lap he quieted down and started purring hard enough to make the carrier vibrate. We then heard a repeated "thunk! thunk! thunk" which turned out to be him trying really hard to headbutt the cage to reach the SO and I for pets through the bars.  He's home now and aside from still being a bit nervous, has still been ridiculously chill and affectionate. The only difference is he's a bit woozy from the medicine and swayed back and forth like a drunk while doing his headbutt routine. Here he is getting love from my SO in an old cat bed (same source as the carrier)and rolling around at my feet.    
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Jul 15, 2016 03:24
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What a cute little fur monster. I might have some good news for you too, in regards to the allergies. If you take time to get acclimated to him specifically, your allergies might not flare up from being around him. This happened with one of my friends: she has horrendous cat allergies, but her boyfriend owns a cat. After constantly being around him for over a year (with precautions + lots of allergy meds), she eventually got to the point where she doesn't even get a runny nose from that cat anymore! It only works with that cat though, she still had reactions to my cat when he was still alive. So maybe the same thing could happen to you? Then you could keep him inside all the time, if you wanted.
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Jul 15, 2016 04:30
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Thread title is a lie this thread is heartwarming and has a good happy cat.
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Jul 15, 2016 07:20
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 yay! Sup fellow florida cattegoon
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Jul 15, 2016 14:49
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Kerfuffle posted:Thread title is a lie this thread is heartwarming and has a good happy cat. YEP! IT has a happy ending!
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Jul 15, 2016 14:53
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Rory got a special place in my heart - such a sweet and grateful wee man!
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Jul 15, 2016 16:51
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I'm so glad to hear that he's found a good home with you. 
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Jul 16, 2016 02:53
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He looks so much better than when you first found him. :yay:
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Jul 16, 2016 03:33
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Cuckoo posted:I wanted to at least give one more post-neutering update and wasn't able to earlier. I was so exhausted between crying about the FIV news and staying up all night that after Rory was definitely ok I just kind of passed out. He looks so happy of bees posted:What a cute little fur monster. Same here, I have terrible allergies but I got used to my cats, so I no longer get any allergy symptoms even if I stuff my face into their fur (which I do a lot).
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Jul 18, 2016 04:36
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My husband is also really allergic to cats but acclimatized to both of ours within a month or two (after pretty much clearing out the allergy medication aisle at the pharmacy, mind).
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Jul 19, 2016 21:44
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So, how is Rory doing?
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Jul 19, 2016 22:04
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Despite the FIV this is an incredibly lucky cat!
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Jul 22, 2016 18:54
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I really needed a thread like this today. Thanks OP.
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Jul 22, 2016 23:33
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Since there has been a couple of new posts, I might as well update the thread some more. Also, the plot thickens (not in a good way  )So first off, Rory is doing great. He still has a couple of scars, I think from him constantly reopening them or stretching too much since they're on his neck, but he looks WAY better and most of the fur on the back of his neck has grown back in. He's also gained a bit of weight, though whether that's from an increased food/treat intake or from post-neutering hormones is beyond me. Now for the trouble... apparently his Tom past has given him kitty PTSD. There's another stray who we've been feeding named Bones, and he's really nice though not quite as boldly affectionate as Rory. He's also an unneutered male. I didn't mention him because he's honestly pretty okay...or was, anyway. He is nowhere near as beaten up as Rory but I saw a telltale scar on his neck from a few weeks ago. I have a bad feeling he got hit by the same Tom who probably gave Rory FIV The problem is if we open the screen door for any reason, Bones comes running in at a million miles per hour. This makes Rory really anxious, and from what I've seen from his personality "anxious" just isn't him. Recently they got into a small fight which was immediately broken up, but ever since then Rory just freaks out and starts cowering whenever Bones comes in. However Bones runs in so drat fast that it's impossible to keep him outside if we ever open the backyard door. Neither are aggressive towards each other, no spitting/growling/hissing or anything, but I think Bones feels a bit confined and territorial in the house and takes it out on Rory, who has flashbacks and gets terrified. Although Bones looks way better than Rory and is clearly younger, a lot of the same problems Rory has he has too (unneutered, uncared for, a sweet cat who deserves a home and clearly wants to live in one). However, there's no way I can take him in. Not only is Bones' fur thick and fuzzy, immediately setting off me and my SO's allergies, but it's also clear from their interactions that Rory wants nothing to do with him. Neither are aggressive towards each other aside from that single spat, but it's clearly affected Rory because he's anxious and creeping around whenever Bones is inside. I have a bad feeling that if Bones is picked up by animal control he's going to be put down, not only because of the feral cat population but also because it's very likely he's carrying FIV now too. He doesn't deserve that. However, between our allergies reacting way stronger to him and Rory feeling uncomfortable he has to go. I don't know what to do. Anyway, pics:   Here's Rory savagely attacking me by headbutting my phone into my face as I try to get a picture:  Here is the second cat, Bones: 
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Jul 25, 2016 22:56
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This thread is killing me, because Rory looks a lot like my buddy Knubbs, who I lost in October last year. I am SO GLAD that someone donated enough money for you to get him treated and taken in. Rory may be spooked of Bones because he's been neutered and Bones hasn't. H'es getting comfortable with you guys and used to being a single, indoor kitty, and when bones comes in he feels like his territory is being threatened by an un neutered male. But if there is no fighting happening, I wouldn't worry about it. As for rehoming Bones... I don't know. You could look for FIV rescues in the area, try to rehome him on craigslist?
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Jul 26, 2016 01:39
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Rory: Knubbs: 
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Jul 26, 2016 01:45
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I think you're supposed to inflate them after taking them out of the packaging.
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Jul 26, 2016 02:16
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Dick Trauma posted:I think you're supposed to inflate them after taking them out of the packaging. 
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Jul 26, 2016 12:25
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^^ HahaEcheveria posted:This thread is killing me, because Rory looks a lot like my buddy Knubbs, who I lost in October last year. I am SO GLAD that someone donated enough money for you to get him treated and taken in. I'm so sorry for your loss. Yeah, I was trying to avoid Craigslist because this area is so full of white trash but might not have a choice. Yesterday Bones got in again, because of course he did, and I heard a bit of growling. Tensions are escalating. It seems like they may be fighting over me. When Bones came by for pets, he then laid at my feet and focused on Rory while his tail lashed. Rory was standing a few feet away, also staring with a lashing tail. I walked away and that's when the growls started, so me and the SO intervened before any actual confrontation happened. This isn't good... poor Bones seems to really want to be an indoor cat too, and he might see us as a valuable/finite resource worth fighting over. The worst part is he's not even 100% wrong because I have been showing Rory more attention since officially adopting him.
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Jul 26, 2016 13:14
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Pretend you're rehoming him and ask for a fee. That will weed out the lovely white trash folks, then screen potential adopters, and if you find someone good just drop the fee. It would be a perk if you could rehome him neutered, if you can afford it with a job now. I'd send you cash for it but unfortunately my husband was layed off last week. Or you could always front the neuter and adopt him out for the price you payed. Thanks for taking in Rory. He looks like he belongs in a home. He reminds me so much of Knubbs.
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Jul 27, 2016 00:54
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Kidney Stone posted:So, how is Rory doing? Just wanted to reveal that this was the wonderful poster who helped Rory and I out. Speaking of which Rory is doing fine. He seems to be itchy though, even though we used flea meds on him. I'm wondering if he's allergic to the food? Admittedly it's trash tier cat food but we can't afford better yet (will be able to in a couple of weeks). What would be the symptoms?
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Jul 30, 2016 01:08
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Licking excessively is the main symptom i got. it seem initially like the "fancy" food is more expensive but it's actually more calorie dense so you give them less, so it's actually less expensive than the regular cheapo stuff. I give my allergy cat Blue Buffalo fish & potato. It's like $40/bag but it lasts 4 months. e: just make sure youre not free feeding cause that'll drive the cost up a poo poo ton and make him a fat. meal times is the way to go. Thin Privilege fucked around with this message at 01:22 on Jul 30, 2016 |
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Jul 30, 2016 01:17
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They also poop less on better food. Could the itchiness just be his wounds healing and scabbing? Is he scratching his ears a lot? Chicken is the biggest allergen culprit in cats and dogs, but there are a lot of alternative proteins. I also do "meal times" but sort of free feed? I have three cats. When I get up in the morning they get 2 scoops of kibble in a communal bowl. In the evening I split a can of wet food between them, then they get another 2 scoops at bed time so they stfu throughout the night. A scoop is about a third cup. If someone is super hungry and eats all the kibble, I'll throw another scoop out, cause it's hard to monitor with 3, but there is usually food in the bowl when I get up in the morning, and our tiniest cat eats the most by far. Little jerk. You should add wet food into his diet when you can, the extra water will help him from getting dick crystals.
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Jul 30, 2016 03:23
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Gonna post that most of the time the itching is a skin-based allergy and it's generally rare that they are allergic to the food. This is a pretty common problem and there is a wide range of solutions to it, but finding out exactly what he is allergic to may be out of your price range. Don't be shocked if switching food doesn't help - I'd give him a bath and see if he's fine the day after that. If it's environmental-based (could be pollens and such from outside getting in, even with a closed air system this will happen) you'll notice him chewing at his feet, his rear end and his face. He could also be allergic to the fleas and it will go away as fewer bite him. On a note for the baths don't dunk him into water, rather allow him to have water ran over him with a cup or a trickle from a hose. I've found more animals will tolerate that instead of the 'get in the shallow tub of water!" approach. I will note that these types of allergies are generally seasonal, but I live in socal so our 'seasons' don't really exist other than "warm" and "literally on fire", so most of our critters have reactions year-round. Haven't checked the thread in a little bit, how's Bones doing too? Have we found a solution for him yet or should we generate some ideas?
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Jul 31, 2016 17:17
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Really awesome deed you've done for these guys!
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Aug 4, 2016 15:52
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I'm happy that Rory found a home and I hope everything turns out alright for Bones too.
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Aug 4, 2016 16:51
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