The Black Winter Cardigan

[MarySkater]

Ria is home, she seems well, she's prowling round and round the house as though to convince herself she is really back home. My vet said he doesn't put medical collars on cats, so she stops frequently to lick at the wound - or at the surrounding fur; it's hard to get her to stand still long enough for me to get a good look. I'm happy she doesn't have to wear a lampshade - the only other cat I had spayed, about 15 years ago, was given one, and was very distressed by it. But I'll have to keep an eye on the wound to make sure she doesn't aggravate it.

[Lilith]

Aww bless her big white pawses - so glad she's safely back, and she'll never have to go through that again.

None of mine have ever had to wear a cone and i've only had one who attacked her stitches, so hope Ria doesn't. Has she got stitches or the surgical glue? Also I think the shaved skin must surely itch and also smell un-catlike along with the surrounding fur so could be she's washing that just to restore her normal scent. Paws crossed she settles down, please give her a love from me, she's been very brave

[MarySkater]

Thanks for the good wishes, Lilith. She has stitches, just 3, I think. It did look as though she was licking more at the surrounding fur than at the wound. I think she has settled under the bed now - typical behaviour for a poorly cat. If she's resting I'll try not to disturb her. If she has settled a bit by tomorrow, I'll try to get a photo of the wound, for reference. I'd also like a better look at the edge of shaved area. I can see the skin is patchy-coloured, which is what you'd expect. But it looks like some of the fur is greyish near the roots, and only shows as black towards the tips. It's interesting, and I'd like a closer look, once she deigns to keep still somewhere I can see her.

[Mayday21]

Hi Mary is the incision on the belly or side? I've seen a few side incisions apparently less invasive. Not at the clinic where I volunteer but a couple of clinics which Little Paws use. Hope Ria's not too sore & copes well with her op. I've never used a lampshade for speying ops. Vivian

[MarySkater]

Hi Vivian, it's a side incision. My understanding is that side is medically easier, mid-line is mainly done for cosmetic reasons, to make the shaved patch less obvious. I've no objection to Ria having a bald patch for a while, so I left it up to the vet. It's hard to get a good look at it as she's so active, and the depth of the fur around the incision masks it, but this morning I did manage to catch her keeping still for a while.

She's still licking at the area - you can see the fur around it is damp. But so far as I can tell, the wound isn't irritated, and the stitches are secure. She's eating, and seems well.

Mary

[Lilith]

She's looking bright-eyed and bushy tailed already after her ordeal, lovely girl, so glad she's getting back to normal With being longhaired she doesn't look as bald as Molly did:-

molly punk panther.jpg (62.91 KiB) Viewed 6454 times

I think Moll was a couple of months older than Ria; she'd been with me a month or so, and this, in March 2012, was the first glued incision I'd seen. I felt like knitting her a vest lol; was I glad when she got her stripes back. At least Ria's got a bit more foliage and the op site does look very healthy with no sign of her licking at that.

She'll be running around as usual in a day or two

[Mayday21]

Hi Mary looks like the incisions that Little Paws fur babes have had. Ria looks contented. What with Ria being speyed Sami found trying to come home with broken legs, being operated on & staying at the vets as well as Ghandi's eating probs solved - what a busy week. Vivian

[MarySkater]

What with Ria being speyed Sami found trying to come home with broken legs, being operated on & staying at the vets as well as Ghandi's eating probs solved - what a busy week. Vivian

Yes, we ought to write it all up as a cat soap opera and sell it to a TV company, to earn some money for the forum!

[Lilith]

Hey yes, an ongoing saga of everyday catty (in the nicest sense) purrsons ...

Titles anybody? All I can think of at the moment is 'Tails of the Unexpected Cat' ...must be better ones out there.

TV companies you're missing out on a goldmine - though if you came to our house Molly and Emily might grant you an interview if bribed with tuna - Mouse and I would be hiding under the bed!

[Mayday21]

Hi Lilith & Mary soap opera what about "Days of our Cats" or "Catanation Street" .... Pretty sure with the combined creative talents of Joe with his creative artistry, Lilith with the words & Mary's video & photo editing the story-board would be a 'catcher' for TV. Then we have "cations" from Crewella & Bobby's Girl Vivian

[MarySkater]

I think our cat soap opera would have to be animation rather than live-action. Trying to make cats perform for the camera is no fun! In "Star Trek - The Next Generation," the character Data has a pet cat. I read that, for any scene involving the cat (e.g. jumping on to a desk, or playing with a toy) they had to allow a whole day's filming, because it could take that long for the cat to do what was wanted.

Maybe Simon Tofield (of the "Simon's Cat" cartoons) would take it on.
https://simonscat.com/blog/simonscatfriends/

[Lilith]

Errm I'm not really a fan of 'Simon's Cat' (blasphemy lol) though I love 'Shelf Life' but yes, animation could be ideal!

Joe Danger and everyone else would be marvellous, and as for the writing I'd be delighted but my terrible jokes might give it the kiss of death - not so much script writer as crypt writer ....

I wondered if 'The Grand Paw' might be another title; I haven't seen this programme though I can guess it's about cars not cats, but every time I go on to Amazon I'm plagued by ads featuring Jeremy Clarkson with his finger up his nose ... bleurrgghh.

Oh well, when Emily settled in after a year of life on the street she was plagued by a nasty hard black discharge from one nostril, and also by me cleaning it away every so often; cats can't pick their own noses can they? It cleared after a while although all her life she's had similar hard black lumpy stuff collecting in the corners of her eyes - a lingering low-grade infection maybe. A quick finger-swipe and it's gone ('it was spoiling your beauty, Em)' but her coat is magnificent, like that of a cat 10 years younger; she's plump and glossy, so I reckon she's not doing too badly.

Sorry Emily, for discussing your private toilette in public.

Lol in this house sweet peppers are known as 'Jeremys' because after a couple of weeks in the fridge if unused, they get that saggy look.

But who am I to criticise; at my age my own face is errm a trifle, well, lived in as the euphemism has it

[Mayday21]

Re possible animation my 'catribution' I'm a better editor than a writer!!!! We may be on a winner... stranger things have happened from thoughts thrown out there. And think of the publicity Catchat would get:o

Aside comment a stray - boy - found same area as Harper- handed into clinic where I volunteer. Harper's fur 'wiry' this boy's also a Tuxedo smoother but similar markings ie white strands over coat. One of the vet nurses has homed him - name I think "Albie" for Albert. I call Harper "Little Un" & today's catling "Little Un Mach 2". And yes he has "cocedia" just like Harper. Nia, the vet, thinks he's 12 weeks. Harper was around 8 weeks. Vivian

[Lilith]

Ah! I have it!

'One Flew Over the Litter Tray'!

Well, it's like that in our house ...

Aww, I like Albert, it's a proper tomcat name; I used to have a ginger tom, my first ginger, called Albert. Hope the little guy goes on ok now

[Mayday21]

Hi Lilith love the title! Who wants to nominate their 'Cat' Nicholson? Vet & nurses think Albie & Harper siblings as found same area & very alike. Strange though if ferals both no fear of humans. Albie was chipped yesterday. Nurse called RSPCA, searched Gum Tree & no notices. Her two toddlers love him & he's so good with them. Need to do the house - a bit of a mess. Vivian

[bobbys girl]

Busy day yesterday, haven't had time to think about your idea, but I did once start to wright a book (more a booklet) about the cats in my life. The working title was 'A Tale o' Nine Cats'. It included sister's cat, Yowlee and OH's 'garage cat' Sparky. That was before Lily and Bob - now it would have to be 'A Tale o' Eleven Cats' - not quite the same thing.

Did anyone watch BBC Breakfast yesterday? My Christmas card for this year should read 'as seen on TV' (for all of 10 seconds). More importantly, for me, my lot got a mention by name.

Of course, you do realise this effort is going to be full of the most terrible, cringe-worthy puns. All I can say is Bring It On!

[Lilith]

Aww, sounds like Albie's fallen on his feet, so glad to hear

Lol I think every house with cats in it is a madhouse - you can't be houseproud. My notice of

'Please excuse the mess; creative people are rarely tidy.
Intelligent people understand this' has become a permanent fixture ...

If Molly was a tom she'd be the perfect 'Cat' Nicholson

Hey Bobbys girl have you a link to that programme? Didn't see it (no TV) but if I can I'll watch it for that bit.

I too once planned a book about cats but the title was only 'Company of Cats' which doesn't compare with yours Later though I considered the idea of one about living with snakes and wanted to call it 'Armchair Walkies'

[MarySkater]

Lilith, if you're talking snakes, you should use the 70's hit from Andy Fairweather-Low - "Wide Eyed and Legless"

[bobbys girl]

Lilith - It is a live breakfast show, not sure it's recorded.

There was a thread on here quite recently about cats and Christmas trees. After this mornings Nativity at church (actually 2 Nativities, it was a joint service and really quite brilliant - the kids were great) I was inspired to put up our tree. Grace came in half way through and by the look on her face I reckon she thought she'd died and gone to heaven - 'ah sparkly, dangly things, yipee!' The fun begins ...

[Lilith]

Lol Mary, superb!

(And a cover version by 'Squeeze'??)

Aww pity, Bobbys girl, would have liked to see the clip.

Ah so you'll have a feline fairy at the top of the tree then?

If I put up a tree in this house, Molly would be prancing around in a checked shirt with axe at the ready - 'Timmberr!' Either that or she'd construct a den in it and hole up like a Scottish wildcat and swipe me with a clawy paw every time I went near ...