The R-Word

We're banishing it from the vocabulary like the nastiest cuss word imaginable (Actually there's only one cuss word that I will never, ever use.  The others are fair game in mature company. But the R-word is joining that word on my never-to-be-used-again list)

Porter hated the R-word.  So did I (and I still do)

Monday was spent traveling back and forth to the vet's office, with heavy-duty household sterilizing in between.  Mama and her five kittens went in the morning for their eyes and other assorted maladies.  Norman and Charlie went in the afternoon to be checked for the R-word.

I'll start with Norm and Charlie because theirs is the biggest dilemma and, therefore, the biggest news.  You'll remember that yesterday I only mentioned Norm, but Charlie developed a wound and a scabbing overnight to Monday morning and I was quite ready to have a conniption if I didn't have answers.

This is what our poor Normie's face looked like on Monday morning.

Charlie wasn't sitting still for a photo.  I guess he would rather you didn't see him that way.

50% of R-word infestations will glow under a black light.  Neither Charlie's nor Norman's pretty large and unsightly wounds glowed.  So now we're at less than a 50% chance that either of them have the dreaded R-word.  The vet took a culture that they will grow in the office over the next 7 to 10 days.  If it is positive, they will give me oral anti-fungals so I can avoid the ritual bathing that ruled my summer with the Washingtons.

"Henry was not aware that baths were optional."

"OPTIONAL?? Lady, no amount of chicken baby food will save you from the wrath of the Wheeze!"

But...  The vet tells me that his gut feeling is that it is NOT the R-word.  He believes Norman was injured somehow (possibly in a tiff with Simba) and is scabbed over.  He's leaning towards an allergic reaction with Charlie, some kind of contact dermatitis.  We're going to treat them with an over-the-counter topical miconazole cream for now.  It won't hurt them if they do not have the R-word, but it will help protect them and us if it is.  Holy Relief, Batman.

I, however, do have a confirmed R-word spot.  Not surprisingly, my younger daughter and I have passed it back and forth since the Washingtons were still with us.  We have a pretty strong topical prescription that usually knocks it out in 4-5 days.  Animal R-word is generally weaker and easier to treat in humans.  Now we just need to get it to STAY gone.

Thanks for keeping me company on the R-word roller coaster.  I really would like us all to be able to get off soon... promise.

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More Vet News

Mother Jefferson and her babies also traveled to the vet.  The babies' eyes were crusty, yucky messes... 4 out of 5 were having issues by this morning.  Mama, who has been ridiculously gassy since her arrival ten days ago, began having diarrhea issues overnight... an exceptionally lovely mess greeted me this morning (yuck!)

Their diagnosis was easier to reach.  All six of them were given dewormer and Mama was placed on a prescription that should clear her up shortly.  The babies are on Tobramycin drops (all except Roxie, who has yet to display the goop).  I'm getting to be quite an expert at kitten eye drops.  This litter, however, seems to have been born experts at avoiding having these drops actually land in their eyes.

Lionel sticks his tongue out in the general direction of anyone who thought a trip to the vet was a good idea.

Roxie has been labelled at a "Seal Point Siamese" on her health certificate.  She is getting darker and darker every day.  There's a debate over Clay's coloring... he may very well be developing light orange on his tail.  I am rather inexperienced when it comes to Meezers.  What would we call an orange tipped one?

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Size Comparisons

Our three litters of kittens came in a wide range of sizes.  I realized the other day that our Adams kittens are now roughly the same age and almost the same size as Eloise was on the day that she took up residence in the front room.

How was she ever this teeny?  Something not quite so teeny?  Those ears.  They're still too big.

Our Jefferson kittens have a mama in residence to make sure that they're fat and happy.  She weighs 7 pounds 13 ounces (one pound less than Norman, one pound heavier than Porter).  Her kittens at 2 weeks old are comparable in size to our Adams babies at nearly twice the age.

Today's Weigh-In Results

Florence     10 oz

Roxie     11 oz

Clay     11 oz

Willie Rae     12 oz

Lionel     12 oz

The teeny tiny Adams babies at 3.5 weeks?  They ranged in weight from 11 oz to 1 lb, 2 oz (and that Bentley was a huge outlier)

"There's nothing wrong with being a teeny tiny tabby princess."

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As long as everyone (Adams, Jefferson, Permanent Residents) stays healthy over the next couple of days, I'm planning a shake-up in room accommodations.  The Adams kittens will move upstairs to the family room while the Jefferson clan takes their spots in the downstairs foster room.  I hate making them live in a bathroom almost as much as I hate sharing my bathroom while they're in there ;-)

Unfortunately, the family room lacks the vertical blinds that our kittens enjoy so much.

It also lacks easy opportunities to annoy Uncle Norman.

For the time being, visits between the Adams babies and their best buddy Charlie have been curtailed.  I feel safer doing this "just in case" the R-word is indeed rearing its ugly head.  Hopefully we'll have good news before the time comes for the munchkins to move to Petco.