The Drama Llama Has Left the Building

I did tell you from the beginning that I have a bit of a flare for dramatic worrying, right?

Actually, this was not a job for the Drama Llama.  (This also not my image.  I gratefully borrowed it from another blogger who gratefully borrowed it from another.  At this point, we may be through multiple generations of borrowing so to the creator of this image, I say "Thank you and well done!")

VET UPDATE

Norman and Charlie were trundled off to the vet first thing this morning.  Because I have ringworm kittens in the house, the assumption was that they would test positive for ringworm.  Guess what?  They didn't.  

Charlie was the simpler case.  His bald patch is simply a pressure spot, where he rubs his toe against the carpet when he gains traction to stand.  The vet says these are very common in labs.  I was well aware of the "elbow" pressure calluses (Charlie and Grizzly, before him, have big gnarly ones), but had never heard of it on a toe.  To be on the safe side, she ran a black light along his legs.  Nothing glowed.  Since Charlie was due to for his yearly vet exam in just a few weeks, we turned this visit into his annual.  He's healthy, vaccinated, and heartworm tested.  He's also at least a year older than we originally thought.  His eyes are showing the haze of senioritis, which makes him at least 7.

"But we didn't even celebrate my birthday..."

Norman is also ringworm-free.  He does have bald patches... some due to pressure spots, others that we're not sure of yet.  The vet doubted he had ringworm before running the black light on him too.  He didn't glow either.... Hooray!!

We are not, however, worry-free yet with old man Norman.  He has lost a significant amount of weight in the past 6 months.  I knew he was little, but it had missed my notice that he has lost nearly 2 pounds.  We are waiting for the results of the senior blood panel that the vet ran this morning... and hoping that it is only thyroid.  Thyroid would explain the constant hunger combined with weight loss.  It might also explain his thinning fur.  I'm not willing to discuss the possibility of anything else before it's diagnosed.

The assumption is that since Charlie and Norman are apparently ringworm-free, the others are too. While I will remain vigilant in my sterilization to keep it that way, I will stop being such a worrywart (for now).

Penny makes her first visit to the adoption hours at Petco in Chesterfield Township on Saturday afternoon.  She will not stay for the time being, just going for a few hours and then coming home with me.

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KITTEN RINGWORM NEWS

While Henry, Eloise, and Ben show signs of being able to kick ringworm's butt, Porter seems to be playing a game of round-robin with it.  The face and legs are healing, but he sprouted a couple new spots on the top of his head and along his shoulder blades (I should note that I don't know the true anatomical terms for these joints in cats, but I'm just going to go with what I know).  

This little boy has been through a war.  The sweetest baby in the room also has the weakest immune system, it seems.

The vet is concerned, as am I, that Porter may be re-infecting the other kittens and slowing their healing process.  She recommends that I split them into pairs... the two healthiest kittens in one room, and Porter and the remaining kitten in another.  I'm not sure how to split them yet, or where to put the other pair.  

My original thought is Ben-Henry, Porter-Eloise.  Ben and  Henry are the wild ones and will keep each other busy.  They are also the healthiest of the bunch.  Porter and Eloise are both more reserved, and it's Eloise (who never had a spot of ringworm before last week) who has sprouted two new teeny tiny spots.  She also seems a bit "different" since Ben moved in... not as confident or snuggly.  I worry, though, about splitting up Henry and Eloise (the only sibling pair in the room).  I'm also thinking that one pair will have to go in a bathroom, which will freak them out.

Just wait until they hear that the vet thinks I should go back to bathing them twice a week.

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OLYMPIC BASKETBALL FEVER HITS THE FOSTER ROOM

Henry is the undisputed king of the basketball court.

Ben joined him for a moment, but lost interest quickly.

While Henry worked on passing drills,

and slam dunks,

and defense :-)

Porter misunderstood and thought the game was played from OUTSIDE the basket.

"What a goofball... Doesn't matter anyway.  This ball is MINE and I dare you to try and take it away from me!"

While Eloise just said, "Whatever, Dude.  I don't want your stupid ball anyway."

Final Results

Gold: Henry

Silver: Porter

Bronze: Ben 

Medal Count

Henry: 3

Porter: 3

Eloise: 2

Ben: 1