December 27th Just 2 days of antibiotics in her eye- The neck was shaved and blood drawn Dec 26th which accounts for the sore looking area. Her skin is hyper sensitive so she has some kind of immune issues going on
I planned to spend a quiet Christmas day at home with family, But the last few days predicted another course for me.
A few days ago I noticed a kitten running through a colony of adult cats that I have trapped and fixed since 2006. Probably a new cat joined the population and hence the new kitten.
I set a trap and caught the kitten, while his mother stood anxiously next to the cage. It broke my heart to separate them, but I brought the hissing and spitting feral kitten home.
On December 23th he was taken in to be fixed.
On December 24th I took him, in the trap, back to the place where I had found him. I used the kitten as bait to get the mother. I set the trap he was in next to another trap. I covered both cages so the mother could not see in. The only way for the mother to see her kitten would be for her to enter the trap on the other side of him
December 25th 2008 I set out for the area at 7:30 I found the mother had been caught ! My heart leap for joy.
UPDATE
I cannot release the mother and son back to the neighborhood where I got them as the mother is very sick.
She has swollen lips that stick out as if she was stung by a bee, the lips are covered with ulcers from one end to the other . She also has one eyes closed and full of pus.I will have her tested tomorrow for aids and leukenia. If she is positive for leukemia or aids then she will be put down, I just hope she tests negative so we can try to help her recover her health.
Very pitiful sight - See photos below..I will take her to see a Vet tomorrow. If she is put down for aids/leukemia then her kitten will have to be tested. Tomorrow will tell us so much. In the meanwhile I was able carry and put her in a rabbit hutch I have so she is not a feral but certainly doesnt belong to anyone as running around so sick, full of sores and not fixed with a kitten feral as they come so raised in the wild.
Below are pictures I took of them this morning. After the visit to the vet I will update this page. I hope the mother does not need to be put down as her son is so emotionally dependent on her.
UPDATE! December 27-
Yesterday at the Vet and I agreed to a complete blood panel on the mom instead of the limited Aids/Leukemia test which alone costs $ 45 The complete panel is $105 and tests functions of kidneys, liver, as well as all blood cells, Fip, Aids, Leukemia and infections.
. Everything came back Okay!.........except for infection which we can see she has plenty of that!
Certain ulcers and sores on a cats upper lips and back of legs are often from the body over reacting to fleas. The white blood cells change and inflammation on the lips or skin develops. She will also be put on a organic can diet for awhile.
UPDATE SEPTEMBER 2009
The cat had a health issues involving the pancreas. I feel it may be due to the cortizone she needs for her immune issues so will taper it down and try to manage her through diet and washing of the areas of skin that are prone to break outs.
January 2010- I call her Baby and she needs care of her eyes and mouth daily. I use cotton pads with eye wash solution. She comes down with sores in the front of her ears and all around her mouth. I find by keeping her diet simple the sores are kept from becoming severe and stay manageable and do not cause her distress. I will not give her cortisone since it may have contributed to a painful pancreatitis attack she had months ago. I stopped the cortizone and she has not had a recurrance. She can live happy with some skin sores but she can't live in peace with Pancreas problems, so I have no choice but to try to manage her without the cortisone
Her left eye has healed but appears she is blind in it. I tried for months with treatment to save it but the eye infection was so far advanced when I trapped her on Christmas day in 2008. I wonder where she came from? I think someone tossed her outside and forgot about her because i discovered that she urinates in the house. I have trained her to use the litter box but I do not trust her so keep her on my large covered patio when i can't watch her inside my house. She is a very loving cat and since she has vision in only one eye and serious allergies and immune issues she is unadoptable
