h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Lua is sitting on the chair next to me right now while I hand feed her strips of finely shaved lean cooked ham - and she is loving it! (both the ham and the special treatment). Went out and bought it specially for her this morning as it's one of her favourites.

Hmmm. . .looks like I'm going to be on a bit of a rollercoaster ride for awhile. Oh well . . .


az

Jez

"feed her strips of finely shaved lean cooked ham"

Sigh.... I wish someone would do that for me.....

Yes, and she is such a delicate eater. You know, she will sniff the ham for a bit then take a wee taste off the edge (while I'm holding it out to her, of course, and even if this is her fourth or fifth sliver so it's not like she doesn't know what it smells and tastes like). Then she will slowly start nibbling it and eventually pull it out of from between my fingers and finish it off.

With Sunny I'd have to count my fingers afterwards.


az

ps
thanks Jez, from both of us

I have never been known to bite.

Oh okay, then you can have some too! Up on the chair, Mudhooks!


az

How is Lua today az?

hi Lady,

Lua seems fine, other than the infection. I've just spoken to Maria and we are going to try anti-biotic injections because the tumour really does look disgusting and I'm sure it's causing Lua a lot of discomfort. So Maria is going to bring the meds over tomorrow morning when she comes for her class and in the afternoon I'm going to take Lua to the clinic so Maria can clean out the wound and try to get rid of some of the pus .

Now, before you think I'm totally mad for even considering injecting Lua, I think it will actually be much easier that trying to give her a pill. It's just a matter of a quick jab in a pinch of loose skin behind her neck - over and done in about three seconds. At any rate, I was very successful giving Azar his rabies jab the other day, so I'm feeling confident that I can do the anti-biotic ones.

Meanwhile, Lua's appetite is totally back to normal again - she's even eating the regular paté as well as her treats.


az

Glad to hear she has a healthy appetite...it is very worrying when they don't eat isn't it. I have been so paranoid ever since Jake died that whenever Charlie doesn't seem keen to eat I check him all over - although I have no idea what I'm looking for!

Here's a question...when cats lick your hand, arm or even face for minutes on end does it mean they are washing you? Or are they licking the salt from your skin or is it just love? Tasha has been licking my arm now for about 5 minutes - since when did my ickle girl develop such a rough tongue my baby's growing up!

Lady

Hard to say, Lady.

Lua has never licked me (big surprise there). Sunny does so occasionally and it feels like he is showing a bit of extra affection (just a couple of licks). Azar, on the other hand, is an obsessive licker. It actually grosses me out a bit thinking about where else he may have been licking recently. But especially in bed, he will cuddle up and if he finds a bare patch of skin he'll go mental licking. Weirdo.

Oh, update! I called one of my ex-students who is a biologist working for Doñana National Park (which was in some of the links Mudhooks provided earlier). Anyhow, she knows another biologist who is a bat expert and she is going to get him to call me so I can figure out what to do. The colony seems to be expanding!


az

Are protected there, az? They are in the UK, which means that you can't disturb the roost (or whatever the correct term is). Only a qualified 'remover' can do that at set times of the year.

There are no visible signs, or smells of in our attic, but there are quite a few flying around at night. They are one reason why it is hard to get Cassie in, the other being the hedgehogs.

I hope the forecasted heat wave doesn't cause Lua any discomfort, I see it is due to get scorchio in Spain and Portugal in the next few days.

hi Caerwyn,

Yes, apparently bats are a protected species. I'm not quite sure what Batman is going to do when he comes over but I'm hoping they can be removed.

Meanwhile, just back from Maria's clinic. We gave Lua the first anti-biotic injection earlier this morning, which looks pretty easy. The needle is very very fine and so it shouldn't bother her too much. I'll just have to get my 'technique' down.

So, the tumour is all cleaned out now. Man, was it gross! I held on to Lua and kissed her on the head while Maria pulled out big hardened globs of pus with a pair of tweezers. Then she took a scalpel and very gently scraped out the rest of the pus from the wound. Then lots of peroxide and betadine. AND THEN we put the collar on her. Poor thing. I really didn't want to and I'm not sure I'll keep it on her since the wound is probably never going to heal over anyhow. But at least so she doesn't irritate it for the rest of today.

Aside from looking a bit like Scarlett O'Hara she is also looking totally pissed off. She keeps bumping into things and - strangely - it's making her walk funny (well, funnier), lifting up her legs really high as she walks.

Of course the first thing I did when we got home was feed her some of her shaved ham - she had no trouble accepting that. But she has yet to figure out that the best position for her is her usual one - lying around on the floor doing plenty of nothing.

Thing is, I don't think she can eat or drink from her dishes wearing that thing and, considering that it *is* quite scorchio at the moment, I will probably take the collar off her when I get back from my 'lunch class'. Because she definitely needs water in these temps. And I'll be able to keep an eye on her and keep her from licking the wound. Though now that it's all cleaned out she might feel less a desire to lick it anyhow.

Anyhow, after carrying her to the clinic and back (walking) I can say without doubt that even after her two day 'fast' she has not lost *any* weight!


az

Um, sorry for the graphic description of the tumour cleaning earlier (for those of you who may have been eating at the time of reading).

I took the cone collar off as soon as I came home - Lua was soooo relieved. And I haven't seen her licking the tumour at all since. In fact she seems quite perky so I think she is feeling much more comfortable. I hope the daily anti-biotic injections plus the usual peroxide cleaning will help clear up the infection.

Well, that's all - time for bed . . .


azzzzzzz

Me again!

The Lua update is that I seem to have got my technique down for giving her the daily anti-biotics jab. She doesn't mind it at all - sure beats trying to shove a pill down her throat. At first it was hard to get the dosage right as I have two weeks worth of meds in a huge syringe (but with a very fine needle). But I think I have it down now.

This morning I found she had been licking the wound so it opened up again and was bleeding profusely all over the place. Aarrgh. So I held her and held a gauze compress against the tumour until the bleeding stopped. Then I gave her a *stern talking to*. But she just looked so miserable wearing the plastic collar that I can't bear leaving it on her. Anyhow, since this morning's incident she is leaving it alone.

Meanwhile it is sooooo HOT here (about 45º) that all the cats are suffering. I keep finding Sunny in the bathtub and I found Lua lying on the bathroom floor (a bit cooler - tiles rather than hardwood) so I took one of those blue freezer-pack things - you know the ones I mean? - wrapped it in a double layer of towel and placed it under her. At first she squawked and protested but once she felt the coolness she settled down and is happily still lying there on her towel-wrapped freezer-pack. I think it helps, especially as the tumour is so hot to the touch. Though I keep checking regularly in case it gets *too* cold and might require another folding over of the towel. But so far so good.

My goodness, how did such a cranky ball of fur end up being so special to me? I'll probably never understand it but I think Lua has no doubts - it's because she is Lua! Bless her.


az

her crankiness makes her special to you...

opesite atracks....you sound like lady

We've had press reports here about the high temperatures in Seville and I immediately thought of Lua. Glad she is keeping , but is because she has a devoted carer.

Hi Az,

I was just thinking of Lua yesterday, and realized I didn't know how she was doing. I'm glad she's still here, and still feeling relatively well.

I had a diabetic cat at one time; after a while they will be quite placid for their injections.

Give Lua a pat for me!

SC










Give her

hi SC,

Yes, Lua is still hanging in there. And already quite placid about the injections. Apparently it's an insulin needle I'm using.

Well, as I say, every day with Lua is a gift. Noggin is hoping he will get a chance to meet her when he comes here for his holiday mid-August. Well, that's only a couple of weeks away.

Meanwhile, I'll give her a pat *and* a kiss on the head for you,


az

Thanks, Az!

I will be adding a new Rocket and Missy adventure to the "World's Weirdest Cat" thread shortly. They had been very good lately, until...
LOL

SC

just checking in and out