We’re now planning a day in which to make this happen. The logistics aren’t too difficult, but it does take some strategic planning. Both Mom and I have to take a day off work because it’s a two-woman job getting the cats organized and into and out of the van in an orderly fashion. And, it has to be a day that our vet goes out in his van. And, we have to have some money saved to pay for most of it.

The latter has been difficult because the cats are always in need of something, but we’re still planning on making an appointment for this month. I’m hoping that if we have most of the money to pay for the visit, we’ll be able to make payments towards the total in the following weeks the appointment. Our vet allows us to pay for appointments or supplies at a later time, as well as keeping a positive balance towards whatever we need. He and his clinic are a blessing!

However, along with 13 cats needing to see our vet, I’ve got a few more that are in need of a visit for various conditions. So, saving all our extras nickels and dimes is tremendously important now. My brother’s cat, Desert, needs to see the vet because her breath is becoming very, very horrible. I think she may have some dental issues. Plus, she also needs to get her shots and an exam from our vet since she hasn’t been to see our vet. Muli continues to excessively groom the back of his back legs. He will do this to the point of making himself bleed. When I had him and his litter mates in to see the vet for this years before, the cause was thought to be from bed bugs. Well, that nuisance was squashed, so I’m not sure what’s causing him to hurt himself now. Then, I also need to take in Bruce. I’ve noticed he’s lost more weight than usual for this time of the year, and his eyes don’t look quite right. He’s our cat that has FIV (Feline Immunodeficiency Virus), so I’m thinking that it might be catching up with him. This could just be my worrying, but these cats eventually begin to suffer from this disease. He’s been an indoor cat ever since we discovered that he had FIV, and this has helped keep him healthy for this long.

Bruce, Muli, and Desert, as well as Preacher and Brava, aren’t any of the 13 cats that were mentioned in an email, so saving money is even more essential, and the pressure is on to make sure all of our cats get the medical attention they deserve.

2. We must learn to bend our energies to one point, like the cat, and to go directly to that point, looking neither to the right nor to the left.
 
3. Strength is like that cat: to be effective it needs concentration and aim.

4. A cat has work for every moment, and minds the moment’s work.

5. There is, indeed, no ability that the cat has upon which a high degree of knowledge will not continually bear.

I mentioned to Mom last week that Pooka’s been uncharacteristically quiet lately, not chasing Brava as much or walking into the living room caterwauling loudly announcing his appearance, and at first I thought something was wrong. The worrier in me jumps to that conclusion always, but few days ago I actually thought to go looking for him because I hadn’t heard anything out of him in a while. Then, I remembered all the times that Preacher had been dominating him recently, and started thinking that’s probably the reason he’s been so quiet and subdued. 

Actually, the HOP has been a very lovely place for the past couple of weeks (not that it isn’t a nice place to be), but when the cats are out of sorts, it can be quite stressful. Usually when there’s a lull in the dramatics, a change is occurring. Preacher’s been his usual, dominating self for so long that the effects of his terrorism are finally sinking in to the other cats. He can clear the living room of lounging cats in a matter of just a few, tense minutes. One by one he takes them out with his death-defying acrobatics and Barbarian-like war screams.

His usual swagger is even swaggier. His bravado knows no bounds. His self-confidence for such a little cat is through-the-roof impressive. After he’s dominated another cat, he’ll stand there, eyeing each brave still remaining in the vicinity, as if challenging one of the other cats to look at him cross eyed.

He’s the second littlest cat in the HOP, next to Tiny Pea. She was once an alpha that ruled with an iron paw. Unfortunately, she’s now in the position of omega, the lowest position in the clowder. But, Preacher’s size isn’t a hindrance to his dominance. He’s always been a mouthy cat, and he’s learned to use that to his advantage, caterwauling as he pounces on the backs of his ever-suspecting, ever-vigilant victims. I’m sure his verbal outbursts give him the leverage he needs. And, I have to agree with my poor cats; I would scurry away quickly as well, ducking as low as possible with my arms poised protectively over my head, if I heard that noise behind me.

I would say that Preacher is in one of the positions of alpha. On the other hand, I’m not going to put Pooka in the position of beta just yet. He’s not going down the social ladder without a fight. He’s still proving himself a strong individual that won’t be toppled easily, even though he’s backed off attacking both Zoe and Brava.

Saturday afternoon Zoe got her stitches taken out and a thumb’s up from the vet. Both surgeries, dental and Entropion, have heeled beautifully and were an absolute success. It was incredibly difficult keeping that cone on Zoe for two weeks, but not because she was naughty and tried getting it off. In fact, she was a very good cat for the entire two weeks. What made it difficult was simply keeping it on her knowing she couldn’t do what she normally did.

Our vet told me that some owners have a hard time keeping the cone of for the length of time needed because they feel sorry for their pets. And, I completely understand this. However, in those instances, the surgery to fix the Entropion has had to be performed again since the cat or dog damaged the stitches before they heeled. I’m glad I was a tough cat mom.

As Zoe’s eyes continue to heel, I’m seeing the difference more and more that the surgery has made. She’s not squinting, her eyes look clearer and brighter, and I can see the bottom, inner lids now. It’s amazing, and I know she feels better.

Having given her lots of praise, I must say that she hasn’t quite been herself since donning the cone. As the accompanying pictures show she sleeps most of the time and doesn’t get up much to do kitty stuff. Therefore, a couple times a day I take the cone off her so that she can easily drink water, eat some dry food, and use the litter box. It’s then that she comes alive and wants to run around, of course. What a relief that’s been since seeing her lie around all day had me very worried she might not be feeling or doing well. 
When the cone’s off, I keep very close to her, watching, since she also wants nothing more than to clean her face.

Her appearance has suffered, and she looks in need of a bath. This following weekend, when she gets the cone off for good, we’re going to bathe her. We’ve never attempted this with Zoe, but she’s a mellow cat that should do well. However, I’m still keeping my finger crossed.

Even though cats are creatures of routine and love things staying just the way they are, they can be surprisingly adaptable. It took Zoe only a couple of days to navigate wearing the cone, and she hasn’t once tried getting it off. Our constant love and attention and her patience have all helped make this a positive experience for Zoe. No doubt she’s frustrated at times, but her resignation to her situation shows me that she trusts me. She is the sweetest cat that is incredibly devoted to me, and that trust makes me feel very honored.

The rotten odor that I noticed emanating from her mouth several months back was a good indication that extractions were necessary. This is what also instigated me making the appointment for her. I knew I had to get her in for an appointment and start saving to pay for it. But not necessarily in that order.

Friday night was a bit stressful since Zoe wouldn’t calm down for the entire evening. Cats will fight the affects of the anesthetic rather than relax, so true to her feline nature, she ran around the house, constantly bumping the cone into everything. When she’d wedged herself underneath one of the couch beds in the living room, five of the other cats surrounding her confused by what she was doing, I’d had enough of chasing her and finally got out the huge carrier.

Once she was in there, she calmed down and relaxed. I could finally get some sleep since I didn’t have to worry about her hurting herself in the middle of the night. Plus, the other cats couldn’t bother her with their constant curiosity over her new headgear.

I’ve kept her in the carrier the past couple of nights so that she doesn’t get into trouble somewhere in the HOP during the night. And, surprisingly, she’s incredibly good. When she wants out to use the litter box, she mews softly. I’m a light sleeper when one of my cats needs care, so it doesn’t take much to wake me.

Thankfully, she’s slept most of the time since the surgeries. She’s still on pain medication that I give her for the next four days, and this has allowed her to relax and heel. Normally, after a simple cleaning, cats won’t need pain medication; however, Zoe had to have three extractions: the left upper canine and two lower right molars that were trying to share the same space. Yikes! And, the surgery to fix her lower eye lids due to Entropion warranted some comforting as well.

Interestingly, Omar, Zoe’s brother, had a similar issue with two lower right molars, leading to his dental surgery in December of last year. Reina, their mother, due to a compromised immune system, had to eventually have all her teeth removed. Her system couldn’t fight the infections the plaque build up on her teeth caused. It seems as though a few of her kittens have inherited an unfortunate trait.

Zoe’s a real sweetie, and she’s taking this all in stride. I’m amazed at how good she’s being; she’s staying quietly in the carrier during the night, she’s taking her meds patiently, and eats and uses the litter box when I take the cone off for her convenience. And, the other cats are incredibly respectful of her. Only Pishogue has hissed at her, but the others have only been curious of the cone and her new scent and have inquiringly smelled her.  When a cat isn’t at its best, other cats can be aggressive. So, I’ve got some really wonderful cats. Knowing she can rest easy anywhere in the HOP does my heart good.

Usually that’s all they do is just growl or hiss with neither one of them willing to give up and walk away. After a few moments of an escalating timbre of threats, a slapping fight will then ensue. Feline pride isn’t easily satisfied. However, being human and fond of wise sayings, I believe that following the old adage, discretion is the better part of valor, would behoove these cats to follow, especially when I’ve got to pay for any ensuing eye injuries.

Therefore, whenever I hear those threateningly dulcet tones from somewhere in the house, I’ll always suggest very loudly, “Just walk away!”

To this day, not one of my cats has heeded my advice.

I’ve also noticed that Zoe’s eyes, especially her right eye, have been watering and dripping for approximately the past six months. At first I attributed this to the fact that she gets into slapping fights with Pooka, her arch enemy. However, I thought I’d mention it to our vet because I thought she might have an injury that caused damage.

He took one quick look at her eyes and diagnosed Entropion. I’ve never heard of the condition. Among many different causes, it seems that as some cats age their eyes can begin to recede back into the sockets, causing the eye lids to curl in towards the eyes. As a result, the fur touches the eye ball and causes an irritation. He also said that cats suffering with Entropion will squint. Yep, I’ve noticed her doing that as well.

Therefore, when she’s under anesthesia, she’ll undergo a simple surgical procedure where a tiny portion of her bottom eye lids, since it’s affecting just the bottom lids, will be cut away, removing the offending area.

Zoe and her litter mates will be ten years old in July. After Friday perhaps she’ll look as if she came from a successive litter.