Casey76
Well-Known Member
So, as well as my two horses I also have three cats. They are all rescues.
Tiger and Domino are brother and sister (I also took another litter mate, Panache, but she didn't survive). I picked them up from a farm over 5 years ago. I was told that the farmer would be killing them the next day if I didn't take them. They were about 3.5 weeks old at the time and had FHV and poorly tummies (mum had rejected them because they were sick, so they were eating cheap supermarket kibble that had been thrown down)
Although I had told myself I would only take two, I ended up with three as I felt so sorry for them. My friend who went with me also ended up taking two even though she hadn't planned on getting any. I try not to think about the ones we had to leave behind.
Straight to the vets for an emergency appointment. Vet was shocked at state of them, and warned that they might not survive. They were wormed, de-fleaed, antibiotics and eye ointment.
(Tiger at the back and Panache at the front)
Domino
Bottle feeding was an experience. Unfortunately Panache was too weak to take the bottle, and although I syringed her, within 24 hours she started seizing so it was back to the vet for pts
The other two survived and are very well. Domino is a very quiet, very independent girlie. She absolutely detests being picked up, so worming etc needs to be done by sneak attack with a spot on, rather than by tablet.
Tiger, unfortunately, was left with symblepharon in both eyes and he is prone to runny eyes and snotty noses due the FHV. It certainly doesn't slow him down, and the only deficit with his eyesight is that his depth perception is a little off. Not that it stops him from catching mice, voles, birds and even the occasional fish! He is also a bit of a hefty kitty, and weighs 14lbs - none of it fat. He is the opposite of Domino, and adores people and being petted. If I'm in the house, he is usually in the same room as me. He always calls when he comes back in, and I have to answer him otherwise he will keep shouting until he gets an answer.
Feisty is my other rescue. He came from the stables where I had my horse at the time. Fortunately it was dry and sunny the day we found him, as he had been dropped by mum when she was moving the litter, and he was tuck in the guttering along the stable block. I had no idea he was so young when I said that I would take him as I hadn't even seen him, just heard this tiny little "maw" over and over again. By the time I got back to the yard with my cat box (fortunately I live in the same village, so it was a 5 min trip), he had been found and boy was I shocked... he was less than 10 days old. Had no teeth, ears were still folded etc
He lived in a "snuggle cave" in a cat box, with a heat mat and ticking clock for weeks. He was backwards and forwards to the vet, with infections and a bowel obstruction. I didn't name him for about 6 weeks until I was sure he would survive.
(after about 1 week):
I was bottle feeding every hour during the day and every 2 hours over night. I even snuck him into work where he stayed under my desk during the day for a week so I could keep up with the feeding.
He is now 2 years old and thinks he rules the world. He certainly lives up to his name and often comes home with battle scars because despite his massive attitude he remains a very tiny cat - about 6lbs sopping wet!
Tiger and Domino are brother and sister (I also took another litter mate, Panache, but she didn't survive). I picked them up from a farm over 5 years ago. I was told that the farmer would be killing them the next day if I didn't take them. They were about 3.5 weeks old at the time and had FHV and poorly tummies (mum had rejected them because they were sick, so they were eating cheap supermarket kibble that had been thrown down)
Although I had told myself I would only take two, I ended up with three as I felt so sorry for them. My friend who went with me also ended up taking two even though she hadn't planned on getting any. I try not to think about the ones we had to leave behind.
Straight to the vets for an emergency appointment. Vet was shocked at state of them, and warned that they might not survive. They were wormed, de-fleaed, antibiotics and eye ointment.
(Tiger at the back and Panache at the front)
Domino
Bottle feeding was an experience. Unfortunately Panache was too weak to take the bottle, and although I syringed her, within 24 hours she started seizing so it was back to the vet for pts
The other two survived and are very well. Domino is a very quiet, very independent girlie. She absolutely detests being picked up, so worming etc needs to be done by sneak attack with a spot on, rather than by tablet.
Tiger, unfortunately, was left with symblepharon in both eyes and he is prone to runny eyes and snotty noses due the FHV. It certainly doesn't slow him down, and the only deficit with his eyesight is that his depth perception is a little off. Not that it stops him from catching mice, voles, birds and even the occasional fish! He is also a bit of a hefty kitty, and weighs 14lbs - none of it fat. He is the opposite of Domino, and adores people and being petted. If I'm in the house, he is usually in the same room as me. He always calls when he comes back in, and I have to answer him otherwise he will keep shouting until he gets an answer.
Feisty is my other rescue. He came from the stables where I had my horse at the time. Fortunately it was dry and sunny the day we found him, as he had been dropped by mum when she was moving the litter, and he was tuck in the guttering along the stable block. I had no idea he was so young when I said that I would take him as I hadn't even seen him, just heard this tiny little "maw" over and over again. By the time I got back to the yard with my cat box (fortunately I live in the same village, so it was a 5 min trip), he had been found and boy was I shocked... he was less than 10 days old. Had no teeth, ears were still folded etc
He lived in a "snuggle cave" in a cat box, with a heat mat and ticking clock for weeks. He was backwards and forwards to the vet, with infections and a bowel obstruction. I didn't name him for about 6 weeks until I was sure he would survive.
(after about 1 week):
I was bottle feeding every hour during the day and every 2 hours over night. I even snuck him into work where he stayed under my desk during the day for a week so I could keep up with the feeding.
He is now 2 years old and thinks he rules the world. He certainly lives up to his name and often comes home with battle scars because despite his massive attitude he remains a very tiny cat - about 6lbs sopping wet!
