Speaking of white kitties…! I have a question about mine. I don’t know anyone else who has had as much experience with kittens, so I’m going to ask my question here. Robyn, have you ever had foster kitties with conjunctivitis? I just got two new kittens, sisters – one tiger and one white with a tabby patch on her head. They are about 11-12 weeks old and the tiger has conjunctivitis. Do you or any of your readers know how long this lasts or what possible complications may be? I know to be careful about spreading it: the sisters are separated and I wash my hands – including a quick rinse with a bleach solution – after I handle the tiger. I did take her to the vet and got some eye ointment, but I was hoping for some advice not just from a vet or the internet but from someone who has actually had to take care of a kitten with conjunctivitis.
Also, how long after getting spayed can they play together? Zelda (the white kitty) was just spayed and I had them separated for about a day and a half, and then I let them together but they were playing so roughly. It was only a couple of days later that Mrs.Parker (the tiger) got conjunctivitis so I had to separate them again anyway, but also, one of Zelda’s stitches had been pulled out. I don’t know if she herself licked it so much that it came out or if Mrs.Parker ripped it out while they were fighting. Mrs.Parker didn’t get spayed at the same time because she was too little, but she’s scheduled for Thursday. How do you deal with so many spayed kittens at the same time?
I’m going to throw this one out to the readers – I don’t remember having a cat diagnosed with conjunctivitis or how long it might last. Readers? Experience?
As far as how long to wait before you let kittens play together, I would think that by the third day after surgery, they’d be healed enough to play together, even if they’re rough. I’m lucky in that the vet who spays and neuters our kittens uses surgical glue to close the incisions, not stitches, so there’s not as much of a threat of them reopening the incision by playing roughly. I could be just not remembering correctly, but I don’t think I’ve ever had a problem with any of the incisions on any of my fosters.
(Someone also asked last week why my just-spayed Bookworms weren’t wearing collars, and that’s why – I’ve never had an issue with them worrying the incision or pulling out stitches (since there aren’t any), so I’ve never put collars on just-spayed/neutered kittens. The only time I’ve had to put collars on kittens was last year when the True Bloods had their eye surgeries, and even that only lasted a day or two.)
“Momma! Momma! MOMMAAAAAA!”
“HEY. What do you want? Why are you banging on our door? STOP MAKING ALL THAT NOISE!”
“I want the Momma! I’m hungry! Why is she hanging out in there where I can’t GET to her? Do you have food in there? I smell food!”
“There’s no Momma in here.”
“…….”
“…….”
“But she’s right there. Sitting next to you. Pointing the camera at me.”
“You don’t see nothin’. You understand me? NOTHING. No Momma. No food. No white kittens. It’s a figment of your imagination, you big baby. Now, quit banging on the door. We’re discussing the correct way to pet a kitty. With the Momma who isn’t here.”
“…….”
“…….”
::pout::
Sofia has gone to her new home – I got to meet her new mom last night, who was VERY excited to be bringing Sofia home. I’m sure I’ve got more pictures of her to share, because she’s such a gorgeous cat that I couldn’t stop snapping pictures of her!
The rest of Los Gatitos are going to the adoption center on Friday – and I’ll be bringing home two new kittens to put with the little feral so he won’t be lonely. Their names are Melodie and Moxie, so going along with the “M” naming theme, I circumvented Fred’s demand to name the little guy “Tony Rocky Horror” (The guy in Pulp Fiction who got thrown out of a window for giving Marsellus Wallace’s wife a foot massage.) and named him Martin.
The name Tony Rocky Horror will be showing up again, though, I guarantee it. Had Melodie and Moxie not already been named, I had thought we might go with a naming theme of characters who are mentioned in a movie or TV show, but never actually seen. Unfortunately, the only other character name I could think of off the top of my head was Maris (Crane, wife of Niles on Frasier).
More on him (and pictures, too) tomorrow, I promise.
I actually had the option of taking the Bookworms (at least a couple of them) to the adoption center on Friday. But I know Los Gatitos will be adopted very quickly, so I figured it’d be best to take them and let them be adopted rather than having them sit here waiting for room to open up at the adoption center.
When I told Fred, he accused me of just wanting to keep the Bookworms around longer.
I deny that.
I have a dream that one day, I’ll figure out how to consistently take pictures that aren’t all crooked as if I’d just held out the camera and snapped a picture without looking.
Previously
2009: (Don’t answer that. Let me live in my dream world.)
2008: Out of curiosity – anyone still think we won’t eat those pigs?
2007: No entry.
2006: No entry.
2005: No entry.
2004: No entry.
2003: Handwritten.
2002: No entry.
2001: No entry.
2000: Jemima J.
A few more “never-seen but heard on TV” names for you- Carlton (the doorman, from Rhoda), Vera (Norm’s wife, from Cheers) and Wolowitz’s Mother (from The Big Bang Theory). Personally, I love the idea of naming a kitten Wolowitz’s Mother.
Thank you! I’m going to keep them in my list for future kitten names. 🙂
Coming in several days late on the comments for this subject, but two other characters who were mentioned but never seen that came to my mind: Tino from My So Called Life, and Stan from Will and Grace.
Have you named kittens after the people in Rock Horror? (timewarp, janet, brad, rocky, frankie, etc)
I haven’t, but that may be because those names have been used in the past by the shelter. Fred’s a bit of a Rocky Horror fan, so I’m sure he’s suggested them in the past.
That should be Rocky Horror
Crooked pictures have character!
It’s Crooked Acres…what do you want? 😉 You take great kitteh pix, no matter what you think.
Wait…your pictures are crooked?
Robyn, do you skootch all the way down to floor-level with the camera to get that pathetic-kitty-under-the-door shot or do you just set the camera down on the floor to snap the photo? Either way, totally cute.
I’ve done both, but I’m pretty sure with these I was on my stomach on the floor already, so I just held the camera out and snapped. Isn’t Bolitar a sad little monkey?
Totally off-topic question: I read in one of your previous entries that you were watching Deadliest Catch (in it, I believe you declared Edgar to be your [not-so-secret] secret boyfriend!) Are you still watching the show? It has been pretty intense with Captain Phil’s death and I was wondering your take on it. And, in the interest of full disclosure, I consider Josh (Phil’s oldest son) to be my secret boyfriend!
I haven’t watched it in a year or so – I think we planned to stop watching for a while ’til they were showing in reruns, then catch up all at once, which is what we usually like to do. I was sad to hear about Captain Phil’s death, he was one of my favorites. (And Edgar is still my boyfriend!)
I can’t believe I have been reading your blog since 1999(on and off of course). When I found your blog you only have being posting for a for few months I think. Your daughter wasn’t a teenager yet…wow times flies doesn’t. Anyway I’m glad you are doing good. (My first post ever on your site since 1999.)
Thanks for reading all these years, and thanks for commenting, Lunita! 🙂
Oh no problem. I never commented before because you know how us, Capricorns are.(I’m also a Capricorn like you by the way..we almost share the same birthday). We don’t open up until we are comfortable and know the person for a while..it took me 11 years! hahahhah. Since you have been steady with your blog and it’s not a ‘one year’ kind of blog thing I decided to leave a comment.
Robyn, I was reading USA Today and there was a story about animal hoarders. It said how one lady had 15 dogs (I think) and 10 cats. I thought of you (wonder why?!). I’ve often said if I had a big house, I’d have 10+ cats, too. With the feral, the fosters and your permanant cats, how many do you have now? 😀
Aww, Sharon beat me to it. I suppose the Other Lumberg in Office Space might qualify. Love the gorgeous blue eye of the white kitty. Stunning. Think it will stay that brilliant?
They are the cutest kittens. I’d have a hard time letting them go.
Bolitar’s antics are adorable. I would want him/them to stay a little longer too.
We also have been watching Deadliest Catch and it is sad and touching to see the tough fishermen so emotional. The men of the Cornelia Marie and especially all three Harris Men have amazing beautiful eyes. I’ve been shedding a tear or two watching these past few weeks.
Names for t.v. characters you never saw: Charlie (“Charlie’s Angels”). Stan (“Will and Grace”). Ugly Naked Guy (? I think that’s what they called him. “Friends”). And I never really watched Home Improvement, but wasn’t there the neighbor, Wilson, who was only seen from the nose up? Does he count?
To add to your list: Enid, Dr. Kelso’s wife on Scrubs, Consuela, Suzanne’s housekeeper on Designing Women, Orson on Mork and Mindy, and Dorothy’s cross-dressing brother Phil, on The Golden Girls.
OOH..I got one !! Kyser Sozo !!! From The Usual Suspects.
Also…it’s probably a good idea to rinse gently with tepid water and a soft cloth around Conjunctivitis Kitty’s eyes…They have some “drainage” (blech) and crusty (blech, blech)issues. Eyedrops..or whatever anti biotics your using cause tearing..Lids get glued shut while they sleep etc..I’d do it preemptively a couple of times a day..I would pat not wipe…and using warmer water to soften (BLECH)gummed up areas kinda melts it off thier fur. They’re eyes are already REALLY irritated so I’d stick to just water…YMMV.
How about a Christmas present for your readers/internet friends. Upload some of your cat photos and captions/stories to a publish on demand site like Lulu. Your readers/internet friends will be pleased because they will be able to buy a very funny book for themselves or their cat obsessed friends & relatives. Challenger House will be pleased because they can get all the proceeds…. and you will be pleased because I will quit bugging you to do this every six months. What’s not to love?
I’ve had a kitty with conjunctivitis (pink eye). It’s pretty contagious, so unless you separate the kittens, you’ll end up treating them both. I think we treated for like 7-10 days with eye ointment 2x a day? The warm wet washcloth tip above is a good one for goopy-eye-syndrome. Treated, it clears up pretty well. I don’t know about any long-term issues with it. Good luck! Sounds like your reader is doing all the right stuff!
I love those white kittens, I’m so glad that I don’t live down the street from you, or I would be spending all of my time trying to convince my husband that I DESPERATELY NEEDED a WHITE KITTEN.
Thanks, Robyn, for posting my question and thanks to drhoctor and styro for the advice! I’ve been cleaning her eyes and it definitely helps. Plus, I can’t stand seeing the goop (blech is right!) She just got spayed yesterday and is more traumatized than her sister was, and I noticed more goop than before I brought her in. I read some things that said that the conjunctivitis can worsen when stressed, but maybe I’ll just use the eye ointment an extra day or two. She mostly slept yesterday, but this morning, she was up and about, which is good, but licking at her incision, which is bad (at least this vet put the glue and not regular stitches!), and trembling. So I gave her a little pain medication and put the collar on her. Hopefully the medicine will offset the stress of the collar and she won’t be too stressed! I’ll bring her to the vet for her check-up this week and hopefully the eye problems will have been cleared up. I can’t wait to bring the sisters back together! (I just put pictures on my blog if anyone wants to see 🙂
The white kitties are so gorgeous! And the Bookworms have gotten so big! I’ve got a soft spot for the stripey cats.