Day 3 AA

Well, last night wasn’t quite as easy as the night before. Not necessarily because of the amputation but because when I went to go to sleep Freya had somehow managed to extend herself across almost the full width of the mattress. So I was mostly contorted, but that is something we cat owners know about. She made some small growling noises in her sleep, which is not usual and I’ve noticed she has been making a few noises like that as she snoozes/sleeps. Not necessarily alarming but different. She was also wandering a bit and I notice it takes some time from when she wakes up to be confident getting around. I also find that I pretty much follow her everywhere she goes, even in the middle of the night, just to be sure she’s OK.  And you know what? She seems to be.

As for getting around, well, she has made the choice it seems. I think I was saying that I was thinking of opening the entire lower floor to her today? I went into the kitchen area and then back to where I have set her up and the door to the other room was opn – the room in which I have stored all the stuff she shouldn’t be near yet – like the cat tree and so on. It is a rabbit warren of boxes and stuff and there she was, lying in the spot of sun in the little bit of  clear floor space there was.

Then a little bit later on I was again in the kitchen (which was still off limits), and she navigated the barriers I had set, which must have involved her jumping on the bottom stair, and sauntered in as pleased as she could be into the kitchen. She went into the loungeroom and found a place to hide so I just let her do that.  I had to leave for an hour or so (dropping off that feral kitten) and so I contained her within that room leaving water, food and litter tray in there.

When I got back (verdict of kitten – definitely feral and too late for socialisation and we know what that means) she was on the lounge itself, curled up as cute as could be. I had left a little step to the lounge and wondered if she had used it, especially as she jumped down in one go a little while later. Well, I soon saw first hand that she did not. I was so pleased. The couch is one of our favourite places to be together and so when I was curled up there and she jumped up to join me, well I’m not ashamed to say I had a little moisture in my eyes (allergies? no, happiness). And a little while later she clambered up the long way (ie over the arm) and after a little bit of a ‘will she, won’t she’ balancing act, she was there!!  I am so so proud of my little trooper.

She has also tackled her favourite cat chair but it wobbled a bit and so she didn’t stay there long. I’ve fixed the wobble so her next attempt should be better.

As for the ongoing battle for antibiotics, she ate most (most is good) of the antibiotic laced liquid this morning so I’m quite pleased. I’ve gone and bought some straight tuna in springwater and I take the liquid from that and mix it with a broth you can buy in individual sachets. to make a liquid and smelly concoction within which an antibiotic liquid can hide. This evening she again managed to eat most of the antibiotic mix, although I have to follow her around with the bowl, which must look a bit funny. But only 3 more days of antibiotics to go and then I can relax about her food (and start tackling her weight as tripods need to be reasonably svelte and Freya will need to lose some weight).

Pain does not seem to be an issue at the moment. Of course that is with all the caveats of cats being good at hiding pain.  The dose seems to be right (once a day liquid dose) and she is moving around quite freely.

Her incision is looking fine, no discharge, no swelling and so far no worries. Fingers crossed and double crossed that all is well there (she is a good healer – her recovery from the biopsy was a source of some joy to the vet) and continues well. I just compared it to the photo from Day 1 and it already looks better, marginally better of course, but hopefully not my imagination.

I think I might leave the e-collar on until tomorrow afternoon as I will be going to work in the morning for a few hours.  But she is OK with it for the most part although she bumps it when wants to rub against things – but she can sleep in it quite well and eat in it so I’m pretty fine with that. It’s a bit pathetic when she wants to lick her side but she forgets shortly (I read somewhere that cats are very much of the now and that seems to be very true).

And so Day 3 after amputation draws to a close and Freya is with me on the couch as I type away with a movie on in the background (Seabiscuit for those who may want to know).  It’s so like the way things normally are that the tight feeling in my chest that has been there since her diagnosis is beginning to relax. Not gone you understand, it probably won’t be gone until her incision is healed, and possibly only then minimised, as I know I need to remain vigilant, but it will be so much better.

ETA: A word on elimination. Freya has been weeing no worries and her balance is fine (the e-collar is the greater hindrance I think) and she did a solid elimination on Day 2 ie yesterday. Nothing so far today but I’ve mostly been giving her liquid food  to hide the pain killer and more importantly the antibiotics so possibly that is the cause. I’ll give her some more solid food before bed.