The Story of Chloe, Part II
After baiting the trap with the salmon I went back to doing household chores, taking a peek out the window to see if I had caught her. Well...I caught Thunder. She ate a lot of the salmon, so I replenished the food and re-set the trap. When I next looked out the window I saw Chloe sitting in the cage with Mama Joleen sitting right outside in a kind stand-off. I rushed to the phone, called the vet to let them know we were on our way and then went down to pick up the cage, at which point Chloe scampered out of the cage! Little brat hadn't even tripped it. I had to call the vet, let them know that it was a false alarm and ...re-baited the trap.
After about an hour I looked outside and saw that I had trapped another kitty, but not Chloe. I went down to liberate the cat when I saw that it WAS indeed Chloe! I whisked her off, now to the emergency vet 'cause the other one was now closed! I gave the vet the rundown on the accident and subsequent hiding and Mama chasing her off. They took her in back and gassed her in a tank in order to get x-rays.
The x-rays showed she had a broken femur bone that left the "ball" in the hip socket. The vet scheduled her for surgery and then told me how much. Wowie! They told me that I would need to keep her confined and feed her lots of fattening food because she was so skinny and her leg was starting to atrophy.
We have set her up in a giant dog crate in our bathroom, complete with a cat litter tray, food, water and towels. Being feral and used to sleeping in the dirt, she has taken to sleeping IN her litter box, until she uses it, and then once she does, she pulls the towels into it! A little unclear on the concept!
I have done a lot of research, have gotten a second opinion and have decided to wait 4-6 weeks, as my regular vet advised, to see if Chloe grows a "false joint". Part of the decision to wait was that the surgery would not be as successful if I couldn't give her antibiotics twice a day for a MONTH!!! Right now I can touch her without her growling or moaning, but she is not terribly happy about it!
The sweetest part of all of this has been the new relationship forming between Chloe and Julian. Chloe is like a love struck schoolgirl when Julian strides into the bathroom. It is SO funny to see. She will slowly rise from her lounging position in the back of the crate, and coyly walk up to the grate, meowing and rubbing against it. She will reach out her paw to touch Julian and just makes the cutest little sounds when her comes up to greet her! He will just hang out near the front of the crate and flop down in front of her, keeping an eye on her. She just gazes at him, like finding a long lost love or really good friend. They have smelled each other under the front door and seen each other through the front window. They DO know one another, in a way.
I have been wondering how in the world I was going to tame her and now I think Julian will be my partner in the endeavor. It is just a matter of days before Chloe comes out of the crate to be with him. I am so happy this has turned out so well. I was so worried that Chloe wouldn't survive the heat, then worried that she would not survive the injury, thrilled when I heard she had been seen...and then heartbroken when I saw Joleen run her off! I couldn't be happier or more relieved with how things have worked out. I'll be sure to keep y'all updated!
*Sorry no current pictures...the camera has gone astray!
After about an hour I looked outside and saw that I had trapped another kitty, but not Chloe. I went down to liberate the cat when I saw that it WAS indeed Chloe! I whisked her off, now to the emergency vet 'cause the other one was now closed! I gave the vet the rundown on the accident and subsequent hiding and Mama chasing her off. They took her in back and gassed her in a tank in order to get x-rays.
The x-rays showed she had a broken femur bone that left the "ball" in the hip socket. The vet scheduled her for surgery and then told me how much. Wowie! They told me that I would need to keep her confined and feed her lots of fattening food because she was so skinny and her leg was starting to atrophy.
We have set her up in a giant dog crate in our bathroom, complete with a cat litter tray, food, water and towels. Being feral and used to sleeping in the dirt, she has taken to sleeping IN her litter box, until she uses it, and then once she does, she pulls the towels into it! A little unclear on the concept!
I have done a lot of research, have gotten a second opinion and have decided to wait 4-6 weeks, as my regular vet advised, to see if Chloe grows a "false joint". Part of the decision to wait was that the surgery would not be as successful if I couldn't give her antibiotics twice a day for a MONTH!!! Right now I can touch her without her growling or moaning, but she is not terribly happy about it!
The sweetest part of all of this has been the new relationship forming between Chloe and Julian. Chloe is like a love struck schoolgirl when Julian strides into the bathroom. It is SO funny to see. She will slowly rise from her lounging position in the back of the crate, and coyly walk up to the grate, meowing and rubbing against it. She will reach out her paw to touch Julian and just makes the cutest little sounds when her comes up to greet her! He will just hang out near the front of the crate and flop down in front of her, keeping an eye on her. She just gazes at him, like finding a long lost love or really good friend. They have smelled each other under the front door and seen each other through the front window. They DO know one another, in a way.
I have been wondering how in the world I was going to tame her and now I think Julian will be my partner in the endeavor. It is just a matter of days before Chloe comes out of the crate to be with him. I am so happy this has turned out so well. I was so worried that Chloe wouldn't survive the heat, then worried that she would not survive the injury, thrilled when I heard she had been seen...and then heartbroken when I saw Joleen run her off! I couldn't be happier or more relieved with how things have worked out. I'll be sure to keep y'all updated!
*Sorry no current pictures...the camera has gone astray!
posted by Chicken Mama at 2:17 PM
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