Things have been touch and go with Tortipizza for a good few months. She is getting elderly (we think about 15) which is great for a feral cat, but she’s been having trouble eating. Clearly she’s been in a lot of pain as she would cry for food, and then walk away without eating after being given nice soft mousse - and would paw at her mouth. The pawing would become a sort of jig as she jumped around trying in vain to sort out whatever was going on on her mouth.
This was awful to watch and worse for her but I knew it was possible she had such bad inflammation in her mouth she would need to be put down.
Last week was particularly bad and I could see her getting thinner and thinner as she struggled to eat.
So the time had come. I got out the trap and all the paraphenalia and set about getting her used to eating in the trap while it was wired up (and would not ‘spring’) and then finally I set it, once she was used to going right in to the back of it for delicious sardines.
This was awful to watch and worse for her but I knew it was possible she had such bad inflammation in her mouth she would need to be put down.
Last week was particularly bad and I could see her getting thinner and thinner as she struggled to eat.
So the time had come. I got out the trap and all the paraphenalia and set about getting her used to eating in the trap while it was wired up (and would not ‘spring’) and then finally I set it, once she was used to going right in to the back of it for delicious sardines.
The above is TP in her younger days, and below, the trapping process.
It feels awful trapping a cat, and especially an elderly one, made worse because of the yowls of protest and fear. She spent the night being miserable and being ‘nil by mouth’, and then we went to the vet last Tuesday. Javier, our wonderful vet, anaesthetised her using the very clever crush cage that I’d brought her in. He weighed her to estimate the right amount of drugs and said she was only 2 kilos.
I was thinking it’s possible there are some wobbly teeth to remove or even some vegetation or animal bone lodged in her mouth. If there was something to remove then her prognosis would be better. If it was ‘just’ severe inflammation that would likely be a sign that the FIV or FELV she likely has was taking hold and it was the end game. It would be different for a cat you could pick up and treat, but treating a fully feral cat for this would be impossible.
Once she was on the operating table, Javier set to work as I watched. A couple of teeth were wobbly and those were removed. He tested one of her fangs and pronounced it to be firm - so that stayed. In fact it’s now her only tooth! Well, a girl needs at least one.
The inflammation was ‘moderate’ and he gave her a shot of long-acting corticosteroid to help with that, and TP was placed gently back in her carry cage on a soft piece of padded gauze.
Tortipizza was neutered in October 2011 by Ellie the vet from London, via Adelaide. Ellie came here and neutered 7 and taught me all I know about the trapping and neutering of feral cats.
So it was the 10th anniversary of Tortipizza being neutered. There is no way she would have made it this far if she’d been constantly pregnant. Thank you Ellie.
When I released Tortipizza the following morning she came back five minutes later for her first of many ‘catch up’ meals. In fact her appetite is incredible - largely due to the corticosteroid shot I think. A few days later she’s no longer visibly thin and eats like a cow (as they say here - in other words 'with gusto').
Here are some pics of her giving me a wide berth, post recent events, and the equipment being cleaned up for next time.
I was thinking it’s possible there are some wobbly teeth to remove or even some vegetation or animal bone lodged in her mouth. If there was something to remove then her prognosis would be better. If it was ‘just’ severe inflammation that would likely be a sign that the FIV or FELV she likely has was taking hold and it was the end game. It would be different for a cat you could pick up and treat, but treating a fully feral cat for this would be impossible.
Once she was on the operating table, Javier set to work as I watched. A couple of teeth were wobbly and those were removed. He tested one of her fangs and pronounced it to be firm - so that stayed. In fact it’s now her only tooth! Well, a girl needs at least one.
The inflammation was ‘moderate’ and he gave her a shot of long-acting corticosteroid to help with that, and TP was placed gently back in her carry cage on a soft piece of padded gauze.
Tortipizza was neutered in October 2011 by Ellie the vet from London, via Adelaide. Ellie came here and neutered 7 and taught me all I know about the trapping and neutering of feral cats.
So it was the 10th anniversary of Tortipizza being neutered. There is no way she would have made it this far if she’d been constantly pregnant. Thank you Ellie.
When I released Tortipizza the following morning she came back five minutes later for her first of many ‘catch up’ meals. In fact her appetite is incredible - largely due to the corticosteroid shot I think. A few days later she’s no longer visibly thin and eats like a cow (as they say here - in other words 'with gusto').
Here are some pics of her giving me a wide berth, post recent events, and the equipment being cleaned up for next time.
I think next time will be with Husky, who seems to have skin cancer on his ear. That will be interesting!
RSS Feed