i feel like the most terrible kittymum.............and i probably am

[gini]

Carole, you poor thing. You are being way to hard on yourself. All of us know you would never intentionally hurt Lexie and she knows that too.

I cannot tell you the times that Rascal has had his tail stepped on because he just loves to sit right behind you - especially when you are in the kitchen and moving around rapidly. He never makes a sound - just parks himself right behind you and in just the right position to be stepped on.

Lexie is going to be so happy to be home and with you. Just wait - she will quickly let you know that all is forgiven!

[carole]

THANK YOU all from the bottom of my heart, you are right lexie has forgiven me immediately, she was just so happy to be home again, she is doing ok, her tail is very unusual at the moment, looks like a candle with the wick at the end of it, as its all shaved half way up, did not realize how skinny cats tails are, she ate well, did her toilet business no problem, and i decided to sleep downstairs to keep an eye on her, we were playing with her favourite gold beads, at 12 am, i had to whisk her off to the vets today, as unfortunately she wont stop biting , licking the wound, so now she has one of those awful collars on, and she just hates, it, i can take it on and off, but i tried for a short while and straight away she is back into biting the wound again, it needs around 3 to 4 days to seal the wound, she is none too happy, i hate putting the collar on her too, but i know we have to, so she is one funny lil cat to picture right now, but she is still as sweet and loving as ever, poor girl, she was real scared at the vets again, her paws were sweating like mad, i still feel awful, but at least i can eat a little today.
I know she will be back to normal soon, with only a slighter shorter tail, she will still be my beautiful lexie.

[carole]

I have to tell you as i am typing this lexie is sitting on the window sill, looking down at me, with her collar on and funny lil tail, but she is purring so thats good, have to really watch her though as she tends to try and jump up and hurts herself with that collar on, lots of catsitting ahead for me, but i dont mind one bit, its the least i can do for my baby, also i was very fortunate, yesterday, one good thing happened, an unexpected tax return which covered lexies vet bills completely, so that was good.

[apcrs5122]

I'm so sorry this happened to lexie. I hope she's doing well and isn't hurting too badly. Don't beat yourself up.....things happen all the time. She'll be ok.

[IttyBittyKitty]

Good to hear she's back home and back to her old self. See, you had nothing to worry about. I know what it's like ... Sigh, that Pixel, I don't know! I don't even keep her collar on any more as I'm too afraid of what she might do to herself.

[Cataholic]

Glad to hear Lexie is home, and recuperating...it won't be long til she is her ole' self again!!

[marysmerrycats]

Carole
you didn't do it on purpose, so don't hate yourself! I know it feels terrible , my mother once slammed Muffins tail in the front door! and I have stepped on cats feet, and kicked them, well not "kicked" of course but the same as, not seeing them, and then all of a sudden, mreow!so I know how it does make you feel terrible but it is bound to happen, so don't feel bad. I think they know it was not on purpose. those little sneaky things just have a way of being in the way and not seen.

get well soon Lexie!

personally I think they do it on purpsoe so we feel guilty and they get treats and even more spoiled for a while

[marysmerrycats]

one time I felt sooo bad, Cookie was just a little thing, about 3 months old, and I opened the frig door, it sticks at times so I really pulled it, and wham! hit her in the head!

and I went to move the cat tunnel over, with my foot and there was Callie in it! (just one of the "kicked" stories ) but it was not very hard, just enough to scare her AND me! now I LOOK first.

[Kona & Oreo's mom]

My childhood cat lost her whole tail due to an injury with a car, and she adapted without a problem. I'm sure that once the wound heals, Lexie won't even notice that she's a little shorter.

Get well soon, Lexie!

[carole]

Well folks, this collar from the vets is very distressing for both lexie and i, its a big plastic thing all around her head, i hate putting it on her, she gets very depressed looking and just sleeps as she cant do much else with it on, its kinda dangerous too, as she trys to do what she normally does and it can get in the way and caught, so i have to really watch her a lot when its on, i take it off now and then so she can eat and groom herself and try to keep her occupied, but she always starts biting her tail, so it can only be off like for 20 mins at a time, im sleeping downstairs on the couch to keep an eye on her, she likes to sit on the windowsills and look outside, but has trouble getting up there with the collar on and nearly always falls, im so scared she will end up hurting herself.
Oh i wish this never happened, i just cant wait until she can have the collar off, another two long days and nights, i hope this trauma doesnt change her sweet loving nature. she just looks so very sad when the collars is on, it tears me up inside, i took it off at 2am this morning as she slept on me for 3 hrs, and she is not normally a lap cat, and i was getting concerned she was ok, and then we had a little play with her fav gold beads.
She is eating well and doing everything else normal so thats good, had her pill antibiotic today, little monkey we thought it was down there and she got up and spat it out, second time around we were a little wiser and kept her mouth closed a little longer and it worked.
Well i guess thats all for now, keep u posted, but once again thanks for all your replies and kind words, you have really helped me heaps.

[Cinder & Smoke]

Originally posted by carole
... this collar from the vets is very distressing
for both lexie and I...

... its kinda dangerous too, as she trys
to do what she normally does
and it can get in the way and caught...

... she likes to sit on the windowsills and look outside,
but has trouble getting up there

...she can have the collar off, another two long days and nights...

Hey Carole ~

Did the VET say to take it off in TWO more days?

I wouldn't be in any great rush to take it off!
In only 3 days - that Tail may still be pretty Raw & Tender!
And if she starts Licking & Chewing on it -
it may never heal properly.

While Boots, da Kat, was having his difficulties ...
he had a ConeHead collar 3 different times;
the last (after the Operation) time he wore it 24/7 for
about 2 weeks straight...

He certainly never got Graceful with it;
and often ran into things ,
but he DID learn to *manage* it without too much stress!

He'd walk up to his food or water dish, pause and calculate...
then Very Deftly PLOP the Cone over the target bowl
and begin munching or drinking!
NEVER missed a meal on account of that ole Cone!

And after a few *spills* - he decided there were a few of his favorite
higher haunts that he'd pass on - for a while!

His *favorite* window was temporarily provided with a relocated
stuffed chair - which he COULD climb up on - cone plus Kat!

The point?
Lexie *WILL ADJUST* to her new ConeHead ...
Leave It ON until the Tail is well-healed to the point that her
licking and fussing with it won't do any damage.

[rg_girlca]

Oh Carole, how can you say you are a bad meowmie. When this unfortunate accident happened, you brought your baby lexie straight to the vet. It's not like you took her tail and slammed it in the drawer on purpose. It was an accident. I caught Mooky's paw in the door, my RB C-Fer got his tail caught in a door and my Katie girl was locked in my closet all day. Why did these unfortunate accidents happen? Cause cats are so quiet and fast and have a tendacy to run right in front of you and you not even notice. As with the cone, yes it is very uncomfortable for them, but as Cinder & Smoke said, they learn to adjust. Don't worry, your baby will not seriously hurt herself. The main thing right now is to let her little tail heal properly so she doesn't need any more treatment for it. That unfortuately means having to deal with the cone a little bit longer.
Good luck Carole and you are a GREAT MEOWMIE.

[carole]

Thanks for the welcome advice, re-the cone, yes the vet did say 3 to four days, but you are right, its better to get it healed properly than have to go back for my treatment, which could be uncomfortable for her, she is getting better with it, although today i did keep it off her most of the day, but i watched her like a hawk, and to be honest im had it, so i guess i will just have to put it on her, she is getting sneaky and runs and hides to get the end of it, gently biting then licking my hands when i try to stop her, today she wanted to groom herself so thats why i took it off, and i just stayed and watched her, my hand over her end of her tail, she groomed for over an hour, much longer than usual, and tryed so hard to get it the lil monkey, but she didnt.
The nicest part of all was my baby slept on me for 3 hrs last night, and thats not usual for her, so one added bonus.
I know it was an accident folks, but i still feel stink about it, i wish i could re-start that day all over again, funny thing it was 11th of june, my sooti died 11th Feb, its like 11th is bad luck for me. id better watch those days eh.
Right well just got to get on with it, and put it behind us, and get my lexie back to normal, i measured her tail and it will be only slightly shorter than ashes, of course it wont have the nice pointed end likes his, but it wont look drastically odd.

[IttyBittyKitty]

I always felt sorry for kitties and doggies wearing them, they always looked sooooo awful! But, they are necessary with lexie being a normal cat, i.e. a cheeky devil! If it were Pixel, it would need to be made of surgical steel.

Nevermind, Carole, it will be off before you know it! I know it is hard watching Lexie get irritated, but the sooner the little tail is healed, the better.

{{hugs}}

[Vio&Juni]

My mom's 10 years old cat Pantera, aka Panterusha, with a very short tail sends her love to Lexie. Unfortunately, her tail was not amputated by vets, but, by some VERY STUPID neighbors. Still, she's fine, and for her age and her status of outdoor kitty, she's very well - actually, the best hunter in the neighborhood