Spook Update November 30, # 62

[catmandu]

The Lucky Found Cat Angels Are Heering Because Come What May, Spook Is Getting A Great Home , And All Will Be Well For That Little Starry.
The Tubby Angels Are There Tonight To Keep Thier Little Friend Warm And Comfortable.
And Theres Another Gold Star By Your Name At The Rainbow Bridge For Saving A Life, Bless You And Your Husband.

[Freedom]

How wonderful that things have worked out for Spook!

I know many shelters refuse to adopt out black kitties around Halloween; for the cats' own safety. Would he be sitting in a cage at the Humane Society, or could you foster him?

So glad to hear that the eye will be alright!

[moosmom]

Soapets,

Your husband sounds like a real gem!!

Why not just skip the HS and keep Spook??? Black cats are not as easily adoptable as other ones. Superstition has alot to do with it. There's a reason he came into your life. Think about it!

[Soapets]

OK, I'm going to see if I can remember how to do this:

Here is a picture of Spook taken yesterday evening, showing his right eye:


A picture that shows his "mitten toe":


Another picture of him from yesterday:


Picture of Annie looking in at Spook yesterday:


Photo of Spook next to my shoe at the Vet's (for size comparison):


Spook exploring at the Vet's office, by the door:


We will "foster" him for awhile yet after his surgery tomorrow---for sure until after Halloween. When we do turn him over to the Humane Society, we will ask that we be allowed to keep him at home with us unless/until they get someone who is interested specifically in him. They can put an ad out for him, and call us to have us bring him there to meet his prospective family if/when anyone shows interest.

I HAVE been thinking a lot of just skipping the Humane Society all together and keeping him. We already have four cats and two dogs---what's one more? But I'm afraid that if we DO keep him, I won't get any more foster kittens in the future, because I keep FAILING at fostering! I already have three cats that started out as "fosters" for the Humane Society, and I know that if I want to be able to successfully foster kittens, I have to learn to let them go. There's no way we could keep all of them.

Adopting Spook might prevent us from helping another kitten sometime down the road. If I can learn to give them up to adoption to other homes, I will be able to help a lot more of them over time. But if it comes down to having him euthanized because nobody else wants him, we would definitely keep him.

I think that whatever is supposed to work out WILL work out, so we'll just wait and see what happens for now!

[cassiesmom]

Awwwww, widdle Spook! Your poor eye. I'm glad it is not painful. Since he's having it removed at such a young age, I wonder if he will just adapt to not having it over the course of his life. I love the picture of him exploring at the doctor's office. What a tiny cutie.

[Catty1]

I am just curious - what causes an ulcerated cornea, did the vet say?

I am sure the little one won't miss his eye...but it is a shame to lose it.

He will need major cuteness warnings whatever happens!

[Soapets]

I work for an eye doctor, and humans who get corneal ulcers usually get them from some type of infection---bacterial or fungal. They can happen if there is a scratch or abrasion to the eye that gets bacteria or a fungus in it, or in humans, sometimes contact lenses and/or solution can contribute to them. We had a patient who lost an eye last year due to a fungal corneal ulcer. They are NASTY. In the early stages, it would have been very painful for Spook. But they can reach a point where the nerve endings in that area are dead, so nothing is felt. That's one of the things that bothered me about Spook when I first saw his eye. He didn't appear to be suffering any pain from it, and that's usually when it's pretty far along. I was expecting the Vet. to say the eye needed to be removed.

I was also expecting the cost to be a lot greater than she is charging for it. That's why I wanted to have the Vet. look at him before I took him to the Humane Society. I wanted to hear what a Vet. had to say about the eye, and the prognosis, and the cost, so that if the Humane Society said they would have to euthanize him, I would be able to tell them what the Vet. had said, etc.

The $196 she is charging covers the surgery and anesthesia, today's initial office visit, Spook's first feline leukemia virus shot, the fecal exam for worms, the flea treatment, the roundworm treatment, nail clipping, etc. And I didn't call ahead to make an appointment---I just went there and walked in. She isn't charging emergency charges, which add to the cost and which she would have every right to charge because of the urgency of the situation, if she wanted to. She said he's real close to having it rupture. THAT would be a lot worse than it already is. I think she gave us a price break because he is a stray and we aren't planning on keeping him at this time---we just want to do whatever it takes to give him a good chance of finding a furever home.

Anyway, remember the Vet. in your prayers---appreciation for her and her obvious love for the most vulnerable creatures that are brought to her!

[sandragonfly]

We already have four cats and two dogs---what's one more? But I'm afraid that if we DO keep him, I won't get any more foster kittens in the future, because I keep FAILING at fostering! I already have three cats that started out as "fosters" for the Humane Society, and I know that if I want to be able to successfully foster kittens, I have to learn to let them go. There's no way we could keep all of them.

I can RELATE.... you're not the only one. my little girl just brough in two little peanuts last night! maybe that's different but I already am up to 13... plus a dog, and sugar gliders and chinchilla, and and..

hey, mittens is a better name.. he does not looks as spooky as he is. he's so cute and I can tell he'll be so handsome ever after his surgery. hope all will go smoothly! give kisses to your little fella for me please ~ ((mwahies mwahies)).

good luck!!

[kimlovescats]

What a wonderful thing you and your vet are doing for this little baby boy! He most likely had a severe herpes virus in his eyes from birth. It happens often and it can get this bad when not treated right away! The good news though is that he was found and you, your vet and friend are taking excellent care of him!

Foster failure? Hmmm.... what's that?

Kim

[Soapets]

Spook's surgery to remove the right eye was done as scheduled today. The Vet's office called me a little after 11:00 a.m. to tell me they were just starting the surgery, and that the Vet. would call me afterwards to let me know how things went.

I was on pins and needles all morning, thinking the surgery was being done earlier, not knowing for sure, dying to pick up the phone and call the Vet's office, etc. After the call around 11:00 I was at least finally aware of what time they were doing the surgery. I waited and waited for the Vet to call me afterwards. My husband called me around 12:40 to find out if I'd heard anything yet, and I had to tell him no. She FINALLY called me around 1:00 p.m. to say things went fine, and he was awake and doing OK. She said they wanted to keep him there overnight tonight yet, though, so I could tell that he was still recuperating from the ordeal and that they were concerned enough that they wanted to keep him there a little longer than originally scheduled.

I called the Vet's office again just before their closing time of 5:00 p.m. to ask how he was getting along. The gal I spoke to then said he'd come through it "like a trooper" and had eaten, and used the litter box, etc. I asked her if he was getting feisty yet, and she said yes. I felt more reassured after talking to her.

I will take pictures of him tomorrow and get them uploaded and posted on here. (I am keeping it all on the same thread, but changing the thread's title with new updates, so that the whole story is on one thread and not spread out among several different ones. I hope that's OK, and not confusing or anything to anyone.)

[momtomany]

Soapets sounds like he has found his furever home already.................

[kittycats_delight]

hehehehe Deb seems like we have another failed foster. Oh well that is Great for Spook. Welcome to your furever home Spook. I know you will be very happy living with meowmie Deb.

[Medusa]

Yep, I had that feeling that Spook wouldn't be going anywhere.

[krazyaboutkatz]

I'm glad to hear that Spooks doing well and I knew you wouldn't be able to adopt him out. Should I say congrats now or wait unit it's official?