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LadyEllen -> male hobbled, castrated and put in a cage! (7/24/2010 4:19:30 AM)
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No, not the usual subject matter for this site - rather the sorry tale of Fudge, the loveliest, cuddliest young man cat in the world.
Fudge is 1 year old this month and as might be expected he likes to spend his time stalking the backyards of the neighbourhood. He's never brought home prey but then we never know what cats get up to when theyre out and about. He's always been an active, healthy and contented boy though and just as happy being at home as out on his rounds.
Until Thursday morning last week when, unusually for him, he was there waiting at breakfast time - we usually only see him for tea. With the other cats milling round expectantly, Fudge lay on the carpet but as is normal for him was glad to see me and got up to say hello, which was when I saw he'd hurt his leg. He was limping and it was bent at an odd angle.
A trip to the vets proved it was indeed broken, right in the middle of his femur. The only mystery was how he'd broken it - there was no sign of the involvement of a car and Fudge along with my whole feline horde stays away from the road anyway, being afraid of cars. The only other mark on him was a small wound on the inside of his leg so the theory was he must have jumped and landed awkwardly on a fence or something.
Anyway the vet took him in for the night and on Friday he had his xrays and surgery. The xrays look awful; I have pictures but as usual with Blackberry shots theyre too large to upload here. In the end Fudge has had a pin wired to his femur to bring it back in line and, taking the opportunity, he was castrated at the same time - that'll teach him to get into trouble.
I collected him this morning. I could have got him last night but the place just wasnt ready for him and his convalescent needs for confinement to bed. So last night I spent 2 hours assembling a large dog cage and fitting it out for him with separate sections for his bed, food and litter tray.
He was delighted to be home, coming out of the carrier all purrs and nuzzles which is typical for him. He was less delighted to be put in the cage and, limping about on three legs spent ten frantic minutes trying to get out, including by digging through the litter box. He isnt allowed outside or to be running and jumping about for two weeks and its a good thing we got the cage too as the next thing he did after fifteen minutes of purrs and nuzzles was to run to the living room door, obviously interested to resume his outdoor curriculum.
He's calmed down now and gone to sleep, accepting that he cant get out the poor lad. He has two more weeks in the cage, apart from follow up visits to the vet and cuddle sessions when all the doors are closed - a problem what with the other kitty residents here who are used to doors being open for them at all times. After that he should be ready to go back to his normal life, except of course the bit where he might have chased the girlies.
Treatment - £651-00
Cage and fitting it out - £100-00
Fudge - priceless
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