Kitty Ophthalmologist

Well if I thought Floyd couldn't get worse I was wrong.

In the evening two days after my last post Floyd's eye started to look worse. I work a full time job and simply cannot monitor him with the bears, they kept taking off his cone, and I was afraid that because of this eyes were getting more damaged. The next morning I dropped him off at the regular vet for hospitalization. This way I knew he would get his medication on time and the cone would stay on. Mid-morning the vet called and told me that Floyd needed to see the ophthalmologist as his eye was melting. Melting! So I made an emergency appointment and took him that afternoon.

The ophthalmologist was just like one you would visit for humans. They dyed his eye, used a scope to zoom in and out on both eyes. Turns out that Floyd has ulcers in both eyes and has lost vision in the left eye but the kicker is that this is all being caused by the herpes he has in both eyes. No the herpes is not inter-species so we do not have anything to worry about. Trust me. I asked the Doctor, the Nurse and then called back after I left and asked the Nurse again.

So poor Floyd has herpes in his eyes causing them to melt and he had lost vision in his left eye. The ophthalmologist told me that we were going to try a very intense treatment and if it didn't work Floyd would need surgery. $1,300 for one eye, $1,700 for two. Uh.

I immediately told her that surgery was not an option. If I had the money I would have no hesitation but living on one income has it's limitations. The appointment and medications alone were unspeakably vulgar. They gave us three different medications to be dropping into his eyes every hour and a different antibiotic once a day. He needed to be seen again on Monday to check and see if it was working.

I basically threatened the girls with beatings if they even touched Floyd's collar much less took it off. They are beating free.

We did the intense treatment over the weekend and on Monday Hubby took Floyd back to the ophthalmologist. Same practice different doctor, asked Hubby how he thought Floyd was doing. I so would have went off on him. I'M PAYING YOU $125 AN HOUR FOR YOUR OPINION NOT MINE! Nonetheless.

Apparently Floyd, being an awesome kitten that he is, is fairing well. Even better than well. He went back to the ophthalmologist again for a week check up and the first thing out of the ophthalmologist's mouth was "Wow." They backed his medication down. The ophthalmologist thinks that a month from now he will have full vision with only slight scaring.

And the best part...the "cone of shame" has been removed. Hubby said he groomed himself for a half hour when they got home.

He seems to be doing very well. In fact he's been getting naughtier so I think he is feeling good.

Floyd Isn't Well

Floyd came home with a cold. I gave him his antibiotics morning and night. I’ve never been sneezed on by a cat and it was rather gross as a booger flew out his nose and on to my hand. But he seemed to get better as the week went on. I had a follow-up veterinarian appointment with the SPCA in two weeks to get his last shot and general check up.

I noticed the day before his check up his left eye looked watery and droopy. When I took him in I mentioned it and the veterinarian did a dye check in his eye and said that he had a scratch on his eye and gave me an ointment to apply to his eye twice a day.

After two days of the ointment Floyd’s eye looked worse so I decided to take him to a local veterinarian. They luckily squeezed his in that day. Turns out that Floyd had a scratch but more importantly had conjunctivitis in both his eyes. The new veterinarian said that the ointment only twice a day was useless. He gave me a different antibiotic and different ointment and said if it didn’t look better in three days to come back.

Friday night Floyd’s eye didn’t look improved enough so I called the veterinarian and got an appointment for the next day.

Floyd has three ulcers on his eye. There are three things we could have done. One – Put a cone on his head and see if he is the one causing the damage while continuing treatment. Two – Sew his eye shut and let it constantly be moisturized and out of harm’s way, also with the cone and continued treatment. Three – Take him to an ophthalmologist and see what they would like to do.

I chose option one. So far his eye seems to be improving. We have two more days of intense treatment to see if this is going to work before we have to take more extreme measures. All prayers are welcome.

The really sad part is he hates the cone. He sleeps most of the day and at other times looks sadly at you saying with his eyes “please take this off me.” I’ve tried to take it off and let him relax a bit. But as soon as I do he wants to lick and rub his eye. The last time I tried to allow him some freedom he went for his eye and when I pushed his paw back he took both paws and rubbed as hard as he could trying to get in any rubbing before I pulled both his paws back and returned the cone. It was such a toddler kind of move I laughed even though it was pitiful at the same time.

Every time I see him all I can think of is the movie Up with the “cone of shame.” My poor kitty.

Newest Family Member

Meet Floyd.

Floyd is the newest addition to our family. Hubby is not big on cats. He’s a dog man. I on the other hand LOVE cats. I’ve owned one or two cats most of my life. When I asked Hubby if we could get a cat he told me that he didn’t want one but my desire to have one was more than his desire not too so I could get one.

I went to the SPCA and was specifically looking for an adult cat. No kittens. Kittens are too much work and bite and scratch without even thinking about it.

I walked around and looked and pet the different fuzzy cuties that needed a home for over an hour and a half. I kept being drawn back to this little black guy because even though it said he was only four months old he was laid back and relaxed. But no. I needed an adult cat.

I was honestly about to give up because there wasn’t a cat there that fit the bill for the entire family. That’s when I saw a young couple with a baby get out the little guy I had been eyeing. They pet him and he sat there. No abundant friskiness or trying to climb them like a tree. Then the baby reaches over and yanks the cat’s tail. Hard. The cat doesn’t scratch, doesn’t bite, and doesn’t even meow. He simply turns and looks at the baby, and moves his tail out of reach. The couple hems and haws and eventually tells the volunteer that they would have to think about it and puts him back in his cage.

They thought too long because as soon as they walked out the door I pulled his card and said I wanted him. He had to stay and get neutered but I got to pick him two days later.

Floyd is perfect. I thought he was laid back at the shelter but he is completely laid back even in the land of bears. The girls loud squeals make him look or wake up from a nap but not run and hide. Bonus since I wanted to get a cat for the entire family to enjoy. He is a complete love bug and would rather be in your lap or at your feet than anywhere else. Even while we eat dinner he sits under the table and just hangs out. Doesn’t even beg. He does like to sleep on my head when we sleep at night but even that is tolerable. He is so loving and awesome that Hubby has accepted and loved him like everyone else. I guess the guys have to stick together in a house of estrogen.

The only thing wrong with him isn’t even his fault. Floyd had a cold when I got him from the shelter. A cold that turned into something so much worse. Too long for this post so come back tomorrow for one of the most pitiful sights you have ever seen.