feeling like a kitten again

The kitties are feeling better every day. There fur is starting to grow back, (though it's still very short,) and the incisions are healing nicely.


I had them out today in the laundry room to use the litter box, and I usually sit in there with them and give them some play and love time. They were feeling a lot more frisky than they have been. Applesauce found a little toy mouse and was trying to "kill" it. Onyx wanted in on the action, hunkered down, wiggled his hind end and (sort of) sprang towards Applesauce. Their hind legs are not quite as stable as they probably would like them to be, so the whole escapade was kitten-ish. It was very cute, and I couldn't help but giggle at them.


Don't worry, they did not play hard enough to jeopardize the healing legs. As soon as they laid down to rest, I took them back to their Kitty Condo and gave them some fresh water and food. They promptly took a nap.

hey roomie!

Applesauce had her staples removed and she had pain meds...once they took effect, she was in better spirits. It was time to move her into the Kitty Condo (a.k.a. the big dog cage) with Onyx.


Luckily, this brother and sister duo get along well together. They have enough room for each of them to sprawl out and not even touch. I have water and food set up inside the cage for them, and take them out a few times a day to use the litterbox.

They are doing well, on their way to recovering.

Applesauce encounters a decleater

The time had come to have Applesauce’s staples removed. Did you know that a staple remover is also called a staple decleater? Of course, I’m not sure if they use this term in veterinary offices, but none the less, I thought it was interesting. *smile*

She did not like the experience of having her staples removed…of course I think she was also in pain from the whole broken-leg-and-having-surgery experience. The doctor thought so to, Applesauce was sent home with pain killers.

Before she had her staples removed, I had explained to the doctor the Applesauce was walking “wrong” on her leg. She wasn’t putting much pressure down, which was to be expected. However, she was kind of dragging her leg (instead of just pulling it up in order to not use it,) and when she did put some pressure down, it would end up being on the top of her toes instead of the pads.

Imagine being on all fours and having your weight resting on the back side of your hands instead of your palms…sounds painful, right? I figured it had to be hurting Applesauce too…and the pain in her leg had to be bad to make putting pressure on the wrong side of her paw ok. That’s pain.


The doctor agreed that she was most likely in lots of pain…and possibly had some inflammation, hence the pain killers (turns out they are also an anti-inflammatory as well.) Of course, I get a bonus out of these pain killers…the medicine bottles will be great for letterboxing! *big grin* And I can get 1 refill…but at $45 a pop, I won’t be getting it just to have another bottle!

Onyx makes a move

After his staples were removed, and after being on the pain killers for a bit, Onyx was feeling better and starting to move around some more. He needed a bigger place. Luckily, my cousin, keepin up with the Jones, had a large dog cage she said I could borrow. I lined it with a soft sheet and towel and put it in my room, and wah-la...Kitty Condo was created. Onyx is now happily residing there, with plenty of room to move around, while still being safe until he can heal the rest of the way.

Of course, this place is even big enough that he could have a roommate ....*wink, wink*

Angels on earth

I am amazed that I can find

ones who are so wonderful, generous and kind

Giving of themselves in so many ways

to make sure a beloved pet has many more days

These people are surely angels on earth

they were given wings from God at birth

And in their heart, love freely flows

bringing others up from deepest lows

Hope and happiness they have brought to my life

easing my worry, my fear, and my strife

I am honored to call these angels my friends

for it was my breaking heart they've helped to mend.
~snapdragon

My cousin, and fellow letterboxer, keepin up with the Jones, set up a virtual event, Save Snap’s Kitties, on Atlas Quest to take donations…they are going to have a raffle to raise money. The raffle donations have begun to roll in, along with some monetary donations.

Bone Yard Recorder also has a blog and has made a post to showcase the quilt her mum and her mum's sisters made as a donation to raise money. BYR is one of the most kind and generous persons I know, and my BFF *smile*

mstrwndl is another letterboxer who has mentioned the cause on his blog...check out the post titled: Hey Middle Tennessee Letterboxers

I am so touched by the generous giving of the letterboxing community, and I will never be able to thank them enough.

THANK YOU to everyone who has been a part of this effort!!! you are all angels on earth!

Applesauce has surgery

Well, one night I went outside to clean a "present" of the porch (a mole, if you must know,) and heard Applesauce's quiet mewing. I called for her and she did not come, she only lay there. My heart started to race. It was like the moment I found Onyx all over again. I went to pick her up, and sure enough, her hind leg just dangled. I started crying immediately. I knew it was broken. I also knew I would never be able to get the money needed for another surgery.

I took her inside with me, held her in my arms, and just cried for what seemed like hours. My mind raced thinking of what I could do to save her from being put down, and my best hope was to take her to the vet's and see if anyone there would want to keep her and take care of her injury. I was extremely sad to think that she would have to go to another home, but the alternative was worse.

I got online to express my feelings to my letterboxing friends, I just wanted some good thoughts sent my way, a few prayers that all would turn out well. In addition to the thoughts of warmth and caring I received, my friends also began to conspire to help me with the surgery costs. They were going to make sure I did not have to give up my kitty, and Coffee Mug, Pioneer Spirit, Rosmarinus, and keepin up with the Jones all made sure I knew that before I took my kitty in. They are such sweet people. The whole letterboxing community is so wonderful.

The next morning when I took Onyx in to get his staples removed, I took Applesauce with me, knowing I had the support of my friends to help. It was confirmed that her leg was broken, the fracture was right in the middle of her femur. She would need surgery. I knew I would not have the money by the time I had to pick her up in two days, and so the doctor set up a payment plan and I left Applesauce in their care.

A couple days later I was able to pick Applesauce up. The vet assistant brought her to me, and the first thing she did was lick my hand. She is such a sweet kitty. I brought her home and made her a comfortable, quiet place and let her rest.

Onyx, after surgery

I found Onyx one night by the back door to the garage mewing softly. I called to him, since we keep them in the garage at night, and I was ready to shut the large garage door. But Onyx didn't come...he just stayed there mewing.

I walked up to him and saw a small scuff on one of his hind legs. I figured he had caught himself on something (he had done it before) and took him inside to spray some medicine on it that I had gotten from the vet the last time. When I set him down, he put all his weight on the scuffed leg. I figured that could not be good, and thought he may have broken a bone or dislocated his hip. I called the vet to leave a message that I would be bringing him in first thing in the morning. I put him in bed with me, and he slept soundly through the night.

At the vet's (Woodside Veterinary Hospital) an x-ray was taken to verify what they also suspected, a broken leg. Sure enough, his femur was broken in half...and it was not a clean break. His leg had no visible injuries on the outside. How he broke it was perplexing.

The doctor explained what the surgeon would have to do, and then revealed the cost. I cried. It would be so much money, but I refused to put my baby to sleep. He was just laying there, not complaining at all...otherwise perfectly healthy. I gave the go ahead to do surgery, and left Onyx in their care.


I went to pick him up a couple days later, and the doctor said he was doing great. He had to have a metal rod inserted and have wire wrapped around the bone to hold it in place. Then he was stapled shut. He was sent home with some antibiotics and instructions not to be allowed to jump up or down on anything for a month. I joked that he did this so he could spend some time inside now that the weather was turning colder.

For the first few days, I kept him in our half bath on a towel. He was content and warm, and slept most of the time. Soon, however, he had no interest in food or water. I went to check on him and found he had tried to get into the trash can. His behavior had changed. I called the vet right away and took him in first thing the next morning.


Turns out he was in so much pain, he had refused to eat or drink and was just looking for a place that felt more secure. Cats livers are not very good at handling pain killers, they end up over working the kidneys, and so pain killers are not made for cats. However, a cat can be put on a canine pain killer in smaller doses and for short periods of time. This is what was done for Onyx. He was sent home with six small doses, one a day for the next three days, and then one on Mon., Wed., and Fri. I also lined our large cat carrier with a soft sheet and put him inside so he would feel safe.