Saturday, January 17th: My husband, George, went to town to run a few errands. I asked him to pick up a bottle of milk on his way home. As soon as he came home this afternoon, he told me that there was an injured kitty near the entrance of the convenience store ... the one that is two miles down the road from us at the intersection of Highway 199. He convinced me that if we didn't rescue her, she wouldn't make it through the night. So, we did. The kitty, a little Tortie, willingly went into the cat carrier we brought with us. I checked with the cashier, to make sure the kitty didn't belong to anyone. (Fat chance!) The young lady told me that the kitty had been "hanging around" for a couple of days and no one had claimed her.

The kitty's right back leg is severely injured. It's broken and a portion of bone has penetrated through her skin. Her right front paw is wounded and swollen. I cleaned her wounds as best I could and put antibiotic ointment on them. She doesn't object to being handled and treated, nor does she appear to be in pain. The poor little thing is just skin and bones. On the plus side, she is bright eyed and bushy-tailed. Very friendly and eager to please. I'll take her to the Gieb Vet Clinic Monday morning for tests and an exam. We hope that her leg can be saved, but fear that may not be possible.

For the time being, we're keeping her isolated in the hall by our bedroom. (This is a 6'x9' area with doors opening into two bedrooms, bathroom, living room, dining area and two closets.) I put a soft pillow in the carrier and she likes to sleep in it. I'm not sure how the Crowley Cats will adapt to her, but they surely are curious. When any of them are nearby, we have to be very careful when we open any of the connecting doors.

Monday, January 19th: After Dr. Gieb examined the kitty, he advised me that it would be in her best interests to have her leg amputated. If the kitty's leg had been in better condition, pinning it might have been an option; however, aputation will prevent spread of infection and give her the best chance for survival. George and I had already discussed this possibility and agreed that we would follow Dr. Gieb's advice, regardless of cost involved. Even so, it was difficult to make this decision for her. I reluctantly left her at the clinic, after arranging to pick her up the following day. One of Dr. Gieb's colleagues, Dr. Roose, performed the operation. This afternoon, she told me that the operation was performed successfully and the kitty is doing very well. She'll stay overnight at the clinic and I'll bring her home in the morning. Dr. Gieb will check on her during the night and make sure that she's OK. Test results for FELV/FIC were negative and vaccinations will be given later, perhaps when her sutures are removed.

Much thought has been given to naming the kitty, but so far, George and I haven't agreed on what to call her. We have decided that her name should reflect her spirit and personality, rather than call attention to her "handicap." Curiously enough, we both thought of the name "Brindle" independently. I thought of a CLAW kitty, Brindle Givens, who went to Rainbow Bridge several years ago. She was a beautiful Tortie and the little kitty's markings are similar to hers. Before I had a chance to mention this to George, he told me, "I was just thinking that my dad used to call cattle with that kind of coloring "brindles" what do you think about calling the kitty "Brindle"?

Tuesday, January 20th:I brought Brindle home this morning, with a list of instructions and a bottle of antibiotics. As soon as I opened the carrier door, she came out and began investigating her surroundings! This brave little kitty displays an amazing capacity to adapt to new situations. Her ability to stand, walk and balance is much improved, now that her injured leg has been removed. She is very alert, quick, and eager to explore the rest of the house. For her own safety, she must remain in a small area for the next seven days, isolated from the other Crowley Cats. She needs to be kept warm, too, as a large area of her skin is exposed. Her lower right side, portions of her tummy, neck and upper left foreleg were shaved prior to the operation. So far, Brindle has been very good about taking her antibiotics. She has a very healthy appetite we're hopeful that regular meals of nurishing food will soon bring her weight up to normal. At present time, she only weighs three pounds. Dr. Roose determined that she is between four and six months old, based on the fact that Brindle has all her permanent teeth.

January 21st-25th: The third day after her operation, Brindle either jumped or climbed on top of the cat carrier. I was concerned that she might hurt herself, if she jumped off it, so I let her down gently, then removed the top. Although I've been advised that she'll determine her own limitations, I want to remove any potential hazards from her path. I began taking Brindle into the front bedroom several times a day, so she can get some sunshine. The first time, she went straight to a sunny patch on the carpet and rolled on her back in ecstasy ... just like Shibui used to do. Now, we leave the bedroom door open during the day, so she can explore.

Tuesday, January 26th: Brindle's sutures were removed this morning and she was vaccinated for FCVR, FELV, FIP and Rabies. She weighs 3.5 pounds now. Although the incision appeared to be completely healed, about 1/4" gapped open and bled a little. I cringed when Dr. Gieb said he would close it with a couple of staples. Apparently this bothered me more than it did Brindle. She's a real trooper and a model patient!

January 27th-31st: I introduced Brindle to the living room and now she thinks she owns it! One day, I was sitting on the sofa, folding clothes while she watched. I left the room for a few minutes, leaving a folded denim skirt on top of the basket of clothes. When I returned, the skirt was on the floor and Brindle was curled up on top of it. I have no idea how she managed to do that. A sliding, wooden door separates the living room from the dining area. Leaving this cracked a couple of inches allows Brindle and our other cats an opportunity to observe and communicate with each other. Clancy is the most curious of the bunch. Bogey and Frenchie appear to be suspicious of the "intruder," while Dobbin is totally ambivilant. Even though the other cats are much larger than she is, Brindle shows no fear of them. She is eager to socialize and she is becoming increasingly playful. Her favorite game is batting a crumpled up ball of tissue paper. Brindle's front paw has healed completely and fur is gradually covering all the bare areas on her body.

On February 2nd, we made another trip to Gieb's Veterinary Clinic. Brindle was very cooperative when Dr. Gieb removed the staples and trimmed her claws.

The following morning, I put Dobbin's basket in the living room in preparation of formally introducing her to Brindle. When I brought Dobbin into the living room, she and Brindle touched noses, but didn't display a great deal of interest in each other. After breakfast, Dobbin jumped into her basket and took a nap; Brindle didn't disturb her. Now, they have breakfast together every morning and have an opportunity to socialize with each other throughout the day. I have only heard them hiss at each other once.

About a week later, we began leaving the living room door open, allowing Brindle to explore the rest of the upper level. I temporarily barricaded the staircase and railing in the den, to prevent her from going downstairs. This is a precautionary measure, because the stairsteps are steep and open. The other cats can circumvent the barrier by jumping on an adjoining chest. Frenchie, however, has a phobia about going up and down the staircase.

All the kitties are gradually getting accustomed to Brindle's presence, although Clancy is the only one who has shown any interest in playing games with her. If he is outside, he visits with her through the picture window in the living room. The window sill is just a foot above the floor level and she can easily hop onto it. She has also mastered the art of jumping onto the hearth in the den, which is about an inch taller.

Brindle had her booster shots on February 23rd. She weighed over five pounds and Dr. Roose is very pleased with her progress. I told her that Brindle had been through her first heat cycle earlier this month. Dr. Roose advised that Brindle could probably be spayed in two or three weeks, if her condition continues to improve at the same rate.

March 1st-12th: Each day is a new adventure for Brindle. And it's a challenge to stay one step ahead of her! One morning, George woke me with the news that Brindle was downstairs. She managed to get past the barrier and decided to go exploring. By the time I got to the den, she was already coming up the stairs. I held my breath, as she reached the landing and turned to climb the last two steps. She looked so proud of herself when she reached the top! A few days later, I walked into the living room and found her sleeping on the antique settee. Now, she has learned how to jump on top of my cedar chest, as well as the chaise lounge in our bedroom. The bed is a little too steep; however, she manages to climb up the bedspread and make herself comfortable.

I ordered a bed, litter box, scratching board and other supplies for Brindle from PetCo.com. The bed's description promised that she would "love the snuggly security of this soft and cuddly domed bed." It came with a "cat teaser" attached to the dome by a chain. When the package arrived, Brindle was initially more interested in the box than the contents. She finally got into the bed and batted at the teaser toy. I was sitting on the couch, reading a book, when the bed appeared to take flight! Brindle had the toy in her mouth and was running across the room, dragging the bed behind her. When she wasn't looking, I removed the chain and toy. She doesn't seem to be quite as interested in the bed now, but hopefully, she'll discover how comfortable it is.

Brindle began looking for Prince Charming again, so I made an appointment to have her examined and possibly spayed on the 16th. Even though she's not "at risk," we feel that it's in her best interests (as well as ours) to have this done as soon as possible. We just want to make absolutely sure that she's ready, before we schedule the operation.

Now that she has the run of the house, she amuses herself by racing up and down the stairs. She also enjoys chasing balls, playing with toy mice. But most of all, she likes to curl up next to "Paw Paw" George, when he's sitting in his leather recliner.

March 13th: Brindle is full of mischief. Tonight, she was downstairs with me. I was typing a message on the computer and she was batting a mouse around the room. I went upstairs for a few minutes and seconds later I heard the computer go "BEEP, BEEP, BEEP!" When I got half-way down the stairs, I saw Brindle scampering across the keyboard ... and the HELP screen was displayed on the monitor. As far as I can tell, Brindle didn't delete any files.

March 16th: I took Brindle to the clinic at 8:00 AM. Following a pre-surgical screening and examination, Dr. Roose scheduled Brindle's OHE for this morning. She advised me that I could take her home later in the day, if she was stable. The operation went smoothly and when I arrived to pick Brindle up at 5:00 PM, she was alert. Dr. Roose gave me a list of instructions and guidelines to follow. For Brindle's safety, her activities will be confined to the hallway for a couple of days. Until tomorrow, she can have water but no food. She seems content and hasn't complained about anything.

March 17th: Brindle slept in her carrier last night. I woke up at 5:30 AM and gave her a tablespoon of evaporated milk. She purred while she lapped it up. A little later, I fed her a small portion of her favorite meal: Fancy Feast Beef & Liver. I put her bed in the hallway and when she finished eating, she curled up in it and took a cat nap. I left the carrier in the hall, but removed the top. I checked on her often, feeding her increasing portions of Science Diet dry kitten food throughout the day. She is a model patient and we expect her to have a swift recovery.

March 18th: When George went out of the bedroom this morning, Brindle ran into the room and jumped on top of my cedar chest! This apparently didn't cause her any discomfort; however, she's supposed to avoid strenuous exercise for the remainder of this week. Later, I opened the connecting door between the hallway and the living room, so she can have more space and get a little sunshine. She loves to stretch out on my exercise mat, below the picture window, and listen to the stereo. We'll have to be on guard to prevent her access to the rest of the house, until she's fully recovered.

March 20th - 23rd: Imagine my surprise when I walked into the living room and discovered that Brindle had rearranged all the family photographs displayed on my piano. I surmise that she jumped from the arm of the couch to the piano bench, in order to accomplish this feat. Several framed photos were knocked over and one was face down on the floor. Nothing was damaged or broken and, of course, she looked completely innocent. How could she possibly be convicted on circumstantial evidence? :-)

We managed to keep Brindle upstairs until after her sutures were removed, even though she managed to "escape" from her restricted area several times. She is very alert and quick to take advantage, if she catches one of us "off guard."

Brindle was on her best behavior when I took her back to the clinic on the 23rd. Her incision was completely healed and it only took a minute for Dr. Roose to remove the sutures. We hope that this will be Brindle's last trip to the vet, until it's time for her annual exam.

March 25th: This was a very special day. I was sitting in my recliner, reading the paper and having a snack when Brindle jumped up beside me. Then she climbed into my lap and went to sleep. This is the very first time that she independently chose to be a lap cat. Needless to say, I extended my short break, as I didn't want to disturb her.

March 29th-31st: The weather has been very pleasant this week and I began giving Brindle an opportunity to go outside with me. The first day, she eagerly investigated everything in the front yard. Clancy showed her some of the best spots to roll in the dirt. Frenchie approached her and they rubbed noses for the first time. Bogey was on the deck, but she kept a close watch on Brindle's activities. Dobbin was asleep her favorite spot, so we didn't disturb her. Each day this week, Brindle has explored different areas of our yard and garden. She is interested in the trees, but so far, hasn't attempted to climb one. Brindle has her own agenda; so wherever she leads, I follow. When she's ready to go inside, she goes to the front door and waits for me to open it.

11/23/04: Brief update - Brindle continues to thrive and she never ceases to amaze us with her achievements. She has mastered the art of climbing a tree, as well as making herself invisible. She loves to play outside and is usually reluctant to come indoors when I'm ready. However, if I bring her carrier to her and open the door, she immediately goes into it, so I can carry her inside. I don't know whether the carrier represents safety to her or if she's just trained me to do this. :-)

I will eventually put more photos online and continue Brindle's story. In the meantime, please follow the next button to read Brindle's account of her activities.

     

 

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Pat & The Crowley Cats