Meeko gets the Cone

Awhile back, Meeko developed abscess on his rear. This isn't a crazy unusual thing for a cat; we figured Panther bit him a little too rough during a wrestling match one day, even though they look like they're being really gentle with each other. So we cleaned him up, got him on antibiotics and everything healed up well.

Poor Meeko kitty recovering from abscess surgery

Then about a month later, I noticed Meeko licking his rear again and acting uncomfortable. A wound had opened up in the exact same spot where his previous abscess had been. This time we had to sedate him to get a better look. The doctor probed, looking for any foreign material that could explain why the healed wound had reopened. Nothing interesting in there, but it was a big pocket of space under the small opening.

I thought maybe the infection had been resistant to the first antibiotic, but the doc wasn't so sure. There was no sign of infection this time. No discharge or anything like that. Spider bite? Maybe, but it didn't look like the classic spider bite wound. There was really no way to know what had gone wrong, but it was strange. Doc sewed him up for me, and this time, he had to wear the cone. Even thought I hadn't noticed him bothering the wound as it healed the first time, we were not taking chances since it was now a recurring problem.

I know pets hate the cone, and I thought I was sympathetic to them, but man-o-man, is is rough living with a depressed pet who is stuck in one of those things. He had to wear it for two weeks and a couple days. Two weeks for the sutures to come out and the doc wanted it on a couple extra days for good measure.

You have never seen so happy a cat as Meeko the day he got his cone off. There was frolicking. I think he groomed his face for an hour straight. He played with Panther (who had been afraid of him in the cone and kept her distance for the past two weeks). He rolled over for belly rubs.

Meeko and Panther snuggled again!

And the best - the cone has been off for a week now and his healed wound continues to be healed. I'm watching it closely, but I hope it's done now. None of us want to do that again.

The Mouse

Our kitten, panther, who recently turned one year old has a favorite mouse toy. It used to be Meeko's favorite mouse toy, but when Panther arrived, one of the first things she did was tear the feather tail off it, and ever since he has ignored the thing and it has been hers.

Panther's mice toys. Photo by Kara Hartz

It reminds me of how attached a child gets to a favorite object. She has all but destroyed the mouse. Perhaps if I hadn't told you it was a mouse, would you have been able to tell? The feather tail is gone, as I already mentioned, and the seams have been ripped open, and most of the stuffing is gone. The threads embrodering the face are a mess, or missing is places. Yet she still loves it.

Sometimes she knocks it under a piece of furniture, or behind something, or whatever, and can't get to it. Later, sometimes weeks I believe, we will come across it and give it back to her, and the sheer delight on her little kitty face is amazing. She plays with extra joy when she gets it back. This isn't to say she will never play with any other toy, but there is no doubt what her favorite is.

Also, like a child though, she will accept no substitutes to her lovey. When the stuffing kept coming out I worried about the mouse. I happened to be at the pet store buying her food and thought I'd get her a new one. I bought the pink mouse also in the photo. They didn't have anything exactly like her older mouse, but this was similar in size and fabric to the original, so I thought she'd enjoy it. I don't think I've personally seen her ever play with the pink mouse even once.

Very briefly I considered repairing the favorite mouse by re-stuffing it, and resewing its seams, but after the rejection of the new mouse, I'm afraid she would be insulted at my attempts. If she loves it the way it is, I will not be interfering
.

Sickbed Friends

Bob and Meeko. photo by Kara Hartz

I was in bed sick over the weekend, and I woke up covered in cats. Bob may have gotten thin in his old age, but Meeko is a solid chunk of cat and he had me pretty pinned down. I like to think they were there to snuggle me out of affection - but it's possible I was just in their napping spot and they made do.

Almost, but Not Quite Cuddled

Bob and Meeko. Photo by Kara Hartz 2017

This is about as snuggled as these two ever manage. It's funny because they both - Bob the most - cuddle with me all the time. I have caught them allowing their feet to touch sometimes. They have also been known to groom each other - but that's where the line is drawn I guess. Notice there is no actual physical contact here.

I Wish Meeko Could Learn to Relax

Meeko Hartz. Photo by Kara Hartz

Equal Time for Meeko

Because he doesn't have as dramatic a backstory as Bob, (that we know of) he doesn't get mentioned as much. He is still a pretty great cat to have a round. To prove it, here he is rolling in a bag of bras like they're catnip.