welcome Tiresias, our little blind foster

[Bendy Kitty]

He is continuing to improve and is quite a mama's boy.

he has hit on teh magik ways to mom's heart

be completely floppy and posable in her lap..er or wherever you are hanging out on her

and nurse on her fingers. i myowncute self never finger nursed i CHOMPED even as a tiny kitten, but since I"m intriniscally cute I didn't need such antics to win her over.

His eye continues to improve, as does his vision. he now pounces with some accuracy and mom saw him playing with a piece of paper towel on the kitchen floor - no noise and not much contrast there but he was swattin at it and having a big time!

here are some picts of the lil guy

[Christine]

Wow....his eyes look so much better. What a happy little munchkin!

[meade201201]

hope his poor eye heals soon, it looks painful but he is a happyhappy little guy. he plays and plays and plays and plays. he gets along with all the other cats and the dog. he loves to play with toes. He likes to get in empty food dishes and hunker down and pounce from there. He acts like a normal silly kitten.

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[Bendy Kitty]

Tierseas did finally have to have the eye removed, he has healed up well and hardly notices. we aren't sure how he can see out of his other eye, it is very VERY scarred, but somehow he does and he zooms and pounces and plays. he doesn't climb much. thanks for thinking of him

[critters]

Aww! He looks a lot like Buddy!

[Christine]

He's getting to be such a big boy....and does he ever look happy!

[CarolC]

Wow! The picture of health! That story sure has a happy ending. Congratulations!

[Ozarker]

What a precious baby1 And a fearless toe hunter? Wow that is awesome! Kiss and cuddle him for me! Michelle

[Bendy Kitty]

me in myne favorite chair!

i haven't been weighed in a couple weeks but mom says i'm easily over 10 pounds now an still growin!
i can NEVER get enuf fud!!!!!!!!!

[CarolC]

Is there a way to tell if it is herpes virus or just URI if their eyes are gummed closed? (kittens, that is) Thanks.

[Bendy Kitty]

most liekly it is herpees virus, herpes often just makes them gummy. the way Tierseas had it is rare. it can also give them the "chronic snots" congestions & sneezing & a tendency to URIs.

however, its important to keep those eyes open or they will develop ulcers. Clean with a warm cloth - can give them a warm soak first to loosen things up. You can get terramycin at feed stores (like tractor supply or Sothern States) in the livestock section. it is the SAME tube the vet will sell you for about 2/3 the price. use it at least twice a day, three times if you can.
using artificial tears in between the eye ointment to help clean out the eye helps too.
also, give L-Lysine in their food. you can buy it as a livestock suppliment in a powder form for cheap, or in human capsule form and grind up the pills. 500mg 2x a day, we are very libral with our dosing, more is not going to hurt them but less will

hope that helps!

bendy

[CarolC]

Yes, that is extremely helpful, thank you.

P.S. Oh, what about other adult cats or dogs getting it from a kitten?

[Bendy Kitty]

nope, the dogs can't get it from the kitten.
if the cats are up to date on their vacc's they should be safe unless they are old or somehow compromised. you can give L-lysine to everyone as a preventative just in case.

headbonks

bendy

[CarolC]

Sorry for a dumb question, but which vaccine is for herpes?

They get rabies and DIST/RCP which would be distemper. We used to do leukemia as well, but they never go outside and I am not fostering.

[CarolC]

Sorry to double post, but I'd still like to know. Is this vaccine something everyone in all parts of the country (US) normally gets for their cats? Am I missing out on something important? Because as far as I know, I've never had a vet offer to vaccinate any of my cats for herpes? I looked it up online, it says the vaccine will not prevent infection but they will have a lighter case. I've never had a problem with URI at my house, the most cats I've ever had at one time is 7, I have 5 right now. Thanks for sharing your experience where you live...