Can you ask for prayers for a Cat?

[auntie]

OMG..Ojo looks like, well like he was mauled by two dogs. I can't even tell you. He is shaved everywhere. Even his tail..looks like a poodle, with fur at the end..and that's it. His arms and one leg..shaved where he had puncture wounds..and then of course his entire underside. Three broken ribs, air around his heart..which was better yesterday, damage to his lung, that they said should heal. A whole ripped through an abdominal muscle, his intestinal damage. He is on iv antibiotics and a pain patch. The list goes on and on. I didn't even want to hear it.
Can you imagine that the Emergency night vet we first took him to wanted send him home with us. Thought he had just some lacerations, until we pointed out the HUGE WHOLE IN HIS ABDOMEN! I tell ya, if I would have let these people operate on him, I think he would have been dead. This place was "ALL" about the money. While we wasted money taking him there to begin with, it was the right decision to pull him out and meet our own vet at the hospital at 7:30 am that morning.
Vet said he ate very well after his surgery, and that was a very good sign. He didn't eat well yesterday, but also thought that the pain patch had kicked in and it wasn't unusual he didn't have an appetite. They anticipate his being there through the weekend. Hopefully...we'll have him home for Christmas. He's got a long road ahead. He's NOT going outside..I will do my very best to keep him an indoor cat from now on.

 

[2goofycampers]

Yikes, hope he gets well soon, I know how quickly those vet bills add up.

This happened 12 years ago. We had an outdoor cat, she thought she was a Tomcat. She got hurt by something, same thing her gut was ripped open. This cat hated me and everyone but Frank. I was for a quick death but Frank wanted to fix her. Well $500.00 later and six weeks of heating the garage for her to keep warm and Frank tending to her she got an infection. So back to the vet she went $200.00 more she came home we moved that wekend to this house. Kept her in the garage for a month with heat also. Figured her scent was here and she could now be let out for a bit to take a peek. Never seen the cat again.

 

[BradyBz12]

They anticipate his being there through the weekend. Hopefully...we'll have him home for Christmas.

Oh dear lord - poor Ojo really has been through the ringer!! Your vet must be a miracle worker to have pieced the poor thing back together with that much damage. Ojo must be one tough little kitty to have survived at all, or he has a really good guardian angel. He's certainly incredibly lucky to have your family there for him.

Prayers that Ojo makes it home for Christmas and decides being INDOORS is the way to go. Maybe you can bribe him with a big ol' potted cat nip plant and a window seat.

 

[BradyBz12]

Figured her scent was here and she could now be let out for a bit to take a peek. Never seen the cat again.

Sometimes nothing we do overrides a strong instinct to wander.

I had a cat for 18 years - got her as a kitten. She was actually an indoor cat for the first 10 years since I lived in apartments. When we moved to this house she loved to go outside and became and indoor/outdoor cat. Then one summer when she was about 14, I guess she decided to see what the neighbors had to offer and went missing for 4 mos. It started getting cold and I was leaving food to try and lure her back. I finally spotted her under a car across the street one day in late October and snagged her. She was an indoor cat from then on.

By the time she was 18 she was scrawny and feeble and shuffled around the house. She prowled the house a bit at night, but hid out in the basement during the day (we even put a big fluffy bed by the furnace since that's where she wanted to be). She'd shuffle upstairs and meow at me for breakfast every morning.

I sometimes leave the back door open in good weather, and I can't count the number of times the little stinker would shuffle towards the door and try and escape. Luckily she couldn't move very fast at that point and I would just let her get a little fresh air on the porch and then bring her back inside.

 

[ftwildernessguy]

I had a Cocker Spaniel once who thought she owned the neighborhood. She would go out and make the rounds of the neighbors back yards. They all loved her. The folks next door had an old bloodhound who decided one day there was no way she was going through his yard. He got up, grabbed her by the nape of the neck, gave her a shake, dropped her and went back to sleep under a tree. It didn't hurt her at all, and didn't cure her of visiting the neighbors, but from that day on she would go through the cornfield behind the neighbors house on her daily patrol.

 

[des1954]

I'm soooooooo glad that Ojo is making a recovery. That poor little guy has some terrific fortitude despite the emergency vet trifling his injuries.

The greyhound attacking him really surprised me as greyhounds are typically gentle, tender dogs. But then it occurred to me that they might have been racing greyhounds at one time, and trained to "chase the bunny". Maybe they thought Ojo was "the bunny". In either event, I hope Ojo becomes one scared little "bunny" and decides that life indoors is preferable to getting eaten alive.

We once had a kitty who was a little Houdini! She was not feral, but was always kept inside. However, she would make a break for it any chance she got! We also had two kitties that were feral and would not go outside for love nor money!! I could leave the door wide open for hours (not that I did) and neither of them would peek so much as a whisker out the door.

Cats!!! There's no figuring them out!

 

[auntie]

The greyhounds are very docile animals. In fact both of my kids babysit for this family. They're friendly enough dogs. They are resuce animals. They are trained to do this. They were both racing dogs..and one is a hunter as well. (whatever that means..I really have no clue, but that's what the owner said) In any case, I don't think that was in Ojo's favor either. They are INCREDIBLY fast! I've seen them get out of the yard..you will NOT catch them. They have to hop in the cars to get them. They'e told the neighbor on the other side of them..to be careful with their small dog..because the greyhounds will mistake it for a rabbit.
I saw Ojo today..and if he could talk, he would have screamed.."mommy..take me home!" Poor little thing is on morphine, and has an IV. He can hardly move..but when they brought him in...he tried to slide his way into my arms. AND...HE PURRED. Mind you..Ojo..he's not known as "Mr. Affectionate". I mean he'll sit in the room with you..but he's not a lap cat. If you so desire..you may pet him for three or four seconds on his head..and maybe a little scratch under the chin..but that's it. Don't go getting all crazy hugging or kissing him. Forget it. UNLESS..you are a dog..then he loves you. I told you ..he has issues. Thinks our dog is his mother. That bit of confusion probably led to his unfortunate decision to enter the yard where the greyhounds live.
I can hope like Jim's cockerspaniel...that he now has a healthy fear of dogs...or at least those dogs. Although I'd much prefer to keep him as an indoor pet. Looking the way he does..he sure as heck isn't going anywhere..anytime soon.

 

[auntie]

I had a Cocker Spaniel once who thought she owned the neighborhood. She would go out and make the rounds of the neighbors back yards. They all loved her. The folks next door had an old bloodhound who decided one day there was no way she was going through his yard. He got up, grabbed her by the nape of the neck, gave her a shake, dropped her and went back to sleep under a tree. It didn't hurt her at all, and didn't cure her of visiting the neighbors, but from that day on she would go through the cornfield behind the neighbors house on her daily patrol.

My mom's next door neighbor has a Golden Retriever. This pup is now 9 years old. In the summer, she takes herself over to mom's house for a swim in the pool. Visits for a while and then goes home! They keep a towel especially for drying the dog!

 

[des1954]

Phyl - it sounds like Ojo is going to make it!

Purring can be deceptive however. Cats purr when they are stressed, too. The fact that Ojo wanted to be near you and was purring is a good sign. He's finding comfort from his "mommy" while in a strange place. All good signs!

My one feral kitty - Tabitha - would never try to escape, but she was not a loving cat, either. She would not be held, sit in your lap, and would skedaddle if you looked like you were coming in her direction. However, once you settled into a chair, she would jump up and sit beside you and allow you to pet her for a very short time. She never buddied up to our other 3 cats, either. Very aloof, that one.

My other feral kitty (and my first cat ever) Mr. Kitty, was so very loving and gentle. He lived to be 20, never, ever caused any problems (well - except playing with Xmas tree ornaments) and realized a good gig when he had one. The closest he ever came to wanting to go outside was to sit on a window sill and look out. I still miss that boy - and he's been gone almost as long as we had him.

Isn't it amazing how our pets weave their ways into our hearts??

Rick & I are keeping Ojo in our prayers, hoping for a complete recovery!! (Including wishing to be an indoor kitty!)

 

[BradyBz12]

My mom's next door neighbor has a Golden Retriever. This pup is now 9 years old. In the summer, she takes herself over to mom's house for a swim in the pool. Visits for a while and then goes home! They keep a towel especially for drying the dog!

That's hilarious - gotta love a smart dog that knows how to work the system!

The greyhounds are very docile animals. ...They're friendly enough dogs. They are resuce animals. They are trained to do this. They were both racing dogs..and one is a hunter as well.

Totally typical of former racing dogs. Wonderful companions, fantastic with people, but a nightmare to small animals. Not their fault of course, but they really should be securely fenced and can't ever be trusted loose. Of course even a fence doesn't keep small critters and cats from wandering in.

I saw Ojo today..and if he could talk, he would have screamed.."mommy..take me home!" ...He can hardly move..but when they brought him in...he tried to slide his way into my arms. AND...HE PURRED.

Oh poor Ojo - here's hoping he really does decide that snuggling up to the humans (or resident canines) is the way to go. We had a cat that was enamored of our dog too. She was a puppy at the time and he was 10 and he taunted the hell out of her - swatting her, biting her nose, rubbing against her - until she chased him, which is apparently exactly what he wanted! This is also the cat that fetched balls and would catch/eat popcorn too - I think he was a dog in a past life.


We're still pulling for Ojo - get better soon!!

 

[auntie]

We were a little concerned yesterday..Ojo had a fever early in the day..andl later in the day it was higher. The vet changed his antibiotic. The main concern has been any tissue damage in his abdomen. They don't think that's the case at this point. He's eating..and well, pooping(sorry, about that). They called this morning and said his fever is gone. .and they think the source of his main discomfort and the temp is one of his punture wounds.

We've had almost two feet of snow, so there is no visiting him..the vet is closed anyway. They did have a tech stay overnight with the pets, and one of the vets lives around the block from the office, so she walked in and checked on Ojo this morning. How nice is that?..She called us because she knew how concerned we were about the fever from yesterday. We were very relived to hear the fever was gone. So, that's a good sign. She told us to call in the morning..and we'll see where he's at. It's possible if everything continues to improve he could go home Monday or Tuesday.
Come on Ojo!

 

[BradyBz12]

Hang in there Ojo - way to fight!! He's one tough little kitty to be sure.

 

[ntsammy5]

Phyllis - you take care of yourself and Ojo too.