Cat-astrophe (again)

[altivo]

Gary asked this morning if I'd seen RikkiToo (the big orange barn cat) and I told him not since the night before, but that's not unusual. Then he found the cat in the living room with a bloody neck. We assumed he had been fighting again and I took care of the rest of the critters while Gary rushed him off to the vet. Well, it turned out that he had a large abscess on his neck that had broken. Must have been from a bite received in the last big fight he got into, less than a month ago. They drained and cleaned the thing and sent him home in an Elizabethan collar. Now he'll have to stay indoors for a couple of weeks, which means in a wire dog crate because if he's loose he'll go back out the dog door. I have to say that between cats and dogs, cats have cost us far more in vet bills. This one has been better for the last couple of years. Before he was neutered he was constantly fighting and getting torn up. He is positive for the feline immunodeficiency virus, which means this sort of stuff really puts him (and the other cat) at risk. Oddly enough, he is very friendly toward humans, strangers or not. But he is very territorial about other cats. The neighbors' dogs are afraid of him, and run away whimpering at the sight of him.

Other than that, it's Wednesday, so don't ask.

Comments

[avon-deer.livejournal.com]

My school friends used to have barn cats. They hated everyone.

[altivo]

I agree, most barn cats are half wild and can't be called pets. This one is smarter than usual and very tame and friendly, though. He's just too territorial and attacks strange cats. I suspect he's gotten into fights with raccoons too. Fortunately no skunks (yet.)

[cabcat.livejournal.com]

Ouch FIV, sorry he's been in the wars...I like the fact your neighbours dogs are afraid of him :D