Percival Recovers

Percival had his neuter-surgery today. All went well. While at the hospital, he was vaccinated, de-wormed, had his ears checked for mites, his claws trimmed and tested for feline leukemia and FIV. He was negative for those diseases. He will go for a fuller examination in a few weeks, after he recovers from this ordeal.

When he came home, he was still quite dopey, had trouble walking, and tumbled over a couple of times, preferring just to lie where he fell, rather than try to rise again. As may be seen, he has to wear a cone. He is not constantly trying to lick his wound, but he does attempt it, and I cannot afford to have its healing disrupted. So he must wear the cone when I am not present to supervise. This situation should not last long.

A few hours after his return, Perk was feeling better. He ate a small dinner, drank some water and used the litter-box a second time. For these functions, the cone was removed; I will see tonight or tomorrow if he is able to fulfill at least the waste-disposal while wearing the cone.

But once he started recovering, he became as affectionate as he was yesterday, loving head- and chest-rubs, being chucked under the chin and generally fawned over. He was, however, quite tired, and would drift off whenever he ceased moving. This is hardly surprising: he has had a busy, if not exhausting, couple of days; his anxiety must have been high until this evening, and today he was drugged in several ways and suffered an amputation. Yet when he settled into his bed – temporarily without his cone – he kneaded, even with his eyes closed and his consciousness half-faded. I think it was a relief to him to come back to his new home.

If things continue as they are, I hope to see evidence of two or three more litter-box visits, after which I will feel confident enough to move Percival to the library, where he will have much more room, a choice of sleeping spots – including one that’s heated – and a window. Then he and I will really get to know one another.