Gloves, Worms and Ticks
posted in Cat Stories |What is it about cats and gloves? Years ago when Jackson first encountered a rubber glove he approached it with great caution, ready to leap back at any moment should it react to his attentions. A few days ago I watched Hibbert do the exact same thing with my gardening glove.
He gently prodded it with his out-stretched paw thus keeping as far away as possible, ready to leap backwards should it decide to retaliate. When it didn’t he just gave it a quick smell and moved on.
We’ve settled into a steady routine now. Most afternoons he spends asleep on the landing. We keep the door open for him, but otherwise leave him be.
He’s very affectionate most of the time and is quite happy to sit on my knee. Sometimes I spoil things by touching his feet. It’s something I’ve always done, I find holding or stroking a cats foot very relaxing, but Hibbert doesn’t like it.
What he does like is his chin rubbing or his ears scratched, in fact he likes that a lot. He purrs all be-it quietly, but I can feel the vibration in his throat, so I think we’re getting there, as long as I leave his feet alone!
The other day I noticed he had a tapeworm segment at the base of his tail, so out came the worming tablets. I was hopeful that his love of food would help me administer the medication easily.
Sure enough the first half tablet went down like a dream wrapped in a small ball of salmon paste. Sadly the second half didn’t!
This left me no option but to do it the hard way. I say ‘hard way’, in actual fact I had successfully given Linus tablets every day for the last 3 years of his life, so at least I had some experience, but Hibbert is a different animal. Younger, fitter and still unpredictable at times.
In fact I was surprised at how easy it was, he didn’t struggle at all, but unless I got a direct hit straight down the back of his throat they tended to pop back out. He also had the ability to swallow them and then puke them out a few minutes later when he thought I wasn’t looking.
Anyway I managed in the end, and so far all signs of tapeworms have disappeared. Then I discovered he had a tick attached to his left ear. Creamer had suffered from these from time to time and the best action is to take no action and allow them to fall off naturally. So that is what I’ll do.
In the 3 months that Hibbert has been with us we’ve had 2 limps, 2 abscesses, tapeworms and a tick. Could it be that Hibbert is a walking disaster?
Never mind, even if he is, he can stay as long as he likes.
