I’ve been lax in updating y’all on how Isabella’s coat is doing. When I got her, she had scabs all around her chin and head, and a bunch on her back as well. Those are all gone and her coat is silky and soft. Before she had the babies, she did the normal amount of grooming, but wasn’t overgrooming or pulling out fur. I thought (hoped) that being treated for fleas and getting decent food was enough to take care of the issue. She had the kittens and still was fine, but earlier this week she started scratching a lot, and I saw her pull fur out a couple of times. I tried putting Frontline on her, thinking that it was possible she had some mites, or maybe a permanent resident had brought in a flea or… just hoping, really, is what I was doing. The Frontline made no difference (and I’ve seen no signs of fleas or mites anyway.) I added some salmon oil to her food, thinking that perhaps it was a dryness issue. I also plugged in a Feliway diffuser in case it’s a stress thing.
(She’s not generally highly stressed, but hearing the permanent residents outside her door (not even RIGHT outside her door, but down the hallway) makes her hiss. If I pet one of the permanent residents and go into the room, she hisses at me. If I bring in any laundry to wash that smells like the other cats, you guessed it: hissing. Right now she’s not a fan of the other cats, but whether that’s because she doesn’t LIKE other cats or because she’s feeling protective of her kittens, it’s hard to know.)
So I consulted with Michelle, and we decided that we’ll give Isabella’s hormones a little time to settle down (possibly, because it wasn’t going on before she had the kittens, and for the first week after they were born, it could be hormonal), and if the behavior continues she’ll get an allergy test.
The problem is that every time I try to take a picture to show her mostly-bare spots (which are on her sides), she POSES for me, and y’all think she looks fantastic even though she looks kind of rough in person.
“Hallo. Am beautiful.”
“SO beautiful.”
You can kind of see her mostly-bare spots there on her side. You’ll just have to trust me – she looks a little threadbare in person.
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“What doin’, lady?” (Alejandro)
Such judgemental little faces. Left to right: Diego, Javier, Alejandro.
Such cute puddle.
That’s Carmelita on her back, on the bottom of the pile, acting as everyone’s pillow.
Diego’s all “Watchin’ you, lady.”
Carmelita with the Precious Moments eyes and the tiniest blep.
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Archie is a shower water connoisseur and waits impatiently for Fred to finish showering every morning so he can slurp water off the floor of the shower and leave little wet footprints everywhere.
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Previously
2019: Mary is learning the art of taking a bath.
2018: Fred finds newborn kittens to be just about the most boring thing on the face of the planet because he is utterly insane.
2017: Then Jake tried to mind-meld with Stefan, who rebuffed the move.
2016: No entry.
2015: Peter wishes HE could have a turn on the scratcher. SIGH.
2014: Ear cleanliness is important to Ferdinand.
2013: One thing I do know, though: I have zero control over the color that her kittens are, so I’ll take what she gives me and I’ll be grateful!
2012: “Ho hum, hanging out here in the air again.”
2011: No entry.
2010: Seriously, how ADORABLE were baby Sugarbutt and Tommy?
2009: Samba, running around like a wild thing.
2008: I realized yesterday that I never told y’all any of Joe Bob’s back story.
2007: I really think that seven cats is just too many for us to have on a permanent basis. Six really feels like the right number for us. (Oh, poor naive, silly, deluded 2007 Robyn.)
2006: No entry.
2005: No entry.