Feta Finds her Furs-onality

As Feta started to feel a little better and settle into her new (temporary??!) home, it quickly became clear that she was a very quirky cat.

You'd look stupid in this hat, too.
“Who are you calling ‘quirky’?!”

She started showing her playful side more and more, and it turns out she just loves catnip mice.

And catnip birds. And catnip anything, really.

“Dude. Duuuuude! Like, DUDE! This bird thing is FREAKING MEOWT!!!”

She became more demanding, too – if I was sitting in my computer chair, she thought she should be sitting with me, and would beg pathetically until I helped her up.

"Note
“Yes, much better. This is how you should treat Cat.”

In fact, she became a pretty vocal cat overall – pretty laid back, but also not shy about trying to get my attention! …or maybe just trying her paw at karaoke?

“I BELIEEEEVE I CAN FLYYY!” “No, you can’t. You’re a Tripawd Cat, not a bird. Enough!”

Most surprising to me – though really, I should have expected it – was how obsessed she was with food. Compared to my dog, who won’t eat a filet mignon if it’s not cooked to his exact specifications (which are always subject to change), Feta would eat anything, anywhere, at any time! I thought everyone said cats were picky?!

She raided the grocery bags.

“Look, ma! I learned how to get up on the couch!”

 

What kind of cat eats tomatoes?!

She tried to get into things that fell out of the fridge.

“If it has my name on it, can I eat it?!”

She just overall went after food any time, any where she could find it. Boy am I glad she can’t get up on the counters!!

Finally, after umpteen warm compresses, courses of antibiotics, and vet visits (the last of which she had to attend by train, since my car was broken!), Feta was cleared to go cone-less!

Just a three-legged cone-headed cat wearing a harness, safely belted in to her stroller, walking back to the train station. NBD.

 

No, thank YOU, NJT! Three paws up for cat accessibility.

 

Cone-free at last!!!!!! Oh boy, was she excited to be able to finally groom herself again. Finally, FINALLY, the amputation site infections had all cleared up and she was back on her way to health.

“Oh, abdomen, how I’ve missed your sweet hairy taste!”

 

However, while the stumpy-leg issues were resolving, it became increasingly clear that something was not right with her remaining hind leg. Even at rest she held it stiffly, sometimes sleeping with her leg splayed out at weird angles.

Cute, but… odd. Much like this cat.

I continued doing my best to do “passive range of motion” leg stretches with her daily, and tried to support her as she walked on the leg as much as she was willing (which was not much). Still, she started increasingly choosing instead to stick her back leg out straight in front of her, like a strange fuzzy cat-ski, and paddle herself around using only her two front legs.

Hilarious to watch, but can’t be good for her!

This continued even after we moved to a new apartment, with her paddling around and looking silly while her stiff ski-leg was getting caught on things and causing all sorts of trouble.

“I, uh… caught you a mouse?”

 

It was distracting you from petting me, anyway. It had to go.
“What do you mean, ‘Why is the internet out’? How should I know? I’m a cat!!”

So, while the infections were gone, and the amputation site was now beautifully healed and filled in with fur, all was not well with Feta’s rear end, which was causing all sorts of problems. Next up: stay tuned for The Litterbox Battles!

One thought on “Feta Finds her Furs-onality”

  1. Should I be laughing? Sorry, I am. She is so sweet and determined and you have a great sense of humour. It should be interesting to hear what a rehab therapist has to say about her rear leg.
    Kerren and Tripawd Kitty Mona

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