Malibu, Kali & Odrick

[WitchyWoman]

After he ate breakfast, he pooped in there too. Ya'll the smell almost knocked me on my feet.

Remember that you need to have your vet check him out within the timeframe listed in your contract -- I think it's 3 days. Take a fresh poo sample in and have a full PCR panel run to make sure he doesn't have any intestinal tract beasties. Atticus had giardia when he arrived and was symptomless. Sue called to tell me he might have it because another kitten from his litter had it. Odrick's poo might be smelly from canned food but it shouldn't be so bad that it knocks you off your feet.

 

[Abby2932]

@WitchyWoman yes, we have an appointment set up for tomorrow at 4 for a wellness check. I'll bring a stool sample with me so they can do a PCR. It really smelled so bad

 

[Patti]

Oh my goodness, he is sooo adorable!!! Love that purr, it makes my computer vibrate!!!

 

[Abby2932]

Odrick went for his Wellness visit yesterday. My new vet was so delighted to see him & have him as a patient, although I could tell that she wasn't familiar with the breed. He was so "wiggly" that I dont think she got a GOOD look in his mouth. Honestly, I don't know if that's because he's a squirrelly kitten or if she just hasn't perfected handling cats. I'm terrible for even saying or thinking this but while we were there, I kept thinking that if we were at my other vet's office, he would have been able to feel Odge up really good and would have gotten him to open wide. But maybe not, though... I don't know.

She did a fecal to test for parasites, which included coccidia, giardia and other things. Everything came back negative. She said the smell was probably just from the Friskies & that I can start incorporating small amounts of raw. We also went over my raw menu (I brought a printout of my recipes because I'm a nerd lol) and she said it looks good.

Being a holistic vet, she suggests pet owners to hold off as long as possible to spay/neuter. She recommended 7 or 8 months for Odrick. I told her NO WAY lol! Aside from the fact that I'm contractually obligated to neuter prior to 6 months, I don't want to have him sexually mature & start spraying. I fibbed a little and told her that my contract says I have to do it by 5 months. I feel like that's a good compromise. I've been a cat owner for a long time and have done TNR in my neighborhood & I'm aware that there are no studies to prove that early spay/neuter has any ill effects. I know that many cat/savannah owners do speuter very early but I think 5 months is the age I'm going to schedule the appointment.

Odrick is still doing wonderful & I think he's really happy to be here. It's been almost 3 days and I was expecting him to be a little homesick but I haven't seen any evidence of that at all. I just love when he is sleepy. He snuggles up next to me and he even gives me kisses. I feel like his tongue is rougher than my other cat's tongue because his kisses hurt lol

Kali has been fine for the most part. She is eating well, using the bathroom and doesn't seem too stressed. She has hissed at the door of the room that he's quarantined in but I guess that's to be expected? She can't see him at all, I have a towel covering the crack at the bottom of the door. The blanket that I've been sleeping with has both of their scents on it. I bring the blanket in my bedroom for the 1st half of the night to sleep with Odrick & then around 2AM I bring it in the living room and sleep with Kali for the rest of the night. She won't come near me for a little while because I guess his scent is so strong but after an hour or so, she's sleeping on my legs like usual.

 

[Abby2932]

A video of our nighttime shenanigans. I dont usually roughhouse with him with my hand like that. After I made this video, I went to go get his toy so he could bunny kick it until he fell asleep

 

[Ninja-n-Bear]

We did our boys at 5 months, I think it wasn't a moment too soon! Their junk dropped at 3 months, and Bear was starting to make some funky vocalizations - pretty sure he was starting to call for the ladies LOL.

Omg that video - he is so CUTE!

 

[WitchyWoman]

She did a fecal to test for parasites, which included coccidia, giardia and other things

She sent out the sample to a lab for a full PCR right? That would take a few days up to a week for results. In-house tests aren't the most effective for detecting all parasites. Giardia is tricky because the cysts are inconsistently shed in feces and multiple tests may be required for diagnosis.

I hope the smell diminishes as you transition him to a better diet. The smell should disappear rather quickly once he's eating raw. If it persists, you should get another fecal done -- PCR for sure -- before introducing him to Kali. That might mean a longer quarantine.

 

[Abby2932]

I am so smitten with my little boy, y'all. He is so loving & he trusts me since the first day I brought him home. He is a little skittish of strange noises and will sometimes run under my bed but comes right back out when I call him. I can't wait to start taking him outside to socialize him but I won't do that until he's had all of his vaccines.

He does not like raw food. On Friday I brought him a tiny plate of ground raw but he just kept trying to bury it. He was actually offended when I offered him a saucer of raw goat milk. So, I've been mixing the raw into his canned to get him used to it (25/75 ratio) and he's been eating it really well. It's only been 2 days and he's only eating 25% raw but I can already see a difference in the poop. Slightly less volume, smell & frequency. I didn't think I'd see a difference until I was up to at least 50/50 but I really do see one.

His favorite toy is the feather wand...by far! I have several for us to play with. When I bring it out, his heart just fills with joy and it shows. I can't leave it with him unattended because I'm afraid he'll take it apart & choke but we play with it twice a day. Once in the morning & night. His second favorite toy is the "punchball". I'll attach a video of him playing with that. Lastly, I have a long pheasant toy that he likes to bunny kick. This is the toy that I use to redirect him from trying to bite my arms/legs. I have to make sure to keep that toy in bed when we go to sleep because when he starts biting me in the middle of the night, I'll give him that and he bunny kicks it to death.

Other than those 3 toys (and his tent that he LOVES to run around in & jump on top of) I'm having problems finding toys that he will play with consistently. I have various types & shapes of balls but he isn't interested in balls at all. I have various size stuffed animals but he only plays with the pheasant. I have two roller track ball toys but those are a no-go. Plus some other random things that he doesn't care much.

Any must-have toys you recommend?

 

[DumaLove]

Ripple rug is a huge favorite in our house:
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0...ripple+rug&dpPl=1&dpID=41c6DQXeHhL&ref=plSrch

As well as any crinkle tunnel.

 

[Abby2932]

@DumaLove I forgot about these things. Great advice, thank you. Will be ordering these today.