And now it's a bottle baby kitten... [12/21 And again...]

[curlysister]

I too am sorry to hear about froggy.

And wow those are big kittens!!

[wodesorel]

I just got bad news from our vet, we had dropped Sumo off for a teeth cleaning this morning, and she found a large tumor under his tongue. Oral cancer in cats is extremely fast growing. It's still small but cannot be removed. She's going to biopsy to be sure but he may only have a week or two. Not something that I ever even considered before. He'd just had a few bad teeth that needed pulled. Bah.

[GotButterflies]

When it rains it pours. I am so sorry about Ine and now about Sumo. That is so sad.

Love the pictures of the kitties as always...and the kittens...too cute! They should bring you some joy...and more kitten pictures for us!!

[wodesorel]

I know how impossible it all sounds. Sometimes I step back for a moment and think - wow total faux drama queen - but these things just keep spilling over into each other. Maybe it is bad luck. Maybe it is just the joys of having 33 cats and about as many herpatiles. (Although the shelter seemed like it had less drama with 500+ at any given time.) Maybe it's just that they're all around the same age and this is what happens. We went years without any hiccups aside from new additions, and then in the past couple of years it's felt like the walls all started falling down. Maybe it's just been a horrible week and I feel like everything is wrong.

[GotButterflies]

I'm a firm believer that everything happens for a reason. These kitties, herps, and reptiles have had wonderful lives that they wouldn't have had in the places that they were. You have given them love, safety, shelter, help, health, food, comfort, etc!!! All animals are great at hiding illnesses too - it's their instinct. We usually don't see it until it's reared it's ugly head. Regardless - you have always gone above and beyond IMO. I commend you for that! KUDOS!

[AskCrabby]

Goodness, these cats are adorable fur balls!

[wodesorel]

Thank you GB. It's been a week.

So, it seems it may not cancer. (I can PM anyone the photo if they want to see it.) It looks and feels like squamous cell carcinoma, but on aspirate and smear it's all normal cells. Doc is completely stumped. We sent it out for a formal biopsy to be safe, but it's probably a cyst, or granuloma. He had been FIV tested recently so it's not that.

Poor dude is having a horrible time coming out of anesthesia. We missed him having an ear infection a few years ago until it was fully inner ear. His eyes looked like a carousel, and he had a ridiculously a high fever. It's one thing I will feel guilty about for life, we thought he just has calici and felt ouchy and we were waiting it out. Anyway, it's left him with vestibular damage and a permanent head tilt. He can't even stand up right now. I'm hoping he settles down and sleeps it off. We put him in a cage on the dining table until he can walk again.

[fandt94]

So sorry to hear about your frog And congrats on the kittens!!!

[wodesorel]

Momma's happy hormones are in overdrive. Those kittens start purring and she turns into a melty mess. They look like guinea pigs! They gained 18 grams and 25 grams in 24 hours. Normal healthy gain is 10 grams per day so I'm kind of floored.

[Moonlightdreams]

So sorry about Ine! Awwwww, kittens! I'll take two! Seriously, such sweet little kitty faces. I'm melting!

[GotButterflies]

How is Sumo doing today?

[wodesorel]

Back to being steady on his feet. He's even eating dry food! (He has canned.)

[GotButterflies]

Glad to hear!

[wodesorel]

Ruffy's boney lump turned out to be nothing! Doc thinks it's just old age cartilage growth. Phew.

White baby does have pneumonia, he was started on antibiotics this afternoon and already is starting to sound better. He looks good and is continuing to gain weight.

Noelle is such a good mommy she was nursing them in the vet's office and while we carried her to the car!

[GotButterflies]

Awe! So cute