My Vet, Feral Cat, Update on my Boy

I found out today, while picking up sub-q at the vet's office, that the vet that I really like is leaving and moving to North Carolina by the end of August. I am happy for her but completely bummed because I just love her! You know how it is when you find a doctor or vet that you really click with and then you move or they move... it sad! What I love about my vet is that she is so thorough and tells me everything I need to know in laymans terms and will listen to me when I find out "internet" information. When we visit, she attends to the animal completely and doesn't rush through the visit. I so appreciate that! There are other vets at that office that I have been to before and liked... but they are not her. I am bummed. Our last appointment with her will probably be sometime at the end of the month.

Feral Cat
Two months ago I found three 3-4 week old kittens and a feral cat in the backyard. This is probably the 4th litter I have found (most kittens were dead and some were rescued and given away) but not by the same mom. My uncle took in the three kittens who are still growing and doing fabulous. He's completely smitten by the lot of them and plans to keep them all. What's three more in a bunch, he says!

I have kept the mother around by feeding her regularly with the plans of trapping her and taking her to a clinic to have her fixed. The first time I trapped her she got out of the trap when I stupidly opened the trap door a little to remove ant-infested newspaper. It took her half a day to come back to the yard and about two days to eat again. I kept the trap outside but closed and fed her near it. She didn't seem to mind it at all really. Last night I attempted to trap her again and it took about 4 hours for that to happen. As I type this she is at the nonprofit clinic who spays feral cats for about $40 (ear tipping, rabies, and a few other things included). My uncle met me there and gave me a big cage to set up on my closedin covered porch where I will keep her for a few days until she is healed. If I think she may be tameable, I will try and see what I can do to work with her. I know the chances are slim.

My cat and the feral will be in the same area but as I said above she will be confined. I am not too worried about it as it may only be for a few days.

Update on The Boy
He is doing pretty well, eating well, and seems a bit perkier. The only problem we are having is that he is not really urinating in his box as much. I suspect he may have another UTI which I hear is pretty commom in CRF cats. When we go back to see Dr. L in a couple of weeks I will ask that he be retested for that. I really cannot get him back there any sooner because I am lacking funds right now (I am still paying out of pocket for that one summer class). We will just have to hang in there a little bit.

Oh! He howled once around 2am two nights ago. I haven't heard him do that in a long while and not since. Not sure what that was about but he seems fine besides the urinating.

I wonder if he's marking his territory because of the feral cat? Wonder what will happen when she is inside and confined? It's going to be interesting!

One other thing -- I did go back to the regular dosage of the 1/2 pill twice daily of methimazole. He seems "better" while on this dosage. I know I said before he seemed so lethargic and with no connection, but on the 1/2 and 1/4, he seemed to get too hungry and restless. So I switched it back and all seems well.

He still will not eat Rx food so I continue to give him Fancy Feast and the like with aluminum hydroxide mixed in. I haven't administered the iron supplement because I have read it is not good to mix that and administer the AH near each other. Because he eats when he wants, I just didn't know what to do about that except not do it.

I think that about does it for now!