Saturday, January 3, 2015

Bandana Betty and BB Butter

Having pets is expensive especially when you're on very tight budget. Having three is even more expensive. First Barney had the cat flu but thankfully I was able to nurse him through it. A few weeks ago Betty had a flea infestation. I tried flea powder and then flea spray and those seemed to help. But later I noticed she had scratched both sides of her neck raw. I didn't notice her neck right away because she has long hair and it was hidden. To avoid an expensive vet bill and the dreaded Elizabethan collar I put a bandanna around her neck and applied neosporin ointment. Luckily her neck is healing up nicely and she doesn't even mind the bandanna around her neck.

A week or so later Butter had what I thought was a hot spot on his tail which I thought was due to fleas. After a few days I noticed the middle of his tail on the underside was swollen and painful when touched. I applied a hot compress and the wound opened up and started draining preventing an abscess and another expensive vet bill. Later in the day Gary notice Butter licking his wound and saw a BB fall out of his tail wound. I can't believe someone shot poor Butter with a BB gun. I am so angry someone would do this, especially since Butter rarely wanders off of our property because of his injuries from the fall off the deck.

His tail looked better after the BB came out but now it's not doing as well. I really should bath the wound thoroughly but Butter is a big cat with strong muscles and doesn't want any part of that. I guess I have to bite the bullet (no pun indended) and see if I can apply a warm compress to the wound again today. Wish me luck. Meanwhile it's cloudy and rainy around here. Thanks for reading and for all your comments.

14 comments:

  1. Those are the downsides of outdoor cats. You may want to consider using Revolution or one of the other flea drops on your cats. Fleas are a big problem in the south. One of Jeff's cats escaped and we couldn't get her back in the house for two days. Upon her return she brought fleas with her. After applying Revolution from the vet, the fleas were gone in about 3 days. I continued using it once a month until fall.

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  2. Hi Michele, thanks, I was reading about those drops and ones called advantage, they didn't have a problem with them till winter arrived, I guess the fleas want to be warm on the cats, can they be gotten without going to the vet ?

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    1. Revolution has to be acquired at the vet. I think you can get Frontline at Southern States. Many times cats end up with worms from fleas, so you may want to have them checked for that. The great thing about the drops is that if you catch them in time you can avoid having to flea bomb the house.

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  3. Poor Butter and Betty. I'm happy to hear they are healing! Who would be so mean as to shoot a cat? There are nasty people around, no doubt about it!
    Advantix is available in an over the counter form. You may be able to find it at Walmart, definitely at a pet supply store.

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    1. Hi Suzi, thanks, I can't believe someone would be so mean either, I will check at Walmart, thanks.

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  4. Whoever would shoot at a cat is a cur, or lower. I hope you are able to take care of Butter without a vet trip.

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    1. Hi Joanne, thanks, yes I hope I don't need any vet trips, so far so good

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  5. What a terrible coward that was to shoot at a cat. Grrrr.

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  6. Hi Gigi, thanks, if only I could find out who did it, I suspect some children visiting relatives got a BB gun for xmas and decided to try it out, thank goodness they didn't shoot him elsewhere in his body.

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  7. Bag balm works really well to heal and won't hurt the cats, also there is a spray called Green Apple you can spray to keep them from licking or chewing~~~I order from Petco, on line for bird foods and other items for the dog, and I think if you order over 49.00 the shipping is free~~~good luck and Happy New Year to you and Gary

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    1. Hi Carroll, thanks, I will check into all your suggestions as I have not heard of most of then, happy new year to you and Jon

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  8. Our much loved M'lady was shot when she was in our yard. A neighbour's son had been given a pellet gun and thought he would test it out. The pellet lodged just above her heart and the vet decided to leave it. Sigh.
    Good luck with your pet care. I hope you are successful at keeping out of the vet's hands. The cats probably do too.

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  9. Hi Sue, thanks, I once had another cat shot with a 22 and the bullelt lodged along her lower leg; it had traveled down the length of her bone and the vets recommmded leaving the bullet in, she died of old age at a ripe old age, so much the better, hopefully Butter will fare the same.

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  10. I am an animal lover and have a cat of my own who stays indoors, and I can't understand people who are so cruel like this. Sadly this is only the beginning for these people, as they eventually work their way up to harming humans as well. We need strict laws for cruelty to animals. Your photos are so nice.

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