This poor kitty has been through it all. When we adopted her from a neighbor in foreclosure, she had chewed her whole backside right above the base of her tail (And yes, we’ve done every test, tried every food, had X-rays, tried steroid shots, you name it. We’re using a topical liquid that helps a little and her fur has grown back in nicely but she has small relapses).

Over the winter, she had a nasty ear infection that lead to an eye infection. It seemed like it would never go away – and never stop draining our wallets. But eventually it did, after two kinds of meds and cleaner we had to squirt in her ears twice a day.

So when the ear infection seemed like it was coming back a week ago, we started using the ear solution – not the meds because we didn’t have any – to clean it.

And then…and then two nights ago we let her out after her 4pm dinner (Dinner Part 1, mind you). She came back at about 6:30pm but turned right back around, wanting to go out. And that was the last time we saw her for several hours.

At about 8:30pm, I started pacing because it’s odd for her to be gone for so long and not get any food – we feed her very small meals so she doesn’t get plump but is satisfied. I went outside to look for and to whistle for her since she’s pretty much trained to my boisterous whistle. But nothing. No kitty.

Forty-five minutes later, I was outside and heard two cats screeeeching and hissing. And. I. Flipped. Out. I ran around but I couldn’t find her. No Roxie!

By this time it was dark out. My husband – who owns a recording studio and runs it from our basement studio – was with a long-time client and they both offered to help find her. Another forty-five minutes and two tours around the block – cutting through yards, peering under cars, peeking into backyards with flashlights – we found her holed up next to a car near another cat. We’d often wondered where she’d go when she would cut through out backyard neighbor’s property – there’s no fence between our yards so she’s free to easy wander one street behind ours – and soon learned that there are a couple abandoned properties lost to foreclosure where all the local kitties hang out.

After a 10 minute cat and mouse game to catch her, I scooped her up and we went home to inspect our kitty.

She had a town ear and it was bleeding enough that it dripped a lot onto her neck, which at the time we thought was a wound. This, on top of the reoccurring ear infection – which we had an appointment to get looked at the very next day – and here was this poor kitty in pain. She kept scratching at her torn ear and was otherwise not herself.

We rushed her to the animal ER.

She was so exhausted from her travails that she laid curled up in the box while at the clinic. This, the kitty who loves new places and is happy to fully inspect any open garage, car, truck, can, whatever.

The whole experience was exhausting.

We got to the vet a little after 11pm and was told we’d be there until maybe 2am but was pleasantly surprised when she was released an hour earlier with her ear stitched up and her dripping blood cleaned up and her infected ear attended to. And, oh, with this. I haz a sad just looking at it.

She’s on 3 different meds and is sporting the Cone of Shame. Uhhhhgghh. This is killing me just as much as it is her! Five more days in the ringer and this baby is comin’ off. We both can’t wait!

Tags: cone, cone of shame, kitty, meds, roxie, shame, vet