Indie's Eyes...

Ever get that feeling of deja vu?

Early pregnancy (touch wood) does not seem to be a good time for Indigo. She feels sick and tired, much like in a human pregnancy. Last year she had an ongoing and at the time unresolved allergy issue. You may be sure I have been anxiously feeling her head many times a day for any lumps, bumps or anything unusual, but so far (again, touch wood) nothing.

However, I was cuddling her the other day, she was purring at me and looking at me through partially slitted eyes and... well one didn't look quite right to me. I wasn't sure, so I pounced on her later and had a proper look and sure enough, her inner eyelids weren't retracted fully. Later on it was fine, later still not retracting again and so on. Also her eye looked watery. I rang the vet, but being Sunday I wasn't able to get an appointment till today. Not too worrying, as she's fine in herself, alert and playful.

Cats have a second, inner, eyelid to help protect their eyes- it swooshes over them to remove dirt a bit like a windscreen wiper. It helps to keep the eyes moist. It's normal enough to catch a glimpse of this lid when a cat is sleepy, but it should fully retract when a cat is alert and awake. When it doesn't, it can be a sign of illness.

Anyway, Indigo's diagnosis is, paraphrased, 'Possibly A Bit Under The Weather, Not Otherwise Specified'!!!! In other words, she just has sore eyes, the vet doesn't know why and I'm left thinking 'we've been here before...'

Actually I'm being overly dramatic. Inds has sore eyes, but it isn't like last year at all, I'm just rolling my eyes at a cat of mine having another mystery illness. They never go in for anything clear cut, my mogs! She has drops to use, as a precaution, so she will hate me for a few days I am sure, but there's no pus, no crustiness or sign of anything infectious, just a little soreness.

No photos, because I don't want to irritate her eyes further by flashing cameras about the place, I don't know if it would bother them, but why take the chance? Otherwise she's alert and happy, not seeming unwell- although see my next paragraph- and the vet isn't worried. It should go on its own within a couple of weeks, and I don't need to go back unless it develops into something else. Which she doesn't think it will. As an aside- I love my vets!  *I* know I worry overmuch about my pets, *THEY* know it too but never make comments or make me feel silly for doing things like- well bringing in a cat with a mildly sore eye. Heh!

No sign of pregnancy yet, but I didn't expect it. The vet had a feel, but all she could feel was a large and well formed poop! However, Indigo has lost a small amount of weight, and been a little nauseated and tired, which is exactly the same as last time. She's also been extra cuddly, which again is like she was before. So I'm willing to state that I think she IS expecting. Hurrah!

Snap!

She's a good girl really. Mere hours after I posted the last post yesterday, and conveniently before the vets closed, she decided to start howling. I was able to ring and make an appointment for lunchtime for her tests, and we'll be going off to stud tomorrow.

She's fine, in good health, a little portly but we knew that already. More importantly though, the SNAP test showed she is FeLV and FIV free, and can therefore be taken to stud. The studs are tested regularly too, and seeing as queens are indoor cats usually, and studs always, (well outdoors secure heated pens, anyway...) the risk of infection is low. I've never heard of a case, in fact.

Poor Indigo, the vets was a little traumatic for her. Several emergency cases had come in and so the wait for her appointment was rather long, with a waiting room full of stressed people, barking dogs and so on. I'd popped a towel in her carrier for her to snuggle on but she had got so scared she'd burrowed right under it, well it's muggy today and I had to keep checking her to make sure she wasn't overheating. Then the poor vet couldn't find a vein, so she had to have a patch on her neck shaved, and... well all in all it was a bit stressful for the poor thing.

By the time we got home she hadn't called for several hours, and she didn''t call for another hour or two after that. Stress can cause a cat to come out of call, so I decided not to push my luck and drive to the stud today- it's a longish drive anyway and time was ticking on. She's called again since we came home so that's OK. Tomorrow will still be within 48 hours of her starting to call, and that's plenty of time.

It's all rather exciting, really!