When it's all too much for a little kitty

W

So as you know, this little girl was brought to the vet for some intensive care for three days. During the course of the three days she was treated for intestinal parasites and fleas (she was virtually being eaten inside out) and even though she was very weak, she ate well. Upon bringing her back home she was still weak (she barely stood on her legs when she was brought back) but still with a good appetite. We had lot's of physical contact - and she purred every time. Unfortunately she didn't drink any water at all and Saturday she began to develop constipation and showed signs of great discomfort (many small squeaks and barely eating). Saturday evening she was treated manually by a vet to help her do her toilet. It helped but it appeared it'd really exhausted her. I had hoped she would be back to eating Sunday morning but she still didn't eat - also not drinking. She just wanted to sit in her little box quite withdrawn. It somehow appeared that she had the same problem - not really being able to do her toilet. This evening I brought her back to the vet. I was surprised when he informed me that she didn't have  constipation and she didn't have a fever - there was no obvious signs of anything wrong with her. But he said she was feeling down.  

When you do your uttermost it can feel a bit discouraging, but in a sense I wasn't surprised. I've been trying to feel and register her and I did get sensations that she missed her sibling, kitty mom and her old environment (as horrible it might all have appeared to me!). I've been in such a contradiction about this that at times I've almost wanted to bring her back to her kitty mom and sibling (as crazy as this might sound). But I know I couldn't possibly. When I picked her up from the vet last week I was told to keep her from other cats for 10 days because she was so weak that she couldn't possibly fend for herself. But you can imagine the contradiction and my urge to want to bring her back together with her little family (yes, I also pondered trying to capture her feral kitty mom and sibling to bring them back here, but knew it would cause further distress).

Well, for the moment she is staying with the vet for some observation. Apparently she instantly started eating again - maybe the noise of other cats has a strange calming effect on her, given the fact she comes from an environment with a colony of cats. I am so hoping and believing though that she will eventually be able to settle here in spite of the many seeming changes to her little life. 

Running parallel to her story - the little black kitten (her sibling) has had the exact same treatment as she had this week (for fleas and intestinal parasites). I've been back every day feeding him lots of nutritious food. He is doing very well and is very strong (always first at the foods bowls). 

Now I patiently wait for little girls return (I think her name is Rosie). This attempted rescue has been a valuable lesson for me in that when I thought I could take her away and rescue her physically, I didn't really consider that I would be depriving her of an emotional/social need (from being part of a colony of cats - even though she's only little). 

I humbly proceed and hope to learn faster and better for the sake of the cats.