Thursday, October 13, 2011

The HDU is Closed

I've closed the HDU (High Dependency Unit) because Ratty has moved to the garden. 



He's now somewhere between walking and hop-along but definitely mobile.  Time lapse photography (sort of?):







I wanted to call this post Miracle on 5th Avenue but I haven't.  One, because I think that might be bad karma, and two, my cat-radar is confused.  I am not entirely convinced that Ratty is 'all better now'.  He likes it in the garden and having made a nest for himself in a hedge of bougainvillea and jasmine and cigarette bush, he doesn't want to come back inside.  That makes sense as until his accident, he had never been indoors, so he is in his element.  But he is also not very interested in eating, which isn't the old Ratty I know and love.

He spent the night outside, safe in our walled garden and this morning I made Marius haul him out of the shrubbery and put him on the patio in front of a plate of sardines.  Ratty ate a little but then sloped back off to the jungle, where he is now.  Marius said he put up quite a bit of resistance, wriggly and kicking so he doesn't seem to be ... er dying.  Maybe he is simply fed up with being a patient (I know how he feels)?

If there is something wrong, I won't try any more heroic nursing, I will let him go.  If not (and maybe he knows this in his cat bones?) we will arrange for him to be neutered.  Then we will let him back out on the street to fare for himself, still feeding him when he calls round and looking out for him.  As I said, my cat radar is confused.


Here he is enjoying the delights of the garden:






x

7 comments:

Jenny Woolf said...

Interesting to see how Ratty is reacting. I think that cats do haul themselves away if they feel ill, and wait to either get better or not. I suppose it's encouraging that Ratty has now reached that stage, a bit like when patients start complaining how bored they are in hospital.

I am keeping my fingers crossed, still, and hope that Ratty regains appetite soon.

Anonymous said...

I think you are right about him going out to his natural enviroment, where he feels more comfortable. The immobility of the past few days may be the reason he is not eating ??? Don't know just a suggestion.

Anonymous said...

Sorry to leave this here - I am torn about the maternity issue. I fully appreciate that women should get something but simple economics dictate that employers are not going to take on that sort of liability if they can avoid it! It's The Elephant in the room.

Suz said...

oh do get him neutered...he will be less a target for others for fighting
and heavens we don't need anymore kittens in this world so cruel for cats
I agree..my radar would be up too
let him be indeed....he will come to you if he wants to or needs to
still.bless you for loving him

Friko said...

I do so hope all will be well and he will get used to hanging around with you where he is at least safe.

izzy said...

Sounds like you have made the right choices. One of my males was very sick two years ago; I thought he was a goner. I kept water by him and he remained curled between hay bales for days- I brought him soft food offerings every once in a while and
thank heaven he pulled through!

jabblog said...

It's encouraging that Ratty has returned to territory more familiar to him. I thought he was going to join the family!! I hope his appetite improves, though.
It's good that you are released from nursing duties - long may it last.