Thump, thump, thump

[pameladean]

I'm hoping to do a series of updates, but we all know how that goes.

In the meantime, the cat. He is bored and annoyed from time to time, but, as predicted by several astute commenters to my previous entry, has learned to wield the splinted paw quite featly. The paw is his dominant one. Mostly he has learned to use the uninjured one instead, so I believe it to have been no mistake when, on the first day of the season that I did not open my office window for him, he banged on the window with the splint rather than scratching on it with the good paw. He has also bonked me on the nose with the splint several times, but I think that those incidents were the result of genuine miscalculation. He has not hit any feline housemates on the head with the splinted paw yet, but he has eyed them speculatively and they have backed down.

Amazingly, he has not removed the splint, though bits of it are getting threadbare. I have lost him twice because he was in places I deemed too high for him to have gotten to. There are two or three weeks left, and we will all probably survive this.

Thank you all for your patience.

Ari says, "Thump, thump, thump."

P.

Comments

[karenkay.livejournal.com]

Very good news. I'm sure he'd rather be without it, but it sounds like he's adapting marvelously!

[pameladean]

He's even having to do less of what we call "the windup." This is the motion that the vet imitated with his own left arm when I said Ari hated the splint. Because the leg is rigid and heavier than usual, it must be flailed around a bit before it can be made to go in the proper direction. He's only doing that occasionally now.

Friends whose cat had a hind leg in an actual cast said that he, too, had to use the windup.

P.

[karenkay.livejournal.com]

I've done that, too, when various joints were wonky. I didn't realize it had a name! Sometimes older humans will do this with a hip, but we can't laugh at them.:)

[pameladean]

Well, we just made up the name on the spot.

And no, we sure can't laugh at them. All too soon, we'll be them.

P.

[sdn.livejournal.com]

i don't know how i missed those other entries. i think i was away. poor cat.

and hey, if he is used to the splint, maybe you can next try one of these.

[pameladean]

Those, I'm afraid, would fall prey to being ripped off and used as play mice. The microsecond before this happened would be interesting, however, if we could get a machine to record it.

P.

(What a SCARY SITE.)

[kalmn.livejournal.com]

oh, i'm glad he's taking to it as well as he is. please scritch him for me, if he likes scritching.

[pameladean]

He does, especially on the shoulder near the splint. I will oblige.
Thanks.

P.

[faithhopetricks.livejournal.com]

Aww, yay for kitty adaptation!

[pameladean]

Doesn't stop him from looking pathetic at will, though.

P.

[faithhopetricks.livejournal.com]

Oh, of course (way to get extra sympathy and treats)....

[clindau.livejournal.com]

Amazing, isn't it, how adaptable cats are.

Now you have an ambidextrous Ari. Oh joy.

[pameladean]

Yes, it's a bit daunting. He already knows how to open cupboard doors.

P.

[coffeeem.livejournal.com]

In three weeks, you'll remove the splint, and Ari will give you the "Hey! Gimme back my door knocker!" look.

[pameladean]

Hee.

I'm sure he'd like it fine if he were in control of when it was on and when off, especially if a person could be ordered around in this endeavor.

P.

[halfmoon-mollie.livejournal.com]

Glad to hear the little guy is doing so well,and that he is becoming ambient handed (that's what my left handed except he plays guitar right handed friend says HE is). Give him a shoulder scritch from Leona and me.

[pameladean]

Thanks.

Cats in general are pretty ambient, so that's a very nice phrase.

I have delivered your and Leona's scritches, also all dictated above. I got a huge purr for my trouble.

P.

[jackiejj.livejournal.com]

Pamela, how is your cat?

Jackie

[pameladean]

Well, the vet just said everything was healing nicely.

He (the cat, that is) is racketing around on the splint at full speed, running up the backs of armchairs, teetering precariouly on the edge of the bathtub, and, finally, just today, getting the chance to bonk his arch-enemy, the adorable but crazy calico, right on her little white nose with his splint. She was much startled.

P.

[jackiejj.livejournal.com]

Why, he sounds fine! :)