This is an update of a diary I wrote about 36 hours ago. I want to thank you all for your emails and all your very helpful suggestions. You've all helped immensely. Oh, and of course many thanks to those who didn't get upset that this isn't a political diary. ;)
At 8AM yesterday I showed up unannounced at my vet's office. Unfortunately the vet was performing an emergency surgery and the waiting room was full. One of the vet's assistants checked my little hurt pootie over quickly and said to bring him back at 2:30. So I brought him home and sat on the sofa with him until it was time to go back.
The vet finally saw him and determined that he has been struck by a car. He's not been run over--it's more like a very forceful bump that broke a bone in his pelvis and caused a concussion from being whipped about. Overnight his eye had gotten progressively crusty and I was worried that he had some sort of infection. Not so--this apparently is an aftereffect of the concussion itself. There are broken blood vessels in and around his eye and his tear ductwork is reacting to that injury.
This all sounds terrible but it is actually good news. Well, good news as opposed to what it could have been. Pootie's fractured pelvis is expected to heal on its own with proper rest. It's not crushed, thank heavens, but is a simple clean fracture that should mend very well without any aid from the humans. The doctor gave pootie a shot to take the edge off the pain he had caused by manipulating his injured body, and he went right to sleep for a few hours.
So I have some antibiotics for any secondary infections, eye drops, and an order for complete bedrest for the next three weeks. Pootie woke up this evening and ate an entire can of cat food and a whole lot of water. He's having some trouble going to the litterbox because it causes him pain but all those things are functioning normally.
He's firmly esconced in Abigail the Wonder Dog's crate with a litter box, a blanket, and food and water. Sometimes he'd like very much to get out and hangs his paws through the crate. I have visions in my head of him dragging a tin cup across the bars, singing "Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen", when he feels better.
^ Pootie resting comfortably this morning.
There is still some risk because Pootie is in the house with the other cats and we don't know if he is adequately immunized. The vet doesn't see any signs of illness. Neglect, for sure. So I can take him back to the vet after three weeks and start having him properly immunized. When he's completely healed he can be neutered. In the meantime we'll have to just hope for the best. It's a tough choice to make.
Also in the meantime, we've started the attempts to find his original owner. I've made phone calls to all the local vets and the shelter to see if anyone is missing a gray pootie. Nothing so far. I've called all my neighbors and spread the word. My #2 son is going to make fliers in his A/V class at school today and then we'll pass them around the neighborhood this afternoon.
I will freely admit that I hope nobody claims him. He belongs with us now. :-)
So again, I want to express my heartfelt thanks for all who offered suggestions and offered hope. Thank you!