Thursday, July 17, 2008

One Miserable Cat

So Pyramus has ringworm--where he got it we don't know--and is developing bald patches like it's going out of style. Wendy took him to the vet this morning and was given all sorts of instructions. Then she came home and proceeded to wash every washable piece of cloth in the entire apartment. Including my sheets, blankets, dirty clothes, and everything in the open drawers he likes to sleep in. Then she cleaned and vacuumed my room and the entire rest of the apartment. Then she went to PetCo and bought all the things we'll need while he is isolated in my bedroom for the next six weeks. All while I was at work and then doing the spending time with the parents thing. So basically I have the most awesome roommate in the world.

The primary aspect of his treatment is a weekly lime sulfur bath. It's every single bit as nasty as it sounds. Hours and about 10 hand washings after giving him the bath my hands still smell like sulfur. First we put on clothes that can be stained, take off anything metal, and empty the bathroom. Next we put a liter of water in a litter box and then add an ounce of the lime sulfur solution. Then we soak him in it while he freaks out. Then we rinse him off, put on the e-collar so he can't groom himself while drying, and sit with him while he shivers and sulks. He's actually incredibly good about it all, which somehow just makes it sadder.

4 comments:

tonya said...

You do have a great roommate! But poor kitty -- sounds awful.

Meg said...

Yeah, the poor boy is having a rough time. Neither of the cats like being separated or spending time alone so it's rough on both of them. Although obviously worse for Pyramus since he needs the baths. We have our fingers crossed that Bonnie stays ringworm free!

The amount of cleaning we still have to do is unreal too (including bleaching the surfaces in my room every day for the next six weeks). I think Pyramus is just trying really, really hard to turn me into a tidy person for the first time in my life. My bedroom has never been so clean. :D

Patty (in Dallas) said...

Poor, poor kitty. And poor you and your roommate that have to bathe him.

That collar is a genius idea. I would not have thought of that.

Meg said...

I would never have thought of it either. I would just have sat with him going, "stop licking, stop licking!" I think either the vet suggested it or my roommate thought to ask for one. She works at an animal hospital so she's in charge of all cat wrangling ideas. :)