So, if any of you read my post “I don’t feel like me anymore” you will know that I’ve been feeling a little down in the dumps and a tad stressed lately.
I wasn’t to sure what was happening, was I falling into the grips of depression, would I therefore be reliant upon my old friend “Mr Prozac”
Feeling a tad guilty I took a little “Me Time” and I went to Brighton on Sunday (just for the night) returning Monday evening. Preparations were in place for the children and that of our 2 cats and the 4 kittens (in which 2 are due to shortly be re-homed).
The night away really was needed! Just to have time to think and clear my head if anything! I’ll share my one nights break and those thoughts and feelings in another post, now isn’t the time, as on my return something else took place, something I’ll now share with you.
Mind you… This is no happy event! It’s one that I myself and the children found extremely distressing!
One of the four kittens, the weaker of the four, the one who’s always been that bit behind her siblings, had a seizure.
I was cleaning the kitten area when I noticed that the kitten was not running around and jumping about like the others, next thing I knew, she was trying to get back in the kitten enclosure and instead of slipping under its door as she normally would she had instead put her head through the bars and become stuck! However, she wasn’t distressed which I found strange, she just seemed to stare blankly. I freed her head and she sat there for a moment before accidentally stepping into the water bowl. I approached her and she started shaking, at first I thought she was shivering as the water was cold, then she fell to the side of the enclosure. My instant reaction was to pick her up and dry her quickly. Suddenly I realised this was something more serious! She dribbled and before I knew it her mouth was foaming heavily, she had a seizure right there in my arms.
All three children are extremely fond of the cats and the kittens, little man loves his Bella who is the mother of the litter. Little man was very nervous when Bella first had the kittens, his anxiety levels were off the scale as he worried about Bella and her new litter constantly.
It was a great relief for him to watch the kittens thrive and as they grew he became reassured all would be OK. Of course, I did well to remind him that the kittens were healthy, the likelihood of them becoming sick as the weeks went on was small!
I guess both the little man and his sister worried more due to the fact I needed to intervene a little and help Bella attend to them in way of feeding. Bella came into heat pretty quickly (when the kittens were almost 3 weeks old) and during this period she feed them less, requiring me to help by way of bottle feeding 4 hungry kittens. Initially one of the tabby’s was what one would normally refer to as the “runt” of the litter, then I noticed the kitten in question got pushed out more during feeding time and even it’s mother would sometimes become a little rough when grooming it.
Have you ever read the book ‘All cats have Aspergers’? (I’d highly recommend, little man loves this book)! My point is, looking back the kitten in question displayed some quirky behaviour, such as not mixing well within the group, being a tad bullied and sleeping in a corner with its face buried in amongst the side of the kitten box while the others huddled together. When all running around the room displaying some crazy speeds, this one joined in only a handful of times, and when she did it wasn’t long before she took herself of back to the enclosure and into her corner.
It’s strange as little man brought up that book and asked me “Do you think all cats really do have Aspergers? As our little black kitten seems to have it more!” I couldn’t help but smile, as in a way little man was displaying more awareness for his own “condition” and the fact he literally felt all cats had Aspergers was actually quite lovely. I wondered if this was the reason he connected with them so well, they have all become somewhat therapeutic in the way we often hear about horses and dogs when it comes to autism.
My daughter Alice-Sara, is also brilliant with the animals of the house, she’s like the zoo keeper who keeps them all in check as she goes about feeding them.
With this you can just imagine the total upset within the household when the kitten violently shook and cried out. I did a terribly job of remaining calm for the sakes of the children, fellow cats and the kitten itself. I just felt helpless and scared, extremely unprepared to witness such a worrying situation. I now know I should have laid her on the floor, removing everything that could harm her, instead I held her firmly and with tears streaming down my cheeks I tried reassuring her, through now I understand she would have had no idea what was happening.
By now Little man was standing at the door way with eyes so wide and watery I could almost see within them, that of my own reflection! He spoke just 3 words… “she’s dying mum” before fleeing the room. I wrapped her in a blanket as she continued to have accidents after the actual seizure, then throwing on my shoes I darted to my neighbours, rudely banging on her door at 11pm.
Thankfully we have one of the nicest and kindest neighbours you could wish for, a women who actually used to babysit me as a child. Inviting myself, daughter and kitten inside, she called the emergency vets which happens to be miles away and well beyond my reach (in my head I’m running of a list of those people I can call to collect me and whisk us off down there). However, having spoken with the vet and given the fact the kitten is by now no longer having the seizure, instead laid in my arms not fully together, I’m given the advice to keep a close eye on her throughout the night! Instructions are to keep her in a dark safe room away from others (including other animals) if she has another seizure, I must call again, otherwise it’s vets in morning… especially if she still wasn’t walking, using the litter tray, eating and drinking, generally not acting herself.
It’s now 3.30am, the children are in bed, little man having only just settled, I’m writing this on my iPhone as I lay in bed surrounded by pitch black darkness and a very weak kitty who remains very confused with very little awareness of what’s happening around her. Am I worried? Yes!
So, yes… I was home just a few hours before this happened, god I’m so thankful this didn’t all occur when I was away.
Thankfully I got a great nights sleep in Brighton, as I won’t be having any whatsoever tonight.
And to top it all off… I’m sun burnt… Really… Really… sun burnt!
A boy with Asperger's 
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