Conference misery::feline_v1

    Well, sounds like the neighborhood toms have had their way with your
    baby girl.  In about 60 days, you'll have little baby kittens.  The
    alternative is to have her spayed immediately.
    
    Consult your vet today and follow his/her advice.  Your kitten is a
    little young to be spayed, but she's not too young to be pregnant.
    
    This situation was very similar to Meg's story, but she never made it
    to her home--she did find me, however, and had 4 kittens when she was
    about 7 months old.
    
    Mary

    
    
    What was Meg's tail like??
    
    Thats my main worry..  I think she's just sore, but then again I'm
    worried it may be something worse!!
    
    F.

    I agree with Mary - spay her immediately.  Send her to Planned
    Kittenhood right away.  Before they overturn Roe vs. Wade ;')

    I second others advice to spay immediately.  While she may
    be 'old enough' to be pregnant she may not be old enough for
    labor, delivery and motherhood (kinda like some people).  I 
    think her young age increases the chances that she will not 
    deliver a healthy litter and possibly at a high price to her 
    own health and well-being.
    
    Donna

    Look, the kitten has been out of your control and has obviously
    been through something traumatic.  Its a safe bet what it was
    but you don't KNOW exactly.  You're worried, the cat is obviously
    in pain. GO TO THE VET!!!  You should never question if that's the
    right thing to do.  If you're unsure then call and talk to someone
    with more knowledge and experience.
      To me the big question right now isn't about spaying - that has
    to be done ASAP - my big worry is if she is hurt.  GO TO THE VET.
    
      And let us know how you make out.....
    
    BTW - I don't think you're a bad kitty-mommy.  (flame on)I think 
    your roommates friends are irresponsible &*($^#*^(@&(@#&()$)!
      THEY SHOULD PAY THE VET'S BILLS! (flame off)

        Nancy DC

    While I also think that the problem has to do with males "having their
    way" with your kitty, the possibility does exist that she has a
    puncture wound that has abcessed.
    
    If nothing else, I would bring the cat to the vet just for my own piece
    of mind.
    
    Deb

    It isn't usual for a cat to be that sensitive to touch in that area
    after mating (in my experience), but I am worried about her tail.
    You mentioned that it just hangs there.  Does she show pain when
    you touch her tail?  Can she feel it if you pinch the end of her
    tail?  A friend recently noticed one of his kitten's tails hanging
    down and a trip to the vet indicated that the tail was dislocated.
    
    Whatever the cause of her pain, a trip to the vet would probably
    be the best idea at this point.  And I agree, the roommates friends
    were not acting responsibly.  This same thing happened to me when
    I had my first apartment.  My cat did get pregnant at a young age,
    6 months.  I booted out the roommate and my cat and her one surviving
    kitten lived happily ever after with the roommate gone. (Chrissi
    lost three other kittens because they were too big for her to deliver
    and then she went into shock before we could get to the emergency
    vet.  Since she was in shock, they could not perform a C-section
    right away and the kittens died.  We almost lost Chrissi too.  I
    had to hand raise Alpha since Chrissi had to stay at the hospital
    for weeks.)
    
    Jo
    

    
    
    I called my vet..  She said I should bring her in to start on 
    antibiotics, etc.  I'll be bringing her in a 8:00 a.m. tomorrow
    morning..  things should be okay till then, eh?  I really think
    her tail is just sore..  If I was pretty sure it was broken, she
    would have been at the vets yesterday!
    
    One thing I didn't know..  A female cat can be neutered at the age
    of 4 1/2 months.  So she can be fixed..  but the vet said she couldn't
    do it if there is something else wrong..
    
    
    Her tail looks like this.
    
    
    backside    -
               / \
    -----------   |
                  |
    
    
    bad configuration..  when she's happy, she is able to lift it up
    so it comes up a little bit, but the rest of the tail hangs down.
    I felt up to a certain point while she was laying down.. and it
    didn't bother but the closer I got to the top, (i.e. her bum) she
    became uncomfortable..  I don't wan't to cause her any more unnessary
    pain by me pretending to be doctor..
    
    Her bum *looks* okay, then again she has darkish fur and I couldn't
    see any punctures anyway.
    
    8:00 tomorrow morning should be okay, you think?  I've had plenty
    of cats before, but have never run into an experience like this..
    As a matter of fact, I've never had a cat injured before!!
    
    I am pissed at the one roomate..  I've even thinking of moving.
    
    F.

    The picture of the tail looks as though she can hold up part of
    her tail, but the other part hangs down.  Can she raise the tip?
    
    If you notice that the end of the tail feels cold to the touch,
    and/or damp, or that she isn't reacting when you touch the end of
    it, get her to the vet as soon as you can.  When the tail is bent
    in that way, there can be a loss of circulation and the end of the
    tail can die.  This is what occured with my friend's kitten.  The
    end of the tail had to be amputated due to loss of blood circulation.
    
    Good luck to you, I hope it all works out okay.
    
    Jo

    
    
    Just talked with one of my roomates..  
    
    She said the tail "looks better"..
    
    She will still be going in though..
    
    It wasn't cold to the touch last night..
    
    Maybe I *will* bring her in tonight... I'll have to do a "tail test"
    
    F.

    I noticed Spiro holding his tail like this, and upon examination I
    found a good sized abscess. I brought him to the vet where they shaved
    the area around the abscess and discovered a bite wound. They had me put
    hot packs on the abscess and clean it twice daily, and gave the little guy
    antibiotices. His tail could gradually be held higher, but he still
    can't seem to hold it up straight when he walks. The vet has checked it
    out, and the tail isn't dead or anything. It still has feeling in it,
    and he can move it (even at the end) when he is sitting/lying down, he
    just can't seem to hold it straight when walking. In any case, I'm glad
    I had the vet check it out. 
    
   Deb

    I'd take her into the vet tonight.  She may well be pretty
    uncomfortable. Please let us know what happens.
    

    
    
    No good!
    
    I just called the vet.  She'll only be there for another 15 minutes..
    and I'm a half hour away from home.
    
    I asked her if she thinks she'll hold out okay, what if theres an
    absess, etc. and she said it will be alright..
    
    There very good with cats and this particular woman is a cat lady..
    
    I've seen them in action before.. you bring your cat in and she
    checks real quick.. she's injecting antibiotics or medicines within
    seconds of the cat being there if theres something wrong..
    
    Not I'm worried!!
    
    I'll let you know on her progress tomorrow morning!
    
    F.

    So, how are things with your baby kitty and her tail.  Did all work
    out okay?  I have been thinking about you.
    
    Jo

    
    
    Whoops..
    
    Should have wrote in here sooner!
    
    Well.  I was going to take Baby to the vets Wed. morning..  arriving
    home Tuesday night, I found that her tail really was a lot better,
    but I still had plans to take her..
    
    Wed morning when I was getting dressed, Baby jumped up on the bed
    and low and behold her tail was sticking straight up..  she let
    me examine it and (not pull) but pull as in the motion of pulling
    (ack!) its fine...
    
    Maybe I should have taken her to the vets anyways.. but I'm a little
    money tight and I really really really think its 100% back to normal..
    
    BUT..  I do have an appointment to get her nuetered this coming
    Wednesday..  I can *find* the money for that so no need to worry
    about her having kittens!!
    
    Her ex-boyfriend is hanging around the house.. more to follow on
    the adoption note.. 8*(
    
    F.

    That is good news.  I am glad she is doing so much better.  I know
    how it is with the money.  While she is in for spaying, your vet
    could take a quick look at her tail.  
    
    As for her boyfriend, tell her he is the love_'em_and_leave_'em_type!
    
    Jo

    
    
    I can try, but he always comes back to talk with her!!
    
    I'll have the two cats in the window, and he can distinguish which
    one is his girlfriend..  (so he thinks, mean old mom is putting
    an end to *that* relationship)
    
    I'll be sure to have the vet take a look while she's in there..
    how can she forget me..  I only called her three times about her
    tail!!
    
    F.