Burrito and I don't take no for an answer, even when all odds are against him.
Burrito was found in a box next to my hostel (I am a traveller) and I thought his mother would come back, but find that it was abandoned as I spoke to the neighbors the next morning.
As I picked up him I realized he had a wound that was about 30% the length of his body, part of his tail was dead and he was meowing for milk. Therefore I force fed him some water mixed with canned kitten food while rushing it to the vet. Some people suggested I leave him there for there are many cats in KL and that the mom might come back. But even if the mom does, there is no way she can heal his wound and clean the maggots for him.
The vet had to clean out the maggots coming out of it's body and clipped off part of his tail (for it was dead) and insisted that we leave an open wound for it to heal. Burrito was awfully strong despite he was only about 2 weeks old, if not less.
Later the vet suggested that we cut his tail off completely for the ease of maintenance so feces and urine cannot get to the skinless tail, and this would reduce the risk of infection. However I wanted a second opinion because:
- his tail was not infected
- there won't be general anaesthesia used (due to his young age)
- there is no guarantee the new cut won't be infected
- cutting off a cat's tail completely can cause it's sphincter muscles to not work, thus he will need diapers all his life
Later the vet suggested that if that is the case, either they or I can change its bandages twice a day. Which I have taken up the role after he was discharged from the vet. Duties for the next 4-5 weeks for me include:
- abandoning the rest of my travel plans and stay in KL to nurse him, feeding him every 2-3 hours at night and keeping my eye on him 24/7 to ensure his bandage won't fall off.
- taking him everywhere I go, to make sure his wound won't bleed as he gets active and the bandage is even more likely to fall off
- freeing him of fleas, ringworms, parasitic worms in stomach
- literally watch him sleep in my arms everynight, careful he won't expose his wound by accident
