Loki

Most importantly it seems Loki is getting well :) For those of you who I haven't told: Loki's ear got infected about three weeks ago. At first everything seems to be fine as it looked like any other minor infection. I went to the vet, got some stuff to put in his ear and it wasn't really mindshocking. He seemed to be doing well until I returned from the UK last weekend. When I got home I found him hiding behind a pile of books and he was coughing. Another appointment at the vet suggested that the ear infection had turned into a throat infection and I got more antibiotics. At first he seemed to be doing fine again but that was just a first reaction to the painkiller he got. After it wore off he started acting all funny. Jumping and missing the table, walking around like he was completely drunk and finally he wasn't even able to stand anymore, let alone walk. As soon as he moved he fell over... I kind of guessed that the ear infection had gotten deeper in his head and had effected his balance and coordination. So last friday I went back to the vet who told me this was really serious and she could only hope that more antibiotics would stop the infection. She basically said that if during the weekend there was no significant improvement I would have to fear the worst.

A cat without balance and coordination is a very pitiful creature. Especially Loki, who grew up as a streetcat in the harbor and sometimes spends days on end outside. He was really not enjoying his life this way.

So to say that I am very happy with the way he responded to these new medicines is a bit of an understatement. Actually I am more happy than I had ever expected to be, in some way I have become really attached to this cat over the last year and a half. I guess I really deserve him as he can make a total fool out of himself, be an incredible nuisance and very headstrong. We are very much alike: kindred spirits and that blahblah. I guess that's what happens when you call a cat Loki.

So on Sunday he was able to walk straight again and do stairs. Jumping is still a bit of a problem, the bed and chairs are doable but any higher, like tables or closets are still out of his reach. Problem now is that he wants to go back outside... which he can't yet. Last night he launched he full frontal assault on the catflap. The catflap is barely holding out and has suffered severe damage. Loki continued his assault on the garbagebin which is made catproof by a big rock on the bottom so he can't pull it over. It too is still standing. So when that didn't work he decided on jumping on my bed and waking me up. Which did work for a while, until he shook his head a bit too strong and fell over and fell asleep.

Anyways, to make a long story short, this morning I went for a checkup to the vet who was incredibly pleased to see him doing well. She actually had doubted he would survive this ordeal. But she doesn't know Loki of course. With luck, she explained, the balancethingy in his right ear will fully compensate for the loss of the one in his left ear. As long as he keeps his head turned to the right he will see straight and do what it is that cats normally do. The funny thing is that when he shakes his head he simply falls over but he will just have to get used to that :) Although I really hope that will heal a bit more too.

So a seriously weird cat just became weirder. He just has to take a bit more care though because with his 13 years he is starting to run out of his nine lives.