Little Ru causes a stir

Friday, Mom and I had plans to do a little more garden shopping (I was in dire need of soil, and it's just too heavy to haul in my granny cart.)

The plan was to pick me up as soon as she was done work, and we'd get it done before the crowds started hitting the roads (it's a long weekend here). But while we were settling the details on Thursday, I noticed something...

This poor little guy's mouth was full of goopy drool, and it did not smell good. I got him cleaned up, and tried to get a look in his mouth. His gums looked a touch red, but other than that, I couldn't see much. I called the vet, and told Mom plans had changed - we'd need a drive to the vet for 4 p.m. instead.

So Mom, ever the great cat Grandma, dutifully picked us up Friday afternoon and off we went to the vet's. And little Ru was an absolute angel. He wasn't happy about it, but he didn't make a peep during the drive (the vet is half and hour from my house), and he let the vet poke and prod with nary a complaint (other than a tucked tail and flat ears.)

She noted that his gums were inflamed, and she found what was causing the smelly drool - the poor boy has a small ulcer on his tongue. Given that he's young to have gingivitis, and is a mostly indoor cat  and there's no apparent cause for the ulcer), she wanted to rule out FIV. So we left little Ru there for an hour so they could run some tests.  Thankfully, they came back negative and we were sent home with a prescription for two weeks of twice daily oral antibiotics.

And can you just imagine how he feels about that! (Can't say I blame him - I accidentally got some in my mouth and it tastes horrible!)

He's already doing (and smelling) better, though he has to go back for a recheck in two weeks... but we're not going to tell him that just yet.

P.S. And we also learned just how little little Ru is....only 6lbs, 6oz. He truly is our perma-kitten.

P.P.S And because Mom is so wonderful, after we got Ru settled back home, she still took me out for garden stuff... but more on that later.