(no subject)

[which_chick]

The less-preferred cat is not doing well. He's not eating anything and has lost about five pounds in the last two weeks or so. It took me a while to figure out he wasn't eating anything because I don't WATCH the cats eat. I put food in the bowl and leave. Also, he's got long hair and still doesn't LOOK skinny. It's only when you pick him up that you notice there's less cat than there used to be and that his shoulder blades are like knives and that you can feel every single vertebra in his back. On a fifteen pound cat, five pounds is a lot. He's very skinny now. I'd point out that he has a snot nose, but he's had a snot nose since I've owned him. We used to think it was because he was allergic to cigarette smoke but it's been lo these three years and he's still got a snot nose. So that's, y'know, not a good indicator of illness with Tine. I've got some antibiotics for him, started him on them Saturday, and they seem to be helping somewhat. He's still not eating, but I've been shoving home-made chicken stock (ingredients: chicken, water. Forms a solid gel when cold.) down his throat with a syringe (he objects), about half a cup a day, because I'd really rather he didn't die just yet. (He's not an old cat.) We'll see, I guess. If he dies, I'll have to get another cat because two is a good number for cats. *sigh* I have a lot of time and effort invested in this cat. He's trained. If he falls over dead, I have to start over with another cat. Buggerit. (Training cats is not a particularly easy undertaking. I am always victorious, but it takes a while.)