A Little Off

When we first brought Kevin home from my parents' farm, he seemed fat and healthy. He was so fluffy in fact, we weren’t sure if he was male or female for awhile (ridiculous, I know). After about a month, Jeff came home from work and Kevin could barely walk − Jeff immediately took him to the vet. His head was so crooked he practically was upside down. He had a hard time staying upright, and if he got up on the bed or couch, we had to help him back to the floor. Jumping down was quite the feat.

A billion tests, one kitty surgery and $600 later (eeps!), Kevin was on the road to recovery. Turns out he had ear mites from the farm − they led to ruptured ear drums which explained his extreme lack of balance. Also, since his equilibrium was so off, he had a hard time keeping food down. He lost about three pounds and was rail thin. The only thing he would eat was a freshly opened can of tuna. Emphasis on the fresh. As hard as we tried to give him the other half of the can later, he was not to be fooled. Fresh. Only.

Looking back, now that he’s recovered (and well-fattened from Fancy Feast), I’m glad we spent the money to heal him. He’s been a good addition to our family. When guests come over they still notice his slight tilt and say he looks like he has a question. He’s probably just wondering if they have food.

Here’s a video I took of him trying to get down from the bed while he was still off balance. Don’t worry − he has no trouble jumping anywhere now. Stay tuned for more on that.