4:00 a.m.

So, I've been awake since 4:00 a.m.  For some reason, my side hurts, and I could not get comfortable.  I finally gave up, got out of bed, and fed Tuesday and Simba.

Speaking of Simba, a few days ago, his face was horribly swollen.  He looked like he had a major case of the mumps.  (Do cats get the mumps?)  I figured he must have had an injury because he is a little scrapper.  He always comes home with little scrapes and scratches, and even bald patches from time to time.

Yesterday I noticed his cheek area was rather infected looking/bloody, so I took some blessed salt, warm water, and a cotton ball, and cleansed it.  Today it looks less swollen, but is rather a mess.  Poor little boy.

He only has one hind leg.  This cat is a seller for the '9 lives' thing.  When his mom (our other cat, Tuesday) gave birth to her one and only litter, she had six kittens.  Simba was the last one born.  The other ones were all shades of gray or black, but he was orange.  By the time he emerged, Tuesday completely ignored him.  I think she was plain worn out.  I always wanted to be a midwife, so I knew what to do!

I noticed (after giving Tuesday about 10 min. to take care of this--she didn't) that Simba was trying to take his first breath.  He could not because he was still encased in the membranes.  I cleared the membrane from his face, and swabbed his nose and mouth.  He was struggling with all his might to breathe, but with all the effort, he was failing.  He was not doing well at all.  I gently picked up the mouse-- sized kitten and placed him right in front of Tuesday's face, and worked with her to help her notice him.  She was still so worn out.

Finally, he took a good breath, and began to cry.  As he grew stronger, he had to fight the other kittens for his mom's milk, they all pushed him away and he was not as powerful as they were.  Over the course of the next weeks, I can't tell you how many times I had to move the other kitties and position him right onto one of her teats.  That was the only way Simba could get nourishment.  The other kits would protest, but they were being little hogs.  :)

One kitten died, and we found homes for the remaining four.  We kept Simba...

When he was five months old, he was struck by a car right in front of our house.  We saw the whole thing because we were outside and he ran right out in front of the vehicle.  We rushed him over the Ohio border to an animal hospital, where they recommended pain meds and a visit to his own vet in the morning.

It turned out that he had such a badly shattered leg that we had to have it amputated.  The vet told me (as I stood sobbing for the poor little guy) that I shouldn't feel bad.  He guaranteed that Simba 'couldn't count' and he'd be just fine.

The day after his surgery, he came home, looking a bit like the Frankenstein monster.  His flank was shaved, and he had this enormous stitched up slice all the way across his tiny body.  But, guess what?!  He adapted so fast, I couldn't believe it!  That very day, he was already running around and trying to jump.  Amazing.

And, the little guy has only one testicle.  Funny, huh?  The other one is there probably there somewhere, but it is not where it is supposed to be!  The vet could do surgery on that, too, but I think we'll let him be just the way he is.  He's had enough trauma to take way several of those 9 lives.

I'm so glad we have our little Sim.  He has the loudest purring motor you have ever heard, I guarantee it.  You can hear him across the room!  Ever since the leg was taken, he doesn't realize it is gone.  He tries to scratch with the phantom leg, and he gets into that classic 'cat' scratching position.  The little stump twitches as he strains to reach his head.  He still has not learned that 'it ain't gonna work'!!!

Eventually, he'll find a willing hand nearby to scratch his itch.  If not, he isn't too proud to scratch it on the nearest piece of furniture.

Well, my side still hurts.  Hugsxxx Annie