Unbelievably, on Thursday Junior had another episode where he was drooling.  This time we knew to try and calm him, and watch him.  It wasn’t that bad–Friday morning, he was much more normal, but by Friday afternoon, the cat was seriously freaking out.  We gave him a remaining dose of the pain medication we had leftover from the surgery.  It did seem to help–the drooling stopped and he seemed calmer, but it was pretty obvious he was still distressed over something.   The vet was close to closing and we did not want to freak the cat out by taking him in and leaving him overnight for observation. The last time they gave him valium and watched him, but we felt that we did more harm by making him go than by trying to keep him calm at home.

At…midnight or so, we gave him sub-q fluids.  He didn’t seem as nervous and was resting.  He wasn’t all great and good and we didn’t know whether he’d make it to morning, but he didn’t appear to be in any pain and he wasn’t scared anymore.

In the morning, he was shaky, but he ate!  I swear this kitten is part piglet.  He was able to walk here and there, but did keep stopping and sitting because he didn’t have much strength (it was more of an oozing to the ground as he walked).  We called the vet to discuss.  Basically the vet repeated the same thing as before:  He had to be getting in something.  We went over various possibilities based on symptoms:  Could have been that he managed to lick some of the Revolution flea medication we put on him on Tues.  He could be allergic to it.  We had introduced a new dry food a couple of weeks back; he had just started to eat that over the last few days.  I keep tomato seedlings inside; it was possible that fertilizer or insecticide had leaked through the pots into the standing water in the bottom.  Junior had put his feet in there on Tues and Wed–he then might have licked this stuff off.   I didn’t realize I had even bought the kind of dirt that contains fertilizer pellets; I normally do not, but had gotten it by mistake.

I did some research on the web.  His symptoms match insecticide much more closely than fertilizer–AND, here is an important key:  It can get through his skin–doesn’t have to be licked off.   Of course there is the problem that the first time this happened…we don’t think he got his feet or any other body parts in the plants.  He had the hood on so he couldn’t really get to the ledge well.   Not to say it couldn’t have happened.  There’s also the problem that I have only used the insecticide one time…and I don’t remember when it was.  It would likely have already broken down, but there is no real way to know.  I had picked that insecticide to begin with because I thought it was safe for pets–turns out it is safe for DOGS, but not cats.  Pyrethrin is toxic to cats.  It’s used in dog flea powders and baths and is often labeled as very benign.  I remember reading about it being very safe for dogs–in my head that became, safe for pets.

We took away all his toys, the new food, the tomato plants.  We gave him a bath with dawn to get rid of any suspect remaining oils on the back of his neck from Revolution.  In case he is allergic to it, we can’t give it to him again (but keep in mind the first episode happened BEFORE the revolution.)

It remains a mystery, but the good news is Junior is doing quite well.  Again.  Lord, let’s keep it that way for a while, Please?