I took Albus to the vet this morning, after getting the day off work from an understanding boss. I had to take the other kittens as well, because they were thinking of taking them all back for observation (they like to keep kittens with their siblings for socialization purposes). When I got there, the receptionist said all the vets were in surgery and I should just leave the kittens there. I was determined to stay with them, though, and a few minutes later she said my regular vet (the one who saw Oliver and Ramona) was available.

I didn't even have to go into an exam room. The vet came out and examined Albus and said his bladder was not very full, so he probably didn't have a blockage, and he didn't seem like he was having toxins build up in his system. She explained the medication they give to kittens with urinary problems, and said they would probably keep them through the weekend. I told her I was worried that the stress of going back and forth between my house and the vet's office was taking a toll on their health. (I didn't say it, but I was also thinking Last time I gave you these kittens, one of them died. I know that's irrational and kittens die all the time, but I kept thinking that their health would be much better with someone to pet them and love them as well as give them medical care, and with a big room to run around in instead of just a cage.) So she said I could just give him the medication at home, watch him closely, and call her in a couple of days to tell her how he was doing, or earlier if he got worse of course. I was grateful that I got to take them back home instead of "abandoning" them again.

The vet also confirmed that Matilda is actually a boy. (I mean, I could tell, but Kate apparently wanted a second opinion.) She remembered that the litter had originally been "two boys and two girls," so I wasn't just hallucinating that.

Anyway, I brought the kittens home ("Matilda" cried all the way there AND all the way back, poor thing) and got them re-settled in my room. Then I fixed up some of Albus's special food for sick kitties, and mixed the medicine in with it (it's a capsule filled with powder and you just mix the powder into the food). I gave him that food, and gave the other two their regular kitten food, and they all chowed down. They seemed a little confused that there were two bowls but I just kept picking them up and putting them down in front of the correct bowl. Albus ate A LOT of the food and I was so proud of him and happy that he got the medicine in his system.

I saw him go over to the litter box, dig around, and then have second thoughts and leave. After that, I didn't see him do it, but I'm pretty sure he peed on my bed (my jacket and my pillow were both suspiciously wet). That's apparently common behavior for kitties with urinary problems, because they associate the litter box with pain, so they go somewhere else. After I discovered the pee, I picked him up and put him in the litter box, and he decided it was an acceptable place to pee this time. And this is the awesome part--the pee did not have ANY blood in it! YAY!

So either the medication worked right away (YAY) or the blood last night was a false alarm (ALSO YAY). I'm relieved and extra glad now that I didn't give them back to the HS. I'll continue to give him the meds and watch him closely, just to be sure, but I'm so glad that he seems to be okay.

Funny how much pee and poop can tell you about the health of an animal. :P I used to just be like "oh gross, I have to clean out the litter box!" but now I am checking to make sure there is normal, healthy pee and poop in there.

ANYWAY THIS IS GOOD NEWS. I am going to eat some lunch now and pay attention to the big cat.