Welcome back to Whisker Wednesday! There’s a good chance you’re here because you want to know more about Floofenstein. But, if you’re new, I’m sharing our newest family member’s story from how he joined us until he settles in. Last week, I left off at March 18, his first vet exam. This week’s title should tell you what we discovered after that.
I don’t want these posts to read like a diary, as, unlike the early posts for Athena, I’m not tracking an illness. So, going forward, I’ll include the time period I’m covering and provide highlights. I’ll only include dates for big events like vet visits.
March 19-25, 2025
You get a whole week this time! I don’t plan to go week-by-week for very long. There was just a lot going on in the first few weeks we had Floofenstein.
He’s Cute
It seems like every day Floofers did some new, cute thing. He played with a catnip-filled fish, cuddled up against my leg, curled up around Jim’s foot, the list goes on. I’m sure part of it was just him getting more comfortable with us, but it’s adorable.
We also discovered his eyebrow whiskers are asymmetrical. His left side lays down against his head while his right side sticks straight up.
He’s Cuddly
During the week, we started to get a real sense of how much he loves lap time. Floofenstein will complain if you try to move him. I have never seen a cat flop so completely. And while de doesn’t like being held as much as he enjoys lap time, he still flops well in my arms.
He Sings
While I originally called Floofers a rock star for his appearance, we learned that he has a wide vocabulary and that he regularly sings the songs of his people. He desperately wanted — and still wants — out among the family, but we need to take things slow to make sure he integrates well into our clowder.
He Was Dirty
The first few days, we washed our hands after every interaction with Floofenstein in case he had something infectious. But, as we discovered how sweet he is and started petting him more, we noticed the fur on his head and then back were getting softer and silkier — and our hands felt a bit icky after a significant scritchy session. While he looked beautiful, he was definitely still dirty from his time outside. We decided he’d be getting a bath as soon as possible.
He’s FIV Positive
We got the news on the 20th. Thankfully, it’s not a horrendous diagnosis since he is now an indoor cat. I’ll have a post on FIV — the feline version of HIV — soon, but for the moment, suffice to say that it doesn’t change anything.
Second Vet Visit
On the 25th, I took Floofenstein in for a pre-neuter ECG — our vet requires one before any surgery. His heart is healthy, and, while there, I learned more about cleaning his wound. In my fear of hurting him, I had been to gentle to clean it properly. But, the vet was very pleased with his healing progress regardless.
I hope you enjoyed part three of five?? about Floofenstein’s rescue and incorporation into our household. Is there anything in particular you’d like to know about Floofers? Let me know in the comments! I’d love to hear from you.
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