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 has fully integrated into the clowder.
Last week, I left off at April 1st, Floofenstein’s spa day — his first (at least to our knowledge) professional grooming. This post covers two weeks, through his misadventure and return home.
April 2–14, 2025
Healing
If Floofenstein hadn’t gotten away from me, his healing would have been the big news this week.
By April 2, the wound had closed down to about a half-inch in diameter. With the wound closing so much, I was able to see where the scar tissue had built up. Most of the area that was an open wound when he first joined us will be scar tissue. I don’t know how obvious the hairless area will be. Since he’s long-haired and has a ruff, perhaps it will be camouflaged somewhat.
His wound shrank quickly after that, down to about a quarter inch in diameter by the 8th, about an eighth of an inch by the 11th, and was closed on the 14th. I could tell by the reddened skin that although the wound was closed, the flesh underneath was still healing.
The new skin covering his healed wound was also dry and flaky. He was rubbing up against the edges of things more than usual, so it was probably also itchy.
While I did a basic google search on moisturizers for cat skin, most answers were for basic dandruff. So, I called our vet to see what was best for dry skin as a result of a healing wound. More on that below.
Integrating
Because Floofenstein’s wound was healing so well, we decided to start slowly integrating him into the household.
I started very slowly, only bringing him out of his bathroom while the other cats were sleeping. He met my coworkers and Jim’s via Zoom calls — technology was made for cats, after all.
We also introduced him to “bed pets.” We don’t usually let the cats into our bedroom, but we will bring them in with us sometimes for cuddles, which they have all absolutely adored. Floofers found it equally enjoyable, flopping right down.
To let him meet the rest of the cats, I put a harness on him — he didn’t mind at all — and brought him out on a leash. This would give me a way to hold onto him in case anyone got aggressive. I could pull him away, whether he was the aggressor or one of our other cats was. Thankfully, Floofenstein is very friendly. His go-to approach is to chirp/trill or whine; he clearly wants to be friends.
Athena was curious at this new beasty out with them.
Ritz and Dante were cautious, hissing lightly. It was more the “you stay over there,” hiss, rather than the “I will kill you,” hiss. This all stopped when Floofenstein pounced on Ritz — according to Jim. They haven’t hissed at him since; but they have been more cautious.
Floofers has had dinner out in the dining room with everyone, while on a leash. That also went very well. He adjusted to his harness almost instantly, although he doesn’t like the part where it goes over his head.
He even met a friend of ours who came to visit. He enjoyed getting head pets, then did a little exploring and plopped himself down in one of the hammocks in the window and took a nap. Ritz and Dante were hiding — stranger danger.
Heart-melting moments
And, of course, there were more heart-melting moments. Top of the list was Floofenstein choosing to crawl into my lap. The first time, he only had his upper body on me. The second time, he was a bit nervous, but he settled in happily as soon as his back legs were on me.
We introduced him to catnip spray. He had no complaints.
He also discovered the bedroom mirror, and I managed to get one of the best cat photos ever.
And, last but not least, he proved he is learning indoor manners. I’ve been working on teaching him that nipping and swatting with claws extended are not OK. So, when he does that, I give him a bop on the flat of his head with two fingers, kind of like a cat smacking back. It’s been working wonders.
Well, this particular time, he nipped, abrading my wrist with his fang just enough to draw blood. I bopped him, then showed him my wrist, explaining that humans are delicate because we don’t have fur. His response was to chirp at me, then immediately go hide in his carrier and hang his head. This is not his normal behavior. Usually he pulls back a bit — like a cat will do when another swats at it — then settle down. I think he put himself in time out.
April 14–16, 2025
The Misadventure
As I mentioned above, I called our vet to find out what we could put on his dry, flaky wound skin. I got a call back fairly quickly that some ointment was ready to pick up. Since I had to wait until after work, Jim came with me, and I thought Floofenstein might like a ride and some extra time out of his bathroom. I put him in his harness and denim jacket, hooked on a retractable leash — I’d regret that decision — and we headed out.
I’ve done this any number of times with our other cats. As I mentioned above, he was very good in his harness. What didn’t cross my mind — but absolutely should have — is the difference between being on his leash inside vs outside. Once we were going around the car, something spooked him. I tried my best to keep hold of him.
This is where I rued my decision to use the retractable leash. The regular leash would have been around my wrist or arm, rather than in my hand. It might have changed the outcome. I wasn’t able to keep hold of Floofenstein or his leash, and he took off running, the leash box clattering along behind him, adding to his fear.
The whole thing happened in 30 seconds, tops.
Allow me to pause for a moment to give you an overview of the setting. Floofers ran in the direction of the creek that our street follows along. On either side of the creek are several yards/meters of protected land that grows freely. Most of the neighbors, including us, leave part of their land as wild growth, extending the natural land. While there are, of course, plenty of trees, the predominant vegetation is thorny vines. I’m sorry, I don’t know enough about plants to identify the species.
I followed his trajectory and found his denim jacket, but Floofenstein had quickly disappeared from sight. There wasn’t any obvious sign of him, not a footprint, a piece of harness, or a stuck leash.
While I was looking around the tree line — paying no attention to the fact that I was, technically, trespassing — my neighbor came out of her house and called out to me from her raised deck. I let her know I was looking for my cat who got away from me. That changed her demeanor, and she told me to look wherever I needed and showed me the best way to get to the creek.
After traversing both sides of the creek, I carefully picked my way around the overgrown protected areas. My cuts and scratches will heal; my pants will never quite be the same again; and my shoes needed some serious rinsing and a wash. But for Floofenstein, I pushed aside my fear of bug bites and certain creepy-crawlies.
I must have been out for an hour or so and covered all of the area I could get to. But, there were large patches of dense shrub and bramble that no human could get into. I had a feeling Floofenstein was in one of them, and that terrified me. More than the sadness of losing him, the worry of him getting stuck somewhere overwhelmed me.
I conceded defeat when my feet, soaked with mud and river water, started hurting. The last thing I wanted was to open up a blister or cause skin cracking/peeling with all the muck in my shoes. So, I went home. Every step felt like I was adding weight to my shoulders. By the time I go to my house, I felt like Jacob Marley, overwhelmed by chains of my own making.
I called to Floofenstein on the way home, because even though he didn’t respond to his name, yet, he knew my voice, and perhaps he’d follow me. Jim and I put out the trap that night in case he came home. I also posted online that he was missing in several local forums, just in case anyone saw him.
Tuesday, 4/15
The next morning, someone had finished all of the food in the trap, and even stepped on the lever, but the door had jammed, so no one was waiting for us. I kept an eye on the trap throughout the day around work. At one point, the trap caught a terrified tuxedo cat who took off as soon as we opened the door. I hope no one is trying to trap it, because they’ll have a harder time now. I also called for Floof a few times throughout the day.
After work, I walked around our neighborhood, keeping an eye out for any flash of blue. There’s no way I’d be able to see Floofenstein in all the shadows. I also called for him multiple times on the way back to the house, once again hoping he’d either respond, or follow my voice.
Before bed, I asked my close relatives who have passed on, as well as Sandy and Bumbledore to help bring Floofenstein home.
Wednesday, 4/16
Someone must have heard me, because the next morning, Floofenstein was in the trap — sans harness and leash — calm as can be, waiting for us to bring him inside.
We got him situated back in the bathroom, and I gave him as many cuddles as I could before I had to get ready — it was my “in the office” day. Unfortunately, we discovered he’d torn open a new wound right over his previous wound which had just healed, and he had multiple scratches and small puncture wounds. I’m as certain as I can be that he went right into the thick knot of bramble. But, as guilty as I felt that he was injured again, he was home and safe, and that was the most important part.
I feel it’s worth noting that there’s no doubt he knew what he was doing when he entered the cage this time. He knew it meant that he was coming inside, that he was re-joining our household. He has now chosen us not once, but twice. He’s doubly ours.
I hope you enjoyed part five of six?? about Floofenstein’s rescue and incorporation into our household. Thanks for reading to the end. Make sure to subscribe to my blog or follow me on Instagram so you don’t miss any posts. I generally post at least once a week.
