A recent video of Kita

[rambosmom]

I just wanted to post a video clip of my sweet girl, Kita. I hope I'm doing this right...

http://s1167.photobucket.com/albums/q636/iluvfurballs/Kita%202011-2012/?action=view&current=672a1f62.mp4

[Jackie in Tampa]

I watched her other videos too!
Will you please remind us of her history..
She looks like she is enjoying her cat tree and acorns!
She's precious...:grouphug
:bowdown
ok, I read on your other thread her eyes just never opened and she's 9 months old.
She does appear content and very loved!
You're awesome for taking on the challange..
she may seem thin, but she looks great.
Keeping the right nutrition will always be key to happiness.
Keep trying the HHBs...and other blocks..
I feed them first thing in the morning when the sqs are hungry and most active.
If she'll drink FV, nothing wrong with that!
I don't know the first thing about Nutrical..
veggie eaters RULE!!!!

[Margie]

I don't know how old the videos are, but Kita doesn't look thin to me. I wouldn't worry about fattening her up. I make squirrel cookies for Stormy Lee. She is about 8 1/2 months old and won't eat any of the blocks including HHBs. She chews on her deer antler and cuttlebone, too. Kita is doing very well. I worry about her running in circles on her cat tree, she may fall off. I know that is her way of running off her excess energy since she can't see. Of course she doesn't know she is blind, since that is the only condition she has ever known. Have you thought about getting one of the enclosed safe wheels for her to run around in?

[stepnstone]

Just saw the video on Kita and now I'm really curious about her eyes, has she been seen by a vet?
My curiously stems from a kitten (now a cat) that I rescued that only had one eye. The other eye was a birth defect where the eye lid never developed properly (at the slit) to open but there was an eyeball behind the lid. He had surgery to open and form the lid and his eye is fine with the exception it's smaller in proportion to his other eye but he sees normally out of it. The other part of the birth defect is he does not have a tear duct in that eye which is not a major problem.

[rambosmom]

Margie - I did purchase an enclosed wheel for her (all plastic and tail-safe) but she never has gotten the hang of running in it. It has, basically, turned into a place to hide her treats. lol Stepinstone - Kita has not been to a vet so far since she is, basically, doing quite well. I am curious too of course as to whether there are any eyes present in the sockets. If there are, they would be very undersized and perhaps without sight. She is such a cutie, loves to play, forages around through the house looking for hidden nuts. So cute! I just love her!

[stepnstone]

{cut}Kita has not been to a vet so far since she is, basically, doing quite well. I am curious too of course as to whether there are any eyes present in the sockets. If there are, they would be very undersized and perhaps without sight. She is such a cutie, loves to play, forages around through the house looking for hidden nuts. So cute! I just love her!

Interesting... Although "undersized" as with my Rugar's eye, it don't necessary mean they are without sight or even that the sight has been effected. According to his vet, he has perfect vision in that eye and I've seen no cause to believe otherwise. I'll try to find a picture (or take another one) so you can see how much smaller his one eye is compared to the "normal" one.

[rambosmom]

Thanks, everyone, for your interest in my Kita. I'm beginning to think even more now about taking her to a vet to have her checked out. Like I said, though, her 'eye slits' are small, never even showed any sign of opening, are are flat to her head (not sunken or rounded)...just flat. I'll keep everyone posted.

:thankyou

[stepnstone]

Thanks, everyone, for your interest in my Kita. I'm beginning to think even more now about taking her to a vet to have her checked out. Like I said, though, her 'eye slits' are small, never even showed any sign of opening, are are flat to her head (not sunken or rounded)...just flat. I'll keep everyone posted.
:thankyou

If you do decide to have her examined although I don't know where you are in comparison to our other Fla. members, I know they have some established "squirrel" veterinarians there that come highly recommended.
As for Rugar, it's been about 13 years ago but I'd have to believe it was established he had an eyeball behind the lid before any surgery was preformed.
The picture of course is of my Rugar, he and siblings were found on a deserted back road in Pa. They had been thrown out on the side of the road in a beer box, my veterinarian said they were approximately five weeks old at that time.

[rambosmom]

I am so sorry that I am just now getting back on TSB and seeing your post. I have been going through a very heartbreaking time with my dear Jazzy (my kitty cat) who was recently diagnosed with kidney failure. Also, some other family problems have been (and still are) being dealt with. Ruger is beautiful! How lucky he is that he ultimately gained the gift of sight. :thumbsup Due to the appearance of Kita's eyelids, I would be very surprised if she has functional eyeballs (if any are present). When things settle down around here, I will likely look into it. I'll keep everyone posted. Thanks for the post and the pic of your baby. He's a lucky boy!

:grouphug

[Jackie in Tampa]

as requested by my vet, I forwarded kitas pics...
hoping she will give us a guess, idea or hopefully want to see her!:thumbsup
no matter the outcome, She looks happy & healthy, and I can feel the love you have for her.
I am so sorry about your kitty, I understand the need to be with Jazzy right now:grouphug

[rygel1hardt]

First your Kita is beautiful and seems to have adapted well to her situation. Since she has been blind from birth her other senses have become hightened obviously. I love her cat tree playground and from the videos it is plain to everyone that she is very loved and right where she belongs! Since her eyes dont seem to be weeping or bothering her I dont know that I would do anything drastic. I might want to know what is behind those lids but not at the expense of opening them, possibly exposing them to future infection. At most if she is having no problems I would want to see clear X rays just to know what is in there but nothing more. I fully realize that this is just my opinion and others may differ but the decisions for her are ultimately yours and I know they will be made with her best interest at heart. A good friend of mine has a male that is very similair to Kita and he too does just fine because he has never known anything but his current situation. Oh and about her weight she looks just fine to me, and I am certain you are making sure she eats the right diet. Thank you for sharing your sweet girl with us! Stacey

[Jackie in Tampa]

:goodpost exactly the way I feel, and rambosmom too I think...
she is one well loved happy sq!
just having a vets opinion would be comforting..
I hope someday to meet her...she has to be one specail sweet sq!:Love_Icon


First your Kita is beautiful and seems to have adapted well to her situation. Since she has been blind from birth her other senses have become hightened obviously. I love her cat tree playground and from the videos it is plain to everyone that she is very loved and right where she belongs! Since her eyes dont seem to be weeping or bothering her I dont know that I would do anything drastic. I might want to know what is behind those lids but not at the expense of opening them, possibly exposing them to future infection. At most if she is having no problems I would want to see clear X rays just to know what is in there but nothing more. I fully realize that this is just my opinion and others may differ but the decisions for her are ultimately yours and I know they will be made with her best interest at heart. A good friend of mine has a male that is very similair to Kita and he too does just fine because he has never known anything but his current situation. Oh and about her weight she looks just fine to me, and I am certain you are making sure she eats the right diet. Thank you for sharing your sweet girl with us! Stacey

[rambosmom]

Kita is definitely a happy little camper...she is active, feisty, enjoys the freedom of 'running rampant' as I like to say, and seems comfortable with her surroundings and situation. Her eyes do not weep or cause her irritation. And, yes, the little bugger is very much loved and a part of the family. She is quite small compared to other squirrels her age so, even if she did have eyes and sight, I do not feel she is releasable. I wish I could get her to sit still on a gram scale long enough to get a reading but she's pretty much perpetual motion!

As for my dear Jazzy, I had to 'let her go' last Thursday. She had stopped eating, was not responding very well to IV fluids, and her creatinine and BUN levels continued to rise. It all seemed to happen so fast with her. When I awoke Thursday morning and found her breathing to be labored and my angel in obvious rapid decline, I knew I had to end her suffering. I stayed with her, held her, stroked her, talked to her, and rocked her in my arms after a peaceful exit. My heart is broken. Yesterday, I picked up her ashes from the vet's office.

Thank you, everyone, for taking an interest in my babies. It's just such a blessing to have the support, suggestions and guidance of fellow animal lovers.

:thankyou :grouphug

[stepnstone]

I'm so sorry to hear about your kitty Jazzy, unfortunately kidney failure is fast and progressive. You did a very loving and unselfish thing to release her suffering and help her on her journey. :grouphug

[rygel1hardt]

QUOTE- I wish I could get her to sit still on a gram scale long enough to get a reading but she's pretty much perpetual motion!

I get my squirrels to hold still on the scale by gently setting them on it and handing them half a pecan. Most will sit right up and eat it giving you a chance to read the scale. I do it from an early age so they just get used to it. Now if I could just find a trick for bunnies and possies. lol

Im so sorry about your kitty but you did what was best for her which just proves Kita is in the right place. Stacey