gwyn | Poor pores

Had to take Orive to the vet today (that's her Engrish name) because she's had these black scabs and patchy skin by her mouth the past couple days. I thought it might be feline acne or miliary dermatitis; turns out it's just the acne, which is good, but we don't know why. The only plastic dish she comes in contact with (that I know of, since she's a scam artist who has managed to get at least one person to feed her) is the water fountain, but we've had that for a couple years and no problems, so both the vet and I think it's probably flea related. After a couple of flea-free years, I found some on her the other day, but it's impossible to control them with flea combing on her because she is so disagreeable about grooming from me. I really hate being bitten and scratched, and it always comes down to a fight with her.

Sometimes it's hard for me to remember when she was such a sweet, mellow, agreeable kitty. Olive has never liked being picked up and cuddled, but she was more amenable before Blues came. I have to give her some antibiotic ointment for the chin spots, which will be... interesting. A lot of times, the only way I can clip her claws is when she's asleep. By the time she's fully awake and starting to hiss and snarl, I've gotten at least four toes done.

I feel sorry for kitties about the acne or dermatitis thing. It doesn't seem to bother them in the least, but it looks painful and they get little blood spots if you wash or pull off the black scabby things. And then they get their chins shaved so they look even sillier. It's so undignified. It gets harder and harder to trick her into letting me catch her so I can put her in the cat carrier. I don't know what I'll be able to do next time -- I know cream won't work, because I did that this morning, and so it will never work again. She's too clever by half, and far too cranky.

But here, have a kitty pic or three.

Miss Olive, warily eyeing me from the safety of the dining chair.