Mietek update

November 12, 2019 • 12:45 pm

A few readers have asked for updates on Mietek, the new kitten adopted by Andrzej the Second and Elzbieta after they found him starving and wounded in a cardboard box outside a church. The jerk who kicked the kitten caused a kind of hernia that required Mietek to have an emergency operation. The operation was pretty much of a success, but he’ll need another operation in a month, which can go along with him being simultaneously castrated (Mietek’s about three months old).

In the meanwhile, Mietek is getting along swimmingly with his brother Leon, and, according to Malgorzata,

Mietek is running and jumping. He got his injections and he has taken over the household, Leon included. The problem is that he should not be jumping and let the muscle heal. E and A don’t have any idea how to slow him down.

The vet has suggested putting a sleeve or a sock over Mietek’s midsection as a kind of truss to hold his innards in until the next operation. Fingers crossed, but things look good.

Here’s a new photo of Mietek with brother Leon. Look how small the kitten is! As Malgorzata added, “He is absolutely tiny. He is smaller at 3 months than Hili was when she came to us – and she was 8 weeks old.”

22 thoughts on “Mietek update

  1. Definitely, a sleeve of some kind. Perhaps a small repurposed elastic bandage for an elbow or knee? It could be cut off when no longer needed. How about fashioning a cat hernia truss, perhaps something adapted from Leon’s kitty harness?

  2. Good to hear! Go Mietek! But not too fast yet.

    Is that picture’s perspective exaggerating the size difference between Mietek and Leon? It is hard to tell but perhaps Leon is much closer to the camera?

  3. Wonderful news! That little cat seems to ge betting the good fortune that he deserves. Please keep us up-dated on his progress, and ask his staff to give hime and Leon a cuddle from me.

    1. Cut the toe-end of the sock, split the sock down the middle, and sew in velcro along the split. Close the split sock over the kitteh, and secure the velcro length-wise. That might work.

      1. Or, just cut a sock toe off, and slip it over the kitty’s head & front legs. If an adult sock is too big, get a kid’s sock.

  4. Please continue with the updates on Mietek. I so hope he will heal in spite of the activity and thanks to Elz. and And. for taking him in. He is so lucky that they discovered him.
    In this household we have 200 claws, toes and fingers crossed for him and wish him the wonderful, happy life he deserves.

  5. A child’s leg warmer would do for a sleeve prosthetic. Just slip it over Mietek’s head and feet.

    One way to slow down this little dynamo is to keep him in a good-sized pet carrier for a few days or a week or so. Litter and food bowls would have to be set up in the cage.

  6. I’m pretty sure this kitty will make it. They are very robust critters. If he’s doing well now, I think surgery will be a breeze.

  7. The vet has suggested putting a sleeve or a sock over Mietek’s midsection as a kind of truss

    The vet is used to dealing with cows and other such hyper-limber beasts? I’m very dubious about that lasting more than a few seconds, unless held in place with crotch and shoulder straps. Which is going to get messy, quickly.
    A length of “tubigrip” with 4x leg holes and held attached with multiple safety pins along the back might work. The first time.
    Getting the catling used to a walking harness (as per Leon – a useful example), then adding a tubigrip extension to that might work – but the arrow of time points in the wrong direction for that.

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