April 15 has come upon us once again, a time that can leave some of us feeling a bit sick over all those tax preparations! Bandit was probably not too worried about filing by the deadline, but unfortunately, the past month has been so “taxing” for the little guy that he too has gotten sick, leaving him “dependent” on the caring Tabby’s Place staff to nurse him back to health at the in-house hospital.
One not-quite-spring day I found Bandit and Onyx there, along with temporary new roomies Gabby and Sardi. Onyx, who suffered from the same bug that bit Bandit (causing diarrhea and vomiting), was ever so interested in Sardi, who purred nonstop, even when I was nowhere near her!
Gabby joined in with a steady chorus of meows; this must’ve been a big change for our boys, who are used to the decidedly less vocal Francis and Sneakers.
Though Bandit was clearly not feeling too well, he was still super-snuggly and sweet, purring when he got a chance to stroll around the room and receive some petting. As if he had some sort of homing device for comfort, he went straight to a stepladder on which towels were sitting and settled right on top of them. In this picture, you can see him meowing his delight right before he nestles in.
(What you can’t see in the picture is Bandit’s chin acne, which he got a bad case of this month. Tabby’s Place staff took care of this by cleansing his chin daily. Of course, you can see that he’s still devastatingly cute even in the midst of breakouts — no airbrushing required!).
Not long after, I was thrilled to look through the window into Adoption Room 3 and see none other than Bandit looking right back at me! Poor Onyx was still sick and had to remain in the hospital for treatment and testing; my entrance seemed strangely quiet without his effusive greetings.
Nonetheless, it was great to see Bandit feeling better, and though he looked a bit weak, he came bounding off the couch for cuddles. Sneakers, who had been dozing off in a cat bed, rose immediately and bequeathed the bed to Bandit, as if he knew his friend needed a little extra TLC.
Of course, this is Bandit we’re talking about, so when I took out a toy, the bed (and any thought of a quick catnap) was quickly left behind. Even shy Jan crept out to play!
Bandit batted the toy mouse around the room with his nose, and then, with a little meow, hopped back into bed to rest up and renew his strength.
Luckily, that strength has kept up even with this recent virus; Bandit’s weight is steady at 9.5 pounds, and because his complete blood count is remaining stable, he is able to continue his chemotherapy regimen.
Healthwise, Bandit’s had his ups and downs lately, but with your support and love, he’s sure to bounce back as best he can. Please keep the warm wishes and visits “income”-ing!