Three years ago, shortly after we got Riley, we found a kitten in our backyard. It was a rainy, stormy night and she was tiny little girl, barely old enough to be weaned. She looked scrawny but was as fiesty as anything. (Probably feral!) But we brought her home and named her Ming ("fate" in Chinese). The first few weeks she was extremely wary of everyone and guarded her food fiercely. But Riley and her developed a bond. The only time I ever heard this kitten purr was when she was on Riley's back. She would curl up and sleep with him, play with him, and share food with him. They essentially grew up together.
Over the past two years, Ming has always been the odd girl out. She never seemed to know where she belonged. And thus, she became our "Minganator." She stopped cuddling with Riley; she would attack MeiMei; she would pee on our clothes; she would carry around our socks; and she would wander around the house at night crying mournful sounds. We have finally eliminated some of what I call her "attention-seeking" or "acting-out" behaviors by crating her at night. I think she actually feels safe having her own little space. Riley and Sabrina sleep in the bedroom with us, Mei-Mei likes the office, and Little Li has always been independent. I think Ming just needed a little more security.
Recently, Ming had a health issue that required medical attention. Monday morning, I let all the furry ones out and they all gathered in the kitchen for breakfast, except Ming. I peeked inside her crate and saw her facing away from me, her back to the crate opening. A red flag immediately went off in my head. Something was definitely wrong.
I took her to the Kind Vet. After listening to the information I could provide them (that's what I love about them. They LISTEN to people) and looking into Ming's mouth, they were able to come up with a diagnosis:
Third Degree Burns on her tongue.
Probably from the pizza pan that came out of the oven while we watched the Patriots/Colts game Sunday night. The vet thinks she just took one big lick and burned her tongue. He said she was suffering from a lot of pain. So while he prepared some medication for her, I talked to her and reassured her that she would be okay. She seemed very calm, unlike her usual growling, biting, hissing self. By the time we got home, she was eating again.
The strangest thing is, Ming has found her way into my lap TWICE since this incident. She has NEVER been a lap cat and has never even like to be held. Each time, she deliberately crawled into my lap and curled up to settle in for a nap. How fascinating is that?! I'm hoping this behavior is here to stay because it's been awfully nice to have our little Ming-a-Ling act like a sweet little girl.
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