Hello again everyone. I am very happy to report that Smokey the Kitten's eye has been completely cured of conjunctivitis, is clear of all discharge, and is completely open. In fact, the same evening that we returned home from the veterinarian clinic the day before yesterday, I began to notice an improvement in his infected eye. From that time until now, I haven't had to clean his eye with boiled water and gauze one single time.
I took a wait and see attitude, and decided that the following morning after our visit to the veterinarian clinic would tell the real tale; because since his eye first became infected with conjunctivitis three weeks ago, I have had to clean it several times a day -- beginning in the morning after he first wakes up -- because it has always been sealed shut by hardened discharge; that is, pus or mucus.
Well, to my relief, yesterday morning, Smokey's eye was still open, and he only had a small amount of hardened discharge in the corner of his eye, similar to when we humans first wake up in the morning. There was no stickiness or fresh discharge anywhere around his eye. I was so happy. I don't know if the AK POLY BAC ointment that the veterinarian gave me just works that fast, or if perhaps when she washed his eyes with saline solution two days ago, it flushed out some unknown and unseen irritant. However, just to play it safe, I went ahead and applied the AK POLY BAC ointment two times yesterday, as per the veterinarian's instructions.
My daughter and I are just so happy and relieved to see Smokey restored to full health again, and to be able to put this episode in his little life behind us. Thank the Lord!
Oh, I almost forgot . . . again . . .
A few days ago, another feline mystery was solved. I had mentioned that I had anticipated that Socks might possibly become confused when I set up a second litter box in the kitchen for sibling kittens Smokey and Bandit, and that I wasn't sure how I would deal with the situation. Well, sure enough, within a day or so of setting up the second litter box, I discovered a pile of litter scattered all over the kitchen floor, and a pit in the kittens' litter box, which obviously had not been dug by either Smokey or Bandit. This went on for a few days, and my assumption was that Socks had indeed become confused by having two litter boxes in the kitchen; but appearances can be deceiving.
Several days ago as I sat on the kitchen floor watching Socks and her kittens, both Smokey and Bandit used their litter box within a few minutes of each other. You may recall that I said that while both kittens are fully litter box trained, they haven't quite figured out yet that they are supposed to cover their mess when they are finished. Apparently, Socks realized this as well; because as soon as each kitten was done, she went over to their litter box and covered up their mess for them . . . and that is what has actually been happening all along.
The fact is that Socks has not been confused whatsoever. She has merely been performing one of her motherly duties, and following her natural instinct to cover an odorous trail from potential predators; at least that is what online sources say regarding why cats cover their messes when they are done. She has continued to do this to this very day, and the litter messes on the floor continue, because the kittens' litter box is not as high as her own litter box, and the litter flies out when she digs.
As I watched Socks cover the messes of both Smokey and Bandit for the first time, it was like a light turning on in my head, and I suddenly realized that in the time that Socks has been doing this, not once have I ever found her feces or clumped urine in the kittens' litter box. This is again clear proof that she has continued to use her own litter box all along.
So another feline mystery has been solved. 
