#and Dusty bit a chunk out of his shoulder. But it's the only fight they've ever had and he got prompt vet care for that too. | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

beyondthetemples-ooc · 1 month ago

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I finally got a picture in the right light where I can show off how I know Sisu has the Touch of Velvet (TOV) gene!

So there are a few traits that give it away. The most obvious are the REALLY dark streak of especially thick, silky fur along his back and a little bit over his head. (TOV "veiling" fur has a different texture, it's a bit hard to describe but it's not quite as cottony and plush as the rest of his fur. It's smother, it's shinier, and it's more solidly black than the rest of his mottled-black-and-gray coat.)

Another trait is the black "wash" over his face, which you can't see as well here because he's facing away from the source of light, but he has the "mask" of that same darker, smoother fur on his face than Dusty has. The fur around his face doesn't stand up or poof out the same way Dusty's does.

(It's especially obvious when they've just waken up from a nap! Dusty's face fur gets very poofy when he first wakes up, and Sisu's really only poofs up around his cheeks rather than at the forehead and nose too.)

#Yes he's still underweight but I promise I'm feeding him Critical Care and alfalfa hay and he gets Metacam for his malocclusion.#A few months back he stopped eating and lost an alarming amount of weight. An emergency vet appointment and several xrays #later we found out the root of one of his teeth is overgrown and they said it's not enough to operate.#He's still perky and grooms and cuddles with Dusty and takes dust baths. He's just trying to recover that weight. Takes them awhile.#I found out Dusty was eating most of the ''goop'' I leave for Sisu (the high-calorie nutrient-dense food for him)#so I have to separate them overnight while Sisu eats and they're not happy about that at all. They're super bonded...#but Sisu IS gaining some weight back slowly but surely!#Also the picture makes their cage look small but they're in a 4.5' cage with 2 levels; ramps; platforms; and all sorts of toys I promise.#Also that missing patch of fur on his neck is from a scar where he and Dusty got into an AWFUL redirected-aggression-fueled fight #and Dusty bit a chunk out of his shoulder. But it's the only fight they've ever had and he got prompt vet care for that too.#rhs pet adventures #dusty and sisu

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