President's Day

I am off today for President's Day, but did we sleep late? No, we didn't but it was not on account of the cats (for a change). When I got up Sakaura was sitting in the middle of the kitchen where she has a good view of my bedroom, patiently waiting for signs of life. The minute I walked into the hallway, she was purring and rubbing against my legs.

I turned on the light in the kitchen and then peered into the living room and saw some big eyes staring back at me from the sofa. Snoopy had slept on the sofa again last night. She'd not voluntarily come out there, but she had stayed put and, I suppose, Sakaura must have slept under the table most of the night. Whatever - they were quiet!

I fixed the food and then had to offer Snoopy "police escort" in order for her to walk from the living room down the hall into her "dining room" (the bathroom). But we made it with no confrontations.

Later, I noticed Sakaura heading downstairs, and, since I suspected Snoopy was down there, I followed her down. Late yesterday we'd taken away the "regular" litter box and only left the seed litter box, so I was interested in seeing her reaction. She was most puzzled and sat and sniffed for some time before she jumped in and I heard loud scratching. I left and came back upstairs. A few minutes later, I heard this scream and Sakaura ran past me like a bat out of hell. Snoopy must have been down there.

So I went back and there she was - inside one of those kitty condo things that was strategically placed right outside the area where the litter box resides. I imagine when Sakaura walked by her she growled, and Miss Chicken took off running. Never a dull moment!


Yesterday when we left to go shopping, Sakaura's beau was sitting on top of Don's car. He did not want to budge - enjoying the warm sunshine from a high and dry vantage point. Don had to lift him off, since even starting the car and slowly moving in reverse did not even phase him. Poor kitty - he is all full of matts and hair balls.

But I do not need any more cats! I vacuumed with my Dyson Animal yesterday and was amazed at the amount of extra fur an extra cat produced.

Why am I up so early?

Don left a box and the packing material from a scale we purchased out in the hall last night, and at 5:30 Sakaura decided she needed to start wrestling with it. After several attempts to stop the racket and get back to sleep, we just got up.

Last night after dinner, Don brought Snoopy into the living area and put her on the sofa. She had to sniff the blanket Sakaura had made her own for about 10 minutes before she finally settled down to rest sit there. The two cats did manage to stay in the same general area with no fur flying, and when we went to bed Snoopy was still there on the sofa, with Sakaura under the dining room table.

After all the hubbub this morning, I turned on the lights in the living room and Snoopy was sitting on the sofa peering around the corner trying to see what all the noise was about. She immediately made her way to the spare bedroom to go under the bed until she realized I was getting out food for breakfast.

So that is sort of a bit of good progress. They've both eaten their fill, and Sakaura is again under the dining room table, and Snoopy's gone downstairs and Don says she's "sleeping on her own private futon".

Bed Buddy

Surprisingly enough, Sakaura has become my bed buddy again. Even after I treated her ears yesterday with the ear mite medication.

Last night when we turned off the tv and rolled over to go to sleep, we heard the screeching and screaming coming from the spare bedroom - or as it's more commonly called "the cat's bedroom". Snoopy had started the night sleeping on top of the bed instead of under it. So the Tiny Terror must have attempted to get into the bed with her.

I flipped on the lights and caught Snoopy all puffed up and growling at a cowering Sakaura who was making her escape. It's funny how brave she was until Snoopy stood her ground. Maybe this is how we will make progress.

So she may have come to sleep with me to keep her safe from the big bad Fat Kitty.

There is only one common ground for these two - food! No matter where they are hiding the magical sound of the pop top being pulled brings them both running and purring! Of course the come to a dead stop before actually meeting, but they are almost congenial at this point.

Tiny little wails

Snowy, icy day and I am working from home. Sakaura is sleeping on the sofa next to the love seat where I have my laptop set up.

From time to time she lets out these little meows - almost like wails. I am not sure what they mean. Is she dreaming - bad dreams? Or does she have some sort of pain somewhere?

She's not digging in her ears any more, but I think it's time for another few drops to make sure those mites are all dead and gone. She won't like that at all.

Just when we make a bit of progress we lose ground. I'm waiting for Don to finish his lunch so he can hold her while I "torture her". Poor baby.

She wants to play so bad

But Snoopy will have none of it. Don and I try to play with Sakaura, but she really really wants to romp and wrestle with old lady Snoopy.

She's taken to eating the Fancy Feast now so that is progress in that area. She still likes to cry and beg for food every time we go into the kitchen.

She's letting out these little cries when she sleeps sometimes and I am wondering if perhaps I need to put more drops in her ears. Not a pleasant thought, at all!

We have wretched weather forecast for the overnight and early morning. If things do not improve, I am likely to work from home tomorrow and I will attempt to get a peek in those ears then, if I don't feel brave enough tonight.

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Monday Madness

Sakaura was feeling her oats this morning for sure. Running from room to room - jumping at imaginary "bugs", chasing her tail - typical young cat stuff, but strange to the house of geriatric cats.

She was all about chasing Snoopy, who attempted to come out from under the bed for some treats. I gave her the treats, but once Tiny Terror realized that she was not hiding she had to run in and scare her back into the dark underworld again.

It was bitterly cold this morning, and lots of wind, making strange noises outside. I'm thinking this is what got Sakaura all riled up.

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Two weeks and two days later...

We have a miracle here! Okay I am not waiting for it to last long but they are actually sleeping together in Don's basement cave office.

Don came upstairs to alert me and we tiptoed down so I could actually see them sleeping together.

And it didn't last long because "Sporky" as Don now calls Sakaura just came back upstairs. I don't see any missing fur and no blood, and we didn't hear any screeches or screams, so she made a graceful departure. Are we getting there?

What's in a name?

Esme or Esmé is a name (usually a first or given name) which may or may not be spelt with an accent on the e. Although more commonly a feminine name there are examples of male Esmes.

The name possibly means "esteemed" or "loved" in Old French. Possibly originating from French root word 'aime' meaning like or love (as in j’aime). Esme, could also originate from Esmeralda meaning "emerald" in Spanish. In 'The Hunchback of Notre Dame' by Victor Hugo, Esmeralda is the Gypsy girl loved by Quasimodo.

So the boys at Devereux School thought that Esmé was not an appropriate name and changed her name to Sakaura.

Sakura or Cherry Blossom (Japanese kanji and Chinese character: 桜 or 櫻; katakana: サクラ; hiragana: さくら) is the Japanese name for ornamental cherry trees, Prunus serrulata, and their blossoms.

I have a feeling that the veterinary records of this cat started when she was first taken in by the animal rescue officer and her estimated date of birth is 01-01-04, making her 4 years old instead of the 2 years old we were first told. She's still a kid, as her behavior prooves. So we did get the records and she has all her vaccinations, etc. up to date until the end of May.

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Up too early on Saturday

Yesterday when Don was getting garbage together Sakaura got into a box we'd brought stuff home from BJ's in. It's almost tempting to leave her in the box and toss her in the trash!

She was on the prowl again in the middle of the night...just enough to wake me and cause me to lie awake for hours afterward. Finally, I just gave up and got up for the day. The beauty of a Saturday is that if I need a nap, I can always take one later.

I got the toxic plants out of her reach, so let's see if she decides she wants to eat some of the other varieties. She's such a picky eater that it amazes me she wants to try to eat the green stuff.

Snoopy has positioned herself on the futon in Don's basement office. Sakaura went downstairs and walked all around but never spotted Snoopy, although Snoopy was well aware that her nemisis was roaming around. As long as these two stay out of each other's way, I hope we can have a peaceful weekend.

I was able to speak to the woman at the shelter about getting Sakaura's medical records. They are supposed to be "in the mail". Hopefully, we won't see that's she's been a patient in a cat insane asylum!

Fighting again!

So I bragged about the Aromacat Cat Nap and tonight when I got home from work the cats had their biggest squabble yet. It was way more than a squabble - there was screaming and clawing and I'm sure fur flying. I was trying to listen to my voice mail, and Sakaura took advantage of me not being there to "referee".


She is so devious! I don't know what to do except just hope that Snoopy does not get badly hurt since she has been declawed and is at a great disadvantage in these fights.

I hate the fact that she has taken to hiding under the bed most of the time. But I can't blame her with Big Meany waiting to pounce on her when she sticks her head out.

All the plants have been removed. Sakaura seems to be over her little tummy upset. I'm sure she will find something to get into overnight though. Last night she overturned a wastebasket. CALGON take me away. This is like having a toddler around.

Eating Plants!!

So the latest from the battlezone includes a nasty habit of eating plants! Rusty ate plants so I was always watchful. Snoopy's only ever been interested in silk plants so I have some plants in the house now that I've really not been very mindful of whether or not they were edible.

Yesterday Sakaura had a bit of diarrhea and this morning I woke to a little pile of fern leaves thrown up on the floor right near my spot on the sofa. So I moved the Boston fern, and today did a bit of research on poisonous vs. nonpoisonous plants.

I found this list that indicates that the fern is non-toxic but eating it could cause those symptoms. However, I did find a list of toxic plants that was most revealing and I will need to really make an effort to keep this cat away from some of the plants I now have. I brought an English ivy in trying to save it through the winter - and it is on the toxic list, as is my Peace Lily and my Aloe Vera.

I sent Don an email to move the ivy plant outdoors - the Aloe Vera is out of reach unless she does some climbing but I'll move it to a better place when I get home. I've not noticed her trying to nibble on the peace lily, but without her fern to graze on , it might be next.

Now I will worry all day that she's going to eat something that will really make her ill.

Sakaura - what a challenge you are!

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Aromatherapy?

Last night I stopped into Pet Barn near my house. It's a local store, not one of the big box chains. They have mostly organic foods, so I thought perhaps they might have the spray bottle of Feliway that I wanted to try along with the electronic diffuser I got at Petco. I looked all around and could not spot it, so I waited for the clerk behind the counter.

She did not have Feliway, but did have an assortment of "natural and holistic" remedies made locally, which I found interesting. I purchased a bottle of spray called "Cat Nap" which was basically made from chamomile and lavender. It has a nice scent, and I do think it may be helping.

Okay so the cats are not best buddies BUT there was no screeching, hissing, growling, etc. last night or this morning.

And the lady also gave me a bag of "organic catnip" that is being distributed by the owner of the Pet Store. I offered some to both Snoopy and Sakaura. Snoopy had no use for it, but Sakaura began to EAT it. I did some research online and apparently some cats will eat catnip, and also found that not all cats respond to catnip. It's a genetic thing. Who knew?

AND I just discovered another product that I may order from Cat Faeries. It is called Multi Cat Household Harmony. This could become a new obsession ... trading purses for cat home remedies.

I took new pictures this morning but time got away from me and I had to clean snow off my car which took up some extra time so I didn't get any uploaded. Will do that later today.

How did she do it?

How can a stranger cat come into your house and totally wrap you around her scratchy nailed paws?

• I need to be treating her for the ear mites but I can't stand to see her shaking her head and running and then hiding from us.

• I need for her to stop being like Attila the Hun and let poor timid Snoopy come back into the living area and spend time like she did before. But I can't lock her in the bathroom.

• I need for her to eat what I give her and not look at it and then follow me around crying for her beloved (smelly!) Purrfectly Fi$h.

But what I need is being overshadowed by her cuteness - this is one adorable cat and she knows it and I am sure she secretly basks in her success of making a fool of me.

I think the aroma therapy may be working on Snoopy - but not on Sakaura. But I'll not give up. There must be a way to tame her enough for Snoopy to rejoin the family again. If not, I will be on a huge guilt trip.

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3 o'clock in the morning?

That is when the scream came from the kitchen - I suppose the two cats crossed paths and Sakaura screamed - Snoopy growled (and ran and hid). So I tried to get back to sleep. Surely they will realize it is the middle of the night, right? Wrong. Sakaura walks across the dresser by my bed, knocking stuff around and then comes and sits and stares at me, purring LOUDLY. That won't work? How about jumping into the bed and walking around? Still not getting me up, cat!

Within the next hour, I hear all sorts of noises of destruction, causing me to get up to see what the heck was going on. Sakaura had managed to get into my hall closet/pantry and was nosing around, likely climbing! Anyway, once I was up, there was no way I'd ever get back to sleep, so I started the coffee.

I discovered that the dry cat food bowl was totally empty so that is the reason for the nocturnal prowling and yowling - must make a note to make sure there is always food in there. Sakaura is a grazer, and I guess she was just hungry.

It will be a LONG day here - yawn!

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Mad Kitty!

Miss Sakaura hates to have medicine put in her ears. She goes totally crazy wild. And then she goes and hides.

This makes me very sad. Last night was the first night since we brought her home that she did not spend the night at my feet.

If only she knew that we are trying to make her feel better.

The medicine says apply every two days so today is a day off. But I dread the thought of having to submit her to the "torture" again tomorrow.

On the other hand, we put a diffuser in Snoopy's room that will hopefully cut down on the cat confrontations. Jury is still out on that.

Ear Mites, ugh!

Is this gross or what? I've noticed Sakaura letting out little meows at times like she had a sharp pain and yesterday I saw her scratching her ears madly. A quick inspection confirmed what I thought - she has ear mites.

Snoopy brought ear mites into our house when we first got her at the pet store. I know it is common among cats and highly contagious, so probably the other cats at the shelter are infected. I'm wondering if I should call or if they know this and just failed to mention it?

Anyway some Googling for remedies led me to run to CVS to pick up a little ear washing bulb and some mineral oil. First application last night was not welcomed by Miss Priss. In fact, I got a nasty scratch from the deal.

Today I will try to clean her ears again and we may go up to Petco to see if the over-the-counter remedy looks promising. Otherwise, it's off to Dr. K a bit earlier than we'd planned.

We wanted to have her veterinary records to bring to our vet, but we don't have those yet. I may have to get Don to call the shelter folks tomorrow to remind them we are still waiting for those, and at that time he could tell them about the ear mites.

I've checked Snoopy's ears and don't see a problem, but I may put some drops in her ears as a precaution.

Oh the joys of bringing a new cat into the household.

Quiet Saturday . . . shhhhh

Don't tell the cats but they slipped up this morning and didn't wake us! Of course, after the early bedtime due to yesterday's "alarm clock event" we woke way early on our own.

Sakaura is getting braver and braver. Today she was in Snoopy's "room" - which should be off limits to her - but that's hard. We have a really open living arrangement here that is not easy to isolate these cats from each other.

Again, I am hoping that they will either learn to like each other, or, if not, tolerate each other and STOP the growling!

The mission for today will be to try to find some sort of replacement for Sakaura's Purrfectly Fish - too pricey and she is going to learn that if she can't eat something a bit more thrifty, she'll just eat dry cat food. She is certainly prone to spoiling!

She's a strange one - and now only drinks from a decorative fountain that I have on my hearth to humidify the air for the Boston fern I am trying to keep over this winter.

And she's a sap for catnip. Rusty loved catnip, too. She has a lot of his characteristics, but she has coloring like our Pepper. BUT she has a personality of her own. She really does think she is the cat's meow!

Cat alarm clocks!

So just when we got them together with little or no fanfare, it all falls apart again. Last night they slept on their separate spots in the living room until it was bedtime and then Sakaura took her spot in the bed right at my feet. Snoopy sleeps in "her bedroom", but normally comes out into the hallway around 3 or so to wait for us to get up.

At about 4:15 there came the most God awful screams and screeches as Sakaura decided that she did not like Snoopy laying in that spot and she chased her back into the bedroom. There was no point at that hour for us to try to get back to sleep, so up we got, and today it was all about yawning.

I did come home early since we had some icy rain falling. Right now Snoopy is downstairs with Don and Sakaura is asleep on the sofa. She's already come into the kitchen when I was putting on some rice for dinner and begged to be fed. I swear she'd eat round the clock if allowed. Except she just likes to nibble. I think she just likes the attention of getting new food, not the actual consumption of if. She is a strange little cat.

I just need a break

Sometimes writing here is a little break from my hectic routine.

There is nothing really worth noting on the cat front. The girls are still avoiding direct contact, but they are not quite as vocal, and seem to have settled into some what routine habits again.

Sakaura is a chow-hound, but she is extremely picky - for a shelter cat! She won't eat just any canned cat food - she has a couple that she likes and, of course, they are the most expensive ones. I am trying to get her to eat plain old Fancy Feast - not that it's cheap, but it is cheaper than her picks. So I give her one spoonful of FF and she usually ignores it, but this morning, she ate it, so that is some progress.

She does nibble on dried food, but every time we walk into the kitchen she is bad to beg to be fed something special. Yesterday, Don caved and fed her an entire pouch of Whiskas Purrfectly Fish Tuna Entree. Her other preferred food is Fancy Feast Elegant Medleys

One step forward, two steps back

Will be back later to update this entry. Let's just say that just when I feel we are over the hump, we have a setback. Nothing serious, just a surprise encounter that scared both cats silly.

I don't think Don understands that we must let these cats make their own peace and not try to force it. This morning he picked SI (Snoopy) up and put her on the sofa and SII (Sakaura) was under the coffee table. SI jumped off the sofa right into the waiting face of SII and all hell broke loose. Screams of terror right under my feet as I drank my first cup of coffee. Not a good scene at all.

Before I left for work I was able to coax SII out from under the coffee table with treats and this allowed SI to sneak past her and down the stairs.

It is just going to take time and a hands off attitude. We can manage that (I think).

Devil or Angel?

Our little angel must be feeling quite at home. Last night, after sleeping peacefully at our feet for a few hours, she began to jump in and out of bed, running over our heads, making meowing noises, and God knows what trouble she got into when she was roaming around the house.

When we got up, both Sakaura and Snoopy were sitting in the hallway - waiting to eat. Again, separate feeding spots - separate kind of food. Sakaura is still very much afraid of Snoopy's growls!

We are just leaving them alone. But Don emailed me that they had an encounter in the litter box area and Sakaura ran back upstairs. So he had to wait until the big bad Snoopy was done and go and retrieve the fraidy cat, hoping she had not made alternate litter box arrangements.

Why can't we all be friends?

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Progress report

I think there is slight improvement in cat relations.
Sakaura slept in the bed, but Snoopy slept in the same bedroom - that's unusual! They also had some brief encounters this morning where they were just a few feet apart, and there was the requisite growling and hissing, but not slaps or swats.

I believe that Snoopy realizes that Sakaura is a permanent addition - even if she is not pleased with that decision.

I am still hoping to find them cuddled up together one day - but for now I'd take just an end to the growls!

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Suitors!

It didn't take long! The yellow toms are visiting!

The first one to make an appearance is a large double-pawed shorthair. He kept his distance, and she was most upset that he seemed to have breached "her turf".

The second to visit was our scroungy old Moocher II. He stuck his nose right up at the window and she returned the favor. Too cute!

I think she finds it strange that after living in a big group of cats for a while she is now stuck in a home with one grouchy cat, and all these more friendly looking characters are on the other side of the glass.

Day Two with Two Cats

We are still in the hiss/growl mode this morning. But no big fights that we have heard. Sakaura spent another night in bed, Snoopy in her tent.

When we got up both of them were up - Snoopy was sitting in the hall in her usual spot and Sakaura came slinking out of our living area.

We fed Snoopy some of her favorite Fancy Feast - Savory Salmon. I saved Sakaura a tablespoonful of that but she didn't want it. Later Snoopy came back into the kitchen and polished that off, too.

We're back to feeding Snoopy in the bathroom. She's eaten there for the past 4-5 years and it is her "safe spot".

So now Sakaura is back in the bed. Snoopy is back in the tent. I'd like to think we've made a bit of progress, but time will tell.

Good morning!

Good morning!

What a different cat this is. Early last night she came out from under the bed and got into the bed. She slept between us all night. Well not all night, she did get up and down a couple of times, but she is not of the thundering weight that Snoopy is, so her movements are not so noticeable (or room shaking).

She is very friendly, and is exploring and making herself right at home. Snoopy, on the other hand, is being very protective of her turf. They have had a couple of encounters.

Snoopy sat in the hallway staring her down. She did, however, eat her food in her bowl in the bathroom, and surprisingly enough came into the kitchen and nibbled on Sakaura's leftovers. Don made the mistake of bringing Snoopy into the living room with him and when Sakaura approached, she began to hyperventilate and gasp for air - very over-excited. So I've told him to be very careful and not force any enounters between the two. I do believe that sooner or later they will accept each other and, hopefully, become friends.

Sakuara can also do a good stare, so here is a picture of her crouching and watching Snoopy from a distance.

We really should have been more prepared, but I didn't think we'd bring the cat home yesterday, so we were not and their meeting was rather abrupt. I am hoping that getting off to a bad foot will not make a difference. I so want them to be buddies.

Cat Wars

Yesterday Snoopy was sitting innocently on the sofa not knowing that her evil "parents" were plotting to bring a rival into her happy home. Now that the deed is done, I feel really bad.

We picked up Sakaura this afternoon, and arrived home right at Snoopy's dinnertime. She's been such a chowhound of late - but she refused to eat. She's not at all happy about this turn of events. But then neither is Sakaura.

Sakaura has hidden under our bed, I'm not sure where Snoopy is hiding at this point. Snoopy did come out long enough to eat a partial can of Fancy Feast. She's been woofing an entire can down and begging for more. Hope this is just temporary.

They are similar but very different. Sakaura (I can tell that name is not going to stick too long ... I am thinking of a nickname already - maybe Saki. Anyway, Sakaura is a small cat, much smaller than Snoopy. She's soft and she seems to have a sweet personality. She has a LOUD mouth and protested being put in the cat carrier and riding in the car. I was able to hold her in my arms for most of the trip - she was calm and sat there letting me stroke her.

Hope she comes out of hiding soon!

Busy signal (thank goodness, I think)

I did the unthinkable earlier today. I made an email inquiry about this cat. There is little info about her - just this.

Sakaura is a ragdoll cat about two years old. She is very sweet.

So I wrote asking if she'd do well with another cat, etc. I got an instant reply with a phone number to call.

So I waited and waited and just now I went into my boss's office (because I didn't want eavesdroppers to be listening in), and called. And got this message "the extension you are calling is busy. If you want to leave a message stay one the line." I took this as a sign and hung up immediately.

I am not sure if I will call again or not. But she is a very pretty kitty. And Rutland is well within driving range for a weekend visit IF that is possible.

Haircut?

Snoopy's really trying her best to groom herself, but she has these big old mats on her back that need to be cut out. We normally bring her in to the vet, where they sedate her and give her a "lion's cut". It is so cold, but she would likely feel so much better if she didn't have those mats to deal with.

I believe she is recovered well enough to get the haircut, and have her teeth cleaned, too. We normally have had that done while she is under the anesthesia for the cut.

Last night I tried to comb her while she was gobbling her food down, but she would have none of that. And I don't want to get her back into her "hiding"mode again, so I guess it will be off to the vet soon.

Washing cat litter

What a novel experience. Actually the litter is safflower seeds and they washed very well. Now they are spread out to dry. We cleaned the litterbox, and put some new seeds in. I can not believe how wonderful the new litter system is.

Snoopy is still quite taken with the little cat tent. She slept in that last night and was back inside this morning after she woofed down her breakfast.

We are coasting along here - sort of waiting for the other shoe to drop. But perhaps this "honeymoon stage" will last a long time.

Hideaway

Today we were clearing some stuff in our storage room and I found a cat tent we'd stored away there several years ago. Cats tire of things and we often would recycle toys, and beds, etc. and bring them out when we thought they might have forgotten about them.

Snoopy was never one to show any interest in these things at all, but she's changed, so I brought the tent upstairs. I put a couple of cat treats in it and she stuck her head in to get those to eat. A few minutes later I caught her napping in the tent.

She's certainly changed many of her habits. But not in an unpleasant way.

Blue eyes

She does have blue eyes. I finally got a picture without the evil yellow glow! She also has vision problems. The doctor at the hospital said she had spotted some "lipid droplets" in her eyes, that were an indication of high triglycerieds or diabetes. Her triglycerides dropped, and her diabetes seems to be gone. BUT I can still see that she has trouble seeing. If they could only talk! She is not blind though, and as far as I know there are no cats who wear glasses! LOL

People Food For Cats

Stumbled on a new "gourmet cat food" that we had to offer to Miss Picky Eater, and she loves it. It is quite expensive though, so she will not get a regular diet of Petite Cuisine Gourmet Cat Food. True to it's hype though, it does not have a raunchy smell, which made me wonder if Miss Picky Eater would even try it. But she loved it.

Their website is offering a "Free Sample" BUT you have to pay $5.00 shipping. You can buy 6 cans in the store for that $5. Of course, if you could not find it and wanted to try it, perhaps - still a bit steep for something that is "free".

The best litterbox

Or so it's advertised. It's called the Smart Cat Box and it is really one of the best we've used. We ordered a new supply of safflower seeds and an extra urine collection box and it arrived last night. This weekend I want to attempt to clean the current "litter" though because according to the directions, it should last a month or more.

It will be easier to wash "cat litter" in the warmer months - I'm not sure how we will fare using the bathtub. But I do want to try.

Snoopy accepted this litter box immediately, and it's amazingly easy to keep clean and it does not smell.

Another thing that I read on the Smart Cat Box site is

Clumping litters typically contain sodium bentonite which can be toxic to cats, causing muscle weakness and lethargy.

This could be another reason Snoopy is more agile and awake these days. Food for thought.

Too much time

I caught up a bit today and I've spent some time (too much time) surfin' on Petfinder.com and there are way too many adoptable cats right in my neighborhood. I'd be really afraid to walk into one of those shelters.

I must have looked at this boy at least a dozen times and I wonder if he's still there. He is a "special needs" cat though and on a special diet and while I'd love to help him, I think I need a "healthy" cat for my sick ones companion.

It is safe to look at cats on the computer screen. For now I will avoid actually walking into one of these shelters because I know I can not leave empty handed.

Update on Snoopy is still the same. She is doing very well. Eating, sleeping, and all that - oh yes, and purring ... a LOT!

Bird TV

Today Miss Cat is busy - she is watching Bird TV. With all the new snow the birds are dive bombing the feeder and when they leave the trees they cause mini-avalanches. It is most entertaining today for a Curious Cat. I am happy that she has decided to enjoy such things as birds and squirrels and the occasional feline visitor that peers in the door. Or the dive-bombing bird that actually crashes into the glass door (as just happened!)

She won't set one foot outside the door though. We could leave the slider wide open and she'd just sit there - she's the consummate indoor pet. Once we were bringing her back from the vet and Don opened the cat carrier in the yard, thinking she'd run right in the house. But she fooled him and ran under the deck. I thought we'd never get her out - and when she did come out she was filthy and covered with spider webs! So I'm just as happy that she prefers the indoors.

Cat in a basket

What is it about being inside something - preferably a plastic basket of some sort? She loves it. She likes to "ride" in her basket. As for the plastic laundry basket, she loves to have it turned upside down on top of her, encasing her in a little plastic jail. This is a strange cat.

She's doing well though. It's obvious she feels much better. She's not running through the house playing by any means, but she's not slinking around hiding under furniture and she seems to love to have all the attention. Who knew?

It's not always "all about ME", Snoopy

He's back! This is no stray, but an outdoor cat that my neighbor recently confessed to be feeding. I had to confess right back that we are feeding him, too.

Since we have lived here we have had a few of these cats who come and look in pitifully and that we have fed. One of them came for six years and I will admit that I cried the day I saw him laying dead on the side of the road. He'd almost become "our" outside cat because we fed him every single day that we were available for six years. We named him "Moocher". He would see my car turn in from the road and he'd race me home and roll on the driveway waiting to be petted. I miss my "Moochie" still.

Now this cat has been regular for the past month or so - I've dubbed him Moocher II. I'm not sure if he'll last as long as his predecessor did, but if he comes, we'll feed him.

Three in a row

Another good day with the kitty. She is eating well, not hiding under the bed, and using her litter box!

I feel weird monitoring a cat's bathroom habits, but I think it is necessary with this cat.

She's becoming so much more personable. I can only imagine that a lot of her grouchiness was because she didn't feel good. Wish she could have told us.

She still needs a good haircut. We plan on letting her settle a bit more and then we'll bring her in for her lion's cut. She'll have really short hair then, but at least it will be short all over and not just in spots like it is now.

She's sleeping on the sofa right next to where I am sitting and looking very regal. I think she is convinced she is royalty!

Peek-a-boo

She loves boxes and this one is just right. I still need to figure a way not to get the glowing yellow eyes. If you look closely, you can see where her front legs were shaved for the IVs at the hospital.

We had a very good day yesterday, and she's been up and eaten a good breakfast today. I hope we have turned a corner and she will continue to thrive.

Up and down days

So the cat has good days and bad days. Yesterday afternoon when I walked up to the back door she was sitting right there looking out. Then she was very social, and very hungry! She devoured an entire can of cat food and then was looking for more.

This morning she was hungry again. I've taken to giving her a whole can of food and if she doesn't eat it all, putting it back in the can for the next meal. But when she is feeling good there are no leftovers for the next meal.

So the picky eating is directly related to her moods OR how she feels. I guess that should not be surprising.

She actually ate some Petromalt which she's been refusing. She really hates the Metamucil added to her food, so I hope she will at least accept some Petromalt daily until she gets to be more "regular".

She loves to get inside boxes and last night she spent some time inside the packing box that the new litter box came in. We saved that for her since it is large enough for her to fit into comfortably. I took some pictures which I need to take off the camera and post.

I *think* of getting another cat. But for now it is only thinking. I am not really ready for any added responsibility right now, and I am sure Don agrees on that point.

Nothing new but that is good

Everything with Snoopy appears normal. She was a bit "shy" after her trip to the vet and her experience with the "big needle" on Sunday night. She didn't come out and join Don on the sofa after dinner.

Instead she picked up a very strange hiding spot. We have a "cat condo" similar to this one that Rusty used to hide in. We actually have a double as well as a single. The single is slightly larger and this is where she parked herself. I think this was the first time she could fit in there.

She's lost weight - and that likely may be the reason her blood sugar is lower. At the rate she is eating she may lose more weight. She's extremely picky. She was always the "Mikey" cat in that she'd eat anything (and lots of it).

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How true is this?

What is up?

Just got this email from Don

I'm back from the vet and so is Snoopy. Her blood sugar was 124, which is excellent, especially considering that she hasn't had insulin for several weeks. She doesn't have to go through the 3-test curve because she isn't on insulin injections. And the Dr. checked her for constipation/opstipation and she doesn't have either. I asked about the laxative and the Dr. said that he'd rather have her get a natural aid including metamucil, petromalt, and laxatone. He thought she looked "good", but has not received any reports from Tufts.

I just asked him what the vet said about feeding her and he replied that we should "give her food she likes".

SO she is really going to feel "special" now.

I guess I will quit fretting, and let the cat be a cat.

Fluids again

The cat is obviously not hydrated enough - so tonight we popped out the second bag of fluids and just gave her 100 ml. She is so not happy with me right now - but she will get over it and (hopefully) feel better.

I am hoping the vet will have a better solution tomorrow, but who knows. She is very picky about eating but I think that may be a result of her problem right now. Once she's not so stopped up she will likely be more amenable to eating and I can sneak the metamucil into her food.

I don't know. It's discouraging just when she seemed to be doing so well.

I am a little bit worried

Snoopy is constipated. She's used the litter box three times but has very small hard dry stools. She is refusing Petromalt or catfood with Metamucil mixed in. She has outsmarted me again.

At least she has an early appointment with Dr. K tomorrow. I told Don to tell him and ask if he can give us something to give her similar to the Lactulose she got at Tufts.

She is improved, but this cat is not well. This may be a chronic ailment and we will need to figure out how to work with it. We can't afford to let her ever get back in the same situation she was a few weeks back.

What Cats Do For Us

Warm our laps.
Give us someone to talk to.
Help reduce high blood pressure.
Bring the winter air inside, nestled in their coats.
Create a kindred feeling with other "cat people."
Turn common household objects like bottle caps into toys.
Make us more aware of birds.
Donate their services as alarm clocks.
Display daring acrobatic feats right in front of our eyes.
Contribute to living a longer life.
Make a window sill more beautiful.
Keep mice on the run.
Make us smile.
Inspire poets and playwrights.
Teach us how to land on our feet.
Let us indulge our desires to really spoil someone.
Make our homes warmer.
Remind us that life is mysterious.
Share with us the all-is-well experience of purring.
Instruct us in the luxurious art of stretching.
Show us how to lick our wounds and go on.
Give us cool cartoon characters.
Make even an old worn couch look beautiful.
Open our hearts.

From Iams Pet Food Company

The longest short week ever

This is a three day work week that seemed like it was at least 6 days. I am thankful it is finally Friday.

Snoopy continues to thrive. She is eating us out of house and home. Actually, she is probably just getting a normal appetite back. According to the tiny cat food cans, a cat of her weight should eat 3 cans a day. She used to eat a half a can of canned food, but two big scoops of dried foods. She's only eaten canned since her episode and yesterday she ate two full cans. She polished off a can this morning, so she's on track to eat two today as well.

I have been catering to her and giving her different foods at every meal to keep her interested. If we are going to continue to try and keep her well by diet alone, I need to do some research on what types of canned foods have the least amount of carbohydrates. I am convinced that carbs are poison for cats.

She had another "negative" urine test this morning. This is still so mysterious!

Testing strips

Last night late, Don did a second test strip with fresh urine and it came back "negative". That is great news. I am tempted to cancel the BG curve appointment because I think she has a stress induced high BG reading at the vet's office.

We will see.

At least now we can furnish the vet with fresh urine that he can test, and we can closely monitor her at home.

She's accepted the new box so far, but she's only urinated in it - today should tell the tale of how well she will accept it otherwise. She certainly did not like using the cystals, so we may have to keep out two litter boxes and just cover the second one most of the time.

I am encouraged about the "diabetes" though. I've done a bit of research and maybe she never had full blown diabetes at all. If she did, she is certainly in remission now.

One of my cat lover friends at work who has several Rags swears that it is a miracle - she offered up prayers to some saint back when Snoopy was in the hospital. I will not discount that, either.

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New litter box

It arrived this afternoon. So we filled it with its "litter" - safflower seeds! Brought it downstairs and replaced the other litter box and then I took Snoopy down to explore. She stepped right into it, and then she squatted and peed! No big deal. I did a test strip but I didn't have a watch to time the results. I think it came out normal, but it did darken up over time. But you are supposed to take the "reading" at exactly 10 seconds. At any rate it was not alarmingly dark, IF it was dark at all, so we'll test again tomorrow.

She has an appointment with her regular vet on Monday for a BG curve. I am wondering if she doesn't have some sort of stress related reaction though that may make those tests inaccurate.

And she has fallen in love - with the cardboard box the litterbox was shipped in - her new bed!

Isn't she pretty?

I swear she is starting to like having her picture taken. I wish her eyes didn't glow like that. If I don't use the flash though there is not enough light here to take a decent shot.

I still want my Digital SLR - maybe next Christmas. Or maybe my birthday?

Maybe I should set myself a goal and use that as a reward for reaching it. I am always motivated by rewards. Food for thought for sure.

Happy New Year

We slept very late today and Snoopy did not wake us. She did sit in her normal spot though - waiting and waiting. She was ravenous and ate almost a whole can of Fancy Feast Savory Salmon for breakfast and then begged for some more. I opened a can of Wellness Salmon & Trout and she gobbled down a big tablespoon full of that.

Her every other day litter box usage seems to affect her appetite. I wish she'd "go" daily, but for now I won't be alarmed with the every other day routine.

We picked up an inexpensive pet carrier for her yesterday at Bldg. 19 - I think it will be easier to transport her in this rather than the big old Pet Taxi carrier.

She will get a trip to Dr. K as soon as we can schedule it. Don is wondering if perhaps we can get her haircut there, too. She is so scruffy still.

For now she is enjoying another day being spoiled rotten. It is hopeless to get her back to being "just a cat". She is convinced she is a princess.

She doesn't often sit by the door and watch the "outdoors", but lately she has shown an interest in birds (and squirrels). Did she feel so poorly before? Or was it too much competition for space when the other cats were there stalking their prey?

It was a rather uneventful night/early morning here. She is eating, but she has certainly become more picky about what she eats. I've yet to see her drink from either water bubbler, but Don tracks the litter usage, and says her output is consistent with what it was when we were doing the sub-Q. So for now we'll stick with this routine. We still are waiting on delivery of the litter box we ordered. I hope she will accept that because it will make it possible for us to track her need for the insulin should that arise. For now, we are just flying blind here and hoping the blood sugar is not too high.

Happy New Year, kitty. I will admit that this time two weeks ago I was doubtful you'd be around to see 2008!

Nothing new to report

That is a good thing, I suppose.

We slept late (for us) since we stayed up to watch the Patriots/Giants game. Snoopy would have none of that, so she let out a very loud and very uncharacteristic Meow at 7:30 this morning. The nerve of us - sleeping in!

She was ravenous, and at a big breakfast. I've yet to see her drink, so I am monitoring the litter box carefully, and at the first sign that she's not hydrated, will open up that fresh bag of fluids that we have and start that routine again.

She's downstairs sleeping on the futon now. Yesterday she spent most of the day upstairs with us - and not hiding under the bed. I hope she's over the fear of another trip to the vet by now.

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Within normal range

What a nice ring that phrase has!

Our vet from the hospital just called and she said "I am thrilled with Snoopy's results" - one of the tests was .1 above "normal", the others were "normal" - vastly improved from the last set of tests! So we have permission to try to take her off the sub-Q and see if she will continue to urinate, and eat, and, naturally, drink.

We do need to make an appointment ASAP to have a blood sugar curve done at the regular vet, but with the holidays, that may not come until late next week.

For now, we will skip the needle tonight! She is also all done with the Clavamox (evil pills).

The girl is free from torture - at least 'til we see something doesn't appear right.

A scare last night

I was awakened at 3:30 by the sound of a cat gagging. I got up and Snoopy was sitting in the hallway and had thrown up about a teaspoon full of clear foamy saliva. Given the fact that she'd not pooped in days, this scared me badly. So I lay back down and tried to get back to sleep, thinking that this morning we'd need to find a way to get her back to Tufts (of course, on Saturday, it would be considered an "emergency" and the fees would double).

So anyway, when I got up she was in her normal spot and followed me to the kitchen. I hated to feed her more since she was already "full up", so I gave her some PetroMalt and she willingly licked away at that. Then she started moving down the hall, and disappeared downstairs. I followed her and heard the digging noise - she never digs when she pees so this was a positive sign. I hate to be a voyeur and watch her use the box, but that I did and she squatted down and "relieved herself" - whew. She came back upstairs ravenously hungry. I fed her, but I did sneak a small teaspoonful of Metamucil in the cat food.

We still did not get a call from the vet regarding the Thursday blood tests. I am most annoyed. I plan on calling in a few minutes to register my displeasure. Having the test done is worthless if there is not a doctor to review the results and report them to us.

I suspect she needs a small dosage of insulin, but I am not a vet.

I am also annoyed that my Smart Cat Box order does not have any available tracking information. It was ordered on December 19 - but even with the Christmas holidays thrown in, there has been plenty of time for it to be shipped/recieved. I sent off a flaming email there today, too.

WHY do things always crop up on Saturdays?

Outsmarted - by a cat!

I suppose it had to happen. The Pill Pockets no longer fool the cat. She promptly ate the treat around the pill this morning. I picked the pill up off the floor and stuffed it into another pocket and she did the same thing. I buried the pill in her canned food, and you guessed it -- she ate all around the pill.

Pill down the drain. One more to go with dinner tonight. I may try the pill crusher, but if she won't eat her food with that, she will just be minus one day of the Clavamox.

Today we get an update from her bloodwork. I am cautiously optimistic. I think she will need a low dosage of insulin, but I am not a vet so I'm not sure of that. I hope she can get off the sub-Q fluids, but for some reason I don't know if that will happen right now.

She is not back to normal. Her appetite is off or has changed dramatically. She still does not "poop" every day - which alarms me a bit. And I don't see her drinking water, but that does not mean she does not drink. I think if she was not on the sub-Q she might go to the "bubbler" more, but can't be sure of that.

Off today - and she is a bit more skitterish - I suppose the trip to the vet yesterday made her feel less comfy with us. She's found a new hiding spot - under my bed. We'll be out of the house a lot today, so hopeful that when we get home she will welcome us and not be so fearful.

Nice surprise!

When I got home from work Snoopy was sitting at the back door watching the birds! She was so friendly -- but I think we will need to get her to warm up again. She was not appreciative of being put in the blue "cat taxi" and being hauled out in the cold and then having blood drawn.

The trip to Tufts was not too bad - 45 minutes max. Sad scene there tonight as a young couple had brought their kitten in who had swallowed a needle two days ago. After consulting with the vet, they were both distraught and I must assume the prognosis was not good. It made me sad to pick up my mangy looking - but very alive - cat and leave them sitting there consoling each other.

So now we wait til tomorrow for the results of the tests. I am so hoping her kidneys are more normal and that we can stop giving her those darned fluids.

Which may be hard tonight - she's moved back under the bed after returning from the vet.

Appointment at 4 today

Today we bring Snoopy to Tufts to have some blood drawn to check the status of her kidneys. It is possible we can stop doing the sub-Q, and if we can stop that, it is a good sign that she does not have CRF. So fingers are crossed here.

We are taking her to Tufts because they obviously do not encounter the same issues drawing blood that Dr. K does - namely, biting and scratching! At least up until now that has been the case. She has always been feeling poorly when she goes there, so who knows how she will react when she feels better.

Last night she actually jumped up into our bed and got down under the covers and slept there until 2:30 a.m. Jumping on the high bed is quite a feat for her - she's not been able to do that for months and months.

She has lost weight and she obviously feels stronger. I am concerned about the weight loss, however, and about her appetite. Hoping it will all come together soon and she will start to eat a little more.

She was under the bed when I left for work. I'll leave work early to go with Don to Tufts. Still hoping for some good news!

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Back to work

I needed a day out of here, so I went in to the office today. So when I got home, Miss Snoopy emerged from the bedroom, just like she did in the "old days". She was a bit stubborn with her Pill Pocket, but finally ate two of them (one with a pill in it!). I warmed her cat food in the microwave - she seemed to like that. Spoiled, rotten cat!

Now we are toying with the idea of bringing the fluid bag upstairs so we don't have to move her off the sofa tonight.

She has a 4 p.m. appointment tomorrow to have blood drawn to check the renal values - fingers crossed that she's improved and we can stop the sub-Q. She tolerates it, but neither of us likes it.

Oh, and for the record, she had some diarrhea this morning. I was wondering why she'd not had any side effects of the Clavamox. Only have 2-3 more days of that. Yay!

Christmas Morning

Our 2007 Christmas Gift
Initial visit to Dr. K - $110.00
4 days hospitalization - $1,756.85
New Smart Cat Box (on order) - $50.16
Misc. cat treats, foods, etc. - $$$$$

Seeing this face today - PRICELESS


Seriously, we have put a lot of effort into making this cat feel better. She is really not a lovey dovey huggable kitty. She is what our vet, Dr. K, refers to as "fractious". But she is our cat. A cat with attitude, and perhaps a bit of fortitude.

So Merry Christmas, Miss Snoopy - let's hope for a Happy New Year for us all.

Christmas Eve

Only two pills (in their neat little disguises) and the sub-Q. I will be happy to be done with that last part. She's almost acting "normal" again. We just hauled her down to our "clinic" in the basement, and that did not set well with her at all.

I also discovered today that she would not poop in the crystal cat litter. I brought the old litterbox out and she got in and dug a little hole and did her business. It had been a couple of days and that is distressing to me. So I changed back to the old flushable clumping cat litter.

Still no testing of the urine - I know the vet is going to fuss at us for that. But I believe she is much better. We are still feeding her only canned food. I am sort of afraid to go back to dry. I guess we will see what is recommended after her blood tests midweek.

For now, I'm glad to be done being cat nurse for the day.

Another day in the books

I must confess that while Snoopy was eating her dinner, shut up in the bathroom (she prefers this), I took a look at the vile pink medicine all drawn up in the syringe, and I squeezed it down the drain in the kitchen sink. If that 1.5 ML of medicine stands between her and health, I am sorry. I think the stress to both of us of forcing it down is certainly not making either of us healthier.

Then she slept contentedly on the sofa all through the football game. We finally carried her downstairs for the sub-Q. Don's rigged up a place near the futon to leave the fluid bag hanging, so we can administer the stuff quickly before she gets all riled up. We had one incident where she lost the needle tonight, but I put it back and we got the 100 ML of fluids in.

Tomorrow we only have one small pill twice, and the fluids in the evening. It's like the work is cut in half!

Socializing

She is becoming a bit more social. Either she is bored with always being under the bed, or she feels better and a bit more comfy around us. She actually is sleeping on TOP of the bed now. I took the liberty of putting a stuffed animal by her and taking a picture - the look on her face says "Oh brother. What next?"

Still not testing her urine. She is, however, not exhibiting any symptoms of uncontrolled blood sugar. Tomorrow she has not liquid medicines, so I will once again try to get the urine tests done.

One more time...

After the dose of antibiotics we did this morning there is only one remaining time we will need to wrap the cat up like a burrito and force the vile pink fluid into her mouth. Today's first dose went amazingly well, with about 90% actually going into her.

Of course, right after, she had to show her extreme displeasure and run downstairs to pout. We have just ignored her, and about half an hour later she came up and actually came into the room with us. I thought it was to be social, but soon realized that it was to complain the door to "her bedroom hiding place" was closed and she wanted to go in there. She is under our bed right now (second choice), and I'll be happy to just let her be.

I opened the second flavor of Pill Pockets today, and she liked those just as well as the others. She had her last dose of the antiacid pill, so now it is just the twice daily Clavamox. And the once daily sub-Q. She tolerates that amazingly well. So I think we are on the upswing here.

Done for another day!

We have one more day - two more doses of the icky pink medicine. Tonight I held her mouth open and got Don to shoot the stuff into her. I think we got about 90% - a little bit more than last time. No problem at all with the nighttime pill. We have salmon flavored Pill Pockets just in case she tires of the chicken flavor. And we are still giving her beloved PetroMalt as an incentive/treat.

We waited until after our dinner and then did the sub-Q. Don held her and I manned the needle. No problem with that at all. It still freaks me out to stick that big needle in her, but as long as she doesn't flinch, I don't suppose it even bothers her. It hurts me more than it hurts her I am sure.

We had no luck with the urine testing. We put out an almost empty litter box. She did go into it and looked so lost. So I felt bad and pulled out her regular box with the crystal litter. I know we need to have a reading of her sugar levels, but what can I do. She will not pee on command or in an empty container.

We've ordered a Smart Cat Box but likely will not get it til late next week. I know the vet is not going to be happy with us, but it is what it is. I am hoping that if her sugar is up she will at least show some signs - like increased thirst, or something. Otherwise, we just don't know and probably won't until we can either bring her in for testing or get the new box.

I have a terrible back ache - I think I've twisted it with some of the contortions I have had to perform in order to wrestle this cat. I'm taking an Advil and going to bed early.

Good News Saturday

Today, I had two nice surprises. First, both pills will fit into one Pill Pocket, and Snoopy took them both at one time with no protesting. Second, as I was drawing up the liquid medication, I realized that I was confused on which one the pill had replaced, and that last night she got a double dose of the Clavamox. But the nice surprise was that when I got the bottle of the "pink stuff" out I read on the label that is to be given for 5 days only. Which means tomorrow is the last day to struggle with that.

Administering the pink liquid was a fight but I think she got most of it down. I really is easier only having to fight once morning and evening, even if it is only one more day.

Now she is in her favorite hiding place. Technically, I suppose it is not a hiding place, since we both know where she is when we do not see her out in the open. Maybe this is her "safe place" which is not very safe at all these days.

Poor kitty! Today we need to find a way to check her urine. So we will be bothering her for that.

Life as she knew it may never be the same. But then again, maybe she is becoming adjusted to the new life, and we can all relax a bit and watch her get well.

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Success!

I got the antibiotic pill down with the Pill Pocket. Then I ambushed Snoopy as she was coming out of the bathroom after eating her dinner, shoved the syringe with the vile liquid antibiotic in her mouth and got that done.

We then let her lie there on the sofa and sleep for over an hour. Don carried her downstairs and he held her in his lap, petting her while I put the needle in and started the fluids. I don't think she even knew it was there.

So today is in the books as pretty decent. We still have not been able to test her urine. Maybe we will figure out that part of the puzzle tomorrow.

This is major

On her own, she came into the living room and jumped up on the sofa by Don just like she used to do. This is AFTER we gave her the icky medicine - maybe she is finally getting it. At least I see this as a big improvement.

We still have to do the sub-Q. Wish I could just let her lie there all night.

Great news (I think)

The Tufts veterinarian just returned our call from yesterday. And I related the difficulty with the liquid antibiotics. Fortunately, one of the medicines (the PINK clavamox) comes in a pill form. We will pick up pills to finish out this round of medicine. Hope that those Pill Pockets continue to work.

We also must figure a way to use the test strips for her urine. We are not giving insulin, and we need to monitor her sugar closely.

Maybe one day we will have it all together. A friend just posted this: "she has no idea how much you love her to torture her so." How true that is! If we didn't care about her we'd just let her go.

Cat Wrangling - Day Three

Cat came home on Monday night with lots of medicine and sub-Q fluids to be administered daily. I’ve hoped to get into some sort of routine. I think we are getting there but something always falls through the cracks.

Day one was heck with the liquid medicines but the fluid went well. Day two we did a decent job with the liquid meds, but she jerked the needle out and only got half the fluids.

Today is Day Three. So far we gave her a pill with a PillPocket - great invention! She took the pill without even realizing it. She ate a pretty decent breakfast and a half an hour or so later, I tried to give her the two liquid meds. I guess she got more than half of each of them down - lots of drooling and spitting and fighting us.

Immediately after the meds, she went back to the food bowl so I gave her treats. She’s hiding under the bed today - yesterday I blocked that off so she slept downstairs on the futon all day. More medicine tonight and the dreaded sub-Q.

And I am instituting a new rule - NO treats except at medicine time - I want her to make that association. Let’s hope it works.

This will be Snoopy's Tale for now

Snoopy is our 14+ year old Ragdoll who we purchased in Manchester, New Hampshire, when we lived there. She is not a registered Rag, and I seriously doubt her bloodlines. She has none of the characteristics of a Ragdoll, temperament wise. She does look like one though.

She has some health issues now and I am going to chronicle them here. We may consider getting another cat once we have figured out how to deal with treating Snoopy. But for now it's just her and she is "the family cat".

I'd done some random posts prior to starting this blog, so I've copied them here. I want to make a point of keeping a log of how things are going. It will help us give information needed by the vet, and it will jog my memory and I hope I can read this one day and be able to laugh about it all.

Cat's home!

So she is home. With a bag of medicine - two liquids and 1 pill, for 10 long days. Worse yet - subcutaneous fluids administered daily for a week - by me. I was successful at the hospital, with the vet tech helping hold her but I do not know how we will fare with just me and Don and the cat.

In a week we bring her somewhere (vet's office or back to the hospital) to have blood tests and maybe we can get off the fluids - I hope so for sure.

She immediately went and hid under the bed - back to her favorite spot.

Still Waiting

The latest on the cat is that they feel they need to do an ultrasound of her kidneys, and it was to be done sometime today. I do not understand why they had to “work her in”, but that is what I was told yesterday. After they get done with that, we are supposed to be contacted and discuss the outcome and her possible return home.

I am getting weary of all this. I want the cat home, but not until she is eating and drinking on her own. I guess I am asking this old cat to get well too quickly. If a cat year compared to a human year is 7:1, then she must be 98 years old.

Lord, Rusty and Pepper both lived to be 119.

Missing Snoopy

Snoopy
Originally uploaded by fbruehl.

Snoopy is still at Tufts.
We are waiting for a phone update on her condition this morning.
Yesterday we had bad news early but better news later one.
I hope she will be able to come home soon - it is too quiet here without her (even though she rarely ever makes noise).

Snoopy is hospitalized

So Snoopy is the only cat now and she is in the hospital still. We miss her and hope to hear some positive report later today when her doctor calls with an update.

She was admitted to The Foster Hospital for Small Animals at Tufts University Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine late Friday afternoon.

First she was suffering from "obstipation" and then it reversed in the other direction. Yesterday her bloodwork was all skewed, but later in the day it was a bit more normal.

It is quiet here with no pets. Even though Snoopy hardly made a sound, other than some obnoxiously loud purring when she wanted our attention, we miss having a cat under foot. I do hope she can come home tomorrow.

Today is not a good day to be going out to get her - snow and icy mix out there. The roads are a real mess today.

Why me, Mom?

So Snoopy is constipated. The trip to the vet yesterday was not very productive. Snow had begun to fall and they were in a rush to close shop and go home for the day. I can't fault them for that - it was horrid on the roads.

Anyway, we had to go out and get Metamucil and baby food and fed her that, dosed her with mineral oil, and late in the afternoon she threw the entire mess up. The litter box remained unused this morning, but the cat is hungry. I am taking that as a positive sign, but what do I know?

I gave her a tiny bit of food - she turned her nose up at the baby food/Metamucil/mineral oil mixture though. Since she's not drinking water at all, I poured her a small bowl of skim milk which she drank.

Now she is back under the bed - she goes back to the vet in a half hour or so. I hope they can relieve her and we can get her back home and well again.

She kept her breakfast down

Snoopy got a very small breakfast, and her insulin, and she kept the food down. I think maybe she just overate the too rich chicken on Sunday.

Not Snoopy - it's way too soon!

What is wrong with our cats. Last night Snoopy threw up. She never throws up, but I’d given her some chicken skin, so thought perhaps it had been too rich for her. But today Don emails that she has thrown up again from eating her cat food this morning.

He was concerned because of her insulin dosage. I told him to call the vet. I wonder if we will lose her, too. I am not ready to say good-bye to another cat so quickly.

Rusty

Deja vu? We again visited West Virginia in the fall and returned home to an ailing cat. This time the decline was immediate, and we had to make the very hard decision to put Rusty down on Tuesday, November 27, 2007.

He was such a good cat. He was Don's walking buddy. We miss him.

Missing a Kitty Here

I still miss this sight in the kitchen - Pepper waiting for something to eat. Our cat food consumption is drastically down, as is our cat litter usage. It's so much quieter in the mornings, too. She used to wail loudly if we did not get up soon enough for her tastes.

Sleep Well Sweet Pepper

Today when I came home from work Don said that Pepper was failing badly. One look and I knew it was time. Dr. K was not in his office, so on a referral from his office assistant, we took our old kitty to the drop in clinic at PetSmart. A very kind vet there confirmed what we feared, she was indeed near death, so we had her put to sleep. I have such mixed emotions, but I know that there was nothing more we could do to save her and I am afraid she was in so much pain.

So goodbye pretty kitty ... you were loved and you will be missed.