Finally...Friday!

Chucky and I were wearing matching bandages on Wednesday; his for the sore spot on his tail, and me due to an accidental meeting of my finger with a sharp-edged aluminum foil food lid.

I am much better today, and The Hubby removed Chuck's tail wrapping last night.  The red rash at the bloodletting spot was still there, however after four days of being smeared with first-aid cream and then made impenetrable to licks and bites, we felt it was time to let it breathe in the fresh air.  After a short time, Chucky appeared to ignore the spot, so hopefully it will remain okay and heal up on it's own.  We have a veterinarian appointment next week, in case it really needs more care.

These bandages were purchased at Ikea, and they worked nicely for me.  I'm sure Chuck has a completely different opinion.  I was weirdly giddy to be sharing fashion details with my cat!

Sad day for my co-worker; his dog of fifteen years succumbed to illness yesterday.   And it's rather cold and rainy, and my week of work after vacation has taken a lot of out of me.  Bring on the weekend!  Have fun, my friends!

Vacation Travels: Kedi

On Sunday, March 18, friend BG and I visited The Detroit Film Theater to view the documentary, "Kedi" which explores the interaction of cats and humans in Istanbul.

The theater is magnificent!

A close up of a nymph

I am guessing that there are speakers behind this
elaborate screen

Lighting fixture 'way up high

Marquee outside the theater

The architecture is Beaux-Arts, Italianate style, so just sitting in the theatre was fun!  The movie is a delightful love-note to the cats who roam the streets, and interact with the people who love them, the stories shot as a montage of stories as told by fishermen, restaurateurs, shopkeepers; young and old, male and female.  There is nothing that would make you cringe, or hide behind your hands, although almost immediately my mind wondered why there was no TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return) projects going on.  Maybe there are, but the filmmaker simply wanted to tell the stories of how the cats seem to bring out the best in the people of Istanbul.

Please make the effort to see this film; you will enjoy it!

Happy 20th Birthday, Spit Spot!

The Birthday Mancat!

Spit Spot was a feral kitten, born from a feral mama along with his sister Tonya.  Some kind folks fed them, made houses for them, and slowly lured the kittens inside.  Tonya crossed the Rainbow Bridge years ago, but old man Spit Spot (named for the white patch of fur on his back foot) is enjoying life with three rowdy kittens and one tortie who plays the buffer between the youngsters and the old mancat.

Spit Spot and Sassy, poolside

Spit Spot on patrol, with Mango in front

The Old Man gets his own tree, while
Sassy (floor), Rusty, (middle) and
Mango (top) have a cat party

I've had the pleasure of meeting Spit Spot in the fur, many years ago, and although he and his cat and human families live far away, we are great long-distance friends.  I have learned so very much from these caring folk over time, and feel lucky to know them.

Happy Birthday, Spit Spot!

Living Large With Love

💝🐾🐱🎉

I am informed that tuna is on today's birthday party menu!

The End Of A Kibble Era

When Angel and Chuck were kittens, The Hubby and I fed them kitten kibble.  At that time (almost 14 years ago!), the kibble came in really nifty, reusable canisters.  As time progressed, I simply kept refilling them.  When Angel and Chuck were switched to wet food only, these containers came under the purview of The 'O' Cats, and sat on top of the refrigerator where no inside cat could jump up and attempt a kibble snatch. 

Back and front

Front and back

As the years went on, the bags of kibble dwindled in size, and these days, one bag of kibble for The 'O' Cats only fills two of the old containers.  So The Hubby threw out two of the four today, in the recycle bin for the trash guys to take away.  Who knew I'd be so sentimental about old plastic canisters?  Guess it's a last link to the sweet, baby kittens that we adopted, who are now considered seniors at 12-1/2 years.  So, a fond farewell to those old things; you did your job excellently!  Hope you are recycled into something that is as useful as you once were.  Bon Voyage!

A Tail of Woe

Chuck's visit to the veterinarian on Saturday, March 18 didn't go as well as we'd hoped.  Although his blood pressure and the stuff that she measured in his actual blood was okay, the vet said that his radiograph still shows a shadow on his lung.  Could still be fluid, so she gave us Spironolactone in addition to the Lasix.  Or, it could be something else.  We go back on Saturday, April 8 to see what we can see.

Since I was away last week, The Hubby was in charge and he scooped the litter boxes and doled out food to all cats.  However, the spot where they drew blood from Chuck on his tail turned red and raw.

Blurry, but you can see the little nekkid spot on his tail

The last time they shaved his tail, we called him "Chucky Two-Butts"!

The Hubby was glad when I was home again, because he had decided that we could do a bit of veterinary doctoring ourselves, with some triple-antibiotic cream and a good wrap-job so Chuck couldn't lick.  The Hubby was going to do the first-aid, while I held the cat.

There are no photos of the ensuing chaos; just suffice it to say that Chuck had a very poor opinion of our bedside manners, and in the end The Hubby held the cat while I wrapped the tail after a bit more shaving.  The results weren't half-bad.

Chucky was more upset with the doctoring, than the bandage

I received the Back Of Disdain for only a moment

Chuck didn't seem to care much about it, after the dust had settled

I also dug out the Elizabethan collar that we've had in the cabinet since Angel was spayed back in 2004.  The Hubby and Chuck talked while I was out of the room, and came to an agreement about the bandage, meaning "don't lick or you'll get The Cone Of Shame".  Tonight, we'll take the wrap off and see if our efforts were helpful.  Chuck did not lick at it before I went to bed.

I will note that Chuck has put on some weight, so perhaps the Spironolactone is helping.  Or he likes The Hubby's feeding methods.  All of our collective fingers and toes are crossed, that it's only fluid that is now gone, and he will be as right as rain for a long, long while, just like his long tailio...tail of woe!

P.S. You want to see another long tailio, go visit Elliott at William of Mass Destruction!

P.S.S. I promise to visit all of your blogs and comment, just as soon as I catch my breath!  Had a lovely vacation, which included lots of cat things, family things, and self-pampering things!  I'll post on all this week.

Happy Almost Gotcha Day, Patty!

My Patty Oh, from this morning

Patty O'Malley appeared in our yard in the Winter of 2011-2012.  I trapped him on 3/19/12, and transported him to All About Animals on 3/20 for neuter and shots.  When I picked him up on 3/21 (it was 76 degrees F that day!) and released him, I was worried that he'd run away and not return.  But he was back again for dinner, and he has pretty much stuck around since then.

Now, you'd think that I named him Patrick O'Malley because of St. Patrick's Day, but you would be wrong.  With his green eyes, fur the multifaceted colors of a pint of Guinness Stout, and his charming, lovable ways as if he'd kissed The Blarney Stone...well, a fine Irish name seemed appropriate.  The Hubby was calling him 'Tiger', but there is no doubt that O'Mallus (a nickname) is perfectly named!

Now for some news: I'm going on vacation!  Well, some staycation, and then a visit with family.  Some of this is cat and wildlife related!

Bluebelles from our front garden, taken in 2016

Saturday: 
Chuck's follow-up veterinary visit in the morning, and then a drive to the Detroit Institute of Arts to see Kedi Film at the Detroit Film Theatre.  Here is a blurb about the movie:

"Hundreds of thousands of Turkish cats roam the metropolis of Istanbul freely. For thousands of years they’ve wandered in and out of people’s lives, becoming an essential part of the communities that make the city so rich. Claiming no owners, the cats of Istanbul live between two worlds, neither wild nor tame — and they bring joy and purpose to those people they choose to adopt. In Istanbul, cats are the mirrors to the people, allowing them to reflect on their lives in ways nothing else could."

Sunday:
"Books and Cats and Other Stuff Too" at Catfe Lounge in Ferndale, Michigan.

Monday:
The First Day Of Spring!
And my birthday; gonna hang with The Hubby and let him spoil me...hehehe!  Which will include: thrift shopping, lunch at The Pita Cafe, and some quiet time with Angel and Chuck, and Patty and Sweetie.

Tuesday:
My friend BG and I are traveling to Kensington Metropark Nature Center and Howell Nature Center to commune with Mother Nature, and maybe take a few snaps of her bird, tree, and critter children.

Wednesday:
My first manicure & pedicure, plus an hour massage!  YUM!

Thursday:
A trip to John K. King Used and Rare Books in Detroit, and maybe to their Ferndale location, where they have an office cat, I've heard.

Friday through Sunday:
Fly to Georgia to rendezvous with family for a 50th wedding celebration.  I haven't seen many folks from my father's family since his passing in 2004, and am looking forward to connecting again with everyone!

Therefore, my blogging may be sparse next week.

Wishing you all a Happy St. Patrick's Day, 

and Vernal Equinox 2017!

Patty O'Malley in 2014, before TNR

Angel In The Morning Light

Comfy Angel!

Cat Cell Phone Cover

This design appeals to my love of cats
AND my enjoyment of modern art...
plus, it's not too crazy for the office environment

First off, my brother and his cats had power restoration last night. Thanks for the warm wishes for both us and him after The Big Blow of March 2017!  My thoughts and prayers for those of you getting hammered on the East Coast; snow and wind.  Brrr!  Stay safe, friends!

During all of that hubbub, my brand new iPhone 7 arrived, and I ordered this nifty cat-themed case too.  Isn't it darling?  Let me tell ya, there are a bazillion and one cell phone cases to be had out there. Picking one is rather difficult, with so many choices.  The price ranges were crazy too.  I chose this one because it has artsy cats, and it folds into a stand to make watching videos easier.

Lots of cases had photo-realistic images of cats, but if I couldn't get Angel or Chuck, why would I haul around a picture of someone else's cat?  Know what I mean?

I am still considering a selfie-stick; will take my time looking for that. Perhaps I can score one at a thrift store?

Purchasing info is here, and my office purchased this for me.  I guess that sorta counts as compensation, but I need the case for my corporate phone to prevent breakage from a drop.  I am not getting anything for posting about this case, other than eye-rolls from The Hubby, and no doubt twitters and giggles from anyone reading this!

Taken from Frimousse Blog

P.S. A dear cat blogging friend is not feeling well, so please visit Frimousse Blog and give some warmth and healthy wishes.

Chuck's Diary Entry: March 14, 2017

Dear Diary,

Yesterday, there was lots of noise and commotion in the backyard, so I hid from it all.  Guess these humans were cutting down the tree that fell on the power lines, then some other humans fixed the wires so heat could once again pour forth from the vents.  The human called The Hubby spent time plugging in things that had been unplugged, and taking jars and cans that he'd stored in coolers and on window ledges, and putting them back in the big cabinet called a refrigerator.

The results of cutting down the tree

Why would they leave that?

Glad they took out that fence, rather than
damaging our barn!

Am thinking the tree folks will come
back to work on these other trees

The Human called The Mom was so excited, that she was late getting home (and feeding us!), in order to pick up a carry-out dinner (Falafel sandwiches, with a bowl of garlic sauce) for their dinner. The Big Blow of March, 2017 goes down in the history books, at least for Eastside Cats.  Unfortunately, The Mom's big brother lives with his kitties in a place called Ann Arbor, and he is still without power. Here's hoping his kitties get their heat vents back soon!

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly that resulted from The Big Blow of March, 2017:

The Good:

• The Hubby's thoughtful projects that kept us from shivering our fur off
• The Human's enjoyed hours of conversation, and made plans for some cool stuff to do in the yard
• The Mom learned to sleep without a fan or air-cleaner running

The Bad:

• Five days without power takes a toll on humans; they didn't mimic how us kitties just rolled with it
• The Hubby missed some important basketball games
• Cold toilet seats make humans grumpy

The Ugly:

• The Human's heated mattress pad is dead.  Something about surges or brown-outs...I am a cat, and I don't really care what the reason is.  
• I haven't yet scored any kibble, and that's a downright shame!

RIP heated mattress pad controls!
You did your job well; rest easy now in mattress pad heaven

Chuck's Diary Entry: March 13, 2017

Dear Diary,

The cold continues, but my humans are having more fun than they should!  While I and sissy Angel curl up in tight balls to sleep away the chill, the human called The Hubby is busily heating pots on the stove with hot water, then setting them around as mini-radiators.  This way, we've stayed relatively comfy.  The human called The Mom goes out every day to earn green papers or go off gallivanting.  She even had her head fur trimmed, but never showed it to us because it was too cold and she kept her hat on the whole time!

Scroll your mouse over each photo for more news.

And yet I am still frisky, and demand some kibble at every chance...even though The Humans tell me that I am not allowed kibble.  I WANT SOME, since I can see that my outside friends get to eat it!  I meow and whine, and dance around the kitchen.  The Mom thinks she can put me off by sprinkling more nutritional yeast on my wet food, and yes, it mollifies me for a moment...but I'll keep trying no matter what!  The Hubby found an old battery-powered radio, and some old speakers so they can listen to music or NCAA basketball games.  I enjoyed the music, even with The Mom caterwauling about Free Birds and Zeppelins and some other human named Bob Seger. She even danced around Angel, making screechy noises along with Frampton...what the heck is a Frampton?  I covered my eyes with my paw at that point, folks!

The Mom here!

The Hubby has gone all 'Jeremiah Johnson' on us; keeping things warm and a steady stream of food...yum!  The power company reports that we should have power by 11:30 PM tonight.  Since we are currently experiencing snow flurries and wind, it sure will be nice to having the heat on!  Patty and Sweetie are doing fine without their warming pad; here are some photos of them sunning themselves yesterday (before the snow) in the neighbor's garden.

 

Chuck's Diary Entry: March 10, 2017

Dear Diary,

At 10:30 a.m. today, is the beginning of Day 3 without electricity at Eastside Cats.  To recap, the backyard neighbor's tree fell across the alley, to land on the power lines.  This caused every house on the block (both sides) to lose electricity, and there was some sparking and weird flashing lights that scared me and Angel to bits.  The Human called The Hubby went into the area-that-cats-do-not-go and threw the switch to make sure nothing burned out while the wind whipped that fallen tree back and forth.  Actually, as long as I get my meals and snuggles, I don't really need this thing called electricity.

Tree laying on the power lines

The tree has broken the fence!

Tree and lines are rubbing on our barn

The Human called The Mom made all kinds of calls on her cell phone, because the landline is down as well as the cable (no internet, no television).  She sounded very polite, but The Human called The Hubby had curse words to say about the fact that no one was coming out to help.

The Mom put extra blankets on the bed, and The Hubby is keeping pots of water steaming on the gas stove, to make sure we have warmth.  I don't know what Angel is doing, but I'm gonna nap under The Mom's sweater for a couple of days, until this whole rigamarole is over.

Have a good weekend, everybody!

Chucky naps under the sweater

Angel on her couch

Down comforter, fleecy blanket, quilt, and flannel sheets

Recent map of power outages

See the two guys back there?  Seeing them
made us excited, but they left when it got dark out

This happened down the street from us; that garage
on the right hand side of the photo is crushed!

The Mom here:
http://www.mlive.com/news/index.ssf/2017/03/more_than_615000_customers_wit.html has updated information on the havoc wrought by the March 8 windstorm in Michigan.  Poor Sweetie and Patty O'Malley's cardboard boxes were blown half-way to Canada, so I'll set out new ones for them this weekend.  In addition, their electric warming pad in The Cat Hotel won't be on for this snap of deep cold; I've told them to either snuggle up together OR COME IN THE HOUSE.  Workers and firemen showed up in the alley yesterday; one guy apparently turned OFF the juice, and another set of men looked at the tree and tied more warning tape across.  Then they left, and The Hubby and I felt a bit abandoned.  However, a large section of our town got it's power back right after that, so we know we are at least on the list.  I carted a box full of ground cooked turkey meat for The 'O' Cats to the office, so it's stored in the freezer.  We lose power about twice a year at Eastside Cats, but this is the first time in the cold weather.  The Hubby and I have learned to converse (!) with each other and tell jokes, to keep our spirits up.  Angel apparently loves to sit with us, even when she could hide under covers like Chuck.  She purrs and purrs, and that is good for our dispositions too! There are folks who have it worse than we do, so as long as the barn survives mostly intact, we'll consider ourselves lucky.

Please, sign these petitions to help end declawing!

http://bit.ly/AAHAstopDeclawing
http://bit.ly/CatVetsStopDeclawing
http://bit.ly/PurinaPetition
http://bit.ly/MarsPetition
http://bit.ly/CornellCondemnDeclawing
http://bit.ly/NYantideclawBill

There are lots of us who are working hard to end the suffering of cats, namely City The Kitty, The Paw Project, and Dr. Christianne Schelling. Won't you please sign these petitions, to educate authorities that we will no longer accept status quo anymore?  It would be lovely if veterinarian groups simply self-administered the decree to cease this surgery, but they aren't listening to us.  Is it the MONEY they make from the surgeries?  Is it the fact that they would have to acknowledge that they have been WRONG?  They promise to DO NO HARM, but performing onychectomy is cruel and can create behavioral issues, such as biting, and litter-box avoidance.  No human would accept this procedure on their cat if they knew the true nature of it, either.

Please, add your voice to ours, and tell our governments and veterinarians to STOP!

Thank you,

Vicky
Eastside Cats

City The Kitty

P.S. Some more sad news, that Angel Skootch from Cattywumpus has left us for The Rainbow Bridge.  His human makes delightful artwork, but they're blog has been quiet lately; guess we now know why.  Hugs and purrs to Ann.

P.S.S. Hope all of you escaped unscathed from the terrible winds that blew around the Mid-West yesterday!  We did not; Eastside Cats House has been without power for 24 hours, and the neighbor's tree is leaning against our barn/garage, with live electric wires sandwiched in between.  I'll update more tomorrow.  Please sign the petitions! Thank YOU!

Farewell, Boomer

Please visit Trout Talkin' Tabbies to give the food service girl your kind words; Angel Boomer has left us for The Rainbow Bridge.

Boomer
photo from website

Godspeed, Boomer!

We had so much love and fun with you here on Earth!

Snuggles With Angel

Angel aka Cookie

Last night, I stayed up late (too late!) to re-watch the movie "You've Got Mail" with Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan.  Irregardless of the plausibility of the storyline, there are some wonderful moments in the film that I enjoy, and The Hubby was in bed, so I could watch whatever I wanted to!

The end of the movie has a version of "Over The Rainbow" song, and I sang along...out loud...to Angel, who was snuggled into the scratcher/sofa next to me.  She rolled over so I could pet her tummy, and she turned on her purring machine, and we stayed like that for a long time...way, way past my bedtime!  Worth every second, on my book!

Over the moon in the sofa/scratcher!

Over The Rainbow

music by Harold Arlen and lyrics by E.Y. Harburg

Somewhere over the rainbow, way up high

There's a land that I've heard of once in a lullaby.

Somewhere over the rainbow, skies are blue

And the dreams that you dare to dream,

Really do come true.

Someday I'll wish upon a star

And wake up where the clouds are far behind me.

Where troubles melt like lemon drops,

High above the chimney tops,

That's where you'll find me.

Somewhere over the rainbow, blue birds fly

Birds fly over the rainbow

Why then, oh why can't I?

If happy little bluebirds fly beyond the rainbow

Why, oh why can't I?