Supawcute Interview!

From Supawcute, used with permission

You may be familiar with Pets Overload blog, but did you know about Supawcute?

We are proud to be interviewed for Supawcute; "A world for all Pet Lovers to share"!  Here is the link: "Meet Eastside Cats"

Especially with the recent addition of Manny and Chili Bruce Lee to our cat family, I look for ideas and information from folks who've done it before...such as how to get cats to stop playing with the toilet paper roll!  Supawcute wants to be a resource for all of us; a place to share and care for our house animal friends.  Please check out Supawcute!

Good-bye TP roll!

The culprits

🎄🎅🎉🎿🏈

Some folks have already celebrated holidays, and some have their yet to come.  Wishing love, hope and happiness to you all, for then, for now, and for the future!

😻💗💝💗😻

And So, It Begins...

Manny ain't having any of it!
But I was squeeing anyhow...

Was This Too Much For The Office?

Hello Kitty!

Our corporate year is winding down, and every day there are fewer and fewer employees.  To me, that means...let's get casual!  So, I wore this, and received a number of 'oh, that's so CUTE!' comments!  My scarf is black background with white cats too.

What do you think; too much for the office?  😸😺😸😺😸

Da Boyz: 2 Bartonella: 0

Da Boyz have discovered the big window!

The veterinarian called yesterday, advising me that both Manny and Chili Bruce tested negative for bartonella.  He said that in the past, no one much tested for this infection, but they should because it can create a whole host of problems.  Bartonella is "The Cat Scratch Disease Bacteria" for humans, per the pamphlet that I received.

Bartonella bacteria can cause in cats:
Gingivitis
Stomatitis
Oral Ulcers
Upper resperatroy disease
Rhinitis
Sinusitis
Conjunctivitis
Uveitis
Chorioretinitis
Corneal ulcers
Keratitis
Inflammatory bowel disease
Diarrhea (chronic)
Vomiting (chronic)
Enlarged lymphe nodes
Fever of unknown origin
Skin diseases: papules & dermatitis
Heart disease: valvular disease (murmers)

Risk factors for infection:
originating as a stray, coming from a shelter or humane group, living in a multi-cat household, going outdoors often, and living in a hot, humid area.

You DO NOT want to read the whole list of problems that humans can have from bartonella; it freaked ME-OWT!  Heart, eye, and skin diseases, inflamatory bowel disease, and something called "mononucleosis-like syndrome."

However, the veterinarian said that a normal, healthy human will fight off any of this, but children, the elderly (watch it...), and immuno-compromised folks should take care.  He's a vet, though, so this may be something folks need to have their family physician check for. 

Fleas and ticks harbor the stuff, and humans and cats can get it through scratches, and bites from an infected cat.

Next time Sweetie and The PO'M go to the vet, I'm going to have them tested as well.  It's not inexpensive, but the pamphlet says "about 30% of cats healthy cats in the U.S. are infected carriers."  Apparently, antibiotic therapy makes it go away!

For more information, please consider visiting http://www.natvetlab.com/, which was listed on the pamphlet that I received.

Disclaimer: I am not a veterinarian, nor to I pretend to be one. Please consult your own veterinarian or doctor for further information. 

Plump PO'M

The PO'M is unfazed by cold, snow, wind, or ice.  As long as he receives his supply of:

1) food
2) attention
3) more food
4) water to drink

The PO'M, by The Cat Car

Plumb PO'M, asking for dinner

Yesterday, The Hubby was giving The PO'M some lovin', and when inside again, he wondered when I was going to hang 'the sign' on The PO'M.

"What sign?" I queried.
"You know, one of those 'oversize load' signs!" he said.

Like this:

Ohh, my poor baby!  Well, some of it IS winter fur, but he's a round mound of cat these days.  Eeeks!  Thus ends that portion of kibble that I put out for both Sweetie and The PO'M at night.  Obviously, only one cat is eating it all!

The Struggle Is Real

What you don't see in this photo is
the bowl of popcorn that The Hubby
has clutched to his chest, guarding it from Da Boyz!

Introducing Chili Bruce Lee!

Chili, the picture of innocence...HA!

Chili Boxed

Chili in front with tail in the air, Manny behind
waiting for those magic doors to open!

Named Bruce Wayne by the animal rescue, we've played around with our boy's moniker until it's evolved into Chili Bruce Lee.  The veterinarian declared that Chili has some Oriental cat breed in him, as indicated by his body shape, glossy fur, and head shape...hence the 'Bruce Lee' extension to his name.  Chili has one white whisker, and is only a few ounces lighter than brother Manny.  If Manny's Alpha-cat personality ranks an 11 on the 1 to 10 scale, then Chili is about 8-1/2; still plenty full of energy, but he can quietly sit in a box too.  When the two of them hit the open door, all humans and cats WATCH OUT...the beasts are unleashed and you'd better stay out of their way!

Chili also licks my fleecy tops, and likes to lay on my legs, and then wriggle up to my chest for a nap.  Angel hisses at both of Da Boyz, however she's allowed Chili to sit near her for a couple of minutes in silence.  Chili will not let a morsel of food escape his notice!

I look forward to spending the upcoming work break with all of our cats, as the office is closed from 12/25/17 to 1/2/18.  Being in charge of several off-site and all-day work meetings this week, I've barely caught my breath.  And the substantial snowfall that occurred on Wednesday, ate up a lot of my free time due to driving VERY SLOWLY on the snow-choked roads.  I promise to visit all of my blogging friends soon!

Meet Manny!

Or https://youtu.be/1PrDWcGgQQQ

Manny, a riff on 'Batman', which is what the rescue named him, is rambunctious, carefree, and loving.  He's the larger of Da Boyz, but only heavier by a few ounces.  Yesterday, at the veterinarian's office, Manny climbed all over the counters, and tried to push the dog biscuit jar off the table a couple of times.  The vet says both cats are about 1-1/2 years old.  Manny likes the Cat Dancer toy, and if he's not playing with it or eating food, he gets into mischief, such as jumping on the kitchen counters or getting as close to Angel as he can to make her hiss!

Manny, trying to get at my food!

Manny has tried to eat my sandwich, and wants to see everything on our plates.  He also licks my (or The Hubby's) shirt or sweater, and purrs and makes biscuits.  When I lay down on the futon in Da Boyz's room, Manny is always at my head or across my throat.

Manny is a delight!  He is also a rascal.  I haven't heard The Hubby laugh like this in a long time.

Waiting For Chuck

Just hung up the phone from Chuck's veterinarian's office: his cremains have not been returned, and there is no real ETA.

Yesterday, The Hubby mentioned that our house looks a bit shabby, should we have any guests over, due to the puppy pee pads pinned up around litter boxes.  I did that when Chuck was standing up while urinating, due to his bowel issues.

So, I cry.  We have only the detritus of his existence, but no Chuck.  Yes, Da Boyz are a handful, and Angel is beginning to find her place as big sister in the new Eastside Cats order.

But the pain underlies the joy, the busy-ness, the play, the feeding, cleaning,  loving, and purring...plus keeping my eye on The 'O' Cats, now that it's gotten cold.  We continue to observe bardo for Chuck's death, honoring his memory and his life.  Having two Chuck look-alikes is interesting, yet neither mimic his personality in the slightest. 

The puppy pee pads remain.

And so, I wait, with love.

Prisma Image of Chuck

Thankful Thursday: BK

BK, rocking the cone!

Pensive BK...
...which lasts one nanosecond!

Too cute!

Radiograph of BK
**All photos used with permission by BK's foster parents**

BK is being fostered by a co-worker, after having surgery to try to repair his bones and internal organs after some trauma.  BK has use of all of his limbs, except he is incontinent.  Hopefully, with regular therapy and acupuncture treatments, he won't have to wear diapers for the rest of his life.  BK is a regular kitten though; running, jumping, crazy at play, and as you can tell, as cute as the dickens!  I am thankful for people like my co-worker and his wife, who are willing to do what it takes to keep this little fella healthy and warm.

This is Thankful Thursday's Blog Hop from Brian's Home!

So, Do You Want Some Photos Of Da Boyz?

Manny has scaled Mount Refridge

"Chili" not sitting still for a photo

Um...yeah, this is what most of
my photos look like...

This is the best I have done so far!  As I arrive home after the sun has set, and I leave again when it's just gotten up, the lighting STINKS for photographing black furrs.  And they are on the MOVE constantly, plus when I get near with my phone, they headbunt me and lick my fingers.  Or, they lay all over me and purr, and how can I make a good image of that?

As for Angel, she's doing sorta okay.  The Hubby isn't keen on her constant hissing and growling, but it's getting less every day.  I tell him to remember that she's had run of the place for over 13 years, and now these noisy, nosy teenagers get all up in her grill so FAST; I'd growl too!  But, there is no angry stuff, no fluff suits, no whapping or charging.  And it's only been four whole days...

Manny will forever be Manny, but we are still on the fence with his brother's name.  We've switched to Chili, however that doesn't seem quite right either.  Heck, I've called him Buster Brown enough times to make THAT his name!  (Actually, I say "I love you!" in his soft fur so often, he may start responding to it!) 

Farewell, Angel Memphis

Memphis

Please visit Clarissa's House Of Cats to offer condolences for the passing of Memphis.  Memphis is the fourth cat of Clarissa's to leave for The Rainbow Bridge since September, so they are all heart-sick beyond heart-sick.

Farewell, Angel Memphis...no more pain, and you left this mortal coil while wrapped in love.

💔😿🙀😿💔

Supawstars Spotlight Award!

Eastside Cats is honored to receive a Supawstars Spotlight Award for November, 2017 from Kittyclysm!  There is a bittersweet feeling to this, as we've been posting about the loss of our sweet Chuck, and then just as suddenly about adding two teenaged housepanthers.  I post from my heart, folks...it's that simple, and it gives me warm fuzzies to know that folks like my unique slant on life. 

Check out Kittyclysm; a unique and entertaining cat information blog.

Thank you, Elise!

Uh-Oh!

Two 10-month old housepanthers, up for adoption...

...and enjoying their first meal at Eastside Cats!

Um...I went out on my lunch break to the pet store, on Friday, December 1,  to score another sample of 'Ultra Oil' for pet health.  Used to try to tempt Chuck to eat, I then discovered how much it helps The PO'M's scratchies, and I needed more.

'Batman' and 'Bruce Wayne', brother housepanthers, were playing with the store employee, who invited me into the adoption enclosure to get closer.  Within an hour, I'd called The Hubby, completed the application, and paid the fee.  A case of their food, two boxes full of boy cats, and home I drove!  SURPRISE!!!

Now, for awhile, I actually have *THREE* cat families: The 'O' Cats, Angel, and The Boys in the parlor.  They've explored the rest of the house a little bit; Angel is less than thrilled with this turn of events.  However, The Hubby and I are over the moon in love with the brothers, who apparently were left behind when renters vacated.  They'd been at the pet store for three weeks; the store employees LURV'd them, but no takers until moi.

Needless to say, posting is going to be a bit erratic while we settle into a new routine.  And so far we've been calling them Manny and Bruce.  And I didn't get my free Ultra Oil sample in all the excitement!

***The only way to tell them apart is Bruce's one white whisker.***