Speckled

It's Sweetnesday!

Our Miss Growly Pants may be a housepanther, yet she's speckled with fine white hairs all over.

Her paws and legs.

Her chest (that's dusty fuzz on her face!)

Her whiskers really shine in the sun.

Sweetie received her sixth Solensia injection last week, along with a six-month check-up.

She'd lost some weight, and mention of her usual morning bomit sessions caused the veterinarian to take blood and urine samples (no results yet), and prescribed an appetite stimulant.  

Afraid of over-stimulating to the point of being kept up all night while Sweetie begs for food, we crushed up 1/4 of one wee pill, and I dust in only a few grains into her food.

It works; she eats up her meals lickety-split!

Here's hoping her next weigh-in will read over 7 lbs.

💕😻💕

Garden Walk Cats

Our city had a garden walk yesterday, with rain included in the ticket price, and the starting point was the local history museum and garden.

Image my surprise when I found cats!

A sleeping cat stuffy, in the front parlor at The Crocker House Museum

This shy kitty was watching the garden lovers.
Cool mat!

Sly's humans opened their lovely yard to sightseers; I was greeted with, "Hiya, Sly's Girlfriend!"
Himself did not deign to appear; this image is from last week.

Saxifrage, according to my iPhone; the homeowner didn't know the name.

Some sort of succulent, on the edge of a delightful swimming pool.

Magnolia

What a delight chatting with the docents and homeowners, despite the wet.

Met:

-A retired cat veterinarian (!)

-A professional gardener

-A Michigan-loving UK transplant

Convos about:

Hummingbirds

Koi 

The library and a few book titles (!)

Architecture

Plants: bamboo, strawberries, milkweed, lavender, sedum

Garden decorations: Japanese dog sculpture, ponds and waterfalls, mosaic, wrought-iron chairs/railing/fencing, and the desire to use found/recycled objects.

☔🌼🌂🌿🐝

Epic Fail!

Monday O'Malley!

We tried to trap Paddy O'Malley on Sunday, for a veterinary visit.

We removed the feeding station awning, and set up the drop trap a week ago.

We've done this many times before.  

Drop Trap, with extra leg.

At first, The PO'M was wary.

Wary PO'M.

As the days wore on, he seemed to relax.

Chillaxin'!

But, he's a smart cat, and managed to run out of the trap.

Me: 0

The PO'M: 1

Jigsaw Puzzle

108Fangs!

I love The PO'M with my whole being, and only wish him to be as healthy as possible.

However, he's not a housecat; I cannot pick him up to put him into a carrier, nor will a blanket and purrito work.

We may need to find a vet that does home visits, or one that can tele-diagnose (if there is such a thing!)  Or try again when the temperature is a bit cooler (near 90 degrees F today!)

No worries: Paddy has returned!

Angel Sammy

Six years ago, on June 12, 2014, I helped Sammy leave his earthly body to run freely into the light.

I hadn't expected it; we were at the veterinarian's for a dental appointment.

The vet said that Sammy was very sick, his mouth was very messed up, and no amount of dental work or antibiotics was going to pull him back 100% into the world of the living.

I cried, sobbed, and rained tears down upon Sammy's fur.

He looked at me, and said, "Let me go now".

You can hear Sammy's meow, which sorta sounded like 'Arf!' to me!

As I type this, I look at the heart-shaped urn that holds Sammy's cremains.

Even though he was an outside-only cat, and feral until he was feeling too unwell to want to run away, his presence and purrsonality made a huge impact on me.

Hope you are resting in peace, Angel Sammy, and that you know that I will always love you.

💔💕💔

Jigsaw Puzzle

108Angel Sammy

Angel's Health Is Good!

"Lemme outta here!"

Angel's examination and bloodwork at the veterinarian's today show her to be in excellent health.  The doc was pleased with her teeth, and found no urinary problems.  The discussion was that due to her age, she's just not holding her bladder as long as a spring chicken, thus more peeballs.  I thought that her output had increased, but it was just a frequency issue.  I am somewhat chagrined, but very glad that she is well. 

Thanks for the well wishes for my Bunny Rabbit kitty; I followed my instincts, and since she was due for an annual check-up in a month, we've knocked that off the chore list.

My posts and comments will be somewhat sporadic, due to a five-day course that I am taking this week.  Thankfully, it's occurring in my office building, and during my usual office hours...SCORE!

Hopefully, it's Nothing

Pensive Angel looks pensive

Since Angel has her own litter boxes, it was easy to notice that her urine output increased in the last two weeks.  We have a veterinarian appointment for this Sunday.  Even The Hubby commented on her acting a bit differently recently; more skittish, more vocal.  We are hoping that she's just got 'the-windows-are-shut' blues, and the vet will waive us away, commenting to the vet tech that I am a nervous nelly cat mama.  I can take being embarrassed over a cat-health nothing-burger any day!

The Skinny On Sunday Or Monday

Many of you won't read this until Monday, but I'm up late on Sunday trying to catch up on my week-plus of vacation.

Sadly, I report that my friend's two dogs, Nala and Champ, were both hit by cars and crossed The Rainbow Bridge soon after they escaped their yard.  When I posted here, the only information available was about Champ.  Thank you for your warm thoughts for the family.😢

Unhappy Chuck, at the vet's office

On Saturday, Chuck and I visited the veterinarian, who took radiographs of his chest.  There are shadows around his lungs, meaning fluid has accumulated. The Hubby had already increased his dosage of Enalapril (blood pressure), and the vet wanted an increase in Spironolactone (water pill) too.  She gave me her work email, to let her know how Chuck responds to these changes.  We made an appointment for a new heart and lung echocardiogram in a month.

Chuck has lost weight since his last visit, and after Saturday's appointment, he's been sleeping more and not eating much.  Perhaps my return to a regular work schedule will help get him back on track. And of course, Angel is hissing at him (and me!)

And yet, in spite of it all, we as a family had lovely weather to enjoy snuggles, walks around parks, and visits to outdoor farmer's markets and shopping.

Love these banks of flowers!
They are everywhere.

Sweetie actually posed for a photo

Crazy tree trunk at Stoney Creek MetroPark
in Shelby Township, Michigan

Angel, getting some summer whiffies!

Back to work!

Better Living Through Pharmaceuticals!

The Chuckster in black and white

Chuck's vet appointment on Saturday went well!  The shadow on his lung was gone, meaning it was excess fluid that has now been taken away by the water pills.  The vet was rather embarrassed about Chuck's tail sustaining some sort of injury when shaved at the last visit, but she looked it over and said that it's healing and there is nothing else to do.  She told me that they take a cat's blood pressure in the tail, which was news to me.

In addition, he didn't get all 'stinked up' by vet techs wearing perfume either, as he has the last few times.  Angel KNEW something was up, but she just remained wary for a day, without any hissing.  Two thumbs up!

We are having a slight issue with Chucky not eating as robustly as he once did, while Angel manages to devour anything that Chuck ignores.  So, he's a lightweight, while his twin sister is getting a bit too zaftig!  The Hubby says that when I'm away at work, he slips Chuck extra food when Angel is not around, hoping to balance the scales. In addition, all of the special-brand foods that the holistic veterinarian has recommended aren't doing the trick, so everyone is now eating Trader Joe's food (at $.79 a 5.5 oz can!)  I will travel to the chain pet store tomorrow, and see what else I can find to temp Chuck's tastebuds.  Human baby food and Fancy Feast may be on the list, per input from other cat folks who've been in our spot before.

Vet and Weather News

Chucky, before the echocardiogram.
The walls are painted green,
which reflected in his eyes.

The veterinarian says that Chuck's heart muscle is beginning to weaken, and there isn't enough strength to push the blood out all of the heart. She says that means the blood swirls around in there, and that may lead to clotting.  Therefore, she's upped a couple of his meds, to help avoid clots.  She thinks he's been feeling a bit punky because of this swirling business, and that's why he's not eating as much.  He's lost a full pound since the last visit.

However, she was very interested in the news that the usual food he's been getting is disappearing, and that we are switching...slowly...to Salmon and Green Pea, which is what the holistic vet recommended. She is thinking the new med amounts AND new food might entice him to eat up.  She wants to see him again in 2 to 3 months.

Chuck howled the song of his people all of the way to the vet's office, but going home he was mostly quiet.  I took the opportunity to make up my own songs, with his name inserted.  Not only was he manhandled and had blood stolen, but then he had to listen to me singing too!  Oh my, poor kitty.

The vet tech who handled Chucky was wearing too much perfume. Therefore, Angel began hissing at Chuck Friday night, and kept it up all day Saturday and Sunday!  She may have given it up today, but she is still moving around the house with her tail down, and looking around furtively.  How do I tell the vet's office to advise their staff to get their perfume jollies OUTSIDE of the office?  Even The Hubby couldn't stand the flowery smell on Chuck's fur!

Thank you all for your comments about online ordering.  I heard from Natural Balance today, in response to my email, and they said once supplies for Venison and Green Pea are gone, they are going to STAY gone for a very long while.  So, I'm glad I found that last case of the old food, and have already started transitioning Chuck and Angel to the new.  My plan is to add a second brand too, once we have them settled into the first.

AND THEN...SNOW!

Pawprints on the feeding station

"Let's eat before the food freezes!"

Snow on Sweetie's fur

The backyard

Snowy Ghost Cat 

If I cannot have them inside, I can at least shovel and sweep The 'O' Cats's territory, just so their paws don't have to get snowy.  First thing Monday morning, I shoveled snow from the front door, around the side of the house, and around and over the back deck.  Patty thinks the shovel is a toy and barely avoided getting shoveled up and dumped unceremoniously into the snow pile!  Sweetie is sure the shovel (and any broom) is on this earth to harm her, so she stays hidden or runs away when I do this work.  Temps are dropping into the sub-zero range soon, so any snow left will become ice.  The Cat Car drives in the slush and snow like a champ!

Angel versus Vet!

Waiting...for the doc to come!

The small peeballs at the bottom

Angel had a bladder infection awhile ago, and we thought it was all gone. Last week, The Hubby noticed that she was going in and out of the litter box with greater frequency than usual, and the evidence of little peeballs the size of marbles instead of big peeballs the size of a 1/2 of an apple made it clear: our girl either has a new infection or the old one just never quite went away.

On Friday, October 7, we went to the vet's office, but Angel proved to be a sneak!  She had no urine in her bladder for the doc to test.  The doc did not want to give her a Covenia shot, which is what she received in August. This time, we are giving her Clavamox every 12 hours.  I am not crazy about her recovery; those peeballs are growing in size, but not fast enough for me. The Hubby and I have agreed to give her the seven days of antibiotics, then decide if she needs to make another trip to the vet.  She's also developed diarrhea, poor thing!

Here's the kicker:  we believe that it's TRIPS TO THE VET that are making Angel so nervous to cause her bladder issues!  It was MY idea to take her to the holistic vet, but in my defense I did not know that we needed to go back again every few months for rechecks.  Angel has had at least six vet appointments this year; three (at least) to the holistic vet, once to get a dental, and now twice for her bladder. Poor kitty!  Yep, this was all my idea, and no good deed goes unpunished, as they say.

We will see her through the bladder thing, but no more vet visits for her for at least six months after this.  Angle obviously takes after The Hubby, who dislikes going to the doctor so much, that he hasn't gone in about 40 years. That really is a four and a zero!  

Chuck And Angel's Saturday Vet Visit

On the way...

Afterward, Chuck was hiding a bit...

...but then he came out again!

Angel just wanted to nap

Both Chuck and Angel received good marks from the holistic vet!  He feels that Chuck's organs are doing very well, and Angel's recent bladder infection is over, and she has no lasting effects from the antibiotics.  Chuck did have an 'accident' on the way, and he smelled BAD from sitting in it, and I felt badly too.  The vet people had some nice organic cleaner stuff, and Chuck smelled fabulous after I wiped him down.  He was so embarrassed, but everyone treated him well.  We are decreasing the amounts of herbs and vitamins that are mixed into their every meal.  Chuck goes back in two months, and I've scheduled another chiropractor visit for him too.  Angel can wait longer for her next visit; we'll discuss her again when I go back with Chuck in November.

Wait...did I just type NOVEMBER!?!  OH NOES!!  I'm not ready to give up on Summertime yet, folks.

Cat Health News

Angel gives me the stink eye!

The vet said that Angel's urine had bacteria, white blood cells and all kinds of riff-raff that shouldn't be in there.  Namely: a bladder infection.  She received a shot of Convenia, plus some holistic capsules that improve bladder health.

"Mama, let's go HOME!"

When we see our holistic veterinarian in a few weeks, we'll zero in again on Angelova's overall health, to see what we can do to get her into optimal ranges.

On the Chuck side of life, look at what I found when I got home yesterday, before Angel's vet appointment:

Wooly migration!

Chuck was herding my woolies again!  Well, just one wooly, but that's one more than any in a long time.  The Hubby and I take this as a good sign, and think that perhaps Chuck is feeling a little bit better.  We are now orchestrating meals with all of the holistic vitamins carefully crushed up and mixed in, and perhaps they are beginning to work for Chuck.  

P.S. Please visit Four White Paws blog and leave a note; their dear kitty Buddy left for the Rainbow Bridge.

Vet Visit for Angelova

Angel has a trip to the vet's office tonight; she is not urinating properly.  Lots of trips, not enough output.  We all know what that means...urinary tract infection!  Or bladder stones, or...

Will keep you posted.

Since The Hubby and I watched the Olympics and prior to that, the Wimbledon Tennis Championships, there are a lot of women competing who have 'ova' on the ends of their names.  So, we've added it to Angel's name too.  Angelova.  Cute, huh?  I also call her Angel-eeny, which I rhyme with bikini.  She's my babydoll; I love to sing-song to her!

Chucky, the Cat Bomb

I just love this boy!

Lots of box tops around our house!

WARNING!  TALK ABOUT CAT BATHROOM HABITS AHEAD!

Chucky is not using the litter box anymore for #2.  This is why we have been to the holistic vet, since the 'regular' veterinarian's do not seem to have a handle on it.  However, the holistic vitamins and even a chiropractic adjustment have not changed this fact.  Because he's not constipated nor has diarrhea, we really aren't even sure if he HAS Irritable Bowel; we've just been giving him the meds for it because at one time they worked.

The Hubby and I feel that Chuck is actually AFRAID to go poops.  He holds it and holds it, until he cannot anymore, which is why it's like a cat bomb when he finally 'let's go'.  Often, he's asleep somewhere, and he wakes up in a panic...because he has to 'go' RIGHT NOW!  His recent procedure is this: he poops right where he was napping, then races around as if the demons of h*ll are chasing him, and he leaves a little trail in his wake.  He'll finally settle in a corner or a window sill, breathing hard and looking scared. Chuck is very unhappy when this happens.

For awhile, he would only do this ON SOFT CLOTH, meaning the bed or any towel/blanket.  Lately, he manages to only dirty a box, or the hardwood floor.  This makes cleanup easier, however we are clueless now how to help him return to the litter box.  Is this a behavioral issue, or is he in some kind of pain or discomfort?  We could put diapers on him, and it may come to that.  We have also tried Zoloft, in the hopes he would settle down a bit, but have no positive results.  For about 15 minutes every other day, Chuck goes off like a cat bomb; at ALL other times he is his usual, loving and luscious self.

A long time ago, we kept Chuck inside a large room, with his own litter box, bed, etc.  He went crazy (peed and pooped everywhere!) after a couple of days and we scuttled that experiment. I've even talked to three animal psychics; their information did not help us either.  There is no specific time of day that the bomb explodes, so locking him in a room overnight won't mean anything.  We added a new litter box, and cleaned and sanitized all of them, and filled all with new litter.  He uses them for #1, after all!

It's a puzzlement.

P.S. Angel is eating almost at 100% again, thank goodness!  When I set down the two food bowls this morning, both Angel and Chuck got to eating immediately.  The Hubby made fun of me, saying out loud, "Fat cats make Mama happy!"  Go ahead, joke all you want, but having a cat bomb and a non-eating cat at the same time was testing my ability to keep it together!  Plus having our old veterinarian shut me down yesterday, did not help my mood.

"Okay, maybe I'll take a taste..."

Angel's bowl at the top, Chucky snacked at the bottom bowl

Angel ate a little...

The Hubby had ceased giving Angel her holistic vitamins about a week ago, because she put up too much of a fight in the pilling process.  We were figuring out how to get into each cat their respective vitamin load, when Angel stopped eating on Sunday.  So last night, he scooped her up and stuffed her pills in as he'd done prior.  What could it hurt?

And voila!  This morning, both Chuck AND Angel danced around the kitchen, as I opened cans and made up their bowls.  Angel ate some...not a lot...but more than before.  Cannot really credit the vitamins as being the key, but she showed that she has an appetite.  I am NOT reeling back my desire to get her to the veterinarian, until I see some stronger indication that she is back to 100%.  However, things seem less dire than they did yesterday.  Thanks to everyone for your support!

WARNING!  RANT AHEAD!  YOU'VE BEEN WARNED!!!!

Chuck takes three meds for his heart, and two meds for his intestines.  His original veterinarian put him on the intestinal meds, especially budesonide.  It's a mild steroid to keep inflammation down. I took Chuck to this same doc when he had his first 'running-'round-the-house-pooping-and-peeing-and-barfing' incident, and she said he needed a heart specialist.  That was in July, 2015.  Fast forward to today, when I called her office to ask for a couple of budesonide capsules, since refilling that prescription got ignored until too late...100% my fault.  SHE WOULDN'T DO IT, saying that she hadn't seem him in over a year (July 14, 2015 to August 10, 2016?!), and that her office had faxed his health history to two other offices (heart doc and holistic vet, as supplemental to regular vet).  She said that if I made an appointment today, then she would be happy to make the prescription, once she had actually seen the cat.  The vet said that this is all STATE LICENSING REGULATIONS.

Oh really?  For two or three little capsules of cat steroid that she has already prescribed?  For a client of about ten years AND two cats worth of visits?  A year?  This stinks to high heaven, and The Hubby concurs. Thanks alot, so nice of you to help, but you've just lost us as our primary cat veterinarian. I understand following rules, but seriously, what rule would be broken, to refill a script that is already on record?  Hey, I take responsibility for creating this mess in the first place, but a little assistance from the vet's office that I've spent a lot of money at AND have referred several other patients...well, screw you.  And screw me, for having stuck with you all of these years.

O'Malley At The Vet

What's over there?

What's over here?

What's up there?

Gotta be something over there

Maybe down on the floor?

Patty inside trap, wrapped with old sheet, and in the car

Patty's back was a mass of sores under his fur.  So, I set up the drop trap, made an vet appointment, and took the day off from work.  I trapped him at 8:00 am on Friday, and we were home again by 9:30 am!  The vet said his scabs were infected, but one shot of Covenia antibiotic should take care of that. She also gave him a CapStar pill to kill any flea eggs, even though she did not find any fleas.  His ears were clean too.  She called him, "A Big Boy".  The best guess was that he had been infested with fleas once which made him itch.

Patty was such a good kitty; he allowed me to hold him the whole time, and even explored a little bit. When released afterward, he simply walked down the deck stairs to rub against my ankles!  

Once again, setting the drop trap up for days on end, did the trick.  The 'O' cats began to ignore it, so when I put food underneath in the morning, they just raced inside and I dropped it around them.  I opened the exit door so Sweetie could run out, then we coaxed Patty from the drop trap into the portable TruCatch trap.  I threw an old dark blue sheet over that, and away we went!

This morning, I did a quick check of his back, and he is better but clearly not completely healed.  I will make a calendula tincture, and rub the liquid into his fur when the outside temperatures are warm enough that I know I'm not freezing the poor kitty.  Calendula has natural antibiotic and healing qualities, and Patty will enjoy my ministrations as I massage his body.

Next on the Patty agenda: weight loss!