darn

I just caught Jack in the bath tub again looking like he was going to spray.

Is this medical?  I hope not, because if he is having problems on this food (not that many carbs in it) then I'm boned.

So that leaves behavioral.  Is it something he's learned that he should do because it helped him when he was sick or is it because he's stressed?  Marking territory doesn't seem to make a whole lot of sense because it is in the farthest corner of the house, away from all of the places they lay and the places they eat, and he doesn't hang out there, so it isn't like he's carving out a little corner for himself.. I mean it isn't like he's a fan of a bath tub..

*sigh*

So I opened up a can of Jack Mackerel (yes, I know.. but I couldn't resist giving Jack Jack) and gave him the liquid in the can and gave the fish to the rest of the crew.  I have to tell you I almost hurled at the scent of canned mackerel.  heck I'm having issues just typing about it. I can't believe people enjoy eating that.. *shudder*   (of course that is pretty much the way my husband feels about tofu)

I was going to give him urinary food, as I still have some, but then I didn't think I'd get a good sample to see if he's having issues.  of course there is the thought that fish food can cause urinary issues, so if his urine isn't too alkaline, it might be by the time he goes pee. 

I'm hoping it is a learned behavior that he doesn't realize he's doing.  I'm hoping a few good well placed "bad Jack's" will cure him of this.  But I'm not opposed to bringing him in to the vet for a check up if he continues..

*crosses fingers for no pink litter when I get home*

Ollie

Now this is interesting.  Right after I did his little diddy on this blog, stating that he doesn't seem to really want a whole heck of a lot of attention, he has done little else but demand that I pat him.  Nudging his nose into warm bits as I am laying in bed.  Chirping grumpily at me if I don't adorn his head with my hand, and just generally being a nusance (but in a good way)

Ok seriously, what is going on with my cats?  are they reading this blog??

This morning was really cute.  I didn't much want to get up, and Eli wanted belly rubs (Eli ... now this is a whole different post) Ollie wanted to be patted, and Jack was snuggled up to me.  Just me and the boys.. (Skippy still being just a kitten)

The Crew - Jack

 

Jack is my first foster failure.  I started fostering in 2002, and he was in the third litter I had.  He came with three other kittens, and shortly afterwords one of them became very ill and needed to be put to sleep.  It was the first loss I had fostering, and it hurt.  I spent a lot of time with that group of kittens as a result.

Jack was a pretty unremarkable kitten. He came with the name Houdini, which fit him nicely because he was quite a little escape artist, but it wasn't an easy name to call a cat.  Jack has the ability to look like several different animals depending on his mood, and we picked Jack because he looked a bit like a jackal one day. He was a little fluffier then most short haired kittens, but wasn't quite long haired.  He was also quite gangly, and he almost seemed to be put together from several different kittens.  But he needed me.  He used to nurse on my ear and snuggle up tight.  I wasn't overly amused at the actual being nursed on, but his need out won my discomfort.  When the time came for the litter to go back and be put up for adoption I cried.  I had sworn to my husband when I started fostering that I wouldn't keep any of them (ha ha ha) but he was so special and unique, and I loved him for him - certainly not for his looks!!  I finally could not deal with it, and ran down to the shelter and scooped him up.

I was unemployed at the time, so I took Jack with me everywhere.  I fit him with a harness and leash, and we went to get ice cream, to visit friends and family, and many trips to the pet store - simply because I knew he would be welcomed there.  He basked in the attention and loved going out.  He would run to the door when ever someone would start getting ready to go out.  After a few months I found a job and he had to stay home.  He lost his love of going out, but he has not yet lost his love of being the center of attention.  When ever we have company he has to be right there.

He grew into his gangly looks.  He's now a very long sleek boy with medium length blue hair. He does have quite a bit of a belly hang though which waddles when he walks fast or runs, but it does not detract from his beauty.  He has a gorgeous mane as well which has a small white dot in the middle of it which developed after he became an adult.  Unfortunately he does NOT photograph well at all.  I think it is because you can't see him in three dimension and that is a pure shame.

Jack has had several medical issues, including a lump removed from his back when he was young.  He wasn't even a year old, and the vet was concerned that it might be a VAS because of it's location (near the scruff where the shelter vaccinates) but we were very fortunate it was a just a cyst. A couple of years ago he developed another cyst on his back leg, but we've chosen to ignore it until he needs to be sedated for something else. We also had the great FIP situation over the holidays of 2002.  As a result of some bad advice and true lack of knowledge I went through several months with a huge black cloud over our heads (but more of that with Muffin and Eli's profile) and in the end it turned out that Jack tested positive for FeLV.  I had him tested eight weeks later and he was still positive.  I started giving him Vitamin C, and when I had him tested a year later he came up negative.  I should probably have him tested again just to be sure, but I haven't.  THEN Jack started having urinary problems.  Eli had already gone through them, so I knew what I was looking at, but I still didn't get to him in time.  He blocked.  After going through the surgery and several round of "prescription" foods, he blocked again.  At this time I was facing problems with Em and her diabetes, so I was open to learning anything that would help, and I learned that diet is incredibly important in maintaining the right PH balance in a cat, and that the "premium" dry food he had been on was keeping him so dehydrated that the crystals were able to form a blockage.  I started making my own raw food, and while he ate it he didn't have any more problems.  Well making cat food for six cats was a stretch, but when the household got larger, I started buying it.  When we started buying Oma's Pride, it caused problems.  I didn't really notice until Jack got into quite a bit of dry one day and then ended up peeing in the bathtub.  I tried to work with the issues Oma's caused, but when just about all of the cats became ill on their food and they simply did not care, I then went to Bravo Raw.  Jack's issues pretty much cleared up, including his cruddy ears.  The only other issue with Jack so far is that he actually sprayed.  We had a foster cat who was not leaving, and this upset Jack.  I had seen him making spraying movements before, but he had never sprayed.  Fortunately he did it right in front of me, so I was able to make arrangements to get the foster re-situated, and I was able to work with Jack to ease his fears that other cats might be joining the household.  According to Jack, eight is enough!!!  A few medical things that are on the side of good, Jack has great teeth.  Even at 8 years (OMG he's eight??!?!) of age his teeth are still sparkling white.  He also had a strong heart murmur as a kit and young adult, but that closed up and is no longer around.

Jack is EXTREMELY food motivated.  He has never wanted for anything in his life, but you would have thought he spent many a moon starved and alone.  I jokingly call him and Muffin my garbage disposal and my dishwasher.  He also has this incredibly high pitched meow when he wants you to give him something... very much like nails on a chalk board. I don't doubt for a second if I could work with him alone, I could easily train him to do tricks.  He loves food and loves praise, but it is very hard with other cats distracting both of us.

He is also the Beta to Ollie's Alpha.  Ollie often feels the need to put Jack in his place, which is kind of interesting to watch because I do not see Jack competing for Ollie's status but my affection - which for the most part Ollie doesn't want.

Jack has outgrown his *need* for me, and stopped nursing on me a little after six months.  For the next six months he would nuzzle my ear, and give it a little lick from time to time, just to make sure he still could.  For the most part now that he is a "big boy" he acts very independent, but at night he is still curled up by my right side.  He loves it when I rub his chest and chin because he gets to sit up all regal like and accept praise.  My husband is able to give him full contact rub downs which include messing his fur all up so he looks like just came in from a hurricane.  Why it is OK for him to do that and not me I have no idea.  His fur is very fine, almost like a rabbit, and I think as a result of that Frontline does not work on him.  Fortunately Advantage does.

I love Jack very much.  I often whisper in his ear that he is my favorite.  I don't quite know about that anymore, but he is definitely the kitty of my soul.

Animal Communicator?

Ok, so I am not an official animal communicator, cause I have no idea what they are thinking at any moment in time - but I can generally figure out what they are about to do by their body posture - but I am starting to believe I have the ability to TELL the cats what to do..

now for the most part my kitties are much like other kitties, they don't listen.  They take a message and get back to you sort of thing.  Often if you want them off something they are on, you have to walk up to them and threaten physical removal in order for them to care.

but recently I have started asking my cats to to get down, or come here, or leave their sibling alone... and it worked!!

I am sure it has a LOT to do with my tone.  If I tell them to get down in a sing songy happy voice, they just bask in the praise they think they are getting.. but there is that no nonsense tone I have that means *I have absolutely had it with whatever you are doing and the next time I speak you are NOT going to like it*.  You know the one, when you say, no, get down, no, go away, leave my food alone, no, NO, GEEZE  COME ON!!, no, down, sit down.. and THEN you get the tone, so you could pretty much tell them to fly to the moon and they'd slink down and sit somewhere close and watch you.  Maybe I've come to be able to use that tone the first time, but I got Kit to lay down on the first command the other day when she was so excited over seeing DH that she was about to step in his dinner for the fifth time.  I got Fleurp to get off the counter, twice.  I got Ollie and Muffin to drop their little scuffle (those are interesting.  Muffin is 1.5 times the size of Ollie, but Ollie is older and meaner.  They've never actually fought, but they have been having quite a few vocal scuffles lately)

I also haven't been able to do anything in my house with out an entourage.  DH thinks it is quite funny when I walk down the hall with at least four cats following me around.  Last night when I got home from work, I had six, and they were all squeeking and whining wanting my attention.  I was in the kitchen trying to talk to DH and I almost couldn't hear myself from all the hubub.  I told them to be quiet a few times, but not in "the tone" finally I had it, and told them to leave us alone! and surprisingly a moment later there wasn't a kitty in the kitchen (they were all on the far side of the island which I refer to as the dining area of our great room kitchen/living room/dining room room) no crying, no noise of any kind.  I almost went giddy with my power.  If I could get Jack to not cry for treats, could I take over the world??

I then went down to exercise, and my entourage came with me.  Fleurp has taken to sleeping in a blanket that is on the floor in the basement where I work out.  She comes down with me and takes a cat nap while I work out.  I have not worked out alone since... well since I can remember :).  But last night I had Skippy running around playing with a ping pong ball and trying to goat Fleurp into playing.  Muffin was there too, doing her best to distract me with her beautiful belly.  She so loves to flaunt that thing at me when I'm busy knowing I have a very hard time resisting it. Life according to Muff is that NOTHING is more important then paying attention to Muff - unless she's busy. 

We do have a little bit of a situation though.  Twee has ended up with a few scabs on her head, so someone is not playing fair.  She had a tiny one at the base of her ear on the back side last week, and on Sunday I found a rather large scrape/scab under her chin.  I see her playing with Skippy and Muffin (ok so Muffin doesn't play she tells her to go away with some rather aggressive tones but I can't see her getting physical) and I've never seen anyone trying to hurt her.  Not quite sure what is going on.  She's lost several patches of fur on her head previous, but with no scabbing, no irritation of any type.  Just a small round patch of fur missing (maybe the size of a pea) and smooth white skin peeking through.  *shrug*  I'll have to keep an eye on it and see what comes of it.

@!$&@#!!!

I was in the bathroom last night brushing my teeth - along with several cats - and Jack came in.  He walked up to the side of the bath tub, and after a few moments of staking out his territory, proceeded to do what I refer to as the "pee pee dance"  He siddles up to the tub, butt facing the tub (or wall if it is somewhere else) and starts prancing with his back feet and quivers his tail. 

I have always known that this is the prelim to spraying.. but I figured in Jack it was his sign that he was uncomfortable with his history of urinary crystals.  When I see him start to do that I usually shoo him away and then in the next day or two do a urinary test on him to make sure his PH is in the normal range.

Well last night it was not the prelim... he actually sprayed!!

What the heck!!  My sweet sweet Jack is spraying. 

I feel like I have failed him some how.  Brought too many cats into the house and disturbed him.  Although I'm sure it is his need to dominate Ollie (which Ollie will have NONE of and Ollie often puts him in his place) which would be occurring even if I hadn't adopted a slew of other cats.

I can't say if this is his first actual spray either.  There was a spray mark in the office on the mirror, which made no sense at all, since that is a place not frequented by anyone but my DH when he visits his computer.  There are no comfortable spots to sit or sleep, no reason to be in that corner for a cat at all. I thought it might have been a foster in that room previously, which made a lot more sense.

Then DH comes to me this morning and says the solarium smells like urine too.  *head desk* 

Guess I am going to have to start being more careful with Jack and his emotions and spend some time giving him one on one attention more directly, instead of allowing him to get attention when he feels like it - because maybe he feels he is unable to do that for what ever reason.

Generally I wake up with him curled up on one side of me and Muffin on the other.  He watches over me until I get out of bed, then he's gone to do his daily things and doesn't seem to want to directly interact with me (except to beg for treats) again for the rest of the day.

Since I was able to test the PH of his urine last night, I know that it is not the issue, and he is no longer licking his belly bald, so I doubt this has anything to do with medical issues.  I will watch him carefully though and at the least sign that something is off with him he'll be going in..

There has always been a sense of wonder almost bordering on pride that my crew of eight cats got along so well and there really hasn't be the sort of issues with conflict that can occur in multi cat households.

Guess it is time to dig out my cat behavior books again and read up on spraying..

and what really gets me, is that I am supposed to start pet sitting for a family member on Tuesday for a month or so.  Like we need another cat in the house.  Guess Boots will just have to stay in the cat room..

the irresistible cuddling Skippy

I was thinking yesterday that I hadn't seen Skippy for a good cuddle for a while, and I might just have to seek him out.  But I was tired and cold, and my bed was warm and toasty, so I figured it could wait.

Well last night in the middle of the night, in some hour that should not be seen by mankind, I got up to go to the bathroom.  Getting up is a four step process (longer if you include the waking up and then thinking about getting up, which are pretty vital steps)  There is the taking off of the covers, getting the feet out from under the covers you can't get off your feet, swinging said feet off the side of the bed, then the actual standing up.  This is not a fast process in the middle of the night.  In fact it is agonizingly slow - especially in the dead of winter because we have adjustable thermostats so the house is cold at night.  I was in step three (feet over the side of the bed) when Skippy comes out of no where and jumped up on my lap.

"Cuddle time Mom!"

But Skip... it is the middle of the night.  I'm still sound asleep.  I have to go pee!!  IT'S COLD!!

"Purrrrrr"

arrrgh

I give up and roll back into bed so my feet don't get frost bite and we spend the next little while cuddling.

Until Tweedle thought she could join in.  Because Muffin decided Skippy had had enough "Mommy Time" and walked in between him and my face (not nearly enough room there for your 15lb fluffiness, but she some how found a way)  So poor Skippy felt a little claustrophobic (ok so I'm projecting, he probably just didn't want to keep smelling Muffin's butt) and left.

and fortunately for my bladder I have no problem telling Muffin to get off.  Mostly because she is relentless and is on top of me most of the time I'm in bed.

My bladder didn't have a good night, and a little while later I was up again.  Did I mention the house is cold?  well you do know that means the toilet seat is cold too right?  (a little TMI?  sorry, it is going to get a little worse before you start laughing at me)

So I was trying to hurry things along to avoid frost bite on delicate bits, and all of a sudden out of no where Skippy shows up and jumps up on my lap.

"Hi Mom!"

Um.. Skipster, I'm using the "litter box"! 

"Purrrrrr" *cuddle*

I'm always a gonner when he leans into me.  I'd give that boy the moon if he could find a way to ask for it while cuddling.

And yes, I'm still on the freezing cold toilet, in the freezing cold bathroom, which has freezing cold tiles.. so yes, my pants are down around my ankles.  There is just no dignified way to get up and go back to bed and keep Skip happy.

So I did it the un-dignified way.  I was certain he was going to get annoyed with me and leave, but I made it back to bed with him, and we spent a few more minutes cuddling before Skippy went to a sleeping DH and decided it was his turn.

Which is good, because my fingertips were starting to turn blue  (which frankly doesn't take much.  Don't think my house was actually icy.. the thermostat only goes down to 62 at night, but for me I'm cold at 72)

So I finally get back to sleep.  To be awoken several hours (I'm hoping anyway) by a Jack to the bladder.  How they know where that thing is, and are able to step square in the middle of it always amazes me.  I think Jack and Muffin have a running contest to see who can get to mine first in the AM.  When Jack fails, he tends to hang out by my head and stick his ice cold nose on warm bits that are exposed when he steps on the covers.

Why they want me to wake up in the morning I have no clue.  I do not feed them in the AM.  Guess they just miss me.

and I'm totally ok with that.

*headpalm* or why 8 kitties is a bad idea

Ok, seriously, I know owning Skippy would be a bad idea.  Doesn't mean I don't want to do it anyway though....

but this morning my kitties showed me very clearly why.  Mostly it would be that there would be more of them then I could handle.

So in the wee hours of the morning I woke up.  Not one of those *oh crud I'm awake in the middle of the night and I can't get back to sleep* bits.. but I had left my heating blanket on and I was a little warm, so normally I would have rolled over, shut it off and fallen back asleep.  But there were kitties on the bed who were missing me terribly, so when they realized that I might be conscious they sprang into action, and surrounded my head purring up a storm.  15lb Muffin, 12lb Jack and 6lb Fleurp were all there.  9lb Twee showed up a few moments later jockeying for a position to worship at the head of the sleeping mom.

Now if you have never had this experience, let me tell you it is a bit overwhelming.  I have blogged about it before, but it really is something to have four cats up in your face when you are barely awake... not to mention the fact that their bodies are the perfect length for their noses to be all up in your face, and their back feet to be targeted to your bladder.  *sigh*  off they all go as I stumble towards the bathroom.  I hate kicking kitties off me, but sometimes the bladder wins.

I stumble back into bed, get comfy, and once again there are cat noses where there shouldn't be cat noses.  Those things are COLD when it is cold in the house.  I finally convince all the kitties to settle down somewhere around the area of my legs, and drift off to sleep (but not before annoying the daylights out of DH who went to sleep on the couch.  Kitties were happy - more room for them)

Morning begging is reserved for DH who feeds them since he gets up first.  But when I got up, Jack was all up in my business begging for attention.  Fleurp dug out a superball and was playing with it.  I picked it up and realized that someone had chewed chunks off it.  I probably should have put the ball in my pocket to be stored in a drawer (ok I admit it, I really like superballs.. and yes it is appropriate to give me a gift of one) but I bounced it into the other room, and watched Fleurp fly at it, and look so adorable doing it.  something between a rabbit and a flying squirrel (I so wish I had video proof of it).  The ball ended up back at my feet, so I bounced it again, and this time she was so intent on getting it she missed the fact that the ball was bouncing towards the fridge, and she ran right into it.  Yes, Fleurp makes me laugh every single day.

But later, after I exercised, I went back into the bedroom to get dressed for work, and realized that a flipflop I have not work in over a year (wore them the summer previous) was on the middle of the floor.  I shook my head, knowing my Fleurp thought it was irrisitable and some how had dragged the thing from my shoe rack in the front of the house, through the kitchen, down the hall, and into the bedroom.  I KNEW it was her, only from the evidence of the lone flop on the floor.  Sure enough a few minutes later, she came and flopped next to the shoe and proceeded to "kill" it. I got a photo, but it only looks like she's laying on it.

Then I went to feed the rabbit.  Her water bottle was empty, so I bent over to take it off the cage, and went and filled it.  I bent back over to reattach it to the cage, when Kit in all her claws decided to jump up on my back.. OUCH!  I had been saying for a few days I needed to trim claws, well now was the time!!!

I also think one of the other kitties has convinced Twee to play Hide and Seek, because she has taken to hiding behind the curtains in the kitchen.  They are floor length, and mostly sheer.  When I went to pat her through the curtain, she was quite disturbed that she wasn't properly hidden, so I pretended I was just fixing the curtain so she could be happy.

Ollie is still quite annoyed with life.  He's annoyed that the other kitties want to do what he wants to do, and there for are in his way.  Doesn't matter if they were there first, and he walks in on them, if they are in the spot HE wants to be in, they get smacked.  If he offers his head for grooming and they don't groom fast enough, the smacking will commence.  Not quite sure who I feel worse for, him or them.

They definitely bring a depth and richness to my life.  The love, the cuddles, the laughter.  They do add a certain emptiness to my wallet though, the annual vet visits, the $800 surgery for Ollie, then the $500 revisit this year.  Eli needs a dental.  He has for a while, but I put it off, well I can't put it off any more.. Jack is having issues with his bladder.. at least I'm assuming his bladder is a little uncomfortable and he doesn't just like the Brazilian look.  All of my kitties are under 10 years of age, so I'll have multiple seniors at the same time in a few years.  Being proactive costs money, not being proactive either means more money or the loss of my kitties too young.

I just wish my heart understood all that..

picts

The kittens are growing like weeds. The boys have lost their cords and are fat and cubby. The girl still has hers, and is smaller and petite compared to them.
KITTEN BELLY!!
Then they were screaming and Lula came to the rescue.
When I went upstairs Fleurp was being adorably cute and wanted her photo taken.
I got up this morning and saw this, it was just too cute and had to share. Jack (gray) Ollie (black & white) and Muffin (white and gray)

The Crew

So I got a coupon for some free digital prints, and I have some cute photo frames I want to fill up with photos of the crew, so this morning I took my camera (yes, the stupid Kodak one who will NOT focus on the cats no matter how hard I try) and took about 100 photographs of the kids. These were the only ones who came out half decent (and one that isn't half decent but is too cute anyway)
Click on any photo to view the larger format:

So first I took photos of Ollie. Sitting on the fridge I figured I had a half decent chance of getting a good photo


Then Fleurp decided she wanted in on the action


Then I took a few of Jack that did not come out at all (the rug he was on was clearer than he - the item in the CENTER OF THE PHOTO) and Fleurp was not amused she wasn't the center of attention


So then Muffin came around, and I got one of her on the chair. Unfortunately that was all blurry too, and the first one of Muf and Kit was bad, but this one was cute.


seriously, you would think this kitten never gets any attention!!



Tweedle walked by, and the first few of her were all blurry, but I got this one


Eli's first photo was horrid, the second was good, and he was out of there, because he knew I was going to want to clean his face


More Fleurp.. I swear...


So then Muffin jumped up on the cat tree and proceeded to pose for me in the MOST DIFFICULT POSITION POSSIBLE. I love her.. really I do, and she totally makes me work for it


so I got her to turn around with a few well placed complements and some begging



but then she decided she needed to wash up.


and because that picture was just so priceless, a few close ups



Then I thought I'd go get a photo of Brianna, the Bunny. and guess who showed up


Tried to get one with out Fleup. Tried...

*hangs head*

I am a bad kitty mommy today. I think I've been forgiven, but I'm still kind of ashamed.

Jack needs to get some medication every day. I can either force him to take it, or sneak it in a little meat snack. He prefers the meat snack - and frankly I do as well because he takes it willingly. I've never been a fan of forcing my cats to do anything. I can, and easily, but if there is another way I'll take it.

So Fleurp, never one to practice self restraint, needs to be distracted so Jack can eat his "treat". She will steal anything from anyone and not show a second of fear or remorse or anything. She wants, she gets, period. So she gets a little to distract her, then I give to anyone else standing around, then Jack gets his. Usually by the time Jack has his, Fleurp is done with hers, and is in everyone else's face, but I have time to grab her and hold her.

Today though, she wasn't cooperating with the distraction, and clawed me when I tried to offer her a second piece. i'm trying to teach her that she will get food if she is calmer about it, but she's just not into that. I try to show her that other kitties get food for being calm, but she just goes and steals theirs. I'm making some headway, but it is much like moving a beach with a teaspoon.

So today Jack took his treat and ran off with it. Fleurp ran right after him, so I pushed her gently away and guarded him while he tried to get the deli meat up off the floor. I need to remember they don't do well with bigger pieces of deli meat, because it takes them longer and pieces fall to the floor and getting flat meat up off the floor is harder. So I pushed Fleurp away and she immediately ran right back, and because my hands smell like meat, I got nipped.

Now it wasn't that hard, but it did shock me, and with out even thinking I cuffed her. Now she's been tapped before, and told "NO" but she's always gotten lots of warning before it happened. This time she just got hit. I could see the shock in her face, and she was immediately fearful of me, hiding behind a chair.

i felt horrible. I did it out of reaction, not out of malicious thought. It wasn't that hard of a smack, no damage was possible, but it was enough to shock her, and all I accomplished was to make her fear getting hit again. I am pretty sure at this age she just can't make the mental connection of why she got hit.

So I went and got another slice of turkey, and gave small pieces out until she could not resist, and I offered her piece after piece. I *think* she's either forgiven me or forgotten about it, but I won't know for certain till I get home tonight.

This is the second time I've lashed out at my kitties with out thinking. I did it years ago to Ollie when he smacked me on the face leaving marks. I felt absolutely horrible about that one too.

And people wonder why I don't have kids..

My Midnight Paramour

Jack, the kitty of my heart, the boy I love with whom I feel a special affection to (no, I won't ever admit to a favorite) changed into a distant boy as he got older. As a kitten there was no separating him from me. but now with the addition of so many other cats, and Muffin's insatiable need to be worshipped and loved, he has resigned himself to sitting across the room and watching me. I have tried to get him back, but he just never seemed interested.

Well for the past few nights, he's been waking me up in the middle of the night to cuddle. I can not refuse him.

Last night was slightly different though. Dh and I were laying sleeping face to face. It was quite warm, so each one of us had thrown the blankets off and in toward the middle of the bed. Jack walked up in between us, and started sniffing me. I patted him (thinking up until I actually touched him that it was Ollie, who often makes that exact same walk and DEMANDS to be patted) and then reached out to rest my hand on my dh's. Well Jack reached out with his paw and patted my hand. Several times. He then sniffed my nose, and then reached out and licked my lips! Now I don't mind being licked by my cats, but I've never been a fan of being licked on my lips. I reached up and pushed him away a bit, and patted him some more. He again reached out for my hand, and then after licked my lips again.

This very much had the feel of a lover. Maybe I'm reading way too much into this, but it was just a little odd to me.

I will admit I was thrilled Jack wanted to hang out with me, but the licking of the lips deliberately three plus times *shudder* not to mention he'll only hang out with me in the middle of the night. He's an odd little boy. But I love him so.

Jack's entry in the Caster Mother's Day Contest

I would nom-inate my nom I mean Mom, because she does give me yummy food, and take care of me and my brothers and sisters (even the ones I don't like) but I am not gonna do it.

Why?

BECAUSE SHE KEEPS BRINGING HOME MORE CATS!!

I remember when it was just me and Ollie and Emmy. We were a nice little family, and there was plenty of noms to go around, and treats were plentiful and there was always a spare lap. But then she brought home another set of kittens to "foster" (yea.. that just means she's testing them out to see who she's gonna keep!) and she ended up keeping Muffin and Eli!! Ok, so five isn't so bad. There was plenty of room, and plenty of food, but there were more competition for the treats!

Em got sick with the diabetes, and mom took care of her for years before she died of cancer. I miss her, but there were special treats for me, I did like that.

But she also kept Tweedle, and Kit and now this newcomer Fleurp is obnoxious! and to top it all off there are even more cats coming and going. It is so frustrating to me when she makes a yummy smelling treat and then brings it to those baby kitties and she won't give me any!!!

I shouldn't complain, I get yummy food and very yummy treats, but the competition for the treats is fierce now. I have to make sure I eat fast or Fleurp will come steal it! and sometimes when I go to get my ears scritched there will already be a cat or two on Mom and I *ugh* have to wait my turn!

Ok Ok, I like my brothers and sisters, but why can't it be all about the Jack!!

Apparently Jack is not a bed kitty.

the life of Jack includes problems with urinary issues. He has been producing alkaline urine while eating a higher carb raw food. So I have started supplementing him with a product to help acidify his urine. Every once in a while I need to lock him up with a litter pan that has special litter in it that tells me if the urine is too alkaline. I give him a meal of canned food watered down to soup consistancy (to ensure at some point in the day he has to go)

Well today was one of those days I locked him up.

I thought for fun I'd train the webcam on the bed so I could peek in on him.

Well.. he apparently doesn't sleep on the bed (unless I'm in it) cause not only has he not been on the bed the three times I've checked in on him, the folds in the comforter have not moved one iota.

so sad. No cute picts of Jack sleeping on the bed.

Flying Fleurp

Ok, honestly, I have no idea where the name Flerup came from. I was driving down the road, approaching a bend in the road (I can't believe I remember where I was when the name came to me) before I even brought her home. But the name is so perfect for Fleurp it isn't even funny.

She does the Fleurp Flomp, where she is either walking or standing one second and laying down the next, and the Fleurpy Dance, where she's up on her hind legs squeaking adorably for food, and now she's Flying Fleurp.

an explanation.

I have started dosing Jack with L-methionine to help him with his alkaline urine. I noticed he's been grooming his belly raw, so I tested his urine last week and the stuff was bright pink. (color changing litter) since he hadn't had any treats for several days, I knew that he needed more than the raw food I have been feeding him. (it is premade and higher in carbs than apparently he needs - but it is cheap, and already made, which are two huge bonuses in my book so we are going to try the supplement with Jack and see if that helps him before going back to making our own raw)

The stuff is pretty bland tasting (yes, I tasted it) so I figured I could get away with rubbing a little into some meat of one sort or another... and yes, that works nicely. I did it with some raw steak the other day, and deli meat the past few mornings.

Well if you are giving out deli meat, you can't just give it to one kitty.. every one gets deli meat. Fleurp is the most persistent when it comes to grabbing snacks. She'll take them right out of the mouths of other kitties (why they let her I have NO idea) so she has to have hers first to distract her long enough for the other kitties to get a chance to taste their own treat - and since Jack has to have his piece, she has to be distracted.

Well this morning apparently the piece wasn't big enough to be much of a distraction, because by the time I got around the counter, she had jumped up on the chair that I walked around and "flew" to the other side of the counter. It was so adorable (yes, she's adorable in just about EVERYTHING she does) I don't know if her feet even touched the chair.

She then proceeded to do the Fleurpy Dance to try to convince me to give her more. Fortunately she was distracted enough doing the dance that Jack got to eat his treat.

In case you haven't seen the Fleurpy Dance, here is an encore presentation:

easily amused AND mean

Well I turned my webcam back on this afternoon, and see three of my kitties sleeping.. So made me want to run home and be a kitty, sleeping in a warm puddle of sunlight on a big soft comfy chair.. But I couldn't. So I called the house.

and I woke them all up!

What I found very interesting, is my generally accepted Alpha kitty Ollie is on the arm of the chair. Jack, the second is on top of the chair. Usually the dominant kitty is in the higher position.

Weird stuff cats eat

My cats... they are a weird.

the other day I found some baby cookies (human) that were on clearance for very little money, that had good calorie stats, and were banana flavored. I thought what the heck. (actually they are pretty good)

I pulled some out last night, and Jack decided he *HAD TO HAVE IT!!!*

Jack has a horrific scream. ear piercing. Nails on chalk board kind of screams.. so I usually let him sniff what ever he's decided he wants. more times than not it gets a sniff and he walks away - temporarily - giving me enough time to eat what I'm trying to eat.

Well he decided that he had to rub his lips all over the cookie and give it a lick. Now since Jack suffers with crystals when he has too many carbs, I wasn't thrilled with the idea of his eating the cookie, but I couldn't imagine he would. So I let him take it.

Well with all the fussing, Fluerp came over to see what was being doled out. When the cookie hit the floor she shoved Jack out of the way and started nuzzling it. I couldn't believe either cat would actually eat it.. I mean it was basically a banana flavored cracker for goodness sake!!

Well moments later Fleurp walked away licking her lips, and no cookie remained on the floor.

Guess that will teach me to assume cats won't eat things when there is a Fleurp involved..

I am too easily amused

Joy and Happiness are at the shelter today. Joy's face started to swell. I have no idea what is going on, but clavamox is NOT helping it.

poor Happy really didn't like the idea of going to the shelter again, and when I was holding her she started purring, but then realized what I was going to do and pulled her scared cartoon kitty look (eyes open wide, ears completely back so all you can see is her round head with her round eyes) I felt so bad, but I do have a small hope that all these trips are helping her adjust to new surroundings. I mean she is going to have to find a new home at some point.

So while they were at the vet I moved the web cam to the sun room to spy on my kitties. I tried to check it this morning but it was very slow to load, so I thought that maybe it wouldn't work on the other end of the house (even with a wireless booster thing my DH hooked up) but I just checked it again and I set it up with out looking this morning, and low and behold I got a great shot.


What you can't see is Eli in the top of the cat tree sleeping in the little box up there. Kit is on the chair, and I believe that is Jack on the platform.

is it wrong of me to want to watch kitties sleep all day?

Its Official!!

Well, today I officially adopted my little Fluerpy Face. I went to the shelter with Happy and Joy and the manager asked me if I was bringing back Fleurp. I said no. So she processed the paperwork and I paid my fee.. now she's officially mine.. all mine..

but of course she's currently all cuddled up with Jack..


and she is getting closer to Tweedle which is nice.

Jack

Oh my boy is a special one, that is for certain.

Last night he started crying out very pathatically.. broke my heart. I wasn't sure what he wanted, and I was 99% asleep, so it took me a bit. He cried and cried.. finally I roused and rolled over to see what I could do for him, and he dropped a toy on the floor and jumped up into bed with me.

Um.. what? did he want me to get up and play with him? if so, why did he leave the toy behind? Did he just want to wake me up? well then why didn't he just jump on my chest or start kneeding me like he usually does??

Regardless, we both got a good cuddle in before I fell back asleep.

Man I love my kitties

This morning I did NOT want to go to work. I wanted to stay in bed all snuggled down and watch movies surrounded by my cats..

but that is not an option, so I got up.. I was putting together my lunch and I needed a hug from a kitty. I went after Muffin because she is the one that usually puts up with my shenanigans. Well Muff wasn't that much into being hugged. As I was hugging her, Jack jumped up on the chair Muff had been sitting on and rubbed my thigh, so I put Muff down and picked Jack up. Well Jack really didn't want to be picked up and immediately started squirming to get down.. I saw Ollie, aka my grumpy ol man, sitting on the other side of the room, and I said to him "If you want a hug, you should come over here, cause I won't force it on you" well darn it if he didn't get up and walk over. I picked him up and gave him a quick hug, then put him up on top of the fridge for some treats.

Then as I was putting on my boots to leave my kitties started gathering around me. I'll admit, I got emotional. I didn't want to leave. So I sat there for a moment soaking up their presence. and darn it all if Ollie didn't show up again for some lovin.. I have such good kitties.

*ok, I think this is really cute, spell check knows how to spell shenanigans

My handsome boy Jack

I brought him into the vet for a sterile urine draw and a culture and sensitivity, since he's still peeing in the tub randomly and being pissy.. He didn't want to go.. he complained the whole way down in the most pathetic voice he owns.. made his mom feel like a big fat meanie..

complained when he was outback being stuck..

complained when I didn't pack him up soon enough and get him home.

although he did like the praise and love I heaped on him before I zipped up the carrier to go home..

I reschedualed his appointment from the PM to the AM since it is snowing pretty badly and I figured they would have some cancelations.. which they did. I was glad to get it over with... but I will admit I hate being here at work and not being able to be at home and make sure he's ok.. I mean why wouldn't he be ok, he just had a huge needle shoved into his bladder..

I so need to buy him something yummy for dinner...

very confused

Well when I started thinking I wanted Fleurp, I introduced her to my crew. She was THRILLED to have kitties to play with, loved the whole thing, and didn't show a nanosecond of hesitation.. because that is just the kitten she is.

I was expecting my crew to growl at her, and show me their general displeasure.. which they never did. They all seem to love her.

HOWEVER...

Ollie has gotten excessively grumpy at EVERYONE, including myself and DH.. Jack has urinary issues again - I'm assuming brought on by stress.. and there seems to be general discord in my house.. last night I had to lock up Jack because he was attacking Kit. None of this seems directly related to Fleurp..

Even this morning when I gave out treats, some boiled chicken, no one cared that Fleurp came in and took their piece. She even took Muffin's piece right out from under her nose and Muffin did not react at all. Simply let her take it and then sniffed around for another piece. When I went to take it back from Fleurp, she was quite posessive, but I split it up and gave most of it back to Muff, who chewed it right up.

Now Muffin doesn't stand for ANYTHING, but she stood for this?!?!?

so is Fleurp a good addition to the house since she plays with Kit and Twee, or should I send her back to find a new home? I've always said my kitties would revolt if I tried to bring anyone else in.. and there does seem to be a revolt going on, but NOT in any way shape or form tied to Fleurp..

I'm just so confused..

Merry Christmas Kitties

Buttercup and Wes went back to the shelter on the 27th. Apparently there had been quite a bit of interest in them - as they were featured as pet of the week in the local paper - so I'm sure they are not still there now. I'm glad they got a home for the new year. Wes's adult teeth were starting to come in..

Fleurp had a LOT of fun at Christmas. She loves playing with wrapping and bows. She's been clear since a few days after starting the antibiotic. Today is day #10, so we'll stop it and see what happens.. Part of me hopes I'm so very wrong and the puss / congestion doesn't come back.. but the other part hates to be wrong.. :)

Ollie spent the holidays in a major grump. It's just so sad. I don't know what to do to bring him out of it. I've tried putting him on RR, but he hates it, and I think it is making him grumpier... but I'm still trying. He's back to chewing on the insulation again too. Going to have to make a point to hide all of that and cover up what we can't hide.

Jack - well Jack was peeing in the tub again, so he's back on antibiotics. I found him some of the new color changing litter.. as soon as he's done this next round I'll get him to pee in it and see what's up..

Muffin - I don't know what's up with Muff. I swear she's being haunted. She has been tearing through the house as if she's being chased, but there is no one there. She acted a little off too which is so unlike her.. no one specific symptom I could pinpoint, just.. off.. but she's seems to be back to her ol self.

Eli - Eli is just Eli.. this boy never changes.

Twee - Poor Twee wants more attention than can be given her. She's rather quite annoying about it too. Walks right up to your face and SCREAMS at you.. like that is endearing. I was hoping one of the kittens could give her the attention she wants, but alas, no.

Kit - nothing new to report on Kit either. She's fluffing up nice for winter.. but she's still so small.. it is funny to see this tiny kitty with a huge fluffy mane.

Happiness - she seemed to be better, so I stopped the antibiotic a few days after she stopped weezing, but she was weezing again this morning, so back on it she goes.. Joy - well Joy is SLOWLY coming around. She sits at the front of the cage now, and if I don't look at her, she stays there. I've tried tempting her with treats, but unless I put them right in front of her nose (which by that time is usually in the back of of the cage) she won't even sniff at them. I usually can get her to walk to the front of the cage if I've let her taste that what I have is good.. oh well.. one step at a time.

Benny.. Benny is still at the shelter. *sigh* poor thing. She's in a condo in the lobby, so there is more to look at and more room for her to move around, but with out some serious advertisment on their part, I fear she wont find a home.

Jack

Well Jack was back in the bathroom crying, and there was urine in the bathtub. *sigh* but yet pretty standard with Jack. Last time he had issues, he had issues twice.. So I'm putting him back on anti-biotics, and I'll get his urine tested after this round is done.

I'm also thinking of investing in some PH strips..

my poor boy..

Jack

Well, it looks like I haven't blogged about Jack.

Last week my DH was out of town, and I didn't want to feed them raw (he puts it in a ziplock bag and it is messy and I just couldn't face it) so I gave my crew two meals of dry (I know I know, but I was tired and I figured two meals wouldn't kill them)

Well shortly there after Jack became clingy and wanting attention. I just thought he was getting older and his personality was changing again. Mostly because I wanted him to be clingy..

Well this weekend he peed in the tub. *sigh* I didn't want to face a urinary issue.. so I gave him treats of watered down canned food, hoping to flush him out and "fix" things. Yes, I know, I'm an idiot.. this is not the right thing to do.. etc. Well Monday he peed in the tub again, so I brought him to the vet on Tuesday.

He has blood in his urine, and crystals.. and of course they recommend Hills..

So we compromised.. I'm cutting out the treats of dry food, and I'm giving him a few cans of Royal Canin urinary food to help fix the PH of his urine (it was 8.9) along with antibiotics. I'll get his urine retested in a few weeks and see if this "fixes" things.

oh the guilt of not giving treats to the boy who's whole life seems to revolve around getting treats.

There are kittens in the house.

I decided to let the kittens out of the kitten room last night. I sat in the basement right in front of the kitten room (it is our media area, with big comfy chairs and big screen tv) and I watched a little TV while they explored.

Noddy was having fun, and Fleurp was having fun, but Goo was all puff. She bottlebrushed her tail and most of her back. Mostly it was at my cats who just looked at her like she was baked.

Kit so very much wanted to play, but knew they were freaked, so she just tried to be as close as possible with out freaking them out.

Muffin didn't care if she freaked them out at all. She was spending time with Mommy and these stupid kittens could go jump off a cliff (hiss hiss)

the kittens stayed very close to me. First it was to inspect my dinner - Fleurp was totally into finding out what I was eating (and no, she's not graceful about it) but later as the empty plate sat unattended, the other two got into it. got so bad I had to cover up the plate with a magazine (I had garlic cauliflower and didn't want them in it) which of course was great fun, because it was unstable when they stood on it.. silly kittens.

Goo is VERY human dependant. I think she is even more so than Blueberry was. Most of the time she was either on my lap, on my chest, in my face or on my shoulder. purring, rubbing, and being a general love bug. Noddy is to a much lesser degree. Fleur really wanted to run around, but she occasionally stopped by for a patting.

*I can not have nine cats!!!*

When I decided to put them away, I gathered them up one at a time and put them in the cage (so they couldn't escape - which they would have). I had to chase Kit out of the room too. I finally got them all in the room and opened the cage for them so they could have dinner, and I turned around and saw Ollie sitting very quietly and very still on the ottoman - I'm assuming he was hoping not to be noticed. He was cheezed when I removed him from the room. Of course he would have been more cheezed if I had left him in there too.. so I could not have won :)

Kit is a little distressed. her daddy has been out of the house since Monday morning. She and Jack were squabbling this morning.. She will be very glad when he comes home tonight.

My kids

I also took some new photos of my furkids. You can see Ollie's horrid scar. He's been picking at the bottom of it.. and he isn't as capable of jumping as he was pre surgery. I need to call my vet about it.

we are also a little concerned about Twee. She is meowing more, and it sounds off.. today she was purring, and it reminded me of a squeekey toy who's squeeker was slightly broken. Her throat doesn't seem any different. no swelling, no hot spots, and her mouth looks pretty normal from what I can see. *shrug* last thing I need right now is another trip to the vet.. Ollie's bill was just shy of $600

Click on photos to see larger images:

Jack, my love, my PITA

My darling boy Jack - the kitty after my own soul - my boy who even while hes being horribly obnoxious can brighten my day - has learned a new trick.

I don't know how many here remember my posting a video of our newest kitten Kit playing fetch, but she's been doing it over a year now. Well last night when I woke up in the middle of the night, Jack decided to bring a belled ball into the bed. yes, belled. at least Kit plays with fur mice that don't make noise.

Well he dropped it by my hand, and rubbed his chin on my hand, so I patted him and shook the ball then threw it, figuring that would be the last of it and I could go back to sleep.

Well he brought it back. *rolls eyes* So I threw it again. Well I must have thrown it good and hard, because he brought back a completely different ball!! Silly boy. I threw that two more times before he decided it was more fun just to play with it. After a while he gave up and joined me and we went back to sleep.

how DH slept through all of it, I'll never know, but I do envy him that.

but then again, if I had slept through the night I would have missed our time together

group update

Benny - vomited last night and this morning. was losing weight, but then gained it back again. Started at 7.5lbs, and was just over 8 this afternoon. Bgs aren't great. started inching up last night - which may or may not have anything to do with the vomiting. She's going to the vet tomorrow.

Buttercup and Weslee. OMG this kitten is cute. Her ears are starting to inch toward the top of her head, slowly but surely. She's a little more into getting human comfort. I can not wait for her to finally interact with the new kittens.. they are going to do her a world of good... as she is very spoiled.

The kittens. oh how I love them. They have personality to spare. I can not wait for them to get out of that cage! When they do I think I'll be spending all my time in that kitten room - but then again if they have full run of the room they might not need my attention so much... that and the attention of Buttercup. Ive decided to name them after English children's novels - well except Googley Bear.(which may or may not be kept.. we'll see) I have Noddy, and Paddington and Corduroy I really have to make sure that the gender of the names fit the particular kittens I've given them to. Googley should be fine as that name works either way :) I looked at gender when they first came, but it never stuck as to who is who. Now that I'm getting to know them, it really is time :) I believe that leaves a little girl with out a name, but before I pick one, ... well I have to make sure.

I finally broke down and bought some ear wash for my own crew. Eli has always had horrid ears. Ollie has always had goopey ears... nothing wrong with goopey.. but then Jack started getting cruddy ears, then Ollie's ears started showing signs of crud, and the other week Muffin - and Muf has always had sparkling clean ears - were completely inflamed and crudded. A little mineral oil slid most of it out, but there is some junk in there, so this weekend will probably be ear clean up weekend. Which is too bad - cause I'll probably not see Eli for weeks.

My kitties and the strange visitor

We had company last night. My Dh's sister (the owner of his kidney) and her husband and their 1.5 yr old granddaughter..

now, I'm not a person who is particularly fond of kids and babies, but this little girl is obnoxiously cute.. and she just got cuter as the night wore on.

Because it was late in the evening (or maybe because they hadn't yet had dinner) most of my kitties decided running and hiding the whole time wasn't the best course of action. Usually they all scatter, and then Jack might stop by and beg for treats (yes, I think he was a dog in another life) from the strangers... but this time it was Tweedle who was first out! It was soo funny. Tweedle started walking towards us, but then the baby saw her, and started walking out toward Twee. Well Twee had NO idea what to make of it, and froze. Well this made the baby freeze too. So then we had two frozen beings staring at one another. There was no distracting either one of them.. Her GM called the baby, I called Twee.. Nope.. stuck in a stairing contest. Finally GM got up and took the baby's hand and led her away. I ended up being covered in cats.. Jack, Twee and Kit all came to me for comfort. Eli checked them out from down the hall... which is actually quite impressive. Ollie and Muff were no where to be seen.

We then proceeded downstairs, where a game of Wii Golf ensued. the men played, the women watched and played with the baby and the kitty. Kit came down. The baby found all the cat toys, and had fun throwing them. Kit wasn't sure what to make of it, and didn't want to get TOO CLOSE to the baby, but did want to play with the balls. They even had a good game of chase going on .. baby chasing kit, kit chasing baby..

What was so amusing though, is the baby goes on pause if something bad/negative happens to her. She doesn't cry, doesn't fuss, doesn't look around in wonderment.. nothing. Just sits or stands or stays in the position she landed in as if frozen in time. so bizzare, but so cute.

Can you feel the love

The down side to six cats, is when most of them miss you during the night and ALL vie for your attention in the morning.

It doesn't happen often, and truely I actually love it when it happens, but it can be a bit overwhelming when you get five cats all wanting to be patted and you only have two hands..

This morning Jack showed up.. Jack often just wants to sit near me and doesn't really want to be patted or cuddled. Sometimes he does.. like the other morning when he woke me up by sticking his nose in my face and when that didn't get me to respond to him, he actually bit my arm (a gentle love bite, but still) But this morning, he was fine just being close.

Then Muffin showed up. She took prime real estate, by firmly commanding the spot created by my shoulder and hip (I was laying on my side) Tweedle showed up, cautiously walking closer and closer (Muffin has issue with the air Tweedle seems to disturb) I distracted Muff and started patting Twee.. Then Eli showed up.. I was starting to feel a bit overwhemled, but seemed to manage, until Ollie showed up. Fortunately Ollie took over and started grooming Twee (I'm so glad someone does.. it used to be Em's job) But Eli shoved his head in there wanting grooming too.. which of course resulted in Twee's leaving, then Eli left, then Muffin left, so I started patting Jack which made him leave, and then Ollie left. So I was kitty-less.. But moments later Kit showed up - sans collar. She has leared to take off her break away collar.. smart little thing - and started prancing around wanting attention. When I wasn't quite as quick to give it to her, she left, found another mouse, and came back and we played fetch for a few minutes. I talked sternly to her this morning about keeping her collar on, and when I finally got up and started making my breakfast, she started playing with her collar, so I put it back on her. If it is off again tonight, I'm not sure what I'll do. I might start by taking the bell off and see if that helps (why do they put bells on decoritive collars??) and if that doesn't work I'll have to get her a non breakaway one like Muffin has. Muffin's collar is so loose though that if it gets caught on anything it will immediately come off.

When I finally left for work this morning, Jack was giving me sad eyes.. I told him not to worry, it was Friday - a short day for me - and I'd be home soon and we could take a nap together. Of course I'm sure when I get home he'll have forgotten all about it and will ignore me till supper time.

Made cat food again last night. I am seriously considering buying it from someone, but I need to find a company that makes a food that I'd be willing to feed (I don't want a lot of fillers) and that won't cost me an arm and a leg to get shipped to me. It's just hard for me to consider plunking down $90 for 20lbs of food.. when we make 40lbs at a time and it costs maybe $50.. ok maybe a smidge more with the supplements..

Jack, the great hunter

well, my Jack has never been one to shy away from a great hunt. He loves to stalk his prey and corner it when ever he can. He often cries to me to let him hunt - which can grate on my last nerve as his meow is more of a screach/screem.

Last night we went out to the store. In our absence Jack found his prey to be susceptable, and made his move. His attack came from several different angles, and it was mangled beyond repair. Finally he had success, and he was rewarded for his effort by a tasty snack.

There was a line of kitties waiting to partake in the spoils of his effort. Poor Muffin didn't get any, and when I was cleaning things up, she was beside herself saying how pathetic she was, and how she should be able to have some..

Little did the kitties know how totally annoyed I was because said prey was actually the bag of food my aunt left for Boots..





Looks pleased with himself, doesn't he?

I love my kitties..

but some times I wish they didn't love me SOOO much.

Yesterday I woke up to Kit sleeping right next to my left shoulder. I turned a little bit in my sleep, and she reached out and patted my face. Uber sweet no? I loved it. Well moments later Muffin - realizing I was awake - plomped herself on my chest and started giving me a facial. Jack had been on my chest, but he moved when the Diva came and sat on my pillows. Tweedle then showed up and started SCREAMING at me. I have no idea why she does it.. she's just a screamer.

This morning.. no cute wake up by Kit, but pretty much the same routine. Although after I got screamed at, Kit wanted me to throw her mouse for her. Well she didn't bring me a mouse to throw, so I mentioned that, and off she went to get one. She came back and we had a few minutes of fetch before Muffin decided I was moving around too much and ran Kit off.

Guess Kit has forgiven me for letting Spud go.

Speaking of Spud... I haven't heard from his new owner yet.. despite her assurances that she'd email me. *sigh* I wish they wouldn't do that if they aren't going to..

SHE SLEPT ON THE BED!!

My darling Em hasn't been up on the bed on her own for a while. The past couple of days my DH hasn't been putting her timed feeder down, so by the time I get home she's quite hungry. There has been twice she's gotten up on the bed on her own looking for treats.

This morning I put her on the bed to test her blood sugars, and she decided that it was a nice comfy place to lay, so she went to sleep.

I ran to get the camera and took pictures - yes I am silly! I love her so much..

Jack is in the preverbial dog house. I have been putting Em's pills in pill pockets to help her out. Well I put her 'treats' in a small bowl with the testing supplies and I had turned my back for half a moment, and Jack LUNGED forward, and stole a 'treat'. he was just barely tasting it when I grabbed his mouth and tried to get it out. Unfortunately I ended up pushing it further in, and he got to 'keep' his plundered treasure.. (it was 2.5 mg of prednisolone - not a good idea, but not a big deal) but he was on my bad side all day. He kept trying to suck up to me to get me to forgive him.

I must remember if he gets treats all the time he starts thinking that he can't live with out them, that he MUST HAVE THEM NOW! that is not a very enticing attitude in a cat - especially one that has no problem SCREAMING at you to hand them over.. So treats are out for a few weeks for the rest of the crew. Not that they need them by any stretch of the imagination.. they are all quite cubby lately.

Em Stories

My sweet ol girl is such a bright spot in my day. I miss her so much while I'm at work.

Last night I got home and tested her and her bgs were 338, so I got 3.5 units ready, and went to inject her. After I inject, I run my hand over the fur to make sure I didn't miss, well it felt like I missed, as the fur there was wet.. so I got another 3.5 units ready and injected that. That was at 7 pm. at 10 pm I checked her and she was down to 124!! arrgh. so i left some dry food and some more wet food down just in case. This morning I wake up to her sleeping next to me dead to the world.. she didn't move when I called out to her, didn't move when I touched her, didn't move when i patted her, and when I finally shook her.. she just lifted her head as if to say "MOOOOMMMM I was SLEEPING!!" :)

She's been dragging these past few days. *sigh* more green gunk coming out of her nose, pupils two different sizes, fur not all smooth and polished.. but she was so bright and cheery when I took her outside yesterday to get the mail.. Its funny how you can just tell how happy that makes her. I wish I could just sit around outside with her all day. (and this from a person who HATES being outside!!)

Jack however doesn't have such a high opinion of Em. Last night they were just sitting quietly on the bed as I was watching TV, and he reached over and bit Em's ear!! I scolded him, and he looked contrite, but a few minutes later he reared up and smacked her several times!! arrgh! Jack so needs to leave her alone and pick on someone who can pick on him back!

So.. that's pretty much it for now. Holding steady which isn't a bad place to be - considering.

See.. I told you

Em is fine. She needs to put on weight, and I wish she'd feel full, but there was no more blood (well ok there was blood on her nose) and she was fine (if you don't count the bloody snotty nose)

Muffin's toe looked great this afternoon. its weird, it has the top structure - like the sides were ripped away. Jack's looks very similar. I swear those two like to be 'trouble twins' If I didn't know better, I would say they were siblings. Everything one of them does, so does the other. I peeked at Jack's toe last night. Was able to pull off more fur to get a better look. looks a tad bit swollen.. or maybe just red.. he seemed uncomfortable with my picking too much fur out of it, so when I got a good look at it, I just put some more peroxide on it and he went on his way. he wasn't clenching it anymore either.. So I'm calling it good.
~*~*~
A while back, I found a kitty on the side of the road near a house that I know not to have cats. I picked him up, brought him home, and went in search of his owner. I found her quite a ways away from where I found him. He wasn't hurt.. just on the side of a busy road and a ways from home. Well it looks like he likes it at my house. I've seen kitty footprints outside my house over the winter, and this morning he was on the porch looking in the window. Now this cat was in my car and was driven to the house, then went into his owners car and was driven away.. Got to love the mystery of cats. I wouldn't mind his visits if it wasn't a fairly busy and winding road he was crossing. I fear for his safty. Not much I can do.. if the owners won't keep him in..

Now what!!

Well I am very fortunate that I refuse to feed foods with wheat gluten, or anything manufactured by Iams, Euk, and SD... My cats are currently safe. I wonder how the shelter is doing relying on donated cans.. since a lot of the brands recalled were store brands.. I emailed and asked, but I haven't heard back.

However, my cats really enjoy freaking me out. I swear it is their hobby. Emerald had a little blood in her mouth this morning. My subconcious is sitting here planning on how to mourn for her. I so need to stop that cause she is quite a ways away from that. Not nearly as far as I would like, but nothing I think I have to worry about. Im not happy that she hasn't gotten back over 11lbs, and she seems to be hungry all the time again, so I called the vet for an appointment. Low and behold they are so busy there isn't room on Saturday!! So we have one for Monday morning.

And on the freaking me out hobby, Muffin had a ripped rear toenail this morning. No idea when she did it. It was all dried up and in pretty good shape - considering. So I just pulled off the debris, and sent her on her way. I then grabbed Jack for his semi daily combing, and found one of his toes was so bad that I couldn't get him to unclench his foot. usually when I play with his back feet, he spreads his toes wide, but he kept it clenched. I couldn't see much of anything, so I got some peroxide and soaked it. I tried to separate out the fur, no go. I tried cutting some of it off.. no go. It doesn't seem to hurt him... as he's not showing any pain as I was proding it, and rubbing his foot. I couldn't help but wonder if he actually broke his toe seeing how tight he was keeping it clenched. I finally let him go, after I got a ton of peroxide on it.. he started licking it at that point, so I'll check it tonight when I get home and see if it looks ok. it wasn't swollen, it didn't hurt him, it was if it just wasn't there

apparently jack thinks he's a skunk

Im home today. Got some family issues going on.. so after I exercised, I decided it was time to do 'day of beauty' for the cats. I had been out of toothpaste, and the new one came in last night. Half of the cats have great teeth, the other half.. BAD!!

Anyway.. Jack has always had extremely loose anal glands. They are two sacks near the anus that secrete the most foul smelling stuff - but apparently is uber good smelling to other cats, cause every time his lets go, there is at least one cat ready to clean it up for him.

Its usually only a couple of drops, not a big deal.

Well today I bugged him so badly that it shot out of him.. litterly. landed on my leg. EWWWW. and yes.. it stinks. Seemed a little thicker than Im used to for him (usually its a gel to toothpaste consistancy - but Jack's has always been like milk) so it was probably a good thing he got 'cleaned out'. Don't want those things backing up. Its not comfortable. Em has had an issue a couple of times.

Speaking of Em. *sigh* she has snot and blood coming out of one nostril. her BGs are constantly high. I hope it is just the insulin is old.. it is just about done and we have another newer vial.. but Im sure even that is expired. I don't want to switch because L has been working well for her.. but if it isn't.... then I guess we'll have to.

I fear this newest development with the nose after her nosebleed, and the odd sence that I get when I look at her face that she's no longer symetrical.

I suppose I should just get over the fear, and get her to the Dr. but I also fear that I'll go and not need to.. I hate wasting money.

Suppose it isn't a waste if it gives me peace of mind. Maybe tomorrow.. Maybe next week. *shrug*