A Thankful Thanksgiving

What I am most thankful for is I get another Thanksgiving with this girl. This is the same photo as last year because she is currently sleeping in her little house.

These past few weeks have been rough on her - and me. I am constantly trying to figure out how much quality of life she has; when she has a rough day I wonder if everything we are going through is worth it for her. At this point, rough days only last a day and she comes around. She is sleeping more than she used to, but she still is demanding food or attention and giving me what for if I don't jump at her whim. Most mornings she wakes me up, even if she no longer sleeps in the bed.

It has been hard for me.. I am still grieving Jack, and I swear that this slow decline is way way better than the surprise ending Jack had, but it doesn't make it any easier.

She is dealing with failing kidneys and we are giving fluids. She hates it. Fortunately, she doesn't fight it and I cuddle and kiss her while it is happening, but as soon as it is done she runs for the hills. Food is an issue too.. she stopped eating the raw in May when she had the surgery to remove the lump behind her ear. Finding a food she will eat consistently has been a challenge. Keeping her brother from demanding his fair share of her food has also been a challenge 😸

She has also lost some weight. At her height she was 14lbs. When we finally stopped all dry food and got them on a raw diet she went down to 12 and hovered around that for years. She is currently ten and a half on a good day. She has lost most of the muscle mass in her feet and her arthritis are conspiring to prevent her from wanting to walk up and down the stairs these days. Because of this, I ordered an Assisi loop lounge. I had the original loop that I won from The Conscious Cat and that helped her quite a bit. While I was using it she actually wanted to sit up in the cat trees and I even found her in a window!! (granted there was a chair there that helped her get up, but it was impressive none the less) so I am hopeful that the lounge will help as well. I decided on the lounge over the loop because the loop is not rechargeable and it only lasts a short time.

Because of the price of the lounge, I have started selling "Scrapnip" toys again. I set up a Scrapnipping page on Facebook to try to drum up business.. but I am happy to work with you in whatever way you might want to reach out to me if you are interested in buying some. I even listed a few knitted bed I made, but no one has seemed interested in them. Probably because I couldn't figure out a price to ask for them.. people hate it when you don't price things 😸

Everyone else is doing well. Twee loves to sign us opera at 5 in the morning.. Eli likes to yell at us for not doing whatever popped into his head. He is 17 years old and never really bothered communicating with us before now so he is a little unsure how to do it. Fleurp is still fluffy and Skippy is still doing his thing..

This was very much a difficult year for me (see Jack) and I know I have not kept up with my blogging as I once used to. When I originally set up this blog I intentionally didn't name it after any of my cats because I knew there would be a time when they would pass and I didn't want that burden on myself or my blog with changing it or keeping it. When Em, Ollie, Kodi, and Kit passed it was somehow okay to continue on. as if this were independent of that.. but Jack.. Jack really was the inspiration behind starting the blog so I guess it makes sense that it is different.  I am hoping next year will be better.. easier.. heck, I will take just having fewer tears

I know, I know, this post has become such a downer.. I am sorry. Hopefully, it will help you to look at your loved ones who are frustrating you with softer eyes and give them a big ol hug and be thankful that you are able to be with them this year.

If you are facing this holiday without your loved one with you.. I send a big ol hug to you..

Heck, I send a big ol hug out to anyone who got through this with me.. It means so much that you keep coming back and want to share my journey, or at least this little part of it.

So thank you..

And I hope you have a wonderful holiday full of love and delicious foods to eat, and cat fur up your nose.

Thankful Thursday

Hail, Hail the gangs all here.  I have been very worried about the littlest one and last night I wondered if it wasn't kinder to let him go. He has been struggling and I can only imagine what he has gone through in his short life. This morning he seems a tiny bit better, so despite not being able to sleep I will work with him to keep going.

April is doing well. She is a little picky when it comes to food, which makes things a little difficult, but she is starting to feel like she is filling out a bit.. or maybe I'm projecting because I want it to happen.

I am also thankful to all of you for your support. Sometimes when you are knee deep in chaos you can feel like you are all alone, but you have all made it easy to remember that I'm not. Those of you that have reached out to me, those of you who have just sent things along, to everyone who donated to the cause. I thank you from the bottom of my exhausted heart.  Thank you!!!

And a big thank you to the CatMan. He brought these flowers home from an event and brought them right down to the kitten room for me to enjoy.

He has put up my addled brain, my need for additional support, has learned that when I wave my hand in some random direction what I mean, and he has made sure I have been eating vegetables.

Happy Thanksgiving

I am thankful that this Thanksgiving has us all together. Last year we had just lost Kit and the pain was so fresh. May this Thanksgiving find you will all of your loved ones and may you all still be together next year as well.

Thankful Thursday with Jack #chewyinfluencer

Ooooh, look, Momma, Chewy.com sent me something! They want my opinion on them, and in order to do that, I need to eat them all.. I want to be thorough. Well, it is edible, right? They usually send something to eat in exchange for my opinion.. it's like they know me.

Look, it says treats! that must mean these are for me.. all for me.  Chewy sent me some Weruva Paw Lickin Treats. Does this mean I have to paw at them, or can I just eat them like I really want to? Momma, I can't open this.. HELP!

She is not helping.. why is she making that box flash instead of helping me open this container of freeze dried chicken treats? She knows they are my absolute favorite and because there is only meat in here, I know I can haz.. and I wants.. 

Need to get into this before...

Why hello Fleurp.. *sigh*

Hi Jack, whatcha doin?

Wanna help me get into this container?

It looks like Momma isn't going to take this away from us, I bet if we get in it, we'll get the whole thing.

I bet if we knock it off the counter it will pop open and we can eat ourselves silly

That sounds like a plan!  Half a jar of treats is better than no treats I guess.

No cats were harmed in the creation of this post. They didn't actually knock it off the counter despite their many attempts. Each received multiple treats and annoyingly they were inhaled before photos could be taken. 

I really appreciate any company that makes single source protein treats because we are limited in what we can feed due to past issues with Jack's health and his inability to deal with carbohydrates without needing medical intervention.

Thank you Chewy for the opportunity. You have made Jack a very happy boy.

Thankful Thursday - Muffin

I love my goofy girl so much.  She is usually quite dignified and likes to present herself in a way that she looks beautiful, but when she wants attention she climbs up on my chest and rolls around and rubs her face against mine looking for kisses. She will get jealous if Jack is on me getting attention and she will walk over him and lay down on top of him so that I have to give her attention - which often leaves me with 25 pounds of cat on my chest and limits my breathing until I cry uncle and push them all off.

But somehow she allows Skippy to invade her space and snuggle up to her when we are having our snuggle time.  I haven't quite figured out why she lets that happen as Twee can't come within three feet of her without her getting upset.

But the kitty that gets her going the most is her brother Eli.  I am not 100% sure they are related but they did grow up together from the time they were just a few weeks old.  Whenever there is a knockdown screaming cat fight, it is usually those two. They both know just how far they can go because they grew up together, so I generally don't intervene until it gets on my nerves.

Her bestie is Jack, they can often be found laying near one another... well when she isn't laying on me.

Thankful Thursday with Kit

Although just who is more thankful? I am unwilling to hazard a guess.

(shhh, no one tell him I took a picture of him sleeping and put it on the interwebs)

Thankful Thursday

The other week I posted that shelters need donations of canned food, and mentioned my own need of canned food for the foster kittens, and several of my readers donated to the cause.

I do want to thank you so much because it has alleviated a bit of stress on my end trying to feed them. although now I have the stress of too many choices - a perfect problem to have. (although there were a few stressful moments trying to tell Jack that those cans weren't for him) 

Thankful Thursday - Brothers once more?

I took this photo this morning.. looks like Eli has accepted Jack back.. either that or he's just really intent on showing this new cat that he's not willing to compromise.. I'm going for the former..

Jack's penis sheath is still swollen.. looks more like a little gray cherry tomato.. poor thing.  It is not overly warm or pink or anything, just plump.  (and don't worry, Jack has no modesty.. he does not mind one bit you thinking about his penis - he is just happy you are thinking of him) He still has a few more days of pain meds and antispasmodics to get through... the next big hurdle would be me trusting that he is urinating just fine through out the day. I moved the drop cam so I could watch him today, and wouldn't you know it went down about an hour after I got into work.. *sigh*  It was enough time to see him use the box and not go in and out of it several times.  A jump in, a bit of getting down to business and a jump out and he left the bathroom.

I have been opening up the bedroom for him to go out and about and for the other cats to have their bed time. When I do that I cover up his litter box so the rest of the crew doesn't jump in and have a go. Last night he was out for several hours and when I went to close him in for the night and uncover the box I found he had peed on the floor near the box. Nice clear not bloody pee. I want to complain, but I can't.

We had quite a big of good snuggling last night and I got my nose lick this morning.. so he is still feeling good.

He is however making it a point that he wants Fancy Feast.  He didn't want raw. He didn't want the cans of S/O I had... so Fancy Feast it is.. and isn't Fleurp annoyed since it is 'hers'..

I have to tell you, I can not wait for things to get back to 'normal'..

and I also have to confess, I am really jonesin some kittens..

Thankful Thursday

So the other night Eli climbed up on my husband's lap.. While this is becoming his new norm, after going through 8 years of his not letting us touch him voluntarily, and 2 years of his tolerating us touching him with some reservation..  Well each time he does this we are thankful that he has finally come to accept we are not going to intentionally hurt him.

Thankful Thursday - Thanksgiving Edition

I would like to start out by wishing everyone a happy thanksgiving.  Since the internet is global I know that not everyone who reads this is celebrating, but there is never a bad time to give thanks, so hopefully you will take a moment to remember to be thankful for something.

What I am thankful for is you. Yes, you, the you who would sit and read a cat blog. You who would right a cat blog. You who comment and tell me my kittens are cute, and complement me on the amazing job I do with kittens and call me names that make me blush like a blessing or an angel.  Fostering and volunteering at the shelter puts me in touch with the worst of humanity when it comes to animals.. I see things and hear things that make my toes curl and just make me hate people.. Being reminded daily that there are people who do not see what I do as a waste or stupid helps me do what I do.. so yes, every day you show up and comment you are making a difference in a kitten's life.. It may seem trivial, but trust me there are days when I am pretty sure I can't go on save for the fact that I know there are cat people out there..

So..

Thank you!!

and I'm also thankful for the following..

Jack

Muffin

Eli

Twee (aka Tweedle)

Kit (aka Daddy's Girl)

Fleurp

Skippy

The boys,
because seriously.. they are awesome.. 

The Fluffkits..
who all came out to eat when I was laying right next to the food dish

and a husband who sees value in spending time rubbing a Jack Belly.. 

I have a very full weekend ahead of me, hopefully I'll have time to share with you all before Monday, but I'm not going to stress over it if I don't..

Thankful Thursday - Issac Arnold

Well our dear Issac Arnold has hit 11 oz.  He is producing solid stools, and is eating like a champ.  Even better, his head is now as large as a ping pong ball and he can not fit it through the bars of the cage.  He is a total flirt with DH, and LOVES to have his belly rubbed.  I so hope someone who reads this is willing and able to adopt him because I would so love to hear how he grows up.  At 11 oz he is still exactly half the size of his healthier siblings.. and I can't help but wonder if he is a 'little cat' or if he is just that way because of the lack of nutrition in the first few weeks of life.

Smedley says he couldn't care less about what I think about Issac Arnold.. and thinks I should kiss his belleh!

Kiss it right here please!

He is a big fan of the belly rub and fully body kisses..

Thankful Thursday - Kitten Edition

I have to say, I am very thankful I still have six kittens. Things are not pretty in that room at the moment. Everyone has diarrhea pretty badly and they don't really care where they put it. Smedley's poor little rear end is so sore that the second I start trying to clean it off he starts screaming biting me. They got another rinse off last night and fortunately the bath water wasn't nearly as disgusting as it has been the previous days. However they are still going all over the floor. I'm not horribly shocked by this, they are still awful small and the diarrhea is almost leaking out of them... but couldn't they at least attempt to pee in the box?? *sigh*

They got a dose of albon and a dose of marquis paste Tuesday. Wednesday they got a dose of strongid and another dose of albon. Albon is very soothing and has some antibiotics, also often given for coccidia (which we have seen in their stool) Marquis paste takes care of coccidia in one dose. Strongid is for round worms - and since we have some vomiting I'm guessing they are dealing with round worms as well.

The kittens are feeling pretty sickly.  They feel light for their weight and instead of feeling round little muscles and a thin layer of fat, you can feel their bones.  Poor Issac Arnold shivers unless he is snuggled up with someone or his mom so I turned on the heater yesterday morning.  Last night I gave them some fluids to try to help make up for what is lost in the output. Which is very pale and liquid, and has the look and consistency of raw scrambled eggs with cream - and the smell..

I'm not going to sugar coat it.  I'm afraid.  I've done everything I can and at this point it really is up to their little bodies to pull through this. They are right near the eight ball, one more thing goes wrong and things are going to get serious fast.

Thankful Thursday

So Fleurp, did you eat a football, a watermelon, or are you just doing your seal impersonation??

I am very thankful that I have kitties who ARE eating in the house.. (and they are all too happy to let me feed them too!)

I also found out that Trevor went home to a nice couple with no other pets.  They adopted a second kitty at the time. guess who?? Keith!  Yup, our boys went home together.  YAY!

Today is the Day

Can you believe it is here already??

Today is the day that Odilia's new mom is going to arrive in the state and meet up with our girl.  She and her fiance are staying in a hotel that is not pet friendly, so I won't officially be letting go of her until Saturday, but I am sure that is going to be here before I can blink.

Yes, I am sad.. Odilia is special... but keeping The Crew happy is my main priority, and so this how it needs to be, and while it is bittersweet, it is all good.

Amy Jo is on Facebook, and she has already created a Facebook page for our Odilia, and she has promised us all oodles of updates..

To try to make this transition a little easier on Odilia, I asked Amy Jo to send something up that smelled like her.  She sent up her BlogPaws T-Shirt from 2010 (which made me laugh since Odilia's trip to BlogPaws got her her home)

Hey Odilia, come here, I have something for you.. 

Something for me??

What can it be?

Let me get down from here and get over there.. 

What's this??

Now this smells interesting

Now this is going to be an adventure..