Ollie Ol..

Not sure how much I have to post right now, as I'm still quite raw on all of this.  But I keep telling myself it wasn't like he was going to outlive me anyway, this day had to come at some point.. but at 11 years of age, it is just way too early (ok so he's still 10, he'll be 11 in May)

Yes, his sarcoma is back.  Its actually growing back in two different spots.  His options are very limited.  I could go in and have it taken out again, but I'm sure he'd hate that option because he recovered so much worse the second time.  I could try chemo - but that only has a 25% chance of making a difference, and how much time would that difference be?  Could do radiation, but that is several hours away and would also involve another surgery to debulk the growth first.

As much as I hate to admit defeat to an illness, it looks like this is going to take him.  The vet said that as is, he probably has about a year before it becomes life ending.  But at this point he has actually put ON weight (and no the growth isn't that big) and he's playing with the younger kitties, and still being KING OF THE MANOR!! so I have to take my happiness in that and accept what comes.  Heck, knowing his determination, he might be around forever..

We have kittens!

I was in a rush this morning (Ollie had his vet appointment - and that is another post when I can do it with out being so emotional) and I went in to feed Lilly, and she was laying in her carrier growling, and hissed when I stepped forward.  I slowed right down and talked softly to her.  I was able to get up close and see a kitten tail, so I knew SOMETHING was going on.  I don't know if she was out of labor and was just being protective or if she was still in labor, but I didn't have time to figure it out.  I went out and came back about an hour or two later.

Nothing to see here, move along..

No really, nothing to see!!

Darn, something moved!!

Hey Look!! Kittens!!!

MY! kittens!!

She gave birth to two boys (the two tiger kittens, one with white boots) and one girl (the black one).  I felt around, and I THINK that is all that is in there, but then again, this is the cat I THOUGHT was in heat when she first showed up here a little over two weeks ago.. Kinda glad I didn't say anything to the shelter now  

She did a great job cleaning them up, they have good stubs where their cords attach.  They were dry and happy.  She however was covered with blood.  I did my best to try to wipe some of it away, but she was getting restless and wanted to get back to her kits, so I put her back (resulting in that last shot) She is definitely a good mom.

Ollie

OK, what else can go wrong with this boy..

Let me start off by saying he's eating just fine, and still breaking up squabbles in the house that get out of control, and this morning I even saw him playing with a toy mouse...

but yesterday I felt his lump on his side, and it seems there is two of them now.  He also has something on his chin.  feels a bit like a ball bearing, but when I originally found it there was a scab like thing on the outside.  I tried to squeeze it to see if it was fluid or if puss my come out from where the scab was forming - and neither seemed to be the case.  Last night the scab seemed to come back - which to me feels a bit like this is a tiny little abscess for one reason or another.  This morning it was still there, but could be slightly different.  Not bigger, just a slightly different shape - but no scab.  So now I'm quite paranoid.  I call my vet and said I need to have a lump checked.  Well I don't know the woman who answered the phone.  Not sure if the answers I got would have been any different if my friend and former co-worker had.. but the first open appointment is from a week from now.  This isn't right.  I mean I'm all for having to wait for a routine appointment, but what if he was bleeding?  does he not schedule time for health issues that are concerning?   I mean I hope if he was bleeding I wouldn't have to wait till next week..

I love my vet very much, but if he is going to book himself solid, I'm not sure I can deal with that.

I put myself on their cancellation list, so hopefully when the people who know me see I'm sitting here waiting with a health issue, they can squeeze me in sometime.

(and yes, I'm ranting about my vet to try to avoid thinking what these lumps mean for him.  I don't think another surgery would be a good idea for him since he had such a hard time with the last one, and if this is a regrowth of the cancer then it is back much faster then the last time, and I'll be doing these on a monthly basis at this rate...)

Kitten watch - day 11 - what was that??

So I go in to feed Lilly.  She has taken to sleeping in her carrier, so I removed the door to make things easier.  She has a nice blanket in there and seems to like it just fine.  This morning when she came out her belly was still round, but I saw a little something dark, I got very excited.

Turns out she just bunched up the blanket, so I was seeing the bottom of the carrier.. but it looked a bit like a kitten tushie so there was much disappointment this morning.

Kitten Watch Day 8!

This is why I hate taking pregnant cats.  I check on them several times a day, so it like 20+ disappointed anticipations in the past week. 

I also tend to take my frustrations out on them.  I call them selfish for not sharing their kittens sooner (which is silly because if she pops them out early they have no chance of survival) and I often take to calling them hussies for getting themselves in this "situation" in the first place.. :)  of course I'm saying all this in a sweet tone so they tend to think I'm praising them instead of insulting them.

I am starting to believe she is actually pregnant.  Her belly is protruding a bit further out on one side then the other, and when I rubbed it (even though she growled) I think I felt a head.  She is a growler which I'm not fond of, but I think that is just her way of expressing herself.  I am used to that now after having had a couple of moms act that way.  She growled at me when I put food down.. silly girl.

I just wish I could rub her belly.  Maybe next week when it's about ready to pop with kittens she'll be a little more open to it.