The Aja Evolution - Chapter 72, Section M, Line Item 3, parts A through F 🤣 !

It is hard to wrap my brain around just how much adjustment time this little creature, 

called Aja, requires. But clearly we are not at the crest of that mountain top!  

This coming May will be 2 years since a very scared, skinny, jittery and somewhat distrusting little orange female cat entered our lives.  And still there are little changes happening all the time - she is more comfortable in our home and more comfortable with us.  

Sitting on my lap - and not sure she likes this camera “thing” I keep doing.
😆
Its all in the position of the ears!

In the last few months she has been conquering the skill of lap sitting.  Usually in the evening, when all is quiet and I am watching TV (listening through ear buds - so the condo is very quiet), this little cat jumps up to the arm of my chair, waits patiently while I clear what I am doing from my lap, then steps carefully into the space I have made for her - and settles in for some petting time.  

She can’t see I am taking another picture, so the ears
have returned to normal.

But she didn’t start out this comfortable.  

It all began with her version of “drive by” - feet hitting the side of the chair and just as fast, feet pushing off in the opposite direction. Blink and you missed it!  After she figured out that no ‘condo monster’  swallowed her up,  she tried jumping into my lap with no warning ... sometimes landing on the top my open laptop - and then shooting off again, leaving me with a mess on whatever I was working on.  But I knew I was being tested (or maybe trained?)  I was calm.  She was persistent!  Next step in the goal of lap sitting, she started jumping on the arm of my chair and staring at me.  That was her signal that I must prepare her space (my lap.)  Once cleared she carefully settled in - tail whipping back and forth - letting me know she is “on the ready” for something.  Currently, she has stopped whipping her tail and she lets the petting begin.  I am also using these visits to acclimate her to the idea of my arms around her for an affectionate hug and a kiss on the forehead.  The first couple times I did this, she leaned away from me in the opposite direction.  Now she seems to accept it - because she knows I let go. At some point she just might enjoy it.  Its all baby steps with her! 

My husband, too, is working on his own schedule of 'taming the tiger.’  Several times a day he walks into the bedroom and sits on the side of the bed calling to her - and she comes!  Sometimes it is from the far end of the condo - on the run!  She jumps up on the bed and sits primly beside him as he gives her pets.  She obviously wants that time with him, because she always comes.  It is a short time but welcomed by both man and beast! And thank God for it -because those who read my blog almost 2 years ago, will remember, the first night she was with us, my blind husband stepped on her.  She was definitely NOT friends with him that night.  But like all our cats, over time she has figured out that he can’t see, so when he is on the move - so is she!

She also comes out of the bedroom most afternoons and curls up on the floor in a safe place and naps!  We are hoping that someday she realizes that there are comfy chairs just one leap up where she can reside safely as well.  

She has her own water fountain now that provides her moving filter fresh water whenever she wants it.  Yes, we bought her a pet water fountain when we discovered her trying to drink out of the bathroom faucets.  I quickly realized that I hardly ever saw her drink water out of her bowl (which was changed twice a day.). The moment we put the new water fountain down - she began taking long drinks.  That along with her healthy appetite - and she has put on some weight.  When May rolls around, I am sure we will be getting the first of the yearly Vet lectures about keeping an eye on her weight!  (Just like when I go to the doctor.) Ha! Regardless... her fur looks soft and shiny and no bones are showing!! Happy and healthy.  One good looking orange kitty!  

She also has some favorite toys.  Cat Nip Paper Bag is a recent addition!  

The bag smells yummy!

I don’t see anything.  Maybe if I get closer!

Ok!  Going in.  Taking one for the team!!

She also has a crinkle toy that I have seen her bat around and carry in her mouth.  

And laser lights are her very favorite toy of all.  I’ve even found a ball of yarn rolled across the floor - and not put there by me!

Bottom line - she is doing great! And she continues to get her owners trained just the way she likes them!!

Oh yes, we are going to get the weight lecture!!

 

Commenting on the Comments

I rarely respond to comments and questions on my blog now that I use the Pop Up commenting.  I can’t reply in real time on the same post unless I choose to add a separate comment of my own to my post.  I am not sure if that method of reply would be seen since most people never look backwards on the blogs they follow.  Then I got to thinking ... why not have a “Reply Post” that follows the main post a few days later.  So here is my Reply Post.  We will see how this goes.

”Have you made a date [to see Esk] with dear Eskarina and her parents?”  YES!!  I should have mentioned that in my previous post.  In fact, the date was scheduled on my calendar the very first moment I snagged the first shot date!!  I went right to my calendar and counted out the days and marked my “Liberation Day” in bold red print. And there will be a blog post, Michelle, when it happens. “Liberation Day” is April 20 around 12:30 pm (yes I know the time as well) -  not that I am counting the minutes or anything.   However, she goes to day care during the workweek so we are holding off our reunion until the weekend when we have a “Sleep over at Grandma’s" condo all planned on April 23.  It will be joyous in the extreme.  I hope I can get through the first hour of the visit without crying.  Even in the Google Video calls with her - which do happen frequently - I can see that she has grown and matured.  During one of those video calls Esk asked me if I could show her the toys and her bed at my house through the phone 😢.  As I "walked her” on the phone into the guest room, I was fighting tears. While it is lovely she remembered these things and wanted to see them again,  it made me so sad that the only way we could do that was through a cell phone.   And although I am looking forward to seeing her parents as well, I know they are just as eager to have some time to themselves - even if it is just to get some sleep.  😄

And as for Aja!  She is definitely a female, Cynthia.  And I can assure you that the difference between female and male cats is like different solar systems.  The males (we have had 9 of those) are the party, party, party animals.  Pretty much happy-go-lucky!  More dog-like than cat-like.  The females (we have had 2 counting Aja) are the business end of the species.  It is nature’s way of assuring that kittens will survive.  Even in the wild, the female lions are the hunters and the male lions are the “figure heads” who wait for the meal to be brought down by their female mates. The true power is in the female.  It is probably true of most mammals.  It is just more evident in animals like cats - who are unlikely to hide their true nature.

I also learned some interesting things about orange female cats yesterday.  Orange females are relatively rare. This info came from another female orange cat owner who asked if Aja’s personality was “spicy.”  Why, funny you should ask.  Yes!  What a perfect description of her personality.  Spicy. This informal source said spicy personalities are a common trait of orange females.  So off I went to Google to do a little research.  Yes,  pretty much all sources agree - about 81% of ginger cats are male.  Ginger females carry the orange gene on both X chromosomes.  Both her parents had to be orange according to the sources I read.  But the “spicy” personality observation was not supported.  In fact, it was suggested be  the reverse.  While the strongest influence on personality tends to be early socialization, males tend to be the “spicier” of the two.  That observation does not appear to be based on any science like the color of the fur.  You can’t help but wonder, however, ... since there is only observational evidence on personality, maybe there is something to it - just not proven.  Everyone agrees, however, that orange cats are very friendly.  And Aja is.  She just doesn’t always know how to contain that joyous feeling at times.

Terra, Leigh, Marie and Lefty, thank you for your kind comments on the crochet.  I am definitely a novice in crochet.  The actual stitches aren’t hard but knowing where to begin and end rows still is sometimes a mystery.  Last year I started a crochet blanket and got about 5 inches done when I discovered the blanket was getting wider.  Obviously I had been unintentionally increasing on the edges.  I ripped it all out and decided crochet just wasn’t for me.  Then I discovered the Annie’s Club Kits - I liked the patterns and each kit came with video assistance. You could see quite clearly where the hook needed to go to begin or end.  While the cost of the total Kit is pretty high for what is acrylic yarn, the assistance and knowledge building more than make up for the cost.  And when you commented on the colors in the blanket I had to smile. I like browns and tans also, but there are no browns and tans in the blanket.  I tried so hard to capture the colors and failed miserably.  The colors are in the plum family with a pop of turquoise for contrast.  Even the professional pictures that came with the directions don’t show the colors correctly.

Finally to my walking friend, Karen, Happy One.  I think of you often and how lucky you are to have such a beautiful place to walk every single day (for 6 miles - yes, folks, she walks 6 miles every day - my hero!)  While our move to this condo was perfect in many ways, walking paths or even just sidewalks are in short supply in Elkridge.  It is not Columbia, where the developers were following the vision of James Rouse with pedestrian friendly neighborhoods. And Sandy, your idea for audio books while walking is something I used to do when I was on my own walk.  It does pass the time.  I am trying to get out later in the evening by myself when he has gone to bed.  He is an early to bed (7:00 pm) but late to sleep (10:00 pm) person - listening to his audio books for a few hours before sleeping.  With the longer days this works ok.  I get in a short walk around my condo development. (boring, but walking). But I miss wandering around randomly and spontaneously like Happy One does. 

Not sure how this worked for you guys.  I feel like I closed the loop on the last post with responses.  I probably won’t be back blogging again until I see Esk - in the flesh - on the 23rd - with a box of tissues in my hand and my other arm around her slim little body.    

Stay well all! 

Unveiling Aja - Chapter 2 - Two Steps Forward. One Back. Repeat.

I have come to the conclusion that of the 10 cats that previously shared our lives,

 Aja is the only one who was raised to be an actual cat!  😁

  All our other cats came to us as kittens

 and although we didn't realize it at the time, 

I am kind of thinking we probably raised them to be dogs! haha.

Sorry for the poor quality!  Aja, hunkered down under the bed!
That look is not "trusting."  Ha!  She had good reason.

Last weekend was hard on her.

First off, the weather was beautiful and cool.  Our air conditioner was off and our bedroom windows were wide open.  The curtains were billowing with a wonderful breeze.  The road noise (and we have some road noise), is a constant to our ears at times.  So constant that we just don't hear it anymore unless it is a noisy motorcycle or a fire truck - but Aja hears every sound.  And the billowing curtains???  Her look was "My Gosh!! Are they supposed to do that??"

Sunday, when I entered the bedroom and called for her - she didn't come.  I think I was getting the cat equivalent of a cold shoulder.  I checked under the bed.  No Aja.  I checked in the bathroom and under the rocker and under the dressers.  No Aja!  My little 'worry worm' started.  I checked my husband's closet. No Aja.  Finally I moved his shirts on the lower level ... and there she was - snuggly hidden from the dog (more on him later,) and the street noise, and the breeze and the curtains.  Poor baby.  I wanted to pick her up in my arms and reassure her.  But I knew it was too early in our relationship for such familiarities.

She spent most of Saturday and Sunday in my husband's closet.  I shut everything down Sunday night. It got quieter.  She got calmer.  Later I opened one bedroom window .... two inches only.  Air and some noise was allowed in but not at the same level as the weekend.  I know with time she will adjust to all this - because this is part of her reality now and there is really no choice -  but currently - she is not fan.

How can you not love a sweet old face like this one!

Then there is this old guy!  

Milo, my daughter's French Bull Dog - one of my grand babies.  He had been here since Thursday and returned home Monday.  He only looked at her through the gate - never barked.  But his presence has been worrisome for her.  Milo can't get past the gate so the protective space barrier was solidly in place.  She calmed a bit.

This morning I moved the new donut bed into the area of the closet she likes to hide.  That was a mistake!  She decided she doesn't like me messing with her hiding places.  Now she is back under the bed.

Her hissing responses increased in a really schizoid-like way.  She rubs against my legs purring, back and forth watching out the bedroom door, then she smells my hand (I am sure Milo's scent is on me), she hisses and then turns and rubs against my legs again, then hisses, and repeat.  She is very confused.  I look and sound the same, but my smell is not quite right. I go and wash my hands. She calms. How to explain all this to her.  I thought I was speaking "cat" all this time, but maybe I was actually speaking "dog," and she speaks only "cat."  All my previous cats apparently understood "dog." *sigh* - have I totally lost you all yet?

Or maybe, there are just gaps in my understanding!  Yes, that is it.  I need more educating.

So I spent time on Amazon looking at cat behavior books and found this one, highly rated, current and focused on feline behavior.

Image from Amazon
This is the way I love to hold my cats!
Bet Aja would think this is too familiar. 

The book is authored by Jackson Galaxy - a cat behaviorist and Mikel Maria Delgado, Phd, a behavior consultant for Feline Minds at the Davis School of Veterinary Medicine.  Apparently Jackson hosts an Animal Planet hit show and is the author of other books related to cats.  Mikel studied animal behavior and human-animal relationships at the University of California, Berkeley.  This book had the focus on behavior I was looking for - rather than just dedicating one chapter to behavior and other chapters all other cat care topics.

Perfect!

I also downloaded a few free Kindle offerings.  I am determined to not make too many backward steps with Aja.

Then I checked the calendar!  She has been with us just about 4 weeks.  Only 4 weeks!  Gosh ... I have heard adjustment time spans of up to 18 months!!  Maybe I am just rushing things.  Maybe I am speaking "cat" after all - and she doesn't like what I am saying.

Maybe I am over thinking this!!  

hahaha.

Oh well, can't hurt to check out a few references.

Post Script:  Just before publishing this post, two major Aja advancements happened.

Aja left the safety of under the bed and rubbed up against my husband's legs.  Let me tell you!!  THAT made his month!  I knew ignoring her would produce a positive reaction.  Cats typically seek out anyone they 'think' doesn't like them.  It is one of the signature traits of felines - across the full spectrum of the cat world.  A little reverse psychology works wonders.

And around dinner time she walked right out the bedroom and made her way into the living room - in front of us - while we were eating dinner at the table.  I cautioned my husband:

No sudden moves or loud noises,

no coughing, sneezing, 

or swallowing that food you put in your mouth

 ...  just act natural ... 

maybe stop breathing for a minute or two while she checks things out!!  😀

And she did just that!  She walked right up to my husband's chair and did her side rub back and forth!  A typical cat method of sharing their scent on things to "make it their own."  It lasted for all of 5 minutes!  But, hey, that was brave, brave, brave on her part.  And after she ran back into the bedroom I told her that!!

So maybe I don't need a book.  Maybe I am speaking "cat!"  Or maybe she is learning "dog!"

Or maybe we are just developing a new language between us ... 

Aja Language!

I sure do love this crazy cat! 

Unveiling Aja

Our journey with Aja has been like a grand "unveiling."
A slow, deliberate lifting of the veil
 she uses to cover her personality.

She is a beauty!

You see, when you adopt a kitten, there is no veil or curtain.  It is all typically about play and adventure and wonder and fun and discovery and cuddles and sometimes mistakes and craziness.  Kittens are "all out there."  Being cautious lasts about 5 or 10 minutes.  Tops!  Finding your 2 pound fur ball hanging from a curtain rod or off your jeans (while you are wearing them, of course) or pitifully caught in a tight place, or darting between your legs in sudden fits and starts ... all of that is just Kittenhood 101!

Favorite spot!

Adopting an adult cat is none of that.  It more like studying for a Phd without books or lectures and Cliff Notes.  You don't even get a syllabus or an advisor.  Adopting an adult cat is like purchasing a "surprise package" where you don't know what's inside the box until you open it up.  And the first order of business is gently picking the virtual scotch tape off the wrapping paper without upsetting the contents (otherwise known as 'the cat.')  And that is where we started with Aja.

The first thing she shared with us was how talky she is.  Many meows, trills, purring, short little squeak sounds that have meaning only to her at present. And she loves to be talked to!  All that aside, she isn't shy at setting you straight with a hiss, either.  Although we have no rules when it comes to cats, she apparently has a few rules when it comes to owners.  Haha!  Good thing I am a fast learner!!

Husband spending time trying to make friends.
Look at her beautiful markings.

The next discovery was the sinuous rubbing of her body against our legs.  She loves to do that.  She is friendly - in the extreme at times - happy to be scratched around the cheeks and ears and neck.  And when she has had enough - She Is D-O-N-E.  And don't ask for more.  It's her time table - not yours.  When her 'happy dance' is over, she is on to other things.

Gate is wide open - but unless it is dark and quiet - she typically
won't come out.  At least not yet.  Can't help but wonder
was is going on in that tiny mind of hers.

But as the owner, it is important that I control the narrative (or at least give the illusion that I am in control. 😆)  For example - lifting her onto the bed, onto her cube by the window, and onto my lap has shorten the time she would take to do these things independently on her own.   The first time doing anything she is tense and anxious.  Her picture is in the dictionary next to the word CAUTIOUS!  Tail is intensely whipping back and forth, eyes darting every which way before she jumps down. But within a short time she spontaneously returning to that scary "whatever" and shows off her mastery of it ... acting like it is no big deal!  Ha!

One of her beds - the cube.  A hiding place and a perch place in one.

She still sleeps under our bed!  *sigh*   My other cats never used a cat bed. Their bed was where we slept and they graciously shared 'their bed' with us.  Maybe she will do that someday, but 'someday' could be a ways off.  So I bought 2 pet beds.  One bed is the donut shape placed in my husband's closet (she visits there), and the other one is the cube that functions like a bed she can hide in and perch on while watching out the window.  She has checked out both, but use them??  Not to sleep in.  She still creeps under the bed.  The vet said to give her time. My friend who has homed feral cats said the same thing.  It may take her 18 months to sleep in one of those beds.  Or maybe never.  Cats do what they want to do, when they want to do it. and how they want to do it.

Half the time she looks out - and half the time she looks in.

She loves sitting on our window sills.  Since she is half the weight of our other big male cats - her little butt actually fits on our window sill.  Half the time she is watching out our windows at the world outside ... and half the time she is looking at the world inside!  I guess we haven't gotten boring yet.

Poor picture due to night lighting, but she is on the left technically
in our kitchen which is right outside the
bedroom door to the left.

Another poor lighting picture.  She is looking into the den
which is right outside our bedroom door to the right.

Her current big adventure is the condo space beyond our her bedroom.  Under her own steam she has stepped outside the bedroom almost every day for the last week ... a few inches more each time.  Usually she makes these forays when the house is very quiet and dark, and we are quietly reading.  But yesterday I was standing in the kitchen (during the bright light of day, TV blaring, and microwave humming - you know - normal stuff) and I looked down and found her almost standing in the kitchen.  We were both surprised.  Her eyes were huge like saucers - mine too!  Then the ice maker did its thing and dropped a load of ice in the bin!!   Too much, too much, too much!  Gone.  Being female, (and the business end of the species,) she knows instinctively that monsters may live out there!  Can't be too careful - that is clearly a motto tattooed in her tiny cat brain!

Milo, my French Bulldog 'Grandson' looking into the bedroom at  Aja.

Aja acting causal as she carefully extracts herself from
under the rocking chair while being observed by
Milo.

This weekend we raised the level of excitement a bit.  My daughter's French Bulldog, Milo, came for a visit.  As you can imagine, Aja was not amused.  There was a return to hissing and tail swishing!  All behind the safety of her gate and under the rocking chair.  She stayed in her "safe zone" while Milo peaked in through the bars. Milo is an old guy and has little interest in cats.  He just wanted a look-see!  After a few hours she settled down.  She made the connection that the gate protected her from the "monster" that had just arrived.  Now she sits calming staring out at him.  Maybe one day she will be as comfortable as Wally was with Milo.

Feeding time.  She gets both dry and wet. Initially we weren't sure
what she preferred to eat.  Now we now she likes wet food
but snacks on dry.  My husband is the feeder - his
effort to make friends with Aja - who is still very unsure about him.

She still seems to favor me, much to my husband's chagrin.  The last 2 cats favored my husband.  He doesn't give up easy and keeps trying to win her over.  I tell him to just ignore her.  Cats can't stand to be ignored!  If you try too hard, they can't be bothered.  So he is doing his best to give her space and time.  And he is the official feeder!  You know, just to show off his good side to Aja.  Meanwhile, she is all over me!  Haha! Another truism about cats - they pick their people and you have no say in the matter.

She like the little laser light (left little bright spot on the carpet.)

Her first visit to the vet was May 22.  We anticipated a "betrayal of the shaky trust" we had carefully nurtured.  Cats normally don't equate good vet care with loving pet ownership. But we do.  As it turns out it wasn't that scary a trip for her.  I had to stay in the parking lot, of course, pandemic protocols, so she had to brave the vet's office on her own.  Apparently she did fine.  I warned them that she is a hisser and a smacker when anxious, but not known to be aggressive.  And sure enough the vet got one of each after micro chipping her!!  Our vet agreed with the shelter and our assessment that she was not aggressive.  Just frightens easily. The ride in the car was uneventful.  That is a big improvement over Wally who would vomit all over the inside of his carrier and yowl the whole trip.  Poor boy!  Nerves and maybe car sick.  Not her!  Not a sound.  Considering she hisses at a bunch of little things and 'talks' up a mean-streak at home, I was surprised the car ride was so quiet.  She looked all around! (Monsters could be anywhere you know!!)

She has finally got comfortable enough to pose and let me take pictures of her.

Finally, I had the good fortune to communicate with her previous owner.  The Surrender Form included that information.  Since Aja was a mystery wrapped up in orange fur, I wanted to know more.  I plugged the owner's name into Facebook on the off chance I could find her.  Success!  I took a chance and shot off an email. I know that some might have not appreciate a message from the new owner.  But I wanted to share that Aja landed in a good home and was doing well.  Thankfully, she did respond and was very happy to hear from me. She was grateful that Aja was with us - patient and experienced cat parents.  Although she had to give Aja up due to a distance move, she had kept tabs on her through the shelter website and knew she had been adopted.  Not knowing how Aja was doing was hard.  Hopefully now Aja's first 'mom' has some peace of mind about Aja's future. And for me, it was nice to have confirmation that the Aja I am getting to know is pretty much unchanged from her former life and that she had a good home with her previous 'mom.'  I invited her to visit this blog occasionally to keep up with Aja as she begins her new life with me.

"OK, I am done for today!  Please go away now!"  hahaha

As each day that passes, Aja is a little less of a mystery.  We are past the 'virtual scotch tape and wrapping paper' stage.  We have opened the lid to look carefully at the contents - at least as much as she is willing to show us now ... and she is carefully looking back!

The adventure continues!

Wally

Rest In Peace

Handsome Boy

June 2006 - April 2020

Wallace

I don't post much about the animals in my life.  Not sure why that is.
There are some wonderful pet soul mates in my past and
present.

But these past 6 months definitely belong to my cat Wallace, 

Wally for short.

Max Left, Wally Right

At 13 years of age we consider ourselves luck to have had Wally that long.  He started out life with his brother, Max - Maximillan. We adopted them together, wanting a bonded pair.  After years and years of 4 previous cats at odds with each other, we wanted the next set to be peaceful.

I think these boys are the best looking of all our cats over 50 years.  The first two weeks we had them, we spent $2,000 to get them healthy.  Shelter cats typically come with various problems and we were committed to giving them a fair shot at life. Wally was underweight and ill due to lack of nutrition. During that time I had to force feed him.  His brother Max was 'the dude' in charge - he ate first and didn't care who else was hungry.  Max was a sweetheart, but food was his God!  Wally was docile and waited his turn to eat!  Once we got this pair in our home and discovered the situation, food was abundant for both.  But old habits die hard and Wally continued to defer to his brother.

Max

For 3 years things were great.  Wally was always "second banana" to his brother, but we kept tabs on that relationship and no one ever suffered.  But at 3 years of age, Max was diagnosed with degenerative kidneys - a common condition for cats, but way too early in his young life.  Between prescription food ($$$$) and subcutaneous fluids (injected under the skin of his ruff) every other day ($$$$) we kept Max alive for another 8 years.  He died at 11 years of age from kidney failure - finally.  But for such a long life, he should be in the Records Book somewhere!  When vets hear Max's story they are astonished.  "Unheard of" ... is the frequent comment.

Wally

So that is the back-story of the two brothers.

Now we were down to 1 cat - Wally.  Initially we worried that he would pine for his brother.  Nope!! No pining here!!  In fact he actually flourished.  He was no longer the second banana.  Wally was loving and happy now that he was the star of this household!!

In August of 2019 - 4 years later - when it was discovered that he was hyperthyroid - another common condition for cats.  Over the course of the last 6 months we struggled with medication at various strengths and appetite problems.  We tried a large range of prescription foods and grocery store food.  All efforts cost many dollars.  But this guy is family so we plowed on as we did for his brother.

Getting food into him was the greatest challenge.  I had visions of my force feeding sessions with him as a kitten. Finally his eating trickled down to almost nothing.  Was it his thyroid meds or was it is teeth.  We moved forward with the dental and they discovered the probable cause of his loss of appetite.  His teeth were a mess.  After the cleaning, we took him to a recommended Vet dentist - where we were told his poor gums and teeth were not the result of improper care - but a condition called Tooth Resorption.  His body was "reabsorbing" his teeth - breaking them down right to and into the root.  When cats in the wild get this condition they starve to death because they cannot eat.  It is an internal process separate from regular tooth care.  And he was in a lot of pain as you can imagine.  But, typical of cats, he never showed that.  Just couldn't eat.  Not showing pain or illness is a survival technique for cats in the wild - they don't want to become prey!  Cats are only partially domesticated and predators by nature, so it all fits together.

Wally

The total visit with exam, X-rays, surgery costs, recovery costs, extraction of 8 molars, injectable meds for pain and antibiotics ... (drum roll ... ) was close to $1900.  Did we wince at that cost??  Absolutely not.  He is now comfortable - eating soft foods - and returning to good health.  We hope to have him for many more years.  He is a fabulous cat and we love him dearly.

Wally

Non-pet folks I find don't understand our willingness to do whatever we can for our pets.  My response is that pets are family.  If you look into those eyes, how can you not see a beautiful 'soul' staring back at you?

Pets 'give' more than they 'take.'  And if good health and a quality life after treatment is possible - I will do it no matter the cost.  If they are in pain and treatment will not fix the cause - like with cancer - we painfully and sorrowfully say goodbye to them, release them from their pain, and give them back to God.  We have done that 9 times and it never gets easy!  But for now this beautiful creature belongs to me.  He hopefully has many more years ahead of him.  Now that he has those pesky teeth out of his mouth, he can enjoy living again.

My husband and I have lived with one or more cats our 50 years of marriage.  I think life would be less without one of these graceful and independent animals!

Rest on my dear Wallace.  

You have earned your place in our home and hearts.

A loss

Maximillion

We knew this day would come.

Max for short!

This dear soul clothed in the skin of a domestic cat was always the sick one.

Max (left) with his brother Wally (right)

Yes, from the age of 3 years, he lived with degenerative kidney disease.  When we heard the news, we were devastated.  That is not a good diagnosis in a young cat.  But the vet offered us a life line.  If we fed him prescription food and were willing to give him subcutaneous fluids every other day, we might extend his life a few years.
 
Well YES!! We would do that. ANYTHING!! And they trained us in the technique.

And so began the journey of nursing a 3 year old cat with a bad diagnosis for years and years.

When he died, 5 days ago, he was 11 years old!  ELEVEN YEARS!  No one would have guessed that a "few years" would extend to 8 years.

In March he began to lose weight.  The vet confirmed his kidney lab values were dropping.  His appetite had dropped off dramatically.  We continued the fluids every other night, and then every night at half dose to even out his hydration.  We scoured the stores for foods that would tempt him to eat.  We fed him several times a day.  We carefully monitored him for quality of life issues.  We enjoyed every moment because we knew the moments were rapidly disappearing.

He tried and he tried and he tried.  But by the time we reached June, we knew we were losing the battle.  The time had come to make that terribly tough decision - the one where you put the needs of your pet ahead of your own desires.




Time to say goodbye.



You are missed, dear Max.  So very very much.  Rest in peace with all the other dear souls that have gone before you.

A small life so dearly loved ...

Today we thought this dear little soul was going to pass from our lives.  He didn't.  We know his time is very near.  But today is not the day.

This beautiful face belongs to our cat, Max.  He is 11 years old and for 8 of those years he has lived with degenerative kidney disease.  Obviously being diagnosed at age 3 with this condition is not a good thing.  We sincerely thought he would only have a few years left.  We never thought he will live another 8 years.

During that time we fed him special prescription food and treated him with subq fluids every other day.  And every year we got his blood checked and he was always abnormal but stable.  In fact, during these 8 years the vets ALWAYS remarked on how well he was doing.  Typically degenerative kidney disease in a cat progresses a very fast toward the end of life.

About a month ago he started to lose weight.  A vet visit revealed that his previously stable lab values were starting to fall.  It was a warning alarm for us.  His unusual robust appetite began to fail.  Normally he would eat anything all the time.  Now he eats  infrequently and only small amounts.

Two days ago we noticed a total disinterest in eating.  He had gotten more thin.  We thought we had reached the time that all loving and responsible owners reach at some point - help your loved pet out of life peacefully.  We made the appointment for this morning.

Late last night he decided to eat a little.  And he was out and about this morning looking for more.  He did not seem in pain.  We cancelled the appointment.  I guess he still has a handful of kidney cells that are working.

Tomorrow we may face this same decision, or maybe next week - but today he is sleeping peacefully in my chair and I'll take every single minute we have left.

Today is not the day.

My Boys

Here is a picture of my boys, the cats that share our house with my husband and I.

As you can see, they are brothers.  In fact, in the dark sometimes it is hard to tell them apart.  Wally is in the front, and he is pretty much my cat.  Max is behind and he has bonded with my husband.  Max is also the cat who has had degenerative kidney disease (since the age of 3) and we have been giving him subq fluids to combat that condition for 6 years - every other day - and will continue to do so for the rest of his life.  It is what keeps him alive.  

What is remarkable about this picture is the following:

• They are both sitting on the couch with me.  They seldom do that - mostly because our house is usually occupied with 1 to 3 dogs.  When the guest dogs are in residence, our cat-boys pretty much stick to the upstairs.  They do make occasional appearances on the first floor, but never so relaxed.
• They are sitting side-by-side - almost touching.  When we got this pair, we were looking for a bonded pair.  Our last set of cats had decided to dislike each other and it was an armed camp for several years.  Once burned, we did not want to live like that again.  We wanted the next set of cats to already get along.  We figured brothers who were already friends would work.  And it does, usually.  They play together, they don't fight with each other, but they don't sleep together or groom each other as truly bonded animals sometimes do.  No matter, sometime they "accidentally" find themselves sitting together ... making it worth the picture!!

I love these two gentle souls.  They are pretty adaptable having lived around dogs all their lives.  

It is nice spending time with them alone - without the competition of the 3 grand dogs who think they own the place!!  It is because of my desire to honor their rights to our bed and our bedroom, that when the dogs come to visit, I do not sleep in my bed.  I sleep on the pull out couch or in the guest room in the basement with the canines.   

Sometimes I miss my bed, but for these sweet feline faces, I am happy to sleep elsewhere so they can rest comfortably on the second floor when the canine invasion is raging!! 

After all, these boys are mine and this is their home, and the grand dogs are visitors and are borrowed! 

Rooms with new names

I spent a lot of time thinking about selling our townhouse and moving to another smaller less expensive space.  Now that the old "homestead" houses just two old people, 2200 square feet of finished floor space seems way too big - especially when I am cleaning it.  After all, what do we need with 4 bedrooms and 3 1/2 bathrooms - plus a family room.

But once we determined that moving from a fully paid for home to somewhere else would be more expensive, I stopped focusing on the goal of moving and started thinking about what the heck I would do with the space. It didn't take long to come up with a plan.

The Guest Bedroom
I have always wanted a guest room.  Our "guest room" has always been our pull out couch in the living room and a queen size blow up mattress.  Both are less than perfect for sleeping and very unacceptable for company.  But that was what I had.

I still have that but now I also have this:

Although it isn't evident in the picture, the room needs painting, but it is OK for now.
The maple desk was my desk when I lived at home

I am particularly fond of these lighted flowers.  My daughter-in-law had a set
that I just loved and I had to have my own.
They make a wonderful muted night light.

And what room would be complete without a bull dog.  At least this one
doesn't have to be walked.  :-)

This guest bedroom is located right next to a full bathroom in the lowest level of our townhouse.  This room has changed names so many times it makes my head spin.

• my son's bedroom, 
• my daughter's bedroom when she moved back home one time (paint choice was hers)
• my son's bedroom again when he moved back home one time,
• my mother-in-law's bedroom (briefly) while she was in hospice in our home
• the downstairs den - with a treadmill and yarn stuff
• ... and then finally my son and daughter-in-law's room for about 10 months.  

It now sleeps three guests in actual beds.

Yeah!  Finally!!


The Den
This small bedroom room has really never changed names unless you consider that is was more of a "junk" room over the years.  Most recently it was also my mother's den for 5 years, and then briefly a shared space for my husband and I - my yarn and his computer.  My husband now has a simple uncluttered space for things that are important to him.  Uncluttered is the operative word since open space and free passage are important to anyone with his decreasing vision.

The Yarn Room
This bedroom has a short but varied history as well.

• Daughter's bedroom
• A nothing room for many years - I don't even recall what we did with the space.
• Mother's bedroom
• Temporary guest room but still filled with mom's stuff

After 2+ years in Assisted Living, I have finally reclaimed the space that was mom's.  This was a hard hard thing to do.  I knew she was unable to return, but for some reason I couldn't change the space - it was hers and would be so until she died.  At least that is what my mind was stuck on.

Now I realize that it isn't a good use of space.  Her bed has been moved into the guest room.  Her things have all been boxed up and moved into storage in the basement.  The room still has her furniture in it, but now it is filled with my yarn and hobbies.  And it is perfect for this use as it is the brightest room in my house.

This room deserves a small tour.

You see I have a whole lot of fiber just waiting to be spun.

I have a teddy that wears my very first knitted sweater - the sweater I made
during my learn to knit class in 1997.

And the wedding flowers I made for my son and daughter-in-law's wedding ...
they had nowhere to live either.

And Max, the now newly installed Yarn Cat who lives in my yarn room - he
also was homeless (well, not really.  He lives part time in my bedroom.  But the
story flows better if he seemed homeless.)

And the bed I bought for the yarn room and the "homeless" cat.

And the yarn that fills BOTH SIDES AND TOP TO BOTTOM in this closet.  It
was screaming for a permanent home!! In its last room it was spilling out of the closet
and onto the floor.  Now if I can only show restraint and stop buying yarn ...
(a wish that I have already broken with a purchase this month and a second purchase this month is on my radar.)
The only thing that might work to "cure" me would be some kind of an "intervention."
But I will go down fighting with my pointy sticks if I have to!!!
You have been warned!!!

So now all these wonderful items now live in my yarn room.
I love my yarn room.

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this crafty cluttered space that is just mine.

Hope you enjoyed the tour.