Thank you all for your kind words

Mom here. I wanted to thank each and everyone for their kind words about Bandit. He was a very gentle cat and was always a bit shy around strangers. The only time he would willingly let me hold him was at the vet's office. Then he would try to stick his head under my arm or into my arm pit to hide. It was his "if I can't see them then they can't see me" routine.

Bandit came to our house in a round about way. A shelter from Frankfort, KY brought some adoptable animals up to Louisville. They set up a booth in the foyer at the K-Mart where my brother was working. My brother struck up a conversation with one of the volunteers and was telling her about our Fiona. Like Fiona, Bandit was missing one eye.

Later in the day my brother found out that the shelter's donation jar had been stolen from their table! My brother felt bad for them and he donated $20. When he was leaving one of the volunteers asked if he would be interested in adopting Bandit. His adoption fee would be waived. After discussing it with me it was decided that Bandit would be coming home to us. The shelter held Bandit for a week as I was leaving town and my brother didn't want to contend with a new kitty plus the 6 we already had.

When we did bring Bandit home he fit right in with our cat family. There was very little hissing and growling. Over the years he and Jazzpurr became buddies and would groom each others ears and faces. Occasionally he would allow Daisy to groom him.

Bandit was not a lap cat, but if he was laying on top of the cat tree he would get all silly and roll around demand to be petted! And almost every morning he would greet me in the bathroom and jump on the side of the tub.

He spent a lot of time sleeping on the floor vents as the temperature got colder this year. I don't remember him doing that so much in the past winters. Maybe it was indication that something wasn't right. Or maybe, like a heat seeking missle, he just wanted to have a warm place to sleep. I'm not going to second guess why he decided it was time to go.

Much to my surprise, and relief, the vet's office called today. Bandit's ashes were back and I could pick them up. My boy is home now where he belongs. He is resting next to Panda's ashes. I want to add a plaque to his box with his name. The top of the box is carved, so it would be difficult to put his picture on it (like Panda's box has).  But I don't need to have his picture there. I will never forget his face.

Thank you all again for your condolences. It means the world to me.

Love,
Malinda and Clarissa & Co.

Bandit is now an angel

It is with heavy hearts that we must tell you that our brofur, Bandit Bigtoes, crossed the Bridge on Friday morning. He seemed to be perfectly fine on Thursday and when mom went to bed that night Bandit was sleeping on the foot of her bed.  This was about 1:00am. Bandit jumped off the bed before mom ever got in it, but that wasn't unusual. Bandit rarely slept with mom, although he loved to sleep on her bed when she wasn't in it.

When mom got up on Friday morning, she found Bandit laying in the hallway, exactly between her bedroom and our uncle's bedroom. Mom knew as soon as she saw him that he was gone. She gently picked him up and wrapped him in a towel. She let us say our goodbyes to him before she contacted our vet's office. Mom took his body there and they will make arrangements for his cremation. Mom should be able to pick up his ashes at the end of next week.

None of us expected this at all. It is a shock for the entire family. Bandit was only 8 years old, which seems young to us. We will never know for sure what took our brofur, but mom suspects that he went into cardiac arrest. Whatever happened, it was very quick.

Fly free, sweet Bandit. You will be in our hearts forever.

Bandit Bigtoes

February 2005 - December 27, 2013

They're Dreaming of a White Wednesday

We have more pics of kitties to share today.  These two white kittens live with one of our mom's co-workers. They are siblings, a brother and sister. Unfortunately we can't tell you which one is Roma (the sister) and which one is Raffa (the brother) in these pictures.  There was one more sibling in the litter. That one was solid black! He went to the granddaughter of their foster mom.

They sure look comfortable.

Their dad decided they needed more room:

We hope they were having sweet dreams!

Tabby Tuesday

Hello everyone! It's Tabby Tuesday and we have a few pictures to share with our friends. Johnny and Cash think these pics should be of them since they are tabbies, but they are going to have to be patient. You see, we have a new cousin in North Carolina!

This little girl is named Sophia Zelda, of Sofie, and she recently got a forever home with our Aunt Torchy. Sofie and her three siblings were pulled from a kill shelter in South Carolina. That's the best news! The second best news is all four of the babies found forever homes!

According to Sofie's vet, she is barely four months old and weighs a whopping 2.8 pounds! Aunt Torchy said Sofie is a little ball of energy and gets into everything (Aunt Torchy had to disconnect her dishwasher on Saturday night to rescue Sofie from behind it!)

So without further ado, here is Miss Sofie!

As you can see, Sofie already as the makings of a model! She can strike a pose!

This is Sofie with her big brother, Wick. Aunt Torchy said they get along just fine. Big sister Gracie Ninja-Vader is still suspicious of the little one.

We think little Sofie is pretty darned cute!

We are back...again!

It has been a whole month since mom wrote about Johnny & Cash joining our family.  For the most part the boys have settled in nicely.  There is still some hissing that goes on, especially between Fiona, Puff, and the boys.  Both Johnny & Cash adore their lap time with our mom and our uncle. A couple of times Johnny has gotten under the blanket and slept against mom's legs.

We've complained about having the hots here in the summer, and now we have the colds.  Although it is very sunny, today's high temperature won't rise above freezing.  There is a little snow on the ground, but the roads are dry so that is good.

Mom and our uncle were in Phoenix, AZ for a few days. Mom goes every December. This was the first time our uncle went with her. She got to visit with her friends who live all over the USA and England. They went to Alice Cooper's Christmas Pudding show on Saturday night. Performers, other than Alice Cooper, included Joan Jett, Vince Neil (of Motley Crue), Stephen Pearcy (of Ratt), Tom Keifer (of Cinderella), Kip Winger (of Winger), and KISS (without their make-up).  Comedian Bill Engvall entertained and actor John O'Hurley was the host.

Mom got home late Sunday night. Unfortunately, our uncle was flying home through Philadelphia, PA and was having a problem getting home. His flight was suppose to leave Phoenix at 1:15pm (AZ time) and he was suppose to get home by 10:30pm (KY time).  He didn't get to Philly until 12:30am because of their weather woes. That left him stuck overnight in the airport. It was 2:00pm on Monday before he arrived in Louisville!  He was tired, but otherwise all right.

Mom said she is done traveling until the spring. That means more time home with us!!!

We hope all of our friends are healthy and happy and warm!

Purrs to all,
Clarissa

Meet Johnny and Cash!

Mom Malinda here today. Clarissa said it was okay if I wrote today's post.

We have two new additions to the horde at my house. Their names are Johnny and Cash (they were already named) and they joined us on Wednesday night. These guys are All-American Tabby brothers. I was told that they are six years old.

Here is how they came to me:  My friend needed a ride to her vet's office on Wednesday evening. Her car had broken down and one of her kitty's had a 6pm appointment. I agreed to give her ride in the nasty, pouring rain. While we were waiting, a young couple came in with their little girl. Each adult had a large tabby in their arms. The woman was in tears. They wanted to surrender the cats to the vet's office! From what I overheard they had fallen on some financial hard times and were now staying in a place where they couldn't have their cats. Unfortunately the office did not take surrendered animals. If they were turned over to animal control their chances of survival would be slim to none. I don't know how they would fare with the local humane society either. It was obvious that these boys were well taken care of and loved. So I did the only thing I could do: I brought them home with me.

They had their vet visit on Saturday and came out with a clean bill of health. We discovered that Cash has broken the tip off of his upper left fang. The vet said it appeared to be an old injury. It doesn't appear to bother him but I will keep an eye on his eating habits. They were both vaccinated while at the vet's and they both received claw trims. Also, they were already neutered. Johnny was anxious at the office and he started panting. I've never had a cat that reacted that way before.

Johnny and Cash are out and about with the other cats. Cash is pretty laid back about the arrangement. He has discovered the top of the cat trees and a windowsill that gets a lot of morning sun. He also seems to have a favorite chair in the living room. Johnny is a little more cautious. He isn't growling like he first did and I hope he will relax more as he gets use to his new home. He is more of an explorer and has managed to get on top of the refrigerator and tried to get into one of the kitchen cabinets. I've caught him on top of the stove a couple of times and made him get down. That is one place he is not allowed.

Without further ado, here are Johnny and Cash!

This is handsome Cash! Although you can't tell it in these pictures, Cash has beautiful green eyes. He is longer than Johnny and he weighed in at 12 lbs.

 

Cash has picked out this chair as one of his favorite places to sleep. Look at those big back feet!

This is golden eyed Johnny. He is a little shorter in length and little stockier. He weighed in at 14 lbs.

Another picture of Johnny. I put a collar on him to help tell them apart. I'm wondering if he wore one before. He didn't put up a fuss about and he has not tried to take if off.

They are already stealing my heart.

Wordless Wednesday: Clarissa Anne - 2007

Wordless Wednesday: Jazzpurr

Tortie Tuesday: Lucky Charm

Back on August 29th, we told you about our friend Tootles crossing the Rainbow Bridge. Tootles' mom said her house felt empty and she was lonely without having a kitty companion. She went back to the Siamese rescue group which had helped her adopt Tootles. She narrowed her search down to four kitties, then two kitties, and she finally decided to bring this girl into her home.

We would like to introduce your to the beautiful Lucky Charm!

Her mom calls her "Charmee". She is a lovely tortiseshell Meezer. We've heard she has adapted quite well to her new home and is quite the lap cat and snuggler. Charmee will be an only cat as she doesn't get along well with other kitties. We don't remember for sure, but we think Charmee is about five years old.

Welcome to your forever home Ms. Charmee!

Product Review

The Natural Pet Company  asked us to if we would review their Catnip. This is the first time we've ever been asked to review a product by anyone so we are very excited. We do want to start with this notice:

Disclaimer:  We are were not paid in any way to review this product.

Now let's get down to business.

Although mom didn't get a picture of the action, Fred got all crazy pants over the envelope that the catnip was shipped in. That's how potent this nip is!

Mom had to open the bag for us since we don't have thumbs. Mom put the package on the floor so we could check it out. The first thing we noticed was the strong catnip smell. Mom sprinkled a generous amount of the nip on several sections of the floor. Since there are 14 of us, she wanted to make sure that there was enough for all of us who like catnip to be able to partake in the test.

 Bandit and Spunky checking out the product.

Fred, Sable, and Ginger went right to the first area where the catnip had been sprinkled. They started licking the floor!

 Fred, Sable, and Ginger licking the catnip off of the floor.

Sister Ginger decide to rub her face on the nip and roll in.

Sister Daisy loved the nip. You can see it on the carpet. She rolled all over it and got all dreamy eyed.

Memphis Meezer is in catnip heaven. This was his first pass at with the catnip. He came back later for a second go at it!

Mom got pictures of us enjoying the nip. However, another five of our siblings sniffed, ate, and rolled in the nip. Sometimes we will get smacky with each other when catnip is involved. This catnip left us all mellow!

So here is the breakdown:

8 out of 14 cats loved this catnip.
3 out of 14 cats were liked this catnip. They rubbed their faces on it, but didn't have a big reaction to it.
2 out of 14 cats were off in another room napping and did not participate.
1 out of 14 cats is offended by any catnip and tries to bury it.

On a scale of 1 to 10 (1 being we hate it, 10 being we love it) we would give The Natural Pet Company's 100% Natural Catnip an 8.

Wordless Wednesday: Bandit

Fly Free, sweet Tootles

Our mom's friend had to help Tootles cross the Bridge this morning. Anty Do-Do adopted Tootles a few years ago from a Siamese rescue group. Ms. Tootles lived with Anty Do-Do for about eight years (we think). She was several years old when she was adopted. Tootles had cancer. She had surgery and did very well for awhile. However, when mom talked to Anty Do-Do back in June, she said Tootles wasn't doing well. We know Tootles mom will miss her, but she has given Tootles a great gift. She knew it was time to let her go.

Fly free sweet Tootles. You will be missed.

My Mini Movie

Yesterday I mentioned that mom made a video of me on Monday night. I was laying in her lap and having my nightly self-grooming session. You can see Lily on the foot of the recliner, and then Serendipity (Seren) decided that she needed some screen time. Please forgive mom for filming me washing my lady cat parts. Oh, and mom had the t.v. on so you'll hear Family Guy in the background.

Happy Hump Day!!!

Purrs,
Clarissa

Happy Tuesday, Y'all

It's Tuesday and it looks like rain. It's also suppose to get hot again by the end of the week. Mom's been busy so she hasn't been able to help us write. But we've been visiting our friends and reading about them. We don't always leave a comment but we do read your blogs.

The Kentucky State Fair is going on this week. Mom and our uncle went out on Sunday to check it out. It's not really mom's thing so after three hours she was done. Also she had one beer (seriously, just one) and it almost knocked her on her butt! It was warm in the tent where she was listening to Bluegrass music and she thinks that had something to do with it.

We are doing well. Memphis has gained back the weight he lost, but now Fred has lost his meow! He tries to meow but it comes up all raspy and barely audible. He has an appointment for his annual on Saturday so mom will mention that to the v-e-t.

I jumped up in mom's lap last night and decided that would be the best spot to take my bath. Mom had her cellphone so she took a video of my washing. I'll have her post it once she loads it to YouTube.

Guess that's about it for now.

Purrs,
Clarissa

Wordless Wednesday: Spunky

The hots are gone and mom is home with us tonight

The hots left us on Saturday for a few days. We know it will get hot again before long, but we are enjoying it for now.  The night time temps have been in the high 50s for the past two nights, and it has been in the high 70s to low 80s. And the humidity is low! We aren't ready for cold weather yet, but this has been a pleasant break.

Memphis is doing very well now. He has been spoiled by getting canned food and will sit by his bowl whenever he thinks he should be fed. Mom has been feeding him in the morning, when she gets home from work, and a little before bedtime. She has seen him eat a little kibble in between his regular meals. She would really like to get him back on the kibble full time, but she doesn't want him to stop eating again.

There was a big convention in town over the weekend called FandomFest. It's hard to believe it started out as a small horror convention in 2005 or 2006. This year it was held at the Galt House hotel in downtown Louisville and at the Convention Center that is a couple of blocks away. Now it covers comic books, science fiction, fantasy, anime, and toys. Mom went all three days, so we didn't see much of her until late Friday night and late Saturday night. If she goes next year, she is going to try to get a hotel room so she doesn't have to keep driving back and forth.

Mom got signed photos from Michael Rooker (Merle Dixon), Scott Wilson (Hershel), Lew Temple (Axel), Iron E. Singleton (T-Dog), and Vincent Ward (Oscar) all from The Walking Dead.  Norman Reedus (Daryl Dixon) and Chandler Riggs (Carl) were also there, but she never got to meet them. She had just made it to the front of the line for Norman Reedus when he had to leave for the professional photo ops session.

She did get some of the pro photos taken with the celebs, but she didn't get to talk to them. Mom said people are hustled in and out in a matter of seconds. On Saturday, she had her picture taken with "The Dixon Brothers" and the actors from The Walking Dead in a group shot. On Sunday she had her picture taken with William Shatner (Capt. Kirk) and Gene Simmons (from KISS).

The celebs that she got autographs from were all very nice from what mom told us. She can't really comment about William Shatner or Gene Simmons because she didn't get to talk to them. From what she saw of Norman Reedus at his booth, he was very personable too. She is sorry she didn't get to really meet him.

Stan Lee, Gillian Anderson, and John Barrowman are some of the other big name guests who were there. She would have liked to have met Stan Lee even though she isn't into comic books.

We are glad to have mom home with us tonight! We've been hanging around with her while she watched a little t.v. Our uncle has been in Florida on vacation since last Tuesday. He will get home tomorrow afternoon. We will be glad to see him.

Oh, we almost forgot this! We had company this weekend. Mom's friend, Mimi, was here for the convention and she stayed at our house. She loves kitties and has a couple herself. She also has a dog, a little boy, and a husband. They all stayed at their house! MOL

Have a great night friends!

Memphis Monday Report

Memphis is doing much better since our last report on Friday. He has been eating...a lot! Mom has been feeding him canned stinky goodness and he loves it. And last night he started eating his dry kibble again. It makes our hearts happy to see him eating.

Memphis is also being more social. He has been sleeping on our uncle's bed and sleeping with our uncle at night. He hangs around with mom if our uncle isn't around. Our uncle is leaving for Florida tomorrow and will be gone for a week. We are hoping that Memphis will be okay with that. He will be alone with us during the day while mom is at work.

Since Memphis is doing so well now, mom didn't take him to the internist this morning. The weather was horrible and she didn't want to drag him out in the rain.

Thank you all for your purrs, prayers, and positive thoughts. We appreciated it more than you'll ever know!

Memphis is back at the vet's

Mom talked to my vet a few minutes ago. I've lost more weight. He gave me an appetite stimulant and has two different types of food in front of me. I am ignoring them. My temperature is normal. He said there is still some redness in the back of my mouth. They are going to give me some sub-q fluids and if he thinks it won't interfere with any tests I'll have to have on Monday, I'll get a steroid shot. I have a 9am appointment to see an internist/specialist vet on Monday.

Purrs,
Memphis 


Mom here. Memphis would not eat last night. He laid on my bed, curled up in a tight ball. He is not showing any interest in food. I was able to isolate him in a separate room last night with his litterbox, kibble, and water. None of it had been touched overnight.

I am trying to remain positive, but his behavior has me frightened. Having just lost Panda to kidney failure in April, I am very concerned that Memphis will have those same problems.

My regular vet suggest that I take Memphis to see a specialist. Hopefully this new doctor can get to the root of the matter. Not knowing what I'm dealing with is the hardest part.

Please keep my boy, Memphis, in your purrs and prayers. 

The Hots/Memphis Report

Oh kitties! It is so HOT here. The temperature is around 95F but the "heat index" makes it feel like 104F!  We are so glad we are inside where the air conditioner is keeping us cool. When mom got up at 6:30 this morning the outdoor temperature was already 80F!

Brother Memphis was laying on top of mom's bed when she got home last night. He let her pet him, but she didn't want to bother him too much. She was happy to see him on the bed instead of under it. A bit later she took a handful of kibble in to him and laid it on the bed right in front of him. Memphis did eat a little of it before he jump off the bed to retreat beneath it.

Our uncle said the Memphis slept with him last night, something he hasn't done for awhile. And when mom got up this morning some fur was scratching on her bedroom door. She thought it was Ginger. But it was none other than Memphis! She picked him up and kissed his nose, then she put him on her bed.  He stayed there for awhile, but soon jumped down and took off. She did not see him again before she had to leave for work.

We have our paws crossed that Memphis is coming out of his funk and will be back to his old self soon!

An older picture of Memphis from his shelter days.

Still Laying Low

Memphis ventured out for a little bit last night. But as soon as mom gave him his antibiotic he took off and hid under her bed.  He came out again, but wanted in the closet (mom had shut the door). She let him go in there and rousted him out later so she could give him his second pill. Once again, he took off and ran under the bed.  Mom saw him briefly this morning. He was in the closet and as soon as she stuck her head in he ran out and...you guessed it...ran under the bed.

Mom spoke with one of the vet techs over the phone this morning. The next step is going to be isolating him in a separate room with food, water, and a litter box. That is the only way to find out if he is eating and drinking and using the bathroom. Mom knows that Memphis will not react well to that. She has tried it before and he tries to tear the door down.

With mom being at work all day she can't tell if Memphis is eating. However, she has not witnessed him eating when she is home in the evening. This is driving her crazy! All she knows is something is either physically wrong with Memphis or mentally wrong with him. If any of your purrents have some advice or suggestions they can leaving them in our comments or email us at rissakitty2000 at gmail dot com.  We spelled that out so nasty robots can't read it.

Happy Tuesday

Well, no sooner than mom was home from North Carolina, she packed up and took off again! This time she went to Merrillville, IN to see the one and only Alice Cooper in concert. She met a bunch of her friends there and they all went to the concert on Thursday night. This was her first (and maybe only) Cooper concert for this year, so she splurged and bought herself the VIP meet and greet package. There were 24 others in her meet and greet group, but mom said Alice took his time with each and everyone of them. Mom talked with him about movies and and asked him if he has had a chance to visit the Waverly Hills Sanatorium that is in Louisville, KY. It's in the list of the 10 Most Haunted places in America.

And here is a picture of mom with Alice taken at the meet and greet session:

He signed the back of the bobblehead that is on the table, the album cover that mom has in her lap, and a few other things. Mom has lost count of the number of times she has met him now, but she still says he is absolutely one of the nicest people she has ever met.

And now for news about us cats!  Both Daisy and Memphis went to the vet on Caturday.  Daisy was due for her annual exam and rabies vaccine. She also got a claw trim and her ears cleaned. It's a good thing too! Her little ears were filthy!!!!  Daisy got a clean bill of health and is good to go for another year.

Mom took Memphis in because of his hiding issue and not seeing him eat. Dr. R. couldn't find anything wrong with him except some gingivitis. He was weighed and he has lost 3 oz. since last November. Since Memphis's annual was due next month, Dr. R. thought it would be okay for him to have his rabies vaccine. He also got a nail trim and ear cleaning.

When mom got home she began filling up our food bowls. Memphis was eating some kibble and he totally freaked out. No one was bothering him and he just cried out and took off running.  Later on mom fixed him a bowl of canned food and let him eat in the bathroom with her. He ate like he was ravenous and then the same thing happened. He took a bite of food and then started screaming and yowling and growling while he high-tailed it into the corner! He had his ears laid back and he hissed at mom!

Memphis went back to the vet yesterday for a re-check of his mouth. Mom thought he might have a bad tooth. Dr. G. saw him this time. She called mom and said Memphis's gums were badly inflamed. He ended up having his teeth cleaned while he was there. The vet said his teeth were fine. Now he is home and on Clavamox for the next 10 days. Hopefully that will take care of any infection he has in his gums.

Memphis stayed out of the closets last night, but he shunned mom! And he hid from her this morning!!!!

It's always something at our house!

We are back!!!

Clarissa here!  I am so sorry we have been absent from our blog. Mom has been busy and she has not let us have much computer time. First off, we hope everyone is enjoying their summer and staying cool where it is hot and staying dry where it is raining. It has rained a lot here lately. Mom said she is tired of it. Of course, she is already tired of the hot weather too!

Second, we are sorry to tell our friends that our cousin, King Alfred Hitchcock the Great (aka Squishy) crossed the Bridge on June 28.  Squishy was rapidly losing weight and went to the vet on June 25. An x-ray showed two masses in his body. The largest one was growing around his intestines and spleen. The smaller one was near his heart. He was scheduled for an ultrasound on June 27, but after talking with the vet, his mom decided not to have the procedure done. Anty Torchy brought Squishy home.

Our mom had arrived in North Carolina on Wednesday. She had planned her trip to visit Anty Torchy and Squishy, Wick, and Gracie a couple of months ago. Mom and Anty Torchy talked a lot about Squishy and his quality of life. He did not appear to be in pain, but he had no interest in food. He was still trying to be social, but mom said just looking at his face she could tell he was not a happy boy. Anty Torchy made the decision late that afternoon that it was time to help Squishy cross the Bridge.

Mom went to the vet's office with Anty Torchy and Squishy the next afternoon. She said it was just as hard for her to say goodbye to Squishy as it was when she said goodbye to Panda. There were lots of tears, but it was the right thing to do. Squishy peacefully crossed the Bridge in his mom's arms while our mom held one of his paws.

Right after he crossed, the sky opened up and it stormed like crazy. But after the storm passed, mom and Anty Torchy saw the most beautiful rainbow ever. They both said that Squishy was letting them know that he was okay.

Rest in Peace sweet Squishy. We never met you, but mom said you were one of the sweetest kitties she's ever met and your were made of LOVE.

Squishy lived with Anty Torchy for two years. She thought he was around four years old. The vet said he was more likely between eight to ten years old.

Wordy Wednesday: Chillaxin'

Mom must have been getting ready for a trip when she took this picture. There's a packing list and her camera bag next to me. And mom, seriously, you toenail polish is about to blind me!!! Geez....

Purrs,
Clarissa

I am a free cat!!!

I was released from confinement at 7:10am!  The lady from the Dept. of Public Health saw me and told me that my quarantine was lifted. Mom did not tell her that I put a couple of scratches on her tummy when she was carrying me to the jail cell craft room last night. I am just not a cat who wants to be held very long.

When mom opened the door to my cell room I showed my displeasure by promptly hissing at mom. She said that probably wasn't the way to make a good impression on the official. Oops!!!

Also, why do so many people think I am a girl cat?!!! I think it is because my first human mom gave me the name, Puff.  I told mom this morning that my name is really "Walter," but she said I will always be Capt. Puff "Puffypants" MacPufferson to her!

I think it is time for a nap. Being confined in a single room for 9 hours is hard work!

Purrs,
Puff

Puff: I get shock probation tomorrow

Oh kitties, oh woe is me. I have had such a hard time being confined for the past week...NOT.  Between you, me, and the woodwork, I have not spent the past week in kitty jail.  Mom thought that was the most ridiculous thing she had ever heard of. I would have been miserable locked up in a separate room for a week.

Anyway, mom just got off the phone with a nice lady from the Department of Public Health regarding my quarantine. She will be at the house at 7:00am tomorrow to take a look at me. Mom is going to set up my bedding, a litter box, food, and water in her craft room tonight and put me in there before she goes to bed. I'll be there in the morning for the warden's inspection.

I'm such a bad kitty...ferocious and all....MOL....

I am in cat jail

It's me again, Puff. Because I bit mom and she went to the immediate care center, the icc had to report the bite. Mom got a letter from the dept. of public health with instructions to keep me quarantined for 10 days. After May 21, someone for the office will call mom to set up a time to come to the house to observe me and make sure I'm not sick. Mom said she thinks they are making a mountain out of a mole hill! She didn't go through all of this when Jazzpurr bit her a long time ago.

I'm an indoor cat (we all are) so keeping me inside isn't a big deal. It's just more stress and more time away from work for mom.

Purrs,
Puff the Criminal

Wordless Wednesday: Ginger Napping

Mancat Monday: Puff

Happy Monday! I'm taking over the blog today. Mom is in the process of getting us up-to-date on our vaccines. I went on Saturday for my exam and rabies vaccine. I weighed in at 17.5 lbs. I had my claws trimmed and my blood stolen for a senior panel. Everything was good and I don't have to go back until next year. I was the perfect angel at the vet's office.

Unfortunately, I was not the perfect angel at home! I'm usually quite docile and a very lovey boy. But try to put me into the PTU (pet transport unit) and I become the Tasmanian Devil!!! I fought mom tooth and nail but she finally succeeded. I did draw blood from mom in the process. When she tried to scruff me I managed to turn my head back and I bit her index finger. I caught her finger with one of my upper fangs and tore the flesh.

Mom cleaned her finger really well and even poured hydrogen peroxide on the wound. However, by 3pm her finger was quite swollen and her hand was starting to swell. She ended up going to the immediate care center. The doctor cleaned the area again and prescribed an antibiotic for mom. And since it is an animal bite it has to be reported! I'm going to have a record now!!!! Oh woe is me!

The swelling in mom's hand has gone down, but her finger is still swollen and painful. She still has a lot of redness around the bite and on the back of her hand, too. And mom said it is all tender to touch.

I have apologized to mom and feel really bad about biting her. I know she has forgiven me. She didn't even yell at me when I put the bitey on her!!!

Does this look the face of a criminal?

Thankful Thursday: Naps

Memphis here! We are all thankful for naps. It doesn't matter where we nap as long as we have a comfortable place to lay our furry heads. That's me napping in mom's bed. I covered myself up like that!

Just a short postie....

Things have gotten back to normal at home. Panda's memorial altar is still in place. Mom said she isn't ready to move it yet. But now she can talk about Panda without tears, so she is getting better. And now she is trying to get us caught up on on vaccines and licenses.

The first to go last Saturday was big brother Spunky. Notice I said big brother, not older brother! Spunky weighed in at 18 lbs. He checked out just fine, too. Mom had a senior panel run on him since he is Angel Panda's brother and will be 10 this year. The results came back today and all was good! Spunky received his rabies vaccine on Saturday and also got a claw trim. He is good to go until next May.

And now I am going to embarrass him a little. Spunky would not come out of the carrier at the vet's office. Since it was a front loading carrier, mom had to turn it up on end to get him out. Spunky came out all right, along with a large puddle of cat pee. He's never peed in his carrier before, so I think he just had a really full bladder and couldn't wait!

I also had to make the trip to the vet. I was a bit overdue for my Depo injection. I over-groomed my belly again until the skin was inflamed. I may have to go back a week from this Saturday for a second shot. It depends on how well this one works.

Brother Puff is scheduled to go in this coming Saturday. Mom wants a senior panel run on him too. Another sibling of Angel Panda's, he will also turn 10 this year.

That's it for now!

Purrs,
Clarissa

Panda's Memorial Altar

I picked up Panda's cremains on Saturday morning and brought them home. I wanted to to do something special for her, so I set up an altar to honor her spirit and her memory. I thought it turned out well and I hope she would be pleased.

The black iron pentacle is a candle holder. There is a little bowl in the center of it which I put some treats in. The "good cat" bowl has a little water in it. A toy mouse is on top of her oak urn, and a green cat collar with tags is beside the urn. Panda wore a collar at home for a short time, but like most of my cats, she found a way to take it off. I don't even know if this was her collar, but it represents her freedom from her earthly body. The azaleas are from my yard. The candles are battery operated and they are entirely glass. I rarely burn candles at home because I don't trust my cats. I've seen a friend's cats singe whiskers and tails because they've gotten too close to a flame.

I was going to buy some flowers, but the azaleas are beautiful this year. It's a bit difficult to distinguish the color differences in the pinks and reds. The white blooms are the largest. The red blooms are directly below that. Light pink blooms are to the left and deeper pink blooms are to the right.

I'll leave this up for a week or so, then I will move it to a bookshelf that I'm clearing off.  She will join Angel Colin Feral's cremains on the shelf. 

One more Thank You

Jan, from Jan's Funny Farm, made this lovely graphic and posted it on The Cat's Blogosphere. Thank you so much, Jan.

Another big THANK YOU

We wanted to share a wonderful graphic that Alasandra, The Cats & Dogs made for Panda. It is beautiful. Thank you so much for doing this!

2004-April 20, 2013

Thank you all so much for your kind words

We want to thank you all from the bottom of our hearts for the kind words and comments that you have left regarding Panda's passing. It means more to us than you'll ever know. Mom has made arrangements for her cremation. She will be home with us soon.

We have made some wonderful friends here in the blogosphere. Between caring for Panda and work, mom hasn't had as much time to help us visit our friends, but with think about you often. We hope to do more visiting soon.

Thank you again. We will leave you with some pictures of our Panda.

 On the stairs at her first meowmie's home - May 2007.

 Showing off her belly!

 At her fighting weight of 16 lbs.

 Getting annoyed with the flashy box.

 March 28, 2013

 Sunday, April 7, 2013 (above & below - the last two picture I took of her)

Our hearts are heavy...

It is with heavy hearts that we must tell you that our dear Panda crossed the Rainbow Bridge last night. She had been doing so well and we truly thought that Panda would be with us for a much longer time. Panda took a turn for the worse sometime Thursday night. That was the last time I saw her until she got up on Saturday morning. Panda was laying in my computer room. She let me pet her and when it was time for her sub-q fluids, she let me pick her up and administer them while she laid on her favorite spot on the cat tree.

Panda showed no interest in food, water, or treats. She stayed on the cat tree all day, napping in the sun. She occasionally switched positions but that was it. Around 6pm she jumped down and her back legs almost gave out on her. She took a few steps and laid down again. Then she threw up. That's when I knew I had to take her to the E.R. vet.

Upon her exam, I found out that she had lost more weight and she was severely dehydrated, even with the sub-q fluids. She was also running another fever. Given the condition of her legs and the fever, I believe that either the UTI had returned, or perhaps, never cleared up completely.

The vet who examined her was professional and compassionate. I told her that Panda's B.U.N., creatine, and phosphorus had been elevated and even though they had gone down they were still high as of April 5th. Panda was due to go back to our regular vet on April 26th for another blood workup and urinalysis. This vet said that she could certainly admit Panda and run those tests and give her more fluids. I chose not to do this. My concern has always been Panda's comfort and quality of life. My girl was wasting away and I didn't want to put her through more tests and stress for something that, in the long run, would not change.

I held Panda and talked to her and told her about all of the nice things she would see over the Bridge. I told her how much I loved her and then I let her go. Her passing was quick and peaceful.

I know it was the right thing to do. That doesn't make the pain of her loss any easier to bear.

Fly free and soar on your Angel's wings sweet girl. We will miss you and you will always have a place in our hearts.

Malinda and Greg (my brother) and the kitties

Wordless Wednesday - Clarissa

Panda's Numbers Are Down!!!

The vet called mom this morning with good news. Panda's numbers were down!  This is what she was told:

Weight = 12.4 lbs. That's 3 oz less but the vet said that could have been the difference between a full/empty bladder or bowels.

BUN = 70 (was 154). Still needs to be lower but that's over a 50% drop.

Creatin = 6.2 (was 9.5). Should be no higher than a 2.

Phosphorus = 10.4

And the vet wants Panda to have sub-q fluids every other day. Mom said she was confident enough to do it, but the question was would Panda cooperate. So guess what! Mom gave Panda her sub-q fluid at home!!! The full 200ml! She was such a good girl. Our uncle couldn't get Panda to eat or take her meds in the pill pockets today. She stuck her nose up at the pill pockets for mom too. Mom did get her to eat a little bit by opening her canned food in the bathroom. Of course, about 5 of the other cats came in too. Mom had to shoo them out and then Panda came in on her own. Mom shut the door and stayed with her. Serendipity was in there too, but she didn't bother Panda.

When Panda finished eating mom held her while our uncle brought in her carrier. Mom placed her in that and closed the top while she got the needle uncapped (she had already hung the fluid bag on a hanger on the shower rod). She was able to slide the needle in w/o any problem and start the flow. The only thing she said she would do different is have a place to sit. Mom can't sit on the side of the tub because she can't see the measurements on the fluid bag.

Of course, when mom put the carrier on the floor and opened the door, Panda bolted out and under the bed.

The vet has added Benazepril. Panda will get one 5mg pill daily

Panda has started to get picky about eating the pill pockets. Mom hates to have to use the pill shooter, but she may have to. She is going to get some cream cheese at the store and try that.

Dr. Green wants to recheck Panda in three weeks (unless there are any problems before then, of course). 

Easy Like Sunday

 Fiona laying on one windowsill...

 Capt. Puff "Puffpants" McPufferson enjoying window whiffies...

 Panda just woke up from a nap...

...and now she is enjoying window whiffies.

I makes out hearts happy to see Panda out and being social again. Her back legs aren't 100% better, and we don't know if they every will be. But she is out and about and had been enjoying lap time with mom, growling at most of us if we get too close, and pretty much acting like her normal self.

Mom had been bragging about how well Panda had been about eating and taking her antibiotic (in a Pill Pocket treat) for her UTI. We say had because this morning she decided she wasn't having much to do with the Pill Pockets. Mom splits the pill in half since it is too large to fit in one treat. This morning she ate one treat and got one half of her pill. She totally ignored the second one. She is also starting to stick her nose up at the Renal-LP canned food. We think she may be sneaking our regular kibble.

Panda saw Dr. Green on Friday for a recheck. She stole some of Panda's blood and some of her pee again kitties!!! Keep your paws crossed that her high numbers will be lower and that her UTI is gone! Mom should hear from the vet either tomorrow or Tuesday. Panda also was given another dose of sub-q fluids while she was at the vet's on Friday.

Our big girl is holding her own and we just know the purrs and prayers she has received from our blogosphere friends has helped!

Short Update On Panda

Panda went back to the vet this morning so Dr. Green could have a look at her. She was weighed again and my girl has gained 7 oz. since she was weighed on Thursday.  Dr. Green also said Panda's eyes looked brighter. She told me to keep doing what I've been doing and to bring Panda back in on Friday morning. I'll leave her there for the day so another blood and urine sample can be taken. Panda did have another round of sub-q fluids this morning, too.

I'm feeling more positive and not as scared as I did over the weekend. I know Panda isn't out of the woods yet, but she does appear to be on the road to feeling better.  We had a whole lot of lap time together yesterday. *smile*

Panda's mom,
Malinda

Panda Needs Prayers

I am taking over Clarissa's blog today to ask for prayers and purrs for my girl, Panda. About 10 days ago Panda took to staying under my bed most of the time. She would come out and eat a bit and use the litter box, but she was keeping to herself for the most part.

On Thursday morning she ventured out into the hallway and promptly plopped down on the floor. When she got up again to come into the bathroom, I noticed her back legs were not working properly. Her back end was low to the ground and she was "walking" more on her haunches instead of her feet. I called the vet's office as soon as they opened and was able to get her in at 8:30am.

After a thorough physical exam, the vet said she wanted to keep Panda to get a blood sample, a urine sample, and to give Panda sub-q fluids. The vet said it could be a number of things, including diabetes or kidney disease. She wouldn't know anything until the lab results came back.

Panda has been diagnosed with kidney disease and a UTI. I was so stunned yesterday when I got Panda's diagnosis. I didn't ask all of the questions that I should have asked. So here is what I found out today.

Panda has lost four pounds. She has gone from 16 lbs. to 12 lbs. She has always been a big girl, and it wouldn't hurt her to drop a pound or two, but not like this.

Her BUN number was 154 - way too high. Her creatin number was 9.5. I don't remember the potassium number and one other number, but they were both high. Add the UTI on top of that...not good at all.

Right now, Panda is on an oral antibiotic for 14 days. She gets a pill in the morning and one in the evening. She is to eat the same food that I feed Fred - a renal-LP. I have both canned and kibble. I don't remember the name of the powder I'm to add to her food, but it is suppose to help lower her potassium. This is just the beginning. Dr. Green said there are other meds she wants to try, but we are starting with this. If we can get rid of the UTI and get Panda's numbers down she can be with us a long time.

Panda has had sub-q fluids given to her on Thursday, Friday, and again this morning. The vet tech let me give them to her in the office this morning. Since I will be doing this at home, I wanted to make sure I knew what I was doing. Panda also received a B-12 shot. She is walking better, but still not what I would call normal. She is napping on the living room sofa, which is more like her.

My big girl has been a real trooper. She's held up much better than I have. I had a melt down after I got home this morning. I love my big beautiful girl with all my heart. I am praying for the best and preparing for the worse.

I took a few pictures of Panda on Thursday night. Her eyes are bright and she looks good - you'd never know something was wrong until she gets up and walks.