Taking Care Of Mom

We wanted to check in with our friends and let you all know that we are doing fine. Mom had carpal tunnel surgery and ulner release surgery on Wednesday. She is doing well. Her right arm was in a sling when she arrived home on Wednesday afternoon. It was numb from her shoulder to her fingertips from a nerve block. She said it was carrying a useless weight. We are going to share some photos. The first two are fine. There is nothing gross to see.

This is mom's bandaged arm on Thursday morning. She had a soft cast. Mom said her pain was minimal, but she slept a lot that day.

The next picture was taken Thursday night. You all can see what good nurses we are. That's Batman at the top, then Sable, and Puff in her lap. Fiona is laying to the side. Johnny is at the bottom. They weren't going to let her go anywhere.

Mom was allowed to unwrap her arm today and see what damage was done. If you don't want to see her incisions you might want to leave now.
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This is mom's palm and wrist. She was happy to see that the surgeon didn't cut into her tattoo.

And this is her inner arm:

And her outer arm. This one surprised her the most!

One of her Facebook friends said that was HARDCORE.

Honestly, she says it looks worse than it feels. That's good because it looks awful!!!

She is going to try to go back to work on Tuesday. She won't be able to lift anything, but she thinks she'll be able to drive if she wears her brace.

We hope all of you are in better shape than mom!!!

Purrs,
Clarissa

A Song for our Friends

The Kissymouse Song

Cat treats roasting on an open fire, Jack Frost nipping at your nose.

Yuletide carols being yowled by the canines,

and cats dressed up like Eskimos.

Every fur knows that music and some mousie toes help to make the season bright.

Tiny kittens with their eyes all a-glow

will find it hard to sleep tonight.

They know that Santa Claws is one his way,

and he has lots or toys and catnip on his sleigh!

And every meowmie's cat is going to smile

When they learn that reindeer really know how to fly.

And so I'm offering this glad refrain,

For cats from one to ninety-two.

Although it's been said many times, many ways

Merry Kissymouse to you!

Kitten Cuteness Alert

Mom has been busy and that has kept us from the blog. I'm not going to promise that I'll post more often, because as sure I do, we will disappear again! But I do have some wonderful news for you.

Way back in late spring/early summer, a little black cat started showing up in our auntie's backyard. She had 4 kittens in tow with her a few times. Eventually those babies were caught and they found forever homes. Auntie Jen tried to trap Babymama, but she was good at avoiding the trap and it wasn't long before she was pregnant again.

Babymama, now called Khaleesi, eventually brought her five babies around. Two of the babies were solid black, just like her. Three babies were tabby patterned like their daddy. Auntie Jen was able to trap Khaleesi this time, and she had her spayed. The vet said she was in good health. Since she still had her babies out there, Auntie Jen let her go back out.

About three weeks ago Auntie Jen had a streak of good luck. In one afternoon she was able to trap the five kittens and re-trap Khaleesi. The babies were wild, as was Khaleesi. The babies all checked out healthy, which was wonderful news. Two of the tabby babies went to a foster home together. Another lady who works with ferals took the other tabby kitten. She was going to work with him and try to socialize him so that he can find a forever home. Auntie Jen is keeping the black girl kitten. That left the black boy kitten needing a home.

Mom got in touch with Nancy and Tom, her friends that took in Poe last year. They said they would love to take this kitten. Poe needed a younger playmate because the two older cats weren't interested. So last Thursday mom packed up the kitten and drove to Charlotte, NC. She met Nancy and Tom there and baby kitten was off to his forever home.

The kitten, now name Smudge, is settling in to his new home. Nancy said at first Smudge was afraid of Poe, but now they are playing with each other. Poe has taught him to jump onto the counter where the treats are kept! Smudge isn't sleeping in the bed with her yet, but she said that is just a matter of time.

We are so happy Smudge is adjusting. He is a cutie pie as you can tell from his pictures.

Bobby Update

We have some good news to share with you. Bobby may have a forever home!  A friend of mom's friend is going to keep both Bobby and his sister at his house for the time being. Once mom's friend has the room finished in her house for Paisley, she will be take her. It sounds like Bobby will be staying with the new foster permanently.

Also, the former foster had been letting both kittens outside!!!! That is awful for so many reasons. One, they are babies (four months old). Two, the former foster lives a block from a very busy road. Three, Paisley has tested FelLuk positive (we don't know about Bobby). We could go on, but you get the idea. Mom's friend let him have it when she picked up the kittens. Grrrrr.

Urgent: Kitten in Need of Foster or Permanent Home

We are trying to help find a permanent home for a possibly Feline Leukemia Positive kitten. Details are below.

1. Kitten is male. Neutered, up to date on shots.

2. Kitten is approximately 4 months old and is very affectionate.

3. Kitten's sister has tested positive for Feline Leukemia. Kitten will be tested soon.

4. Kitten's foster parent is leaving town in October and must find either a foster or permanent home for kitten.

Our aunt has asked us to spread the word about Bobby, this adorable male kitten. He is in desperate need of a forever home, but a foster home would do for now. Since his status regarding Feline Leukemia is unknown, it would probably be best if he went to a single home where he is a single cat, or in a home with other FeLuk kitties. Mom feels bad because she can't take him.

Our aunt said both kittens are very playful and don't act like they are sick. And it is quite possible that they will test negative when the checked again. The girl kitten already has a home lined up.

If you can help, or know anyone who can, you can contact us via email:  rissakitty2000 @ gmail dot com.  We wrote it out that way so those pesky spambots can't send us junk mail. Also, please share this information.  Transportation can be arranged.

We forgot to mention that Bobby is located in Louisville, KY!

Pictures of Bobby:

Sable's Vet Visit (check up)

Sable was dropped off at the vet this morning for his annuals and to have a boo-boo looked at. Our Sable is considered to be a medium hair cat. At age 15, his coat isn't as shiny as it used to be, and he has started getting some mats in his fur. Although he is a black cat, his undercoat is a soft gray. Mom could brush him for hours and he would continue to shed. The problem is when those little mats form in Sable's fur, mom said it is like the beginning of a human "dredlock". She either has to cut them out or pick them apart before she brushes him.

When it was time for bed last night, mom found LOTS of tuffs of black and gray fur that looked like Sable's fur. She picked it up and threw it out. Then Sable jumped on the bed and mom noticed a bare looking spot on his hip/thigh area. She took him out to the family room and gave him a good brushing. He pulled away from her when she went over the bare-ish spot. Upon further inspection she said it looked scabbed over. When she rubbed over it with her finger tip the rough place pulled up and it was bloody beneath it. After cleaning it with some warm water (Sable hated that) she put a little antibiotic ointment on it.

Mom was concerned that the boo-boo might get infected, so it was off to the vet for Sable! The vet called and said the place is nothing to worry about and should heal up just fine. He trimmed some of the other mats off and trimmed up Sable's butt fur. He got his needed vaccines and mom will pick him up on her way home from work.

The vet did tell mom that Sable has lost some of his body mass (aka weight). It's been a gradual loss and the vet said it is age related. Sable has lost 3 lbs. over 3 years, going from a little over 12 lbs. to a little over 9 lbs. The vet recommended that Sable go on a prescription food so mom is going to give it a try. He loved Angel Fred's prescription food, so hopefully he will like this food.

We hope everyone has a fun weekend. If the hots are in your part of the country, take it easy and stay cool. If there are storms in your area, stay safe and stay dry!

Purrs,
Clarissa & Co.

One Week Later....

It's been one week since sweet Fred crossed that Bridge. We miss our brofur, as does mom, but have been doing our best to show her our love. Many of us have taken to laying on mom's right when she is watching t.v. That was Fred's favorite spot. Mom always laughed because white-furred Fred would always be on the right, and black-furred Sable would always lay on the left. The middle was reserved for me! None of us like to curl around mom's hand like Fred did, but she said that's okay. She knows we are all different. That just happened to be his thing to do.

Mom has some pictures of Fred on her phone. We wanted to share a couple of them now. Something Fred started doing as he started feeling worse was finding cooler places to lay down. Most of the time it would be the tile floor in the bathroom. However, mom walked into the kitchen one day to find this:

We think Fred was still a handsome boy, but he looks older than his 10 years. His face is thinner, and he isn't the shiny, clean white kitty that he had been. He still washed and tried to groom, but you can see how gray his tail looked, and his ears. Mom tried to keep him cleaner, but he would squirm and get so agitated that she would let him go.

Mom didn't fuss at him for being in the sink. She knew he didn't feel well. This was take about a month before he passed.

We would like to thank everybody who left messages of sympathy for us. It meant a lot to mom and us. There will always be a place in our hearts for Fred, but we know it was time for him to fly free. As long as we have memories of him then he will still live on in our hearts and home.

Fred is Home

Clarissa has graciously allowed me to take over her blog for the day.  I (and Clarissa & Co.) want to thank all of our friends in the blogosphere for your kind words regarding Fred's passing. If you've ever loved an animal, you know how hard it is when they are no long with you. Your words meant so much to us.

I pick up Fred's ashes late yesterday. Quite frankly, I was surprised that they were returned so quickly. Fred has taken his place of honor along side his siblings who went before him. The vet's office include a heart shape cast of Fred's paw print. This is the first time I've receive a paw print of one of my fur babies.

There are things I miss about Fred. He was always on the breakfast bar or the kitchen counter when I would get up in the morning. He would "yell" at me, demanding to be fed. When I would watch t.v. in the evening, Fred's spot would be on my right. He would curl up around my hand while I rubbed his belly. Soon he would be asleep. Those are the things I will miss about him.

Fred's physical presence will be missed in our house, but his spirit and his memory will live on in my heart.

Clarissa's mom,
Malinda

And then there were 14...

Our hearts are heavy with the news we must bring. We said goodbye to Fred today. As you know, he had kidney disease and has been on sub-q fluids for a little over a month. He rallied when he first started on them, and the B-12 shot probably helped, too. But that was not to last. Fred practically stopped eating. All he wanted was mom's almond milk.

On top of the kidney issues, Fred developed a very bad respiratory infection. Mom took him to see the vet this morning. She dropped him off and had planned to pick him up when she left work later today. She even took his bag of fluid so he could get it while he was there.

The vet called mom later in the morning and she said Fred's prognosis was not good. His kidneys were small and had shrank. His chest was congested as was his sinuses. She told mom she could prescribe an antibiotic for Fred, but his immune system was so compromised that even if it cleared up, something else would make him sick. Mom said she didn't want to put Fred through more knowing he really wasn't going to get any better. Mom left work and went to the vet's office so she could be with him when he crossed the Bridge.

Clarissa's mom here:  Frederick Jerome DeWinter was one of the gentlest, sweetest cats I've known. He didn't have a mean bone in his body. He loved everyone. He got along with all of the other cats in my household. It broke my heart to let him go today, but I don't regret the decision. His passing was very peaceful. I chose to have his body cremated and will pick up his ashes when they are returned to the vet's office.

It has been a very hard and difficult day for me. I also lost a friend who I only knew through a cat message board and then Facebook. Sue's health had been declining over the past years and she had moved into an assisted living facility earlier this year. She entered the hospital late last week and went into "comfort care" on Sunday. She passed during the night. I found out this morning.

Life is fragile. Cuddle your fur family. Tell your friends and family that you love them.

On behalf of Clarissa & Co. and me:  We love you and appreciate all you do.

Fred in his prime.

2006 - August 16, 2016.

Happy Friday

We don't know who is happier about it being Friday: we cats or our mom.  Mom is happy because she doesn't have to get up at 6:30am (although Sable will attempt to get her up that earlier). We are happy because she will be home for a couple of days.

Fred is doing well. He isn't the most cooperative when it comes to getting his fluids. He may only weigh 5 lbs., but it takes mom and her brother to hold him. He has gotten free a couple of times and pulled the sub-q needle out. He was fine, but the solution was spraying all over until mom could clamp it off.

Lily gets eyedrops every morning, Fred gets fluids every other day, and I get a prednisone pill every other day. It's like an infirmary around here sometimes. But mom said she doesn't mind doing it. If she ever takes a trip she will have to board Fred. She can get one of her friends to take care of me and Lily, but she wouldn't ask anyone to "stick" Fred. Her best friend couldn't give fluids to her own kitty, so mom knows she won't be able to give them to Fred. But as mom says, she'll cross that bridge when she gets to it.

It's been so hot in Louisville. The daily high temperature has been in the 90s, and the humidity has been high. It makes the air feel heavy and sticky. And the "heat index" has been over 100. The weather pundits said that tomorrow, although the temperature should be about 96, the heat index will make it feel like it is 106! That is too hot for anyone!!! We are glad we are indoor cats. Mom said she may put out some water for the squirrels and bunnies that come in our yard.

Stay cool my friends and enjoy your weekend!!!

Nicknames: Do you have any?

One of our friends on a cat message board was asking if other cats there had nicknames. That got us thinking about the nicknames our mom has given us.  We've decided to share them with you.

Batman = Batman actually doesn't have any nicknames. I mean, come on, he is freaking BATMAN!

Cash = Mom said his nicknames are "Stop that"  and "Don't bite my nose."

Clarissa = Rissa Roo the Kitty Poo, Rissa, Baby Girl

Daisy = Daisy Doodle, Daisy Mae

Fiona = Fi-Fi or Fee

Fred = Freddy Fred, Freddy J, "Stinky"

Ginger = Ginger Pie

Jazzpurr = Jazzy Girl, Jazz, Pot Roast

Johnny = see Cash's nicknames. They are like two peas in a pod.

Lily = Lily Lou, Lily Rose, Lily Mae, Pretty Girl

Memphis = Memph Man

Puff = Puffypants, Handsome

Sable = Booman, Boo

Serendipity = Dippity Doo, Seren

Spunky = Spunkmeister

What are your nicknames?

A note from my brother, "Stinky" Fred

My sweet brother Fred has asked me if he could share his letter to our friends. Of course I said yes.


Dear Friends,

I have always been a thin guy, but I have been losing weight. Mom guessed my weight to be about 5 lbs. and she was right. I went to the vet on Friday morning and I weighed 5.2 lbs. The last time I was weighed was 3 years ago and I was around 8 lbs.

"Stinky Fred" is mom's nickname for me. I've always had really bad breath, but I've always had chronic gingivitis. Due to my kidney disease the vet said he doesn't think having my teeth cleaned is a good idea. The anesthesia isn't good for my system and he is afraid that I wouldn't come out of it. 

The vet didn't feel anything unusual in my belly area. He and mom agreed that I should have a full blood panel ran. Dr. R. also suggested sub-q fluids and a B-12 shot. He took me in the back and they shaved my neck, stole my blood, etc. The whole time I was back there I was singing the song of my people: "Help! Help! The vet is a stabby person!" Mom could hear me and she said it was a totally different type of meow than what I make a home. Dr. R. told mom that I should have fluids administer two more days and then every other day for the foreseeable future.
 
Mom got the lab results from my blood workup and it is as mom feared. My weight loss is due to the progression of my kidney disease. It makes mom furry sad. I wasn't surprised to get the official diagnoses, nor was mom. I've had problems with my kidneys since I was about 4 years old (I'm about 10 years old now). Mom said she will do everything she can to slow the progression, but she is aware that it will eventually take me away from her. With the proper diet, and sub-q fluids every other day, I'm hoping I will have a few good years left with her. But I have promised her that when I am ready to go to my mansion, I will let her know. And she has promised me that, although it will hurt her heart, she will help me cross the Bridge with dignity and comfort. I couldn't ask for anything more.

Purrs and head bonks!
"Stinky" Fred

p.s.

Since getting the fluids and the B-12 shot, my appetite has improved and I'm eating my prescription kibble (I don't like the canned prescription food). I don't look as thin, but that is from the fluids.

 

Throwback Thursday...sort of

Kitties! Do you remember baby Poe? He was the little black kitten mom found at work. He had been dumped in the parking lot. She took him home and then to the vet for an exam, then he took a long car ride to North Carolina, and then he took another car ride to South Carolina with his forever mom and dad. Here are a few pictures to refresh your memory:

Who are you?

Where is my dinner?!!!

Are you my new mom?

When mom found Poe the vet estimated his age to be around 8 weeks. That meant that Poe was probably born in June. So without further adieu, here are a couple of pictures of  1 year old Poe:

 

As you can see, Poe has grown up to be a very handsome mancat and house panther! Nancy said he is still a mama's boy and loves to be in her lap or next to her. Mom said that Poe reminds her very much of Sable. Not so much in looks (although Sable is also a house panther) but in personality and behavior. Sable is mom's personal "lap fungus"

Thank you, Nancy, for sharing pictures of cousin Poe with us!

Almost June Already?

I have been remiss in posting and keeping everyone up-to-date at my house. The good news is there really isn't anything new to report. Spring arrived and soon it will be summer. It is starting to feel like summer here. After rain, rain, and more rain and chilly temperatures we are finally getting some much needed sunshine. And the hots are on their way. It's going to be in the 80s all week. Although mom isn't a fan of super hot weather, she is happy to have this for now.

I have pictures to share with you. Babies! Baby Cats! Yes, kitten pictures. Now before you all get excited none of these bobbleheads are living with us.

These cuties are with a friend of our mom's. Her daughter's cat had these four babies. Of course the little tortie is a girl, but I don't know about the rest of them. Mom said she would love to take the little orange one once he/she is old enough, but with having 15 adult senior cats in one house she doesn't think bringing home a kitten is a good idea. These babies were about 2-3 weeks old when this picture was taken. They are about 5 weeks now.

This next group were living next door to mom's best friend's house. The mom cat (a little black cat) was showing up in her yard. Aunty Jen started putting food out for her. A few days later the little ones showed up with her. The workers next door (a private swim club bought the house to use for office space) managed to rescue the kittens. Mom is still on the loose. Aunty Jen has been trying to befriend her but so far mom cat is still illusive.

For your viewing pleasure, here are 3 little tabby babies and one little black kitty baby. They were all adopted by people working in the offices!

My Saturday Vet Visit Report

Happy Monday and Happy Presidents Day. We know a lot of your humans got to stay home today to mark the holiday.  Our local schools were closed today, but we aren't sure if it was because of the snow we got yesterday or if it was a scheduled holiday. The university where mom works went on a two hour delayed schedule so she didn't have to be at work until 10:00 a.m.  Mom said that was a good thing since she stayed up to watch The Walking Dead and The Talking Dead.

Anyway, I had a follow up visit with my vet on Saturday morning regarding that ulcer on my upper lip. After a good look at it, my vet said as long as it wasn't getting any worse mom should just keep an eye on it. Not to be gross, but it isn't sore or oozing anything nasty. He could give me a mega-dose of steroids, but he said that isn't good for kitties and could cause more problems than it would solve. So for now I will keep taking the predisone every other day like I've been doing. If the ulcer appears to be getting worse I'm suppose to start taking it everyday. I've also gained back those 2 ounces that I had lost, putting my weight at 8.3 pounds.

I also had to get my shots while I was there. Mom knew I was due for the one that covers a whole bunch of stuff, but she didn't know my rabies vaccine was due. I also had my front and back claws trimmed. I wasn't happy about that one bit and I let my vet know about it. I growled and hissed with every clip!

We had a lot of lap snuggle time with mom over the weekend. It was cold and sunny on Saturday. Yesterday it was cold and snowing. That was definitely a good day for snuggles.

Welcome to another week! Let's hope it is a good one.

Purrs,
Clarissa

It's Back....Grrrrrr

Gosh darn it (because I don't want to use strong language in case any kittens are reading) that ulcer is back on my upper lip! Mom noticed I was doing my "Elvis snarl" last night. I was headbonking her leg so she scooped me up and took a look at my mouth. It is not effecting my eating habits, but it is concerning to me and mom. I have an appointment to see my vet on Saturday morning. I'm purring that it isn't something more serious.

On a funny note, Spunky almost knocked the breath out of mom on Sunday night. She was laying in bed, flat on her back, and was almost asleep when Spunky leaped onto the bed, onto mom's stomach, then off the other side of the bed. Spunky weighs about 18 pounds, so that's a lot of cat. And to add insult to injury, Daisy repeated the stunt a few minutes later! I hope mom didn't hear us laughing at her!

It's gotten really cold here (again). We've had snow flurries here and there, and the other night the clouds couldn't decide if they wanted to be sleet clouds or snow clouds! They kept switching back and forth. The sun shone for awhile this afternoon though. That was nice to see.

Mom was bored on Sunday so she changed her hair color. She had to bleach out her natural hair color, then she dyed her hair purple! We've decided that mom is just weird. She washed her hair for the first time this morning since putting the color on it. She knew some of the color would wash out, but she didn't think about it staining the palms of her hands. Her palms are very pink now!

And lastly, I wanted to share another new picture of Poe. He is looking more grown up every time we see his picture. It is hard to believe he was that little 12 week old kitten mom found in the parking lot last August.

Me and the crew love you all! Stay warm and safe!

Purrs,
Clarissa (& Co.)

T.C.I.F.

Thank Cod It's Friday!  That means mom will have two whole days home with us. We are going to pin her down so we can have a lot of snuggle time with her.

Miss Katie Isabella wanted to know how I was doing so I will tell her, and everyone else too!  I had a follow up visit with my vet regarding the two "hot spots" that I had on my back. That was on December 28. The spots had cleared up and my fur was growing back. I had been taking predisone for two weeks prior to the follow up visit. In that two week time period I gained 7 ounces, which put me up to 8.3 pounds. My vet wanted to me to stay on the steroid for another month, staying on the every other day schedule. I still had an ulcer on my lip.

I finished the second round of steroids on Sunday. The lip ulcer was gone. Mom took me to the vet for a weight check and much to her consternation (and mine) I had lost 2 ounces. We were really hoping I would gain just a little more weight. My vet decided to leave me on the predisone for one more month (taking it every other day as I have been doing).

The good news is my appetite is good and I love eating my kibbles. I still patrol the house in regular intervals and I'm interested in things that are going on around me. I still like to snoopervise!

We hope everyone has a wonderful weekend. Be safe, stay warm!

Purrs,
Clarissa (& Co.)

What are the odds?

Hi friends.  I have something unusual to share. One of my sisters is named Serendipity. She is a "blue" calico. That means she is a pretty grey, peach, and white.  Well I just found out that mom's friends in Indiana also have a kitty named Serendipity! Now that is in itself is unusual. But it gets better. Their Seredipity is also a "blue" calico! I wonder what the odds of that happening would be?

Here is a picture of my sister, Serendipity:

She goes by "Seren" and she is about 12 years old. Although her eyes look more gold in this picture, they are really a lovely green.

And here is a picture of the other Serendipity:

She goes by "Dippy" and is either 9 or 10 years old. Her mom said Dippy adopted them and she isn't sure of her age. Dippy looks like she may have gold eyes, but it's hard to tell for sure. She is just as pretty as our Seren.

In other news, I am taking predesone every other day now.  I had to see my vet on December 11 because mom found a couple of furless patches on my back. One was at the base of my tail and the other was right above it. I was definitely having an allergic reaction to something. I was initially prescribed the steroid for my skin problem. When I was weighed the vet noticed that I had lost about 1.5 pounds over a 6 or 7 month period. She was concerned about that and suggested that I have a senior blood panel workup and a urinalysis ran. They stole some blood and some pee from me. The results were back the next day. Overall everything looked normal for a 15 year old kitty like me. One of the numbers was either too high or too low (the albumin?) so I was put on an antibiotic for 2 weeks. I had a follow up appointment on December 28.  The spots on my back had healed up and my fur was growing back, and I had gained 7 oz.!  Unfortunately the little ulcer on my lip hadn't healed. The vet said I should stay on the steroid for now. Since I'm doing well he and mom decided NOT to do another blood panel. My appetite is very good. I do drink a lot of water, but I've always done that. I love my water!!!

I hope all of our friends had a happy holiday season! Mom was home with us for about 10 days. She works for the university and they were shut down from Dec. 24 thru Jan. 3.  She's back at work now and we miss having her home with us.

Purrs,
Clarissa