First of all, we want to thank everyone for their kind words and positive prayers for Lily. She's acting perfectly normal even with the tubes in her neck. Mom woke up this morning and found Lily sleeping in her regular spot at the foot of the bed. Even though Lily really doesn't like us we still want her to be okay.
It's a beautiful fall morning in Kentucky. The sun is shining brightly and some of us have found sunbeams to nap in. Mom is going to be home with us most of the day and we imagine we will get to nap with her later. She's been cleaning the house this morning and took a break to help us with our blog. She said she has to go out later to take our uncle to work and to pick up the sucky monster from the Oreck store. She had to have it serviced and has been without it since last weekend. We are up to our knees in cat fur!
We hope everyone enjoys their Caturday!!!!
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Friday, October 15, 2010
Lily Rose...Needs to see a surgeon on Monday....
When I got home from work on Thursday night I immediately noticed that the left side of Lily Rose's neck was swollen again. For those who don't know, Lily Rose is my 9 year old white kitty who has one blue eye and one gold eye. Her blue eye is on the left, and she is deaf (as far as we can tell) in that ear.
I knew exactly what this swelling was. It happened at least once before that I know of late last year. Lily had been feeling puny and was running a low grade fever for a couple of days before Christmas. Out of the blue, on Christmas night, she perked up and was behaving like her normal self. On the morning after Christmas I started to pet her head and noticed that her fur was wet beneath her left ear. On closer inspection I found that whatever the fluid was, it was draining from her ear. It was cloudy and I could see minute traces of blood in it. Being the day after Christmas the two vets I see were on holiday so I had to take Lily to the emergency animal center. While waiting to see the vet I then noticed the swelling in Lily's neck. Lily was sedated and the side of her neck was shaved. The vet made a small incision and drained out what she said appeared to be fluid from an abscessed wound...except there were no visible scratches or bite marks on Lily. Lily was placed on an antibiotic, the swelling disappeared, and we didn't pursued it any further.
I was able to get Lily into the vet at 9:00am yesterday. Dr. Green said the lump definitely felt as if it had fluid in it. She took Lily to another room, shaved her neck, and drew a sample from the lump. Once again, it appears to be an infection and had traces of blood in it. It would definitely have to be lanced and drained. Since Lily would need to be sedated I left her with the vet. Dr. Green asked if she could take x-rays of the area while Lily was out. I agreed. A couple of hours later I received a call from Dr. Green.
The good news is Lily did fine and was still sleeping at the time. She inserted a small piece of tubing through two incisions in Lily's neck so the place would continue to drain. I have to clean around it twice daily, and I am suppose to flush the inside of the area with this solution would send home with me.
The bad news is the x-rays showed thickening of the tissue surrounding the fluid filled area, plus two minute objects that could be foreign matter or bone fragment at the end of her ear canal. The whole mess presses on Lily's ear canal which is probably why she can't hear. Dr. Green also said that Lily's ear was so inflamed that she couldn't see into it with the otoscope. She strongly recommended that I take Lily to see a surgeon and the sooner I could get her in the better. Dr. Green also said that due to the location of the swelling, etc., it may be a risky surgery. The area is near Lily's lymph glands in her neck, her caratoid artery, plus her facial nerves. There is a possibility that a surgeon won't want to work in that area.
Lily has an appointment for a consultation with surgeon at 9:00am on Monday. I have her x-rays to take with me. Any other information will be faxed there from my vet's office.
My gut feeling is this place is NOT cancer. I could be totally wrong, but I don't think I am. A sample of the fluid has been sent to the lab. Hopefully the results will tell us exactly what type of bacteria or viral infection this is.
Lily is 9 years old. She was 7 when she joined me. I know she's had that drainage from her ear two or three times since she's been with me, although last December was when I first became aware of that swelling. It may have been there before and I just hadn't noticed it. Whatever the case is, Dr. Green said this is something that has been going on for quite some time with her.
I was suppose to go to Nashville next week to see Alice Cooper/Rob Zombie, and for various reasons it just was not working out so I decided not to go. I am so relieved that I'm not making that trip. Now I know why it wasn't meant to be. I need to be here to take care of Miss Lily Rose.
Malinda
Lily's Meowmie
I knew exactly what this swelling was. It happened at least once before that I know of late last year. Lily had been feeling puny and was running a low grade fever for a couple of days before Christmas. Out of the blue, on Christmas night, she perked up and was behaving like her normal self. On the morning after Christmas I started to pet her head and noticed that her fur was wet beneath her left ear. On closer inspection I found that whatever the fluid was, it was draining from her ear. It was cloudy and I could see minute traces of blood in it. Being the day after Christmas the two vets I see were on holiday so I had to take Lily to the emergency animal center. While waiting to see the vet I then noticed the swelling in Lily's neck. Lily was sedated and the side of her neck was shaved. The vet made a small incision and drained out what she said appeared to be fluid from an abscessed wound...except there were no visible scratches or bite marks on Lily. Lily was placed on an antibiotic, the swelling disappeared, and we didn't pursued it any further.
I was able to get Lily into the vet at 9:00am yesterday. Dr. Green said the lump definitely felt as if it had fluid in it. She took Lily to another room, shaved her neck, and drew a sample from the lump. Once again, it appears to be an infection and had traces of blood in it. It would definitely have to be lanced and drained. Since Lily would need to be sedated I left her with the vet. Dr. Green asked if she could take x-rays of the area while Lily was out. I agreed. A couple of hours later I received a call from Dr. Green.
The good news is Lily did fine and was still sleeping at the time. She inserted a small piece of tubing through two incisions in Lily's neck so the place would continue to drain. I have to clean around it twice daily, and I am suppose to flush the inside of the area with this solution would send home with me.
The bad news is the x-rays showed thickening of the tissue surrounding the fluid filled area, plus two minute objects that could be foreign matter or bone fragment at the end of her ear canal. The whole mess presses on Lily's ear canal which is probably why she can't hear. Dr. Green also said that Lily's ear was so inflamed that she couldn't see into it with the otoscope. She strongly recommended that I take Lily to see a surgeon and the sooner I could get her in the better. Dr. Green also said that due to the location of the swelling, etc., it may be a risky surgery. The area is near Lily's lymph glands in her neck, her caratoid artery, plus her facial nerves. There is a possibility that a surgeon won't want to work in that area.
Lily has an appointment for a consultation with surgeon at 9:00am on Monday. I have her x-rays to take with me. Any other information will be faxed there from my vet's office.
My gut feeling is this place is NOT cancer. I could be totally wrong, but I don't think I am. A sample of the fluid has been sent to the lab. Hopefully the results will tell us exactly what type of bacteria or viral infection this is.
Lily is 9 years old. She was 7 when she joined me. I know she's had that drainage from her ear two or three times since she's been with me, although last December was when I first became aware of that swelling. It may have been there before and I just hadn't noticed it. Whatever the case is, Dr. Green said this is something that has been going on for quite some time with her.
I was suppose to go to Nashville next week to see Alice Cooper/Rob Zombie, and for various reasons it just was not working out so I decided not to go. I am so relieved that I'm not making that trip. Now I know why it wasn't meant to be. I need to be here to take care of Miss Lily Rose.
Malinda
Lily's Meowmie
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
It's Time to Meet Ginger!
Without further ado, it is time for everyone to meet my adopted sisfur, Ginger!:
Hi everyone. My name is Ginger (aka Gingersnap). I'm really friendly and not as huge and grumpy as that above picture makes me look. With that said, I must confess that I am a large girl. I weigh about 14 lbs.
I moved to my forever home from Ohio in June 2007. Mom told you our story when you met Batman. In a nutshell, our first mom wasn't taking us with her when she moved.
I was born in Ohio (along with my siblings Panda & Spunky) under the front porch of our first human mom's house. At least that's what our forever mom was told. We lived at that house for four years.
You've probably notice I have a lot of dark goop around my eyes. I have some scar tissue on my eyes from the infection I had as a kitten. My eyes water a lot and I get a lot of that nasty goop around the bottom of them. Mom will try to clean it off, but I hate to be held and I make it really hard for her to help me. However, my brother, Spunky, takes care of me and he washes my face and cleans me up. We are very close and could never be separated.
I love attention from mom and her brother, and I will rub around their feet and ankles. They don't make me get down from the breakfast bar either. It's one of the few places I will get where I let them scratch my ears and pet me. I will sleep on mom's bed and sometimes I will even spend the night with her.
I'm usually pretty quiet unless someone tries to pick me up! Then I meow loudly and twist around and squirm until I either get away or they put me down! I've only laid down willingly in mom's lap one time. That was back in the summer. And for the record, Spunky and Panda will not let themselves be picked up either! But they will lay down in mom's lap.
That's me (above) sleeping in one of the kitty beds.
I'm a little shy around people I don't know, and I pretty much spent the first week in my forever home hiding. I would come out if the house was really quiet or wait until everyone was in bed. It was a bit of an adjustment for me to leave a house with only five kitties and move into a house that now had 13 kitties!
My favorite place to sleep is close to my brother, Spunky. But if Spunky doesn't want to nap, then I'll lay down to whoever is the closest and will let me snuggle. That's me with Sable in the photo below:
My eyes are a little light sensitive, which may be why I look a little grumpy. Or maybe I just woke up!
Mom calls me and Panda and Spunky "cow cats" because of our markings. And she says I have the softest fur our of the three of us! I have a half-brother, Puff, too. He is a long-furred gray and white tabby. His face is marked just like mine!
I think I've told you everything I can about myself...at least for now!
Purrs,
Ginger
(aka Gingersnap)
(aka Ginger Pie)
Hi everyone. My name is Ginger (aka Gingersnap). I'm really friendly and not as huge and grumpy as that above picture makes me look. With that said, I must confess that I am a large girl. I weigh about 14 lbs.
I moved to my forever home from Ohio in June 2007. Mom told you our story when you met Batman. In a nutshell, our first mom wasn't taking us with her when she moved.
I was born in Ohio (along with my siblings Panda & Spunky) under the front porch of our first human mom's house. At least that's what our forever mom was told. We lived at that house for four years.
You've probably notice I have a lot of dark goop around my eyes. I have some scar tissue on my eyes from the infection I had as a kitten. My eyes water a lot and I get a lot of that nasty goop around the bottom of them. Mom will try to clean it off, but I hate to be held and I make it really hard for her to help me. However, my brother, Spunky, takes care of me and he washes my face and cleans me up. We are very close and could never be separated.
I love attention from mom and her brother, and I will rub around their feet and ankles. They don't make me get down from the breakfast bar either. It's one of the few places I will get where I let them scratch my ears and pet me. I will sleep on mom's bed and sometimes I will even spend the night with her.
I'm usually pretty quiet unless someone tries to pick me up! Then I meow loudly and twist around and squirm until I either get away or they put me down! I've only laid down willingly in mom's lap one time. That was back in the summer. And for the record, Spunky and Panda will not let themselves be picked up either! But they will lay down in mom's lap.
That's me (above) sleeping in one of the kitty beds.
I'm a little shy around people I don't know, and I pretty much spent the first week in my forever home hiding. I would come out if the house was really quiet or wait until everyone was in bed. It was a bit of an adjustment for me to leave a house with only five kitties and move into a house that now had 13 kitties!
My favorite place to sleep is close to my brother, Spunky. But if Spunky doesn't want to nap, then I'll lay down to whoever is the closest and will let me snuggle. That's me with Sable in the photo below:
My eyes are a little light sensitive, which may be why I look a little grumpy. Or maybe I just woke up!
Mom calls me and Panda and Spunky "cow cats" because of our markings. And she says I have the softest fur our of the three of us! I have a half-brother, Puff, too. He is a long-furred gray and white tabby. His face is marked just like mine!
I think I've told you everything I can about myself...at least for now!
Purrs,
Ginger
(aka Gingersnap)
(aka Ginger Pie)
Friday, October 8, 2010
Hoping for a less eventful day!
So when mom was on her way to work yesterday morning, she saw an ambulance, two university police cars, and another car stopped at one of the intersections on campus. She suspected that a student was probably hit while crossing the street. She was right. No word on the condition of the student but we are purring that he/she is not hurt.
Then yesterday afternoon another student pulled a handgun out of her bag in a meeting at the college of education on campus. Faculty members were able to disarm her and hold her until the police arrived. So far the word is she told the police she was going to kill herself and no one else. She has been taken to the hospital for psychiatric evaluation. Thank ceiling cat that no one was hurt!
Then around 11pm last night a small 4-seater airplane landed on the expressway about a block from our house! The pilot said he was trying to get to Bowman Field (which is a few blocks away from us) because he was running out of fuel. He couldn't make it and decided to put the plane down on the closest "runway" available. No one on the road or in the plane were injured. Mom actually saw the plane this morning on her way to work. It was over in the grassy area between the highway and the sound barrier wall. One of the wrecker services was there, along with the police. The wrecker had a crane on the back of it. Mom said it looked like they were going to have to lift the plane out of the grass.
We are really hoping nothing that exciting happens today.
Purrs,
Clarissa & Co.
Then yesterday afternoon another student pulled a handgun out of her bag in a meeting at the college of education on campus. Faculty members were able to disarm her and hold her until the police arrived. So far the word is she told the police she was going to kill herself and no one else. She has been taken to the hospital for psychiatric evaluation. Thank ceiling cat that no one was hurt!
Then around 11pm last night a small 4-seater airplane landed on the expressway about a block from our house! The pilot said he was trying to get to Bowman Field (which is a few blocks away from us) because he was running out of fuel. He couldn't make it and decided to put the plane down on the closest "runway" available. No one on the road or in the plane were injured. Mom actually saw the plane this morning on her way to work. It was over in the grassy area between the highway and the sound barrier wall. One of the wrecker services was there, along with the police. The wrecker had a crane on the back of it. Mom said it looked like they were going to have to lift the plane out of the grass.
We are really hoping nothing that exciting happens today.
Purrs,
Clarissa & Co.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Introducing Frederick Jerome DeWinter
Hello everyone! It's time for you to meet my youngest brofur, Fred.
Hi all! My name is Fred and I've been living in my forever home since April 2008. Mom saw me and my adopted sisfur, Lily, at Feeders Supply. We are both white kitties and mom couldn't chose, so she adopted both of us. Although we were at Feeders Supply, we were actually adopted through the Kentucky Humane Society.
Mom was told that I was two years old, and it hadn't been too long since I had been neutered. My name then was "Crazy Cat" although I never acted crazy at all. Mom couldn't decide if my name was Fred or Jerome and I was no help at all when it came to telling her. She decided that it was Frederick Jerome DeWinter in the end, although most of the time I'm plain old Fred. Sometimes I'm "Freddie J."
I'm very friendly with the other cats and I love to snuggle with Spunky or Bandit. And I like it when the other cats wash my ears! My favorite place to sleep is on my mom's right leg when she is sitting in the recliner. She says it makes it hard to knit sometimes when I do that, but she usually finds a way to work around me.
Mom says I'm probably an average sized mancat. I weighed around 10 or 11 lbs. I'm not real talkative, but I will meow to get mom's attention. My favorite thing in the world is to have mom rub my chest and belly. I will lay on my side and curl my body around her hand and go to sleep while she is rubbing my tummy. I don't like having my claws trimmed although I will usually let mom do it. Generally I'm just not fond of having my feet touched. My paw pads and my nose are a pale pink and I have big gold eyes. I like to eat stinky goodness and dry kibble and an occasional treat. I do not like the PTU and going to the vet (although I usually do behave once I'm there).
The two pictures that I've posted were taken on my second night in my forever home.
I have some catitude going on in that picture. I'm not a big fan of the flashy box.
Anymew, it's great to meet everyone and I'm sure you'll hear from me again!
Purrs & Headbonks,
Fred
Hi all! My name is Fred and I've been living in my forever home since April 2008. Mom saw me and my adopted sisfur, Lily, at Feeders Supply. We are both white kitties and mom couldn't chose, so she adopted both of us. Although we were at Feeders Supply, we were actually adopted through the Kentucky Humane Society.
Mom was told that I was two years old, and it hadn't been too long since I had been neutered. My name then was "Crazy Cat" although I never acted crazy at all. Mom couldn't decide if my name was Fred or Jerome and I was no help at all when it came to telling her. She decided that it was Frederick Jerome DeWinter in the end, although most of the time I'm plain old Fred. Sometimes I'm "Freddie J."
I'm very friendly with the other cats and I love to snuggle with Spunky or Bandit. And I like it when the other cats wash my ears! My favorite place to sleep is on my mom's right leg when she is sitting in the recliner. She says it makes it hard to knit sometimes when I do that, but she usually finds a way to work around me.
Mom says I'm probably an average sized mancat. I weighed around 10 or 11 lbs. I'm not real talkative, but I will meow to get mom's attention. My favorite thing in the world is to have mom rub my chest and belly. I will lay on my side and curl my body around her hand and go to sleep while she is rubbing my tummy. I don't like having my claws trimmed although I will usually let mom do it. Generally I'm just not fond of having my feet touched. My paw pads and my nose are a pale pink and I have big gold eyes. I like to eat stinky goodness and dry kibble and an occasional treat. I do not like the PTU and going to the vet (although I usually do behave once I'm there).
The two pictures that I've posted were taken on my second night in my forever home.
I have some catitude going on in that picture. I'm not a big fan of the flashy box.
Anymew, it's great to meet everyone and I'm sure you'll hear from me again!
Purrs & Headbonks,
Fred
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Catching Up on the Happenings at Home
UPDATE ON HOPE: We wrote about Hope, the dog that was thrown from a moving car, in our last post. Her injuries were more serious than first reported. Since then Hope has had two surgeries. Hope sustained two fractures of her back, a crushed pelvis, and two broken legs. Her first surgery was to repair her back. She came through that surgery without difficulties. Yesterday she had surgery on her pelvis and legs. We haven't heard how that went for her. We are still purring for her. As of yesterday, there is still no arrest of the person who did this horrific crime. Unfortunately, we have a feeling that he/she will not be caught.
Clarissa Report: Unfortunately the antihistamine did not work for me and I continued to chew on my belly. Mom called the vet on Saturday morning and asked if she thought it would be okay for me to have my Depo injection now. The vet okayed it so it was into the PTU for me and a short trip to the vet. My belly is pink and bare, but the chewed places have scabbed over and are healing. I even have the back of my hind legs bare.
Other Vet Visits: Bandit, Batman, Clarissa, Ginger, and Panda were all due for vaccines in September or October. While mom had me (Clarissa) at the vet's, she asked if they had an opening to bring in the September cats. I was due in September, but mom is debating whether I should be vaccinated. I'm 10 years old now, and I stay inside all of the time. We've heard a lot of people say they don't vaccinate their "senior" cats.
Mom made an appointment to take Batman, Ginger, and Panda in to see our vet later in that morning. She took me home and got out two more carriers. Ginger and Panda HATE to be picked up and they will squirm and twist and turn and yowling to get away. Mom learned a long time ago that she needs to wrap them in a bath towel when she picks them up. Mom was able to grab Ginger because she was sleeping on the cat tree. The next "victim" of cat-napping was Batman. Unfortunately for mom, Panda was quicker than her and she got away and hid under the bed. This was good news for Panda. It was bad news for Bandit. He was cat-napped instead!
Bandit is so scared at the vet's office. It is the only time he will lay in mom's lap. And then he will stick his head under her arm or in her armpit to hide his head! But he did very well once the vet appeared. He's lost about a pound since last year, but the vet said that was fine. And both Batman and Ginger received good reports too! They all needed their rabies vaccine, and two of the needed that other vaccine that covers several things. I don't remember what the initials are.
Other news: The nights are getting cooler here and we are snuggle more with mom when she goes to bed. Fiona always snuggles up against mom's chest or back. Bandit will lay between her legs and he is next to impossible to move once he goes to sleep. Mom said she has never seen a cat sleep as deeply as he does. Lily takes one corner at the foot of the bed and Jazzpurr takes the other corner. The rest of us come and go during the night. Panda has a feather pillow on top of a storage bin that she likes to sleep on. To mom's knowledge, Panda has never slept in any of the human beds.
Guess that's it for now! Hope everyone is staying warm or staying cool, depending on where you live!
Clarissa Report: Unfortunately the antihistamine did not work for me and I continued to chew on my belly. Mom called the vet on Saturday morning and asked if she thought it would be okay for me to have my Depo injection now. The vet okayed it so it was into the PTU for me and a short trip to the vet. My belly is pink and bare, but the chewed places have scabbed over and are healing. I even have the back of my hind legs bare.
Other Vet Visits: Bandit, Batman, Clarissa, Ginger, and Panda were all due for vaccines in September or October. While mom had me (Clarissa) at the vet's, she asked if they had an opening to bring in the September cats. I was due in September, but mom is debating whether I should be vaccinated. I'm 10 years old now, and I stay inside all of the time. We've heard a lot of people say they don't vaccinate their "senior" cats.
Mom made an appointment to take Batman, Ginger, and Panda in to see our vet later in that morning. She took me home and got out two more carriers. Ginger and Panda HATE to be picked up and they will squirm and twist and turn and yowling to get away. Mom learned a long time ago that she needs to wrap them in a bath towel when she picks them up. Mom was able to grab Ginger because she was sleeping on the cat tree. The next "victim" of cat-napping was Batman. Unfortunately for mom, Panda was quicker than her and she got away and hid under the bed. This was good news for Panda. It was bad news for Bandit. He was cat-napped instead!
Bandit is so scared at the vet's office. It is the only time he will lay in mom's lap. And then he will stick his head under her arm or in her armpit to hide his head! But he did very well once the vet appeared. He's lost about a pound since last year, but the vet said that was fine. And both Batman and Ginger received good reports too! They all needed their rabies vaccine, and two of the needed that other vaccine that covers several things. I don't remember what the initials are.
Other news: The nights are getting cooler here and we are snuggle more with mom when she goes to bed. Fiona always snuggles up against mom's chest or back. Bandit will lay between her legs and he is next to impossible to move once he goes to sleep. Mom said she has never seen a cat sleep as deeply as he does. Lily takes one corner at the foot of the bed and Jazzpurr takes the other corner. The rest of us come and go during the night. Panda has a feather pillow on top of a storage bin that she likes to sleep on. To mom's knowledge, Panda has never slept in any of the human beds.
Guess that's it for now! Hope everyone is staying warm or staying cool, depending on where you live!
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