Musings on a Small Life

I wanted to end the week on a cheerier note, and post a couple of snapshots of Derry playing. This was Wednesday evening, above. I had bought some catnip mice, as he normally loves catnip, but I really couldn't interest him in them. "Toy fail, lady!" I imagine he was saying. However, he still loves his stick! He does a weird thing with his back legs when he gets a-hold of the feathers, and he'll let you know in no uncertain terms that you are NOT to attempt to take it away until he's done with it. The pic below is from last evening. This morning he was more energetic than he has been, and went out into our (enclosed) garden a couple of times, ran out to roll on the hard ground. He also had a great session with his stick, and with another favourite, a pipe-cleaner I twist and curl up. Why do I spend money on cat toys??? Nonetheless, I think I'll pop out this weekend to a couple of pet supply stores to look for some presents from "Santa....

I'm a little less numb today, and a little more heart-sore. Nothing to be done except move through the process of grieving. I've been doing my best to give all my home time to Derry, and he's mostly either been in my arms or on my lap (at his insistence), or I'm engaging him in play (or trying to). He did let me know that I was slow coming downstairs this morning to feed him breakfast (I was changing the bedding). I told him not to channel his brother, thank you very much. Nicki definitely let his feelings be known about everything . It's hard to say how he's doing. Is he confused? Distressed? Lonely? Am I putting my emotions onto him? He looks so sad to me in the pic below, but maybe he just wanted me to stop fussing over him, or it could be the angle of the snapshot. I have two Feliway diffusers going, on the main level, one in the upper hallway. I figured that while they might not help, they certainly won't hurt. I have more on order, e...

From Gratefulness.org A heartfelt thank you to all for taking the time to express kind thoughts and condolences on Nicki's passing. Most of the names I do recognize from my years of blogging as "Fuzzy Tales" and being part of the Cat Blogosphere, though some names are new to me. I appreciate every comment, whether you knew/remember Nicki or not. I'd like to thank everyone individually, but that won't be possible, as I know some of you don't blog anymore, but rather post on FB, and I no longer have a FB account. Just know that I'm thankful for such a caring and generous community of pet people. I know everyone understands. Things are so quiet in the house now, with only Derry. Nicki had such a large presence, and I realized Sunday morning that most of my home time was devoted to him for the past (I think) 5 years, after his asthma diagnosis. He was a high-needs cat in so many ways, ever a challenge, and it's odd to realize now that oh, I ...

My vet called me from his home this morning to tell me that the blood test results were not good. Nicki had both pancreatitis and hepatitis, and likely bowel inflammation as well, due to the proximity of the organs. (He actually said he'd never seen such high liver values in a cat before.) He said if I opted for treatment Nicki would have required extensive and prolonged vet and home care, hospitalization, etc. Given Nicki's age and existing health issues (the asthma, being immune-compromised, and kidney stones), I didn't want to put his little body through that. I talked with Phil (vet) at length then, then called him back later to further discuss things, and I made the decision to let Nicki go now, rather than wait till early in the week. (I'd scheduled an appointment for Monday.) With the cerenia wearing off, and without more of that plus sub-q fluids, he would have felt sick and miserable, and I didn't want to take him to a vet just for that, only to have t...

[Update at 9:20 AM Saturday: No real change. He nibbled at some dry and canned late last night and this morning too, but otherwise hasn't shown any interest in eating. I just ground up a mirtazapine pill and mixed it with tuna water, syringed it in--the taste must be so bitter that it's caused him to drool profusely. He's hiding upstairs at the moment, not looking good. I wish I had something more positive to write.] Nicki was fine yesterday...until the evening. He's been sick, not keeping his supper down and looking miserable, so I had him to the emerg vet late last night. No diagnostics, because his vitals checked out fine and the vet said he didn't want me spending hundreds of dollars for nothing, but they gave him a shot to settle his stomach (antacid). He came home and threw up (bile), then did the same overnight. I haven't slept at all, didn't go to work, took Nicki in to our vet early this afternoon. Again, he checked out fine with a physical ex...

I haven't been blogging much lately because there's not much to write about. Things are "fair to middlin," as the expression goes. Not fantastic, not bad. I've had to give up (at least for now) on all the "high end" canned cat food I've been feeding the boys, the stuff that's "supposed" to be so great for them...you know, the species-appropriate diet. I just couldn't get a handle on their awful output, so in desperation I bought some vet prescription Royal Canin fibre canned. Lots of rice and cellulose to bulk the boys up. It's been helping a great deal over the past 9 days, especially for Derry. Nicki, who needs more fibre than Derry, seems to prefer the Hill's Z/D (also prescription) dry, though he'll eat some of the RC canned as well. So his diet and output still need some tweaking.  I don't think I'll be able to manage the cost of canned vet food on an ongoing basis (the dry is fine, but the RC i...

Oooh, boy, Old Man Winter has made his appearance far too soon. We had what probably was record-setting snow yesterday and overnight. The view from the bus stop this morning. It was about 20 cm of snow, I think. Crazy. There were some buses off the road and stuck last night, other vehicles as well. Our streets were a mess coming in to work this morning, with most roads, even major arteries, unplowed. The city dropped the ball on this one, in spite of the advanced weather warnings. I didn't realize how slippery it was/is underfoot, either. I felt twice in my complex while heading the bus stop, the first time right on my knees and the second, moments later, flat on my back. Whoosh! I hurt now. LOL. Note to self: Dig out my ice-grippers for my boots! The pics below are from last week's couple of centimeters of snow, not our storm yesterday. I'd gone out at lunch time before it started to melt. I'd hoped then it was "one and done," but no such luck...

  Seriously? On November 7th? (With apologies to those of you who already have had or still have an early start to winter.) This does not bode well for the upcoming season! Bah, humbug! Peace. (Comments are off.)

This happens every fall. Cats just don't grasp the concept of the fall time change. Thanks to a certain cat in my house, whose name begins with "N," I have been awake since 3 AM-ish every night (morning) since we turned our clocks back Saturday night. It's impossible to sleep with Nicki's strident yeowling, wanting me to get up and feed him. This morning he felt the need to push the hall lamp off the console table and onto the floor. At 3:15. It's not the first time he's done this, and I know it won't be the last but oh, boy, did I turn the air blue when I flew out of bed and rushed downstairs. NOT impressed. I have "raccoon eyes" and am in surly temper from the lack of rest. On top of the pre-existing sleep deprivation. (There was one night in late September that I slept soundly and deeply, the only night I can remember this year. I couldn't function the next day, I was so out of it!) I love you, Nicki, but oh, I don't ...