Sunday, December 25, 2016

Christmas

It's Christmas!!!



Santa Paws was kind to us, giving us some lovely gifts.

Oliver and Pierre no longer need to worry about frozen water (ok, maybe it's me that does the worrying!) We don't have a lot of below freezing temperatures but it does freeze for a few weeks a year. Kitties always need access to water in liquid form, which can be hard to come by when it's frozen.



Auntie Lisa gifted the kitties with this puzzle box - it's been a huge hit!


Oliver's the Christmas Kitty this year, an honor he takes seriously. To celebrate, he's been getting lots of inside time. The inside kitties are starting to get used to having him inside, with the exception of Theo, who doesn't like the idea. Theo's still unhappy that Oliver took over his back porch (five years ago!) Oliver behaves like a perfect gentle-kitty, it's Theo I don't trust! Maximum supervision is required to make sure Theo doesn't do any funny business.


Merry Christmas to you all!

Monday, December 19, 2016

it's good to be wrong

I have a way of making up stories in my head, stories that are not always accurate. The nature of these stories tends toward doom and gloom! Well, Marvin has had a big sore in his left ear and a smaller one in the right ear for a few months. I've taken him to the vet a few times now to get him looked over.


The first time the vet wanted me to use an anti-bacterial ointment. I tried it for a few days but gave up fighting him with it. A few weeks later, the sores looked no different. The vet said I should really commit to using it for a week, so I doubled up my efforts.

Much to Marvin's displeasure, I applied the ointment everyday for a week. Over the next week, I watched as the big sore was quickly overtaken by what appeared to be a large growth. When I looked again a few days later, I was shocked at how fast it was growing, I grew very concerned.


I feared the growth must be cancerous, the speed it was growing was alarming. I did a quick internet search and learned that most ear-based growths in cats are often cancerous. I learned that one of the common symptoms is vestibular in nature, problems with balance and the like. Marvin's very unsteady on his feet, quick to loose his balance. My heart sank.

I took him back to the vet this past Saturday for the vet to look over the growth. I was fully expecting to hear it was cancer. After a thorough examination, I learned the growth was not a growth at all, it is actually a large scab! A sign of healing. Yahoo!! Marvin's on the mend!


Thursday, December 15, 2016

bliss

Yikes, December's on the move!! It's going fast and it's crazy cold outside.

Gotta make inside time for Oliver where it's warm and snuggly!




I'm not sure who enjoys inside Oliver time more - him or me!

 Oliver!

Wednesday, November 30, 2016

back to work

Since Marvin's asthma is less symptomatic, it was time for him to return to work.



 


My office is not a drug free workplace, nip is freely available!



I've been in this office for more than ten years, and this past month, the pigeons started hanging outside the windows. This will surely be a feature Marvin will enjoy.



Once back home, Marvin had to take a long nap after his grueling shift.


MaryAnn asked about the new location for his steroid ointment. Marvin was never happy about his ears being touched and they've broken out in sores. The vet told us to try applying the ointment inside of his back thigh, he said there are more blood vessels there to absorb the steroid. I rub it into his skin and he doesn't mind this application (knock on wood!)

Monday, November 28, 2016

Home for the Holidays

It's that time of year again! The Community Cat Coalition (CCC) holds it's annual Home for the Holidays cat adoption event! Kathleen, our amazing outreach and fundraising organizer, somehow gets usage of an empty store front donated for us to use for the month leading up to Christmas! The CCC itself doesn't have any cats but part of it's mission is to help independent rescuers find homes for adoptable cats. These cats have been either tamed ferals or more than likely, abandoned or lost pets where their owners were not able to be found.


I love being around these amazing cat rescue people! The local community cats are very fortunate to have such kind, generous people who are willing to invest huge amounts of time, energy, and funds to make the cats' lives better.


Each of these cats are getting a second (or third, fourth...) chance at a forever home!





Paisley is a sweet, gorgeous, super friendly 3-year old girl!
She has a little white tip on the end of that luscious black tail!

Petunia is quite talkative and bold!

Winky lost an eye to a terrible infection, but she's ready for a home!

I'm always partial to little Oliver-like kitties!


Claire
Claire is 12-years old and she got adopted a few hours after I took her picture! Go Claire!!! I heard that on the first day of this year's event seven cats found their forever homes!
I'm grateful to not have any rescue kitties looking for homes this year. I love visiting this event but finding homes for my rescue cats is terribly stressful for me. I want each cat to find the most perfect home ever, so have to thoroughly interrogate each potential adopter. I'm happy to visit the Home for the Holidays adoption event and love on the kitties awaiting their new homes, oh and visiting with the people is fun too!

Monday, November 14, 2016

Tiny little one

Marvin went to the vet a few weeks back for a check up.  The vet did some research and found that we can apply Marvin's steroid topical ointment to other places on his body beside his ears.  We made the switch and it's working so much better! I've not heard him have any asthma attacks at all.  Now I'm gonna see if we can reduce the dose and if he keeps this up, I'll  bring him back to work.

Go little Marvin!

Friday, November 11, 2016

eye for cats

I'm currently traveling for work.  Last night I stayed in Nashville and as I walked back to the hotel along a crazy busy road,  I saw this:

There was a cat in the median of the busy road.  An undeveloped space between a crazy busy road and a less busy road. My heart sank with worry.  Was this guy feral? Lost? My mind started racing, thinking of what I could do to help him.

He appeared to be short-furred gray and white.  I tried to entice him to come over to me,  but he wasn't having it.  After some time he started wandering closer to the busy road.  I feared I would watch his demise. Everything in me didn't want to watch his senseless death but I then thought if this cat doesn't know human love, then the gift I have to offer is love and presence at a distance. I would watch and hold him in love no matter the outcome.
Thankfully, the kitty made a sharp turn AWAY from the busy road and eventually disappeared. Oh my. My heart can't handle that kind of stress. Cats!! I slept praying for this kitty and all the homeless cats. May they know love and be safe.

Some people walk around and never notice much in their surroundings. That's not me.  I especially notice cats or cat habitat. It's a good skill to have for kitty rescue and TNR.

Thursday, November 10, 2016

Bean goes kitty

Everyone seems to have a brand they gravitate to.  LL Bean is mine.  Warm sweaters and cozy flannels is how I roll.  My favorite is the flannel lined jeans and pants - it's like Nahum, getting to wear your fuzzies anywhere!

One problem with Bean is that they have lots of dog stuff but lack kitty stuff. Finally that's changed, they now have kitty slippers! Laura's recent birthday was the purrfect occasion to try them out. And the verdict? Laura loves them!

Meanwhile a little more Willow to get you by. . .

Tuesday, November 1, 2016

up close and personal

Halloween's been a pretty slow night, not many visitors begging for sweets. So that left a lot of time for adoring the Willow.









Meanwhile, Oliver and Pierre were bored stiff being locked away on the back porch all night. It's no night for a black kitty to be roaming around. I tried to break there monotony with a few head rubs and loves!


I hope your Halloween was as uneventful as ours!

Wednesday, October 26, 2016

mystery of the friendly Rose

The other day I was looking back through old pictures and I ran across a few that really puzzled me. Pictures of Rose being friendly - what?!

April 26, 2013

April 26, 2013

April 26, 2013
I have no memory of Rose being so friendly. The only thing I can think of is she must of drugged me and then enlisted the help of the other cats to take pictures of her being all friendly just to mess with me.
July 11, 2012

July 11, 2012

July 11, 2012

July 11, 2012
She must have known that one day I would look back on these pictures and wonder what the heck was the deal. Well, that day has come! Well played Rose, well played!