kitty tent first run

This past weekend was the first opportunity to try out the new kitty tent. And as you can see from the pictures below it was a success! The cats really seemed to enjoy being off-leash outside!

turning point

Today was an exciting day. Hang the streamers, adorn the party hats and prepare to dance!

Today, Theo had his first solid-formed poop in three months!! Could it be that the chronic diarrhea is over and done with?!

When I picked Theo up from the specialist last Friday, he seemed different. He was acting much more subdued than usual. He still was interested in food but not crazy interested like before. He was energetic but not bouncing off the walls. And then this morning I witnessed the moment of glory.

What was the magic cure? We have no idea. The specialist didn't give him anything, they only performed diagnostic work. And we didn't change his meds until Sunday, but maybe the nasty deworming medicine (Panacur) has made an immediate difference. Whatever brought about this change, I am thankful.

I left Theo's regular vet, Annabelle Zastrow, a note this morning, informing her of the good news. I ended the note with "it is fun being a crazy cat person!" Denial no more, the actions prove it: texting my wife with the breaking news about Theo's accomplishment, sharing the exciting news with the vet, dancing a celebratory jig after Theo did the deed - they all point to one thing. Today is more than the day Theo's poop solidified, it is the day I realized I have crossed over the line into being "the crazy cat guy". Time to start shopping for the cat emblazoned apparel and accessories.

opening day

Happiness is hunting moths with Willow!

Today was the official start of moth hunting season and Willow was rearing to go. I had spotted a moth on the front porch earlier that evening so we started there.

The routine goes as follows: the first one to spot the moth calls out to alert the other so both are focused on the same prey. Usually the moth is high off the ground so my job is to give it a gentle tap to get it flying lower. Willow tracks it and when it gets too low, she pins it with her paw and carefully brings it to her mouth. Then comes the quick snarf followed by a look of delight. We're then ready for the next one.

This night the first moth was a wussy moth (technical speak for a small, easy to capture moth). I assisted in the hunt several times by knocking the moth lower. Willow made a few attempts but then Nahum stole her joy and made the kill. Willow was devastated.

Before she could linger too long in self-pity the second moth appeared - this one was a prized giant moth, practically a small bird! Willow's eyes became big saucers as she tracked the moth's every move. The tension on the porch rose with the sound of her hunting cackle, the moth's fear evident. Willow boldly pushed the other cats aside to get first crack at the prey. This moth's preservation instinct was strong as it remained near the ceiling fluttering with wild abandon as it tried to cheat death's call. One more gentle assist with the moth stick and wham! - the death blow was swift. Theo appeared out of no where and ended it.

Willow was crushed. Twice now she missed her prize. No amount of consoling helped to clear the disappointment from her normally cheerful little face. I could think of only one thing to do - check out the hunting conditions on the back porch. Sadly no more bugs were to be found. Willow leaves the first day of moth season with the thrill of the chase but is unable to bag the big moth.

icanhascheezburger

A website that always gives me a laugh is icanhascheezburger.com. Cat pictures are paired with funny captions resulting in many laughs.

Here are my two favorites:

chair

Nahum very clearly expresses his likes and dislikes. He likes his box, his shoe and his string. He dislikes getting medicine, being held and being placed in a lap. Until recently, I had forgotten that he also likes his chair - a blue desk chair that previously belonged to Laura.

The chair is ideal for Nahum, it provides a soft cushy spot for napping, has a built-in tall scratching post, it swivels, and it has an assortment of noise-making levers on the bottom to play with. When he is playing in his chair, his body exudes delight! It is very fun to see.

Seeing Nahum's joy made me wonder if I am as free to express my delight? I think the easy answer is "no". Freely sharing delight is too risky - why open oneself up to be mocked, shamed or hurt?

This morning I enjoyed a great moment of joy with Laura as we watched Nahum play with his chair. Nahum's playful freedom gave me a gift. Holding back my joy may act to protect me but it also prevents me from experiencing greater depth in relationship that comes with being truly known and loved.

specialist

Laura took Theo to the internal specialist today in hopes of finding the cause of his diarrhea troubles. His situation is certainly perplexing, as he looks a like a healthy cat and continues to eat like a horse.

The specialist-vet performed an ultrasound to check out his innards and we got the news that everything on the inside looks like it should. She read through his chart notes and wondered if he has ever been properly de-wormed. Wouldn't that be something, to spend all this time and money only to have it be worms! Ugh! They were going to give him the de-worming medicine just in case and meanwhile we are to return to the first medication we tried and hope for the best.

The vet also noted after looking over Theo's innards, that he is a young cat. We had been thinking he was young, but then the wear on his tooth made us think older, but now we are back to younger again! If only it was that easy to be young again!

kitty tent

After some last minute lobbying and bargaining, approval was granted to explore options and come back with an estimate for materials to create a portable cat-enclosure for the side yard.

So, to Craigslist I went, searching for portable carports and animal enclosures. Soon enough, I found a portable picnic table screened tent. It is meant to go around a picnic table to provide dry and bug free camping. I instantly realized it was the perfect portable kitty tent. And it was well below budget, only $35!

After a phone call, some planning and a trip after work to Renton - we now have a portable kitty tent! it is quite large, which I hope will help the cats feel like they are not in a cage. I will need to engineer a fix so the cats can't escape under the sides, but a design is already being worked through.

This summer's project is to paint the exterior of our house. Whenever I am working on the house, the cats are in the windows longing to come out too. Now, the cats can lounge in the grass, enjoy the sun and hear and smell all the cool outside noises and smells as I make progress on the house. The next warm, sunny weekend, we get to try it out! Yahooo!!