We're BAAAACK

I'm sorry to have been away for so long. Much has happened. One big sad event was the loss of Skootch. I dearly loved my old kitty - he was over 18 years old - and I just couldn't bring myself to write or blog about it. Perhaps at some point I will do a Skootch tribute, which he richly deserves. I went through a lot of changes in my life even before losing the kitty. I still have Louie and Wilbur, and they are wonderful kits. They keep me company AND they keep me on my toes! The best thing to happen in my life has been my exploration of ceramics. About 4 years ago I started taking clay classes and I became addicted to going to the clay studio. I started out by doing lots of cat imagery on my dishes (surprise surprise!), and I have now expanded my imagery to include other animals (coyotes, rabbits, antelope and jaguars) and have expanded my forms to include bowls, sculpture and vases. I now have a ceramics web site, which I will list as a link on this site.I will try to start posting again here as time permits. Louie and Wilbur still have quite a lot to say.

 

 

Louie's Gotcha Day

Yes, today was Louie's Gotcha Day. I didn't exactly ignore him. He insisted on either sitting in front of the computer screen or plopping himself on my lap as I worked. He's kind of a large lump. But I love him dearly, and wished him a happy day. As soon as I post this, I am going to throw him [and Wilbur] a Gotcha Party, with plenty of fresh nip from our neighbor Lynn's nip patch.

Three Bad Kittehs

Three bad kittehs is right! So, Skootch peeing on the rug was very upsetting. I recently had to have all of my rugs cleaned. That particular rug carried extra emotional meaning, since it had belonged to my dear parents. For a number of years Skootch had been on Prozac for "inappropriate marking behavior" when Lucy was alive. I had gradually weaned him off of it, and it had been a couple of years of no marking, but that has come to an end, obviously. Skootch is now back on Prozac.

Louie is determined that I get up when HE is ready, and he has been quite successful in dismantling the lampshade on my lovely [grandfather's] cloisonne lamp. It is on the other side of the room from the bed, so I have to get out of bed and chase him away from it. At that point he jumps onto the warm spot of the bed that I had just vacated, purring and showing me his soft belly. 

Normally, Wilbur is the "good" kitty in the morning. He lets Louie do all the bad stuff. But I think he was inspired by Louie's shenanigans and decided to get in on the fun.

Mom's Been Busy ....

Yup, I've been busy. Last summer I got a big book project. Right after Wilbur's bat encounter. Then I traveled. When I came back I had to finish the book. When that was done I dove back into clay projects. Had to make plates for the holiday sale. Now that's over. Time to blog and catch up. I've really missed my bloggie friends. REALLY missed all of you!! I will try to catch up as best I can.

Catching up, #4

As I sat in the kitchen with my crossword, I became aware of an odd ticking clicking sound, kind of like a cricket. I looked into the dining room and saw Wilbur playing with something. Then I realized it was a critter, and then I realized it was a bat!! I shrieked and scared Wilbur away. The poor bat was injured - it tried to fly, but it could only hop. I scooped it into a box and tossed it out the door into a bush. Then I called the vet. I didn't know if Wilbur had brought it down (or one of the other cats), if it had bitten him, if it was rabid ...... The vet said that since Louie and Skootch had both had their rabies shots that week, they were protected. But since Wilbur hadn't gone in and had his shots, he had to be in QUARANTINE for SIX MONTHS! For an indoor cat, that's what I call a pass, but they told me to observe him for any abnormal behavior, and not to let him bite his brothers (HAH, he bites Skootch almost daily!). So there. I don't think the bat was rabid, but those are the rules. I even got a follow-up call from the state department of health. And in six months, I have to bring him to the vet to get his shots. Great, I can't wait.

Catching up, #3

I had been dreading Wilbur's trip to the vet. Sure enough, he proved too wily and determined for me. In between each attempt at loading he would run away and hide. I would coax him out with treats and toys and I STILL couldn't get him in. During the third attempt he drew blood, and I admitted defeat. I called the vet and cancelled his appointment.

Catching Up, #2

Louie and I had a very noisy ride to the vet. Unfortunately, it's a half hour drive. He got an A+ from Dr. Jeff. Got his shots, and back we went to the house. My plan was to swap out Louie for Wilbur in the cat carrier, and then immediately return to see Dr. Jeff. I know it seems like a ridiculous amount of driving (when I could have combined taking the two cats at the same time), but I had taken them both before when they were younger and not as strong, and I couldn't face loading them into carriers at the same time.

Playing Catch-up

We are going to have to play catch-up. First, this new look is my new graphics tablet. I am going to try to do some posts with it. As you can see, my first attempt looks a bit primitive, and I now have a cramp in my hand from clutching the pen. Anyway, this week was cats-to-the-vet week. First came Skootch, who is a dream to load into the carrier, and a fairly good traveler (well, he can't meow, so that's part of it!). Dr. Jeff was impressed with his overall health. He is an eldercat, and his blood work was very good. The groomer said he was a very good boy for her. I left feeling relieved and pleased. Plus, he has always been frail, so for him to have gained half a pound was a big deal. Two days later came Louie. I decided to take Louie and Wilbur separately, as they are not easy to load OR to travel with. They were scheduled for the same morning, 2 different appointments.

Special Offer - please respond!

Hello all. I know it has been a long time since I last posted - more on that soon - but I wanted to get this out there before any more time goes by. I have a ticket to the BlogPaws Conference that I cannot use. Do any of you want it? I am offering it free to the first person who responds who wants it.

Getting Clobbered

Here in Boston, we are getting clobbered continuously with huge snowfalls. The first blizzard was kind of exciting. Then a week later, we got another one. We just had our third one in as many weeks. Everyone here is getting pretty tired of it. We are DEFINITELY getting tired of shoveling! The other night I went out to try and keep a small path cleared from the front door to the street. I looked back at the house, and there was Wilbur in the window watching me. I felt so cheered up, seeing his little tuxie self, keeping me company as I grunted and shoveled.

Sads for a bloggie friend

Please visit my bloggie friend, Elizabeth, over at Chronicles of Cardigan. She just lost her beloved tortie, Eva, to a variety of health issues. It was very sudden, and we all know about pet loss and the grief that comes with it. She would really appreciate comments and similar experience stories. Purrs.

Wilbur's Workout Routine

Both youngsters are going crazypants on the new cat tree, but Wilbur is especially dedicated. This tree has certainly added a whole new dimension to his activities!

The New Cat Tree!

Yes, I finally caved and got the kitties a cat tree. Partly because they have been leading deprived lives without one, and partly to distract them from the wee Christmas tree I put up in the living room (cat tree is in the kitchen). That last part worked pretty well. They are beyond thrilled - Wilbur and Louie, that is. Skootch won't have anything to do with it. I think he's afraid of getting beat up by the other two hooligans. I will fill you in later on my life recently - all good - so more updates soon. I promise I won't wait another two months. Skootch, by the way, is fine.

A Good Report Card

So, Skootch got a good report card. His thyroid, kidney and liver levels are great! He's anemic, but not alarmingly so. He has the same heart murmur he has always had.I have actually been coaxing him out for playtime with the youngsters, and THAT is nice.

Back from the V-E-T

So, we are home from the vet and awaiting blood test results. Dr. Jeff poked and prodded and checked out mouth and ears and didn't seem too concerned, but we did a blood + urine test to see if anything is going on. Skootch was a very good kitty. When we got home he was very hungry, so I gave him some extra treats. The kids took one whiff of him and jumped back in disgust. 

Concerns

I am concerned about Skootch. I'm pretty sure he has renal problems - the pee levels in the litter boxes indicate this - and he's been trying to yak up something to no avail. Yesterday his yak was pink, which alarmed me, so we are going to the vet first thing Monday morning (tomorrow). Also, Louie has been snuggling with him all day on the bed, which is very unusual (usually Louie is more likely to pick on him!). Skootch is an elder cat, and has always been somewhat frail. We would appreciate some extra purrs.
Thanks.

I went away ...

I went away on a fairly long vacation. I didn't want to leave the kitties alone all that time, so I had a house sitter stay with them while I was gone. I missed them terribly. As soon as I got home and came in the front door, I called for them. The first cat to appear was Louie. He sat at the top of the stairs and talked and talked and told me what happened. He had a LOT to say!

Fur Mats!!

Skootch got fur mats last summer, and we had a terrible time at the groomer. He had an open wound that required stitches. So this year, I decided to take him straight to the vet, incase there were any complications.

Mom's Funk

We've been putting up with Mom's funk for almost a month now. She's got all sorts of lame excuses. Her knee is a mess, she lost her Cattywumpus notebook that she uses for posts and rhyming, blah, blah, blah. The upshot is that she hasn't been posting! Not our fault! We have given her LOTS of material lately. We are on strike!

Thought for the Day

... and when I don't play with them, they follow me around and do bad things, just to get my attention.

I must apologize for my absence these past couple of weeks - I've had a lot going on. I actually wrote five different entries for the blog, but didn't have time to sit down and draw and calligraph and scan and post.