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Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 6,364
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

That Schmoo, he is one tough kitty fighter

Friday afternoon: After my self-pity post this morning, a couple of interesting things have happened:

1. Schmoo had a #2 with no strain (potassium helps with constipation by restoring electrolyte balance). No pumpkin or other constipation meds needed.

2. He took his medicines and first 2 syringe feedings like a champ. After his cardiac medicines got into his system: improvement -- able to rest comfortably.

3. After potassium dose in his system: MORE improvement -- resting even better.

4. He "booby trapped" his kibble bowl with a catnip bag.

5. He swatted his sister SophSoph because she was in "his" sun patch.

6. He rejected 1 soft food offering, then when I gave him a second flavor, he ate independently for THREE NONSTOP MINUTES. Mind you, he hasn't eaten for longer than 10 seconds for 2 days at a clip.

7. When the Good Lord made Schmoo, he blessed us with a masterpiece that I hope I'm worthy of helping through "kitty hospice!"

The vet said it may take a couple of days for that potassium to kick in and we're only on the first full day. So some positives in the comfort dept. We still have negatives but you can't believe the tears that flowed from me when he ate that long. He hasn't eaten a soft food on his own for that long since he's been on the steroids; and it was a nice pace, not ravenous at all.

Sorry again for the blow-by-blow, but as a writer, I find sometimes it helps to type it out. I hope I'm not wearing out my welcome.

Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,601
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: That Schmoo, he is one tough kitty fighter

Trying to compose my thoughts while crying.Sammycat that was amazing,hearing the thumping sound of MrSchmoos heart.Yes,I do believe he was letting you know he is fine and to stop being so sad.He picked the end of the year to tell you, so that hopefully you can have a better year ahead.

I hope that 2014 will be a happy and healthy year for you and your DH and for everyone of the posters here,the entire Schmoo Clan.

We do not remember days,we remember moments.
The Rainbow Bridge!!!
Regular Contributor
Posts: 196
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: That Schmoo, he is one tough kitty fighter

Sammycat - what a wonderful post to start the New Year. I join the others here in gratitude to you - not only for your amazing love and commitment to a frightened and traumatized cream mackerel tabby - but for your continued love for him after his departure by sharing the journey you and your DH had with him - ALL the life lessons and blessings that came from the SchmooMan - and how we can share with each other and extend these powerful experiences to others who struggle each day to care for their furbabies. All I can say - again - is thank you to you Sammycat and each and everyone here for continuing to maintain and sustain this special place for our special cyber family - the Clan of Schmoo.

Happy New Year to all and may God's Love and richest Blessings shower down on all.

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 6,364
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: That Schmoo, he is one tough kitty fighter

Wednesday report: I humbly thank you for your posts, especially this past week, and for those of you who just come here to read the Schmoo Tales. You've given us great strength and we hope we've continued, by these stories of Schmoo, to knit the friendships started here even more closely together.

(Incidentally, in the emotion of yesterday's post, I made an error. His heart didn't beat once every 2 seconds; it beat twice to 2.5 times every second--yes, cat's heart rates are much faster than ours and so very hard to count. He wouldn't forgive me this mathematical error!)

So, Happy New Year! Be like Schmoo, ready to take on the challenges and dreams and opportunities each day brings. Just like him, photographed below one year ago tomorrow, fresh from administering Prairie Justice to his beloved plastic rat and carrying it all over the upstairs of the house, then boobytrapping his kibble bowl with said rat and having a little "Snicky Snack Time."

Notice the multi-level catnip bag fortress built around the kibble bowl. If the Egyptians would have had Schmoo, there would be a heck of a lot more pyramids to show for it:

Honored Contributor
Posts: 8,008
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: That Schmoo, he is one tough kitty fighter

Sammycat...

For me, I think that this is one one of the most beautiful posts that you have ever written. The two stunning and heartfelt photos moved me to tears. I also believe that your beloved boy did indeed find a way to contact you and that you did hear his heartbeats.

Wishing you,DH and the Clan a peaceful night.Smile

------------------------------------------------------

All of my children have paws =^..^={#emotions_dlg.wub}

Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,525
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: That Schmoo, he is one tough kitty fighter

Hi Sammy, I hope you and all our Dear Friends had a nice New Years Day. Joey is still Blessing me with his brave fight and for that I am starting 2014 grateful. Warm Blessings to each of you from Joey and Jake and I. (Hugs)

Regular Contributor
Posts: 198
Registered: ‎08-21-2010

Re: That Schmoo, he is one tough kitty fighter

Hi Sammycat,

Just dropping in for a moment to bring much love & warm wishes to you and every one of the sweet people who post on this thread...

Wishing you all a very Happy, Healthy & Blessed New Year.

Take good care. Smiley Happy

Honored Contributor
Posts: 19,447
Registered: ‎12-07-2012

Re: That Schmoo, he is one tough kitty fighter

Oh my, the bobby traps surrounding his kibble bowl are just the cutest. Thank you for continuing this life story of your beloved pets. Have a good rest of your week. Love you all.
Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,601
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: That Schmoo, he is one tough kitty fighter

My goodness how many catnip bags did he have there.He really was quite the architect,Thats genius building that booby trap.A Happy New year to everyone and another year of beautiful pictures of Dear MrSchmoo and hearing all the delightful tales to accompany each photo.

We do not remember days,we remember moments.
The Rainbow Bridge!!!
Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 6,364
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: That Schmoo, he is one tough kitty fighter

Thursday report: We're so happy to hear and receive well wishes from regular posters and also friends of Schmoo who we know read along with us and post from time to time, like 57Babe, and happy to hear from Shop Till You Drop about how her pup Joey keeps fighting the good fight against kidney failure. Keep those on our forum who have experienced losses or challenges with ill furbabies like QsZoo and Bluejay in your thoughts and prayers.

We humbly ask for your continued prayers for Kiki-Girl, who has a big oncologist checkup tomorrow. They seem to have her nausea under control and tomorrow they'll check her blood markers and weight.

To those of you like us getting pummeled by this latest Arctic winter storm/blizzard/mess, stay safe. Which leads us to today's Schmoo Tale and his hobby as an amateur meteorologist.

In the spring, his speckled nosy would be pressed firmly against the window screen to check soft breezes aloft. In the fall, he tracked blowing, bright, rustling leaves that did cartwheels along the yard and skirted his carpet fort perch through the area, sometimes whipping his head so fast from left to right that I thought he'd sprain a neck muscle.

He was his finest, though, in winter. A connoisseur of snowflakes, he loved to watch them all...the tiny, icy pellet kind that pitted against the windowpanes; the big ones that floated slowly to the ground; the white-out kind that swirled intensely in a million directions in a blizzard.

Of course the benefits of surveying winter weather as a Schmoo were, basically, you didn't have to go outside. After a heavy-duty session of storm watching, Schmoo did what all smart kitties can and should do: snuggle down on a heated orthopedic bed and smile from ear to ear at the grandeur of it all.

Schmoo's advice to novice kitties and people alike: don't try this unless you have a heated orthopedic bed. Or a flannel baby blankie, in a pinch: