Pet Lovers

[newtoallthis]

Here is Tessa sitting on the bed looking at Sugar. I would love to know what she is thinking.

[Sammycat1]

@newtoallthis 

"How long do I have to put up with this one?" LOL

[NickNack]

@newtoallthis   What's SHE doing here?

That's a perfect expression.  It's kind of how my cat, Henry, looked when I got Ava.

[sceniccoast]

Thank you @Sammycat1, that's very thoughtful of you.

And, Sweet Frankie, thank you for your playful pose.  So happy to see you had great playtime with your Dad.  A "feel good" day for you today!

Sweet & peaceful dreams tonight.  

[Sammycat1]

Wednesday report:  Greetings to Schmoosters on what finally feels like a fall day!  Almost sweatshirt weather--but not quite.

Frankie asks that you read a snippet from the Schmoo book, which I haven't fine edited yet. Backstory: It involves the integration of Schmoo into our pet family after a cat we had named Sammy died. Sophie the cat looked up to Sammy as a big brother, and when Sammy died, she was lost and went into overdrive grieving. We called her the "Me, Too!" kitty because she followed Sammy everywhere, did everything he did. Fergus=our collie. Schmoo HQ=our bed in the master bedroom; the "champagne lion"=Schmoo.

When Sammy had died, the furry triangular balance of power in our house had fallen off-kilter. Sophie and Fergus grieved not just his presence, but that balance–which had long tipped in Sammy’s favor as leader. We had two followers left with no pacesetter to guide the way.

As he reclined in resplendence on Schmoo HQ, the champagne lion assumed that mantle of leadership on his first day in residence and cranked it up several notches. Like a strong weather front that cleanses a landscape as it powers through, Schmoo’s vibrance and force of personality swept light and life back into the house. Refrains of the song “Walking on Sunshine” seemed to accompany his every move. The other pets loved it–especially Sophie.

Bookshelves overflow with animal experts’ take on the differences of behavior between male and female cats toward their human housemates, as well as how they relate to one another. Often, female cats appear more affectionate and quiet; tomcats, the rambunctious bandy roosters of the feline sphere, keep to themselves while plotting their next conquest. Sophie and Schmoo, however, had read none of these studies.

Soph never wore her heart on her sleeve; she doled out her affection carefully. Built low to the ground, she was stoic and strong but skittish–perhaps from the stress she experienced living on the streets before we adopted her. Still, when she and Sammy had cornered a field mouse in our kitchen years before, it was Soph who recoiled a front leg and punched the poor rodent square in the forehead. We don’t know who was more stunned: The mouse laying on its back frantically trying to right itself, or Sammy, who glanced sideways at Soph, sizing her up with newfound respect.

While Soph identified with Dave, Schmoo made it clear from that first day at the shelter that he’d be Mommy’s cat–but never a Mama’s boy. A tank of a cat, he was puckish, fast, demanding, fearless, vocal, powerfully athletic and dominating ... traits expected from a male cat, but magnified to the tenth power.

Yet he also had a sensitivity none of our other cats possessed. We soon learned that he knew when anyone under our roof was hurting, physically or emotionally. No one could conceal it from him. It set him on edge to see what he interpreted as suffering, and he clung to those he deemed in the dumps.

As a matter of compassion, Schmoo probably would have asked the mouse confronted by Sammy and Soph long ago if he had any last thoughts, then punched him in the head. Just the kind of leader Soph needed to fulfill her “Me Too” yearnings: commanding, but kind of heart.

Here's a photo of "Me Too" Sophie taken with her new big brother, Schmoo, providing "back up." It may not seem it, but because Sophie is in the foreground, you can't tell that Schmoo was about 1 1/2 times her size and almost twice her length. The expressions are what count:

[newtoallthis]

@Sammycat1 

He was magnificent! 

Beautiful words. Sophie was a beauty too!

🥰

[NickNack]

@Sammycat1   Beautiful cats!  Both of them are so pretty and regal.  I enjoyed the snippet of your book, too, and look forward to reading more of it as you share.

[Annabellethecat66]

So yesterday my friend (remember, she's the Vet's nurse) came at 6:00 AM (while my daughter and I slept) and took Katie the cat an Bill the cat to work with her.

She called later and said I could come and pick up Bill.  They did all of the blood work on him, cleaned his teeth, gave him his yearly shots (gave both shots, etc).

I picked up Bill and brought him back home but Katie ended up staying there because she had to have yet another tooth taken out.  Katie stayed over night at the Vet's.  

First thing this morning, Katie had her tooth pulled, her ears cleaned, her claws cut (we can't get close enough to catch her to do it).

Today I found out all of the blood work on both cats is perfect. Well, he runs it to make sure they are OK before he performs anything on them.

In the past Bill has had an inflamed pancreas so he eats prescription food and periodically I have to give him amoxicillian

The bill for all of it was about $1,700.  Good grief!  Good thing it's only once a year.  Katie couldn't possibly have many teeth left.

It's strange because normally she hates everyone and never speaks.  Tonight she's talking up a storm and is actually around my daughter and me.

Bill is being onery with her.  I told my daughter I think it's because she smells like the Vet's place and he doesn't like the smells of other cats and dogs.

I called my friend who helped in the tooth extraction and she said they gave her a shot for pain and a very strong shot of an antibiotic.

When my daughter brought her home and opened the carrier, she came out and walked into the wall 2 times.  She was very disoriented.  She's very small and thin so I think the medicine is taking awhile to get through her.  She has been eating soft food up a storm.

[Annabellethecat66]

@Sammycat1  I forgot to tell you how much I adore your picture of your cat.  He looks exactly like my Bill right now to the black spots on the end of his nose.

[Sammycat1]

Thursday report:   Greetings to all and thank you for your comments on the "Schmoo book snippet."  The book will contain many "Schmoo Tales," as @beastielove calls them--familiar stories shared here about his epic journey with the rare form of heart failure. There will also be snapshots of our family with Schmoo that will not be familiar but I believe should be shared.

@Annabellethecat66   That's amazing that your Bill looks so much like my Schmoo did.  Brothers from another mother! 

Yesterday, Frankie had a bad day. Vomiting, lethargic, not eating as well. But now we are an Indy 500 pit crew, pulling out all of the medicines, immediately taking her temperature, checking her gums, doing all we've been taught to do to help her with this nasty triaditis.

I'm happy to report she has no fever and feels a bit better today, choosing to monitor neighborhood malfeasance from her usual sun patch: