Pet(s): Photos & Discussion

[luv2lurk]

3 hours ago, nokat said:

To lighten the mood a bit:

 

 

OK there is a problem with this . . . I don't think a dog would have a "my cat"

 

[peacheslatour]

1 hour ago, luv2lurk said:

OK there is a problem with this . . . I don't think a dog would have a "my cat"

 

[Scarlett45]

Lady Reese loves boxes. 

[JTMacc99]

23 hours ago, Bastet said:

This is attributed to Jamie Anderson, who apparently writes Dr. Who novels, but I heard part of it on an episode of Dead to Me and immediately looked up the full quote as it touched me so:

Quote

Grief, I've learned, is really just love. It's all the love you want to give, but cannot. All of that unspent love gathers in the corners of your eyes, the lump in your throat, and in the hollow part of your chest. Grief is just love with no place to go.

Oh wow. This is SO interesting. It wasn't long ago when I was coping loss in my own life when I said to my therapist, "You know what doesn't exist without Love? Grief."

She didn't particularly care for the fact that I was implying that I'm just going to avoid love from now on, but she did agree with the way I framed the strength of grief as the companion to love. 

It's no surprise that the professional writer figured out a better, and less cynical, way of saying it.

In the context of my pets that I've lost, the grief is always terrible. And I find that a very helpful way to move on to the acceptance of the loss is talk to my family (and friends, and internet friends) about all of the great things about that pet's life. All of the joy they brought to us; all of the funny things about them, and all of the moments we enjoyed together need to be celebrated. 

The memories and love they brought me is what carries me through the loss. And it also makes me never want to be without pets.  

[Bastet]

Tomorrow will be a week since Riley started her anti-seizure medication, and it's finally starting to kick in (it will take 10-14 days total to really see what it's going to do).  Not enough to tell us whether seizures are indeed what's going on in her forebrain (unfortunately, I tend to think not; I suspect a tumor, which is what the neurologist is worried it's going to turn out to be), but she's able to get a good deal more and better sleep than she'd been able to because she's less confused in general. 

The flip side, of course, is that the side effects have kicked in as well.  One is increased appetite, so that's actually quite helpful (although not enough to get her to eat what she should be eating; she still wants dry food, and mostly wants it from a bowl in bed rather than out of her usual bowl), but another is lack of coordination and that's definitely going on, poor thing.  She did have a slight, specific instance of that as one of her symptoms, where it would happen under a certain set of conditions, but now it's generalized.  That could be a rapid worsening of whatever is going on in her brain, yes, but the timing suggests it's more likely a side effect of the drug.  The side effects "tend to" go away after a month or so, so if she does wind up having to stay on this, hopefully that will be the case for her.

So we're still in the diagnostic process, and she's still not herself by half, but it's nice to see her getting some good sleep for stretches throughout the day and night.  She's talking to me a little more.  She's hiding less.  She's cuddling a little more (she never stopped completely, it's just that it's normally all she does, so reducing by half was a huge difference).  Shorter stretches of being unhappy/uncomfortable.  Fewer instances of the weird behaviors that could be seizure-caused, too, but that actually started last Friday afternoon, and I didn't even give her the first dose until that night.  So everything other than the wobbliness is getting a little better, and, like I said, that is probably worse - hopefully just for now - because of the medication.  It's now clearly a quality of life worth muddling through as we let the step-by-step diagnostic process take place, which eases my anxiety some.  And she's getting overall stronger, so that she'll be up for being put under general anesthesia to have an MRI.

Long road, and still no idea how it will all end up, but she's happier, so we just keep on truckin' down that road and find out.

 

[peacheslatour]

Yay, Riley!

[luv2lurk]

Cheers for Riley and @Bastet!

19 hours ago, peacheslatour said:

This is a clear instance of the cat owning the dog - I mean don't they own everything??????

[secnarf]

Ginny has a date for her exploratory procedure, on Aug 31 - we are all hoping for a polyp that can be removed. If there isn't one, then they will do a bunch of tests while she is under GA, including flush out the nose and send the fluid for analysis.

I have been told that, given the progression and frank blood coming out of her nose, a nasal tumour is also a possibility, but it would be very unusual given her young age.

Otherwise, Ginny has been incredibly cuddly, mostly because she doesn't like her dry food and keeps begging me to give her treats instead - we just opened a new bag of the same food, and she started vomiting again (4x in 3 days), stopped eating the dry food, stopped vomiting. I coaxed her into eating some dry food and then she vomited again a few hours later, which clued me in that it might be the dry food. Luna doesn't really care for it either. The vet will exchange the bag for a different lot, and ask the company if they have changed the formula at all - it is a prescription gastro food.

Including some fun photos!

[Scarlett45]

My cat Blake used to get on top of the cabinets like that when he was young. 

[luv2lurk]

@secnarf Glad you have an appointment for Ginny.

This might be a stupid question, but why not give her canned wet food? In my experience cats love it. Around here, it is now a treat for special occasions (holiday, bday, etc) and licked up quickly.

[secnarf]

9 minutes ago, luv2lurk said:

@secnarf Glad you have an appointment for Ginny.

This might be a stupid question, but why not give her canned wet food? In my experience cats love it. Around here, it is now a treat for special occasions (holiday, bday, etc) and licked up quickly.

They do get canned wet food for dinner. Normally Ginny is not that interested - sometimes I even need to coax her to come to the kitchen with a play session. She also physically struggles to eat the wet food. She has the “lick” part down, but then she just licks it around (and off of) her food dish. 

I could stop giving her wet food entirely and most days she wouldn’t care. Now that she is hungrier, she is definitely more interested in the wet food but still not very good at getting it in her mouth. 
Luna, on the other hand, loves the wet food and is very excited about it. I had to get one of those textured mats to slow her down so that Ginny could have a chance to finish hers before Luna decides to help herself (and yes I have tried separating them - they both just refuse to eat in that case). 

[Bastet]

26 minutes ago, luv2lurk said:

This might be a stupid question, but why not give her canned wet food? In my experience cats love it.

And then there's my goober.  Canned is her norm (I give raw, preferably, or canned if they don't like it, to all my cats), with a little bit of dry (Nature's Variety Instinct, which is one of the few that isn't higher in carbs than is ideal for a feline diet) at night as a treat.  As soon as she doesn't feel 100%, she refuses the canned or at least eats less of it. 

If she really doesn't feel well, she'll refuse the dry, too, and wants me to hand feed her poached chicken breast and raw chicken liver.  Then when she starts feeling a little better, she's where we are now -- she'll eat dry, and a proper caloric intake per day, but not the usual dry; she'll eat a 2:1 ratio of a good but not great dry food (not grain free, but at least no wheat or corn [or soy]) mixed with utter junk food -- that if she eats any more of than that, she itches all the time, because it's made of shit she shouldn't be eating, but you try explaining it to her!

Oh, well.  None of it is poison; whatever she'll eat during her bouts of oddness is good enough.  When she's normal, I like her to eat the highest-quality food she likes.  So when she won't eat that, I don't stress over what she will eat.  It all evens out, and getting enough calories is the most important thing, even if they're not from the most nutritious ingredients; cats are quite vulnerable to a condition called hepatic lipidosis if they suddenly stop eating or only eat significantly less than normal.

@secnarfI'm glad the exploratory procedure is on the horizon, and hope it finally reveals a cause -- and something that is easily dealt with.  You and Ginny have really been through it lately, and my fingers are crossed for a happy resolution.

Edited August 11, 2023 by Bastet

[SuprSuprElevated]

All the best to Ginny. We're rooting for you G & Riley!

[peacheslatour]

51 minutes ago, secnarf said:

They do get canned wet food for dinner. Normally Ginny is not that interested - sometimes I even need to coax her to come to the kitchen with a play session. She also physically struggles to eat the wet food. She has the “lick” part down, but then she just licks it around (and off of) her food dish. 

I could stop giving her wet food entirely and most days she wouldn’t care. Now that she is hungrier, she is definitely more interested in the wet food but still not very good at getting it in her mouth. 
Luna, on the other hand, loves the wet food and is very excited about it. I had to get one of those textured mats to slow her down so that Ginny could have a chance to finish hers before Luna decides to help herself (and yes I have tried separating them - they both just refuse to eat in that case). 

Been there. Nathan was a champion licker and Elizabeth, being a hearty young Maine c****, was ready to eat anything and everything. It was such a struggle. I don't think I can handle having two cats ever again. I'm so sorry you're going through this. (((hugs))).

Oh I forgot this site censors certain words.  You guys know what I meant. 😜

[nokat]

On 8/11/2023 at 1:32 AM, peacheslatour said:

Been there. Nathan was a champion licker and Elizabeth, being a hearty young Maine c****, was ready to eat anything and everything. It was such a struggle. I don't think I can handle having two cats ever again. I'm so sorry you're going through this. (((hugs))).

Oh I forgot this site censors certain words.  You guys know what I meant. 😜

They really do need to adjust the algorithm for Maine c****. There are several perfectly okay words that get the **** treatment.

[Browncoat]

I saw this sign outside a vet clinic the other day:  "We love big mutts and we cannot lie"

[nokat]

Me out dancing: 

[Bastet]

7 hours ago, nokat said:

There are several perfectly okay words that get the **** treatment.

Yet people can type "bitch" on this site all day long if they so desire. 

I think the auto-masking of words that can be used as slurs is fine, but I think it ought to trigger a report so that mods remove the post altogether if it is indeed being used as a slur.  If it's being used innocuously, as in the case of a cat breed, it should be restored -- although I haven't come across one yet that wasn't clear from context what the word is, so I guess it's not a big deal for it to stay masked.

[peacheslatour]

30 minutes ago, Bastet said:

Yet people can type "bitch" on this site all day long if they so desire. 

I think the auto-masking of words that can be used as slurs is fine, but I think it ought to trigger a report so that mods remove the post altogether if it is indeed being used as a slur.  If it's being used innocuously, as in the case of a cat breed, it should be restored -- although I haven't come across one yet that wasn't clear from context what the word is, so I guess it's not a big deal for it to stay masked.

I'll just start calling her a Maine C.?

Edited August 13, 2023 by peacheslatour

[SuprSuprElevated]

❤️

[SoMuchTV]

31 minutes ago, peacheslatour said:

I'll just start calling her a Maine C.?

Maybe a Maine Cooone?

[oliviabenson]

Maine Cookie?

[nokat]

2 hours ago, Bastet said:

Yet people can type "bitch" on this site all day long if they so desire. 

I think the auto-masking of words that can be used as slurs is fine, but I think it ought to trigger a report so that mods remove the post altogether if it is indeed being used as a slur.  If it's being used innocuously, as in the case of a cat breed, it should be restored -- although I haven't come across one yet that wasn't clear from context what the word is, so I guess it's not a big deal for it to stay masked.

Yes, I understand even with the ****. Everyone knows anyway, and I'm pretty sure kids know more swear words than I do. I have to use a site to look up new ones. 

Do not look if you are easily offended.

Spoiler

I found  I could type c*** with no problems.  Well not here.

 

Edited August 13, 2023 by nokat

[nokat]

2 hours ago, peacheslatour said:

I'll just start calling her a Maine C.?

A Maine quarterback.

[isalicat]

6 hours ago, SuprSuprElevated said:

❤️

Um, I seem to be missing something here. Is this so you can have a cat but not let it actually live with you? This creeped me out actually (its like something my neurotic brother-in-law would have). What happens to the cat if there is a fire and no one is home? Help me here...

[SuprSuprElevated]

50 minutes ago, isalicat said:

Um, I seem to be missing something here.

Well, mine wouldn't have a door, so I can see some confusion there, but for me I love it because it enables the kitties to have their own play space which might (in my dream) contain the mess and hair etc, but I still get to observe them while they play. I will miss my kitty/s horribly when Pearl is gone as I doubt I'll have another, but I will.not.miss.that.fugly.cat.tower. that is in our main living space.

Edited August 14, 2023 by SuprSuprElevated

[Scarlett45]

1 hour ago, isalicat said:

Um, I seem to be missing something here. Is this so you can have a cat but not let it actually live with you? This creeped me out actually (its like something my neurotic brother-in-law would have). What happens to the cat if there is a fire and no one is home? Help me here...

I think it’s a way for the cat to have its own space, if it needs to be contained, but you can still see it. I would imagine it would be easier than having to put the cat in the bathroom/bedroom etc. Lady Reese loves eggs so she usually goes into my bathroom while I eat breakfast so I can eat in peace! It does give a “shelter” vibe though. 

[SVNBob]

I think that it's a cat quarantine.  They can observe and be observed, but there's a distinct separation so as to not potentially infect the rest of the household.

The reason I think that is based on a couple on YouTube, Rachel and Jun.  When they recently built their house in Japan, their plans included a glass-enclosed room like the one in the picture (but decorated very differently) for a foster cat quarantine.   Here's a video where they talk about it in the planning stages:

Also featured are 2 of their 4 cats, one of which I know was a rescue, so they've got experience.

[peacheslatour]

10 hours ago, Scarlett45 said:

I think it’s a way for the cat to have its own space, if it needs to be contained, but you can still see it. I would imagine it would be easier than having to put the cat in the bathroom/bedroom etc. Lady Reese loves eggs so she usually goes into my bathroom while I eat breakfast so I can eat in peace! It does give a “shelter” vibe though. 

But why put it in the foyer? I think that's very odd. Yes, it looks cool under the stairs but it would make more sense for something like that to be in a rec room or kitchen.

[Scarlett45]

42 minutes ago, peacheslatour said:

But why put it in the foyer? I think that's very odd. Yes, it looks cool under the stairs but it would make more sense for something like that to be in a rec room or kitchen.

Maybe just because it looks cool and the under stairs was wasted space. 

[JustHereForFood]

I thought it was a Harry Potter reference.

[peacheslatour]

8 minutes ago, Scarlett45 said:

Maybe just because it looks cool and the under stairs was wasted space. 

But if you were to put a cat in there, it would be alone. Who spends time in their foyer? Nobody, that's who. So they put little Muffin in there and go entertain their guests and there poor muffin sits, all alone, forgotten.

[Scarlett45]

20 minutes ago, peacheslatour said:

But if you were to put a cat in there, it would be alone. Who spends time in their foyer? Nobody, that's who. So they put little Muffin in there and go entertain their guests and there poor muffin sits, all alone, forgotten.

But I’m assuming Muffin doesn’t live there all day every day. It’s Muffin’s room for when Muffin needs to be put away from the rest of the home (guests, repairs etc). 

[peacheslatour]

Poor Muffin.

[Suzn]

30 minutes ago, Scarlett45 said:

But I’m assuming Muffin doesn’t live there all day every day. It’s Muffin’s room for when Muffin needs to be put away from the rest of the home (guests, repairs etc). 

I'm concerned for Muffin unless it is for brief times.  It looks kind of cold - no soft or cuddly surfaces.

[Mindthinkr]

I have such long whiskers. I’m counting down to my 20th birthday in two months.

Love Squeaky 💛🐈‍⬛
 

Thursday is International Black Cats Appreciation Day so post your pictures. 
 

I’m a panfur. Hear me roar. Love BB 💚🐈‍⬛

[Scarlett45]

Hi Squeaky and BB! I love black kitties (as you can tell by my profile picture). 
 

I’ll share some of Scarlett and Mr Norris who have crossed the rainbow bridge. 

[BooksRule]

I had to let my Alice girl go over the Rainbow Bridge this morning.  She was my baby girl cat for 19 years, but 19 years didn't seem long enough to me. I still have her sister, and I hope to have her for some time to come (although she has her health issues as well).  Alice had been declining over the last few weeks so I was semi-prepared, but I guess you're never really prepared.

At least I got to be with her at the end.  The vet and his staff were so kind.  The vet talked me through the whole procedure and let me be with her afterwards as long as I wanted. I should get her ashes back in a few days.

So far her sister hasn't seemed to notice that Alice is gone (she's sleeping), but I'm going to watch her around dinnertime to see how she acts. 

[Mindthinkr]

4 minutes ago, BooksRule said:

I had to let my Alice girl go over the Rainbow Bridge this morning.  She was my baby girl cat for 19 years, but 19 years didn't seem long enough to me. I still have her sister, and I hope to have her for some time to come (although she has her health issues as well).  Alice had been declining over the last few weeks so I was semi-prepared, but I guess you're never really prepared.

At least I got to be with her at the end.  The vet and his staff were so kind.  The vet talked me through the whole procedure and let me be with her afterwards as long as I wanted. I should get her ashes back in a few days.

So far her sister hasn't seemed to notice that Alice is gone (she's sleeping), but I'm going to watch her around dinnertime to see how she acts. 

My sincere condolences. 😿🌈💔

[Scarlett45]

7 minutes ago, BooksRule said:

I had to let my Alice girl go over the Rainbow Bridge this morning.  She was my baby girl cat for 19 years, but 19 years didn't seem long enough to me. I still have her sister, and I hope to have her for some time to come (although she has her health issues as well).  Alice had been declining over the last few weeks so I was semi-prepared, but I guess you're never really prepared.

At least I got to be with her at the end.  The vet and his staff were so kind.  The vet talked me through the whole procedure and let me be with her afterwards as long as I wanted. I should get her ashes back in a few days.

So far her sister hasn't seemed to notice that Alice is gone (she's sleeping), but I'm going to watch her around dinnertime to see how she acts. 

I’m so sorry. You gave Alice a wonderful life and she was lucky to have you! 19yrs is a gift, but we never have them long enough it feels like. 
 

I am glad the staff was so kind, I’ve found those in veterinary medicine are some of the kindest people I have ever met.  

[peacheslatour]

43 minutes ago, BooksRule said:

I had to let my Alice girl go over the Rainbow Bridge this morning.  She was my baby girl cat for 19 years, but 19 years didn't seem long enough to me. I still have her sister, and I hope to have her for some time to come (although she has her health issues as well).  Alice had been declining over the last few weeks so I was semi-prepared, but I guess you're never really prepared.

At least I got to be with her at the end.  The vet and his staff were so kind.  The vet talked me through the whole procedure and let me be with her afterwards as long as I wanted. I should get her ashes back in a few days.

So far her sister hasn't seemed to notice that Alice is gone (she's sleeping), but I'm going to watch her around dinnertime to see how she acts. 

I'm so sorry, BookRule.  You know yougave her the best life any kitty could have. We went through that with our Nathan. Elizabeth noticed right away. She had never been a lap cat before that but suddenly, she wanted to be held a lot. It has tapered off after a time. (((HUGS)))

[ABay]

My heart aches for you, @BooksRule.

[peacheslatour]

27 minutes ago, peacheslatour said:

I'm so sorry, BooksRule.  You know yougave her the best life any kitty could have. We went through that with our Nathan. Elizabeth noticed right away. She had never been a lap cat before that but suddenly, she wanted to be held a lot. It has tapered off after a time. (((HUGS)))

 

28 minutes ago, peacheslatour said:

 

 

[BooksRule]

27 minutes ago, peacheslatour said:

She had never been a lap cat before that but suddenly, she wanted to be held a lot. It has tapered off after a time. (((HUGS)))

My Alice had never been a lap cat either (her sister Maggie was clingy), but I had noticed that in the last several weeks she would stick really close to me. She liked to sleep on the couch in the living room (where I watched TV), but a lot of times when I would be in the den at the computer, she could nap at my feet (which she had never done before).  I had to get into the habit of watching for her before I moved to get up.  

[peacheslatour]

1 hour ago, BooksRule said:

My Alice had never been a lap cat either (her sister Maggie was clingy), but I had noticed that in the last several weeks she would stick really close to me. She liked to sleep on the couch in the living room (where I watched TV), but a lot of times when I would be in the den at the computer, she could nap at my feet (which she had never done before).  I had to get into the habit of watching for her before I moved to get up.  

I think they know. There is something mystical about cats.

[Bastet]

I'm sorry to hear about Alice's death, @BooksRule.  (I like that name; it was Maddie's middle name -- Madeline Alice.)

Nineteen years is a great lifespan for a cat, but it's never enough time for us.  I'm glad you have her sister to be of some comfort to you.  And that you had such caring veterinary staff with you during one of your hardest moments.

Baxter died after three days in the hospital, and Maddie didn't notice he was missing until the night before.  (By contrast, he paced around looking for her when she was at the vet for half a day getting her teeth cleaned.)  Several hours after he died, she got his "noisy ball" toy out; she hated the noise that thing made, so got irritated whenever he played with it, so her getting it out and making it do the noise was trying to draw him out from wherever he'd disappeared to.  In the midst of my debilitating grief, it was one of the sweetest things.

[Gramto6]

So sorry for your loss @BooksRule. Alice had a great life with you. I know so well that while it is never long enough for us, their memory will always be in our hearts. ((((Hugs))))

Edited August 14, 2023 by Gramto6

[Suzn]

6 hours ago, BooksRule said:

I had to let my Alice girl go over the Rainbow Bridge this morning.  She was my baby girl cat for 19 years, but 19 years didn't seem long enough to me. I still have her sister, and I hope to have her for some time to come (although she has her health issues as well).  Alice had been declining over the last few weeks so I was semi-prepared, but I guess you're never really prepared.

At least I got to be with her at the end.  The vet and his staff were so kind.  The vet talked me through the whole procedure and let me be with her afterwards as long as I wanted. I should get her ashes back in a few days.

So far her sister hasn't seemed to notice that Alice is gone (she's sleeping), but I'm going to watch her around dinnertime to see how she acts. 

I'm so sorry you lost your Alice.  19 years is not enough.

[SuprSuprElevated]

Echoing everyone's thoughts @BooksRule. So sorry about Alice~

My previous three kitkats also spent an inordinate amount of time with me in the weeks/months preceding their passing. I am sadly noticing this with my Pearl.

No Pearl. It's not time. 😔

[ABay]

I bright Sasha home for the last time this morning. The ashes are in a small box with a tree of life on it, and there's a certificate. I was holding it together until I saw a card with a paw print and realized that it's her paw print and then I fell apart.