Merry Christmas!

Today’s post is short and I hope sweet. I just want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas. I also want to say Happy Birthday to me (on Wednesday)! That’s not too self-absorbed is it? Nah, I think it’s okay.

Joining me in this post is Gooseberry. He’s always nearby so easy to catch with a photo. I’m afraid my camera is too big for him to work so I had to take this picture for him. We’re joining Kitties Blue at Cat on myHead (thanks for the Christmas card!) for Sunday Selfies, though it really isn’t a selfie. We’ll just pretend, okay?

Obesity

We all know by now that obesity is a real problem in the world. But did you know that it’s a problem nearing epidemic proportions (I may be exaggerating) for our pets? It’s not only an aesthetic problem, who wants a tubby pet? It can mean health troubles too.

B.W. Huckleberry is definitely NOT obese though he would like to be

Chubby pets are more prone to diabetes, arthritis, liver disease and pancreatitis. It can be a self-motivating factor as well. The fatter your pet, the more weight he needs to lose, the harder it is to get him to move and thus lose weight.

But wait a minute! Losing weight too quickly can be a bad thing too. Always work with your veterinarian to begin a weight loss program. Incorporate a decrease in food intake, increase in activity and frequent (weekly) weighing sessions for a successful program. But your veterinarian can help you decide what type of food you should be using and how much you should be giving. He/she will also help design a proper exercise regimen. By weighing frequently you will see how much loss (or gain) is happening and if it is too much you can adjust right away.

With dogs it is easy to plan a walking schedule and route in order to get in enough exercise. You can also include play sessions to make it more fun. On bad weather days I used to throw my dog’s toys up the stairs and he get exercise running up and down the stairs. He also had a cadre of tricks we’d go through all the time to keep his mind busy. That’s another side effect of exercise!

For cats you might say, I can’t make my cat exercise! Ah, but you can. Many cats love to play fetch with their favorite toys. That’s one possibility but you might also try using a wand toy. They prefer it when you are involved in some way. Other times you can bring out another favorite toy that they haven’t seen in awhile. I guarantee they’ll be intrigued by it. (Always keep some of their toys hidden in a closet or some other place they can’t get to so the toys seem new when you bring them out.)

Timing is important too. One play session we have is right before their last meal before bedtime. I use a wand toy, moving it up and down the stairs and they all partake in stair running. Then they eat and go to bed. I don’t have much trouble with my cats getting me up in the middle of the night because I tire them out and feed them before bedtime.

As for the variety of diets that purport to be for weight loss, I’ll leave that up to your veterinarian and you to decide. Some are high in fiber, some are low protein and some are even formulated to help your pet metabolize it better. I’m not a nutritionist so I wouldn’t even try to tell you about all of those.

Now, I’m again joining Kitties Blue from The Cat on my Head for Sunday Selfies so here’s the selfie for this week. It is Two-y behaving like a domestic cat instead of a feral. He is starting to fit in more and more every day.

Two-y on the dog's bed. He's B.W.'s father

Black and White

Every once in awhile I get to looking at some photos and wonder what they'd look like in black and white. I switched the following photos from color to black and white and really like the looks.

This one is of Gooseberry back when he was known as Trucker, his temporary name, until I decided to keep him. He was such a cutey and quite lovable. Still is.

This photo is of Gooseberry again a few years later with the late Lady Butterfly in one of their closer times. They didn't always get along. But when they did it was adorable.

Again this week we're joining The Cat on my Head for Sunday Selfies. Hope these older photos fit in.

Cat Life, a book review

I’ve just finished a book that you’ll surely love if you are a cat lover. Cat Life: Celebrating the History, Culture & Love of the Cat by Amy Shojai is not only a comprehensive resource of all things “cat,” it is also a pleasure to read. It is a beautiful book as befitting its subject. The information is well organized and easily navigated.

In Chapter one “Evolutionary Cat” we learn how the cat, as we know it, evolved from the time of dinosaurs to present day. We are shown here how our precious little cats are related to the big cats and other wild cats. This chapter also takes us on a trip through the history of domestic cats.

Chapter two “Cultured Cat” reveals how cats were regarded in the culture of many different times in history. We read about times when cats earned their keep, times when they were revered, and times when they were not so lucky. Myths and legends have been both kind and hard on our cats. And Shojai shows us that they have been recognized in art and literature.

The “Physical Cat” presents the physical and psychological side of cats. Anything from the claw, tail or ear to the spine, organs or physiology is presented in this chapter. It is a book’s worth of knowledge about your cat an operation manual of sorts.

And finally, in Chapter four “Gallery of Breeds” we are treated to an introduction to several of the existing breeds in the cat fancy. Author Amy Shojai shows us wonderful photos of many breeds and explains what sets them apart from other breeds. She even includes some of the relatively newer breeds such as the Lykoi and the Toyger.

As if that weren’t enough she includes beautiful photos all through the book as well as various quotations that illustrate our favorite species and all her foibles. And at the end of the book she also lists more of her books that you can to read for more complete information.

I definitely recommend Cat Life to anyone who loves cats and wants more information. You may purchase it starting today on Amazon.

I received an advanced copy, ebook version, at no cost but my stated opinions herein are my own. I was not compensated for my review.

As for selfies we are again joining The Cat On My Head this week. We're going back in time for no other reason than I was just thinking about this particular cat. Mouse was a feral cat I took in and she helped to introduce another group of kittens into my household. Here she is photobombing my Scheffllera.

Holiday Fun and Danger

Meadow showing her "feral" ear

We are, of course, joining The Cat on My Head in a blog hop.

This week is the gateway to much eating (gorging) and frivolity (alcohol). That means it’s a good time to remind everyone how to keep your pets safe and healthy during this season.

First remember that to your pet all the fun and activity is a change in their environment and could stress them out. When having friends or family over, try to confine your pet in a room away from the noise. Provide him with familiar blankets and toys to make him feel more comfortable. Another reason to keep him confined is to prevent accidental escapes. Your pet may become frightened and/or excited and slip out the door. Before you know it he’s out and roaming the neighborhood.

Second, don’t share human food with your pets. While some foods may seem to be okay to share, they may contain spices or other ingredients that are not. Pets may normally like plain pumpkin puree but pumpkin pie contains spices that might upset your pet’s digestive system. Likewise with meat that is treated with spices, alcohol, etc. just leave your pet out of meals. Provide him with small amounts of pet treats instead.

Also think about your decorations. Tinsel can rip intestines to shreds or become balled up causing blockages. Spray snow on the windows can be toxic if swallowed. If glass ornaments are knocked to the floor (maybe by playful paws) they may break causing damage to innocent paws, or be ingested. If you use a real tree the water can be toxic to pets. Find someway to block their access to the water. Candles, when lit, are a fire hazard and can easily be knocked over by pets or set fire to passing tails.

This is by no means a complete list of hazards. While making plans for your festivities remember to include plans for your pets’ safety. Think about everything you do and what effects it might have on your pet. Let’s have a safe holiday season this year.

Mulberry Spot didn't notice that the sun had moved

On another note, Spotty broke with diarrhea again while on his antibiotic. Since I can’t afford to put him through expensive surgeries or more tests we are treating him with a medication that helps pets with IBD (inflammatory bowel disease). I’m keeping my fingers crossed that this finally helps him. Thanks for all your thoughts and prayers.

Aging with Glamor

Jabberwoky Glitter

We are joining the Cat On My Head blog for Sunday Selfies again this week. Sorry we’re so late today. We’ve been dealing with another health issue in the family. “Glamor Glitter,” er, Jabberwoky Glitter has decided she doesn’t want to eat very much anymore and is losing weight as a consequence.

She’s been suffering from kidney disease, hyperthyroidism, hypertension and worsening blindness. Did you know that these three conditions can be interrelated? In fact, hyperthyroidism can mask kidney function tests if not controlled.

This just emphasizes the need to have “senior panels” run on your cat on a regular basis. That usually means a complete blood count (CBC), a chemistry panel (organ function), and a TT4 level (thyroid).

Today we started applying Mirataz®, a transdermal appetite stimulant to Glitter’s ear and hope that we see a difference tomorrow or the next day. Luckily she is still eating some so I hope this gets her back to her regular level of eating.

Here’s Glitter’s selfie for this week. For some reason she always cocks her ears to the side whenever we try to get a photo of her.

Here's my selfie, aren't I glamorous?

Do you have a cat suffering from one of these ailments? If so, what do you do for them?

Bad experiences

As some of you noticed in last week’s comments, Mulberry Spot has relapsed. Two days after finishing his antibiotic he broke with diarrhea again. So we restarted his antibiotic and will keep him on it for another two weeks.

  Jabberwoky Glitter and Mulberry Spot

I’m writing this while watching Iowa State University Cyclone football. Now, I love cats and I like Cyclone football (only Cyclone football) but I don’t believe the two should be combined. I watched in horror, the video from some football game this week, where a feral cat got trapped inside the coliseum and kept running and running and running, trying to escape. All I could think was, that poor cat. Once he got free of that nightmare and all the adrenaline was gone he had to be exhausted. Cats weren’t meant to run long distances.

Have you ever seen a cat in such a harrowing situation? Have you ever seen your cats just totally exhausted from some experience?

Mewdy Blue and Cyclone colors

One year, I’m almost embarrassed to admit it, my beloved Mewdy Blue escaped my house at night and was gone for almost 24 hours. When he finally showed up again he came inside and collapsed. He must have slept for another 24 hours. He was usually one of those unflappable cats but I guess being outside alone was just too much for him.

I’m a big proponent of keeping cats indoors but in both of these examples the cat is outside due to some unfortunate circumstance. We are joining The Cat on my Head for today's Sunday Selfie.

Sunday Funtime

Mulberry Spot thought he would stop by for a selfie today. This time you actually get to see his nose. By the way a fecal culture showed that Spot had a particularly bad E. coli infection as I wrote a couple of weeks ago. Well, now he has finished his antibiotics and is doing great. I hope it lasts now that he's off meds. He is eating really well, filling out nicely and no more diarrhea! Yay!

Mulberry Spot before he got sick

We are joining the Kitties Blue at Cat on my Head for today's Sunday Selfies. Winter is definitely here no matter what the calendar says. We've already had our first two snows although the snow is already gone. Now the leaves are falling.

Sunday Selfies

B.W. Huckleberry with Gooseberry in the background

B.W. Huckleberry in a photo fail, sort of

We're joining the Kitties Blue for the Sunday Selfies blog hop. Haven't been able to get anything else together for a post today so this will be it. Enjoy.

A Recap of the Week Gone By

Wow, did I ever miss the boat(s)! Because of the weather I thought I should point out the winter hazards that are on the horizon. But I forgot two other happenings: National Veterinary Technician Week and World Cat Day (didn’t that used to be Feral Cats Day?).

Just because National Veterinary Technician Week is over that doesn’t mean you can’t go ahead and thank your local veterinary technician. Sure, veterinarians perform the surgeries but whom do you think preps the animals for surgery? And the veterinarian must diagnose diseases and be the one to prescribe medications for your pet but a veterinary technician will actually dispense those medications. Veterinary technicians will run lab work so the veterinarian can make that diagnosis. In smaller clinics you might even find veterinary technicians helping to clean the kennels, bathe animals and answer phone calls. No matter what role they play in the clinic/hospital you take your pet to, don’t they deserve a simple thank-you?

Two-y before he came inside

World Cat Day is important to me because I am devoted to my cats and because all of my present cats are “retired” ferals or the offspring of ferals. Without my work with feral colonies I wouldn’t have my present family! And I’m proud to say that last year I took in the last feral cat from the last colony I’ve worked with. His name is Two-y and he is slowly learning how to be a domestic cat. Just this weekend he came out of his cubbyhole to try to join the other cats at mealtime. They aren’t yet ready for this though so he had to go back to his cubbyhole to eat. I’m proud to say that yesterday I was able to clip his claws without having someone else to hold him.

I’m happy today because we may have found the cause of Mulberry Spot’s illness. First we had to diagnose his food sensitivity (probably an allergy) by going through diet after diet until finally he is stable on Royal Canin’s Ultamino diet. That helped to stop his vomiting and he stopped pulling out his fur. I have to be extremely careful not to leave any food out where he can get into them. He eats his meal in a carrier and doesn’t get to come out until after I’ve picked up all the other bowls and utensils.

Mulberry Spot at the Cat-n-Around Cat Club show

He continued to have diarrhea though and he continued to lose weight and muscle mass. Finally this week we submitted a fecal swab for a culture and sensitivity. It appears, tentatively, that the culprit is E. coli haemalytic. So I started Spotty on the appropriate antibiotic today and am praying that will be the solution.

Mulberry Spot is my last show cat. I continued showing him until he started to get sick. He is now retired from the show circuit, and enjoys his cuddle time.

Strawberry: "Can I get back to my nap now?"

We are joining The Cat on my Head again this week for Sunday Selfies. By popular request I helped Strawberry with his selfie. I interrupted his nap, however, and he wasn’t particularly pleased. I’ve also included a photo of a part of my feline family curled up together in a very warm lump. Enjoy!

Spot, Strawberry, Glitter, Gooseberry, B.W.

Winter Hazards

We're joining The Cat on My Head again for Sunday Selfies although this might be titled Easy Like Sunday Morning.

Jabberwoky Glitter and B.W. Huckleberry

 Our weather took a turn toward winter this weekend. Saturday we had our first hard freeze. I bring this up because it reminds us all to be sure we have our pets prepared for winter hazards. Even if your dog is “indoor only” he will be going outside a few times a day to tend to business and maybe go for walks.

First remember that some breeds relish winter weather but even they aren’t prepared for the worst that winter can throw at us. My late American Eskimo dog, Blizzard, loved to run outside after his baths to roll around in the snow – he was still wet! But even he knew that once the temperature hit below zero, inside was a much better place for him.

Two-y when he decided to be an indoor cat

Walks are another story. Think about all the things your dog’s paws touch during your walks. Remember he’s barefooted. He could be walking through salt or other thawing agents from the roads or sidewalks. There might even be anti-freeze mixing in there. And imagine all the ice that could be packing in his paws. That builds up and hurts his paws. Two possibilities can help. First, be sure to clean your dog’s feet off as soon as you get back to your house. Second, consider getting some boots for him. Pet supply stores usually carry them so you can try them on before buying.

Then there are the times when you might be transporting your pet somewhere. Be sure to line the carrier with something warm and cuddly. Also consider a cover for the carrier. I made a couple for my carriers when I was showing my cats. They are made of fleece and sewn to fit the carriers. I used Velcro on the front flap to make it easy to open. You might also put sweaters on your cats or shorthair dogs to help keep them warm.

This cold spell may only be temporary but winter is coming. Let’s all prepare for it now.

How do you protect your pets from winter hazards? Do you have some that I’ve left out?

A Cat Show and More

Maine Coons playing it cool

I’m sorry I’m so late with my Sunday Selfies hosted by Cat On My Head post but I spent the weekend at a local cat show. The weekend started out with a horrible thunderstorm. Of course I drove through the worst of it. I thought it was like God emptying his buckets of water on me. Then he added scary lightning bolts to accentuate the storm. Eventually I made it to the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines. We have a guest selfie today. He'll appear at the end.

Have you ever been to a cat show? Regardless of the association that backs them, cat shows serve many purposes. First of all they help to promote the pedigreed cat. It’s a great place to learn about the many different breeds. You might have a chance to visit with the breeders themselves to learn about the breed and any kittens they have available for purchase. I was surprised to see two new breeds, the Toybob and the Kurilian Bobtail.

  

Toybob

Kurilian Bobtail and a Maine Coon

Then there are the vendors. You might find just about anything related to cats at a show. At this show, the annual Cat-n-Around Cat Club show (an American Cat Fancier's Association club), vendors included cat supplies (toys galore, beds, show tents, grooming tools, bowls and more toys!), a booth with bows, collars and leashes, a cat furniture booth, a cleaning products booth and my sister’s booth of amazing artwork that features . . . cats!

 

Many clubs also have a raffle to help raise money. In most cases, if they make a profit, the money is donated to a needy cat-related organization. Cat shows help to raise awareness of cat issues. At this show a local rescue, Happy Tails Ranch and Rescue, had a booth where they sold baskets to raise money and had some adoptable kittens for people to fawn over. They didn’t adopt them out at the show but rather took applications for possible rescues. That way they can check references before adopting out any animals.

And my favorite part of the show is the Household Pet class where mixed breed cats and pedigreed cats that don’t qualify for the championship classes can compete for the highest honors. At this show one particular cat stood out to me. His name was Sunshine. He was a bright light on a dreary weekend.

Sunshine

Sunshine originally came from a Missouri rescue. He’d had a virus that took his eyesight. Yes, he was totally blind but still qualified for the Household Pet class because he was a friendly guy, well groomed and otherwise healthy. That’s all we ask of our Household Pet competitors. Oh, and the judges have to like them. I don’t know how well Sunshine did overall but in the one ring I was able to watch he took the Best Cat award. He made me smile and he wasn’t even my cat!

Yes, I think it was a good weekend spent with friends and cats. Much better than a weekend mowing my lawn. And my Iowa State Cyclones won!

Finding Your Veterinarian

We are joining Cat on my Head for the Sunday Selfies blog hop

Gooseberry barely awake for his selfie

While Gooseberry is a ham for the camera, others are quite shy:

Mulberry Spot saying "No, you can't see my black nose!"

I’ve been lucky when it comes to finding a veterinarian. My first excursion in hunting for a veterinarian started when I was a sophomore in high school. I needed to do some volunteer work for a school project. Because I wanted to go to vet school I decided to volunteer at a local veterinary hospital. The closest one was Eastown Animal Hospital in Des Moines. Dr. Denhart had just bought the hospital and was still getting set-up so he needed help. He offered to show me the ropes in exchange for my help cleaning kennels.

I believe the first animal I took in to see him was my pet goose, Cornelius, who was limping. An X-ray showed nothing wrong so we had to assume it was just a sprain. Eventually I was hired (for $1.90 an hour) and took my animals to him for three years. Later I would work in several different clinics with many wonderful veterinarians. My latest veterinarian was a friend first. When my previous veterinarian decided to retire, I switched to this clinic. So you see, I was lucky.

However, if I wasn’t so lucky I hope I would have gone through these steps to finding a veterinarian:

1.     Do your research. Ask friends whom they recommend. If you have a cat, look for a cat-only clinic. Check to see if any clinics are AAHA approved, and Fear Free Certified. These certifications should give you the assurance that you are visiting a modern, progressive facility. However, to be AAHA certified, clinics must adhere to some pretty strict guidelines. Even without that certification some clinics may be pretty good depending, of course, upon the veterinarian and staff.

2.     Make an appointment. Once you’ve found a clinic you think you’d want to go to, offer to pay an examination fee so that you can tour the clinic and visit with the staff. It wouldn’t take long, just 15 minutes or so until you feel comfortable. Find out if the clinic is clean and organized. Are the kennels for cats separate from those of the dogs? What about the waiting areas – are they comfortable? Do they have separate dog and cat areas? Do the receptionists greet you immediately when you enter? Were they friendly on the phone?

3.     Take your pet. If you feel this clinic has passed your inspection make an appointment to take in your pet. Maybe it is only for a good physical or maybe your pet is due for vaccinations or a geriatric panel. This will give you a chance to visit with the veterinarian and see how he/she treats your pet.

4.     Visit another clinic. Maybe the first clinic is the one you go to or maybe you need to visit more than one to find the right one. It will be worth it in the end. You won’t have to worry about where to go in an emergency.

As I wrote last week, having a primary veterinarian has its perks. You’ll know what to expect and they will know you and your pet. If you have a primary veterinarian already how did you find them?

Primary veterinarians

We are joining the Cat on my Head Sunday Selfies today and Jabberwoky Glitter is our model. 

Who do you see when your pet needs vaccinations? What about in an emergency? Would it be the same veterinarian for both situations?

Jabberwoky Glitter won't look at the camera!

Do you have a primary veterinarian? Having a primary veterinarian is important not only in emergencies but also during routine visits. Even if you only go once a year, your primary veterinarian knows your pet and has a record of him. If you don’t see a veterinarian regularly, how would they notice if something has changed?

My veterinarian takes photographs of anything abnormal or just a little different so that we can compare it on our next visit. That applies to little things like a discoloration or a wound, not just alarming things like lumps and bumps. Your primary veterinarian keeps up on the latest in veterinary medicine and can inform you if anything applies to your pet’s situation.

B.W. Huckleberry wanted in on this too

If you don’t see a veterinarian regularly what do you do when an issue arises? Do you head for whatever clinic is closest, or do you begrudgingly drag your pet to a specialty or emergency referral clinic? Neither of these options gives you personalized service because they don’t know you or your pet. At a new clinic they will immediately ask for your pet’s vaccination records. If the vaccinations are not up-to-date they may decide to give them or wait until the issue is alleviated first.

Not all communities have referral clinics and/or emergency facilities for pets so your primary veterinarian is your only choice in emergencies. But if you had a choice who would you choose? If the emergency is after regular hours will they agree to come in for someone they don’t know – you?

No, the time to pick a veterinarian is before your pet has an emergent condition. Pick one, scope out the clinic/hospital and determine if they can meet your needs for your pet. Next week I’ll write about how to find a veterinarian.

Euthanasia

       I attended a veterinary conference this week and learned a lot about euthanasia. You might be thinking that’s a strange thing to study but it is an art, as our speaker pointed out. But that’s the veterinary side. It can be art on your side of the table as well.
     Have you ever thought about euthanasia? I mean, at a time when you aren’t facing that ultimate decision. There was a time when I didn’t believe in euthanasia. When my beloved cat, Gabrielle’s Galaxy was screaming in pain I changed my mind. Further, I believe we should be better informed caretakers of our pets and be prepared to make crucial decisions on their behalf. 

Thai Tsunami Toy and Gabrielle's Galaxy

     First be familiar with the Quality of Life Scale and be able to interpret your pet’s condition. Is she having more bad days than good days? Is she struggling to catch a breath? Has she stopped eating no matter what you offer her? Only you know when it’s time to help her out and end the suffering, although your veterinarian can help you tell. 
     One thing I learned from this speaker was that really, you want to elect euthanasia BEFORE the suffering begins. That’s one of my downfalls. I nearly always wait too long before choosing euthanasia. I just want to hang on to a cat or dog who really wants to leave. I have a hard time letting go. 

Ineffable "Effie"

     What about you, have you been able to find the right time to let your precious ones go? Did you go through a particularly hard choice at the end of your pet’s life? I know it’s a tough subject but one we all need to think about ahead of time. 
      We are joining The Cat On My Head Sunday Selfies today.

Mast cell tumors in cats

   (Sorry for the bad photo. It was pre-digital)

  Twenty years ago last month I lost my Maine Coon-like cat, Lando Calrissian to mast cell tumors (MCT). He was 19 years old. I find this ironic because that’s exactly what Gooseberry’s tumor is.

 (Gooseberry-left-and brother Strawberry-right)

    Lando was one in a litter of six kittens. Three of his brothers developed muscular dystrophy but he remained robust. At age ten I found the first MCT, a tiny little bump on his cheek and a few smaller ones around his ear but we had them removed anyway. The pathologist named them MCTs and told me that if he didn’t have another one in the next year he should be okay. 
     Just one year later I found another tiny bump. Once again it was a MCT and once again I received the same directive, if he had another one within a year he would probably continue to have more. I sometimes wonder if the fact that his first ones were multiples should have been a clue that he would have more. 
     Lando continued to have more tumors show up. But finally it all caught up with him. We found mast cells in his blood and tumors on his liver. We started him on chemotherapy. Though he finally died of MCT he had lived to the ripe old age of 19 so that’s not bad. 
     Lando’s brother Zeit Geist also had a MCT when he was about 12 years old but that was it. He never had another one. That’s what I’m hoping for Gooseberry. His MCT didn’t show up until he was 11 years old so maybe that’s a good sign. I can always hope. 
     Have any of your cats had MCTs? If so, what did you do? 
      This is a Sunday Selfies blog hop. Our host is https://thecatonmyhead.com/

Ginger Cat Selfies

Gooseberry is joining the Sunday Selfie Blog Hop again this week even though he was too busy trying to see his nose freckles to take a selfie himself. This is an old one. 

This week he is doing so much better. He is getting used to or at least tolerating his collar and the staples are still in. Hopefully we’ll hear soon what the biopsy shows. 

Gooseberry’s brother, Strawberry, is a ginger cat (or red tabby in the show world) as well but I couldn’t find my photos of him. He’s extremely hard to photograph but I’ll keep trying 😀 

Here's a link to our host The Cat on My Head

Gooseberry's return visit

Hi everyone! I’ve decided to try to restart my blog for a bit. I stopped blogging a few years back because my loss of Mewdy Blue just took my heart. But now my cats are telling stories that I have to share. I’ll probably only posted once weekly because my day job of writing articles for magazines keeps me plenty busy.

Gooseberry came on the scene in 2008 and quickly decided that Mewdy Blue was his hero. He’d follow the older cat everywhere, to Mewdy Blue’s tempered annoyance. When his hero died Goose (his nickname) acted lost. He wandered around on his own and seemed as if he had lost his heart much as I had. But today Goose is much better and back to his crazy self.

I sometimes compare him to Waffles of Glogirly fame. He loves to leap high in the air for his toys. He also races up and down the stairs as I move his stick toy (feathers on a stick). And he’s quite the talker. He and I have long conversations at times. I think he must have some Siamese in him.

Last week I was petting Gooseberry near his tail, something I do all the time, and I felt a bump. He is 11 years old now so I’m always on the lookout for lumps and bumps. I got him into the veterinarian last Friday and scheduled him for a lumpectomy. Thursday of this week he had his surgery as well as blood work and everything went well.

This morning I woke up to see Goose sitting proudly on my bed and I slowly realized something was wrong. He didn’t have his e-collar on. That meant that he also chewed out all of his sutures – both layers of them! So today we were back at the veterinary office getting staples in this time. He’s fine now and I’ve fashioned a kind of anchor for his e-collar. I tied it to his harness (which he hardly ever wears anymore) so it will be harder if not impossible to get off. Of course I’ll have to watch him closely until that incision heals but I’m more optimistic now.

The only trouble now is that I have to wait up to a week to hear the results of his biopsy. I had another cat years ago who had a lump much like this one and it was a mast cell tumor. He had a lot more over the years and eventually died of them. He did, however, live to the ripe old age of 19 so that’s a plus. Please send prayers and whatever you have Goose’s way won’t you?
I've never done a blog hop before but I'm going to try to do the Sunday Selfies blog hop so here goes. Here's the link to the Cat On My Head blog, the host of this hop: https://thecatonmyhead.com/