Christmas with the Excellent Cats

[TheShellBeach]

......... Silent Night.........

Well, maybe not so silent when there's a cat about who wants to be fed.

Join us in the run up to Christmas 2023!

My ladyship has now had two extended petting sessions in the last two weeks where she actually purred! I have had her over two years and not had a purr out of her. And in other news, I may have found a home for the two older gentlemen still languishing in the rescue - visit on Saturday, everything crossed.

Bless you @pointythings as well as your beautiful black darling. I remember back when I was 8 when our very grumpy, very independent farm cat sat down on an armchair, got strokes and started purring for the first and last time in his life! It’s stayed with me :) hope it’s just the first of many for your boy though.

WRONG PRONOUN ALERT! Apologies to her ladyship.

Velvet is crashed out, bless her, undoubtedly after a morning of… Velvet stuff, I don’t know what she does outdoors but she’s been back in three more times to proudly sing about… something. All the times I’ve observed her outside she’s been just trotting around very importantly so I assume she’s been employed by an embassy or something and has crucial business. Love all the grumpy Christmas cats, they perfectly channel my emotions about this season!

Cat flap fitted! Munchkin has been over to check it out but wasn't too fussed about actually going outside. Hardly surprising given the appalling weather today. Plus the flap leaks into the porch so I'll have to ask my handsome glazier if he can add a bit of sealant when he's back next week.

I should have programmed it before it was fitted really, now just got to tempt her close enough for it to register.

Pleased to report Matt is once again eating like a horse. I just rang the vets to ask if I should stop giving him the cream I was having to rub on the inside of his ear to stimulate his appetite they said yes!
I've also cancelled his follow up appointment for tomorrow. He is much better but is now weeing little and often. I hope it's just because he's still sore and things aren't quite back to normal, but we'll carry on with the rest of the meds and see how the next few days go. There's no more blood in it as far as I can see.

Such good news @Papergirl1968! As long as he’s weeing, there’s not too much cause for alarm, but you might want to schedule an appointment to check for other issues like UTIs or non-acute kidney conditions if it’s noticeably less than he usually pees. But so good to hear he’s back to himself and stuff is going on one end and out of the other.

Great news, Papergirl. A relief (pardon the pun) for all concerned.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Here I am

Mine in his new jumper

I’m sorry but we may need a picture :)

@Hastheslotharrivedyet love the depiction of joy on the part of you and your handsome cat!

Kidneys were fine when they did the blood tests, Cecile, and the sample was negative for a urine infection. I suppose he's bound to be sore, having had catheters.
He's definitely more like his old self, but I'm keeping a eye on him and paying close attention to the litter tray.
As soon as he's fully recovered and the meds are finished he'll be in a health kick!
Keep the Christmas kitties coming...

That’s such good news @Papergirl1968! Really glad for you both. Catheters really suck, probably even more for a cat.

Love the little fangs peeping out!

Oh no, naughty Velvet…

She has been happily popping in and out all day and I heard her leave but not come back in. For three hours. While I could hear rain outside and after I put her tea out. I was sitting in the main room (her secondary base after my bed, and the fire is lit so it’s nice and warm) getting more and more upset to the point that my chest got tight and I needed some beta-blockers. Finally I could take it no more and went to get my comfort blanket to snuggle (no remarks on that one, please, it’s very soft and comforting). Guess who I found on my bed? Only our favourite leopard-coated cinnamon roll curled up sound asleep. I have no idea how long she was there while I was having a borderline panic attack!

Oh Velvet!! Bless her.

Vixen and Toad were sulking as I dared to take my office chair back for a while today. As I was taking the photo, Fred came over to photo bomb hence the bright white corner. He's a nosy little sod.

I have written & deleted lots of very long posts - because life is too short to be wasted on my nonsense, frankly.

• No hospital for me on Monday: napping on the floor for over 1h > Covid test > trying to deal with All The Things while feeling wretched & sleeping more than the cats.
• 111 on Monday were v keen to either have a GP to a home visit or me go up to the hospital that manages my care but accepted my desire to sleep (callback meant to happen by 1600 was at 2200).
• Covid Unit on Tuesday agreed that yes, the ticklist says I need antivirals; clinician would call back that day…
• …which turned into Wednesday, because insufficient staffing. Took two clinical calls to reconfirm I’m definitely eligible for antivirals (I don’t have a nice simple ticklist condition) & then go through which ones they’ll be. Because I can’t have the usual Paxlovid 🤦🏻‍♀️
• Then there was an admin call to arrange my going up to the hospital first thing tomorrow (transport are collecting me at 0745) for a sotrovimab infusion. Which catches up getting my portacath flushed & locked as well, which is an unexpected plus. Sotromivab is a single infusion which is amazing: just one trip to hospital then All. The. Sleeps. 🥱😴

• The cats are being Very Good Boys & providing lots of extra healing purrs &’snuggles.
• The Moggolettos have uncomplainingly accepted a routine change to 2 meals a day rather than 3; & incredible flexibility on the times of said meals. Breakfast is usually around 1000; & the boys’ tea anywhen between 1800 & 2200.

Today was always going to be weird: reaching the last birthday my mummy ever had so in 3 & a half months I’ll be older than she ever had a chance to be. 5 years ago my second cousin - at this same age in fact - had this same (albeit Lurgyless in her case) strange birthday. Worse, though, for her, I think, as she has her own children. Children cannot be comforted out of that most unspeakably dreadful primal What If? when they are living proof that said impossible horror happens: people’s mummies [&/or daddies] die.

The cats need feeding & I need to post this rather than turn it (&/or the contents of my Covid-addled mind) upside down & inside out trying to edit it.

Hope everyone is ok. Excellent seeing so many happy cats soaking up The Warms 😸 As an apology for Too Many Words (especially given they really are fever-generated & thus decidedly lacking in coherency) I attach some throwback pictures (of varying antiquity) of the BalletCats snuggling 😻

Sending what good thoughts I can and best wishes from V @TheBalletCats. Love your cats.

@TheBalletCats I remember that birthday, it upset my older sister when she turned 39 more than it did me, perhaps as you say because she has a child, but still a strange feeling. Mum seemed like a proper adult to my 13 year old self but although I'm now 4 years older than she ever was, I feel nowhere near an adult!

The tribe have been left to their own devices today as I have a training day in work followed by drinks. Goodness only knows what I'll come to 😁 They will have missed at least three meals by their count. There is plenty of dry food down so I'm sure they will survive but I am fully expecting to be told off and possibly ignored when I return.

Great news about Matt, Paper :)

Sad news about the Huddersfield station cat. He sounds to have had a great life though.

https://www.railadvent.co.uk/2023/12/west-yorkshire-railway-station-cat-dies-from-terminal-illness.html

Sending thoughts and prayers @RumNotRun. About the cats obviously, but condolences for the early loss of your mum. It is indeed a horrendous crime to leave your feline dependents to fend for themselves for a whole day, when they are so independent by nature and Don’t Need Humans At All. I was out of the house for under an hour for a blood test and Velvet was adorable when I got back - trilling, rolling around (on the stairs, which unfortunately mean she fell down a couple) and… biting the tree again, which she hasn’t died of yet so I’m not going to get worried about it. She did however accuse me harshly of delaying her lunch (she’d had a dry food snack while I was out and it was an hour until she was due lunch) and has spent the subsequent ninety minutes running in and out. I can’t figure out how parents before about the nineties coped because I get SO anxious when she’s out. I think I heard the unmistakeable sounds of a border dispute a few minutes ago but it didn’t last long, so either the much larger neighbouring cat scared her off or just ended up bowing and acknowledging her princess status.

Hope you feel better soon Balletcats. Glad to hear that Matt is recovering. I bought a heated throw too, Rum, and am a bit like your cats as I cling on to it.

That was a shame about the Huddersfield Station cat. She (report said she) definitely did a good job. Let's hope her apprentice can live up to the role!

Apologies for misgendering Felix.
In my defence I've never met a lady Felix before (although I do know a female Cedric). 🤣