alfreda89: 3 foot concrete Medieval style gargoyle with author's hand resting on its head. (Burmese Basket)
It's time.

Merlyn doesn't sleep through the night. He has finally bonded with Sauron the vaporizer--he alternates laying down by Sauron and then moving away and laying on his side in the entryway. He hasn't even noticed that I brought his bed down from the bedside--I haven't set him in it because he may be too warm from steaming (either Sauron or the tent) and then just demands more steaming. It seems to help, but it hasn't loosened up his sinuses. I'm afraid he's in pain--and if I don't take him to my Vet now, then we either have to wait until Monday or deal with the emergency vets. The Emergency centers are good, and kind people, but of course they will want to run tests. I promised my cats I would never do to them what they did trying to help Brae. She looked like Frankenstein hooked to the table when she died. We're not going there.

I always hoped he would slip away in his sleep. But I think he doesn't want to leave. I just don't think he can stay any longer. He said he would stay until the wind changed. Either it changed when we weren't looking, or he was wrong about that.

I don't know how I will go on without him. During the worst of my illness, he kept me alive. He was the nanny cat, nagging me to eat, feed him, take meds, go to bed....he's been office manager, muse, and nanny. I always dreamed of having a place with more space for him to run and sit in the sun. But now I realize I saw him as stronger, healthier than his skinny, tough little senior body. So it will be a ghost Merlyn who gets to enjoy that place, when I finally reach it.

Without Merlyn and Max, I would not have made it back.
Sadness you may wish to skip )

Coda: Nineteen years, six months, twelve days. Another cat lost on a holiday. Merlyn, PMP--best project manager cat ever. The deadlines moved, but he never gave up on the project--me. I did not remember the procedure the kind young vet was going to do, a muscle relaxant and then threading a vein for the pheno. I didn't remember because Merlyn did the same thing as Max did. Once he was relaxed enough, he just stepped over--didn't need that last drug.

They are given to us to learn how to love and to lose. But I am not reconciled. Not until we are together again.
alfreda89: 3 foot concrete Medieval style gargoyle with author's hand resting on its head. (Burmese Basket)
I have reached the point of cat slave.

I held the bowl for him so he could stay in his warm basket and eat some of the meat.

No clue if he's just cold.  I may have to get him a fuzzy bathroom rug (with a rubber back so I don't slip) and place it before his bowls.  But he did eat over half his dinner, so I won't force a pill down him yet.  Am considering starting Pepcid once a day, however.
alfreda89: (Max 2007)

A cat doesn't always know what to do with a mouse.  But a mouse knows what to do about a cat.

Even if what it knows doesn't work.

Join us over at Book View Cafe.

alfreda89: 3 foot concrete Medieval style gargoyle with author's hand resting on its head. (Burmese Basket)
http://dailyinfographic.com/the-healing-power-of-cat-purrs-infographic
alfreda89: 3 foot concrete Medieval style gargoyle with author's hand resting on its head. (Burmese Basket)
No, I am not going to write his version now, that's an excuse to duck copy editing. It took all morning, but apparently Merlyn was trying to tell me that he wanted in my lap, but that I had lost too much weight. So now he is on my lap, on top of a throw, and seems happy.

This inter-species living is not for sissies.
alfreda89: 3 foot concrete Medieval style gargoyle with author's hand resting on its head. (Burmese Basket)
Well,

I come to you today to ask for suggestions. My local pet store stopped carrying California Natural Chicken & Rice for Cats after the last salmonella scare. It was something like the fourth since Proctor & Gamble took over the food line. I understood that this was probably not a good idea for my kitty's kibble. But I was uneasy, because Merlyn is 18 years old. He's a spry 18 (88 in human years) but change is not always good.

He is hypothyroid and in the very earliest stages of kidney distress. So I can't feed him grain-free. He liked a mix of CN Ch & rice dry and Science Diet K/D dry. So I went in search of a new mixer food.

My pet store has offered suggestions and even lets me return the $%%^## bags, but we have gone through SIX, yes SIX dried foods since I found out about the recall in August. The seventh is sitting, ignored, in a bowl next to the Science Diet crunchies. Thank the universe for the Science Diet crunchies, because he won't eat ANY of the premium dry chicken ^ rice I've tried him on, having lost a half pound (and he only weighted 8 pounds to begin with.)

I've tried Nulo, Wellness, Felidae, Nutri-Source and three others. Nada. I'm feeding him SD crunchies, and meat twice a day, but more than a heaping teaspoon is not good for him. At this point, I would let him just eat the SD crunchies alone except that it's only because he's hungry--he could stand to gain back that half pound. We have little enthusiasm here.

Anyone have a suggestion? I hesitate to go back to California Natural, for his sake and mine. One of these was even lamb & rice, but apparently too weird.
alfreda89: 3 foot concrete Medieval style gargoyle with author's hand resting on its head. (Massage Table Cats)
Who wants to see my boys (now boy and ghost kitty)---



I don't have nearly enough photos of them, but they really don't like to be photographed. Either the flash or the sound of the flash annoys them.

This was Max in 2007, and Max and Merlyn above in the icon in...2003, perhaps? I think Merlyn is in front. His face is a tiny bit rounder than Max's was.
alfreda89: 3 foot concrete Medieval style gargoyle with author's hand resting on its head. (Burmese Basket)
A couple months ago, KUT-FM Austin TX (npr) went to a two channel format. Merlyn started yelling non-stop around that time. Busy, oblivious me did not consider a connection.

Merlyn does NOT like the new split between a news channel and a music channel. The minute I shut off the radio, he quiets down. He's fine with music, with YouTube tapes of cats purring or waves, the fans -- not the news channel.

Maybe it bothers his ears. Maybe he thinks it depresses me or something. Whatever it is, I will try leaving it on for radio wake-up, but shut it off before I leave.

It's not company for him. That is all that matters.
alfreda89: 3 foot concrete Medieval style gargoyle with author's hand resting on its head. (Mascot)
Heavy duty Momma cat purring.

Merlyn is intrigued. I think he thinks it's me.
alfreda89: 3 foot concrete Medieval style gargoyle with author's hand resting on its head. (Mascot)
Merlyn is not getting breakfast. I am sure his little cat brain is thinking "I know this behavior. What is my monkey up to?

He likes the vet, hates the trip and blood work.

Hummm....gotten too quiet. Really hope I don't have to pull him out from under the bed.
alfreda89: 3 foot concrete Medieval style gargoyle with author's hand resting on its head. (Burmese Basket)
Rustle-rustle-rustle....

ME: Merlyn, what are you doing over there?
Rustle-rustle-snip!
MERLYN: It's complicated.
ME: Is it? Care to enlighten me?
MERLYN: No.
(Every parent, and everyone who shares a life with a cat or dog, knows that this is trouble.)
More cat reasoning. )
Happy Holy Days, Y'all.
MerlynNOOK1_adj
alfreda89: 3 foot concrete Medieval style gargoyle with author's hand resting on its head. (Burmese Basket)
...but he does make me laugh!
alfreda89: 3 foot concrete Medieval style gargoyle with author's hand resting on its head. (Burmese Basket)
Today's Two Lumps. The only question is, why didn't it turn up when I moved? Where did they hide the blasted thing?!

And in other news -- IT'S RAINING!
alfreda89: 3 foot concrete Medieval style gargoyle with author's hand resting on its head. (Burmese Basket)
I'd noticed that there hasn't been a hair ball in a while, but I have only Merlyn right now, so they can be few and far between.

Who knew that an eight-pound cat could suddenly hurl three times his body length? Including lots of water and the canned food he'd just consumed?

An hour later, he is investigating his crunchies.

I get to work with Au de Cat food all day long.

Wasn't that fun?

*purr*purr*purr
alfreda89: 3 foot concrete Medieval style gargoyle with author's hand resting on its head. (Burmese Basket)
So, for the first time in months, no years, I have beef chili. People's Rx makes an organic, gluten free version and I broke down and tried it. Still too much for my system, I think -- very tasty, quite warm in peppers, free piece of cornbread also good but even hotter than chili pepperwise. But it's the only gluten free chili I have found in town, so recommended. NOT mild.

I did what I often do in my efficiency living -- I set the plate and bowl aside on the bed until my next trip to the kitchen.

RATTLE RATTLE RATTLE

No, not an earthquake. I've been through an earthquake. Just dishes rattling.

Me, speaking in telepathy to the cat: You won't like that.

SNORT SNORT SNORT

ARGH! )
alfreda89: 3 foot concrete Medieval style gargoyle with author's hand resting on its head. (Burmese Basket)
The seminar was fascinating -- second day tomorrow. I may be able to take the entire series, we'll see. I can also see possible benefits with character creation using NLP.

On the other hand, several family members are not in the pink of health. So prayers always appreciated.

Clearly, what is needed here are cats. In bizarre sleeping positions.

I hope I can find the pic I took from above of Meg crammed next to the oil heater. Trust me, she's a contender!
alfreda89: (Cat Magic)
Ursula has always been chosen by a cat or two, never chosen them. She went in search of one, and sure enough, a cat found her.
alfreda89: 3 foot concrete Medieval style gargoyle with author's hand resting on its head. (Massage Table Cats)
I could use a few of these...
alfreda89: (Winter)
I sympathize with Snooch -- I'm listening to instrumental winter music. My tape of DECEMBER is probably wearing out. Good thing I have the CD.

http://twolumps.net/d/20110928.html
alfreda89: (Cat Magic)
Hill Country locals, a friend took in a pretty, pregnant stray and has found homes for the kittens, with friends, herself, or the local Humane Society (kittens being easier to place than cats.) But the young momma cat, whom she calls Isis, needs a home.

Here's what Isis, a Siamese mix, has to say about herself, via my friend J:

I’m very well behaved. I was certainly someone’s baby at some point. I love attention and
am outgoing with any human I meet. I am tolerant of other cats, but don’t necessarily want
to interact. Maybe I’m reluctant to tread on their territory, just need a little of my own. I
have a huge purr motor and love to be held. I’ll eat anything, but really like a little canned
food as a treat. I have perfect litterbox manners and have never had an accident.

Did I mention that I’m gorgeous? I’m ivory and silver with bright blue eyes (slightly
crossed) and a rusty-colored nose. I talk a little when I need to, but I’m quieter than most
Siamese.


The only reason that my friend is not keeping Isis is because one of her cats is painfully shy, and hides under the bed at any sign of this adult stranger. J estimates that Isis is perhaps two years old, plus a few months. Important fact -- she has had the combo test, and is NEGATIVE!

If she sounds like a cat you need to see, contact me and I will pass on her photo and J's info. The photo is embedded in a document and I haven't been able to strip it, so we'll have to work that way. I'll work on getting the photo, if I can.

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