the resting place
August 16, 2008 l 1 Comment
Our spot in the woods, to sit and remember…
we still would live no other way
October 20, 2007 l 1 Comment
First, I want to say Thank You to John, Linda, Kh. Michelle, Tamara, and the many others of you out there in internet land who have taken the time to say a kind word and offer support during this time. It has certainly been a difficult few weeks for our family.
Today I logged on to my flickr page to see a wonderfully touching comment someone had left on Peanut’s photo:
Peanut continues to touch people. Folks you don’t even know have shed tears with you….we saw your love for this bundle of fur…we experienced care. Bless you all.
~ ~ ~
“We who choose to surround ourselves with lives
even more temporary than our own, live within a fragile circle,
easily and often breached. Unable to accept its awful gaps,
we still would live no other way.
We cherish memory as the only certain immortality,
never fully understanding the necessary plan.”
- Irving Townsend
Beeper has joined Peanut at the Bridge
October 17, 2007 l 4 Comments
~ * ~
She passed away this evening surrounded by her family. We have lost our oldest and longest companion, and once more our hearts are heavy.
We’ve got costumes for three of the four younger cats, and will be buying Miko’s this week. I had vowed to dress them up this year, if for no longer than the time it takes to shoot some photos. Their costumes are perfect for their personalities, I must say.
Curious?
You’ll have to wait until Halloween.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Thanks for the suggestion of a mild sedative, John. My only concern is – then what? Medications, force feedings, subcutaneous fluids, and otherwise handling her is not even possible. Even in her state she would fight us until there is no fight left. The vet may be able to shed some light on what is wrong, but I can’t conceive of a treatment plan that wouldn’t be too invasive for Beeper.
At the moment she continues to eat very small amounts of food, sleep a lot, and wander around the addition looking for people to give her lovins.
Beeper update
October 14, 2007 l 3 Comments
She continues to eat very small amounts of food. We have tried bribing her with everything we can think of: tuna, tuna juice, cooked chicken, Nutrical, KMR, Fancy Feast. This morning she ate a small spoonful of baby food (chicken) and drank a lot of water.
It is so hard to see her this ill. Over the past few years she has been slowly losing weight. Not being able to bring her to see a vet or give a comprehensive exam, we don’t know what is the underlying cause. Now within this past week she has lost an astonishing amount of weight from her already skinny frame, and incredibly, still insists on making her daily rounds.
She greeted me in the driveway this morning as I came home from work. She tried, as always, to climb into the car and take a nap on the seats. She meowed loudly in protest as I picked her up and brought her inside. She is still feisty, but there is obviously something wrong. I just wish I knew what it was.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
On a sidenote, I would like to clarify that Beeper lives in the addition of our house, specifically in my grandfather’s apartment. She is not around the other cats, and furthermore, we are all very careful to wash our hands after petting and handling her so as not to pass any illnesses along to our other cats. They do not share toys, dishes or bedding. Just wanted to remind everyone that it is critically important to follow proper precautions when dealing with animals outside of your household.
Beeper update
October 11, 2007 l Comments Off
Since her return two days ago she’s slept a lot and eaten very little. But tonight she actually wolfed down the diced cooked chicken we offered her, and now I’m searching for good recipes for sick cats.
We are not out of the woods. I did notice tonight that her breath had a sweet smell. That odor may be associated with liver failure (among other things). Anorexia is a serious concern for cats because they can quickly develop a condition called feline hepatic lipidosis, or Fatty Liver Syndrome, which can lead to liver failure. Treatment for the condition is very invasive, and isn’t an option for our scrappy little fighter.
All of us are praying…
the wait and wonder
October 9, 2007 l 5 Comments
We haven’t seen Beeper for over 24 hours.
Our first family cat, she’s 18 years old and still semi-feral, and the only one of the cats who goes outside. She rarely strays past our property and we have looked everywhere.
She’s been in declining health for a couple years now and we have always felt that when she does leave us, she’ll likely just disappear one day. So in a sense, we were mentally and emotionally prepared for this. But the not knowing is still hard…
*update*
When I returned from work I was informed that Beeper had reappeared, but she’s not doing well. She’s tired and barely eating, and given that she is semi-feral, any type of intense medical intervention for her is not a real option. The car ride alone would be far too stressful for her.
So we’re back to waiting. Keeping her comfortable. Loving on her as much as we can.
This has been a rough month for us…
changes at the zoo
October 22, 2006 l 1 Comment
- Peanut walked out of the pen and explored my bedroom for the first time in four months. Even though she still prefers the security of the pen walls, I am completely thrilled. She’s such a brave girl. Meanwhile, Rex has been running and binkying his heart out – I keep having to remind myself that he’s seven years old. He certainly doesn’t act his age.
- Stephen’s bedroom now has a screen door, so that PJ can see/hear/interact with the other cats even when they’re not meeting face-to-face. Having him be more a regular part of the household means that the girls are finally working out their territoriality and redirected-aggression, and we’re finally making positive progress.
- Beeper has officially moved in with my grandfather. She’s been living in the addition of the house since mid-summer, preferring to camp out in the storage room where it’s quiet and there are multiple levels of boxes to lounge on. But with the cold weather she’s found that Papa’s heated apartment is much nicer than the storage room, so we moved her litterbox and dishes over. Right now she’s curled up on his bed, sound asleep. He’s happy to have a little companion, and she’s happy to still have a low-key place to stay (at 17, she’s earned the peace and quiet)
- Beeper has also transitioned herself to raw food. She was the most stubborn, intractable cat when it came to making the switch, refusing any and all fresh meat in favor of Fancy Feast *blech* But last week, after she broke into a fresh package of chicken wings, I thought I’d give it another try. She’s been wolfing down breast meat, livers, and hearts, and has now stopped eating Fancy Feast altogether. Just goes to show you that cats will do what they want to do when they want to do it. My biggest concern is that she cannot chew bones and she detests the smell of supplements, so grinding whole prey, along with chunks of meat and organs, is going to be our best bet. Let’s just hope she doesn’t mind the texture. Crazy animals…they certainly keep me on my toes.
Happy Birthday, Beeper!
August 25, 2006 l 3 Comments
Ms. Attitude? Oh yes.
And 17 years young…
How are the other furry members of your family? I trust PJ is getting along with everyone.
For the most part, yes. The cats are still separated and we haven’t been able to keep them together for more than thirty minutes at a time. PJ is a high energy cat and the cats still aren’t tolerant of his mock charging and chasing, even if it is all in good fun. I recognize that the girls expend most of their energy playing with each other, and PJ is really wanting that, so hopefully things will smooth over as time goes on. Most of his time with the girls is spent getting him to chase an interactive toy, like a feather on a pole. It channels his energy and allows the other cats to see that for the time being he’s not interesting in play tackling them.
Ironically, the two cats who couldn’t stand PJ have been the most tolerant of him. Steph even slow blinked at him the last time he was out playing, and he responded in kind. This is very good progress. Scully, on the other hand, does her best to avoid her son. He enjoys chasing her and she enjoys doing all she can to avoid him. I’m not sure how long she thinks she can keep that up, but I’m not going to force introductions until she’s ready. In the meantime, we try to keep PJ focused on things other than antagonizing his poor mother.
