the zookeeper recommends…
October 14, 2008 l 1 Comment
You know how it is with cats and cat beds. You spend the money to buy one, and they’d rather sleep in an empty cardboard box or, even better, the middle of your favorite chair (I’m looking at you, Miko…) But this new kitty bed from Apartment C hasn’t been empty since the UPS man delivered it last week. You’d think the thing was made out of catnip or something.
These one-of-a-kind handmade beds come in all kinds of cool colors and designs, including the option to *customize* a new bed with the fabric of your choice. This new bed perfectly matches my orange walls and purple ceiling, and now I’m thinking we need coordinated beds for every room in the house. When they’re this cute and this popular, every cat needs their own Apartment C bed.
:: Apartment C :: Custom and Boutique Pet Beds ::
(you may note that this is the same chair from the previous entry.
Scully, as you can see, is quite grateful to the humans for making
her wicker chair a much more enjoyable spot for sleeping.)
we are still here
November 21, 2007 l 2 Comments
Life became very crazy, very quickly. I’m off from school for the next few days and I’m hoping that things will have the chance to settle down.
Chuck joined Martin at the Bridge last Tuesday. It was not unexpected, but I didn’t have the heart to post about it at the time. Now both of the Mousey Boys have joined Peanut, Beeper and Millie in our little pet cemetery. We have gone from nine pets to five pets in a little over a month. I’ll be just fine if things stay as they are for awhile.
John shared with me this very sweet story: Kittens ‘adopted’ by pet rabbit
I wish I had more photos of when the kittens were little, but unfortunately my computer crashed a couple years ago and I lost most of them. Peanut and Rex were just wonderful with them, affectionate, caring, and most of all, exceedingly patient.
rest in peace
November 5, 2007 l 3 Comments
Martin the Warrior (August ’05 – November ’07)
Is it November already? My apologies for not yet posting the kitties’ costume pictures. Things have been very busy around the zoo. Most significantly, it seems as though we will soon be saying farewell to the Mousey Boys. They are well over two years old and as my brother put it, with their chronic health problems “they’ve been outrunning death for a very long time.”
Now the end has finally caught up with them and they are just slowly fading away. I cleaned their cages last night and made them as comfortable as possible. Maybe it’s because I’ve used up all my tears, or perhaps because this is the way I would have wanted them to go, quietly and peacefully, but I am not sad for them. They have had good lives and far outlived all expectations for two little mice.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
p.s. Just had to pass along this great article: What Your Cat Wants You to Know (thanks, Linda!)
the mousey boys
August 6, 2007 l 2 Comments
Hi, mum!
I was taking a nap…
a mouse in repose
June 1, 2007 l 2 Comments
Chuck resting in his hammock (sorry for the fuzziness, this was shot through the plastic of his cage)
I’m back!
March 13, 2007 l Comments Off
The trip was wonderful and the animals did really well while I was gone (thanks in no small part to my wonderful family who cared for them) Once I’ve recovered from jetlag and a nagging cold, I’ll post updates and photos on my personal blog:
http://www.emilymichelle.blogspot.com/
Martin Update:
good news = no more bleeding episodes
bad news = he has a large growth on his side, just in front of his left hip
As before, he is happy and active, and does not seem to be in pain. Since there is no possible hope of treatment (his lung condition makes anesthesia risky, at best) I’ll be monitoring him for signs of decline and praying that I’ll know the right time to make a very difficult decision.
Martin is still with us and still doing well. No idea what the random bleeding episodes were, but he doesn’t seem to be having any more issues for the time being.
I am leaving for Turkey on Thursday and will be gone until Monday, the 12th. As always, I’m nervous about leaving my babies for so long, but I know they’re in good hands. See y’all in two weeks!
please pray for Martin
February 21, 2007 l 5 Comments
My poor little guy has been through a lot in his short life…
Two nights ago, I noticed a significant amount of blood in his cage. I checked him over thoroughly and he seemed fine, very active and alert. I decided not to stress him out too much, and saved the cage cleaning until last night. Since Martin had no obvious signs of illness or injury, my theory was that Rex had broken a claw on top of their cage (he jumps up there frequently).
But tonight there was blood in his nest again. He’s still chipper and chattery (thanks to a lung condition which may very well be the source of all this…), but he does seem thinner. He’s not in any noticeable pain or discomfort, and if I thought he was suffering we’d be at the vets in a heartbeat. But interventions really take their toll on him, and seeing as he’s nearing the life expectancy of the average mouse, none of this comes as a total surprise.
I just pray he’ll be comfortable and happy. Our hamster, Napster, really went downhill towards the end and it was incredibly difficult to watch. I posted this prayer after his death and it seems appropriate now…
Prayer of St. Basil the Great
The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof.
O God, enlarge within us the sense of fellowship with all living things, our brothers the animals to whom Thou gavest the earth as their home in common with us.
We remember with shame that in the past we have exercised the high dominion of man with ruthless cruelty so that the voice of the earth, which should have gone up to Thee in song has been a groan of travail.
May we realize that they live not for us alone, but for themselves and for Thee and that they love the sweetness of life even as we, and serve Thee better in their place than we in ours.
Amen.
the mousey boys
January 3, 2007 l 1 Comment
Take a look at Chuck’s feet…(larger image)
