Poor Stygia!

Ms. C: Stygia went to the vet on Friday morning. She was not very happy about this! She meowed mournfully the whole mile-and-a-half to the vet's office.

As you can see, being at the vet is a scary experience! Stygia burrowed into my elbow/armpit area and remained there for the entire visit. Unlike Styx, she does not get mad and try to fight having her temperature taken or other indignities, such as getting an antibiotics shot. She just hides her little head and waits for it all to be over. She sheds a lot. But otherwise, a model patient:

It seems she has a urinary tract infection (UTI), which she has had before. She does not think that she is lucky that she has to take a pill each evening. I hope she will be feeling better soon. The vet said to expect to see a big improvement in 3-5 days, and if we don't see that, to give a call. Today is day 4 and she still seems to be uncomfortable, so we'll see what happens.

Cross your paws for Stygia!

I am Home!! (Thankful Thursday)

Styx: It was a cold and snowy morning. That was Tuesday, when I was rudely awoken (ok, so I woke the humans up, but I am going for sympathy here!). I was hungry, because the thoughtless humans didn't offer any food after 6pm the night before. Then, I was placed into my carrier and taken out, across town, back to the VET! Where they LEFT me! Overnight!!

After that, it all becomes a bit of a blur. I don't remember much, but suffice to say I feel just a little bit lighter than I was before, and pretty stiff in the belly area. When I woke up, they did that terrible thing at the vet where they take your temperature, the thing I refused to let them do before, but they surprised me this time. So when they came to give me a booster shot, I said NO WAY. NO. WAY. And I won!! Ha ha!!

Ms. C arrived to pick me up. Did you know that some cats actually have jobs just like humans? I mean, at the vet there are several "office cats." Ms. C thinks this is wonderful, but I wonder if anyone could pay me or treat me enough to work there? Doubtful. You know what I'd say. NO WAY!!

Sun warms Styx's shaved belly

Ms. C says I am lucky because I don't have to wear the "cone of shame" collar thing. Personally, I think she is somehow part of a conspiracy. I am being very, very cautious about her. I was extremely happy when Mr. R, my love, came home last night, and showered him with licks, purrs, and entreaties. HE would nevr be part of such a plot!

My first order of business when I arrived home was to eat. Then I went on patrol and sniffed everything thoroughly. After that, it was time for a drink. Then, it was time for a full bath in the sun. It felt great! Then I discovered a chair I didn't observe before and made the sunny spot my own for a long afternoon's nap. Ahhh... it is great to be home!

Ms. C wants to give a special shout out to the lovely folks who helped make my rescue and spaying (what is that??) possible so quickly. She and Mr. R appreciate from the bottom of their hearts the generosity which allowed me to get the attention and care I needed as soon as they could manage it. I appreciate it, too! I love having a home. LOVE it. Can't say it enough! Cat bless you all!

How.... did..... ugh....

Abby: Check out this cool cave! I got here first, so it is MINE, and I am not going to let Styggie share it with me. After all, look -- it has 'nip all inside of it! Mine, mine mine!

ARRRR! Yaaaaa! This thing has nothing on my paws, claws, feet, and fangs!


There's a saying that people use a lot that isn't very nice, but I kinda think it applies to this fun situation, so I'll just paraphrase it by saying, "There's more than one way to bite a box!"

As all of you know, once you have thoroughly conquered the outside of the box, you must then enter it to surprise and intimidate all your foes with scary sounds and ambushes:

(ziiiiiiip!)

HEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wait a minute! This was not supposed to happen. Where am I? Oh my gosh, oh no ... no, NO! Please, please, pleeeaaaaaase do not "fix" me again! I am purrfect, I promise!


Well, ok, it was awful. Going to the vet is always awful, but Dr. V did compliment me on the shiny softness of my coat! But . . . (whispers) he also told me I should not gain any more weight.

Well you know what that means . . . everyone should really be extra nice to me for the rest of the day. No one should touch my tail, and I am just going to lounge everywhere, upside down:

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend! Ms. C is still adjusting to her new job, and her grandma is quite ill, so she has been distracted, but we understand.

What we've been doing . . .

Stygia: Our mom has been neglecting our blog, but she has not been neglecting us! In my case, this may be a little unfortunate, because yesterday she took me to the VET! That's why I am hiding in this shoe. Please don't worry about me, it was my first vet visit since I've made my new home, and it was just for check up and basic vaccines. I am healthy! I weigh 10.9 pounds, so I have not gained any more weight since Ms. C put us on a feeding schedule.

Here I am demonstrating my "Sphynx" method of play. What I am doing is sitting with my paws on my favorite toy, pretending not to notice that it is there. Pretty soon, though, I will let myself get very excited about it, and act surprised to find it there! This is a really fun game. Another way of playing this game is to sit right down with the toy underneath my back legs. When it's time to get surprised and excited, then you can start bunnykicking right away! Try this!

I also like to request playtime with Abby. It made me pretty sad when I came home from the vet last evening, and she hissed at me right away. She told me that I smelled funny, and she ran away. She told me she was sure I worked for that vet now, and that she knew I was going to "fix" her again. I played it cool as I could, and this morning it paid off. I was relaxing in the sun, and she came by and gave me a really thorough between-the-ears bath!

Abby: While Ms. C was taking a break and being lazy, guess what? I did a lot of that too! I have my own personal chair right next to hers (which I am allowed to scratch as much as I like!), and I sleep in it too. If you look carefully, you can see that I am licking my nose:

Ms. C placed a plush snake on the lamp next to her desk. Of course, I had to check that out, too. Wouldn't you?

Ms. C says she refuses to decorate anything for Christmas yet because not only is it not even Thanksgiving yet, but her birthday (which is on the last day of the month) must pass before the decorating can begin. We are wondering if Christmas means she is going to put cat toys up all over the house? Is it true?!

Making the Most of a Bad Day

Abby: I had a very bad day today. At least, I believe I did. Ms. C and Mr. R took me to the vet today because I have been having belly problems again. Now that I know what a terrible place that is, I HATE it. Last time I went, I was a very good cat. But this time, I've taken lessons from Texas and became a mite bit fractious!

I made terrible, terrifying faces at all of the vet techs and I did not stop growling at the vet. When they took me back to the treatment room, I made sure everyone heard my screams. Ms. C is trying to claim it's a legend that she once did the same thing when she went to the doctor (and she was 12!!), but I think it's a true story, and so I still love her because I know she understands.

I hopefully will be back to my right self again soon. To tell you the truth, I do not feel that bad at all, but the humans are not happy with my flatulence.

So as you can see here, I am making the most of the rest of this day by relaxing thoroughly. I am not even going to harass Stygia. I've censored myself for your viewing discretion:



Here's a close up of my toes. I like to curl them when I am relaxing in this pose:

I am still growing and I am also gaining more skill in really knowing how to take up space:

Tomorrow I will let Styggie have some blog space, but she is busy sleeping right now and shhh we mustn't disturb! Hope you are all having a wonderful weekend!

Happy Again!

This morning, Ms. C took me to that Vet again. I was good and quiet in my carrier until I saw the vet tech. As soon as I saw her, I started hissing! I don't know why they laughed.

It didn't take long at all, and soon enough Ms. C and I were back home again! It's so wonderful to have that horrible collar off. Now I can give myself a full bath!!! As soon as I situated myself on one of the best locations in the house, that is just what I did:

I also occupied Ms. C's chair, because I really think it suits my coloration perfectly. A brown chair for a brown tiger cat like me!

I have been developing some new, special whiskers on my face which you cannot see in either of the above pictures, but Ms. C promises that tomorrow she will feature them in a special portrait.

.... After the Big Day

I'm miserable.

Not only was I in a strange place overnight, away from my favorite folks, but the alien people who had captured me, well, they . . . I can't believe this . . . they shaved my belly.

And there are itchy little threads there, too. I was going to do something about them myself, so I made sure I did not show any interest in them in front of the aliens--what, Ms. C? They are called nurses, not aliens? OK . . . so I pretended I did not care about them and the nurses sent me home, where I immediately set to work on these strings stuck in my belly. Ms. C and Mr. R didn't seem to like it that I was pulling at them, so I tried to find a quiet corner in which I could be left alone to do my work.

Alas, as you can see, this only earned me another trip back to the alien place:


At least I can still eat and drink.

I am thankful that Ms. C and Mr. R rescued me from the terrible alien place so quickly. They are scratching my ears and chin for me, and I really feel safe under their desks. When I lay near Ms. C's foot, I like to be touching her feet with my own feet. It gives me a good and comforting feeling.

I hope all of you other folks are having a much better weekend than I am. I'm just glad that Ms. C is going to be home all week long to wait on me hand and paw.

A Big Day

Ms. C:  We are sorry the updates are not as normal-- I am still on the road, and will be back to my regular secretarial duties for Abby tomorrow!

Today was a big day for Abby, however. Mr. R took her into the Animal Hospital at 9am for her spaying.  So tomorrow when I see her, I will be looking at her little shaved belly.

Mr. R just called to let me know Abby is doing fine!

See you soon!

Exhausted!

It's been a long day.

Ms. C took me to the vet today for a follow-up. I am doing a lot better, not sneezing nearly as much, but I refuse--do you hear me?--I REFUSE to take any pills, which are not for my sneezing but for my supposed parasites. I would rather resist, twist, close up my little throat, and run around foaming at the mouth. Ms. C has mentioned something about "fish flavored suspension" but as long as she is not talking about "pills," then I am not concerned.

At the vet, of course I have to go through more than my share of exhausting experiences. There were DOGS in the waiting room. They rudely took my temperature in my ear again, weighed me (I am not 5.9 pounds!), looked in my mouth and ears, rubbed my belly when I did not want it to be rubbed, and worst of all, they covered me with a towel and gave me a horrible shot! I don't have Leukemia, so I don't see why they have to shoot me about it! I was angry. I bit Ms. C to let her know that her patting wasn't going to comfort me (but not hard, just a warning!). I hissed when they gave me that shot, and I kept hissing till I got back into my carrier and crouched for safety in the back of it.

As soon as I got home, I had to trot around and inspect everything. I even got back into my carrier, but I came right back out and expected to be fed. Luckily, they were very understanding. So I am sure you can completely understand my exhaustion:

The Big Day

Well, she warned me yesterday. Today was a big day. Yes, Ms. C took me to the Vet.


They did all kinds of tests. Did you know I weigh 5.5 pounds already? Yet, I am very slender, snake-like and small. I have a little virus it seems, so they gave Ms. C some medicine for that, and a tooth-brush (but I thought my cat-breath is beautiful....!), and some other things. They want me to go back in a week and a half for another check up, to make sure my sneezing is not worse.

Next month I am going to be "fixed." So Ms. C says. I pretty much thought I was perfect already, like they say: "If it ain't broke, don't fix it!" Ms. C keeps telling me that if I do this, I'll be a much happier grown-up cat. I kind of trust her. I stayed right next to her and curled up against her at the Vet's, and she kept me safe.

Now I am home, and as you can see, I got right into Mr. R's chair where I also feel safe:

By the time Ms. C finishes typing this for me, I will be fast asleep:

Until tomorrow, my friends. Ms. C says she will not harass me with the camera any more today because I have "been through enough!" Maybe we will just nap together!