Absence Update...Finally!

I have been remiss in not updating everyone. Things got very hectic around here, with multiple cat maladies, ESM going through finals week at school, and on top of it all I got sick. Not been a barrel of laughs around here lately.

First off, Hubbard is doing pretty good. He is back on his insulin at a lower dosage and is tolerating it well. We discontinued the medication for the pancreatitus for a bit, and now he is back on it also at a lower dosage. He continues to be our little "tank," just rumblin' right along.

Treelo ended up getting smacked in the eye (by Rocky, we suspect) right after we got Hubbard back on track, so we've been dealing with that too. She is ok, but we had to do eye ointment for her for a bit. She is doing better and there seems to be no permanent damage. Just more vet bills...

ESM got through finals week without killing any of us, for which I was grateful. It was touch-and-go there for a bit towards the end, however we all survived with only a few chew-marks on us. She is getting a bit burned out on school and decided to take the summer off from classes. I know the break will do her good. She really enjoys what she is studying, but the grind of working part-time, going to school part-time, and taking care of us full-time does weigh heavy on her. I will be glad to have her out into the yard this summer getting some "dirt" therapy.

I'm also just getting over a spring cold. I hate being sick when the weather is nice...

Gonna take a drive to the wilds of New Mexico to see my folks here very soon. I was going to take my uncle along with me to share the drive, but he wimped out on me last week. Oh well, he is recovering from shoulder surgery and going through the agony of physical therapy, so I can understand. Just would have been nice to have some company. ESM has to stay behind to take care of Hubbard, and work...which I know bums her out.

However, this is my last opportunity to take some vacation time before a big project at work kicks into overdrive. There will be no time off for me from when I get back until probably Thanksgiving. I'll fill you all in on that project as I get closer to completion.

You can tell spring is in the air, when the boys start sticking their heads out the window! *grin*

(Not so) Quick Update

Sorry for the delay...things have been a bit stormy around here lately. Between all the crises, I just haven't had time to sit down and write for a bit.

We took Leo and Rocky in for their follow-up FIV/FeLV tests (the shelter tested them not too long before we adopted them). Unfortunately, we got some not good news. Leo is FIV positive. Not what we wanted to hear, after all our troubles with Ziggy.

However, looking on the bright side, trying to find the silver lining and trying like mad to make lemonade...at least it was not FeLV too. That would have been much worse. FIV is certainly not a death sentence, and many cats live long, healthy lives with the disease. We just have to be more vigilant in watching him for any signs of getting sick, as he won't be able to fight off stuff as well as he should.

Rocky seems to be fine and in good shape (in fact, his shape is getting rounder by the day!!!). He tested negative for both, even though he and Leo play and wrestle together on a regular basis. We'll hope that stays that way!

We've been working extra hard trying to get Hubbard's insulin levels under control. They raised him from two units to three, but I think it will take four or five to really put it to bed, so to speak.

They also made us continue to give him the steroid for the pancreatitus. I know he is feeling some better, given how hard he fights both of us to NOT TAKE THAT DARN PILL!!! We have finally found a delivery method that works. ESM has been crushing the pill and mixing it in with some chicken broth. She then draws that concoction into one of the liquid syringes we got for giving him liquid medicine, and squirts it down his gullet! He still fights a bit, but not nearly as hard as when we were trying to use the pill gun with him. Thank goodness!

Hubbard has also taken to wetting down the carpet in front of our master bedroom door lately as well. I know it is because his insulin is still not right, and he is still drinking quite a lot. He is rapidly ruining the carpet there (not that the carpet was in great shape to begin with!). So, between ESM and I, plus my mom, we came up with a workaround for now. We put down a length of that thick plastic carpet protector and old towels that ESM washes very regularly. At least now when he does it, we can clean it up easily. I just hope we can get his insulin dialed in quickly, so he doesn't have to go so much! Poor guy!

The basement has mostly sat for a bit, other than my ESM's little "stress release" the other day. She had been having a particularly bad day with lots of annoyances, however falling down the stairs in our house was really the last straw. She went down in the basement, picked up one of the small sledge hammers we have, and wailed the living bejeezus out of one of the walls. Looks a bit like swiss cheese now. Luckily, we are planning to demo ALL the walls...so no real harm done. She seems to be recovering from her fall, and I am very pleased for that.

ESM did go down today and take down some more studs as well. She likes tearing things apart, pushing trees over, etc. sometimes. I can't really blame her. It does relieve stress, but apparently not like putting large holes in walls does. *grin*

--Sundown, Out

Wishing Everyone a Safe and Warm Holiday!

The tree is decorated, the presents are wrapped, the food is laid in, and the family is on their way. It is Christmas Eve for certain!

Everyone is doing ok, and we'll be enjoying the company of family through the holiday as I hope all of you can do as well.

Our Christmas Eve tradition is to enjoy a "cheese and crackers" dinner, however it is more than just cheese and crackers. We always have sliced sausages, smoked kippers, wonderful fruit and many other finger-foods. It is much easier (to fix and clean up from) than trying to fix a full meal, and gives us time to sit around the tree and reminisce about Christmases gone by.

I will wish you all a very happy holiday, and a safe, prosperous and peaceful new year! Merry Christmas!

A Family Photo
(A first, all the kittehs in one photo!)

Game Night a Success, But With a Casualty

We had our first game night in the new house last night, and it was a rousing success. We started small, it was just a couple of friends this time. But I think everyone had a good time. There were plenty of snacks, sugary and adult beverages, and pizza to keep us fueled and functioning.

We played "Life" first...one of my favorites. But the version our friend brought is from the mid-nineties. In the early nineties, MB changed the game significantly, making it more "PC". I'm not a big fan of the new Life, I like the old rule set better. The old one has more "penalty" spaces, the stock market is a little more like gambling, and I am personally a fan of the convertables for cars rather than the more eighties minivans. I have a vintage late seventies copy of the game floating around, but could not find it after the move. I suspect it either ended up with my parents at their house, or is packed in some obscure box somewhere. I will have to find it. My ESM ended up being the Millionaire and winning. Good job sweetie!

After Life, we took a turn away from board games and played "Uno." One of our friends is an old hand at Uno, having played it a ton with his family growing up. Our other friend had only played Uno once, and that had been some time ago. ESM and I have played some. However, playing two player is much different, and much less fun, than playing four player. We decided to follow the rules exactly, since we had someone unfamiliar with the game. The rules in our version say to play until someone ends up with 500 points. That takes a LOOOOONG time if you're not hoarding Wild+4 cards to screw your friends with! We played for several hours and decided to call it after someone reached 350. Our friend who had not played Uno much, ended up winning by a 100 point margin!

After that we took a break and our friends asked about the plans for my home theater. So we began discussing that for a bit, and I went down in the basement with them to show them where we were at. As we were down there looking at the space, I opened a door we normally keep closed to one of the unfinished storage spaces. Of course when I did, I immediately had kittehs wanting to see in that room! So, I let them wander around in there for a bit while we were talking. When we finished, I had my friend help me empty the kittehs from the room and I shut the door.

Our friends then left, as it was getting late, and ESM and I headed up to bed. We got up this morning and headed down to feed "The Horde" their wet food. Normally as ESM is preparing it, she naturally draws quite a crowd of kittehs wanting their food. However, Rocky was mysteriously absent. I was upstairs in my office and I began to hear ESM calling for Rocky and not getting a response. This gets my attention!

So, I hot-footed it downstairs, and ESM says, with a touch of panic in her voice, that she can't find Rocky, but she can hear him! We listen for a second, and I hear him cry, faintly. Y'all can see where this is going, can't ya? I went tearing down the stairs to the basement and found him, locked in the storage space! How he got in there without me seeing him, I have no clue! But the space is a bit dim, and he is perfectly camouflaged in dark spaces. He must have slipped past me when I wasn't looking.

I am now feeling less than an inch tall, apologizing profusely to Rocky and ESM about locking him up accidentally. Luckily, he is none the worse for wear. He immediately came and ate his wet food, ran back downstairs and went to the litter box (shows you his priorities!) and then had a nice long drink. Sorry Rock-star!

We decided we'll open the door and leave it open for now, so that doesn't happen again. The sump for the basement is in that room though, and I really didn't want them getting in there. So, we have some kitteh-proofing to do first. Stay tuned!

--Sundown, Out

First Night Out

Well, "da boyz" (and Miss Treelo) survived their first night out in the house. No scratches, no blood and most importantly, nothing broken or knocked over! *grin* So, they have successfully transitioned into the main part of the house permanently. That's good, as we need our guest room back here soon! We have family coming for the Thanksgiving holiday.

So now that Leo and Rocky can stay out at night, we can go through and get the guest room clean. Not that they "messed it up" mind you, but with all the kitty hair, litter kicked out of boxes and that general "kitteh funk" generated when two cats share a small room for three weeks, it needs to be freshened up a bit. "A bit, yes, a bit..."

Treelo and Leo are beginning to work their relationship out. There is still some hissing once in a while, but they have touched noses without incident several times as well. So that seems to be going ok. Now, Treelo and Rocky? That's a different story. She still growls at him anytime he gets near her. We think it is because he is still a bit of a kitten, and tends to go wildly careening around the house at times. I think it worries her some. What to do, what to do?

Well, we decided it may be time to put the bells back on Rocky and Leo's collars. The collars we bought for them when they came to join our merry band had little bells on them. We took them off, as we know from experience that will cause Hubbard to run the other direction if he hears a kitteh bell coming. We wanted Hubbard to meet them a little more "up close and personal." But, now that they are downstairs more (except for the occasional jailbreak where Leo goes over the gate), Hubbard is not the big concern now. However, if they have their bells on, Treelo will know when they're coming and maybe they can't sneak up on her (which I've seen them do, repeatedly).

Does Hubbard get along with them ok? He tends to leave them alone, and they are beginning to understand he should be left alone. So, everyone is more often ignoring one another. Since that equals peace, quiet and no bloodshed, we're happy.

ESM snapped this pic earlier this week of Hubbard wondering who that is eating his kibble.

Finally, A New Update

Sorry about the delay folks. Two new kittehs is a little more work than I think we expected. Not that we're worrying about such things, and they certainly aren't going anywhere!

First, about their names. They came from the shelter with Leo and Rocky. But, we have expanded on those names, coming up with full names.

Leo is short for Leopold Gustav, in honor of another handsome orange kitteh who got a home through Hubble Space Paws recently. Head over to her blog (hubblespacepaws.blogspot.com) and search for Gus...you'll find him.

Rocky is short for Roquefort Rococo. Does he like French art and elegant room design? Don't know really. He is rather elegant and has a naturally flowing design...but Rococo came more from his name just rolling off the tongue as "Rocky Rococo." Roquefort? Does he like cheese? Not so much, but having a cat named after a cheese just seemed to fit. *grin*

Rocky also has many aliases. Rocky Ricardo (a favorite of my wife), The Rock, Rockstar, Rock and Roll, and Rocky Gibraltar (referenced in Looney Toons, I believe...can't find it on the intertubes though).

Rocky is the most "cat-like" cat we've had. He likes us, but only has to come see what we're doing occasionally. He can go off on his own and do his "thing" and he is happy as a clam. Leo, on the other hand, is like most large cats we've had in that he wants to be where you are. He has to be close by or he gets upset. And TALK! OMG, there are times when he just won't shut up! *grin*

Leo and Rocky are getting settled in nicely, though. They already got along where they came from, and that has not changed one bit being here. They have been good company for one another during their "unfortunate incarceration" in the guest room. I have seen them even wrestle several times with one another...never aggressively, obviously just playing. That is an oddity around here, you understand. We're not used to that kind of stuff!

Treelo is not happy about these new interlopers in her territory. But, with a liberal application of wet food and four bags of kitty treats, she is slowly adjusting. We can already see she is following them around, seemingly wondering, "WHAT are they up to NOW?!?" That was the way she was with Ziggy. And that is what helps keep her in shape, which is another reason we adopted da boyz.

They have both had recent FIV/FeLV tests which were negative, but we will be testing them again in 60 days, just to make sure. None of us wants a repeat of what happened to our poor Mr. Ziggy.

They both got a clean bill of health from the vet, other than Leo having conjunctivitis or "pink-eye." With the application of some eye ointment for five days and an antibiotic vaccination, he is recovering nicely thank-you-very-much!

They are both enjoying being out in the house most of the day, but we still return them to the guest room at night. We still don't trust Treelo yet. Maybe this weekend we'll let them stay loose one night and see how they get along.

What does Hubbard think of all this? He is typically grumpy, and there has been much paw-waving and hissing, when he thinks they are around. But, since he has trouble seeing, no blows have landed yet. He seems to be trying to tell these two whipper-snappers who's in charge...but not succeeding. Mostly, he just sleeps on the bed or in the window, trying to ignore them as much as possible.

Below is a collage of photos I put together for you guys. Enjoy and I will attempt to get more posts up soon!

-- Sundown, Out

New Kittehs Will Keep You Busy!

Boy, ever since the arrival of our two new fur-babies, we have been BUSY! I'm at work, so I'll give a quick update and get you more details and pictures tonight.

The two boys are doing well, although Leo had conjunctivitis in one eye we had to clear up. But even that is doing much better after the application of some eye ointment for a while. And no one else caught it, thank goodness.

The introductions are going about as well as we can expect given Treelo's known bad attitude towards interlopers in her space! The boys are spending days out and about in the house now, and only getting closed in their room at night. So far, so good. No bloodshed, yet.

Escape! Escape!

Well, there was a little excitement around here last night! Leo tried to introduce himself to Treelo a little earlier than planned!

I decided our two new kittehs had been cooped up long enough, so I hatched a plan to let them out so they could explore most of the upstairs area of the house. Given the configuration of the hallway I could block off the kitty gate at the top of the stairs and put Hubbard in the master bedroom and close the door. So, I set up a seven-foot tall "wall" of moving boxes to block off the hallway and figured that would be ok for their outing. Wrong-o, moose-breath!

It took Leo less than ten minutes to figure out how to circumvent the box blockade, and he then very quickly and quietly jumped over the 48-inch high gate without me seeing him. I was watching Rocky at the time, and the only thing that worked in my favor is I heard an ever-so-slight rattle from the gate as Leo cleared it. So, I hurriedly put Rocky back in the guest room, and went after Leo.

After getting downstairs, I could see neither Leo or Treelo. So, I started calling. I walked over and turned on the light in the living room, and here is Treelo under the coffee table, hunched down, ears back, and she starts growling. I followed her gaze and found Leo sitting in the dining room, next to the sliding glass door that goes out to our sunroom. Oh, joy.

So I quickly grabbed Leo and threw him over my shoulder. He immediately dug all his front claws into my skin and began hissing angrily. I then hot-footed it through the living room, avoiding stepping on Treelo, who is by now following me trying to get to Leo. I managed to make it up the stairs and through the gate with Leo clamped to my shoulder, hissing all the way.

As I opened the door to the guest room, Rocky makes a break for it. I threw Leo on the bed by the door and just managed to catch Rocky by the tail. After another short struggle, I had them both back in the guest room.

Then, it was time for damage control. Checked in on Hubbard...he's sleeping on the bed...good. Went downstairs and started looking for Treelo. After calling her a couple of times, she very cautiously looks around the corner of the couch in the family room, and on seeing me, comes trotting over wanting loves and reassurance. Ok, that could have been worse. So, I sit down with her on the couch for a while and pet her until she falls asleep. Then I head upstairs to see how the boys are fairing. They both are very happy to see me, and both want loves and skritches just like normal. Whew! Looks like I avoided a nasty "incident" this time.

So, I went downstairs and poured myself a double scotch. *grin*

I'm now working on a better way to block off the gate, so they can't get downstairs anymore until formal introductions are in order!

Well, Now We've Gone And Done It!

I would like to introduce to the world, the two newest members of our clan.

Meet Rocky...

And Leo...

I apologize for the crude pictures, but they were all I could get tonight. I will have some better ones as they begin to settle down and become calmer.

We met these two on Saturday and they just seemed like a natural pair. They were hanging out in a big box pet store, waiting for a home. They actually both came from a no-kill sanctuary in the area, and were just sorta "on display" to get more exposure for adoption. Well, looks like it worked!

To be fair, we did look at other shelters in the area, including the one where we adopted Ziggy, but none of the other kittehs "spoke" to our hearts like these two did. I think we made the right choice. Time, however, will be the ultimate judge.

They are quarantined in our guest suite for now, with all the comforts of home. We also have the Feliway running and have added some Rescue Remedy to the water. The combination of the two seemed to help ease the transition to the new family for Ziggy, as well as the move for Hubbard and Treelo. I see no reason it will not work for these two. And both seem to like a pinch of the 'nip, so we have used it liberally in their space. *grin*

My ESM is going to visit her parents this weekend, so we are planning on a vet visit early next week for FIV tests, and general check-ups. They both seem healthy, despite being in kennels for the last week or so. We'll keep a close eye out for signs of "shelter croup" or any other upper respiratory problems...but we've seen none so far.

I'll post more as we learn more about these two. For now, stop by the comments section and say your hello's to them!

-- Sundown, Out