Thursday, June 08, 2023

Thankful Thursday

TBT:   Ayla went to the deck stairs to the lawn recently.  I am thankful she is feeling that confident about going outside again.  

A month or 2 ago (maybe more, time flies), I started seeing her out and around in the house.  Then she stood at the deck door looking out.  Then the cautiously went out on the deck briefly.  Later she actually napped out there and/or sat on the deck rails a few times.

Still,  when she stood at the top of the stairs last week and then suddenly proceeded down, I was surprised.  She did stop on the lawn at the bottom of the stairs, but mostly to sniff and nibble some grass leaves, and to look around at ground level.  She could actually see things there she couldn't from the deck.




I'm hoping that being at "lawn level" doesn't seem like a new experience to her.  It has been several years since she went out at all.  It crosses my mind that she might have forgotten about "outside" and is re-learning it.  She will be 16  on the 17th, and you have to start thinking about a cat's mental health at that age.

However, she is agile, alert, and friendly (to me and Marley).  She still jumps 3' to the bathroom windowsill without effort, eats well, and covers her pee and poop (granted that she uses the bathmat and a washcloth as a cover these days).  If I put a toy on the windowsill, she will bat it off repeatedly.  She joins me on the bed some nights.  When I enter the bedroom, she meows to me so that I know where she is.  

She even came up on my lap last night (and naturally, the camera was not within reach).  Well, I usually keep in the kitchen (pretty much the center of the house).  When I'm eating dinner and watching TV later, I usually have it next to me, but sometimes I forget (and of course that was one of those times).

So I am thankful today for Ayla's new-found interest in exploring again and hoping that is a positive sign she will be with me for several more years!

Wednesday, June 07, 2023

Womancat Wensday

 AYLA:  I was feeling artsy, so I did a B&W pic.


But I think I look better in "Meezer".


Tuesday, June 06, 2023

Monday, June 05, 2023

Mancat Monday

MARLEY:   Dont mind me, Im just nappin.  


But I have a feeling that later today wont be as good.  There are 2 PTUs stacked in The Mews room and that means 2 of us are goin ta the Vet this afternoon.  Well there are 4 of us, so that makes it possible I'm one.  

Which wouldnt be fair.  I just went a few days ago!  Maybe it is The Ls for teef-cleaning; they havent been ta the Vet in a while.  It might be nice ta have the house all calm-like fer a few hours...  Those 2 can sure run around a lot!


Sunday, June 04, 2023

Easy Like Sunday

AYLA:  I  am really going around in the house and even out on the deck a lot more recently.  TBT is thrilled!

Yesserday, I not only went out on the deck, I pushed Lori out of the way to get there.   Well, she was hesitating...  I've been feeling friskie lately.  And its warm out there.  I jumped up to the deck rail tops.


Lori did go out too.  And sat on the deck top rail fascing me.  Sort of a mild threat, but I didn't mind.  I think she was just waiting fer TBT ta take her picture near the pretty flowers.

I waited...

And when she left (ta run around the yard all crazy-like), I moved near the flowers.  I think I got the better picture, don't you?

Later Lori and I sat on the deck itself just a few feet apart, but we don't have a pic of that.  TBT was afraid that opening the door might disturb us...

Maybe there is some hope for Lori and me ta get friendlier.  A few feet apart isn't much, and neither of us hissed.

Saturday, June 03, 2023

Caturday Saturday

TBT:  I am annoyed and Marley will be on Monday!

Last month, I brought Marley in for dental work (his teeth were fine) but part of it involved checking his blood.  The results were at a borderline level of concern for kidney issues, so they asked me to bring Marley back after a month to see if they changed.  This vet is big on preventive care and I appreciate that.  

So they took a blood sample Friday and said they would call me with the results.  They did.  Apparently Marley has "too much fat in his blood" for their equipment to handle.  Now, that concerned me immediately (like there were liver problems) but they stressed I should not be concerned until they actually had test results.  OK, that makes sense.  

They asked if I had "fasted" him 12 hours before the visit (that could cause temporary "fat" in his blood).  I had.  And we don't have mice in the house, so he wasn't finding anything to eat on his own.

So they want to send a blood sample to a lab with more sophisticated equipment.  The "annoyance" is that the sample they got Friday is not enough for the specialty lab.  So I have to bring him in for another, larger blood draw.

Well, Laz is scheduled for booster shots Monday, and they agreed to fit Marley in to that appointment.  Which I appreciated. One appointment for 2 cats goes faster than 2 appointments for 1 cat each.  And if Marley is developing a problem, I think "the sooner, the quicker" about dealing with it.

The vet mentioned that if Marley's creatinine and blood urea nitrogen are higher than on the previous visit last month, he may need weekly sub-cutaneous fluid injections weekly.  And they would want to do it themselves.  Weekly visits seem like a lot.  I've read it is possible I can do that myself.  But we will wait to see what the lab tests say...  

No POTP is needed right now.  I will know more in a week.  Marley is doing fine for now...


Friday, June 02, 2023

Flashback Friday

 Today we return to this week in 2011.

Ayla was enjoying the back yard.


Running around,

Sniffing for mousies.  She was a great huntress back then!

And loved sitting on the top of the fence to watch the world outside.

Marley was learning about "outside".  Liked sitting in the tomato cages (the tomatoes survived).  

Iza loved walking the flowerbed paths and being among the flowers.

We only had 1 cat tree then.

But TBT got another!  We checked out the parts carefully...

And then there was the 2nd.  We still have both, but the ropes around the posts are pretty much ripped apart now.

Marley loved the huts...

Those were good times...  Iza and Ayla were getting along.  And while we (Ayla and Marley) sure miss Iza, Laz and Lori (both added because of her departure) have brought new "cat-energy" to the house.  

Thursday, June 01, 2023

Thankful Thursday

 Today we are thnkful for many things of course.  But mostly cuz we get along so well.  We've heard that some don't.


This is pretty typical...

Peaceful...

We wish Ayla would join us.  Maybe someday...

Wednesday, May 31, 2023

Womancat Wensday

 AYLA:  Comfy on a basket of socks!


And he doesn't mind my furs a bit.  Well, they are all on outsides of his socks...  They are all washed, but I can still smell him in them.  I like that.

I join him in bed in the middle of the night.  Sometimes I slip unner the covers for a while.  Not too long, but I like ta feel him breathing.  He is large and warm.  But he turns over a lot, so I leave.  Lori can put up with that a lot longer than I can.  So when she crawls unner, I leave.  But I watch him from the sock basket.  The better he sleeps (even with Lori), the happier I feel.  

Tuesday, May 30, 2023

Twofur Tuesday

 LAZ & LORI:  

Ayla is napping in the laundry basket above.  I would like ta join her, but I don't think she likes me much.  But are sisfurs.  She should like me.  Maybe I better leave her alone and wait.  Marley says to give her more time.  Marley knows stuff.  


I'm just sittin on the bed waiting fer Lori ta join me.  She's my BFF.  I feel odd if she isn't nearby at night.

Well. maybe I'll just curl up and she will join me.  Whatever she likes is good.

Monday, May 29, 2023

Monday Mewsing

 TBT:  Some readers mentioned this picture of Iza between the flowers:


Some pictures are better than others, but this one is precious to me in remembrance.  She didn't know I was watching her, so she was just exploring on her own.  She was always heavy to lift, but light on my lap and she stayed there often and under the covers in bed.  Her furs rivaled a mink's. 

 My desktop picture is:


Ayla and Iza napping together as Sisfurs.  Siamese and Tonkinese together in peace.

I sure miss Iza...  ðŸ˜¢ 

Sunday, May 28, 2023

Easy Like Sunday

 THE MEWS:  

It is a nice calm day after first and second breakfast.  We will get up soon and go outside, though...

But for now, we'll just nap.

If you look close, you can Ayla napping in the background, too.

When Ayla naps in sight of Laz, that is a very calm day...

Saturday, May 27, 2023

Caturday Saturday

 3 Abed...


The Ls sleep closest...

But Marley is usually around them.


Ayla is enjoying her open windowsill as cool fresh air and outside sounds come in...