Easy Like Sunday

AYLA:  Breakfast in bed...  I'm eating mine.

The Two Ls haven't quite woken up yet, but they smell it.  Yeah, we all get meals where want them.

Marley already ate his and is testing out a box.  

That may be a repeat.  We are bit disorganized lately.  TBT has been slackers with our pics...

 

Sleepy Saturday

MARLEY:   The arm of the TV chair...

Makes a wunnerful head rest!

Flashback Friday

Today, we return to the thrilling day of February 25, 2011!  We had received toys we won in a contest from Eric&Flynn.

Marley checked them carefully.

Ayla went right after the Plague Rat.

Marley liked the Green Mouse.

Iza just cuddled with Rat!

And we notice that Marley (though he sure is big now) was smaller than Lori is even though a couple months older then!

 

Werdless Wensday

 

Love Your Pet Day 2

TBT:   I saw comments about just showing Ayla on "Love Your Pet Day".  So, to balance things out, here are others...

Lori on her favorite spot (I wear thick clothes these days - she thinks I am a cat tree).

Marley on HIS favorite spot...

Laz declined to be "cameraed" today...

Spay Visit

TBT:  I titled this "Spay Visit" because there was no actual operation today.  Lori's platelet count was too low.  I spoke to the vet when picking Lori up to bring her home.  The vet is uncertain about the cause and after asking me about symptoms and behavior at home is downright baffled.  She wants to see her again in 2 weeks.  Also, I did some research when I got home.

Normal platelet count is above 200 "somethings".  Below 150, it is too dangerous to operate.  Lori's is 98. That seems extremely low.

Possible symptoms include :

Bruising - No sign of that.

Localized red areas on the skin and gums - No sign of that. 

Retinal hemorrhage - No sign of that.

Hematochezia (presence of blood in the stool) - Her previous fecal exam in December showed no sign of that, but they hadn't asked for one this time. 

Hematuria (presence of blood in the urine) - The vet didn't do that test this time, but if it is visible to me in the litterbox, she doesn't have that problem.

Lethargy - She is practically hyper-active!  She and Laz chase each other around constantly.

Epistaxis (nosebleed) - No sign of that.

Lack of appetite - She eats like a pig (lots of anything).

Temporary mild illness or infections - No sign of that.

Inadequate diet - The Mews get Fancy Feast and Wellness wet food most meals and a handful of kibble once a day and a few treats.  The vet said that was fine.

Wounds causing bleeding - She and Laz bite and bunny-kick each other a lot.  They both heal nearly scabless.  I have found a few little ones on both, but never any bleeding.  In fact, the vet said the spot where they took the blood sample didn't even bleed.

Parasites - No sign of that.

Bleeding from the gums - No sign of that.

There are some long-term diseases and non-symptomatic conditions that can cause low platelet count.  I won't even try to describe them.  But some are things Lori has been vaccinated for previously; some require extensive treatment (bone marrow sampling, transfusions, etc); and some are "unfixable" (genetics, for example).

So, for now, we just wait.  The vet says platelet counts can spike or plunge temporarily, which is why she wants to see her again in 2 weeks.  Lori might have a perfectly normal platelet count then.

I am, of course, worried.  But there is nothing I can do right now.  Apparently, you can't increase platelet count by any means at home through diet or activity.  I expect that this problem will be overcome at some point and Lori will get a safe and successful spay operation and everything will be fine in a few weeks.

I will have some fears until then, though.  Ayla went through 3 spay operations over the course of a year, and I nearly lost my mind from all the howling and grabby-claws.  I'm not sure how I would deal with a lifetime-unoperable cat.

But today, Lori was happy to be home.  In fact, she was nearly undetachable for 2 hours after returning.  Tonkinese are unusually attached (physically and emotionally) compared to most cats (not saying yours aren't).  But after 15 hours with no food, she wanted my attention more than she wanted to eat anything.  

The next 2 weeks will feel like a year.  And "oh joy" it means she will go into heat again...

Edited to add:  Can't get any vet within 20 miles to schedule an independent blood platelet count sooner than 3 weeks.  I think the term "independent second test" scares them ("professional avoidance"?).  But I am not certain I feel fully confident in the vets I "inherited" from the previous one of 35 years.  I seem to have few options...

Love Your Pet Day

 

Silly Saturday

LORI:  We were just nappin...

And suddenly, Laz pushed me away a bit.  He said "Ick, Lori, your breath - its all fresh and minty"!

Flashback Friday

This week 10 years ago, Ayla and Iza did a bit of sisterly space-sharing.

Later, Iza played peek-a-boo under the chair tent.

 

Random Act

 LORI:  TBT carried me out on his shoulder (where I love to perch)  outside to the mailbox and back (firm grip on right leg)!

OK, maybe that wasnt "random" (well it was to ME), but it SURE was eciting,,,

And we sat on the front doorstep fer a few minutes!  I nearly passed out from all the new snells and sounds,.

A Leg Up

LORI:   I didn't believe these pictures either until I saw them.  It was a weerd night...

Werdless Wensday

 

Twofur Tuesday

LORI:  Well, later yesserday, I finally got my full place on The Lap.

Marley was easy about it.

 

Mancat Monday

TBT:  Hey Marley, I think somecat else is sneakin onto The Lap...

MARLEY:  Thats OK, Ive got most of it...

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!

Spay Date!

 TBT:  When you are confused about answers, ask again!  

I called my regular Vet office again yesterday to see if I could do anything to get a sooner appointment for Lori's spay operation.  Going to the Humane Society made me worried.  Their local rating wasn't great.  And since she is unchipped yet (to be done with the spay visit), I actually worried that they might "lose her" in the crowd.

It is easy to imagine the worst sometimes.

So I called my Vet again to see if there was anyway I could beg for the Ladygardenectomy before a 2nd heat cycle.  I was willing to bribe if possible...  I kind of stayed up all night waiting for the Vet to open at 8 am (woordle helped).

This time, all was OK.  The person I talked to said Feb 21st was open for a spay operation.  She even asked who I talked to the 1st time (I didn't recall the name).  

But the important thing is that we have an appointment before she (and I) have to go through heat again.  And with my trusted Vets doing the operation.

I am such a lucky person.  If it doesn't involve dice or spinners, things go my way...  I can't win a lottery or a bet, but the important stuff works out well.  I'll take that any day.

So Lori gets her operation in 10 days (before her next expected heat).  By a trusted Vet.  And chipped...  I can relax now...  Everything is scheduled and settled.  Marley and Ayla will go in for rabies and Feline Leukemia Vaccinations early March.

All is well in our world again...

Flashback Friday

Today, we go back to this week 2013.

Marley could jump up tp the top of the shoe rack then and Ayla didn't mind.

I almost got them both jumping off together, but not quite...

Iza did her "laying on back thing...

Dad was still here, and liked The Mews.

And the weather was good for all us to be outside (but coming in for dinner).

An Unthankful Thursday

 TBT:  I'm not happy with my Vets!  Not that they don't provide good cat-care, but they are not always straight-forward about their practice.  They could tell me more about scheduling/timing, and they don't.  I'm not planning on searching for a new Vet, but they can really withhold information sometimes.

OK, I should mention I was talking to the Desk Manager (for lack of a better job title)...

When Lori was 5 months old, I asked about a spay operation and microchipping.  They said they preferred to wait til 6 months for microchipping and do a spay after going through heat once (to do it "in between"). I have never previously had a Vet who worries about that.  But, if newer Vet practices are better for the cat, I go along...

So Lori went through her first heat Feb 3-8.  I called today to schedule the appointment.  They said they were scheduled to March 3rd.  They offerred a mid-March appointment.  Lori will probably go into heat again right about March 3rd, so that would be a 2nd heat.  

I'd rather not go through that again.  And I would rather she didn't have to either.  Lori is a Tonkinese, and they are related to Siamese and Siamese are LOUD.  Tonkinese are close...  One week was bad enough for both of us.

But it relates to Ayla.  As some of you may not know (and many of you know do know), Ayla required 3 spay operations.  The first 2 were done by the breeder's Vet.  The 1st was unsuccessful.  After telling me "it would end soon" for months, he agreed to do it again.  Poor Ayla!  But the 2nd was unsuccessful, too.  The Vet said that sometimes heat cycles could re-occur for months due to "thyroidal issues" and there wasn't much he could do about that.

Ayla went into heat every 3 weeks for a week at a time for months afterwards.  I was still working at the time, and between long hours and a long commute, sleep was precious.  I didn't get much during her week.  And she was a wreck.   I have experience with female cats.  She was worse than any other.  I swear, I could have grabbed her tail and swung her around like a board. 

 It was like she was 2 cats in heat in one body.  And she grabbed me with all claws anytime she could.  She would stick on me like velcro.  I bought spot-bandages.  I used a lot of antibiotic ointment.  I still have the calendars that I marked with red Xs for her heat days.  The months are full of red Xs.

I don't want to be indelicate here, but one day, I noticed a beige discharge from her lady parts.  I brought her to my Vet and he decided to do an exploratory surgery.  Knowing she had been spayed 2x before, he was shocked to find one entire ovary and part of the uterus still inside her and deteriorating (hence the discharge).  

He called me quickly in mid-operation about it.  I told him to save the parts as evidence.  I still have them in alcohol.  He said the parts were obvious and "right there".  Ayla's 3rd spay (by my own Vet) worked fine.

So, I have this "thing" about spay operations.  Fear of failure...  Naturally then, when my current Vets (the good old guy retired a couple years ago after caring for The Mews for 30+ years) started delaying things, I was worried.  

The Desk Manager suggested I could bring Lori to the Humane Society for her operation and that they could do it within a week.  I was unsure about that, but she said she brought her own cats there and that they were very good.  I will call tomorrow to see about an appointment.  I think I will make that mid-March appointment with my regular Vets (just in case) though.  

So I am really not very happy today...

Lori Calmer

Oops, we posted on TBTs blog.  Seems better here than there...

LORI:   Feeling better!  Calming down.  Thank Bast!

 

Womancat Monday

LORI:  Im tired.  Im taking a nap on the chair!

TBT says that if I nap and stay quiet for a while, he will just perch on the very front as he watches TV and eats his dinner...

Easy Like Sunday

Even with Loris current "distraction", we still need to eat.  We managed an EASY moment here...

Ayla eats unner the bed. 

Caturday Saturday

TBT here:   Yeah, Lori finally went into heat and everyone guessed that.  It started Wednesday night and was at a normal peak last night.  I expect it will last another day or 2.  About 80% of my cats have been female, so this isn't exactly my first experience.  Some of you may recall that Ayla required 3 spay operations to get it right (I'll explain all that if new readers comment that they want to know about that).

Though having Siamese and Burmese ancestry, Lori has been a rather quiet untalkative kitty.  A slight light meow from time to time.  Well, she is a "purrer" more than a "meower".  Maybe she had no complaints before.  LOL!  So when she started "talking" Wednesday night, I guessed what was happening.

My previous experience about spay operations was based on age.  So when she turned 24 weeks old, I asked the vets about spaying.  They said they preferred she go into heat once to establish when she wasn't, as they thought the operation was easier.  My previous Vet (retired now) just went by age. 

Just as an aside, I'm not sure how vets measure age.   "6 months" isn't exactly the same as "24 weeks".  But Lori was born on August 3rd, and went into heat February 3rd".  6 months right to the day!

OK, veterinary science advances like everything else, so I go with whatever they recommend.  I'll call Monday for an operation appointment later that week

Lori has a funny voice.  Small, slight, and calm.  Even in heat, she isn't making much noise.  I appreciate that.  Ayla had an in-heat call that would wake exhausted people in a large building!  So we are good.

Ayla has been more tolerant of Lori the past 2 days (memories?),  Laz is disturbed, and Marley doesn't seem to care.  I can sleep at night.  She seems to want my attention even more than usual and even climbs right up me to sit on my shoulder.  I'm not sure what that is all about, but I am wearing heavy jeans and thick flannels shirts now.  She has sharp claws...

I expect it will end in a couple days and if it stays as it is for the couple days, I'll sleep OK.  Lori seems to go into it for an hour and then is normal again for several.  She sleeps and eats OK.  She sleeps at night with Laz.  She joins me in bed sometimes normally.  

I'm expecting that her operation will be in 7-10 days and everything will be calm after.  No repetition of Alya's difficulties...

I still have the inflatable collar used for Ayla and Iza.  It was sold for small dogs, but it works great for cats.  Much better than "The Cone".

Flashback Friday

Today we go back to a subject rather than a date.   Lori is actin a bit odd.  Do these pictures from the past give you a clue?