Willow needs purrs

I've been traveling a lot lately, which means a lot of time away from the kitties. I don't mind a little travel, but it's been feeling like I'm away more than I'm home, which I know it not really true. I was gone all of last week and got back home on Friday.

Dec 6, 2017

Willow had stopped eating on Thursday. By Saturday, she was having to work really hard to breathe and she was breathing very fast. She also moved very slowly and looked miserable. She was acting a lot like Buddy right before he crossed the bridge. When we got her to the vet, she was open mouth breathing, so the vet tech quickly whisked her back to the oxygen chamber. 

After some bloodwork and x-rays, the vet was thinking inflammation of the pancreas. We decided to leave her overnight so they could stabilize her. On Sunday evening, she was doing better and starting to eat, so we thought we might bring her home.

She spent the time pacing, very agitated and unsettled. She was in zombie state - completely out of it. She never stopped moving. After a few hours, she started convulsing and struggling to breathe. We ran her back across the alleyway to the vet (thank God for living across the alley from our 24-hour vet). And again, they put her in the oxygen chamber and were able to stabilize her. The emergency vet didn't really have any ideas about what might be causing all of this.

Willow's home again and spent most of Monday pacing. I haven't seen her sleep at all. She's eating again and seems more present than she did, but still not back to her normal self. She's starting to settle more, spending a little time on the couch next to me. Her breathing appears to be more normal.

When she was hospitalized they gave her an appetite stimulant - I'm wondering if they gave her too big a dose or maybe she had adverse reaction. She's was acting like she was super-stimulated and couldn't stop. In time, she seems to be slowing down. It's been very scary to watch her not be herself and to see her struggling to breathe. We are still waiting to talk with our vet, who treated her on Saturday. 

Please join us in praying and purring for her continued healing.

spooky snoozes

It's that day again...

Laura did fantastic job on the carving this year!

The day (and night) for Oliver to be safe and secure...

happy Oliver = happy cat guy

stack of cats

We were moving stuff out of the house the other day and came back inside to see Theo and Nahum owning the end tables!  Silly boys!

inside time

Oliver's been loving some inside time lately.

 Happy sleeping kitties! Yah!

 

Theo's still not so sure about having Oliver as an inside companion.

Progress is slow but steady. Regardless of how Theo feels, I love having Oliver inside - and Oliver loves it too!

invasion

Each girl has their own fort.

You may remember, Rose's fort is the brown fleece blanket on the chair.

Willow claims the green fleece blanket on the couch. But what happens when Rose invades Willow's fort?

Hhhhmmmmrrrpphh!

An update on the move...

moving = stress
moving long distance = crazy stress
moving long distance + no income = nutzo stress

moving long distance + no income + plans falling through = f***ing overwhelming stress

A number of plans have fallen through in the moving process, which has caused significant stress. We had a private buyer lined up to buy the house, but deep into the process, they changed their minds. Then later it looked like Laura had landed an amazing job in Vermont only to find out later it was offered to someone else. It's been an intense emotional roller coaster, testing every ounce of faith and perseverance in me. I've been on the edge of overwhelming panic for more days than I want to admit, sometimes falling off into the deep pool of despair and anxiety. There have been many days when I just want to crawl in the fort with Willow and be done.

We are still working toward moving, but many details (exact location, timing, etc.) remain unknown still. Our house is ready to list on the market (which took an enormous about of work) but the problem is if we sell our house, we'll be homeless and unable to acquire new housing. Neither of us has jobs right now as we were expecting to have been moved by now. That means we don't qualify for another mortgage. I've looked all over for rental options in Vermont, but I've not found anyone willing to rent to someone with seven cats. Most say 0-2 cats. I've had a few people suggest maybe we could find homes for some of our cats, I don't see that as an option. I would rather not move than consider getting anywhere near that idea. It actually pisses me off when people suggest that. These cats are my family, not having children, they are like my kids. One doesn't suggest to a family with four children, maybe they should consider giving up a kid for adoption to increase the likelihood of finding a suitable house. Don't get me started...

Anyway, it's like a giant puzzle, where the pieces have to go in place in the right order. There is some good news in the midst of this. The housing market here is really booming, each month of delay results in a higher listing price on our house. And I have two job interviews lined up for next week! That means a quick trip to Vermont, but first I have to dig through all the boxes and find my interview clothes which were packed up a long time ago - sigh.

If anyone happens to know of someone in Vermont who might rent to us with seven cats, please let me know! I plan to check in with Sachie from My Cat Goma Blog (she lives in Vermont) to see if she has any ideas. I've emailed some shelters and rescue organizations, thinking if I can

Fall!

It's Fall - the perfect time for outside kitty pictures.

Ok guys, act like you like each other.

That's better!

Happy Fall!

fortification

Summer is nearly in the rear view mirror. Such a beautiful summer here, warm and dry. I think I heard no measurable rain for over 60 days. It'll be here soon enough.

We are still working on moving, which means lots of house projects to get the house ready to sell. I did a bunch of them this weekend, including adding earthquake straps to the water heater, so if there's an earthquake, it won't fall over. Drilling into the concrete foundation to place anchor bolts was not fun!

The realtor gave us a list of things that need to be done so a potential buyer could get a loan. Apparently, in this area, banks won't write a loan if the hot water tank is not secured to the wall. The crazy thing is, if there is an earthquake here, the house won't be standing (house is not attached to the piers it sits on) - but the hot water heater will be standing! Anyway, glad to have that project over with.

I've been training Theo on how to assume the Buddy tummy rub position. It took him a few times to remember how the legs go for maximum tummy rubs, but I think he's got it now!

8:52am

2:12pm

Speaking of Buddy, we recently marked a year since his crossing to the rainbow bridge. Still miss that guy, quite a bit.

classic Buddy!

There has been a lot of fort-action here lately. The blanket fort is always a winner. Pretty simple, just drape a blanket between the couch cushions and the cats do the rest.

 

 There's a Rose in this fort!

Willow's been known to sleep through the coming and going of the evil suck monster when she's safe and secure in a blanket fort! What's the point of having a fort if it ain't gonna keep you safe?!

Hmmm... this fort is getting a lot of attention, I wonder who's in there...

It's Oliver!!!!!

Oliver LOVES inside kitty forts - he loves most anything related to being inside kitty.

Some have asked if Oliver and Pierre are coming with us when we move - they most certainly are! We're not leaving any of our family behind. No cats left behind!