This has been a really hard week for our family. It has not helped that the weather has been stifling hot and that it got up to 30℃ on Monday. Sometimes it was even too hot to sit outside as there was not a breath of wind. It makes me feel lethargic and sludgy.
Last Sunday I sat at my desk with all of the doors and windows open wide, my fan on high and pointed at my face, watching Tyler Henry communicate with the spirits of his guests while I used my coloured pencils to meditate by mindlessly colouring in. I did this one in watercolour pencils but have not ‘washed’ it.
I mention the fan on my face and feel I should mention my unexplainable fear of getting Bell’s Palsy from wind in my ears. I remember that this happened to someone many years ago when I was a child and I think about it every time I have the car window down or a fan pointed at me. Just added that bit for those of us who have any obsessive odd thoughts – you are not alone!!
Last Saturday evening Blue and Finn were messing around and Blue dove for the dining chair at the same moment that Finn dove for Blue and when his back leg came down on the chair it fractured it. Of course at the time we did not know it was fractured, so we put him outside on his fave chair and gave him some chicken, intending to take him to the vet first thing on Sunday morning.
The problem was that he was not interested in anyone messing with him and during the night he scooted off through a hole in the neighbour’s fence and did not come home until late Sunday night. He was starving and wolfed down some food and went into Poppy’s tent bed to hide out until the next morning.
Lola also had been staying far from us, she had been very lethargic when we gave her the nightly meds, but she would only eat a few bites of food then wander off. Even though she seemed to not be eating she seemed to be getting very heavy when I lifted her. We knew that the vet had told us of a mass in her bladder and that it was a matter of time, we were just to monitor her. When we woke on Monday the bathroom floor and the shower floor were both covered in blood.
Trevor agreed to help Norm as they also had to take Poppy in as she was booked for the surgery to remove the last remaining pin in her leg. Off they went with Blue howling in our only cat carrier and Trevor carrying Poppy while Norm drove. They checked both animals in and came back home so Norm could collect Lola and Trevor could head off to Caitlin’s.
The vets did a scan on Lola and uncovered a huge mass in her pelvis. I suspect that it was pressing on her stomach is why she did not want to eat. The vet said that there was not much he could do as she would not survive the surgery as she was so old and the mass was huge, larger than her actual bladder. They sent her home for us to decide what to do. We agreed that if she ate and seemed to be feeling ok, then we would wait. But when she came home and we tried to feed her, she would not take anything. She had some water but that was all. She just lay down with no life in her beautiful eyes.
The next morning Lola was missing. Norm went around to the neighbour and saw her, but she escaped under some bushes. Norm managed to eventually catch her and bring her home but she moved so slowly I sensed she was in discomfort. I tried to cuddle or pet her but it seemed like even touching her hurt. When I picked her up I could smell a rotten smell and I knew it was definitely time for her to go, I suspect the mass was starting to compromise her bowels too. We always agreed as long as they were happy and not in any pain, our little allotment of medicated geriatrics would live the best life we could give them and I feel we did that. Norm took her down to the vet and they put her peacefully to sleep. The house is so quiet without her chatting to me. She sat in my lap whenever she could. She was such a beauty and so sweet and loving.
Blue had an x-ray which showed a severe spiral fracture of his leg (arrow across to the 2nd pic). He is so old I am sure his bones are not the strongest.
He came home so high he fell off of the little stool I put him on but he was so out of it he did not have a clue and just lay there until I went to check on him. He slept overnight in Poppy’s little tent like bed which is under my desk. The next morning he had his meds and he was crying, so Norm managed to help him pee then he went to lie down on the grass in the sun.
He is now in a little routine. When we come downstairs at 8am Norm takes him outside to the grass so he can do his business. We know both his bladder and bowels are functioning. At about 10am we move him out of the sun and into the shade. He sits in his chair under the covered patio until his dinner time.
After his dinner he comes in to sit on his stool and chill with the family until bed time, then he gets another chance for a toilet break then we put him in his tent bed for the night. The first day he was zonked but he now looks so much better than he did when he first got home. He is getting good at using his cast as a kickstand to hold him up to pee. He can jump up easily enough but is afraid to come down so he stands and shouts and I can hear him through the window near my desk to know he needs assistance. He has now mastered entering and exiting the cat flap and if we are not fast enough to jump to his side, he toddles off in a huff.
I have such strong connections with animals. Sometimes it is quite bizarre. Recently I was sitting outside enjoying the peace and quiet and a pigeon was in the tree making a hell of a noise. I shouted up – ‘oy chill out dude you are harshing my mellow’ and Mr. pigeon flew down in flurry of wings and landed in the Fairy Garden. He puffed his chest out and gave me a steady glare with his red beady eyes. He then walked over to one of the tiny white rabbits in the garden, took hold of it’s ear with his beak and tossed it off of the rock it lives on. He then walked over to a plant, grabbed it and started pulling on it as if to uproot it! He stopped, looked at me with disdain then flew off.
I apologised to him for being rude and upsetting him. Trust me to have antagonised an angry pigeon.
I mentioned last week about the feather coming down and landing on me? It happened again, this time with a tiny, perfectly formed little feather.
All messages, shouting loud to me from the Universe. Telling me to trust that we will do the right thing for our animals, that all will be fine and we need to understand that there is a plan for us all, we just need to listen.
Trevor flew back to George on Thursday. He has had such a lovely time getting to know little Bree and he claims to have taught her how to sit up on her own. He also taught his little furry sister how to play fetch. Unfortunately my camera skills are rubbish and only seemed to catch when she was being otherwise.
It is now her favourite game. Last night she was sitting outside and I said in a conversational tone ‘go get your ball and bring it to Mama’ and she stopped what she was doing, looked at me, ran off up her ramp, grabbed the ball and brought it to me and dropped it. She is a clever little cookie.
It was so lovely to have Trevor here. He spent his days with Caitlin and Bree and then his evenings with Norm and I. I was glad to have his support with all of the dramas going on with our animals. He is such a kind, lovely man.
Norm has a friend over from the UK so he was busy with him on Thursday and Friday. Tamlyn came for a chat and dinner last night. We order in burgers from The Woodcutters Arms and they were delicious! I seldom trust anyone’s burgers because I am such a puritan about meat, but this one was gorgeous. It was an early night as we were both tired.
Today I am heading over to Caitlin’s to help her with Bree as Wes is at the rugby and she will be on her own. I look forward to seeing them as I have not seen Bree in a few weeks and she is growing like a weed! She had her first solids this week as well, some butternut. I will get to watch her eat her next serving today.
I just have to keep focusing on the positive things in my life, and there are so many. I am so grateful for them all. I think the Universe sent me little Poppy to help me not be so sad about Lola. Poppy is a minx but she is also a little lovebug and she keeps me laughing all day. Of course I have my family, my home and my job to be thankful for among many other things. The balance tips in my favour.
I hope you all have a lovely weekend and week ahead, until next time, Kisses from the Kitten xoxoxox
Kitten in the City 