Our normal life here at the cottage is pretty routine. Mommy gets up, feeds us, then gives us our meds, cleans our litter boxes, feeds us, gives us petties, feeds us… you get the idea. Every day is pretty much the same.

Until the holidays.

First came the Christmas tree. Not so bad. It has all sorts of pretty things to paw and bat around. We kitties rather enjoy the Christmas tree. Oh sure, Mommy yells and scats us away from it when she sees us playing. She can’t watch all the time, however, so we got plenty of playtime in before the big day.

When it got close to Christmas, Mommy started going here and there to all the stores. She came in with many bags of stuff. . . human stuff. We looked. It was all for big humans and small humans. No gifts for us.

We aren’t self-centered or anything like that, but were starting to worry that we might not get anything. Then Mommy got us a stocking to hang. One (1) stocking, mind you. There are ten cats here. Hello!!

Soon our one stocking was hung. Mommy got really busy cleaning  the cottage and wrapping presents. She had gotten stockings for her great-granddaughters, too. (They each got their own stocking.) These were soon filled to the brim with goodies for her “baby girls”. Our stocking remained empty.

It calmed down some, and by Christmas morning we thought the regular routine was going to resume. Wrong. Mommy fed us and gave us our meds, like normal.

Then people started showing up, including the “baby girls” who are ages three and seven. We headed for the basement, the bedroom (under the beds), closets; any hiding place we could find was soon full of kitties.

Soon the smell of good food cooking drifted through our hiding places, making us very hungry. We sent Mikey up to scope things out. Both little girls tried to catch him and hug him. They chased Mikey through the cottage.

Mikey ran back to the hiding places and told us it was still not safe to come out.

We waited.

We waiting until we were sure  everyone had gone except Mommy and Daddy. We waited until the only sound was them talking about the day. Then we started to un-hide ourselves.

When we came out, OUR stocking was full of kitty toys and CATNIP!!! Unbelievable!

Mommy fed us and petted us and gave us catnip. We rolled in the catnip and batted our new mousies high in the air.We played chase, running around the cottage at full tilt. 

We played until we were exhausted.

It  was  a good Christmas after all!

Purrs

~ Amber

Three months were not enough. At least that’s what our hearts are crying out as we mourn his passing. Smudge gave us as much love as we gave him. We all benefited. We miss him and always will.

He arrived as a mere skeleton with fur  stretched over the bones. Our vet said that would never change and it didn’t. His appetite was huge. Each time either of us even appeared to be headed for the kitchen, Smudge would race ahead in order to get there first and beg for more food. He always got it.

One of Smudge’s favorite tricks was to attempt to drink tea from our glasses. Someone in his past must have allowed this, because he gave us the most indignant look when we thwarted his attempt. 

Smudge ‘s favorite sleeping spot was curled next to my husband, just under his chin. Smudge slept there as though it had been his sleeping spot for many years.

He was a “daddy’s boy”. One of his favorite things was to sit in  my husband’s lap and ride with him through the house.

Another was to snuggle in the recliner.

Early this week Smudge started eating less and drinking more water. As the days past we tried every brand of cat food, baby food, anything we could think of that he might eat. Each day he ate less. What worked on Monday failed on Tuesday. What worked at one meal failed at the next. Thursday night he refused everything but water. He was drinking tons of water.

Friday morning he was very weak and refused water.

He didn’t appear to be in pain. He was just very weak. His favorite bed, next to where my husband sits, was where he stayed most of the day.

When he did try to wander, we wrapped him in a blanket and took turns holding him like a baby. He would try to purr. Eventually there were no more purrs. Only his eyes, looking deep into ours. We told him how much we loved him and how much we would miss him. It was a sad good-bye.

We placed him back in his bed, where he remained until his passing.

I buried Smudge next to a wild rose bush near the woods. A young oak grows nearby. He shares that area with other beloved pets who have crossed the Bridge over the years. His time with us was less than theirs. The love was the same.

Run free at the Bridge, Smudge. We will meet you there one day.

~ Kitty Mommy

Purrs ~ Amber and the gang.

Everything seemed normal Thanksgiving morning… Mommy and Daddy got up and had coffee and talked. Just like normal. Then Mommy put all the food and goodies she had made into a box and put it in the car. She and Daddy said they would be back later. . . and they LEFT!!! Both of them! At the same time. We were ALONE!!!

Jay Jay Dog started barking and howling and crying for Mommy and Daddy as soon as the car left the yard. The noise was horrendous! He can sure make a lot of noise for a little dog!

We kitties were mad. . . at being left alone with a howling dog and for being left alone in general. Mommy and Daddy just don’t do that. How could they!!!

We were forewarned. . . they had been talking about going to their granddaughter’s house for Thanksgiving dinner for weeks. We, however, didn’t believe they could actually do such a thing.

At first we discussed our revenge. Thomas T. was planning on throwing up just inside the front door; Maggie was going to pee somewhere inappropriate; Precious promised a hairball on the bed. Yes, we had our plan about worked out.

Then we got to thinking about what Thanksgiving is all about and the things we were thankful for.

Precious said she was thankful Mommy had brought her food and water when she was living under the dumpster and then brought her home as soon as she gained her trust.

Thomas was thankful Mommy and Daddy had taken him in the  winter he showed up, many years ago now, homeless and lost.

Smudge was thankful Mommy had taken him in this fall and thankful that she is willing and able to feed him all he can eat whenever he wants it.

Tigger said he was thankful Mommy had made sure he got his surgeries and always takes him to the vet when he shows the smallest sign of being sick.

Mama Cat was thankful for being taken in and for the love she has received and the medical care. She is glad she gets her medicine every day, not matter how big a fit she throws, cause she feels better when she gets her medicine.

I, Amber, am thankful Mommy knew what to watch for and got me to the vet when my heart started acting up. Maybe I will get to live a bit longer due to her diligence. I want to, I love being alive.

Lisa is thankful she has had a home with Mommy and Daddy for over 15 years. She is glad Mommy got her on life-saving meds in time to.

Mikey is thankful to be here with Mommy and Daddy. They spoil him and he knows it.

Maggie Mae is also thankful to be here. Her temperamental “watch this!”pee sessions would not be tolerated by many “regular” people.

Sugar and Spicy are thankful Mommy took time to pick them up where they had been set out on the roadside to starve. They are thankful that they went from almost crossing the Bridge to having a home with us.

Jay Jay Dog stopped howling long enough to say he was thankful to be here too. His illnesses are being treated and as the only dog, he is “King” of the castle.

We told him he was spoiled rotten and it was a cottage, not a castle and he wasn’t king. He started barking and howling again. You can’t have a calm discussion with a dog. . . unless you’re a human.

Mommy and Daddy were gone about all day. They got home before dark, all tired from the trip and sleepy from the good food.

They said they were thankful for their human children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren and that they got to spend time with them.

Then they told us that they were thankful that we were all here, waiting to greet them when they opened the door.

That made our wait worth every minute.

Purrs ~ Amber and the gang~

Even with all the health problems we have, sometimes funny things happen.

One of our favorite perching places  is a window shelf Daddy made for us in the kitchen.

Last night, Mama Cat missed a leap to the shelf and fell into the trash can. It was almost empty and the bag went into the can behind her. It took a few hilarious moments for her to collect herself and get out of the can. Mommy and Daddy couldn’t help. They were laughing too hard to do anything.

Eventually Mama got out of the can on her own. She spent the next few minutes being indignant and ill tempered. Mommy and Daddy were still laughing. . . they couldn’t help it. 

On a sad note:

We learned last night that Jack the Cat crossed the Rainbow Bridge. It made our whole family sad. He had indeed shown courage and determination. RIP, Jack.

Hope everyone has a great Monday….

Purrs ~ Amber

Coughing and gagging…..losing weight. Not good in a kitty with a known heart murmur. Miss Amber went to Dr. Kevin Tuesday after I had watched these symptoms for three days. So much like those of her sister, Amy, which hadn’t meant anything to me until her unexpected death from heart failure.

After Amy’s passing we had the entire family, Precious and her remaining four children, checked. Precious and Mikey had no murmurs. Amber, Maggie, and Tigger did. Nothing could be done, Dr. Kevin said, but keep an eye on them.

Dr. Kevin says that Amber’s heart murmur sounds the same, but that changes are probably taking place inside of her heart. Probably the thickening of the heart walls that eventually killed Amy by decreasing her heart’s pumping ability.

Amber came home with a Beta Blocker to help her heart pump easier. She now takes 12.5mg of Atenolol once a day. Her cough is no better. In fact I think it is worse, but she doesn’t seem to have the spells as often.

We appreciate the outpouring of love and concern from those who follow the Cathouse Chronicles on Facebook. The cats, dogs and humans there are more special to us than we can put into words. Thank you, each and every one.

Amber is being very brave and has resumed posting on FaceBook. When she doesn’t feel good her adopted sister, Sugar, fills in for her.

Amber is a very special and sweet kitty. We hope the time she is borrowing will last as long as is possible. She is a beloved member of our family.

~ Kitty Mommy

Kidney failure…. that murderous killer that has taken so many beloved kitties from Mommy and Daddy… had struck again.

R.I.P. Tennyson….. we will meet you at the Bridge someday.

~ Amber

Mikey here. I’ve been keeping an eye on things this week. My brother, Tigger, had to go to the vet last Friday along with Thomas T. and Smudge.

Mommy wrote about Smudge’s visit in the last post. She didn’t mention Thomas.

Thomas has always been healthy and had never seen Dr. Kevin.  First the scale: Thomas weighed in at 13 pounds. Not bad. He’s all muscle. During the exam everything checked out great except his heart. We learned Thomas has a Class 4 murmur. The highest of any of us. Or I should say, the most severe.

It seems we Shady Hollow Cats are plagued with heart murmurs. It has Dr. Kevin and Mommy bewildered. We expected it in my litter mates (I’m the only one out of five siblings that does NOT have a murmur). An enlarged heart and its failure was what sent my sister Amy to the Bridge last year.

Mikey and Tigger

My brother Tigger went on this visit to get his bottom shaved and so Dr. Kevin could check his catheter. He has had the indwelling catheter for almost a year and has only had one bladder infection. It was due to damp fur and bacteria; so now he gets a trim about every 6 weeks.

It is real humiliating for him. He has lots of pride and he is terribly shy. Having a vet tech shaving his behind makes him very unhappy. Well, until he and Mommy start home. He doesn’t even meow on the way home.

Tigger got weighed while at Dr. Kevin’s. He weighed 17 pounds. He and I are big boys. I weighed 16 pounds at my last visit. We are both very loving and demand attention. Mommy calls us her “snuggle bugs”.

I’ll keep and eye on things and if Amber gets too busy on Face Book to write a post, I’ll take care of it. I have to look out for my sister, you know.

Purrs, Mikey

Dr. Kevin stood straight and shook his head. “Its not good", Joyce.”

I sighed, I had suspected it wasn’t. Kevin asked, “These cats just find you, don’t they? I mean, you don’t look for them.” I told him that the only one of the now 12 cats that I sought out was Lisa. I got her from a neighbor. The rest just found me and I took them in. Kevin nodded.

The Verdict:

Smudge is a very old cat. A conservative guess would put him at around 15, but Kevin feels he is much older.

Smudge has severely worn and missing teeth. He has all the signs of hyperthyroidism, cataracts on both eyes, and a  Class 3 heart murmur. His little old body is just wearing out.

Kevin said the hyperthyroidism was probably the thing that kept him eating. We won’t treat it for that reason. His heart sounded pretty bad. Kevin didn’t tell me anything other than Class 3, I saw it on his face. He looked like he did when he listened to Amy’s heart a year ago, when it was failing.

Dr. Kevin said the best thing would be to bring Smudge home, love him and let him live out his days being loved. He said it wouldn’t be long until Smudge crossed the Bridge.

I have noticed over the past several days that Smudge’s appetite has gone from eating heartily to being very picky. He’s eating less than half what he scarfed down just a week ago.

This rescue may be short lived in-so-far as length of time Smudge spends with us. But I would much rather his last days be spent in comfort and love than huddled under a bush the way I found him. Scared and alone.

~ Kitty Mommy