StrangeRanger

Window Wars

Just when you think you've got your cats figured out they come up with something to surprise you.  Ivy was recently spotted some where she's never been before:

 I think her thrice-weekly subQ fluids are making her feel so much better that she's decided to go exploring.  This has, of course, caused some concern in the mind of the other feline resident (and previously sole occupant of the couch-window), Maddie:

 AAAAAAA!!!!  The world is spinning off it's axis!!!!! 

The two cats did manage a tense sort of sharing the other day, but it didn't last long.

 Maddie seems to have ceded the couch back for now.

 This reeks.  Fine.  I'll just stay in my box.  See if I care.

Ivy has seemed oblivious to the distress she's caused.  You want a happily napping, flopped cat?  how about this?

 Wait!  there's a close-up!

 And she sits, gazes and thinks inscrutable cat-thoughts, too.

 Maddie has gotten some sun, and there has been some proximity, but it doesn't usually last long.

 And now, the other perspective:

 We hope they come up with a way to peacefully share the couch.  Doubt they will though.  You should have heard Maddie's language while this pic was taken:

 If they mangae to share, there'll be more pics.  if not, well, there'll probably be more pics anyways.

So Far...

...so good.  Ivy has displayed remarkable good humor and patience whilst we stick her and pump her full of fluid goodness.  For our part, we seem to have done things correctly (mostly) and we think we're getting more proficient with the whole process.  Ivy's been keeping up her usual kitty routine and she seems to be enjoying life.  She gets quite purry at times, and (though she's still around 6 pounds) she's been eating like a little porker.  She did get a bit finicky about what type of gooshy we were giving her, but I guess that is a cat perogitive.  Ivy was even in a good enough mood yesterday to pause in the sun and let me take a pic or two:

 

 I call this one of my music and cats pics.  Kimberly, of the lovely blog Music and Cats, had a photo of her cat Lyra as her banner at one point, and my shot (though vastly inferior to any of Kimberly's pics) reminds me of it.  Go visit her blog and get an eye full of great photos and three marvelous cats.

Ivy's been napping, of course.  It amazes me that she can nap as hard as she does; notice the completely flopped head mirroring the completely flopped tail:

 Maddie's been doing well, too.  She alternates between hissing at Ivy whenever they cross paths and regally ignoring her.  They are currently occupying napping space as far apart as they can get in a small house, but sometimes they nap in the same room.  Proof:

 And that's about as close as they get.  <sigh>

Cookies. OMG cookies.

Okay.  These are worth eating:

 Oreo Fudge Bars.  OMG.  Go to Crepes of Wrath for the recipe, and many many others.  These are not hard to make, or involved at all.  But they are quite yummy. 

Strangely though, not all members of the household seems interested:

  Dude...when you learn to make cookies with fish, parmesan and creamer, let me know.  Until then, well, I'll pass.

No probs, Ivy.  More for the humans!

We've been to School

Fluid School, that is.  Took Ivy in to see Dr G on thursday.  The wee tuxedo cat is up to 6lbs 3.5 oz.  We were most pleased about that.  Dr G taught us how to give Ivy subcutaneous fluids.  I actually stuck the harpoon into Ivy with no trouble, and she sat calmly and soaked up 150 mls of the goodies.  We'll be giving her fluids twice a week at home, but we're still trying to figure a good place for our saline shooting gallery.  There may be pictures once we get our practice in and have things running smoothly.  In any event, Ivy continues to be a super-trooper.  Of course, we give her time to rest and relax after all of the drama of the last week.  She seems to be fully recovered.  Improved, even.  She's been eating more, up in her window by the computer, and, of course, in her fuzzy bed in the sun:

We've been very pleased with how much better Ivy seems to be since the subQ fluids.  I must say that, if this second kittenhood continues, we'll probably get over the mild mental trauma of sticking our cat with a sharp object which she doesn't seem to really mind.  (I know...it's stupid on our part, but needles?!?  Ick!!!)  Dr G has been honest with us and has said that this is merely making an old cat more comfortable in the time she has left, but hey, if it makes Ivy even a little bit happier, we'll take it and be grateful.

 Maddie's realized that the back of the couch is the place to be of a sunny morning, catching rays and watching the world go by:

 I often wonder what she makes of the outside world...

A Tough Week

It has been a tough week here at ChezRanger.  We took Ivy in for her check-up and trim on Thursday.  

   If you people think I can't find the clippers, sneak into your room in the middle of the night and give you a trim, you have seriously underestimated the wrong kitty.

Ivy is down to 5lbs 12 oz. now.  She was 6lbs 2 before the trim.  The Doc says her thyroid is holding steady but her kidneys continue to deteriorate.  Her appetite is still good, though, and she drinks like a frat-boy.  The doc gave her some subcutaneous fluids to help her kindeys along, though, and we're going back Monday to learn how to do that at home.  We're nervous, but Dr G says that it's a pretty idiot-proof maneuver (which is why they let us civilians do it at home).  More bulletins on that as events warrant.

Things got tougher on Ivy later this weekend, though, and it's our fault.  Ivy has been loving anything that is warm recently.  We figured "Hey, she's shaved so she'll need something extra to keep her warm."  We put her bed on a heating pad, and she loved it.

 

  She'd get up to grab some snacks (action shot!)

 and then come right back to the warm bed in the sun.

We think we overheated her.  Saturday afternoon she jumped up and seemed quite agitated.  She threw up, scrambled as fast as she could, threw up again, scrambled again, back legs quite discombobulated, heaved again and collapsed in the hall.  While I kept an eye on her, LadyRanger called the emergency vet.  After about 10 minutes, Ivy wobbled into the dark, cool, bathroom and hung out there for a bit.  After another 20 minutes she acted like nothing had happened, save that she resumed her frat-boy pace of drinking.  The emergency vet told us to monitor Ivy for an hour, offering her water.  They, and LadyRangers internet research, sugggested the overheating idea.  We immediately took up the heating pad and monitored as ordered.  Ivy seems quite recovered now.  You'd never know that anything that terrifying had ever happened.  Our foundling just keeps bouncing back.  She's even returned to her now unheated cat bed with every apparent sign of complete happiness.

  Please notice the extra water bowl.  And her catnip toy.  All seems well.

We're really distraught that something we did to give her comfort turned out to be harmful.  I suppose we'll know better next time. 

How has Maddie dealt with all the trauma?

 Boooooooring!

 Oh, crumbs!  If anything happens to Ivy, these clowns will probably bring *that one* inside.  I cannot win...

Actually, that's our neighbor's cat Matilda, who would not want to be taken from her wonderful home.  You and Ivy are the only cats here, Maddie.