StrangeRanger

Another vet visit...

...for the wee tuxedo cat.  Ivy's up to 5 pounds 6 ounces, which is a nice change.  We are to give Ivy her subQ fluids every day now.  Ivy tolerates that well, so we don't think it'll be too traumatic.  Had a talk about the ultimate visit <shudder>.  Dr G. feels that, while she doesn't see Ivy lasting through the summer, she's bright and alert and enjoying life now. 

 Darn tootin' I am.  I'll be enjoying it more when my foods get here, y'know...

On our way, old miss....

Ivy, of course, topped this vet visit on our return home with the worst case of wobble-leg we've seen in months.  She has been stopping and resting every 5-10 steps as she wanders through the house.  While she is taking it well, you can see her going through the cost/benefit analysis of an action with all the precision of a true mathematician.

 Hmmmm...is effort, x, less than or equal to happiness, y, which I shall derive from being on the back of the couch?

Oh, yeah...

 

Ivy has come up with a strategem to avoid those vet visits. 

 Yep.  She's hiding in the laundry.  Presumably, she'll figure out that she has to have her white tummy up, so that she's more camouflaged.  Of course, We have Maddie around to find her.

 Here she is!  Take her away!

 No?!?  Crumbs!  Then I'm napping 'til this is over!

Another Week

Ivy's been with us for another week.  She's down to 4.5 pounds, and is having troubles hopping up to her favorite napping spots.  Doesn't stop her from finding the sun, though:

 She really enjoyed this spot.  Napped here for quite a while.

 You can see, to the left of the pic, the scratch-pad that we glued to a box.  Ivy uses this as a step to ascend and descend the slopes of Mount Couch.  Showed her how to use it once and it's  now routine.  Makes it easier on her frail old legs.  Ivy still bottoms out more often than not.  We think we're seeing some signs of diminishing quality of life, too, but she still seems to enjoy those fine feline pleasures of sun, sleep and supper.  We'll keep Ivy fans up on all the tuxedo news.  Many thanks to all of you who've expressed their best wishes. 

For all Maddie fans, don't worry.  Ivy still enjoys an occaisional nap on the bed, and that's when Maddie grabs the sunlight:

 Just keepin' this spot warm for Ivy!  (I do *not* believe I just said that...what *am* I coming to?!)

You're a thoughtful girl, Maddie.

Still here

First off, Ivy's still with us.  Down to 5 pounds, but showing interest in the life of the family and enjoying her new food.  Thank goodness for Paul Newman.  Ivy's been doing nose-dives into her bowl and finishing it all, which is unusual for her.  I will sadly notice it's not upping her weight yet, but maybe that will come.  Ivy has been moving a bit better, with fewer back leg issues, but it's still not easy for her.  She's still able to get up on the couch, though, and perform couch acrobatics (in extreme, super-sleepy slo-mo...)

 Here's the same moment from another view:

 You can see that, as well as doing a head-down semi-slide, she's incorporated the infamous feline twist.  Front half pointing right, back half pointing left.  Sadly, the East-German judge only awarded her a 7.2!  Scandalous!  Fortunately, Ivy is unperturbed and starts her preparation for her next trick:

 Lemme see if I can do a full, tummy-up twisty down the east face of the couch... that'll show 'em

Interesting human/cat relationship occurance last night:  at dinner, LadyRanger unintentionally tried inhaling a piece of potato.  A brief choke and drop to the floor served to dislodge the spud (and stop my heart, but that's beside the point).  As we sat on the floor, making sure that LR would continue existing, Ivy toddled up as fast has her gimpy back end could carry her and immediately sniffed at LR's left leg.  Ivy's left leg is the one that most often goes out on her.  Ivy gave LadyRanger a good sniffy, and was convinced that all would be well.  She probably wanted me to give LR some subQ fluids, but the Mrs wasn't having any of it.  A glass of white wine seemed to be restorative enough, when coupled with the obvious love and concern of the wee tuxedo cat.

Maddie's been doing well.  As Ivy has monopolized the couch, Maddie's been back on the bed or, if she's curious about the outside world, on her box in the dining room window.

 

 She's just waiting for Matilda, the neighbor cat to show up in the garden so's she can fuss at her. 

1,102 Days

Today is Ivy's Third Gotchaversary!

Yay Me! zzzzzzz......

We found her in the ivy patch on May 3, 2006, starved, ill, and alone.  Took her to the vet the next morning.  Dr G privately gave Ivy a life-expectancy of about 3 days.  Ivy beat that by about three hundred sixty times.  And Change.   

Yay Me! 

We brought her home to stay on May 10.  Over the past three years she's been the model of calm, poised, quiet feline charm.  Except when she's had to a) scramble to get away from Maddie or b) when she's gotten her Irish up and chased Maddie off the bed, out the door and half-way across the house.

Yay Me!

Ivy's been spending a lot of time relaxing on the couch recently, enjoying LadyRangers roses and the traffic on our highway.

 

She can get so relaxed that she doesn't even mind her ear bending up on the window.

 

Cute, huh?

Yay Me!

Maddie has reponded to all the fuss surrounding Ivy with her usual good grace.

  I am *not* coming out 'til you people come to your senses...

Anyways, we hope to give Ivy a happy gotchaversary today.

 

Yay Me!!  Yes, Ivy.  Yay You!!

And now for grimmer news.  Ivy has been getting more and more frail for a couple of weeks now.  Her back legs are not supporting her meager weight well, especially when she hops off the furniture.  She's even having trouble hopping onto the bed or the sitting room couch.  Her weight has stayed the same for two weeks in a row, but her overall condition seems to be deteriorating.  We don't know how much longer Ivy has.  Could be a week or two, could be longer.  God knows she's still got some spark in her, and you all know she's a quiet, graceful little survivor.  We'll let you know.  Meanwhile, we'll all rejoice in the three years we've had.  

Yay, Ivy! 

Same Window...

...Different Cat. 

Here's Maddie, surveying her domain from her favorite window.

 And now, here's Ivy surveying *her* domain from *her* favorite window.

 And, yes, they are the same domain and the same window.   Ivy's recently taken over the couch-back in all her 5.5 lb glory, and the 17 lb Maine Coon cat has ceded it.  Odd.  I'd almost say Maddie was being nice, but she's so obviously displeased by it that I don't know what to think.  I guess ivy has her buffaloed.  Anyways, here's another shot of Ivy, 'cause I like the whole reflecty-window-cat-plant thingie going on...

 Ivy continues to do well as we give her the subQ fluids.  She's still losing weight, though.  We're trying lots of different foods, just to see if there's one she'll really chow on.  We got her some of the tender chunks and gravy packets.  She licks up the gravy and leaves the tender chunks.  She'll have some of the "extra-yummy" gooshy food we get from the vet and she'll have some of the kidney-kibble that has long been the staple of her diet.  Not enough of it all though.  :(    I think we just need to get her a kitty food-bar.  A little of this, a little of that...  Where we'll put the steam trays, I have no idea...