I gave my heart to a cat to tear.

Rowan

1995-2012

Love you, mewlet.

Sick kitty. :(

I took Rowan to the veterinarian this afternoon.  She's been a bit "off" for a week.  Rowan is the pesty cat, so you know something is wrong if she's not complaining to you every other hour.  There were a few moments in the past week where she seemed better; she'd get up to ask for attention, and once or twice she ate at least half a plate of food. I hadn't realized just HOW quiet she was until I was home this weekend and she spent most of her time sleeping on or under the bed.  It was also difficult to get her to eat very much; she's always been a snacker, but this weekend she'd mostly only eat a bite or two if you set her down in front of a plate of cat food.  She was beginning to feel overly skinny, and her fur was looking unkempt.

So off to the veterinarian we went.  I was correct about Rowan's weight; she'd lost half a pound, which isn't good for a 6-7 lb cat.  She was also running a slight temperature, and might have some kind of infection.  We're having bloodwork and a urinalysis done to try and track down the problem.  In the meantime, Rowan got an antibiotic shot and some fluids to keep her from dehydrating.

She ate a bit when we got home and has been resting.  Hopefully the antibiotic will take effect or the bloodwork will show something.

Rowan's Birthday outing...

Rowan is "officially" 17 years old as of today. She was born sometime in March according to her adoption information, so I chose Saint Patrick's day as her birthday. I don't know if it was prescience or a grievous mistake, because she's turned out to be a pesty, fast, elusive leprechaun of a cat. At 17, she's the equivalent of an 84 year old human, and she's still quite spry. I only hope I'm that well preserved when I get to that age.

Rowan's birthday present was the first "spring" outing in the yard. She loves to go outside in warm weather, but I don't let her roam freely because of the foxes and coyotes in the neighborhood. Instead the cats get supervised outings with Chander and me playing bodyguard We're having unseasonably warm weather, and she'd been staring longingly out the sliding glass door watching the robins and squirrels hop around.

Unfortunately for her, most of the possible prey items skedaddled when Chandler shot out the door. Still, she had a good time reacquainting herself with the backyard and nibbling on grass.

Hmmm...this twig is interesting...

Nibbling on grass was a challenge. Despite the relatively warm days we've been experiencing lately, we're still in the stages where crocuses are emerging. The grass really hasn't had a chance to grow, but that didn't stop her from marching across the lawn to all her favorite plots of grass. Rowan has occasionally been hard to catch in the past, so she has to wear a harness and drag a flexi lead locked at its greatest length behind her. Despite extra weight of the dragging lead, she first wandered up toward the woods and then toward the neighbor's weathered and decaying fence at the rear of the property.

I'm on a mission. Do not interrupt!

Ashke joined her in grass nibbling, but also did a surprising amount of walking around on his creaky legs. He's spent a lot of time sleeping in the sun this winter, which has caused the gray fur on his sides to be browned by the sunlight. I think he has some arthritis in his front legs, but it didn't hold him back this afternoon. After making a beeline to his favorite patch of grass behind my parked car, he wandered the driveway for a while. Eventually Ashke circumnavigated the house, checking out every bush along the way. He punctuated most of his explorations with loud meows; I think he may be a bit less confident now that he's older.

I was just inspecting the planter.

Chan did a bit of running around in figure eights, but soon decided nothing really exciting was forthcoming, and settled on the grass. I adore the English Shepherd "off switch". I had to put in some extra hours at work today, so Chandler had not been walked yet. The one case of zoomies was the only indication of this lack of exercise. Once it had been worked out, he quickly settled down to watch over the yard as I wandered between the two cats.

Bodyguard duty. So boooooooooooring.
Are we going for a walk after this?

Yes, Chandler got his walk after the cats were back indoors. Ashke and Rowan had a snack, and have been curled up sleeping for almost four hours since their trip to the yard. All that exercise and fresh air must have exhausted them physically and mentally. They don't look like they are going to move anytime soon. Maybe I do really have 17 year old cats.

Happy 17th Birthday Rowan!

Feline Friday: Naptime for two..no really!

Feline Friday: Rowan Asleep

Feline Friday: Rowan Playing

Feline Friday- Work is fascinating...

...Rowan could watch it for hours.
A tree service hired by Connecticut Light and Power drove down the street earlier this week
They had a bucket truck that could reach up into the 100 foot tall oaks and were trimming off all the cracked limbs that were still dangling and at risk of hitting the power lines if they fell.

Wordless Wednesday- Catnip Nap

Quick update

I haven't had as much time to post lately. Trying to send out more job applications and making sure Chandler does his physical therapy exercises tends to eat up time.

So, to briefly summarize the news:

Rowan had some sort of sore removed from her lower lip.
It turned out to by cystic tissue, and not a huge problem.
She has recovered well and is her usual pesty self.



Chandler has finished his physical therapy and has been cleared for offleash exercise.
Here are two photos of his first offleash hike post treatment:

Feline Friday: Complaint

Happy Birthday Rowan!

Rowan is 16 today. That is the equivalent of 80 years old in human terms. I can only hope that I am so athletic at 80; Rowan is my permanent kitten. She gets the crazies and zooms from room to room. If she goes past you, the run is often accompanied by an enthusiastic "prrrrrrrrt!!!!!!!!" that results in something similar to a kitty Doppler effect. If Chandler is flopped down blocking the hall she'll do a six foot wide broad jump straight over him.

She's an evil genius and utter brat. She's my demonkitten. If she could talk, I suspect she'd be complaining all the time. She once led my mother into the den so she could complain that Ashke was sleeping in her favorite spot. If you don't get her food fast enough she'll start pushing heavy items off the bureau or shredding whatever paper she can get her teeth into. She'll check doors to see if they are slightly ajar so she can open them and slip through. I'm sure she knows what doorknobs are for, but has trouble reaching them. My parents insist that she has jimmied theirs several times, but I am a bit skeptical because of her height. Given half a chance, she'll get into anything and has ended up temporarily trapped in the linen closet or on the lazy susan under the kitchen counter.

She's a dedicated little huntress given the opportunity. When I take the cats outside for a half hour outing during good weather, she wears a harness and drags a 26 foot flexi lead, because she is difficult to catch when we have to return indoors. Despite this, she shot straight across the front yard last year and pounced on a chipmunk at the edge of the woods. She was most displeased that I would not let her keep it.

She's temperamental, and will bat you if you annoy her. However, she keeps her claws pulled in. I've seen Chandler grinning as Rowan thumps his muzzle and meows her annoyed mew.

She's a loving companion kitty, and likes to march across laps purring, and eventually snuggle down. She's unhappy if people don't settle in front of the television so she gets her laptime. She loves to take naps with people, and has been known to bully my father into taking one.

She has a few autoimmune issues. She's lost most of her teeth because she kept getting cavities at the gumline. She developed irritable bowel disease in 2000, which I have controlled first with a specific diet, and later by the addition of prednisolone. Otherwise, the only other indication of her age is that she's not as good at grooming herself as she used to me, so I've had to comb mats out of her underside when she sheds her winter fuzz. Otherwise, she's very "well preserved".

She's my pesty cat, my loving cat, my demanding cat.
Happy Birthday Rowan.
I love you.
Even if you do drive me crazy sometimes. :)

Wordless Wednesday: Let sleeping cats lie.

Chipmunk

I think Rowan missed her calling as a barn cat on a farm.

Due to local coyotes, foxes, and the other risks that outdoor cats are exposed to, my cats only go outside under escort. Ashke has always been easy to catch. Occasionally he'll stealthily amble up a neighbor's driveway, but I'm half convinced he only does this so I'll chase after him and pick him up.

Rowan however...is a bit of a free spirit. She'll take off and has led me on a merry chase through the neighbor's bushes. Because of this, she always wears a harness and drags a 15 foot locked Flexi lead behind her. If she disappears into the bushes, I can at least find the end of the flexi.

Today she determinedly dragged the lead across our front lawn and settled into a crouch at the edge of the woods, I had wandered over to check on her and tell Chandler to leave her alone when she suddenly pounced forward making a series of batting motions with her front paws. In less than two seconds she emerged with a chipmunk in her mouth and started making a beeline for the back door. I think she was planning to take it home and eat it...but was stopped by the closed door, and a very curious dog. Perhaps Chan was impressed. After all, his breed is supposed to help eradicate vermin on the farm. He snuffled the little body all over. I'm actually surprised Rowan didn't bop him on the muzzle, as she was hovering over her catch the entire time. She wasn't happy when I wouldn't let her eat it; the cat is a first rate complainer, but I will say she had an excuse this time.

I am somewhat impressed that my 15 year old cat is able to catch rodents while dragging a heavy leash behind her. However, I am glad that she isn't an indoor/outdoor cat with her own cat flap. If she was, I fear she would be dragging everything indoors.

Urgh...

It's been a mixed day.

Got woken up by Rowan at 3 am. Hungry kitty.
Hungry kitty woke up sleeping puppy.
Puppy starts whimpering.
Tired Jean takes puppy out at 3 am.
Rowan does not get fed.


Review day at school for upcoming tests.
Still tired. Bad Rowan.
Roughened my throat projecting-and some of the classes were "talky" but otherwise ok.

About to retrieve my bag and leave, when sudden order to evacuate school NOW is given.
Propane leak.
Stuck outside the school without keys for over an hour.
Didn't freeze b/c ended up in the principal's car.
Should make sure to give principal some Rose's jam by way of thanks.

Went in with the firefighters to retrieve my bag.
Decided the atmosphere was nasty, and had firefighter "rescue" my bettafish.
(Ie, please carry this bowl out for me, my hands are full.)

Drive home over an hour late, still tired.
Puppy's bladder didn't hold out for the extra time.
Wash towels.
Play with puppy.
(Hey! I think he's getting fetch! Fun!)
Continue to be frustrated over lack of a name for puppy.
Too tired to really work on it. Bad Rowan.

Pondering going to bed early.
Probably a good idea.
Better feed cats and puppy early too.

Weird Consciousness

It could be just that I've been awake today since 4 am, and am running on my last bit of energy, but things seem unreal around me. I'm watching the cats pad around and settle in next to me with this odd consciousness that tomorrow at this time, everything will be different somehow. I've made a promise to another animal, and it won't just be me and cats anymore...forever, barring major accidents. It makes the apartment seem quiet, surreal, and somehow scary.