Our Armies Advance on Two Fronts

Situations improved over the weekend. Firstly, Josie’s appetite returned. She started eating just a select flavour of soft-food, then went back to her favourites; she began eating hard-food again, then wanted second helpings of soft-food. Now, I would say my Chubs is back to normal.

I don’t know what may have caused her problem. Among other bloggers, Pilch92 was worried about dental problems, but Josie had a full dental not so long ago, which came with blood and urine tests. Kari thought it may have been excess stomach acid, Kim at Fuzzy Tales mentioned kidney problems and the Tabbies of Trout Towne wondered if a cold prevented Josie from smelling her food. I am gratified that so many people and cats worried about the Great White, and I was ready to ask all of these questions of the doctor if I had to take Josie in to the hospital. Her weight is good; I was able to weigh the beasts on Saturday. This will be discussed another day but suffice it to say that, though Josie is about an eighth of a kilogram lighter than she was in October, she is almost exactly the same weight as she was two months before that.

For now, my Chubs will not need to go to the doctor. I told her, however, that I reserve the right to whisk her to the hospital at the slightest provocation.

Also from the Department of Good News, Parker’s integration is proceeding well. The big orange boy is not liked by my beasts, but that is expected. How would you feel opening a door in your home one day to find a stranger has taken up residence? But their reactions have been restrained, even Cammie’s; the princess hisses a great deal at Parker, but allows him to walk about without much opposition. She even remains undisturbed in a cat-bed on the floor, not always preferring the advantage of height, when Parker is loose. (Though she throws a fit when he starts to climb the cat-tree on which she is lying.)

Josie and Renn have the least problems with the newcomer, while Tucker hesitates to pass within a few feet of him, and hisses like a customer at a diner who sneezes with a mouth full of mashed potatoes. But even he often just observes Parker walk by.

For his part, Parker shows some curiosity in regard to his roommates, but not much. He had been quite offended when they explored the smells in the library while he was elsewhere, but that is not so much a problem now. I can do things about the apartment without having to keep an eye constantly on him. He has not stalked anyone and appears to want to stay close to me, if to anyone. I don’t mind that.

Parker is a very human-friendly cat. I try to give him half an hour before bed-time, just the two of us. He lies half-way on my lap and purrs loudly while I pet him. In his insulin delivery, I am growing more practised. He requires a very large amount, but it’s hoped that that can be decreased. His diabetes is not weakening him physically: He’s leaped up on to my kitchen counters twice - once to see what smelled so good (it was movie-night, so it was the popcorn) and once to look out the window.

This integration is going well and, though it may be a very long time before Parker is permitted out with the others in my absence, I am pleased with the progress so far.