An Unfortunately Newsworthy Event

Early yesterday, I stated to a friend that I didn’t have anything to relate on my blog that day; the cats had been less than newsworthy. That changed after feeding them dinner.

Sable threw up, which is a first for her. It is something I have feared since taking her in, since there is no way to medicate her without physically capturing her and causing far too much stress to justify the reason. And, as she spends much of her time when upstairs under the bed, that’s where she threw up. It was very soon after dinner, and gave no sign of being caused by a hairball. I had to move the bed to clean the carpet, so Sabe hurried downstairs. There, she barfed up more on the couch, though most of the food in her stomach had already been brought up.

She did not move much during the evening, but I saw no new signs of vomiting this morning. I fed her a small breakfast; it was the only way to determine if she was still sick; she felt well enough to eat it all. As she did not bring up anything during the night - it would have been just watery bile, I suspect - I hope that it was simply a matter of the food served her for dinner, though a couple of the other beasts received smaller portions from the same tin, and suffered not at all for them. Furthermore, it was a variety of food that Sable has eaten with success and apparent enjoyment numerous times in the past.

There is, unfortunately, not much to be done for her. She and I waited out the night, and I will see what today produces. Other than that, a semi-feral cat offers no options for health care, unless the issue is vital. Later, the more sociable cats came to keep Sable company, and she drank some water just a few feet away from where I was sweeping the floor and scooping litter-boxes.

Even so, I would have preferred another newsless day.

Trusting That She Will Trust

I am constantly surprised at how animals can come to trust people. That usually must occur whenever a cat comes into a new situation: Brazil, Moxy, even Imogen, had to be won over to various extents. Last night, I wanted to cut Indigo’s claws. She was a little wary, having just had a course of daily medicine which she hated. But I situated her and myself on the floor and took up the trimmers. With a few feeble, protesting retractions of her paws, she allowed me to cut the sharper swords.

I think back to when Indie first arrived. I was afraid even to check her gender (you may recall that I thought initially she was a mancat), so ready to be combative was she. Allowing me to inject her with insulin was a big step. She now lets me cut her claws, give her medicine (though it’s only her opening her mouth in protest that permits me success in that endeavour), and push her into a carrier. Lately, she has been coming up onto the bed at night; she has been doing that for a while, but the change is that she lies down next to me - her face so close to mine that her whiskers tickle my nose - will stay there for much of the night. Also, for the first time, yesterday, she curled up on my lap, instead of accepting pets in a nearly straight position.

I think most cats want to be friends with people. I think in this, they are more like dogs than they may appear. They do not display their affection in the same way, of course, but the desire for it is usually there. A cat like Indigo, abandoned, uncertain of her future, wanted a home, a friend. Often, it’s just a matter of a human proving that he can provide that home, and be that friend, that will give a cat everything she wants.

Slow Dough

Different cats knead in different ways. Moxy will grasp as much as he can with one paw’s claws while lifting the other and curling the toes. Valkyrie kneads by flexing her toes as far apart as she can, then pulling inward, using her claws to pick up any stray bits, such as skin and tissue.

Imogen makes her biscuits slowly, like a tired baker at the end of the day, needing to put one more loaf in the oven before he starts cleaning up. This is her, deciding that my stomach is just doughy enough for bread.

Sleeping However

Valkyrie demonstrates the fact that cats, like human infants, can sleep anywhere, at any time, in any position - while her fellow felines, Moxy and Indigo, show the more conventional positions.

The Sundial

The first day of March here is sunny and warm. It was frosty this morning, but already had a vernal feel to it. There will probably be more chilly days - certainly more chilly nights - but the Earth is turning its northern hemisphere toward the sun again, and it feels like it today.

The cats are taking advantage of the light that is flowing more and more into the Cosy Cabin. Moxy in particular likes the sunshine; he, like my late housekeeper, Josie, is a sun-cat, and will follow the rays. That big, dense body runs on solar power, it seems, and needs re-charging.

Battle Among the Bars

When we play with the string-toy, Imogen likes to grapple with it between the flattened spindles that form the back of the dining table’s chairs. Sometimes, she can reach it between the wood, sometimes it comes right at her. Either way, she finds it a lot of fun.

Another Page from Sable's Diary

Dear Diary.

I am stil nirvus arownd the human hoo livs here an looks aftir us cats, but Im getting beter. I let him get closser now befor I run an hide. Sum times wen Im down the stares, he yuzes a long stik to cleen up all the sand frum the sand boxes were we poo an pee. He duznt like the sand all ovr so he cleens it up.

But then he duz sum thing rilly weerd. He takes a short stik an pix up all the pee lumps and poo an puts them in a bag. He piks up owr poo and pee an saves it. Wut the hel iz that for??

I nevr saw a human do this befor. Mebbe its a inside-thing. Owtside humans hav all the wirld for poo an pee so thay dont need ta save it.

Theres a room down the stares were us cats arnt alowd. There ar big noiz boxes there, an a big noiz box that makes heet. Iz that were he stors the poo? Why? To be awnest, Diary, if that room iz ful o owr poo an pee, I dont want ta go in there...

Im hungree. Therez alwez hard food reddy here, so no wayting. I think I wil fil up an make mor poo and pee for the human to save. Hez bin nice to me. I'll do that for him.