The dog lies down with the cat.
It’s not always so peaceable. Sometimes Sam looks at one of the cats with just a little too much interest. And sometimes one of the cats (that would be either Sylvester or Smokey) jumps Dusty or Chloe. But for this time, everyone had their place in the sun, and there was peace in our little kingdom.
Sylvester has been having a kidney problem. The vet thinks it’s kidney stones, so she put him on special diet. The other cats like it; Sylvester does not. Leah thought he might like a canned food, so she got the canned version of his special food. When Leah opens a can, the other cats stand around staring up at the countertop; they are in love. Sylvester does not particularly like it.
When Leah tries to feed the cats, she has to try to get Sylvester to eat his special diet while keeping the other cats away, and at the same time, she has to keep Sylvester away from the other cats’ food while trying to convince the other cats that their food is really great. It’s a struggle.
And soon we will have to worry about moving four cats to a new house.
It’s been two weeks ago today, Sunday, two days after Christmas, that we took Rusty girl to emergency vet.
Rusty and Dusty arrived with their mother after being dumped up here just after we moved in.
Dusty, Rusty and Chloe, 10 years ago
Chloe actually had three kittens. The third kitten was part Siamese. He was probably a Seal or chocolate point if you’re familiar with the breed. He looked all Siamese except that the tip of his tail was white. He was so different from Rusty and Dusty. They were partially feral but he wasn’t. He was so friendly and they were so shy. I am a “cat” person and wanted to keep all but we were able to find him a home. We went through years and years of animals being dumped and finding homes for them. It was mostly dogs rather than cats but we did have some cats.
Last summer Rusty had a persistent cough so we took her to the vet. She had not been to the vet‘s in ten years, when they first showed up. She got her first and last set of shots then. I felt like when we took her last summer the vet just threw it off as allergies. He could have done a blood test, but he didn’t.
Rusty was such a sweet, shy, timid girl who wouldn’t hurt a fly. She and Dusty wanted to come in but were afraid. I felt sorry for them having to be outdoor cats. I fed them daily and watched over them for ten years.
Two weeks ago today Rusty, who I knew wasn’t well, had come around to the front porch and jumped on the railing that morning. I told Mark I didn’t see how she had the strength to jump that high and far. Something about her told me it was time to take her to the vet.
After the summer event at the vet‘s I decided to go to another veterinarian. She diagnosed Rusty with Feline HIV. I couldn’t believe it. Where we live most of the cats are mine and the others are so far away I couldn’t figure out how she could have been infected. The likely culprits, Smokey and Sylvester, both tested negative. We have to test Chloe and Dusty next, but I doubt that they are infected.
The poor, little thing had a temperature about 10 degrees below normal and her breathing was labored. The vet said there was no hope for her, so of course I agreed to put her to sleep. I know she was in pain. So I did. I guess she’s in “kitty heaven” now. We buried her in the yard close to the cat house where she stayed so much.
Rusty on her house
I feel so sorry for Dusty now being alone, so I’m constantly going to see him and comforting him, trying to get him to come in. I hope by the time we move he will be coming in and giving Sylvester and Smokey hell for all the crap they did to the both of them for the past seven or eight years!
Smokey, not chasing Rusty and Dusty for a change
She was precious. I miss her.
Rusty and her mom
One of her protected perches
Rusty, finding shade in the early days
Sylvester has been having problems with blood in his urine for a while now. The vet gave him two antibiotic shots that didn’t work. We took him back Monday and the vet said Sylvester needs a different antibiotic that has to be given orally twice a day. We knew we couldn’t do it! So we are boarding him at the vet’s for about ten days so they can do it. They’re also putting him on a special diet that is supposed to help prevent kidney stones.
They said we could visit, so on Tuesday we took a blanket, two kitty toys and a little kitty dope. We took treats, but they said he couldn’t have them.
A guard led us down into the dungeon where Sly was interned with several other cats. He had just had a little accident involving his food bowl, his water dish, and his litter box, so he wasn’t looking his regular dapper self. He insisted that we not take a picture of him in his cell, so we got him while he was out in the “yard.” Here he is doing his stretches.
I think he was trying to figure out if he could fit into Leah’s purse.
There was one pretty and friendly orange tabby in the next cell. He wanted to play patty cake with Leah.
He also enjoyed a little head rub.
He was quite a handsome fellow (pretty lady?). We couldn’t tell from his name plate (“Bae?”).
He didn’t want us to leave.
One of Sly’s downstairs neighbors was in recovery.
He had just been neutered and was scheduled to go home that day. He was really out of it.
We almost missed these two.
I thought they were trustees, but the guard said they were the office cats and they started staying up there when the weather turned cooler. They watched us the whole time, although they didn’t really seem all that interested.
Sylvester was not a happy camper. Leah sprinkled some catnip on his blankie that we brought from home. As we left, he curled up on it and looked like he might take a nap after a few hits. Of course there’s not much for him to do but sleep. And plot his revenge. And it’s going to be bad!
Smokey likes to hang around the dining room table while we eat, hoping we’ll give him something. Monday night Mark had a ground turkey patty and I had a pork chop, but all we had left over was mashed potatoes. I didn’t think he would actually eat them, but he did.
He looked up when Mark took the picture.
It looked like he was thinking, “What’s the matter with you? There’s nothing to see here.”