By Etude, hefty, healthy chronicler of mean ol' Grammy

Two days later and we promised you an update about the visit to our vet.  In case you haven't heard, we love our vet and call her Dr. WhiteCoat, but the silly thing is she doesn't wear a white coat.  She wears patterned scrubs... and looks quite professional in them.  Also, she has a soft voice and gentle touch when she gives us a thorough going over.  Rondo and I have been her patients since we were born. She had to help our mummy because we were big babies and mummy was tiny.  Poor mummy.

So, on to our visit.  As you read in the previous blog Grammy tossed us all into our crates and dragged us into the taxi and then reversed the process to bring us home again.  Mean ol' Grammy! 

​We got to the vettie clinic very early. Despite this they were gracious and took us almost immediately.  

On arrival in the examination room Grammy let Whiskers out to wander.  The rest of us had settled down to wait patiently and Sweetie curled up and went to sleep in her carrier but Whiskers was fussing to get out.  Well, she explored every nook and cranny while she waited.  We think she was searching for an escape route. 

On being examined there was a little concern that she'd lost a bit of weight.. and she is 10 (yes, we thought she was 2 years older but records show she's estimated to be only a year older than Mousie) and so is not considered a Senior, but Mature. 

We beg to differ on that description, but Dr WhiteCoat clarified she's Mature in age.  She wasn't commenting on her behaviour. *Giggles*  So, she got a thorough going over - heart, kidneys, privates, mammary glands okay, all organs in good working order.  Only concern is that she eats too quickly and throws up.  But it is usually after a long night with no food and an acid buildup in her tummy. NOTHING NEW there! She and Rondo are alike that way.

​Just to be sure and due to her age a Blood Panel for Mature cats was done.  No kidney disease, heart issues, diabetes, thyroid or whatever else was tested for.  She's a healthy mature girl.

​Mousie as you all know, is very tiny and Grammy was worried she'd lost some weight but she danced for joy when she found out Mousie weighs the same now as she did at the last visit.  Organs, skin condition, ears, eyes, mouth all checked.  Two teeth had calcification on them that doctor removed during the exam with no fuss.  Good girl, Mousie. She has allergies and a heart murmur but is otherwise well...  The murmur hasn't changed in 2 1/2 years.  EXCELLENT News !! 

To be absolutely sure about the heart a special test was done to check the strength of the heart muscle.  The heart muscle is considered healthy but will be monitored and checked again in 2 years.  As for the allergies... she has to have meds during allergy season and that will be a challenge for Grammy... but not insurmountable.   As her nether parts were being check Mousie expressed her anal gland into doctor's gloved hand.  I don't think it was appreciated. *giggles*  YEEEEEEEW! That's so gross. At least it wasn't poopies. 

The rest of us were not so rude and were praised for our super clean butts.  She can thank Whiskers, our consummate groomer for those  pristine butts.  She's meticulous and relentless.  Of course, Grammy objects when she decides to groom her after she's done with us.  We think its funny!

Rondo was examined next because he was the one who triggered the appointment.  Gained weight, cheeky boy.  But other than having some calcification removed from a tooth he is in perfect health. Must have been a bit of a bug, poor fellow.

He even cooperated with Dr. WhiteCoat when she trimmed his claws.  Nary a growl nor a snap of the jaw, only a pulling away of his paws, to which doctor told him to behave... AND HE DID! 

Wow!  Grammy thinks she'll have to take him there for claw trims quarterly rather than risk life and limb to do it herself. ​

I was next but being a gentlecat I'll tell you about Sweetie first.  Sweetie is in perfect health everywhere but in her wee mouth.  Weight the same, no issues with anything else.  Like all of us, ears clean, butt clean, etc. but she has gum disease.  Poor wee thing. 

Years ago when she was still a kitten she had to have a bunch of back teeth removed because they were blocking her esophagus and her ability to swallow, causing gum issues.  Grammy had hoped that was the end of it but, no!  She needs major surgery to remove a whole bunch of teeth followed by antibiotics to clear up the infection and pain meds for the pain, of course.   

Grammy was devastated to see the condition  of her mouth and to think she hadn't been monitoring it... but 18 months ago her teeth and gums were fine and she was eating normally so...
 
Poor little Sweetie is booked in for surgery late next week.  She gave the doctor the old stink-eye for that and for manhandling her.  

Once back in her carrier and for the next 20 minutes Sweetie groomed herself from tops of her ears to the very tip of her tail.  She had to get that 'stink' off her.   Even the doctor commented on her fastidious behaviour.  We could tell Sweetie was not amused! Not one bit!

Little did she know she was going to be handled again when she had the bloodwork taken.   That elicited a snort and a repeat of the grooming process. The nerve!  To be manhandled after just finishing her groom.   But then, she is a fussy little princess.​

And now we get to me.... the handsome, debonair Etude.  Dr. Whitecoat put me on the scale and said ruefully ... GAINED again!  Well, I am a healthy boy of eighteen pounds.

When asked about our exercise regime Grammy explained how we (Rondo and I) love to chase the red dot for a maximum of 5 minutes before settling down to watch the girls and their futile antics.  And with other toys we play pond duck, tucking in our paws and rubbernecking while Grammy gyrates and dances around the room with feather toys on wands and crinkly balls and mouses to entertain us.  We didn't realize WE were supposed to chase the toys.  Come on!  That's baby stuff.  We boys are sophistocats not girly kittens.

I did have to have two teeth decalcified but that took 2 minutes and other than swallowing some of the debris the procedure went well.  AND I cooperated with the nail trim too.. wiggled a bit but nothing more.  Everything else about me is PERFECT!  Of course, it is.  

​Comments are welcomed.  

​by Sweetie and Gentle Mouse, disgruntled kittens.

Well, friends.  We had to step up and take over the blog for today.  Those lazy brothers of ours have decided to slack off as usual and they even let Grammy off the hook.  Not going to happen after what we've been through today.  Sorry, Grammy but doing our blog is a MUST so hop to it ol' girl you've already missed a couple this month.  Get those fingers in gear and start typing.

So, to start with... we are normally dragged off to our favourite vettie in the autumn but Grammy 'postponed' it until now... Actually she was procrastinating... as usual!!!  But with Rondo sick over the weekend she couldn't put it off any longer.  
​
Appointment was made for today.  If you follow us on our Facebook page you'll have seen a few days ago that carriers were brought out and assembled and plunked onto the floor for us to trip over.  So much for a tidy condo, Grammy!

But how kind!  Grammy gave us more choices for naps and being the cooperative, sweet and easy-going kitties that we are we made full use of them, slept in them, played in them and Mousie checked out the boys in theirs before settling into one herself. 

So, this morning arrived.  Grammy was behaving as usual.  Up, make bed, feed kitties, make and pour coffee.  Sit down, enjoy coffee and check Facebook. Shower, dress.  Hmmm! Grammy must be going out today.  Okay! More nap time for us! Nothing amiss here so we kitties carried on as usual.. eat, nap, and nap again.

Unfortunately she must have made a call for transportation while we napped because we never suspected a thing. UNTIL...

Grammy walked into bedroom where we three girls were.  Walked over to the window as she had numerous times earlier today.  Suddenly she nabbed Mousie who was asleep in her lair and unceremoniously plopped her into the carrier on the dresser.  

Mousie:  Yes, and what did YOU do, Sweetie?  Scarpered off through the cat door into the living-room leaving me to deal with Grammy alone.  You could have tripped her up, given her a clawing!  Anything to get me released from her grip, but NOOOOO!  You abandoned me! Traitor!

Sweetie:  Sorry, Mousie. Really, I am but I was scared and only thought of making myself scarce.

Mousie:  I think mummy Whiskers was bewildered.  Wakened from her sleep by my loud 'Miep! Miep! Miep!' (Grammy interjects - Yes, Mousie's cry is so loud she needs a megaphone to be heard.) she blundered around trying to figure out what was happening... and Grammy, quick as a whip, zipped up my carrier and grabbed mummy.  Before I could shout 'HELP! she was plunked into her carrier where she growled at Grammy and gave her the stink-eye... but good!

Next she grabbed Rondo who was hiding beside the fridge.  Maybe he thought he'd blend in with the white appliances but nope!  Grammy scooped him up with and 'umph, you're one heavy lump, mister!' and he responded with a 'you're no light-weight yourself, old girl'.  Well, that didn't sit well so he too was dumped into his carrier and the door slammed shut.  

Now the search was on for Etude.  Where was the elusive Tude the Dude?  Grammy couldn't find him. Not in the bedroom.  Not in the kitchen, bathroom, closet so he had to be in the livingroom… Nope.   Back to the bedroom... where he'd sucked in his girth and slipped behind the headboard and the wall.  Bed pulled out and Grammy grabbed him, groaned,  - heavier than Rondo - lumbered over to his carrier plopped him in and fastened the door.

Now, as you know, Sweetie got the warning and scarpered.  Everywhere had been searched looking for Etude leaving only one possibility - the drawer under the sofa.  Quietly opening it, Grammy saw a furry body hunkered down tail toward her and before the traitor could react she too was scooped and dropped through the top of her carrier and the snaps secured.

And that was that!  Or so we thought, but no!  Next we were loaded onto the rollator one by one, rolled to the elevator and stacked by the door.  One last trip to the condo to swap rollator for crutch; lock up.  Button pushed, elevator door opened, Rondo set to hold door open while we were tossed inside, pull Rondo in, descend, shove him against door once more and we got tossed out into the lobby.  Then one by one we were taken to the entrance where our taxi driver loaded us and we were off.

Through that whole hallway, elevator, taxi ride Sweetie made Grammy and then the driver aware of what she though of the situation.  She howled for every second of the 45 minute trip and she 'don't need no megaphone'!  *giggles*
 
Sweetie: Well, someone had to.  The boys and Whiskers just settled in to enjoy the scenery and you were on Grammy's lap getting pets.  Where was I? On the floor behind Grammy!  No window!  Now who's the traitor, HUH?

The return trip was much quieter with only one squawk from me before I gave up and had a nap.   BUT when we reached our floor we ALL howled until we were inside the condo.    See what the neighbours think of you now, Grammy!  Hah!

Stay tuned for part 2 - the Vettie visit.

​Comments are welcomed.  Especially if they are commiserations with us and our plight.

by Whiskers, the exasperated matron of mischief.

Just so's you know, right up front, I'm one ticked-off kitty.  Yes, I am.   No, I didn't remove a tick from my furry body. I don't have ticks, fleas or any other parasites. Cheeky readers, to even think that!

I'm annoyed because the old girl is unwell AGAIN... and 'we' are back on nursing duties.  Can you believe it?  You might as well... 'cause it's true.  

Sweetie and Gentle Mousie have donned their nursing caps and gear and gone into overdrive.  Honey and lemon in her Wild Sweet Orange tea for the sore throat, inhaled steroids for the lungs (for Grammy, not them) and another steroid for the sinuses.  Tucked in a blanket with heating pad.  This is getting old, Grammy! Really old!  

So, what does that do to us?  Well, besides having to manage the old girl, it puts a major damper on the mischief side of life.  Yes, it does!  How can we create mayhem with a pair of brown-speckled blue eyes staring at us?  EXACTLY!  We cannot!  And that ticks me off because that's what I am all about and what I had planned for this week.  

So, what to do from here... Well, let's see.   Maybe we'll dose her up on her meds, wrap her in bubblewrap and ship her off to some obscure place with no return address on the package.  Yes, I think that sounds like a plan.  

What was that, Sweetie? *Groan, moan, mumble, splutter*  Well, it seems the nurses have spoken.  I'm not shipping her off to some unknown destination. Such party poopers.  Nothing like putting a damper on life.  I tell you though, when they speak, we listen... Look at those faces! They are not to be trifled with.  *grumble, mutter, whine*  

What to do with the old girl?   Anyone have suggestions?  

Well, if we cannot ship her off into oblivion or some such place the boys and I, Whiskers the mischief matron, will make ourselves scarce.   

'But, before I leave... just a little quick update.  You remember that ant issue we discussed and had taken care of... Well..... Grammy thought they were back and freaked... maybe that's what triggered her 'whatever-she-has'!   

Saturday after her delightful afternoon with Aunty L she treated herself to a manicure and Mrs L, the manicurist, gave the old girl some herbs from her garden.  Grammy loves fresh herbs and this was oregano freshly picked.  While Grammy cannot smell it she remembers how she loved it and imagined how delicious it would be in her cooking, brought it home, took it out of the baggie and placed it in water to crisp up until she used it.  

Because we are destructive little creatures with plants Grammy set the oregano in it's jar of water on the balcony to use in a day or two, returned to the kitchen and an ANT was crawling around on the countertop.  FREAK OUT!!  Grammy thought the miserable critters were back but we reassured her it probably came off the oregano.
Well, unfortunately for it, Grammy dispatched it toot sweet. 

It was number 3 critter this past week.  Spider 1 was a sneaky little critter that was hiding in the angle between bathroom and bedroom doorways. GONE in a flash!  

Then, Sweetie and Etude were entertaining another on the livingroom floor on Tuesday. It was more like hockey for cats with the spider as the puck.  Poor spider wasn't happy about it but hey... check out how Grammy feels about those in the blog in Poetry by Rondo and you'll know how he was handled - well, not handled.  More like footled!  

There was also a tentative 4th but that was Grammy having hallucinations in the shower.  She freaked and almost toppled out of the tub when she saw this huge black, long legged thing on her sponge holder.  I tell you... it was NOTHING but a reflection of the sponge's shadow in the clear plastic holder... but you'd have thought the old dear was being murdered.​  The woman is HIGH MAINTENANCE!