Friday, December 25, 2009

Holiday Greetings from the Our Gang





M E R R Y   C H R I S T M A S

Christopher, Bailey, Mike, Kira & Sidney

Thursday, December 24, 2009

Elf your Cats

Elf Sidney, Elf Kira, Elf Bailey and Elf Simba offer Holiday Greetings.
Remember, Feline spelled backwards is Enilef... but it also spells Ein Elf

Christmas Eve Greetings



icanhascheezburger.com

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Monday, December 21, 2009

Bailey Blog Turns Two

BaileyBlog was started two years ago today.  I was a bit slow to post at first, but now I think I got a system in place so I can post regularly.  Anyway, in celebration of two years, I thought I would post some pics that represent why I started this blog:

Cheezburger...


 

...and Simba!  (I miss you, Simmers)

 

 

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Kira Health News IV

After her vet visit last month, Kira didn't seem to be doing too well.  Since then, she has regained a lot of her pep and energy.  This morning we took her in for another checkup, and she showed a lot of interest and curiosity.



She has been doing this for so long now, that she doesn't really stress out much.  Here, she takes time to view the photos on the walls of the exam room.


Finally, Dr. Tobin comes in and gives her a check-up.  While things could change at any time, we are all pleased with how positive Kira's current well-being is.




She is such a great cat.  She just takes this all in stride!


Tuesday, December 15, 2009

FluffySox Comes Back (Sort Of)

FluffySox was inside the crate we had set up on the porch this morning.  Unfortunately, Mike scared her as he left for work.  She heard him come out the front door, she panicked and dashed out of the crate.  She landed in the water bowl we set out for her, completely emptying the contents.  She zipped down the steps of our walkway and ran off as Mike headed toward his car.

The good news: She DID come back.
The bad news: We apparently freaked her out, somewhat.

Sunday, December 13, 2009

FluffySox Returns to the Wild

With the combination of FluffySox spending her days pining out the windows, depressed by her incarceration, and the return of an outdoor temperature above 32, we made plans to return her to domain she preferred.  Only one problem... we weren't sure how to do it.

Getting her indoors was easy.  Put a pet crate outdoors, next to where we put out food.  Furnish crate with cat bed. Cover with blanket to temper the elements. Heat it. She spent many hours in the crate when the temperatures ran low.  Once the mercury hit the teens, despite the accommodations we set up, she was still terribly cold and exhausted by it.  All we had to do was walk up to the crate, shut the door with her inside, and carry her, crate and all, inside.

After spending nearly a week in our guest room, she was spending all her time on the top of the crate bed, no longer needing to seek shelter from within it.  So removing her from the guest room within the crate wasn't an option.  She has become used to us and has been unafraid of us for many months now, and after sleeping next to her for the past week, we were allowed within a few inches of her... but she is very adamant that we don't touch her.

Attempt #1:  We put Sidney and Bailey upstairs and closed all the doors downstairs.  We opened the front door and blocked off a path that leads directly to the front door, so once motivated, FluffySox would leave the guest room, wander toward the living room, and dash out the open door.  Well, I got her into the hallway, she panicked, and rushed back into her safe room (the guest room), and hunkered down under the bed.

Attempt #2:  We opened the windows so she could dash out on her own.  Problem A: We couldn't get the storm windows open enough to get a cat to squeeze through.  Problem B:  She was still unwilling to come back out from under the bed after the first attempt.

Attempt #3:  Take apart the bed and gently encourage (scare) her out the door (in a similar process to attempt #1)  Well, that was our plan, anyway.  We tore the bed apart, and she just froze.  We ended up grabbing her using a towel to keep ourselves safe from claws and teeth.  She took it in stride, and I carried her to the doorway, released her, and she was on her way.

We set up her porch bed and crate in the same manner that it had been a week earlier.  We placed food and water nearby as well.  We hope to see her back on our porch very soon.  We'll keep you posted on her return

Friday, December 11, 2009

Kira: Bad Days and Good Days


Kira has been doing relatively well, despite having a morning drug everyday, an evening drug everyday, a chemo pill twice a week, fluid injections approximately every other day, and periodic insulin shot.


Despite all that, she still has time to watch Finding Nemo.

Thursday, December 10, 2009

Foster home for FluffySox

So.... our "half cat" (the feral cat that came with the house, and whom we feed on our porch everyday), that we named "FluffySox", was visably miserable on the porch-despite the warming blanket we put out for her-as the outdoor temps only range in the teens and 20s. We brought her indoors Monday night, in order to keep her from freezing to death (literally).

Anyway, she spent two days hiding under our guest bed. She also refused to eat anything--even the same food we had been feeding her on the porch for the past several months. Top it off, she only used the litter box twice--in 2 days. I was beginning to worry we had done the wrong thing for her.

Finally, we caught her dashing under the bed (obviously she had been looking out he window before we had entered the room). And better yet, 5 minutes after I got into bed on Wednesday (I had been sleeping in the room with her each night), she came out from the bed and returned to her window viewing/nap spot and wasn't bothered that I was nearby. She spent the entire night there, just a few feet away from me. AT 5:30 am, she finally decided she would eat! Yea!!

Anyway, here she is, in her safe place.

 

Saturday, December 5, 2009

Ninja Cat Video

Posted here for those who haven't yet seen this typical cat ritual

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Video Bonanza

Okay, so I just figured out how to post my own videos on this site, so I have a few to put up now and you can be sure there will be more in the future.




Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Surprised Kitty Video



Cutest Kittie Ever  Yes, even cuter than Bailey, take a look!

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

I'll Take Bin #7

How Much Is The Kitty In The Bucket?



Monday, November 23, 2009

The Bright Side

Instead of dwelling on losing cats, here are the neighbor cats that we have befriended.  Ironically, they hangout on our porch in nearly the same place as the recently missing decor cats.



This picture is of the neighbor cat we nicknamed FluffySox.  She is sitting in a bed we leave out for her right next to where Metal Cat used to stand guard.



This photo shows the neighbor cat we nicknamed 50/50 (cuz he is the color of an Orange Creamsicle), and he is sitting in the exact location Baxter the Stone Cat used to occupy 24 hours earlier.

Sunday, November 22, 2009

When Losing 1 Cat Just Isn't Enough




After spending the morning giving Kira her IV fluids, not to mention having a good cry with her...

...turns out someone stole two of our cat decor items last night, right off the front porch--

Both traveled with us from California and were part of our Halloween decor for the past couple years, and Metal Cat was a big part of my memories when Simba passed away.  I never expected to lose either of them (and boy does the timing suck)

Kira being a Trooper

Having to administer IV fluids to Kira is very stressful.  We do it because it makes her feel better and as long as she remains prominently happy we will continue to do what is necessary. It is hard to watch her deteriorate, and even harder to evaluate when it is appropriate to let her go.  I don't plan on taking too many pictures of her that show her dying so obvious as this picture, but I want to remember enough of this process so that I never regret the final choice that will have to be made soon.

Friday, November 20, 2009

Sidney Too

Mr. Sid was also watching the leaves fall

Bailey Thanksgiving

Either Bailey was in the Thanksgiving mood, or he was just irritated that one of his favorite lookout spots was cluttered with autumn debris -- either way he posed for Holiday pictures.



Kira Health Rollercoaster

Kira went in for a second appointment in 2 days.  We are gonna be giving her IV fluids and needed to learn how to do it, so I took her in to the vet office for a hands-on lesson.  On the way home, I had to stop at a pharmacy to pick up a new chemotherapy medication; she waited for me patiently in the car.  By the time we were on the road home, she was obviously feeling much better...





Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Kira Health News III

Kira has had some noticeable weight loss, is drinking a lot (too much, actually), and her energy levels are quite low for the past week or two.  When she was first diagnosed with lymphoma in January 2008, we were told she had anywhere from 6 months to 24 months left.  To date, she has been a trooper for over 22 months... but we can see her getting weaker.

Kira had another vet appointment today.  Dr. Tobin walked in the room and could see immediately that Kira was not as active as usual.  We decided to run a few additional tests, but things don't look too great at the moment.  We also discussed how to proceed when we have to make the final choice and say goodbye, as it is inevitable.

While some test results are still pending, the lab results that did come in this evening are not quite as dire as we have been preparing for... she may still possibly have a couple months or weeks left in her, rather than just a couple of days.  As long as she still purrs when she is with her Daddies, we will continue to keep her comfortable, happy and loved. 


Sunday, October 25, 2009

Oregon Humane Society - Volunteer Orientation



So I spent my day at the Oregon Humane Society today...  Volunteer Orientation!  I decided this was a better option than trying to adopt all the great cats I come across in shelters.

This is the 3rd oldest Humane Society in the country, their facility is first rate, and their cat adoption rate is 93% (versus an approx 30% national average).

Plus, I LOVE the advertising campaign: End Petlessness





Oregon Humane Society - Adopt - Avery



Oregon Humane Society - Adopt - Pet Detail

This guy looks exactly like our own Sidney, so I hope he gets a home soon.

UPDATE:  Avery found a home Nov 11 -- We wish him well.

Oregon Humane Society - Adopt - Sporty Spot



Oregon Humane Society - Adopt - Pet Detail

This guy has been at the Humane Society for too long.  He is currently the longest resident at OHS, since February '09...  it's time for him to find a home!

UPDATE:  Sporty Spot finally got a forever home on December 12... along with with shelter companion Boxcar...  Great news for these two guys!

Saturday, October 17, 2009

Sidney's 1 Year Anniversary


Sidney has been with us for 1 year TODAY!

...and he has made himself quite at home...

Friday, October 16, 2009

Kira's Alter-Ego

Kira (?) at Epcot
(photo: MiceAge.com)

Sunday, July 19, 2009

The Phantom Menace

Kira's shadow in the stairway; a daily lunchtime occurrence. She patiently waits there to be fed, as she is convinced Bailey is waiting around the corner in order to pounce on her.

Friday, July 17, 2009

Simba & Sidney???

This makes me think about how much trouble two Siamese cats could really get into...

Monday, June 8, 2009

Guy Love

It's Guy Love... between two boys.


HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME

Thursday, May 28, 2009