Safe Spots on Rainy Days?

Lately the monsoon rain not only has strong winds but a lot of lightning and loud thunder as well.

Frightened by the sound of pouring rain on awnings and loud thunder, the kitties hid in what they believed to be safe spots.

Safe spots for Winnie and Captain Jack Sparrow HAWK.

Safe spots where their late buddies hid.

It's Hard to Say GoodBye!

Kenggy became weaker but she managed to maneuvre herself to face the MeowRoom door. Our human placed a rolled-up cloth to support her head to ease her shallow breathing.

Her best friend, Winnie, came to keep her company, both staring at each in a silent communication.

Soon after Kenggy passed away on 10th June 2014. She was cremated.

Before our human could finish clearing the special 'Meow Suite', Pebble got seriously ill. Pebble's sickness was a constant yo-yo.

To replenish her medication, our human made an appointment with Pebble's doctor to pick it up the next day. Early next morning, on 25th January 2016, Pebble was found in a rigor mortis mode and a phone call was quickly made to her vet to cancel her medication.

Here Tanya, Winnie and Captain Jack Sparrow HAWK were telling EJ that they have finished saying their last goodbye. Just like the rest before her, Pebble was cremated.

It was when her ash came home that it hit EJ that both, Kenggy's and Pebble's, absence was really felt.

Yes, that 'Meow Suite' was dismantled and cleaned but EJ somehow could not clear many of their things. Perhaps our human need a little more time to heal emotionally.

She Wears a Bib

Bathing and blow-drying Pebble takes two hours. To cut the time down to half, our human clean either Pebble's top half or bottom half.

Cleaning the top half is often as she cannot fully control her limbs while eating and ends up in the dish; at times even toppling over. Our human end up spending more time cleaning Pebble than Pebble eating her food.

Then, our human had a little brain wave, went out, bought the smallest baby bib and made Pebble wear it during feeding time.

It worked to a certain degree and made cleaning up a little easier.

Hot Tub Soak

Pebble cannot walk or clean herself though she tried. EJ wipes her down after each meal, pee and poo.

Early this morning, EJ woke up to find Pebble lying in a puddle. Urine leaked through her diaper. It was too much to wipe down. 

Water was warmed up and poured into a pail. EJ wiped as much urine off Pebble as possible before putting her in.

EJ was afraid that Pebble would protest when put into the warm water but no, not even a squeak from her. She sat there soaking in the warm water resting her head on the edge of the pail. (Pebble is blind, hence that empty stare.)

She was later towelled off and blown dry. She purred and purred.

A Twisted Wreck!

Pebble uses human baby pull up pant diapers. Not wanting to waste those few leftover tape type diapers, EJ decided to let Pebble to finish using them.

It worried EJ when Pebble did not soil (pee and poo) her diaper as usual every morning. Throughout the day EJ checked, the tape diaper was dry but there was a drop of brown stain. Pebble was not as active as normal and did not drink or eat as much. Couldn't take it any more, EJ changed Pebble's diaper back to the pant type in the evening. 

And very soon after, her pant diaper was soiled (a lot!).

Pebble must have felt tired from holding it in all day and so relieved to have released it that she slept quite immediately in this awkward position after that.

Is Pebble trying to tell our human that she was a twisted wreck the whole day? 

EJ got the message and will not use those tape type diapers on Pebble any more but may use it to soak up whatever mess or spill.

She Is An Incredible Hunk

Sleeping on our human's old T-shirt (on a bed liner and thin cushion) is Pebble after gobbling down a bowlful of tuna. 

As you can see her hind legs has atrophied as she could not walk. But few days ago she mustered up enough strength and courage, and tried standing up, rather wobbly before falling down. She also tried eating kibbles on her own from the bowl instead of being syringe-fed.

Eating on her own takes a couple of hours with food strewn all over in the process.

Unable to clean herself, our human had to wipe clean her after each feeding. As Pebble is long-haired, her fur kept getting matted up and had to be combed daily and the matted fur cut off. She still drools.

Our human is happy to see Pebble soldiering on in spite of the odds she is facing.

Indeed Pebble is incredible – an incredible hunk!

Christmas 2014

Captain Jack Sparrow HAWK simply refused to wear the Santa hat to pose for a shoot.

Our human tried the next best, Santa head band, to which Captain Jack pushed it down and stuck his tongue out in retaliation.

Tanya, however, wore it beautifully on her fat rump!

With Pebble needing constant attention, our human only put up simple decorations on a secion of Pebble's barricade. Here's Captain Jack eyeing Pebble with Winnie on the top shelf and Tanya resting on the floor.

We wish you all MERRY CHRISTMAS!

And thank you all for your encouraging and comforting words, wishes and prayers.

Striving To Keep Clean

Pebble drools a lot. 

She do not know how to clean herself, and becomes a mess after trying to eat or after feeding. (Our human syringe feed her at times when she could not eat properly.) Her long fur makes it worse.

Our human dared not give her a bath for fear that it may worsen her condition and can only wipe her regularly followed by blow dry with a hair dryer. Perhaps a hair trim will help keeping clean easier.

A pretty Pebble (to our human) resting and staring blankly (blindly) with awkwardly placed limbs.

This was caught at the start of her toppling sideways. Note her drool-soaked snout.

Pebble Struggles On

EJ wanted to give the kitties a treat and gave them chicken instead of the usual canned tuna.

Meowing loudly, Pebble wobbled to her dish, got down clumsily and dipped her head down. Notice that her water and food bowls are put in corners so that the bowls would stay better in place to Pebble's flailing limbs.

But Pebble did not eat. She could not. The excitement triggered a seizure and she stayed in that position mouth in bowl.

Once EJ found Pebble doing a head stand in the food bowl with her body up and balanced in the corner. Our human did not mean to be cruel but laughed first before rescuing Pebble. Good thing it was just kibbles.

Trails and Tribulations

Ever since Pebble is permanently confined to her personal suite over two months ago, she had her own water and food bowl.

EJ noticed Pebble spent a long time squatting at the water bowl and went down on the floor to peep. Pebble could not reach down to drink water and was licking air. EJ got this really flat stone from the garden to elevate the water bowl so Pebble could drink. 

Last week when EJ was giving out canned tuna, all the cats would call as usual while waiting patiently for it. Pebble, too, joined in and called.

Pebble took one bite of tuna from her elevated bowl and promptly fell over. She had a mild seizure from the excitement of eating.

EJ was horrified to hear the thud of Pebble's bones hitting hard on the tiled floor, immediately removed the stones, and the water and food bowls were put back on the floor.

Not giving up, Pebble ate lying there. EJ helped by rolling the tuna like mini sushi rolls to handfeed her. She finished the tuna with fish bits all over her and the floor. Pebble could not and cannot clean herself.

At times, Pebble had seizures during urination and defecation. She would have that weird concentration look on her face and would fall over with all her four legs stiff in the air. Finding that position comical, EJ sometimes would laugh and sad at the same time.

Happy Today

Last few weeks, our human felt pressured and was exhausted.

Pebble was really not doing well. She could not eat or drink and had to be on assisted feeding.

Today, this morning, Pebble wailed loud and clear.

She was hungry even after her 'syringed' breakfast of mashed kibble gruel.

Our human brought out a cupful of kibbles, shaking it to let Pebble hear and dropped it noisily on to her stainless steel bowl. Pebble wobbled unsteadily towards that noise, dropped her nose awkwardly on to the kibbles and attempted to eat. She tried and tried. She was at it for a long time. Kibbles were thrown all over the floor. Our human was happy!

This photo shows that Pebble was unfazed by the camera flash and stared unblinking into it which proves she is absolutely blind. Her little cardboard cave has just been changed to a newer one.

PS: Don't you love her cute colourful diapers?

Pebble's Tests

This is how Pebble looks after a DIY bad hair cut in her rear (see red arrow) with a tiny scissors by our human. It makes cleaning a lot easier after she soil her diapers.

Pebble is wearing diapers on a permanent basis and confined to her personal suite at all times for her safety.

Last week she underwent a thorough check-up, blood tests as well as radiography on her chest and abdomen. All results were fine except that she is completely blind. So the conclusion that her attacks of paralysis and seizure were due to neurological disorders.

Our 16-year-old matriarch, Tanya, too, was down last week with an infected bladder. Still on medication, she has recovered and back to her haughty self.

PS: Kenggy has passed on.

Hello, We're Back

Hi everyone, says Captain Jack Sparrow HAWK on behalf of all us!

We would like to thank all of you who constantly thought of us and wished us well.

Pebble has not been well lately and is still on medication for her bad gum problems. Lately she had some attacks of paralysis. Our human is observing and making daily records on the frequency and seriousness of the attack.

To make Pebble less messy and more comfortable, our human decided two days ago to let her wear diapers. Now Pebble spend the nights in her private suite and days with her roommates in the meowyard.

Keeping Tabs on Pebble and Kenggy

Pebble had an evaluation check-up last week and received another steroid injection for her oral problems. She seems well and eating but the weigh-in showed she did not gain weight as expected.

Her vet advised EJ to monitor Pebble closely including her urine output.

Kenggy has accepted wearing clothes, so there are no more horrifying blood smears on the floor. Kenggy's singlet do have some fluid stains.

EJ is happy and now has a new hobby sort of – making pet singlets out of old T-shirts.

Seeing Red on Lunar New Year Day 2014

Pebble had oral problems. She had it before in 2012.

Two weeks ago, not wanting Pebble to be stressed, EJ drove alone to the vet and got a week's supply of antibiotics pills.

When Pebble did not recover after finishing that course of antibiotics, she had to be seen by her doctor, a day before the clinic close for Lunar New Year. She was given a steroid injection and a different liquid antibiotics.

Traffic was really bad going to and back from the clinic. Perhaps it was the New Year shopping. 

Somehow EJ finds pilling the cat much easier than giving liquid antibiotics with a syringe. Pebble kept spitting it out shaking her head sideways. The injection was effective and Pebble is recovering well and eating properly. Luckily there is no medication for Kenggy right now.

Kenggy drools in her sleep and EJ changed her bedding cover using an old T-shirt. 

Just as EJ was about to eat dinner, Kenggy called. And as usual, EJ would drop everything and check on Kenggy.

EJ saw red!

On Lunar New Year day, red is associated with luck, prosperity and believed to ward away evil. It is a traditionally symbolic colour of happiness.

But EJ was horrified to see this red! The soiled floor was quickly cleaned up and then lined with paper.

One of the lumps was bleeding. EJ gently cleaned the wound.

Pet pad has now replaced that soiled T-shirt cover on Kenggy's bed.

These three busybodies (Tanya, Pebble and Captain Jack; guess there's no space for Winnie) lined up to check out what the commotion was about.

Where Did the Time Go?

She was sitting so sweetly and daintily on their little chair that EJ rushed to try to capture the moment. Pebble did just like cats love to do, spoil the moment and test human's patience. 

When EJ saw the result photo, EJ realised that the years whizzed past just like what Pebble did.

Now where did the time go?

Was EJ like this during the past years?

2014 New Year Gift – If You Can't Drill It, Screw It !

It was noticed that lately Kenggy has not been up on the Chair, table or shelf. Her waddling seems to be slower and hobbling more pronounced.

EJ decided to make a ramp to help Kenggy move to higher grounds. An old 1 foot by 6½ foot plank was used as it makes a gentler slope.

Initial plan was to drill a hole on both ends of the plank to secure the wrap-around hemp rope. But since EJ could not get hold of a drill, screws were used instead.

Rope wrapping took a long time. The plank was heavy. EJ had to use all four limps to repeatedly carry and turn the plank while keeping the rope as taut as possible. (Please don't mind EJ's foot on the plank.) While working, EJ kept telling Kenggy, 'This is for you, Kenggy'. Kenggy watched to the whole while; other kitties came, looked and left.

The completed hemp-ramp was placed in the MeowRoom with one end on the floor against the corner while the other end rested on the upper shelf on the opposite side; midway of the ramp is the same height as the Chair and table.

EJ wanted Kenggy to be the first to use the ramp and placed Kenggy at the bottom. Nosy Captain Jack wanted to use it too.

Very soon, all the kitties came, tested and used it as a giant scratch post.

Winnie sniffed the ramp.

The ramp warped when fat Tanya walked on it.

Pebble stopped by the Chair and table midway.

Both Captain Jack and Tanya liked it enough to nap on the ramp. The creaking noise of the MeowRoom door woke them up before these pictures could be taken.

From the bottom of her little heart, Kenggy thank Crumpet, Maneki and their human for donating 2 giant rolls of hemp rope for without it, this hemp-ramp would not be possible.

We wish all a     HAPPY NEW YEAR 

full of     Success, Courage and Prosperity.

PS: Numerous lumps could now be felt on Kenggy's chest.

Christmas 2013

Kenggy, on behalf of her roommates (Tanya, Pebble, Winnie, Captain Jack Sparrow HAWK) and human, wish all bipeds, 'tri-peds', quadrupeds, multi-legged creatures included 

a Joyous Holiday filled with Peace,

Love, and Prosperity

What's Happening?

They were caught in this position. No, they did not fight.

Soon the rest joined in this weird silent gathering. Our human is still perplexed as to what this is about. Perhaps they all were trying to sit in the best sunbeam spot possible.

Or are they brewing something for or against their human?

The Matriarch!

Living together harmoniously in the same house, our human put importance on warmth and love, give and take, at rest, in play as well as meal times.

For breakfast, each cat has their own share of kibbles in their own bowls. 'Tea' is wet food, either chicken or fish, in the evening, also in their own bowls. 

A short while later would be dinner. Dinner is different. The cats share eating out from two bowls, at times from one bowl. From this, they learn patience and tolerance.

The hierarchical structure here is noticeable. The oldest, Tanya, the matriarch, eats first while the rest wait patiently for their turn.

And EJ loves them all for their patience, tolerance and love.