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.

Hang On There

It is not exactly common to see cats holding on to places where they rest or sleep on. Guess it is because they feel either that spot is too small or they are too big (or fat) to fit in.

Captain Jack Sparrow HAWK holding on to the window while sleeping on top of the kitty condo

and Pebble hanging on to their little chair.

They all learnt it from the late handicapped-born Tortie who weighed over 7kg.

Father and Sons United

EJ believes that when Tommy used to stare into nothing, he was mulling over his sons.

At times he mulled till his ears curled up. Perhaps he missed them both, 4Head and last-born handicapped Tortie.

4Head had heart problems resulting in fluid in his lungs; Tortie had severe kidney problems; Tommy had all of these.

Both Tommy and Tortie sat alike and slept in the same style; with 4Head, they relaxed in the same manner with that special air.

In the earlier years, these three always slept together either head to head or head to butt.

Now they probably are doing the same over at the Rainbow Bridge...and EJ misses these 'three stooges' so.

For more cat stories, please visit http://gattinamycats.blogspot.com

Voice from Beyond

Hello friends, Tortie here. I would like to thank you all for the purrs, prayers, hugs and love expressed. I am comforted and truly blessed to have so many friends all over the world.

In my nine and a half years, I only allowed EJ to carry me with the exception, of course, my doctors during check-ups. If relatives and friends requested, I would allow EJ to place me on their laps or arms for a limited time only. The reason was EJ cared and carried me since I was born. I was not born exactly healthy; click here if you want to know.

EJ was amused on how I relaxed and said I was a cat version of Jabba the Hutt, an alien character of the famed Star Wars.

Due to my condition at birth, my hind legs looked a bit atrophied. And I liked sticking my arm out in anticipation to touch when EJ walked past.

I was truly relaxed in sleep.

I love squeezing in small places which never failed to make EJ uncomfortable.

Whenever I slept on the catwalk, I held on to the railing so I would not fall off in mid-sleep like some of my roommates.

EJ used to laugh when I made sexy poses like these.

These shades showed I was cool.

I looked dashing.

EJ used to say my eyes were the most expressive ever on my handsome face.

Now EJ can sleep a little longer in the mornings as I would not be making morning calls anymore. Hope EJ will not miss it too much.

Got to go, 4Head's waiting. Have great, loving days ahead. Purrrrrs!

Tortie Joins 4Head

As Tortie and 4Head were close since birth, they were inseparable as they grew up. 

Both loved to play and enjoyed wrestling like this until 4Head went to the Rainbow Bridge on 1st December 2007.

Yesterday, on the eve of EJ's birthday, Tortie joined 4Head.

They are together again.

Where Did Tanya's Babies Go?

Squatting in mother's house occupying the smallest room in the house and already having other cats, EJ could not keep all of Tanya's babies.

For weeks, armed with cute photos of the kittens, EJ went round asking friends and colleagues to help find a home for the kittens. In the meantime, the kittens were sent for check-up and their health boosted by giving them supplements and multivits.

EJ had to make a decision who to give away. Tortie who was handicapped-born had to be kept as he was still receiving treatment. Besides no one would want a kitten like that.

4head was very close to Tortie and they were always together as you can see here. EJ decided not to separate them.

After Tanya was spayed, when the kittens were eating solids and could care for themselves together with no success in getting them adopted, EJ sent Wig, Rug and EyeShit to SPCA on one Saturday morning.

The lady at the reception was not happy. EJ walked to the back to where all the cats were kept, cleaned an empty cage and put the kittens there. A card prepared earlier with information about the kittens like their date of birth and that they were dewormed, deflea, etc were then hung on the cage door. 

After placing a bowl of water and a bowl of cat kibbles in the cage, EJ walked off and out with a lump in the throat.

PS: With Tortie not well, EJ may not be able to post, visit or comment as regularly for the time being.

For more cat stories, please visit http://gattinamycats.blogspot.com here

Pet Pride

Tricks for Tortie's Stubborness

When Tortie gets angry with EJ, he goes to sulk in the corner of the opened-door temporary cage.

Tortie refuse to eat or take his pills. With the difficulty of obtaining pill pockets, EJ decided to 'kill two birds with one stone' by coating the pills with mashed moist food like this. 

It does get messy at times but the pill and food bits do get in eventually.

To make up with him, EJ gave him a lined wooden box where Tortie would rest watching TV.

Just before EJ goes to bed usually at midnight or a little later, Tortie will be put back in the meow room to be with his buddies. EJ saw this and quickly recorded the touching moment of Tommy huddled close to Tortie possibly giving support and encouragement.

Since EJ do not have 'octopus hands' to give Tortie fluid therapy daily, EJ is seeking service from the nearest vet which is a 15-minutes drive away. It is stressful for Tortie and EJ to drive daily to the cats' choice vet of almost 30km distance. With a slight jam the journey would take an hour.

Tanya's Babies

EJ was not sure but believed that this was the fourth batch of kittens that Tanya gave birth to. How Tanya came to EJ to give birth can be read here.

She gave birth to five lovely kittens on 16 April 2001, three males and two females.

Niece and nephew who lived with EJ that time had fun giving hilarious names to the kittens.

4head, male, was so named as he had a full wide forehead;

Wig, male, because he looked like he wore a black wig on his little head;

Rug, female, because the colour and pattern on her body resembled those of a rug;

Eyeshit, female, due to a black spot at the corner of her eye which EJ first thought was stubbon dirt that refused to go after many attempts at cleaning'

Tortie, male, last born and handicapped, was short for tortoise after his vet said his legs had that condition that splayed out like a tortoise.

The kittens were playful and cute as they grew. They were given special formula for kittens to supplement Tanya's milk as Tanya was not in good condition when she came. Tortie always had his milk separately from the others as EJ had to put his antibiotic in it. Here you can see how his hind legs splayed outwards while lapping his milk in the maroon-coloured plate.

When the kittens were weaned of milk from Tanya, EJ took Tanya to be spayed. EJ believes strongly that our playboy Tommy is the father of the kittens. And here is scrawny Tommy keeping his queen Tanya company after the operation. 

Both Tanya and Tommy did not belong to EJ yet at that time.

For more cat stories, please visit http://gattinamycats.blogspot.com here

Feelings of Tortie

Yesterday was not a good day for Tortie. 

He refused to eat so all medication did not go in...and was annoyed with EJ but managed to coax Tortie to drink some warm fish soup.

Tortie became rather sticky and followed EJ everywhere like a little puppy even to the toilet. He would howl when he could not see EJ.

He rested a lot. EJ's Mickey Mouse shorts is one of the spots he likes. 

Of course, his favourite is between EJ's knees.

Another favourite spot is the cushion. For the first time in his nine and a half years' life, Tortie urinated on that cushion.

Later at night when EJ watched the Commonwealth Games opening ceremony in Delhi live on TV, Tortie watched too.

When the neighbourhood quietened at midnight, EJ prepared to give Tortie his fluid therapy. Tortie knew and kept struggling and running away till EJ gave up.

It was an exhausting day. EJ felt bad in neglecting other cats.

Voicing Silently

It's Sunday!

EJ thinks Winnie's advice in voicing silently on certain matters is good.

PS: Tortie's rump has gone a little smaller now.

Pet Pride

Tortie's Chronic Kidney Disease and Live Strong

His blood test confirmed that he has Chronic Kidney Disease with urea four times and creatinine six times above the range. This is not all; Tortie also has high cholesterol which put him on cardiac risk.

All the medicine given by his vet was vomited out on reaching home. He turns up his nose to tiny morsels of tuna and chicken chunks which EJ meticulously and careful embedded the pills. He did not want to eat even when EJ tried psychologically to encourage him by placing all his other roommates who greedily lapped up their fish soup in front of him one by one. (EJ is feeling nauseating due to meat allergic but is gritting the teeth going at it).

Earlier EJ tried syringing the medicine; it did not work well. Look at that angry face and the mess.

Tortie is very uncooperative as you can see that stubborn streak in that chin.

These are the medicine for now. More will have to be taken later.

The fluid therapy did not go on well. Tortie would just get up and walk off a short while after everything was going fine. But how many times can you poke a needle in a cat in a within a period of time? This is when EJ wish to have more than a pair of hands. EJ also tried using legs but it did not go well due to knee pain.

Both Tortie and EJ will have to keep on battling. Read about Tortie's first battle in his life here. EJ has not blog about Tortie's late brother 4head who had cardiomyopathy and will soon.

LIVESTRONG Day is going yellow in honour and memory of those who battled cancer.

This picture was taken in 1983. Strayed into our lives a few years before when he was a kitten and was so named Kuning meaning yellow in our country due to the yellow fur. That floor mat acted as companion and surrogate mom when he was young. 

EJ's father passed away from lung cancer. EJ's maternal aunt fought valiantly, survived cancer of the breast and womb and lived to the ripe old age of 97.