The Audacity of Meow

I found this image on the website Cats for Obama, with the title The Audacity of Meow. I loved it because it reminds me of two things that have been much on my mind--the election and Elvis.

Neilson put his pictures of the Raise the Pint to Elvis event on flickr. A sample below.

Kitty Pics

Audrey has been trying to be as gracious as possible about the fact Elvis has commandeered her favorite place in the apartment, aka the bathtub. A few mornings I have woken up to find her sleeping on the pillow outside the tub.



I have been trying to take Elvis out of the tub at least once a day, besides when I give him the IV, so he doesn't associate being out of the bathtub with being wrestled down and stuck with a needle. He usually makes a beeline right back to the bathroom, but the past two days he has agreed to snuggle with me for a few minutes before heading back. Yesterday, he even stopped for a brief snack on his way back to his bed.

Elvis and Audrey in the Tub

Here are the pictures of Elvis and Audrey in the tub and Audrey staring down Elvis in the tub. Also, a picture of the flowers my lovely neighbors Barbara and Duncan gave Elvis--although Audrey, who loves flowers, was the one who really appreciated them.

Computer Woes/Elvis Update

My iBook seems to have died. The battery life had been getting shorter and shorter, and the computer had taken to shutting off without warning, so I had just been using it when it was plugged in. On Friday, however, it shut off while plugged in, seemingly for good. I was hoping it was just the battery, but Neilson subbed in his battery from his old iBook and the computer still won't start. I am going to take it to the Apple Store, but my hopes are not high. I actually don't mind buying a new computer, as I had planned to buy one within the next 6 months anyway. My iBook is well over 3 years old, an eon in Mac years. But I keep hearing rumors that the new MacBook is going to be a complete redesign, and I don't want to spend $1000 on a computer that is instantly obsolete. Rumor has it that the there will be a release sometime in the fall, perhaps late September. Even if it isn't a major redesign, I don't want to buy in at the end of a Mac cycle. And since Dad gave me an external hard drive for Christmas, I have most things backed up. But I need a computer, especially as I start to gear up for the fall semester. Luckily, I am a pack rat. My old original iBook--the clamshell with the handle and neon colors--still works. It took a while to get the internet working, but I can check my e-mail and write on it, which is all I need for the short term. I don't think I can get an internet browser to work with the old operating system that will do everything I want it to--for instance, I can read Blogger blogs, but I can't post or comment. (I am writing this at the library). But it should work until Apple releases whatever they are going to release.

In Elvis news, he is doing a little better. He has staked out the bathtub, which is much preferable to the litter box. I made him a bed in there, and he has his own litter in there as well. He is eating a ton and has started drinking water again; I am getting a little better at the IV, but he is getting stronger so it is still pretty hard. He feels more comfortable and has been very chatty and social when ever I go into see him. Poor Audrey, though. The bathtub has always been her turf, since the day them moved in (8 years ago last week). I have some funny pictures of her staring at him and jumping in the tub with him; if I can load them onto my old/new computer, I will post them.

Elvis update

I have heard there is some desire for an Elvis update. It is kind of a two steps forward, one step back situation. On the plus side, he is eating a lot, using the litter box (which I am sure you are thrilled to learn), often being interactive and social, and, as of today, walking around the apartment a little and even lying in the middle of the apartment floor for awhile. (He has been sequestering himself on the bottom bookshelf since I got back, moving only to use the litter I set up next to the shelf). The bad news is after walking around the apartment, he goes and lies down in the litter box in the bathroom, which was what he was doing last week and which the vet said was a sign of a kitty being pretty sick. He first moved back to the litter box sometime last night--when I woke up, it took me a while to find him, which freaked me out. I took him back to the vet first thing this morning. He did not seem as concerned about the litter box behavior as I feared he would be--Elvis's vitals were all much better than last week and he seemed well hydrated. The poor kitty had to have a catheter inserted for a "sample," which he was not happy about; the results were that his urine was in good shape--no sugar, no blood, very acidic, which is apparently as it should be. I need to keep giving him a daily IV--I'm getting a little better at it, although as Elvis gets stronger, he is more resistant. (I still feel a little sick to my stomach each time I see the needle). So I really don't know what all this means, although he at least seems more comfortable, even when sitting in the litter.

I have since moved the books and the rock to make more room for Elvis.

Neilson giving Elvis his IV. Note use of antique art deco lamp as hanger for IV bag.

Distressing Elvis news

Poor Elvis is quite sick. I found a lump on him a few months ago, and was told it was nothing. But a week or so ago, I realized it had suddenly started to grow at alarming rate. I took him to the vet and was told it was probably cancer. The vet wanted to wait for test results to make sure an older cat like Elvis could handle surgery. The timing was horrible. It was Thursday, and I was supposed to leave on Sunday to go to a workshop in Concord, Mass., to study the Transcendentalists. As the tests wouldn't be back until Monday, and the vet seemed to think it would be ok to wait a week for the surgery, I decided to go. Elvis at this point was acting completely normal--eating, drinking, batting me in the middle of the night for an extra snack. Neilson was put on cat watch duty. On Monday I spoke to the vet, who said Elvis might have diabetes, and his urine would need to be tested. So Neilson was set on monitoring the litter box. But Elvis wouldn't produce and suddenly on Wednesday evening started to act very odd and sick. Neilson was at the vet first thing Thursday morning. The immediate problem that Elvis was very dehydrated--Neilson had to learn how to put in kitty iv and give him one yesterday afternoon. I decided to come back from Concord (luckily it was run by real pet lovers, and most of the critical events had taken place). Elvis seems better than he did Wednesday, but still far from normal. The vet told me he was a "real sick kitty" and doesn't really know what is wrong with him. So keep in him in your thoughts.

Elvis in healthier days.

P.S. With the exception of my distress over Elvis, the Concord workshop was wonderful. I'll post pictures, details, etc., soon.

A Store Cat I Know

Bonnie lives at Pet Central, the pet store near me formally known by the much better name Beasty Feast. Two other cats used to live there as well, Clyde and Bleeker, Bonnie and Clyde's son. I hadn't seen Clyde or Bleeker recently and asked the manager what had happened to them. Apparently Bonnie, after years of peaceful coexistance, had taken to terrorizing them both, and they had to go live at other Pet Central store. She has always been nice to me, however, or at least tolerated me petting her. (The manager at this store is great, by the way. He has excellent advice on all things pet related.) (Neilson took the picture).

Who gets the cat vote

Ezra may want one of these. Or maybe he is an Obama supporter?

A Meeting of the Minds

Otis's dad brought him over to meet the kitties this week. Audrey wasn't too interested, but Elvis found Otis quite intriguing. Both were very well behaved--there was no batting on either's part. (Otis has recently taken over Elvis in the weight category--17.5 pounds to 15.8.)

Life With Josephine

Neilson recently made this video of the lovely and ridiculous Josephine.

A Familiar Sight

The animator (Simon Tofield) clearly has a cat a lot like Elvis, from mewing to the head batting to "who me" attitude to the "now that you're up, you might as well feed me" look.

Cats, Cats on Film

I finally figured out how to transfer video from my camera to the computer. Enjoy the results.

Happy Mother's Day

News Alert: Cat Seen at Century 21

I was in the shoe department at Century 21 when I noticed a women with three cute little dogs. On closer inspection, I noticed she had two dogs and a cat. As my dream is to have a cat I can take everywhere, of course I had to talk to her. I learned she had started walking Willow with her dogs when she got him as a kitten a few months ago. Now, he doesn't even use a litter box--he just waits to go out with the dogs. Like Audrey, Willow is a Russian Blue and we bonded over what wonderful cats they are --smart, sweet, shy but adventerous. Here is a blurry cell phone picture:




Lest Audrey be jealous, here is photographic proof that she continues to be the cutest girl in the world: