RIP Eeyore

Andy went downstairs to make Melina a bottle around 5 this morning and saw a cat laying in front of the stairs. He really didn't think much of it...just thought it was a weird spot for one of them to lay. He got up later for work and came downstairs again around 6:30 and the cat was still laying there. Little Eeyore didn't really move much and he noticed she was breathing really hard. He came up to tell me that he thought something was wrong with the cat and I came downstairs with Melina. Eeyore just laid there. When I sat down to pet her and talk to her she didn't move, but tried to wag her tail...just little motions. I knew something was wrong. Andy is swamped at work right now, but Melina is sick and I knew I couldn't try to take all the kids and the sick kitty into the vet. So, he said he'd take the cat to the vet. We loved on Eeyore for awhile and when Melina cried, E got up and tried to walk, but she didn't go but a few steps and she just laid down again. I felt so horrible and we had not a clue of what was wrong. The vet across from our house opens at 7:30, but it isn't our regular vet. I gave Eeyore one last pet and a kiss on the head and I had Andy try to take her in there, but they were too swamped to try and see her. So, he waited until 8 and took her to our regular vet and they fit them in. The examination found that she was full of fluid and had contracted the FIV virus when she was a kitten and it must have laid dormant all this time. She would have turned 8 on the 4th of July. Anyway, the vet said there really wasn't much he could do for her and he felt it was best to put her to sleep as she was really sick. So, Andy was with her as they put her to sleep. He called me around 8:30 and Melina was screaming so he said he'd call me back. I thought that was an awful quick vet visit and I asked if everything was ok. Andy said "no, we had to put her down" and he started sobbing. Deidra woke up after that and I had to tell her what happened and I started to cry. This was our first pet that we've ever had this happen to and it wasn't easy. Andy got home a few minutes later and we explained to everyone what had happened. The littles really didn't understand, but Deidra was pretty quiet and then went up to her room. I took the littles to Mother's Day Out and while I was gone, Deidra and Andy buried Eeyore in the backyard. When I got home, he was putting a little cross (made out of rocks) over where she was buried. This all came on so suddenly...yesterday she was resting on our bed and playing with the other kitties. We're going to miss you, Eeyore. RIP! We love you!

Darn cat...

One of our kitties has taken to pooping on the floor. She always does it by the window in the playroom. We finally figured out that she was doing it in the morning in between when Andy left for work and when I got up for the day. And if we leave for anything, she'll do it again. We were able to figure out who was doing it and now we have to contain her in our master bathroom during the night and if we leave. I hate having to do that to her, but I can't have her pooping all over the place. Wish I knew why she was doing it. The vets put her on antibiotics and other meds to try to get it to stop, and she'll do better for a couple of days and then it's right back to square one.

Update on Venus

Well, the vet wanted us to collect a stool sample. So, I brought it in this morning. They ran the test and didn't find anything in the actual stool. He said she didn't have parasites or anything. I told him what happened yesterday and that the blood was on the outside and went on our carpet too. He thinks that she has an anal gland infection and he said that she may have punctured it or something. He said that it can be painful and she may be associating the litter box with pain right now. So, he put her on some kitty antibiotics for the next week. He said we may have to put her in a room with the litter box for 24-48 hours to retrain her to use the litter box if she doesn't return on her own. I'm just glad that it's not something more serious. He said if we still notice problems after a week, then he'll need to see her. But, I pray this is the answer and she'll be all better soon.

Prayers for one of my kitties...

Our kitty Venus (Slene as we call her) started pooping on the floor about a week ago. We've been perplexed as to why she's doing this. Anyway, today it had a lot of blood in it. I called the vet and she wanted a stool sample to begin with. I didn't even think to save it. So, I have her in our upstairs bathroom with food, water, and a litter box to collect a sample. Please say a prayer that she's ok. I'm worried. She's 8 years old and I don't want anything to be majorly wrong with her.

Battle of the Bugs

Man...I don't know if it's the southern heat that makes these bugs grow...we've never had all these problems up north. Deidra got lice again and passed it on to me. This time I spent the $122 on the lice shampoo to get rid of the buggers. Then, we noticed that something was wrong with Venus as she was scratching so much she was making herself bleed and we could feel all the scabs when we'd pet her. At first we thought that it was just a fluke or one of the other cats got her when they were playing since they like to scratch each other in the head...then we noticed that she was getting them all over and she has been scratching quite a bit. We checked her skin quite a few times and couldn't see anything so we brought her to the vet today. Fleas...she's allergic to them...how did we get fleas when they're inside cats? He said that all it takes for them is to sit in the windowsill and the fleas can still get to them. He said it probably was just one and then it turned into a whole flea population. Anyway, she got a shot and we got some flea medicine for all the cats that we have to put on them once a month. We hadn't noticed an issue with any of the other cats, but when we were putting the medicine on...we did notice fleas on a couple of the others. And we're also battling ants...we wake up to zillions all over the counter...it doesn't matter how clean we try to keep stuff...they just keep coming back. So annoying...and I have to get ready for a home visit from J's CPS worker tomorrow, I'm washing all the blankets and sheets and I need to vacuum when J wakes up, I'm trying to get the house all cleaned up again for it's weekly scrubbing...I gotta go get my brother for his physical therapy appointment, and then Deidra has her first cheerleading practice tonight. No, I don't have anything to do lately...

Abba, please help us be able to get rid of all these bugs and please help me to stay focused today on the tasks at hand. I have so much to get done and I have a few errands that I have to run today too.