Cats
Cassius
Monday 2 March, 2009
Our cat, Cassius, was put to sleep today. I have written his obituary in my head a hundred times since he was diagnosed with cancer almost two years ago, but it doesn't make the real thing any easier.
Cassius was a special cat. Before writing this, I searched the diary for previous entries. It was lovely to see him and to read about him at various times since he came to stay in March 2001.
Two black cats
Monday 5 January, 2009
I had Cassius at the vet today for his routine antibiotic injection. He has cancer in the bone of his upper jaw, so he gets a fortnightly antibiotic injection and daily anti-inflammatory medication to delay the cancer's progress and minimise the side effects. He's so good at the vet. To be fair, he's had lots of experience. The staff always ask after him, even if we're in with the dogs. He also comes every morning and sits on the kitchen table, waiting for his medication (or maybe the saucer of cream that follows it). He's been with us nearly eight years and was probably between 6 and 10 years old when we got him, so he's doing well. The vet's very happy with him - he looks great, is eating well and has mad turns with his felt mouse (usually round our bedroom in the early hours of the morning - freaky!).
Dogs and cats
Sunday 9 March, 2008
One of the symptoms of an underactive thyroid in dogs is that they don't shed their skin in the normal way - so when the medication kicks in, all that retained skin comes off. So Meg now has SERIOUSLY bad dandruff. Today, we bathed her with a special shampoo. We don't bath the dogs often - well, actually, never. If they are really minging, they get hosed down outside and dried with a towel. Both have quite short coats and are pretty clean - I'm sure sure they're not "doggy" although it woudl probably take a "non-doggy" person to judge that.
Cassius and the prawns
Friday 4 January, 2008
Cassius is well and truly in the dog house tonight after munching his way through about half a pound of prawns that were intended for our dinner. He's not guilty of going on the work surfaces, but he loves prawns and the temptation was obviously too much for him.
Never mind, there's some leftover bolognaise sauce that we can have; I'm sure it will be lovely...
Felix and the swede
Monday 17 December, 2007
No, not a native of Sweden! But the root vegetable.
I've posted before about how Felix only eats cat food. Cassius loves any kind of meat, prawns, fish, cheese, cream - Felix has been offered all these things, has sniffed tem, occasionally licked them but has never actually eaten them.
Tonight, Dan and I had haggis, tatties and neeps. There was a very small amount left on the plate - we were astonished to see Felix eating the swede!
Dan's real glad Felix sleeps on my side of the bed!
Strange little cat
Tuesday 20 November, 2007
Tess goes for her operation tomorrow - thank goodness, as she's getting a little stir crazy! We buy our cat food from the vet, so although we didn't have much left, I didn't buy any at the weekend, knowing that we'd get some tomorrow. Anyway, we really are down to the last few morsels so I opened a can of tuna for the cats. Cass is getting stuck in; Felix is licking it like I'm trying to poison him. So he's having the very last few bits of dried cat food, while Cass has a wee mouthful of cream.
Cassius and his medication
Tuesday 3 July, 2007
There are all sorts of urban myths and jokes about how difficult it is to get cats to take medication. Our Cassius hasn't read any of these. Although he can be "difficult" - he had a pop at me the other day when I went to make the bed on which he was resting and caught Dan a beauty when he tried to rescue his watch from the cat's paws, when it comes to taking pills, Cassius is a gem.
Cats and carts
Monday 16 April, 2007
As Claire and i were getting ready to take Smokey for a drive yesterday, both our cats came to investigate, each with his own inmitable style.
Felix snuffled his way round the cart - Claire took this photograph as he reached the highest point and just before he slid rather inelegantly down the armrest and onto the floor. We don't have many photos of him so it was nice to get this one.
Cassius and the mini egg
Sunday 1 April, 2007
You may recall that Cassius, our big black cat, was diagnosed with a nasal tumour a few weeks ago. He had an incisor removed February 2006 and we couldn't get the infection cleared - he had it cleaned twice last year and had long courses of antibiotics. About six weeks ago, he was real poorly - the infection was back, he dropped to 4kg (from 5.2kg) and was quite ill. After treatment, a biopsy showed that he had a nasal tumour. As the condemned man ate a hearty breakfast, Cass has been dining on freshly cooked chicken, salmon steaks, a bit of medium rare sirloin and double cream. He's on antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs.
