One Eye on the Future

Hi all, Just wanted to stop by & say a big "Thank you" to everyone for their kind words & posts about my brofur, Feisal.  Of course, you know he & I didn't see "eye to eye" on ... well, anything, really ... but he must've been a good kitty 'cause Mom&DadKatt are just busted up about losing him.  I think he associated me with starting to feel worse after my arrival and that's not anyone's fault, just the way things shook out.  If I felt that bad, I guess I'd have been kinda grumpy at someone, too.  Maybe that was the only way he could find to express how bad he was feeling.  We don't know. Oh, and a shout out of thanks for the Cat Blogosphere memorial graphic.  MomKatt's saved it  to her hard drive.  MomKatt took a bunch of pictures of him on Thurs., as she came home early to spend time with him on his last day before taking him to the vet on Friday.  This one was particularly funny and, she tells me, totally dem

Hi guys.  I'm letting MomKatt speak today.  It's a sad day at our house. ******************* Hi all, I am taking Feisal to Dr. Lofgren this morning at 9:30 to help him on his trip to The Bridge.  It's been a very hard week for us, and this has been a very hard decision.  Gary & I are both devastated but we know it's the right thing to do.  I've only told a very few people prior to today, so please forgive me if some of the following two paragraphs are familiar to you.  Most of you don't know the latest. Simply put, we've run out of options.  We fought, and we've lost.  As of Tues., he was on the new chemo-type med for two weeks, and Dr. Lofgren had told me when he prescribed it for him to call & update him at that point as to whether it had had any positive effect on his poops or anything and ... it hasn't made any difference.  If anything, he looks worse and he acts as if he feels worse.  His hip bones are sticking out

I had a HEAVENLY weekend and I hope all my peeps did, too! MomKatt's told me I'm a VERY talented girl:  not only can I destroy an entire house in 5 min. or less (well, potentially, she said) I apparently have GREAT kidneys!  Why, you ask?  Because I spent a HUGE amount of time both Saturday AND Sunday downstairs on the sofa with MomKatt (and sometimes DadKatt, too - they watch movies on Sunday) just snoozing and snuggling and sleeping and NOT going to the box!  MOL  MomKatt said I must have a very impressive bladder. MOL! Aren't you glad to know that now?  Hee hee! I really loved it, too.  I mean, the pawrents are gone to their work so much during the week and I miss them when they're gone, especially MomKatt.  I love all OVER her when she comes home. DadKatt had to separate me & Feisal on Fri.  We were in what he called a "cat ball", going at it hammer & tongs.  Scared MomKatt we were screaming at each other so loudly.  Funny, I know he'

Shhh ... am beating up banana!

Hi Peeps! I'm so sorry I haven't written lately.  I guess you've all been wondering if I've fallen off the edge of the litterbox!  MOL  No, I haven't ... but it's been a little crazy around here & Mom&DadKatt both have been having rough days at their jobs so she just hasn't had time to type for me, and has been very tired when she's gotten home. Regarding Feisal, the news isn't encouraging.  On Mon., the 22nd, it'll be two weeks since he's been on the chemo-like med, and that's how long Dr. L said to give it before calling to check in with him to see whether it had made any difference in his poops - either in frequency of going/feeling like he has to go or in consistency/texture. I'm sorry to report that there's been no change.  He only missed two of his doses since they started him on it but, other than that, he's taken his med and he's trying so very hard.  But nothing has changed - in some ways, MomKatt f

YAY!  Nearly the weekend - I can SMELL it! I bounded downstairs this morning and was at the Bird TV post at the side window of our living room, surprising MomKatt, who wandered in to watch a little hooman TV while she waited for DadKatt to shower.  (His car's in the shop so he's taking her to work & using her MINI.)  Got some GREAT cuddle/petting time on the sofa while she watched her DVD.  THEN ... I attacked the blinds behind the sofa but she wouldn't let me!   How come?  They rattle and they're plastic so they bend easily ... seems like a great toy to me, but then again, hoomans' versions of toys and cats' versions of toys are often two very different things, I'm finding. Then they left.  :(  I hate that part. Everypurr have a great weekend! PURRS! Selina

MomKatt says the little pooh-head (otherwise known as my brofur, Feisal) sniffed out the med last night in his gooshy food (he ate it on Tues. night, mind you) and REFUSED to eat any of it! BROFURS! Selina

Meowlo, peeps! Well, Feisal is starting on the Azathioprine (wow, what a big word!  MOL)  MomKatt is to give him 0.2 ml/daily in his gooshy food.  The pharmacy mixed it in a liver base so, hopefully, he won't taste it & refuse to eat his gooshies.  (He apparently has an amazing ability to taste the slightest thing added to his food that isn't "normal", then he'll refuse to eat it.  Spoiled brat!  *I* am an outdoor kitty grateful for ALL I get - I'd NEVER refuse to eat anything!  So I can be superior about this!  MOL) Anyway, they started him on this last night.  Dr. L said to give it about 2 weeks to see if there is any change in the ongoing diarrhea (I think they're hoping that the hoomans see that he does not feel like he has to "go" as much or as frequently - I'm a cat, what do I know from medical crap?) I just hope it doesn't make him want to come upstairs and mess with me more.  I've been enjoying the last few, relativ

Hi peeps: Well, I promised a report on Feisal, who had to go to the vet today.  It's not really good news, but it wasn't anything surprising to MomKatt, either.  Here's what she's written on her Facebook "Notes". ************************************ Dr. L just called & here's what I have: Feisal was last there in May of this year, and that's when he lost the 4 lbs going from 11.8 to 7.8.  Dr. L says today he's down another 6/10 of a pound so I guess he's right about 7 lbs at this point. Dr. L said that, in examining him, he saw nothing "really obvious", no abdominal mass or such, but that his intestines felt a little "thickened".  He also said that the likelihood now that this is cancer is "really high on the list" (his words) (as opposed to IBS or IBD). He also noted, without my prompting, that Feisal really seemed "different" - "grumpy, withdrawn, indifferent".  He told

Selina's wordless today - it's MomKatt that's writing to update you all on Feisal: Yesterday was pretty rough for both him and me.  Today, I'm feeling some better, but I feel like I'm on an emotional roller coaster.  This morning, Feisal also seems to have perked up.  He was KILLING me for canned food this morning (I don't usually give them wet food in the AM) and he scarfed it up, with a generous helping of slippery elm in an attempt to start soothing his intestinal lining, which is so irritated that it's making him think he has to go all the time when he may or may not.  I increased the slippery elm from 1 cc to 2, thinking what can it hurt?  He ATE like he'd been starved for two months!  (Of course, the Pred is helping with that.)  Then, the cavalry came in, in the forms of Livia & Morticia, so I had to divide the can into thirds.  :)  I'm afraid they're all going to get used to wet food twice a day but ... if Feisal wants it, and

MomKatt is taking my brofur, Feisal, to the vet on Friday for his opinion.  She & DadKatt ... well, he's not doing any better than the last time I posted here about him, not really.  I mean, he still bothers me but, that aside, Mom&DadKatt love him very much & this is hard for them. He's still listless in his cat bed and is having a hard time finding a comfortable way to sit, since the poops are making his butt really hurt.  After all, 10 months plus like this, I can understand why - my butt hurts just THINKING about it.  He's lethargic and MomKatt *knows* he's lost more weight, she can look at him and tell.  He was down 4 lbs the last time he went to the vet, from 11 lbs to 8 lbs and, for an Aby, that's not good (they are medium-bodied felines).  His poops are still awful and, from what MomKatt told Dr. L today, he said that it sounded to him more like it truly *was* lymphoma instead of IBS.  He said MomKatt *could* try some chemo but, at this stage,

Meowlo peeps!  Bet you thought the heat had gotten me!  MOL  Nah, just busy around here, as it seems it usually is.  Mom&DadKatt took a little trip on Saturday to get away, to something called a "winery" called Chateau Morrisette.  They had a good day together.  They needed it - they both work very hard.  But they were glad to get back to us - and we were glad to see them! Here is a butterfly she took a picture of at the winery's flower garden: Isn't it pretty?  I'd love to have CHASED it across the grass! I spent a good chunk of yesterday downstairs in MomKatt's lap.  Sunday is movie day at our house, so she's a "sitting duck" as she tells me!  MOL  So I braved it & came down and didn't let any of those other cats bother ME while I was getting lap time. Today she's home with me, a little under the weather (icky tummy - nothing serious) and I'm helping her type and work on the books in her library.  She's &quo