Meowie!
I’m just dropping in to see how everyone was doing! I’m doing well! Growing up and recovery is still in progress. Meanwhile, I’m keeping up my cute kitten ways- thankyouverymuch. Pancreatitis is a nasty disease to have. Even after you are good and kicking, the weight takes time to pick up. I’m still on the special diet, but I also like it these days- unlike a few months ago when I was constantly refusing my food! These days, I eat them up quick and on some days I ask for more!
My humans are busy. I think Mama is a little sick too- she smells different. But it may be that she is also getting better. She needs to have a few tests- blood etc- and then she will be cleared.
Mama is also taking driving lessons for her license. As if she did not have enough to do already! Meow!
There was a bad storm in Melbourne yesterday- lots of lightning and loud sounds. I hid under the sofa, hoping that those lights will not find me there. They didn’t! I guess it means that my house is a safe place…. even those lights cannot find me when I’m in the house! How cool is that?
So? How have you kitties been?
Life of a Kitten!
Many thanks to my sweet friend Brandi and her Mama for remembering me 
. My Mama needed the ‘push’ I guess. I have been here- around- and mostly well; but my mama was under some sort of ‘spell’ and papa totally lazy- that leaves me with no one to help me blog.
Here is my update; I’ll try to keep it short:
I am one-year old now and officially out of kittenhood. Things are nothing much different though. Mama keeps saying that I will always be a kitten to her and she keeps on treating me like one. I still claim her lap and bestow all sorts of affection on her when I see her after a break of a few hours and I still look around for Papa because he has my most favourite lap! I keep doing the kitten things, after all- I have never learnt to ‘grow up’.
It’s summer in Aussieland now. Very hot- around 33 degrees Celsius everyday (that is 91.4 degrees Fahrenheit, for your ease of understanding)! Mama seems to like it. She’s mostly enjoying the crazy dry heat and the sunlight, Papa too (crazy humans!). Not me though. After all, I have a fur coat that I have to wear all the time; can you imagine how hot it gets under this coat? Well, let me answer that. It gets VERY hot! Not good at all! The strange thing is- it’s not even the ‘peak’ of summer. I cannot imagine how much more hot it will get in the dreaded month of ‘January’. Meow!!
I’m still on my special diet and I’m still losing weight. I have lost another 20 grams in the last two weeks. I had started with 4.5 kg 2 months back to 4.3 two weeks back and now I weigh 4.1 kg. The vet human, Laura, thinks I should have gained weight after I am cured from Pancreatitis- but she is not too worried because I look healthy and my coat looks beautiful and since I am now one year old- I will not be gaining weight as much as I used to while I was still a small kitten- anyway.
Since its so hot now- I’m shedding a lot. Mama needs to clean the house everyday to get rid of my furs. I got a new fur bush, too- to groom me better- that way I should shed less. Mama’s not sure it’s working, because I keep shedding just as bad. Meow!
This is it for now, kitties. Mama promises to help me blog more often from now on. Her work is keeping her busy, she is an ac-coun-tant, you know- she says those wretched numbers tire her eyes too much to do anything else at all, but she’ll be better from now on. She loves and misses all of you, too.
I hope all of you have been well…! Purrs, meows and head butts to all.
A letter from a happy kitten
Hi kitties,
I’m back!
Actually I was always here- it’s my humans who weren’t. This time it was Mama who was hit by what she calls ‘a bad flu’… she still is suffering, but a little better now. She sounds different- with sort of a broken voice and all; also she smells a little different- she says it’s the anti-bio-tics that makes her smell like ‘medicine’ all the time. She stayed home some days, to my delight- but she went back to work today and I’m mad at her for that. Meow!
My second bloodworks result came in and it seems like I’m cleared from the Pancreatitis finally. I go back to the vet’s again next week though, since I have lost a little weight (0.25 grams) – and for a young and (now) healthy cat like me, losing weight is not ‘normal’. Laura, the vet, thinks it’s because I do not like my ‘prescription’ food much and do not eat as much as I used to. They’ll see next week and probably put me on another diet. I hope they give me a good-tasting food this time.
I’m turning 1 on the 21st of this month- Mama says that is still a couple of weeks away. That means that I have been with my humans for 10 months now. I guess months and years are a ‘human’ way to measure ‘time’. I don’t understand them much. To me, this seems like a lifetime. I’m a happy cat. I hope the humans and I can keep keeping each other through the ‘years’ and continue being ‘happy’.
That’s all for now, kitties. All the best to you all. I will post again, when the Mama is less busy and less ill
Love-
Sherkhan
Play time!
The headache that Mama had through last week- continued through the weekend, too. But she was still better because she was home; and I was home… and Papa was home.
There is no place like home, after all. We cats know that. Sometimes humans do, too.
Anyway, see the photo- you’ll see I had fun… with Sam the puppy, Greenie the croc, Toydle the turtle. Also, I think bean bag sofas are one of the best things that humans ever invented!
Okay, I’m off to meow at my humans. Hope you had a good weekend!!!
Is my human cheating on me?
I’d like to apologise to the kitties and humans who read my blog and left comments in the past few weeks. I have not been a good friend lately. I have things piling up on me- have lots of blogs to visit. I blame it all on Mama.
Mama had a headache yesterday. She said it was caused by some sort of wisdom tooth (?) coming out and err… fire alarms (!). The fire alarm went off at her work- as there was some sort of fire in the downstairs supermarket- and that sound, together with the pain in her gums, gave her a ‘migraine’.
She skipped dinner last night and locked herself up in darkness of that room in our jungle… you know, the one with the huge human bed? Yes, there.
Now… how is THAT going to help things exactly is beyond me.
She went hunting this morning though. My point is- if she chose to be all by herself last night, shouldn’t she have stayed in with me today at least?
I feel so un-loved! Do you think she found herself another kitten to love?
Meow!
A cat’s life
Oh boy, have I been busy! Actually, me and my human- both. Otherwise- life has been well.
My friends will be happy to know that I am now much used to my new (prescription) food. I don’t meow for my favourite brand of food anymore. I think I now know my humans will not give it to me. Mama wishes that I find the new food taste good, too. I do now, as I have started to ask for more food after finishing what is in my bowl on some days.
I’m getting to understand that this new food is probably doing me good- my tummy hurts less and yesterday, after many months, I asked Papa to play the shadow game with me. He did. He was very happy to see me jumping high up on the wall. Mama too.
Tuesdays are vet days. I like the vet a little less with every visit- she pokes and prods me and measures my temperature (I hate this part the most); and then she’d give me the vitamin injections that pricks my skin for a long long time afterwards. But Mama says I should not feel like that. She likes the vet, because she believes that human has saved me from much more suffering in the future. Sometimes humans speak like they can see many alternative futures through some crystal ball. I don’t know if they are right.
I am a cat after all… and I am a much happier cat than a few weeks ago, too.
Meow!
Changes Changes Changes
Mama and Papa have been giving me the special diet that I’m supposed to be on since I have been diagnosed with Pancreatitis- it’s been some days now.
I’m getting used to the change; very very slowly!
I used to have the Science Diet Chunky Meat in Gravy- the high in protein nutritious diet that is very good for growing kittens- from Hill’s.
I am a wet-food person-cat; I eat dry food, too- but just as a snack through the day; wet food is what I eat as my meal! Yum! Bring it on, Mama-Papa! Meow!
Since I was diagnosed with the disease, some things have changed in my life- the major one being my food type. I still get Hill’s- but not a Chunky Meat version of wet food, rather those dull ‘minced’ kind. I have refused my food and meowed plenty to my humans so that they switch me back to my old food, but they just won’t listen!
They say that those high protein diets can be deadly for me now (as they’ll make my sick pancreas to release the enzymes that would make it decay itself) and they just cannot be indulgent now, even though it breaks their heart. I don’t understand. Those taste so good- how they can be so bad for me! The vet says that since I got Pancreatitis in such a young age, I might need to be on a special diet all my life; that sounds like a long time!
Meow!
Also- I got my first Vitamin injection shot last night. That seems to have to go on for some weeks as well… *sigh*.
Cat Shower
That day, Mama was sad. She did not feel like doing a thing, she even left work early.
Papa thought Mama needed some cheering up and he sent Mama this video:
This made Mama smile, despite her mood that day.
Mama thought she would help me post this video in my blog- in case you need to be made to smile, too.
Pancreatitis in Cats
It has finally been diagnosed; I have tested positive for ‘Pancreatitis’.
It explains my five vet visits in the last two months for vomiting, diarrhoea and constipation. It explains my meowhhs to Mama and confirms Mama’s gut feeling that something was indeed wrong with me. The vet thinks I have had this thing for some time now.
From this website, in short, Pancreatitis is an inflammation of the pancreas caused by leakage of active digestive enzymes into the pancreatic tissue. Which means, my Pancreas*- instead of doing its job of breaking down fats and proteins into simpler forms is inflamed and unable.
For now, I am to be put through a prescription diet; one of the simpler ones that does not put too much pressure on my pancreas. This may be a lifelong thing, as in- I may need to be on a special diet all my life. Mama will go to the vet today to pick up my new food.
I will also have to take a weekly injection for Vitamins (Mama is not sure if this also is a lifelong thing). Mama thinks since the new food is simpler for my digestive system break down into the necessary fluids- so that my pancreas does not need to work too hard and has time to heal- I will need to be supplemented with Vitamins- but she needs to ask the vet if that really is the reason.
The third thing is that I will have to take pain medication. This disease causes a lot of pain on the stomach, and even though cats are less complaining and more prone to hide pain- than dogs are- the pain is still there- pain medication will be a way to help me be comfortable.
So, this is it so far in my health grounds. While my parents are much distressed that I am in so much pain in such a small age (I am 10 months old!), they are determined in getting me fixed and making it as comfortable for me as possible.
One advice from my humans to all the kitty parents out there- if you can afford it at all- please think about getting a pet insurance. They know how much you love your kitties, and it will be easier for both you and your kitties in the long run. Mama-Papa had one taken for me since I was 2 months old and that has been much helpful for them. In the last 2 months the vet bills have been more than AUD $650, and the parents will be able to get most of it back. It is a large amount of money regardless and without the insurance taken for me months back, it would have been very very difficult for them to manage. Another thing is that the prescription diet that I will need to take, the cost can be claimed by the insurance; as well as the cost of Revolution.
If you need some information about pet insurance, please leave a meow and Mama will try her best to help you with whatever information she can provide.
That’s all for today, kitties and humans. While my parents are still very upset- they are also determined that they will NOT let anything happen to me.
*The pancreas is a pale pink, lobulated organ located near the liver & behind the stomach. More can be found here, if you are a knowledge junkie as my Mama is.
Emergence
I apologise that I have not been updating much.
I have been a little ill again and still am a little tired. Mama has written about my illness on her blog, but both of us are too tired now to do the same on mine right now.
I’ll be back to my catnap and Mama will now go to bed for her nap, but you can read the details here if you are interested.
Alternatively- I will try and let you all know how I am doing once I am feeling a little less sick.
We hope the ‘linkies’ actually work. We have not even checked if they do, we are so so very tired!
*yawn*
I’ve been well. You?
I was taken to the vet last week- for what I’d think is nothing out of ordinary- constipation, as humans call it. Mama had read somewhere that constipation might not be a disease in itself- but it can be a symptom of some. Obviously, just because someone has written it into a book and printed it- the human needs to believe it…. ‘almost annoying’- the humans, as I meowed earlier.
I should write a book someday with the mantra ‘no vet visits EVER please’. Do you think that’ll help the Catkind?
This vet who saw me that night wasn’t so bad though. I think his name was Andrew Telford, and the way he handled me seemed less humiliating, if you know what I mean; I also like Rachel McCue- she handled me one time before… when the humans were hit by another bout of paranoia some months ago.
So kitties, if you live in Melbourne and looking for good vets around- you may want to try these two. They are not AS bad as the most.
And about my constipation, well… it was deemed as nothing too serious. I was advised half a tea spoon of Bene Fibre with every meal from now on… and I quite like it with my food. Also I’ve been eating well etc.
I have also been playing a lot. It’s almost like I found a treasure full of ‘energy’ hidden somewhere in my jungle!
Repose
I don’t like Mondays. You know why? Because it hampers the normal routine of things that develops through the weekend- like my humans staying in with me, like cuddles whenever I want one- or two, like practicing my meows (cats only meow with humans, never among themselves or when all alone), like more open rooms to roam around and sleeping on the human’s bed through the day.
And, Mondays? They force me to accept that the humans must go hunting and I must be left alone to guard our jungle- and stay home all alone, until they are back with all those unfamiliar smells…
We cats appreciate fixed routine. Too much change in that bothers us.
Oh well, it’ll pass… it always does. Meow!
Weekend Cuddles
Mama and I are busy enjoying our weekend.
Hope yours is going just as good
Elegance of a Felis Catus
If there was one word that your humans could describe you by, what would that word be?
Mama says, for me she’d choose the word ‘Elegant’. I guess that means I look ‘elegant’, I’d like to know what ‘elegant’ means though. I think it means something nice.
Ask your humans what word they’d choose for you. Please?
And there I wait
I like looking out of the window.
I spend many hours of my day- in between my catnaps- looking out. You will definitely find me there when it’s time for my humans to come home, or in the morning when I see them off. Mama thinks this is one thing she looks forward to about coming home… and her pace is faster during her walk to home from the station because she looks forward to seeing me looking out for her…
Hmm… That’s a nice thing to feel.
Humans do make good pets, don’t you think?
What’s up there?
Oh… how I love my windowsill.
When Papa is home- he puts the ‘blinds’ up- and I get a full view of the road, with the shiny multicoloured animals that move fast and makes noises- that humans calls ‘cars’, flying mice that are called ‘birdies’ and human babies on two wheels that humans call ‘bikes’.
Do you know those birdies never stop chirping?! I’m sure they do that just to tease me.
Even when there is nothing to see or hear- I like to look out of the window anyway- so when Papa is home, I ‘ask’ him to put the blinds up.
And when he’s not paying attention to my meows- I can at least ‘try’ to do it myself, can’t I?
Chillin
Mama says she wishes she were a cat when she sees me nap.
I wonder why… hmm..
Up above the world so high
I have a special meow for Mama… it’s the one I meow when I want her to cuddle me. I put my two front paws on her lap and go ‘mmmmeeeeeowwww’, I remember to make my voice the most kitten-like on those occasions.
It has its effects on her, trust me. It makes her drop everything she is doing and cuddle and pet me; just the way I like it- with hand strokes, nose rubs and holding me with her long arms wrapped around me- while talking to me in a soft human language.
Mama says this is the highlight of her days, the way I demand affection. She must love me a lot to think like that, don’t you think?
And I must love her lots to actually ask her to cuddle me.
We cats don’t do that quite often.
We mean what we say and however manipulative we seem to be sometimes, we are an honest species.
Ponder Cat
I don’t understand Papa’s camera much. It’s much bigger than the small compact a-little-bigger-than-a-matchbox camera that Mama has- it has a trunk like an elephant’s (oh… did I tell you that I am all eyes and ears whenever any animal channel is on the telly? I know elephants!); and many a times- it seems like it’s staring at me… through that trunk!
Meow! We cats don’t like that. You don’t look straight into our eyes! We think you are threatening us by doing that! But I trust Papa, even when he has the camera that is staring straight at me. I let it go. I’m not that difficult usually.
I have now learnt to differentiate between different members of my jungle, in their intention and the usual norms- I know Mama and Papa means well… even when they don’t let me climb the kitchen sink, even when they leave me behind for their daily hunting, even when they don’t always open the doors that I want them to, even when I sometimes pretend their hands are what I am hunting… I never bite them- I just wrap all my legs around them and ‘pretend’ that I’m fighting them.
You see- you need to understand- no matter how many years I am tamed as a housecat, I do have my predator instincts. You’ll believe me when you see me hunting an insect- I am alert, I cackle, I hunt- I do what I have to do to get it under my paws. See this photo with this post? That’s me when I caught a glimpse of a small fruit fly- believe me now?
I am a little version of other big species that live in big open-sky jungles and are known as vicious hunters. I am vicious too. And just like them- I do care for my family. Yes, my family with two humans in the jungle where I rule.
We all have our vicious sides, even the humans- even though they tend to turn a blind eye to that sometimes.
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