Hi Guys,
It's only been a couple of weeks, but it's the longest I've gone without
checking in with you guys in about 3 years. I've missed you. My
thoughts and prayers are always with everyone and their fur children,
I'm sorry I haven't been around to send individual encouragement and
support.
Things have been difficult and emotional around here as usual with never
enough time or energy to keep up with all that needs to be done.
Spencer continues to decline, but still seems to be enjoying his life
for the most part. I'm still giving him daily dex shots, (.4 ccs) and
occasionally nose drops for nasal congestion. He's eating less and less
and has such a difficult time with assist feeding that I've decided to
not force him. It never gets easier watching and waiting and hoping for
miracles. He doesn't seem to be in pain, but he's obviously in
discomfort and very, very tired. My sweet young athlete is winding
down. When I look in his eyes I'm met with love and gratitude. He
continues to tell me he's not yet ready, but his body is withering away
before my eyes. The other day he had found a soft, quiet place on the
closet floor to escape our hectic household. I laid down with my head
near his body and when he stirred and saw me, he reached his paw out and
gently touched my face. We rested like that for quite a while. Every
time he awoke, he'd open his eyes and flex the pads of his paws gently
on my cheek as if to say, Mommy, I love you, thank you for being here.
Moments like these make everything we go through so worth while. A few
days ago, he had a burst of lightning bolt energy and chased Instigator,
(my big orange boy that Spence had decided should be relegated to the
back rooms of the house). Poor Inst! He was just getting used to
sharing the house with us again. I think Spencer's days of making
Instigator scatter are over, but Inst isn't quite convinced yet.
You might remember our "foster" Chow/Husky pup twins that joined us last
year... Their ad has still been running on Petfinder and we got a call
from a prospective adopter a few hours away that seems like a good
match. The right side of my brain is telling me that it's wise to
pursue it, that finding them a home with more time to devote to them and
lessening our load is the only course that makes sense. Still, they've
integrated into the family and are very much loved and appreciated.
Bruce has been walking around with his bottom lip jutting out and making
noises about how Zevon, (our aging GSD with degenerative spine disease),
will suffer without Koda's enthusiasm to engage him in play. I'm still
undecided about what to do and there isn't another group of people that
would understand our hesitation the way I know you good folks do. I
know our JRT girl Zelda wouldn't be sorry to see Maggie go. They have
this stubborn rivalry going, neither one of them is willing to admit
they are second female in the hierarchy. Nothing dangerous, just a lot
of "Mom, she's touching me!!!"
One of my feral colonies is being displaced after years of enjoying a
safe and comfortable environment. We've been working hard to complete
additions to our cat habitat and the friendliest of the cats, (and most
stubborn about leaving her home), is already here and acclimating well
with our family. I've been leaving out smaller portions of food at
their regular feeding stations and with the good graces of a neighbor,
been moving food dishes closer and closer to my yard in an attempt to
help them find the new source of food in my yards. I'm struggling still
with the decision of bringing at least one of the three semi tame cats
that share the ferals territory to live with us. They "belong" to a
nearby neighbor, but I'm the only one that can touch them, or shares a
relationship with them. I can't shake the despair of abandoning them
when I can no longer feed and cuddle with them every day.
Matilda, the little kitty that came to us pregnant with a terrible case
of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder a couple of months ago still has to be
kept separate from anyone with four legs. (You might remember her as
the one that sent Bruce to Urgent Care with infected bite wounds that
required a week of antibiotic shots after Zevon's presence startled her
while being petted). She's got the bedroom and part of the adjoining
outdoor habitat during the day and sleeps in a cage by my bed at night.
It's slow going with her, but I have high hopes of her learning to trust
that no one here means her any harm. I'm buying bulk quantities of
flower essences and she is making steady, if not slow, progress.
Our FIV boy, Starman, has been so jealous of the extra attention that
Spencer is getting. I worry about stretching my faith in the merits of
mixing felv with all the cats in my household, (Spence has been blowing
his nose full of felv germs all over the house), but I am esp concerned
with Star and his already compromised immune system. Right now he's fat
and sassy, say a prayer that he and the others don't suffer because of
my decisions.
Gypsy, (our IBD kitty), continues to thrive on her turkey mush diet, (my
condolences to the turkey nation). Wouldn't it be wonderful to just
open a can? She still insists on being petted while she eats, but she's
lively and healthy with only occasional relapses. The other day I
caught her fussing with one of the neighborhood ferals for a choice tree
limb to stalk birds from and more often than not she can be found
chasing some hapless bug around the floor. I caught her with some of
that packing styrofoam the other day. Bruce had allowed her to play
with some of the cornstarch kind because "She was having such a good
time pouncing and tossing it in the air". Please! This girl gets
diarrhea from just looking at a bowl of EVO!
Timmy, my handsome little miracle boy from my felv bottle baby litter is
covered in mattes and will need to be shaved. He hates to be brushed
and his mom hates doing anything that he hates! He turned three yrs
recently and I'm afraid I spoil him rotten. He's such a pleasure,
mattes and all!
I should have known that trying to update you guys would turn into a
novel. I have a lot of reading to catch up with all of you too!
Blessings and love, I'll do my best to stay in touch,
Nina
