Cat Tales

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Sunday with Ms Akira

Ms Akira taking time off this Sunday...

Ms Akira overgrooming.
She has barely any fur on her limbs, no to mention her tummy.

Close-up...

Ms Akira has been overgrooming for a few years. It began when she decided to sequester herself in the computer room, away from Megat and Toro and of course Tanaka. She spends most of her time there and she gets out for a few hours at night, usually after the boys are resting. But she is used to her routine of sleeping at 10 and so would scold me endlessly if I so much as extend her time outside.

I tried Omega 3 - saLmon oil and also flax but she is a very difficult cat to give anything to. She would get more stressed up with this tha anything else. She would scratch and yell and generally kick up a fuss. I think she was scared more than anything else. So I give her either Bach Flowers and now Pet Calm.

Sunday Quiet

I don't like this haircut san...

This haircut makes Toro look and I think feel small. He has been running and turning away fro Megat every time Megat looks at him. Of course this makes Megat look at him more. On the upside, he has been romping about quite a lot and climbing the cat gym regularly. :O)

Friday, March 18, 2011

Vet Visit for Megat

We finally got into the examination room - one hour after our appt.

Megat was very curious about where he was...

Nothing to it san...

The vet was very busy this morning, just like it was on Monday. Dr L was running late and so there dogs inside and out. We came on time but of course we had to wait for a bit. Megat was very quiet and had a nap. I guess he was used to the commotion of a vet hospital. When I got him into the cab to go to the vet, he was uncharacteristically noisy, protesting all the way though.

I told Dr L about his coughs and Dr L said it could be hairball! Hairball? But I have never seen him expelling one! Dr L said it goes with the fact that he was thinning from both sides of his body- due to some over-grooming from stress. That was why he was coughing. So we got some laxatone although Dr L said I could get a hairball remedy from the pet store.

It was very funny as I was speaking to a cat owner and she was telling me about a hairball remedy and I told her that my cats had never had hairballs. Little did I know!

Anyway the verdict was his lymph nodes are okay (YAY!!) and his coat is beautiful. He is well-hydrated and still in remission. (YAY!YAY!) The only downside was that his eyes are getting a little cloudy and Dr L said he would have some trouble seeing things clearly. But there was nothing to worry about at present.

All in all, it was a good day at the vet's!

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Finally

This kitty is the splitting image of our community cat who died of renal failure last August. Many residents had told us that they had seen FatBoy again, even Sister S. It was only last Sunday that I chanced on him sitting at FatBoy's void deck, eating some kibble left by another caregiver. It shocked me and then it struck me how similar the cats were to each other, down to the colour of his eyes and his tail. The only difference was the white patch on his toes of his feet.

He was fat, healthy and very confident. Just like FatBoy before he fell ill.

This is one of the last pictures I had of our FatBoy before I had to sequester him with R as he was very weak.

Pet Adoption

I actually wanted to post about the amigos on the 15th and participate in this but as usual I am too late. However, I think I should just post them anyway :))

BUJANG

Bujang at 6 weeks

Bujang was from a litter of 4 kittens. I brought him home, saved from the rain, as he seemed to be the one that needed most care. He yelled and scratched. He was my first kitten and I had sleepless nights trying to bottle feed him every 2 hours then every 4. He loved milk and would eat everything I put in his bowl.

Bujang at 14 months- already 6 kg!

Now he is 7 years old and 7 kgs and is the most fearsome cat in the household. No one messes with him although he seemed sometimes to be the one who is the most scared of the vets and strangers. But he takes care of us all very well indeed and loves his grandma most of all.

MS AKIRA

Ms Akira when she was just 3 years old.

I adopted Ms Akira from the SPCA as Sister S said Bujang needed a companion. So she came to us at about 6 months as Bujang was then about a year old or thereabouts. She came and conquered and slapped him about and they became great friends, running and sitting with each other. Now Bujang is her bestest buddy.

TOTORO

From very young, Toro was such a model of a cat :)

The first time he climbed up the cat gym :)

I adopted Toro from M. M rescues cats and puts them up for adoption. M asked me if I wanted to adopt and as a joke, I said only if he is handsome. So in the dark of night, a week after our conversation, M brought me a thin persian cross. He was naughty and started fights with Ms Akira and even dared to wrestle with Bujang. He was fearless! Now he is THE HANDSOME ONE with all the guests and could melt everyone's heart with just a glance.

MEGAT aka SHAOLIN MEGAT aka SCREAMING BANSHEE

Megat adopted me when he realised that I was not out to hurt him. He followed me about when I fed him in the carpark and screamed loudly when he heard the keys as he thought I would not be able to see him in the dark. He ate everything in his bowl and asked for some more. The vet told me he was FIV positive and I would be better off to just leave him in the carpark and take care of him there as I already had 3 other cats.

The first time Megat smiled we had such a shock.
But you can see his good heart and shiny personality even then.

I told grandma that we could not possibly put him back in the carpark after we had taken care of him for some weeks. He was ill and we had to rescue him from being taken by the AVA. So I decided that indeed we have so much more space in our hearts if not our house. He stayed and has made all our lives better. He is loving and could be very jealous of the boys but we try to live together...as much as we can :)

ROCKET TANAKA

Tanaka, all cleaned up and happy, at about 10 weeks

Tanaka's first lesson in using the leash.
He was very curious and gung-ho so he walked very well indeed.

Tanaka came to us by accident. We thought we could not take in any more cats but some kids just put him on our table (when Cousin R was feeding the Wild Bunch) 3 years ago and ran off. He was just 8 weeks. There was nothing that we could have done so we decided to foster him and we actually did put him up for adoption. A few people showed interest but grandma said that as he was used to the amigos and we have grown to love him, that he should stay with us :). We were glad to have made such a decision as if he had gone off to some other place, we would not have known this very loving and gentle kitty. Of course Megat would tell you otherwise :)

Stay safe

I wonder what else is happening in Japan...

Yesterday san and I went to the net and san read aloud to me what had happened to the animals in Japan. I was furry sad and told san we should do our bit to help and so we gave to Japan Earthquake Animal Rescue and Support. But I am glad I live here with san and even the horrible boys.

Its raining Thursday

and I am sleeping in...

We must thank Ben the nurse at B as he very carefully shaved Toro's tummy for the US. He did not shave more than he needed to and he followed the outline of the last shaven area. This means Toro would not have so many jagged areas on his tummy. I decided he needed a haircut as the days are hot and also I wanted his hair to grow together until June comes upon us for his next ultra sound.

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Wednesday with Ms Akira

Usually our pics for Ms Akira would just be this since she is kind of laid back and calm but I got some pics of the frolicking kitty yesterday and so here they are...