Thankful Thursday: My Surprise Vet Visit

Meows from Mudpie! 

Monday afternoon I was napping innocently on the bed when Mommy scooped me up, brought me into the bathroom where my cat carrier was waiting, and out to the car we went. I sang the song of my people throughout the 10 minute ride, and in spite of my hopes she was taking me on a field trip to the squeezie factory, we ended up at the V-E-T.

We had to wait in the parking lot until an exam room was ready for us, and the entire time Mommy promised me she would never leave my side, and we would be going right back home as fast as we possibly could. That helped to calm me down some.

Truth is, I haven't been feeling great for a couple weeks. Even longer than that my right ear has been driving me nuts. I've had many episodes of it being super itchy over the past several months, but usually after Mommy cleans it out with a cotton ball it feels better. Lately nothing has brought it any relief though.

Then two weeks ago on Sunday night I was meowing at Mommy before bed, and my voice had changed! It was no longer sweet and melodious, it was deep and raspy! For the next week I coughed and gagged. Chatty tortie that I am, I became very quiet. Then I started sneezing, and my eyes and nose became runny. 

All of that cleared up in a few days, but my ear kept itching. Then over the weekend I started retching up a little of my food like I was feeling something in my throat. 

Mommy kept hoping it was my asthma, allergies, or a URI that just needed to run its course, but I was making her a nervous wreck, which is why I landed at the vet.

This was my first time seeing this doctor as my previous vet retired, but she was very nice. She said my heart and lungs sounded good - she couldn't even hear any wheezing from my asthma - and thinks my nose and eye issues stem from a herpes flare up. I was likely exposed when I was a stray, and all the stress in our home right now reactivated it. She swabbed my ears, ran some tests, and discovered I have an ear infection. She put some medicine in them and I have to go back next week (UGH!) for a second dose of it. (As we write this on Wednesday they're already feeling lots better.) She isn't sure why I'm regurgitating pieces of food, except maybe the ear infection has affected the Eustachian tube between my ears and throat.

I also had to get my rabies vaccine, even though Mommy was opposed to it. Thankfully it was in my chart that I had a bad reaction to a previous one (a lump formed for a month at the vaccine site) so the vet understood our hesitancy, but we were happy to know they now use the non-adjuvanted Purevax vaccine.

All in all Mommy was very relieved by the end of the visit, but was horrified to learn that I now weigh in at 20 pounds!!! The vet said my teeth are pretty bad, but I'm not a good anesthesia candidate because of my weight, so we need to get serious about taking some pounds off (slowly, of course). The good news is the vet is happy I love squeezies so much because they're excellent hydration, and said it would be okay if I ate more of them and cut back on my kibble! SCORE!

That's a diet plan I'm truly thankful for!

Tortie Tuesday: Snowflakes on Mudpie

Meows from Mudpie!

This picture was taken a week ago today, when we got a foot of heavy, wet snow. Yep, March 14th was our biggest snowstorm of the year. I had to stick my head out to take a better look when Mommy came back in from feeding the birds.

Talk about a bad case of dandruff!!! 

Just seconds after this picture was taken, I decided to try sauntering right out the door, for the first time ever! The snow didn't feel so great on my paws. Mommy was stunned because I've never shown any interest in stepping outside. She had to fling her phone on the ground to grab me. I received a bit of a lecture too.

Maybe I sensed what was coming. Some of you may have seen on Mommy's personal Facebook page yesterday that I had an unexpected trip to the V-E-T. I'm fine. We'll tell you all about it later this week.

The Excitement Never Ends #SundaySelfie

Meows from Mudpie!

Nearly every day Mommy wonders, "what next?", but she's gotten to the point she's afraid to ask because she knows the next problem is right around the corner.

On Thursday Grandpa was discharged from the hospital and went back to rehab. Medically he's doing better, but he still has a long way to go.

That morning Mommy and I were in the living room when she started hearing some weird noises from down in the basement. After lunch she decided to investigate, and discovered the duct cap on our (now unused) chimney had popped off. When she put it back on she heard...SNORING!!! Something was in there!!! 

Convinced she was hearing things, for the next hour or so she kept putting her ear to the chimney and consistently heard cute little snoring noises.

She didn't know who to call, so she went to Google for help. She found an article on a lady who works at our local humane society as a cruelty investigator, and has her own business as a licensed wildlife rehabilitator. Thankfully she was able to come out that night and discovered a mother raccoon in there with one of last spring's babies. She wasn't able to get either of them out - the mom ran right back out and stayed up on the roof, the baby kept running between the clean out and the duct cap - so she advised that we set up a radio by the chimney, tuned in to talk radio, so they'll hear human voices and hopefully decide to move along.

We've kept the radio on 24/7 and haven't heard any strange noises since. Come summer we'll have to add getting the chimney capped to our never-ending "to do" list.

It was a very stressful day but thankfully everything turned out alright. But honestly, we're tired of all the problems that just won't stop. We need a break.

St. Catty's Day #Caturday Art

 

Visit more artsy kitties at Athena's Caturday Art blog hop!

And now our weekly answers for the Friendly Fill-Ins challenge, hosted by 15andmeowing and Four-Legged Furballs!

Mommy's answers:

1. If one doesn’t treat their pet like a member of the family then one doesn’t deserve to have one.

2. One day I will feel "normal" again, but for now everything just feels so different. And it is.

Mudpie's answers:

3. What happens at the vet's office stays at the vet's office. When we don't feel well there's nothing wrong with acting differently from when we're at our best.

4. If you ask me how pets should be treated, I say spoil them like crazy. We deserve it!

Unboxing February's CatLadyBox

 The theme of February's CatLadyBox was Must Love Cats...here's what was inside!

Featured Cat Lady Artist: Krista Woodcock May "Field of Flowers"

I think this is one of the sweetest art cards yet...

and on the post she sat

that sweet little cat

in a field of flowers

sitting for hours and hours

Must Love Cats Shirt:

Such a pretty color combination, and I love the cat silhouettes.

I Hope You Like Cats Doormat:

This will need to be used inside at the back door, because it's way too cute to leave outside! 

Watercolor Cats Zip Pouch:

I'm in love with the sweet, colorful little faces on this pouch. 

And the zipper pull as the CatLadyBox logo on it! 

Kitty Keychain Card Wallet:

I've seen keychains that double as a coin purse, but never one big enough to also hold cash and cards. Very clever! 

Cozy Slipper & Wacky Wonky Mouse:

I didn't even notice until typing this that the slipper is pink animal print! 

And that crazy little mouse is too adorable for words. 

Mudpie agrees!

Not a subscriber yet? Visit CatLadyBox today!

Interested in purchasing individual items from past boxes? You can do that too!

Disclosure: I receive a discount on my CatLadyBox subscription as a thank you for my monthly review. Regardless of compensation received, we only share information we feel is relevant to our readers.

Grandma's Chair #SundaySelfie

Meows from Mudpie!

I've been spending a lot of time this week in Grandma's chair. Mommy put one of Grandma's sweatshirts down on it for me to sleep on. I'm keeping it warm for her. I miss her.

We're joining our friends at The Cat On My Head for the Sunday Selfies blog hop!

Mudpie Toast #CaturdayArt

Visit more artsy kitties at Athena's Caturday Art blog hop!

And now our weekly answers (all answered by Mommy this week) for the Friendly Fill-Ins challenge, hosted by 15andmeowing and Four-Legged Furballs!

1. Be sure to always say "I love you" because another chance is never guaranteed.

2. I would never give my heart to anyone who dislikes animals.

3. I got my great love for cats from my mom.

4. Just because I prefer the company of animals doesn’t mean I am unfriendly.