Fiona Friday

FRIDAY BLOG HOPS & KIZMET

Friendly Fill-Ins: Week #244

Time for those fill-ins hosted each week by Ellen (15 And Meowing) and Lorianne (Four-Legged Furballs). I used teal italics for my fill-ins. Explanatory info is in parentheses. Two weeks ago, I used my fill-in for this week’s #4 for another fill-in. Sorry, but it was appropriate again here.

Friendly Fill-Ins is a blog hop. You can find the sentences to be filled in on both blogs on Thursdays. And you can join the hop by clicking on the badge at left.

1. So far 2021 is okay! (Kizmet is keeping us amused, and Dad Tom and I have appointments for our first dose of the COVID vaccine on Saturday.)

2. A book title that best describes my life is The Cats’ House by Bob Walker.

3. Discovering Janet (now Kizmet) on PetFinder was a pleasant surprise.

4. I learned that taking a bath with a cat is a recipe for disaster.

Feline/Friendship Friday

 

Kizmet

 

This is the only time I have seen Kizmet less than joyous. She was wearing the harness we purchased for her. She walked around in it as if she’d broken her front legs. She’ll have a little more time in it for day two tomorrow and a little more time each day after that.

Kizmet is participating in the Feline Friday and Friendship Friday blog hops. To join her, click on the appropriate badge(s) below.

BEAUTIFUL BOBBLEHEAD & FILL-INS

Today is the Friday Fill-Ins blog hop, but before Mom shows you her completions, I am here to report on my Tuesday appointment with Dr. Neel.

First was the weigh-in. Bad news on that front. I lost more than one pound this past month and am now well under six pounds. MOUSES!

 

bobblehead

 

A girl’s got to keep a sense of humor. Right?

Anyhoo, after the weigh-in, Dr. Neel came in and she, Mom and Dad talked. They decided to do minimum blood work. Mom said that the “bad” numbers just make her upset, and no matter what my numbers were, my treatment and meds would not change. So I just got my BUN and PCV (packed cell volume) done. My BUN is down to 110. That is down 48 points from last month when I had my highest number. Happy dance for me; though, that number is not a true representation of how my CKD is progressing.

 

bobblehead

 

My PCV had dropped four points to 17. That means my anemia is worse. But thanks to Mom Ellen (15 And Meowing), I have started on a new medication to help lessen my anemia. Ellen had this medicine for Spooky, but he was never able to use it, so she gifted it to me. Dr. Neel didn’t want to use it before now as some side effects are possible, and she didn’t want to compromise my tenuous grasp on stability. I had my first injection yesterday. So far all is well. I will get an injection each week for three more weeks.

Unless I experience any significant change in my condition between now and mid-December, I’ll wait until then to give you another update. That doesn’t mean you won’t see me on the blog. It just means I won’t be boring you with talk of my health.

Thank you everyone for your purrs and prayers. Mom, Dad and I know how powerful these are, and I believe that all I’ve received have definitely extended my life. If you have a few more to spare, I will gladly accept them and be super appreciative.

Purrs and paw-pats, Fiona with a huge thank you to Mom Ellen

Friendly Fill-Ins: Week 28

FriendlyFillInsFiona was kind enough to allow me to share this post with her so I could complete Ellen’s and Annie’s (McGuffy’s Reader) fill-ins for this week’s blog hop. You can join and/or find other participants on Annie’s blog.

1. One Thanksgiving tradition I have is making pumpkin pie from my Grandma Shirley’s recipe. Every year I pull out the recipe card she wrote for me more than 40 years ago.

2. Black Friday: Just say, “NO!”  I have posted about this previously. If you’d like to read those posts, you can do so here and here.

3. The best part about Thanksgiving Day is remembering Thanksgiving as a child when we always had 20 plus people at our house for dinner. Also stuffing and pumpkin pie.

4. One Thanksgiving Dad Tom and I spent the day on a Greyhound bus returning home after our car broke down on the way out of state for dinner with relatives.

The best part of this Thanksgiving will be that Fiona is still here to share it with us 11 months after being diagnosed with CKD.

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FIONA AGAIN & FILL-INS

Friendly Fill-Ins: Week #19

It’s time for this fun hop brought to you by 15 And Meowing‘s Ellen and McGuffy’s Reader’s Annie. Ellen and Annie each select two phrases for participants to complete. Ellen’s are always numbers 1 and 2. And Annie selects numbers 3 and 4. You can join the hop by adding your link on Annie’s blog.

Friendly Fill-Ins

 

Here are this week’s phrases. My completions are in teal italics.

1. Something healthy I do daily is pet the Kitties Blue. In fact, Fiona is on my lap right now getting lots of loving strokes. Of course, if her daddy were at home, she’d shun me for him. And, as usual, Mauricio is trying to horn in. 

2. Something unhealthy I do daily is drink one or two cans of Diet Coke®. It is my caffeine of choice as I totally dislike coffee.

3. This Summer, was too, too HOT with more days in our city above 90 degrees than previously recorded. I do not tolerate the heat well and am tired of being sopping wet all the time.

4. This Autumn, I hope we have decent enough weather to cycle more. With the rain and heat of this summer, we were unable to get out as often as we usually do. 

This week’s fill-ins did not lend themselves to talking much about Kitties Blue. But as I did mention Fiona, she gets to have her photo (for the third consecutive day) as part of this post. She was enjoying yet another nap in a sunpuddle on the catio.

 

Fill-Ins

 

Wow, look at those long legs and precious toesies! I think the angle of her head makes this an exceptionally cute pose. You may now “squeee.”

As Fiona is here again today, I’d like to take another opportunity to thank everyone for keeping our little girl in your purrs and prayers. She’s a fighter…when she’s not napping!

Tomorrow is Athena’s Caturday Art Blog Hop. We’ll be participating with some birthday art. Don’t forget to drop in to find out who will be celebrating.

SISTERS TURN SIX!

The “Kittens” turn six today. They are no longer kittens and not the youngest of Kitties Blue, but that’s what we dubbed them when they first joined our household. You know them as sisters, Fiona and Giulietta.

 

Sisters celebrate six birthday in their tiaras.

 

Last year I forgot Fiona and Giulietta’s birthday, but I wasn’t going to let that happen this year. For all I know, with Fiona’s CKD, this could be her very last birthday. If the kittens had a cake with candles, I would ask if I could blow them out. That would give me the opportunity to make a wish and ask God to give Fiona many more years with us.

They received their gift a couple of weeks ago: a fountain for the second floor. Unfortunately the water makes lots of noise falling from the top to the bottom. To date, I have only seen Lisbeth and Lily Olivia using it.

Before I give the update on Fiona’s recent vet visit, I need to show off two beautiful cards they received. The first is from dear friend, Sammy (onespoiledcat) and the second from Toby, Bobbie Sue and Simon (Doggie and Kitty Caperz).

 

Birthday card for sisters Giulietta and Fiona.

Birthday card for sisters Giulietta and Fiona.

 

Fiona and Giulietta say, “thank you.” The cards are beautiful and the sentiments appreciated.

Fiona’s Vet Visit Update

Tuesday was Fiona’s recheck at the vet. She gained back the two ounces she had lost at the previous visit. She weighs seven pounds and four ounces. Her BUN had jumped up on her last visit but has come down again. It’s at 97, which is not the lowest it has been but close. Unfortunately her phosphorus is back on the rise, so she has started back on the Maalox. Some of you have mentioned prosperous binders, which is what Maalox is. Our vet, Dr. Neel, based on her experience, research and collaboration with other veterinarians, believes Maalox works as well as any prescription medicines. Fiona hates it, and I cannot blame her. Her dad and I are not too fond of having it spread all over our clothing, hair and every surface in the kitchen. But we’ll do whatever it takes to give her the best quality of life we can.

Here are a couple of photos from Tuesday. A third one can be seen on Instagram.

 

Fiona's vet visit.

 

Now, please join us and these sweet sisters for nip and Hello Kitty Cake (from Mau’s Cat Scout Bake Shop) and cocktails.

nip

hkcake

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MY SLEEPYPOD HAS ARRIVED

Well…it’s supposed to be my Sleepypod Mobile Pet Bed! However, as soon as Mom opened the box and put it together, this is what happened.

 

Fiona's Sleepypod

 

Do you see me in any of these photos? Nope! Lisbeth was the first to jump in and claim my Sleepypod. Before I could even get near it, Calista Jo and Astrid also had to check it out. In fact, Astrid immediately curled up and went to sleep. She’s so tiny, she disappeared into the plushy interior.

 

Fiona's Sleepypod

 

I finally got the opportunity to investigate my Sleepypod. Of course, I waited until some treats were placed inside. I never did get in. I picked out each individual treat with my paw. Dad thinks I should have some time to get accustomed to it before they start placing me inside to get my subQ fluids. I am scheduled for fluids today so I’ll have to wait and see if I get them there or not.

For that to happen, Astrid may have to be removed forcibly. Mol!

For those of you who asked what color Sleepypod I was getting, now you know. It is the Robin’s Egg Blue. It really isn’t blue…more aqua (one of Mom’s favorite colors). I think it goes nicely with my grey furs.

cats on the jobMom asked me to remind everyone about our current giveaway. Thanks to Lisa Rogak, author of the book, Cats on the Job, we will be giving away a copy to one lucky reader. If you haven’t entered for a chance to win, you can do so here by leaving a comment. You have until Sunday, February 28, at 5 p.m. ET. We’ll use Random.org to select the winner. Good Luck!  It really is a great book.

Purrs and paw-pats, Fiona

MIRROR MIRROR

Fiona in the Mirror

I hope you’ll forgive me for featuring my sweet and beautiful Fiona again today. Her dad found a camera card with an unbelievable number of forgotten photos. This one was taken in December 2010 when Fiona was nine months old. I imagine her wondering who that kitty was looking back at her. Of course she wasn’t seeing those reflective eyes produced by the flash. That probably would have freaked her out.

 

mirror

 

Normally I would save this photo for Caturday Art because of her eyes. But I found them so compelling, I had to use the photo in its original form. I am captivated by this photo and cannot stop looking at it.

I am certain some of you are curious about how Fiona’s doing. She continues to fight taking her medications. Giving her the subQ fluids is going slightly better. She usually whines and shakes while her dad tries to comfort her. Occasionally she tries to climb our of her PTU, which can cause the needle to become dislodged. I will not try to “stab” her again when this happens. Most days we manage to administer the full amount of fluid. She’s eating a bit more and not just treats; though, she continues to prefer those. We have more different brands of treats than I can count as it is impossible to predict which ones she will eat on any particular day.

Fiona sees Dr. Neel next week, and she will give you another report then.

Our Latest Book Giveaway

love in lower caseIf you have not left a comment for the opportunity to win a copy of Love in Lowercase by Francesc Miralles, you have until Sunday the 14th at 5 p.m. ET. Three copies will be given away. Click here to read the review post and leave your comment.

Visiting Friends

I subscribe to most of the blogs I read via e-mail. In the last several days I have not been getting e-mails notifying me of new posts on most of these blog. I have no idea what the problem is. I have a reader in WordPress that has many of your blogs listed. I will start adding URLs for those of you who are not currently listed. I will use that to visit and comment until I can straighten out the problem.

 

IS YOUR VET A CAT FRIENDLY PRACTICE?

The AAHA-Accredited Animal Practice

As a pet parent the health of my kitties is extremely important to me. Getting them the best medical attention available is a part of this. With that in mind, taking my cats to an AAHA– (American Animal Hospital Association) accredited hospital is a must.

What does taking your cat to an accredited hospital mean to you and your anipal? According to AAHA,

“It means your hospital holds itself to a higher standard, and that your pet is receiving care at a hospital that has passed the highest standards in veterinary care. To become accredited, companion animal hospitals undergo regular comprehensive evaluations by AAHA veterinary experts who evaluate the practice on approximately 900 standards of veterinary care.”

"Hey, who stole my tail."Veterinary hospitals are not required to hold accreditation from the AAHA. Only about 12 to 15 percent of veterinarians in the U.S. and Canada are accredited. Our vet, Vinton Veterinary Hospital, is AAHA accredited. Do you know if your vet is accredited?

Most pet parents can tell when they visit a small animal veterinary practice if it is more dog-centric, cat-centric or if both species are treated with the same care and concern. They also know how traumatic a vet visit can be, especially for cats.

If your vet has only one waiting room and your cat is constantly being sniffed by a big dog or subjected to barking and yapping, her level of stress immediately sky rockets. For this reason, as I’ve reported in other posts, our vet comes to the house for our yearly round-up of vaccinations and physical exams.

The AAFP Cat Friendly Practice

But when one of our kitties becomes ill, as Fiona did recently, an actual visit to the vet is necessary. And though visiting the vet’s office is still a traumatic experience, our vet has gone above and beyond by becoming an American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) Cat Friendly Practice. Our vet is only one of four CFPs in our area and the only one with a SILVER ranking.

 

cat friendly

 

What You Can Expect from a Cat Friendly Practice?

Staff members of a Cat Friendly Practice have been trained in how to approach and handle your cat in a kind, empathetic and caring manner. The immediate goal is to minimize your feline’s stress, which probably began before you left home at the moment you placed them in their carrier. In order to accomplish this and provide a cat-specific level of care, CFPs have:

  • established a waiting room that reduces stress and includes a feline-only area and appointment times. (Our vet has completely separate waiting rooms for cats and dogs.)
  • staff trained to understand individualized needs of cats, including feline-specific body language and facial and behavioral clues.
  • implemented cat-friendly handling techniques to facilitate a more positive experience. (If our vet needs to leave the examination room to perform tests, our kitty is always gently wrapped in a warm blanket to help her feel secure.)
  • a feline-only or feline-centric examination room that provides a safe and non-threatening area where cats can be examined calmly and effectively. (Our vet has cat-only exam rooms, Feliway diffusers and thick, cushioned pads and warm blankets or towels on the metal exam tables.)
  • experience to recognize signs of anxiety and/or fear in their feline patients and adapt accordingly.

cat friendlyAdditionally, the Cat Friendly Practice has the appropriate and smaller-sized equipment to meet all the needs of feline treatment and care.

To learn more about Cat Friendly Practices or find one near you, go to www.catvets.com. The link is above.

Fiona Updates her CKD Treatment

Hi all. Well, I am being a total stinker. I spew Maalox all over my humans, kitchen countertops and walls each day when they try to squirt some in my mouth. And I absolutely will not let them come near me with a needle. My humans are doing all the things everyone has suggested and more, but I am having none of it. I scream, flail, wiggle, gyrate, lash out and generally turn into a cyclone of pure cat energy. Not bad for a six-pound light weight! Right? I also spit out my pills over and over again. Mom rubs my throat and croons, “nom, nom, nom” in my ear to no avail.

I got packed up in the PTU yesterday and hauled to the vet so they could give me my subQ fluids. I was a purrfect angel puss there.

When I got home I did require a bit of self medication. I spent some quality time rubbing my face all over one of our new catnip toys…pure bliss!

I’ll be going back to our vet office on Saturday (pffft!) as Dad won’t be home. Mom knows she isn’t going to try to do fluids on her own. Good call on her part. I wouldn’t want to have to hurt her.

Thanks for your continued purrs and prayers.

Purrs and paw-pats, Fiona

Sources for information included in this post:

www.AAHA.org and www.catvets.com

 

 

FIONA FRIDAY: THE BEST DAY EVER

Lisbeth, Giulietta and Fiona enjoy a little nip and their new scratcher lounge.

Lisbeth, Giulietta and Fiona enjoy a little nip and their new scratcher lounge.

At least in my opinion!

Wild-eyed Astrid

Wild-eyed Astrid

The humans went out around lunch time yesterday. They were away for about two hours. Some of us decided to stay in the house and some out on our screened deck.

When Mom and Dad arrived home, they had presents for us. We got a new scratcher. It’s also a lounger. And it came with NIP. We have pretty well decimated our old cardboard scratcher. And Mom’s been complaining about all the itty-bitty pieces of cardboard all over the floor and stuck to Giulietta’s furs. So, this was probably more of a gift for her than us. But, heck, we’re not going to complain.

We also got two new crunchy balls. They are one of our favorite toys, but we can’t seem to keep our paws on them. We think Mom hides them from us, but she says we lose them under appliances, dressers and other furniture. We’re not buying that lame excuse for one minute.

That made for a pretty exciting day for all of us. But I got an even better surprise.

"What's that? Is that a worm? Hey mom, I think I see a worm."

“What’s that? Is that a worm? Hey mom, I think I see a worm.”

Mom decided to work in the garden in the afternoon after she noticed bunches of dandelions in the side yard. She hates dandelions and wild onions (not as much as English ivy and honeysuckle, but they’re right up there).

Anyway, she took me with her. Of the five youngsters, I am the only one who gets authorized outdoor privileges. I don’t get to go without supervision, but I am not complaining. Mom will let me accompany her a few times a year as I am almost always a good girl. I stay close by and report to her whenever she calls me. Well, at least most of the time.

The snooper-visor, Misty May.

The snoopervisor, Misty May.

Before MacKenzie went to the bridge he was Mom’s yard snoopervisor, following her and plopping down nearby. Misty May has taken over that position, so when I am in the garden I’m free to explore.

See what a good girl I am.

See what a good girl I am.

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Misty May tired out from snoopervising takes a nap.

 

 

Mommy was out for three hours. I only got to stay out for two, but again…not complaining. When I came in I had a nice nap on the new scratcher. Like I said, best day ever!

Purrs and hugs, Fiona

FIONA FRIDAY

I don’t know how it happened as it wasn’t my intent. But, today became Fiona Friday.

Fiona really doesn’t like not knowing where I am. And if she knows my location, she is quite persistent in her efforts to be with me. She will scratch at the closed door and meyowl continuously. So what started out innocently enough by me escalated into an all-out Fiona Day of Neediness.

It was raining early this morning, and the kids were looking bored, except Astrid and Calista who were chasing each other non-stop from the deck through the house and back again and leaving wet kitty paw prints everywhere.

I thought maybe some laser tag would offer a break from the doldrums and proceeded to make it dance around the foyer floor in front of  Fiona. She usually jumps right on it, scooting along the rug on her belly and slapping it with her paws or running at full speed so she passes it. She can keep this up long after I am worn out. Sis Giulietta is not that excited about the laser and so sat snoopervising from the dining room table.

To my astonishment Fiona batted at the beam a few times, then she plopped on her belly and just watched and watched and watched. I finally took the hint and put that toy away. I didn’t have any better luck with the fling-ama-string. She batted at it a couple of times, stood on the string and then walked away.

That was it for me. She was on her own to find some entertainment while I headed back to the computer. She followed me, found a mousey toy on the kitchen floor and played with it for a nano-second. Then, of course, she decided she needed to join me and watch me type. I figured since she was having such a bad case of rainy-day blahs that she would settle in my lap and nap quietly. Who was I kidding? Anybody reading this knows just how incredibly flawed my reasoning was. First, she needled* my stomach, then did her nose-under-my-hand-give-me-rubbies demand and otherwise made a huge pest of herself.

"Go away, I'm trying to nap."

Fiona: “Go away, I’m trying to nap. You’ve done nothing but pester me all morning”

Previously, I had decided to take the computer upstairs to the recliner as sitting at the kitchen counter for hours is really tough on my legs. When Fiona finally decided to get down, that’s what I did. I headed to the guest room, closed the door, turned on the air conditioner and settled in my chair.

Moments later, and I mean MOMENTS, Tom opened the door. Immediately, Fiona sauntered between his legs and joined me. I guess I should add here that the guest room is not a kitty-accessible room. They are only allowed in if invited by the guest in residence. That, of course, wouldn’t be Fiona as she DOES NOT like guests of any kind, even if she knows the person.

An exception to this rule of no kitties allowed was made in 2011 when I was laid up with a broken leg for five plus months. But, as often happens, I have digressed.

After a repeat of the behavior from the kitchen, Fiona decided that the clean laundry stacked on the bed looked like a great napping and then bathing spot. I was abandoned for a few, and I mean FEW, minutes.

And then…wait for it…she was back again. But, after giving me an up close and personal look at her tail end as she walked across the keyboard, she curled up next to me for a nap.

Ha…photo bomb! I told you I was trying to nap. MOL!

Ha…photo bomb! I told you I was trying to nap. MOL!

And that’s where we are now. Me typing and Fiona snuggled in keeping my left hip warm. Any day that includes a snuggle with your cat is a GREAT day, no matter how long and hard the road may be to get there.

Fiona has chastised me for using such fuzzy photos of her furtabulous self. In my defense, however, I took the photos with my iPhone while she was trying to hog the chair. And I have spared you several of her with the laundry that were even blurrier.

She has asked me to tell you know that she is never needy. (LOL from me.) And she demanded requested that I send you all some purrs and hugs from her for having to put up with what she says is my foolishness. So consider yourself kitty hugged.

* Needled: Kneading while using claws.