Author: livershuntcat

A Day of Thanks

Well, here we are, on this fourth Thursday of November – the day Americans celebrate as their national day to give thanks. If you guys are celebrating today, Happy Thanksgiving!

Cat Daddy and I are very thankful that Newt is here for his third Thanksgiving with us. We did not expect he would see his first Thanksgiving, so this is a very special day for us!

We are also thankful for each owner of a cat or kitten with a liver shunt who has contacted Newt, or joined his support group. Thank you for sharing your kitty’s stories with other owners around the globe, and providing Hope. Big hugs!

As with everything in Newtopia, today is uncertain. Even on this happy day of celebrating, there is a minor undercurrent of worry, and a bit of an imbalance in the Force.  For quite a while, Newt was on a merry-go-round of intermittent drooling one day, hen fine, the next. The last couple of weeks, he’s been perfectly normal, but, for the last couple of days, he’s been mildly drooling and slightly off his food.

Back to normal last night, but this morning, more very mild drool.

That certainly has not interfered with his appetite or enjoyment of the day so far! He was sunning himself in one of his favorite spots before breakfast, and began eating with gusto. Alas, because he is mildly symptomatic, we will likely not be preparing his customary four-course Thanksgiving feast, scattered throughout the day. Instead, we will stick with the basics (and his favorite – chicken!) Should his appetite diminish, we will, of course, be offering the tried and true tidbits to tempt his palate.

These very mild episodes seem to last less than six hours, so it is quite likely that later today, when Cat Daddy is in full Chef Mode, that Newt will be dining on hand-fed morselettes from mum’s plate. But for now, we are again reminded of just how MUCH we have to be thankful for, with our darling little liver shunt cat.

Each day is a gift for which we are thankful, and that the good days far outweigh the bad. His quality of life remains paramount, and on days like today, even while showing a bit of drool, he is happily sunning, eating with gusto, and reminding us that every day of Hope is a day to give thanks.

Newt’s Latest Box Adventures

We often end up with the oddest assortments of randomness when bulk buying auction items. Everything usable is either re-auctioned, or donated to the thrift store.

I had this tattered and worn, vintage fur coat. Falling apart at the seams and reeking to high heaven. It was a sort of unearthly combination of moldy basement and stinky old lady perfume. I was intrigued by the thought of returning the fur to the animals by donating it to a wildlife program, but was afraid this was in too bad a shape to be useful. Besides, if *I* could smell the rankness of it, surely the wildlife, with their delicate noses, would not appreciate it, no matter how well intentioned the thought?

Enter Newt – he of the perpetually heat-seeking drive, commandeering all of the warmest places in the house. Compound that with the strangest tolerance for awful aromas known to man. He’s the one who had carrion breath for so long; perhaps the smell wouldn’t bother him? And if Newt liked it, perhaps I could figure out how to remove the smell enough to share bits of the leftovers with some of our other shunt cat friends?

Sounded like a good plan at the time.

I removed the lining from the coat, and then left it enticingly arranged in various places – attempting to coax Newt into its comforting and luxurious folds. No luck. After a week of playing musical muskrat, placing him on the coat, only to have him jump disdainfully off of it, and even cutting a piece of it to line a brand-new box and placing it in his lunchroom, only to have him repeatedly reject his stinky new winter nest, I gave up.

I moved the fur-lined box into the middle of the living room floor, and removed the binder clips securing the sides. I went into the other room to collect the rest of the coat, intending to take it all downstairs for desperate fumigation attempts using baking soda and ground coffee. Figured I would try again in a couple of weeks, and hopefully if it smelled better, I could take it to the local wildlife rescue center and maybe they could use it.

Ahem.

I got back to the living room to discover Newt – gleefully enthroned, with his bright copper eyes and little pink nose peeking out at me from the pile of ratty tatty, stinky fur. Well, of course, I HAD to leave it there for him, right?

He spent the better part of the cool grey day happily burrowed amongst the box o’ stinky fur, named Moldy Old Lady Stinky Fur Box – MOLSFB. Happy that he had finally adopted the bedding (in spite of it smelling of stinky moldy old lady), I decided to revert back to plan A, which was to place it in his lunchroom – where he only has three beds, as opposed to the other few dozen he has in the rest of the house.


I snuck the MOLSFB, while he was foraging for leftovers (he was NOT in it at the time, so I did NOT take it AWAY from him), and put it on the kitchen counter to replace the binder clips keeping the fur lined up on the sides. He came charging into the kitchen, leapt upon the counter and into the box, and then, sat there glaring at me for daring to touch his throne. I carried the MOLSFB (with him in it, still sitting and glaring) back into his lunchroom as per the original plan.

This did not last very long, as he immediately launched a guilt campaign, perching pathetically and shivery in the living room floor, in the spot where the MOLSFB had previously been, while awaiting its removal downstairs for fumigation. Cat Daddy took pity on him, and went back into his lunchroom to fetch the MOLSFB, followed by a happily scampering Newt. He came back down the hall, bearing Newt IN the box, regally surveying his domain as though being transported in some sort of fur-lined Popemobile, and placed it not quite in the exact spot, but next to the TV where Newt could perch in his furry throne and easily view his subjects.

Harrumph!

Much giggling and teasing ensued, as I chastised Cat Daddy about “NOW do you understand why Newt has 417 boxes!?!” Obviously, Newt’s Box Accumulation Super Power works as well on Cat Daddy, as it does on my own inferior resistance levels!

The newly-repositioned MOLSFB was so well received that we actually had a dinner without Newt demanding his tribute of hand-fed morsels. He slept right through dinner, comfortably and warmly pretzelfied and snoring in his MOLSFB – now dubbed TV 1, so as to differentiate it from the Annex Box series – known by the acronym AB.

And yes, I made an auxiliary MOLSFB, designated as TV 2, to be situated NOT next to the TV, but IN his lunchroom, as per the original plan. Newt, of course, refused to use it last night, preferring instead to snuggle under the downie next to me.

Just how do you know when your cat has a box addiction (or that perhaps YOU have an addiction to creating boxes for your cat). Is it when one has to resort to various acronyms to differentiate between the types of box within each series? And once you have admitted that your cat (or YOU) has a problem, what do you do to address it?

Hopalong Cat Daddy

Taking
care of a liver shunt cat often feels like a full-time job. You’ve
heard me confess before that I get so wrapped up in trying to keep Newt
on an even keel and in good condition, that I tend to neglect my own
self-care. Fellow owners on Newt’s group have reported similar, but we
do periodically try to encourage each other to better self-care
routines.

And then there’s Cat Daddy. Am so proud of him. He’s really done a
fabulous job at being pro-active with health and exercise. He regularly
does his daily walks, (or, as we laughingly call them “trudges”), and
has been actively seeking other types of activities to continue his
momentum. He is serving as a very good example for me – most of the
time.

A friend gave me an old, creaky bicycle last night, knowing that I was
looking for my own exercise alternatives. Had it fit me, it would have
entailed  a few simple repairs, and been a good starter bike. Alas, it
was
too tall for short-legged me, so I told her I’d donate it to the
charity shop for someone else to use.

Cat Daddy, however, had other plans. He decided
to take a spur of the moment ride up and down the surrounding hills.
Ambitiously riding a bike for the first time in ::cough:: decades. In
the dark.
On an ancient, too short bike, with half-filled, dry-rotted tires.

He did fine …. but, seems to be having difficulty walking this morning.

I am NOT laughing at him.

Much.

Cheese Toes

No, not the orange covered, poofy, snack food Cheetos, but real CHEESE – in the toes!

Newt really enjoys  variety of cheese as a regular addition to his diet to help with his liver shunt. But during his “very good day” yesterday, he took his cheese to new and unexpected places.

I shouldn’t laugh, BUT!

You know the theory that putting stuff on a cat’s paw will make them lick it off?  Yeah, right. We’re talking about MY weird little Pookie Bear here.
Splashed at the grocery on a jar of cheese dip with peppers in it. Was eating it right out of the jar (classy, huh?).
Annoyed that Mum was having a snack and not sharing, as she is SUPPOSED to do, Sir Chubbs bounced his spotted ass up onto the counter and walked right thru the lid, coated with gooey, creamy, peppery cheese.
Didn’t phase him a bit! He never even blinked, let alone attempt to clean his paw. He was nosing around, hunting for his suitable snack and glaring at me for DARING to eat something he did not want. (Yes, I offered him some, in between fits of giggles.)
Before I could grab him to clean his footy, he stomped across the stove, the other side of the counter, then reversed back across both sides of the counter, the stove and up onto the trash can, almost sliding off in the process, as his left hind paw was thoroughly coated in the aforementioned creamy cheesy goodness.
And let me tell you, his scrawny little lizard toes had GLOBS of cheese stuck between them!
In spite of his marked lack of cooperation, I managed to clean most of the cheese off his foot, and wiped away the cheese tracks marking the scene of the crime. For once, I did not attempt to obtain photographic evidence of his adorable transgressions. (It’s gotten so bad around here, that the first thing Cat Daddy asked when I was telling him the tale of Newt’s latest exploits was “Did you get pics of the cheese tracks?” LOL)
I turned my back to toss the sponge into the sink, and as I did so, Newt jumped down from the trash can, landed IN the cheese lid with his same left hind paw, and stomped back across the stove, the other side of the counter, reversed across the stove again, and jumped back up onto the trashcan.
Never ONCE did he even LOOK at the gooey yummy cheesiness sloshing around on his paw, let alone attempt to lick it off!Guess in spite of the fact that cheese is one of his favorite foods, he’s not too fond of it with peppers in it? Or maybe he just wasn’t in the mood for Mexican food, even though he usually is quite the gastronome. He loves his German food, Indian food, American food, Italian food, Chinese Food, Dog food …

 

Spoilt Kitty?

Subtitled: Why Newt Needs Three Beds

Cat Daddy regularly teases me about pandering to Pookie. One question that always seems to crop up is “Why does Newt have so many beds?”

Your Honour, I present Exhibit A.
As you can see, Newt is using the down comforter in his bed (also known as the Annex Box) as a pillow, while his paws are comfortably propped on the squishy goodness of his “sick bed” (a wonderful pressie from a fellow shunt cat that he only sleeps in when episodic), while nestled snugly in his bed known as Annex Box 3.

Let’s tally up the few beds that he has:

  1. His Box
  2. His Red-feathered Newt Nest
  3. His Tanning Bed
  4. His Annex Box
  5. His Annex Box 2
  6. His Annex Box 3
  7. His Sick Bed
  8. His Summer Bed (he lined it with plastic bags and lounges in it during the summer)
  9. His Pink and Black Pet Nest (that he stole away from the Slasher Queen)

Oh, dear, when examining the evidence, perhaps Cat Daddy has a valid point!!!

It’s Hot !!!

Just a quick update with some Newt News.

Have missed you all.  Been working on-site with a new client’s project.  Great team, great work environment, and this company has a wonderful corporate culture.  Work hard, play hard, and family friendly.  The “family friendly” seems to extend to ALL family members, as folks have been very understanding about coordinating my schedule around my “family’s”  special needs.

How refreshing!

Having a blast, in spite of having to be gone from my Pookie Bear so much.  Cat Daddy is doing his usual amazing job of taking care of Baby Newt.

Newt’s been doing
really well lately (knock on wood!). Had a crisis at the client’s
yesterday, and was delayed two hours in getting home for his lunch / meds and letting the Dog out.  They were fine. I, on the other hand, was a bit of a nervous wreck LOL

Any significant deviation from his schedule, or additional stress can be enough to trigger an episode in him, so we do our best to keep things on an even keel here in Newtopia.  Anytime something abnormal happens, well, it can be a bit concerning, as it might trigger him. You may remember me mentioning before how he seems to have had episodes shortly after significant stress in the home – like my job stress, or temperature extremes.

We are seeing this appears to be a fairly common concern with many other liver shunt cat parents, as things like significant environmental stressors, or major changes to their meal and meds, etc. can cause challenges for some of our kitties.

Like today, for example. Ugh.  Heat
Index of 105 degrees (40 Celsius) and the A/C has been broken all day.  The fan
portion was running, but Cat Daddy and I were both working this afternoon, so no way to
get it repaired earlier.  Sitting here waiting for the emergency after
hours repairman to show up. Not for OUR comfort, mind you, but for the baaaaaaaaaby!

Newt is rather uncomfortable, and The Dog is miserable!

We’ve had the ceiling fans going all day, and many thanks to Newt’s knitting friend who suggested  a floor fan with an ice bucket in front of it. It’s really helping!

Going to direct dose with extra Lactulose for his dinner and midnight snack, and hope like crazy that will help prevent an episode.

Gotta go, I think Newt needs me to fan him with his special imported palm fronds!

Hoarse from the (Effective) Singing

Just a quick update. Another wonderful day in Newtopia.  The Great Spotted Newt continues to thrive under Cat Daddy’s expert care.  Me, too – even though the new gig is wearing me out – but Beloved is taking excellent care of the house, the Newt, The Dog, and moi.

Hurray for Cat Daddy!

Update for those of you who have been following Pingu’s journey.  Pingu’s mum sends her heartfelt gratitude to all of Newt’s friends who have raised their voices in a song of healing for Pingu.  He seems to be stabilizing.

But now, she humbly asks that if possible, you continue your joyous chorus for Pingu’s brother, Sharkey.  He, too, has taken a sudden down turn, and the family is quite worried. Sharkey is not a liver shunt kitty, but, from what I can tell from his updates, it sounds as if he is facing some sort of liver crisis at the moment, as well.

On Newt’s Group, for the last week or so of singing, several members have been using consecutive lines of popular songs as their status updates. It’s been interesting to see which songs are familiar to members in various parts of the world. So far, one of the most popular seems to be “Do Re Mi ” from the Sound of Music, the “Bingo Song,” and variations of “Old McDonald.”

As Pingu and Sharkey are quite British, I’m tempted to toss in a Beatles song – but have to admit, I’m more of a Rolling Stones kinda gal

So, if you are so inclined to continue your song of healing, love and Hope, join with me:

All you need is love

All you need is love

All you need is love, love

Love is all you need

Victory Song (and Dance)

Thank everyone for the singing – Pingu has rallied yet again! Never underestimate the power of love, Hope and healing energies from friends

Normal day in Newtopia yesterday, lots of evening snuggles and demands for extra snackies and nibbles. A bit of fridge climbing today for a great start to hopefully another wonderful day.

Still trying to figure out what was going on with him Thursday night. He was showing many of his typical signs of an HE episode, but without the major drool that usually accompanies a medium to strong ep for him. Not all cats with liver shunts show the same signs of an oncoming/existing HE episode, but we’ve gotten to know Newt’s signs all too well.  Having things change in the middle of the game is a bit worrisome, and we will continue to monitor closely and track, to see if we can identify any possible new triggers.

Otherwise, today we will be singing our Victory song, and doing the Happy Butt Wiggle Dance, to celebrate another day of normalcy – for our little Newt and for his courageous friend Pingu.

Come on friends, join with us and shake your tails in joy!

Sing With Me

Your favorite Spotted Schnookums is back to normal after a really odd night last night. He went on a food strike and wasn’t drinking either – both of which usually happen when he’s in the middle of a medium to strong episode, complete with full drool.

However, aside from a minor bit of drool early in the evening, no other drooling. Several of his other ep signs were presenting, but NO DROOL.  Weird.  And frustrating. Long night spent alternating Lactulose and water via direct dosing. Finally, this morning, after 15 blippy hours, within a half hour time span, he made a 180 and was on the counter gobbling snacks, and drinking deeply. 

Perhaps you heard that deep sigh of relief I uttered?

So, Newt is back to normal, but now his friend Pingu has had a bit of a crisis. You’ve read about Pingu on here before, and so many of you responded that you were joining us in a song heard round the globe. Your singing worked, and Pingu rallied wonderfully and was doing much better!  However, he had another crisis earlier today, and as singing a song of healing seems to have quickly become a tradition for our cat liver shunt support group, am asking you again to Sing for Ping.

With love and Hope, and painfully off-key,

Newt’s Mum (and Scribe)