crochet Archives - Hope for Liver Shunt Cats

Don’t Bite the Hand that Feeds You

Pookie is back to normal; yay!

By the way, you readers are starting to freak me out a bit

Seeing how I’m all shy, anti-social, quiet and all that – not to mention fiercely private! – it has been a bit disconcerting to see how many subscribers and readers that Newt has accumulated. The mind, it BOGGLES! What began as a slender Hope that perhaps by posting Newt’s journey, other cat liver shunt parents might find comfort in knowing that they are not alone, has morphed into a strange hodgepodge of the mundanity that is our life. Why on earth would non-cat liver shunt people be interested in Newt? (Let alone my mis-adventures in knitting?!?)

I mean, he’s overwhelmingly adorable and all, but, seriously? Why are you guys so interested in string and chicken, anyway? There’s tons of fab knitting and crochet blogs out there, innumerable cat blogs, a staggering amount of recipe and cooking blogs (well, okay, I’ll concede, most of them are not related to cooking for CATS, but still!), and, blogs by holistic practitioners and “normal” writers abound.

So, why are you peeking in Newt’s windows? And why are you emailing to ask for more info on ME?!?! I’ve never been much of a navel gazer; heck, I can’t even SEE my belly button! (Well, maybe now that gravity has taken its toll, it IS easier than it used to be!)

Nevertheless, don’t bite the hand that feeds you!

You guys are awesome! I never imagined that random electronic scribbling about a runty, spotted, spoiled, tabby cat with a rare condition would *ever* generate so much interest. So, if rambling tidbits about holistic health care for animals, random cat-food recipes, and basic knitting and crocheting projects all bundles up with our story about little lion-hearted Newt makes you happy and helps to promote awareness of liver shunts in cats, who am I to argue?

Mired in Inertia

I’m tired. Or simply lazy. Or maybe turning back into my reclusive wintry popsicle slug. Whatever it is, it needs to go AWAY.

Newt is well. In fact, he has been the major contributor to my lack of get up and go for the last two days. He’s been in fine form – quite lovey and affectionate, and determined to clean the persistent smoodge from my chin that apparently only he can see. (Trust me, I’ve looked, trying to determine just WHY he so insistently cleans my face!)

Cat Daddy says that I’m hooked on Kitty crack, and Newt is my supplier, and I would snort him with a straw if I could. But who needs a straw when that soft polka-dotted fur is nestled next to my nose for hours on end?

So I’m blaming my Schnookie for my sluggishness. I was able to excuse the blahs for a few days as being my post-Sheep Fest recovery period. And then I got motivated, and have bits and pieces of things scattered around to upcycle into spinning machines, Crocheted a turtle for Cat Daddy that he easily recognized as actually looking rather turtle-esque. Woohoo. Only now, Cat Daddy has decreed that I should make MORE turtles and add them to Newt’s shop. Uhm … son, have you ANY idea how slooooooow I go? It would take a long time to generate chicken money from turtles!

Lots of things tornadoing around in my mind – laying out and stocking inventory for Newt’s shop, migrating Newt’s social networking site to a new location, moving his website onto its own server instead of free-hosting (both of which are main motivators for opening Newt’s shop),

So, there’s lots I could and should be doing. But it turned cold. And I’m sleepy. And whiny. And instead of being productive, I’ve been lollygagging under my down comforter on the couch, snuggled with my own little furry generator, New New.

Oops, gotta go, apparently the mysterious smoodge has reappeared, and must be cleaned Right Now …

Boring is Good!

Never thought I’d be so grateful for boring as I have been today.

A nice, quiet, normal, boring day with Newt. No drool, no ataxia, no lethargy, no panic, no inappetance, no pukes, no diarrhea, no calls or emails to the vet.

Just another boring day in paradise.

::sighs deeply and calmly::

Had a bit of false hope this AM on the job front. My most recent client called for an emergency, short term edit, and I was on standby waiting for it to arrive from the other coast. Next call was an apologetic, project’s been canceled. Ah rats. Would have been nice to have had a few hours of fill time while (still) waiting for major corporation to launch their pending project, plus I really enjoyed working with the client previously. But it was nice to know I’m still at the top of their list, right?

Not to mention, it gave me time to play some more with my experiment in converting the knitted kitty to a faux knitted kitty (as in, making up a pseudo crochet pattern for it).

Am maybe 75% done with it. Body is done, tail is (sort of) done, and head is almost done.

If it turns out halfway decent, will add it to the basket of toys to donate to the rescue group. If not, am sure my little beasts will ravage it in no time.

Especially if I lace it with nip and valerian!

Phase One Recovery Process?

Busy day planned for today, but just a quick post for those of you keeping track of Newt’s current situation.
bright drop knit ribbon scarf

No drool since last night. He was foraging on the top level of the bay window last night – first time he’s been up there in 20 days. He was quite hungry for his midnight snack, so we gave him his veggie mix. Eyes bright and alert this morning; Lactulose continues to work, and he ate most of his breakfast. We tried getting him back on track with his normal, Newt-ritious, home-cooked chicken /veggie mix. A bit heavier on the chicken and lighter on the veggies than usual, but still. He ate most of it, yay! Napping in his box comfortably. Liver meridian and points seem ok.

Trying to whack some more weeds this morning before heading out to see Reiki clients this afternoon. Was very excited to see that a real knitter commented on the drop ribbon scarf I made, and said I had inspired them. OMG how cool is that?

And a couple of folks have already scoped out my favorite project bag – my yummy yellow Crunchies re-usable shopping bag.Only USD $3 at the holistic pet food store Crunchies in Maryland.

It can carry 5 or 6 WIPs, depending on how large, not to mention a week’s supply of pet food, groceries, books, whatever you can cram into it.

Also doubles as a cat hiding place.

Huge, roomy, lightweight, yet sturdy. And looooove that bright yellow!

The owner is Newt’s honorary auntie, so if you go see her, or order one, tell her that Newt sent you.

Day 13

Typing one handed – Pookie is demanding drooly snuggles.

No drool from around 630 last night until about noon today. Ate chicken for breakfast and lunch fairly eagerly. Went wading in the water bowl -a first. Half crouchy, but scratched at post and gnawed on his OneTrue Love. Insisted on posing for pics of current crochet experiments.

Intermittently wheezing little wheezelets.

Not taking his meds as well as usual. Can’t say I blame him; he’s usually eating them with his food, and this AM of four ml syringes was a bit much – 3 Lact, 1 amoxy.

Got him some tofu, now I just have to figure out what to DO with it!

Woohoo Warmer Weather

Enigmatic Newt is still on his merry go round. Seems to be upswinging since midnight last night. No drool, decent appetite, but … you knew there was a “but,” didn’t you? He’s half crouchy, not attacking his snackies with his typical gusto, and still quiet.

So, not a “bad day” but not a great day for him either. Going on ten days now for him, being “half in, half out.” (Any Constantine fans out there? LOVED that quote about cats LOL) And so goes another cycle in the life of a liver shunt cat.

Am being naughty today. Very close to finishing tax prep, and was not going to start crocheting the cat bed for WARL to celebrate Petey’s adoption until finished. But, had to get a tire repaired, and no sense waiting there doing nothing, when I could create something, right? So I bundled together four skeins of various black and white yarns – Lion Incredible ribbon, Fun Fur (I think) some fuzzy thing with no label, and some leftover homespun. Grabbed my bigass speed hook and went to town. Already have about six inches completed from this pattern. Cool! Now I think I’ll take the dogs to the park so I can crochet in peace. Will finish the tax crap later today, I promise!

Am really enjoying Ravelry (maybe why the taxes aren’t done?!?!?) and was excited to find several knit / crochet – alongs for animal charity. Combine that with meeting Petey, and I’ve been itching to create a snuggle, a bed, something more challenging than a toy to donate. Am hesitant to do the snuggles, because my edges are always crooked. So, working in the round seems to be the answer, at least until I learn how to do this correctly. But, the fun fur is very forgiving, and the cats won’t care if I have crooked edges and dropped stitches, right?

Oops, gotta go, Newt is demanding snuggles.