The Entropy Gang's November 2014 blog

The Entropy Gang’s November 2014 blog (formerly Conservatory Cats’ Chats)

Now we are two

(top to bottom) Isambard, Jellicoe, Herschel

Herschel: A great deal has happened in the past year, not all of it to our immediate liking. We were perfectly content with our accommodation and our companions, until . . .

Isambard:  . . . one day, Susannah, a servant from one of The MAID’s and The THINKER’s litters, moved in with a very small Servant. Did you know that most Servants only have litters of one? So wasteful – much easier to have five or six or seven at a time though I rather think Servants would not be able to cope. Anyway, Susannah and the small Servant, Frankie, moved in and they brought with them another CAT! We were affronted at first but soon became interested.

Jellicoe: We were irritated that part of the house had now been shut off to us but understood that the Incomers needed room for themselves. We have not been formally introduced to the CAT but understand her name is Cleopatra, though she is usually called Pats or Patricia.

Herschel: We are quite sure we would all be friends. After all, she is an Abyssinian, but the Servants are playing very safe. They say she will be allowed into the rest of the house when the FENCE is erected and we can play in the GARDEN. We are looking forward to that - and have been for some time.

Isambard: We thought we would be able to go and introduce ourselves to Pats. We can all open doors now but the Servants have done something to the door handle into Susannah’s domain, something about UPSIDE DOWN. We shall persevere and discover the secret to opening it.

Jellicoe: We like Susannah and we even like Frankie now that he’s learnt to be gentle with us. Two more even smaller Servants, part of our Servants’ FAMILY, came to visit yesterday so we went upstairs and stayed there until they had gone.

Frankie and Isambard

Herschel: We always make ourselves scarce if things get too noisy or busy but Isambard doesn’t hide under the STAIRS like he used to.

Isambard: I think the thing that has disturbed us most has been the introduction of another DOG, called Lolly. She is a baby dog – I believe the Servants call her a PUPPY. She doesn’t live here all the time.

Jellicoe: No, she belongs to another of The MAID’s and The THINKER’s litters, Bethan. She brings her to visit so that the Servants’ DOGS can get to know her.

Herschel: When she first came into the house she was very small, smaller even than Jellicoe, who is the smallest of us three brothers. I started stalking her. The Servants didn’t seem to like that but I was only doing what comes naturally.

Isambard: The next time she came she was bigger and each time after that she had grown some more.

Jellicoe: Now she’s taller than Jenna but she still hasn’t learnt the correct etiquette for dealing with her superiors. We have been very patient and have not even hissed at her – well, only once or twice.

Herschel: I’m sure eventually she will learn the error of her ways and then we shall be able to snuggle up with her like we do with the Servants’ DOGS.

Isambard: Until then we shall retain the high ground and gaze down on her.

Jellicoe: Christmas will be here soon – we enjoyed it last year and we think this year will be even better. Happy Christmas everyone!

Herschel and Jellicoe leap for the feathers

The Further Adventures of Frodo the Faller - Loving the Attention

The Further Adventures of Frodo the Faller – Loving the Attention

Having got back into the rhythm of Visiting the Vet Frodo has had an interesting few weeks. First there was blood in his urine – lots of it! A scan revealed he may have a tumour in his bladder but we decided there would be no invasive surgery. Nadia-the-Vet said he might live for another year. We were very sad but reminded ourselves that he has had and is still having a very good life, despite his problems. More antibiotics were prescribed and there has been no more blood.

Frodo has been subject to epileptic seizures since he was nearly three years old; they are sporadic and don’t last long but recently he had five seizures in less than twenty-four hours and they exhausted him. The following day he had a dramatically upset stomach in the middle of the night (and the middle of our bedroom!) We took him downstairs and watched him carefully. He seemed uncomfortable and we were worried that he might be having another attack of bloat. Our vets were closed so Barry took him to the emergency vets seven miles away and he was put on a drip to rehydrate him. Barry got home at 2.00 a.m. and had to collect him from the emergency vets at 7.30. Frodo then had to spend the day with our vets on a drip and we were told he would stay there overnight. However, he got into a bit of a state and was tangling himself in the feed tube so we brought him home.

All returned to normal for a few weeks until one morning we noticed Bertie licking Frodo’s leg. Blood was trickling down it and we thought it might be in his urine again. When I looked his urine was fine but he had what looked like a gash on his thigh, as though he had caught his leg on a bramble. Another trip to the vet disclosed that he had an abscess that had burst. Again there was a suspicion that it might be more sinister but a course of antibiotics cleared it up. Julie-the-Vet advised that the skin medication was affecting his immune system and that he should stop taking it. Frodo had lost quite a lot of weight in recent weeks – he had been 29 kilos but had dropped a kilo and a half. Although he looked thin he was quite as lively and hungry as ever so I started supplementing his two meat meals with two of cereal, milk and eggs. Within six days he gained two kilos.

A couple of weeks later he had another stomach upset and lost a kilo.  Julie-the-Vet prescribed more antibiotics for him and I fed him just eggs scrambled in water for a couple of days to give his system a chance to recover. He now has cooked food because although he loves raw food his digestive system can’t seem to tolerate it.

It’s a delicate balancing act trying to feed Frodo enough to keep him satisfied and at a good weight without overloading his system. He has just had another cluster of four seizures in twelve hours. He was very disorientated and got lost in our garden in the middle of the night. He slept all day yesterday and ate nothing but is his usual ravenous self today. Each incident knocks him back and each recovery takes a little longer but he is a fighter. Nonetheless, we know his days are numbered and fear that his next adventure may be his final one. Luckily he doesn’t know that and enjoys his food, his walks and the company of those who love him.