Dear Cat

[bmccasland]

Dear Critter:
I know you spent the first 6 months of your life dumpster-diving, but could I just eat my food in peace? Yours is down in the bowl in your room. I don't know what you find so appealing about peach cobbler anyway (or salad, for pete's sake!). And you're gonna have to get over this "only-nice-when-you-want-food" thing.

Signed,
The stingy person who won't share her food

I have curious Chloe a nice sniff of hot peppers last night. That got her off the kitchen counter. I got to eat my dinner in peace too.

Dear Henry: I'm so glad your fever has broken. I hope it stays that way. I'm sorry, buddy, but you're going to have to stay at the vet a bit longer until Daddy can pick you up this evening. Think of it this way: at least at the vet, your sister isn't there to beat you up. You know how she is when you come home from the vet. And, yes, I am going to reschedule your teeth cleaning. You aren't getting off that easy.

Please, please, please stay healthy from now on. I know you're getting older, but I can't bear the thought of losing you. I was so sad when we lost your big sister, but you know you're my special boy. I've never loved anything quite like you.

Indy - hope Henry continues on his road to recovery. I know the helpless feeling of watching a pet move towards the winter of his / her years.

[indysteel]

Indy - hope Henry continues on his road to recovery. I know the helpless feeling of watching a pet move towards the winter of his / her years.

Yes; it is difficult, and I'm in denial to some degree. He's just turning 12 now, and I keep hoping that he'll be one of those cats who lives to be 20. He's mostly a really robust cat, but when he gets sick, he really gets sick....from something we haven't been able to identify. The best I can do is offer him good preventative care and keep his stress level down if at all possible. So far, all his labs, e.g., kidney and thyroid function, look good. It's his immune system I worry about.

Now if I could just find a home for our outside cats. They cannot be helping the situation. While we take a lot of precautions in terms of our limited interaction with them, it still makes me very nervous to have outside cats among us. There's a chance that one of our neighbors will take them, but nothing is firm at this point.

[Dogmama]

Dear Critter:
I know you spent the first 6 months of your life dumpster-diving, but could I just eat my food in peace? Yours is down in the bowl in your room. I don't know what you find so appealing about peach cobbler anyway (or salad, for pete's sake!). And you're gonna have to get over this "only-nice-when-you-want-food" thing.

Signed,
The stingy person who won't share her food

My cat loves tomatoes. Go figure. Turns his nose up at most fish.

[Dogmama]

Yes; it is difficult, and I'm in denial to some degree. He's just turning 12 now, and I keep hoping that he'll be one of those cats who lives to be 20. He's mostly a really robust cat, but when he gets sick, he really gets sick....from something we haven't been able to identify. The best I can do is offer him good preventative care and keep his stress level down if at all possible. So far, all his labs, e.g., kidney and thyroid function, look good. It's his immune system I worry about.

((((Henry & Indy)))))

Been there with a dog. Wish they could talk!!!

[indysteel]

((((Henry & Indy)))))

Been there with a dog. Wish they could talk!!!

I do wish they could talk, although I suppose one of the reasons that I love animals is that they can't. There's less potential for conflict that way. Plus, DH and I would lose out on all the fun we have impersonating them. We have these super silly "conversations" with the cats. Please don't tell anyone......

[Sardine]

Dear Henry: I'm so glad your fever has broken. I hope it stays that way. I'm sorry, buddy, but you're going to have to stay at the vet a bit longer until Daddy can pick you up this evening. Think of it this way: at least at the vet, your sister isn't there to beat you up. You know how she is when you come home from the vet. And, yes, I am going to reschedule your teeth cleaning. You aren't getting off that easy.

Please, please, please stay healthy from now on. I know you're getting older, but I can't bear the thought of losing you. I was so sad when we lost your big sister, but you know you're my special boy. I've never loved anything quite like you.

indysteel, sorry to hear that your boy's been poorly but hopefully he's on the mend now.

[indysteel]

Thanks, Sardine. I'm hoping he's on the mend. We were gone on vacation when he must have gotten sick. The pet sitter really didn't pick up on it though, I think because he had just enough energy to greet her at the door and then sit on her lap for some pets.

[zoom-zoom]

I do wish they could talk, although I suppose one of the reasons that I love animals is that they can't. There's less potential for conflict that way. Plus, DH and I would lose out on all the fun we have impersonating them. We have these super silly "conversations" with the cats. Please don't tell anyone......

Our cats all have different voices and accents.

I hope Henry is all better. We're watching our nearly 18 year old Lola start to really decline. It's so difficult. We saw her come into the world (a former roommate's trampy kitty was Lola's mama)...so she's really like our child. I dread losing her, but know that it's not likely that she will see 2012 at this point. That makes me really sad.

[indysteel]

I'm so sorry, Zoom-Zoom. There's very little you can do it make it any easier. It's the price we pay for having these wonderful creatures in our lives. I know it's a price worth paying, but it sucks all the same.

[bmccasland]

Zoom-Zoom, I'm so sorry. I was where you are with two of my kitties last year. Christmas was difficult.


Dear Chloe,
Thank you for re-teaching me about the laws of physics. Specifically about an equal and opposite reaction. Oh, and things in motion tend to stay in motion. So I zap you with the squirt bottle to keep you out of the vase of flowers, and in your haste to vacate the counter, you knock the vase over. But we'll see if you stay out of the vase now. I'm glad you like the paper bag. Yes, I'll replace Squirrel this weekend. Two more days.

[spokewench]

For a couple of months, I had a suspicion that another cat was sneaking in the house and eating Jag's dry food. And, lo and behold, I came home yesterday from playing tennis and I was home for a bit; fed Jag his wet food, took a shower, etc. and finally was getting ready to sit down to eat my soup and boom, I hear this incredible growling and hissing and commotion coming from the back bedroom (All Jag, he is really loud when he is mad).

I went back there thinking he had a mouse cause he growls loud when he catches a mouse and there under the bed hiding is another black kitty. I've seen this lady cat a few times in the last few days outside our house. I took Jag into another room and she let herself out but not before she lost her collar. Her name is Samantha. I called the number on the collar to tell her owner that I have her collar, but no call back yet.

I sure hope she is not a stray or lost! She is not friendly and runs like heck when you get near her.

[indysteel]

Dear Henry, enough is enough, buddy. I need you to get better. I wish we could figure out what's ailing you. The blood/urine work will be back tomorrow, but it would be swell if you were all better by then. I'm otherwise going to remain a nervous wreck.

Dear Izzy, I know you're full of Izziness today, but your big brother doesn't want to play. I'm sorry, sweatpea.

[Biciclista]

Dear Aggie
I am so happy that you are no longer howling at night. It took over a month but you've finally gotten it.
YAY!
your unfurry mommy

[owlice]

Dear Little Cat,

I really wish you'd stop presenting the southbound end of your northbound body when you jump up on the bed. That's not your best side; whoever might have told you so was wrong.

Thanks for your future cooperation.

The woman who feeds you

[winddance]

Dear Mira,

Darling, I know you're a rocket-scientist type and I really do sense the worry on your face at the sudden cancellation of whatever it is you were planning when I show up at home off-schedule. I know you believe you've found the means to your plan for world domination, but your obsession with screens has got to be toned down.

I bought "Game for Cats" for you as a toy, which you and your not-brother seem to enjoy. But "Game for Cats" is only SOMETIMES on the screen of the iPad. It is NOT on my phone, in the laptop, or in my paperback. Paperbacks don't even have screens, even though they look like a Kindle app.

I'm sorry to get in the way of your plans, but I can only give you use of the iPad sometimes and only under my supervision. I do not want to find it on the floor when I come home. It is unnecessary to force your paws underneath it while I am using it. I am sure it loves you too, but repeated head-butting makes it difficult to read. When I am using it, I am not playing, "Game for Cats."

I'm sure you understand.

Love,
Your adoring mother