Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

A sufficient plurality of insane, greedy people can tank any democratic system ever devised, apparently.

You can’t attract Republican voters. You can only out organize them.

The truth is, these are not very bright guys, and things got out of hand.

If you cannot answer whether trump lost the 2020 election, you are unfit for office.

Dear elected officials: Trump is temporary, dishonor is forever.

Black Jesus loves a paper trail.

My years-long effort to drive family and friends away has really paid off this year.

When they say they are pro-life, they do not mean yours.

🎶 Those boots were made for mockin’ 🎵

The arc of the moral universe does not bend itself. it is up to us to bend it.

Republicans: “Abortion is murder but you can take a bus to get one.” Easy peasy.

This chaos was totally avoidable.

“Until such time as the world ends, we will act as though it intends to spin on.”

Optimism opens the door to great things.

People are weird.

People are complicated. Love is not.

Many life forms that would benefit from greater intelligence, sadly, do not have it.

When you’re in more danger from the IDF than from Russian shelling, that’s really bad.

Accountability, motherfuckers.

One of our two political parties is a cult whose leader admires Vladimir Putin.

It’s a good piece. click on over. but then come back!!

Too often we hand the biggest microphones to the cynics and the critics who delight in declaring failure.

Every decision we make has lots of baggage with it, known or unknown.

The real work of an opposition party is to oppose.

You are here: Home / Pet Blogging / Cat Blogging / Pet Updates

Pet Updates

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Couple (sorry EEMOM) A couple of pet stories. First, I had to take Rosie to the vet again today because she has just not been herself. She has a hard time with stairs and can’t jump onto the bed anymore (I ordered these pet stairs so that will not be an issue anymore), but she has just seemed gimpy, off her feed, and in pain. Some nights she lies on her blankets (with her new pillow) and just sort of whines.

At any rate, they checked her out, found nothing obvious (her anal glands were overloaded again though), gave her a pain shot and some antibiotics because she had an elevated temp, and some prednisone and something to ease her stomache. If she is not back to normal, I will taker her in again next week.

Second, Steve made another attempt on my life tonight. I was on the toilet and he came in to do his usual head-butting, bitching, and biting my feet, and I finished my business and tried to stand up but Steve had latched on to the draw cord of my pajama bottoms and I almost tripped and brained myself in the tub, but regained my balance somehow. I did bring down the shower curtain onto my head.

Finally, just did my brushing, and started with Steve. I finished him, and he walked two feet away and flopped over as I called for Lily. Got Lily done, tricked Rosie into thinking this was something she wanted to do and brushed her, and she got up and walked away. As I was starting to stand up, Steve ran over, jumped between my legs, and demanded I brush him again. Apparently he likes it when someone else does his grooming.

As an aside, there is always something nice and soothing about the nightly brushings of the piglets for me, too. It’s just relaxing.

*** Update ***

As of 12:30 am, a mere 8 hours and 75 dollars after getting her shot and having her anal glands expressed, Rosie is back in top form, jumping off the couch every time I walk into the kitchen or near a door or where the treats are.

I really hope it was something as simple as her anal glands (or maybe she just feels good because of the painkiller), but I just had those expressed on her at the end of August when she had a hot spot near her tail. Could this be diet related? Rosie and Lily have eaten the same thing for years, this dry food and every now and then I mix in a can of this as a treat, but this is a recent occurrence, so I don’t know.

Reader Interactions

61Comments

  1. 1.

    Mary G

    Nice stairs. My cats love being groomed, too. This is a first for me as neither of my prior cats would stand for it. You turned me onto the Furminator and that thing is awesome in how much hair it gets off.

    ETA: I hope Rosie feels better soon.

  3. 3.

    Poopyman

    A Maine Coon that loves to be brushed is a godsend.

    Also too, have you considered having your bathroom rubberized?

  4. 4.

    LarryB

    Damn, Cole, you groom EVERY NIGHT!!? Get a border collie. Twice a year and they’re good to go.

  5. 5.

    Comrade Dread

    Your cat is just doing a few trial runs for the day when the supreme cat overlord issues the order to kill the humans.

    Fortunately Fluffy the Great is easily distracted and has an owner with a laser pointer, so mankind remains safe for now…

  6. 6.

    Yatsuno

    @LarryB: Border collies are big shedders. Plus they will find stuff to roll in. The stinkier the better.

    Way to blame your klutziness on the cat there JC.

  7. 7.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    If we count the Thing on Rand Paul’s head as a pet, this is on topic:
    Sections Of Rand Paul’s Op-Ed On Drug Sentencing Plagiarized From Article Week Earlier
    Portions of the Kentucky senator’s op-ed in The Washington Times appear to be copied word-for-word from an article published a week earlier.
    I wonder how often he grooms it

  10. 10.

    Tommy

    @Comrade Dread: I just stood up from my chair. To walk across the room. Made my cat move. She eyed me like she knew my doom was coming. Oh she is on my lap again, maybe we are safe :).

  12. 12.

    max

    gave her a pain shot and some antibiotics because she had an elevated temp, and some prednisone and something to ease her stomache.

    They don’t know what’s wrong but there’s some problem. Anyways, prednisone is good! Great even for swelling and stuff so if it’s some arthritic problem, that should clear it up. Problem, of course, is that if you keep taking prednisone continuously you die. But it’s great stuff up until that point. (For cancer patients, the ‘you die’ part isn’t an issue.)

    I was on the toilet and he came in to do his usual head-butting, bitching, and biting my feet, and I finished my business and tried to stand up but Steve had latched on to the draw cord of my pajama bottoms and I almost tripped and brained myself in the tub, but regained my balance somehow. I did bring down the shower curtain onto my head.

    BRA: 5.2
    RUS: 4.9
    USA: 5.1
    CHN: 4.2
    KOR: 4.8
    FRA: 6.0

    max
    [‘They do love their Jerry Lewis.’]

  14. 14.

    raven

    It’s hard to watch them slow down. Bohdi had a rough time with a disc problem and I realize that I can make life better for him by not throwing him the ball nearly as much as he wants. He’s nine and we’ve had pain related issues twice in the last year.

  15. 15.

    Yatsuno

    @JPL: It must be difficult, being Rand Paul. A man of such obvious brilliance having it never be recognised.

    (paraphrase, but close enough)

  18. 18.

    gbear

    We’re having some drama in my neighborhood because some people who just moved in let their cat out yesterday and it hasn’t come home. I’ve been keeping an eye out and the neighborhood block club all got an email with the cat’s picture (a really cute tabby). I hope he comes home, but it also makes me glad that all of my cats have been indoor cats.

    There’s one neighborhood cat that can’t stand seeing my cats through the windows so he’s ‘marked’ my windows a few times and has tried to claw his way through the window screen (I’ll need to replace it next spring). I don’t know if that cat is a stray or not but I honestly wish something would ‘happen’ to it.

    My neighborhood is close enough to the Mississippi River that we have bald eagles and other raptors hanging around almost year-round. I’d be afraid of my cats being picked off if I let them roam the neighborhood. I really hope that’s not what happened to my neighbor’s cat. I’ve been checking in on facebook in hopes of reading that he’s back home, but no good news yet.

  22. 22.

    raven

    The real rationale behind out nightmare addition project is to have a bedroom big enough to have a bed the dogs, the princess and I can all fit in!

  24. 24.

    JPL

    Poor Rosie. A friend’s dog (rescue) had similar symptoms and they did a cat scan and discovered a lot of scar tissue. They assume the dog had been abused as a pup.

  25. 25.

    Nicole

    I spent the weekend driving to and from Virginia for my uncle’s memorial- it’s really sad; he died at age 60, and my 25-year-old cousin has now lost both of his parents in 5 years. The memorial was really lovely, though, and my cousin told a pretty funny story about his dad- we’re a dog-owning family in general, and my uncle (a Scottie terrier man his whole life) professed a huge dislike for cats, which was somewhat problematic in that the woman he married (my cousin’s mom) loved them. My cousin said every night one or another of my aunt’s cats would leap into my uncle’s lap, and my uncle would frown and grimace at my aunt and cousin and cuss a lot. Then, his position on cats clearly established, he’d proceed to pet the cat into a ecstasy of purring (the cat, not my uncle).

    I like cats fine, but if I brought one home it would become Exhibit A at my trial for my husband’s murder- he’s really, really allergic to them.

  26. 26.

    Litlebritdiftrnt

    @raven:

    My DH keeps saying that we really need a king size bed, not for us of course cause a queen would be fine for just the two of us, but we need a king for us and the dogs, cause they insist on getting into bed with us.

  29. 29.

    Tommy

    @raven: One of my best friends lives with his wife in SC (I am in rural, southern Illinois). His has like 25 acres and a house with a kennel in it. I thought for his 12+ recused greyhounds. He laughed at me, he wouldn’t put his dogs in a kennel, he is using it to make money to rescue more greyhounds.

  30. 30.

    TheMightyTrowel

    We just had job talks for a new permanent position in my department. Everyone is pretty much agreed that there was one candidate who outshone all the rest, but the 2nd most senior person on the panel really wants to hire the least qualified applicant because she went to his university. Sometimes I hate the world.

  33. 33.

    Tommy

    Just a happy video for this thread. I few years ago I wondered what it would be like not to drive. I mean I called myself a “hippie liberal.” I love my V6 VW Passat. Love it. So I went a year without driving, just on my bike. Public transit. My mountain bike is almost an extension of my human body. I dream of being on my Cannondale.

    Then I see this:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z19zFlPah-o

    I swear that link is worth it, plus good music. There are few folks I’d like to “have a beer with” but Danny MacAskill is one of them.

  34. 34.

    Churchlady

    @Poopyman: I have a Maine Coon who adores being brushed. I wish he were more self sufficient though. When I’m in bed with my Kindle, he wants brushing, head scratches, and mouth rubbing ON the Kindle. I’m on my second. Drool is not good for Kindles.

  35. 35.

    srv

    John,

    I’m assuming you’re just wearing PJ’s all day now. I would say something mean, but then you’d probably just go naked all day and then…

  37. 37.

    srv

    @Tommy:

    V6 VW Passat

    I don’t know if it is related to bikes, but I can say with authority after 500 miles on the 101 last weekend that VW Golf and GTI drivers are the biggest assholes in California, weaving through 3 lanes of traffic like it’s all a slalom course.

    I hope their insurance rates reflect this fact.

  41. 41.

    Tokyokie

    Second, Steve made another attempt on my life tonight. I was on the toilet and he came in to do his usual head-butting, bitching, and biting my feet, and I finished my business and tried to stand up but Steve had latched on to the draw cord of my pajama bottoms and I almost tripped and brained myself in the tub, but regained my balance somehow. I did bring down the shower curtain onto my head.

    Well a couple of days ago, while I was on the crapper, Marvin, the lunatic lilac-point Siamese (probably some redundancies there) decided to crawl through the leg hole of my boxers and settle down between them and the gym shorts, whereupon he decided the toes sticking out of the cast were playthings. Ever try to stand up with one leg, a 12-pound, squirming weight in your shorts and your foot in a cast? Let’s just say both parties to this incident did lots of complaining.

  43. 43.

    Labrachow

    Sorry to hear about Rosie – on the lesser problem, we solved our dog’s anal gland issues by adding about a tablespoon of uncooked oats to his food. Helps keep things clear and we haven’t had to have them expressed for years.

  44. 44.

    Botsplainer

    I’ve yet to figure out how the cat is supposed to enjoy being chased around the living room by the large-ish puppy (now 6 months, 45 lbs). Nonetheless, the dog continues in his mistaken belief that the cat likes it when a toy is squeaked at his ear, dropped for a few ferocious barks, picked up and squeaked at him again.

  45. 45.

    Scamp Dog

    @LarryB, @Yatsuno: Biscuit, my border collie, hates having her coat brushed out. Every couple of weeks (or maybe every couple of months, it depends), I brush her a few days in a row, trying to get all of her coat, one bit at a time. Her back and sides are the easiest, it’s getting the tail and belly done that requires maneuvering a recalcitrant doggie.

    She doesn’t get mad at me (I think), but she’s always looking for a moment of inattentiveness that will let her squirm away from me. How do your border collies tolerate grooming?

  46. 46.

    Karen in GA

    Get well soon, Rosie.

    I got two sets of pet stairs — one for my arthritic Phoebe so she can continue climbing on the bed to cuddle and purr every night; the other for Smudge, my round 14-year-old tabby, so she can walk up to the second level of the cat perch since she’s old and large and can’t climb or jump.

    It allows them to keep doing the little kitty things that make them happy. Happy kitties, happy humans.

  48. 48.

    rammalamadingdong

    Last night I hear animal screams and I know my cats are outside. The typical cat fight is sort of high-pitched and this was horrible deep growling and howling. I thought one of the neighbors dogs had gone off-leash and attacked the cat. I run outside in the dark and the fighting continues, I start screaming but I don’t see anything. My husband runs outside, I arm him with a Swiffer mop (in case someone needs dusting) and get the flashlights. Eventually my cat and another cat come out. My guy is agitated and spoiling to go back outside and won’t let me touch his back. Took him to the vet this morning for shots and exam and so far nothing found. I think it took six hours for my heart to stop palpitating. I thought for sure he was being shredded by a fox or some other weirdness. I try to keep him inside but I rescued him from outside and it is hard to keep him in. He will be the death of me.

  49. 49.

    phoebes-in-santa fe

    Cole, I hope Rosie feels better. It’s always so bad when our animals are sick. By the way, post a picture, if you can, of all three animals.

  50. 50.

    danielx

    @Stewish Steel:

    I’m thinking Jim Carrey, tho you are correct in that the lead will have to have a gift for physical comedy. I’m just glad Cole doesn’t appear to do much remodeling work; the thought of John Cole using a circular saw makes me shudder.

    Cole, how the hell did you survive being a tanker? Now that shit is dangerous.

  52. 52.

    ruemara

    The kitten has landed, safe and annoyed as hell. I miss his headbutts and the purrmotor that sat beside me to game, but I can take it if they’re safe and healthy together. Going to miss them until I can get something together.

  54. 54.

    Steeplejack

    @Tommy:

    My brother has had a succession of rescue greyhounds. They are great pets.

    A bit of poetic old description: “Head like a snake, neck like a drake, foot like a cat, tail like a rat.”

  55. 55.

    Death Panel Truck

    @Litlebritdiftrnt: We could use a king-size bed. The queen was adequate when we had only one cocker spaniel (albeit a big one – our vet keeps telling us El Duque is the biggest cocker he’s ever seen.) A month ago we adopted another cocker, a 18-month old we named Chico (pronounced “Chicko,” cuz he’s named for my wife’s favorite Marx Brother.)

    Chico’s 22 lbs.; El Duque is 32 lbs., and when sitting is a head taller than Chico. We try to get them to sleep on the floor or on their own dog beds, but the ship has sailed. We’re all bed partners now, like it or not. Chico snuggles up to me so closely that I cannot roll over without moving him first. Anyone ever notice that pets gain 10 pounds every night, and lose it the next morning?

  57. 57.

    marianne19

    It’s the prednisone that accounts for the quick turnaround, I’ll bet. I had a westie on death’s doorstep and one pill had her getting up looking for breakfast the next morning. My vet said that she always tries it on old sick dogs when she doesn’t know what’s ailing them.

  58. 58.

    alhutch

    @srv:

    I don’t know if it is related to bikes, but I can say with authority after 500 miles on the 101 last weekend that VW Golf and GTI drivers are the biggest assholes in California, weaving through 3 lanes of traffic like it’s all a slalom course.

    I hope their insurance rates reflect this fact.

    I think I found your problem. As a life long Oregonian (and VW Golf driver), I can spot a CA transplant on the road without much difficulty. No following distance, no signaling for lane changes, weaving, they do it all!

  59. 59.

    Cromagnon

    @marianne19:

    That is true. Prednisone will make dogs act like they haven’t eaten in weeks. My GSD is currently on it and acts like she is starving to death. Keeps getting in the trash, pulling dishes out of the sink, will steal your food off the counter if you turn your back for two seconds

  60. 60.

    Gina Storts Szmulewicz

    Yeah, anal glands can cause all kinds of funky symptoms. I have 2 shepherds, and when they’re having this issue they drool like crazy, and act all dopey. Also, they’ve gone through periods where they’re bothered by this, and need to get their bums attended to every couple of months. And then It clears up. Don’t know why.

    Good luck!

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