Category Archives: Blog

Well Kitty Update 17: 12/3/13: He’s Home But Where’d He Go?

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He’s home, yes, home. Here’s how today’s visit went. The usual late afternoon arrival and visits to the gang in the back room. The kitties come and go, some get adopted, some wait for years for a home. I was amazed that this vet has taken in so many animals over the years. The cat that had the leg amputation yesterday is likely going home tomorrow. That shows how horrendous diabetes is: Play took five times longer to be well enough to go home.   It was decided that Play was well enough to leave yesterday but I wasn’t officially … Continue reading →

Sick Kitties Update 15, 16: 11/30/13, 12/2/13: In and Out

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Ampersand was released on Saturday   I had a long wait to get in to see Play today. The operating room was busy and the patients were being brought in to the cages around him: a small dog had an eye issue and was barking and thrashing and beating his head against the cage floor trying to get the cone off; a huge red eyed bull dog was under Play making a barking racket. A little dog was spayed and sat quietly in the first upper cage. Next to Play was a sad black cat who had had a massive … Continue reading →

Sick KittieS Update 14: And Then There Were Two: 11/27/13

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Ampersand, Play’s brother and litter mate, has tummy troubles Ampersand has not been back to a vet since he was a kitten. He’s been healthy all these nine years, but seems to have a familial problem of intestinal blockage. Imagine: he has never been held, picked up, weighed. He is huge and very shy so we just let him be and he comes around in his own time. The vets were able to handle him with no problem. He weighed 16.6 pounds (I put him on a diet when Play got diabetes and he’s lost weight). Thank goodness he had … Continue reading →

Sick Kitty Update 13: 11/25/13: Lookin’ Good!

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Might he “graduate after a month stay in the animal hospital? Well, folks, the improvement has been considerably more noticeable the last few days. Today one of the vet techs was tickled by our boy’s playful talkativness. I tried to catch a few instances on video. He chattered, grabbed my hand, tapped me on the face, purred, moved. I had the technician put a small litter pan in the cage for him to get used to using. It may not be that obvious but you can see in some positions where the leg is missing, and it is still healing. … Continue reading →

Sick Kitty Update 12: 11/23/13: Still Healing

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After the talk of possible discharge today and about how well Play was doing, there appears to have been a change of heart. In my humble opinion, his eyes still look inflamed, he needs to use a litter box but that is not available until everything heals. The stitches were removed today and I suppose that makes him a bit vulnerable to bumps or infection. He might need to stay another week, according to the tech. But everyone is happy with his progress. I felt an intense connection today with Play, he was so vocally responsive, talking, cooing back to … Continue reading →

Sick Kitty Update 11: 11/22/13: Still at the Vet

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  Nope, not ready to go home. Though Play looked much better than ever yesterday and the talk was of releasing him, there seems to be one vet pushing for him to leave and the older vet not. I am with the older vet. Yesterday the cat was lying in urine, I saw he was wet when he turned over to greet me. Mind you, he hasn’t used a litter box in three weeks because it could cause infection, and there was some poop on his foot. He has to be watched. Before he is released they will be taking … Continue reading →

Sick Kitty Update 10: 11/21/13: Improving

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Better A visit yesterday: We caught the poor cone-head guy snoozing. As soon as he heard the treat packages opening he was up. His eyes were much less inflamed, his hind scar had shrunk. There was a lot of patting and purring going on. And two more kittens are available for adoption.   The vets are still talking about release tomorrow. I am still hesitating.

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Sick Kitty Update 9: 11/20/13: Possibilities

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  Play is still healing. I am still concerned about the eye infection which I think is a virus as it is not clearing up with antibiotics. The last time he came home from a stay at the vet he had a cold and got the other kitties ill–I can’t let that happen again. Going to be cautious. If need be I’ll let him stay until after Thanksgiving when things will be quiet and I’ll be able to focus on him. I can see he will require a lot of care and I have to know he can use a … Continue reading →

Sick Kitty Update 8: 11/18/13: Healing

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    Another day, another visit. Play appears to be at home with the barking dogs and sick buddies around him. He still has an eye infection but it has cleared up considerably. It’s a waiting game: He can’t use a litter box because his wound is still open. He just sits and hangs out. His once silky fur has not been groomed and is matted in spots. Just like an advocate is needed for a patient in the hospital, believe me the same is true for a pet at the vet. I got a comb to try to smooth … Continue reading →

Sick Kitty Update 7: 11-16-13: Movement

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Loves a scritch Several of the homeless kitties were adopted. A little shaky, barking, crying, upset Chihuahua was admitted and is Play’s new neighbor.     The remaining kitties across the way were taking naps or hiding under towels.     Play was eating when I came in. This was the first time I saw him stand. He tried to walk a step or two.   I stayed with him for a good half hour and kept him purring. He even tried to clean himself but didn’t get far. Each time I said, “who loves you?” Play meowed. It wasn’t … Continue reading →

Part 72: Thanks

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Mother and Daughter on a Swing, 1895 Robert Walker Macbeth In my previous mother-daughter journey post, described my mother and a recent conversation: she had fallen back into her obstinate side, the dark side of her moon, the side that gives you a rationalization for everything. The side that says, “I am too old and tired.” When I mentioned that if her funds run out, something I didn’t want to discuss but the conversation led us there, she became terrified. Maybe that was a good thing. I repeat: she has her mind, her hearing, her vision, no aches and pains, … Continue reading →

Sick Kitty Update 6: 11-15-13:Touching

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Play went to the vet three weeks ago on October 25th.  The following Tuesday his right hind leg was amputated. Healing has been hampered by diabetes. The first week there was virtually no healing due to constant draining. Bandages were since removed to let the air help. There is now a huge scab. Play sits by the cool wall. Yesterday there was no IV; because of the way he sits, it was not functioning properly. He had just had an eye medication administered. He purred when he was touched, is more responsive to the staff and meowed when I talked … Continue reading →

Part 71: Giving Thanks?

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Early days in Stuyvesant Town The tree outside my mother’s window was full and green when she moved into her apartment in late July. She enjoyed her meals, the people, the building, the staff. She spent her days in the movie room and seemed content. The seasons change. The tree’s leaves turned to brown. It is now easy to see the building across the street. Have you been wondering what happened to my “mother-daughter” series? It has been a while since I have written; I have been pushing issues to the back, dealing with the sick kitty, with persistent ocular … Continue reading →

Sick Kitty Update 5: 11/13/13: A Meow

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Play has been at the vet for twenty days. It is 2 weeks past his surgery and he still has healing issues and now conjunctivitis. I think he is resigned to his new temporary home. The doesn’t fight the cone or the IV and today he sat quietly against the side of his cage. He is healing very slowly due to the diabetes. This is the first time he was sitting very close to the front of the cage, and against its (solid) wall rather than lying down. It took me a while to process that he has no right … Continue reading →

Sick Kitty Update 4: A Visit, 11/11/13

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Play at the back of the cage I felt the need to see Play again. He’s eating but I didn’t get the feeling that anyone was thrilled with his healing progress. I didn’t get a chance to see the vet. I know a lot of dead tissue was removed last Friday in hopes that it would help. He doesn’t appear to feel anything when the wound is cleaned. This former fighter has mellowed out and is less combative. I am hoping he isn’t losing his spirit. He is a three-legged diabetic kitty who now has a cold and conjunctivitis. I … Continue reading →

NYC Photo Journal: The Brooklyn Hot Dog Tour

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    On the way to Brooklyn       The Brooklyn hot dog tour, ” Hot Diggity Dog,” was run jointly by Green-Wood Cemetery, a national landmark, and The Brooklyn Historical Society, housed in another National landmark. But we’re not talking dogs, we are talking DOGS: frankfurters, if you will. We did not go to Nathan’s Famous in Coney Island which is THE home of the hot dog and of its founder, Charles Feltman. More about him later.   We met at the Brooklyn Historical Society, heard an intro and were oriented, then hopped on the Green-Wood trolley to … Continue reading →

Sick Kitty Update 3: A Visit

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I decided that after two weeks Play should have a visit. I wasn’t sure how this was going to work out for either of us. Would he be upset, would I be upset? How would each of us cope. I was reassured that the vets and the staff are doing the best they can. The diabetes has impacted the healing of the wound and the infection. Play was eating when I approached him. He had the appropriate warning on the cage for diabetes. He had an IV drip, a collar as you can see. I took a deep breath: there … Continue reading →