A Different Kind of Mouse

Buzi Found a Mouse

Buzi has created a special place in my heart. I 'll always miss Bear because he was one of kind, but Buzi is one of those sweet little girl felines that make your heart melt whenever you look at her face.

Boo has decided she likes being an indoor cat, unlike Bear who was a mighty outdoor hunter of all things furry, feathered, scaly, and otherwise.

Yesterday Buzi became pesky while I was working on the computer. It was a busy writing day and office day, but she doesn't understand "busy; she just wanted to play. I told her, in jest, to go find a mouse. And she did, on the other computer.

It's a different kind of mouse. She's a different kind of cat. It was a cute photo op I couldn't resist. 

Meet Buzi



Buzi

Meet Buzi (pronounced BOOjee). Buzi is the Polish word for "kiss". She's the newest addition to my family. I call her "Boo" for short.

Webster Veterinary Clinic (WVC) called me and and said that Buzi's previous owners abandoned her. They left her outside because they no longer wanted her. She had no food or water and lived under a porch for six months.

When neighbors discoverd her this winter, they fed her and gave her some shelter on their open porch, but she needed a warm, safe place to call home. The neighbors already had three cats who weren't very nice to Buzi, so they called a friend of theirs who happens to be a vet tech at WVC.

As soon as I got the call from the vet tech, I came and picked up Buzi from the clinic. She was vetted and declared healthy with all the appropriate shots and tests.

She's totally the opposite of Bear, who I had to euthanize six months ago. He was such a guy cat. She is such a princess. I'm very happy to have another cat. Bear will always and forever be missed. I truly believe he was instrumental, while living on the other side of the rainbow, in this cat being placed with me.

Look at her sweet face. How could anyone abandon her?! If I knew where they lived I'd dump a truckload of raw horse pucky in their driveway.

Buzi is as sweet as she looks and is very happy in her new home. She sleeps on a bed and not under a porch. She has unlimited amounts of food, fresh water. and most importantly she is loved. The princess has a forever home with me. 

I Won!

one angle of garden

Newport Highlands, the 200 unit  townhouse community I live in, had a garden contest this year. I won the contest. It's kind of a hollow victory in lieu of my recent loss, but it's a bright spot in my heart where the flowers bloom and the sun shines in memory of Bear.

My feline pal was always right beside me chasing leaves, digging in the dirt, "helping" me plant flowers, and sniffing the horse pucky. He was the best.

Back to the contest. I won for two main reasons; #1: I had about 200 pounds of horse pucky mulched into the soil and I watered twice a day. The plants loved it. #2: It's not that my garden is so great, it's that everyone else's either dried out due to lack of rain in these parts and they gave up, or they didn't have Bear helping them, or both.

Anyway, I won a $100 gift certificate to Wegmans. When I found out I had won, I was going to run out and get Bear more treats. Instead, I plan on fixing a buffet lunch for our wonderfully supportive maintenance and office staff on Monday in memory of Bear. Life is good.

Sweet Dreams Dear Friend

BEAR

This is the most painful blog post I've ever written, but it has to be done. As a trained grief facilitator, I know it's good therapy. And I need hugs from all of you out there. 

Normally, Bear would be helping me with this post by padding across the computer keys ZZZZZZZZZZZVv11!!!!!!, but he isn't here. He had to be euthanized yesterday. It was so sudden, and such a shock, I can't get my head around it.

Bear was sitting on the front porch with me at 5:30 a.m. for our routine early morning coffee, cat treat "chat". Then I let him back in the house where it was cool and went to the barn. When I returned from the barn, he greeted me at the door as always. I picked him up, gave him his customary cat hug, put him down, then let him outside and left the back door open so he could come in when he got too warm.  When he came back in he "chirped" his usual cheery "hello", then went upstairs to lay on the cool tile in the bathroom. Nothing unusual so far.

Within five minutes I heard a painful meow. I went into my office where he was trying to get comfortable and noticed him breathing heavy with severe panting and inability to use his back legs. I immediately called the vet. They said to bring him right in.

When Dr.Brattom checked Bear's hind legs, Bear had no pulse in either of his back legs and no pink color at the base of his toe nails. One of his back toe nails was purposely cut short to see if it would bleed. There was no blood and absolutely no blood supply to Bear's hind end. He was suffering from cardiomyopathy and getting worse with labored breathing, drooling, and obvious pain. Dr. B looked at me and said, "Pam, I know this is emotionallhy traumatic for you, but it's his time. You don't want him to suffer."

There really was no decision at that point. Before the syringe with the pink liquid was administered Bear looked up at me, in obvious pain, as if to say thank you for this last great act of love. I told the little guy I loved him, and kissed the top of his head. He seemed both resigned and relaxed as he cradled his head in my arm while the vet injected the pink serum into his forearm. Bear's heart stopped beating immediately. It was a relief to see him free from pain and not gasping for every breath. That's the good part. The bad part is Bear isn't here anymore.

I'm sobbing my heart out as I write this post. I have a hole in my heart the size of the Grand Canyon. He was/is a very special cat. He slept on my bed every night, woke me up every morning, and had coffee "chat" with me on the front porch every day for 11 years. He was my best pal. I can't imagine life without him.

 It all happened so fast. He looked great, was playful, and perfectly fine, then within two hours, he was gone. That's cardiomyopathy. It's a  silent killer. Everything appears to be perfectly normal then bammo; it's over.

I feel a smidge better now. Writing is good therapy. Thanks for reading.

Remember, life is fragile. Love one another, hug one another, and know that I love all of you. Oh yes, please say a little prayer to remember Bear and say one for me so I can get through this devasting loss.

Sweet dreams my dear little Bear.

My New Office Manager



Bear, Office Manager

Bear just got promoted to Office Manger. He types (zzzzzzzzzzzzzxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxf), talks to clients (meow), and is an inspiration for those who come to the office.

If you look closely, he just finished reading the local paper. I caught him checking out the want-ads, so I decided to promote him to Office Manager in order to give him more of a challenge.

His benefit package includes more treats, with ample time for a nap. After his nap, he has a chance to work outside catching rodents. Then it's back inside for more schmoozing with clients and padding across the computer. 

I have to tell ya', it's tough keeping good employees if you don't give them the benefits they deserve.  

Chuckens

I think I've lost it. It's been two days since I've had any sleep. Bear cat went to the veterinary emergency clinic over the weekend, and my Mom was admitted into the hospital yesterday. Where am I going with all this...I don't know, except that I just had a thought I'd like to share with you. I was thinking if you crossed a chuck roast with a chicken you'd have chuckens. It's pretty pathetic isn't it? This is how I think with no sleep. 

Bear's doing better. We're waiting to see how Mom does. I think I'll take a cat nap.

Case of the Disappearing Cat

Bear Tail or Bear Tale

Bear had an appointment with Dr. Bratton at 8:45 this morning. Today was the day for his annual wellness exam and rabies shot.

Normally, my feline pal is ready to bolt out the door long before 8:45, but not this morning. He was nowhere to be found, even when I called to him and shook a bag of treats. It's amazing how cats know when it's time to go to the veterinarian. I swear I never tell him.

When I went into the basement to retrieve his cat carrier, Bear briefly reappeard at the top of the stairs, with a, my-suspicion-was-confirmed, look on his face. It took another five minutes to find the guy. He was trying to hide under the sheets. As intuitive as he is, he's not always that great at hiding. His tail usually gives him away.

Trying to extricate a 15 pound cat from a bedsheet is worse than trying to lead two 1300 pound thoroughbred mares back to the barn, through a thunder and lightening storm. The bedsheet got tangled up and knotted between Bear and me, with black cat fur flying in at least 100 directions. When I finally got a secure hold of him sans the sheet, I attempted to put him in his cat carrier. I'm not kidding when I tell you he became the 15 pound cat from hell, attaching himself to the top of the carrier with his scimitar-like claws. The cat carrier was supposed to be housing him, instead Bear was carrying the carrier. More fur.

Needless to say, we were late to the vet's office. I came in covered with black cat hair. A cute, white Scottie terrier, also there for spring shots, cowered in the corner because he was terrified of this large growling cat carrying its own cat carrier. 

One really good thing, Bear is always good for the vet. Dr. Bratton gave him a clean bill of health with a "See ya next year, Bear."

Bear liked driving back home in the truck, IN his cat carrier, with the seat belt around the carrier. Currently he's napping, the rabies shot knocked him for a loop. I may be taking a 20-minute happy nap later this afternoon, myself.

Four Days After Christmas and All Through the House

Bear with Christmas Present

While I was washing the breakfast dishes this morning, it sounded like a herd of elephants upstairs, in the bedroom. Turns out it was Bear, chasing his Christmas present. Believe me, he's no Fred Astaire.

I tip-toed up the stairs with my trusty digital camera and got this shot of "twinkle toes" playing with his catnip mouse. There was shredded tissue paper all over the place; along with a Picasso print, on an art easel, that he toppled over.

Along with this photo, I decided to write a little kitty ditty for the occassion. Here goes:

Four days after Christmas,

and all through the house
scampers a sleek black cat

after a red catnip mouse.

As his scimitar claws

hook that little red "rody,
Bear chews off its eyes
and its little black "nosy

Mouse parts and tissue shreds

are all over the place,

while Don Quixote

lies flat on his face.

Bear had fun, but he

sure made a mess.

It's time to vacuum

'til next Christmas.

I know, I know, I'm no poet and I really do vacuum more than once a year, but you get my drift.

Hot Weather, Spiders, and Bear

If you look carefully you'll see Bear peeking out from behind the overgrown dish garden on my dresser. He's a mighty hunter.

Most days you'll find him outdside catching mice, weasels, rabbits, birds, and squirrels. Not today. It's 96 degrees in the shade.

Bear decided to stay inside where the air conditioner is cranking out a comfortable 75 degrees. By being inside, his choice of carnivorous tidbits is limited to spiders, an occassional fly that made the mistake of meandering in for some cool air, and a couple of pesky ants I thought were kaput for the summer.

My feline pal is not getting enough outside time. How do I know? He tried attacking my feet while I was writing today. He did some gnawing on the house plants. He even shredded some papers I had on the floor to file. To put it bluntly, he's a wild man. Bear's in "time out" right now so I can compose this blog post. Time out for him means lounging on top of the bed with a handful of treats. So, don't feel too sorry for him.

After Bear cleans up all the spiders, I don't know what I'm going to do. I hope it cools off soon.

The Tooth Fairy and Bear

Yesterday was very traumatic for me. Bear went to the vet to have an infected tooth extracted. Dr. Bratton also cleaned the rest of his teeth and gave the boy a flouride treatment. The tough part was leaving my feline pal with the vet tech at 8:15 a.m. knowing I wouldn't be able to pick him up until 4:00 p.m. The actual surgery began at 9:00 a.m. It took all that time for the anesthesia to wear off before he could be released. While Bear was in la-la land, I was home worrying and teary-eyed.

Today Bear is doing well. He got his morning dose of pain meds, which will continue until the beginning of next week. The poor little guy had the inside of his hind leg shaved to accommodate the "gas line" they had to put in during surgery. He's a bit off, but much better than yesterday. In fact, yesterday he walked like he had one too many martinis. Today, he's much better, but a little groggy from the pain meds.

After what I was charged for the surgery, I forgot to get Bear's tooth; probably because I was in shock over  the cost. I could've put his tooth under my pillow for the tooth fairy. It's worth at least $317.

On the other hand, Bear would have probably eaten the tooth fairy in the middle of the night. Then I'd get a bag of horse pucky from her replacement instead of cash.

All things work out for the best. Bear's eating well, and having fun pouncing on shadows. I think he ate something flying around the office today. It may have been the tooth fairy.

I'm In the Zone, Man

Everyone needs a cat. They usually don't give a 'horse pucky' about much of anything. Cats know how to live in the moment.

In fact, when I'm having a particularly stressful day, I just take a look at Bear and mentally imprint his relaxation techniques.

Life just seems more balanced after that.

Kitty Cat Crazies

It's that time of year. We have at least 10 inches of snow that fell since 9:00 a.m. today. Bear loves going hunting in the woods behind our house, but today was not the day for him. Ten inches of snow is just too much for the little guy to run through. Besides, all the rodents are hibernating, so the hunting looks pretty bleak.

As the day wore on, Bear got bored. He shredded my LL Bean catalog, and then destroyed an article I had written on a yellow legal pad. His teeth make great paper shredders.

As soon as I finished cleaning up shredded paper, I heard "thunder paws" tearing through the house at warp speed. He was waiting for me at the top of the stairs. When I spotted him, I made a "Pss-t" sound and he ran down the carpeted stairs, hit the linoleum floor and then skidded six feet, knocking over his water dish.

After that he disappeared for about three hours. He finds secret hiding places for his naps. One of his favorite spots is his cat condo; a posh cat carrier with a lambs wool liner that sits on a shelf in the family room.

Yup, it's that time of year when Bear gets the kitty cat crazies. I can't imagine what he'll be like in February. At least it's peaceful when he takes his three hour naps.

The Tidy Bowl Man

Have you ever wondered why cats drink out of the toilet? I think about it often, when I'm stuck in traffic.

Bear is one of the most delightful felines I've ever had the pleasure to live with. He has his own personalized drinking bowl along side his matching food dishes (filled with an assortment of healthy food), which I refer to as "The Kitty Cat Buffet". So why does he like to drink out of the toilet? Maybe because the water is clean, clear, and ice cold. Or is it a guy thing?


In any case, I asked our veterinarian about this toilet bowl fetish cats have, and he said, "They drink out of toilet bowls because they have little kitty cat brains." This is an answer from a guy who graduated magna cum laude from Cornell Veterinary School. He's also a dear friend and says I need to get a life and not think too seriously about why cats drink out of toilet bowls.

When my son came up from Florida for a visit, he caught Bear drinking out of our porcelain watering hole. He nick-named the cat "The Tidy Bowl Man". I took a picture, which is worth a thousand words. I guess that says it all.

Superbowl Ad for 2008

One of my dreams is to create a superbowl ad that will rival every advertising agency in the country. I needed an athletic and handsome model, so I decided to use Bear in the ad. For those of you who are new to ths blog, Bear is my cat. We all know how popular animals are when trying to sell a product...especially beer. I'm not too sure what we're trying to sell here. Who cares?

The important thing is to be sure to check out the quarterback tuck-and-roll technique Bear uses in the video. In fact after this video is watched, I know my phone will be ringing off the hook with agents calling to sign us to a huge contract.

Vote for Bear

As I said in yesterday's blog entry, I'm voting for Bear, my cat. Below is a list of his qualifications:

• He's highly intelligent. Most people think so.
• He provides a valuable service to the public. All the neighbors are rodent free.
• He is loyal to his constituents. He's a sociable guy and loves everyone unconditionally, regardless of how much money they have.
• He is not class conscious. He doesn't care what socio-economic background you come from.
• He can be trusted. Bear comes with no agenda.
• He protects his homeland. He's very territorial and keeps unwanted intruders away.
• Balancing the budget is easy. Bear eats and takes only what he needs.
• Health care is not even an issue. He exercises and eats right.

If you know of national and local candidates who have all of the above qualifications, let me know. I may vote for them.

photo: Inga Mucha Photography