Rainbow Bridge Remembrance Day

Today, I remember those boys that are waiting at the Bridge.  The three, along with Tanner, that made up the Four Crazy Cats.

Mojo was the first to leave in February 2009.  He was with me for 4 short years, but he made such an impact.  Fly High Superman!

Devon was next and had the most dramatic departure of them all!  He died suddenly in December 2012 from Hemangiosarcoma.  He is forever 11.  I am reminded of him daily through Oliver!

Smokey left last in September 2014.  He was my first cat as an adult and was really something special.  I miss my snuggles everyday.  Gorgeous Goose!

Remembering Devon

Remembering my boy Devon today.  He is forever 11 and has now been gone for 4 years.  Thank you, Devon, for sending me a couple of crazies with Oliver and Harrison!  I'm so thankful for our time together even though it wasn't as much as I wanted.  We lived life to the fullest and will be reunited one day.  Purrs and head bumps to you at the bridge today.

Harrison the Water Baby, Part Two

Harrison loves the water!  He hears it running somewhere and he has to be there to touch it.

This weekend we had a few times where Harrison could play in the water.

First, he discovered the washing machine! No worries, it was not running at the time, but it sure is a fun place to explore! 

Harrison in the washer and Flynn checking it out

Look at me!

Silly Boy!

Harrison watching the water flow into the washer

We didn't get a video of this event, but later Auntie was adding clothes to the washer as it filled up.  Harrison is watching the water and touching it as in the video above, but then he decides to get in with the clothes.  He steps down onto the clothes and starts sinking into the water!  We snagged him out and dried him off...he loved it!  You need to keep a camera handy when Harry is around!

Secondly, Harrison helped me change the fish tank water.  Once the new water was added back in, he took a minute to inspect our work!  You can see all the water that has been sprayed on the wall from him shaking his paws!  I'm posting a short video here, but the YouTube link is a longer version.  Notice, he is in up to his armpits!

Harrison loves the fish tank!

After the fun he had in the bathtub the other week, I ordered him some moving bath toys.  They finally came last night, so it was time for Harrison to play again.  I started him in a clear bowl so all the boys could play if they wanted to.  Flynn was a bit curious and touched the water some, but none of the others came over.

Harrison and his toy fish

Well, we hope you have enjoyed this edition of Harrison the Water Baby!

Now, I want to take a minute and wish my beautiful Devon a happy 15th birthday at the bridge.  You are missed very much but I see a lot of you in Oliver and Harrison.  Thanks for sending these special boys to me!

Black Cat Appreciation Day

I have always loved black cats, but it wasn't until I adopted my first one that I was totally smitten!  Smokey came to me after the kitten I had originally adopted died the day she came to my house.  She had a bad reaction to her vaccine...it was very tragic and sad.  I searched the newspaper for a kitten and ended up with Smokey.  This was the best thing that could have happened to me!

Smokey was such a silly boy and I loved snuggling with him.  He shared my pillow at night and was such a love bug.  He has been gone for almost two years and I still miss my gorgeous goose!

Smokey was 5 when Devon came along.  They tolerated each other, to say the least, as Devon was always trying to be just like his big brother!

Devon and Smokey just hanging out.  Devon died in 2012 at the age of 11.  He was a nut and always doing something crazy!

Devon sent Oliver to us in 2013 and once again Smokey had a pesky little brother.

Harrison and Flynn joined the family in June and they have been wonderful additions!  They fit right in with the household and are such sweet boys.

Oliver has decided they are not so bad and enjoys hanging out with his younger brothers.

I love all my black cats, past, present and future!  They deserve a loving home as much as any other cat, and should not be treated differently simply because they are black.  Here's to the fabulous house panthers in my life!

Tanner Tuesday

This post will be two-fold.  First we will have a Tanner update, then a Devon Remembrance.

Last Thursday, Tanner had a visit to the vet school.  He repeated his abdominal ultrasound, blood work and they did a urinalysis on him.  Short answer - All Clear - No Evidence of Disease!

Tanner came home with quite a bruise from the urinalysis procedure.  Thankfully, by Sunday, it was all but gone.  I love technology and being able to easily monitor something with a quick snap of a photo with your phone!

Tanner's blood work values all came back better than before.

Phosphorus - Normal

Potassium - Normal (high end)

Sodium - Normal (low end - monitor)

BUN - 52 (stable)

Creatinine - 1.7 (improved/stable)

He is no longer anemic.

His kidneys and spleen look the same as before.

He had some fluid in his abdomen that has resolved itself.

Right now, they are wanting to continue with the every two month monitoring, but I am going to push it to 4 months.  I monitor him closely at home, and have verified with his regular vet that this is a good move.  He agrees that extending the visits is a smart choice.  I expressed my concern about the uncertainty of treating Tanner again, if/when the cancer returns.   I don't know if physically, Tanner could handle another round or treatment. And, I don't know if financially I could handle another round.  Taking some stress and burden off of us both right now, while he is in remission though will give us both a chance to continue to recover.  I pray we don't have to make any of these decisions anytime soon!

Today is another memorable day in our family, as it marks 3 years since Devon danced off to the Bridge.  

Devon, I think about you often and wonder what your favorite things would be now.  I've been going back through your many volumes of scrapbooks and enjoying the moments we shared. Here is a page that tells all about you.

Happy Birthday Devon

Happy Birthday at the bridge to my sweet Devon.  You would have been 14 today, but instead you remain forever 11.  I know you are having a great time and I look forward to seeing you again one day.

May you get all the butter you want today! 

Dance like no one is watching!  Your favorite show starts tonight, and while it is fitting for "Dancing with the Stars" to begin on your birthday, it reminds me that you are not here to watch with me.  You were my tv buddy!  

Lie in your favorite pose..."Poor Dead Kitten"  It's trash day today, so you won't start stinking :)

Break as many rules as you can get away with!!  I can see that you are NOT on the island :)

Above all stay sweet and enjoy your time until we are all together again :)  Happy Birthday to my crazy middle boy!

Rainbow Bridge Remembrance Day

Today is Rainbow Bridge Remembrance Day and there are 4 special boys waiting for me at the Bridge.

Sweet Derek was with me for about 4 weeks.  He has all sorts of issues with his joints.  He went to work with me everyday to get his medicine, but it just wasn't enough to make him well.  He went to the bridge in June 2003.

April 2003 - June 2003

Mojo was a wonderful boy.  Full of life and appreciation for the help he was receiving.  He had many medical problems, and eventually needed to be helped to the bridge when his Fibrosarcoma started creating breathing difficulties and more pain than we could manage.

October 22, 1996 - February 25, 2009

Devon was the craziest boy ever, until Oliver that is.  He was a sweet boy that was full of life and drama!  He just ran to the bridge one morning without any warning.  He had a rare cancer called Hemangiosarcoma.  I'm sure he is at the bridge dancing and eating butter!

September 14, 2001 - December 15, 2012

Smokey was my first cat as an adult, so there was a special bond between us.  He was sweet, gentle and loved to snuggle and give hugs.  We are coming up on a year of him being at the bridge, which is hard to believe.  How has life continued without my Goose?  

April 14, 1996 - September 5, 2014

Each bridge crossing was special in its own way and I look forward to the day that I will see my boys again.  I miss them each in a different way, and have seen signs from them at various times.  Cardinals remind me of Mojo, and after his passing, we had a ton show up at the house.  Devon has sent Oliver to keep the crazy alive!  Smokey appears to me in dreams and he is always happy and purring.

I loved them all, still do actually, and am honored to have been chosen as their human mom.

Mancat Monday

Today's Mancat Monday is a flashback as well...I was going through some photos and realized that I had a photo of each of my black fellas sitting on the dining room table.  I'm thinking I may get one of those frames with three photo openings and put these in it.

This is Devon...my crazy but sweet boy that left me way too soon.

Gorgeous Smokey...we are coming up on a year of your trip to the bridge.

Oliver is a total nut and has brought such joy to me...it amazes me when I see him and a photo of Devon how much they look alike.

Mancats Remember Devon

Today is two years since Devon ran off to the bridge.  He is still missed today, although we see a lot of him in Oliver!

This is a typical Devon photo...I'm cool, and I know it! 

Every now and then, he would let his guard down and do something "cat like"  *gasp*  He did not think he was a cat, and this was so beneath him :)

 

Devon, you were a good baby, and you are missed every day.  You loved to help make the canned food by licking the empty cans.  You loved to lick the butter.  I will say that I have enjoyed not cleaning your 'dancing' in the litter box :)  I wonder how many more ways you would have found to "not" be on the island in the kitchen?  I miss trying to guess why you have puffed your tail out and are running around the house like a mad man!  I miss the ever-so-infrequent times that you would lay beside me on the couch, and put your paw on my leg.  It made it all the more special because it was rare.  I know you are enjoying life at the bridge and I can't wait to see you again one day!

Happy Birthday Devon

Devon,

It's your first birthday at the bridge.  I hope you have a wild party!  I think of you daily, and miss having my helper around.  The house seems rather calm without the nightly show, you and Sophie used to put on for us.  You've missed a few Harry Potter movie weekends, and the new series of Dancing with the Stars starts soon.  I'm sure you've enjoyed showing your new bridge friends all your 'dance' moves!  Keep sending signs to us, so we know you are doing well and are happy.  Until we meet again...Mama, Smokey, and Tanner

Wordy Wednesday

You may need to biggify to see more clearly...

This is Devon's urn.  I found the pieces on Etsy and they are simply perfect for my boy.  Devon loved butter, so a butter dish as a final resting place is just too much...he would have loved this.  The dish is hand-painted and unique.  It is blue, which is his color, and has peacock feathers painted on it, which was one of his favorite toys.  The tag hanging from the top has a crown on it, with his name.  On the back is his birth date and death date.  I found this tag by simply searching for 'Crown' and 'pet'...it came up with his name on it (spelled correctly too), so I had to get it because it was perfect. 

Here are a few pictures of sweet Devon enjoying his favorite things...

Butter, of course!

 A toy that I brought from Japan...he would talk to it when it flew by...

 Catnip!

 A good roll on the patio...

Boxes!

Almost Wordless

Can you guess who's stocking is who's?

 Number 1

 Number 2

Number 3

More Christmas

It's been two weeks since Devon left us, and we are creating a new normal at home.  Tanner and Smokey have been super snuggly lately and seem to follow me around more than normal.  It is nice to have them around.  Christmas was a nice break, as Auntie and I went to our parents for a couple of days, and then they came to our house for a couple of days.  We enjoyed our time together...The boys have had some special treats as well...let's take a look...

Tanner enjoyed a plate of Christmas sardines...Smokey came over later and had some too, but he seems to be more of a tuna fan...I'll try to keep that in mind for next year :)

Smokey has loved the down throws on the couch...he has a nice warm nest and spends his day snuggled down in it...

Here is the tree in the living room...and yes, I should have taken the clothes racks down first!  Smokey is laying on the back of the chair...do you see him?

This is the tree in the study, which is at the front of the house...

The black tree is in the dining room, and here you can see it and the tree in the living room...

This is Devon's new ornament this year.  We picked it up at the beach this year.  It was chosen because first of all it was blue, which is Devon's color, and secondly because Devon loves fish :)

This one is a bit harder to see, but it is our family ornament this year...it is a snowwoman, holding three snow babies (they are in the colors of my boys) and then dangling from it are rings in colors of all 4 of my boys.

This is Tanner's new ornament because he still has a major sweet tooth and it was green!

Smokey got a new goose ornament...would have been more perfect if it had been purple...

I got several of these festive ornaments because they are easy to just poke into the tree, and also because they are in the colors of my boys...red, purple, green, and blue.

 

Well, there you have it...life is continuing and we are moving along with it.  Very thankful for pictures and that I have another week off work next week to spend with my boys.  I'm sure they will be ready for me to go back to work on the 7th!