I guess that really ought to be "blue and chocolate brown."
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Friday, February 15, 2008
How Indigo Got His Name
My cats were given names by their previous owner which I never really liked, but it took me a while to come up with new ones. A certain event gave Indigo his name.
Many years ago, when my cats were only four years old, our household (two humans, five cats) moved to a new apartment, in a part of town where we thought it might be safe to let the cats go outside. We discovered our mistake when one of them dragged himself back to the house with an injured hind leg.
The vet said it was dislocated, and that he had been hit by a car. (In fact, if it was a car, he was so incredibly lucky not to have been more seriously injured that I sometimes wonder if it was something else.) Anyway, he came back from the animal hospital with two big pins holding his leg together. Plus all the fur had been shaved off, so it looked like a chicken leg. It was so very upsetting.
There was an open wound on the leg as well. As the wound healed, the new skin grew back in this amazing dark blue color. I've never heard of such a thing, but the cat was renamed Indigo in honor of his healing process.
However, I couldn't change his name until his brother also got a new name (that wouldn't be fair.) After deep thought, it occurred to me that his brother was a plump pear-shaped beast, very much like one of those dark green Avocadoes. Thus the new names were bestowed.
Many years ago, when my cats were only four years old, our household (two humans, five cats) moved to a new apartment, in a part of town where we thought it might be safe to let the cats go outside. We discovered our mistake when one of them dragged himself back to the house with an injured hind leg.
The vet said it was dislocated, and that he had been hit by a car. (In fact, if it was a car, he was so incredibly lucky not to have been more seriously injured that I sometimes wonder if it was something else.) Anyway, he came back from the animal hospital with two big pins holding his leg together. Plus all the fur had been shaved off, so it looked like a chicken leg. It was so very upsetting.
There was an open wound on the leg as well. As the wound healed, the new skin grew back in this amazing dark blue color. I've never heard of such a thing, but the cat was renamed Indigo in honor of his healing process.
However, I couldn't change his name until his brother also got a new name (that wouldn't be fair.) After deep thought, it occurred to me that his brother was a plump pear-shaped beast, very much like one of those dark green Avocadoes. Thus the new names were bestowed.
Friday, February 08, 2008
My Elderly Cats
My cats are thirteen years old (turning fourteen in a couple months.) They're brothers, and they've lived with me since they were little.
Until recently, they never had any health problems. But now the vet tells me that one of them is diabetic and the other one has hyperthyroidism. The diabetic one just got back from spending three days at the vet, being monitored I guess.
The good thing is that both of these conditions are treatable. I just gave my first insulin shot today, with the assistance of the vet's assistant. It's the kind of thing you imagine you could never do. As a matter of fact, the cat barely seems to notice. His brother complains a lot more about the thyroid medicine which has to be shoved into his mouth.
The best thing is that they are still happy and active. That's what really matters. I know that someday we'll have to say goodbye. But hopefully not yet.
I should tell the story about how my cat Indigo got his name.
Until recently, they never had any health problems. But now the vet tells me that one of them is diabetic and the other one has hyperthyroidism. The diabetic one just got back from spending three days at the vet, being monitored I guess.
The good thing is that both of these conditions are treatable. I just gave my first insulin shot today, with the assistance of the vet's assistant. It's the kind of thing you imagine you could never do. As a matter of fact, the cat barely seems to notice. His brother complains a lot more about the thyroid medicine which has to be shoved into his mouth.
The best thing is that they are still happy and active. That's what really matters. I know that someday we'll have to say goodbye. But hopefully not yet.
I should tell the story about how my cat Indigo got his name.
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