Savannah’s Life Experiences | Savannah's Paw Tracks

Archive for the category “Savannah’s Life Experiences”

18 Dec 2017

The Shock of Being a Senior Cat!

HIYA!! SAVANNAH HERE!!!

I have do doubt that many of my loyal readers will be able to relate to what it feels like to become—suddenly!!—a senior kitty!

My life has been going along just pawsome. Luvluvluv my our new home where we will all live together forever and ever. Nothing has made me so confident, comfortable and playful since I first arrived here to live with Mom L and Dad P. As you know, I have moved with them now three times in only five years. So knowing we are here to stay, why that has made me feel young as those pesky kittens Mom L and Dad P have been rescuing lately!!

But—you knew there was gonna be a “but”—right? Along about late October, I was barely, almost not at all, favoring my left leg just a teensy weensy bit. Then it would go away. So Mom and Dad decided to keep their plans to have a little get away to Lake Tahoe. I had excellent live in pet sitters. Both were Registered Veterinarian Technicians.

Nonetheless, when Mom and Dad arrived home only six days later, I was limping more noticeably and more often. Of course, we were all concerned. I mean you know I luvluvluv playing on my stairs with Mom L and my peacock feather, right? Even if TKS is the one waving the feather.

All that meant I was bound for a visit to my favorite Feline Doc, Doc Ellis. She prescribed some stuff called “gabapentin” which she had already available in liquid form tasting like chicken. Yeah, right!

Well Doc Ellis was right, that liquid does indeed suit me just fine. After about two weeks it started to take some effect, but then I sorta kinda “fell” on my way to walking up the stairs. I guess my left leggy just plain ole gave out from under me. Of course that scared Mom L and Dad P so much I had yet another Doc Ellis visit. This time she took some x-rays and there for all to see was my problem. It wasn’t my left hip, it is my left knee! My left knee, and to some degree even my right one, look like Mom L’s knees before she had them each replaced!!

And so, there you have it. Getting to be a senior cat is not at all for the faint-hearted. So Doc Ellis referred me to a surgeon just to make sure there wasn’t some sort’a “scope” procedure he could do to help my horribly arthritic knee.

I was not a happy camper whatsoever. And the “weigh in”—why that was down right embarrassing!! Now the Doc Surgeon was a pretty cool human. He apparently had a senior kitteh much like me. Not easy to medicate nor liking being held etc.

Nooooo!!! NOT THE SCALE!!!!

Humans seem to be allowed to decline being weighed in, but not so with us kittehs!! No sireee!! I had no choice. And not one person in that room had the good sense to allow me to remove my white soxes so’s I could lower what that scale was going to reveal!

You made me wear my SOXES! They must weigh a whole POUND!

Sadly, my gabapentin was creating a lot of snooziness on my part so I have not been playing, but I sure have been eating. Bummer, that’s all I can say. And yes, I have gained some weight. So there!!

OK!! So I gained a few ounces or so in a couple of weeks!

So after all that, the Doc Surgeon looked over the xrays with Mom L and Dad P and he offered his expert opinion.

I, Savannah the Cat, am officially now a senior cat. I, Savannah the Cat, have severe arthritis in my left knee in particular and coming on strong in my right knee. Sigh………….

The Doc Surgeon suggested we try a supplement called “adequan”. It is delivered via injection. Mom L researched and researched and then she reached out to lots of my anipals on a Face Book group and many offered the same advice. Try adequan injections.

So, that is what we are doing and hoping I can start to become more active and more able to get up our stair without always bunny hopping using mostly my right leggy.

Please tell me we are done now!

Unfortunately this also means I am being cut back a teensy weensy bit in my food intake. MOUSES!!! But then, I so wanna be able to run up and down my beloved stairs chasing my ever elusive peacock feather.

So let me know in comment what you or your fur sibling have had to face as you become senior kittehs.

PAW PATS, SAVANNAH

Posted in Savannah's Life Experiences and tagged savannah progress

13 Nov 2017

14 Comments

Do You Luv Sun Puddles Like Me?

HIYA!! SAVANNAH HERE!!!

I am hav’in a heck of a time keeping up with my travelin’ sun puddles. How about you? Are you in luv with your sun puddles like me? I’d go just about anywhere just to get a good sun puddle nap. Our last rental home hardly had sun puddles at all. But by golly I found this one, remember? And I had to climb through Mom L’s computer cables and then behind our printer stand to get this little spot of sun that shined on a narrow window sill for about an hour in the Spring and Summer.

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz…

Now I have so many easy peasey places to have sun puddle naps, but I am chasin’ around the house as Miss Sun moves about in the sky with the seasons. I’ve even been known to get to my sun puddle spot BEFORE Miss Sun gets there!

Nope, the sun hasn’t shown up just yet, but she will

Once she shows up, Nanuk and I have a wonderful time basking in the glory of her warmth.

ahhhh—this is the life, right Nanuk?

But like always, somebody always shows up to disturb our hours of bliss.

Who invited you? There is only enough room here for us.

Sometimes I like to just stretch out so’s my whole body gets the heat treatment.

Top half first, then I’ll flip to get the bottom half.

Other times I like to let Miss Sun know how much I am enjoying her and I kind’a wave at her to let her.

Hey Miss Sun!! Can you see me? Do you know I luv you?

Again, somebody has to show up and intrude on my joyful greetings.

Not you again! How many times do I have to say “move on”??

And of course, I have now found Miss Sun is shining her lovely warm heat on the day bed in Dad P’s office. So I am now claiming that spot all for myself.

Zzzzzzzzz

Now you tell me, are you chasing sun puddles with this new time adjustment and whatnot? Miss Sun sure does make it a challenge when she starts reacting all crazy like with the changes in the seasons too.

PAW PATS, SAVANNAH

23 Oct 2017

18 Comments

Special Service for a Special Princess

HIYA!! SAVANNAH HERE!!!

You already know that the “Princess” is me! Right? You did know that?

Great, then let’s get to the special services I get all the time from my Dad P. Yup, that’s right! I said from my Dad P. He adores TKS and she is truly his pal. BUT—I am now, always will be his Special Princess Savannah. After all, it was Dad P who first took to me at my former shelter home at Kitty Corner. He is the one who brought Mom L over to meet me where I was hiding.

Dad P knows just the right spot for scritches on my butt

Dad P has always been my primary food service human. That is how he and Mom L found a way to help me be less afraid of him when I first arrived at my castle.

As all great food service professionals know, getting a picky eater to dine is all about location, location, location!!

Sometimes I like to dine in the dining room—why not?

And other times I prefer to have my meal served a la carte in the middle of the living room carpet.

Oh yeah, this is a great location… I can see the water from here

As you can see I have a wonderful dinner bowl which doesn’t require that I even stand! I often enjoy my meal as I sit and watch the water moving outside.

Luvluvluv sitting while I dine

And as soon as I leave my dining location, Dad P whisks my plate away and if there is anything left, he makes sure to put it in the fridge in case I want a second or third course!!