Happy Belated Birthday to Cl. Panic and Kashy Boy!

OMG, I'm such a horrible person.  It was Cl. Panic's and Kashy Boy's birthdays on July 13.  I will have to get calendars to everyone, including myself, next year.  This is too much!

Cl. Panic, I hope you will like this cake for your 5th birthday.  May your days be filled with your ladies and laughter.  High five!

To my dear little Kashy Boy, I'm a bad momma.  But, I love you so much!  You're a good little boy, so loving and kind.  Sometimes you get snippy but that is the province of a Siamese, isn't it?  For you, a moth cake.  Enjoy!  (But share with Skillet.)

Happy Birthday to Mr. Nonny Nu!

Today was Mr. Nonny Nu's birthday!  So many friends and family wished him a happy birthday--it really made the day special. Not sure what I could get for the bear that his own paws could not obtain, I decided to offer my services in the kitchen.

But, what to cook? Mr. Nonny Nu has long since loved Eggs Benedict. In recent days, he has been foraging in the forest on his own in search of EB with porcine-level enthusiasm for truffles. Alas, no local diner could satisfy Mr. NN's standards. 

Enter The Rabbit.

This morning, we got up early and I tried to make EB for Mr. NN's birthday breakfast. I watched about 10 YouTube "how to" videos the night before, but I still disappointed myself with an F. Okay, maybe a D.  Not only was the English muffin too crunchy (actually hard because I think I let it cool too much before serving), the sauce was not tangy enough and the components were not all hot. But, Mr. NN gamely ate his entire plate, and half of mine.  This was a serious case of "it's the thought that counts."  Now that EB has throw n down the gauntlet, I accept the challenge. I'm trying again tomorrow!  Here's what today's attempt looked like:

Dinner was a different story. I got high marks!  We had broiled salmon (an ursine favorite) with Bearnaise sauce. (The Bearnaise sauce was attempted last week as a dry run for today's birthday dinner so I was actually confident this time.) We also had roasted asparagus in lemon juice and olive oil, potatoes au gratin (okay, this was a box concoction requested by the birthday bear), salad, and French baguette. 

  At the end of the meal, Kashy crashed the party. He was dressed up with his hair slicked back and wearing his usual ascot (name tag on the side instead of in the middle). If you look closely, you can see him starting to go cross-eyed. That's what happens when he is in a feeding frenzy. Skillet did not partake.  She is usually disgusted by human food, even fish. 

Update September 2, 2012 (the morning after): Improvement!  The English muffin was still on the toasted side, but the sauce was better (slightly too tangy), the egg was just right, and everything was hot.  Check out the B-grade EB:

Happy Belated Birthday to Cl. Panic and Kashy Boy!

What's a birthday without a cake picture found by Nonny Nu?

Cl. Panic, happy, happy birthday.  I thought this cake was especially appropriate for you.  You are diving into such an adventure!  I admire you.  Way to go!

And, for my little boy, you truly walk the line, don't you?  For you, a jaunty Kash cake.  I love you!  You are a cutie pie with a cutie face.

Sing it with me, people!by guest blogger, Kashy Boy

You all know about Skillet's hissing after I came back from my ultrasound with Dr. Meow Meow and had my belly shaved.  It's been a bit awkward at meal times because Skillet's bowl is right next to mine and she would chew and hiss at me at the same time.  But I knew she couldn't resist my beauty and handsomeness for very long.  This weekend, she finally gave me a hug!  Check it out.

She went back to hissing after that, but it doesn't matter!  I know she loves me!  So, sing it with me, people!

My First Shaveby Kashy Boy, guest blogger

July has been a month of many firsts. My first time turning 4 years old, and now my first shave. Dr. Meow Meow called me in to see her for an ultrasound and a follow up blood test. There is much good news to report [Skillet: Hissssssss!!!!] (but we still don't know what's wrong with me).

First, I gained half a pound since the last time! I went from 7.9 pounds to 8.4 pounds in just three weeks! That's not bad considering what I'm in for. Second, my albumin is in normal range now so it looks like whatever was leeching it out of me has been flushed out.

Now, for my shave. Dr. Meow Meow shaved my tummy (Don't I look handsome? [Skillet: No, hissss! Oh, that looks like a yummy snaHiiiiiissssssssss!!!!!]) and gave me an ultrasound. My stomach walls are thickened but nobody knows why yet. Good news is there aren't any abnormal growths.

We are trying to figure out what proteins I can handle, so Dr. Meow Meow sent me home with a can of duck and a can of *drum roll please* rabbit.

P.S. There is trouble at home, though. Ever since I got home, Skillet has been hissing at me--and meaning it. Maybe I picked up another creature's scent while I was at the vet's? I don't know. Momma wiped me down twice today but Skillet still hisses. I hope she loves me again soon because I need some loving. I've been through a lot.

Happy Birthday to Cl. Panic and Kashy Boy!

Happy happy, joy joy!! Two special birthday boys today!

For Cl. Panic, a strawberry cake, because I know he must really love strawberries to not share any with me:






As for Kashy Boy, to celebrate a healthier you, a ferocious cat cake:






Enjoy!

Starting to feel better.(by guest blogger, Kashy Boy)

Dr. Meow Meow said that there was nothing wrong with my liver.  It's my intestines.  The three things that could be the problem are: 1) parasite, 2) bacterial infection, and/or 3) food allergy.  So, we are gonna try to rule out the first two by putting me on a deworming regimen and some antibiotics.  Mom got them for me on Caturday and I got my first dose that night.  I'm supposed to take each medicine twice a day.  Either Daddy or Momma gives it to me in my mouth via syringe, but Daddy is better at it. When Momma does it, sometimes it gets a little bit on my face.

I'm actually starting to feel better!  I haven't spat up since last Thursday, so it's been four days.  Not that that says anything because sometimes I'll go for a couple weeks without spitting up at all.  But, I truly seem to feel more lively and better after just three doses of the medicines.  I really hope it's not just psychosomatic (I'm a smart kitty so I know what that means).

I will keep everyone posted.  In the meantime, I leave you with this saying:  Every kitty has his day.

Kashy Boy

My Test (by guest blogger Kashy Boy)

Thursday was a big day for me. It was my first real test. The last time I blogged, I was just told that my albumin level was very low, and a handsome, young cutie pie like me should not have such low albumin levels (these were my doctor's words, not mine). My doctor asked me to come back for a two hour test to see if it was my liver that was acting up.


We sang duets all the way to and from the vet's. Mom was not amused. While I was taking my test, Skillet was getting her shots at a place down the street. [Skillet: Everyone said I was sweet there. How could they not?]. After Skillet was done, she, Mom, and Dolly waited for mope to finish my test.

Okay, so my test. I had to fast for 12 hours. Then they took blood for a baseline. Then they fed me and drew some more blood to see how my liver was dealing with that food.

That was yesterday morning. This afternoon, my vet called and reported that I passed my test! My liver is ok! So the thing that's wrong with me is my intestines. Maybe parasite or some food allergy. We just don't know. But I'm gonna get a deworming medicine and some antibiotic and we'll see what happens.

Thank you all for the kind thoughts. I will continue to keep you posted. I leave you temporarily with photos of me and Skillet with gifts from Momma. I LOVE plastic the way Mom loves cats. So here I am with a cache of bags that Mom saved up for me.

Skillet, on the other hand, has been breaking in her new throne.



Anyway, we are now two contented cats sacked out on our own pieces of Heaven.

Has anyone seen my albumin?(by guest blogger Kashy Boy)

Hello, everyone at the Nu Warren.  Thank you for everyone's well wishes.  As most of you already know from Momma, I have been spitting up a lot.  Not just lately, but ever since I was a small child.  Nobody could figure out what it was.  Momma tried different foods, tried different treats, tried different feeding times, even tried Pepsid AC.  But, I'm still spitting up.  So, I went to the doctor's office two Caturdays ago (I'm still mad at Mom and Dad for putting me in that small box) and they took a blood sample.

When the blood tests came back, the doctor explained that I had very low albumin levels for a boy my age (I'll be 4 in July, but you wouldn't know that because Momma hasn't made the next round of calendars yet).  The problem could be a leaky intestine (the doctor checked me and said I had a thickened intestine) or maybe my liver is not working right.

So, I will have to go back on Thursday for a 2-hour test.  I will not be happy.  But, Momma will be there with me and hopefully Skillet, who has to get her shots.

Anyhow, wish me luck.  I hope we figure out what's going on.

Til next time...

Kashy Boy

Lion's First Gig

Many of you have met and developed a deep devotion to Lion, Kashy's brother.  Here is a recent photo of my two boys hanging out at the Nu Warren on a sunny Saturday afternoon:

Lion also joined us in Georgia where he had the best seat in the car on our roadtrips:

Lion is normally a quiet fellow, making him a wonderful sleeping companion.  On the trip, his heart was broken by Ca Loc who said that he didn't have the air of a lion, that his mane was too short, and that his expression not ferocious enough.

This weighed heavily on Lion's mind.  When he got home from Georgia, he was even quieter than usual.  The Nus thought there was something brewing but we didn't know what.  We asked him gently, because Lion is a gentle spirit, but all he'd say was that he had "a gig lined up."  Then, last week, he disappeared for an entire afternoon.  Well, now we know what happened.  Check out Lion's gig!  Look at that fierce look in Lion's eye!  I know he made Tyra Banks proud.

Happy Birthday to Kashy Boy!

Dear Kashy, You will forever be my little blonde-haired, blue-eyed baby boy. I know that you like all sorts of crazy foods, including fruits, so here is a watermelon cake for your eating pleasure. I love you! Don't eat too much, you will barf it up and you know who will have to clean the floor... Your mom, nn

Tomatoes

Cl. Panic has started a trend. I am also imprisoning tomato plants! Courtesy of Green Thumbs McGillicutty, these plants were arrested and jailed at her home. After conviction, they were transferred to the world's most tranquil, welcoming, and comfy prison, located at The Nu Warren. Sure, the Nus tell the plants that the beehive shaped cages handcrafted from chicken wire are to protect them from the vicious squirrels, but we all know that these killer tomato plants have a very high recidivism rate for tomato production. Hopefully, they will put their time in prison to good use (the Nus offer workshops to teach prisoners a trade, like cream whipping or flower eating).

Remnants

We have developed the new practice at the Warren--having fresh flowers each week! It really livens up the place. This is our third week. The first week was an assortment. The second week it was cream and purple roses. This week it's starfighter lilies. See, aren't they nice? Yesterday morning, Mr. Nonny Nu discovered that something was amiss. The victim was interviewed. Further investigation led to the apprehension of the thief (note that the mug shots clearly show remnants of the orange pollen along the thief's lip and neck).

Kashy's Traumatic Childhood Event

A couple nights ago, something traumatic happened to Kashy Boy.  I was sleeping.  I mean, really sleeping.  I was sleeping so hard that I apparently didn't hear a water glass crash to the floor downstairs.  Anyway, around 4:00 a.m., I woke up to find Kashy Boy laying on my chest like he normally does.  But, when I reached up to pet him, I sensed that he was unusually still.  That immediately snapped me out of my semi-dream state.  I felt around him and I didn't feel him purring.  I could just barely feel him breathing.

I woke up Mr. Nonny Nu and we turned on the light.  Kashy had this around his neck and over one shoulder!  Mr. Nonny Nu quickly got Kashy untangled.  After we petted him and reassured him, we went downstairs to investigate.

It turns out that Kashy got into my lunch bag.  Before going to sleep that night, I put the lunch bag, with a piece of bread saran-wrapped in the bag, next to my purse so that I would remember to take it to work the next day.  In the middle of the night, Kashy got into it (he LOVES bags), got tangled in the handle, freaked out, and struggled through the double-sink, across the length of the counter, and fell off the edge while dragging a water glass with him.

I'm just glad that he didn't get cut from the broken glass.  It must have been a struggle for him to get up the stairs and onto the bed.  Poor little boy.  He wasn't himself for a day.  He still isn't completely back to his usual self, but he's getting there.