One of the hardest things to bounce back from is loss.  Not just the loss of a toy or loss of nap time, but loss of a baby cat. Rosie is still fresh in our minds and hearts and nothing is making the feeling any better. A sticking plaster might hide the wound, but underneath it is still festering and sore.  In some ways it would be better not to keep poking it and making it bleed, but how else do you go on unless you take the road of forgetfulness/ 

But as always at Maystar, we lift ourselves up out of the quagmire and dust ourselves down and 'rise above it'.  It is at such times that other things always happen too, outside things and these strange and traumatic events just seem to roll into one and the bigger of the problems outweighs any outside influenced issues tenfold. They become such small rocks in the pond that hardly a ripple is made and it is time to let the other rocks sink to the bottom and hold onto what is driving us forward. Carrying rocks about is not good for the heart or soul.  Right now though, Rosie's loss is a bit of a boulder and we all share a little bit each, breaking it down into smaller and smaller rocks.

If we look up and move forward, step by step, paw in front of paw, we can overcome anything.  We are a Pride here and everyone shares everything.  For me I am wishing for more noms to be shared in my direction, but I doubt the sharing will extend to that. Pffft.  You can't get fat on love! 

KS =^..^=

Just when we all think all is well with the world, another big heartache lands at Maystar. This time it comes in the form of broken hearts. Two of them.  Momma took late night phone call, not a week ago, telling her that J1 was in the cat hospital. His new family were very worried about him. But when Momma rang back in the morning to see how J1 was, Momma was told he had gone to Rainbow Bridge.  It is unbelievable. One minute racing about playing with his friends and another moment - gone!  The vet has found out that his heart gave out. It is totally unthinkable that this has happened. I won't go on because his family are grieving as we are.  It is just such a shock.

Then, just to add to our distress, Late on Monday, Momma thought Rosie looked a little fatter than she did at tea time, and when Momma picked her up to weigh her, she felt her ticker racing through her chest.  First thing in the morning, the Parentals took Rosie to see Simon because she was rapidly breathing by now and had a heart rate of over 300bpm. Simon was looking forward to meeting a tiny baby and smiled as Momma got her out.  Then Momma gave him a basic run down of the problem.  He fell back onto his stool and looked most upset as he held Rosie in his hands. He was as upset as the Parentals and said they had to try a diuretic to remove the fluid build up in her chest and help her ticker. It's all very stressful. Rosie is such a cute thing, so busy and happy. Why her? Why any of them? Allegedly, there are over 146 different strains of Heart disease in cats and geneticists are finding it very hard to distinguish one from the other or pinpoint the gene.  This makes it very difficult in trying to stop it.  Ironically, some heart disease shows in a queen aged maybe 6 or 7 and by then, she has already had kittens who are out there with their new owners. There is one thing that we do know and that is the gene is Dominant, therefore it can be passed by just one parent. This could explain so much as to where and how it could be passed. Either way, these two delightful cats, along with their families, have had their hearts broken by dicky tickers.

KS =^..^=

24th November UPDATE:
Rosie went to Rainbow Bridge yesterday. She began to get very cold even whilst being in a heated bed and then started rocking back and forth which culminated in her passing out. Her ickle ticker was doing 300+bpm and then down to nothing, no beats, then restarting again. Tough little soul this one.  The Parentals had a long chat because it is not nice to see a baby be so distressed and upset and disorientated. She was also piddling everywhere and couldn't always get to the loo on time and even piddled in the kibble. This made me giggle really as the dishy was just the right size for a minicat to use as kitty litter. She will have a little funeral later today and be put with her Brothers Petroc, Cromwell & Walter. There has been much crying here and Faith is very upset, calling and squeaking for her Daughter. It's all a bit too much at times.  Night night Sweet Rose Petal. 
MAYSTAREX TUDOR ROSE - 7/10/15 - 23/11/15

There comes a time in every cats life when they have to try hard to be noticed. The only reason for this is that there are herds of MiniCats dancing about, taking up attention, MY ATTENTION. As in attention I should be receiving myself.  I am now spending my entire day YAWPING. I YAWPED so much that I found myself  temporarily deafened by the supersonic reverb that bounced from wall to wall and boomed back at me. Nearly knocked me flying when I was yelling in the closed hallway. Seriously, YAWPING could damage my health.  The problem is though, is plain and simple as to why I do it... I want more love.

But love is a funny thing and seeing as I am in control of it, I can dish it out or receive it. But, it has to be on my terms.  For example. If I YAWP so much I could get a cuddle because I am obviously craving some 'me' time. However, at this particular moment, and because I am in control, I don't wish to accept it and struggle and writhe to free myself from human shackles of pouting lips and smoochy noises. Nope these are saved up for after tea time in the arms of Momma. Then i will submit to affection.  Although, when I am really hungry, I can kowtow to my feelings and do a few headbutts and cat stuff. Other than this. YAWPING is the best solution - even if I can't be pacified.  Ironically, feeding me a giant bowl of kibble would settle me down for a few minutes, long enough for it to travel about my gut and out 'tother' end like a high speed train - then the YAWPING would begin again. 

I do want the attention so badly, but find it hard to change from my routines. I suppose I do get 'Me' time with Momma every evening. She makes time for me and sometimes, later in the evening, when she makes time for Lillibet and paying Frenzy, i might join in or watch from the bed. I can be sociable. But I choose YAWPING as my medium for talking to the World about how starving and how hard done by I am.  It is very hard when all I see is shovel loads of kitty kibble leaving the safety of MY KIBBLE CUPBOARD and heading upstairs to the mouths of babes.  I deem this unfit behaviour from the Parentals and knowing just how much kibble is missing is also making me paranoid that it will run low and I won't get my correct portions.

Woe is me... I can't cope. I need to wibble and complain and I shall continually do it, day and, well day really (I like my sleep). I shall follow the parentals around yelling behind, infront, high above them at all times until they relent and let me into the kitten room to show them all how it's done - Down in one. Don't let it touch the sides. Swallow done chew. Drink slowly and purposefully though, this technique can get you out of mischief if you race to your water dishy when asked to leave a room and lick soooo slowly until they get bored and forget their mission to rid you from the room... All these things I need to teach these MiniCats and soon, before they are set in their ways of finicky eating habbits - they are Devons - Devons LOVE NOMS!

Sundays are all about relaxing, eating and sitting on the Sunday paper. But now it's all about running and jumping and shredding the Sunday paper.  Where has my peace gone? I can't keep up with the skipping and climbing.  I can barely make it to the second level of the cat post. It's not for me, heights. Nope, I am a ground cat or a kitchen side cat and perhaps a fridge cat when food is being prepared. A fridge is a good place to survey your kingdom from and even better in! 

I can't understand just where their energy comes from? They must store it up like dynamos. Shoveling the noms in one and and neatly packaged chocolate gold the other. OK, so they look super cute, but I have had them spit and swear at me already. I mean what are Mothers teaching their kits these days?  Never heard such language in my kitten box! Would have had a claw about the ear for such things.  One even called me a grumpy old man - errr herm, It's Sunday. Kits should be seen and not heard and definitely not called names by under aged MiniCats. The youth of today. What is it coming to?

It was only yesterday that Kevin had a tantrum. Threw all four paws to the ground wailing. Anyone would think he was having his leggies pulled off. Gracie being a young Mother didn't reprimand him quick enough so he got away with this outrage. Floki has a sweet nature but a real naughty streak. She was in the cat tray with her paintbrush, doing graffiti. Around and around she was turning, swishing her tail through all kinds of chocolate gold and painting the place with obscene images. Sophia always looks innocent. She is one who climbs to the top of the cat post and throws things at passers by!  It terrible. Of course Flaire is an angel. Never puts a paw wrong... well, I have to say that, she is staying. However, There is one to watch in this bunch! Mmm, young Rosie and her toilet habits. ::shakes head:: Whistling and yelling as she trundles off for a wee... but does she make the litter tray? does she heck. Sigh.

But all in all, the delinquents are not so bad I suppose and I can teach them a thing or two, even if they do think me old and grey!

KS =^..^=   

Flaire follows Momma everywhere and climbs up her leggies and her back to sit on her shoulder and look into her eyes.  Flaire likes to climb up Momma's arm when she puts her arm into the kitten box to change the bedding. It is quite cute really.  Sometimes whilst Momma is doing things about the kitten room, Flaire will just sit there and lovingly watch her going about her duty, but the best one is when she is being helpy whilst Momma does the cat trays.

It is quite strange really, because the Parentals haven't treated Flaire any differently to any of the other babies and yet she has tagged onto them. They all get the same amount of tummy rumbles and toe kisses. Turning upside down and cuddles as well as play time.  But this litle soul has really said 'Be mine humans' and so it is that she will stay at Maystar and make this her home with her Mummy Gracie.  I have met her a couple of times and she is sweet enough, she reminds me a little of TomFun in her colouring and for us this is quite important. The Parentals never imagined that a baby TomFun coloured kitty was possible from Gracie, but it seems to be the magic we all needed to complete our little pride.  Well, someone has to play with Gracie. I am too old, Lillibet has lost the plot and Faith, although does play a little, spends most of her time thrashing her. So a little Daughter might just fill that gap and they can lay and sleep together maybe?  Maybe - everyone seems to 'lay in lines here'?  All singletons maybe, with exception to Lillibet, she just acts like a singleton and made for Momma's shoulder too in those early days. It must be a shoulder bonding thing?

KS =^..^=