Firstly, I would like to wish all my followers a very Happy Easter Sunday and that means ROAST something.  Today was a chook of non heritage, a white meat breeder instead of our usual black leg, but non the less a free range one.  Of course, I Yawped and Yawped until Momma gave in and trimmed fresh juicy bits off for all three of us and fed us all together in a little trio. 

I felt good today on my new meds and thought I could steal a little bit from Lillibet, but she was having none of that and promptly Thwakked me on my head and told me to back off. Faith wondered what all the fuss was about and looked up from her chicken, that's when my paw came out and swiped a piece right from under her sniffer.  Momma poked me in my belly and I did a little hiss at her.  That ensued in a mad chase around the house with me in the lead and then I fell on the bed upstairs and showed my vulnerable undersides for copious amounts of kissing.  When I was suitably recharge with kisses, I raced about the house Yawping and rounding up the CatWomen and making them chase me, the I turned and Thwakked them, Yawped and ran away... as usual, they follow me to the ends of the earth.

I can honestly say that after feeling as sick as a cat on Monday and had me a quickie visit with Simon and he used the FURMOMETER, I decide that I had better feel 100% better or THAT was going to be a regular occurrence!  I was too shocked even to complain that he had done that when Momma said he wouldn't - but sick is sick and FURMOMETERS are needed in such cases.  However, it was concluded that it is a transient side effect of the Atopica medication and I am to revisit in a few weeks to see about reducing the dose and my sickness.

I do feel more like my old self. The naughty, boisterous one! The one who gets into all sorts of trouble and Thwakking competitions and chasing and yawping as well as long purr fests and snuggles with Momma.  I have even been sitting on ManSlave and showing him some love - he is so taken aback that he thinks it's because I love him. He is useful and Momma has been away a few days with Grand Mew Mew and I needed a lap to sit on!

KS =^..^=   

I love a good smooch, especially with Momma.  She completes my World as I do hers. We are a team and a good partnership, it's just ashame sometimes that ManSlave is the head of the Pride, because I could quite easily take his place in a flash.

Well, as you can see, I am feeling a bit more sprightly and had me a little bath in my special anti-dandruff shampoo, the only down side is, is it's pink! Eeeek, I hate pink, that's for girls.  But none the less, it has made me feel good again and quite kissable it seems. Just the other day my skin hurt so much I couldn't bear to be touched and even to to the extent of hissing at everyone. I never hiss unless it's for a very very good reason, like a FURMOMETER! But, you see, it has been embarrassing to say the least. The little fur I already had, that covered my man selection, has dropped out. This has left me totally naked and feeling vulnerable around the nether regions. Who would guess that I could lose even more fur than I already don't have?

Momma said it makes me even more kissable, but I am not so sure. I like my furry boots and tail and fluffy face and my peach appeal.  If I was meant to be a Sphynx I wouldn't mind, but I am a very unique Devon Rex thank you very much and would like to add, that WHEN my fur grows back, it will be with a vengeance. I might have to resort to using caffine shampoo and boot polish to give me the desired effect and comb over everything I have to make it look like I am 'back in town'. Although, some of the ladies say that bald is beautiful - Momma just says I am beautiful, so I guess that's good enough for me!

KS =^..^=

I hate being off coulour and I have had my fair share of it lately.  It's just not good.  Last week my immune system decided that it didn't like me very much and gave me a gigantic sniffer to contend with and now this is the aftermath - a crusty, sore, weeping head, face and neck. My paws have taken a beating too with tender pads and crusty bits inbetween. I don't feel like washing anywhere, I hurt. Where Momma usually plants her kisser on my head, I hurt and duck a little in expected pain. The black bit on the top of my head is lumpy and raised and is no good for kissing.

I am to accompany Faith to see Simon the Vet. Faith has been under the weather - she has never ha a sick day in her life, but seems to just not be herself at all. It's all quite worrying really because on one paw the vets say I am not shedding any virus type things and on another paw Faith is peeky. Oh the shame this crustiness is bringing on the family. Faith isn't helping matters as everytime she goes to the vets, she is 'faking' a temperature - I mean, seriously, as if there isn't enough going on already and she has to up her body heat to stupid amounts making everyone think she is going to pop her clogs. She has had more FURMOMETERES this week than I have had in a life time!  ManSlave purchase a new one and Momma tested her at home - normal. What is going on?  Me thinks she is so stressed with me being out of sorts and hissing and thwakking everyone because I feel so hurty, that she has wound herself up. On top of this, the Parentals are decorating in the house and that is exacerbating everyones conditions.

Well, at least with this sort of thing - I don't need a FURMOMETER and anyone that thinks I do will have another thing coming! 

KS =^..^=  

It all started when Faith let herself out of her eating hut, leaving just enough room for me to squeeze my head and shoulders through the zipper to the Noms! I, of course, ate the crumbs of kibble. Oh dear, what a week I am having.

It wasn't so much the pink tray as the dose of steroids to try and control my skin flare up and my bloated stomach. An allergy ensued to the noms and then I got rhinitis from the allergy as well as skin sores and Momma had to up the dose a tiny bit each day until there was an improvement. That's when my nose was running. At first it could have been my hayfever as some of the blossoms are out, or the food, or the change in weather or the uppage of the steroids? Probably the latter.

I was whisked off to the vets for a double check in case it was more serious, like a polyp. It is essentially my immune system playing tricks with me. It's a constant battle with it to keep me on the straight and narrow. In truth, I hadn't been feeling 'that' good for a few weeks, sort of thinning out and not retaining my food properly and I hadn't stolen anything either, so it was a worry as I was not 'making shapes' in the kitty litter!

I was perhaps a little run down and stressed as the Parentals have not been home much due to work load and it takes its toll on me, not to have them around all of the time.  I am complex, it is tricky and even though I was on my strict diet, things were out of kilter. So my lumpy sniffer and dicky ticker and sore skin have taken a beating - but I am now on antibiotics in case I get any secondary bacterial infection.  I can usually fight it off, but Momma is taking no chances where my health is involved.

Whilst at the Vets I schmooze with the ladies, one of which is a KS follower and the other a Rex owner, so I am well in there!  I saw Lill, the lady vet, and she tried to do the FURMOMETER thingie, but I decided that was WAY too embarrassing. That was Lill's and my 'first date' and there was NO WAY that thing was going in my pooper!

So, instead, she stabbed me with a needle which made me even more mad and I screamed and screamed and turned and even deeper red. Poor Lill, I am usually so swoony, but I guess, I just didn't fancy the prodding and poking!  On top of that she said I had quite a tummy on me... Simon the Vet, do you hear that? I am now not too slim - but too fat.  I put it down to a week of soreness. I will be svelt and slimline again. Already with the antibiotic, everything has calmed down a bit and I had a full belly of BrekkiNoms in there!

To the casual observer, I look well and happy, busy and entertaining - but Momma knows me inside and out and if not caught at the right time... I can stop eating - That my friends would be a disaster!  I am, of course, milking it for all it's worth and even laid on ManSlave yesterday whilst he mopped my sweaty brow and kissed my sore sniffer.  See, I can be nice to him and share the love... when I need it!

KS =^..^=

You could blame the Parentals but really it's my Licker that has got me into deep doo doo in the health department.  You see, I could blame Momma, but technically she wasn't here all weekend and had measured out all of my food into little tubs for ManSlave to dispense with my pills.  But what Momma failed to count on was the very busy weekend ManSlave had trying to sort those annoying tenants and well, he kept leaving his plates in the sink! My licker is very talented indeed and is capable of getting into every nook and cranny.

On Thursday I had me a little taste of Beef & Celery when the parentals got urgently called to the neighbours and on their return, Momma spotted a 'hole' in food where it lay in the pan! She quickly stirred it and served it up before ManSlave noticed.  On Friday the Parentals were meant to have a romantic Valentines meal of fresh prawns, instead, they ha a quick 40 minute stop at the harvester where we were all treated to a kitty bag of steak, except I was annoyed they had missed our lunch completely and ravishly ate some of the tissue the steak was brought home in! On Saturday, ManSlave had fish fingers for his breakfast, I licked the foil and then went on to lick the frying pan after he made an egg sandwich at lunch and licked the entire sink clean of pizza crumbs and cheese from dinner.  By this time I was feeling rather ill and off colour and in need of the 'Pink Tray'.

I don't know why I do it, but now Momma is home, I have had my drugs reassessed and food weighed out (I get a little more because I have dropped weight) and the sink has been washed out properly and the dishwasher not left open so I can't lick the plates. I also had my bum smacked and I was washed last night and felt totally humiliated because I was caught licking clean forks on the drainer.  There is a new rule in the house now. I am not sure what is it entirely because everytime they talk about this new rule, I am shut out of the kitchen?

KS =^..^=

I actually enjoy my visits to the vets of late, I get weighed in first, have my eyes, ears, mouth and tummy checked, then my ticker gets a good going over. My Grade III murmur* makes me special because you can hear my ticker without a stethoscope, Momma loves to lay her head on me and listen to my cardiac cycle, swooshing and whirring.  I used to cough and wheeze with it and sometimes, I do get a tiny bit tired if I run about too much, but since my new diet, it all seems to be a bit easier and I have more energy and my ticker doesn't sound so loud. 

When I eat bad things, well, things I have stolen or licked (which is NOT my fault) I get a skin reaction, the 'pink tray' is usually required and then my belly swells. It also makes my kidneys swell, especially my right one. Simon the Vet tells me it is possibly part of my reaction cycle as it's only then it happens. If you remember, in the Summer, I did a 'tinkle test' and all came back 'normal'. It's just the way I work I guess.  I am unique after all.

My food is now weighed out everyday, this is annoying as I can't even have a tiny bit more.  I have two types of food, one is a very pricey kibble from Hills in the form of Venison & Pea. If I only eat this, my stools are too big and I can't cope with all that biscuit. I am also STARVING! I am on steroids as well, so they make me feel hungry.  So Momma devised a food that is bulky, yet made of all protein and steralised. Interesting huh! It makes me feel super full and I still get my vitamins and minerals from the hills and I am, for the first time, putting on weight and keeping it!  I weigh a mighty 4.18K. For my family, this is a good weight!

My meal times now go like this:-
Brekki:- 50g protein & 10g hills & 2.5mg Prednisolone  
Treat:- 2 x hills biscuits (the girls get dreamies!!!)
Lunch:- 10g hills
Nom time:- 50g protein & 10g hills & 2.5mg Prednisolone  
late supper:- 20g hills

In these small amounts, I am getting my much needed 'bulk' to make me feel full as well as my daily amount of Hills at the lower end. And, I am not YAWPING! I don't really even ask for food like I used to. Every 5 minutes.  So, my skin is a tiny bit sore on my shoulder, my eye is a tiny bit puffy, but when your body rejects every protein going, I feel this is a good compromise to go forward with. hey, and it's only taken 5years to achieve this perfection and a lot of hard work. I don't require as many baths as I used to and the Malassezia dermatitis** is staying away as is the Urticaria Pigmentosa.*** My kitty colitis is brought on by allergies and these other things I have just get exacerbated by anything I have an allergy to, in and out of my body... and that is even dust, wool, flowers and smells. 

I love being me, I am unique. People have leered at my baldness**** and said some very mean things, but I can't help being bald, it's in my genes. Does it make me any less lovable, nope. It makes me tolerate a heck of a lot of abuse, especially from other Devon Rex owners and breeders.  I am lucky that my original breeder was so caring to find me a special home where I could have all this care and attention from Momma. These things happen - genetics are never perfect - I am a unique and special character who loves fuss and attention - but only to those who worship me!

KS =^..^=
*Grade III—intermediate loudness; most murmurs which are related to the mechanics of blood circulation are at least grade III. - That's me - but I don't have Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy - my test results are negative on that!
** a single-celled yeast that causes ear infections, greasy skin and itchiness, which is treated with antifungal drugs or in my case - anti dandruff shampoo!
*** a dermatological problem that causes crusty sores on the body and is treated with prednisolone and essential fatty acids.
**** Congenital hypotrichosis, otherwise known as hereditary baldness. 

THE OUTSIDE WORLD:-
Things that happen beyond the boundaries of our CatPod seem to be much more exciting than things that happen inside at times.  There are Hedgehogs, Ipek the Garden Cat, dogs next door, birds, the occasional mouse and of course ME!

ME, I hear you saying!  Well, the CatWomen are driving me mad with their Yawping and Faith seems to be the one who is always snuggling her bottom into my face and wanting me to 'do things' to her.  I have had enough and made a perfectly good escape. I took my usual route and chose my escape partner wisely. I chose GrandMewMew! 

GrandMewMew found our home very warm and opened the bathroom window a little to get some air, me being a smart boy, heard the window open and waited for GrandMewMew to apply her war paint in the mirror and I took the opportunity to slip through the slightly open window and down onto the roof below and trot across to the gate and down onto the shed and slipped down the side of the CatPod where immediately the CatWomen spotted me and started screaming for me to come back and 'service them'.  NO WAY!  I was out and about and busy making friends with the lovely Ipek, she let me kiss her and put my paw around her shoulder before giving me a clout around the face, women, I just don't get them.  Well, I had me an hour outside in the garden, enjoying myself and collecting insects and spiders.  But when I was finally caught outside, I had me an allergy again, something has made me sneezy and made my eyes runny.  Now I know why I am not meant to be wandering around in the wilderness - I get sick! But, it was great whilst it lasted and even though I feel a tad sorry for myself, I know that I am one step ahead of the Parentals at all times and smarter that the average cat.

KS =^..^= 

BED AND A BATH

Well it's been a full week since I tried a little 'kitten milk' that I stole from Lillibet which made me very very poorly from both ends all at once. Momma had to hold me up because I was staggering and falling everywhere with exhaustion.  You see, kitten milk is lactose free, so who would have guessed that it's not the lactose that makes me react like this but whey!  WHEY I TELL YOU!  I have never been 'this' ill before.  My skin was almost bubbling with heat and all my blue veins were sticking out and my eyes clamped shut. The most embarrassing part was when Momma stuffed a thermometer up my bum to find out my temperature had actually dropped.  I mean, why does she do that?


After a dose of antihistamine and a long sleep I woke up and demanded food! YAWP I shouted, YAWP, YAWP, YAWP.  I was back up and running again and all they fed me was chicken stew...... how is a man to live on that, I needed kibble and a side of steak!  So the allergy was a bad one this time, I admit that it was partly Momma's fault and partly mine, because I should know better, but oooh that milky was so good for around, mmmm, 6 minutes! Well at least all the emergency meds are in the house and I will never again be allowed any kitten milky EVER AGAIN! 

Yesterday, we each had a bath, some of it was to do with the fact that I was covered in scabs from my allergy and some was because I had peed on my foot.  I mean, I am nearly 7yrs old and I actually peed on my own foot and then all the clumping cat litter began to clump and I hopped out, three legged with a setting concrete bootie on and made my way up to the Parentals bed to see if I could dislodge it. The parentals bed is of course, the furthest point from the litter tray and the cleanest part of the house being lovingly ironed with Egyptian cotton cream sheets. It was the trail of gray cement clumps from the tray directly to my foot that gave it away. I had to admit, when Momma found me, I was so embarrassed for the second time this week!

So because of me, everyone had a bath.  Mr.Zeus had a mousy belly, but got a full wash and dry and in my opinion looks a little 'poofy' now!  Faith had a stinky bum and mousy feet so had a special 'ladies wash' and poor little lillibet didn't deserve any of what she got, her first bath of feet, bum and belly!  I mean the poor little babe just wasn't expecting baby shampoo in all her most secret places.  Oh the look she gave Momma was one of shock, then acceptance, then murder in her eyes!  As ManSlave said... 'well at least her chocolate button is clean now!'  
Now Momma is away today, doing Cat Club stuff and all I can say is there had better be a serious amount of accidental overfeeding by ManSlave  and a decent roast in the oven or there will be some serious YAWPING to be done!!!

KS =^..^=