Delay of the Spay

For anyone living in the northeast, you know about the couple of feet of snow we got (and are still getting). Today was Glenwood's spay date, and I was damned if a little snow was going to stop that. So at the crack of dawn I chopped my car out of its ice bubble, got us loaded in, and four-wheeled my way to Hope Vet by 8.30 - only to learn the spay couldn't happen because she's in heat.

I looked on line before leaving to see if her condition would interfere, and relearned the lesson I teach my students: don't trust everything you read on the Internet.

So we are back in the warmth of home, and Glenwood is resting between wailing sessions. She's rescheduled for next Friday. This should be quite a week. It has never been a dull moment with this kitten. I just love her.

I'll post some pictures once I replenish following the PC's demise. She is extra fluffy in heat.

Thanks to Sherri for the photos.

Her Life Is About to Change

I've been meaning to write but (1) my PC did the big sigh, and with it my photos of little Glenwood and big (but now less big) Timmy, (2) I'm working too much, and (3) a bizarre incident with a recent issue of Architectural Digest left me with a broken toe. This last may not sound like it would interfere with blogging but believe me, it has.

Glenwood went to the vet last Saturday to have blood drawn prior to her spay this Friday. (Getting her into the carrycase is becoming quite the challenge.) Because of her early ailments, Dr. Ryan wants to make sure we do this right. I haven't heard the results yet but should within 24 hours or so.

Dr. Ryan had asked if Glenwood's been in heat, and I couldn't answer. She's insane every waking minute; how would I know? Turns out I may now know, because this 6.7 pound kitten is doing some major-league meowing. I assume that has to do with her, ahem, maturity.

Glenwood's 15 Minutes

I couldn't resist adding Glenwood's story to the Animal Rescue site after learning of Bitsy. Here's a photo of Glenwood's back half in all its fluffiness, taken today. It must require a lot of upkeep because she's a constant, perhaps obsessive, bather.

Maybe a Distant Cousin

I did hear back from the nice people at Bideawee! Bitsy was found in Greenpoint, making both kittens Brooklynites if not relatives. Bideawee reports that Bitsy's tail is not as fluffy as Glenwood's, which seems to keep growing even as the rest of her has slowed down.

Glenwood is breathing raspily more often, I think. I'm nervous her scarred bronchioles can't keep up with her bigger, more active self. She sleeps against me at night, and has made my bedtime her bath time. She goes into full lick mode. The deeper she goes into the bath-zone, the louder she snorts. I have to wait until she's clean, sighs, and goes still before I can doze off.

Her spay is not far off. I've spoken with Dr. Ryan, and will be making an appointment within the next couple of weeks. She needs a bit of extra care because of her "rough start," as Anna put it, so I want to make sure my time is clear so I can take care of her.

Glenwood's Twin?

My home page is The Animal Rescue Site, where I click daily to provide free food to animals in need (and to give free mammograms, and to save the rainforest, and to support literacy, and to feed hungry children). This morning there was an ad to Help Save Bitsy. Bitsy looks remarkably like Glenwood and so I clicked and read. Their stories are so similar I wrote to Bideawee (who saved Bitsy) to see if they came from the same spot (and could be related!). I don't expect to hear back (mine is a small and minor request in their scheme of things), but I did it anyway.

It was upsetting, but the description of Bitsy's state when she was found finally made me understand what was going on with Glenwood when I found her. Both kittens' faces were sealed by hardened mucus from their infections, and so eating became impossible and death was not far away.

The Animal Rescue Site reports not getting enough daily clicks to do its work, so if you can, please help.