Beta Boy?

The endless chasing/running and paw-to-paw combat continue, as does the occasional bath/cuddle. Timmy's tenure as Alpha Boy may well be over. The same spirit that Glenwood tapped to stay alive (and to meow at a stranger in the dark then purr as she got lifted up and carried away) is in full force in our household. I retain hopes that she will mellow with age (and perhaps, spaying), and am confident Timmy does too. Here he is in precautionary hiding mode, a newly developed skill. He has definitely dropped a pound or two with all the running.

Unfortunately, Glenwood always seems to find him.

The only hope he has if she gets preoccupied with a different toy. Her tennis ball remains bigger than her head, though her head-to-body ratio has evened out. She is very long, very lean, with a squirrel tail in skunk colors.

This Is Our Lives

Good Blood

Glenwood's blood work came back just fine. Next will be her shots and spaying; I'm not sure when. Dr. Ryan is at a conference now.

Glenwood remains a bundle of hilarious energy and soft fur. I went away this weekend and am convinced she is bigger on my return.

And I've always felt her channeling Riley a bit, and a=-[23s I write, she is laying on my desk to my left, just as Riley used to, snoring. It's sweet, and of course also makes me a little sad.

Glenwood is mesmerized by the computer screen and how it changes as I type; she was pawing at it earlier and just walked across the keyboard. Her contribution is in blue above. Riley was much too mature and self-possessed for such childishness.

Pictures soon.

I don't know what was up with my equipment or self yesterday, but here are photos. The one above is from January 7, when Glenwood was showing a ball of paper who's boss. The one below is from yesterday, right after the vet, as the tension was mounting.

Timmy is still growling at Glenwood with her vet-smell. It's actually kept the house quieter, as Glenwood is largely avoiding him. When she foolishly doesn't, it's been a bit ugly. I'm not personalizing it and just trying to let them find their own way, and only occasionally making use of weaponry:

New Year's Check-Up

Either I or my camera forgot how to download, so photos have to wait, but I want to report that Glenwood had a follow-up today. Dr. Ryan, who is just under my (middle) age and comparably despondent, was generous in saying that it is kittens and stories like Glenwood that make it worthwhile, and she will remember this story always. (I will too.) I admit that saving her has made me a little bigger. The irony, which I share for full disclosure, is that her energy is so boundless and her inability to distinguish between toy and not-toy so undeveloped that there are times when I want to strangle her.

She weighs 6.12 pounds. She had a little goo in her ears, but nothing a born-to-the-throne kitten wouldn't produce. Her raspy breathing will persist, as I've mentioned, as will its nothing-to-worry-about-ness. The techs (as much as I enjoy them all, Anna was out and we missed seeing her) took blood to run a CBC so Dr. Ryan can make sure she's up to par for shots and spaying. I'll have results mid-week. Have I mentioned that the only thing I use my GE CareCard for is vet bills?

After the techs left, Glenwood (who I've been calling Riley lately, which is sad) would not go in her carrier. Cats bolt into their carriers to go home from the vet. But oh no, not my Glenwood. It was embarassing how long it took me to contort her back in there and come out of the exam room. They were kind not to mention it. I thought I was going to have to get help. How embarassing.

Now there's an interesting development at home: Timmy doesn't like how Glenwood smells from the vet and has been really nasty, nasty enough to make her run away. While it's awful (and horrible when it was Riley and she was sick), the upside is that she does run, which tells me that when she chases him (and chases him and chases him), she doesn't want to fight. His snarliness is more than she bargained for. My wish is that this will balance out their relationship. She's learning what he's capable of when faced with new smells.