Hopkins on Tilt

Hopkins, by Sue Keller

The illustration, by Sue Keller, was a gift from the early 1980s.  Hopkins was a big guy like Timmy but had a bad heart and only lived about five years.  Sue's work hangs above my meditation spot and below a painting by my aunt, Harriet Lefkowitz.  I think it was at this slant for days before I noticed.  Yes, Glenwood's antics continue but work has kept me so busy and preoccupied their effects barely register.  I've also started wearing ear plugs at night.

The semester ends May 5 and I will come up for air.

Post-Heat: Our Routine Returns

Glenwood's normal nighttime antics, I realize, are more challenging than her merely being in heat and wailing and barking all night.  After all, she left me alone and was less interested in food than other things.

Now that she's out of heat, we're back to the routine, and it feels even more disruptive.  She starts trashing my desk and dresser top at about 4.00 am so I'll serve her wet food, then she makes that the start of her day, which includes exercise, snacks, and play. I sleep in ten-minute increments the rest of the night, punctuated by Get down!, curses, and trips to the kitchen to dole out the four bites of food she eats at a time.  Timmy will eat the rest if I give her more, and he's supposed to be on a weight-reduction plan. When I finally drag myself up for good, she jumps onto the bed and goes to sleep.

Thursday night I took a stand and locked her and Timmy out.  All night I could hear things being relocated and endless meowing.  Below is my bathroom sink as I found it in the morning.  Note that some of these items she pulled out of the medicine cabinet, though she was careful to close it when she was done.

My next experiment is no more wet food.  If cats forget everything in three weeks, they'll forget that too.  Just for kicks, I put a little water on the dry food.  It fooled them.  They snorted it.

The Heat Is Off

It was March 3, 2010, that Glenwood last went out of heat, and this time it was April 7.  So this experience lasted a week (I typed "only," then realized that is an insane descriptor of the last seven days); her first heat started about February 24, 2010, so was a few days longer.  But of course, it's been almost a year since she was spayed, so this is all quite mysterious.  Even weirder, I now realize the Oscars came early this year because in 2010 she watched Alec Baldwin host while recovering.  As long as we don't go a third round before she's Conewood again, I'm good.  Timmy too, as the sexual/identity crisis he just went through was stressful.  Watching my neutered male try to impregnate my spayed female was bizarre.  Sorry, no photos; that would be kitty porn.

And the Heat Goes On

The photos below were taken in rapid succession, as Glenwood self-entertained yesterday morning.  She is a wild-woman.  I like my work, but I am especially glad to go there knowing there will be no howling or barking.  I apologize to Timmy in the morning as I leave.

This Just Can't Be So

Before I get to the big news, I'll just say that we continue to wait for Glenwood's ear surgery to be scheduled.  I left a message urging One Love to schedule her sooner than later, as Glenwood is scratchy and I'm worried about the long-term effects of her having this infection ... on her, on Timmy, on me.  We're also waiting for Timmy's bloodwork to come back.  As you can see, there is apparently nothing wrong with him that a little weight reduction won't solve.  Only problem is, cutting back on the kitty tuna is not going over well.

Anyone Can Tell What's Next

Timmy's Overhang

In between paragraphs, Timmy just crossed the keyboard, belly swinging, to jump to the windowsill ... with Glenwood in hot pursuit.  And I mean hot.  The kitten is in heat.  Never mind that she's spayed, never mind that I've spent the last 18 months of my life caring nonstop for this fur thing, never mind that sleeping is already elusive.  The last three days have been howl-filled and I'm wearing ear plugs.  A little Internet research suggests that even a tiny bit of reproductive tissue left behind can result in ... this.  Look at her!  Here's 2 from about 937 shots I took of her yesterday, trying to get just one that isn't blurred.  She is, simply, a blur.  I've put in a call to the vet, and will report back soon.  FLASH:  Dr. Ken just called.  It's confirmed; she's in heat.  He can take a peek at her girl parts while sealing her ear in surgery, but of course that cannot happen until we survive this.  I told him if he gets a howling box from me in the mail, don't open it.  On the upside, Timmy and his thyroid are fine.

Wild-Eyed (Me Too)

Tail Antics