Monday, June 30, 2014

Monday Mewsings


I want to fit into this dress again by the time the WiggleButts Go HollyWoof! rolls around in September...

So I started exercising yesterday...walked 4 miles each day and if I can keep it up for a month...we'll see how slender I can hope to be by September, hahameow! I will take a cat with me each night...tonight it was Disco NoFurNo's night out!



Coco, on the other hand, could stand to lose a few ounces herself...because I am NOT buying her a whole new wardrobe if she can't fit into her couture! But she and I will hopefully sporting matching dresses come September!



Monday, June 23, 2014

Monday Mewsings


What happened to last week? Too busy watching the World Cup? 

No Monday Musings...No Wordless Wednesday...No Fashion Friday either!

Let's just say that Coco's personal assistant was working to keep Coco in the style she is accustomed, but we did fit in an appearance at Uptown Pet Bistro...


Before dashing off to attend the Grand Opening Gala of Just Cats Clinic in Reston, Virginia!


So we weren't idle, we just weren't blogging! We'll try and do better this week!




Sunday, June 15, 2014

Happy Father's Day...


This handsome hunk is Coco's Dad!

His name is Taddy Porter and he was named after an English beer, very fitting a name for such an manly cat!

He fathered many fine kittens, but the litter that Coco was in was his last...it was time for him to retire and just have fun!


He 'retired' from his manly role in 2006, and lives with a lovely family with a sweet Sphynx lady cat and grandkids who adore him, and two humans as his servants. 


People ask me if it was hard for me to part with him. Yes, but I had his best interests at heart and wanted him to be king of the house and have lots of attention, more than just I could give him.


So, he still has Daddy duties, and I think Coco gets her sweet and adventurous spirit from him!





Wednesday, June 11, 2014

Wordless Wednesday


Last weekend, Coco got all dressed up to go to the Washintonian Magazine's Yappy Hour! 
But I didn't get out of the house with her soon enough AND had to go to work, so the above photo is of her all dressed up and posing on the fabu cat tree at work!

But we did get to go to dinner with some fab friends, and here's a pix of that fun gathering!


And Coco says...Don't Forget To Hop to It!



Monday, June 9, 2014

Monday Mewsings...The Bee's Knees?


A very good friend, Dexter of Fidose of Reality fame, may have to have orthopedic surgery for a torn ACL, and it got me to thinking of Coco's ortho surgery back in January 2012, long before she had a website of her own!

Dexter mom suggested I share Coco's story with all her new fans, as those who have met her in person, know she moves with grace and style, with no hint of what lies under that silky fur...

So here is Coco's Bum Knee Journal, copied below from our Curlz and Swirlz blog!




Oh my! The Cat Blogosphere is an amazing place! And KC and Marg and Jan and all those 'behind the scenes' humans that come together for these fund raising auctions, for cats in need, have come to the assistance of Coco and me. I am not exaggerating that as I type this, I have tears in my eyes...tears of gratitude and admiration!


Coco's auction started February 8th, 2012, and I scoured my place to see if there was anything the cats and I can part with that would bring smiles to someone else. (Just to tempt all of you...a gently used Hepper Pod and a cool ferret sized pouch carrier). 




Just so you don't have to go searching the Curlz and Swirlz archives looking for posts about Coco and her medical crisis, I have edited some of those posts and here they are... 


Last July, Coco and Brighton and Disco were in the 'Stud Room' keeping Sammy company. I am not sure what happened, but I heard some commotion and growling and I think there might have been a fight over who gets to be in the heated cat bed on top of the cabinet in that room.


Anyway, Brighton was hiding, Disco looked wide eyed, and Coco was carrying her left hind leg. At first, I thought maybe Sammy bit her but then I remembered he doesn't have any bitey teeth left.


So, I thought Coco probably fell off the top of the cupboard and hurt her leg. The vets examined her the next day and took xrays but Coco was very grumbly and they couldn't tell if it was from pain, or just not liking being at the vets.


For a month, she was on pain meds and Cosequin and she did get better, as far as the swelling in her knee went down and she didn't complain when I examined her. But she continued to carry her leg many times a day, and so my vet talked to a orthopedic specialist and he thought Coco might have torn some ligaments when she fell. Here's a short video of her in 'action':


                                     


I decided to get their expert opinion on what was wrong and on Dec 16, 2011, I took Coco to see Dr Lotsikas at Veterinary Orthopedic Sports Medicine Center, and this is what he said:


Coco has bilateral patellar luxation, left clinically worse than right, minimal fluid buildup on left side, Grade II-IV lateral patellar luxation left hind leg, Grade I on the right hind leg. There was no cranial drawer or tibial thrust noted on either stifle. Full range of motion both joints. Surgical management of trochlear block recession, joint capsule imbrication and potentially a tibial tuberosity transposition.


So, she had not-so-great knees before she hurt herself, but he thinks that she 'tore' some support ligaments when she fell, and if I do nothing, she will continue to limp and worse, could damage the other ligaments if she had another accident.


Coco is only 6 years old and, as most Cornish Rex are, is very athletic and active. I live in a 3 level house with lots of running room and stairs (it's the cat's 'Giant Cat Tree', hahameow). And to have to restrict Coco from 'being a cat' wouldn't be how I would like her to spend the rest of her life.



So, on January 3rd, Coco had surgery on her left hind leg, and is in the midst of 8 weeks of  enforced 'bed rest'. That has been pretty easy as I took her to work with me every day for 2 weeks til her sutures could be removed and the cone of shame came off. 


And for 8 weeks, Coco has stayed in the 'kitten tent' which I kept just for these kind of situations. Coco's experience as a mama cat (she loves it when I call her a breeding queen, hahameow) came in to play here too, as she loved being in the tent and was very content and happy...I am grateful for that! 




I've been keeping everyone updated on Coco's surgery and progress and rehabilitation, and we asked for lotsa healing purrs for her on her surgery day and during her recovery. I know it has helped and I am also now following some other kitties that have had the same kind of surgery...


I want Coco to 'grow old' with me, so anything I can to do help that, I will do. And to all involved with putting together this auction to help me pay off her large vet bill, I can't thank you enough for caring and working so hard to make this happen! Mega Purrs to you! In two weeks, we raised almost $750 and all of that went right to Care Credit to pay a ginormous part of the balance owning for her surgery and physical therapy...


If you want to learn more about the Cat Blogosphere auctions, you can click on this link Furriends of the Cat Blogosphere and below are links to posts that have updates on how Coco is doing...





Wednesday, June 4, 2014

Wordless Wednesday, Cat Style Loungin' at #BlogPaws


Coco knows how to have a good time...


From Penthouse Suites


to Cat Hammocks


to carpeted scratchers...


to fancied up cardboard boxes...


Coco says she approves!


Oh, and she loves to Hop, too!



Monday, June 2, 2014

Monday Mewsings...Teri Hugged a Capy at #Blogpaws 'n More!



When I tell non-blogging friends that Coco and I attended a pet blogging conference in Las Vegas, it's difficult to put into words what kind of experience that really is and what friendships are formed and strengthened by being together.

Photo by Paris Permenter of CatTipper.com
This video by Pet World Insider tells part of the story...



And they say Pictures Speak a Thousand Words... and as you can see, I'm smiling in every photo I'm in!




And Brighton and I even made it onto a display board, from photos taken at the last BlogPaws conference.



Of course, the star was really Coco, I'm just her personal assistant, at her beck and call, most willingly, of course!

Of course, we visited the Cat Style Lounge!

Coco sampling some Honest Kitchen appetizers...

BlogPaws Swag!

Certainly need sun glasses with bling in Las Vegas!
How glitzy we felt, walking (or strolling) the Red Carpet before the Nose-to-Nose Pet Blogger and Social Media Awards banquet and ceremony!


And how fun it was to cheer on our friends who won, too!

  • Best Cat Blog – GloGirly, Debbie Glovatsky 
  • Best Pet Cause Blog – Fire Safety Rocks, Dayna Hilton
  • Best Pet Blog Design – GloGirly, Debbie Glovatsky
  • Best Dog Blog – The Intrepid Pup, Tracy Baetz
  • Best Pet Humor Blog – Cat vs. Human, Yasmine Surovec
  • Best Pet Microblog – Deaf Dogs Rock, Christina Lee
  • Best New Pet Blog – Traveling Cats, Vanessa Morgan
  • Best Other Pet Blog – Speedy the Cheeky House Bunny, Rachel De Jong
  • Best Pet Blog Photo – Pawsitively Texas, Alva Logsdon
  • Best Pet Blog Post – Life with Dogs and Cats, Susan Willet
  • Best Pet Blog Video – Cat-CATastrophes: The Inheritance, Alana Grelyak
  • Best Use of Social Media by a 501c3 – Morris Animal Foundation, Tina Martinez