Macky, Mowie, and Sunny

……and Macky is going to see the vet, again, on Tuesday.  The other side of his lip is now all raw and red, while the other side appears healed and healthy.  Figures.

Well, it was just a matter of time before something new (somewhat new) happened to Macky. You know those ulcers we spoke about a few entries back? Well, they went away. The skin is no longer raw nor red and appears healthy. The black pigment is still there, but I’m convinced that it’s just that, black pigment.

Upon giving Macky his hourly daily checkup, I noticed some rawness on the other side of his mouth. Right now, it’s just red and looks like there is some puss present. He doesn’t appear to be in pain, I can touch it without him flipping out. His eating habits are normal. His pooping habits, normal, too.

When we brought Sunny to the vet last time, she gave us some kind of oral cleansor to use. So, instead of overreacting bringing Macky to the vet, I’m going to try to continually clean out his lips with this cleansor. I figured I’d give it a week or so, and then determine if a vet visit is needed. He’s in great spirits, so I’m comfortable going this route. If he was in pain, it would be an entirely different story — he’d be at the emergency room right now.
Macky is going to make me poor. But that’s okay, the happiness he brings (regardless of the heart attacks sometimes) is well worth it!

Dear Mowie,

Hearing about Barbaro has gotten us a little sentimental and made us realize how quickly things can change.  We know that everyone here knows your story, and most people have been begged to take you as their own.  We just want you to know that we are NEVER giving you away.  Keeping you was the best decision we’ve ever made.

We know you’re often not mentioned on here, or rather, get overshadowed by Mac and Sunny.  But the truth is, we love you all the same.  Just because you don’t break your leg or chew things you’re not supposed to and get ulcers doesn’t mean that you don’t deserve blog time. We’re sorry.

We don’t know your birthday, or even how old you are.  We don’t even know your real name! (Tabby?  Fluffy?  Mary?!)  But none of that matters now.  I have known since the first day I met you what an incredible cat you were- it was just a matter of getting everyone else to see it (even your beloved dad at times).  We hope your image hasn’t been tainted with stories of you trying to eat Macky, or chasing Sunny around in circles, or having to keep you in your own, small room.  We were new parents with a new kitty and we just didn’t know you that well.

Everyday you become more and more of your own person, in a cat way.  You’ve become so trusting around Mac and Sunny.  We can tell how much you love playing with them and love when they give you baths.  You are always the cat to sit with us and watch tv or greet us at the door.  Nevermind the fact that you’re incredibly funny.  We just hope that you’ll continue to pass your discipline and idealistic habits onto Mac and Sunny (God knows they need it..)

Now that we know you so well, it breaks our hearts to know what you’ve been through and how well you reacted.  You were so resilient, and not bitter one bit.  Now you’re becoming a little princess (minus the girly stuff) and you deserve every bit of the spoiling you get.

Love,

the people who feed you.

Tomorrow Mac and Sunny will turn 9 months old.

That’s 3/4 of a year, 75%.

It’s amazing how quickly they have grown up. That’s why it’s wonderful to have this site and look at the archives from June, August, even October and see how much they’ve changed. The two of them used to fit in half a shoe box together…now Sunny’s tail won’t even fit in a shoe box.

Their personalities are still the same as the little ones they had when we first met them. Sunny has always been super sweet and laid back, Mac is a little hyper and has the cutest facial expressions…they just have such adorable personalities.

Although they’re getting old, they still have this kitten naiveness to them, which Mowie doesn’t have. Or maybe Mowie has a good sense of judgement regardless. Even though Sunny is nearing Mowie’s height and length, you can still tell he is the younger of the two.

Brace yourselves for April 27, 2007 and the biggest first birthday party you’ve ever seen. Think super sweet 16…cat style.

Today we noticed that Sunny was also developing a small ulcer on his lip. I called the vet, thinking they would just throw some extra antibotics our way, but no…they wanted to see him. His case was nothing compared to Mac’s, as Sunny’s just looked like a blister on the front of his lip. Knowing that he needed antibiotics to cure it, we wanted to make sure it was taken care of before it worsened.

Sunny has not been to the vet in forever, so he happily went in the carrier. He let out one meow in the car and that was it. He went to sleep the whole way there. When they opened the carrier to let him out, he was cuddled up in the blanket we have in there as if he was a human baby. He wouldn’t let them take him out and looked terrified, but by the end of the exam he actually hestitated when going back in the carrier! He liked the way the vet tech scratched his chin and thought he might want to stay a little bit longer…

As we predicted he didn’t need a shot for pain as Macky did and was just given some antibiotics. We were also given some disinfecting mouth spray, which we were told might burn the kitties.. so we’re not sure about using that.

We, and even the vet, are puzzled as to what is causing the ulcers. They are only on both kitten’s lips, not their tongues. The first vet said that she has seen the condition in dogs who chew power cords, but if that was the case it would be on their tongues as well. It is some sort of chemical reaction, which they suggested a household cleaner as the cause, but there is nothing out in the open for them. They do have a cardboard “playhouse” which is basically torn apart which we think may be the cause. They also received a lot of new toys for Christmas which could be causing some sort of reaction. Mac’s ulcers are based on the corner of his lip, like he’s rubbing up against something to mark it in that cat thing they do.

I searched the place today and got rid of the playhouse and a suspicious toy, to which Sunny was devastated and screamed “Mommy noooooo!” So I waited until he walked away. However, he understands that safety comes first.

We thought that Mac had a rough 2006 even though he wasn’t born until the end of April. In those 8 months he was near death, had an eye infection, had an abscess, broke his leg which needed surgery and mysteriously bled all over the place one day.

Last night I noticed that the side of Macky’s mouth was red and black. His lips and nose are normally very pale pink.. almost white, but only one side of his mouth was discolored. When I took a closer look, the corner of his lip looked unbelievably raw. Sunny often gets chapped lips that get scabs, but that was nothing compared to this. We thought his abscess didn’t heal properly or something was wrong with his teeth, though they looked fine to us.

We brought him to the vet as soon as we could today. Mac put up such a fight. I should have never bragged about how he walked right into the carrier last time. He squirmed out of the carrier about 5 times…and the times that I was actually able to pick him up were seldom compared to my attempts. He hid under the bed, behind the chair and bit me when I tried to get him out. I have never felt so horrible in my life. I had to bribe him with treats and toys. Luckily he’s still naive enough to fall for it and trust me (which made me feel even worse). Sunny made out like a bandit and actually went in the box to earn more treats. Since he never goes to the vet, he didn’t understand that the carrier = bad.

Mac was diagnosed with ulcers on his mouth. Luckily nothing was wrong with his teeth, although a part of his bottom gum was covered as well. The vet said it’s very painful, so he got an anti-inflamatory shot while he was there, and his favorite antibiotics to go home with. I wasn’t being sarcastic about that, Mac loves Clavamox.

He is only 8 months old and everyone at the vet’s office knows him… and he hasn’t even had the chance to be neutered yet! Maybe its just this cute face of his…

Luckily as I sat here writing about him, he came over to forgive me with some kitten kisses.

We know it’s been a while since our loyal fans (all 10 of you) have seen pictures of the kitties. They enjoyed their first Christmas, as well as their wonderful gifts, so we’ve been taking plenty of pictures of them!
Mac enjoying the fireplace…

the litter box and fountain our petsmart gift card bought us…

the dvd made for cats that mac and sunny actually watched! there’s birds on the screen and mac actually looked up under the table for them, and was pissed when they weren’t there. we’ve underestimated his intelligence…

sunny still loves his chirping-bird-on-a-string..

sunny and mowie bonding…

random kitten photos…

for those of you thinking that mowie is neglected, we just want you to know that whenever we take mowie’s picture she resorts to this hardass face and position, which couldn’t be further from her personality…

in reality she’s usually sillier than the kittens, but i guess since we’ve been flashing cameras in mac and sunny’s faces since they were 4 weeks old they’ve become immune to it. mowie slips into shock when the camera comes out.

Mac, Sunny and Mowie were definitely treated well by Santa Claws (or maybe it was all the grandparents and aunts and uncles they have).  They received a stocking full of toys, a bunch of random toys, treats and a petsmart gift card.  We can’t wait to go to petsmart and buy them random stuff to spoil them, like that water fountain we’ve been eyeing up…

Last night, the cats were each given a new toy, since if we gave them all of them, they’d be under the couch in .3 seconds.  They each got their favorite: Mowie a mouse, Sunny a giant fluffy thing and Macky a ball.  Mowie was so happy with her mouse it was adorable.  Sunny loved his giant fluffy/foofy thing so much he was panting and drooling.  Mac liked his ball, but he knew there were more toys.  So he quietly disappeared and I found him laying on the bed relaxing…with Mowie’s mouse.  I let it slide and went back to the living room, only to see Mac come out and steal Sunny’s toy and run and place it on the bed.  Then he came back out for his ball and we confronted the thief.  Sunny and Mowie are so used to his kitten immaturity that they didn’t even put up a fight.  They said he’s just so tiny and cute, plus he has the broken leg to factor in.  So Mowie and Sunny settled for the cardboard box…or so we thought…

I woke up this morning to find every toy scattered across the kitchen floor.  Someone found the secret stash of toys!  The only one who has ever been on top of the cabinets is Mowie, but I think there was peer pressure involved…

In other news, Macky was happy to hear that even the Terminator himself breaks his femur every now and then…

Mowie Christmas everyone!!

We were hoping to post a Christmas picture of Mac, Sunny and Mowie but telling 3 young cats with ADD to sit in front of the fireplace…together…while looking at the camera is no easy task.

Wait make that only 2, Sunny fully cooperated.  He’s on the good list for sure.

Today was Mac’s final visit to the vet for that broken leg of his! Luckily everything healed properly and he’s set for a happy life of climbing curtains, eating strings and kicking litter all over the freshly vacuumed floor.

He was actually sleeping this morning when we had to leave…for those of you who don’t know, Macintosh NEVER sleeps. I felt like I was waking him up for school. I thought it would be cruel to throw him in the kitty carrier when he didn’t know it was coming, I felt I should give him the opportunity for a fair fight. I grabbed my jacket and keys which is Mac’s cue to guard the door and say “Mommy don’t leeeeave!” Little did he know that today he was coming with me.

I put the box in front of the door where he was barricading and he walked right in. Easiest thing I have ever done. I actually think Sunny wanted to come too. Once I got down the stairs of the building and Mac could see daylight, he knew he was in deep. He started screaming and knew where he was going.

He was pretty good the whole way and time there. I kept sticking my fingers in his carrier to let him know I was still there, since he has nightmares about the time they took him in the back to take xrays and he didnt see mommy for 2 days. I wanted to reassure him that they wouldn’t take him in the back again, but the poor guy still has to be neutered! At least then he’ll have Sunny to keep him company.

Once we were back in the car Mac didn’t say a word. The sun was shining on him which made him sleepy and he slept the entire way home. I guess he knows I’ve never put him back in the car and proceeded to take him back to the vet. That would just be mean.

He was so tired he didn’t even ask to go to McDonald’s and play in the ball pit as I promised. Just one cookie later (I had a bunch ready to buy his forgiveness) and Mac said, “Vet? What vet? I didn’t go to the vet today” :chases Sunny:

Santa Claws will have to bring him extra cookies.