My Ears, Again...Good News & Bad News #SundaySelfie

Meows from Mudpie!

Are you tired of hearing about my ears yet? (Bad pun intended.) I sure am tired of talking about them.

This is getting really old

Wednesday was my 2-week follow-up appointment after Mommy had to clean my ears every 48 hours. We knew things weren't going to go well because the wax chunks have still been coming out, including a big one on Sunday night, and on Tuesday Mommy could see my right ear completely filled up with wax just with the naked eye.

The gabapentin didn't completely knock me out like it did last time so I gave the vet a hard time. She got a couple more chunks out and said she has never seen so much come out of a cat before. Even after removing all that she still couldn't see my right ear drum. Her exact words were, "There is something seriously wrong with that ear." She made a recommendation for a board-certified vet that would be able to safely sedate me (because of my kidneys) in order to completely flush my ears and try to find out once and for all what's going on. 

Trying to hide

We got home and Mommy had a good crying spell. Her mind went back to the vet wondering a couple months ago if there was a mass in there. Dr. Google told her that would mean either polyps (which can only be removed as part of a total ear canal ablation - the entire ear canal would be removed) or a tumor. She had visions of having to leave me at the vet for a major surgery.

She called the new vet on Thursday, and they were able to see us on Friday afternoon. It's never fun to have to wait for an appointment, but Mommy is a total procrastinator so that was a little too fast for her liking! 

Who am I? Where am I?

My appointment was at 1:30 and they started working on me immediately. The new vet (who was amazing) started out by warning Mommy that judging by what the earlier vet saw, it was likely either polyps or a tumor, just as Mommy feared. She had to sign a form giving them permission to sedate me, but the vet explained that she is not a risk taker, she would only be mildly sedating me, and that the strongest drug could be reversed. Within minutes I was knocked out and the flushing began.

In no time at all both ears were finally cleaned out so the entire ear canal could be seen...and there were NO polyps or tumors!!! Mommy was so relieved she started crying. The vet was happy too. She said she was very concerned about what she might find. She thinks at some point I had an ear infection that was so far down it went undetected, and the inflammation eventually caused scar tissue which is why the wax builds up so badly. Permanent damage was done and Mommy will need to clean my ears weekly for the rest of my life so it doesn't get built up again, but that's no problemo!

Mommy, this is a G-rated blog. Our friends don't need to see my nakey tummy!

While I was under they completely took advantage of me! They trimmed my nails, shaved my tummy of some mats (they even pointed out to Mommy my spay tattoo, which of course she had to take a picture of), and check my anal glands! Heck, for all I know I could be preggers right now. Stay tuned.

On the way home Mommy stopped at Target for one thing so I stayed alone in the car for about 5 minutes. We didn't get home until nearly 4. I was still really out of it so Mommy curled up on the floor with me. I peed in my brand new scratcher bed, but thankfully she had thought ahead and put a puppy pad on it so it went unscathed. When she decided to get up and make a quick dinner I finally came to and stumbled out to the kitchen...only to fall asleep in my dish! 

I was pretty zonked out for the rest of Friday, and now as we write this on Saturday I've developed another problem - I don't seem to be hearing much of anything. I always respond to my name and words like chicken, cheese, and squeezies, but today I'm not reacting at all. Mommy works in the kitchen and I don't even realize she's there. She emailed the vet but of course it's the weekend so we don't expect to hear anything back right away. She went outside and rang the doorbell, a sound I always hate. (We're a lot alike that way!) I did react to that as I always do, so hopefully this is just temporary from all the trauma and medication my ears have endured.

Mommy talks to me all day. She said if my hearing doesn't come back she's gonna have to start talking to herself! 

We're joining our friends at The Cat on My Head for the Sunday Selfies blog hop! 

A Happy & Sad Anniversary #CaturdayArt

Mommy here! 

It's impossible to believe, but today is our 15th blogoversary! It started out as a way to chronicle my reading life along with a little about my love of cats, but the kitties took over (as they're known to do!) Through Tara, Truffles and Mudpie, our online friends have laughed and cried with us, and created a community of cat lovers that we cherish more every day.

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Today is also the 35th anniversary of the day my childhood cat Patch passed away, my first experience grieving the loss of a beloved pet. He was my parents' "first child," as he came into their lives a year and a half before I was born. He was abandoned as a three month old kitten on my father's family dairy farm and my grandmother, knowing how much my Mom loved cats, asked if she'd like to take him home. At first she declined because she didn't want to go through the inevitable grief again, but Dad talked her into it. Prior to Patch my Mom had been over a decade without a cat in her life! He was my constant companion growing up, lying in one corner of my bed while a stack of books sat in the other. We lost him to a brain tumor at age 15.

I've experienced a lot of loss since that first heartbreak, just as anyone does who can't imagine life without cats, but no matter how many times you say goodbye it doesn't get any easier. In ways I think it gets harder.

Visit more artsy kitties at Athena's Caturday Art blog hop!

And now our weekly answers for the Friendly Fill-Ins challenge, hosted by 15andmeowing and Four-Legged Furballs!

1. The older I get, the more of a homebody I get.

2. I frequent HomeGoods and TJ Maxx (my favorite stores for Halloween and Christmas decor).

3. Back in my day, we got some of the first Apple desktops at school. I hated them and thought they were such a waste of time! Now we live on them...

4. I count down the days until it's over during these last few weeks of summer.

Feline Friday Flashback: Life was Purrfect 10 Years Ago

Meows from Mudpie! 

It's been a very stressful week at our house so Mommy and I went looking for a fun flashback to share.

This is a selfie I posted exactly 10 years ago today, on August 14, 2016. If only it was possible to turn back time to happier, healthier days...

Feline Friday is simple to join. All you have to do is:

Post a picture, drawing, cartoon or video of a cat (They may be silly or cute). 

My Gotcha Day Recap

Meows from Mudpie!

I had the best Gotcha Day on Sunday. Mommy really knocked it out of the park with the prezzies. 

First, she got me a rotisserie chicken! (I let her have some too.) Sometimes I wonder which I love more - squeezies or rotisserie chicken. I think I'll have to eat lots more of each before I make my final decision.  

And we've been seeing those scratcher beds on other cat blogs but Mommy never got me one because she didn't think I'd use it. Then she saw one with ghost cats and had to have it. 

And...I love it! I immediately started using it. Then just 48 hours later "some kitty" hopped in with a bit of poopy butt. Mommy immediately dabbed it up with a wet paper towel and told me I have it be careful because it can't go in the washing machine like my blankies. That's not my problem, Mommy! 

To top it all off on Sunday evening Mommy found out she won two more Certificates of Excellence from the Cat Writers Association (more on that later!) 

All in all it was a purrfect day. Unlike today when I'm going back to the vet for another ear check. Send purrs. 

Happy 11th Gotcha Day, Mudpie!!!

Meows from Mudpie!

Eleven years ago, on a Sunday morning just like today, my life changed forever when Mommy decided I was the kitty to fill the empty hole in her heart that Truffles left behind. We've told this story for the past 10 years on my special day, but it's a real life "fairy tail" and I didn't think you'd mind reading it again. I know that I never get tired of telling it!

It all began 10 days earlier with a series of photos posted on the shelter website. Mommy says she saw my picture and had the same feeling in her heart that she had the first time she saw Truffles. Still, she didn't want to make a hasty decision so she saved my picture to her PC and tablet and kept looking at it over and over. When she finally decided to call the shelter and ask about me it didn't take long for her to decide that I was the one.

She filled out the adoption application, gathered the needed references, and was immediately approved, but then we hit a bit of a snag. The shelter doesn't typically finalize adoptions before the prospective family meets the pet, meaning I couldn't be placed "on hold" (for lack of a better term) and when Mommy spoke to the shelter on Friday afternoon she learned that another lady had just stopped in and was very interested in me! Thankfully the nice shelter volunteer heard the panic in Mommy's voice when she reiterated that she just couldn't come get me until Sunday (they had already agreed to open the shelter just for us!) and said she'd do everything she could to steer the lady's attention to another cat. (People are just drawn to me...what can I say???)

So on a sunny Sunday morning Mommy and my Grandpa made the hour drive to make our union legal and bring me to my forever home.

She had never been to this particular shelter before and thought it was so beautiful. She especially loved the cat quotes on the walls.

She enjoyed spending a little time with Thomas, the shelter mascot, but her heart was pounding with anticipation to meet *me*!!!

There was a cute little tortie in the front holding room, and at first Mommy thought it was me! Then she was told that I was sequestered in the shelter director's office because I don't play well with others. Tattle tails!!!

As soon as Mommy saw me it was all over...I held her heart in my paws!

In no time at all the paperwork was complete and I was on my way home. Mommy rode in the back seat with me and I barely made a peep. We just gazed at each other as we fell completely in love.

I made myself at home the moment I walked in the door, immediately gravitating to the toys set out waiting for me...

...and the pawsome cat beds too! (Geez, wasn't I a skinny, scrawny little thing???) I was totally tuckered out at this point!

The whole day was just a dream come true, one Mommy and I will never forget. Life is pretty darn amazing for this little tortie today. I have a wonderful family who worships the ground I walk on, and loads of friends in the blogosphere who welcomed me with open arms.

Of all the kitties in the world, Mommy picked me. And I thank Cod for her every single day.

Note from Mommy: I thank Cod for you every single day too, precious girl!

Do you remember the day you moved to your forever home?

Caturday Art

Visit more artsy kitties at Athena's Caturday Art blog hop!

And now our weekly answers for the Friendly Fill-Ins challenge, hosted by 15andmeowing and Four-Legged Furballs!

1. Mudpie's adoption fee was money well spent.

2. Our last furnace was a big waste of money. It only lasted 7 years.

3. If I became famous, it would most likely be because of my cat writing. I don't see that ever happening though! 

4. ??? was the worst hairstyle I've ever had. I am so boring, I've never really styled my hair. I keep it cut just below my shoulders and let it hang loose during the winter, and in a ponytail in the summer. 

Christmas in July

Meows from Mudpie!

Today we want to thank the wonderful Miss Ellen of 15 and Meowing for the pawsome Christmas in July package she sent us.

She sent Mommy some Nightmare Before Christmas ornaments, Summerween decor, and a copy of her new book, My Friend Joanie...

...and she sent me a super fun patriotic-themed ice cream cone toy! 

I'm not sure if Mommy has ever mentioned this, but when she was a little girl my grandpa delivered ice cream to local stores. Her classmates were always so jealous that her Dad was the ice cream man! (Yes, he did get to bring home lots of samples.) So needless to say ice cream is quite special at our house. 

Mommy also wanted me to point out that My Friend Joanie is beyond adorable. While reading it she had the biggest smile on her face. She said she's pretty sure she spoke of her childhood cat Patch the same way little Rylee did during her school days long, long ago. He was most definitely her BFF.

We can't thank Miss Ellen and her kitties enough for always thinking of us during Christmas in July and picking out the most purrfect gifts!