31Dec24: What a year!

That rose bush is a favorite of man and beast!

The birds are roosting just now, so Andy heads out for a kitty nap.

=(^+^)=

We survived another year. Happy New Year!

30Dec24: nearly ending a year…

Fresh catnip! The plant is still small, so Andy only gets a leaf once in awhile.

Tired of the television program, Andy headed out.

Watching me till I figure out what he wants.

Mousies in the kitchen cabinets…if he’s lucky.

Staring at me. What is it with Andie and staring?

Dried catnip is OK, too, until the real deal grows in the kitchen.

Zonked, on his back. That was great ‘nip!

29Dec24: more old times…

Andy’s fine plume of a tail clearly shown here!

Andy makes use of the table more than I do.

Coming to snoop on what I’m eating. Don’t set my food on his lapboard!

It took years after Dougy died before Andy felt safe reclining in Dougy’s favorite spot on the recliner.

28Dec24: access denied…

Andy is clever enough to use certain places to avoid medication time.

He’s staring at me to try to get my attention, but I’m ignoring him because I know what’s of concern to him.

“Hint! Hint! That door to the south bedroom wasn’t closed when I went for a drink at my fountain.”

Andy takes a nap since he’s failed to get me to open the door.

=(^+^)=

I initially closed both bedroom doors 24 hours a day, easily reducing Andy’s world to 60% of what he was used to.

That seemed cruel after a day or two, so I eased up. I decided to try letting him have access to these places most of the day.

Approximately an hour or so before Andy’s medication time, I start closing the bedroom doors.

When it’s medication time, it now is much easier catching Andy.

My success rate medicating him now approaches 100%, whereas before I frequently lost out to Andy hiding under beds or some place in the south bedroom that I never located.

27Dec24: a further look back…

At the veterinarian’s. Andy has high blood pressure and hyperthyroidism.

Play was Dougy’s thing, but Andy will play a little.

Awww! Louie was a great kitty. I’m glad I got this photo on a mug.

26Dec24: a review…

Larry and Virginia visited, and Andy put on a show.

Those whiskers on the left side rarely show up in photos.

Andy wants to eat the grass but has a hard time of it.

25Dec24: Christmas…

I’m not sending cards this year. I hope your Christmas is joyous and your new year is prosperous!

24Dec24: Andy in a snit…

Andy was upset because I finally caught him for medication time.

He came into the front room, ignored my friendly hand, and hopped onto the recliner footrest.

He avoided my blinky eyes entreaty to forgive and forget.

=(^+^)=

Andy was in a better mood a short time later. The faster I can find and pick up to medicate him, the better his mood after. I do hold him, wrapped still in the towel, to rub his ears and head and to softly tell him what a good kitty he has been. That seems to help because he doesn’t struggle to get away from me as fast as possible then.

=(>+<)=

I learned of the death of Christi Teahon, my cousin Sharon Wheelock’s daughter, at dialysis Monday. Christi was a sweet, sensitive person. She wrote a book on horse handling that is her legacy and the best evidence of her kind nature. She suffered illness her last years, to which she succumbed. You were the best of people, cousin.

RIP Christi Teahon.

23Dec24: Andy blows it…

Andy got to use the south bedroom yesterday in a test of whether he’d hide in there long enough to avoid medication time. He timed it well, staying in there much longer than I expected: wherever he hides in there, it is totally out of view. I haven’t been able to locate where he hides, so, sadly, his access will be cut, making his world about 35% smaller.

I also am having difficulties with his hyperthyroidism medication. I tried giving his medications at 10ish to 11 AM and 12 hours later at night, hours established in my belief that was possible in view of when I typically get out of dialysis. Thanks to Andy, how many times he hid from me, and how often I couldn’t stay awake to give him the second dose of hyperthyroidism medicine, I’m trying a new time pattern: 2ish to 3ish PM and 2ish to 3ish AM.

I don’t feel confident this is much better, but it reduces all the things I try to get done after getting home from dialysis to feed Andy and me and get comfortable. Tossing in catching a cat and medicate him proved too much for a person just done with a medical procedure that involves sending one’s blood through a machine hundreds of times over four hours to remove waste! Frankly, there are times I am very lightheaded afterward. Catching a cat, some days, presented a hazard for me when I’ve had a rough session.

He gave me a run for it. He’s upset, I’m upset.

=(>+<)=

The blogger world had sad news yesterday. Jimi the cat was euthanized after a six month struggle with illness. Herman, our Belgian friend and Jimi’s human, noted he held Jimi in his last moments. We all will miss the handsome Jimi, who was part of Herman’s life and blog since 2018. I’m sure I wasn’t the only one besides Herman who shed tears for Jimi the Belgian kitty.

=(^+^)=

He and I settled down. He got his medications and I am letting him have access to the guest bedroom for a few hours. I may start sleeping there and use the opportunity, perhaps, to learn his the location of his secret hiding place.

22Dec24: the mug’s on the new mug…

Coffee always tastes better in an Andy mug. Here’s the newest design. Holly, the veterinarian technician holding Andy, gets one like it.

=(^+^)=

The problem of Andy hiding and successfully avoiding medication is being handled by letting him have access to the bedrooms some of the day, but making sure the doors are closed close to when his medicine is due. Compromise.