Stash update

I've been trying to be more active on Ravelry and one of the things I really wanted to do was get all my yarn "stashed." So I started a couple weeks ago when I came home with new yarn. Tonight I took some photos and got one of my buckets updated.










Here are a few from my stash. I can't wait until I can get it all on the site!!!!

Odin learned to play!!! Sort of...

The past couple mornings I noticed Odin following me in to the kitchen like Ella and Goose always do. I decided to give fatty fat Goose some exercise, so I got out his bird toy. The first few times we tried playing with this to with Odin he quickly realized it was being held by a human and lost interest. Completely.

However, yesterday morning it caught his interest. I didn't have my phone on hand, but this morning I did!!!! The pictures are real crappy since there was hardly any light, but there's enough to see him play!!!

First, he stalked his prey...

Then he went in for a closer look...

Then he got tired, so he laid down

Then he got excited!!!

And then he laid down again...

So Goose showed him how to do it...

Then he attacked!!!!

He caught his prey and marched off with it triumphantly!

Cat sighting

Ever since Odin has been out of the crate, he's spent most of his time underneath our bed and only really on my side. I literally have to lay down on the ground to get a look at the guy. I've been tempting him with treats and he seems to like that. Every once in a while he'll even let me pet him. He really only ventures out when it's dark out and after Goose has gone around to do a perimeter check and then comes back to get him. Then the two of them to wreak havoc in the front room doing who knows what. But overall he's remained a bed cat for the last few weeks.

Until last night.

Last night as I was cleaning the litter boxes in the other room, Grant called to me and told me to get in the bedroom pronto because there was something I had to see. I just figured it was nothing so I took my time getting in there. When I got to the door, I saw Odin peeking his head out from under the bed on Grant's side. He was brave enough to poke his neck out even!!!!!! He made his way under the chair at the foot of the bed and just kind of hung out there for a while. Then...while the light in the bedroom was still on, he walked around and checked some things out.  Something he NEVER does. I tried to sleep, but was so excited because is was a freaking breakthrough!!!! It took me a while, but I finally settled in and got comfy and started to drift off. All of a sudden I feel Goose jump on to the bed and try to catch my feet, then settle in and lay down to sleep right between my legs. About 5 minutes later I feel another cat jump on to the bed!!! Then I felt Odin lay down after discussing things with Goose and he fucking. Slept. On. Me.

There's still hope!!!!!!!!!!!

Medically cleared!!!!

Today was Odin's 6 week post-op appointment. We saw the doc that actually did the surgery for him. The took him to the back and took some x-rays and when they came back out, we were told that he is medically cleared to run, jump, pounce, and do all other cat related things. Unfortunately he will continue living in his crate until tomorrow when I'll be home all day to make sure that no bloody fights ensue. The good thing about that is he loves his crate and believes it's his only safe haven.

Today we also finally got a collar on him and he doesn't seem to mind much. Maybe he used to wear one, or maybe he just really likes jewelry. Or maybe he just likes that the collar has skulls and crossbones and thinks that the others will leave him be because he looks like a bad ass with it on. Grant's mom also clipped a couple of his nails today without any protest, which kind of disproves the whole bad ass thing.

Well, wish me luck on tomorrow...hopefully it won't be needed!!!!

He PURRS!!!!!

This little gem of a pirate cat actually purrs!!! This is phenomenal. This past week he's finally been extremely sweet, not hissing at us each time we approach and letting us pet him. He's come out of the crate a couple times, while still being held and I think he's getting used to the idea that this is his new home. Also that we are his new family.


This morning when I got home from work, I did the usual...put my stuff down, got Ella and sent her outside to use the bathroom, sent her back to the bedroom to get her beauty rest, then grabbed a couple treats for Odin to see if that will teach him we're here for good things, not just bad ones. It took a bit before he'd take the treat, but as he has before...he gently gets a hold of the treat with his tongue, then swallows it whole, barely chewing. Soon after he took the second treat, I reached in to pet him. Usually he keeps his head down low, but this time he stretched his neck out and let me get in under his chin. Then the world stop. My eyes filled with tears of happiness and this bastard one eyed cat started purring. At me.

I ran in to the bedroom, woke Grant from his slumber to tell him the news. He was sleepy...so he said he'd take my word for it and to make sure this wasn't some sort of fluke, I came back out to pet him again. And he purred. Again. Like a Christmas fucking miracle.

I took a voice recording for Grant, just in case it never happens again though!!!!

Cat update!!

Since I've last updated, quite a few things have happened. Most importantly, we have changed Lucky's name to Odin. It's incredibly fitting. He's cranky, thinks he knows everything, and obviously...only has one eye.

So here he is before we got his stitches out:


Immediately after the removal of the cone of shame:


The way he looks every time we open the door to go hang out with him:


And when we pet him, immediately following the hissing:


And today when Grant drug him out of his crate to torture him by holding him:


And then...


He ran back in to his crate.

Overall, he is doing really well and adjusting to his living situation. Unfortunately we will be acclimating him to his new brother and sister one week from today. He'll still be in his crate for another 3-5 weeks, but his crate will be moved in to the living room. I'm sure he'll be miserable for a while. Hopefully he'll realize it is in his best interest!!!

A place to call home!!!!

Here are Grant and I with Lucky earlier today. We finally got to bring him home!!!!



But not before a little bit of ridicule first. Due to his surgery, he was shaved...


And we did what any good parents would do...and made fun of him about his new "do."

After 3 different vet hospitals and at least 2 follow up appointments coming up, so far our $5,000 is pretty right on the money!!!!

To introduce Lucky in to the family, we're keeping him crated (per the vet's orders) and he has his own room away from Ella and Goose for the next few weeks. He has hissed at me twice so far, but he is all talk! As soon as I reach in, he lets me pet him down his back and on his face without a fuss. We were even able to give him his meds with no problems! I think he's going to be really happy here.


His incisions are very small. This is a picture of his largest incision. The stitches will dissolve on their own in a week or so.


And here he is trying to hide. He's allowed to walk around for about an hour every day to get his muscles back up to par.


He's happy and sleeping now!!!

Post surgery

I got to visit Lucky today and Grant got to meet him for the first time. Poor guy looked so miserable. When I talked to the vet tech earlier today, she had told me that if we were to put a hand in to his crate that she couldn't guarantee we would pull our hand out with all our fingers still attached.

When they brought him out, he was pretty docile, but they told us to watch our hands because he might try to bite us. Here he is during our visit.











We left with all our fingers and he didn't even attempt to fight with us. And there were 4 of us all up in his face and he took it like a champ!!!

And as a friend said, soon we will have a band of pirate cats sailing the living room seas, pillaging Ella.

Update on Lucky

We are still waiting to hear back from the orthopedic surgeon for the estimate on Lucky's pelvis reattachment.

Today Lucky started his first round of surgeries. His eye was removed and so were his family jewels. An X-ray was taken of his jaw and the doctor said they didn't see any fractures. Lucky isn't eating on his own yet, so they have been syringe feeding him and keeping him on appetite stimulants. I haven't been able to go see him yet, but as soon as he is cleared for visitors I will be there and will get a couple photo updates.

Overall the vet staff have said that he is wonderful. And they ran the FeLV and FIV tests and he came back negative on both!!!! That is super good news because that means Lucky will be coming home and living with Grant and I once he's done with his surgeries!

So far we've raised about $1,600 towards Lucky's surgeries. The initial bill was $850 and through today with the surgeries will be $1,200. Once we hear from the orthopedic surgeon we should have a final estimate of what everything will cost.

The vet named him Lucky

Last night on my way home from work (1:30 in the morning) I saw something in the middle of the road. As I got closer, it was obviously a cat that'd been hit by a car. Like most cats that've been hit by cars, I just assumed he had died from his injuries. As I was passing the cat, I realized he was sitting up and was alive.
I immediately pulled over, waited for traffic to pass while holding my breath and hoping no one hit him while I was watching. As soon as traffic cleared, I pulled in to the middle of the road, put on my emergency flashers and walked over to the cat. As I knelt down and let him smell me, I saw that his left eye was bloody and was popped out of the socket. As I reached out to pet him, he didn't even flinch. I pet him and made sure he trusted me, then lifted him in to the car. At the time the only immediate injuries I could see were the eye and possibly his jaw.
I placed him in the passenger seat and he immediately crawled on to the floor. As I frantically searched for the nearest 24hr Vet, he seemed calm. He wasn't wailing or making any abnormal sounds. I located the nearest vet and raced over.
When I got to the vet they rushed him to the back (after he took a lap around the building trying to get away) and asked for his information. I didn't have any, but when I got the initial paperwork, they listed his name as Lucky.
The vet isn't sure if Lucky is feral, as he is still intact. He kept trying to get away from the doctor at the vet and she couldn't be sure that Lucky wouldn't try to bite her. However, aside from the car injuries, he was friendly with me, didn't seem like a scrappy cat, was fat, and was only as dirty as an outdoor cat. He didn't seem like he was getting in to fights out in the streets.
As it turns out, Lucky's eye will need to be removed. This is unfortunately the least expensive of the surgeries that are going to be needed. From his injuries, it's likely that Lucky's back end was run over by a car. His pelvis is fractured and is separated from his sacrum, which will need surgery. If he doesn't have this surgery, he will most likely have problems having bowel movements.
I was given an estimate of $4,000-$5,000 for the surgeries and they said they'd throw in the neutering for free. I don't exactly have that kind of money lying around and never thought I'd be paying that much on a cat. Especially one that I'd never met before. But I couldn't bear to leave him in the street waiting to die.
So, to help offset some of the vet bills, I will be selling hand knit hats, fingerless mittens, scarves, etc. I make a mean hat and I use quality, boutique yarn. If made from the boutique yarn, hats will be $40 and fingerless mittens will be $15. Anything made from the cheaper yarn would cost less. All money earned will go directly to pay for vet bills. In the event more money is received than needed to cover the vet bills, it will go to FieldHaven Feline Rescue in Lincoln, CA.
I didn't have time to get a picture of Lucky, but hopefully will soon! He's got a sweet face, bloody eye and all!
Donations would also be greatly appreciated.