DDP Honor

Thank you so much for the DDP honor yesterday, Catster, and thank you to my Catster friends for the rosettes, gifts, and congrats. Mom and I appreciate all of you remembering us at this difficult time.

Angel Purrs,
Felix

Felix Is Now At The Bridge

Felix passed peacefully to the Rainbow Bridge today, October 15, 2012, at 11:30 a.m. Central Time. He is healthy and happy again.

Thank you all for your prayers, gifts, messages, and tributes to my sweet boy. They mean more to me than you'll ever know. I know that along with Critter, there were many "fur angels" who met him at Bridge, and I know I'll see him and Critter again one day.

I will try to respond individually to all of you who sent pawmails, diary comments, and rosettes/gifts, although it may take some time as I am not yet up to spending a lot of time on Catster for a little while.

God bless you all-

Lisa

From Felix's Mom

I am doing this entry for myself rather than for Felix because it's easier.

Felix has been not been feeling well for almost a couple of weeks now. He was having diarrhea and vomiting, and was losing weight, in spite of having a voracious appetite. I took him to the vet on Oct. 4, and after running complete bloodwork and other tests, she couldn't find what was wrong, except possibly an infection. He took antibiotics for almost a week, but there was no improvement in his symptoms.

We went back to the vet on Wednesday, Oct. 10, and she had him stay there to get fluids (he was dehydrated) and take some x-rays. The x-rays didn't give a definitive answer, only that there was something that was either a mass or inflammation. She referred him to a specialist in Houston (about 45 miles from where we live) where they could do an ultrasound and more x-rays.

The results were not good. The ultrasound revealed multiple tumors in his lungs. Today I went back to Houston and discussed with the vet where to go from here. They could do a biopsy and determine whether to do chemo or some other treatment, but there are risks involved with that surgery. More importantly to me, the vet told me frankly that his prognosis was poor, and that any such treatment would prolong his life by only a few months at best. At Felix's age (almost 13) I don't believe it would worth putting him through the stress this would cause him.

So after much prayer and agonizing, I've decided that it's best to help Felix make his journey to the Bridge. I've brought him home to spend his last couple of days with me, and will make arrangements with his regular vet (for 12 years) on Monday to help me with this.

I want to thank all of Felix's wonderful Catster friends for your rosettes, gifts, messages, and prayers. It means a lot to me and to Felix. God bless you all.

Felix's mom (Lisa)

DDP!

Thank you for the DDP honor today, Catster! I need to make my secretary (Mom) update my diary more often - hee, hee. This is a nice late birthday present. Thanks also to my Catster friends for the pawmails, messages and rosettes, and to Big Harry of the Olde Furts group for my DDP pic!

Mom gave me some of my favorite Whiskas Temptations treats to celebrate and now I'm going to take a snooze in my new bed!

My Birthday

I want to thank everyone who sent me rosettes, gifts and messages for my birthday yesterday, and a special thank you to my friend Dusty the Puppycat for my cool birthday pic! We appreciate all our thoughtful friends here on Catster. Mom and I will try to thank everyone individually later this week when she has more time. We just got back today from visiting Grandma for the Thanksgiving weekend.

I had a great day. Mom bought me a new cat bed, and I got my favorite treat - fish! I got some turkey on Thanksgiving, so I'm feeling extra spoiled. It's good to be a cat!

Love Bug Tag!

I got tagged by the “Love Bug” (my friend Pacer). To play Love Bug tag with me, just copy the 6 questions below and answer them in your diary, then tag another furiend to play!

1. Meow! Are you a noisy kitty or a quiet kitty?

I can be very vocal when I want Mom's attention or want to be fed. I often sit in the hallway and yowl pitifully when she's on the computer, because she's not paying attention to ME!

2. Litterbox! Cover your business or let some other kitty cover?

I always cover my business - in fact, I take so long to cover my poop Mom sometimes says I'm "digging to China." I also scatter the litter on the rug in front of my box. If I didn't have a covered box I could scatter a lot more - hee, hee.

3. Happy! Favorite Daily Routine?

Snuggling with Mom on her lap. We love our "lap time"!

4. Hiss! Least Favorite Routine?

When Mom goes to work in the morning and leaves me home alone all day.

5. Ding-Dong! What do you think about visitors to your house?

When the doorbell rings or there's a knock I usually run into the other room, but I almost always come back out to greet the person and check them out. I love attention from anyone!

6. Friends! Do you like other animals?

I'm an only cat so I don't get to spend much time around other animals. But when Mom and I visit Grandma I get to see her cat, Domino. He doesn't like me very much, but except for an occasional hiss or swat at each other, we usually leave each other alone.

Now I'm tagging my friend Ishtar (#597601)!

The History of Memorial Day

Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation's service. There are many stories as to its actual beginnings, with over two dozen cities and towns laying claim to being the birthplace of Memorial Day. There is also evidence that organized women's groups in the South were decorating graves before the end of the Civil War: a hymn published in 1867, "Kneel Where Our Loves are Sleeping" by Nella L. Sweet carried the dedication "To The Ladies of the South who are Decorating the Graves of the Confederate Dead" (Source: Duke University's Historic American Sheet Music, 1850-1920). While Waterloo N.Y. was officially declared the birthplace of Memorial Day by President Lyndon Johnson in May 1966, it's difficult to prove conclusively the origins of the day. It is more likely that it had many separate beginnings; each of those towns and every planned or spontaneous gathering of people to honor the war dead in the 1860s tapped into the general human need to honor our dead, each contributed honorably to the growing movement that culminated in Gen. Logan giving his official proclamation in 1868. It is not important who was the very first, what is important is that Memorial Day was established. Memorial Day is not about division. It is about reconciliation; it is about coming together to honor those who gave their all.

Memorial Day was officially proclaimed on 5 May 1868 by General John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, in his General Order No. 11, and was first observed on 30 May 1868, when flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery. The first state to officially recognize the holiday was New York in 1873. By 1890 it was recognized by all of the northern states. The South refused to acknowledge the day, honoring their dead on separate days until after World War I (when the holiday changed from honoring just those who died fighting in the Civil War to honoring Americans who died fighting in any war). It is now celebrated in almost every State on the last Monday in May (passed by Congress with the National Holiday Act of 1971 to ensure a three day weekend for Federal holidays).

http://www.usmemorialday.org/backgrnd.html

A New Game of Tag!

I've been tagged by my friend Milo (#1111843)! I list five of the most annoying things my human does, then tag five friends to do the same and put it in their diaries. This will be fun!

1. Playing/working on the computer instead of giving me her full attention.
2. Not cleaning my litter box or changing my water on time.
3. Interrupting me when I'm trying to shred the sofa (and on top of that, saying NO! really loud).
4. Being really slow to wake up at 3:00 a.m. when I'm ready for my early breakfast. Sometimes I have to slap her on the side of head two or three times and whine pitifully for several minutes.
5. Not letting me walk around on the kitchen counter and investigate things. She has the nerve to pick me up and put me back on the floor!

Now I'm tagging these five friends:

Arrow #635173
Angel #410352
Baxter #1134922
Athena #358568
Preston #1023629

Thank You For a Pawsome Week (Two Weeks Actually)!

Mom and I want to say a big THANK YOU! to everyone who sent rosettes, stars, gifts, messages and friend requests during my time as Cat of the Week, and thank you again to Catster for choosing me! What a pawsome time I had, especially since I got to enjoy it for an extra week! I feel so lucky to have so many wonderful friends here.

We're in the process of sending individual responses, but it will take a few days, since I have to let my secretary (Mom) go to her regular job, too. So please don't think we've forgotten you if you haven't received a thank you rosette yet - we'll do our best to get to everyone ASAP!

Mom and I wish everyone at Catster a very Happy New Year!

Purrs,
Felix

Cat of the Week - Wow!

I can't believe I'm Catster's Cat of the Week! Mom and I got the e-mail a few hours after we got back home from visiting Grandma. What a pawsome surprise! Thank you so much, Catster, and thank you to everyone for the rosettes, gifts, messages and friend requests. A special thanks to my good friend Dusty the Puppycat for the COTW plaque! Mom and I will try to send individual messages to all of you later this week.

Mom has given me extra treats and attention today and of course I expect to be spoiled rotten for this whole week. What's that you say, Mom? I'm spoiled rotten all the time? Hee, hee.

Purrs,
Felix