I've Been Tagged!

I’ve been tagged by Phoenix.

Here are the rules:
Each player starts with seven random facts about himself. Write in your diary about the seven random facts and the rules. Then choose seven cats to tag and list their names. Don’t forget to leave them a comment that they have been tagged and to read your diary!

1. My full name is Mathis der Meowler. I am named after the German Renaissance painter, Mathis Neithardt, also known as Matthias Gothart Grünewald. You see, the 20th-century composer, Paul Hindemith, wrote a beautiful symphony called “Mathis der Mahler” (Mathis the Painter). This piece is based on themes from his opera “Mathis der Mahler” in which Matthias Grünewald is the protagonist. Therefore, I am named after Mathis Neithardt!

2. I am definitely a Meowler! I may be a small kitty, but my voice can be deep and loud. Actually, I have a sizeable vocabulary of meowls, yowls, growls (at the vet), moans, groans, mumbles, grumbles, trills, purrs, chirps, quacks and croaks.

3. I announce myself every time I enter a room or jump up onto a piece of furniture. I do this, so I won’t accidentally surprise anyone. As you may already know, I am the world’s biggest (smallest?) wuss-puss. Fortunately, none of the other cats consider me a threat, so as long as I don’t surprise anyone, I’m safe!

4. Meowmy says that, because of me, she now fully understands the etymology of the word “nosey.” It’s true! I am always sticking my nose into other cats’ “business.” Fortunately, I am a no-threat wuss-puss, so I can get away with this behavior.

5. It is very important to me to be close to my meowmy at night. In the warm months, I sleep by her side on top of the bed. But in the winter, when it gets cold at night, she lets me come underneath the blankets where it is nice and warm!

6. I love my little cat pole in the music room. It is basically a small round bed on top of a sisal-wrapped base. Meowmy loves to watch me jump up on this cat pole, because I go around and around in circles trying to find the purr-fect position to sleep.

7. You may already know from my profile that I have epilepsy. I used to have horrible grand mal seizures about once a month. Even though I don’t like going to the vet, I am glad my meowmy loves me so much, that she gets medical care for me. She gives me a small dose of phenobarbital twice a day, and I have been seizure-free for over 6 1/2 years! Hooray! Life is good!

I tag:
Tommy
Zack
Sven
Zane Gray
Belle
Figaro
Kragen

Three Days and Counting!

Dear Diary,

I am so excited! In just three days it will be my ten-year anniversay of being rescued from homelessness and imminent death!

On October 24, 1997, meowmy found me emaciated and weak in her front yard. Then meowmy started getting medical care for me. A couple months later I almost died from a reaction and a seizure following an inoculation. Meowmy found out that I have epilepsy. I started taking an anti-seizure drug that was easy on the liver, but it didn't yet have a proven track record in cats. That drug—potassium bromide—made my lungs sick, and I almost died a second time. (Now it is common veterinary knowledge that KBr doesn't work well in many cats.) In the summer of 2001, I started taking phenobarbital twice a day, and I am doing extremely well! I am healthy and happy, and I have been seizure-free for over 6 1/2 years!

Because of all the medical problems I had early in my life, my meowmy never expected to have me at this ripe old age of 10! I am so grateful to be alive, well and loved! On Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2007, my human and feline family and friends will celebrate a wonderful 10 years with me! Purrs to you all!

Sincerely,
Mathis der Meowler

My Big Day!

Dear Diary,

October 24, 2007 is the 10-year anniversary of my rescue and getting a loving fur-ever home! I am so lucky to have a meowmy who takes care of me as well as bro-furs and sis-furs who make my life fun and interesting! And today many of you Catsters helped me celebrate my big day! Thank you Charlie Clarence, Zack, Teddy, Hannah, Sophie, Lucy, Chloe, Punkin Pooh and Arwen for visiting me and my family during the festivities! Now it's time to eat some tuna! Purrs to you all!

Sincerely,
Mathis der Meowler

Still Beaming!

Dear Diary,

I am still beaming with joy about my big day yesterday! I am so happy that many Catsters came by to visit me and my family! Special thanks go to Meshew, Friggy, Skully and Oscar for their generous gifts! I wish all the kitties of the world were as lucky as my Catster friends and I! Purrs to you all!

Sincerely,
Mathis der Meowler

Christmas Tagged by Jacob!

Hi! I’ve been tagged by Jacob!

Here are five things I want for Christmas:
1. A safe and healthy 2008 for my feline and human family and friends.
2. I want for me and Entrechat to keep weight on, and for Figaro and Belle to lose some weight. MOL!
3. I want for Entrechat and Antoine to stop getting so rambunctious with me and bopping me on the head.
4. Milk!
5. Lots of cuddles from meowmy!

I tag:
Dash
Filly the Swift of Rohan
Fred
Hattie
Queso

The Gift of a Purr

Today is Christmas Day! This morning before meowmy got up, we had a wonderful cuddle in bed, and I purred! Meowmy was reminded of the best Christmas present she ever received. That was 6 years ago.

As many of you may already know from my bio, I have epilepsy. For the first couple years of my life, I suffered from grand mal seizures every few weeks. Then my meowmy and my vet decided to start me on an anti-seizure drug called potassium bromide (KBr), which is easier on the liver than phenobarbital. KBr helped the seizure problem, but within a couple months, I started coughing a lot. At that time, scientists didn’t know that KBr wasn’t tolerated well by many cats. So I was put on various medications to help me breathe better. It was during this time—when my lungs were sick—that I quit purring. About a year later, data began to show a connection between KBr and lung problems in cats, and on July 17, 2001, I switched to phenobarbital. This began a long, slow, 6-month recovery of my lungs. Little by little I found myself coughing less, and I was gradually weaned off Theodur and prednisone. Halloween was my last dose. Finally getting off prednisone was a big help—I began to feel more like myself. But I still had no purr. Christmas Eve 2001 was the first time I purred in meowmy’s arms in over 1 1/2 years! Meowmy was so happy! She says it was the best Christmas present she has ever gotten!

Now I purr a lot—but not necessarily every day. Meowmy knows that when I purr, it is a moment to be cherished!

Merry Christmas to you all!

Sincerely,
Mathis der Meowler

Love and Courage

Dear Diary,

I almost died 10 years ago.

As you may already know, meowmy rescued me on Oct. 24, 1997. She found me weak and emaciated. My meowmy trapped me and then began getting veterinary care for me. Even though I was very scared, she gave me medication for my URI and for ear mites. As I became stronger, I began getting my shots and was neutered. Things were really looking up! I was getting well, and I finally became tame about 3 days before my last scheduled vaccine! Meowmy was so happy when I decided to trust her and her father (my grandpaw)! On Jan. 12, 1998, I went to the vet for my FIP inoculation. This was supposed to be my last trip to the vet for a year!

Then on Jan. 13, 1998, meowmy got up early to get ready for work. In those days, I was still living in the playroom. She came down to feed me, and she was horrified to find me lying in the beanbag chair in a pool of urine and blood on the floor. I was barely able to breathe. Because she had to go to work, my grandpaw came and took me to the emergency vet. At lunchtime, my meowmy got off work and called the vet. He said it was likely that I wouldn’t make it, and if she wanted to see me, she should come now. She and grandpaw came to visit me in the hospital. I lifted my head just a little when she first came in, but I was still struggling to breathe. Meowmy talked quietly to me for an hour and stroked me very gently. She told the vet to call her first thing in the morning—no matter how early. Meowmy didn’t sleep at all that first night. And then the phone call came—I was alive! And I was doing a little bit better! Meowmy came to visit me again that next day, and after 2 1/2 days on IVs, I was well enough to come home!

Meowmy believes that I survived this ordeal because I finally had love in my life. And because I finally had something to live for, I had the courage to fight to stay alive!

Life is good!

Sincerely,
Mathis der Meowler

I've Been Tagged Again!

I’ve been tagged again!—this time by Whisper!

Here are 7 random facts about myself:

1. When meowmy first trapped me and started getting me medical attention, she kept me in the playroom, where I could recover. For 2 months used to I wander to the door and windows and yowl, and then one day I suddenly became tame and decided I liked my home.

2. Eight and a half years ago—before I was taking any anti-seizure drugs, meowmy needed to go out of town for a week. During that time, I was supposed to stay with meowmy’s parents because of my epilepsy. My first day at my grandpawrent’s home, I yowled nonstop clear into the night! Grandpaw and grandmaw couldn’t sleep, so finally at 3 a.m. they put me in a cage and brought me back to my house. I was immediately happy again! Fortunately, I didn’t have any problems recovering from a seizure.

3. I like it when meowmy or my grandpaw let me go into the backyard for supervised walks. I usually stay out for 5 or 10 minutes, and I love it when it’s warm and sunny outside!

4. I don’t like getting my feet dirty in the litter box, so instead of covering up my deposit, I scratch the side of the box when I’m done.

5. On meowmy’s bed in the evening, Entrechat & I often give each other head baths!

6. I have been to the vet so many times in my life, I don’t bother to yowl in the car anymore.

7. I have a bizarre interest in the photocopy machine. Whenever meowmy makes copies, I have to be right there beside her in the way, and I make funny mumbling sounds. MOL!

I tag:
Dusty
Joey
Kari
Cary
Stumpy
Mio
Mister Mickey

Seven Years Seizure-Free!

Dear Diary,

Today is a celebration day for me! I am very lucky! It has been 7 years since my last epileptic seizure! Since I started taking phenobarbital every day, I have been 100% seizure-free! I only wish all my EpileptiCat friends were so lucky. Purrs to you all!

Sincerely,
Mathis der Meowler

Will the Tooth Fairy Visit Me Tonight?

Dear Diary,

I just lost a tooth. Meowmy was about to give me my phenobarbital pill, when I flinched, and out popped a tooth. It was my lower right fang. Meowmy was very upset, and she held me and cuddled me for a long time. Meowmy took a good look at the tooth, and she said that what was left of the root did not look strong and healthy. She thinks it was a bad tooth for quite awhile. Meowmy also said she will always keep that tooth as a memento, because she loves me so much.

Hey mom, I'm ready for my dinner!

Purrs,
Mathis der Meowler