Life Of A 'Couture Roof Baby'

Lost in Hello Kittyland!!

Dear Diary,

Mom caught this on the surveillance camera this morning……

**NINGA MEATBALL stealthily creeps down from the rafters and blasts Armani with whipped cream using her OOZINATOR BLASTER covering Armani in whipped cream, obviously temporarily impairing his vision, since his face was covered with whipped cream**

**giggles hysterically, the Ninja throws Armani in her Hello Kitty baby carriage, and wheels him out the door to safety where NO HOOMAN can adopt him!!!**

Just wait until I find my way home, Meatball!!! Naturally, that might go quicker for me if I stopped and asked for directions..... but I'm a mancat! *giggles*

Lost in Hello Kittyland,
Armani
*not adoptable today either, unless you like pink cats.... hee, hee*

~ goodbyes with good news ~

Dear Diary,

I can’t say that it’s been an entirely fantastic time since Gucci and Hulk were dropped off for mom to kitty-sit. For the first week Gucci acted like he did not remember me. He growled and hissed up a storm at me and threatened to kick my furry behind if I didn’t back off. That really hurt my feelings! I kept trying to jog his memory with telling him stories of our fun times we had as kittens, but he wouldn’t hear of it. Finally he was so tired of me persistently bugging him that he held true to his promise and tried to beat me up! That was it! I was done with him and I told him that I wished we were never brothers! *pouts* But then a few days after that incident, Gucci kept coming up to me asking me to tell him some more stories from our kitten days. Nope! He had his chance and blew it. I wanted nothing to do with him and now I was the one hissing at him to stay away from me.

But this last week Gucci and I have made our peace and we have gotten along pretty well. We’ve played and chased each other around the house and even have taken a few naps together. We knew his time here was coming to an end, but we both seemed o.k. with that. He missed his pawrents a lot and couldn’t wait for them to return to pick him and Hulk up. And I knew that this time our goodbyes would not break my heart like the last time.

Just as I was counting down the last days of mom kitty-sitting Gucci-Goo and Hulk and thinking that we would never see each other again, Gucci’s mom called. She had wonderful news that Gucci’s dad had been offered a job back in Las Vegas and so they didn’t have to move to Kansas after all. Their dad was on his way back from Kansas as she was speaking to mom! Hurray! That was the best news ever for their entire family! Everyone was so worried about Gucci and Hulk having to make that super long trip and their pawrents didn‘t know a soul there. But now, this Tuesday morning, Gucci and Hulk will be headed back to Las Vegas to live with their pawrents where there’s a new house and also their same ol’ family and friends waiting for them all. We are just so thrilled for their family!!

That’s about it for today. I'm still feeling much better except mom fears the hydration monsters are going to have to return for awhile just to make sure I keep recovering well. No big deal, I'll just be sure to hide in my secret spot that mom still has been unable to locate!! *giggles*

Headbonks and Purrs,
Armani
*thankful for the purrs*

Gucci's home!! :)

Dear Diary,

Guess what Diary? My real brother Gucci-Goo arrived here today!! *does the happy dance* Mom is going to kitty-sit him and his furmate Hulk for the next three weeks! Mom has them set up in the spare bedroom for now, and told me that maybe in a few days I could see him. A few days? Humph! But I wanted to see him right now! I begged and pleaded with mom to let me into their room, and yet she kept asking me to please let them be for awhile.

Mom doesn’t know quite how I accomplished this, but she was walking down the hallway and gasped to see that their bedroom door was standing wide open! She quickly made sure that none of us kitties were in there and checked on Gucci and Hulk. Hulk was still in the farthest corner underneath the bed and Gucci was hiding behind the other bed. She then shut the door and made sure that it was latched. She was completely unaware that I was hiding in there. *giggles*

I asked Gucci to come out from behind the bed, but he hissed that he didn’t know who I was and that I better stay away from him! What? How could he have forgotten me? I’m his brother. *sad sighs* When mom entered back into the room and shockingly discovered me in there, I was sitting in the middle of the room looking really sad. Mom explained to me that Gucci has a new mom and brother now. And that Gucci hasn’t forgotten us, that he has just moved forward with his life. We are his past and he is really confused right now as to what is going on. Then she explained that it would be best if I just gave him some space and not to open the bedroom door and sneak in there anymore. I couldn’t promise her that, but I told her I would try to not bother him and Hulk. I sure hope he’s not so confused and scared soon, because I can’t wait to spend some time with him.

I’m still not quite back to my ol’ self, but I am feeling quite a bit better. Mom doesn’t like the look in my eyes or that my third eye lids are continuing to stick and are a bit pink. They do seem to look a bit better as each day passes though. I’m not yet quite up to playing and have no interest when she busts out the laser light for playtime. Today I did romp around for a short while with Spunky and that helped to make mom see that I am improving.

I am impatiently waiting to get to my thank yous for all of the kind paw mails and gifts that were left in my room for me. *big hugs* I appreciate everyone of them so much! And if this has crossed anyfur’s mind, don’t worry because the following has been the joke regarding me ever since I fell ill at Easter: ‘Why doesn’t somebody just go out and find another black widow for Armani to play with?’ Ha ha, you sillies! :)

G’nite for now. I'm off to go see if Gucci will at least play footsie with me underneath the bedroom door.

Purrs,
Armani
*keeping Auntie Barbi in our close purrs and prayers*

~ thanks for your purrs ~

Dear Diary,

Nobody can figure me out! I just seem to be this walking medical mystery. *giggles* I have been doing so well since the end of last year when the girly spider bit me, but for some unknown reason I took a crash over Easter. Mom’s starting to cringe every time a holiday is approaching. At Christmas Muppet had us all worried. Then New Years Sampson wound up in the hospital. Then came Easter and I fell real ill. We promise her that we do not wait and time these horrible incidents just to ruin her holidays. *giggles*

Off to the doc I went with Muppet on Wednesday. I didn’t think that it was fair at all that Muppet was able to sit up front on mom’s lap on the way there while I was locked up in a carrier and placed in the back seat with a human stranger. Humph! Then when we arrived, Muppet got to lie in her small princess bed up on the counter while I was placed and expected to stay on the examining table. That didn’t last long! I jumped up on the counter and asked Muppet if I could please join her in her bed. She said that it was just big enough for her. Really? In slow motion I inched my way in, went under her blanket that was covering her, and by the time it was all said and done we were both in the bed and the blanket was on me! Lol! Muppet was not happy that we were at the doc’s nor that I was squishing her, but she let me stay there.

The doc poked me with a needle and listened to my insides. It didn’t sound too good, and when the blood work came back the results showed that my body was going crazy producing too many red blood cells again. *sighs* I needed another blood-letting procedure done and asap as this turns my blood to like a thick sludge. So the next morning Dr. T knocked me out and performed the procedure. I was able to come home yesterday afternoon and mom can tell that I already feel a bit better. When my red blood cells go crazy reproducing too many, my third eye lids stick and instead of being white, they turn reddish. I also just start looking and feeling overall cruddy and that's when mom knows it’s time for me to go to the doc. This time it slammed me fast and hard. We can’t be sure if the Polycythemia is back or not. I have not been attacked by the hydration monsters for quite awhile and there still is no need for them now. *purrs & hopes it stays that way* We are all praying that this was just a one time odd occurrence and that I will get better and be fine from now on.

I want to thank everyone who kindly prayed for me and stopped by room and left notes and gifts. Wow! I appreciate them all and I know that they helped me! *hugs & more hugs* I think everyfur can understand that it will take mom and I some time to thank you all personally. Mupp and I are taking up a lot of her time right now and we’ve been limited on cruising around on our mopeds in Catsterland.

Purrs & Headbonks,
Armani
xoxo

~ that girly spider may have cured me ~

Dear Diary,

It’s been awhile since I’ve updated my diary. I’ve had all of my focus on helping to make sure little Muppet gets well after her surgeries. She’s my best buddy and Chico and I diligently watch over her.

Let’s see, where did I leave off? Oh yes, our house and the would be burglar! Mom now knows that they were not trying to break in that day. They had been watching our house and it did appear that nobody was home for a few days. They came and pounded on the doors to be sure nobody was home and then left the newspaper on the front door handle. The intention was to come back later and if the newspaper was still there, then they would know it was safe to break in. Mom didn’t know this at the time, she thought they were breaking in and she said it‘s the most scared she‘s ever been in her life. And the phone line not working turned out to be that the person who had just previously phoned mom did not properly hang up their phone. What are the odds of that in a time of need? Anyways, that’s why the computer line still worked as it’s on a separate line. We’ve had no more incidents, thank goodness!

I’ve been feeling better these days. My body has stopped producing those excessive amounts of red blood cells and I’ve been staying hydrated!! My Polycythemia seemed to reverse itself after the Black Widow bit me! I just seem to be a medical mystery kitty! The shots almost took my life and gave me that dreaded condition which was going to be life long with transfusions and icky hydration monsters attacking me. Then the girly spider bit me, I almost croaked but survived, and so far have had no more signs of Polycythemia! The docs can't say exactly why, but who cares!! I’m feeling much better now and the hydration monsters are leaving me alone. I must though find a way to make them leave Muppet alone too.

Another trickster has snuck in my room and attempted to erase my ‘Not Adoptable?’ status. *giggles* They want me to be known as just ‘Armani’ and not have any question weather or not I’m adoptable. *purrs*

I hope effurybody had a nice Christmas! Mupp was not well but by Christmas evening showed improvement so we were all very happy. We got lots of new toys and mom gave us real turkey as a treat. Yum! She also put a big plate of turkey out for the stray kitties and they gobbled it up.

Loads of Purrs for a Happy and Healthy New Year!!
Luv,
Armani
* I don't dare mention that I may be adoptable now - giggles - *

~ saved from bad guy by IM program & a Catster Angel ~

Dear Diary,

Believe it or not, we were saved today by a Catster friend in Tennessee. It all started when we were the unsuspecting recipients of a human ‘tag’ game. But mom says that human tag games are not fun like ours in Catsterland. She said when humans play this type of tag game, they want to come back and steal everything you own.

Yikes!! No wonder mom was so scared when she heard loud banging on the front door. Nobody knocks like this, it was scary and rude! Was the house on fire? No! Why would someone be insanely knocking like that? It would let up for a moment and then start again. When mom saw that the doorknob was being jiggled around that’s when she tried to call 911 and discovered there was no dial tone!! OMC! Someone wants in and isn’t letting up and mom could not call for help!! Had they cut our phone lines? Furreaked out, that’s what we all were!

It became almost comical watching mom running frantically around to make sure everything was locked up! There is a window in the spare bedroom that looks out to the front door area. Every time she had to go by that spare bedroom, she would stop and slowly peek to make sure they couldn‘t see her, and then race by that doorway!! Mol! She was also packing a 38 pistol and she should have looked like one of those characters out of a TV show that chases bad guys, however she didn’t at all. She was doing this shaking and trembling thing so bad, that a few times I thought the pistol was going to shake right out of her hand!! *giggles*

No phone and no common sense running through mom’s head at this point. She just had a look of terror on her face. We all sat just watching her run around. Then she had an idea? Was the computer line still working? She crawled out to the family room to check, just praying nobody would see her through the windows. She found that yes the computer was still on-line!! Hurray! But how do we call somebody? She clicked on one of her IM programs and there was one of her friends on-line!! It was Muppet’s beau, Greystone’s mom!! She frantically typed “are you there” and when she got the reply back that “Yes, I am” mom busted out crying with relief and told her what was happening! Greystone’s wonderful mom in Tennessee, got a hold of our police department here in Nevada and in no time at all three cop cars came screaming up to our house!!

The police humans have only found one clue as to who this could have been. There was a newspaper stuck by the front door handle. Burglars ‘tag’ homes they want to break into by doing this. If the newspaper is still there when they return, they know nobody has been home and feel safer to break in. Mom called the name and number on the newspaper and they said that they had thrown a few out by people’s mailboxes early this morning, and that they never knock or strap them to people’s doors. Mom had a good description of the bad man, except for his face. Four patrol cars searched our area for several hours and he wasn’t found. Chances are that he will return, and hopefully go away when he sees the newspaper gone. We get extra police patrol until then.

The funniest thing of the entire incident to mom is that when she was frantically trying to type the IM’s to Grey’s mom to answer the police ‘s questions, somewhere in there she mentioned that she was so embarrassed because she had not taken a shower! MOL!!
Grey’s mom told this to the police dispatch in which she giggled and replied, “Only a lady would think about something like that when somebody’s trying to break into their house!” MOL!

And that wasn’t our only excitement for today. Sweetest Hazel Lucy started a ‘Muppet’s Bucket’ group and mom is overwhelmed with how many caring and generous Catsters have joined in to help our precious little sister! We are speechless with it all, there’s so much kindness and good in the Catster Community. We are grateful beyond words. Muppet will have her surgeries thanks to you all!!! Hurray!! Bless you all!!

G-nite for now,
Armani
*waves at Meatball*

~ We have a Mystery Winner!! ~

Dear Diary,

First, I would like to announce that we have a winner who solved my Mystery. * drum roll pawlease……* The kitty who correctly guessed that Meatball was the cute prankster who snuck into my room and spray painted - ‘NOT’ adoptable - on my wall is …. Beloved Angel Amelia! Congratulations Angel Amelia!! You have won the furever diamond. *hugs* Thanks and purrs to everybody who played. We had so much fun and had lots of giggles! * big hugs to sweet Meatball and Prissy who are on a mission to ensure that I get to stay in foster mom’s home forever. - giggles - *

In other big news for our family, mom adopted a kitty named Phantom to a very nice lady yesterday. We’ve been looking for the purfect home for Phantom for two years, so this was very exciting for us. Phantom is a beautiful black Maine Coon-mix kitty, and being that Halloween was yesterday he didn’t go to his new home until today. Auntie P, who has been fostering him, was sad to see him go but also glad that he found such a purfect home. (ironically two streets away from her) He now has a wonderful new mom and a gentle Catahoula (sp?) doggie to call his very own. We hope to see him on Catsters, along with his new doggie furiend Holly on Dogsters, very soon.

Hugs and Purrs,
Armani
adoptable…I mean ‘not adoptable‘…..
or ‘am adoptable’ …. oh, whatever…
*giggles*

~ clues to a trickster ~

Dear Diary,

Some trickster has snuck into my room and spray painted on my wall! *giggles* They painted a big ‘NOT’ right above where my neon sign says ‘adoptable’ is hung. So now it says ‘NOT Adoptable! * giggles & thinks that's so sweet! *

My video surveillance captured this scenario:
*Unknown prankster climbs up on a ladder, and since they are unable to erase the word "adoptable", they spray paint "NOT" above it*
*They giggle & climb down off of the ladder and scamper away*

I busted out my forensic detective kit and have only discovered a few clues. The trickster left behind what appears to be a piece of spaghetti with a few pretty black strands of fur stuck on it. And they also left behind a lingering scent. *sniffs around and then covers his nose with his paw* No wait, it’s more like a smell….. the mysterious trickster obviously has bad gas!! *ewey!! …. giggles and suspects ISIS!! No!! She has blonde curly fur* And when dusting for fingerprints, I discovered that they have extra toes that allowed them to open my door and climb up the ladder quite easily.

I was hoping purhaps some Catster furiends could help me solve this mystery? The clues again: Spaghetti, pretty black fur, big paws, and ummmm …. a possible problem with gas? *giggles*

Thanks my furiends! For today I guess I am known as ‘Armani-NOT adoptable?’ That's just fine with me! *hee, hee*

Purrs & Hugs,
Armani

~ Harley got me! :) ~

I have been tagged by the marvelous Harley to play a game! Thanks Harley, I’d luv to play along.

I am to list 7 things about myself and then tag 7 other furpals to play along also.

1) I do not like to be picked up, held, or sit in a lap. I love for people to pet on me though, and give me kisses on my forehead. *purrs*

2) I am called ‘accident-prone‘. I don’t think there’s a vet in our town who doesn’t know me. *sighs* Foster mom says it’s because I’m ‘all boy’, curious and fearless.

3) Foster mom made my pirate picture as a joke. There I am, accident-prone Armani, playing with a lit match! *giggles* I had a blast being Pirate Prince Armani aboard Anna’s ship, the Storm Rider! *until she took my matches away….. hee, hee!*

4) I get attacked by hydration monsters on a regular basis! It’s true! They sneak into my home and force sub-Q fluids in me! Nobody else, just me! *humph!*

5) We have not been allowed to explore in the out-back since the black widow bit me. My furmates are not too happy with me about that. Twenty four evenings have passed with foster mom saying, ‘Not tonight guys.’ *hopes maybe this evening she’ll let us out?*

6) Muppet is my favorite furmate and I take care of her. When she gets too big for her furry lil’ britches and acts bossy, I make sure the other furmates play along like she 'is' the boss so they don’t bop her. Especially Queen Nakita.

7) Foster mom says that I don’t have a mean bone in my body! After all I have been through, I am still all love. A bit shy, but a lover boy. *blushes*

All for now, off to go find who to tag!

Armani

~ more stitches & more meds *sighs* ~

Dear Diary,

Well, I was back at a doc’s office again! And this time, mom left me there!! It all started yesterday when mom noticed that a patch of my fur, next to my scar where I had the sticker removed, was as hard as a rock. She kept making me lie on my side so she could figure out what was going on there. She asked me if I laid in something sticky that dried? No, not that I recall. Then I let her know that I didn’t want her touch it. Of course that just made her more worried and she wouldn’t stop pestering me about it. *sighs* Finally this morning she got out something that makes a buzzing sound. OMC! She held me down and pressed that buzzing thing around, but not on, the area where my fur was hard. When she was done, she concluded that the hard patch of hair was indeed a big scab. A scab from what? Festering from where the spider bit me? I didn’t know, I just wanted her to let me be and stop looking at it.

The day went by and mom noticed that I slept a lot. Later in the day she noticed that my head and neck felt a bit hot again too. She gave me another dose of antibiotics and was going to switch me to Clavamox in the morning. If I was any worse, she said that I would have to see a dreaded doc. Later in the evening I showed mom that the hard fur had fallen off. Now there was just an exposed, gaping hole in my leg and it obviously hurt! *mom almost passed out!* She grabbed the phone, chatted for a minute, grabbed her purse, stuffed me into my carrier *sighs* and off we went to see the doc! They got to hear all about my girly spider incident and how I was actually doing better until ‘this‘.

‘This’ might possibly be where the spider bit me. (?) The doctor had to de-breed dead tissue away, clean out the open hole, and staple me back up. I’m now sporting two shaved spots. One from the sticker and one from this. Oh, and naturally I have to be on Clavamox twice a day for two weeks. *ick* But, if I’m a good boy, I won’t have to wear my e-collar. *cool* And hey, I still have survived the day that girly spider bit me! *hurray*

Hugs and Luvs,
Armani
- not adoptable this week either - giggles -

~am I or am I not ~

Dear Diary,

There has been a constant state of confusion about my 'adoptable status'. Am I adoptable or not? Let me do a quick re-cap of my life so far: *throws grammar out the window on this one*

Born a stunningly handsome kitty. Unfortunately on top of a two story building. Status then, ‘feral.’ Adoptable at this highly cute kitten age? NO! I was scared! I hissed and spit so hard that I would propel myself straight backwards in the air. Needed to be tamed to be deemed adoptable.

My siblings and I came to live with foster mom for socialization. Our sweet natures came to light and things were looking better for us. Adoptable now? YES! We were given first kitten booster shot, we all almost croaked! Adoptable now? NO! Took long time for foster mom to nurse us back to health. We had to stay with foster mom until next two sets of monitored kitten shots were given, plus we were neutered/spayed.

Adoptable now? YES! Did not show well at adoption events, too scary for us. People thought we looked mean! *sigh* Foster mom had to try other ways to advertise that we needed homes. Some people inquired, but we were now deemed ‘too old’ by them! * say what?! * We were no longer the desired ‘6 weeks old‘, we were now 16 weeks old. * 'over the hill' - sigh *

Months passed by. Still adoptable? YES! Just kept hearing that we were too old. Then foster mom disappeared for like two months. She was somewhere called Flock helping to save a lot of kitties. After, we were now another 2 months older. * teenage kittens - deemed 'elderly' * Still adoptable? YES! Mom diligently started to try to find us homes. Prada and Gucci were eventually adopted into purfect homes, but not me.

More months passed and I finally got my chance to be put on Pet Finder. Now I was assured to find my perfect home. Yeah! Oh no, my booster shots were due! Rules state that I must be current on these stupid shots. *gulps* I did do ok with my last two kitten boosters and the rabies. So, I received my booster shots and ….. got very ill!! Vet said I should eventually recover. Took lots of icky meds, finally felt a lot better.

The e-mail came. The perfect family, offering to give me my own forever home! They wanted to drive out from Las Vegas to meet me. So, back to the vet for the all ok. Armani has a home!!! Sound the alarms!! NOT! My blood work was all messed up!! Was I still adoptable? NO, not at the moment! *sighs* Kind family said that they would wait for me. *purrs*

Due to booster shots messing my body up, I was diagnosed with rare condition. *say what??!!* Had procedure done for this, had bad reaction to procedure. * what now? * Hydration Monsters appeared and constantly attacked me! Was I hydrated? No! Was I freaked out? YES! * what now, I dared to ask? * More Monster attacks. * just lovely *

More UTI’s and bothersome ears! Monsters now everywhere, and UTI's, etc. finally go away. Adoptable now? YES, but as a ‘special needs‘. *do I have any dignity left? Not much! *

Then, OUCH! What was that? A big sticker impaled in my leg!! Vet took it out, I finished my meds for that. Leg healed. Adoptable again now? YES but still as a special needs. *Hmmph! *

Then OMC! Did she just bite me? I don’t feel too well! *collapses on floor* Emergency vet, invaded by a thermometer, stolen blood, and a stinging needle all to find out, ‘Yep, she did bite me and her bite is deadly to cats!!’ * just my luck * Adoptable now? Not today, have to go for a follow-up next week to see if I’ve fully recovered from something many kitties do not.

Check back next week though because you never know, I may just be adoptable once again! *giggles*

Purrs & hugs,
Armani

Me? DDP? OMC!!

Thank you Catster HQ for choosing me as one of your daily diary picks! Now my encounter with the 'girly spider' will not go untold.

And thank you to efurrybody who kindly sent gifties and concats! *loads of hugs*

Purrs & Luvs,
Armani
~not so adoptable but much wiser~

~ thanks for all the purrs ~

Dear Diary,

I am feeling much better! Meomy and I can’t say thank you enough for all the prayers for me! *big hugs* I’m grateful that so many cared and that their prayers allowed me to live so I can have many more adventures while on ‘this side’ of the Bridge’ *not adventures with the six legged type though*

I still have a bit of a fever, but the doc said that’s normal. It should be completely gone in a few days. I’m walking better and I’m eating some. Meomy was very glad when she saw me drinking out of our water fountain today. And OMC, Mupp's pain meds were awesome!
They helped me get through the worst of it. I should be back to normal *for me* in no time!

Hugs, Purrs and lots of Luvs,
Armani The Grateful

~ knocked down by a girly spider ~

Dear Diary,

My doc called and told meomy that my blood tests show that I am not in any kidney failure. In fact she said that my count is actually a bit better when compared to my last tests. *hurray* And my red blood cell count is ridiculously high, but was exactly the same when compared. She says that I must have been bitten, and it sounds like by a female black widow. Symptoms are *don’t quote me on this* cramping of the big muscles like the chest, back, and abdomen along with severe muscle pain. And it may be hard to breathe because of the stomach cramping. The lack of not being able to breathe is usually what is fatal. Over time paralysis can also occur and also leads to fatality because the heart gives out. Kitties are the most sensitive to female black widow bites and when bit death is common. *But I'm still here!!! :) *

So, I would like to race …. well maybe when I feel better … all over Catsterville and personally hug all of those who prayed for me!! Thank you, thank you!! And thank you for all of the gifts and paw mails! *blushes* We appreciate them so much.

I’m still not feeling, walking or looking too well, but I’m much better than last night that’s for sure! I’m not worse, I’m not the same, I’m ‘better.’ That’s the POP I tell ya! Meomy will watch me closely for any of that paralysis stuff or any other odd things. But so far it looks like I lived to tell the day I tangled with that nasty girly spider. So did Muppet, but thank the Heavens above she did not get bit! *story is in her diary called sticky webs*

Meomy said no more outdoor romps for any of us until she can inspect the back yard and get some proper (but safe for us) bug protection put down. As for me, the thought of the outback hasn’t even crossed my mind this evening. Muppet on the other hand …… does anybody have any ear plugs for the humans here??

Hugs and Grateful Purrs,
Armani

~ Still kickin'! ~

Dear Diary,

I’m finally home for now, hurray! Still very unclear for everybody exactly what happened to me. Yesterday mom was out of the ammunition (fluids) for the hydration monsters. So I took a trip to my doc so her monsters could give them to me. Then we came home and everything was normal. We ate our wet treats, and then Muppet, Nakita and I went out back with meomy for a bit. (And meomy didn’t bug spray the back yard like she was going to, so that can‘t be it. Or maybe she should have and that is it.) Not too long after I came in, I was walking through the dining room and my knees gave out on me. I just kind of slumped down on the floor. My meomy, my human sister and her beau all saw me do this and came over to me. When meomy went to pick me up, I screamed like she’s never heard before! Then I slowly crawled underneath the kitchen table and that’s where I remained the rest of the night. I kept letting out painful, growling noises. Meomy was crying because she knew that all of the vets were closed. She finally gave me some of Mupp’s pain meds and that did seem to help some. But I stayed in the same crouched position breathing strange all night like my insides were hurting. Meomy got a blanket and pillow and laid right by me all night.

When she woke up early in the morning, she found me wobbling down the hall. I had gone back and used the litter box, but I was too weak to stand so I had sat down in the box and went. She cleaned me up and waited for the vets to open so she could find somewhere to take me. I got in to see a doc that I haven’t seen before, but meomy knows her. She's Nakita's doc. My regular doc is only in our town once a week.

At first the doc used an ear thermometer to take my temp. That wasn’t so bad. But then she looked at what it read and whisked me out of the room. Then she used the ‘other’ thermometer. *sighs* I had a really high fever, and they stole some of my blood so they could try to find out what was going on with me. They gave me stuff to try and bring my fever down. Until the blood results are in, it’s still unknown what happened to me. The doc highly suspects that I was bitten by something, but it could have something to do with my red blood cell condition too. They let meomy bring me home when my fever was at 104. I’m on an antibiotic again also. *sighs again* So now we wait to hear what the doc says when she phones meomy to see if I have to go back in or not. At least I’m home for now and we are praying the shots and meds continue to bring my fever down. I just ate a bit of wet food! Meomy was so relieved to see that as I haven’t wanted food or water since last night.

Thank you for all of your prayers and purrs! Meomy feels kind of bad that she wrote in my diary last night. She was so scared and felt so helpless. She knew prayers would help!! And look, I’m still kickin’! *hugs*

Time for a nap. We’ll update when we know more.
Loves and Purrs,
Armani

Armani needs some purrs quick

Armani went to the vet this afternoon at 4:30 pm for fluid therapy. I don't know what is going on with him since I brought him home. He started acting not like himself and now he's 'crashed!!' I have to wait until morning to rush him into emergency. He's growling at me and Armani has never done that before. He feels real cold when I touch him. I suspect that he's in severe pain so I gave him some of Muppet's pain meds. I don't know what else to do!!! I'll update when I know more. Please pray for him. I'm not expecting gifts or anything for him...... just prayers that he makes it until the vet opens in the morning.

Thank You,
Cheryl

~ the sticker is out!! ~

Dear Diary,

I’m thankful that the weekend is finally over! Not only did I end up having to go all weekend with that sticker embedded in my leg, but I also was attacked by the hydration monsters.

Foster mom was finally able to get me in to see a doc this evening. She told me that I was going to meet a very special doc. He’s the one who helped to save Muppet and many other kitties in the early days of the Flock nightmare. He had just opened his new clinic and I was going to be among the first kitties treated there.

The story sounded nice until the word ‘treated’ sunk in. *gulps* Treated? For what? Then foster mom tells me that he’s going to remove the sticker in my leg. *Yikes!* I tried to relay to her that it really wasn’t necessary, I could live with it. It was already there, no need for anybody to be messing with it!! She told me that it would be a piece of cake, the doc was just going to pull it out. *feels dizzy and faints*

To make a long story short, the ‘easy procedure’ turned into a minor surgery. The sticker did not want to come out so the doc had to basically cut it out. I now have a shaved spot and stitches in my leg, and no more sticker. At least not in my leg anyways, the doc naturally gave it to foster mom to keep as a souvenir. It measures just short of 2 inches! And he told foster mom to give me some of Mupp’s meds for a few days.

After, foster mom visited with the doc’s wife for a bit and was introduced to their new baby. I was like, ’Excuse me! I just had surgery, can you please take me home now!’ *giggles….. she is an adorable baby!*

Tomorrow is the start of a new week. I think I learned my lesson to stay out of the weed pile, so all I should have to be concerned with is napping, playing, napping some more and keeping an eye out for any monsters. Thanks to Isis, Anna, and everybody for saying a few extra prayers for me! *hugs*

G-nite for now,
Armani

~ still a trooper through it all ~

Dear Diary,

Foster mom is just beside herself with me. *giggles* She uses the phrase ‘if it’s not one thing it’s another.’ My urinalysis/cystocentesis came back that I had yet the start of another UTI and my ears are still bothering me. I just can’t seem to stay hydrated even with all of the efforts of the hydration monsters. This causes UTI’s and my ears to hurt. Mom has ear drops for me and I’m on a different antibiotic. I still am up and about though.

I make sure I am included every evening on our trips into the out-back with foster mom. Muppet and I are a team and we love to hunt the crickets. Over in the back corner of our yard, foster mom has a huge pile of dead weeds she chopped down. She says that they need to go to the dump, but we like them there because that’s where the crickets love to hide. We patiently lay waiting for them to come out and then we snatch them up.

I can’t tell you why, but yesterday evening I got a bit impatient as none of the little critters would come into view. I could hear them in there moving about and it was driving me crazy! So I listened very carefully to know right where one was, then I leapt straight up into the air and landed in the weed pile precisely where the critter was. I successfully came out with a cricket, and I successfully came out with a two inch long fat sticker impaled in my left back leg. *OUCH!* Foster mom tried carefully to pull it out with no success. She can feel it under my skin and she said it’s pretty big. So she’s waiting for a call back from a vet’s office on what time to bring me in. We are praying I can get in somewhere today, but if not I can for sure get in tomorrow.
Foster mom says that I'm quite the trooper because I'm still being my usual lover kitty self.

Gotta run and hide now, the hydration monster should be here at any time to give me my icky fluids. The excitement never quits around this place! Mol!

Purrs,
Armani

~ Hydration Monster Attacks Are On the Rise ~

Hydration monsters are everywhere! It’s true! Even our human friends have proven that they too are now armed and packing fluids with needles, and are ready to attack me at any given time! I don’t think I can trust any humans anymore. I searched every part of our home and have discovered one spot that the humans, including foster mom, have not been able to find. When any visitors of the un-furry type come knocking on our door ….. this is now where I run and hide. *I can’t tell you where this spot is, because I have a sneaky suspicion that foster mom snoops and reads my diary. Giggles*

But today, they got me. I was taking my usual afternoon snooze on foster mom‘s bed, when foster mom picked me up and before I knew it I was in my dreaded carrier. This could only mean one thing, I was going to see my doc! *sighs* I was hoping for just a quick check up, but this turned into a 4 hour ordeal. The doc stole some of my blood, stole some of my urine, *ouch!* gave me an injection, *ouch again!* clipped my nails, and then right before my eyes she turned into a hydration monster! My doc is one of ‘them’ too?!

My tests, that were performed on my stolen blood, came back showing my red blood cells are still way too high and my creatine is once again elevated. Foster mom won’t know the results of my urine tests until sometime tomorrow, but my urine is bright yellow indicating something to do with my red blood cell count. ? My doc spent a lot of time with foster mom after the office had closed for the day. Her and mom went over different scenarios as to what could be going on with me. Since I didn’t respond to the treatment for Polycythemia, that’s been pretty much ruled out. Kidneys regulate red blood cell production and they also regulate hydration. My two main problems since those booster shots messed my kidneys up. If it is my kidneys causing my problem, then my doc said that I may be the first case of this or, that if this has happened before nobody ever recorded it or studied on it. Has any other catster heard of this? The normal thing is for the white blood cells to get out of whack and there are white blood cell blocker meds made for this. There are no blocker meds for red blood cells.

My doc told foster mom that she would try and study into this further this weekend when she had time. She sent us home with an antibiotic and more ear meds for now along with more pain meds for Muppet. And if that wasn’t bad enough, her next words out of her mouth were the worst ever …… I am to now have hydration therapy ‘every day‘, ‘twice a day if possible!!’ At first I giggled and thought ‘very funny lady doc’, but then I saw that she was serious and so was foster mom. Yikes!

Does anybody have a suitcase I can borrow?

G-nite for now,
Armani

~ another tag, I get to play again!~

I've been tagged by Romeo to play the '5 things I dislike' game.

I list the 5 things I dislike and then tag 5 more furiends to play along.

!) I dislike the hydration monsters! And no, it was not the last attack of them. Foster mom has not updated my diary yet.

2) I dislike when Nakita thinks that she can bop Muppet on the head. I go and bop Nakita on the head and ask her 'how do you like that?' *giggles*

3) I dislike this hot weather because foster mom does not go outside with me as often. She says that she's trying to keep me hydrated and it's nonsense that I want to be out in 114 degree weather. *sighs*

4) I dislike that syringe of meds that foster mom keeps putting in my mouth. Yuck! One week down, two more to go. *grumble, grumble*

5) And most of all, I dislike that Muppet is not well and hurts. She's my bestest furiend and I love her.

We are way behind on tags. We'll catch up one day. :) I'll update with my tags soon. Thanks Romeo for including me to play!

Purrs, Armani

~ was this the last attack of the 'hydration monsters' ~

Dear Diary,

I’ve been feeling much better these days. Foster mom says it’s because I’m ‘keeping hydrated‘. That’s been the word of my life lately, ‘hydration, hydration, hydration’. And I can’t help but associate that word with the dreaded ‘hydration monsters.’ Foster mom lets them through the front door, like any other visitor. They look like normal guests so at first I was always caught off guard when this happened. I would come out to greet these so called guests, only to be snatched up, held down, and forced to have the horrid fluid therapy! It took a few times of this happening, before I got wise as to ‘who was who’ coming through our front door.

I hear a knock on the door. My first thought is ‘Visitors, hurray! I’m gonna get some extra attention and told how strikingly handsome I am. A kitty can never get enough of that!’ Oh, but now a second thought always enters my mind, ‘What if it’s ‘them’, *gulps* the ‘hydration monsters‘?’ My heart races, I run to the end of the hall anticipating that I may have to go hide in foster mom’s room. Then I listen carefully to the voices and what’s being said. That’s when I know if it’s time to run and hide, or if it’s ok to trot out for some attention.

This last time though, foster mom was one step ahead of me. She picked me up, gave me lots of kisses, and placed me in the bathroom. I knew something was up, I could read foster mom’s mind. Something was going to happen and she didn’t want me to run and hide. What could it be? Was my new family on their way to adopt me? Was she getting my small house out to take me somewhere for a ride, gulp! The doctor? Then I heard the knock on the door. It was the dreaded voices of the 'hydration monsters'!! Perhaps foster mom ‘hid’ me in the bathroom so they wouldn’t find me?? That was wishful thinking.

This time, foster mom and just one of the monsters took me in a separate room for the fluids. The monsters had all along been trying to push 200 cc’s in me, but each time I fought with all my might until they gave up. Foster mom told me that a different approach was going to be tried this time. And it worked. Since it was foster mom holding me and only one scary monster that I couldn’t see, I relaxed and they were able to get 200 cc’s in me. They were ecstatic, I was not happy!

I did amazingly feel better though. I never felt any different with the previous monster attacks and foster mom was always sad that I was still dehydrated. Foster mom said three things appear to have ‘done the trick’. I drink water with a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar in it, which naturally detoxifies my system. I now had 200 cc’s of fluid at once and I felt so much better, and I began eating my wet food treats again.

Since I never had shown any outwardly signs of dehydration, and it could only be detected through the doc stealing my blood, my doc showed foster mom a test she could do at home. She lifts up one side of my upper cheek and swipes her finger along the top of my gums. If I’m hydrated, it’s nice and wet. If I’m dehydrated, it’s not so wet but kind of dry and sticky feeling. Since the last monster attack, my gums have been nice and wet! I feel so much better and foster mom is smiling again. Everybody involved is hoping and praying that my body will now stay hydrated on its own. Time will tell, I’m off to play now.

Purrs,
Armani

I get to play tag too! :)

I’ve been tagged by my beautiful furiends Calamity and Romeo to play a game! How fun this is! Thanks Calamity and Romeo for including me to join in!

I am to - list 4 Jobs I have - list 4 places I have lived or stayed - list 4 places I would rather be -
I am then to tag four more fur buddies to play along also.

4 jobs I have:

1) Cuddler - My morning duty is to drape myself, while purring intensely, over foster meomy until she completely wakes up. This is not as easy of a job as it sounds. She must already be kind of waking up first, and not still sound asleep. Nakita and I share this job. Muppet used to, but foster meomy fired her. :) Hee, hee!

2) Inspector - My mid-morning and mid-afternoon job is to inspect the entire backyard for any big critters. If I find a lizard or such, I chase it around until foster meomy safely scoops it up and sets it free outside the fence. I like this job and it allows for plenty of breaks where I can bask in the sun.

3) Bread Maker - This is a job we all share. We take turns kneading and making bread so foster meomy always has plenty.

4) Teacher - Foster meomy says that I have taught her a lot, and that I continue to teach her new things everyday. :)


4 Places I have lived or stayed:

1) My first home was on top of a two story building in Las Vegas, NV.

2) My second place was in a nice lady’s house in Las Vegas until a foster home could be found.

3) My third place was in a cage until I was 6 weeks old in Gary’s foster home in Las Vegas.

4) My fourth place is right outside of Las Vegas with my foster meomy. We were supposed to go to a different foster home, but human communications got messed up. We were transported to Pahrump, but ended up not having a place to stay. The transporter knocked on foster meomy’s door late one night and asked if we could stay the night until the correct foster family could be found. I’m glad that foster meomy said that we could stay here with her until our new homes come along.
~There was a terrible mix up when we were transported back to Las Vegas to be neutered/spayed. We accidentally were put that we belonged to FLOCK and we were micro chipped under FLOCK! When being transported back to Pahrump, we were being taken to the president of FLOCK’s home. *Gulp* Foster meomy caught wind of this at the last second, she dove in her car and she intercepted us on the highway from the transporter. * If you know Muppet’s story, you’ll know why this was so scary! * ~

4 Places I would rather be:

1) Outside the fence where all the super big critters and lizards are.
2) With my bro-fur Gucci in his new furever home.
3) In a new furever home of my own.
4) At a B-B-Que with Anna, Calamity , and all of my Catster buddies. :)

I tagged my special furiend Princess Rani and she played along!! Please trot over and check out her special story when you have a moment.
I tagged my gureat buddy Bobbi
and he played along too! What a silly, loving and energetic boy he has become after such a rough start! Glad he's doing so well!

I also tagged cutie pie Honey*purrs* and one of our dear fur-friends, precious poet Lucy-Lou.

Luvs and Purrs to all,
Armani

~ Hydration Blues ~

Dear Diary,

It's been a week now since I had my 'procedure' done. I really haven't noticed feeling any better or worse. I can sense that foster meomy and my doc are sad because my body did not respond the way they had hoped and purayed for. And the fact that I had to be given the dreadful 'fluid therapy' twice during the week, is a big concern for them.

My doc now believes that the booster shots did far more damage than first suspected. She says it's now clear that my state of repeated dehydration is not only due to the condition I developed after the shots. She believes that I may have gotten some 'neurological damage' as well that has messed me up in the hydration department.

Say what? I don't know what any of those words mean. I just know that in the last week I had the frightening blood transfusion, I twice had the horrible fluid therapy *cringes at the memory of it*, foster mom keeps syringing water down my throat, *ick* and I still don't feel all that well. I am up and about and I play sometimes, but I just feel mostly confused and overall yucky. Foster mom told me I feel this way because I am still dehydrated.

Foster mom's plan for this next week is to try to keep me hydrated. More fluid therapy, *yikes* offer me more yummy wet food treats with water added,
* I'm liking the sound of that* and as much water as she can get down my throat every day. *grrzzzz* I guess there's not much else that can be done if this doesn't work for me. But I know my foster meomy, while she never gives up if there's hope, she also is very concerned regarding the 'quality of life'.

Gotta go for now, foster meomy just set up a thing-a-ma-jig she calls a water fountain hoping I'll drink more on my own. Yikes! That thing is scary! Even burrave Lil' Muppet won't go near it! And she expects me to put my face in there and drink from it? Hee, hee! I'm going to go keep my eye on it. I'll be patient and see what Chico and Sampson think about it.

I'll update soon.
Loads of Purrs
~ Armani ~

PS - I guess we'll never know exactly what in the shots caused the reaction that brought me down to this. Foster meomy has been reading a lot trying to find out. It may be that I was given all of them at the same time or that it was the leukemia shot itself. Foster meomy is just plain afuraid of any shots now.

~ transfusion confusion ~

Dear Diary,

I went in for my procedure today, the one that foster meomy's been telling me about and puraying would help me. Meomy said that I would feel pin pokes and probably some discomfort, but that it wouldn't last long. She knew that I would be a brave boy. *deep sigh*

Foster meomy held me in the waiting room for awhile, my doc came in and discussed the procedure *yikes* then carried me off. *gulp*

Then the next thing I know she carried me back in to foster meomy. Then she told foster meomy all about the procedure, how they removed 60 cc's of my blood and replaced it with 65 cc's of fluids. She said that efurrything went really well. She said that she also clipped my nails for me.

Say what? I don't remember a thing about any of that! Is she making this up or is it possible I slept through the whole thing? * starts to scratch head in deep thought and makes a startling discovery, 'OMC, my nails actually have been clipped! * OK, now this is getting bizarre!

Foster meomy and my doc seemed very pleased and I got to come home.
Still a bit confused about the whole thing, but I'm home, *hurray!* it's snack time, *yummy* and purhaps foster meomy will take me out back for a minute before it gets dark. *purrs*

Bye 4 now, :)
Purrs ~ Armani ~

~ test results and no new home yet~

Dear Diary,

Catster furiends have been so nice and supportive of me. They are so sweet and I am so thankful for them.

Foster meomy received the awaited phone call from my doc. My doc explained that she had excellent news and not so good news. ?

The excellent news first: I am no longer border line on kidney disease! Hurray! My Creatine and BUN levels are all purfect, and so was my urinalysis. Yipee! *I'm doing the happy dance big time!*

The not so good news: My CBC still shows dehydration and my red blood cells are going crazy. Everything else checked out normal. With these results I have been diagnosed with a rare condition called 'Polycythemia'. My body is reproducing too many red blood cells which turn my blood to a 'sludge.' This makes it hard for my heart and other organs to function normally.

Better news: There is an inexpensive treatment that can be done for this. They actually remove a percentage of my blood and replace it with fluids. Having this transfusion treatment done every couple of months will allow me to live with a normal quality of life. And it should not take any years off of my life either. :)

Foster meomy called my potential new family. They were so sweet and sad for me but are not in a position to take on a special needs kitty at this time. :( We totally understand. They said to keep them informed on my condition though and to let them know in a couple of months how everything is going with me. Foster meomy's sad, their sad, but I'm ok. I'm so happy that there is a treatment and I'm thrilled that it doesn't require daily meds down my throat or that horrible thing called 'fluid therapy'. :) Foster meomy says that a transfusion is kind of like fluid therapy, but I don't have to have it done too often. I can deal with that! :)

I get my first transfusion on May 1st. I will keep you informed how it goes.

Bye for now,
Armani
~Special headbonks to Moses, Sam and Greystone, Calamity, Isis, and Simba~

~ Doctors and Furever Homes ~

Dear Diary,

My days are much brighter now. I'm done with all the icky medicines that foster meomy had to keep putting in my mouth and squirting in my ears. I feel much better and purrty much back to my ol' self again. I keep telling foster meomy that I'm fine, but she said only my doc could say for sure. So tomorrow morning I get to go visit Doc Forbes again. I like her except when she pokes me with something and steals my blood! Foster meomy is puraying that tomorrow I get all 'paws up' from the doc. :)

A nice family saw my pictures on Pet Finder and thay want to come meet me!
I'm kinda nervous but excited too. If I like them and they like me, this could be my new furever home! Then I will get to live in Vegas, the same town as my brofur Gucci. I still wonder if I will ever see him again. *sigh* They have a back yard where I will be safe to go play outside! Since Gucci left and I got depressed for a time, foster meomy has been allowing me to go out back with her. That sure snapped me out of being sad. I will never forget Gucci, but I am now ok alone. :)

Shazam's new mommy informed us giggling that ' Shazam has been teaching her kitty, Gidget, how to get into mischief!' :) Hee, hee! Shazam's so silly! Her new mommy adores her! She got a wonderful furever home and we are all purring loudly for her. :)

I'll let you know what the doc says tomorrow.

G-night for now Diary. :)
Purrs ~ Mani

I Lived To Tell

Dear Diary,

What are 'shots' for? Foster meomy and I just don't get it. We are told that they are necessary, we are required by some law to give some, and when you are up for adoption like I am they are required. Why?

My siblings Prada, Gucci and I almost passed to the Bridge after receiving our very first kitten shots. Foster meomy spent lots of time, love and money nursing us back to health. After some time we all recovered but not without some 'scars'. We had to stay at the vets office all day when our next kitten shots were given and we seemed to manage ok. Foster meomy was a nervous wreck.

We were quite famous babies back then. We were known to many as the 'couture kittens' (hence our names) and also as the 'roof babies'. I think a lot of it had to do with my brother Gucci. We were born way up on the roof of a 2-story building and when we were four weeks old we were caught one night right smack in the center of an electrical storm. The thunder and lightning, non-stop, relentlessly was crackling right above our heads. A super sweet lady frantically phoned a local (Las Vegas) feral TNR group and my now foster meomy was answering the calls back then. When she was trying to explain the extreme danger we were in to my foster meomy, she suddenly screamed! She witnessed Gucci fall from two stories up. He smacked into a tree, clung on for a second, then plummeted the rest of the way to the ground. Thanks to her, a lady named Denise S. and a special guy named Gary ..... we all three were rescued and safe.

It's been over a year and a half now, I'm still up for adoption, and foster meomy had to have my shots updated. Gulp! (Prada and Gucci have found their special furrever homes. I'm still searching as I don't 'show' well at adoption events. It's too scary, I'm not myself.)

So, foster meomy recently took me in for my shots. Stressful for the vet, myself and foster meomy. (I'm now a healthy beautiful boy, don't mess my life up with these stupid shots!) I soon didn't feel well and foster meomy got concerned. She took me to the 'special cat doc' and had blood work done. It came back 'confirmed severe reaction to the vaccinations'!!

I am expected to pull through this. I have three yucky different meds to take for three weeks. Also some fluid therapy which is absolutely no fun! The shots have caused...... double ear infections, dehydration, etc. I am now border line on kidney disease. I cannot be subjected to any further stress on my kidneys or I will be trotting across the Bridge! I also can NEVER have any further vaccinations. My chances for my new furrever special home just majorly decreased. :(

So, once again can I ask .... What are shots for? Foster meomy and I just don't get it. I'm a beautiful indoor kitty in a healthy environment.

Thanks for listening Diary. My head and ears hurt. I'm going to go lie down now. I'm not complaining, I just feel really cruddy!
Luvs,
~ Mani ~