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<title>Colette's Diary</title>
<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary</link>
<description>Catster diary for the cat Colette Sidonie-Samantha</description>
<language>en</language>
<copyright>Copyright 2013 by Colette Sidonie-Samantha &amp; Catster</copyright>
<pubDate>Sun, 19 May 2013 17:34:30 PDT</pubDate>
<generator>Catster Pet-o-matic Gennie - http://www.catster.com</generator>
<ttl>360</ttl>

	<item>
		<title>One Year and Counting!</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/806432</link>

				<pubdate>Mon, 26 Nov 2012 21:54:47 PST</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/806432</guid>
		<description>It's a red-letter date.  It's just about this time last year when I was diagnosed with my breast can ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ It's a red-letter date.  It's just about this time last year when I was diagnosed with my breast cancer.

I had my lumpectomy on December 22nd or 23rd, so right now, a year ago, I was waiting to be scheduled for surgery.

Then I started my chemo treatments the first week of January. My last treatment was in June.

By early August, they found a small nodule along my original scar line--so I had my radical resection surgery in mid-August.

And you know what?  I'm still here!  And I'm doing well!  Mom just made an appointment for my one-year follow up with Doc Josh. We go to see him on December 18th.

I'm now officially a one-year cancer survivor. Yippeee!

Mom would toast me with champagne, but I don't think either of us would feel very good afterwards.  She says I can have another duck and goose patty, and she'll stick to her coffee.  Giggles.]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>Happy Thanksgiving Effurybody!</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/806054</link>

				<pubdate>Fri, 23 Nov 2012 01:44:43 PST</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/806054</guid>
		<description>We hope everyfur and their pawrents had a really nice holiday.

 It was quiet around here&acirc;well s ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ We hope everyfur and their pawrents had a really nice holiday.

 It was quiet around hereâwell sort of.  Mom sort of took a break from the âputer today.  She spent less than an hour on it this morning.  Us âgirlsâ, Samsara and I, could see she was really tired and she had another migraine, but she was trying to rush around anyway.  Thatâs âcause she still needed to make a pie to bring to our Auntie Joany for Thanksgiving dinner.  She was way too tired by the end of the day so she didnât get to make it yesterday.

We pretty much stayed out of her hair this morning and then she left us alone all evening.  When she came back she plopped a shopping bag on the floor and darned if it didnât have a box in it that smelled like the most delicious âburdâ we ever smelled!  No sooner did we get into the bag than SHE TOOK THE BOX AWAY!  :( 

Oh wellâŚ.  Iâm not sure what Samsara got for supper, but Mom made it up to me.   Iâve been liking my kibble less and less lately.  Mom says I have to eat something and she finally found something that she thinks I can tolerate.  Sheâs been crumbling a little of the Stella & Chewyâs âDuck Duck Gooseâ doggy raw patties over my kibble.  I love it!  Donât tell anybody.  Our vet would not be happy with Mom if she found out.  

My IBD has been a lot better ever since I started my chemo treatments.  Mom decided she preferred to err on the side of getting me to eat.  In other words, she found two new  ânovel proteinâ sources my body hasnât rejectedâduck and gooseâthe food Iâve been getting is based on pork.  Iâve been eating my food mixed with the doggy patties for over a week now and they havenât upset my system.  The problem we had with the kitty foods was probably because they have trace amounts of fish oil in them.  The doggy patties donât have that ingredient.  Yayyyyy!

Weâre still not quite back on Catster.  Would you believe it?  After all the help that Samsara and I have been giving Mom you would thinkâŚ.

I even keep trying to distract her every night by sinking my claws into her calf while sheâs working at the computer.  (Thatâs a good way to get attention.  You just keep it up until they get the hint and pick you up and put you in their lap.  Make sure they can only type with one hand.  If that doesnât work, headbonk the notebook across the table.) 

We know, we still havenât answered your p-mails or thanked for gifts.  We werenât around for Mishaâs Bridge Day last week.  Mom was thinking about him a lot.  She remembered all the funny stuff he did and thought a lot about what a great cat he was.  She says she misses him and his mischief terribly.  If he had lived this long he would have been 22 years old. 

Anyway, we have an important announcement to make.  It will still take us a few weeks before Mom has completed everything she needs to do, but the most important stuff is done.  We canât advertise here in the Catster diaries, so weâre going to have to keep this to a minimum. Mom sent out her pawtography business launch announcement to over 150 e-mail addresses early yesterday afternoon and posted one to FaceBook as well.  WE ARE OPEN FOR BUSINESS!  Weâre called âFriends FurrEver, Pet Portrait Photographyâ and we have our own web site now!

We posted a few of the photos of me here on Catster, but there are lots more on our web site.  Mom didnât have the time to change Samsaraâs photos on Catster, but there are lots and lots new photos of her too.  I have to admit, she looks like a real beauty.
 
There are also tons of photos of all the doggies Mom has been photographing since early spring, including doggy ladyâs doggy, Misty.  (You know something?  Samsara hasnât been smacking her lately!) Anyway, there are also photos of some of the pet pawrents, and ones from Momâs travels, and stuff sheâs photographed in and around New York.

We just thought of something funnyâif we have a pawtography business and Mom has been taking pictures of doggies, does that mean sheâs been pawtographing them?

Come see us, and if you have a FaceBook account, please be sure to âLikeâ us.

<a  class=bodyTextRev target=site  onClick="alert(\'Catster Alert: You are about to visit an outside link that was submitted by this pet owner.\');" href=" http://carolzfurreverphotos.com ">Friends FurrEver Pet Portrait Photography</a><a  class=bodyTextRev target=site  onClick="alert(\'Catster Alert: You are about to visit an outside link that was submitted by this pet owner.\');" href=" http://carolzfurreverphotos.com " title=" "></a>


Okay, back to putting holes in Momâs leg.  Sheâs been working entirely too hard. 

HeadbonksâŚ.]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>COTD!</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/804313</link>

				<pubdate>Wed, 7 Nov 2012 20:21:37 PST</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/804313</guid>
		<description>Sniffs around.

Gee, I think I&acirc;ve been here before.

It smells familiar&acirc;&brvbar;..

Woo hoo!  It&acirc; ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Sniffs around.

Gee, I think Iâve been here before.

It smells familiarâŚ..

Woo hoo!  Itâs Catster, itâs Catster, itâs Catster!  Yaaaaay!

And, and they made me COTD yesterday.  Yaaaaay.  Thatâs why Mom said we could come back for a little while.

Iâve missed effurybody.  And effurybody, thank you for the prezzies.  You know, Iâve really missed effurybody!

Itâs been too lonely here with just Mom and Samsara, and with Mom with her camera in my face all the time.

Itâs going to be a little bit longer before we can stay back.  Yeah, we got mad at HQ but we didnât mean to be gone altogether.  It just happened that way.

Mom has been trying to put together her pawtography business.  You might remember that she got a new camera back in May.  In the meantime she also got new editing software and a new lens, and sheâs been working in overdrive trying to learn how to work with all the new stuff. And she was out and about for much of the summer taking pictures of (gasp) doggies!  to add to a pawtfolio.  She says what a journey itâs been for her.  And she still thinks sheâs got an awfully long way to go.

Our web site is just about done.  It took about 2 months for Mom to build it herself and put up all the pictures.  And now, since we have new ones we want to switch out some of them.  Then weâre going to buy our domain name.  Once thatâs done, weâre going to announce it and give effurybody our web address so you can come visit us.  Mom thinks itâll be one more week before weâre open for business.

Okay, so what about me and Samsara?  Weâre both doing well.

Some of you whoâve been on FaceBook know about my operation over the summer.  I finished my chemo treatments in June and we thought Iâd graduated with flying colors.  Then, in August, Doc Josh found a small nodule growing along the scar line of the lumpectomy I had last December.

Thatâs when he ordered something called a radical resection.  (I didnât know that I could be resectioned, but thatâs what happened to me.)  Seriously, what that means is I had an operation to remove all of my mammary ducts just in case there was some of that nasty cancer hiding out there.  I had the operation in mid-August.  They sliced me open all the way from my arm pit down to my leg pit.  I had to stay in the hospital for 2 nights.  Then, at the end of it, they lost my sections somewhere on the way to a biopsy.  (Seriously.)  Well, knowing would have been lagniappe anyway.  Itâs not like there would be anything more they could do for me if it turned out that the tissue was malignant.  Mom says sometimes ignorance is truly bliss.

I was really doped up at the hospital, but not doped up enough not to know that I hated it.  Stacy Ann, my vet tech, even told Mom how unhappy I was.  OMC, I wouldnât let anybody go near me.  I was growling and hissing.  They didnât want to upset me any further so they didnât try to clean up the drool from the pain killer they gave me.  But the vet watching over us intensive care patients started laughing when Mom came to visit.  I quieted right down and started purring for Mom.

Mom says she got back one grungy kitty when she took me home.  (Tee heeâthis time she couldnât give me a bath because of the wound from the operation.  She tried pet wiping me down.  It took the next two to three weeks till I stopped smelling like the nasty pain killer and till she had all the mats either cut or brushed out of my coat.)

Then, the next couple of days were kind of touch-and-go.  Who knows what happened.  Mom took me back to the ER âcause I was running a really high fever.  Well, by the time we got there, Mom was standing there with the (humanâs) oral thermometer she slipped under my arm pit, trying to prove I even had the fever.  (Another caveatâthey cracked up when they saw the thermometer.  Itâs one of those old glass contraptions that work on how much the mercury inside expands.) 

Anyway, I went back for my one-month follow-up and Doc Josh said I looked great!  (But of course I do. Iâm Colette, right?)

Now weâve got another thing going on: my kibble.  We think Hills must have changed the formula for the w/d.  It spoils too quickly and it just doesnât taste good.  Momâs pulling her hair out âcause neither Samsara nor I want to eat it.  Sheâs been doctoring it up so it tastes better.  Mom called our regular vet to talk about that.  Mom says that we kitties are putting her in the position of having to choose between keeping us eating by giving us the wrong things or having us starve ourselves âcause we wonât eat the right things. I heard Mom say that sheâs choosing in favor of us eating.  Giggles.

Okay, so what else?  We werenât around for my Birthday or my Gotcha Day, and some of the pawâs Moms and Dads reminded Mom about both, but that didnât stop Mom from realizing just how far Iâve come in 4 years.

I have a couple of confessions to make.  Actually, theyâre not confessions âcause Iâm liking these things too much to be embarrassed about them.  I love my brushies.  Mom walks into the bathroom effury morning and so do I.  Iâm there, front and center, trying to get her to notice me and hoping sheâll remember my brushies.  Wowâwhy did I ever hate them??!!!!

And, every night, while Mom is working on the âputer, Iâm right there, raking my claw down her leg (see, she canât ignore that.  She might get mad, but she knows that the only way to get rid of me is to give in.  Tee hee.  She doesnât get rid of me, she just gets a temporary respite from the pain.)  You know what I want????  Lap time!  I am turning into a lap kitty.   I have my own style for thisâI do.   I will not work for it.  I work hard enough with my clawsâdoes she really expect me to jump too???   Uh, uh.  The proper way to go about this is that you get your human to pick you up.  Iâm not  jumping!  Do I look like a kangaroo or something???!!!  Next, I will not lay down.  Even when I sit up, I spill over onto the pillow on the âputer chair.  (Thereâs not enough lap  :(  .) I also don't want Mom working too hard so I headbonk the notebook across the table.

And the weather?  We got our share of Hurricane Sandy, but we didnât get even half of the grief that nearby areas got.  We had a couple of trees come down in our neighborhoodâthatâs it.  There wasnât that much rain and since there was so much wind, it dried up almost as soon as it hit the ground.  We live a bit farther inland.  The awful flooding you saw was the result of the tidal surges.  The area where we live doesnât  get anywhere near where we would have to worry about that.  Ditto with regard to what happened to so many families having to go without electricity.  Our neighborhood had power throughout.  Our Auntie Joany wasnât so lucky.  She lives inland on Long Island.  She didnât get the flooding, but her neighborhood is prone to power outages.  When Mom called her tonight she still didnât have power.  (Auntie has been charging her cell phone at work.)  Sheâs been doing okay though.  Theyâre buying wood for the fireplace, storing their frozen food at the food service place next to where Auntie works, and washing at the gym.  Their house is dark and cold except for the room where they have the fireplace.  So, theyâre doing something they havenât done in years, we suspect:  spending time together as a family.  Mom said it sounded like they were making the best of things and actually enjoying their time together.

And now winter snuck up on us.  It was pretty warm here until Hurricane Sandy hit.  Then the temperature dropped.  Today we had the noreaster and itâs 32 degrees out there.  Itâs way too early for this kind of cold and snow in our areaâand yet weâre getting between 2 and 3 inches accumulation.  Again, there was no problem for our neighborhood.  We heard that a lot of the families who had their power restored last week are in the dark again.  Sigh.  At least the storm waited until the day after Election Day.  I would have pitied the poor humans who would have had to stand out there in the snow and cold if the storm would have come one day sooner.

Anyway, thank you again, effurybody.  Weâll try not to be strangers.   Hopefurrly, my new pics will be up tonight and maybe one or two for Samsara, then Mom will put up some more new ones for Samsara later.

Sorry weâve been away this long.

Headbonks and huggies,]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>Follow Up to Yesterday&acirc;s Post</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/783874</link>

				<pubdate>Sun, 10 Jun 2012 10:54:40 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/783874</guid>
		<description>We&acirc;ve been doing a lot of thinking about this since Friday.  (Oh, oh!)  The more we think about th ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Weâve been doing a lot of thinking about this since Friday.  (Oh, oh!)  The more we think about this the more it keeps opening new cans of worms.

Yes, there is such a thing as âfreedom of speechâ in the U.S.  Itâs one of the central tenets of our Bill of Rights, Milo ân Furrmily.  But as Iâve said before, (I think it was last August), that doesnât mean that you can say anything you want irrespective of whether or not it hurts somebody.  The Bill of Rights doesnât give you the right to yell âFire!â in a crowded movie theater when there is no fire.  You could cause a stampede needlessly and someone could get hurt.  

Momâs voice coach likes to tell her (as sheâs working on what she will say between the songs she performsâthatâs called âpatterâ in performing parlance) that you can say anything you want, it all depends on how itâs delivered.  (He makes the leap of faith that one isnât going to say something thatâs just plain inappropriate or said in order to hurt someone.)

So how does all this apply?  This story.   We all would still have found this piece of ânewsâ extremely distasteful âit would have made us uncomfortable, upset us, turned our stomachs, gotten our hackles up and claws out equally.  We still would have been hissing and spitting.  ButâŚ if Catster had said something to the effect of âOMC, please join us in our efforts to get some kind of legislation passed to ensure that this kind of horrible practice is bannedâ, or perhaps taking a less active stance, âhave your pawrents contact their legislators so they might get the Dutch government to do something about this atrocityâ, or less active yet, âOMC, we donât believe this! How awful!â our anger would not have been turned against Catster.   One photo would have still done the job; we didnât need to be put through the hell of the entire video clip.  (Purrsonally, we couldnât even get more than 15 seconds into it before we couldnât watch anymore.)

What Catster did was they came right out and told us they LOVED it!  And, therein, mâfurriends, lies the difference between sensationalism and responsible reportage. 

Another thought:  Catster, would your editors have dared to wear fur coats to a PETA meeting?  We think not.

Phew!  Okay, now thatâs out of the way. 

Hereâs our next mind-benderâŚ.

We were mulling the question around in our heads of why Catster couldnât âseeâ how upset this would get us.  Sadly, the only answer we could come up with is that itâs a reflection of society as a whole, and, perhaps, even how our pawrents have been conditioned by society since they were little.

The whole article almost resonates as something from a âFar Sideâ comic strip.  The strip is supposedly funny because it remains within the âsafeâ realm of fantasy.  It uses fictional animals that pose as you and me.  What happens once you release these fantasies from the âconfinesâ of the comic strip?

Okay, the Far Side didnât exist when a lot of our pawrents were children, but what about:

Road-Runner being beaten to a pulp by a falling anvil (which was dropped on purpose by Wile E. Coyote)
 
or

Daffy Duck and Bugs Bunny bopping each other over the head with baseball batsâŚ  

In the real world those actions would be prosecuted as manslaughter, or, at best, assault and battery.  (We were thinking about that yesterday when we asked about grandma being sent to the Bridge as a helicopter.)

About two years ago we met a guy whoâs training to be a professional stand-up comedian.  He had to explain to us that what makes stand-up comedy so funny is exactly the dark edge it has to it.  Unfortunately (or fortunately?) weâre belong to the type of kitties who look at the âFar Sideâ comic strip and go âOMC, how sad!â 
 
Purrs,

Colette & Furrmily]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>Da Tabbies -  So Sad</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/783696</link>

				<pubdate>Sat, 9 Jun 2012 10:20:33 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/783696</guid>
		<description>By now, I don&acirc;t need to tell to effurybody that our dear friends, Da Tabbies o Trout Towne, made t ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ By now, I donât need to tell to effurybody that our dear friends, Da Tabbies o Trout Towne, made the decision to leave Catster.

Why, Catster?  Have you absolutely no sense or no feeling of what might pawssiblyâŚ pawssibly be offensive to someone who loves their kitties as much as we all do????!!!

We saw that article and video clip on the home page that upset Da Tabbies so much.  IT IS HIDEOUS!  It is AN ABOMINATION.  Okay, each to his own with the skull, butâŚ

Where on earth did you find the overwhelming need to condone the use of the remains of a beloved creature as a curiosity and 'objectionable' dâart???

Doing something objectionable to gain notoriety may not be illegal but it stinks.  If someone made a dry poop sculpture out of their dead kitty would you still say you loved it?  It stinks!  Try sending a grandma off to the bridge as this âartistâ did and watch what happens!  Bet the laws of the country where this guy lives would be on him as quick as the laws of the U.S. would be. 

At least to us true kitty lovers, kitties are not a commodity; they are furrmily.

That video clip and article condones the lesser valuation of the sanctity of a creatureâs remains!  

The fact that the story made the news in the Netherlands is because of how notorious it was.  This is tabloid press at its worst and from a country that doesnât even give much credence to tabloid press.  May we remind you that it was the tabloid press that was responsible for the death of Princess Diana.

Just because itâs out there doesnât mean that Catster should have picked it up, much less condoned it.  Iâm sure Iâm not alone in saying that we members of the Catster community expect every furr to behave responsibly.  When HQ doesnât behave responsibly you lose our members because youâve lost our trust.

And now we are all paying.  Our beloved friends, Da Tabbies, have left the community.  It will be a long time, if effurr, before they trust you enough to come back.

Letâs just hope that this doesnât lead to a mass defection.    Bit by bit, the actions of Catster HQ are eroding the sense of trust and community you (and we) worked so hard to build.

Sad purrs,


Colette, Samsara, (Angel) Marrakech, (Angel) Misha, (Angel) B.A., (Angel) Cappuccino, and Mom, Carol]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>Here&acirc;s Looking at You From A New Profile Picture</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/781268</link>

				<pubdate>Tue, 22 May 2012 22:01:57 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/781268</guid>
		<description>And, hopefurrly being seen in a &acirc;different light&acirc;.  We haven&acirc;t been around much and we apologi ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ And, hopefurrly being seen in a âdifferent lightâ.  We havenât been around much and we apologize.  Mom is busy trying to get a purrfessional pawtography business off the ground.  She finally broke down and got a good camera and sheâs still trying to learn it and find out what it can and canât do.

We know, the pictures Mom posted arenât the most interesting, but she was trying out the effects of incandescent lighting in the room along with low natural light conditions.  She was also trying out things like sports mode to see how well the picture comes out if weâre moving around a lot.

She decided sheâs still got a lot to learn.

In the meantime, sheâs been all over the park, taking, of all things, pictures of doggies, trying to put together a complete purrtfolo.  OMC, what a difference the camera makes!  She says itâs a shame she canât post those pictures.

One thing we noticed with the camera is it makes my eyes appear a lot more vivid blue than they truly are.  Mom likes my ice blue eyes, but we donât have software in the âputer to change the color back to what it should be.  (And, you can bet, if my eyes are coming out too bright, you can imagine what Samsaraâs look like.  Giggles.)

Oh, one more thing.  I should have gotten my last chemo treatment last week.  It didnât happen because my WBCs were too low.  Dr. L. didnât want to push me over the edge and compromise my immune system with the chemo.  Then I should have gotten my last chemo treatment today and it didnât happen again, for the same reason.

I went through an itchy episode last month and, ahemâŚ took my spring shedding into my own paws.  I have a couple of spots on me where my coat is a bit on the thin side.  They tried giving me antihistamine; it didnât work so they put me back on prednisolone.  It took care of the problem.  

I also had another âissueâ with my food last month.  I didnât want the wet food and I didnât want my kibble.  Even with Mirtazapine I wasnât eating very much.  Dr. L. was baffled.  You know what it was?  The last part of the bag of kibble got oldâit happened to Samsara with her kibble too.  And they kept giving us both appetite stimulant.  You know how they figured it out?   We were reaching the bottom of the barrel on my food and Mom got a new bag.  When I saw what she had I couldnât wait to bust it open to get to it.  Samsara too. That kibble is our favorite.

Around the same time, I was doing so well with my IBD that I was off all my meds except for lysine gel.  Then Mom tried sprinkling a little deVour product over my wet food for a couple of nights and I went right back to pudding poops and had to go back on Tylan for a few days.  Thankfurrly, Iâm back to where I was before.

I still donât want the canned stuff and they weighed me last week âI lost weight.  Would you believe theyâre not happy about it?  I was skimming 11 lbs. around Christmas and Iâm down to 10 lbs. now.  Donât worry, theyâre still calling me âchubbyâ!!

Weâll try to post more pictures at a later date.  We still love effurybody;  itâs just we canât be around so much right now.

Purrs and headbonksâŚ]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>True Colette Confessions</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/773063</link>

				<pubdate>Sun, 1 Apr 2012 01:08:38 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/773063</guid>
		<description>This is a first.  Don&acirc;t expect anything more like this from me any time soon.

I fell over and l ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ This is a first.  Donât expect anything more like this from me any time soon.

I fell over and landed on my butt.  You know that funny pill that Iâve been getting, the Mirtazapine?  I had another one last Tuesday.   OMC was I hungry.  I was doing this dance for my kibble (Mom calls it my dancing bear routine) when Mom came zooming in with the bowl from behind me.  I craned my neck to get a better look at it and wham!  Ouch.  No fair!  I just wanted to make sure she was really gonnaâ put the bowl on the floor!

I am turning intoâŚ. AâŚ lap âŚ kitty.  There, I said it.  Gulp.  I keep going up to Mom and putting my paws in her lap while sheâs at the âputer.  That usually means I want another bowl of noms.  There are times, though, when Iâve just eaten.  Mom has been trying to scoop me up but I back off.  Giggles, sheâs usually that close to falling out of the chair.  Iâve been letting her catch me lately.  I sat in her lap last night getting hugs long enough to make Samsara jealous.  Samsara wanted to sit there too, but, heck, it was my lap.  She managed to get her front paws there but she had to sit next to Mom while we both got hugs at the same time.  Mom was laughing.  She said she was covered in kitty.

I like âŚ getting my brushies.  There, I said it.  When Mom uses the bathroom mirror, I sit on the toilet waiting for her to notice me.  Then, when she does, I let her give me my brushies and purr up a storm for her.  Of course, all of this is still on my own terms.  I call the end of the interview as soon as I feel like it.  I just want Mom to be grateful that Iâm even letting her brush me.

If any fur has the need to make a confession, feel free to do it in the comments section of this diary entry.  Weâd love to hear from you.  (And the only furs that will ever know about it are the ones that stop by this diary entry.  Tee hee.  Iâll never say a wordâI promise!)

And, no, Iâm not saying this âcause itâs April Fools Day.  (Now youâre gonnaâ wonder, arenât you?)

HeadbonksâŚ]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>No Chemo This Week.</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/772601</link>

				<pubdate>Wed, 28 Mar 2012 22:32:22 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/772601</guid>
		<description>We had a surprise on Tuesday:  no chemo.  Dr. L. took some blood and his in-house lab results said m ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ We had a surprise on Tuesday:  no chemo.  Dr. L. took some blood and his in-house lab results said my WBC was slightly too low.  He thought at first that the results might be wrong so he sent some blood out to the lab to look at it again.  Nope.  The first result was right.  He thought he might do it today (Wednesday) and then reconsidered.  Iâm scheduled for next Tuesday.

He and Mom talked about my eating (not).  He wants to test my kidney values on Tuesday.  Heâs wondering if they deteriorated since December,if they're causing the eating issues because itâs taking longer for my kidneys to process the chemo.   He didnât want to put me back on the Mirtazapine âcause it made me so nuts.  He thought about that again tooâhe doesnât want me eating so little that it compromises my immune system any further.  I got Mirtazapine yesterday but I got half the dosage.  So I only got half as nutsâstill too much.

Samsara got the Mirtazapine yesterday too.  By the time our regular vet, Dr. V., and Mom talked today, Samsara was also making her crazy.  Our vet heard Samsara over the phone and started laughing.  (And before they hung up, Dr. V.  giggled and told Mom to enjoy her kitties.)  Mom growled after she got off the phone.  (She couldnât even sing today âcause Samsara was singing right along with her.)

Anyway, the upshot of the conversation was that Dr. L. and Dr. V. talked about what to do with me with regard to stimulating my appetite.  With the Mirtazapine itâs too much and without it I eat too little.  Dr. L. thought we might increase my prednisolone againâsomething Mom and Dr. V. really donât want to do since Iâve been on it so long; theyâre both afraid of it causing liver damage.  (And, when Mom thought about it, that wouldnât work anyway.  Whenever I get a dose high enough to make me hungry, my rhinotracheitis surfaces and I end up with an URI.)  Of course, the other option Dr. L. was considering was changing my food.  To what?  Thatâs another âno can doâ.  Everything else weâve tried makes pudding poops with blood.  

Everybody finally settled on trying a new appetite stimulant: cyproheptadine.  With this one we have to watch out that it doesnât make me too sleepy.   To be continuedâitâs going to be a good few days before anyone wants me to take it.

Mom is also complaining about my âfeed meâ routine now.  I put my front paws in her lap and start raking downwards with my nails.  Eventually, she scoops me up and puts me in her lap.  I only stay there for a minute or so and then Iâm right back to bothering her.

Now Mom is starting to get even.  I lead her to the kitchen with my tail in the air.  She gets hold of my tail and uses it as a rudder to steer me to the kitchen.  I donât need steeringâreally I donât.  MOL!  I know the way, and Mom, I know that you know that I know the way.  You know? 

HeadbonksâŚ]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>Visit with Dr. L. and Spring Pictures</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/772225</link>

				<pubdate>Mon, 26 Mar 2012 08:01:29 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/772225</guid>
		<description>Wow; it&acirc;s been a long time since I got to write anything in my diary.  Diary Gal kept Mom way too  ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Wow; itâs been a long time since I got to write anything in my diary.  Diary Gal kept Mom way too busy with Keshy.  (Not that I have anything against herâshe turned out to be okay towards the end.)  ButâŚ

Anyway, last week was the first of my monthly visits with Dr. L.  (Even before that Mom saw Stacey-Ann at Dr. L.âs gig on St. Pattyâs day.)  Iâm losing my touchâStacey-Ann said that Iâm sweet!  Mom asked her if she was sure she was talking about the same kitty.  Stacey-Ann laughed and said that I was all âmouthâ and no follow-through.  (Thatâs not what Jasmine, the vet tech at Dr. V.âs office, thinks.) Oops.  I think itâs time to sharpen the claws a bit.

Last month, after I stopped eating for 48 hours, I dropped down to under 10 1/2 pounds (from 11.2 lbs.).  Iâm up to 10.7 lbs. again.  You know that funny tasting pill (Mirtazapine) Momâs been giving me?  It made me want something like 3 or 4 bowls of food in a row and I was still hungry.

The last phone call Mom made to Dr. L., she was saying something like âHelpâI just fed her 4 bowls of food, she doesnât want to eat any more, and it looks like sheâll start gnawing on my leg any second now.  She doesnât know what she wants!â    Yup, side effects.  Mirtazapine can make us kitties hyper.  And, by the way, Mom was so mean on St. Pattyâs Day.  She gave both me and Samsara the Mirtazapine and she only fed us something like 4 bowls of food before she left the house!  
She left at something like 6:00 in the evening and didnât come home for almost the whole night!  Where was our food???!!!

Given my weight gain and the side-effects they want Mom to stop the pill unless I donât eat for 24 hours.  (They want me to keep my girlish figure.)  Without the pill, the kibble doesnât look so good and I donât really want the canned food.  (Momâs fish chowder smelled yummy, though.  Why wonât she give me fish?  The stuff only has tomatoes and chili pepper in it.  Iâm sure it wouldnât hurt my IBD âŚ.)  Besides, Iâve been off Tylan for a week and since this past Thursday Iâm down to getting prednisolone only once a day.  My poops have been really good.

AnywhoâŚ we took the subway to see Dr. L.  It was scary down there, but I got to see all the birdies and sniff the air that smelled like spring when we walked (I rode) home.  Mom and I both complained all the way there and all the way back.  (She remembered the time she took late brofur B.A. to V-lady and couldnât carry him the last block home.  She set down the kennel cab and said, âThatâs it! No more ice cream, no more potato chips, and no more pretzels!â  And she got caught lecturing the kennel cabâsome guy saw the whole thing and started laughing.)  

I have my next appointment tomorrow morning.  Dr. L. thinks Iâll be good to go for my chemo treatment.

Speaking of spring, we did our spring photo shoot.  Most kitties get to be spring chickens and bunny rabbits and stuffâI get to be different.  I get to be the centerpiece in a Victorian post card!  Huh?  Mom says she hates her camera.   I wonât look at it anymore if I can help it.  I hate the infra-red light and the flash hurts my eyes even more.  (Oh, câmon, ColetteâI havenât used either the fill light or the flash in over a yearâI know they hurt your eyes!)  So the fill light feature is off, but I still donât want to look at the camera.  (The feature is off, and since your fur is so dark in places and so light in other places, and since the camera is crappy and over-lights any lighter places in the pictureâŚ)

The pictures were perfectly good but they were too âhotâ in placesâthey hurt our eyes and we were sure you wouldnât want to look at them either.  Who knows what happenedâSamsaraâs pictures needed very little adjustment. The light must have shifted in the few minutes between the time Mom took her pictures and the time she took mine.  Mine seemed to be a disaster.   At first we thought we didnât have one picture we could use.  Then we started to play with them using our software.   By the way, the flowers really are thereâthey arenât software generated.  And, understand this isnât an apology:  we love the final results.  We hope you do too.  (Itâs going to take some time to post themâbear with us.)

HeadbonksâŚ]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>No Understand Human&acirc;&brvbar;Can&acirc;t Hear You</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/768262</link>

				<pubdate>Thu, 1 Mar 2012 20:33:28 PST</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/768262</guid>
		<description>9:00 PM

&acirc;Colette!  Finish your supper!&acirc;

Huh?  What did you say?  Sorry, speak up.

&acirc;Co ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ 9:00 PM

âColette!  Finish your supper!â

Huh?  What did you say?  Sorry, speak up.

âColette, your supper!â   Fingernail to bowl:  âplink, plink, plinkâ.

Huh?

âCo-lette!!â

Samsara:  âLet me out of the bedroom!  Let me out!  Thereâs food in Coletteâs bowl!   Hurry up!â

âColette, if you donât finish your supper now, Iâm letting Samsara have it!â

Huh?   No speak human.  Canât understand a word youâre saying.  Speak âCatâ, woman!

âCO-LETTE, YOUR SUPPER!!â

Huh?

âPLINK, PLINK, PLINK.â

Huh?

âSigh.â

Samsara:  âLET ME OUT.  YEOW, YEOW, YEOW, YEOW, YEOW, YEOW!â  IâM FREE!!!!  WHEREâS THE FOOD?  WHEREâS THE FOOD?  WHEREâS THE FOOD?â


11:00 PM

Mooom!  Iâm HUNGRY!  NYEH, NYEH, NYEH.  WHEREâS MY KIBBLE?

âSigh.â]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>Chemo Treatment Number Three</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/767942</link>

				<pubdate>Wed, 29 Feb 2012 00:04:15 PST</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/767942</guid>
		<description>Can you believe it?  I&acirc;m halfway home with the treatments.  I just got my third treatment today.   ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Can you believe it?  Iâm halfway home with the treatments.  I just got my third treatment today.  They say I look good.  (Well...  Is there another way for me to look?)

Iâve gotten this routine down pat.  I see Mom racing around first thing in the morning and I know Iâm going.  I also know sheâs going to catch me.  Whatâs the point of hiding?  I just hope she wonât notice me in my bed.  (She always does, though.)  She puts me in my carrier and we head out the door.  I meow really loud so everyone in the building knows sheâs about to subject my body to medical torture.  Then we take the car service and Iâm really quiet.  I growl at Stacy Ann when she comes to get me.  I curse the doctors when they treat me.  Afterwards, they take the bandage off my leg because Mom ratted on me.  She told them that I donât let her do it.  I growl at Stacy Ann when she brings me back to Mom.  Stacy Ann laughs.  By the time we leave the clinic, I really need to use the litter box, so I keep telling the cab driver he has to hurry.  Why does it take such a long time to get home?  (I didnât make it today.   Mom had to clean a poop ball out of my floofy pants.  :( )

Now, just when Iâve learned the routine, theyâre already changing it.  My next appointment isnât for another 3 weeks.  Theyâre pretty sure they have my low WBC pattern figured out so I donât need to go for so many CBCs anymore.   Woo hoo!  (Good riddance Stacy Ann.  I wonât miss you while Iâm gone.  Will you miss me?  I hope so.  Whoâs going to abuse you when Iâm not there?  Besides, who does it better than me?)

Giggles.  Mom just yelled âouchâ.  You know what that means?  Iâm getting Mirtazapine again.  My last pill was on Friday and by today I was picking at my food.  (See, when I get the pill, I get really, really hungry.  The only way to be sure I get Momâs attention is by putting my nails in her leg.)

Oh heck.  She thinks I had enough food today so she just caught me and put me in her lap.  Instead of dictating my diary from floor level, I have to stare at the computer screen.

Anyway, itâs been a week since Mom spoke to Dr. V. and Dr. O. about my meds.  Iâm still looking good after Mom stopped giving me the second dose of Tylan.  Tonight is the first night I also donât get the second dose of prednisolone.  Paws crossed that this works âcause Dr. V. wants to stop the meds altogether.  I heard Mom gasp into the phone when she heard that.   Mom told Dr. V. it felt like working without a safety net.  Dr. V. had to remind her we could start up the meds again if we need to.

You know what else?  Mom vacuumed behind her rehearsal mirror the other day and she found a whole stash of rattle and crackle balls.  I had so much fun playing with them I lost them again.  Samsaraâs also pretty happy since Mom also found a whole bunch of her mousies.

HeadbonksâŚ]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>Note To Self:</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/767232</link>

				<pubdate>Sat, 25 Feb 2012 00:20:08 PST</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/767232</guid>
		<description>Don&acirc;t follow Mom into the kitchen in the dark.  She dang near killed me.

I was innocently waiti ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Donât follow Mom into the kitchen in the dark.  She dang near killed me.

I was innocently waiting in the dark by the cabinet where she stores the kibble.  I was a good girl.  You know, nice and quietâŚ.  She filled her mug with water, popped open the microwave to put the cup in, and let out a stifled shriek just as the light in the microwave came on.

Then I felt it:  Niagra Falls.

Anybody got a towel?

GrrrrâŚ.]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>My Oncologist Appointment and Some Big IBD News</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/766944</link>

				<pubdate>Thu, 23 Feb 2012 11:52:54 PST</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/766944</guid>
		<description>It was Tuesday.  Can you believe it?  Mom, get with the program.  Never mind there were birthdays to ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ It was Tuesday.  Can you believe it?  Mom, get with the program.  Never mind there were birthdays to take care of!

I was excluded.  I didnât get any kitty treats.  Effurything was done behind closed doors!  :(

Anyway, I got to give them a piece of my mind again.  Stacy Ann (our vet tech) just laughs.  I have to go again next week.  They only did my CBCs.  My white blood cell count was low.  (Dr. L. suspected it would be, but heâs still establishing what my WBC cycle is.)  He didnât want to tip it any lower so he held off giving me my chemo treatment.  (The chemo can make the WBC count even lower.)

Dr. L. was very pleased with how Iâve been eating.  He wants Mom to discontinue the Mirtazapine for now.  We got to find out how much I weigh: 10.68 pounds.  They didnât tell us last week.  Maybe they didnât want to freak Mom out.  I gained back some of the weight I lost the weekend I stopped eating.  Before I had my surgery I weighed 11.2 pounds.   I donât know about those humansâtheyâre all crazy!  First they tell me Iâm supposed to lose weight and now they want me to keep it!  You would think they would make up their minds!  They laughed the afternoon Mom called them to tell them how despurrate I was.  And Mom mimics me! :(  Nyeh, nyehâŚ  nrrrrow!

She also laughed at me last night and today and called me a drama queen again.  What did I do?  Last night I was bothering her to get more kibbles.  I wasnât quick enough to back away when she tried to pick me up to put me in her lap.  (Donât tell anyoneâI stuck around a few minutes.  Those chin scritchies werenât bad.)  This morning, I wasnât expecting Samsaraâs tail to brush me under the chin.  What would you have done?  I jumped.

Okay, now for the big news.  Yayyyy!  Mom talked to Dr. V. on Tuesday night and she just spoke with Dr. O.  at the oncologistâs office.  (Dr. L. is on vacation till the first week of March. Dr. O. says sheâs looking forward to meeting meâheee heee, little does she know.  Sheâll beee soooorrry!)  The chemotherapy isnât only doing the job of my IBD meds, itâs doing it better than the IBD meds.  Outside of looking like they came from a doggy, my poops have been purrfect!  Dr. V. agrees with Mom about reducing my IBD meds.  

Since Tuesday night, Iâve been getting Tylan only once a day and prednisolone twice a day. (Dr. V. still wants me getting the lysine gel, though.  Thatâs because of the issues I have with my rhinotracheitis and because chemo compromises the immune system.  Oh well.) 

Thatâs where Dr. O. comes in.  Dr. V. wanted to make sure they werenât using the steroids (pred) in my cancer treatment.  Dr. O. says they donât use steroids in the treatment of breast cancer, which means that after this Tuesday, Mom can drop the pred to once a day as well.  Dr. V. wants us to call her on Tuesday to let her know how Iâm doing.  She hopes weâll be able to eliminate the IBD meds over the next month or so.  Yayyyyyyy!  


Headbonks & happy purrsâŚ]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>The Video Is Posted!  Mom Says I&acirc;m Getting Really Lovey-Dovey Too.</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/766258</link>

				<pubdate>Sun, 19 Feb 2012 13:59:37 PST</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/766258</guid>
		<description>It took over two and a half hours to do it the other night, but I&acirc;m now a movie star!  Funny, we n ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ It took over two and a half hours to do it the other night, but Iâm now a movie star!  Funny, we never noticed that I had posted a video at one point and it disappeared off my page.  That meant I didnât even have a video book, even though the clip was there.  Catster fleas!

Sorry again about all the extra noise in the clip.  That darn camera picks up way too much noise.

Mom gave me my Mirtazapine yesterday too, which meant I started all over with the hungreeeees. Mom says that at the rate Iâm going, weâre going to need a forklift to transport me to and from my chemo appointments.

 At some point this week, Mom was âtalkingâ to Nukâs mom over FB and she asked about our âfeed meâ chorus.  Mom said we added a new voice to the chorusâhers.  Her part is to go âouch, ouchâ and âstoooopâ.  Thatâs âcause I wonât leave her alone when sheâs working at the computer.  I put my paws in her lap, extend my nails and start sliding downwards.  She swats me off, she pets me, she swats me off some more, and then she gives upâgiggles.  I walk her into the kitchen for a bowl of noms.

Mom says there must be some extra-special happy stuff in those pills.  Iâve gotten very talkative and very lovey-dovey.   I was kissing Momâs eyelids as she fell asleep last night.    Iâve alsoâŚ gaspâŚ  started to enjoy  âŚ gettingâŚ. Brushed!  You should see my coat!  It looks so nice!

Off to get more noms.

HeadbonksâŚ]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>Mirtazapine-Induced Starvation</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/765678</link>

				<pubdate>Thu, 16 Feb 2012 10:36:35 PST</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/765678</guid>
		<description>I was picking at my wet food again the night before last, and I wasn&acirc;t doing so hotsy-totsy with m ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ I was picking at my wet food again the night before last, and I wasnât doing so hotsy-totsy with my kibble yesterday morning either.  Mom was âsupposedâ to give me my Mirtazapine today so she did.

She went out about mid-afternoon and I was frantic by the time she came home.  I was soooooo huuungry!  I wolfed down my first bowl of kibble she gave me.  I wolfed down the refill and tried to shove Samsara out of her bowl.

Mom phoned the clinic.  Dr. L.âs staff started to laugh.  The verdict:  âfeed meâ.

So Mom waited another half hour and gave me some more.  We posted the video.  Sorry about the static, our replacement camera seems to pick up even more noise than the original one we had.  If you listen closely, youâll hear my teeth hitting the side of the bowl.

Now I ask, from this video, does it look like I get fed enough?!!!  (Iâve only had only about another 3 bowls of food since Mom shot this video.)


GrrrrâŚ.]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>Seeing Red on Valentine&acirc;s Day</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/765500</link>

				<pubdate>Wed, 15 Feb 2012 09:50:55 PST</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/765500</guid>
		<description>Grrrrr&acirc;&brvbar;  I went to see Dr. L. for my first CBC of the month yesterday.  That&acirc;s not exactly what  ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ GrrrrrâŚ  I went to see Dr. L. for my first CBC of the month yesterday.  Thatâs not exactly what I had in mind.

Even though I brought Valentineâs Day cards for him and Stacy Ann, my vet tech, they still took my blood.  This is the first time they wrapped me in a towel. You can imagine I wasnât in a good mood afterwards.

Dr. L. says I lost a little bit of weight but that doesnât surprise him.  Itâs a side effect of the weekend when I couldnât eat.  Even so, he says I look good.  He wants Mom to continue giving me the Mirtazapine for my appetite (I started picking at my wet food again and barely eating it) and the Cerenia when I need it.  (I had a little yarking accident just before we left the house for my appointment.)

In the meantime, I hear there was quite the âPeyton Placeâ going on here at Catster.  Dang, sorry I missed it.  It sounds like it would have been fun.

Perhaps a day late and a dollar short, we looked up some stuff about Valentineâs Day on Wikipedia and we came up with these bits of kibble we thought you might like.  Wow the Valentineâs ritual is really old!  Itâs not as old as love itself, butâŚ


The verse Roses are red echoes conventions traceable as far back as Edmund Spenser's epic The Faerie Queene (1590):

"She bath'd with roses red, and violets blew,"

The modern clichĂŠ Valentine's Day poem can be found in the collection of English nursery rhymes Gammer Gurton's Garland (1784):

"The rose is red, the violet's blue,
The honey's sweet, and so are you.
Thou art my love and I am thine;
I drew thee to my Valentine:
The lot was cast and then I drew,
And Fortune said it shou'd be you."


Headbonks,]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>I Feel Better Today</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/763759</link>

				<pubdate>Sun, 5 Feb 2012 11:11:04 PST</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/763759</guid>
		<description>Thank catness!  I began eating a bit last night and Mom left kibble out for me and Samsara and it wa ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Thank catness!  I began eating a bit last night and Mom left kibble out for me and Samsara and it was gone this morning.  I even came to the bathroom to ask Mom to put out food this morning and I ate most of it. 

In the meantime, Mom decided to give me my IBD meds.  I usually get kibble after those too, but I didnât want to eat it. Mom decided she would give me another dose of Cerenia, as my âinsurance policyâ.  Iâm still not quite back to my âold selfâ, but Iâm getting there.

Weâll keep effurybody posted.

Headbonks (and yes, Iâve been giving out lots of those today)âŚ

Colette]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>I Haven&acirc;t Been Feeling Well Since Thursday Night</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/763657</link>

				<pubdate>Sat, 4 Feb 2012 20:59:20 PST</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/763657</guid>
		<description>Thursday night I started not feeling well so I didn&acirc;t eat much.

Yesterday morning I was so naus ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Thursday night I started not feeling well so I didnât eat much.

Yesterday morning I was so nauseous I couldnât believe it.  I wanted to eat, but I just couldnât.  Mom gave me my (IBD) meds anyway, and I was almost crying.  By noon she was on the phone with Dr. L. since I had just thrown up all the water I had.  Dr. L. says Iâm ahead of schedule for the nausea.  Oh great!

He gave me a prescription for Cerenia.  That helped.  I ate a little bit of kibble yesterday, but not much.  I still couldnât eat today.  I felt bad because I could see how nervous I was making Mom, but I just couldnât.  Iâve been giving her lots of headbonks and Iâve been cuddling with her.   Does that help?

Mom called the clinic today and she went over to pick up the Mirtazapine that Dr. L. prescribed (appetite stimulant) around 6:00 this evening.  They say it takes about 12 hours to kick in.  In the meantime, Mom ground up some of my wet food and she gave it to me in a syringe.  That was okay.  I even started to lap a bit from the cup she had it in.

She just put the food out again a few minutes ago and I took a bit by myself.  Gee, I hope I feel better by tomorrow.]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>My Singing Oncologist &acirc; Part II</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/762393</link>

				<pubdate>Sun, 29 Jan 2012 00:26:45 PST</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/762393</guid>
		<description>Mom got back from the gig not too long ago.  What a great show!

It was in a small place called El ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Mom got back from the gig not too long ago.  What a great show!

It was in a small place called Ellaâs on the Lower East Side.  You should have seen how many patients went!  Everybody kept saying what a good doctor he is.

Mom had a really nice time.  He really does have that beautiful voice you heard on his web site!  She especially enjoyed the songs dedicated to Dr. Lâs cat, Stitch, and his dog, Poochi  (weâre not sure how to spell that) who is a cancer survivor!

<a  class=bodyTextRev target=site  onClick="alert(\'Catster Alert: You are about to visit an outside link that was submitted by this pet owner.\');" href="http://www.joshualouis.com">Joshua Louis</a><a  class=bodyTextRev target=site  onClick="alert(\'Catster Alert: You are about to visit an outside link that was submitted by this pet owner.\');" href="http://www.joshualouis.com" title=" "></a> 

In the meantime, Mom practiced too much this afternoon.  She says she has to watch itâshe feels like she strained her voice.

Weâre also still purraying up a storm for Blizzard.  Blizz, we love you.  Get well soon.

<a  class=bodyTextRev target=site href="http://www.catster.com/cats/846895/diary/Life_of_a_large_deaf_kitty/762325#comments_form">Blizzard</a><a  class=bodyTextRev target=site href="http://www.catster.com/cats/846895/diary/Life_of_a_large_deaf_kitty/762325#comments_form" title=" "></a>



HeadbonksâŚ]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>Thank You and My Singing Oncologist</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/762229</link>

				<pubdate>Fri, 27 Jan 2012 23:05:57 PST</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/762229</guid>
		<description>Thanks everyone for your good wishes for my DDP and for your wishing me well for my cancer treatment ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Thanks everyone for your good wishes for my DDP and for your wishing me well for my cancer treatments.

And thank you for your gifts:

Doggy Sasha â for the POTP
Doggy Sasha â for the Heart Star
Family of Kaci Sunshine and Miss Mittens â for the Pink Ribbon
Buddie â for the Blue Ribbon
Family of Sleeper, Samhain and Fearless â for the Heart
Family of Pinkie, Biggles and Nonny for the Pink Ribbon
Family of Mea-Angel , Mikki, Miko and Milo for the Heart
Ginger and Dad, Mike â for the Red Ribbon

Also, please pray furry hard for our friend, Blizzard.  He's in the hospital tonight and his daddy is very scared.  We're praying like crazy over here too.  Get well soon, Blizzard.  We love you.

<a  class=bodyTextRev target=site href="http://www.catster.com/cats/846895/diary/Life_of_a_large_deaf_kitty/762179#comments_form">Blizzard</a><a  class=bodyTextRev target=site href="http://www.catster.com/cats/846895/diary/Life_of_a_large_deaf_kitty/762179#comments_form" title=" "></a>


Funny, Mom has had such a hard time catching up lately.  A while ago I think it was me who was talking about what a great movie the Disney movie, âThe Princess and The Frogâ is.  At the same time we told you that Mom had met Keith David, the actor/singer who did the voice over for the character, Doctor Facilier, âThe Shadow Manâ.  We meant to tell you, you know who she saw last week?  He came back to the place where Mom sings, and she got to congratulate him for the wonderful job he did with the character.  He kissed her hand to tell her thank you!  (Sheâs not so silly as to swear sheâll never wash her hand again, but she says the thought made her laugh.)

How appropriate and funny life is, Mom thinks.  I am not only surrounded by love, but Iâm also surrounded by music.

Believe it or not:  Did you know that my Oncologist, Dr. L. for short , Dr. Lachowicz (for long) is also known as Joshua Louis, the pop singer?  Iâm not kidding.

Dr. L. is establishing his own foundation to help people pay for their petâs cancer treatmentsâhe is going to be using the proceeds from his music to help raise the money. He has a gig in Manhattan tomorrow night and Mom is going to go see him sing and play the piano.

Hereâs the link to his web site. We think youâll enjoy his music.  Mom does.  

<a  class=bodyTextRev target=site  onClick="alert(\'Catster Alert: You are about to visit an outside link that was submitted by this pet owner.\');" href="http://www.joshualouis.com">Joshua Louis</a><a  class=bodyTextRev target=site  onClick="alert(\'Catster Alert: You are about to visit an outside link that was submitted by this pet owner.\');" href="http://www.joshualouis.com" title=" "></a> 


HeadbonksâŚ]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>Mom is Crazy and My Trip to the V-Hospital Today.</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/761769</link>

				<pubdate>Wed, 25 Jan 2012 00:13:00 PST</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/761769</guid>
		<description>The trip to the V-hospital:  They have bigger vampires over there than they do at v-lady.  They took ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ The trip to the V-hospital:  They have bigger vampires over there than they do at v-lady.  They took my blood again.  That was all.

Last week and the week before my CBCâs were good.  I was supposed to have my second chemo treatment today and it didnât happen.  Dr. L. called Mom to come and get me.  (No, it wasnât anything I said or did.  Our vet tech, Stacy Ann, says my âbarkâ is worse than my bite.  She doesnât take guff from me.  Sheâs a lot bigger than Mom so she lets me complain up a storm âcause she already knows I wonât bite or scratch her.)   NoâŚ my white blood cell count was low today, so Dr. L. thought it would be better to wait until next week.  He says heâs seen this pattern in kitties a lot.  Chemo is known to compromise the immune system, so, since my WBC was already low he didnât want to risk making it even lower.  Heâs moved me to a once every four week chemo cycle.

Now, why is Mom crazy?  You know what she just tried to do a little while ago?  Shove a horse pill down me!  Well, maybe not a horse pill, but it was a people pill.

She got tired and sheâs preoccupied with doggy ladyâs doggy, Misty.  Misty went to the vet today for a lump that felt like mine which is right off to the side of her nipple.  Her v-lady wants to do surgery too, but her x-rays found an enlarged heart.

Anyway, the people pill: an acidophilus capsule.  Mom keeps the acidophilus (for me and Samsara) in the fridge, right next to the yogurt she puts on my Tylan pills.  Great, theyâre both white capsules and they look almost exactly like each other.  The Tylan bottle is on top of our microwave oven.

The acidophilus, which is twice the size of the Tylanâand Iâm not exaggeratingâgot covered in yogurt and made it all the way into my mouth.  Mom realized the difference when my eyes started to bulge.   I suppose if I didnât choke first, it couldnât have done any harm. (Of course, substituting acidophilus for my second dose of Tylan couldnât have done any good either.)  Mom usually opens the capsules and mixes the acidophilus powder into our food. I spit it out and I got an apology out of her.

Then she put the acidophilus into the wet paper towel she uses to wipe my mouth, forgot about it, and wiped my mouth.  By the time she went to look for the pill it disappeared.   I wasnât wearing it and it wasnât anywhere near where we were.   She says the kitchen swallowed it.  (What doesnât that kitchen swallow!)  I got to watch her, on all fours, crawling all over the kitchen floor again.   We never found the pill.  Do you know how many times she checked my towel and my coat and her clothes?

Thanks for your good wishes for my DDP.  Mom was off updating my case study over the weekend and we didnât see it till really, really late last night.   And, thanks effurybody for your gifts.  We would be lying if we said we had a moment to look at them.   We will tomorrow.

HeadbonksâŚ]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>Week Two CBCs</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/760431</link>

				<pubdate>Tue, 17 Jan 2012 12:51:17 PST</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/760431</guid>
		<description>I guess we didn&acirc;t want to jinx this by saying anything too early. Both CBCs, (last week&acirc;s and th ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ I guess we didnât want to jinx this by saying anything too early. Both CBCs, (last weekâs and this weekâs), have been really good and Iâm set to go for my second chemo treatment next Tuesday.  Yay!

My poops have been good and my energy level has been improving.  Mom is happy to see me racing over to her again when she walks in the door and then racing off too, like I used to do.  Iâm doing more zoomies around the apartment too.

Mom was kind of concerned about me hipper-dippering around with my wet food at night.  I just donât like wet food all that much, so sometimes I leave it.  SeeâIâve got this routine down pat.   Leave the food, have Mom put it away, and then beg like crazyânyeh, nyehâŚ.Iâm starving.  Feed me kibble!  Giggles.  She does.

It doesnât hurt that Samsara forgets sheâs eaten and squawks every time Mom walks into the kitchen.  I just ride her coat-tails.  If Samsara says we havenât eaten, we havenât eaten.  Right?  The only part I donât get is why Samsara keeps nuzzling me under the neck.  I keep telling her Iâm not the head of the fodder department.   She doesnât believe me when I tell her I need to beg too.  (But I do appreciate it when she leaves some of hers for me.)

And, you know what I did Sunday?  Mom was baking again and since she was making cookies and muffins, she didnât have enough space to put the muffin pan where I couldnât reach it.  Dang!!  Those double-corn jalapeĂąo muffins smelled great, and they looked so nice rolling all over the floor.  Too bad she got them before I could.  :(]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>Yay!  Frankie&acirc;s Friends.</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/758795</link>

				<pubdate>Sun, 8 Jan 2012 00:59:09 PST</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/758795</guid>
		<description>Mom got pawsome news late yesterday afternoon.  Frankie&acirc;s Friends, Zeus Varis Trust has accepted m ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Mom got pawsome news late yesterday afternoon.  Frankieâs Friends, Zeus Varis Trust has accepted me. Weâll be getting help paying for my chemotherapy.  The treatments are going to be covered, the CBCâs are going to be covered and, if I need more surgeryâŚ  Yay!  They are the best!  We are so grateful!

We still have to pay a $75 co-pay for each visit, there is a ceiling on how much they will pay out, and they are also paying for only the chemo-related stuff, but Mom is so relieved.  Itâs going to take such a load off her mind.

Other news, Tuesday will be a week since my first chemo.  So far, so good.  No more barfing.  Mom isnât sure it was me anymore either.  She says she saw Samsara do it this morning.  Mom also says that my poops look better than they have in a long time.  Sheâs guessing the Amoxi Drops they sent me home with after my surgery are doing more than just handle post-trauma.  She says my IBD has always responded well to antibiotics.

I ate my wet food supper slowly tonight, but I ate it and didnât leave very much for Samsara.  And, good news for me.  Every time Mom goes into the kitchen Samsara starts squawking for food.  Iâve been riding on Samsaraâs coat-tails.  Tee hee.  I get extra too.

Our camera went on the fritz againâjust inside the warranty extension the company gave her.  They agreed to replace it this time.  She heard that one before.  Weâll see.  Weâre wondering if itâs going to take another couple of weeks before we receive the call tag for the return.  Last time, back in August, we had to wait a whole month to get the camera back.

Mom is still âsdeezingâ, as she puts it.  She just went to make a cup of lungwort tea.  This is something a lady who was into holistic treatments taught her years ago.  The stuff was hard to find where we live.  She finally got some (about 20 years agoâand has been using it very sparingly ever since).    She says itâs the best.  It tastes a bit like chamomile (pleasant, Mom thinks) and it dries out the nasal passages so you can breathe.  Several years ago, Mom says you could only get it online in tincture form.  She just checkedâthe herb form is now readily available.  $25 buys you a pound.  Thatâs a lot of tea.  Not bad.  We thought weâd mention it âcause it really is cold-season now.

Anyway, Iâm not writing a book tonight.  I just wanted to let you know about Frankieâs Friends.  There really is such a thing as a guardian angel!

PurrsâŚ]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>The Holidays and My First Chemo Treatment</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/758499</link>

				<pubdate>Fri, 6 Jan 2012 02:06:47 PST</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/758499</guid>
		<description>It&acirc;s been a rough three weeks around here.  Mom keeps dragging me to the v-lady.  I think you all  ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Itâs been a rough three weeks around here.  Mom keeps dragging me to the v-lady.  I think you all know about that by now.  They found out I had breast cancer. 

It all started with Mom poking around at my belly while she was giving me my meds.  She says I donât cooperate when she brushes me.  She wants to know where to start combing, so she feels around looking for mats.  Thatâs when she found it. 

I had my operation on December 20th.  Boy, I came home feeling kind of funny.  I was so hungry and I couldnât get to the bowl because of the lamp shade they made me wear on my head.  I have an oval-shaped bowl; how was I supposed to get a round lamp shade over it?  Is it any wonder the kibble went flying all over the kitchen?  Mom decided to give me a break and took off the lamp shade while I was eating.  She says most of the time I was a really good girl about letting her put it back on me after I ate.

The first two days after the surgery are a bit of a blur so I donât mind Mom having called me her âloopy kittyâ. Mom says I made her giggle and clutch her nose going âouchâ the day after.  I head-bonked her and the lamp shade hit her nose.

She stopped giving me pain killer two days after the operation.  She overslept and boy was I hungry.  I was bouncing around complaining like I usually do.  She decided at that point I didnât need the medicine any more.  Too bad she didnât take the lamp shade off me too.  They made me wear it until this Monday night.
  
Mom really giggled when Samsara and I tried to join her in the bathroom.  Samsara insists we walk shoulder-to-shoulder.  Samsara walked into the bathroom easily, but because of the lamp shade I got stuck on the door-jamb.  Thatâs not funny!  It also wasnât funny when she stayed home on Christmas with me.  She thought it would make us both feel better if she tied some pretty ribbon around the base.  I didnât mind until Samsara tried to eat it off my neck.  Mom took a couple of pictures, but I donât think weâre posting them.  I look pretty pathetic.

We went for my oncology consultation last Thursday and Mom decided over the weekend that we were going to move forward with the chemotherapy.  The oncology doctor said he would have preferred to have put me under and taken out the whole lymph system, if my heart could have taken it.  He says I might need more surgery somewhere down the line.

New Yearâs Eve

Mom left the house for a few hours in the late afternoon on New Yearâs Eve.  She went to Manhattan to try to get some photos in the Times Square area.  She was already home by 7:00.  The police wouldnât let her go farther than 49th Street and Seventh Avenue, but she could still see the building from which the ball drops.  There were kazillions of people out, and people were being really nice.  And, even though the police wouldnât let her go where she wanted, they were also really nice about it.  She posted the pictures on FaceBook.

Mom had doggy lady and Misty over for a short while and then she went next door with doggy lady to watch the ball drop on T.V.  Samsara spent most of the time locked in the bedroom. It serves her right; she shouldnât have stalked Misty.  Before we even realized what was happening Misty disappeared under the sofa with Samsara in hot pursuit!  Silly dog!  She doesnât realize all she had to have done was bark at Samsaraâit would have scared her off.

First Chemo Treatment

By the time I had my chemo appointment this Tuesday morning you can bet I was fed up with going to doctors.   I know, at this point, when I see Mom get up early and start rushing around sheâs about to ruin my day.  I go into hiding when she comes out of the shower. I goofed on Tuesday, though.  I was under the sofa but I forgot to pull in my butt.  Geeze, when Mom is determinedâŚ

The oncologist says Iâm healing well and he took the sutures out. Then I got the first of the six chemo treatments he wants to do.  It went okay.  They administered via injection in my hind leg and sent me home with a bandage.  Mom was supposed to take it off when we got home.  I paid her backâI gave her a hard time.  She thought she needed to cut it off and no way was I going to let her.  She went over to doggy lady to ask for helpâshe thought doggy lady was going to have to hold my head and paws under a towel while she cut the bandage.  As a last ditch effort, she tried holding on to it and I kept going.  It worked!  I walked out of it.  Yay!

Mom is supposed to watch me for: decreased appetite, nausea, diarrhea and sneezing.  So far almost none of that has happened.  I also have to go back for CBCâs next week and the week after.  They want to check my white blood cell count to make sure that the chemo isnât compromising my immune system.  They told Mom they can adjust what Iâm getting if that starts to happen.

I was really hungry when I got home, and then really sleepy.  I almost missed Mom preparing my next kibble.  (Her next meds, that is.  They need to be administered with food.)  When Mom came into the bedroom looking for me she found me sitting up, asking myself if I just heard what I thought I heard.  Then, after my supper, I got hungry again, so I bothered Mom until she gave me some more.

I was really hungry yesterday morning too.  I wolfed my kibs down too fast and I barfed.  That happens every time I eat too fast but it earned me another pill (Tagament).  My wet food supper didnât look so good yesterday evening and tonight and I only ate half.  Mom gave me kibble after my last meds for the day and those tasted really good.  This morning, no Tagament and no barf.  Tee hee, Samsara took care of making the mess this morning.

And you know what? Mom has been trying to brush me.  How many times have I told her not to brush me?!!  Sheâs finding mats since I havenât been able to clean myself.  Iâm giving her a hard time,  but Iâm also giving her lots of extra purrs and headbonks.

By the way, maybe they should be watching Mom for sneezing.  Sheâs been sneezing an awful lot since she got home from getting me my meds yesterday.  It was in the low 20âs and, giggles, she didnât get car service.  She had to wait for the bus.

HeadbonksâŚ]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>Oncology Consultation</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/757427</link>

				<pubdate>Fri, 30 Dec 2011 23:44:53 PST</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/757427</guid>
		<description>Thank you so much everyone for your outpouring of love.  I&acirc;m overwhelmed.

To put this into pers ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Thank you so much everyone for your outpouring of love.  Iâm overwhelmed.

To put this into perspective:  Colette is doing very well at the moment.  Sheâs healing rapidly and seems to have a bit more energy than before her surgery.  Sheâs affectionate, underfoot, begging for food, and trying to get away with cleaning herself the moment sheâs finished eating and I havenât yet caught up to the fact and gotten the e-collar back on her.  And, for the reason that sheâs so hell-bent on trying to groom herself, poor thing, sheâs still in that lamp shade until this coming Tuesday at best.  Her poops are returning to ânormalâ and she gave me my first bathtub down-the-drain pee/zoomie yesterday.

Now on to the oncology consultation:  Our vet said she got the tumor with a clean âmarginâ.  Even though her x-rays show no sign of metastasis, that doesnât mean the cancer hasnât âspreadâ.  Iâll explain, and, believe me, Iâm learning as I go along.  Adenocarcinoma is the most common form of breast cancer in cats.  It is a very aggressive form of cancer that works its way through the lymph system.  Because of the involvement of the lymph system, even if an excision was clean, it doesnât mean that there wasnât time for free radicals to make their way throughout the body.  Right now, those cancer cells wouldnât yet show upânot until they have the time to form more masses.  And therein lies the rub.

Untreated, the oncologist places the chance for a new tumor showing up at greater than 50%.  Untreated, Coletteâs prognosis is 6 months left to live.  With chemotherapy, the oncologist extends her life-span to between one and two years.  The time could be further out than that, but, since I adopted her, thereâs a huge question mark with regard to how long it was (how many estrus cycles) between her first heat and the time she was spayed.  That plays a big role.  I got her as a four-year-old.  We have no idea if she was a breeding queen before, or if not, how long she went between her first estrus cycle and the time she was spayed.  Our oncologist is taking that question mark into account in his prognosis.

Ideally, the oncologist would recommend a radical resection, putting Colette under general anesthesia to remove (as I understand it) all of the mammary ducts.  More likely than not, this wonât be done.  Colette has a heart murmur and was only put under local anesthesia for this lumpectomy because of the risk that general anesthesia presents for her.  He didnât rule out though, the possibility of additional surgery for her at a future date.

Colette will be getting four to six chemo treatments.  Each treatment is administered once every three weeks.
 
When I questioned the oncologist with regard to whether or not the cancer was related to Coletteâs IBD, he told me that it was not--so much for jumping to conclusions.  Iâm mentioning this because I was speculating in the last diary entry that it might be related.

The doctor thinks Colette might be a good candidate to get help with funding her chemotherapy.  He has recommended that I approach Frankieâs Fundâa group that helps, and I put a phone call in to the group todayâanswering machine.  They say they generally call back within one business day.

I spent some time on the phone with Natalie the NatCatâs Mom last night.  Natalieâs Mom told me that sheâs very pleased with how Natalieâs chemo treatments went and how well Natalie is doing.  Comforting to know, we live very near each other and use the same ER/hospital.  And, as it turns out, weâre both assigned to the same oncologist.

Iâve pretty much made up my mind to move forward with the chemotherapy.  If Colette is willing to fight this, so am I.  But I make one promise to my little girl:  I am not going to let her suffer.  When the time comes that sheâs having more bad days than good days âŚ

I keep saying weâre going to thank everyone, and somehow this hasnât happened yet.  Gee, I wonder why.  :-) Itâs already late again, so I havenât had time to attend to p-mails or anything.  Bear with me, please.

In the meantime, I (weâColette and Samsara too) wish everyone and every fur a very happy and healthy New Year.

Hugs, headbonks and purrsâŚ

Carol, Colette and Samsara]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>It Was/Is Cancer</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/757103</link>

				<pubdate>Wed, 28 Dec 2011 19:18:01 PST</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/757103</guid>
		<description>This is Mom Carol.  I&acirc;m hijacking the diary again.  This is not our year. Biopsy results for Colet ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ This is Mom Carol.  Iâm hijacking the diary again.  This is not our year. Biopsy results for Colette's mass: "This small multilobulated mass from the left side of the ventral abdomen consists of a malignant neoplasm derived from the epithelial cells of the gland i.e. an adenocarcinoma...." In English, the mass was cancerous.  Even though our vet believes she removed the mass cleanly, this was an aggressive form of cancer and there is a high probability that cells have migrated.  I have an oncology consultation scheduled for tomorrow at 11:00 AM.

The lab results say that there are areas where the tumor cells have âinvaded or occluded lymphatics or venules,â which makes migratory activity highly possible.  They go on to say that âfeline mammary adenocarcinomas are generally aggressive malignancies that are invasive and frequently metastasize in regional lymph nodes and distant sites.  These tumors frequently recur when incompletely excised.â  They also say that Siamese cats tend to have a higher incidence of adenocarcinomas compared to other breedsâŚâ

I think I covered the crux of the matter.  Our vet believes that she was able to remove the mass cleanly, but because of the lymphatic and venule activity, itâs highly probable that cancer cells have traveled outside the mass.  If I heard her correctly (and you can imagine by this time I wasnât hearing everything clearly) she says that if it has spread, untreated, Colette would have somewhere between three months and a year left.  She is strongly recommending chemotherapy.

Honestly, I wish I could say this was a complete surprise.  It wasnât.  Colette was diagnosed with lymphocytic colitis two years ago and the lab results at the time suggested that sarcoma might be involved. In the past two years our vet has suggested doing an expensive, extremely invasive exploratory intestinal biopsy more than once. Since Colette was responding fairly well to her treatment regimen, we put this on the back burner.  After all, Iâve already shouldered enormous vet expenses for both her and Marrakech. And three years down the line, Iâm still not working.

This doesnât mean Iâm blaming myself for not doing whatever I could for Coletteâfar from it.  I have been doing everything that I can reasonably do. (And given my circumstances, many people have told me I have already gone far beyond what is reasonable.)

The fact of the matter is that Colette is a kitty that has IBD (Inflammatory Bowel Disorder) and it is thought that IBD stems from inappropriate immune system response.  I donât think it is unreasonable to say that this cancer is just the newest development thrown at us by the IBD. (One of the main functions of the lymphatic system is the transport of the immune cells to to the lymph nodes.) I havenât been saying this here, but, as early as last year, I told our vet I was thinking this would be the kitty that was going to break my heart early.

My guess was if it wasnât one thing it would be another.  For my own sake, Iâm going to list here what we already knew before this newest cancer and what else just showed up in her bloods/x-rays.  She had:  Lymphocytic Colitis and Plasmatic Enteritisâor IBD, Heart Murmur, Feline Rhinotracheitis, and Hyperthyroidism.  Her x-rays/bloods just picked up onset Chronic Renal Failure and onset Asthma.

Iâm also fairly certain that even if I had pet insurance for her (I donât) the insurance company would have connected the dots and not covered any of this.  Iâm afraid Iâm going to have to make a decision in the next few days over whether or not to pursue this aggressively with chemotherapy.  The decision will need to be based both on the doctorsâ assessments of her quality of life and life expectancy given everything thatâs already going on, and on my finances.

Whatever I decide, my love for her comes first.  And that love may have to take the form of letting this run its course without intervention.

For those of you interested in reading more about lymph function and lymph metastasis, below is a link to the Edwin L. Steele Laboratory at Harvard University.

<a  class=bodyTextRev target=site  onClick="alert(\'Catster Alert: You are about to visit an outside link that was submitted by this pet owner.\');" href="http://steele.mgh.harvard.edu/main/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=3&Itemid=29"> Lymph Function and Lymph Metastasis </a><a  class=bodyTextRev target=site  onClick="alert(\'Catster Alert: You are about to visit an outside link that was submitted by this pet owner.\');" href="http://steele.mgh.harvard.edu/main/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=3&Itemid=29" title=""></a>

Mom Carol]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>Plop Plop, Fizz Fizz</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/756525</link>

				<pubdate>Sun, 25 Dec 2011 20:33:27 PST</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/756525</guid>
		<description>Oh what a relief&acirc;&brvbar;   it is for both me and Mom.  For those furs who missed it, I peed at 2:00 this  ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Oh what a reliefâŚ   it is for both me and Mom.  For those furs who missed it, I peed at 2:00 this morning and I peed again this morning.  It was my first time in 5 days.  Mom treated it like we had won the lottery.  Sheesh.  You should have seen the line-up around the bathroom door.  Mom and Samsara heard me scratching in the litter box and both of them came running.  So much for a purrivate trip to the bathroom.  They both were lined up around the doorways between the bedroom and the bathroom staring in at me.

Mom says sheâs so relieved, that itâs like the best Christmas purresent I could ever give her.  She says she would have tried to call a car service to take me to ER today.  She didnât want to take me out on account of how cold it is because of my shaved belly--my Buddha belly--no asking me for belly rubs for good luck, though, because of the sutures.

Mom says that she still doesnât understand where I could have put it all for that long.  She says Iâve been eating like a horse and drinking like a fish.  The v-lady said to expect a possible âback-upâ on poop but this was a surprise to everybody.

V-lady had suggested that Mom put me by myself in a room with a litter box and no access to the bathtub last night.  When we thought about it, we realized that wasnât such a good move.  Since the only rooms where we can shut the door are the bathroom and the bedroom, it would have meant locking Samsara out of the bedroom.  I donât think any of us would have gotten sleep if Samsara was locked out.  When sheâs unhappy about something she lets us knowâloudly.  That girl doesnât shut up for one minute!  Anyway, thanks effuryone who suggested putting tissue paper in the bathtub drain.  Mom says that was a really good idea.  It was one where we all could get some shut-eye too because Samsara wouldnât be howling all night.  We did that.  Mom was really funny all afternoon yesterday.  She kept going over to the bathtub to check the paper in the drain!

Speaking of poops and pees, because of the stress from the surgery, I took a step backwards with those.  My poops arenât horrible, but theyâre not as good as theyâve been over the last few months.  So, for the moment, Iâm back to my every 8 hours med schedule.

Mom was going to go see her sister, Auntie Joany, today, but she decided that it was better if she stayed home with me.  She had a nice day anyway, exchanging phone calls with friends and baking holiday cookiesâPfeffernusse or Pepper Nuts in English.  She says next to Lebkuchen these are her favorite cookies. She says she even gets to eat them this time.  The last cookies she gave as gifts to friends and to our v-lady and her staff.  Giggles.  She got a bit carried away with âsampling the merchandiseâ this morning.  She said she might borrow some of my Tagament.

It got a bit late by the time Mom put the holiday bows on us, so picture-taking didnât go well--it never does when she uses the flash on the camera.  We might try it again tomorrow.  I would say bow or no bow, Iâm Momâs best Christmas purresent!

And speaking of purresents, we want to share something we think is really special:  the Pachelbel Canon. This is our favorite piece of music any time of year, but especially around the holidays. Mom has already spent many hours searching for a âbestâ performance of itâthe one that sends her.  While she really prefers a string quartet performance and found a sublime one on You Tube, the Philadelphia String Quartet, the quartet, unfortunately, has chosen to cut off the audio in the middle.  She canât say enough nice things about the love with which they play the piece, but alasâŚ.  Nevertheless, here is a superb performance by the Academy of St. Martinâs in the Field Orchestra.

<a  class=bodyTextRev target=site  onClick="alert(\'Catster Alert: You are about to visit an outside link that was submitted by this pet owner.\');" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PkSp8wc8lKw&feature=related"> Pachelbel Canon </a><a  class=bodyTextRev target=site  onClick="alert(\'Catster Alert: You are about to visit an outside link that was submitted by this pet owner.\');" href=" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PkSp8wc8lKw&feature=related" title=""></a>


Merry Christmas effuryone!

HeadbonksâŚ

P.S.  I have my follow-up visit with the v-lady on Wednesday.  I think Iâm over the hump now and things should go well.]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Post &acirc;Surgery Update</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/756037</link>

				<pubdate>Sat, 24 Dec 2011 00:13:25 PST</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/756037</guid>
		<description>This is Mom Carol.  I&acirc;m hijacking Colette&acirc;s diary one more time.

Colette is doing well.  Unde ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ This is Mom Carol.  Iâm hijacking Coletteâs diary one more time.

Colette is doing well.  Under doctorâs orders, I already removed the bandages (much to my chagrin) on Wednesday morning.  And, as usual, Colette decided the interview was over way before I was done.  (She does this to me all the time when Iâm trying to comb out her fur.)  She jumped (egads!) off the bed, with half the bandage still attached to her and with me trailing after her as fast as I could go bent over double holding on to the half I removed.  Cattitude returning.

Yesterday, I was sitting on the sofa and it was clear her next move would be another jump.  I lifted her on and took a very grateful Coletteâs headbonk, e-collar to the bridge of my nose.  Ouch!  Two minutes later, end of interview.  She jumped off the sofa.  (Egads!)

I took her off the pain killer this morning.  There was no more need for it.  I woke up way after her next dose should have been administered.   She was underfoot and happily demanding I feed her.   She ate like a horse (as sheâs been doing since she first arrived home).

Iâm not sure if sheâs doing this to make a point, but Iâm constantly being e-collar head-bonked in the leg.  Sheâs ever so much happier when I take it off to let her eat.    (I noticed tonight that sheâs figured out how to drop the lampshade over the bowl so she can eat with it on.  Getting water was never an issue for her.)  Sheâs also quite happy with all the extra head scritches.  Psychosomatic , Iâm sureâsheâs probably more trying to paw the e-collar off her head than getting an itchy neck all the time.  I get tons of purrs when I scratch her itches, though.

I posted a couple of photos.  Little did I imagine when I took the photo of her taking off her witchâs hat for Halloween, that it would give her some practice in accessory removal.  These photos were snapped on Wednesday and Thursday.

Now, one question, and I already phoned the vetâs office about it this morning.  A bit of a preface first.  Before all of this started with the enlarged nipple, Colette used her litter box for only one thing: poop.  Pee was something one did directly down the bathtub drain making sure that it truly was down the drain: wipe your paws on the plastic shower curtain liner and explode out of the bathtub for a zoomie. (Iâve never had a problem with that since I take showersâthe water from the shower rinses exactly where sheâs wiping her paws.)

The behavior changed when the nipple problem started.  At first I thought it was Samsara soaking Coletteâs litter boxâno, it was Colette soaking her own box.  Her bloods a few weeks ago picked up that there are onset renal issues.  Okay, now on to my point.  There has been no pee in Coletteâs litter box since Tuesday morning before I brought her in for the surgery, I havenât seen her in the bathtub, and there is no inappropriate pee anywhere!!!  The vet tech also thought it was odd and told me to watch her. 

Sheâs drinking like a fish.  Could she have switched back to the bathtub drain?  Is she in the bathtub while Iâm asleep or out?  I left the house for short periods of time on Wednesday and today.  

I need to call the vet back in the morning.  Unless I find pee in the litter box by tomorrow morning Iâm going to have to say the same thing as I did today.  Scratches head.

Weâll keep you posted.]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Colette is Home</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/755383</link>

				<pubdate>Tue, 20 Dec 2011 16:13:31 PST</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/755383</guid>
		<description>Hi effurybody, this is Mom Carol.  The surgery went well and Colette is home, albeit, really out of  ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Hi effurybody, this is Mom Carol.  The surgery went well and Colette is home, albeit, really out of it.

She arrived home safely, thank you Natalie the Nat Cat and Orange Ruffyâs Mom and Daddy.  Ruffyâs Daddy picked us up from v-lady and then we went to get Ruffyâs Mom from her job.  We donât know what we would have done without you.  Thank you so much!

Colette arrived home with a ravenous appetite and an e-collar getting in her way.  The doctor wanted us to restrict her intake the first few hours anyway, so the e-collar worked out rather well.  She was having such a devil of a time with it and she was so desperate to get to the kibble that kibble went flying all over the kitchen. 

Sheâs quite wobbly  but she doesnât want to be on a blankie or in her bed.  Sheâs resting on the carpet in the living room, more content to be left alone than fussed over.  Iâll be keeping a close watch on herâif need be, the puppy training crate is still here and can be put to use.  The vet sent us home with antibiotic and pain-killer for her to start using tomorrow morning.

Good on Coletteâshe lost a bit of poop on the kitchen floor, realized it, and successfully went to use the litter box on her own.

My gut feeling is that we caught this just in time.  Our vet confirmed what I thought I felt: the mass behind her nipple had grown from about an eighth inch areola to a half inch areola in the space of time between her x-ray a week ago and now.  Our vet removed the nipple and the mass behind it.  The mass is being sent to the lab for a biopsy and we should have the results in four to five business days.

Thanks for all your purrayers and gifts.  We havenât been around much over the last week.  Iâve been trying to play catch-up after the show I performed in on Thursday, and Iâm still trying to catch upâIâm in it for the long haul with the Christmas cards tonight.

Weâll be back on-line sporadically over the next few days and will thank you all properly for your gifts as soon as I can come up for some air.

Mom Carol]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Update on My Surgery.</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/754607</link>

				<pubdate>Fri, 16 Dec 2011 01:48:54 PST</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/754607</guid>
		<description>The blood pressure cuff that the v-lady needed finally came in on Friday, but Mom and the v-lady did ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ The blood pressure cuff that the v-lady needed finally came in on Friday, but Mom and the v-lady didnât hook up until Monday (because of the v-lady and not us).  

My surgery is now scheduled for this coming Tuesday.   Since Mom was performing this evening (Thursday) she was afraid that she couldnât be around enough for me this week.  The v-lady agreed that it would be better to do it next week. 

In the meantime, Mom got two chuckles when she was on the phone with v-lady and our vet tech.  They called us just as Mom got home on Monday.  Samsara and I were making so much noise in the background they couldnât hear each other (my voice is actually pretty quiet, though).  When they asked what was going on, Mom told them that they were listening to us singing the âFeed Me Chorusâ.

Among other items, (Iâve always wanted to say that!), we got home from the vet last week and Mom left my travel bag out in the living room with the side flap open.  She keeps a blankie in there for me. Samsara decided she was going to sleep in it!  Sheâs always in it. Itâs going to smell like Samsara by the time I have to use it again! 

Mom was also marveling, both with v-lady and to herself, about how smart I am.  Well, why wouldnât I be smart?  Thereâs food involved at the tail end of this, (a pun, my word!).  I hear Mom rattling around all the stuff while sheâs preparing my meds, then I hear the lovely âclink, clink, clinkâ of kibble hitting my bowl.  I show up in the kitchen for my meds.  Mom calls it our âeven-exchangeâ program.  She wraps me in a towel and presses on my hips and tells me to sit.  Itâs more comfortable for both of us if I sit, so I do. But the one that really surprised Mom the other night was when Samsara left some kibblies in the bowl.  I thought she was going to give me a really hard time with that, so I sat there staring longingly at the bowl.   I didnât dare touch it.  You never knowâŚ   Mom was washing the dishes, and that usually means a bit of a shower coming my way if I try to get the food Samsara leaves behind.  I swear,  I didnât touch it till she told me it was okay.  (She really did wait.)  Mom sounded so sweet when she gave me the go-ahead.  :-)

Anyway, sorry we havenât posted anything until now.  The olâ secretary has been really busy. Then, this evening, she left the city at 12:30 and hit a train delay and didnât get home till 2:00 AM. Pfsst!  We were starving and I hadnât had my meds either.

P. EsssâŚ  Mom says to tell you all the show went really well.  Mom says sheâs sleeping in tomorrow and then she has to hunker down and take care of things like holiday cards and stuff.

Weâll keep effurybody posted.]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>No Sign of Metastasis, but&acirc;&brvbar;</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/753019</link>

				<pubdate>Tue, 6 Dec 2011 13:50:56 PST</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/753019</guid>
		<description>Mom says we have to do this quick since she needs to get to other things.

I&acirc;m home from the vet ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Mom says we have to do this quick since she needs to get to other things.

Iâm home from the vet.  The first part of this diary entry is the good news.  My x-rays show no sign of any metastasis.  In other words, if it is cancer, it hasnât spread.  Phew!

The part that v-lady needed, a blood pressure monitor, didnât come in, so I didnât have my surgery today.  V-ladyâs office will phone us to let us know when it does come in so we can schedule the surgery. In the meantime, she did my x-rays and blood-work.  

Now for the other stuff:  some more not so good news.

My bloods showed elevated CRE levels.  The v-lady says they indicate early onset kidney problems.  And the x-rays show I might be developing asthma.

Is there anything out there that I havenât started getting?  Mom says to bite my tongue.

The rat (Mom) didnât feed me last nightâwhaddaya mean nothing after 11:30 PM?  Not right!  And she took away my water.

She said: âsorry kittyâ when I showed up in the kitchen this morning and she didnât give me my meds either.  My radar said something was up.  I wasnât taking any chances so I hid behind the sofa.  Then the sofa started moving.  Uh oh!

I almost got away.  Really I didâŚ except that dim-wit, Samsara, had to block my escape route.  She got me!  She couldnât possibly take me out of the house if she couldnât zip my tail into the bag âcause it was standing stick-straight, right?  Wrong.    >^..^<

She giggled and lunged for the camera.  My tail, along with my cattitude, wilted.  (Weâll put up the photo later.)

I tried it again with the v-lady.  What is it with everyone?  I put my ears back, I growled, I hissedâthey giggled.  Iâm not all fluff, you know!  It felt like Custardâs Last Stand.   It didnât look like custard though.  (ColetteâŚI think you mean General Custer.   It couldnât possibly have looked like custard.)  Oh.

Can someone help me look for my cattitude?  I seem to have lost the Colette touch.


Nyeh!]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>My Vet Visit - Update</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/752611</link>

				<pubdate>Sun, 4 Dec 2011 00:17:35 PST</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/752611</guid>
		<description>Needless to say, they never told me what an ordeal this was going to be.  Geeze&acirc;I thought I was ge ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Needless to say, they never told me what an ordeal this was going to be.  GeezeâI thought I was getting off easy today.

It all started last night.  Mom gave me my last meds and kibble at 11:00 and she took away the water fountain!!!!!!  Then she didnât feed me this morning!  I got stuffed into my carry bag first thing and we went to see vet lady!

Did I see her toss Samsara some kibble and water this morning before we left?

Anyway my echocardiogram test is done.  Iâm okay for the surgery, but they found a slight bacterial infection going on in my lungs.

Sigh.  I started sneezing a bit this week and we didnât pay much attention to it until now.  Funny how you donât realize things are backwards sometimes.  I usually start sneezing when they increase my prednisolone.  (The pred suppresses my immune system, so if I get too much of it, my rhinotracheitis surfaces.)  The sneezing wasnât as bad as it usually is, so we never stopped to think about the fact that v-lady decreased the pred and upped the tylan.  I shouldnât have been sneezing at all

They gave me antibiotics to take for the next two weeks.  This is getting really complicated.  Mom is beginning to call my meds a cocktail. My first meds for the day were: a syringe with pred, a syringe with lysine gel, a syringe of antibiotics, my tylan capsule and a syringe with water.  And I got all of it at the same time!  Sheesh!  Do I have the patience of a saint or what!  And now my tylan schedule is messed up because we started the meds so late today.  I need to take them once every 8 hours, but my last one was at 8:30 tonight.  Letâs see, 8:30 PM  + 8 hours.  âŚ.. it doesnât look like Iâm getting that third pill today.

The surgery is supposed to be on Tuesday, but the v-lady needs to get a part in before she can do it.  As of the time we left her office she didnât know if she had it or not, because the vet tech who would have received it wasnât working today.
 
V-lady wants us to keep our appointment for Tuesday anyway since she still wants to do x-rays.

Mom says I was acting really weird after we got home.  First I didnât finish all the kibble in my bowl.  Then I kept walking from room to room meowing really loud.  I usually donât meow much at allâonly if I want my kibble and Mom isnât giving it to me.   By this evening, I was back to my old self.

Weâll keep you posted as we know more.

HeadbonksâŚ]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>Vet Visit &acirc; Oh Nosie.  Here We Go Again!</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/751928</link>

				<pubdate>Tue, 29 Nov 2011 16:04:14 PST</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/751928</guid>
		<description>Not good.  A few weeks ago, Mom felt what she thought might be an enlarged nipple on my belly, but I ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Not good.  A few weeks ago, Mom felt what she thought might be an enlarged nipple on my belly, but I had a lot of mats in my coat (which I wasnât letting her brush) so it was hard to tell.  She gave it a little bit of time.  The last time she did a poop run to the vet she mentioned it, and the vet told her to bring me in as soon as possible.

WellâŚ sigh.  We were hoping it was a pimple.  Itâs not a pimple.  It is an enlarged nipple.

The vet doesnât want to take any chances with this.  She says that when the nipples are involved it usually is cancerâshe wants to take it right away.  She says that if itâs cancer it can spread very quickly.

I go for an echocardiogram Saturday morning (because of my heart condition) and surgery on Tuesday.

Big Oh NosieâŚ

>^..^<

Mom is just taking this one day at a time.  She already suspected, so itâs not like this came out of  âleft fieldâ.  Sheâs okay (well, not okay, but okay).  We just wanted to post earlier this evening.   Mom says she has to go back out of the house and she has phone calls she needs to make when she gets home (related to her show coming up in two weeks), so if weâre not online, it doesnât mean that weâre having a crisis.

Mom is still going to go ahead and try to post Samsaraâs photos tonight.

HeadbonksâŚ]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>Home for the Holidays</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/751828</link>

				<pubdate>Mon, 28 Nov 2011 22:35:37 PST</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/751828</guid>
		<description>Wow, it&acirc;s been a while since the ol&acirc; secretary let me write something!

This is going to be re ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Wow, itâs been a while since the olâ secretary let me write something!

This is going to be really quick since she says sheâs about to drop from being tired, and sheâs taking me to visit vet lady tomorrow.  Mom says she wants something checked but we donât want to talk about it until we know more.  Hopefully, itâs nothing.

Iâve been telling Mom all summer long that we took some really nice photos, and she always reaches the point where she doesnât know what she wants to post, so nothing gets posted.  I swear Iâm about to read her the riot act over this one.  Anywayâitâs been several days already sheâs been meaning to put up our holiday picturesâand guess what?  We have fewer ones of me than we do of Samsara this time, so Mom decided to post my photos tonight and work on Samsaraâs tomorrow.

Cats-honest truth:  as long as thereâs nothing resembling a costume or a set Samsara will stick around for as many photos as Mom wants to take.  If Mom has anything like that in mind, Samsara is the worst.  That little girlâs eyes look like Mom is about to torture her.

On the other paw, if thereâs nothing resembling a costume or a set, I beat a hasty retreat.  Nope.  Sorry.  Not interested.  Later Mom.  A holiday is coming in a few months.  Get your pictures then.  Giggles.

Anyway, Mom got us a house for the holidays and, thank catness, this time it doesnât look like either one of us will be put in jail.

Mom really likes these photos.  We hope you do too.

HeadbonksâŚ]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>Supper Is Late Due to &acirc;&brvbar;.</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/746455</link>

				<pubdate>Sat, 29 Oct 2011 00:49:43 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/746455</guid>
		<description>Pumpkin Cookies!  How dare she!  (I&acirc;m not allowed to have any!)  The Tabbies o&acirc; Trout Towne sent ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Pumpkin Cookies!  How dare she!  (Iâm not allowed to have any!)  The Tabbies oâ Trout Towne sent us their grandmaâs cookie recipe.

It looked easy enough, until the batter started creeping up the hand-mixer blades and then wouldnât cooperate with the plastic spatula either.  The show was really interestingâit looked like she got two chicken drumsticks!  (Knew that would get you Dude, Boomer, Daisy, Tuna ân Sauce!)  It was a good show, but it wasnât fishies or chicken.  Do you know how many times a plastic spatula can move the cookie dough from the inside to the outside of the beaters?  A lot!  Mom says the next time she makes those cookies sheâs going to use grandpaâs heavy-duty counter-top mixer and a dough hook!

Thanks guysâsupper was LATE! 

Seriously though, thank you!  Your grandma is a heck of a good baker.  Mom says the cookies are luscious! She put walnuts in them this time; sheâs going to try dried cranberries next time.

Incidentally, Mom says my halo is slipping.  MOL!  Iâm making âguerrilla feed-meâ part of my nightly routine and Samsara is helping.  Samsara moves from the âputer chair into Momâs lap and starts trying to climb on the âputer table (which is really small).  Just about that time, I begin putting my nails in her knee.  Giggles.  I told her I wanted to free feed.  (Moms can be so dumb sometimes.  She thinks I want pets on the head!)]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>My Gotcha Day - Colette</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/746119</link>

				<pubdate>Wed, 26 Oct 2011 23:35:45 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/746119</guid>
		<description>My Bideawee vaccination papers say I&acirc;m a Himalayan Seal Point; my adoption and microchip papers sa ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ My Bideawee vaccination papers say Iâm a Himalayan Seal Point; my adoption and microchip papers say Iâm a Balinese Seal Point.  Mom and I never learned what I truly am, though itâs safe to say, with my markings, Iâm a Seal Tortie-Point.

So what did Mom and I learn in the three years weâve been together?  (We still canât believe itâs been three years already.)

We learned what itâs taken to turn a skinny, anemic kitty into the floofy, pretty girl I am today.

Patience and tolerance:

It takes two.  It takes one to understand that the other might not be feeling quite up to what one has in mind--and to back off.   Patience and tolerance is a two-way street.  I donât growl or hiss or seriously try to scratch anymore.   I understand Mom is just trying to do whatâs best for me, even if it means having to take my meds three times a day, having the mats combed out of my fur, getting a bath, or having my nails clipped. And Mom has learned not to push it if I really canât take it at the moment.  For the meds, Mom knows enough to play it smart and wrap me in a towel.  Thatâs her way of telling me I have to mind my manners.

Care and concern:

Thatâs another two way street.  Almost from the first week, Mom has called me her RKN (registered kitty nurse).  Whenever she or Samsara isnât feeling well, Iâm right there doing the comforting.  (Towards the end of Keshyâs life, I helped when she got her inhaler treatments.)  I cuddle, I wash, and I purr for them.  In return, I get a lot of compassion from Mom when Iâm not feeling well or sheâs doing something I hate. She talks to me in soothing tones, telling me what a good girl I am, and how it will soon be over.  Mom knows I gag on my medicine, so she makes sure I get a little kibble afterwards to get rid of the bad taste.

When Samsaraâs back was hurting so badly, I was right there making sure she stayed clean.  She may have been in pain, but she purred for me!  Samsara and I also sleep leaning up against each other every night.

How to be a Good Cat and How to Be a Good Nurse (the nurse part is Momâs):

Have I ever mentioned that Mom tells her friends that Iâm a âgreat catâ?

When I first moved in, I still needed to learn the rules.  I was always so hungry because I couldnât digest the nutrients in my food.  And when I got that hungry I couldnât wait.  It was only once or twice I jumped up on the stove where Mom readies the food for me and Samsara.  (Most New York apartment kitchens are very small and every inch of counter space usually houses things like the microwave and the coffee maker--thereâs never much space for food preparation.  When Mom is cooking, she uses an over-the-sink cutting board as her food prep area.)  Anyway, all it took was Mom getting upset once or twice before I stopped jumping on the stove.

I donât go on the things Iâm not supposed to, and that always amazes Mom.  (Well, I won the battle for the sofa and the chairs, and I helped the sofa get old before its time, so it makes life a bit easier.)  Have you ever heard me talk shamefacedly about anything Iâve broken?  No you havenât, but itâs not because I just donât talk about it.  The last thing I knocked down was the plant (last spring), and Mom says it was her faultâshe forgot to put the brick back on the window ledge.  We have antiques standing out in the open all over the house. The first time I jumped on something, Mom stood there not daring to breathe, stuttering, âCo, Co, CoâŚâ.  I jumped down carefully, making sure I didnât drag the doily and the crystal vase down with me.  (See, Iâm not a bull in a china shop!)  I never jumped up there again.  More importantly, Iâve never broken anything.  

And you know what I did tonight?  Mom doesnât usually have roast chicken for dinner or anything that Iâm particularly interested in, so I sit on the dining room table to keep her company.  She had roast chicken tonight and boy did it smell good.  I wanted to join.  She told me no, so without being told again, I sat on one of dining room chairs instead.

You also need to make your Mom giggle.  I do that.  She thinks my begging routine is funny.  (I canât help it if the prednisolone makes me so hungry I empty all the dishes as soon as the food hits the floorâSamsaraâs dish too, whenever I get a chance.)   She thinks I run funny.  Have you ever seen a cat tearing down the hallway looking like a bunny rabbit?  Thatâs me.  When Iâm running, I propel myself forwards by using my both my hind legs at the same time.  Mom says itâs the funniest thing to hear me stampeding down the hallway.  I am a big girl, why shouldnât I have a heavy foot-fall? I also look funny when I get surprised, my legs start flailing out in all directions as Iâm trying to run away.  And (I shouldnât tell you this; itâs embarrassing) I groan in my sleep.

Now for the part about being a good nurse: Unfortunately, Mom also learned more than she ever thought possible, or wanted to know about veterinary pharmacopeia and about how to give a kitty her medicines.  She also learned the next time she adopts a kitty, she will buy pet insurance even before the first vet visit. 

And we learned about love and trust.  She doesnât call me unpredictable anymoreâthatâs âcause Iâm not unpredictable anymore.  I learned to trust her and sheâs learned to trust me.

We both loved each other at first sight, we already knew that.  Itâs been a rough three years for us both, but we are both so happy to have each other.

Thank you all for stopping by my page; you all made my gotcha day even nicer.  It got really late last night so we didnât have time to post and Mom had one of her infamous migraines today.

Thank you:

Nakita, Muppet, Sampson and Chico for the Diamond
Family of Molly Angel for the Adopt a Pet Ribbon
Family of Big Harry for the Acorn
Teebo, Callie and Rose for the Bat
Tabbies o Trout Towne for the Adopt a Pet Ribbon
Family of Missy Mups, Gunnarr T, and Peekie for the Heart
Family of Kitty Pryde, Indiana, Angel Marley and Harrison aka Inigo Montoya for the Heart
Family of Adam Dylan and Eve Layla for the Black Cat
Family of Maya, Milo, Xena Princess Warrior, and Queen Tallulah Angel for the Pumpkin
Zoe Autumn Sunshine for the Black Cat
Family of Tutti and Junior Fluffkins for the Pumpkin
Family of Pinkie, Biggles, Nonny and more for the Adopt a Pet Ribbon
Family of Calie, Littleboy, Skids Kitty and more for the Pumpkin
Beepers and Family for the Adopt a Pet Ribbon
Anonymous for the Heart
Vanessa for the Adopt a Pet Ribbon
Muppet for the Pumpkin for Halloween
Tate for the Halloween Pumpkin
Monster for the Cuppie Cake (Donât worry, Monster. Samsara wonât have a chance to get at this!  Yummy!)
Family of Milo and Mallee for the Tuna Fishies Sushi Roll (Yum!)
Ishtar for the fun Leaf to chase.]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>Oh Boy a DDP!  And You Know What I Got For it?</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/745757</link>

				<pubdate>Mon, 24 Oct 2011 23:59:14 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/745757</guid>
		<description>A bath!  =^..^=

Our v-lady always laughs when that happens.  There&acirc;s always an extra set of poo ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ A bath!  =^..^=

Our v-lady always laughs when that happens.  Thereâs always an extra set of poop samples and pictures on bath days. I get so upset I head straight for the litter box sopping wet.  Then Mom has 3 messes to clean up: the extra poop, the wet bathroom floor âcause I wonât let Mom finish toweling me off, and the clumping litter stuck all over my paws.  Yuck!  (At least itâs the one made from corn.)

Mom says I was pretty good today.  I didnât fight her as much as I usually do, so we both didnât get as wet as we usually do.  I let her comb most of âitâ out and then wash the rest.   (Colette was wearing quite a nice size piece of extra jewelry in her pantaloons when I came home this evening.)

Mom says sheâs thanking her lucky stars my poops arenât like they used to be. Then she was always tempted to give me another bath before I had even dried off.  And, and, I let Mom use the hair-dryer on me today.  Just in case she thought I was really going to cooperate, I made her knock it off in the middleâI was too hungry.

She hadnât fed us yet.   She had just come home, so I did what I normally doâI went running through the apartment like a crazy loon, stopped at her feet and launched into my starving kitteh routine.  Nyeh, nyeh, mrrrreow!  Then, as I was racing off to take my post by my empty supper dish she saw âitâ.  Oh drats!

Thatâs okay; Iâve started perfecting a new tactic.  I call it the âguerrilla feed meâ.  Itâs working too!  Cease and desist only in exchange for a bowl of kibble.  Okay, hereâs the set up:  your Mom is sitting at the computer, typing.  Her glassy eyes are focused intently on the computer screen.  You hear the keyboard, going âclick, click, clickety, clickety, clickâ.  Thatâs the time to make your first move.  You quietly sidle over to where sheâs sitting.  From floor level, reach up and gently put your front paws on her knees.  Extend your claws, and begin to rake downwards.  (Make sure your nails arenât too far out, just enough to graze the skinâdonât puncture it.  Also make sure you havenât hooked your claws too far into the knee.  You want to keep the momentum going down the side of the leg.)  Now:  duck when you hear the first absent-minded âouchâ.  Duck because youâre going to be absent-mindedly swatted.  Stop for a second and wait for her focus to return to the computer.   Begin again.  Soon enough youâll notice sheâs petting you with one hand and trying to type with the other.  This is the time you get most insistent.  She finally stands up in protest and you march her off to the kitchen with your tail in the air.  Nyyehhh, nyyehhhh, mreeeow!  The kibble appears.

Anyway, thanks to effurybody who stopped by to honor my DDP.  I love you guys!  And thanks, Diary Galâyou shouldnât haveâŚ in more ways than one!

Thanks to:

The Bush Furs for the roses.  They smell heavenly!
Pipo and Minko for the spooky picture of me!  Nice job!  It looks like Iâm having some serious issues with the black kitty in the picture!  MOL!
Mallee for the nudges and kisses kitties.
Zach for the black kitty. It might be fun having a black brofurâKeshy used to say so and so does Samsara.
Family of Skylar Dreamboat for the pumpkin.  Weâre still waiting for some of our pumpkin treats to emerge from the oven.
Timo for the bat.  Timo, I only get scared of two things: the apartment door closing when Iâm outside and the step ladder when Iâm inside.  Iâm going to have a lot of fun chasing your bat!
Penny, Minnie and Bliss for the heart.  I love you girls too!
Ginger for the pumpkin.  More yummy treats.]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>IMPORTANT &acirc; PLEASE READ&acirc; KEEPING US ALL SAFE ONLINE--DIARY AND PICTURE COMMENTS</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/744761</link>

				<pubdate>Tue, 18 Oct 2011 12:19:10 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/744761</guid>
		<description>For those of you who know what&acirc;s been going on with the comments in the diaries and, especially fo ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ For those of you who know whatâs been going on with the comments in the diaries and, especially for our new friends.

Many of you know that several days ago Panda received a comment in her diary by an anonymous non-member that got her dad so upset he was thinking of closing all his pages and leaving.

Itâs also no news that we canât comment in the diaries at all right now.  We can comment in the pictures, though.

Last night and the night before, our Marrakech received two comments in her picture âKeshy the Library Catâ that make absolutely no sense.  We thought the one from âDollâ was responding to something Samhain said.  Samhain just confirmed that she has no idea who Doll is.  The post this morning at 5:12 AM (PST) was just hyperlink code left by âhmfsyarpiâ.   DO NOT CLICK ON IT!

As I'm sure you read in the Blizzard comments, I sent a request to HQ to block the anonymous non-member feature comments in the diaries.  I got an e-mail from HQ responding to my request. They're contemplating adding a "block non-account comment" feature.  This is not what I asked for, but itâs starting to make a lot of sense.

I'm going to guess that this is just one piece of a much larger problem--and the reason that nobody can comment in the diaries until HQ gets this sorted out.

Why much larger problem?  Because it seems, from Keshy's picture, like whoever is doing this is playing a cat and mouse game with HQ--no pun intended.

They can't comment in the diaries so now they're hitting the pictures.  Another guess:  Whoever responded when Pandaâs Dad got so upset in Blizz's diary is going to be hit too.  The prankster, not for lack of better, more lewd words, probably went back to Blizz's diary to see who responded--and so is now hitting those family members.

The idea of turning the anonymous feature off would have been valid, if better security were in place to have prevented what we saw in Keshy's picture.  That just knocked the âanonymousâ argument clear off the map.

I sent HQ a screen print of the comments in the Keshy picture.  The reason for this diary entry is we felt it is very important with regard to keeping everyone safe online.

If you see suspicious comments or hyperlink codes do not click on them.  You can take a screen print that copies a picture of what youâre seeing in your browser and send it to HQ.    To do this hold down your âshiftâ key and press the âPrt Scrâ key at the same time.  Open an e-mail in your own e-mail program.   In a new e-mail message, paste the image as you would any other messageââCtrlâ + âVâ or right click and select paste from the menu.  Explain to them what they should be looking for.   Send the e-mail to:  Catster Support catsters@catster.com

Be careful effuryone and please let HQ know when you see something!]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>Dear Watch Cat &acirc; Have You Implemented a Gag Order?</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/744563</link>

				<pubdate>Sun, 16 Oct 2011 22:53:44 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/744563</guid>
		<description>What happens when we want to comment on a furriend&acirc;s diary?  You don&acirc;t let us!  You also don&acirc;t ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ What happens when we want to comment on a furriendâs diary?  You donât let us!  You also donât let us go directly to the diary entryâthe only way we can get there is by going to profile page.  At least we can read it.

Itâs going to be furry quiet in Catster-land if this continues.  I know weâre not alone since our furriends are complaining about it too.

PfsstâŚ]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>What Did Mom Do!  Is She Losing It!!!!</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/743572</link>

				<pubdate>Mon, 10 Oct 2011 23:53:47 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/743572</guid>
		<description>What&acirc;s with the crate?  Samsara doesn&acirc;t shut up for one second when she&acirc;s in it. Why did Samsa ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Whatâs with the crate?  Samsara doesnât shut up for one second when sheâs in it. Why did Samsara need it anyway?  She seems just fine to me!

And you know what Mom did?  She locked me in!  Just âcause I found some kibblies in the bowl after she let Samsara out.

The indignity a girl has to suffer!  BTW, if she would only keep the cage door open, it looks like a really comfy spot to curl up for a nap.  MOL!  You donât even have to travel far to use the litter box.  How convenient!

I hope Mom doesnât lock Samsara in again.  Iâm getting a headache and that monster is going to take up my sun puddle space!   

HissâŚ]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>Arrgh, Woman!  Thanks Be Due for Talk-Like-A-Pirate Day.</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/741176</link>

				<pubdate>Wed, 28 Sep 2011 00:17:35 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/741176</guid>
		<description>Me thinks the woman who be callin&acirc; herself me mum&acirc;s been tardy &acirc;n lax in not thankin&acirc; me mat ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Me thinks the woman who be callinâ herself me mumâs been tardy ân lax in not thankinâ me mates for their fearsome flag gifts.  Forty lashes.  (Do pirates give lashes?)

Anyways, I been named by the crew to serve as furmily spokes-pirate.  First off, let me extend my apologiesâŚweâve scarce been round and missed the free gifties just as we were skimminâ the bottom oâ the barrel on our zealies.  Since we be pirates we couldnaâ beg or borrow.  (And, since we be dependent on the whims oâ our capân, Mom, we couldnaâ steal either.  Blimey!)

But thank-yeâs we can do.

On my page, thank you to:

Griswold
Tasty Tate of Cuppycake Grove
Novi and Ingen
Sleeper and Samhain
Captain Sigmond Sparrow
Simon and Reuben:  Does the treasure chest you sent also have nip and tuna fishies in it?
Lucy Nooner, Leo Lovebug, Charlie Chocolate Paws, and Sweet Angels Sally and Sophie
Family of River and Simone
Monida
Family of Pipo, Minko and Jack McFreckles.  Wow!  You even sent a frigate!
Da Tabbies O Trout Towne, according to whom the only good parrot is the one whoâs dead!
Family of Big Harry, Angel Abigail, Patches, and Zack
Zoe Autumn Sunshine:  Wow!  That ghost ship sent shivers up me spine. 
Zack Frost â Shivers â a skull and cross bones! 
Captain Jeshzebel and Pirate Crew


Yay â Samsara got herselâ a DDP, soâs I dunna havetaâ post fur her since she did it herselâ arready!

On Marrakechâs page, thank you to:

Tasty Tate of Cuppycake Grove
Novi and Ingen
Sleeper and Samhain
Captain Sigmond Sparrow
Simon and Reuben
Lucy Nooner, Leo Lovebug, Charlie Chocolate Paws, and Sweet Angels Sally and Sophie
Family of River and Simone
Monida
Family of Pipo, Minko and Jack McFreckles
Da Tabbies O Trout Towne
Family of Big Harry, Angel Abigail, Patches, and Zack
Zoe Autumn Sunshine
Zack Frost
Captain Jezebel and Pirate Crew

On Mishaâs Page, thank you to:

Captain Jezebel and Pirate Crew
Family of Pipo, Minko and Jack McFreckles
Zack Frost
Da Tabbies O Trout Towne
Simon and Reuben
Novi and Ingen
Sleeper and Samhain
Lucy Nooner, Leo Lovebug, Charlie Chocolate Paws, and Sweet Angels Sally  and Sophie
Zoe Autumn Sunshine
Family of Big Harry, Angel Abigail, Patches, and Zack
Family of River and Simone
Captain Sigmond Sparrow

On B.A.âs Page, thank you to:

Novi and Ingen
Captain Jezebel and Pirate Crew
Family of Pipo, Minko and Jack McFreckles
Family of Big Harry, Angel Abigail, Patches, and Zack
Da Tabbies O Trout Towne

On Cappuccinoâs Page, thank you to:

Novi and Ingen
Captain Jezebel and Pirate Crew
Family of Pipo, Minko and Jack McFreckles
Family of Big Harry, Angel Abigail, Patches, and Zack
Da Tabbies O Trout Towne]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>Happy Birthday to Meeieuw!</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/739217</link>

				<pubdate>Sat, 17 Sep 2011 21:41:09 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/739217</guid>
		<description>It&acirc;s been a quiet day until just a little while ago&acirc;Mom sang happy birthday to me this morning.  ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Itâs been a quiet day until just a little while agoâMom sang happy birthday to me this morning.  Happy Birthday, Dear Col-eh-ette.  Happy birthday to Yewwwwww!  I was unimpressed.  (Iâm beginning to sound like Simon Cowell, right?)

She was out all afternoon singing again and what about my kibble?!!!!  Nyeh. Nyeh.  No tuna fishies or treatsâI canât have them because of my IBD.  I donât like playing with toys so much anymore, but Mom promised me a good game of chase-the-doggie-leash tomorrow.  My Auntie Arlene called to sing âHappy Birthdayâ to me tooâshe sounded better than Mom.  I head-bonked the telephone (and went right back to trying to get Mom to give me extra kibble).

I did get extra love, though.  And if I get lucky I wonât get any more meds today.  (Colette, youâre pushing it!)  Oh well.

Anyway, thanks effurrybody for your good wishes and your gifts.  You know what?  You furrs make turning 7 years old today special.  Thanks for helping celebrate my birthday with me!

Itâs really late right now and Mom is really tired, but she promised me that weâre going to open all your gifts and thank you all purrsonally tomorrow.  And if I get really lucky, weâll start posting some of my new pictures too.

Headbonks & purrsâŚ]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>Kitty Kat Talk Tag</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/736044</link>

				<pubdate>Wed, 31 Aug 2011 20:39:38 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/736044</guid>
		<description>My friend, Tyson (http://www.catster.com/cats/990425) tagged me for this new game called 'Kitty Kat  ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ My friend, Tyson (http://www.catster.com/cats/990425) tagged me for this new game called 'Kitty Kat Talk Tag' and it's really easy to play as there's no rules! 

You just have to answer a few Questions. So please PLAY ALONG, everyfur!

1. Your Meowmy or Dad is asleep and you are furry hungry; You would.....

Sit on the edge of the bed and stare into Momâs face.  Drats.  It never works!

2. You are furry sleepy and are sleeping on a top ledge; Meowmy or Dad would say..........

If Iâm asleep with my paws in the air sometimes I hear her chanting and giggling âdead cat, dead catâ. 
Sheâs not furry nice about these kinds of things.  The other thing I occasionally hear is âdonât blame me if you fall offâ.

3. You saw a dog who wants to chase something; what's the furry furst thing you would you say or do?

Not much.  The dogs are usually outside on the street, three stories down.  They are fun to watch though.  When the neighborâs doggies come to visit they know better than to try chasing me.  Iâm bigger than they are. MOL!

4. Your Meowmy or Dad wants you to stop tearing the furniture. You would...

Scratch a bit more, give Mom my best âwho me?â look and then walk away with my tail in the air. 

5. Your Kitty Kat emergency box, full of fur fashions, is locked. Oh No! You would....

Would not!  Whatefur made you think I would?  I only hang around those things if theyâre soft, interesting, and go well with my eye color.

Okay, I'm tagging (and I'll send you a Pawmail about it):

Ingen (http://www.catster.com/dogs/1011864)
Calie (http://www.catster.com/cats/1167389)
Ishtar Intellecta Iana I. (http://www.catster.com/cats/597601)
NĂźk Anuk (http://www.catster.com/dogs/439017)
Dai$y (http://www.catster.com/cats/1020904)

BTW, does anyone know what's going on with the the hyperlinks?  The system has managed to obliterate our links and titles every time we tried to post.

HAVE FUN!!

HeadbonksâŚ]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>Thankfurrly the Storm is Over for Us</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/735302</link>

				<pubdate>Sun, 28 Aug 2011 11:51:06 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/735302</guid>
		<description>It got pretty wild outside our windows last night and you could feel all the tension coming from Mom ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ It got pretty wild outside our windows last night and you could feel all the tension coming from Momâs direction.

Everything went well.  We were worried about a 7-story dead tree in the middle of our back yard.  Our landlord never took care of it and Mom has been waiting for it to make an unscheduled appearance in our living room.  Because of all the rain we had this summer it started rotting, so we thought it would visit us last night.  It didn't.  This morning, it was bright orange-brown in the places where thereâs no bark but itâs starting to dry out and turn grey again.

The storm is over for us and even though Mom hasnât been out yet, we can see it doesnât look too bad in our neighborhood.  Thereâs no flooding in the street and people are out with their small children.

We didn't lose our power or water. Mom is wondering how many days itâs going to take us to use up all the extra water she put aside and all the extra coffee she made.  (She gets lots of migraines so that coffee is pretty importantâit didnât matter to her if she had to drink it cold.)  I think she's going to be crazy enough to use it too.  She thinks she'll have a better idea of how well she prepared so if this ever happens again...

Itâs a grey, breezy day here, but itâs pretty warm and thankfurrly thereâs no more rain.

We wish effuryone well.  Be safe.]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>Stay Safe</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/735028</link>

				<pubdate>Fri, 26 Aug 2011 23:34:48 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/735028</guid>
		<description>We just want to wish effuryone well through this storm should we not have another chance to check in ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ We just want to wish effuryone well through this storm should we not have another chance to check into Catster. 
 
We are not planning to go out.  Thank Catness, we donât live in an evacuation area, and we live on the third floor of a very old 6-story, brick-front apartment building.

We have tons of food and water in the house for both humans and furs, as well as anything we might need medically.  Mom bought an extra flashlight too today.


We pretty sure that weâre going to be purrfectly okay.   Weâre not so sure, though, about what our power situation is going to be.  The stores were sold out so Mom couldnât get batteries for her old boom-box radio, and she couldnât get a radio anymore (sold out) for which the stores still did have batteries. We already told our neighbors we would need to rely on them for news if we should lose power.   Weâre not going to be able to check into Catster eitherâwe get internet service via cable and modem.  No power, no modemâweâre not on a WiFi network.  But, just because weâre not able to check in doesnât mean that anything bad has happened.

The news is announcing that as of noon Saturday, New York City will be suspending all public transportation.  We may be in for quite a wild ride here with the weatherâno pun intended.

Effuryone, please stay safe and be well.  Donât take unnecessary risks.    That includes you too, Blizzardâs Daddyâstay home or stay over.  Donât try to drive back.

Purrs to all our friendsâŚ]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>We&acirc;re Furmous!  Thank You Monster&acirc;s Mommy!</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/734586</link>

				<pubdate>Wed, 24 Aug 2011 21:47:30 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/734586</guid>
		<description>We&acirc;re Furmous!  Thank You Monster&acirc;s Mommy!

Wow!  Thank you, Monster&acirc;s Mommy.  Us three girl ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Weâre Furmous!  Thank You Monsterâs Mommy!

Wow!  Thank you, Monsterâs Mommy.  Us three girls are featured in Monsterâs Mommyâs article <a  class=bodyTextRev target=site  onClick="alert(\'Catster Alert: You are about to visit an outside link that was submitted by this pet owner.\');" href="http://www.humanesociety.org/news/magazines/2011/09-10/hey_you_get_off_of_my_cloud.html"> Hey You, Get Off of My Cloud! Keeping the Peace in a Multi-Cat Household </a><a  class=bodyTextRev target=site  onClick="alert(\'Catster Alert: You are about to visit an outside link that was submitted by this pet owner.\');" href="http://www.humanesociety.org/news/magazines/2011/09-10/hey_you_get_off_of_my_cloud.html" title=""></a>, in the Humane Societyâs magazine this month.

What a great article on conflict management.

ShhhhâŚ. Donât tell anybodyâŚ Mom doesnât get full credit for getting me settled in the house.  I helped too.   See, Iâm a really smart girl. There was one day that Marrakech blocked my way coming back out of the bathroom and I jumped right over her.  You should have seen the look on her face!  Giggles.  And just like the cartoon character in Get Fuzzy, you could see her protesting âmy air spaceâ!

The nice shiny copies came in the mail today.  Wow!

It was really exciting too to see Finney and Laceyâs picture (they got an article of their own!) and to read about our furriends, Blizzard, Gypsy, and Kringle.  And it was so nice to read Laceyâs gotcha story in Finney and Laceyâs article.

Great articles, Monsterâs Mommy.  Congratulations.  And thank you so much for writing about our story.

HeadbonksâŚ]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>Testing Testing</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/731279</link>

				<pubdate>Tue, 9 Aug 2011 01:46:22 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/731279</guid>
		<description>Okay, we seem to be pretty functional around here.  We can't see Taz in our p-mails and Elsa's p-mai ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Okay, we seem to be pretty functional around here.  We can't see Taz in our p-mails and Elsa's p-mail turned into a phantom--of course the alternate explanation for Elsa is that the 'puter sent out an e-mail alert and Elsa really didn't send a p-mail.  And... if a tree falls in the woods and nobody is around to hear it, did it make a sound?  Scratches head pondering the thought.

Can you hear me now?  Can you hear me now?

Headbonks...]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>De-pill-a- tory Story and how NOT to not Take Your Pill</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/730455</link>

				<pubdate>Sun, 31 Jul 2011 14:43:18 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/730455</guid>
		<description>Mom keeps complaining I wreck her pills.  Well, I said I didn&acirc;t want to take them, right?

I&acirc;m ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Mom keeps complaining I wreck her pills.  Well, I said I didnât want to take them, right?

Iâm copying Samsara, but Iâve added a new dimension.  Seeâyou have to dispose of half the pill yourself.  If you spit out the whole pill, it just goes right back in your mouth.  If you get rid of half of it, then you donât have to take the whole thing.

So, take the pill, chew, and keep it in your mouth.  See, Iâm a good girlâI donât even salivate!  Mom rubs my throat up and down, up and down, and up and down.  She kisses my head and puts her head on my head so she can hear me start purring.  Then relax:  purr, purr, purr, purr, purr, purr, purr, purr, purr, purr, purr, purr, purr, purr, purr, purr, purr, purr, purr, purr, purr, purr, purr, purr, purr.

Maaaaâhow long do you expect me to hold this thing?!!!  Give me my water chaser so I can spit out the other half of this capsule!  Hurry up!

Yuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck!  Would you please give me a lemon instead next time?!  It would be a heck of a lot less bitter.  Leave towel, scratch ear to take care of the ringing sound the pill left!

Depilatory story, take two.  You know how I hate my brushies, right?  Iâm taking care of my own coat now!  (Thereâs fur all over the house.)  Mwah!  This stuff is hard to spit out!]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>Who Would&acirc;ve Thunk!</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/729733</link>

				<pubdate>Mon, 25 Jul 2011 12:20:10 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/729733</guid>
		<description>Mom has a call in to v-lady.  About 2 hours ago, I pooped for the first time in about 24 hours (or s ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Mom has a call in to v-lady.  About 2 hours ago, I pooped for the first time in about 24 hours (or so Mom thinks).  She found poo in my box yesterday, but she says it look suspiciously like Samsara poo.

If it was mine this would be the first time ever that she hasnât been able to tell our poops apart.

The report and the question to the v-lady:  âThe poops looked very good for Colette.  I did not get a Tylan (antidiarrheal) pill last night, and should Mom hold off giving me my morning pill?â

Mom was concerned about me becoming constipated?  Woo hoo!  Thatâs a breakthrough for me!  Mom says that even writing about it feels like we might jinx this.  Iâm already down to taking my pred every other day and that seems to be going well.

Itâs 3:00 PM;  the vet was too busy to answer our question this morning so it looks like itâs going to wait for her to get back from her break which should be any minute now.

I think I can wait for an answerâI hate taking those darn things.  Theyâre horse pills!]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>OMC, the Heat Broke!  And Charlie Chocolate Paws is Not a Wuss.</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/729646</link>

				<pubdate>Sun, 24 Jul 2011 18:49:32 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/729646</guid>
		<description>OMC the heat broke!  It was 91 degrees and overcast most of the day and, phew was it muggy!  How mug ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ OMC the heat broke!  It was 91 degrees and overcast most of the day and, phew was it muggy!  How muggy was it?  Yours truly, CSS, the bungling trouble-maker who got Zach into hot water during truth or dare games at his party last night, didnât want to eat.

Charlie Chocolate Paws, you are not a wuss.  (Well, maybe except for at the vet.) MOL! 

(NoâCharlie did not make me take it back!)

Knew thatâd get ya, and it did.  But, I do believe the correct protocol was to let Zach get himself in trouble and vamoose as quickly as my floofy pants could get me out of there.  Ah, but itâs all in the timing!!!  No sooner did I dare Zach to call you a wuss  (and he didâfur shame!) then who should come strolling in, sniffing the air, and finding it not to his liking?  You!  Oops!  I got caught with my derriere, floofy pants, backside and rear end exposed.  Consider me kicked in the butt.  Mom just sat there and laughed until she was clutching her stomach and the tears were coming from her eyes.

And, BTW, they called me a nice old lady!!!!  Can you imagine?!!!!!

Tell ya what, Charlie.  Weâll show the other furs how to do it.  Paint the town red and maybe even raise a little Cain!  Iâll teach you how rush the vet; you teach me how to get the stove lit with my teeth.  What a team!  Unstoppable!

 Itâs now a glorious 82 degrees and all the windows are open and thereâs a lovely breeze coming in.

Time to chow down on supper.  Iâm hungry!

HeadbonksâŚ]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>Only Her Furdresser Knows for Sure.</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/729202</link>

				<pubdate>Wed, 20 Jul 2011 23:44:37 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/729202</guid>
		<description>Okay, furs which is it&acirc;&brvbar;  Someone please tell my Mom.  Is it her eyesight?  Hmmmm&acirc;&brvbar;. Or her mind? ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Okay, furs which is itâŚ  Someone please tell my Mom.  Is it her eyesight?  HmmmmâŚ. Or her mind?

About two hours after my first pill for the day Mom noticed I had a pendant hanging from my ruff: my Tylan pill.  It was so stuck to me that it took several attempts with the comb until it and I parted ways.

Now, was it last nightâs or this morningâs and why?

The evidence. 

Last night.
I gave her a hard timeâshe picked the pill out of my fur and shoved it in my mouth a second time.  She got yogurt all over my chin.  She practically drowned me in water with the liquid syringe.  I stopped struggling and began purring.  She mopped my soggy throat, scritched me under the chin and told me I was a good girl.  She released me from bondage and shook out the towel.  
Examined the floor and towel.  All clear.

Poop this morning was not one of my better specimens.

This morning. 
I gave her a hard timeâshe picked the pill out of my fur and shoved it in my mouth a second time.  She got yogurt all over my chin.  She practically drowned me in water with the liquid syringe.  I stopped struggling and began purring.  She mopped my soggy throat, scritched me under the chin and told me I was a good girl.  She released me from bondage and shook out the towel.  
Examined the floor and towel.  All clear.


Sorryâno evening poop report.  Lately Iâve turned into a once-a-day pooper.

I got another pill this morning, but now Momâs started scratching her head.  We havenât been running the air-conditioning soâŚ

Iâll never tell.  Giggles.]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>Lovebug Tag</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/729198</link>

				<pubdate>Wed, 20 Jul 2011 23:05:10 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/729198</guid>
		<description>I&acirc;ve been tagged!  Leo the Lovebug came up with a new game- Lovebug Tag! To play, copy the 6 quest ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Iâve been tagged!  Leo the Lovebug came up with a new game- Lovebug Tag! To play, copy the 6 questions below and paste/answer them in your diary! Then tag some friends to play, too!

1. Meow! Are you a noisy kitty or a quiet kitty? 
l write a lot but I donât talk all that much.  I kind of save it up for when I have something important to say, like âOMC, Tuna Fishiesâ, or âTreats!â  or âSupper!â  or âLet me back into the apartment, will ya!  I was just checking out the scenery; I have no intention of taking up permanent residence out here!â

2. Litterbox! Cover your business or let some other kitty cover? 
Mom and I have a tacit agreement:  I poop, she scoops.  It usually doesnât take long for my âbusinessâ to do a disappearing act.

3. Happy! Favorite Daily Routine?
I love snuggling with Mom on the sofa, shhhhâŚ donât tell anybody.  Iâm really a softy!

4. Hiss! Least Favorite Routine?
Since this question is about routines, we wonât talk about baths.  Believe it or not, I hate getting brushed even worse than I hate taking my meds.

5. Ding-Dong! What do you think about visitors to your house?
Hiss first, then proceed with caution.  Theyâre supposed to be impressed with how quickly they can win me over.  See, Iâm really a softy!

6. Friends! Do you like other animals?
I love Samsara; sheâs my best bud.  Provided theyâre only visiting, other animals fall under the category of question number five.  Even the doggy girls next door are pretty okay.  We all kind of look at their occasional visits as a âyour space, my spaceâ thing and get along.

Here are some friends that I am tagging! Please, no one feel left out- if you are reading this and you want to play, consider yourself tagged! Be sure to let your friends know they've been tagged by sending them a message or rosette! Angels can play, too! Tell us about your life at the bridge or your life at home before the bridge!

<a  class=bodyTextRev target=site href="http://www.catster.com/cats/1163957"> Tink Moneypenny </a><a  class=bodyTextRev target=site href="http://www.catster.com/cats/1163957" title=" "></a> 

<a  class=bodyTextRev target=site href="http://www.catster.com/cats/1171464"> Tiny Tot </a><a  class=bodyTextRev target=site href="http://www.catster.com/cats/1171464" title=" "></a> 

<a  class=bodyTextRev target=site href="http://www.catster.com/cats/1150678"> FishStick </a><a  class=bodyTextRev target=site href="http://www.catster.com/cats/1150678" title=" "></a> 

<a  class=bodyTextRev target=site href="http://www.catster.com/cats/648490"> Minuette </a><a  class=bodyTextRev target=site href="http://www.catster.com/cats/648490" title=" "></a> 

<a  class=bodyTextRev target=site href="http://www.catster.com/cats/1051660"> Simone </a><a  class=bodyTextRev target=site href="http://www.catster.com/cats/1051660" title=" "></a>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Rumor Has It</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/728717</link>

				<pubdate>Sun, 17 Jul 2011 01:36:12 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/728717</guid>
		<description>That Mom has been taking pictures of my poop instead of me so she can e-mail them to the vet lady.   ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ That Mom has been taking pictures of my poop instead of me so she can e-mail them to the vet lady.  How did Samsara ever reach that conclusion?  That is so not true!  Mom has been taking those pictures so I can have my year in the limelight.  Sheâs submitting them to the Guiness Book of World Records: longest cat poop category.  Do you know that my latest poop actually spanned the length of the snack baggie today?  Really!  We measured it.  It was a 5-inch rope!

On to bigger and better topics:  I heard the can opener again.  Tuna fishies!  Nyeh, nyehâŚ   Oh, darn!  Corn. There was also this really neat looking bag.  You know, the kind you tear off the perforated edge and it has a zipper seal.  That can mean only one thingâŚtreats!  Nuts?  People treats?  OhâŚâŚ nuts!

Well, at least Iâll make it into Guiness.  Guiness?  Oh ohâŚ..

 >^..^<

.]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>Pets and Summer Heat</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/727784</link>

				<pubdate>Thu, 7 Jul 2011 20:45:27 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/727784</guid>
		<description>We just received an informational e-mail from PetHealthStore NYC that we want to share.  We remember ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ We just received an informational e-mail from PetHealthStore NYC that we want to share.  We remember of our furriends being worried about staying at home while their peeps went off to air-conditioned places without them.

It hit 90 here in New York today, and Mom thought that Samsara and I looked a bit uncomfortable so she wet us both down. She's also been adding some ice to the water in our drinking fountain.

Anyway, here's the text from the e-mail:

Hot weather and humidity can prove a dangerous combination for both cats and dogs, and the precautions you need to take will depend on a number of factors. 
 
How Pets Cool Off
Most people know that dogs do not sweat during hot weather; instead, they pant. Cats, however, do sweat, according to Indiana University, specifically through their paws. In fact, cats use both sweating and panting for heat regulation.
 
Animals in Danger
Certain pets are more susceptible to heat exhaustion and heat stroke in hot weather than others. Older animals, for example, are not as strong as they were in their youth and might become taxed by increased temperatures much more quickly than pets in their prime. The same goes for kittens and puppies who have not yet reached maturity. Additionally, pets with thicker coats may experience heat exhaustion in hot weather more often. Many grooming facilities offer shaving services to help keep your pets cool during the summer. 
 
Providing Necessary Resources
Pets will naturally seek out methods to cool themselves off during hot weather. If pets are housed outside during the summer, for example, it is important to provide them with a shaded area and a plentiful source of water. It is also a good idea to keep them indoors during the hottest times of the day. 
 
Signs of Heat Exhaustion
Pets will tell you if they are affected too strongly by hot weather, so it is important to recognize the signs of heat exhaustion. According to the New York Red Cross, signs of heat stroke in dogs include increased body temperature (104 to 111 degrees Fahrenheit), heavy panting, glazed eyes, red gums, lethargy, extreme thirst and rapid heartbeat. Heat exhaustion in cats presents very much the same way, and might also include thick saliva. Symptoms could also include a staggering gait, vomiting, or a deep red or purple tongue. If your pet becomes overheated, you must lower his body temperature immediately.
 
What To Do
If your pet gets overheated during hot weather, there are several things you can do to help cool him off and prevent further damage. Move your pet indoors or into the shade and apply cool (not cold) water all over the body. Cold water can constrict blood vessels and prevent the cooling process, so make sure to keep the water just under room temperature. The same goes for the water you give them to drink, it too should be room temperature. Additionally, limit your pet's water intake. Drinking too much too quickly can cause damage to the kidneys and stomach. If necessary, you may apply ice packs or cold towels to your pet's head, neck, and chest only. If in any doubt, take your pet to a veterinarian right away - it could save your pet's life.
 
Limiting Activity
Most pets can have fun in the sun during hot weather as long as activity is kept to a minimum. Pay attention to your pet when playing in the park or running at the beach, and make sure they have access to water on a regular basis.]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>There&acirc;s Kibble on Her Breath!</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/727367</link>

				<pubdate>Sun, 3 Jul 2011 23:20:07 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/727367</guid>
		<description>Dang.  I got fed breakfast, lunch, snack 1 and snack 2, and it&acirc;s 8:30 and I&acirc;m starving. Where&acirc; ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Dang.  I got fed breakfast, lunch, snack 1 and snack 2, and itâs 8:30 and Iâm starving. Whereâs my supper?  And you know what?   I made it to the kitchen a couple of seconds late.  Momâs little darling (who spent most of the day sleeping), after making one heck of a hullabaloo in the kitchen, escorted Mom to the bedroom and the door closed for a few minutes.  The door is open now and thereâs an EMPTY kibble dish and thereâs kibble on her breath!  Thereâs a conspiracy going on between them, I swear.]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>&acirc;Colette: a life in Poop and Blood&acirc; &acirc; IBDKitties.net</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/727165</link>

				<pubdate>Fri, 1 Jul 2011 23:47:38 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/727165</guid>
		<description>&acirc;&cent; Total absence of humor renders life impossible.
&acirc;&cent; Writing only leads to more writing. 
&acirc;&cent; S ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ â˘ Total absence of humor renders life impossible.
â˘ Writing only leads to more writing. 
â˘ Sit down and put down everything that comes into your head and then you're a writer. But an author is one who can judge his own stuff's worth, without pity, and destroy most of it. 
Sidonie Gabrielle Colette


What does all this have to do with my diary title? (Colette, tell effuryone that weâre making a serious announcement.)  Okay, but I donât know exactly how to put this.  

Remember we were going to write my memoire?  And we were going to call it âColette: a life in poop and bloodâ?  Itâs now on the web for effuryone to see.

Since the subject matter is rather serious, we decided to treat it a bit more lightly here in my diary.  For instance, we could tell you that after much debate with the editor-in-chief, my floofy pants, or otherwise pantaloons, much to my dismay, got reduced to being called ârear endâ.   Yuck.

Thatâs pretty seriousâhow could they use such a pedestrian word for my genteelâŚ. nether parts?  Well, sighâŚsince this is a story of what goes in my front end and comes out my back endâŚ

HeyâŚwait a minute!      Crunch âŚ  (Sound of paper being tossed in the wastebasket.)

AnywayâŚ joking aside, (Angel) Alexâs mom graciously invited us to document my medical history on IBDKitties.net.  Weâre at the point weâre pretty sure whatâs wrong with me is Inflammatory Bowel Disorder, or IBD.  With the hope that our experience might help other kitties with the same or similar conditions, we agreed to do it.

IBDKitties.net is a fabulous resource and we are grateful to Alexâs mom and IBDKitties for the invaluable help they have given us.  Do stop by to take a look at it and read about me and all the other kitties there.   <a  class=bodyTextRev target=site  onClick="alert('Catster Alert: You are about to visit an outside link that was submitted by this pet owner.');" href=" http://ibdkitties.net/ColetteZ.html ">IBDKitties.net-- Colette Z.</a><a  class=bodyTextRev target=site  onClick="alert('Catster Alert: You are about to visit an outside link that was submitted by this pet owner.');" href=" http://ibdkitties.net/ColetteZ.html" title=" "></a>

Mom, you said it was going to be my memoire!  Wasnât I going to get to live on for posterior (or was that posterity)?  What do you say when you post a significant work on the web nowadays?   

âŚ.CrunchâŚ]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Oops!  Almost Fried the &acirc;Puter</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/725764</link>

				<pubdate>Sat, 18 Jun 2011 18:05:06 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/725764</guid>
		<description>Thank catness we&acirc;re still here.  Yesterday started off with Mom turning on the &acirc;puter and findin ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Thank catness weâre still here.  Yesterday started off with Mom turning on the âputer and finding out that she could see her desktop but couldnât do anything with it.  There was an automatic Windows update the day before yesterday and it messed up our virus protection.  If that puppy doesnât launch, we found it mucks up the functionality of everything else.

She restarted the computer in âsafe modeâ and went into âControl Panelâ and restored the âputer to before the update.  Yay it worked!

So you know what she had to go and do?  She dumped coffee over the keyboard.  Itâs not like the folks in the store didnât warn her.  When you have a notebook, you can fry the motherboard when you do that.   Itâs not the same when you do it to the keyboard of a desktop computer. 

Ever seen a notebook computer hanging up to dry?  She looked around for help while she was trying to shake the coffee out of the computer and finally gave up, turned the âputer spine-side up to drain and ran.  She almost collided with me, caught herself and went ricocheting off the wall instead.  Samsara and I would have helped but we canât reach the paper towels.  :-(

We got awfully lucky.

So, you know what else happened yesterday?  We had these two big thunderstorms.  The first one was at daybreak, and the second, an hour before sunset.   It was still pouring when the sun came out and we were able to get pictures of the rainbow from our window.  It was really amazing so we wanted to share it with you.

We got some other new pictures despite my best efforts at evading the camera.  I was sitting in some not so great light the other afternoon and Mom started to play around with aperture and shutter speed settings andâŚ  Well the pictures should tell the story.  Mom says she wishes she had painted them.

HeadbonksâŚ


BTW:  The battle of the bulge continues.  The V-lady decided I should get a second dose of prednisolone last week, and, if the diet werenât awful enough, that stuff is making me so hungry.    

Iâm waging the battle from several fronts.  1. Stake out the kitchenâthat way I know when sheâs in there (which is oftenâshe doesnât eat much at one sitting, so she goes for little snacks all day long.  Hee hee.  Now she feels guilty over every morsel that finds its way to her mouth.  She even let me sniff some apple the other day.  What does she think I am? A hamster?)  2.  Guard the kitchen.  I sit right in the doorway so she has to step around me.  That way she knows Iâm there.  3.  Sit by the empty dish and pout.  4.  Engage Samsaraâs help.  She wonât let her little darling starve, will she?

Mom keeps lifting the kibble bowl off the floor so I donât finish everything at once.  She says she wants me to enjoy some later.  I donât want to enjoy it later, I want it now.  Then we get into a battle again around 2 in the morning.  How on earth am I supposed to make it through till morning on an empty supper dish?  Iâm hungry!]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Belt Tightening is for the &acirc;Burds&acirc;, or 'The Battle of the Bulge'</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/725480</link>

				<pubdate>Wed, 15 Jun 2011 23:24:42 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/725480</guid>
		<description>Nyeh.  Nyeh.  I&acirc;M HUNGRY&acirc;&brvbar; FEED ME!   NYEH. NYEH.

It&acirc;s a good thing we got a notebook comput ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Nyeh.  Nyeh.  IâM HUNGRYâŚ FEED ME!   NYEH. NYEH.

Itâs a good thing we got a notebook computer.  Iâve taken it with me and Iâm writing to you from my outpost in the kitchen.  Every now and so often, and so often, I gaze longingly at my empty bowl.

There was a time in the past when the horn of plenty was filled day and night with scrumptious kibble.  Oh what I would give for those tasty morsels of Hills w/d!

These are times of hardship, my furriends, and I fear I am growing faint and may expire from hunger.  Oh, the trials I must suffer!  I am now forced to scavenge every meager morsel left on the floor in sweeter days.

ButâŚ. I have devised a survival strategy.  Yes I have!  Whilst Samsara partakes of her beauty sleep during the day, I partake of her rations.

Mother, this is gonna' be your Waterloo!]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>Mom Turned the Shower On Me!</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/725140</link>

				<pubdate>Sun, 12 Jun 2011 14:39:42 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/725140</guid>
		<description>(Did not.)  Did toooo.  (Did not.)  Did toooo.   Did too.  Did too.  (Did not.)  

Then why did I  ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ (Did not.)  Did toooo.  (Did not.)  Did toooo.   Did too.  Did too.  (Did not.)  

Then why did I almost get wet?

(See, now you used the operative word: almost.)

So what?  Malicious intent involved.

(No way, young lady, the water was running down the wall of the shower; it didnât get anywhere near you!  Besides, you love getting your head sopping wet under the faucet.)

Yeah, well I had to go flying out of the bathtub didnât I?

(Your choice.)  

Says who?  Whatever happened to the Mommy who would have lovingly coddled me out of the tub telling me what a cute girl I am?

(Well, for one thing, what were you doing in there daring me to turn the water on you when I wanted to take a shower?)

I have my first catmendment rights.

(In my shower?  What was I supposed to do for a shower?)

You could have gone next door and taken one in doggy ladyâs shower.  The doggies wouldnât have bothered you.

(GrrrâŚ ColetteâŚ.)

Mom, behave.

(Pfsst.  I need an attorney!)]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Mom Positively, Big Time, RUINED My Day Yesterday.</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/724862</link>

				<pubdate>Thu, 9 Jun 2011 22:41:31 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/724862</guid>
		<description>Another trip to the V-Lady.  N&Atilde;&frac14;k, you&acirc;re right.  It IS the tortury.

Oh, the ignominy!  First o ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Another trip to the V-Lady.  NĂźk, youâre right.  It IS the tortury.

Oh, the ignominy!  First off, I found my catness whisked off the dining room table and into the bag.  I hardly had the chance to put up a fight.  And, my stars! Was it hot while we were waiting for the bus to come!  (It hit 99 degrees in our area yesterday.)

We got to the v-lady and there was this dog who walked right up to my bag and stuck his nose out to sniff me.  Pfsst!  Keep your nose to yourself guy!   Mom said he was cute as a button and played with him.  

Weâre now in the exam room.  Vet lady wants me to come out of the bag.  Is she nuts?  Uh uhhâŚ.
I dug my nails into the Sherpa lining of the bag.  Mom reached under the Sherpa mat (and me) and loosened it from its Velcro.  I didnât move a muscle; if she wanted to loosen it while I was sitting on it that was just fine by me.  Was she presuming I would take a magic carpet ride out of the bag?  She could have the SherpaâI stepped off.  No, thank you.  Gave at the office; so kind of you to ask; thank-you-very-much.  I think Iâll just stay where I am, if you please.  Giggles.  You ought to have seen her face holding up that piece of carpet without me on it!

They picked up the bag and dumped me!

Then the doctor started poking at my belly.  GrrrrâŚ  Keep your paws to yourself, doc!

The official pronouncement about the pouch Mom found behind my bellyâŚ..  oh, heavens, a chic girl like me! âŚ..  what! âŚ  surely thereâs been some mistake! âŚ  horrorsâŚ   Iâm o-v-e-r--w-e-i-g-h-t -!

Next on the list: heart recheck.  Yup, still have that murmur, grade 2 on a scale of 10; it never went away after my radioiodine treatment.

Poop show and tell.  Nothing remarkable until Mom showed the vet the pictures on her camera. She took those snaps while things were still hot off the press, if you know what I mean.   V-lady called the blood on them âsignificantâ.  Mom e-mailed those pics last night.

Now Mom was complaining about how I donât let her mess with my coat.  Havenât I said it a million times?  You donât cut my nails and you donât mess with my coat! WaitâŚ  whereâm I going?    WAITâŚ.  NOOOOOOOOOOOO.      GRRRRâŚ..  PFFSTâŚ.   NEEEEOOOOW!  

Bloods, REALLY, I GAVE AT THE OFFICE!  GrrrrrrrrrrrâŚ pffstâŚ

Mom didnât hear much from the examining room this time.  Thatâs âcause I made the docâs two stupid African Parrots nuts.  I screeched, they screeched louder. All three of us had a horrible time.  SeeâŚ  even THOSE STUPID BIRDS had the sense to get upset about my belly shave.  Vet lady gave me such a hard time I peed myself.  And they have the nerve to say that they couldnât do such a great job âcause they didnât want to stress me too much.  They all should have left me home if they didnât want to stress me.

They brought me back to the examining/recovery room a bit soggy.  I was exhausted.  There was no way I was getting back on that table.  I headed for a chair at the end of the table and laid there crumpled in a heap.  Why donât we furs get a bed in the recovery room? 

Then we waited for an eternity for the doctor.  Mom got cold in that room so she scooped me up and headed back out to the reception room.  And we waited.  (The doctor was reading over the first draft of her IBDKitties case study.)

Finally, the doc came out and went over a bunch of papers with Mom while poor over-wrought , captive little me got to sit and wait in the bag.

Mom was also concerned about my slowing down since Keshy went to the Bridge.  The doctor thinks it could be all the pred Iâm taking, or the heat.  She thinks Mom ought to keep an eye on it, but isnât really concerned for two reasons:  1. Iâm approaching middle age.  Ah heck, Iâm not a tweenager anymore???  2. Iâve been gaining weight  (so even though I could stand to uhâŚ well, you knowâŚ  practice some moderation, shall we sayâŚ) , sheâs says Iâm not retaining water, so thereâs nothing new going on.

Doc lady also upped my pred again to twice a day because of the blood and Mom has to call her in a week.

Okay, back out into the heat.  Half-hour wait for the bus, then bumpety, bumpety, bumpety, all the way home, hanging from Momâs shoulder, bouncing off her hip. 

I stepped out of the Sherpa bag.  To let Mom know what I thought I left a present in there.  It was nothing untowardâa little token of my appreciation.  My FIRST WELL-FORMED, solid âŚ.  pooo  ball!  Not a rope, mind you, a poo ball!

But you know what? I was so uncomfortable later I kept walking up to Mom complaining about the way I felt.  She lifted my tail and checked my floofy pants.

A BATH!  OHHHHHHHHHH  NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>My Life Story (in poop and blood)</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/724561</link>

				<pubdate>Tue, 7 Jun 2011 01:15:30 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/724561</guid>
		<description>Mom has been writing my life story.  It&acirc;s going to be called: &acirc;Colette: a life in poop and blood ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Mom has been writing my life story.  Itâs going to be called: âColette: a life in poop and bloodâ; weâre writing my memoires for IBDKitties.net.  Strictly non-fiction: you know, like the movie stars have them?  Sorry Samsara.  Iâm going to be furmous, youâre not, ha ha!  (Colette, itâs not a story, itâs a case study.)  Oh.

Anyway, thatâs why we havenât been around all that much.  After hours of agonizing over it, the first draft is with Finney and Lacey's Mom.  So we have a bit of a break right now.  Good thing.  I'm beginning to feel neglected.  Mom says how can I feel neglected when sheâs been paying attention to each little intricate detail.  Yeah, carve me up and say you're paying attention to the whole!  

I ask: is this all it comes down to? A symptom picture?  Are we only bits and pieces of ourselves?  What about my thoughts?  My feelings?  My psyche?  Jeez!

Maybe sheâll include something about the moth I killed and presented to her tonight.  He was pretty big.  Not bad for a start.  New title perhaps: âColette: the Mighty Huntressâ.  Iâd like that story better.

We still have to thank some furs for the pretty hearts you left on our pages.  First the Catster fleas got to our pages and we couldnât see them, then we couldnât find the gifties.

Weâre going to try to tackle that tomorrow.  Mom also says she got some really nice pictures of Samsara.  Sheâs such a ham!  (I havenât been cooperating with the camera lately.)  Sheâll try to post some tomorrow.

HeadbonksâŚ]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Valiently Fought the Battle  ^..^   But Lost the War</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/721341</link>

				<pubdate>Sat, 7 May 2011 22:36:47 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/721341</guid>
		<description>Pfsst  &acirc;&brvbar;  I lost.  If I thought Mommy-Scissor-Hands was bad, you should&acirc;ve seen those ogres at v ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Pfsst  âŚ  I lost.  If I thought Mommy-Scissor-Hands was bad, you shouldâve seen those ogres at v-lady.

Theyâve got this machine with huge teeth and it growls really loudly.  Mom wasnât around to snoopervise this time either âcause they took me in the back.  (Did she have to ask v-lady where her talon gloves were?) 

I gave them my best snarls.  I warned them.  I yowled, I hissed, I spit, I thrashed aroundâŚ..  You shouldâve seen me fight tooth and nailâŚ.

Alas, I was out-gunned and out-numbered.

I got a haircut.  (Did I hear Mom cackling in the background?)

When the vet tech returned me, my coat was wet in the spot where they shaved me.  One of the females in the back pinned me down.  I spent the whole day smelling like her perfume.

Take note, though.  When the vet tech returned my tortured self to Mom, she was most definitely pale and whining about my ruining her day.  You know what Mom did???!!!!  She said to the tech, âwell, why do you think you did that and not me?â  She cackled again and said that there were times that I was definitely not a nice pussy cat!

I also had bad poops today, so vet lady increased my Tylan again.  Itâs back to twice a day.   GrrrrâŚ.

Plotting revengeâŚ


Cougar Colette]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>Can&acirc;t Get No Satisfaction</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/721237</link>

				<pubdate>Sat, 7 May 2011 00:11:22 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/721237</guid>
		<description>Wow.  It&acirc;s been a long time since &acirc;the boss&acirc; allowed me to write last.  So what have I been do ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Wow.  Itâs been a long time since âthe bossâ allowed me to write last.  So what have I been doing, aside from keeping a low profile?  In a nutshell, keeping âthe bossâ busy.

At least up till now, sheâs been graciously doing my runs to the vet for me.  Or should I say my poops have been graciously doing my runs to the vet for me.  Ms. Obsessive-Compulsive has spent the last month squirreling away my poops and running them to the v-lady.  I think sheâs beginning to have a problem with that.  The last batch started taking over the bottom shelf of the refrigerator (all those nice, neat snack baggies, dated and filed away into a grocery bag). I began to hear grumbles like âgood thing no one scrounges around in here looking for something to eatâ.  Ewww!

She said that she already learned to double the plastic bag she carries them in.  On one of those poopy runs, she and this lady were sitting side-by-side on the bus.  Some of my eau-de-parfum escaped from the bag and wafted into the air.  Mom said it was hysterical.  Both she and the lady were wrinkling their noses and, at the same time, trying to pretend that the air still smelled sweet.  Yeah, right.  A rose by any other nameâŚ

I think sheâs getting revenge tomorrow.   Sheâs been taking a good deal of advantage of me lately.  I keep getting mats around my hips.  I wonât let her comb or cut them out.  (She got me a few times already.  How could she!  Shame on her: sneaking up on a girl with a pair of scissors just when sheâs eating her supper!  She deliberately delayed supper so I was so hungry that I was completely defenseless.  Sheâs gotten me out of a dead sleep to do my nails a few times too.)  I repeat, donât touch the mats in my fur!  But now I heard something about her trying to get an appointment with the v-lady tomorrow to shave me!  Help!  I already have a couple of bald spots from when Mommy-Scissor-Hands did her last hack job.

Okay, so what else. A month ago I started getting 3 Tylan (anti-diarrhea) pills a day along with Marrakechâs cherry yuckies.  We got the Tylan routine down pat now.  I even get called good girl for that.  But the cherry yuckiesâhmmmâIâve learned how to make at least some of that go splashing back in Momâs face.  Last week I was on two pills a day, this week itâs one pill a day.  And starting next week, if I make it that far, it will be a pill once every other day.  In other wordsâmy poops have been pretty good so far.  Theyâre staying together now and there isnât that much blood on the outside.

Now for the bad news.  Mom saw some blood on my floofy pants again today. :~(  Anyway, the low-down on all of this is that the v-lady is trying to help Mom out for the moment by delaying the testing she really wants to do.  In order to do the tests, I have to be off the cherry yuckies (prednisolone) for a number of months.  The replacement medicine is a corticosteroid that costs $300 a month, and then the v-lady wants to do an intestinal biopsy.  Sheâs looking for a definitive answer to the question of whether or not I have Inflammatory Bowel Disorder (IBD).  If the test comes back negative for IBD, thatâs going to be even bigger troubleâsheâll have to open me up in a couple of places to look for a tumor in my intestines.  Purrs needed.

Now, the Samsara thing.  She likes doing stuff with me.  I like hanging out in the bathtub when Mom is in the bathroom.  I like seeing the look on Momâs face when I come exploding out of there.  Samsara got the bigger giggle from her yesterday.  I kept telling Samsara that I really do like being in the bathtub all by myself.  Iâm not much into her âme tooâ routine.  Mom heard me talking while I was in there.  I use the bathtub as my zoomie launch pad. Explode!!! Zooom!!!  Mom still heard talking after I was gone.  Huh?  âMe tooâ followed me out of the tub.  Explode!!! Zooom!!!  Sheâs stealing my thunder!  Do you know how crowded it is when there are two of you in there?  Howâs a girl supposed to get a good running start?

Okay, sheâs been here longer, sheâs older.  Do I really have to kiss the top of her head so often?  When she gets to be too much I just smack her.  She smacks back!  Iâm not the only one complaining.  Do you know how many times Iâve heard Mom say to her, âyouâre not going to lord it over me too, Little Missyâ!  She thinks that sheâs supposed to have the pillow on Momâs computer chair 24/7. (Thatâs the one that Keshy shared with Mom just before she went to the Bridge.)  Giggles.  Mom gets to do her work sitting on one butt cheek, while âLittle Missyâ occupies three-quarters of the chair.  Little Missy is winning.  Iâm just waiting to see Samsaraâs diary entry on the day that Mom ends up on the floor.

Anywayâwish us all luck.  If I lose hair tomorrow, someoneâs going to lose a few ounces of blood by way of my slice-and-dice maneuver.

HeadbonksâŚ]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>Trout Towne Easter</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/719666</link>

				<pubdate>Fri, 22 Apr 2011 21:59:21 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/719666</guid>
		<description>If we could write a sonnet about our Easter &acirc;&brvbar;   We tried our best at rhyming and&acirc;&brvbar; well, let&acirc;s  ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ If we could write a sonnet about our Easter âŚ   We tried our best at rhyming andâŚ well, letâs just say we landed on our floofy tails.   It kind of began and ended when we reached Samsaraâs name.  Let see, uhâŚ Sahara, umbrellaâuh noâŚ kinahara  (oops, wrong language)..  So the kitties at Trout Towne composed this really good one for us.  You need to sing it to Here Comes Peter Cotton Tail so you get the "full effect".

Is effuryone ready for some great Caterwauling?

:)   Thanks Dude, Daisy, Boomer, Tuna ân Sauce!


Happy Easter Effuryone!

Sing along !!!!


Colette has a floofie tail
"I donât care", Pook did wail
Hippity hoppity 
Easter's on... the way

"I'm purebred" Samsara roared
Colette declared, "I am bored"
Hippity hoppity
Easter is Sun...day

Mom loves me best Colette declared
Samsara's temper now is flared
"Colette you're crazy
I WAS CAT OF THE DAY"

Happy Easter Carol and crew
from Trout Towne, we love you
Hippity hoppity
Easter bunnee ...HEY !!!!!!]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>Spring Time Means Flowers that Could Be Dangerous</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/717774</link>

				<pubdate>Wed, 6 Apr 2011 01:27:55 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/717774</guid>
		<description>Hi effuryone.  I have a lot to say the moment Mom can catch her breath long enough to play secretary ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Hi effuryone.  I have a lot to say the moment Mom can catch her breath long enough to play secretary, but I'm not going to say it tonight 'cause it's already really late.

Some of the furs were asking about the flowers in the pictures of me and Samsara.  We assure you THEY ARE FAKES! We just learned from CFA's toxic plants and flowers list that, indeed both tulips and poppies are toxic to us kitties.  Here's the link to CFA's toxic list page:  http://www.cfa.org/client/plants.aspx


Mom learned a long time ago when (Angel) brofur, B.A., broke almost every large vase filled with real flowers, to either put those vases well out of reach, or not keep them at all. The only places that ever see real flowers in our house are the ones that are really impossible for us to reach.  Judging by that list that CFA has published on their web site, it's probably a good idea not to keep the real thing around.

Mom loves really good fake flowers so when she sees them, she picks them up and adds them to a couple of really nice vases.  For example, she came home from Europe over 15 years ago with the most delicate ashes of roses colored tea cup roses made out of silk. They are still sitting in that small limited edition Makkum pottery vase she bought in the Netherlands at the same time.  They have been a gorgeous addition to the house for over 15 years, gracing any surface or table they are placed on.

But the flowers need not be silk either.  We check for delicate gradations of color in the fabric on the petals and that you can't see any plastic for stems and leaves. Woven fabric leaves should either be starched or wired through the center for longer leaves and there should be no threads visible at the edges of either petals or leaves. We prefer stems that are wired through the center as well--you can bend them so they mimic the way flowers actually grow.  We add dried eucalyptus as filler.

Hope all this helps.

Headbonks...]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>Almost Seven Days.</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/715982</link>

				<pubdate>Tue, 22 Mar 2011 22:07:24 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/715982</guid>
		<description>We&acirc;re all trying to adjust.  Samsara just put up her diary entry about being alpha kitty--that&acirc;s ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Weâre all trying to adjust.  Samsara just put up her diary entry about being alpha kitty--thatâs right.  She is the old furt after all and she was here before me.   Sheâs kind of cute too.  I like her well enough, so I let her.  

Mom tries to treat us both equal anyway.  She calls me and asks me to participate in what sheâs doing.  I always greet her in the kitchen or the bathroom first thing in the morning and she always greets me back with âGood morning, Miss Colette. Howâs my pretty girl?â  See I get respect!  I donât like laps anyway and the doctor says I canât have the other food.  The new canned w/d isnât bad and it sure is a change from all that chicken stuff anyway.

Momâs wrapping me up in a towel when she gives me my medicine and sometimes itâs kind of comforting.  I get lots of kisses and hugs after, and thatâs always good.  Iâm not completely impossibleâI also donât want to go where Kesh went.

It was a lot of fun playing with that belt last night.  I hope we keep doing that.

Donât tell anybody:  Samsara is doing me a favor getting those brushies.  Iâm not used to them anymore.  Mom started prioritizing what had to be done when Kesh, Samsara and I got sick, and there were quite a few days that she forgot about them.  She and I had a bad time of it two days before Kesh died.  She found a mat on my back just below my tail.  It was a really bad one and I was afraid to let her take care of it.  We got into an argument and I put a couple of holes just above her wrist.  Serves her rightâshe shouldâve left me alone.  You know what she did???  (Good thing I have so much floof you canât see it.)  She waited till I was eating my supper and she snuck up on me with a pair of scissors.  I start getting really cranky about those brushies after a few minutes.  We both have to get used to doing them again.

Samsara is also right about my launching into RKN mode that terrible day, last Wednesday.  Geeze, I might not have liked Marrakech all that much, but it was just awful seeing her so sick.  And it was Cat-awful watching Mom and Samsara suffering over it.  Mom looked so bad when she came home.  I needed to go right over and take care of her.  She takes care of me and she loves me, right?  Well, I love her back.

Weâre all trying to get used to things.  When Marrakech was here and she wasnât in the kennel  cab I used to like sitting in there.  Come to think of it, I havenât been in there in over a week.  And, you know what else?  The only time Iâve ever been on the pillow in the wicker chair where the girls slept was the afternoon Mom put me there for our Valentineâs Day pictures.  That seems like it was years ago.

Mom had her voice lesson and class yesterday eveningâitâs been the first time in a week that she started singing.  You could see that it really cost her to do it, but she made it.  Itâs still too quiet in the house.  At least she isnât going over to the bookshelf where she put Keshâs picture so much anymore and sheâs slowing down on replaying the video clips on her page. 

Headbonks...]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>And We Thought We Had It Pretty Bad Over Here!</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/714436</link>

				<pubdate>Fri, 11 Mar 2011 10:59:23 PST</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/714436</guid>
		<description>A lesson in life:  there will always be someone, somewhere who is worse off than you are, and no mat ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ A lesson in life:  there will always be someone, somewhere who is worse off than you are, and no matter how bad it gets, thereâs always something to be thankful for.

We just caught up with the news this morning about the incredible earthquake and tsunamis that have hit Japanâs coastal area.  By now youâve heard that they have wreaked havoc on parts of Tokyo and devastated much of its surrounding area.  The news footage is unrealâit looks like something out of a science fiction horror movie.

Our friend <a  class=bodyTextRev target=site href=" http://www.catster.com/cats/762473"> Harvey </a><a  class=bodyTextRev target=site href=" http://www.catster.com/cats/762473" title=" "></a> and his furmily live in Tokyo.  We just sent them a p-mail and left a candle on Harveyâs page.

Of course we donât expect a return message any time soon, but we are purraying for their safety and for the safety of their loved ones. Our hearts go out to all the victims of this terrible disaster.

Colette, Marakech, Samsara, Misha & Mom]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>Update on Effurybody (Including Mom)</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/714275</link>

				<pubdate>Wed, 9 Mar 2011 23:06:21 PST</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/714275</guid>
		<description>The vet lady put me on an extra Tylan pill over the weekend and reduced my prednisolone to once a da ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ The vet lady put me on an extra Tylan pill over the weekend and reduced my prednisolone to once a day for the next few days.  My poop looked a bit better this afternoon, and, true to form, it was spirited out of the litter box and Mom disappeared from the house.  (Sheâs been bringing lots of prezzies to the vet lady. One of them even settled into the snack baggie [Snack baggie!  Yuck!] in the shape of a heart!)  Iâve never seen my litter box look so clean!  Wow!

I got even with Mom this afternoon.  She came back grousing about how stinky they are.  That last one was in a sealed baggie in a tied plastic bag, but a bit of my eau de parfum still managed to escape in the bus.  Mom says it was too funnyâshe and the woman sitting next to her both sniffing the air with ewww! written all over their facesâboth trying not to acknowledge smelling anything.

Mom forgot about my wet food yesterday and can you believe she had to go back to vet lady today!  They took away my commercial limited-ingredient food and now theyâre giving me only Prescription Diet w/d (intestinal formula).  (No great loss for the Natural Balance canned, but whaddya mean no more California Natural kibble!  )  But, you know what?  That canned stuff tasted great tonight!  I sat there looking cute and needy and she gave me seconds. 

Okay, so Iâm feeling a bit better.  My butt feels good without the poop jewels.  Iâm sleeping and sneezing less, and Iâm coming around looking for love again, rubbing against Momâs legs and giving her lots of gummy kisses. 

Waiting for the bus in the cold didnât sit well with poor Marrakech.  Sheâs coughing now, and Mom probably has to go back to the vet lady tomorrow for more antibiotics.  (Letâs see:  Saturday: Colette date with the vet, Tuesday: Marrakech and Samsara date with the vet, Wednesday: Mom date with the vet, Thursday: Mom date with the vet.  Maybe they should move her bed there.)  Some good news, though:  Keshyâs cyst is gone and thereâs barely even a mark on the skin to show where it was!  Was Mom ever surprised!

Samsara is still snurfling and sneezing and honking up a storm.  The poor thing just looks miserable.  I wish sheâd stop sharing my food with me;  thank you furry much, I may have given it to her but I donât want it back!

Effurrybody is running from Mom, the self-righteous  furr torturer.  She shoves the pill in and the second we open our mouths to complain the water-chaser goes shooting in and down it goes.  In all fairness, though, she says she could think of a million things sheâd rather be doing.  You gotta hear this one!

Marrakech:  
Prednisolone (liquid) âevery 12 hours
Clavamox (liquid) - every 12 hours (just finished one month-long course, probably back on tomorrow)
Inhalers: Flovent â 2 puffs every 12 hours
          Proair â 2 puffs every 12 hours

Colette:
Prednisolone (liquid)âevery 24 hours (just tapered down from every 12 hours)
Tylan (capsule) âevery 8 hours (3 times a day)

Samsara:
Clavamox (tablet) âevery 12 hours
Terbutaline (1/4 tablet) â every 12 hours
L-Lysine Gel Supplement â Âź teaspoon âevery 12 hours (Yeah, good luckâto watch this going on you would think she was being tortured.  âCome on, love, just lick the spoon so I donât have to keep smearing this stuff on your nose.â   Pullease!)

Mom was embarrassed. She had to tell the vet she couldnât swear she got 3 Tylan pills into me on Sunday and Monday.  (Iâll never tell, but I think my poops did.  The vet was so not happy with her.)   I got a bath Sunday and took a swing at her for trying to towel-dry me.  I get so upset right after a bath that I get into the litter box sopping wet and have another bout of diarrhea.  She didnât want to upset me more and probably forgot.

Momâs now using an erasable message board, putting the time and date next to each dose.  Sheâs exhausted and her shoulder hurts from carrying the girls. (The two of them weigh just under 15 pounds, but thatâs a bit more than 15 percent of her body-weight.)

We havenât had time to respond to your kind comments and all the compliments on our new pictures, but we are reading and savoring each one of them.   Thank you all so much.   Hopefully, weâll have better news soon.

Colette]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>The Great Litter Box Caper</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/713778</link>

				<pubdate>Sat, 5 Mar 2011 13:09:23 PST</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/713778</guid>
		<description>What&acirc;s up here?  She&acirc;s hovering.  Practically standing there poop scoop at the ready.
 
Furs,  ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Whatâs up here?  Sheâs hovering.  Practically standing there poop scoop at the ready.
 
Furs, do you know what it feels like?  Girl goes into the litter box and out of nowhere, thereâs this face peering over and under you.  Is she done yet?  Is she done yet?

It was still hot and steamy when she took the last one.  Snack bags?  Label, date?  Fridge?

Is she selling âem?  I didnât see a âbest beforeâ date go on the bag.

Then she took that bag out of the fridge, took it with her and disappeared for a couple of hours.  She didnât have the bag when she came home, but she made me take another one of those stupid Tylan pills.  At the rate sheâs going thatâs gonnaâ make 3 pills a day! 

Uh ohh!  Did she see that vet lady again?

GrrrrâŚâŚ]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>I&acirc;b Back!</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/713549</link>

				<pubdate>Thu, 3 Mar 2011 11:57:41 PST</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/713549</guid>
		<description>Before we go into any explanations, I want to get one thing straight:  I do not find wearing our nei ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Before we go into any explanations, I want to get one thing straight:  I do not find wearing our neighborâs poodleâs hand-be-down doggie sweater appealing, fashionable, or sexy.
 
So, before you start cooing âoh, sheâs sooo cute!â  Please bind your banners and keep your cobbets to yourself.  Itâs 23 degrees in New York today and since we take the bus, Bob insisted I wear it.  I was so stunned at first, I didnât know what hit be.  I even let her put by hind legs in the loops.  I gave her a hard tibe before we went hobe so she only got by front legs in.  I didnât give her tibe to pull it off be, so she grabbed the cabera instead.

And then she had to post that picture of be sunbathing in front of that box yesterday afternoon. What was that about?

Okay, weâre going to have to keep the rest quick.  The vet thought Bob was exaggerating about the color of the poo at first.  She brought out a sabple to show of what poo looked like where a kitty really did have intestinal bleeding.  We already knew that the one Bob stole frob the litter box yesterday afternoon looked better.  We didnât have an earlier one to show since Bob cleaned the litter boxes  on Tuesday evening and threw theb all away.  (She thought the color was caused by the bedicine.) The vet had to take Bobâs word that by poop looked albost as dark as the one the vet showed us.  So why are we telling you this?

Because itâs a good sign! The vet was very happy about that, because it beans that the bedicines Iâb on are working and Iâb healing for now.   Another piece of good news is that I weighed in at 11 pounds.  Iâve never been 11 pounds before.  If you go to by photobook and look at the picture called study in beige, youâll see how thin I was over the subber.  That picture was taken just after by hyperthyroid treatbent.  I weighed only 7 pounds at the tibe.  Bob was recently poking at be through by floofs trying to figure out if Iwas getting chubby.  (At least the doggy sweater picture proves that itâs all floof.)

The vet gave Bob bore of the Tylan,  and Iâb still going to have to take the pred twice a day for the next three days, then Bob is supposed to cut it back to every other day.

During this tibe weâre going to be thinking about whether or not to go ahead with the tests.

HeadbonksâŚ

P.S.  We do have new pictures.  Itâs just a question of the finding the tibe to post theb.]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>Chooo.</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/713487</link>

				<pubdate>Wed, 2 Mar 2011 20:18:17 PST</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/713487</guid>
		<description>Choo&acirc;&brvbar;.  Choo, Choo..  Chooo&acirc;&brvbar;   

Hi!

Chooo!

(Sorry.)

I&acirc;b a bit better today.  Bob i ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ ChooâŚ.  Choo, Choo..  ChoooâŚ   

Hi!

Chooo!

(Sorry.)

Iâb a bit better today.  Bob is still laughing at be.  She says that she knows whenever I walk into the roob.  She doesnât  need to see be cub in. But I got to laugh at her too.  There was one tibe today, when Bob was having trouble with her allergies, that we were both sdeezing together.

Choo.

Iâb going to the vet toborrow borning.  Bob talked to her today and found out that the bedicine isnât whatâs causing by dark-colored poop.  The vet says thatâs usually an indication of intestinal bleeding.  So weâre bringing a sabbple of it with us.  The poop is better though and by floofs look pretty clean.

The vet also cut back on by dose of the cherry yuckies because of the sdeezing.   Good; then I wonât have to wear so buch of it.  Itâs really sticky, you know.

Wish us luck toborrow.  Weâre bringing all sorts of questions to the vet about trying sub of the things that sub of you suggested.  Thanks.

HeadbonksâŚ]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>Ahhh Chooo.  Ahhhh Choo.</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/713207</link>

				<pubdate>Mon, 28 Feb 2011 13:00:44 PST</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/713207</guid>
		<description>I&acirc;b  feelig  a bit better, but Bob keeps torturig be wif dat dard bedicid.

Good; she&acirc;s coblai ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Iâb  feelig  a bit better, but Bob keeps torturig be wif dat dard bedicid.

Good; sheâs coblaidig dat her hadd looks like a pid cushiod.  She used a taow today, but Iâb widdig dis fight; I keep lettig duh cherry yuckies rud out of by bouth.  (So dow sheâs washig my frodt edd ad dot by back edd.)

Dareâs a lot less blood ib by poo ad itâs stardig to look like ropes agaid.  Itâs dis fuddy dark color, dough.
Dow if I culd odely stop sneezig  life would be good.   Chooo! 

(Colette, you know that your rhinotracheitis kicks in if we donât taper off the cherry yuckies slowly.  The doctor wants you on them for a while so you really do have to take them!)

Dope!]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>Questions and Questions (No Answers)</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/713059</link>

				<pubdate>Sun, 27 Feb 2011 01:50:24 PST</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/713059</guid>
		<description>I started to answer some questions in the comments section of my last diary entry and realized that  ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ I started to answer some questions in the comments section of my last diary entry and realized that it might be better done in a new entry.

Okay.  The vet Mom takes me to (right now) is our general practice vet that has been with all us furs for almost 25 years.  Iâve seen this vet several times over the past two years since Mom adopted me, and she was the one who caught my feline hyperthyroidism.  The iodine-radiation treatment I got for that was at New York Veterinary Specialists.  The treatment and whatever tests that were still needed prior to the treatment were performed in that state-of-the-art facility.  These are actually some of same doctors that treated BK and Teddy McLovinâ.

Ever since Mom got me thereâs been a constant dialogue between Mom and the vet about food and treatment options.  We havenât necessarily talked about everything, because how much complaining can you really do?  Mom was so happy after my hyperthyroid treatment when I stopped itching myself bald and bleeding in places and I finally made my first rope poop (rather than loose plops).  I stabilized with rope poops and weâve been trying to find (unsuccessfully) better alternatives to the food Iâve been getting.  With every replacement we tried to slowly introduce I ended up with a blood in my poop.   I stabilized on a combination of Prescription Diet w/d and California Natural kibble and Natural Balance canned Chicken/Liver and Turkey Giblet.  Lately, for no real reason, it started to get bad again.

While I have a mile-long list of things I tested allergic to, I never tested allergy-positive for tuna fish. We tried that again after my iodine-radiation treatment, because I love it so much.  It was a disaster.  We also figured out that we canât do Natural Balance Venison and Pea or Evo 95% Venisonâthey both have trace amounts of fish oil in them. Weruva (Grain Free) Chicken made a mess and so did Blue Buffaloâs Chicken product.  (Iâm also highly allergic to beef, duck, rabbit and lamb.)

When I started giving Mom a hard time about eating my wet food, we tried putting Wellness âdeVourâ into the food.  There was nothing in it that showed up as an allergen for me--it was a disaster.  We moved to crumbling Stella & Cheweyâs kitty chicken treats into the food.  Same deal.  Likewise, Stella & Cheweyâs raw chicken patties.  What the three have in common is cranberriesâwhich is supposed to be a wonderful digestive.  Thatâs when we tried Stella & Cheweyâs raw chicken doggie treatsâthey have only chicken bone meal and freeze dried chicken.  No go.  The only treats that didnât make a mess is Wellness Chicken or Turkeyâtheyâre hard to get where we live and Mom decided that we really canât afford them on a constant basis right now.

(Just one asideâweâve recommended some of these products to other kitties when they didnât want to eat.  They are wonderful products.  Iâm the worldâs pickiest eater and I loved them!  Samsaraâs getting them now (no fair!) when she doesnât want to eat the wet food that Mom gives her once a day with her asthma pill mixed in.  Samsara looks forward to the evenings when she gets these treats.  And, believe me, sheâs living high on the hog when she gets them!)

P.S.  I also tested positive for allergies to Brewerâs yeast, which rules out 99.9% of the kibble products on the market.  It also rules out Pill Pockets.

Mom is beginning to think that it may not be the food Iâm getting right now at all, that itâs my condition deteriorating.  And sheâs beginning to realize that my giving her a hard time with eating the wet food usually starts a couple of weeks before my poops start getting worse.  The one positive side-effect of the prednisolone (cherry yuckies) Iâm getting now is that Iâve started eating like a horse.  Maybe thatâs why I got the horse pills?  Mom has always said that I drink like a fish.  Marrakech and I practically empty our water fountain once a day.

Anyway, this lengthy preface is just to give you a clear understanding of where weâre at and to say that Mom actually hasn't taken me to the vet since my follow up exam after I got my iodine radiation treatment.  But we have been in constant contact with the vet over the phone.

If the Tylan doesn't help, the vet wants to do a biopsy.  We and the vet are still trying to avoid the invasive testsâand, up to now there hasnât been a concrete reason to go ahead with them.  Our vet is also looking into an experimental treatment that a West Coast Veterinarian claims he has had success with.  Another fur, (wish we could remember who) recommended the book he wrote:

Pets at Risk: From Allergies to Cancer, Remedies for an Unsuspected Epidemic  by D.V.M. Alfred J. Plechner (Author), Martin Zucker (Contributor).

The book deals with autoimmune system disorders and a corticosteroid replacement treatment.  Our vet is beginning to think that the treatment has possibilities.  She wants to do some more research before deciding whether or not to go ahead with this lifetime therapy.  

One of the things pointing towards doing this is something else we havenât really talked about and you most likely missed in my bio:  I also have feline rhinotracheitis.

Mom says that for a pretty girl, I sure am a mess.
 
One last note about this is that, as Alexâs mom could tell you, there is no cure for what Iâve got, and thereâs no magic bullet or pill thatâs going to make this thing go away.  Unfortunately, you try one thing and another and anotherâŚ.  And itâs like a moving target.

In the meantime, itâs really lovely knowing that you care and that youâre all purring for me.  You furs are the best!

HeadbonksâŚ]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>Horse Pills and Battle Gear</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/712948</link>

				<pubdate>Sat, 26 Feb 2011 00:01:01 PST</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/712948</guid>
		<description>Egads, what a day!  Mom got the Tylan pills from the vet.  Those aren&acirc;t kitty pills, they&acirc;re hor ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Egads, what a day!  Mom got the Tylan pills from the vet.  Those arenât kitty pills, theyâre horse capsules.  The vet told Mom to be really careful to make sure that they donât open because Tylan is really bitter.

This isnât going to be fun.  I tried to scratch Mom today when she gave me the cherry yuckies.  (Iâm getting good at making sure some of it splashes back out of my mouth.)   Out came the rubber  gloves and in went the pill.  Yuck!
 
Maybe we can work out some kind of compromise here, Mom.  Like you take the medicines and Iâll be a âgoodâ kitty?    (No?  Why not?)

We were just reading up on Tylan last nightâMom found out it can also be administered via injection.

Well.  Letâs see how the pills work out first.  In the meantime, Iâm getting really good at hiding behind the sofa and under the bottom shelf of the sideboard.  Unfortunately, Momâs getting really good at getting me out from under the furniture too.

Small comfort, sheâs giving me a lot of extra love.]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>Quick Update on Me</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/712837</link>

				<pubdate>Fri, 25 Feb 2011 00:50:25 PST</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/712837</guid>
		<description>I overheard Mom on the phone with the vet today.  This is not good--hushed voices--something about m ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ I overheard Mom on the phone with the vet today.  This is not good--hushed voices--something about most likely IBD.

I heard her saying something about that dose of the cherry yuckies she missed and the blood in my poops.  Then she said that even though it's been a couple of days since, the cherry yuckies only seem to be controlling the blood and my poops are worse.  Yeah, I've gotten a couple of baths and she did have to use the pet wipes a few times already.

I've also gotten smarter about getting that stupid medicine. She keeps pushing my paw back down saying, "Colette, we don't scratch."  Why not?  Wouldn't you?

The last part of the conversation I overheard was something about Tylan pills, and I heard her saying that she might have to revive her battle gear (rubber gloves to keep from being clawed).

Uh ohhhh...]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>Not Quite Back Yet</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/711984</link>

				<pubdate>Thu, 17 Feb 2011 23:41:50 PST</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/711984</guid>
		<description>Mom asked me to tell you all that we&acirc;re here and that your lovely and kind comments (for all three ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Mom asked me to tell you all that weâre here and that your lovely and kind comments (for all three of us)  have been keeping her going through setting up the new computer.
 
She says that she feels like the biggest computer bobo.  Wow! What a difference going from Windows XP to Windows 7 and Office 2010.  Weâve also always had a desktop.  Now we have a laptopâa big leap.  I bet I could pawdle (can that replace the word handle?) that pretty easily.  Mom says she feels like she has two left thumbs.  She also has to look at the keyboard way too often to find cursor movement keys and stuff.

Weâre still only going to be on Catster sporadicallyâshe still has to move all our files and do a million other things.
Unfortunately, Iâm probably on that million other things list.  The cherry yuckies have helped with the poops but I have blood in them and Mom thinks thereâs more blood than Iâve had in the past.  Looking into the crystal ball, it sounds like there are tests looming large in my near future.

We still love you, itâs just going to be slow for a while.  Weâre also planning on taking the Valentineâs pictures off the profile pages and putting up some new ones.  The new ones, alas, are only a small part of all the files that have to be moved or saved to disk.

Iâve now wised up a bit.  I see Mom starting to head toward me with the syringe and I make myself scarce.  She still catches me sound asleep.  Oh well.  No biggie.

Marrakech is starting to do better, but Iâve been taking up some of that slack by being cranky.  But, let me tell you, I donât know what they put in those cherry yuckies; theyâve been making that canned food supper taste awfully good lately.  I finished eating everything in the bowl after Mom threatened to save it in the fridge tonight; yesterday I asked for seconds.  (She gave me more!)

Anyway, weâll try to keep you updated as we know more.

HeadbonksâŚ]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>My Funny Valentine</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/711338</link>

				<pubdate>Mon, 14 Feb 2011 04:07:30 PST</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/711338</guid>
		<description>In honor of Valentine&acirc;s Day we thought that instead of complaining, we would talk about the things ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ In honor of Valentineâs Day we thought that instead of complaining, we would talk about the things we love about each other.  

It may be a few days before we get back to effuryone with thanks for Marrakechâs DDP.  Our computer is old enough and has had enough problems that itâs going to the computer bridgeâitâs only a matter of time before it dies and we lose all our stuff.  We just got a new one and need to take the time to set it up and get our files transferred.  But in the meantime, we do want to celebrate Valentineâs Day.
 
As a preface to this writing  thought weâd post the wonderful lyrics to Rogers & Hartâs , classic song, âMy Funny Valentineâ.  Obviously not everything is appropriate.  Weâre cats, not peeps or birds, but the general idea holds so true for us.

My Funny Valentine.
Rogers & Hart

Behold the way my fine feathered friend
Thy virtue doth parade.
Thou knowest not, my dim-witted friend
The picture thou hast made.

Thy vacant brow and thy tousled hair conceal thy good intent.
Thou noble, upright, truthful, sincere,
And slightly dopey gent.

Youâre my funny valentine
Sweet, comic valentine,
You make me smile with my heart.

Your looks are laughable,
Un-photographable.
Yet youâre my favorite work of art.

Is your figure less than Greek?
Is your mouth a little weak?
When you open it to speak,
Are you smart?

But donât change a hair for me
Not if your care for me.
Stay, little Valentine. Stay!
Each day is Valentineâs Day.

###

Yes, I am a smarty-pants.  But you know something?  Iâve been around the block a few times and Iâve earned that badge through the school of hard knocks.

Marrakech and Samsara never knew anything but kindness.  They went straight from their biological mothersâ home to Mom.  I wish I had been so lucky.  I belonged to a family once, and I was always sick.  And because I was always sick, I was cranky.  Wouldnât you be cranky if you always felt sick?  You know what that family did?  They dumped me at Manhattan CACC, a high-kill shelter.  Bideawee rescued me, and thatâs when the rest of my life began.  Bideawee didnât know what was wrong with me either.  They tried to make me betterâprobably just well enough so that someone could adopt me.

Mom saw my picture here on Catster.  I was pawing at the glass door of the cage I was in, calling âcome get meâ.  I need someone to love too.  Mom saw that picture and we bonded even before we met.  She came to meet me and I took one look at her and that was it for me.  I wrapped myself around her legs.  I let her put her face in my belly and play with my paws and my tailâŚ

They put a bowl of food in the middle of that room where we got to know each other.  I was always hungry and really skinny back then because my body couldnât digest the nutrients in the food.  I had such a hard time deciding between eating that food and making sure that the lady who came to meet me didnât leave without me.  (She did leave without me, but only for the weekend so the shelter could finish giving me a round of antibiotics.  She wanted to make sure that we didnât start off on the wrong footing.)  In the end, I abandoned the food and gave Mom my full attention.

Iâm not going to say I never looked back.  With a history like mine, you carry a lot of baggage with you.  Itâs really taken me a while to accept that I really do have a home now.  And I love it here.  Okay, so Marrakech is a pain, but Samsara is really sweet.  Do I have to tell you how much I love Mom?  I take really good care to make sure she knows it.  Thereâs not a day that goes by without my holding her hand with my paw, without giving her gummy kisses, and without making sure I greet her and do my happy dance when she walks in the door. In short, thereâs not a day that goes by without my saying âthank you for loving meâ.  I make sure that her day always starts with meâI jump on the toilet seat asking for my brushies (usually before she gets her coffee).  Not right?  Why?  I always give her headbonks and gummy kisses too...  And Iâm always sorry afterwards when I lose my temper over nothing and give her the smacky pawâŚ.

This is Mom:  Oh, Colette.  You are a hard nut to crack, but that is whatâs so lovable about you.  Youâve gone from a skinny mangy-looking girl, to a gorgeous floof-ball.  If you want unconditional love, get a dog.  If you want an intellectual challenge, get Colette.  One minute youâre stuck- up and aloof, the next minute, thereâs no sweeter more lovable kitty than you.  And you are so smart in so many ways.  You argue with me and you make me laugh.

I just realized that thereâs no such thing as reading a book or a magazine in the house anymore.  You walk onto them all and cover them.  I also realized that Iâve migrated to taking all my meals standing at the stove.  Itâs so much easier there than having to try to push you away from my plate at the dining room table.   Wait a minuteâŚwhoâs calling the shots here????

I wish people could see the big, powerful girl you are.  You make me laugh with those mad, pigeon-toed dashes through the apartment at 90mph, hind legs skidding out in all directions on the bare wood floor.  You make me laugh every time you explode out of the bathtub leaving wet paw prints all the way from the bathroom down the hallway.  You leap on high surfaces as if they were nothing, but youâve learned exactly what is completely off-limits and you never go on those things.  For sure, I thought when I first saw that, that I was kissing goodbye to some really lovely antique collectibles.  That never happened.  Theyâre out where you could get them and I know I donât have to worry.

I love your gummy kisses and holding paws with you.  I love your crazy markings: that white patch under your right eye, even if makes all your photos look like that eye is always closed.  And now, Iâm going to tell a couple of secrets about those crazy markings of yours that really donât show up in your photographs but make you even more special.  Iâm going talk about that fawn-colored bulls-eye right in the middle of the tip of your tail, and Iâm going to talk about that one white toe on your foot, and the crazy apricot-colored spot on one of your back feet.  Iâm still trying to get those to show up in your photographs.

You may not always be the nicest kittyâyou are cantankerous.  But youâre also a softy. I see you trying so hard to maintain that nonchalant faĂ§ade of yours, but you always greet me at the door, so happy to see me. When I hold you, you refuse to look at me, and at the same time, you melt into my arms and purr.  And then we cuddle up together on âyourâ sofa.  Itâs all the more gratifying seeing that Iâve earned your love and your trust because I know that you give neither indiscriminately.

Happy Valentineâs Day, Sweetheart.]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>Plotting Revenge &acirc; Can Anyone Help?</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/710968</link>

				<pubdate>Fri, 11 Feb 2011 14:48:28 PST</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/710968</guid>
		<description>Plotting Revenge &acirc; Can Anyone Help?

This isn&acirc;t funny, furs!  She&acirc;s making a fool out of me. ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Plotting Revenge â Can Anyone Help?

This isnât funny, furs!  Sheâs making a fool out of me.  You know who.

I had some poo plops in my floofs yesterday.  First I got a bath.  Then I got towel driedâŚand horrorsâŚ I got hair dried!  Then I got a kiss and out came that saccharine voice telling me what a good girl I am.

Later, I heard her on the phone with the vet.  They were talking about food again, and IBD testing and immune deficiency treatments.  Finally, Mom and the vet agreed on a temporary measure.  It appears Iâm going to be sharing that bowl of cherries with Marrakech (prednisolone) for the next few weeks.

So, I was just ambling along minding my own business when she cornered me.  Iâve seen that move a million times before.  You know, the between-the-knees maneuver.  I should have suspected. Iâm the only fur in the house that hasnât been subjected to that treatment in quite a while.  Next thing I know my head is being tilted upwards.  I was so shocked that my jaw dropped open.  Gack!  Couldnât she have saved some for her precious âKeshyâ?  Wow that was a mouthful!  The worst part was that Mom had this really self-satisfied look on her face.  It was like sheâd just stolen candy from a baby or like she was the cat that just ate the canary.

You bet I fought her last night over the same thing.  Heh heh.  She won.  :~(
Howâs a girl supposed to see enough to hit her mark when thereâs a hand over her eyes?  I was thrashing at air.  I didnât even get to put one ribbon on her hand!

OkayâŚ last night I already started plotting my revenge.

Plan A implementation:  Iâve taken over Keshyâs corner of the bed.  Itâs the corner of the bed where she usually cuddles up to Momâs face.  Not that Mom would mind that so much; Kesh usually migrates under the covers or behind her knees anyway.  I gave this one a new twist.  Ready?  I laid there staring right into Momâs face at close range until she felt like she was being watched.  She woke up!  I waited for her to drift off again, and repeated plan A.  It worked a second time.

But this could get old after a while.  I mean, I do have to stay awake to drive her crazy like that.  Itâs too bad I canât tilt her head back and drown her in cherry syrup!

This morning she waited until I was in dreamsville.  She woke me up, tilted my head back and you can guess the rest.  I never had a chance!

Plan B implementation:  Trip her and injure her so she canât make it to the kitchen for the medicine.  I decided I would lay right under the step down from the dining room platform.  Well, I thought that was a good idea until I thought about the consequences of getting stepped on.  Then I also realized âif she canât make it to the kitchen for the medicine, then she canât make it to the kitchen for the food eitherâ.  Scratch Plan B.

Anyone have any thoughts about this?  Iâm open to lots and lots of suggestions.

Giggles.]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>Tagged By Samhain</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/710556</link>

				<pubdate>Mon, 7 Feb 2011 22:48:28 PST</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/710556</guid>
		<description>I&acirc;ve been tagged by my new little friend  Samhain .  BTW, Samhain is awfully pretty, awfully nice, ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Iâve been tagged by my new little friend <a  class=bodyTextRev target=site href="http://www.catster.com/cats/1172733 "> Samhain </a><a  class=bodyTextRev target=site href="http://www.catster.com/cats/1172733 " title=" "></a>.  BTW, Samhain is awfully pretty, awfully nice, and awfully new.  She could use some new furriends.  Please do stop by her page and introduce yourself.

Here are the rules:
Name the 5 most annoying things your humans do, then tag 5 others to keep it going.

1.  Mom breaks all my good balls, the ones with the metal bells in them. She steps on them and cracks them. All Iâm left with is the bell.  :~(

2.  She keeps bugging me to eat the wet food.  If itâs not tuna fish or kibble or chickie treats, no thanks.  (P.S. Itâs really quite simpleâshe just doesnât get it.  I donât care if you put chickie treats in it; itâs still not tuna fish or kibble, or chickie treats.  Iâll have my chickie treats without the frills, if you please.)

3.  The can-opener tease.  You know what I mean. We were imbued with supersonic hearing for a reasonâtuna fish, salmon, sardinesâŚ. (My mouth is beginning to water just thinking about it!)

It never fails: I wake up from the most amazing sleep to the dreamy sound of theâŚ.CAN OPENER!!!  Ooooooooh!  I stampede down the hallway so sheâs sure to hear me coming.  I come to a screeching halt and I put the cutest look on my face. I wait with bated breath (still trying to look cute and needy).   OoohâŚsheâs letting me smell??   âŚ   I might get some????   Tomatoes!!!!!!!!!  Yuck!  Iâve been had!  What a waste of energy!  
 

4.  And do you know how inconsiderate she is? 

- Where am I supposed to sleep when sheâs watching TV in my sofa?

- FurthermoreâŚ   (I love that word)  âŚ  and furthermoreâŚ She could at least turn the piano keyboard power off!  I donât need a fanfare accompanying me âta-daaaahhhh!!!!--every time I make the over-the-keyboard jump to the table.


5.  She puts Marrakech in her lap with that ridiculous baby bottle twice a day when sheâs supposed to be paying attention to me.  Hee hee.  I get even on that one.  Bonk!  Bonk!  Thatâll show the little floofless runt not to take up all my time.  (Sometimes I sit on the aerosol can cap too.  Then when Mom tries digging around under me to get it, I give Mom the old smacky paw.)  Funny.  I havenât stopped them yet.  No matter.  Iâll just keep trying.

Iâm tagging my friends:
<a  class=bodyTextRev target=site href="http://www.catster.com/cats/1150678"> FishStick </a><a  class=bodyTextRev target=site href="http://www.catster.com/cats/1150678" title=" "></a>
<a  class=bodyTextRev target=site href="http://www.catster.com/cats/805063"> Pixie </a><a  class=bodyTextRev target=site href="http://www.catster.com/cats/805063" title=" "></a>
<a  class=bodyTextRev target=site href="http://www.catster.com/cats/478226"> Gentleman Jack </a><a  class=bodyTextRev target=site href="http://www.catster.com/cats/478226" title=" "></a>
<a  class=bodyTextRev target=site href="http://www.catster.com/cats/643084"> Tethys Fluffkins </a><a  class=bodyTextRev target=site href="http://www.catster.com/cats/643084" title=" "></a>
<a  class=bodyTextRev target=site href="http://www.catster.com/cats/978104"> Indiana </a><a  class=bodyTextRev target=site href="http://www.catster.com/cats/978104" title=" "></a>

Bonk, BonkâŚHeadbonksâŚ.

Colette]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>Happy Lunar New Year (Year of the Rabbit).</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/710156</link>

				<pubdate>Sat, 5 Feb 2011 00:48:00 PST</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/710156</guid>
		<description>We just received this lovely e-mail from my other name-sake, Samantha, a lady who is truly wise beyo ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ We just received this lovely e-mail from my other name-sake, Samantha, a lady who is truly wise beyond her years.  Weâre reprinting it here, in part and as written (with the parts obviously intended for personal friends omitted).  Samantha has already posted this to the blog that she writes.  May we all learn from her wisdom.

We wish all our friends a joyous and prosperous, New Year (Year of the Rabbit).

Colette Sidonie-Samantha

âLunar New Year is the one I am excited to celebrate even if it's filled with rules, regulation, superstition and crazy elders. The celebration focuses on family/friends, life and the future outlook. It's a colorful 7 day long holiday fill of get together and food. In Chinese culture for example there is no such thing as resolution rather one is to set goals and look towards a better and more successful as well as prosper future in every area in our lives. We clean our homes thoroughly, buy new outfits and use brand new things as symbol to start on a clean slate in the New Year. As for terminologies, vocabulary used in the same sentence are not "I'll try' but 'I will'; it's not "completed" but " excelled". In the pass years I have slowly change my personality and characteristic, part of growing up and darn glad I am continuously revolving.
 
~I refrain from immediately blaming birth right, pass history, destiny, family and society over every little situation that cross our paths. We all are born relatively the same with a head, heart, body, 2 kidneys, hair and most average human body parts. What we are given to start off with depends on which lucky family you were born into, ethnicity, class status, environment, religion, and birth origin (all which writes our background). However what we make out of ourselves from the resources offered to us is our own doing. How we beat the odds and win over obstacles and make wise choices is up to us. We pave out own path as adults; hence, our life is our responsibility. Of course what we canât control is other people's decisions, mother-nature or natural causes like illness.
 
~I have greater faith in myself, family members, friends and others, even in dealing with unforeseen circumstances.
 
~I am more forgiving and/or willing to not take things to heart. âŚ
 
~I learn to listen better and speak slower in conversations. I find not only do others respect you more but you learn so much when you listen instead of draining others out with the sound of your own voice. After all we live on this planet together, so why the arrogant or hate? 

~I am more willing to take up challenges on changes forced by others head on. I enjoyed working with trouble kids, I sort of lost faith in the system but instead of quitting, I took a different route on making a difference by focusing on children with autism from middle/low income family.
 
~I manage my will power to defy others, myself and the universe. Most certainly I have failed on many projects but I keep at it (yippee I will pester you 100X if I must). The 5 wonders of the world didnât erupt overnight; it took time and determination to built. *This true occurrence: a daddy group was organized by a lonely stay at home dad on the 1st month, no one responded; 3 months, only 4 dads; 6 months, a buddy joined him and bought along a few friends; 2 years later this club is 305members all dads strong. Gotta keep at it if you want it to happen bad enough. God only help those who help themselves. We also have to help each other to succeed.
 
~I am limited at feeling sorry for myself or anyone else for that matter. If I wanted a pity party âŚ.   I also donât tolerate attitudes but I am mellow towards it. *If anther person canât stop yelling, lecturing or snapping at me, I actually look at them with an underlying pity on their karma & soul. Each of us is capable of controlling our temper. 

~I find myself reaching a level of divine patience especially towards irritable and intolerable or ill mannered individuals. *I get the same result or even better if I donât rush into things. It's better to take your time and do it right the first time then to have to go back and fix mistakes. Think before you speak or act. Alas, when I speak to a frazzle person calmly they also slowly relax.
 
~I am working on stay neutral like the Buddha. If I don't agree with someone's views, I either say nothing or ignore the subject. This is not to say I ignore grievances or complains cause I'd hate it if someone constantly act like my problems are unimportant. 

~I am proud to be Facebook Free for over 6 months. I think that decision had bought me closer to people because now I am force to make plans and call them. I am content at winding down the number of people I label close friends. My circle of friends may be small but my network of acquaintances/colleagues/peers is large than life and I care about every one of you. 
 
~I have gotten better at working at being below my mean. I learn how to be happy living without wants and bargain hunting for needs. Trick is to ignore temptation and expensive difficult people. And surprised even though I have a financial tighter budget this year to work with, I actually am more in touch with friends. I am most certainly grateful most of my peers are understanding of my hardship and even generous and forgiving of what I canât offer. Thank You!

~I have grown cultural well rounded in all area from music, books, museums (art), and films.

âŚ.

âŚ.

~I have set my goals and âto do listâ and actually crossing things off even if it means making sacrifices here and there. 
 
May you and you love ones have healthy as a turtle, good fortune, joyous, and safe Lunar New Year (Year of the Rabbit). â]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>A Rose for Valentine&acirc;s Day and a Beautiful Poem</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/709699</link>

				<pubdate>Tue, 1 Feb 2011 23:05:44 PST</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/709699</guid>
		<description>OMC, Gentleman Jack  gave me a rose for Valentine&acirc;s Day!  I don&acirc;t know what to say!

We tried  ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ OMC, <a  class=bodyTextRev target=site href="http://www.catster.com/cats/478226">Gentleman Jack </a><a  class=bodyTextRev target=site href="http://www.catster.com/cats/478226" title=" "></a> gave me a rose for Valentineâs Day!  I donât know what to say!

We tried to see if the writings of my namesake, Colette, would help.  Geeze she really was feisty.  We didnât readily find anything Colette wrote that would show how much I loved getting that rose.  What we found, though, is this really beautiful poem by Lucie Delarue-Mardrus that Colette quoted in her short novel, âClaudine and Annieâ.  Thank you Gentleman Jack for the wonderful rose and for inspiring me to look for a way to thank you properly.

âFor A Catâ
by Lucie Delarue-Mardrus (born in Honfleur, France  3 November 1874 - died, 26 April 1945 )

Majestic cat, mysterious and wise,
Through whose black velvet mask gleam jewelled eyes,
Do my ring-laden fingers not presume too much,
When they caress you, monarch in disguise?

Lithe, furry serpent, coiled up in repose,
Warmer than living feathers to my touch
Save for the coolness where your small bare nose
Buds though the black and white, a glistening rose.

Jungle-fierce still for all your ribbon bows
And feigned docility.  Let some hapless toy
Catch your disdainful eye, at once peremptory paws
Pounce on the prey with grappling-irons of claws.

Tonight, here in the dusk, no wile of mine
Can lure your still remoteness, make you glance from where
You sit, a Buddha-cat of stone, gold eyes astare:
You are remembering you were once divine.â]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>Supper Will Be Delayed Due to Technical Difficulty</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/709259</link>

				<pubdate>Sun, 30 Jan 2011 01:29:49 PST</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/709259</guid>
		<description>The kitchen swallowed a small item again. That meant that supper wasn&acirc;t going to happen any time i ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ The kitchen swallowed a small item again. That meant that supper wasnât going to happen any time in the near futureâdrats!

For a tiny little box, the kitchen is rather good at that.  Marrakechâs Tagament pill, the sterling silver backing to Momâs earring, the nail tacking the calendar to the wallâŚall teleported to another dimension.

The show and the sound effects were rather amusing, though.  Our kitchen seemed to have acquired a menagerie.  âSqueeeal!â  Pig?  Mouse?  âOh, nooooo!â

âAcccck!â    Duck?

âGrrrrâŚ.â  Oh dear, this does not sound good.  Ferocious dog?  Bear?

Good thing Misha wasnât around, or it might have taken all nightâhe used to help Mom look for things by sticking his face in hers while she crawled around the floor, face to the ground, butt up in the air.

Ohhh, this was gonnaâ be good.  The little thingy stick that holds the rubber thingy that controls the flow of the water to our fountain and its spring just shot across the kitchen.  She had the damp paper towels in hand, crawling all over the floor.  Ever seen a kitchen floor get washed with a paper towels?

Man, do we leave that much kibble and that much floof all over the place?  You should see whatâs coming up!  Still nothing?   Wow!  Pay dirt. You could fill up another bowl with the kibble she just dug out from under the stove using the chop stick.  Eeech!  Look at those wads of floof that were under the fridge!

Man! The floor between the stove and the wall was really black.  Sweep, sweep, sweep.  Still nothing?   âYaaay!  The thingy stick!  Now whereâs the spring?â  Thatâs my water, Mom!  Youâve got to find it.

âGrrrrââŚ.  Still nothing? Iâm starving.  Iâm thirsty.  Nyeh, nyeh.

Youâre washing the kitchen a second time?  Nyeh.  Whereâs my water!

âHalleluyah!â  A choir of angels?  Since when did that belong to a zoo?

âIt doesnât.   I found it!  Yaaaaay!â

Where was it?  âOn the dish rack tray.â    Meooow!

âAcccck!â   Now what?  âSamsaraâs terbutaline pill just flew out of the pill cutter!â   =^..^=]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>Let&acirc;s Monkey Around&acirc;&brvbar;</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/708836</link>

				<pubdate>Wed, 26 Jan 2011 19:34:02 PST</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/708836</guid>
		<description>OMC, I get Valentine&acirc;s pics and DDP all on the same day!  I&acirc;m basking in the glory.

Am I not  ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ OMC, I get Valentineâs pics and DDP all on the same day!  Iâm basking in the glory.

Am I not a hot, spicy Mama?  Bring on the glam and the recognitionâŚ.

Thanks diary Gal, thanks Mom, and thanks effuryone--especially, Pipo and Minko.  Did you see the beautifurr picture they made of me honoring my DDP? 

About those Valentineâs pics: since Halloween Iâve been surprising Mom with just how laid back I am about doing the photo shoots.  Bring on the lace, the feathers, the glitter ballsâI just love them.  Unlike some furs I live with, as long as Mom wants to keep snapping pictures Iâm a willing subjectâjust donât use flash or infra-red and Iâm yours.

Marrakech surprised Mom with just how cute (blech) she looked in her pictures.  If making unhappy faces makes you cute thenâŚ

There arenât too many pics of Samsara.  The minute that monkey started getting saucy, she bit him and ended her photo op.

Saucy?  Yeah.  Messrs. Big Lips & Co. talk.  Their tags say that theyâre motion-activated, but in reality, changes in light set them off.  They started talking up a storm during that shoot.  They make monkey screeching sounds and sound like a womanâs worst nightmare (or daydream, take your pick) when sheâs walking past a construction site.

Not for nothing, pink lips asked Samsara if she wanted to âtouch his monkeyâ just before she bit him in the big toe.

Okay, picture this one.  Youâre alone.  Youâre in bed; itâs late at night, all the lights are out and itâs really quiet.  Youâre just about to go to sleep and all of a sudden: âOooo Oooo Ahhh Aahhh Aahhh Eeeee Eeee Eeee Eeee, Youâre A Monkey, Baby!âŚâŚ Oooh, Cheeky Monkeeeee, Oooo Oooo Ahhh Aahhh Aahhh Eeeee Eeee Eeee Eeee!â comes screeching at you from the living room.

You should have seen the four of us sitting up straight with the biggest floofs you ever saw (Mom included).  For a second, we thought we had a very noisy burgler!  A car had driven past the window and caught those guys in its headlights.  Ooooo, Ooooo Aaaah!

HeadbonksâŚ]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>It&acirc;s About Time</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/708428</link>

				<pubdate>Sun, 23 Jan 2011 12:43:58 PST</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/708428</guid>
		<description>It&acirc;s about time, as grandmaw would have said, that Mom finally cleaned those pretty chairs in the  ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Itâs about time, as grandmaw would have said, that Mom finally cleaned those pretty chairs in the nook that we girls (are not supposed to) donât sit on.

They were getting furry uncomfortable!

HeadbonksâŚ]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>My Turn to Make Mom Laugh</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/707907</link>

				<pubdate>Wed, 19 Jan 2011 01:37:04 PST</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/707907</guid>
		<description>Mom surprised me tonight by bringing the ladder into the kitchen just as I was walking out of the ro ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Mom surprised me tonight by bringing the ladder into the kitchen just as I was walking out of the room.  Samsara was standing where the ladder should have been on the dining platform.  I leaped a few feet into the air.  I couldnât land on the platform because Samsara was right there, so I shot straight up over her and landedâoopsâright in the middle of the living room.  (Donât tell anyone, Iâm practicing my hurdles for the Summer Olympics.  At this rate, my chances are getting awfully good!)

HeadbonksâŚ]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>Anonymous Hearts</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/707520</link>

				<pubdate>Sun, 16 Jan 2011 11:13:22 PST</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/707520</guid>
		<description>It slipped our human's mind (what doesn't?) that we forgot to thank the kind fur who thought that Ma ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ It slipped our human's mind (what doesn't?) that we forgot to thank the kind fur who thought that Marrakech and I weren't feeling well on Christmas day and gave us each a heart.

We still wonder...who...  and we find it uncanny that those hearts came at a time when we were feeling okay but Mommy's heart was hurting over some purrsonal family issues.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>Style and Grace</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/707003</link>

				<pubdate>Wed, 12 Jan 2011 00:48:54 PST</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/707003</guid>
		<description>Neither of which has Samsara been endowed with.  I swear she inhales her food (and sometimes, mine t ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Neither of which has Samsara been endowed with.  I swear she inhales her food (and sometimes, mine too).

Iâm still giving Mom a hard time with my wet food and Mom was crumbling Stella & Chewyâs raw chicken patties into it to try to get me to eat.  They really tasted as good as the WholeLife chicky treats we ran out of. (Mom just never manages to get to the store that sells the treats.)  I loved the chicken patties, but their cranberry additive and I apparently donât agree with each other.  I had blood in my poops again so Mom stopped giving them to me.

She went back to the store around her coachâs neighborhood to try to persuade them to get the WholeLife treats and they put something new in her hands: Stella & Chewyâs Chicken Doggie treats which donât have cranberry in them.  I love them!  So does Samsara.  :~(

Mom gave them to us yesterday evening.  Theyâre soft freeze-dried meat and start out about dime-size.  I ate mine like a lady.  Samsara inhaled hers.  About 2 minutes later, Samsara started making all these retching sounds.  What goes down whole must come up whole too.  She yarked up something round that was now about the size of a quarter only it looked like a soggy marble!

Yuck!]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>Day After Christmas Snow Storm</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/705283</link>

				<pubdate>Wed, 29 Dec 2010 00:05:09 PST</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/705283</guid>
		<description>Wow, does New York get weather.  Mom says that the newspaper reported that the snow storm we had was ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Wow, does New York get weather.  Mom says that the newspaper reported that the snow storm we had was the 6th largest in the history of the city and that the snow drifts hit 4 feet in some places.  Our city just isnât equipped to deal with that much snow.

Well, things sort of come to a standstill, but it gets really interesting watching from the windowâthat is when you can see.  During the storm which lasted over 18 hours the world kind of disappeared into a wall of white on our window.  All the snow that was blowing around in the high winds attached itself to our bug screens.  There was nothing but white left to see.

The sun came out yesterday, but you still couldnât see up the street because of all the clouds of snow blowing around.

Today the wind died down and things got really interesting.  What sight out of our windows!  People were trying to drive down our street and the plows havenât come through.  They were getting stuck all over the place.  The sidewalks have been shoveled but thereâs about 2 feet or more of snow in the road all the way down our street.  In some places the drifts are even higher.

Mom went out today and when she left the house around 5:00 this afternoon she says that there was a Fresh Direct delivery truck and a van stuck on the next block.  She says that the driver of that delivery truck was trying so hard to get out that he wasnât noticing that the truck was tilted at such an angle that it almost tipped over.  At first, Mom was afraid it was going to fall on her; then she noticed that it would have fallen against a lamp post before it could fall over.  She came home around 9:30 this evening and both the van and the delivery truck were still there.  In all those hours, the Fresh Direct truck managed to get across the street from one curb to the next. The Fresh Direct truck had sent out a crew of 3 men to try to dig that guy out, but the van had only his family helping.

At the same time (9:30), there was also a big moving truck stuck right outside our bedroom window. Around 11:30 it finally managed to make it to the end of our block and got stuck in the intersection. The moving truck got a much bigger tow truck to get it out.  That finally happened around 2:30 AM.  Itâs now 2:50 AM.  I heard the whirring sound of another car being stuck and raced to the window.  Itâs stuck in the same intersection!  Itâs going to be a fun night.]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>Mama Said There&acirc;d Be Days Like This&acirc;&brvbar;</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/703159</link>

				<pubdate>Mon, 13 Dec 2010 17:36:22 PST</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/703159</guid>
		<description>I think I&acirc;m getting the blame but I&acirc;m not in the dog-house either.  See the remains of the plant ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ I think Iâm getting the blame but Iâm not in the dog-house either.  See the remains of the plant on my page?  Can you imagine, Mom said that itâs probably her fault!  Mom slept in this morning since she had subway problems getting home from a Christmas party last night and, by the time she got in bed it was after 3:30 this morning.  When she staggered out of bed thatâs what she found.  (Incidentally, that plant is older than all of us--even Mom. It was our great-grandpawâs plant.  It lived with our grandpawrents after 1968 when great-grandpaw died.)

So why is it her fault and not ours?  The window sill isnât quite wide enough for the plant but thereâs a slight ledge formed by the radiator under the window-sill and she usually has a brick there that makes up for whatâs missing from the sill.  She forgot to take the brick out of the oven the last time she needed it to bake bread.

Marrakech is off the hookâsheâs way too light to have done that, so that leaves me or Samsara.  Weâll never tell.  (Iâm the one whoâs always bothering that plant.)

Okay, plan: clean up plant, get coffee.  Plant clean up/repotting timeâabout one half hour.  She comes plodding into the kitchen, looks for coffee cup and nyeh, nyeh, mrrow!  Weâre hungry.  Plan: fill dishes with kibble, get Marrakech her bowl of wet food, get coffee.

Feed cats, done.  Wander out of kitchen in bare feet right into yark!  Plan: clean feet, clean yark, put shoes on, get coffee.

Okay, done.  Wander back into kitchen with shoes on and crunch!  Aaaah!!  We left kibble in the middle of the kitchen floor.

Plan: clean crumbs, get coffee.

6:30 PM.    This is MomâWHEREâS MY COFFEE!  (Okay, so Iâm exaggerating a bit.)]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>Oooh.  Holiday Pictures!</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/701479</link>

				<pubdate>Tue, 30 Nov 2010 00:49:48 PST</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/701479</guid>
		<description>Look how many balls Mom put there!  The balls are definitely for stalking and chasing around.  And a ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Look how many balls Mom put there!  The balls are definitely for stalking and chasing around.  And a curtain!  Boy do I love curtains!

Sorry about the strange angle for the video.  Mom had the camera turned the wrong way.  We hope the crick we put your neck straightens out soon.  We had a lot of fun with these pictures.

Happy Holidays.

HeadbonksâŚ]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>HQ What Were You Thinking When&acirc;&brvbar;.!</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/699220</link>

				<pubdate>Fri, 12 Nov 2010 00:35:14 PST</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/699220</guid>
		<description>Okay guys, I&acirc;ve sometimes been known to bite, so you won&acirc;t be surprised when I say this.  What w ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Okay guys, Iâve sometimes been known to bite, so you wonât be surprised when I say this.  What were you thinking!!!

On the one paw, it is fun to see effurybodyâs comments and it is nice to know about/discover kitties that havenât become (arenât yet) our furriends.  (Those were my nice comments.  I am really nice sometimes too.)

On the other paw, you guys are pawtie poopers.  Donât get me wrongâI love our active members.  They get effurywhere first and always leave comments.  They are a joy to have around.  But you just buried their own entries in a lot of detritus  (gawbage, to be exact).

1.  Weâre never going to see it when they put up their own photos or write their own diary entries.

2.  We just got off the activity report for one of the active members and felt really unsatisfied.  You know why?  Because it felt like picking and choosing from the table of contents from âWar and Peaceâ.  Weâre tired.  We didnât have the energy after that to discover for ourselves what the other kitties were doing.

3.  Do you know how many extra pages per account this is going to add to Recent Feline Friend Activity?  Okay, it only occupies temporary space on your servers but I hope you were thinking of adding new servers.  Youâre gonnna need âem.

I love you guys, you really do try to please.  But pullease!!  Youâd make us all a lot happier with web site navigation enhancements.

HeadbonksâŚ]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>Suspension of Disbelief</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/699093</link>

				<pubdate>Thu, 11 Nov 2010 01:11:05 PST</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/699093</guid>
		<description>I&acirc;m going to pretend for the sake of this diary entry that I have amnesia about my past.

What h ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Iâm going to pretend for the sake of this diary entry that I have amnesia about my past.

What happened to me before I met Mom??  And how do I move forward from here?

Okay, this is the easy part of the question, and probably doesnât need a solution.  I think Iâve mentioned it before somewhere in my diaries or comments.  Mom says I turn into a drama queen around the step ladder that she uses in the kitchen.  Every time she moves it while Iâm there I start acting like sheâs about to hit me with it.  I know that is sooo not true, but it really spooks me.  I do the same thing if she picks up one of the dining room chairs to move it.  Could a child have used me in a pretend lion-tamer act?
Mom tries to be really careful to show me that nothing bad is going to happen.

Now on to the stickier question: the one that produced that new photo on my page.  I approach Samsara and Marrakech and I want to groom them.  Everything is fine and dandy; Iâm in control.  (BTW, I could do without Marrakech, but I really love Samsara.)
The problem starts when they turn around and face me.  They want to groom me too!  Or Marrakech wants to go nose-to-nose with me.  I freak out and I lash out.  What happened?  (Thank you Auntie Arlene for suggesting that this might be whatâs going on.)

Mom says sheâs seen this behavior about a year ago when I was first starting to get comfortable around here.  Iâm extending my boundaries now and taking new liberties with sleeping in the bedroom and on the bed.  I wasnât doing that last year.  Iâve even moved into the kitty bed in the afternoons.  I didnât want it when Mom got it last year so she gave it to Samsara and Marrakech.  It is comfy.  Itâs in the bedroom near the radiator, and, up until now, Samsara and Marrakech have been using it.

Mom hauled out the Feliway spray again.  Iâm hoping it helps.

Weâd love to hear any suggestions you might have.

HeadbonksâŚ]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>Me Crabby?  BTW, Meet B.A.</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/698953</link>

				<pubdate>Tue, 9 Nov 2010 17:14:14 PST</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/698953</guid>
		<description>Thank catness, Mom&acirc;s finally done putting up pages for B.A. and Cappuccino, maybe I can get some C ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Thank catness, Momâs finally done putting up pages for B.A. and Cappuccino, maybe I can get some Catster face time now. B.A. and Cappuccino are ancient history as far as Iâm concerned.  

Mom says Iâve been really crabby lately and sheâs suspecting me of putting that nasty ding in Marrakechâs eye.  Well, if I did do it, it was because she accidentally ran into my claw.

BTW, that incriminating picture that went up on my pageâŚ.  Well, ummâŚ. You see, yesterday I was minding my own business, basking in a sun puddle in the kitchen and Mom came up to me with the camera again.  My coat has grown in beautifully since I had my iodine radiation treatment and she wanted to get some new pictures.   I thought she wanted to give me my chickie treats so I kept trying to go up to the camera.  Mom kept pushing me back so she could get a photo of me.  Then Samsara walked in on the photo shoot.  Well, a girlâs gotta do what a girlâs gotta do.  I lost my temper.   PffstâŚ Take that!  (Marrakech has also been making me lose my temper a lot too.  I try grooming her and she wants to go nose-to-nose.  Pffst.)

Mom wants you all to know that weâre surprised that a good photo of that little, uhâŚ altercation, happened.  Her finger went down on the camera button at the same time as she was trying to get me away from Samsara.  She also wants me to ask you to go visit B.A.âs page.

HeadbonksâŚ]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>Treaty Gourmet</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/698188</link>

				<pubdate>Wed, 3 Nov 2010 22:58:22 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/698188</guid>
		<description>I mean, like, Mom ran out of our Whole Life chicken treats?  Like, I don&acirc;t accept second best, no  ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ I mean, like, Mom ran out of our Whole Life chicken treats?  Like, I donât accept second best, no sir.  Just âcause the Whole Life stuff is hard to get she tried to give me Halo chicken treats.  I turned up my nose, so she opened another bag of treats, Country Pets Chicken and Venison.  Where are MY chicken treats?

Samsara, the dope, she loves the other treats; boy is Samsara gonna have a field day.  Like, she can have âem.  (Marrakech is even dumber--all she wants is pasta al pesto and vanilla ice cream.)

(HmmmâŚ Like, I can see into your future.  I see a very pretty Colette standing on a street corner holding a tin cup and wearing a sign that says âwill work for chickie treatsâ.)

Like, duuuuh, pawrents are so dumbâŚ]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>Almost Dead In the Water Again</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/697435</link>

				<pubdate>Fri, 29 Oct 2010 16:02:14 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/697435</guid>
		<description>We&acirc;re hoping we can post this.  After spending all of last night and most of today fighting our in ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Weâre hoping we can post this.  After spending all of last night and most of today fighting our internet service againâweâre switching providers.

Funny how since they bullied us into buying premium tech support, Verizon has nothing more to offer than to blame our computer for their slow connections and our inability to send or upload anything from our computer.  Weâre moving to a new provider.

We donât know if weâll spend the weekend virtually incommunicato.  We have an installation appointment with Earthlink on Wednesday and hope weâll be back in business Wednesday night.

In the meantime, we can sometimes see your p-mails, but we really have no way of knowing if you got our answers (several times or none at all), we can sometimes post to your diary entries, sometimes send a purresent, and next to never upload a photo.

Just know we still love you allânot just some of you, sometimes.  Weâre spending hours trying to get on your pages. Iâm afraid it looks like weâre snubbing most you when itâs our internet service that is being more than highly selective.

Pfffst on Verizonâthe service stinks.]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>Disturbing Diary Entry</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/696687</link>

				<pubdate>Sun, 24 Oct 2010 01:02:59 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/696687</guid>
		<description>We're wondering if anyone else caught the diary entry on this kitty's page that was written 2 days a ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ We're wondering if anyone else caught the diary entry on this kitty's page that was written 2 days ago.  We were very disturbed by it.  Surely had these people reached out to the Catster community this tragedy could have been averted.

<a  class=bodyTextRev target=site href=" http://www.catster.com/cats/1084695">Hops</a>]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>My Cat Can&acirc;t Spell</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/696158</link>

				<pubdate>Tue, 19 Oct 2010 22:00:16 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/696158</guid>
		<description>What is this? A blame game?  I beg your pardon&acirc;&brvbar;  I overheard Mom on the phone blaming me for all t ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ What is this? A blame game?  I beg your pardonâŚ  I overheard Mom on the phone blaming me for all the typos and spelling mistakes sheâs been making lately.  Just âcause itâs my diary and theyâre my posts.  Hasnât she heard of spell check?

Excuse me, Mom. 

I have a diary, not a dairyâIâm afraid we really donât have space for a cow and it would definitely be taking the concept of sisfur a tad too far.

Interminate?  Does that mean something that doesnât end, cannot be liquidated, annihilated or otherwise dispensed with?

Releae.	  Last I checked Lea, Leah, Leae, or any other form of this would not be able to be repeated in any shape or form.  

Knawing.  Now youâre beginning to sound like grandpaw with his thick Tscherman agzent.   Yes, I know that âgnawingâ and âknawingâ both have silent initial consonants, but you ânowâ, your English stinks! 

Likewise, the contraction for âyou areâ is NOT âyourâ.  Similarly, âthey areâ is not âtheirâ, etc., etc.

Nowâthatâs better--âweaveâ set the record straight.


HsssssâŚ.]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>Dang.  Who Put the Wall There!</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/692799</link>

				<pubdate>Sat, 25 Sep 2010 13:35:35 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/692799</guid>
		<description>Mom went out grocery shopping yesterday.  While that&acirc;s nothing unusual, I was feeling in a particu ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Mom went out grocery shopping yesterday.  While thatâs nothing unusual, I was feeling in a particularly ebullient mood.

I always do this âhey Ma, great to see youâ routine when she comes home.  Mom always laughs.

First I check out the door as sheâs coming in.  We go through the same fun routine every time.  She always asks me âwhoâs coming into your house, Colette?â

I check out the bags (there might be something choice in there for me.)  Then I run all the way across the long living room to my scratching post.  Skritch, skritch, skritch, skritch, skritch.  And I go running back to Mom.

Mom dumped the bags and walked down the hallway to the bathroom.  I beat her there and jumped in the tub.  I waited for a bit and then I came exploding out of the tub.  

Hey world, Iâm heeeeere!  Life is great!  I go flying down the hallway, soaring on the wings of eagles, the early autumn wind blowing through my fur, turn the corner  âŚ  and  âŚ WHAM!

Oouuuch!!  Whereâd that wall come from???  (Nobody moved it, Colette. Giggles.)

Head bonkedâŚ]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>Couple of Little Things</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/692144</link>

				<pubdate>Tue, 21 Sep 2010 00:41:39 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/692144</guid>
		<description>Nothing terribly exciting this week&acirc;thank catness.

I have a couple of little things&acirc;that is i ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Nothing terribly exciting this weekâthank catness.

I have a couple of little thingsâthat is if nobody makes a big deal out of it.

Iâve come to the realization that Iâm a big girl.  I tried out 2 sort of new things today: Momâs lap and the brown blanket on the bed where Samsara and Marrakech usually sleep.

You know what?  That fleece blanket is really comfortable!  And you know what else?  Those two little girls both fit on it when itâs folded.  There are pieces of me spilling over onto the bed!

And Momâs lap. I donât know; I just canât quite get the hang of that.  I wanted attention while Mom was at the computer today, so she picked me up and stuck me in her lap.  What are you supposed to do?  There really isnât enough room for me to stand so I just kept slipping around.  Then thereâs the part where my side is pressed against her face and she keeps breathing on my stomach??  I wanted the attention so I graciously purred and stuck it out for a few minutes.
 
OhâŚ the other thing I wanted to talk about:  I donât know whoâs trying to get me in trouble, but itâs not gonna work.  Somebody left poo balls outside my litter box.  The dummiesâdonât they know I donât do poo balls?  I do plops and ropes.

Iâm also finally being accorded some of my rightful leadership status.  Misha used to do thatâshow Samsara what to do.  Thatâs my job now.

First thing every morning Iâm in the bathroom for brushies, and Samsara shows up under me.  Then, come around 2:00 in the afternoon, it used to be that Samsara would wake up from her nap and Marrakech would still be sleeping.  Samsara didnât know what to do with herself so sheâd come out of the bedroom and make Mom crazy.

Iâve taken over that routine with a slight twist to it.  Why take up space and just bellyache?  Make it a productive endeavor, man!  Treats!  Ignore the full kibble bowls and pull the starving kitteh routine.  Make a big enough pain in the butt out of yourself and you can get enny-thing your fuzzy little heart desires.  I kick up the fuss and guess who shows up as my side-kick?

HeadbonksâŚ]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>Birthdays are nice!</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/691680</link>

				<pubdate>Sat, 18 Sep 2010 00:04:55 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/691680</guid>
		<description>Hey, wow!  Birthdays are nice!

I got lots of treats and hugs and kisses from Mom, and Mom sang ha ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Hey, wow!  Birthdays are nice!

I got lots of treats and hugs and kisses from Mom, and Mom sang happy birthday to me. I usually join in when she sings, but I was amazed: that song she sang had my name in it!  Pawsome--a song in my honor!

Thanks everyone for your good wishes and presents:

Catster for the 25 Catster treats and one vote of 5 Paws
Monida for the yummy Ice Cream
Pipo & Minko for the yummy Ice Cream with the pawsome sunburst
Riley & Skippy Skipster for the pretty Pnk Ribbon
Nuk Anuk, Taag, Sweets & Gabby for the  yummy Shrimpie
Steinem, Winnie, Charley Bleu Eyes & Tia Sydibil for the pretty Blue Ribbon
Simon & Reuben for the pretty Red Heart with the kitty giving me that birthday cupcake
Tutti, Junior Fluffkins, Tethys Fluffkins, Jake & Family for the pretty Pink Ribbon
Mea-Angel, Mikki, Milo, Mimu & Maui for the pretty Red Heart
Adam Dylan & Family for the fun Pirate Flag
BK & Teddy for the lovely Pink Ribbon
Sassy for the pretty Heart and the yummy Shrimpie
Oreo, Thomas, Brantley, Callie, Leo & Family for the pretty Heart
Elsa for the pretty Heart
Ozzie & Harriet for the pretty Heart
Jack & Gizmo for the pretty Heart
Anonymous for the pretty Heart
Teebo, Callie & Rose for the yummy Cupcake
Nikolai â Dreamboat #24 for the yummy Cupcake
Beepers, Ashlynne & Family for the yummy Cupcake
Mercy for the yummy Cupcake with the surprise Birthday Song in the middle
Kitty Pryde & Indiana for the yummy Cupcake
Muppet for the fabulous Champagne

How pawsome! Youâve all given me enough extra toys and treats to last me a whole year!  Thank you everyone!

Headbonks...]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>FOOD-FIGHTS 101; ETHICS 101; CAT-FIGHT 101</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/690601</link>

				<pubdate>Sat, 11 Sep 2010 08:42:47 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/690601</guid>
		<description>Mom always calls me her brainiac, so let me take advantage of that for a moment.

We are in the mi ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Mom always calls me her brainiac, so let me take advantage of that for a moment.

We are in the middle of the fray of a furry contentious issue here in Catsterland.  I donât need to point out what it isâby now you all know.

You may not like it, but both sides have equally valid points to make.

THE GOLDEN RULE:  THOU SHALT NOT BITE THE HAND THAT FEEDS YOU.
And, we will say this to all sides in this cat fight.

At one point in time and hopefully never again, the food may have been no good, and perhaps the cats producing it acted unethically or unnecessarily slowly to fix the problem âŚ  We donât mean to imply that we would always turn the other cheekâŚ but letâs move on âŚ.

Letâs look at that hand that feeds us.

We all live and play in a wonderful place called Catsterland.  For the most part, we really like being here, if not it wouldnât matter to us. Why get into a cat fight when you could just stake out new turf?

This is a great place to play with each other and to support each other in times of need.  Itâs a place for our pawrents to make new friends as well.

But itâs so much more than that.  Where else could we go to for advice on all the everyday issues that come up?  We have access to news, to each other, to veterinarians and sound medical and behavioral advice.  There is a treasure trove of valuable things we get here that all the money in the world canât buy.  Or certainly, there is not any one of us that could buy all of this out of our own funding if we had to do it privately.  Not even the Plus accounts.  

In economic terms, thatâs called a positive externality.  Thatâs the stuff we get without having to pay for it directly.  It kind of works like: part of my tax money goes into buying stuff like highways or street lights, or, perhaps, a policemanâs salary.  By extension, another positive externality is the internet.  We have paid no one directly, but because someone did pay, we all enjoy this amazing technology.  But nothing is perfect.  Not even a democracy.

In return for the protection of government and the enjoyment of things like information and fine parks to play in and the like,  we are asked to sign on to (obey, if you will) a certain set of rules.  Thatâs called a social contract.  It is a contract by which we implicitly agree to give up some of our cat-given âinalienableâ rights for the common good of effuryone.

Letâs look at democracy for a moment.  You always hear someone bellyache âitâs a free countryâ.  What does that mean?  That we can say and do anything we want without regard for who it hurts?   Of course not! 

Letâs take a look at our First Amendment rights:

Can I state my opinionâcertainly.  In what way?

May I yell fire in a crowded movie theatre and cause a stampede?

May I incite a crowd to riot?

May I bad-mouth someone in giving an employer reference causing him to never be employed again?  He could rightly sue me for libel and character defamation.

May I blacklist that cat?  That has overtones of the McCarthy era.  Do we really want to go back there?

And, moving on to the Second Amendment:  Do we have the right to bear arms without license?

ON THE OTHER HAND, OH GREAT PROVIDER

You have provided for us well; but the reason we are here in such force is because you have provided.  And the reasons those who feed youâand by extension, feed usâare here is because we are here.


LET US ALL, PLEASE, CUR-TAIL, HOW FAR WE WANT TO TAKE THIS.

HeadbonksâŚ.

Colette]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>Pet Health &amp; Safety Widget from the FDA</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/690450</link>

				<pubdate>Fri, 10 Sep 2010 08:49:58 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/690450</guid>
		<description>We don&acirc;t mean to be copycats.  Nuk put up a Pet Health &amp; Safety widget from the US Food &amp; Drug Adm ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ We donât mean to be copycats.  Nuk put up a Pet Health & Safety widget from the US Food & Drug Administration on his page earlier today.   Clicking on the widget links you directly to the FDA web site and important information to keep us all well and safe.

We thought that this was so important that efurryone should have one of these widgets on their page, so we put one on my page too.

Here is the FDA address to get the code for the Widget so you can add it to your page:

http://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/ResourcesforYou/ucm192894.htm

Thank you, Nuk.  This will go a long way towards keeping us all safe.


Purrs & HeadbonksâŚ

Colette]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>Gifts 101</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/689172</link>

				<pubdate>Wed, 1 Sep 2010 17:37:12 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/689172</guid>
		<description>In case you haven&acirc;t seen it yet.  We&acirc;ve got a pretty new gift that we can give each other.  It&acirc; ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ In case you havenât seen it yet.  Weâve got a pretty new gift that we can give each other.  Itâs a heart with a kitty in it. (Who am I kidding--you haven't seen it yet!  My page is covered in them!) But you might not know that it's for free just like the dogs have the big paws gifts. 

A number of our friends started giving them to us so we wanted to reciprocate.  For a smart lady Mom can sometimes be a real dork.

Okay.  Momâs way of gifting â the hard way.  STUPID!

Click on your friendâs page and find out that they have a kazillion family members.  Click back and forth to get to each member of the family and click on the gift button on each page.  Click over to their doggy family member (even if you have a guest account for those of us with no dogs in the family) and find out that you canât give either the kitty gift or the big paw âcause you need to have a family member on the web site.  And sit there for half the afternoon making sure that each family member has our undivided attention.


COLETTEâS WAY OF GIFTING â LET THERE BE LIGHT and let you see it before the day is out.

Open two tabs in your browser.

The first tab is for your friend.  The second tab is for the family page.

Open the second tab first and bring up the family page.  Put your mouse cursor over the name of the first family member's name and right click the mouse button, select âCopy Shortcutâ.

Click on the first browser tab.  Place your mouse cursor over the address bar of your browser and right click the mouse button and select paste.  Enter.

When your friendâs page comes up, click on the gift button.  Select your gift as usual.  Click on the Add/Edit Recipients button.  Without closing the first tab, go back to the second tab and put your mouse cursor over the second family member name and right click the mouse, select âCopy Shortcutâ.

Click the first tab again.  In the Add/Edit box, thereâs a space for you to paste the shortcut, âAdd a Recipient Manuallyâ.  Place your mouse cursor over the box and right click on the mouse and select âpasteâ.  The address of the family member will be pasted into that box.   Click the Add button. You will see the picture of the newly added family member in the recipientsâ box.

Keep going back and forth between tabs until you can see all of the family members you want to gift.  Then click the âContinueâ button and finish giving the gift the way you normally would.  You can even leave a kitty gift on a doggy page that way.

Pop quiz tomorrow, Mom.

HeadbonksâŚ]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>New Food</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/689037</link>

				<pubdate>Tue, 31 Aug 2010 22:55:22 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/689037</guid>
		<description>It's been 3 days now that Mom started mixing Natural Balance Venison and Green Pea Formula into my w ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ It's been 3 days now that Mom started mixing Natural Balance Venison and Green Pea Formula into my wet food.

We have our paws crossed--there's some fish oil listed in the ingredients, but so far, so good.  My poops started getting better before the new food and they've continued to get better.

I like the food so I'm hoping that I can keep eating it.  Samsara likes it too  :~{

I was a bit too slow eating tonight, but, hey.  What am I going to do with her?  I didn't want to bop her (and I really didn't). She kept shoving my head to the side so that I couldn't finish it by myself.  My bowl got a bit too squeaky clean too quickly.

Headbonks...]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>She&acirc;s Such a Brat!!</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/688618</link>

				<pubdate>Sun, 29 Aug 2010 08:43:41 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/688618</guid>
		<description>I&acirc;m &acirc;sposed to go first for my brushies every morning!  (Oh?  Says who?)
She&acirc;s such a brat!   ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Iâm âsposed to go first for my brushies every morning!  (Oh?  Says who?)
Sheâs such a brat!   Samsara  knows Iâm gonna jump off the toilet seat when she stands under me.  And then youâve got the nerve to brush her first!!!!
MaaaâŚ. Do something!

PfftâŚ]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>Vampire Lady Says I'm Normal</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/688018</link>

				<pubdate>Tue, 24 Aug 2010 22:47:36 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/688018</guid>
		<description>We got a call from the Vampire Lady (vet) this afternoon.

She says my thyroid levels came in at 2 ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ We got a call from the Vampire Lady (vet) this afternoon.

She says my thyroid levels came in at 2.1: completely normal. Yay.

The vampire lady was amazed when Mom reminded her that this was my first follow-up evaluation after sleep-away camp.  The next one happens 2 months from now.

My poops are still no good.  Mom is supposed to watch them for the next 2 days and if they don't get better I'm getting another round of Metronidazole to jump-start the healing.  Mom and the vampire lady also discussed moving me on to Natural Balance Venison-Green Pea Formula.

Purring for good poops.  I hate medicine!

Headbonks...]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>Help!  They've Submitted Parts of Me to Medical Science Again.  : ~ {</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/687867</link>

				<pubdate>Mon, 23 Aug 2010 22:27:12 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/687867</guid>
		<description>Mom ruined my day.  As if it didn't start out bad enough.

Yeow, man.  The first thing I know Marr ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Mom ruined my day.  As if it didn't start out bad enough.

Yeow, man.  The first thing I know Marrakech crept up while our backs were turned and let out a yowl. Marrakech thinks it's funny; she does that pretty often.

Mom jumped. So did I, but all four of my paws went skidding around that slippery linoleum floor and I almost hit the ground sideways with my legs still pumping. I could hear peals of laugher still coming from the kitchen. They called me a drama queen!  I don't think I'm a drama queen, sheesh!

And my poops were bad today and it's already been a month since I came back from sleep away camp.  Can you believe it!!!

The next thing I know, I'm going backwards into that ###!! Sherpa bag.  Well, I showed that lady doctor--almost--I hissed at her.  It didn't work :~{ 

I swear, she's like a vampire.  All she ever wants is my blood.  Mom forgot to bring my poop with us--if she thinks I'm going back to make another donation...

Then I heard Mom talking to the doctor about that endocrine replacement therapy book she's been reading.  Hey... that's long-term treatment.  I DON'WANNA....  The doctor said she would read the book, but cautioned Mom that there's no such thing as a 'magic bullet'.  Mom said we'd talk about that more after the doctor reviews it.

And then when we got home ... and then... Mom gave Marrakesh fishies and I didn't get any!!

Okay, so Samsara got her Pounce treats and I got my Turkey (yay).

I think I'm going to take an extra-long nap now.  Yawn.

Headbonks...]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>We are the Cat.  We are Effurywhere.</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/687126</link>

				<pubdate>Wed, 18 Aug 2010 23:16:00 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/687126</guid>
		<description>We girls have made sure to keep Mom busy today.  No Mom, we weren&acirc;t conspiring against you.  We ar ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ We girls have made sure to keep Mom busy today.  No Mom, we werenât conspiring against you.  We are the cat, we are effurywhere.

If you havenât seen it already, Marrakech started out the day really well.  She had trouble breathing, so sheâs gone to sleep-over camp for the night.  Mom had to re-arrange her plans for today.  By the way, Mom says thank you to effurryone for all the kind wishes and purresents for Marrakech.  Sheâll thank effurybody purrsonally later.

One of those plans was supposed to involve hauling out the vacuum monster.  I wouldnât have missed it, but she says she needed to do it.  This time the mop and bucket came out too.  And that vacuum monster and mop were busy for most of the afternoon.

Mom says sheâs singing at a cab-a-ray tomorrow night.  Whenefurr that happens she usually puts on a floor-length dress and brings out a lot of shiny things to hang on herself when she puts the dress on.  I think her lavender-taupe satin dress would look rather pretty with a beige kitty fur boa at the bottom, donât you think so?  I like snakes.

Giggles.  No sooner had Mom finished vacuuming and mopping the kitchen and the dining room, than I got to watch her call Samsara by every name other than her own. (All polite names, mind you.)  She called her Colette, Marrakech, Misha, Samanthaâthen she stopped and told her that the next kitty she adopted was going to have a middle name so she could use it.  Huh?  The only thing Samsara did was bring some sticky kibble out to the rug to leave it there for later.  She always does that, what was the big deal?

Then Mom started to wrap purresents for her coach and purrformance director.  I purr without a formance director!  Anyway, I love purresents, especially the bags.  Mom got called away from that in the middle.  I tried to help wrap but I got into a bit of a tight squeeze with that. I hope the purrformance director likes crinkly shopping bags.  Samsara and I got into a tight squeeze a little later on too.  Note to self: two kitties walking shoulder-to-shoulder do not fit through small spaces together.  Giggles.

In fact, Samsara and I did a lot together tonight.  She didnât want to finish her supper so Mom put it away.  Lucky me! Samsara helped me finish my supper tonight. Sisfurrly love: two little heads bent over the same supper dish.  See Ma, my bowl is squeaky clean now.

We girls are effurywhere. The last time Mom walked into the bedroom I heard her saying something about my tumbleweed being on the floor.

And the last time I heard Mom grumble she was saying something about slopping new nail polish over her old man-ee-cure.]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>NO TUNA~~NO TUNA</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/686405</link>

				<pubdate>Sat, 14 Aug 2010 10:43:00 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/686405</guid>
		<description>I had blood in my plops again.  Mom stopped the tuna.  My poops are getting better again.

We trie ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ I had blood in my plops again.  Mom stopped the tuna.  My poops are getting better again.

We tried.  We now know that my allergy tests had a false negative when it came to fish.

On a brighter note, my new Auntie Paula took Mom to Whiskers store in Manhattan and Mom bought me some Whole Life Turkey Treats. The only thing that's in them is freeze-dried turkey meat.

Mom says I almost took her fingers off to get them. And I honored Mom by eating everything in my supper dish after I had them.

They're going to have to be an extra-special treat because she had to trade 7 green pieces of paper for one ounce of them.  I'm worth it, right?  Bring them on! I want, I want, I want...

Thank you, Auntie Paula.

Purrs & headbonks...]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>Mom's Musings</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/685636</link>

				<pubdate>Sun, 8 Aug 2010 21:23:57 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/685636</guid>
		<description>My tired secretary (Mom) took the night off, but she handed me this sheet to read to all of you.  It ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ My tired secretary (Mom) took the night off, but she handed me this sheet to read to all of you.  Itâs called Momâs Musings.  I donât understand half of what sheâs saying, but she says you will.

Purrs & headbonksâŚ

1. 	I wonder how many collective hours we have all spent on Catster. Purportedly in our petsâ interests, we show off their beauty, recount real events and discuss their issues (medical and behavioral)--all the while, of course, ignoring them.  Perhaps we dump one out of our lapsâour legs have become stiff from an overly long nap.  Or we push their inquisitive paws away from the keyboard.  Canât you see your page up on my computer!  What do you mean Iâm not paying attention to you!  Ironic isnât it.

2. 	If cats could talk what would they really say to us?  We ascribe all sorts of personalities to them depending on their natures and our perceptions of them.  Our cats here on Catsterâa microcosm mirroring our own societyârun the gamut from wise old sage to village idiot, depending on whom we think they are, and where along the continuum we are ourselves.  Ironic isnât it.

3. 	On a more personal level, again the irony.  When Coletteâs human cousins were little, their human Mom would recount, ad nauseum, exactly what each of her proud offspring ate on any given day.  Coletteâs human Mom, who never had human children, never envisioned doing the same thing on a daily basis: discussing what Colette ate and every poo and pee she ever took!  And, all of you, instead of rolling your eyes in amazement and disgust, rally around to cheer her on her first rope, not a plop, mind you!  Thank you.

4.	Where would we be without you?  I wonder.  Even though Coletteâs health has a long way to go, she would be nowhere near where she is now without the love and caring that each of you has given us. We love our furriends on Catster!]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>Can't Get Good Help Nowadays and I Made A Rope!</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/685500</link>

				<pubdate>Sun, 8 Aug 2010 00:51:45 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/685500</guid>
		<description>Mom's been working overtime.

We just fixed up the aftermath of the trojan we had last week.  We h ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Mom's been working overtime.

We just fixed up the aftermath of the trojan we had last week.  We had Norton do a remote-access clean-up today.  It was expensive, but we feel it was money well spent.  

So now that we could get back on the computer without the fear of being spied on, I asked Mom to help thank efurryone for the good wishes and purrezies they sent me for my DDPs and DOTD honors.

Well...hmph... we checked our p-mails one last time.  There were 2 p-mails there  AND  one was from me!!!!  Oops!  Sigh. What ever happened to good help?  (Giggles)

I HAVE GREAT NEWS!  I made a 5 inch rope today--a rope, not a plop.

And I had tuna and there was no blood!  Yaaaaayyyyy.

Lots and Lots of Headbonks (and some Kangaroo jumps too).....]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>DPOTD and Sisfurly Love</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/685222</link>

				<pubdate>Thu, 5 Aug 2010 21:45:18 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/685222</guid>
		<description>Well, what can I say!  We always thought I had star quality, but we never thought of me as a celeb b ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Well, what can I say!  We always thought I had star quality, but we never thought of me as a celeb before.

DPOTD, wow!

Wa, wa ,we, wa....I feel like I'm making my acceptance speech on Oscar night!

Thank you Diary Gal!

And thanks, all for the gifts and the concats... I dare say this is going to keep my secretary busy for a while, getting back to everyfurr purrsonally.

Even Marrakech was proud of me.  I got a big kitty kiss from her today, and she let me kiss her back.  What a breakthrough!  I've been hoping for this moment since my gotcha day, October 25, 2008!

'I could cry, salty tears,
Where have I been all these years?
Little wow!
Tell me now,
How long has this been going on?

There were chills up my spine,
And some thrills I can't define.
Hear me sweet,
I repeat,
How Long Has This Been Going.... On....'
(Gershwin)


Purrs & headbonks...]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>PET FOOD RECALL</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/685220</link>

				<pubdate>Thu, 5 Aug 2010 21:15:02 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/685220</guid>
		<description>This came into Mom's e-mail from Pet Health Store in New York today--

Hope you all have heard abo ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ This came into Mom's e-mail from Pet Health Store in New York today--

Hope you all have heard about it by now!  We're printing it exactly as it was sent to us.

Procter & Gamble announces 
a voluntary recall of 
Iams and Eukanuba Dry Pet Foods
due to possible Salmonella contamination. 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- CINCINNATI, July 30, 2010 â The Procter & Gamble Company (P&G) (NYSE:PG) is recalling some veterinary and some specialized dry pet food as a precautionary measure because it has the potential to be contaminated with salmonella. 

The following dry pet food products are included: 


Product Name 
 Version 
 "Best-By" Dates 
 UPC Codes 
 
Iams Veterinary Dry Formulas 
 All dry sizes and varieties 
 01Jul10 â 01Dec11 
 All UPC Codes 
 
Eukanuba Naturally Wild 
 All dry sizes and varieties 
 01Jul10 â 01Dec11 
 All UPC Codes 
 
Eukanuba Pure 
 All dry sizes and varieties 
 01Jul10 â 01Dec11 
 All UPC Codes 
 
Eukanuba Custom Care Sensitive Skin 
 All dry sizes 
 01Jul10 â 01Dec11 
 All UPC Codes 
 

The affected products are sold in veterinary clinics and specialty pet retailers throughout the United States and Canada.

Consumers who have purchased the specific dry pet foods listed should discard them. People handling dry pet food can become infected with Salmonella, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with surfaces exposed to this product. Healthy people infected with Salmonella should monitor themselves for some or all of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever. Rarely, Salmonella can result in more serious ailments including arterial infections, endocarditis, arthritis, muscle pain, eye irritation and urinary tract symptoms. Consumers exhibiting these signs after having contact with this product should contact their healthcare providers.

Pets with Salmonella infections may have decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain. If left untreated, pets may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever and vomiting. Infected but otherwise healthy pets can be carriers and infect other animals or humans. If your pet has consumed the recalled product and has these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian.

For further information or a product replacement or refund call P&G toll-free at 877-340-8823 (Monday â Friday, 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM EST), or visit www.iams.com. 

PetHealthStore is always dedicated to informing you regarding best feeding choices, and any concerns that could impact your petâs health. Call us anytime at 212-595-4200.]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>DDP, UFOs and Tuna Fish</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/685077</link>

				<pubdate>Wed, 4 Aug 2010 21:52:33 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/685077</guid>
		<description>I can't believe it!  The second time in two weeks!  Thanks HQ and thanks everyfur for the concats.
 ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ I can't believe it!  The second time in two weeks!  Thanks HQ and thanks everyfur for the concats.

And yes, that nasty flying saucer did scare me into a big floof.  My tail would have been floofier if I hadn't been so itchy over the past few weeks.  (There's a chunk of it missing in the middle.)  I'd love to say that the UFO scared the fur right off me, but  : (   I'd be lying.

Lucy, I don't think that UFO's taste like chicken--this one smelled like an English Muffin. Aren't they our allies nowadays?  I smell a traitor!

We've been celebrating quietly since we found out about DDP today.  It's been hotter in NY. It went up to 91 again.

Mom also cut back on how much tuna fish I'm getting. She thinks she spotted a bit of blood in my poops again.  Please, please let my body adjust so I can have it.

Feeling sleepy...it's been an exciting day!

Purrs...]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>(U)FO's</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/684668</link>

				<pubdate>Mon, 2 Aug 2010 12:18:02 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/684668</guid>
		<description>There are flying saucers by my water fountain!

No, I'm not delusional! One almost hit me!

I wa ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ There are flying saucers by my water fountain!

No, I'm not delusional! One almost hit me!

I was about to have a sip from the fountain when it came in for a crash landing!  It was still warm from its flight!

Huh?  What was that?

A little too much spring-action from the toaster?
       
                      ^..^]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>Tuna Fish and Cattitude</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/684438</link>

				<pubdate>Sat, 31 Jul 2010 23:48:36 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/684438</guid>
		<description>Today has been a really good day!

I had the zoomies today and Mom helped make a game out of it.   ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Today has been a really good day!

I had the zoomies today and Mom helped make a game out of it.  I pretended I was a afraid of her and she pretended to chase me.  Every time I looked at her I took off like a bat out of hell.  I did 3/5ths of a mile in 10 seconds!  Mom laughed.

Then, I got plunk in the middle of the bed.  I turned my back to Samsara, lifted my leg and started to clean my you know what.

Samsara just sat there on the floor and looked at Mom with a 'can we talk, she's on the bed!' look on her face.  Samsara kept looking back at me and looking back at Mom--who didn't do anything but laugh!  I know 'cause I cheated and snuck a peak at what was going on behind my back.

And the best part of my day was #### drum roll ####  I got tuna fish mixed into my supper!!!

I've been giving Mom a really hard time about my wet food in the evening. Mom has been very concerned about me losing more weight than I already lost in the past couple of months.  (The vet thinks I might never have been a wet food-kitty, but I ate it because of the hyperthyroidism.  She thinks that my appetite has diminished because my thyroid levels have started to normalize.)

When Mom opened a can of tuna to make herself a tuna melt last night and I came around begging for it again, she realized that fish was one of the things that came back negative on my allergy tests.  She started to think that I might have had trouble with it because of my hyperthyroidism.  So she gave me a few flakes--yum!  She says I almost took her finger off getting from her.

My poops were normal for me this morning (and no blood in them either).  So she talked to the vet today.  The vet agreed with her to give it a try and told her to watch my poops carefully.

We're crossing all the toes on our paws here that this works.  I licked my bowl shiny clean tonight.

Purrs & lots of headbonks...]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>Phishing Scam on Face Book</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/684326</link>

				<pubdate>Fri, 30 Jul 2010 23:57:12 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/684326</guid>
		<description>Mom asked me to let you all know about what just happened to her.

She got an e-mail saying that h ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Mom asked me to let you all know about what just happened to her.

She got an e-mail saying that her sister had posted a comment to her wall in facebook.  So she went there and the post, along with her sister's photo, said that her sister was happily using her newly delivered ipad and that she got it free because she signed up to evaluate the product.  All Mom had to do was click on the link that was on the wall, and she could sign up for one too.

Kitties, you have every right to tell Mom how dumb she was.  It took her to a site that asked for some really personal info and kept giving her about 15 links per page where she could sign up for lots of expensive products and services... AND wouldn't let her close out of the loop!

She finally closed the pages by hitting the X's to close the browser. Too late, by the next day she was already getting phone calls.

AND SHE FOUND out over this past weekend that it was a pretty nasty phishing scam.  

By that time her computer had already picked up a VIRUS.  Mom spent most of the week trying to get the problem straightened out.

MOM said to tell you all: DO NOT to click on any links like that offering any free products services.  EVEN IF YOU THINK IT'S COMING FROM SOMEONE YOU CAN TRUST!!!!!!!!

AND--these scams are asking for your e-mail passwords too: DO NOT GIVE OUT YOUR PASSWORDS!!!!!!!!!]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>DDP!</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/683810</link>

				<pubdate>Tue, 27 Jul 2010 16:01:08 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/683810</guid>
		<description>Oh My Cat!

I made DDP today!  What a great day, first I get my diploma and now this!  Thanks, HQ! ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Oh My Cat!

I made DDP today!  What a great day, first I get my diploma and now this!  Thanks, HQ!

Mom has been so extra nice to me today.  Iâm getting lots of extra huggies and headbonksâsheâs so proud of me!

Iâm leaping for joy, expoding-out-of-the-litter-box-and-bathtub- happy.  Iâm snappy, slap-happpppyyyyyy!


Purrrrrrssss  &   hhhheadbonk(ers)s....]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>Tagged</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/683772</link>

				<pubdate>Tue, 27 Jul 2010 12:26:59 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/683772</guid>
		<description>Uh, oh!  Tagged by Wilson J Scooter.  I innocently stumbled into it!

1. Do you ever wake your par ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Uh, oh!  Tagged by Wilson J Scooter.  I innocently stumbled into it!

1. Do you ever wake your parent up in the night?â¨
Nope, but I keep her up at night 'cause I know she doesn't let Marrakech and Samsara out of the bedroom until I finish my supper. And they squawk so much that she can't sleep with the door closed.  I take my sweet... 'ol... time.... Don't ya just love it! Giggles.

2. Do you ever tear up things?â¨â¨
Mousies... let me at 'em!


3. What is your favorite treat?â¨â¨
I'm a deprived child  :(  It would be tuna if I could have it.


4. Can you fetch something when asked to do so?â¨â¨
Are you nuts!  We're not supposed to fetch--that's a human's job!


5. Have you ever lived any place other than where you live now?
Two other places that I can talk about - CACC and Bideawee.

If you read this entry... then you've been tagged!]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>NYPD et al</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/683164</link>

				<pubdate>Fri, 23 Jul 2010 17:36:28 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/683164</guid>
		<description>Things are settling down for me.  Marrakech is beginning to let me sleep in the bed she shares with  ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Things are settling down for me.  Marrakech is beginning to let me sleep in the bed she shares with Samsara.  (They let Mom sleep there years ago.)

Well, Mom may not have been stopped by the cops when she brought me home, but she went to the cops anyway.  She set off something bigger than a Geiger counter.  She set off a mad woman.

You see, yesterday, there was this lady who kept calling her cell phone and insisting that Mom's name is Judith.   AND, AND, the lady said that she knows Mom has North Carolina license plates and if Mom didn't stop disguising her voice as a man and tell her that she is Judith the lady was going to go to the police.

Mom had this really funny look on or face--I've never seen her so angry.  Well, yes, Mom says that lots of people call her 'Sir' when they talk to her over the phone, but this time she told the lady that the lady was insane and yes, please do go to the police!

Mom went to the police today and brought back a piece of paper called a complaint report. How come everybody wants to go to the police but nobody wants to be stopped by them?  

I'm just glad that they didn't have Mom go to their sleep-over camp.

I gave Mom lots of headbonks when she came back home.


Purrs...]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>I Got My Diploma!</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/682680</link>

				<pubdate>Tue, 20 Jul 2010 15:41:19 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/682680</guid>
		<description>I'm home!   

They gave me a Diploma which I posted on my page--Mom had trouble getting a clear co ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ I'm home!   

They gave me a Diploma which I posted on my page--Mom had trouble getting a clear copy of it, so here's what it says:

"NYC Veterinary Specialists
And Cancer Treatment Center

Be It Declared to All Present That:
Colette (That's me)

Has completed the prescribed course of radioactive iodine with a high order of proficiency in the science and art of being cheerful, courageous, tolerant, praiseworthy, and maintaining superior cattitude.  The I-131 Team appreciates the confidence placed in us and the opportunity to participate in the care of your cat.  (Huh?  I don't have a cat...)

Purrtificate of Merit
Presented by the I-131 Team at NYC Veterinary Specialists, on this day: July 20th, 2010"

They also gave Mom a card to show to the police if we got stopped.  Stopped?  Yeah--I told you I was going to be Super Cat.  I'm able to set off police geiger counters.  The sleep-away folks didn't want Mom to be arrested.  Cat-astrophy... cat-napper.. or was that kidnapper...  Please no cat-out-of-the-bag jokes!  Evening news tidbit..can you imagine-- NYC Woman Arrested in Cat Caper of the Century. Hides nuclear bomb inside cat--scientists still probing for answers!

I was so happy to see Mom when she came to get me.  But afterwards I gave her a piece of my mind.  And then I had the indignity of having to travel home in my cat carrier.  I made a lot of friends on the subway... I kept yakking... I wanted everyone to know how my Mom packed me off to sleep-away for 5 days.

Anyway, that's water under the bridge.  I headbonked Mom and Marrakech and Samsara when I got home and they headbonked me back. Yay!  Nothing has changed here.  I checked out the whole place--including the bedroom.

Good to be home.  There's no place like home.  I'm curling up for a nap now.  Yawn!

Purrs, purrs, purrs.. zzzz.. zzzz...]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>Power of the Purr</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/682588</link>

				<pubdate>Mon, 19 Jul 2010 22:49:58 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/682588</guid>
		<description>I need everybody to join paws and purr really hard...

There's no place like home, there's no plac ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ I need everybody to join paws and purr really hard...

There's no place like home, there's no place like home...

My lady-friend, Shannon, says I look really good and is going to be calling in the morning to let Mom know if my radiation level is low enough to go home.

There's no place like home...  There's no place like home...


Purrs, purrs, purrs...]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>Doing Well</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/682320</link>

				<pubdate>Sun, 18 Jul 2010 13:07:54 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/682320</guid>
		<description>My lady-friend, Shannon, called Mom this morning to let her know I'm doing well.

I've been tellin ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ My lady-friend, Shannon, called Mom this morning to let her know I'm doing well.

I've been telling Shannon all kinds of things.  I even told her about the time Mom... mwah..     Mom told me not to be a chatterbox ...that I shouldn't go telling everyone our business--but Shannon is really nice--she won't tell anyone else.

Anway, I came out of my room this morning and started checking out the guest lounge.  It's pretty neat, and they've got lots of nice toys too.  And the food here is pretty good--it tastes just like the stuff I get at home.

Well, later.  I'm off to my next adventure.

Purrs & Headbonks...]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>Sleep Away Camp</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/682172</link>

				<pubdate>Sat, 17 Jul 2010 13:11:21 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/682172</guid>
		<description>Hello mother, hello father.. here I am at..

Here for 5 days, getting radiation treatment for my f ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Hello mother, hello father.. here I am at..

Here for 5 days, getting radiation treatment for my feline hyperthyroid condition and writing to you from my posh mid-Manhattan perch at the NYC Veterinary Specialists.

It's awfully nice here, that is, except for the nasty sonogram and the iodine injection I got.  But Dr. Erick Mears and my lady-friend who takes care of me, Shannon, and everyone here are awfully sweet.

Mom says I'm getting excellent care.  Dr. Mears called to let her know the results of the sonogram before he started the radiation treatment, and then again to let her know that the treatment went well.  And, yesterday morning, Shannon called Mom to let her know that I was doing well and that I also ate well from Thursday evening into yesterday morning (my appetite hasn't been good lately, and I shed the two pounds I had gained since Mom adopted me).  

They even have these cute stethoscopes that have the picture of a cartoon kitty under a Lucite dome where the metal thingy is on everyone else's.  Mom wants to know if that's what she's paying all that money for.  She says that the Hello Kitty stuff is a lot less expensive.

Mom was hoping she could visit me.  They told her that this is the only treatment for which, by law, you can't visit the patient.  And whether I get to come home or not on Tuesday is dependant on my radiation level by that time.  They told me if I pee and poop a lot, I get to go home sooner.  (They say they don't mind the smell--Mom always holds her nose and uses that funny smelling spray.)

I've got a couple of my favorite toys and my blankie and a ratty old T-shirt of Mom's.  Funny, the food here tastes exactly like it does at home.  Do all people give us kitties the same thing?  And I asked for tuna fish and they won't give it to me!  Darn!

Mom says that she and Marrakech and Samsara miss me and can't wait for me to come home.

Purrs & headbonks...]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>Mistaken Identity</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/679299</link>

				<pubdate>Mon, 28 Jun 2010 09:15:00 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/679299</guid>
		<description>The changes Mom puts me through.

First, I was a Birman, then a Himmy, now I'm back to Balinese th ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ The changes Mom puts me through.

First, I was a Birman, then a Himmy, now I'm back to Balinese that Bidawee said I was in the beginning.  Mom realized a couple of months ago, after playing the breed game that she was being stupid.  I'm a traditional Balinese!

Mom, you're not going to decide I'm a Sphinx or Peterbald next week, right?]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>Health Update</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/679083</link>

				<pubdate>Sat, 26 Jun 2010 21:26:21 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/679083</guid>
		<description>Well, it's been a while.  Mom's not been good about updating my diary.
She's been reorganizing the  ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Well, it's been a while.  Mom's not been good about updating my diary.
She's been reorganizing the apartment (we girls get to help) and doing a million and one different things.

I've had puddin' poops again for the last few weeks so I got treated to the V-E-T.  Unfortunatley, there's another big trip coming--I get a hotel visit to Manhattan and the specialty clinic.  Okay, enough teasing, I was diagnosed with feline hyperthyroid condition.

Sure enough, that explains my itchy skin and why I get irritable and all the other stuff that's been going on.

I'm going to be getting radiation treatment so they're going to keep me for 5 days until it's safe for me to come home.  The big day is July 15.  You know, we've never been apart since she adopted me.  I've been telling her not to worry. She already calls me the 'cat on a mission'.  Now she can call me Super Kitty.  

Well, I'm off to my next adventure.  If you see a kitty glowing in the dark, that'll be me.

Purrs & Headbonks.]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>As Time Goes By</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/653066</link>

				<pubdate>Thu, 4 Feb 2010 10:53:53 PST</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/653066</guid>
		<description>Almost a year since my last diary entry and a lot has changed.  I&acirc;m not so itchy anymore and I fee ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Almost a year since my last diary entry and a lot has changed.  Iâm not so itchy anymore and I feel a lot better.  Mom says thatâs probably why Iâm not cranky anymore.  She calls me her sweet girl.

Marrakech avoids me instead of going after me and Samsara and I are now buds.  That started the night Mom came home really late.  We both decided to walk out on her (out of the apartment) in protest.  You shouldâve seen the look Momâs face when we two girls walked off down the building hallway side-by-side.  We still cuff each other occasionally, but mostly we groom each other.

I like nothing better than running off with Momâs toys.  Her pens, her tubes of moisturizer, her calculator, bottles of nail polishâŚ.  She thought she was losing her mind the day she brought out all the stuff to do her nails and I made her only emery board disappear.  ; - ) 

Mom lets me go on the sofa nowâso thatâs my exclusive territory.  (Marrakech and Samsara still kick me out of the bedroom.)  [Editorâs note:  Mom has given up the battle over the sofa and has learned a whole new definition for the word furrniture.]   We sit or lay next to each other on the sofa, and even though I hold her paws, Mom still doesnât understand that I donât want to lay on her.  [Editorâs note:  Mom has never met a cat that does not understand how comfy that is.]  I do make sure I stay close by, though, when Mom isnât feeling well, and I come running when she yelps because sheâs stubbed her toe or banged her knee.

Life is pretty good around here now.

Purrs & Headbonks]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>Taxing Moments</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/578777</link>

				<pubdate>Mon, 13 Apr 2009 00:30:15 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/578777</guid>
		<description>Like I was there, laying on the table like I usually do when Mom does her paperwork.  But unlike usu ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Like I was there, laying on the table like I usually do when Mom does her paperwork.  But unlike usual, it was sign the tax forms day.

Mom had picked up the forms from the accountant and he put them in one of those yellow envelopes with the self-seal flaps.  Take note, long-haired kitties. DO NOT LAY ON THOSE FLAPS!  When I went to stand up, that stupid big envelope came with me.  Who needs a Furminator when you have one of those!

I should also note my now twice daily taxing moment.  I'm supposed to be getting my itchie medicine twice a day.  Mom and I are learning how to best get that pill into me.  Today is the first day that (Mom got the pill into me) I let Mom give me the pill both times.  I hate it--I complain, but at least she's stopped wearing the rubber gloves.  (The gloves were for some, now forgiven, temper tantrums.)  If I have to take the pills, at least I get a lot of love and kisses in exchange.

Purrs & headbonks...]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>3 Glove Day</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/576243</link>

				<pubdate>Sat, 4 Apr 2009 23:01:25 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/576243</guid>
		<description>Akin to 3 Dog Night.  Mom and I got sooo angry at each other today.

I wouldn't eat my food.  Like ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Akin to 3 Dog Night.  Mom and I got sooo angry at each other today.

I wouldn't eat my food.  Like a dork, Mom was putting my allergy pill in it and it tasted all bitter.  (She finally got the message when she took one of them for her own allergies.)   I didn't eat until I was so hungry I kept jumping on the stove.  I finally gave up and downed it with a bit of dry kibble in it.

Then Mom discovered knots in my coat.  I scratched her while she was trying to get the knots out.  Out came the rubber goves--I can't get my claws into them properly.

She was still so angry about the scratch that while she had the gloves on she kept them on so she could trim my nails.  I haven't let her do that since she adopted me.  Glove routine number 2.  (Usually I bite and scratch her when she tries to do that.)  Dang--she got my nails cut.

But I'm supposed to take that pill twice a day.  Supper time came and I wouldn't eat again.

If you're thinking that I usually try to scratch Mom when she's giving me a pill, you're right!  Glove routine number 3.  That was the worst.  She finally wrapped me in a towel too.  I didn't trust her when she put fresh wet food down--wouldn't eat it--nope.

I finally got my kibble and we've  both calmed down and made up.

Headbonks...

Colette]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>I've Been Tagged!</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/574647</link>

				<pubdate>Tue, 31 Mar 2009 01:15:08 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/574647</guid>
		<description>I've Been Tagged!

By my cutie-pie furriend, Lucy  http://www.catster.com/cats/310190

And to th ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ I've Been Tagged!

By my cutie-pie furriend, Lucy  http://www.catster.com/cats/310190

And to think that I gave her a really pretty Easter egg only to find out that she's ALLERGIC to Eggs.  My Mom says not to worry, it's a virtual egg.  Is that like the plastic ones they give kids in their Easter baskets?

Anyway, if you've been tagged then you need to answer the following questions and tag 5 more furriends.

Here they are:

What is your favorite color for Easter eggs?
Turquoise and silver or salt 'n pepper and orange.  I have exotic taste.

Would you rather be a bunny or a chick?
I would rather be a bunny.  At least that's what Mom says I look like when I'm running around the house.

Would you rather EAT a bunny or a chick?
I take the 5th; see my lawyer. 

How many Easter eggs do you think you'll find when you get to hunt them at your house?  I don't think I'm going to find Easter eggs but I might find a few matzoh balls.  They don't roll as well when you bat them.

What kind of Easter basket are you hoping for?  One that I can curl up and go to sleep in.  If they make Easter baskets with pillows in them, I'd like a blue one to match my eyes, please.

I am tagging:

Huddle 
http://www.catster.com/cats/957551
This is one incredible kitty that's found his furrever home and not one but many loving mommas.  Before he found them he spent more than a bit of his time using up several of his 9 lives.  Visit his page.  He has a pawsome story. 

Alabama
http://www.catster.com/cats/603051
Alabama is a sweetheart of a girl with tons of food allergies.  She has blossomed under the loving care of her very special dad.

Pawlette Nip-NoNo
http://www.catster.com/cats/798691
A lovely girl with asthma and a very, very smart mom.

Muppet
http://www.catster.com/cats/624959
Who needs no introduction.  We're all purring like crazy that she gets better really soon.

Missy
http://www.catster.com/cats/974503
Missy just recently joined Catster.  She is a gorgeous Himmy/Siamese mix and her arrival story reminds Mom of just the kind of thing Mom would have done under the same circumstances.  Check out Missy's page and say hello.

Purrs & headbonks...

Colette]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>I'm So Excited!  I Get Real Food!</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/573214</link>

				<pubdate>Thu, 26 Mar 2009 00:26:10 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/573214</guid>
		<description>We got my allergy test results!  Yay... I can eat!

Okay,  here goes.

The baddies:
grasses
du ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ We got my allergy test results!  Yay... I can eat!

Okay,  here goes.

The baddies:
grasses
dust mites
fleas
roaches
brewer's yeast
rabbit
duck
beef 
lamb

The goodies:
fish
turkey
chicken
venison
grains

That should keep me happy for a while!  Spots Stew and Natural Balance here I come!  I even got some fish mixed in with my food tonight.  Mom says we have to take it slowly so as not to upset my digestive system again.

I'm also getting 2mg Chlortrimeton twice a day to help with my itchies.   The doc told Mom to get an ion air purifier too.  That's going to have to wait a bit.

As far as fleas and roaches--we don't have them.  But Mom is going to be doing a thorough spring cleaning.    Anyone want to come over to help get the dust bunnies out of the hard to reach places in the kitchen, and take down and wash the crystals from the chandelier?  

New York living.  When you rent an apartment, the appliances usually don't fit flush with the spaces they're in.  There are always gaps you can't reach into and things you can't get behind.

Wish us luck.]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>Don Quixote Obama</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/570901</link>

				<pubdate>Tue, 17 Mar 2009 20:54:40 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/570901</guid>
		<description>MOL!  Mom's fellow cabaret performer just placed a video on YouTube.

Presenting the quixotic Will ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ MOL!  Mom's fellow cabaret performer just placed a video on YouTube.

Presenting the quixotic William Minifie performing "I Am I, Don Quixote" from the Man of La Mancha.  His version: "I am, I, Barack Obama, the Leader of the Free World!"

Filmed in the lovely, New York, Central Park.  A must see!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_H8GY3Filx4&feature=email]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>Copy Cat or Smart (Aleck)?</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/570537</link>

				<pubdate>Mon, 16 Mar 2009 23:39:35 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/570537</guid>
		<description>I'm a good sneak.  Mom spends time in the bedroom in front of the computer, I spend time in the sofa ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ I'm a good sneak.  Mom spends time in the bedroom in front of the computer, I spend time in the sofa.

We go through the same routine every day.  I hear her coming down the hallway, I jump out of the sofa (phlump) and greet her in the middle of the living room.  Works, right?  Well, it would except for the evidence I leave behind.  You know, body heat, tumble weed...  She's left a throw blankie on the sofa for me now.

Tonight we had a small change in the routine.  Nothing much mind you.  I greeted her with the same "who me?"  look on my face.  Innocence incarnate, you know?

She cracked up laughing and said, "who me???"   I said, "me?"

She sung out, "me, me, me?"   I answered, "me, me, me?"   And yawned.

Mom says that she used to hear Misha calling "myew hoo..." when he heard people in the hallway.

Mom, you're working too hard.]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>Trip to the V-E-T</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/569922</link>

				<pubdate>Sun, 15 Mar 2009 00:10:09 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/569922</guid>
		<description>Mom didn't give me a chance to even begin to plan my escape this morning.  She caught me by surprise ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Mom didn't give me a chance to even begin to plan my escape this morning.  She caught me by surprise and had the carrier open and waiting in the bathroom where she could shut the door.  She collected my back legs and tail in one hand and in I went downwards--again.

What a sinking sensation!

Well, we got compliments on my pretty new case.  And I complained to everyone on the bus about being stuck in it.  It didn't help, they didn't let me out.  All we got were compliments on how pretty I am.  

Anyway, the vet took my blood and asked Mom some questions.  From the answers she got the vet still isn't convinced it's allergies that I have.  She sent Mom home with FrontLine Wormer for all three of us, thinking we may be passing parasites around. (We did that for me already a couple of months ago.  Wouldn't it stand to reason that Samsara and Marrakech would also have the itchies and funny looking poops if that were the case?)

You had to tell her, Ma, that I had the biggest poops you'd ever seen for a cat!!!   Now she's talking about doing tests on my pancreas.  Whoa!

She finally settled on just taking the blood today and having Mom put the wormer on us.   She said that my bloods were alot better than 2 months ago and that I'm well out of danger zone with the anemia I had.  I also gained another pound.

We should have the results back in about a week.

Colette]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>One More Day!</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/569336</link>

				<pubdate>Fri, 13 Mar 2009 00:40:14 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/569336</guid>
		<description>I'm not sure if I should be happy or scared.  It's one more day until I have my allergy tests done. ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ I'm not sure if I should be happy or scared.  It's one more day until I have my allergy tests done.

Mom bought me a new nylon carrier to go to the v-e-t.  It's pretty. It's light brown with pink trim, but let me tell you, I was NOT happy when I saw it.  She bought it for me because she realized that she really can't handle the big clunker she used to carry the boys in anymore.  Her elbow has been giving her trouble lately.

Well, between her size and my size, we had a bit of a conflict.  She was happier with the size of the smaller case (medium).  I'm svelte, but I'm kinda long; she's svelte and kinda short.  Mom's budget said medium, my size said somewhere between medium and large.

I make it!   Just...   :-(     The medium is supposed to be for furs up to 10 inches shoulder height and 16 inches from shoulder to tail.  I'm 10 x 13.  Whew.  Let me tell you, there's no wiggle room.  At least I don't need to stay in there for a long time.

Mom guesstimated my size and brought the thing home.  Now she needed to try it out to make sure I fit.

No problem, right?  After all, I walked right into the clunker without being asked first when she adopted me.

She tried toploading me first.  I wouldn't go in.  Could it be because my legs were splayed across the top and I kept struggling and trying to get away?

Next move.  Behind the sofa.  Then down the hallway.  You get the picture. 

She finally turned the case for a side load, open to the ceiling.  AND UNCERMONIOUSLY DUMPED ME BUTT FIRST!

I'm plotting my revenge for Saturday morning.  We WILL be late for our appointment!]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>Harrowing Experience</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/567640</link>

				<pubdate>Sat, 7 Mar 2009 16:49:55 PST</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/567640</guid>
		<description>I walked out into the hallway of the building to explore yesterday.  And woe is me!  The door closed ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ I walked out into the hallway of the building to explore yesterday.  And woe is me!  The door closed behind me.  Mom was with me, but so what?  I couldn't get back into the apartment.

Nyeh, Nyeh.  I was pushing at the door and it was too heavy for me to open.  I was so afraid that I would have to go back to the shelter.

Mom scooped me up and hugged me and told me that I really have a furrever home, and that I'd never have to go back to that nasty shelter again.

Purrs...

Colette]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>A Little Humor</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/565174</link>

				<pubdate>Sat, 28 Feb 2009 00:06:32 PST</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/565174</guid>
		<description>Auntie Nicole sent Mom this wonderful e-mail that puts a new spin on the English language.  Mom's on ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Auntie Nicole sent Mom this wonderful e-mail that puts a new spin on the English language.  Mom's only sorry that she didn't think of some of these herself.  We thought we would share it with all our furriends.  Enjoy!

Subject: neologisms

This is the Washington Post's  "Annual Mensa Invitational", which once again asked readers to take any word from the dictionary, alter it by adding, subtracting, or changing one letter, and supply a new definition.
 
 The 2008 winners:
 
1.  Cashtration (n.) : The act of buying a house, which renders  the subject financially impotent for an indefinite period of time.
 
2. Ignoranus : A person who's both stupid and an a-hole.
 
3. Intaxication :    Euphoria at getting a tax refund, which lasts until you realize it was your money to start with.
 
4. Reintarnation :    Coming back to life as a hillbilly.

5. Bozone ( n.) : The substance surrounding stupid people that stops bright ideas from penetrating. The bozone layer, unfortunately shows little sign of breaking down in the near future.
 
6.  Foreploy : Any misrepresentation about yourself for the purpose of getting laid.

7. Giraffiti :    Vandalism spray-painted very, very high .

 8.  Sarchasm : The gulf between the author of sarcastic wit and  the person who doesn't get it.

9. Inoculatte : To take coffee intravenouslywhen you are running late.
 
10. Osteopornosis : A degenerate disease. (This one got extra credit.)
 
11.  Karmageddon : It's like, when everybody is sending off all these really bad vibes, right? And then, like, the Earth explodes and it's like, a serious bummer.
 
12. Decafalon  (n.): The grueling event of getting through the day consuming only things that  are good for you.
 
13. Glibido : All talk and no action.
 
14. Dopeler Effect: The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when they come at you rapidly.
 
 15. Arachnoleptic Fit (n.): The frantic dance performed just after you've accidentally walked through a spider web.
 
16. Beelzebug (n.) : Satan in the form of a mosquito, that gets into your bedroom at three in the morning and cannot be cast out.
 
17. Caterpallor ( n.): The color you turn after finding half a worm in the fruit you're eating. 
   
   The Washington Post has also published the winning submissions to its yearly contest, in which readers are asked to supply alternate meanings for common words. And the winners are:
 
1. Coffee, n. - The person upon whom one coughs.
 
2.  Flabbergasted, adj. - Appalled by discovering how much weight one has gained.

3. Abdicate, v. - To give up all  hope of ever having a flat stomach.

4. Esplanade, v. - To attempt an explanation while drunk.

5. Willy-nilly, adj. -    Impotent.

6. Negligent, adj. - Absentmindedly answering the door when wearing only a nightgown.

7. Lymph, v. - To walk with a lisp.
 
8. Gargoyle, n. - Olive-flavored mouthwash.
 
 9. Flatulence, n.- Emergency vehicle that picks up someone who has been run over by a  steamroller.
 
10. Balderdash, n. - A  rapidly receding hairline. 

11. Testicle, n. - A humorous question on an  exam.
 
12. Rectitude, n. - The formal, dignified bearing adopted by proctologists.

13. Pokemon, n..- A Rastafarian proctologist.
 
15. Frisbeetarianism , n. -    The belief that, afte r death, the soul flies up onto the roof and gets stuck  there.

16. Circumvent , n. - An opening in the front of boxer shorts worn by Jewish men]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>Busted Twice</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/564734</link>

				<pubdate>Thu, 26 Feb 2009 12:16:31 PST</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/564734</guid>
		<description>I had a pretty good morning yesterday.

Mom left some really tasty dry kibble in the bedroom for M ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ I had a pretty good morning yesterday.

Mom left some really tasty dry kibble in the bedroom for Marrakech and Samsara the night before.  (She shuts the door so I can't in.)

Some furrs have all the fun!  That food is really yummy.  I know 'cause Mom forgot to take it away yesterday morning and guess who got some? 

It was on the floor by the computer where she was working.  When she saw me there she put the bowl up on the printer so I started to follow it.

She told me she didn't care how cute it looked seeing my two ears and my eyes coming up over the top of the printer, I wasn't getting any more.  Darn.

I didn't get enough to make me really sick, but I didn't feel so good yesterday and barfed last night. 

Mom said that I'm in the proverbial dog house.  I don't believe her.  She's a softy.]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>Colette's Balanced Budget Plan</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/561173</link>

				<pubdate>Sun, 15 Feb 2009 19:23:22 PST</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/561173</guid>
		<description>Mom tried to pay the bills again today for the umpteenth time.  And guess, what?  She couldn't find  ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Mom tried to pay the bills again today for the umpteenth time.  And guess, what?  She couldn't find them--again.

She said that we girls needed to stop emptying her bank account,   didn't she?

Mom says she was wondering why she was almost late with the bills for the last few months and then she figured it out--it's because of me!    I've been trying to help.  Here's Colette's surefire balanced budget plan.

Phase 1.   Sit on the bills or the checkbook so Mom can't find them because when she finds them, she starts writing.

Phase 2.   Bat at the pen.  She finally gets the check written and I go for operation 'make it impossible.'

Phase 3.   Mom can't find the envelope.  (Shh...    I'm sitting on it.)  Aren't I clever?

Dear American Express:

I can't pay your bill because my cat....

Giggles and Purrs...

Colette]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>Out of Jail -- Free at Last -- for Now</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/556385</link>

				<pubdate>Mon, 2 Feb 2009 23:54:14 PST</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/556385</guid>
		<description>Ever since Mom brought Samsara home from that silly run-in she had with the can of shellac she isn't ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Ever since Mom brought Samsara home from that silly run-in she had with the can of shellac she isn't going after me anymore (at least most of the time).

(The dummy--she tried to clean up the mess herself and had to be shaved, and she sure does look funny with that naked belly of hers hanging down.)

Anyway, this is the third night that I'm going to be out of the bathroom.  And, guess what?   Mom bought me a really pretty new bed.  Even though she put the bed in my nice sleepy corner in the living room, I wasn't sure it was my bed so I didn't want to use it.  Then Mom brought my blankie out of the bathroom and put it in the bed for me.  MOL, a bed just for me!  It didn't take me long to figure out how comfy it is. 

Purrs and good night to all...

Colette]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>How Frustrating</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/553728</link>

				<pubdate>Mon, 26 Jan 2009 23:41:18 PST</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/553728</guid>
		<description>Gone from bad to worse.  I now have the squirts.  Mom had a conversation with the doc today.  I'm go ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Gone from bad to worse.  I now have the squirts.  Mom had a conversation with the doc today.  I'm going back to w/d food and being weaned off the prednisone.   I get my allergy tests in a month.

Maybe, just maybe I'll get some tasty food in the bargain then. 

Grrr...]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>Short Course</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/551891</link>

				<pubdate>Wed, 21 Jan 2009 21:31:50 PST</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/551891</guid>
		<description>Short course of prednisone for me.  The doc says I need to take it until I get a normal poop, then M ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Short course of prednisone for me.  The doc says I need to take it until I get a normal poop, then Mom can stop giving it to me.

Let's hope this works.]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>Puddin' Poops Again</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/551199</link>

				<pubdate>Mon, 19 Jan 2009 23:44:06 PST</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/551199</guid>
		<description>I want people food and Mom says I can't have it because of my allergies.  She let Samsara clean the  ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ I want people food and Mom says I can't have it because of my allergies.  She let Samsara clean the last of  the pozole off her plate--I hissed at Mom when she told me I couldn't have any.

True enough, I'm back to puddin' poops since Mom started changing over the food to z/d.  At least the blood has stopped, but Mom says she's calling the vet in the morning.]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>New Pictures</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/550417</link>

				<pubdate>Sat, 17 Jan 2009 23:07:32 PST</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/550417</guid>
		<description>If  Mom doesn't take that camera out of my face.... I'll...

Girl can't get any privacy.  Just whe ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ If  Mom doesn't take that camera out of my face.... I'll...

Girl can't get any privacy.  Just when I thought it was safe...hasseling Mom in the shower...she had some nerve, taking the camera into the bathroom!

Friends, note some progress here--you're not seeing me in triplicate in the photo with the 3 cats.  Samsara, Marrakech and I were actually sitting together.  (In our own fashion, that is.)]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>I'm Back in the Bathroom.  Darn!</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/548410</link>

				<pubdate>Sun, 11 Jan 2009 22:27:59 PST</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/548410</guid>
		<description>Everything was going so well last night.  I was out the whole night, and then that XX#####, Samsara  ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Everything was going so well last night.  I was out the whole night, and then that XX#####, Samsara decided she was going to go after me at 6:45 this morning.  As you can imagine, Mom didn't wake up in a good mood.

Samsara also decided she was going to try to chase me later on today.  Mom put Samsara in the bedroom for the afternoon.  I showed, the old furrt though, I can still out-run and out-jump her.  She's not happy when I go flying over her.]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>Tonight's the Night!</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/548096</link>

				<pubdate>Sat, 10 Jan 2009 22:47:09 PST</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/548096</guid>
		<description>Mom says she's sick of locking me up in the bathroom every night to keep me safe.

With a little h ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Mom says she's sick of locking me up in the bathroom every night to keep me safe.

With a little help from Comfort Zone with Feliway, Samsara has been calming down.  That doesn't mean she's been any nicer to me, but at least she isn't stalking me all the time anymore. 

Mom has been leaving us girls in the house by ourselves for short periods of time, off an on since Christmas, and we've been pretty good.

So, paws crossed and nighty-night.  Mom told us to behave, but anyway, she said she's going to try to sleep with one ear open for trouble tonight.

Yawn!]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>Fun Time at the Window</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/535104</link>

				<pubdate>Thu, 4 Dec 2008 22:34:42 PST</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/535104</guid>
		<description>I had a good time at the window today.  I like watching the birds, the cars, and the people outside. ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ I had a good time at the window today.  I like watching the birds, the cars, and the people outside.  Mom got some nice new photos too.]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>Just Passed One Month Anniversary</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/534497</link>

				<pubdate>Wed, 3 Dec 2008 01:35:58 PST</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/534497</guid>
		<description>MOL, look at me now and look at who I was in my shelter photos!

I guess I was shy at first so I d ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ MOL, look at me now and look at who I was in my shelter photos!

I guess I was shy at first so I didn't talk much.  But now you should hear me.   Mom give me food, give me food.  I'm hungreowy, I'm hungreowy, I'm HUNGREOW! NEOW NEOW. NEEeh, NEEeh, I'm beginning to feel faiiint!  Hee Hee, she waits on me hand and paw!

The toys I have here are also pretty good!   Meow!!!]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>One Month Anniversary</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/531971</link>

				<pubdate>Tue, 25 Nov 2008 21:59:19 PST</pubdate>
		<author>Colette Sidonie-Samantha ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/915750/diary/Colettes_diary/531971</guid>
		<description>Mom and I have been together for a month now.  Can you believe I'm still living in the bathroom?!!! ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Mom and I have been together for a month now.  Can you believe I'm still living in the bathroom?!!!

Mom's letting me out during the afternoon but she also lets that ##??### cat, Samsara, have free roam of the house too.  Samsara's decided that she's alpha cat.  She keeps trying to corner me and she hisses and curses at me.  If I have to, I'll hiss back, but seriously, all I want is for her to leave me alone.

Well, tomorrow's another day.  Maybe Samsara will be nicer.]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

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