Saturday, June 13, 2009

Pig Flu? Nah... I have cats.

The swine flu is making the rounds around here... but do I get it? Nope, I have cats.
I get Cat Influenza instead.

Last weekend, my little black cat Bear, ( yes, the one who had me scared spit-less, thinking he was an intruder - you know - the one who almost got whacked with a rubber spatula) well, he started in sneezing.
I thought nothing of it.

Then 2 days later, his sister Spider started in sneezing as well.
Hmm... maybe they got into the same thing? I mean, they're always outside, pokin' into nooks and crannies and getting covered in cobwebs and all.

But then by the next day, his grandma (Willow) started in with the sneezes, as did the auntie (Maggie) by the end of the day... and the next day it was the little ones mother - my sweet Wally.
(Okay, yes I'm a cat nut. Which is nothing like a calf nut at all. Calf nuts come in pairs... and there's only one of me.)
So anyway, here I had 5 cats all sneezing at once.

So I did the responsible thing and took Wally (the kittens mother.. daughter of Willow... and sister to Maggie) to the vet. There was a double reason for taking her instead of any of the the others.

And that's mainly because she's fat.

Not just chubby fat... but "she's so fat she can't see her rear-end, let alone wash it, fat".
She looks like a Sumo Wrestler... with fur.
But even if she was skinny again, she couldn't see her rear end even if she wanted to... because she's blind.
But y'all know what I mean... right?

I worry about her more than the others, because she's never enjoyed perfect health... being born blind and with a severe heart murmur and all.
So I was worried about her weight, thinking tumors or hypothyroidism or something - and then to add cat flu to the worry?
It was making me sleepless, I'm tellin' ya.

So we tried packing her in the cat carrier. It was a tight squeeze, but we managed to get her in. Then I found that I couldn't lift it - and the handle broke.
So I had to sit in the car, with this huge, frightened cat settled on my lap - and she was cutting the circulation to my legs off. My toes were going numb for goodness sakes!
And then she peed herself.
And me.

Anyway, it turns out that it is Cat Influenza, and even though it's not much of a worry in itself, Wally could very easily develop complications... like pneumonia or heart failure.
So all of them are now getting meds twice a day, just to be on the safe side.

And Wally's weight?
Since she got spayed last January, the weight has just piled on, but it's not due to overfeeding, or the *cats-terectomy* ...
It's just that she's much more sedentary nowadays, her metabolism has slowed down, and she doesn't get enough exercise.
(I can relate to that... believe me!)
But poor Wally can't even see a tree... let alone attempt to climb it... so how do you get a blind cat to exercise more?
I'm still trying to figure that one out.
But she was tested for hypothyroidism, and they'll let me know the results next week.

So anyway... the cats are all under control now... and I can quit worryin'.

Except ...I started in sneezing on Friday afternoon.
Now I have Cat Flu.

Well not really, because they say that the cats and I can't pass viruses back and forth... but the chances of me and 5 cats getting the exact same symptoms at the same time? Well... it seems more than a little coincidental to me.
See, I don't get colds and flu. I just don't. You would think in my line of work, dealing with snotty, snuffly kids and their boogies on a daily basis... and with my less than stellar immune system due to the Lupie... it seems like a given, yes?

But nah... I may get a bout of allergic rhinitis now and then, from dust and stuff from cleaning the air filter on the heater, or the vacuum blowing up in my face... but an actual "cold" or flu?
No siree bob.
I haven't had a cold or flu in over 20 years.

So tell me what you will... and I don't give a rat's patootie what you, or the Docs and Vets have to say.
I say I have Cat Flu.

I don't yet have the desire to lick my butt bottom, or groom my chin whiskers, but those aren't really symptoms of cat flu anyway.
If I do develop those traits, I'll be sure to tell you.
Or maybe not.
There is a limit as to what I'm willing to share on this blog, and what you're willing to listen to... ya know what I mean?

So, with 5 cats out of 6 sick and miserable, and just wanting to lay around...
and me sneezing my fool head off right along with them and wanting to lay around... well, it's been pretty darn boring around here.

So I've been fiddling.
To this song.

Give it a listen, then imagine me fiddling right along with them, and the cats laying in my lap and sneezing in 5-part harmony. It's a hoot... believe me.

Or maybe it's the cats meow?


Rhythm Method... with a tractor
(This was sent to me by my friend Helen, and it's just too good not to share. Or to fiddle along with.)


18 comments:

Anita said...

So sorry everyone is feeling under the weather but you still made me laugh and I thank you for that!!
I loved the tractor and Sweet Georgia Brown,being from Georgia and being as *sweet* as I am LOL
Hope you and Kitty Cats feel better real soon.

RURAL said...

Giggle, snort, outright laughing.....giggle, snort.....chuckle.....

I achhooooowww! really, snort! giggle, hope that you are feeling better soon.

Aaaachhhhooo!

Jen

Becky said...

After I read this I started sneezing! No kiddin either! Too funny! Get well soon and the kitties too!

Reddirt Woman said...

Maybe you are having sympathy 'cat flu'... Hope it gets better quick so you don't have to have a 'cat scan' of your sinuses.

I'm so glad you posted up that video. If I ever figure out how to do it I could post it myself, but I think it's more fun to send it to you and you can post for others to share it, too.

Feel better quick.

Helen

rubiesrnotpurple said...

Wonderful stuff for a lazy Sunday morning.
Sad to hear that you're all feeling a bit catatonic. How's the Old Guy? Perhaps it was the sight of those boxers that did you all in.

Anonymous said...

Kate, quarentine ya and put the gloves on. Don't tell the authorities or it will be the new hype....cat flu!

Irene said...

Sorry you are not well and I missed the 200th post.

Bz said...

I saw this a bit back and thought the same thing! It IS a hoot... but, you know... YOU are a HOOT too!
Bless you... you did sneeze, right?
I hope you get to feeling better soon. Just, please, don't try and lick your behind... I mean kids are such mimics and can you imagine one going home doing THAT?!?

Kurichan said...

Hope you are feeling better soon, K! I could totally hear your voice as I was reading your post...weird!
And thanks for the video--I am sharing it on facebook now!

Tatersmama said...

Anita, Hey, they say laughter is the best medicine - isn't that right? ;-)
~~~~
Jen, Bless you! Was that you sneezing, or was it me? There's so much sneezing going on around here today, that it sounds like echos! lol!
~~~~
Becky, I TOLD you, Cat flu isn't contagious, so you didn't catch it from me! lol! Maybe it's just sympathy sneezes, eh? ;-)
~~~~
Helen, Hardy har har...
*cat scans*. LOL!
I'll email you so YOU can be the one to post these good'uns next time!
~~~~
Rubies, I said I was sneezing.. not urping! Not that the sight of the Old Guys boxers makes me chuckie, but still... He's fine as always and babying me something fierce - so there IS a method to my madness. ;-)
CAT-a-tonic? I need a cat-tonic right about now!
~~~~

Kathy said...

I liked that. I hope you and the kitties feel better soon. Is it true you haven't had a cold for 20 years?? Lucky you. I am still laughing at the description of putting the cat in the carrier and all it entailed.

Jan Mader said...

There's no doubt in my mind. You most certainly, without question, have cat flu. Anyone thinks otherwise should read more of your blog. They would know that your words are truth!

Meanwhile, if you have any homeschoolers or aspiring writers here, would you please send them to my blog today or tomorrow. I'm trying to get feedback about what to do for the summer.

Maybe just the same old thing will work! Jan

Sherri said...

Hope you and your kitty's are better soon. Our kitty Smokey has bad allergies. We joke that Adam and he are allergic to each other :)

Katidids said...

Ok, My keyboard cant take much more coffee being spewed on it! I almost wet my pants..wich is better than a cat wetting on me I guess! Hope your feeling purrrfect soon!

Kristie Kay's Blog said...

hey thanks for the comment and i cant find any help i have one person trying to help me but she hasn't emailed me back yet and i am hoping i can figure it out cause i want to update but i dont want anything to go wrong you kno what I mean???

Tatersmama said...

Marilyn, That's what I was doing yesterday! Quarantining myself. Yeah... sure. I was just being lazy.
I feel GOOD... It's just my babies that are under the weather.
And the gloves? I hate the things, but they're a necessary evil I'm afraid.
~~~~
Irene, I'm FINE! Really. It's just the cats. I've just been sneezing in sympathy, but I feel as normal as they come.
Shaddup Irene... I heard that! ;-)
~~~~
Bz, You ARE joking, aren't you? If I even tried, I would probably put something out of place... and at my age, I can't afford to do that...LMAO!
Couldn't you just see the kids going home and saying "look what we learned today, mummy!"
~~~~

Kurichan, I'm FINE! Really! I need to do some checking in on Face Book, but it still just seems overwhelming to me.
Geek that I am! ;-)
~~~~
Kathy, It's true. I haven't had a cold in decades, but I tend to get allergic rhinitis easily... And at least that isn't contagious!
~~~~
Jan, So "cat influenza = nuts? Is that what you're saying?
You had me searching for a photo yesterday, for Mr Stick, but I couldn't find what I was looking for! What fun, though!!
~~~~
Sherri, Where HAVE you been? Don't tell me the kids still have your computer??? I've missed you, girl - and Josh and Bec too!
Muah!!
Loves ya!
~~~~
Katidid, Thank you, but I feel purrrfect already! ;-)
Sorry about the keyboard though. Next time I'll post a warning, okay?
Put the coffee DOWN, ladies!! ;-)
~~~~

Kristy Kay, Email me with exactly what you've done... and if I can't figure it out, I'll post for some help... How does that sound?
;-)
~~~~~

The Wife said...

"calf nut" huh! Nah, that's over at my place. LOL!

Feel better soon. And I loved the video. I could jam to that all day long.

Nancy M. said...

It's got a good beat to it. Poor cats! Maybe it's a sympathetic sickness you have? Hope y'all feel better!


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