So at the “Toast to Surviving the Holidays” party the other night my cat was being passed around like a pack of cigarettes. It’s what happens. She’s my little show stealer. Anyhoo, somebody kept telling me about a Siamese cat they had had, “just like this one but with blue eyes”. It was making me crazy. I kept explaining how it was too dark in the room we were in but my cat’s eyes were totally blue. It never sunk in, but here: for my own sanity, look at those baby blues!

tagged: party cats pets versace siamese blue eyes proof

daniel · late at night · 1 comment · ping it

Things have been busy here at the dp.com household. What with Father’s Day keeping me at work more and all. It doesn’t look like it’s slowing down much either, as Back to School is just ahead. *sigh* The thing aboot being home less is when you are there, there is a lot to do. But it’s fun. The yard is in bloom, my kitten is becoming a cat (that “helps” with chores), and when I do groceries I travel with the top down! My household stuff rocks!

work is good too. It’s not exactly smooth, but I am employed and the job is stable. In fact, I am being challenged by the new leadership. I kinda like that. It has renewed my motivation and junk. Just like They say it does! Who knew?

What else is going on that’s exciting? Hmm….

3GS Baby! 16 GB, Black, and hopefully in my hands by the 26th… *sigh*

tagged: work iphone update cat household siamese

daniel · at some point · say it · ping it

Have you seen my cat lately? Probably not, as my 365 has turned into more of a *whenever I feel like it* project. Well, whatever. She has gotten big. Not big as in regular-cat big, but for her she’s enormous! And I am a proud parent. Today we had Derek (the window repair man) and his assistant over to re-repair the bedroom window. As they were trekking up the stairs I warned them about the new overly-friendly kitten that may be under foot. She chose that moment to appear out of nowhere. She was standing tall with her neck fully extended (she’s like ET with that neck of hers). Her bright blue eyes glinted in the afternoon sun coming in. When the burly repair men saw her they both did an “Ooooh!” and tried to pet her.. Aw! Sadly they must have not smelled as good as the Cable Guy that was here 2 weeks ago that she was literally ALL OVER, as she would have nothing to do with them.

Either way, I was inspired to take her photo later today when she was being especially cute, albeit less striking than she was with the men:

tagged: pets cat versace siamese kitten

daniel · late afternoon · 1 comment · ping it

Versace drank water. Like plain, right out of the water bowl, water! AND had kibble. Not a lot, but she ate it on her own!

Also, she’s been on the counter. I couldn’t be happier!! My baby is feeling better! Really actually better. *sigh* All this within the last hour too. Weird how sudden it is. Hrm. I just hope it lasts!

I am a proud papa tonight. I just hope she doesn’t injure herself with all of these shenanigans. I had forgotten exactly how “death defying” her “normal” really is… Good gawd. Hang on… VERSACE!! Get down!!

Gotta run.

tagged: cat versace siamese kitten spay complications

daniel · mid-afternoon · 1 comment · ping it

I am not neglecting you. In fact I have lots to talk about. My lesbian aunt, for one. Of course I have much to say regarding veterinary medicine and female cats as well. That topic enrages me… I cannot wait to let it all out. (I will flag those entries, in case you are sick of my cat-blogging).

In the meantime, my little kitten Versace is having an awful time post-spay. She has been to emergency care twice since the operation. At this point we should be almost done with the healing process. Versace has only started healing, and the situation is still very “iffy”. My energy and focus are with her now. I chose to put her through this. I need to be with her until the outcome. If I hadn’t elected to spay, hadn’t insisted on buying HER, had just kept quiet, none of this would be happening to her. I have cried every day since the operation. The guilt of it is killing me.

Right now I am regretting the whole thing. If you are the praying sort, please include her. Or send some healing mojo. Or a wish. We need all the help we can get. I don’t want her to suffer more. I don’t want to lose her.

tagged: cat versace siamese kitten regrets

daniel · evening · 3 comments · ping it

What? Thursday? Well, for most folk, I am sure it is. However it is a three day weekend for me! A much needed one. work has been totally sucky this week. I need a short escape! But it won’t be all fun times on the 3-dayer. My kitten, using the term loosely since The Heat, is going in for her spay tomorrow. It is something we need to do as responsible pet owners. Sure she is purebred, but we have no intention of breeding her. In fact, we didn’t even purchase her with breeding rights. But all that aside… I am worried about it. She is a bit young as far as normal spaying age. She is also a bit small. Siamese are narrow mid-sized cats and she is nowhere near full grown. So as easy and common as a spaying is I am concerned about my baby.

So Friday morning I drop her off. I plan to then do my errands around town so that when I pick her up later I can stay home and observe… Like a good cat-dad. If all goes well and there are no issues with healing or getting picked at by Coco we are going to a Game Night (yet to be confirmed tho, where’s the official email?) on Saturday. Sunday I’d like to Geocache or rollerblade if the weather holds.

Hmm. Sounds basic. I need to throw in bacon somewhere in these plans…

*this entry posted while not wearing pants

tagged: pets versace coco siamese spay 3 day weekend

daniel · lunch time · say it · ping it

I knew the Siamese, as a breed could be vocal and distinct. I was totally prepared. When things are normal I get a lot of joy from little Versace. However, last night things weren’t normal. She clearly was not herself.

She started acting a bit off in the afternoon, a bit moody, a bit nervous and distracted even. As we neared bedtime she seemed a bit clingy, and still distracted. Not even interested in her “bedtime toy”. (Yes, “bedtime toy”. It’s totally not weird if you have had a kitten. 20 minutes before bed she gets to play with a toy that only comes out at that time to burn off that last bit of energy so she’ll sleep through the night.) Anyhoo, so no-go with playtime. So I shut out the light and we attempt to sleep. Versace placed her self on my chest, which is totally not where she normally sleeps. She purred and was still for about 20 minutes. I know this because she purrs really loudly. Then she was up and about the room crying, then down the hall, then down stairs. Crying. All night. Of course on the night before Richard and I were due back to work.

Now I know you have all heard about a Siamese cat’s cry. It is often compared to a crying infant. Only louder. And, as Randy Jackson would say, “pitchy”. So I got no sleep, and I am sure Richard only got about an hour or 2 during those brief times I was able to get her calm. When morning came I got on the net. (Sounds exciting when you say it like that! I also leapt into action!) I researched her symptoms and came up with a lot of sources regarding “cats in heat”. Erm. I thought she was a bit young for that, but apparently Siamese will go into “heat” as early as 5 months. Sometimes as early as 4! I freaked out a bit. I mean, talk about an abrupt end to Kittendom! Also, she didn’t quite have all the symptoms… but her constant cleaning of her kitty-zone had me really worried. So I called in sick so I could watch her, just in case. I also put a call in to the vet. Since I had no appointment I had to wait for a doctor to call me back between appointments. Hours later I spoke to a doctor who felt she had an infection in her urinary tract, not an early “heat”. He advised I bring her right in. I did.

200 bucks later and we have a diagnosis, a prescription, and hopefully a cat that will sleep tonight. (Thank gawd for pet insurance!!)

UPDATE: Things have escalated! Gotten louder! And it’s odd how my cat can walk in reverse with her ass poking out like that… I think we have been miss-diagnosed.  This heat thing, if that’s what it is, can go on for 2 weeks, only to start up again a week later… Ugh. I hope I am wrong.

tagged: cat loud versace siamese kitten

daniel · mid-afternoon · say it · ping it

from dp.com… and Versace!

tagged: holiday christmas cat versace siamese kitten 2008

daniel · mid-morning · 2 comments · ping it

1. el gato diablo
1. the cat devil
2. nitnelav
do not mess with el gato diablo

And so there we were, in the middle of our “training” session. You see, I had been reading this book that I picked up… “Cat Training in 10 Minutes”. We have had limited success, but enough that I had a bit of hope. I want a well trained cat. One that you just trust. Right? But tonight training was not going well. In fact she was a total rebel in all regards. Richard had told me that she gets like this, but I have never seen it. Little Versace is my baby! She can do no wrong!

But tonight she was terrible. Awful. I was losing my patience! I was… Well *she* was on my last gay nerve and I was gonna explode! She was even unresponsive to her “training”, where usually it goes pretty smooth. She is very smart after all. Anyhoo, so there we were, a soggy chip on the floor and a very naughty kitten. I cleaned up. I scooped up Versace and we went to another room where I could shut the door and eliminate distractions. She still wouldn’t behave. I decided to try a trick Richard taught me. I picked her up and flipped her on her back. I tried to calm her. She fought. I held her in place as best I could and continued. I told her she doesn’t always get her way. did she understand me? No, of course, but in my body language I think yes. After the clawing and fighting she settled at last. I eventually put her down. After a few minutes of pouting (she always pouts!) we had the best training ever and are again BFF’s.

*phew*

In non-cat news I also purposefully pissed off a grocery store clerk today. I know, I am awful. Going straight to hell. Sure. I get it. But the woman was retarded! Look. I was next. All that there was in front of me were these two dudes with like 3 things. Golden. So I waited. Dude #1’s card was declined. He then slowly counted out all the cash in his pockets. Not enough. So then his buddy emptied *his* pockets. After counting, and the recounting (BTW this was the “Express Lane”) they were still 84 cents short. So dude #2 says he’ll go to the car and get the rest. WTF? So Dude one tells the clerk to go ahead and “void” the transaction and let us pay. “Oh no”, she says. “Then I’ll have to get a manager to do the void, and just to re-ring you when you get back. No way. Y’all go ahead.”

Again. WTF? Is this woman for real? So she holds up the (only) express line so dumb and dumber can go dig in their car for nickels. So I say something rude as she “apologizes” even tho we all know she has instigated the whole thing to avoid doing a *void*. “This is why I never shop at Von’s” I say. An honest remark. We have complained all the way to regional level with no results. The SoCal Safeway Co. clearly is way different than NoCal. Anyhoo. She snaps back at me. Rudely, of course, but I was not nice and expected a challenge. I was pissed. “But y’all keep on coming back!” She then told me to gather up my things and wait on check-stand #1 because she had called for back-up. I didn’t move, which was good because as expected no one came up. Even after she herself screeched into the overhead. After like an eternity dumb and dumber had found enough pennies in the car to pay and I was finally rung up. Miss Thing at the register and I bickered some more. Dude. I hate that store. It’s always the same. I am a manager in a customer service field and I cannot, will not tolerate stupidity, poor training, AND rudeness all in one transaction! But I feel bad for being so awful. But she was clearly an idiot! But I have guilt.

Gah!

tagged: work cat service versace wtf siamese bad kitten von's

daniel · early evening · 2 comments · ping it

I have to tell you, I am TOTALLY becoming “that cat guy”. I can’t even help myself. First, I am taking Claritin daily because I am allergic to cats. Why do I suddenly need medication after 12 years of living with cats? What’s changed? Well, I snuggle with a cat now. Every chance I get. I used to avoid touching them. Also, see my new favorite blog: Moderncat Somebody stop me.

I actually have almost justified buying this little item in my mind. Really. Automated AND stylish. What more could I want??

(See what I mean? I am TOTALLY becoming that guy!)

tagged: cats versace insanity siamese kitten litter robot

daniel · evening · 3 comments · ping it