Mr. Snuggles @ MindSay

November has, so far, been very warm in my neck of the woods. Sunshine is in my heart. and I'm feeling great. To find out why, first check out Foreverknight's blog for wonderful pix of our October visit together!

I really have nothing to complain about. Life has been good. Just ask Mr. Snuggles:



Nothing like a cat to remind you to enjoy the simple things in life.



A stick becomes a wonderful toy worthy of Mr. Snuggles' full attention.







Stalking his prey, hiding under a tarp, ready to pounce...



POUNCED!



Still pouncing!



Pounced. Hitting.



Suddenly bored.



Mr. Snuggles and his shadow. Notice "dead" stick on ground.



A quick moment shared underneath the cedar branches. I like how one of the branches fell over my forehead and how Mr. Snuggles' neck curved about my face.



Words can't describe how panther-like Mr. Snuggles looks when he walks. He has this swagger that cool cats all around the world try to imitate, but only a truly black Tom cat can perfect it. Don't let his cute name fool you. Mr. Snuggles shows his true hunter nature when I get him outside.



I have to leave you with this last image here. Mr. Snuggles and I outside the door of my apartment. I'm holding him up and yet somehow accidentally get my face in the picture. Beyond is the apartment and all around us are the rays of the sun. It was a very good day. We won't have many more days like this once the snow hits the ground. I'm glad I could share the warmth with my cat for a little while. And thank you for sharing our moments with you!

There are days and nights, times, when I can't leave the house. It's sometimes due to laziness or anxiety, but it's not just my own I have to contend with...

Mr.Snuggles pulls fits when I attempt to leave sometimes. I have to share with you, in photographs, just how cute and severe his anxiety separation from me can be!



It starts with Mr. Snuggles blocking the door and giving a disheartened howl.



If the howl doesn't get my attention, he soon puts his claws to use and begins to climb up my legs...

It's not as painful as it looks. His claws are sharp, but he manages to only catch my clothing, careful not to sink those needle toes into my flesh!



Yeah. A 14 pound cat climbing up my pants. Pretty soon I have to pick him up so he doesn't claw my tits to shreds!



He start to settle down once I pick him up, but he knows I might set him back down, so he grabs hold of my neck real tight.



He always wins me over, of course, but it's still a struggle to calm him down sometimes. Look at that triumphant look on his face! He lifts up his chin in defiance and ultra-cuteness.



So eventually I'm not in such a hurry to leave the house. If anyone wonders what keeps me home, you're looking at him right here! My kitty is so manipulative.

Everyday Mr. Snuggles brings me pure joy. Lately he's been the one to wake me out of my deep sleep, motivating me to go outside to enjoy the sunshine, and he's also been the little one I talk to all the time. Poor kitty. I hope I make him as happy as he makes me! I don't think any of these images needs explaining. They're just peeks into the world Mr. Snuggles and I inhabit!



And, yes, in the first two images I used Photoshop to make my eyes match closely to Mr. Snuggles' gooseberry green eyes. Normally I don't wear that bright of lipstick either! Oh, well. I try to look my best next to my kitty love.

These last few days, I've only thought about him.
He has been waiting out a storm
I'm waiting on the shore
watching him right himself
waiting...
I still see the winds rage in his eyes
Feel rain in his sighs
Calm is coming
coming in drifts of mist
As I look outside for a moment
just one moment's glance away from him
I see swarms of bats eating up flies
Just then he suddenly rises
The storm
broken
his limbs sing with joy
and I hold him with my eyes.



My feather chaser comes back to me!  

Mr. Snuggles is the love of my life and I've always said I'd do anything for him. This weekend I proved that I was true to my word. In the wee hours of Saturday morning, Mr. Snuggles was howling in pain and unable to pee. It was too early to take him to a vet, so all I could do was talk softly to him and comfort him as best I could, giving him plenty of space to curl up in and wait for the vet. It was a terrible wait. I wept helplessly, kept telling him everything will be all right, just hold on, baby boy...!

I got Mr. Snuggles to the vet just in time. I waited even more impatiently in a separate room while I heard Mr. Snuggles growl and scream as the vet attempted to clear his bladder. When I was told that his bladder had swollen to the size of a lemon, I wanted to faint. How could this happen? What was I going to do? What more pain did he have to go through? And how will this all get paid for? I didn't care. I put all my savings and credit on the line to save Mr. Snuggles' life.

Even my brother, who normally thinks animals are a waste of money and time, came to the rescue. Since no local animal hospitals were open 24 hours, especially during a weekend, we had to rush him to the 24 hour animal emergency hospital in Mosinee.

I next spent a very stressful night completely alone with nothing but a pillow to console me. I called one friend who gave me a psychic reading and she felt Mr. Snuggles will pull through and that he's strong enough to endure the procedures he was going through. I even called the animal hospital several times that horrible saturday night just to check on Mr. Snuggles' condition. The nurse on call reported that he was finally peeing on his own, nibbling on food, and hugging everyone. Mr. Snuggles, I kid you not, hugs people like no other cat I've seen -- he just wraps his paws and front legs around your neck and will pull you to his face. He'll even put his nose and mouth on your lips in a human-like kiss. He's full of unconditional love.

Saturday night was sleepless for me. I only napped a half hour, tossing and turning and weeping. There was no one else to call, no one close by to hold, and my mind was obsessed with my cat.  I made many pitiful, pious pleas to the Goddess Bast for healing. Mr. Snuggles has had this problem before, but this time it was much worse. We may have to do further bloodwork to find out if there's anything more to worry about. For now, one thing at a time...

I am a single woman, no children, disabled, and, for most of the time, very lonely. Mr. Snuggles is a vital part of my life and he provides me the companionship I sorely lack. I rescued him and he rescues me back. We have our own unspoken langauge. In every sense of the word, he is my familiar. When I get sick or stressed out, the same happens to him. Last week due to all the stress I experienced over the comic book deadline, I developed a bladder infection. Days later Mr. Snuggles gets urinary problems -- crystals formed in his urine and this blocked up his uretha, swelling up his bladder, making it impossible for him to pass water.  Both our sleeping patterns were off.  When I paced the floor, so did he. 

I hate to say it, but it's true.  My stress affects my cat as much as it does me.  Part of this unwritten contract between human and animal is that paying him back for helping me out emotionally also means I have to take care of him right back.  I can't bail out.  I'm in this cat's life for the long haul.  If he has to be put to sleep, I'll be there for him, hold him until he passes...  and yet I don't want to concentrate on that just yet.  Mr. Snuggles is young and strong, we'll get through this, but mortal thoughts cross my mind and I worry about the future.  Right now I'm doing everything in my power to not let this happen again.  Dietary and life changes are being made.  And all prayers and well wishes are welcomed.

If you knew my baby boy like I do, you'd see why I'm willing to sacrifice so much for him.

I brought Mr. Snuggles home Sunday afternoon.  I barely had enough money in the bank to cover his hospital expenses.  I'm kicking myself for not investing in pet insurance.  Yet I have faith in the Goddess and so far we've managed to skate by.  Barely.  The hospital costs are covered -- there went ALL of my comic book grant money -- and I'm back to where I was before.  No money.  Completely broke and today subsisting on food hand outs and donations for doing Tarot readings.  I only have to worry about feeding myself at this point, rent and bills are taken care of, for now.  But I'm out of my savings and any trips to visit friends this fall are canceled.  I can't afford to be away from home.  As long as Mr. Snuggles recovers and lives a long, healthy life to come, it will be worth it. 

He is, after all, my baby boy.