Ponzo's Spasms

When Ponzo came home from the animal hospital in July, it had been barely noticeable that he was favoring his left hind leg, which he did not want me to touch, although I insisted. Physically, his leg appeared fine, other than being perhaps a little swollen, but Ponzo kept favoring it more and more. Four days later, Ponzo started having muscle coordination difficulty and mobility problems. He staggered whenever he walked.

The night of July 7 was a long one for both of us. Ponzo had his first muscle spasm or mini-seizure sometime toward morning, after he and I had both finally dozed off together. I was suddenly awakened when one of Ponzo's paws attached itself to my right arm, but I kept my eyes closed because I wanted to remain calm as I reassured Ponzo that it was okay. I believed he was on the verge of falling off the bed, so time was of the essence; my goal was to keep Ponzo from falling, with minimal damage to my arm. Although it seemed much longer, I am sure it took only seconds for me to detach his paw from my limb. Barely a mark, quite surprisingly! Later that day, however, I got a claw accidentally embedded in my right cheek, and that was followed by claws in my arms, one at a time. That is how long it took me to learn to get out of the way of Ponzo's occasional, uncontrollable leg movements. Finally, I was able to keep my eyes open and observe. Ponzo was always conscious and never appeared to be in any pain during these episodes, which I now refer to as muscle spasms. Musculoskeletal spasms?

Less than a week later, Ponzo was doing much better, although he walked on wobbly legs. Then the spasms started again. Ponzo would flop over, but he was always alert and responsive. Ponzo even had a couple of good days before July 25, when I read him his last rites, so to speak. But throughout it all, I sensed that Ponzo had a very strong will to live and that he was happy to be living indoors. Aside from my intuition, I had been doing a lot of research, and I suspected that it might be something other than FIV which was causing Ponzo's horrible spasms, such as when his right paw would suddenly go over his head. Especially when I saw that Ponzo had recovered miraculously on the morning of July 26. Why, and how, did the spasms just suddenly disappear?

I believe that Ponzo may have been bitten by a black widow spider. I have read that most black widow bites are fatal to small cats. Those that do survive are lucky, needless to say, for it takes about a month for the poison to work out of a cat's system. And black widow bites do cause spasms. I was told later that it has something to do with calcium. Spider bite or no spider bite, Ponzo did very well for an entire month after his last spasm.

Ponzo is Anemic

A couple of days after I brought Ponzo home in July, I was horrified to see that he had vomited clumping cat litter on the carpet. I could not care less about the carpet. My concern was that Ponzo had been eating cat litter--and, making it worse, it was clumping cat litter. The thought that raced through my mind: if the cat litter clumps in a litterbox, what would it do inside a cat's body? I was thankful that, apparently, Ponzo's body must have rejected the clumping cat litter right away. I rushed to the store to buy plain, unscented clay cat litter, but Ponzo decided it should be included in his diet as well. Since I had learned that anemic cats may sometimes eat cat litter, I started giving Ponzo a liquid iron supplement with vitamins which someone recommended. It worked! A few days later, Ponzo stopped eating cat litter. I have been giving him the iron supplement on a daily basis, and it is now safe for me to use the clumping cat litter in Ponzo's litterbox.

The Month of Ponzo

July was the month of Ponzo for me, because my life revolved around him. I was his nurse, dealing with his fevers and keeping him hydrated, while I fed him by hand most of the time. The vet's office had recommended Pedialyte, which I later learned could be frozen in ice cube trays, and so I bottle-fed him Pedialyte or store brands of pediatric electrolyte solutions, before discovering that I could make my own from a recipe I found on the internet. As far as food, Ponzo had a large menu selection, which included: dry catfood, assorted canned catfood, gravy catfood topping, a high-calorie food supplement gel, and homemade chicken broth/soup. Taurine and natural vitamin/mineral supplements were also included in Ponzo's meals. On his bad days, Ponzo would lick the food gel from my fingers. But on his good days, Ponzo would reject the gel and eat dry catfood on his own. Chicken broth, however, remained a favorite choice on both good and bad days.

I read everything I could find about FIV on the internet, and it gave me hope to read about FIV-infected cats who had gone on to live relatively healthy lives after getting infected. Was Ponzo in the initial phase of the illness, meaning he could recover and live for months or, dare I hope, years? I had no way of knowing, since he had been a feral cat. How had poor little Ponzo been exposed to FIV? Although possible, it is highly unlikely that the virus had been transmitted by Ponzo's mother before his birth. That leads me to suspect that sweet Ponzo, who steps aside for every cat, had been bitten by a bully FIV-infected cat.

Hope springs eternal.--Proverb

A Dreary Day

This morning I was reminded that the end of August is the beginning of spider web season. When I stepped onto my deck, I saw numerous dome webs, which had sprung up overnight. They seem to have replaced the funnel webs, which are usually seen all over the deck at this time of year. Plus, there is a very large orb web which reminds me of "Charlotte's web." However, none of the webs' inhabitants are anywhere in sight at the present time on this dreary day.

It is also dreary inside the house, since Ponzo is having a bad day. That is, he had been doing great this entire month, until today. Ponzo usually runs to greet me every morning. Today, however, he merely verbally acknowledged my entrance into the room. He is now sleeping at my feet; he declined an invitation to sleep on my lap. Although he is eating and walking around normally, Ponzo appears listless. I fear he is taking a sudden turn for the worse. Unfortunately, I suppose this is to be expected with FIV.

Technology Phobia

Over the years, I have had three different cell phones with blank phonebooks. Would it have been more convenient to scroll through numbers on my cell phone instead of looking them up in my pocket address book? Of course! Problem is I truly have a mental block when it comes to anything technological. Actually, it is more like a phobia, because when it comes to reading instructions, I start to feel a tightening in my chest, like an anxiety attack, and my brain simply freezes. I must admit that with my present cell phone, I did attempt to set up my phonebook, only to meet with frustration. For example, when I wanted the letter B, I would get the letter A instead, since I was unaware that I needed to hit the 2 key twice for a B. Needless to say, I have never texted (nor do I intend to do so), and that is why I did not know something as basic as how to enter different letters. However, yesterday my niece helped me set up my phonebook; it really was not difficult, once she showed me. But I am so behind the times that it is either frightening or funny, depending upon one's perspective. And although I did not want to overtax my brain yesterday, I took the opportunity to ask my nephew how to reset the clock on my computer, which I did successfully today. All my posts have been approximately three hours behind the actual posting. Now, if I can only figure out how to set the correct time on my posts.... (I think I'll go play with my cats instead.)

"Man is a tool-making animal."--Benjamin Franklin

Yellow Wildflowers

"Earth laughs in flowers...."--R.W. Emerson

Chicken Soup

The proverb "feed a cold and starve a fever" automatically reminds me of chicken soup. Although Ponzo did not have a cold, he did seem to have an ongoing fever throughout almost the entire month of July. Therefore, using fresh sprigs of parsley as the only herb, I decided to make homemade chicken soup for Ponzo. I soon learned that Ponzo likes homemade chicken broth, cream of chicken soup (that is, pureed without using any milk), regular chicken soup, pureed chicken in broth, and cooked chicken, in that order. In short, the more liquid the better. I freeze whatever chicken soup cannot be used within a few days. I also find it very convenient to freeze chicken broth in ice cube trays, so that I can serve chicken broth to Ponzo upon his request. Daily.

Computer-challenged

On August 20, 2008, I took a photo of Oprah, my tortoiseshell, on the computer. One year later, I am still computer-challenged. Therefore, this post is a belated "thank you" to the people who responded to my Google Help question: "Is my blog And a Cat Named Ponzo on the web?" (I think that's how I phrased it.) Well, yes, it is on the internet, and it has been from the beginning, only I couldn't find it because I did not know what I was doing. The funny thing was that I could find my Google Help question on the internet, for all the world to see, I might add, but not my blog. How is that possible? Perhaps it's partly due to the fact that I went to school before the computer age. The electric typewriter had already been invented, but all my term papers were typed on my manual typewriter. Does anybody remember those? Anyway, back to my Google Help question. I received the following personal e-mail question: "Are you saying that you cannot find it through search engines, or even when you put that link in your browser it does not work?" That's when the light bulb went on inside my head: "link in your browser." I have always used search engines, period, since I discovered them through my trial-and-error method. You see, I have made it a practice not to read any kind of manuals thoroughly, because my brain shuts down after a while; but when the manual itself is on the computer, well, forget it. I have computer-phobia. However, quoting a lyric by The Beatles, "I get by with a little help from my friends."

Positive FIV Test

Seven weeks and two days ago, Ponzo came home with the dreaded diagnosis of FIV (feline immunodeficiency virus). The good news was that he had tested negative for FeLV (feline leukemia virus). None of my other cats, past or present, had ever tested positive, but I feared the deadly names of the FeLV and FIV retroviruses. (Actually, I had erroneously thought they were the same retrovirus, and I believed that the FeLV somehow morphed into FIV.) I learned that FeLV is usually transmitted through saliva contact, such as through mutual grooming or by sharing food and water bowls; there's also the danger of FeLV transmission via shared litter pans, etc. So, sharing is the operative word for FeLV. The spread of FIV, however, is usually through bite wounds, and that is one form of transmission FIV has in common with FeLV. Biting! So taking the rest of my feline household into consideration, I suppose it is fortunate that Ponzo has the retrovirus caused by biting instead of sharing. Both FeLV-infected and FIV-infected cats can lead apparently healthy lives, from what I have read. Nonetheless, it has been one day at a time for Ponzo; I mean that literally for the entire month of July. But he's been getting stronger on a daily basis since the beginning of this month, and I am pleased to report that two days ago, while I sat at my computer, Ponzo demonstrated his many skills in playing with all of his toys, including a ball which he had found on his own. Right now, Ponzo looks like a typically healthy, happy cat.

Misfortune Proverb

It never rains but it pours.

Mikey, the Black Bear Follower

There is no doubt now that it was a black bear who had moved the doghouse on the deck. When I went outside to water some plants this afternoon, I took Rebel with me. That is, I put my dog on his cable stake-out, and then I went about my business. A few minutes later, Rebel spotted the black bear, who had either been napping or foraging for food in the woods behind the shed. Fortunately, my fearless dog was tied up, otherwise he would have gone after the bear--in a friendly fashion, mind you; needless to say, if the bear lacked Rebel's enthusiasm to strike up a friendship, there could have been a problem. But the bear decided to go elsewhere, moving slowly and quietly, then stopping and glancing back at us, as if maybe he was changing his mind about leaving. Anyway, by the time I got my camera and tried to take a photo of the bear, he had already disappeared from my sight. However, I discovered that Mikey, my Himalayan, had been following and observing the bear from a safe distance. In the past, I have seen Mikey follow all sorts of four-legged visitors, such as deer, opossums, and raccoons, but never a bear. Well, all the photos of my few bear sightings over the years have one thing in common: no bear.

Who Moved the Doghouse?

To the best of my knowledge, even though dogs have occasionally sniffed the doghouse on my deck, no doggie paws have ever actually stepped inside it. That definitely includes my own dog, for whom it was purchased five years ago. However, I do know that the doghouse has been used for taking an occasional cat nap by those of the feline persuasion. We've also had many opossum and raccoon visitors, who may have been unable to resist their own curiosity, I suspect. And believe it or not, when I first placed my dog's rejected house on the deck several years ago, it served as the daytime sleeping quarters of a large toad that summer. Nowadays, it's mostly a deck fixture. Last fall, after putting a small rug inside it, I turned the doghouse so that it would face the house, where it remained unmoved until yesterday. I'd even forgotten about the red sweater, until I saw it with the pulled-out rug. Apparently, during the night, a large foraging somebody had decided to turn the doghouse around in order to look inside it. I suspect the culprit was a black bear. Maybe even the same one I'd seen on my property three weeks ago. Over the years, people have told me about seeing black bears in the neighborhood, including my property, but my own bear sightings have averaged less than one per year. Go figure.

A Five-Cat Chorus

Since two of my cats were due for annual vaccinations today while three others were due at the end of this month, I combined the visits. My strategy was: to place the five cat carriers in the bathroom a day in advance, to not feed the cats the day of the visit, to lure them into the bathroom with some favorite catfood an hour before our scheduled departure, and to shut the bathroom door behind them very quickly. All well and good up to that point. I even got an extra cat, Locksley, into the bathroom. Somehow nonchalant Locksley knew that none of the carriers were earmarked for him. But the others certainly realized they had been duped: nowhere to run and nowhere to hide! So it surprised me when one of my captives voluntarily walked into the soft cat carrier; perhaps Emma hoped the unique carrier was to remain at home. At any rate, it was one down and four to go! It got harder with each cat, and I definitely saved the best for last, so to speak. Quentin and I engaged in a lengthy, silent battle of wills and strength, and I think he assumed this would be a fair contest, meaning no teeth, claws, or towels allowed. Luckily, he played by fair rules. I did not. And then a five-cat chorus entertained me on the long drive to see the vet.

At the Door

At the door, two friends their eyes upraise

And create a mirror image gaze.

Simplify

"Our life is frittered away by detail... Simplify, simplify."--Henry David Thoreau, Walden, 'Where I Lived, and What I Lived for'

"The Cats' Underground Railroad Passageway"

Over the years, many cats, opossums, and a few raccoons have used what I've dubbed "the cats' underground railroad passageway" as a safe entrance onto my deck and also a quick exit. Word has gotten out, apparently, since a number of ferals have come here, dined on the deck, and stayed for a while before moving on. The passageway has also served as a shelter for the sick and injured. Anyway, one of my neighbors' cats must have found out somehow that I planned to write about discovering a gravely ill Ponzo in "the cats' underground railroad passageway," because I found the black cat volunteering to re-enact the scene this morning. And so, I took this photo of him. Now, just imagine me lying face down on the deck, determined to pull out the small feral cat, and picking him up for the first time. For the record, I had gotten to know Ponzo quite well in a short time. We had already reached the point in our relationship where Ponzo would come running when he heard his name. In fact, he enjoyed walking beside me. When it comes to heeling, Ponzo's a natural. Or is he an unnatural? After all, he is a cat. I digress. On July 1, I rushed Ponzo to the vet's office; he had a temperature of 105.8 F. Fortunately, two days later, Ponzo's temperature was 102.5 F. and he was able to come home. Meaning come live inside my house.

What's in a Name?

I was inspired by Nathan Lane to give the name Ponzo to the little feral cat who had taken up residence in my bush of orange daylilies. The amusing actor was making the talk show rounds to promote the play Waiting for Godot, and I figured if he could change the pronunciation of my tuxedo cat's name by accenting the first syllable instead of the second one, then I could change the character Pozzo's name in Waiting for Godot to Ponzo. Seriously, I just liked the sound of "Ponzo" whenever I yelled for him to come out of his hiding place. Besides, I wanted a cat name that would go with Godot's name. As you can see in these photos, timid Ponzo sat waiting for Godot to approach him. (Godot is supposed to be an indoor cat, but that's another story.) As for Godot's name, I shall continue accenting the second syllable, even if it may not be the correct pronunciation. Personally, I think it sounds better that way, just as accenting the second syllable of "Thoreau" sounds better to me than correctly accenting the first one. My Godot.

And Here's...