More crochet....& update on Scooter

Scooter's latest favourite sleepy place is by the conservatory door. He is lying on- a pillow, a folded fleece cover, followed by a memory foam cushion and a furry underblanket. I said to Luvbug, it's like that story, The Princess And The Pea. He suggested I put a cat biscuit at the bottom and see if Scoot can feel it.

He loves the conservatory because he can feel out and in at the same time, and cats like that.

I've invested in a Vicks Steam Vaporizer. You fill it with water, plug it in, and soon you have a steady stream of steam to humidify the room. I've switched it on in 'his' room. I'm surprised at how it heats the room up! I don't know if it will help his catarrh, but I can always use it when I next get asthma-ry myself :)

Over the weekend Scooter got so much better. We were all saying how amazed we were at such a recovery! Then on Sunday night, soon after I gave him his night dose of anti-biotic, he suddenly got worse, wheezing and snorting with every breath, unable to settle or eat. I stayed up with him till 3am. Eventually I got him to rest by continually stroking and gently pushing into the area under his chin/back of his throat. When I did this the snorting stopped. After 15 minutes or so I was able to remove my hand without the noise returning and so my poor cub got to sleep at last.

8am I was up, and the noise in his throat was back. It didn't calm down till the afternoon. I rang the vet, desperate to know how on earth he could have gone backwards like this. He said that maybe the anti-biotic had just 'loosened a big piece of horrableness' and now Scooter was having to deal with it, uable to cough it out or spit like we would. So on his advice I continued with the medicine.

He still isn't 100%. But he is eating and likes being stroked. Still a bit noisy and sniffy. The decongestant is a real help, I think. I didn't even know cats could have these and wonder why he was never given them before.

Right now he is out in the October sun. I've put one of his covers on the outdoor table and he has used the chairs as steps and got up there and stretched out. He makes my heart go "Ahhhhh...."

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Here is a bit of felting. I crocheted this bag in wool and then threw it in the washing machine with some towels and hit 'hot as you like'. It shrank, and while still wet I pulled it into shape, filled it with bubble wrap and left it to dry.

Next, I used old skirt material to line it, added a piece of ribbon label inside, and a magnetic clasp.

I covered the clasp with a square of the skirt material and sewed on small buttons (because I didn't have a single one big enough!)

The local fabric/wool shop had a competition to make a bag or a cushion, so I entered it. I knew it wouldn't win but I just wanted to see it with all the others. That was good!

I'm enjoying learning to crochet but have to pace myself and stop as soon as my finger joints hurt. I still can't do a circle. That's my next challenge: I've found a pattern for a lovely round cushion cover.....

Paws crossed for Scooter again please...*UPDATED*

....I do promise to blog about something cheerful soon... like a look at the crochet I've learnt, or photo's from the park, all those things I;ve fallen behind showing you.....


But until then, please concentrate your thoughts on my dear cat, Scooter. His 'sniffles' this summer didn't clear, and now he is left with a thick cataarh that makes each breath a snort. He can't smell his food so he isn't eating very much. He doesn't like cuddles.

Asleep in his tent. He loves it indoors and out!

He loves the tent I bought him. Inside are his favourite blankies and at night I place a quilt over the top and tuck a hot water bottle at the side. Once he is in a deep sleep he sleeps soundly. A cute snore for a while, then quietly.

The snorting noise grows louder when he tries to purr...... :(

I am low at the moment anyway, much of which I suspect is hormonal, but the result is that I have no more tears to cry at the moment. I have wept buckets two nights in a row. Please can you all send good vibes to this dear gentleman of cats, who passed his half birthday last month, making him now 18 1/2.

V-E-T appointment today, 5.55 British Summer Time.

I'll let you know what he says....

UPDATE

The vet said that Scooter didn't look worn out or too bothered by his predicament, which is good. I had to give a bad report of my efforts to get anti-biotics down him, I'm afraid. He would have had about half his prescribed course.

For the moment, he says let's assume it's a nasty dose of phlegm and not go looking for tumours and other nasties...... The anitbiotic seems to have done enough to stop him having a runny nose, but didn't break it all up. So he has prescribed a different antibiotic together with a decongestant. I've also ordered a warm-steam vaporizer from Amazon. (Well, if it doesn't help Scooter, I'll put it in the cupboard for our own wintercolds or my next bad dose of asthma!)

Now for my new method of tablet admin: I crush the medicine in a pestal & mortar till it's powder, then mix into a little gravy or paste or jelly, something from one of his favourite flavour of the moment. Then I scoop this into a syringe and, when he is least expecting it, squirt it into the side of his mouth.

Some gets immediately rejected and projectile-vomited into my hair, and my fingers get covered in scratches, but hopefully most of the medicine gets in.

He seems to forgive me after about 15 minutes.

I'll follow this regime for 14 days and hope it cures all.......

Thank you for you kind messages and crossed fingers and paws, please keep them crossed!

Helena