Remembering Krista

[Beholder]

This. But also this idea that because cats are more independent than dogs, that they are also low maintenance and even automatable. I figured she had food and water in gravity feeders and an automatic litterbox that she was good for at least a week. I thought nothing of filling up the feeders, giving her a few scritches goodbye, and taking off for a long weekend or a business trip without setting up any kind of sitter to check in on her. It wasn't until I switched her off dry to wet that a sitter even became a consideration. And it wasn't until I set up the barf and poop camera network in my apartment that I realized she actually did not spend as much time sleeping as I thought she did. She clearly missed me. On at least one trip, neither of us slept very well because every time I woke from broken sleep and checked on her, she was sitting on the bench looking at the door, waiting for me to come home. It didn't matter if it was 4pm or 4am.

Honestly, knowing how much effort really goes into keeping a cat happy and well cared for is what has me hesitating on the next one. I know I want another cat. And probably sooner than later. But it's been therapeutic to not have cat demands or cat schedules to adhere to for the first time in years. (I don't know how beholden to the cat's demands and schedules I felt was before her senior struggles emerged.) I'm thinking I would love to wait out the state and see what things look like after June 15 when California is scheduled to abandon the color tiers of business closures and capacities. I want to go down to the shelter and meet cats in person. The thought of a Zoom adoption makes me very anxious.

Your story about going away reminds me a lot of my Tanner. I got him and his brother for my 6th birthday and basically grew up with him (his brother died at about a year). He was everything to me and so different than any other cat I had ever met. He was so smart and would come running from the other end of the house when I called his name. He would let me (a child) manhandle him in any way I wanted without complaining, cuddle me and lick my tears when I would cry, and spend all of his time with me. He would also hold grudges when I would make him jealous. I once found a young kitten and took care of it for a few days. Tanner peed on my clothes for the entire next month and glared at me from afar. Maybe I shouldn't have left them on the floor to begin with. Hah. Anyway, your story of Krista really reminded me of Tanner not long before he died. I had left for college (the first time) and couldn't take him with me. My parents said he walked around the house howling and looking for me. He spent so much time doing this over and over. This lasted many months. After about 9 months he had to be put down because he was really sick and my parents didn't want to pay for any vet care. He was so healthy before I left. Anyway, luckily I was able to Amtrack home and sneak into my parents house to see him one last time. My parents and I were not on talking terms at the time so it was hard. But annnnyyywaayyy. Cats definitely miss us a lot more than we realize, I think. In addition to that, I think they just miss the social interaction in general. I had no idea Morty needed or wanted a friend when I adopted Po. The change in Morty was insane. I was warned by the SPCA that he may not be good with other animals, but they bonded immediately. I didn't even have to do the classic two week seperation. He was so happy to have a friend while we were away at work/school.

 

[JulietteTruong]

She clearly missed me. On at least one trip, neither of us slept very well because every time I woke from broken sleep and checked on her, she was sitting on the bench looking at the door, waiting for me to come home. It didn't matter if it was 4pm or 4am.

Honestly, knowing how much effort really goes into keeping a cat happy and well cared for is what has me hesitating on the next one. I know I want another cat. And probably sooner than later. But it's been therapeutic to not have cat demands or cat schedules to adhere to for the first time in years. (I don't know how beholden to the cat's demands and schedules I felt was before her senior struggles emerged.) I'm thinking I would love to wait out the state and see what things look like after June 15 when California is scheduled to abandon the color tiers of business closures and capacities. I want to go down to the shelter and meet cats in person. The thought of a Zoom adoption makes me very anxious.

A few years ago, I lived in an apartment with my sister and her two sister fur babies. They were very attached to her. Every morning, my sister left for work earlier than me. And every morning, for like 30 minutes after she left, they both sat near the door and let out this really tragic sounding “meow” . It didn’t matter how much I tried to comfort them, they would pace by the door all sad.

Another time, one of them had to get some dental work done and stayed overnight at the vet. The whole night, her poor sister would roam the apartment looking for her, with her sad “meows.”

Cats definitely have complex emotional lives!

 

[daftcat75]

A few years ago, I lived in an apartment with my sister and her two sister fur babies. They were very attached to her. Every morning, my sister left for work earlier than me. And every morning, for like 30 minutes after she left, they both sat near the door and let out this really tragic sounding “meow” . It didn’t matter how much I tried to comfort them, they would pace by the door all sad.

Another time, one of them had to get some dental work done and stayed overnight at the vet. The whole night, her poor sister would roam the apartment looking for her, with her sad “meows.”

Cats definitely have complex emotional lives!

Krista was alright when I left her for quick trips or even work. I’m the forgetful type who takes several trips out the door and back in before I actually leave. She would sit in her tree across the room and watch me go out and come back in. *trill* (“Aloha!”) Out again and back in. Trill. (“Shalom!”) Out and back in again. Trill. (“Wasssssupppp!”) Never leaves her perch. Back when I still worked in the office, she didn’t really wait for me until late afternoon. That’s when her napping in front of the sound bar would take on a more expectant posture. If I left her at night though, she waited for me at night.

The radio station I listen to during WFH informed me of a recent social media thing (you guys are my only social media except the animals I follow on Instagram) where you type “concert” into your photo search and see what your last concert looked like.

This is what came up on my camera roll:

9 pm and she’s already wondering where I am and when I’m coming home. (Keith Urban and Kelsey Ballerini was my last concert that night.)

 

[daftcat75]

May 20, 2020:
Once again 7 pm. (Less than) An hour after dinner she’s queued up for next meal.
Oh Krista! What did you do to land yourself in poop jail?

 

[tarasgirl06]

May 20, 2020:
Once again 7 pm. (Less than) An hour after dinner she’s queued up for next meal. View attachment 381245
Oh Krista! What did you do to land yourself in poop jail?
View attachment 381243
View attachment 381246

Awwww. Poor Krista, in poop jail!
This morning I fed Baby Su and Elvis something they've only had once before. I'd never seen them snork up anything so completely as they did this. They're slower this morning, but I could tell Elvis snorked again, because when I took my breakfast tray into the dining room, I saw him across the hall in the living room, and between the two of us, as usual when he eats too fast, he had the urge to regurge

 

[daftcat75]

May 21, 2019:

 

[tarasgirl06]

May 21, 2019:
View attachment 381352

Looks like either an *impending BOOP* or a *BOOP series* to me...

 

[daftcat75]

Looks like either an *impending BOOP* or a *BOOP series* to me...

That's my thumb. I boop with fore finger. So more likely that was the tail end of a bridge stroke (e.g. stroking the bridge of her nose from tip to top. )

 

[tarasgirl06]

That's my thumb. I boop with fore finger. So more likely that was the tail end of a bridge stroke (e.g. stroking the bridge of her nose from tip to top. )

Oh, those are AMAZING! I don't get many opPURRtunities to get those, because they're only given out sparingly here.

 

[daftcat75]

Oh, those are AMAZING! I don't get many opPURRtunities to get those, because they're only given out sparingly here.

I started giving those to Krista when she was really miserable with pancreatitis in 2018. Before panc, I think she would have just followed my finger and tried to lick it. But when she would just crescent up in her tree and ride out the pain of another meal, she was too miserable to resist. Once she received a couple of those, it turns out she really enjoyed them. So I kept giving them any chance she would give me. And because she knew what they were, she would often happily submit.

 

[tarasgirl06]

I started giving those to Krista when she was really miserable with pancreatitis in 2018. Before panc, I think she would have just followed my finger and tried to lick it. But when she would just crescent up in her tree and ride out the pain of another meal, she was too miserable to resist. Once she received a couple of those, it turns out she really enjoyed them. So I kept giving them any chance she would give me. And because she knew what they were, she would often happily submit.

*AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW*

 

[daftcat75]

May 22, 2019:

 

[tarasgirl06]

May 22, 2019:
View attachment 381490

*I'm relaxin' in here! Why the PAW-PURR-atsi??? FUR cryin' out loud! Can't a cat rest without bein' PURRsued?*

 

[daftcat75]

*I'm relaxin' in here! Why the PAW-PURR-atsi??? FUR cryin' out loud! Can't a cat rest without bein' PURRsued?*

I thought the camera was a nice touch. I could keep an eye on her without shooing her out of her private place. I would frequently set up one camera or another on the iPad and watch her while I worked.

Second shot of Moderna kicked my butt Friday night and yesterday. Still a little foggy headed. But thankfully the worst of it has passed. I would have spent yesterday under the bookcase if I could fit.

 

[daftcat75]

May 23, 2019:

 

[tarasgirl06]

Yeah, my roomie skipped golf, which is her most important thing, twice this last week due to being sick from the vax. Not sure which one she got. My boss was really sick from hers. Fever, nausea, inappetance.
Krista looks pretty comfy under there. Yeah, it's something I think we all need from time to time -- our own bookcase to crawl under and curl up under.

 

[daftcat75]

Yeah, my roomie skipped golf, which is her most important thing, twice this last week due to being sick from the vax. Not sure which one she got. My boss was really sick from hers. Fever, nausea, inappetance.
Krista looks pretty comfy under there. Yeah, it's something I think we all need from time to time -- our own bookcase to crawl under and curl up under.

You can almost visualize in real time the vaccination of our workforce by the folks who call in sick for the first time in over a year and for only a couple days. I run three times a week. My weekend run is along a creek trail finishing with a grueling mile up a grade. But when I’m done with my run, I pop into the tap room for a short (5 oz.) I look forward to my weekend run. Sadly, I’m going to skip it this weekend. The fever, chills, aches, and joint pain have passed. But I’m still a little weak and tired from it all. Still better than getting Covid!

 

[tarasgirl06]

You can almost visualize in real time the vaccination of our workforce by the folks who call in sick for the first time in over a year and for only a couple days. I run three times a week. My weekend run is along a creek trail finishing with a grueling mile up a grade. But when I’m done with my run, I pop into the tap room for a short (5 oz.) I look forward to my weekend run. Sadly, I’m going to skip it this weekend. The fever, chills, aches, and joint pain have passed. But I’m still a little weak and tired from it all. Still better than getting Covid!

You know better than anyone what's best for you. My roomie says she's still not 100%. So if you think it's better to take it easy for a little time, it's probably the best decision, right?

 

[Beholder]

Wow, that's crazy that so many people have had bad reactions! I only ended up with a sore arm from both of my Pfizer shots. Guess I got lucky.

 

[tarasgirl06]

Wow, that's crazy that so many people have had bad reactions! I only ended up with a sore arm from both of my Pfizer shots. Guess I got lucky.

My roomie had that, too. Sore, red injection site. They say that proves it's working. o-KAY...