Cyclops soon?

Well, it looks like I'm not out of the woods yet. Here's the latest photo of my eye, taken last week. My specialist, Chloe, is in discussions with her colleague about whether or not they should rip it out. I'm trying not to think about it.

Meeting the neighbours

Ellen doesn't seem to be home very much these days. And when she IS home, she seems to be hanging out in the driveway outside with the neighbours. (How weird is that?) Most of the time, I'm left stuck inside watching through the window, with the neighbours poking fun at me if I stick my head through the venetians. Mean.

Last night, E came home and they were dancing in the driveway. Yes, dancing. They'd been doing it for quite a while before she came home, and sure enough she came inside, fed me, locked my cat door, and then went outside to join them. Not sure I saw her dancing per se, but I definitely heard her singing.

Anyway, she left the front door open in invitation for me to go out and join in as well. So I thought I might as well go see what was so exciting about the neighbours. After all, some of them are the ones who have those pesky driveway felines -- Fluffy (white fluffball) and Zim Zam (the ginger cat). And sure enough, they were there too. I was a bit nervous, because Zimmy and I have had many an altercation in the past (when he invades MY GARDEN), but I've not had much to do with Fluffy (who never strays far from the driveway) except to laugh every time E nearly runs him over.

Fluffy was immediately heading in my direction, perhaps being friendly, not sure. I certainly wasn't sticking around to find out. But then I got braver and came out again, and Fluffy and I eyed each other off from a distance.

But then Zim Zam showed up again and ruined everything. He bolted up and pounced on Fluffy, telepathically screaming: That's my favourite tormentor-plaything. Mine. You keep away and don't spoil all my fun!

Zimmy and me really are NOT friends.

After that, Fluffy kept his distance and I went back inside to wait for Ellen, who finally came in and then I snuggled up beside her and went to sleep.

Not dead

Tonight Ellen keeps asking me if I'm dead.

I suppose she could be forgiven for thinking I might be, because it's so HOT that all I can do is languish pathetically on the 'cool' timber floor.

But the lack of concern in her voice is disconcerting. Would she care if I was dead? I like to think she would.

Anyway, I'm not dead. Just Hot. And a little delirious. Obviously.

Home invasion

I wasn't too impressed -- and not a little traumatised -- this morning when my home was invaded by a demon ginger cat! The evil one followed me inside, completely disregarding feline etiquette which states that houses are sacrosanct. Whoever heard of having to defend oneself in one's own living room?

So there we were, screeching and wrestling in the living room and the fur went flying (mine I regret to advise) and then Ellen bounded out of bed (for she had crawled back under the covers like a lazybones after opening my door this morning) and the evil demon cat ran away.

I moped about feeling sorry for myself while Ellen cleaned up the fur and some other regrettable mess, and then she locked me inside while she went out to breakfast. I believe she spent the morning asking after replacement cat flaps, because the whole reason the evil one could get in was because the magnetic mechanism no longer works owing to a previous repair job on the cat flap using non-magnetic strips of aluminium.

I confess I'm now a little uneasy because it's hard to relax inside when any moment I might be attacked by the evil one. I don't know what Ellen's going to do tomorrow when/if she goes out. I know she hates the idea of trespassing cats getting inside, especially the evil demon ginger cat. I have a feeling I might be locked inside all day. Not fun. But then, neither is being invaded.

At least it wasn't Zim Zam who attacked me. He is the ginger cat who lives in the driveway, and although we have regular confrontations, I know he would never break the taboo against entering the house of another cat!

Struck down by mouse spirits

I'm not feeling too good today. I haven't eaten anything at all, not even breakfast, and I've spent the entire day under the sofa, hiding from mouse spirits. Every now and again I see one of these mouse spirits and I chase it, only to realise it doesn't really exist, then I hide underneath the sofa again. I feel queasy and faint.

Oh dear lord catgod, if I promise not to kill any more mice, will you ask the spirits to leave me alone?

Two things . . .

There are two things I want to mention today:

1. There is a huntsman spider in our house. Ellen didn't tell me about it at first, but I found it yesterday. It was sitting quite brazenly on the mirror in the bathroom, so of course I attacked it. Wriggly spiders are sooo much fun to play with! The best toys ever. But, alas, as spiders so often do, it got away. Now I think it is far too afraid to show itself again. I am pretending to ignore it for a few days, in order to lure it out again. Then we'll see!

2. My food supply is almost out! This is a cause for GRAVE concern. I heard Ellen say she was going to buy some today, but she came home without it. Instead, the food container is almost empty. In an attempt to make it through the next few days, in case Ellen forgets to buy food, I am rationing myself. Tonight I have only eaten half my dinner, just to make sure there is some left for the morning! This is TERRIBLE. I'm so HUNGRY.

(Maybe I'll have to eat that damned spider after all.)

Get well soon, Fox

We heard today that Lita's feline friend Fox is very ill. He may need me to donate some blood (gulp), but I'll do it if he needs me to. I've never met Fox, but we correspond from time to time through Ellen and Lita. I consider him and Niles my friends.

Get well soon, Fox. We're thinking of you.

Bags packed

I just found out that we're going to the island on a holiday for a whole week! I don't know whether to be apprehensive, or grateful that I'm not getting left behind on my own. Will post a full report upon our return in a week.

Still got short whiskers

The vet newsletter today was about feline obesity. I'm really worried Ellen is going to put me on a diet again. I saw her looking closely at my whiskers to see if they'd grown longer. As you probably know, my whiskers are exactly as wide as me. You'd think I would know if they'd grown longer and I can tell you they haven't! It's bad enough having to eat the bladder-friendly food, without being on a diet.

Leonidas the usurper

I am at my wits' end. I don't know what to do. Ellen has taken one of those daemon tests and found out her daemon is a snow leopard! A beautiful cuddly white (rather attractive actually) snow leopard called Leonidas. How can I compete with that?

It's all the fault of these blasted books by some stupid fantasy author, who wrote about a world where humans have animal familiars that are across between their soul and a best friend. They say that in our world they're invisible, but they're there. Now that I know, how will I ever feel secure again? She could dump me anytime for her invisible gorgeous snow leopard.

Leonidas. I hate him! I'm Ellen's best friend. How could she do this to me?

A smelly welcome

Today I weed on the floor at the front door. Needless to say, Ellen was not happy. I don't know what's wrong with me :-(

I also had a bit of a stoush with the ginger cat. He's so much bigger than me, but I reckon I can get him! Ellen tells me not to be so stupid.

She is still making me take a pill every day.

From bad to worse

I did it again. No sooner had we posted the previous entry on Thursday evening, than I did it again. Weed on the rug. Ellen has never sworn at me as she did that night.

I felt awful.

I truly did feel awful . . . there was blood in my urine and it was painful. I half expected to be whisked off to the vet the next day -- that's the usual pattern. But for once I was saved the trauma. Friday passed uncomfortably, but uneventfully . . .

This morning I weed on the floor at the foot of Ellen's bed (and I think her runners might have been in the way). I couldn't help it. I just felt so awful and Ellen needed to know how bad I felt. That's why I did it somewhere obvious.

She seemed to take it better this morning. Cleaned it up then got on the phone and went out for the morning. I thought I was safe. But then she suddenly came home and got the carry cage down and then we were at the vet!

Damn and blast, I HATE going to the vet. We saw Dr Jenny today. I've seen her a few times in the past when I've had bladder problems. (For some reason I seem to get this all the time.) They talked about me as though I wasn't even in the room. Dr Jenny seemed to think it could be stress related. Ellen wondered whether it was because she kept leaving me home alone all the time (yeah - I hope she goes on believing that) and Dr Jenny wondered whether it was due to my battles with the invaders up and down the driveway. She's cluey that Dr Jenny. She noticed the slight wound on my nose where ginger must have landed a swipe, and drew her own conclusions. (However, my battles make me feel exhilarated, not stressful. Go figure.)

Then she jabbed me with a needle THREE TIMES. It turns out I was duped into having vaccinations as well. When we got home, Ellen made me take a pill.

I have spent the rest of the day in quiet contemplation. Going to the vet really takes it out of you!

Now it turns out I have to have special food to try to prevent my urinary tract infection from happening again. I confess I too would be pleased if we could rid me of this weakness. The new food tastes OK. And it should be nice to have something different for a change. I wonder how it'll fit in with my so-called diet?

wheely case

Oh, no! The wheely case is out!

I'm being left home alone AGAIN!

Holiday

OMG, I've just found out that I'm going on a holiday with Ellen this weekend! I'm all at once terrified and excited. I would much prefer she take me with her than leave me all alone again, but why oh why can't she just stay at home for once?

Apparently we're going to a new holiday house. I just know she's going to keep me inside all weekend. (To be fair, I'll probably cower under the bed all weekend.) And she tells me JEDDAH is going to be there as well. Sheesh. And she wonders why I'm in therapy.

I'm so stressed I threw up my dinner.