Re: Beatrix and Satchmo update

[Nina]

Hi Leslie, Thanks for keeping us in your thoughts.  I'm convinced that this group of people has a direct line to Spirit and I appreciate you sending good vibes our way. Leslie wrote: Nina, So good to have you back.  I've been thinking a lot of you and Spencer while you weren't able to write.  I'm so glad that you've won this time with him (we're winning, we're winning!) - each battle is a war, you have every reason to celebrate and hope.  (I do agree with Michelle, though, keep on with the Dex - deal with the next turn when it comes, we're not approaching "long term" yet.) I am and do celebrate every moment I share with Spencer.  He's truly a miracle cat.  I wish he'd put some weight back on, but he is doing so well otherwise!  His eyes are bright, full of love.  He's still coming to sleep with me at night and he's been even more active lately.  I had to be away from the house for about 5 hours yesterday and decided to leave that darn door open again.  Perhaps it would be safer for him to be locked in a bathroom, it probably would be safer for the rest of my cats, but I can't see keeping him around without him being able to move about freely and enjoy the time he has.  One thing Spencer has always hated is being confined.    I know that you and yours will make the best decision about the pups and have the wisdom to be okay with whatever that turns out to be.  You ballast the crew, so acknowledging the benefit that the young ones gave your sheperd, and then how the peace will be good too, is just as acceptable as deciding that the universe tends toward chaos anyway (that's the 2nd Law of Thermodynamics, so I have proof on this one!) so why fight it? Well, a decision has been made about the Chuskie twins.  I don't know if it's the "best" decision, but Bruce called the potential adopters last night and told them we will be keeping them.  I'm still torn, but Bruce was sure that Zevon would deteriorate rapidly without his brother Koda to keep him active.  We love them and they are wonderful dogs, if we didn't have such a full house, if there were more hours in a day, then there would have been no decision to make.  Pray we've done the right thing by them.   Anyway, the Great Cat Meet went down so smoothly and the roly poly cats have not stopped yet.  Funny because Satch is three times bigger than her, so she just launches herself at him in whatever manner she can.  The best is when they are at stand off (you know, both a foot apart, one paw raised, ready and waiting for the next flurry of action) and she jumps into him, wrapping all four paws around him as she's so small, and off they go.  He takes the high road in their gallomping trans-apartment travails and she goes under things as he's too big to take her route and she's too small to make the leaps he pulls off.   I wish that I knew how to get pictures to you guys, because they are really too cute.  She's like a younger sibling, following him everywhere, to the scratching post, into the litterbox, when he drinks water, she drinks water, etc.  The only thing that she won't let him do is sleep.  But he is much calmer now than he was, less clingy (though still cuddly), it's nice to see him get all of his energy out and happy. OMG!  How wonderful that they are so happy together.  I love it when they acclimate to each other and the house so quickly, it tells me that Beatrix was meant to be with you and Satch.  I found myself smiling yesterday thinking of them racing around the house together.  Such good news!  I'm so happy for all of you.  Blessings, blessings, blessings! About Satch's cough, the vet determined it to be asthma instigated by the URI, so we're treating for that and it's going well.  Anyone with tips about asthmatic cats, please pipe in! Does that mean that Satchmo's cough is getting better?  I haven't any experience with asthma, although I have heard that human treatments help them too.  Why don't you write to the list with the word "asthma" in the subject line?  Have you been Googling for info?  I suspect a couple of my animals may have a breathing condition too.  Let us know what you find out. Much love my dear, Nina