Where I Am Now, Seven

I've just started writing a book about my life with cats, how I went from never being able to have one because of my mother, to having two for a long time, to where I am now, seven, and how I fear that in 20 years, when I am old and alone, I'll be one of those crazy women who have 600 cats and have to be arrested.

I've got a book outline, several chapters completed, and I sent a proposal to one literary agent in Denver. A friend tells me I need to approach many more, not wait to hear back until I move on to the next one. My goal is to sell this book and make enough money to pay for the upkeep of these cats. Vet bills for the past two months have exceeded $700, and next week I have to get the two male kittens fixed.

I won't be writing the book here, but while I'm writing about past cats and past histories, I'm going to post notes about present cats on this blog.

At his last checkup, Neelix had red and white blood cells in his urine, whatever that means. I know when I have cells in mine, I have to go on antibiotics. He is, too, now, plus he's taking Cosequinn to strengthen his bladder walls and Clomipramine for his manic activity and spraying. I read about Clomipramine on the Internet and the vet agreed to let us try it. Giving Neelix this much medicine is not easy. I can get the liquid antibiotic in him twice a day, but the Cosequinn capsules are being either mixed with the antibiotic or sprinkled on his food, and right now he's not eating. Either he still feels bad from having his blood and urine taken at the vet's through a syringe three days ago, or the one dose of Clomipramine I managed to get in him has completely wiped out his personality. All he does is sleep in a sitting position, or sit in one spot and stare straight ahead.

It's like a whole different cat because before he was the one always yowling to get out, spraying on everything, screaming for food a dozen times a day, chasing the female cats, and knocking everything off the kitchen counters. Now that he's a zombie, the females realize immediately the atmosphere in the house has changed and I'm seeing them in rooms they usually don't enter.