I took Jasmin back to the eye specialist yesterday, and she had healed up really well and didn't need sutures! [dances] I didn't post then because I haven't put up any pictures of the cats lately, and it's about time I did. So here we go!

( The three girls; 12 photos, but all under 90kB )

Jasmin was able to come straight home with me after seeing the animal eye specialist, which pleased her greatly because I hadn't fed her in case she needed an operation. As it was, he just numbed the area and removed all the dead tissue and infection that was in the wound while I held her and looked away. I had no idea a little bump was that bad. She has antibiotic pills, anti-inflammatory liquid to mix in her food, and the ointment I was given yesterday at the vet. The good news is that the tear duct is unaffected and working fine. but bloody hell, the cost of that visit alone was more than two years of pet insurance premiums. I'm so insuring Jasmin and Ashley, and enquiring about Vic too; he's eight and might be more expensive.

I have to take her back on Wednesday and pray that she doesn't need sutures. If she does, it will be even more expensive, but she's young and healthy and I hope she'll heal up without them.

The eye guy looks just like John Clarke (NZ comedian who played Fred Dagg on TV when I was a kid, and now an Australian satirist) which I find very distracting, and he's based in a lovely Art Deco house with curved windows. He's a really nice guy and so gentle with the animals, but really, why would suturing, if she needs it, cost $600? [cries]

The annual Pasifika festival is on tomorrow, but I'm not sure if we're going. I could still give Jasmin her meds OK, but I think I'd rather be around home to keep an eye on her. Besides, the weather's cold and intermittently wet.

Yesterday I took Claudia to the vet for her regular injection for kidney disease (laurabollin which stimulates her appetite, I think). The accent is on the second syllable, but all the same I'm tempted to name a character Laura Bollin. :-P

Today I was back there again--with Jasmin. I noticed last night that she had a lump on her lower eyelid, near her tear duct, so I took her in. They had a look, drained it, gave her an injection for pain and inflammation--though in fact I don't think it was bothering her because she was her happy, playful self, she had a slight temperature--and some ointment. And an appointment to see the eye specialist since it's so near her tear duct which may have been damaged. :-(

He's the guy who performed two major eye operations on Tessa, and luckily only a couple of suburbs away. I bet he remembers me. He must wonder why my cats get eye problems; I'll have to tell him that I have three others he's never seen (and hope he won't).

I'd been planning to insure the kittens while they were young and healthy so we wouldn't get the huge bills Tessa ran up for her eyes, and I must do that. I just didn't think it would start this early--and that they might be as trouble-free as Vic and Claudia. I hope this doesn't affect her premium since it's an accident.

Poor little girl. She gets so frightened when I take her in the SleepyPod, she burrows right under the blanket I put in it for that purpose.

I went to the pet supplies place today and on one of the toys (a sort of springy octopus I resisted buying) there was a label with a happy cat face you'd swear was Ashley. Pity I can't hire her out as a model and live off her earnings. :-P Anyway I realised that I hadn't posted any pictures of the little fur-balls for a while.

( Nine pictures including a cat pile )

I now have another lovely cat card from entropy_house to join kalypso_v's beautful Rosie and Tabitha. Thank you!

And now for some cat and kitten picspam. jthijsen wanted to know about my cat tunnel, so I finally got some photos of them playing. They're action shots, so a little odd, but you'll get the idea. There is also an Ashley close-up, and pictures of cat and kitten snuggling. And copycats! :-) I need to make an icon with both kittens in it.

( Cats and kittens )

I got two beautiful cards today from friends in the UK: a Holmes one, and a cat one. Thank you!

I have finally finished my B7 card, and Greg has printed it at work. It probably won't get to the people I send it to in time, but don't worry; I'll post the pictures and the text on the right day (which is not Christmas day). [looks mysterious] This one was more complicated than most. I had to draw nine separate pictures on transparent backgrounds, paste them together, add some extra stuff, and make up the card. I know I should realise that December is coming, but I never seem to. :-P Next year I'll try to think up, design, and make a card in November.

In the meantime, have some kitten picspam!

( Eight pictures )

Jasmin came through her operation with no problems at all, and they said she was very definitely on heat. So early! They recover quickly from the new anaesthetics, and she promptly began playing with the three new toy mice I bought her at the vet's as soon as she got out of the carry-bed. I can hear her thundering around in the bedroom over my head as I type--and she's supposed to be taking it easy.

Because I was worried about what she'll do when Claudia (who has kidney disease and has lost weight lately) dies, because Jasmin loves snuggling up to her, and Vic has never to my knowledge done so with another cat, I decided to do what several people said was a good idea: get another young cat for Jasmin. So I went to one of the Lonely Miaow foster homes last night and adopted a little silver tabby who is about 7-8 months old. She was rescued along with her mother and siblings from a property out west. She's really friendly, smoochy, purry, playful, and very laid-back, considering. She sat quietly in the carry-bed all the way home, and wanted to explore the house straight away. She's met Vic (who looked at her for a while, then jumped on the couch and went to sleep) and Claudia (who growled, as she did with Jasmin at first, but then sat on my lap while I knitted).

OK! Greg just came home, and chose the name Ashley from my short list! She is no longer The Cat With No Name.

I didn't want to introduce her to Jasmin yet, but I will tomorrow. She's desperate to meet her, but Jasmin, who got an accidental look last night, fluffed up, and ran away, knows there's another cat here. Because Ashley is playful and cuddly, I'm hoping they'll bond and be companions for life, like Claudia and Tessa were. They can compare operation scars; Ashley was done on the 2nd. ;-)

As for the house she was in, wow. It was run by a lovely and sensible cat-lover and her friendly husband, and they had about 30 cats and kittens there. Some were rescues they have decided to keep, but most were tiny fluff-balls of kittens, only weeks old. AWWWW! SO CUTE! There were only about three teenagers, and Ashley was the friendliest and cuddliest.

I do hope it works out with Jasmin. And here's a picture!

( Ashley )

And here's Jasmin with Claudia and Vic.

Claudia weighs less than 3kg now, and her kidney function is down, though she's still quite active. I'm not sure how much longer we'll have her though, and Jasmin's really attached to her (and vice versa, when Jasmin's not being too annoying). If anything happens, I think we'll have to adopt a cat from the Lonely Miaow charity, which houses abandoned cats and kittens, because she's never cuddled up to Vic. She's a bit wary of him; I don't know why.

( Five pictures )

I have been too lazy even to revise the story I wrote last month, because it's hot and summer is here--the pohutukawas are starting to bloom and the cicadas are chirping--and I'd rather sit outside under a shady tree and read or knit my DW scarf.

But I did promise some picspam. Here's the first instalment (of two).

( Where I did the official vote count )

First of all, today is, besides being Armistice Day, my journal's birthday. It's five years old, and those have been five great years with you lovely people. This is the perfect community for introverts like me. :-)

Secondly, behold: The Darth Vader Toaster. BSG is more your thing and you'd like a Cylon toaster? It's probably sold out, but hey, you could get the real thing. ;-)

And now for your pleasure, I present Jasmin the Geeky Kitten.

( Cyclotron and sonic screwdriver )