Side Sleeper

You know how people have a favorite position that they sleep in? Well, it turns out, so do cats. Faith is a side sleeper. No, that doesn't mean that she sleeps on her side (although she does, as well as on her back/upside down, on her belly when she "loafs", and sometimes, Im convinced, even when shes sitting up!) It means that she sleeps on MY SIDE. No, not BY my side (although she does at night~ she snuggles right into me and I kiss her fur and mush with her...) but she actually sleeps ON MY SIDE. Meaning, when Im sleeping on my right side, the left side that is "exposed", is a free for all. She starts by climbing up my legs, sits on my hip bones and needs my shoulder (which feels exceedingly good, btw...theres just something about a poly kneading you with those extra toes!) When shes finally done "softening me up", she lays down on my side, stretching from my hips, onto my belly and ribs, up to my shoulder.

Does anyone elses cat do this? She is sometimes a lap cat, but only in bed. She'll lay more on my stomach (after more kneading of course) when Im laying in bed, then actually get on my lap like a "normal" cat-like when Im sitting in a chair, or working on the computer.

I love my little weirdo =0) Its extremely pleasant, waking up and feeling her soft, warm weight on my side. Its like a security blanket. The only bad part is, when I have to roll over. She gets a little affronted when I ask her to please move and then RETURN to me, on my other side.

She is one unique cat, and I love every little thing she does; from side sleeping, to licking herself clean after I touch her, to letting me rub and scratch her belly. She is truly special, and I thank the heavens above that thy allowed ME to have this lovely little guardian in my life.

The Bling Ring

Faith is a part of the high-rollers now. We traded in her flat, worn, tattered purple collar that we've had since I got her for some new bling. And when I say bling, I mean BLING. I decided that the Princess needed a collar that fit her personality more, so I went shopping. I found a few collars that I liked, but just couldnt decide which one I wanted; which one fit Faith's personality the best. The first was a collar very much like she had, a flat purple collar with a band of silver glitter in the middle. It had a very soft, small bell, so I decided against it. The second was a purple collar that was all glitter. Even the bell, which was much larger, was glitter. I liked it, but wanted to keep looking. Those were on the "cheap" end~less that 10 bucks.

I decided to look at the higher priced section. There was a rhinestone collar that was a buckle, butt the rhinestones were connected with elastics so it was still escapable. This one had alternating clear and purple stones. I loved it. I just wasnt sure if it would fit. I decided to try it, as I could always return it if it wasnt right. Then I went to find the tags. Now, the chance of Faith actually escaping is slim to none, but I know not everyone knows about microchips, so tags are still the best was to ID your pet. I chose a deep purple heart, with a silver lining with little hearts etched in. It was small, but a little heavy, so I knew that, along with the bell, would take some getting used to on Faiths part. I went to the new, state-of-the-art tag making machine and put "Faith" on the front, an my phone number on the back. There really wasnt room for anything else.

So I bought both, and went home eagerly to try and get her collar on. Faith, being a cat, wasnt as eager, although she was very patient with me as I buckled her in (I had already put the tag on). The tag bothered her for the first few minutes, as she couldnt figure out what was banging against her chest, but she soon got used to it. She may be a Princess, but she is one easy-going cat =0)

Shes been so good wearing the new "get up", Ive been really surprised. I bought both the collar and tag at Petsmart. Here is the link to the collar (because  cant get a real good picture of her wearing it with her fur): http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=15399776&f=PAD%2FpsNotAvailInUS%2FNo

And here is the picture of her tag: http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=12572250&f=PAD%2FpsNotAvailInUS%2FNo

And here is the picture of the beautiful girl herself:

Faith Speaks

So I went to the New England Pet Expo last weekend, and was a bit surprised at how much money I spent...I thought maybe Id find a trinket or some treats to bring back to my girls (dogs) and Faith, but I ended up finding more. A lot more. 

First, I found a necklace with a cartoon drawing that looked very similar to Faith. How, I wondered, could I ever find something as cute as this that resembled her, since she is a "mixed breed"? So I bought it. $15 well spent in my opinion. Then I waled to what seemed like the very next booth, and found "A Breed Apart cat statues that benefited one of the rescues that was represented. I cute tabby playing with a mouse caught my eye and I had to have it. I have NO cat paraphernalia in my room...just lots (and LOTS) of Sheltie stuff. So I bought that. Another $20 gone.

Then as I was walking around the seemingly hundreds of booths, I cam across an Animal Communicator. Now, I have a friend that does this, and she is VERY good, but also very expensive. And since this was a show, the woman was charging $25 for a 15 minute reading and could do multiple pets. So, having my pocket book with all my girls pictures in little windows, I thought, why not? So I signed up and came back when it was my turn.

Needless to say this woman was very good. She said a lot about my dogs that was right on, and about Faith, The first thing she said was "she wants to know why she is left alone so long. That just broke my heart. She has to stay upstairs because my mom has large dogs who are NOT cat-savvy. So although she seems comfortable in her designated space (consisting of two rooms, a long hallway and several windows), she wants to be with ME. She also said that her "claws" hurt. Well, that was true as she was declawed on her front feet. She also said that there was a window in her space in particular with an A/C unit in it. She wanted THAT window to see and look out of. At first, this didnt make sense. The window that she sat in was in the hallway with no A/C. Shee said she likes that window enough, but she gets sleepy in it and would like a perch...but she REALLY wanted the window that was blocked off. I didnt realize what she was talking about until I got home. DUH! The window in MY ROOM had the A/C unit in it. It just so happened that the next day my mom wanted to take all the units out, and started with mine. We put the screen back in, and I attached a little bed for Faith. 

I have never seen this cat so happy. She is in that window almost ALL THE TIME. When I get home from work, she always runs and greets me with her series of meows, chirps and "cat speak" to tell me how her day way (and no undoubtedly scolding me for being away so long) but I can tell shes been in the window...

Now, like I said, she was right on about a lot of things about my dogs too, but I really did almost fall out of my chair when she said Faith was lonely. It just broke my heart. Since, Ive been trying to spend a lot more time upstairs with her, and reassuring her that I'll be back when I do have to leave.

Now, I was so impressed, that although I went in the morning when it first opened, I decided to go back with my best friend Ginny, who was going at the end of the show when her work shift ended. I surprised her at work (our vet clinic where I used to work) and we went together. I knew she wanted to hear from her recently departed Heart-Dog Molly, and was eager to hear her reading. 

However when we got there, she had about an hour wait, so we decided to walk around...where we found ANOTHER communicator I had missed the first time. I decided, what the heck? Lets see what this lady had to say. She said a lot about the dogs, but didnt say much of Faith except for that "we were meant to be". That was enough for me. I knew that Faith was my soul-cat the moment I saw her. Now, Ive never experienced love at first sight before; not with a human or animal. But HER...I immediately fell in love with her and had to have her. So she was right on about that. Ginny liked THIS lady so much, she decided to have a reading by her and was very pleased. We have actually referred her to a few friends already. She does phone consultations, so if anyone is interested in having their pet read, please ask and I'll get you her information.

I also asked them both if Faith would like to be a show cat; they both said that she was willing to try but did NOT want to be left alone, and was pretty much only doing it for me. So, we're still going to try. Im waiting for TICA to get back to me about a registered name for her, and then we can find out about her first show.

Like I said in the beginning, this was not my first time having my animals read; I need to go back to the friend of mine who does them for other friends, as like I said, she is VERY good, and I want her to speak with Faith. If this is something youve been thinking about, even if its just been in the back of your head, I urge you to do it if you have the means. It is a great eye-opener in some cases, and at the very least confirms or denies your suspicions. 

Please let me know if there is any way I can help,

Take care everyone,
Jenn and Faith

Fun for Faith

Faith is usually a really laid back lady. She was, anyways! Since we've moved, and she has become an only cat, she has really blossomed and shown a lot more of her personality. She mostly relaxes during the day, either sleeping on my bed, in a sunny spot in her "speedway" (the hall-way) or sitting in her window enjoying the fresh air and sights. When we were living in my home in NH with the two other cats, Faith routinely tried (and succeeded) in getting outside. She was actually gone for a day in a half and I FREAKED. OUT. When she got out, she would usually be gone for a few hours during the day, but shes always been a cat who would come when called. Not this time. I had missing posters ready to go, but wanted to try calling her one more time. She came out from under our neighbors shed and RAN all the way home and into my arms. She was covered in ticks, but I was just grateful she was back. I was terrified I had lost her forever =0(

But as we went through the packing process, she got out less and less frequently, and when she did, she either came when called back, or would allow herself to be caught. Its like she knew we werent going to be there forever. Now that we moved, and she lives upstairs, she has no chance of getting out, but she does enjoy her window time. She will sometimes greet me from it when I get home, mewing the whole time telling me to hurry up and get in the house to pet her!

She has become QUITE the chatter box...its one thing saying hello from the window, but its quite another to be constantly meowing, chirping, mewing and yeowling! She gets especially vocal when I first get home, and when its feeding time. Her vocalizations range from quiet trills to loud, prolonged meows. I love it. I love talking back to her, because she always has to get the last word in!

She has also decided she likes to play. Ive been attending cat shows lately to learn more about them, and support our good friend who shows Himilayans and Persians. Ive picked up a few toys for her, with little to no luck. The best Ive found is "Da Bird", with the mouse attachment. She has to be in the mood, but she will play with it and likes the way it moves. But yesterday, I hit the jackpot. I was at another show, and said you know, its about time I tried a laser. I bought one and brought it home, wondering if she would pass this one up too...

She was in full ATTACK mode! She ran up and down and up the hallway (now known as her speedway) over and over. She would stalk, attack and try to catch that red dot any way she could. I was thrilled. She was tired. Now, after only having it a day, she knows the sound it makes (it has an attached key ring that jingles) and immediately vocalizes and comes running. Its really great seeing her having so much fun. Its just one more thing I really enjoy about her; she just keeps surprising me!

Our newest fun thing is going to be...showing! Ive decided to join TICA and show Faith in the "house hold pet" (HHP) division. I am joining TICA because they allow HHP's to gain championship points and titles (which CFA does not) and they will allow cats who have been declawed (which Faith has been) or having other "parts" missing; they truly enjoy having all cats compete because ALL cats are beautiful =0)

So stay tuned, because our show adventures should start soon. Expect full show reports and photos too. Oh, and what will be Faiths registered name be? Well, since shes recently found her very opinionated voice, her name will be "Little Gossip Girl" =0) What do you think??

The toughest times...

So, I had "my Faith"...literally, and figuratively. My kitty cat was an amazing new addition to my little family I was building, and she and the girls (dogs) were getting along fine. I was also pleased that my mom didnt seem to mind her. She was very vocal-always chatty and eager to share her stories when I would get home from work or doing other things. I was noticing other little nuances with her too. For a very athletic looking cat, she was very clumsy. She would jump on the windowsill and fall off after a few steps. I didnt know if I should account it to her extra toes or what, but she also never jumped the gate that kept her in my room. She was a very good girl.

My best friend and I had decided to move in together; my mom and I werent getting along for a while and she asked me to leave. Also, my friend (whom I knew from work at the animal hospital) was not happy in her living situation either (with family) so I went from looking for a small apartment/condo to looking for a home. We had finally found one in Fremont NH, about 45 mins away from where we were currently living, but it was a newly remodeled cottage right on the river. We jumped at it, and made the deal. And then the world turned upside-down.

I was supposed to work a second ER night shift when I didnt feel right. I was very depressed and suddenly found myself crying uncontrollably. I called Ginny (my soon to be rooom-mate) and asked her to come help me. I was feeling irrationally scared, and was getting close to the scary thoughts of hurting myself. Ginny took me to the emergency room and my mom met us there-I had a nervous breakdown. I dont know how many hours I cried for, but I wasnt making sense, and my thoughts were dark. They finally sedated me enough to get through the night. I was then transferred to a mental holding hospital where I stayed for a week.

I couldnt believe what my life had come to. All the stress of working with the animal hospital and dealing with sick pets and euthanasia, the stress of not getting along with my mom, the stress of moving and buying my first house...it was all too much. They placed me on several medications but they didnt seem to work. I didnt know then that thee medication game was one I would have to play for a while. It takes a long time to get the right "cocktail". When I finally got out, I stayed away from work for a few weeks. I focused on doing things at the new house, like painting, but never felt OK. I would need to have my meds adjusted again and again, go into day programs, and then would return to work only to leave in a mess again. Finally after being hospitalized two more times, I gave up. I knew I could no longer do the job I had done before...I could no longer ask owners to sign the form to end their pets lives. I could no longer listen to stories of "I dont know what happened, I went to work/I left and s/he was FINE...what do you mean s/he is dying now??" I couldnt do it.

I tried my hand at a few other jobs, but the results were the same. I finally decided to apply for disability and give into what would be my "new" life. Unfortunately, it was not much of a life at all. I worked it out in my head the only way that made sense to me: I used to be a dog, but now I was a cat. I used to crave the outdoors, the sunshine, the activity, the social life. Now I was happy to just curl up and sleep, have small bursts of energy from time to time, but for the most part I watched life pass me by...indifferent to almost everything. Now dont get me wrong, I dont mean to bee so harsh on the cat...they just seem to live such carefree lives...or so I thought.

I have had to deal with a lot medically besides the new mental illnesses, to do with my heart. I was also born with severe congenital heart disease leading to 2 open heart surgeries, many minor surgeries, and trouble with those meds too; mostly the blood thinners coumadin and plavix. One day, my nose started bleeding, and wouldnt stop. It bled and bled, finally forcing me to go to the ER. I had to have it packed and then follow up with an ENT. When I did, they removed the packing, but it started bleeding again. He re-packed it and sent me home, to keep it in for a week. I also got sent home with narcotics because of the pain. Those were the worst days I had gone through in a while. I felt all the meds did was make me sleepy and dull-witted. I was still extremely uncomfortable. By day 3, I had had enough. I demanded them see me and take the packing out. They finally squeezed me in and took it out; thankfully it seemed to have stopped bleeding. But one good thing did come out of it. When I was finally back to normal, I realized I had a new little shadow: Faith. She was my CONSTANT companion while I was bedridden and crying from the pain. Shee never left my side. Even my dogs were sick of me being sick, but Faith...she was amazing.

I always made dogs out to be "the heroes", but they couldnt deal with all the stress I was putting out. I couldnt even feed them because I couldnt bend over. And, even as older ladies, they were sick of being stuck in the house. But not my Faith. She stayed right with me, which is where she is now, curled up right by my side. Talking to her, and petting her really did help me through these tough times. My dogs are a good distraction because they DO get me out and about, in the sunshine and socializing...but Faith is my little snuggle bug. When ever I have had "enough" of being "out" and "on", I had my little Faith to look forward to coming home and snuggling with. 

Next time, I'll talk more about her and her personality and how that in itself helps me every day. Sorry this was more about me than her, but my challenges make her all the more special and important to me...thanks for reading!