It’s May already. Where has time gone? In case you’re new, I am Maverick, and this is my blog/column “Cat Tales.” I want to give a shout-out to all moms on your special day. I love celebrating “Mother’s Day,” because I wouldn’t be here without my mom. She took me in and got me the help I needed when she found me underneath her car in a parking lot. I had been shot, so my mom means the world to me. It took five months to make me well. One time, I overheard my mom tell a friend that I looked at her as if she were a superhero, but she said it was the other way around, that I was her superhero. I took my paw and swiped at the tears that threatened to run down my face.
We don’t do anything special on “Mother’s Day.” We just snuggle and spend quality time together. I love that. It’s not just her day, it’s mine too.
I want to remind everyone, if you receive flowers for your special day, please keep them away from your furry family members. Many flowers and plants are toxic to cats and dogs, so please be careful. Don’t turn a beautiful day into a tragedy.
My mom had two MRIs last week. She’s extremely claustrophobic, so she was prescribed a sedative. She had found out that the one hospital she usually goes to, the largest in the town where we are, did not have the newest MRI machine, so she went to the other hospital’s satellite office. She told me that it was a thing of beauty and a work of art. Not only was it bigger and open, but it was more comfortable. She was in it for an hour. She said God was with her because she was and still is in extreme pain and has back spasms too, so she was worried whether she could get through it because you have to lie still. She did it.
We have some new friends we love dearly, and they took her and brought her home afterward. We are very grateful for them. They even came over in the afternoon on Easter to visit. They are also going to drive to our apartment twice a day to feed me, give me my meds, and visit with me when my mom has her surgery in July. I get super anxious and feel all alone when my mom has to spend time in the hospital. This next surgery hospital stay will be her longest yet.
Pets, and especially cats that are alone, don’t like to be by themselves. It’s lonely. How would a human like that? It can cause depression and anxiety. Trust me, I know. I don’t understand why some people have pets. They treat us like objects. We have feelings, and we want to be loved and feel loved. Is that too much to ask? Please be kind to your pets, they’re family members, and give them lots of love. My mom and I have that kind of relationship, but this will be her third surgery in a year, and it’s been hard on me because I don’t like being alone. But I know our new friends will take care of me, and I am sure they will spend time with me at least when they come in the mornings to feed me and give me my meds.
My mom is having a procedure in a couple of weeks. The pain doctor is going to be giving her injections every few months. Her first is going to be in her neck. Ouch! She will keep getting injections in her neck and other places, too, until they don’t work, and then surgery will be discussed. And that’s not good because it involves the spine. So I ask for prayers for my mom that these injections will work as long as possible.
There is a bird’s nest being built on top of our porch light. There was one there last year, too. We can certainly hear the baby birds chirping. It consists of mud, twigs, straw wrappers, and dryer lint, courtesy of my mom. We wish we had trees to hang a bird feeder, but we don’t. And we’re not allowed to put water on our porch because it will attract mosquitoes and insects. We would do it if we could.
My mom got an itemized bill for her surgery and hospital stay back in February. It came to a little over $90,000.00. Today, she opened mail from her insurance company, and except for the medicine given to her, they denied the whole bill. Now her stomach hurts. She called the surgeon’s office and talked to his assistant, who happens to be super nice and efficient, and she is checking into everything. We’re hoping it’s just a code issue. How much more can go wrong? Never mind, I don’t want to know. My mom said if she didn’t have all this pain, she’d take up kickboxing to relieve this stress. Friends have told her that if she didn’t have bad luck, she wouldn’t have any luck at all. That’s the truth, I’ve seen it with my own eyes.
I haven’t played “Voyageur” since my last column. I don’t want to give my mom a headache, but it was fun when I turned on the tap water to create the waterfall sound. I am trying hard to behave, but sometimes I like to be a little ornery. I take after my mom. Don’t tell her I said that.
This month’s children’s book that I recommend is for children ages 3-7, and it is called “The Crayon Stub” by Marcus Cutler. An adult book I recommend is “Cat’s People” by Tanya Guerrero. Don’t forget to check out books at your local library.
That’s it for this edition of “Cat Tales.” I wish every mother a happy Mother’s Day. I will leave you with this quote: “Cats demonstrate the same style and level of attachment to their human caregivers as human babies do to their mothers,” – Oregon State University study
Take care, everyone.
Love Maverick 
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Take care of your mom Maverick. You both are special.
I will, and I am. I even helped her in the office tonight. That was fun. Thank you for saying we’re special. My mom tells me that a lot.
Love Maverick