Getting Ready for Halloween

Hi Everyone. Maverick here with another edition of “Cat Tails.” I finally talked to my friend Spaghetti Betty the other day. We’ve both been so busy. She tells me that her grandma and grandpa have moved to the Sault. They bought a little cottage, and Spaghetti Betty and her mom and dad have been helping them settle in. They’re from California, too, just like Spaghetti Betty and her parents. They, too, love the Sault and the Upper Peninsula. The exciting news for Spaghetti Betty is that she has started her own small business out of her home. She makes clothes and costumes for cats. If you have read past columns of mine, you will see her work in some of the pics. She does cattastic work.

My mom is still going through her health stuff. The other night, she had a small machine that she was hooked up to for two nights when she went to bed. I don’t know what it’s called, but it’s something like an oximeter machine, and she wore a thing on her finger that kept track of her pulse and oxygen. She had to have that on for at least 8 hours while she slept. If she got up for any reason, she notated it on a form she was given. The first night, when she hooked the oximeter to her finger, she notated the time, but the time on the machine was different than the actual time. It was off by a couple of hours and minutes. She wasn’t sure which time to use, so she put both down and an M next to the machine time. The first night went great, but you had to know from reading past columns that nothing goes smoothly for my mom. The second night was going okay, until sometime after midnight, the alarm on the machine went off. That was scary. It was very loud; it startled my mom. She got up and looked to see if there was a message on the machine about what to do if the alarm went off, but she couldn’t find one. She went to unhook the sensor, thinking that quite possibly that was the problem, but then she noticed something out of the corner of her eye. The machine was unplugged. Oops! My bad.

As you know from past columns, I can’t eat like a normal cat because I was shot when I was a little guy. I have to be fed throughout the day and night. When I want to be fed, I have to wake my mom up if it’s in the middle of the night. So I unplug her phone from the wall outlet when I need to be fed, and then she gets up and feeds me. She told me later in the morning, after the alarm went off, that as she was plugging the machine into the wall outlet earlier in the evening, she thought that there wasn’t any way that I would be able to unplug it because the cord was so heavy. So much for that thought.

A couple of hours went by, and she couldn’t sleep. The machine had a green glow to it, and we’re used to sleeping in complete darkness. I was snuggled next to my mom, burying my face so I couldn’t see the light. She rolled over and stared at the numbers on the machine, watching all the lines and numbers constantly changing when the alarm went off again. I heard her mumble Oh, Maverick, not again. But then she remembered I was sleeping in bed with her. She turned the machine off, adjusted the sensor thing on her finger, turned the machine back on, and it worked. We actually got through the rest of the night without any more alarms going off.

She filled out the form, making sure she had the times written down correctly. She went on to explain that the first alarm sounded because her cat pulled the plug out of the wall. Then she explained what she was doing when the second alarm went off. She wrote that all she was doing was staring at the machine when the alarm sounded. She put down that she has had four eye surgeries, and quite possibly she now has a demonic eye, and that the machine didn’t like that she was staring at it. She then folded up the paper, put it in the bag with the machine, and drove it to the hospital, which is about a 25-minute drive from where we live. Keep in mind, we’re not in the UP right now. We’re away getting my mom and her numerous health issues fixed. 

Later in the afternoon, she received an email from MyChart that her test results were in. She signed in, thinking she could look over everything, and if she had questions, she could ask the doctor about them later. The first thing that appeared was the form my mom filled out. She was horrified because she thought the only people who would see her note on the demonic eye were the girls in the respiratory department. But no, it was all there in black and white for her doctor to see. Her doctor is an extremely nice doctor who wears bow ties and is around my mom’s age (old). But when he talks to my mom, he never remembers my name; he calls me Mittens. My mom has since given me that as a middle name. One of my biggest fans is named Mittens, and I am proud that now I have his name as my middle name.  Anyway, her oxygen is borderline and a little below normal. Her surgery is on the 6th of November, and her follow-up is a little beyond that. She’ll find out then what happens next. 

A couple of days ago, she hurt her bad knee that is supposed to be replaced in the Spring. She’s been limping, and now her hip hurts. All on the left side. Last night, her left wrist became very painful, so now she has a brace on her knee and one on her left wrist. She’s one big mess. She’s having a hard time doing things and taking care of me. She kind of looks like Frankenstein when she’s moving around. This week is her EGD to see what’s going on with her esophagus. I’m glad I don’t have to have one of those things down my throat. But she loves the surgeon, and he has a great sense of humor, which my mom loves. 

As for me, I am doing okay. At least I think I am. I need to have all the tests that I had done in September repeated in December. 

I notice, as the temperatures drop, I am snuggling a lot closer to my mom. We both like that. It’s almost time for her to put an extra quilt on the bed and make hot chocolate. 

I have a couple of fun facts for you from Pet MD.

Many Cats Get the Zoomies After Using the Litter Box

Think of it as sort of a victory lap. Lots of cats will run like crazy after using the litter pan for a bowel movement. But sometimes they’ll run away from the box if the experience was uncomfortable, such as if they were constipated or had swelling in the gastrointestinal or urinary tract.

If your cat shows any unusual bathroom habits, discuss these zoomies with your veterinarian. But for most cats, post-pooping zoomies are just a way to celebrate a job well done.

Cat Whiskers Are as Sensitive as Human Fingertips

Cat whiskers are thicker and coarser than regular fur and have roots that are three times deeper. They are strategically located on the cat’s face to provide sensory equipment to help guide a cat through the day, aiding vision and helping the cat to navigate, much like antennae on insects.

Although the number of whiskers will vary by breed, most cats have 12 whiskers arranged in four rows on each cheek. These whiskers are very sensitive, and this part of the face also contains small glands that smell like your cat. This is one reason many cats love to have their faces rubbed!

I will leave you with this quote: “One reason that cats are happier than people is that they have no newspapers.” – Gwendolyn Brooks

Take care, everyone, and be careful of all the little ghosts and goblins on Halloween.

Love Maverick

P.S. October 30 is my birthday or anniversary, however you look at it. Thirteen years ago, my mom found me under her car. I was very sick and had been shot. But my mom took great care of me, and here I am going to celebrate another year with her. I am so happy.

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Maverick

My name is Maverick, and I am 11 years old, and this is my first column. My mom adopted me when she found me outside her home, underneath her car. Someone had shot me. When the doctor wanted to end my life, she told him if there was a chance that I would make it, then do everything possible for me. She wanted me to know there were good people in this world and know that I am loved. It took five months to nurse me back to health. I had congestive heart failure, too. At the end of the five months, I finally met my two brothers for the first time. Boy, did I love them and my new home. I am so glad my mom didn’t listen to that doctor. If you have any questions or want to comment, you can reach me at maverick@eupnews.com. I would love to hear from all furry and non-furry pets and their moms and dads.

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