Since I posted a cute photo album of Myrtle over the years, I thought it be best that I told her story.

A long time ago...actually three years ago to be exact...we had been discussing getting a cat. My mom always wanted to get a persian cause she loved their flat faces. Personally, I think they're a little freaky looking, but over time I've grown to love them. Anyways, my sister said she'd been to her local Pet's Mart a few times and always saw this Himalayan sitting in the adoption cages. We thought about it and decided to go up there and check it out.

So one Saturday afternoon we drove in to hopefully see this cat. We crossed our fingers, hoping she was there since afterall, she was a Himalayan and cats like that don't end up in shelters. We turned the corner and there she was, sleeping in her little cage. I say this every time I tell the story, but literally, I jumped back when she turned her head to see us. Her face was the flattest I'd ever seen! Granted I'm not around show cats very often...

So we asked the volunteers if we could see her and they let us hold her for awhile. The lady was telling my mom and sister about her history and the fees and stuff, and I was petting her in her cage. She freaking bit me! I thought for a second, "Maybe we shouldn't get this cat..." But it was too late. My mom already made up her mind.

The story goes, Myrtle was found at an old dairy factory. She and a few other cats were scooped up and brought in. Her teeth were horrible, she had no claws and was microchipped. Not to mention she was a HIMALAYAN! Some breeder threw her out for her imperfections or she ran away from being treated cruelly. Either way, we'll never know. But to go through all the trouble of declawing and microchipping a future show cat and then to have her run away...that's very weird.

While my mom was filling out the forms, I picked out a collar and crate for our new addition to the family. The lady said we were approved for adoption and said that four other people had tried to adopt her but weren't successful. This has puzzled me to this very day. What did they write on their adoption forms? "Will only keep her in crate in backyard shed?" "Will have her live in garage." We were very lucky to get her if FOUR other people tried to get her! Puurrrfect timing, I think.



I started thinking of names but nothing came to mind. On our way home, Myrtle had to sit in back with me. I could tell she was very nervous and scared but there's nothing to worry about with us. We've always had animals! So when we got back home, the only thing on our minds was if my dad would agree to keep yet another cat. We hadn't asked him permission and hadn't really agreed to get another cat just yet, but it was my mom's first cat of her own. (She doesn't get to pick out her own stuff too much. I guess that's what comes with being a mom. You sacrifice everything so your kids are happy.)

So when he came home, we met him at the door. "Hi dad...um...we got something at Pet's Mart today..." "Yeah..." He followed us upstairs and saw the crate. I thought he was going to start yelling. He did, but it wasn't that bad. "Another cat?!? Well, you're taking care of her. She's your responsibility." He sat down to see what the new cat looked like. (I'll never forget this.) He was furious and you could see the disappointment in his face, but once he pulled out this pretty kitty, his frown turned into a smile--immediately. We were so happy. He started petting her and thought she was cute. Thank god.

So, after a couple of years with us, Myrtle's combatted shyness like you wouldn't believe it! She used to hide in the bathroom behind the toilet, sleep only on high places, rarely come out to see us and she definitely wouldn't let us hold her. Now she's running around with the other cats, jumping in our laps, rolling on the floor and meowing like it's nobody's business. She's made a total transformation.

Just recently I was looking at her adoption papers and it said her official name was "Tequila Sunrise". Her ex-owners, whether they threw her out or not, named her after a drink! She's always been more of a Shirley Temple to me.

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Myrtle Marble Eyes

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As of today at 4 PM CST, we are live on the kitty cam! I'd been searching for the longest time for my webcam and finally, today, I found it in a box for Goodwill. A year later and it still works great.

Be sure to check out the cam 24/7 cause you never know who'll be on there.

BEST TIMES TO WATCH

Tuesdays/Thursdays after 3 PM CST

Mondays/Wednesdays/Fridays @ 9 AM-11 PM CST

The kitties like to sleep most of the day, but when I'm around they're more lively. Since I'm on a laptop, the webcam goes where I go, so that means you'll see cats all over the house. Heck, you might even see birds or squirrels out the window!

Just stay tuned!!

CLICK HERE FOR THE KITTY CAM!

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It was about a month ago when we first noticed Myrtle's ear swelling up. We thought maybe when Sophie beat the crap outta Myrtle in a recent fight that she scratched her ear. We didn't know what the hell it was! So we decided to take her to the vet one night just to see what was going on. Withing minutes the Dr. diagnosed my little Myrtie with a hematoma. Apparently it all starts out like this:

What is it?
Ear hematomas, medically known as 'aural hematomas' or 'auricular hematomas,' are a collection of blood and fluid between the skin and cartilage of the ear. A blood vessel in the ear ruptures and the loose space under the skin will fill up with blood. The pressure from the ruptured vessel will often cause the entire surface of the ear to swell, creating a very painful condition. These hematomas will occur very quickly, often within minutes of the vessel being ruptured. Affected animals will have a noticeably swollen, fluid-filled ear that is extremely painful to the touch. If left untreated, the pain will subside somewhat after several days, but the swelling will continue and eventually, as the fluid-filled space generates scar tissue, the ear may become permanently disfigured.



Who's at risk for getting hematomas?
Any cat or dog of any age can develop an ear hematoma, although they are more common in dogs. Animals with chronic ear infections, ear mites, or allergies that cause the ears to itch are at the greatest risk of developing an ear hematoma. Animals will scratch their ears or shake their head if their ears are itchy or painful, which can result in a ruptured blood vessel.



What's the treatment?
There are several different treatment options for ear hematomas. The treatment will depend on how quickly the hematoma is identified and treated (the sooner the better), the size of the hematoma, and the personal preferences of the attending veterinarian.

The most widely used treatment consists of a surgical procedure that involves incising the skin on the underside of the ear, draining the blood, and then suturing (stitching) through the ear with multiple sutures. The ear may or may not be bandaged and then the underlying infections, mites, or allergies are diagnosed and treated. The benefit of this procedure is that there is a good chance that the ear will look normal when healed and a low chance of the hematoma reoccurring.

Another treatment option includes surgically opening and draining the ear and then not placing stitches but taping the ear up over a rolled bandage and allowing the ear to heal. This procedure may be more favorable in show cats where it is very important that the ear not be disfigured. This procedure requires more intensive aftercare.

In cases where the hematoma is very small or old, some veterinarians will remove the fluid with a syringe and if there is no clot present, will allow the ear to heal without surgery. Some veterinarians will also surgically place a cannula or drain to allow blood and fluid to be released and will avoid the surgery and suture placement.

Prevention
Prevention primarily consists of preventing any trauma to your cat's ear. Self-trauma from scratching or head shaking is still the most common cause of ear hematomas. Prompt treatment of all infections and ear mites as well as the proper diagnosis and treatment of allergies, is the best way to prevent hematomas. At the first sign of your cat shaking her head or scratching at her ears be sure to have her examined by a veterinarian so the problem can be diagnosed and treated properly.



BTW, Myrtle finished her treatment a few days ago and the swelling went down, although she does have a crinkly ear now...

(Article Source: Pet Education . com

ME-OW! 5:38 PM

I went to get on my laptop this morning and saw Sophie eyeing up something out the window. I looked out and sure enough this FAT squirrel was sleeping on our porch. He must've heard me moving around as I got the camera, but I managed to snap a few frames of him in the end. (He even left us a few "raisins" in the sun!)







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I know it's a little late for Christmas pictures, but how could I pass this up? (PS, it's not one of my cats. I just found it online somewhere.)

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