1620 replies to this topic

[Tracy IMOM]

So many kind-hearted folks often ask about Cody. Some of them are our PINs, and I've been replying to their questions on their individual threads...so Cody and I thought that if he had his own thread, it might be easier for people to keep track of him. (Purrsonally, I think he just wants his own topic so he can solicit everyone for chicken  

In a nutshell, for those not familiar: Cody was rescued from collectors 7 years ago. He's estimated to be maybe 11-12 years old or thereabouts. He's got diabetes (currently controlled without insulin) , CRF, IBD, FIV+, allergies, and is darn near toothless. He has no interest in catnip but is crazy for chicken and cat grass. He's a big-time lap cat and I don't sleep well without him sleeping on my face or arm.

The latest: As some know, Cody just had his "senior panel" blood work. Kidneys were pretty stable - BUN down slightly at 65, Creatinine up slightly to 4.9 (compared to 7 months ago.) He's still slightly anemic but no more so than 7 mo's ago. The blood test includes a urinalysis and on Saturday, we are going for attempt #3. He flunked his first urine test by - uh - giving his sample in the cat carrier on the way to the vets.   Yesterday's retest attempt didn't work out either. Carrier and kitty both arrived dry, but the vet couldn't get enough of a sample, and then he "started to get mad", according to the vet. Which is unusual. Cody is usually very well-behaved at the vet's.

Cody is anxiously awaiting his new cat grass garden to spring up. We live in a townhouse and there is a small strip of dirt on our patio. The patio is fenced and also is covered with slats of wood. He gets to go out, under close supervision. Seems like everything I've ever planted in that strip of dirt has croaked. I don't have much of a green thumb; my thumb is more greenish brown and withered    although I enjoy gardening. So I planted him some grass there a couple of years ago, and he loved it. And it didn't die! YAY! Then, this July's heat wave killed it   I watered it like crazy but 113 degree heat was just too much for it. I planted the new stuff on Sunday, so Cody's cat-grass-eating party should be back in full-force in the near future. Meanwhile, he gives me dirty looks when he sees *his* strip of dirt and *his* patio covered with nasty ol' water. I know what he's thinking     Poor, deprived little guy  

Cody sends head-butts and loud purrs to everyone.

Tracy and Cody  

Edited by Tracy IMOM, 11 October 2006 - 11:38 AM.

[Baila]

Hi Tracy, This is a wonderful idea! I know I used to jump around from place to place looking for news! You just made it easier!

Thanks!
Martha Jane

[Kim]

Well, it's about damn time that Cody got his own thread!!  "Geez, mom, what do I have to do -- get a heart murmur too???"     

Hey Tracy, since your boy goes nuts for chicken, I wonder if he'd like these freeze-dried chicken treats:  Liv-a-Littles.  They're all-natural so I don't think they'd aggravate his IBD.

[Laura IMOM]

Cody sounds so wonderful!!  You need to post some pictures to his thread
Perhaps some of him enjoying his new cat grass when it has grown in???

I had chicken strips for lunch today Tracy....all I could think about was Cody.      <-------that's a chicken for Cody..

Edited by Laura IMOM, 11 October 2006 - 03:29 PM.

[k9sign]

Cody has his very own thread!!

OK, help this CDL out-do u really have special grass seed for "cat grass"? I *think* I have seen in pet stores where they have little pots of what looks like blades of grass--is that "cat grass"??? Is there some special nutrients to it? Gosh if they had "dog grass"--well it would be eaten and puked up or not eaten and peed on!!
Ya know u could get loyts of the pots with the cat grass and put them out in the dirt area-Voila-grass for Cody!!!

Hugs

[Tracy IMOM]

Well, it's about damn time that Cody got his own thread!! "Geez, mom, what do I have to do -- get a heart murmur too???"

Kim - LOL   I know - I should be   for not doing this sooner. I hope he says "no thanx" when they're handing out heart murmurs, unless he wants mine  
Ohmygosh, those kitty treats look purr-fect!!! Thank you SO much for the link!! Between his allergy to beef, IBD, CRF, tendency to urp up most commercially-prepared kitty treats - and my CCL obsession about trying to keep as many unnatural products as possible out of his diet - I have such a hard time finding him suitable treats that I can get. These look wonderful! I know what fuzz-face is getting for Christmas   Thank you thank you thank you! We need an emoticon of me doing the "we are not worthy" bowing-down motion.   Just don't let Cody know where my credit cards are stashed, or I'll end up with a U-Haul backing up to my garage to unload the chicken treats, and a credit card bill a mile long   And if Cody ever starts chatting with Chloe and learning all her secrets of pickpocketing, I'm in BIIIIIG trouble

Edited by Tracy IMOM, 11 October 2006 - 03:48 PM.

[Tracy IMOM]

Hi Laura,
Cody says thanx for the chicken When Cody's cat grass starts coming uip, I'll post a pic. I've got a pic of his old cat grass garden. It's a cool pic - you can see his little mostly-toothless mouth open and getting ready to start chomping. i think you can even see one of his few teeth in the photo   I'll post it when i get home.

Juli,
Amy sent a chicken emoticon thru the GF list a little while ago...I have it at home somewhere. I'll have to dig it out and at least post it on my photobucket site so we can use it

Hi Cindy

OK, help this CDL out-do u really have special grass seed for "cat grass"? I *think* I have seen in pet stores where they have little pots of what looks like blades of grass--is that "cat grass"??? Is there some special nutrients to it? Gosh if they had "dog grass"--well it would be eaten and puked up or not eaten and peed on!!  

Yep, they actually do It's usually wheat grass. I've probably been mis-speaking when I say I'm going to plant "cat grass", because technically, I have just been planting regular ol' grass seed out of a big bag for the past couple of years. I did have some actual cat grass seeds that i bought at a nursery, that were labeled specifically as "cat grass", and planted them in a pot. Cody says, "That was tasty. More please" He ate them up in nothing flat. That's when I decided, heck with that, let's plant that whole strip of dirt with grass for a Cody garden.
LOL about what you said about "dog grass"    

Hugs to all the CCL's, CDL's, and fur-faces out there



Tracy  

[Kim]

OK, help this CDL out-do u really have special grass seed for "cat grass"? I *think* I have seen in pet stores where they have little pots of what looks like blades of grass--is that "cat grass"??? Is there some special nutrients to it? Gosh if they had "dog grass"--well it would be eaten and puked up

  Yes, Aunt Cindy, there is special grass called "cat grass."  What's so special about it?  CCLs pay exorbitant prices for it at pet stores and then proudly present it to their loved ones....... who proceed to eat it and then puke it up.  Nice green puke.  

[Tracy IMOM]

Yes, Aunt Cindy, there is special grass called "cat grass."  What's so special about it?  CCLs pay exorbitant prices for it at pet stores and then proudly present it to their loved ones....... who proceed to eat it and then puke it up.  Nice green puke.  

ROFL!!!!! And the cat rule is, they can only puke on carpet or a nice expensive rug. No tile, no wood. That would be violating the sacred cat rule  

Juli - we got chicken icon [attachmentid=614] Baaawwwk!! Oh, and we had chicken tonite. Cody was annoying his dad by meowing and whapping his paw at dad's hand while dad was trying to cut him up little pieces of chicken. Wish I'd had the camera right then - the pupils of Cody's eyes grew so huge that his eyes were almost entirely black, with just a little rim of green. Looked like a solar eclipse x 2

Here is a pic of Cody with his old grass garden, before it croaked in the heat:
[attachmentid=615]

Tracy and Cody  

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[Baila]

Now we need a chicken emoticon!

or a few of them if they're for Cody!  

"We need an emoticon of me doing the "we are not worthy" bowing-down motion."
From Tracy to Kim (Tracy even got cloned so she could give you more impressive bows)

Sure glad you finally got your own thread Cody!

Head butts, nuzzes and nickers to all!

MarthaJane, Minsky, Baila, Rococco & Co.

Edited by Baila, 12 October 2006 - 02:08 AM.

[Kim]

And the cat rule is, they can only puke on carpet or a nice expensive rug. No tile, no wood.

YES!!!!    So when you buy the exorbitantly expensive cat grass that they're going to hurl on your rug, you must buy a gallon of Nature's Miracle to go with it.  

Tracy, is Cody a blue cream tabby?  That's what my Grayson is and they are VERY handsome.  

It cracked me up picturing your husband sweetly cutting up the chicken for Mr. 4-Teeth, and Cody saying "Give me the damn chicken NOW!!!"  

[Tracy IMOM]

Martha Jane, you sure have quite the collection of very cool emoticons Cody says thanx for the chicken one, he'll never turn down chicken. And the bowing down icon is way cool. Thanks

LOL, sometimes I feel like I need to be cloned...someone to clean up cat puke, a clone to help me hold Cody down when it's pilling time, another clone to clean up the mess he makes in the kitchen when he eats because he has so few teeth and drops food everywhere...  

Kim - good question re: Cody's coloring. I forget what the rescue listed him as. i think just "gray", but I call him blue-cream, or gray tabby with diluted orange...his stripes have all but disappeared over the years.

It cracked me up picturing your husband sweetly cutting up the chicken for Mr. 4-Teeth, and Cody saying "Give me the damn chicken NOW!!!"  

ROFL!!! That's exactly how it goes.   I even cut up a little for him last night and I thought Cody was going to maul me to death. Somewhere I've got pics of him going ballistic while his dad cuts up some KFC...I remember when it was, 3 years ago Christmas Eve. I'll post one when I get home.

I don't know if he was feeling well today...I went downstairs to feed him, and he had a big thing of drool hanging out one side of his mouth. I put the food down, and he looked at it, but didn't touch it   When I get home I'll see if/how much he ate.

Tracy and Cody  

Edited by Tracy IMOM, 12 October 2006 - 02:31 PM.

[Tracy IMOM]

Here's that pic from 3 years ago when Cody's dad was tearing up some KFC and Cody wanted it RIGHT AWAY:

[attachmentid=628]

Oh, and did I mention he has a taste for junk food?

[attachmentid=629]

And cheese? Here he was, licking the remains of macaroni and cheese.

[attachmentid=630]

I'm still trying to figure out what doesn't he eat???!

Tracy and Cody  

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[k9sign]

I love all the pics!! Given half a chance the schnauzies in the household would be doing some of the same things Cody does. lol. Chicken is a fav here too-we try not to serve chicken to company--becuz there will be begging at the table for chicken. lol.

We need to ask Jacki to put the dancing chicken in the clickable smilies!!

For all of Cody's eating indescretions--he looks darn good!!!

Hugs to u both.

[Kim]

KFC........ potato chips....... mac & cheese.......

The boy likes his salt!

What a great character Cody is.  To think that a lot of people....... and some vets  ....... would say "put him down" because he has [pick one] FIV, diabetes, CRF, IBD.   Ridiculous.  He's got a lot of livin' to do, including entertaining his parents.  

[paulajmnj]

Tracy,
the pics are great.Cody is too funny. He sure is one handsome boy.
p
and the boys

[Tracy IMOM]

Thank you Kim, Cindy, and Paula for the kind words about my boy.

What a great character Cody is. To think that a lot of people....... and some vets   ....... would say "put him down" because he has [pick one] FIV, diabetes, CRF, IBD. Ridiculous. He's got a lot of livin' to do, including entertaining his parents.  

Yeah, Kim, isn't that silly?? I'm fortunate that my vets and my closest family and friends are all very supportive And we definitely need this boy around for entertainment. I'd take him over a movie or some stoopid sitcom anyday  

Thinking about Cindy's recent snow and Martha Jane's chilly fall weather...here's a pic to inspire some warmth. This is a heated pet bed that I bought many years ago for my (now Bridge baby) Orion's arthritis. It was suggested that this might help his stiffness. I'll bet it would have...if he had ever used it   The one time I saw him use it, I had stashed it under my desk...so I put it there permanently in hopes he'd use it more often. Nope. But I left it under my desk...after all, who can't use a good foot warmer?  

By the time we moved from the apartment to the townhouse, we only had Cody. I pulled the warmer out and plugged it in downstairs by the fireplace, to see if he'd use it. It took him a while to learn what it was and what it could do...in fact, he didn't start using it 'til one day when I sat on it to demonstrate it to him  

After that, he was on it all the time until it got to warm in the late spring. He LOVES this thing! Now, in the winter, this is a common sight:

[attachmentid=631]

Warm thoughts (literally!) to everyone,

Tracy and Cody  

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[Baila]

Oh Tracy, I do LOVE those pictures! About time we started seeing them! The look of intense focus while chicken waiting is WONDERFUL, and the little paw over his face on his bed! Sure am glad he has his own thread now!

As to cloning you, you could probably use a clone per illness!   We're glad he's giving you so many entertaining years in for your great care!

Oh, and as to the emoticons, I don't even have a collection. shhhh - don't let anyone know, I'm just a pincher!

      

Have a terrific warm footed night and give Cody some chin rubs from me!

MarthaJane & Co.

[Kim]

Here's what I love about our cats.

We humans congratulate each other about being good cat parents for loving them and tending to all their medical needs.  

Do the little sh*ts appreciate us??

No.  It's "give me the chicken, give me the chicken NOW!" and "that heated bed is MINE!"

It's all about them.  

[Laura IMOM]

Just don't let Cody know where my credit cards are stashed, or I'll end up with a U-Haul backing up to my garage to unload the chicken treats, and a credit card bill a mile long  And if Cody ever starts chatting with Chloe and learning all her secrets of pickpocketing, I'm in BIIIIIG trouble

   Okay, I really shouldn't be laughing...you're timing is great Tracy, Chloe just learned how to use credit cards earlier this week (see Tucker's thread   )  I should be in the poor house by Christmas.  Lets just hope she doesn't learn how to contact Cody...or we both could be in real trouble..

[Tracy IMOM]

Oh Tracy, I do LOVE those pictures! About time we started seeing them! The look of intense focus while chicken waiting is WONDERFUL, and the little paw over his face on his bed! Sure am glad he has his own thread now!

As to cloning you, you could probably use a clone per illness!   We're glad he's giving you so many entertaining years in for your great care!

Oh, and as to the emoticons, I don't even have a collection. shhhh - don't let anyone know, I'm just a pincher!

      

Have a terrific warm footed night and give Cody some chin rubs from me!

MarthaJane & Co.

LOL   Then, after the clones have finished their work, we can all get together to give Cody his pill   It'll take that many clones to hold him down, give him his pill, fetch the spit-up pill from wherever it landed...  

Martha Jane, thanks for the nice compliments on the Cody pics. And Cody says thank you for the chin rubs He LOVES chin rubs! If I could just sit there all day and rub and scratch his chin, he'd think that was just the greatest thing. Too bad I can't just do that all day instead of go to work  

Tracy  

[Tracy IMOM]

   Okay, I really shouldn't be laughing...you're timing is great Tracy, Chloe just learned how to use credit cards earlier this week (see Tucker's thread   )  I should be in the poor house by Christmas.  Lets just hope she doesn't learn how to contact Cody...or we both could be in real trouble..

Uh oh, Laura - I think we're both in deep doo doo   Save a spot for me in the poorhouse, will ya  

Tracy  

[Tracy IMOM]

We got pee!!!     And it wasn't on the cat or in the carrier   The 3rd attempt for the urinalysis was the charm today. They were able to draw out enough urine for a specimen, and they'll let me know if they find anything amiss. That completes his "senior profile" this time around.

All the staff there knew about him. The lady who took him to the back to draw the urine told Cody, "Let's hope there's enough urine in you, and not in your carrier"   I was sitting in the waiting room, reading a brochure, when I heard "We got urine!" I looked up and it was one of his vets, who was walking out the door. She wasn't even the one scheduled to do the urine draw, but she had to share the good news  

Here's what I love about our cats.

We humans congratulate each other about being good cat parents for loving them and tending to all their medical needs.

Do the little sh*ts appreciate us??

No. It's "give me the chicken, give me the chicken NOW!" and "that heated bed is MINE!"

It's all about them.    

Kim, ain't that the truth??    

Tracy  

[Kim]

Cody says, "every part of me is precious, including my pee, and I'm gonna make you people work hard for it."  You tell 'em, boyfriend!!

The vet hospital instructed me to make sure Rocco had a full bladder for his ultrasound today.  Uh, sure.  You tell the 120 yr old cat not to pee when he has to!  

First they want 'em to pee....... then they don't want 'em to pee........  

Edited by Kim, 14 October 2006 - 06:17 PM.

[Tracy IMOM]

The vet hospital instructed me to make sure Rocco had a full bladder for his ultrasound today.  Uh, sure.  You tell the 120 yr old cat not to pee when he has to!  

Yeah right!! Like they really think we can do anything about it?! Geesh! Like I can tell Cody to do anything and expect him to do it...like, "Cody, get off that pizza box!..."

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[Kim]

Cody thought bubble:
"Whaaaaaaa??  I'm not ON the pizza.  What's the problem??"

[Baila]

or- only after you prove you'll be chopping up that pepperoni for toothless!
or - show me my chicken first and I'll leave this heated box.



Glad YOU GOT PEE!!!     

I asked my class what good thing happened to them today and got the giggles as I thought your answer would have been "WE GOT PEE!!" I didn't even try to explain when they asked me what was funny.

[Kim]

show me my chicken first and I'll leave this heated box.

  LOL!  

[Tracy IMOM]

or- only after you prove you'll be chopping up that pepperoni for toothless!
or - show me my chicken first and I'll leave this heated box.



Glad YOU GOT PEE!!!     

I asked my class what good thing happened to them today and got the giggles as I thought your answer would have been "WE GOT PEE!!" I didn't even try to explain when they asked me what was funny.

ROFL Martha Jane!!!!   All of the above is hilarious. And I'm still cracking up, thinking of you giggling in your class and the students wondering, what the heck is she laughing at???  

Last night Cody and I had OODLES of fun (NOT!)   First, while I was giving him fluids, he moved and dislodged the needle. My husband's record cabinet got sprayed with fluids. And yes, records - he actually still has all of his old vinyl records - tons of them and keeps them in a cabinet next to where I give Cody his fluids. Oh well, the cabinet should be feeling more hydrated and full of pep now  

Then, when he got his pills, he spit both of them out. The little booger   One landed near me, the other flew a couple of feet. When I gave him his Elavil the second time around, he screeched so loud I thought the neighbors were going to call the ASPCA reporting that someone was murdering a cat   Shortly afterward, I did hear the neighbors coming out onto their patio...wonder what they were thinking  

So he was a real patience-tester yesterday. Still, it's impossible to be mad at these little guys when they're so cuuuuute...

[attachmentid=688]

Today he's opened a big bleeding sore on one side of his muzzle   Argh. The vet told me to give him Elavil for the face scratching, once to twice daily as needed. We've been doing once daily...guess it's time to go to twice a day.  

Tracy  

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