Sunday, February 27, 2011

Abby's weekend

Cristina from Rochester Reader was asking after Abby last week so I thought it was probably time for an Abby update. Abby's very well. She had a visit to the vet a week ago as the result of some bleeding from her bowel & we discovered from a blood test that she has hyperthyroidism which is very common in older cats (she's 16). She was on a bland diet for a few days & she's had a course of antibiotics. After the first day, she was completely fine and it's impossible to tell if the bleeding was just one of those things or something more serious. I think she just picked up something in the garden that irritated her on the way through. She's on tablets for the thyroid condition & we go back for another blood test in a fortnight to see if the medication has lowered her levels. The bland diet wasn't a great success but she put up with it pretty stoically whuile it lasted.

We're both enjoying the end of summer here in Melbourne. The last week has felt distinctly autumnal. A few nicely crisp mornings & not too hot during the day. Fingers crossed that summer really is over & I can start planning winter mornings cooking soups, stews & chocolately treats & long afternoons reading & listening to music.

I took these photos yesterday. Abby's morning routine usually includes sunning herself against the back fence, sharpening up her claws on the timber.

Then, after lunch, she likes to have a snooze in the shrubbery in the front garden. She doesn't look very pleased with me, I may have woken her up. I'm sure she'll forgive me around dinner time, she always does.

4 comments:

  1. She looks so beautiful! I like the photo where she has her paws against the fence :-) She's in incredible shape for 16! I hope her condition is under control now. A good friend's elderly cat also had small traces of blood every now and then and it seems to be the norm when they get to a certain age.
    I'm sure she'll be fine. Thanks for posting about her again :-)

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  2. Abby is a delightful looking cat, I am a cat (and dog) person too. She looks super content and why wouldn't she. We are experiencing slightly cooler mornings too, I love both autumn and spring.

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  3. Cristina, she's been fine since the bleeding so I really think it was just one of those things. Rose, I agree with you, why wouldn't she be content? She has a human to pander to her every whim! She was my Dad's cat & she came to live with me when he died nearly 6 years ago so she's extra special as a link with him.

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  4. She does look great for 16!

    Lovely to see pictures of her again. It so makes me want to get a cat!

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