Welcome to the Crick Hollow Circus

Our sweet Maddie Kate Scarlett O'Hara went to the vet last week. She seemed to actually be having a good time riding in the car, and when we arrived at the vet's office she was happy. I think she thought we were just going for a walk because of all the trees. (It's grounds are awesome because they also take care of farm animals).

Apart from the exam and having her blood drawn, she enjoyed herself because she got to do one of her favorite things: people watch. (That, and being told by people how beautiful and fluffy she is). She got her shots and new flea medication, and was put on meds for a bladder infection. They said they thought she had Cushing's Disease.

Which is why our sweet Maddie is at the vet again today. We had to drop her off at 7 am. (It killed us to leave her there, but at least as we walked out the door she was still smiling and wagging her tail. I know she'll be miserable in a cage and having her blood drawn though).

They're testing her for Cushing's all day long. We also hope they'll do some X-Rays because I think the vet misdiagnosed her the other day. (I don't really like the vet; typical impersonal vet). We think she has a kidney stone or something because she's been showing signs of pain. She's still eating and acts normal for the most part, but every once in a while she'll cry and will then stand still, staring at the ground until the pain passes. I'm really worried about her.



It's so strange being at a vet's office that also takes care of horses and cattle. That was so new to me. The first time we went, when I heard this one guy next to me say "I'm picking up that heifer..." well it was official. We really are living in the country.

It also dawned on me how true that is when I told Mom that the day we take Maddie in for observation we can just pass the time shopping. The secretary laughed and asked where we would go... because there is nowhere to go. (Unless you count just aimlessly driving down country roads).

In other news, my brother is being tested for Multiple Sclerosis today, but I really don't think he has it. Not at all.

And in good news, my cousin just had her 3rd baby this morning. (She was born a little after we dropped Maddie off. We were waiting in the parking lot for Tractor Supply to open when a pretty pic of the baby was sent). She had another C-section. (All her kids have been). I haven't seen her in years, but when she was younger she used to spend several weeks at our house during the summer.





Well it happened again. History repeated itself. I keep saying I miss having a cat and then one day a cat magically appears and refuses to leave.

A couple weeks ago, right before sunset, my mother saw this black cat walking the neighbor's field. The kitty looked hungry and was meowing nonstop, so when Mom called after it he ran up to her. (And thank goodness because he was headed towards the road where a lot of big trucks travel down).

We gave him food and water, and then he howled on the front porch for a while. The next morning he returned, and when we left the house to run errands he was sitting on our front porch.

A couple hours later we get back.... (with cat food and his own bowls. Pathetic, right?) ... and he's gone.
Or so we thought because when I went to the craft building he came running after me and howling.

When he was first here he was a CHATTY thing, and initially we thought he was a female, but upon closer inspection we discovered that "Chatty Cathy" isn't only not as chatty as before, but isn't a Cathy at all... anatomically speaking. Lol!





This meant we had to nix the old moniker and come up with a more fitting one, so henceforth we've named him "Toby Tyler." (From the Disney movie). It's fitting because the character Toby ran away to the circus, and I think that's what this cat is doing. We're his circus. Right now Toby is lounging on the front porch as always, and in the shade... as he should be seeing how the heat index - or actual temperature - is always in the 100's these days.

Oh, and Toby left me a gift for feeding him by way of a dead lizard beneath the broom I use to sweep the porch every day. (And here I was so glad that his mere presence was chasing the lizards AWAY from our house).

I feel really bad about that, but I guess I can appreciate the sentiment.





By the way, this cat refuses to walk in a straight line. He weaves through your legs. (My mother even caught him doing that with our fence in the backyard late one night). He spends all day either sitting on the porch or in the garden bed, and I swear he wants to be held but I won't because I don't want him thinking he lives here. (And I want to protect my 3 dogs). Besides, whenever you show affection toward this guy he starts drooling. (Ack!) I looked that up online and apparently some cats do that. I think he's starving for attention. He actually hugged me once. (Well, to me it was a hug. Being a cat, he was probably just saying that I'm his human and he's my feline overlord).

It's kind of hard to see in the pictures, but he has really pretty coloring and his tail is so fluffy and l-o-n-g. I've never seen such a long tail on a cat before. He's also really tall and long. I think he has Burmese in him.

I wonder if he was ever an indoor cat because he isn't afraid of our dogs and he tries so hard to get inside the house every time I open the door. (Which is getting really annoying because the girls won't stop barking at him).



Speaking of pictures: The other day he was HILARIOUS. He came running toward me with something in his mouth. I was afraid it was another "gift" via another dead lizard, but instead it was just a HUGE clump of dead grass stuck to his whiskers. It completely covered his nose and mouth. I wish I had a picture of it because it looked like an extremely long mustache. Lol! I think he got it while scooting out from underneath the craft building. I think when he gets scared of the mower he hides under there.



He also made me laugh one other time. When he laid down on the porch his elbow landed deep inside his water dish. He just pretended like it wasn't happening by looking all around and just blinking up at me.

I'm not glad he's hanging out here, but at the same time I can't let him starve. I am worried about rabies and everything though. He is NOT coming inside with our dogs, even though I am heavily against people keeping their cats outdoors. I don't know if he ran away or was abandoned, but he seems to be our responsibility now.

After we get Izzy's yearly shots out of the way.... (Abby had hers this weekend, and Maddie's were done on her first vet visit)... I guess we'll get him his rabies shot. We already put flea meds on him since he refuses to leave us.






(Taken seconds before we walked out the door this morning. The photo looks a lot brighter than it actually was).


(The neighbor's dog always tells us Hello when he hears us outside. We named him "Buddy").




(Today Izzy had no idea that she picked up TWO babies at once. She loves to hide them from us).


(The toys Toby doesn't even know how to play with).


(I wish it weren't blurry, but it was a little cloudy and... as always... very humid. It's nearly impossible to take photos outdoors right now).


(Buddy: "Cat Alert!")




(Just about the only thing growing nicely right now. The heat has been really hard on the plants).


(It's nearly impossible to get a pic of this cat because he follows us e-v-e-r-y-w-h-e-r-e. With every step we take, he's at our side).



~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~♥~

Well I don't know how much more of this I can stand. I need a distraction until it's time to pick up Maddie.
I wonder how long this is gonna take?!

I wish I had given her her favorite bunny stuffed animal to keep with her. I did bring her blanket with our scent on it though. I'm really worried about her. It feels so strange not having her here. So, so strange. I don't like it.

We bought her a new stuffed animal today, but I don't think that's going to be a big enough present for what she's going through today.

I hope she knows that we'll be back to bring her home!





So they had our girl in there all day long. From their opening time at 7 am to closing at 5:30pm. Maddie was VERY happy to see us. Apparently, Maddie was not a happy girl there and who could blame her?

In the car and at home that girl drank... and drank... and drank... and drank water. This girl is so thirsty!

The results of the Cushing's test won't be in for a few weeks, but the good news is they said her kidneys are fine. So I guess whatever has been hurting her isn't likely a kidney stone. I wonder if it's from her recent shots or heartworm/flea meds?

I'm just so glad it isn't her kidneys. I just knew that's what it was, especially after this last bladder infection.