Came up for a breather from my basement office to find new rescue Sora-chan stretched out near her big sister Midori, sharing the sunlight. So cute!
Sora-chan continues to make progress. This is the first time I found her flaked out in the living room, a big move from her usual sleeping place under the bed : – ).
Final Sora-chan progress report for the day. First ever cuddle for our gradually warming new rescue! Lasted about five seconds, but we all sat on the living-room floor together, and she went round and round us, rubbing her head and chin on hands, feet, knees.
We’re marked now, and family for life. Thank you, Sora.
When new kitty is still hiding, it’s time to go fishing 
After half an hour of play, dunno who is more tired, me or her, but I know damn well she’ll be raring to go again soon!
Got a bite!
Mmm, yummy fake feathers. . . ?
Good way to get her on the cat tree — she still hasn’t been bold enough to try it on her own. Now she knows where it is, and is eyeing it appreciatively though it’s still too exposed for her comfort.
Look out, Yumi’s heron is going to get you!
We picked up Binky, a fixed 10-month-old female from the Vancouver SPCA today. We fell in love with her on a visit yesterday.
She’s a lovely grey, and we’re still debating what to call her. One option was Goma-chan, goma being Japanese for sesame, since her fur has that grey-blue sheen of ground black sesame seeds.
Another possibility is Sora-chan, or Sky.
“Chan” in both cases is a diminutive used in Japanese for children and close family, usually by seniors to juniors.
We’re leaning toward Sora-chan as it sounds softer.
Anyway, poor Binky/Goma/Sora is still freaked out after about six hours at our place. We were warned she was very shy, and while she was friendly and accepting to us in the shelter yesterday, I guess the trip and new surroundings frightened her.
Sounds like she’s had a trying life, passing through several SPCA shelters across BC before we scooped her.
We’re letting her be, not trying to pursue her or pick her up, and just letting her get used to us, and our home.
To give her time and space to acclimatize, we initially left her in the downstairs bathroom where her litter is, and even in there she kept trying to hide whenever we’d gently check on her, even disappearing into the washing machine. Yikes!
Eventually she made it upstairs on her own, and poked her head into the living room, saw us, and slunk off into the kitchen where she squeezed in between a buffet and a corner wall for an hour or two.
Now she’s hiding under my computer desk in my office, and I’m quietly talking to her as I write this post.
We know she’ll come around, but are admittedly a bit taken aback at how frightened she got.
Take your time Sora-chan. We know you’ll warm up and become a welcome addition to the family.
NOTE: I’ve been careful to take these photos as non-threateningly as possible, and closeups are with a telephoto.
Can’t see me!
Where are you? Oh!
Look at this beauty. . .
Made it up the stairs and into the kitchen on her own steam, but slunk off behind a buffet as soon as she saw that we saw her.
Didn’t want to come out, but enjoyed chin scratches back there, with no meowing, or hissing. There was even a bit of purring.
This is a big step for us, we mourned the passing of our dear Choco nearly six months ago for a long time. But we’re elated to have a new kitty in the house, and look forward to years of burgeoning love and affection.
Midori visiting Beacon Hill Park in Victoria. We took her with us for the long weekend. She’s actually a great traveler, despite what turtle books say about changes of scene causing stress. She loves looking out the window when the car is moving. Dunno what the heck she sees. . .
NOTE: We’ve had ‘Dori for nearly 25 years, and we do not recommend turtles as pets. They require care and attention like any living thing, and because she’s a wild animal and not native to BC, we have permits from the government.
Yeah, I know, invasive red-eared sliders are all over the place, and that’s precisely the point. Either you take care of it for 25+ years, or don’t get one and then dump it, eh?
This gorgeous cat greeted us in Edinburgh several times. We began looking forward to seeing it, and were disappointed if we didn’t encounter it heading out to, or coming back from, our explorations.
Walking the family dogs in the rice fields in Aomori Prefecture in northern Japan a couple of weeks ago.
Jun, the little female, was new to the family and a bit uncertain about going for long walks far from her new home, but quickly warmed to the activity.
She got a tad freaked out a couple of times, and needed some reassurance, and Eito, the older dog, wondered why the heck she was getting special treatment.
Walking rain, sleet, snow, or sunshine!
Rewarded with a rainbow
We saw a few of these raptors soaring over the fields and forests. Got this shot at max zoom with my pocket Canon SX730HS.
She leaves huge holes in our hearts, and we will miss her terribly.
Glad to have our frail fuzzbutt home after 30 hours on an IV at the vet’s.
After days of anxiety and near-sleepless nights keeping a close eye on her, it’s a relief that she’s eating and pooping again after not taking anything but fluids for several days.
I have to admit to feeling relief when the vet said she should stay overnight. We were bagged. Better for her, and better for us. You have to know your limitations.
Her blood work is not too bad, but her kidneys are weak.
Yes, quality of life issues are front of mind, and a friend has put us in touch with a vet who specializes in home visits for quality of life assessment/end of life if she starts heading downhill again.
Sigh.
Cute bandage, eh?
No, not quite yet, at 5lbs you’re still skin and bones.
A bit later: watching her eat with eagerness and enjoyment not seen in weeks nearly brought tears to my eyes. . . You go girl!
It’s been an exhausting week. but we still have our love bug.
Choco the Cat was diagnosed with diabetes earlier this year, despite being a skinny gal all her life.
An adult rescue, we’re not sure of her exact age, but she’s around 16 years old. We welcomed her to our family in August, 2005.
The vet recommended insulin shots twice a day, and we’ve been administering them.
Over the last week she suffered a couple of seizures.
The seizures were terrifying for her, and for us. Thankfully Yumi was still awake the first time it happened, heard something strange and ran down to see what was going on.
Choco was convulsing, and Yumi brought her to bed, placed her in my arms, and Choco tucked her head under my chin, and clenched her front paws around my neck as if to say, “Help me Daddy!”
Yumi quickly prepared and administered a sugar solution, and Choco came back from the brink.
She was at the vet’s all of the following day on an IV. She’s come back a bit, is eating and drinking.
We are struggling with quality of life issues, but as long as she’s happy cuddling, still eating, drinking, and eliminating, and not having more seizures, we’ll give her the best care and attention possible.
She’s having a blissful cuddle with Mommy as I write this 
.
Damn we love her.
Relaxed in Yumi’s arms.
UPDATE: 10/20
Choco and I just watched an entire football game like this. I’m going to need a shoulder transplant. . . 
At her request I had the sound turned down so low that I could barely hear the game.
There was also a ban on backseat quarterbacking, general yelling, and jumping up and down ;-).