Small hours shock: RIP Linnie

Lying in bed some time after 2, wondering how much it would disrupt the two cats cuddling me, Worrals and Ace, I felt feet walk up me, and a familiar face comes over the edge of the duvet.
"Hello Linnie," I said. "Don't walk on Worrals, she'll hit you." I was wondering how to incorporate 3 cats in my bed without bad language, and Linnie jumped onto the bedside table - and promptly fell off onto the bed.
At first, I was saying, "What are you up to, you prune?" when I could see he was lying as if he couldn't get up.
Plan A is always shriek for Simon.
And withing 2 minutes, having twitched and emptied his bladder, our King of Kisses, Prince of Daftness and Pontiff of Prunery was gone.  Five years old and gone.  He had a heart murmur but he was so full of life... that afternoon he had been out in the run, climbing about.  And now he's gone.  I am still very much in shock, but I want to share celebration pictures of our lovely boy.

"Has anybody here seen Kelly?"

So, last year we lost two and gained 5 cats.  I count losing Saffron as last year though she lived into January, her illness was last year.
I am not going to share the last pics I took unless asked.  I want to remember her as she should have been.
Meanwhile, some gratuitous pictures of a selection of cats.  This post sees rare pics of to of  the Grumpy Old Sods [Onyx, Scampi and Leo] and appears to mostly feature Kelly.
I sing "Has anybody here seen Kelly?"  and he pops up, "Yes, here I am!"
His bum is up and down, we've moved to Carny, a German grain-free food, but he seems only to be able to tolerate one meal of wet food a day, so tough luck the rest as he's a little tea leaf.  I have old sheets and towels covering everywhere as he is still farting wet ones in his sleep, which I'm currently wiping with antibacterial wipes and will have a big throw out of stained fabrics when it is decent enough weather to expect things to dry on the washing line if he has an accident on actual bedlinen or furniture.  His bum I'm doing with witchazel and aloe vera pads for haemorrhoids which seem to be soothing him.  We had one night without more than a tiny turd on the sofa, but then he skanked wet food ... we are winning.  And as he gets older things should improve as well.

Kelly and Dora

Pixy, contemplating which of her brothers to whack next

Somewhere in that hole is Gypsy and Kelly means to get him

Piper loves all his big brothers.  Here he is with Onyx

Got him!  Scampi eating ...

and another of Scampi!

Linnie, just because

Kelly and Linnie's tail

Cecil

No pics of Ace-all-over-the-place, he's greased lightning. But he is helping mumy and daddy by being a scarf overnight for one of the at a time.  Piper is still the guinea pig, or Chuchundra for Kipling fans.

R.I.P Sweetie Saffron

Today we asked Dr Annaliese to come out to give Saffron the big needle.  We actually booked it on Friday, because she had lost so much weight over the previous week, and we spent the weekend cuddling her and feeding her on prawns, mackerel, salmon and chicken.  By Saturday afternoon we knew we had made the correct decision as she couldn't jump any more.  By Sunday night scrambling onto the divan was an effort.
Saffron lay in Simon's arms, quite contented, while Annaliese made the injection, complaining a little that it was cold, and quietly and gently died, snuggled up to him.
We miss her already.   She is buried next to Leila and we bought some bulbs and marigold seeds to plant over our little marigold coloured Sweetie.

Saffron in her prime.  This is the Saffron we remember, not the poor little lady she became

Linnie cuddled Saffron for her last few days and didn't leave her at all overnight.  He sat on Simon's lap with her until the vet actually arrived, and kissed her. 

Week one of the new year but Piper steals the showf

Four way cuddle puddle; we got a new cat bed courtesy of Freecycle and the rubbish tip trio are joined here by Rosie, and you can't even see the bed beneath them as they fill it ....

we got another cat storage tower [the one to the left of the pic] and I thought the arrangement by reflection of stripy and orange cats was amusing, from left to right Linnie, Cecil, Saffron, Dora

Piper just went and sat on Cecil

I love pics where they cuddle each other -this is the new bed

for the toe fetishists; Piper sticks his feet up in the air

I love this tummy shot. He's not as fat as he looks, a lot of it is floof

Gratuitous pictures up to the end of the year

I love the way Cecil's tail dangles off the edge of the 'penthouse'

Linnie loves his kitties, here he is washing Piper

I fell asleep and was promptly colonised

"You won't get away with stealing food, little brother."  "Watch me try." 

brothers 

Worrals... one of my better pics of her 

they all love the 'igloo'.  Gypsy's toes just for those of you who love toes

Saffron loves cuddling daddy.  It was cold so she insisted on being IN the dressing gown

Pixy doesn't stay still long enough unless she's asleep, to get a clear pic!

Pixy encroaching on Worrals.  we have an armed truce here... 

Linnie has been cuddling and looking after Saffron, he is a good boy.  In the background, Rosie has also stayed close.  I can't think it will be much longer before we have to give her the Last Gift.  But she still loves guzzling gourmet gold, and purrs when cuddled.

Saffron and the gang, overdue update

Saffron's lump came back so quickly, and the vet told us that it was not in a good place.  If it had been on her hip, removing the leg to get rid of it all would have been an option, but that as it was, they could not cut it out.  We were advised that these type of sarcomas cause no pain, but if she found it uncomfortable when it got really big we could look at pain killers, and otherwise pamper her for as long as she has. 
She has three lumps now which have grown pretty big, but she doesn't seem to notice. She sleeps on her left side as well as her right so they plainly don't trouble her.  She washes them as well as the rest of her, and she's back to her cuddly self.  Here are some gratuitous pictures of Saffron.

with Linnie

with Cecil

with Rosie.  the lump is plainly visible in this one. 

So what else is happening?  well the run is a hit, but I wish they wouldn't roll on the snack grass and kill it and then dig up and poop in the compost.  We've been outside with people on leads as often as we can, and Leo, who hates things going over his head has declared he is trustworthy without a lead.  He isn't that fast a mover, but he is now exploring all the garden and enjoying himself no end.  He has learned to go to the door and yell, but it doesn't always make the slaves obey.

Rebel likes the old rocking chair

Toddles ate right up to the end of September, he's now safely tucked away for the winter

I love this one of Dora

Worrals believes in comfort

and another one of Leo just because.  He's on the lead here, an earlier pic, but a nice one of him

So who isn't pictured?  Gypsy!  here's one of Gypsy with the butterfly toy we bought them [which Worrals nabbed, ran off with and broke a little bit in about 3 seconds!]  Note the shredded cardboard on the floor, from one of those perennially favoured toys, a box.

Onyx is a little elusive, but he has been coming downstairs, especially after we lit the stove

Scampi and Leila are not keen on photos.  However, Scampi sleeps all night on Simon, and Leila has been being brought down and is starting to accept having new territory.  She's still an ailurophobe though.