I Don’t Know What Conceited Means, But It Must Be A Compliment! (Finnegan’s Diary)

May 8, 2024 Carol Ann Erhardt2 Comments

Dear Diary,

Mommy is busy cleaning the kitchen, so I snuck onto her iPad so I can update what’s been happening. I’m doing great. The sickies are all gone finally. I’ve been playing with my sister and all the little mice in my toy box. And mommy says she’s happy to hear me purring again.

I think I gave my germs to mommy because she’s the one who is coughing a lot now. But she tells me it is only allergies.

I’m still sticking close to mommy. I like to take my naps on the sofa next to her. My sister, Fergie, sneaks up sometimes and then mommy has to be at the far end of the sofa to make room for both of us. Fergie sleeps stretched out, but I like to curl up and put my head on the pillow.

Fergie and I both like the window bed above mommy’s desk. It’s big enough that both of us can sleep there, but Fergie won’t share with me. I try.

I’d like to play wrestle with her, but she always runs under the futon. So then we play slap at each other. I’m always gentle and never open my claws but she always bites at me. Mommy says that’s because her previous mommy had all her claws removed, even from her back feet. I can’t imagine having such a thing done. But I’m always gentle with her.

Last week a lady came to visit mommy and she brought her baby. Oh, how I loved that baby. The little ones are my favorites. When she started to cry before they left, I wanted to help. I didn’t get too close, but I was concerned and watched to make sure the lady didn’t hurt her. I hope they come back again.

A couple days ago, I was sitting in front of the storm door watching a lady walk her dog. When she saw me, she stopped and took a picture of me. I’m so handsome nobody can resist loving me. Mommy says I’m conceited. I don’t know what the word means, but I’m sure it means I’m very special.

Well, gotta go. I have things to do and toys to play with.

Love, Finnegan

Finnegan's Diary

Yucky Antibiotics (Finnegan’s Diary)

May 1, 2024 Carol Ann Erhardt3 Comments

I’ve been a sick boy, but I’m feeling better now. Mommy has been giving me some yucky antibiotics. She says I have to take them for another week. Meowy boo!l

I should be glad because I’m not struggling to breathe and my nose isn’t all clogged up. I still want and need to be as close to mommy as possible.

Before when I was coughing so hard, she would comfort me. And she wiped my nose with the white thing in the box…the same ones she wipes her nose with. I haven’t been coughing for a couple of days now.

Mommy says she doesn’t know where I got this bad sick stuff. She thought it might have started with allergies so now we don’t have open windows and the A/C is running. She also went back to our regular litter in case the other stuff was the reason. But she also thinks I might have been exposed in the vet’s office. I go there to get my nails clipped. All I know is I’m glad I feel better.

I’m going to get in my window bed now and take a nap. Thanks for all your good thoughts and prayers. Mommy and I love you all.

Love, Finnegan

Finnegan's Diary

When They Can’t Talk (Finnegan’s Diary)

April 24, 2024 Carol Ann Erhardt8 Comments

Usually Wednesdays are reserved for Finnegan to post in his online “diary.” This is his mommy writing today. Finnegan has been dealing with illness now for about a month. He is eating and using the litter box as usual, but something is off in his little body.

He has awful coughing fits, sneezing, and general fatigue. After a bout of antibiotics he seemed to be doing better, but then he relapsed. The doctor who examined him had said he most likely needed to be put on allergy meds after the antibiotics. She prescribed over the counter Chlor-Trimeton, generic name Chlorpheniramine Maleate. Since this medication is rarely used in this day and age, I had to search to find it. Finally had success at CVS Pharmacy. I started his regimen on Thursday last week. It totally changed his pleasant personality to one of hissing and scratching. A grouchy guy. After three days of giving him this, I stopped it. I hadn’t seen any change in his symptoms at all.

The coughing and sneezing continued on Sunday, seemingly worse. So I took him to the vet’s office again on Monday. He has anxiety purring, so he immediately began purring when they tried to examine him. He purred so continually they couldn’t listen to his heart. They tried everything, even to holding his back feet in the air so only his front paws touched the table. But the purring continued. She thought taking his temperature might stop the purring…but no. His temp was normal and his eyes and nose seemed clear. The x-ray machine was down so she couldn’t get a new x-ray of his neck. The lung x-rays from a few weeks prior showed the possibility of an upper respiratory infection or allergies. Thus, the antibiotics.

We returned lighter in pocket with no answers. She asked me to capture videos of his coughing, which I’ve been trying to do. I’ve caught the tail end of several and emailed to her. Waiting to hear next steps.

In the meantime, Finnegan continues to rest close to me, especially enjoying lying on my clothes. I took him in the bathroom while I showered this morning hoping the steam and heat might help. He decided to curl up on my bra and underpants on the counter and purr until I needed to rescue my clothes to get dressed.

Doctor mentioned he might possibly have asthma. Sigh. We are simply in a waiting period right now. He isn’t desperately ill, but not wanting to play at all. Just eat and sleep. He doesn’t even bug me for food any longer. Comes quietly when I put food down.

If you are prayer warriors and not adverse to praying for pets, both he and I would like prayers of wisdom for the doctors and relief for Finnegan. I believe God cares. He wouldn’t have given us animals if He didn’t. Finnegan will be back soon to share his opinions again.

Finnegan's Diary

She Didn’t Hide! (Finnegan’s Diary)

April 10, 2024 Carol Ann Erhardt

Yesterday the big machine came to mow the grass. Last year Fergie would dive under the cover on the bed. I don’t know why she does that. We can clearly see the big lump she makes! Yesterday she didn’t do that. Mommy was on the sofa taking a short nap so little sister curled up next to her and snuggled close. I think she’s figured out that we can depend on Mommy to keep us safe.

Fergie still dives under the cover on the bed when Mommy runs the noisy thing that eats everything on the carpet. I’m much braver.

Mommy also told me I don’t need to be writing in my diary every week. She says I can do that if something really funny or interesting happens. She thinks I’m boring telling about all the same things all the time. So, I won’t be here every week. I’ll still be around and updating but not as often.

She told me I could share a few pictures she took of me napping yesterday. I guess I do move around a lot. Don’t forget me, I will be back again.

Bye for now!

Finnegan's Diary

Rain, Dark Skies, and Mommy’s Lap

April 3, 2024 Carol Ann Erhardt2 Comments

It’s me, Finnegan, here to let you know how things are going. I’m feeling better, but now Mommy has to pick up some medicine again because the vet called yesterday and said I had roundworms. These are parasites that live in the intestines. Mommy did research and said they can cause coughing if they move into the lungs. Since I do cough and have since she brought me home, she wants to talk to the doctor. Since I’m a strictly indoor guy, it’s most likely I got this when I was lost before Cat Welfare took me in.

I’m feeling fine, though and not looking forward to having that thing in my mouth to shoot stuff down my throat. I love Mommy, so I’ll be good.

It’s been raining a lot with dark skies. Mommy says the pond is really high. She’s going out to take pictures soon. As for me, I try to keep my mommy calm when the storms roll in. I’m always close to her and lately I’ve been enjoying relaxing on her lap. We watch television and she says sometimes I snore. I don’t believe her because I don’t hear it.

When I’m most relaxed I like to sleep on my back and mommy’s lap is the best place to do this.

My sister, Fergie, has been quiet. Because she sometimes gets into my window bed in Mommy’s office, it was causing a problem. I tried to climb in with her, but she’s stingy and won’t let me. Mommy made a comfy spot next to her on the desk with a folded towel. So I sleep there a lot. I like it because it’s closer to her.

That’s about all the update on me this week. I’m guarding my diary space so Fergie can’t sabotage it again…I hope.