Further progress report from the Ark

   In my last Ark, I told of the death of Indie and the health problems of Hero and Storm. After in-patient treatment by our vet's branch at Brioux, both cats are doing well, looking less bedraggled and eating well. We are keeping a close eye on all our felines to check that they are not coming down with the same poisoning syndrome, but so far all is well. The treatment of the two invalids with vitamin K tablets is continuing, much to the animals displeasure and scratches to the administrators.
    The new toilet is in place and is much appreciated, we sit there with smiles on our faces and can flush away the results with the press of a button rather than by filling a bucket. I must express my thanks to our helpful neighbour Ian, who fitted it and researched the cheapest model at Castorama. The Niort store was most helpful, not only did they have the model in stock at a very low price but they advised us to buy fixing screws and a stop valve and helped us to load the heavy package on the van. I would recommend them most highly.

   Bye for now, breakfast calls.

  PS Kim has a horrid cold so we are not going to Church for fear of infecting the congregation. I shall be looking after her at home.

Ark Update

The last Ark told of the death of Indie. At the time, we thought this as due to his condition, the culmination of a lifetime struggle against coryza, together with the trauma of his op. Since then, we have had two other cats go down with the same symptoms, refusing to eat and an increasing lassitude.  On Tuesday, we took Storm and Hero to the vet at Brioux, as the local surgery at Chef had no appointments free. We suspected an infectious epidemic, but the vets checked for poisoning, and found both cats had a substance in their blood. She suspected rat poison and administered an antidote, together with rehydration. The cats were kept in until this morning, when the vet agreed we could collect them as they were much better and showing interest in food again. This afternoon, we installed them in the lounge, tempting them with various treats and I a pleased to report they are showing progress. We checked for poisons in all the out-buildings without success. The vet suggested the victims may have eaten a poisoned rat and I did in fact find a huge rat in the cour, dead with a wound in it's throat.

  We'll keep you posted on their progress. 

  To change the subject, our toilet stopped flushing a couple of days ago, and we asked Ian,our neighbour to check it for us. He bought a new syphon for us but had severe problems fitting it. Our loo is a bit of an antique imported from Britain and the replacement wouldn't fit. Ian advised replacing the whole WC so we're going to Niort tomorrow to buy a unit. In the meantime, its being flushed by buckets of water! My DIY wood suround will have to go, unfortunately.

It's been a problematical few days for the Ark and its crew, but thing can only get better,I hope...bye for now   

Another sad loss for the Ark--death of Indie.

It seems that bad news comes, not as single spies but in battalions. Following the news of the death of Minimus earlier in the month, we now have to announce the sad loss of Indie, a much younger cat.
  This was particularly poignant, as she had just recovered from an op to reset her leg after being knocked down in the road behind our house. The plaster and  external splint had been removed, and she was starting to play and run about. It's true that she has never enjoyed good health, being often on antibiotics for coryza and breathing difficulties, but the latest bout was different, she stopped eating and was limp and sleepy. We took her to the vet yesterday, who was puzzled by her symptoms , a low temperature and white cell count. He treated her as best he could but warned us that she might die during the weekend, a forecast which was unfortunately correct, as she expired peacefully in her sleep last night.
  Bye bye, Indie, we shall long remember your good nature and affection.

Bye for now, can't say any more..

Another sad loss for words he Ark--death of Indie.

It seems that bad news comes, not as single spies but in battalions. Following the news of the death of Minimus earlier in the month, we now have to announce the sad loss of Indie, a much younger cat.
  This was particularly poignant, as she had just recovered from an op to reset her leg after being knocked down in the road behind our house. The plaster and  external splint had been removed, and she was starting to play and run about. It's true that she has never enjoyed good health, being often on antibiotics for coryza and breathing difficulties, but the latest bout was different, she stopped eating and was limp and sleepy. We took her to the vet yesterday, who was puzzled by her symptoms , a low temperature and white cell count. He treated her as best he could but warned us that she might die during the weekend, a forecast which was unfortunately correct, as she expired peacefully in her sleep last night.
  Bye bye, Indie, we shall long remember your good nature and affection.

Bye for now, can't say any more..

Sad decease of Minimus

   Yes, it's true, the Ark's crew has been reduced by one. After a short illness, and several days of refusing to eat, Minimus died yesterday. She was one of our first cats, so must have been quite old. We decided not to take her to the vet, he would have advised euthanasia, and we wanted her to die at peace, asleep in her bed, which she did yesterday evening. A touching sight was Phyllis licking the dying cat, as if to offer comfort. As soon as Minimus stopped breathing, Phyllis walked off...
   She was a very small cat as her name implies, and a bit scatty, as if her minute head wouldn't hold much sense but she will be missed nevertheless. Her parting leaves us with a dozen cats, so the Ark is in no danger of being catless!

   Bye for now, coffee is calling.

Update first of November

     I see I haven't written a blog since the first of October and the calendar says it's the first of November. Not that the sunshine and mild temperatures seem to confirm that date, but still...We have settled back into the routine, apart from some modifications caused by my health, such as a sieste after dinner. I'm still not driving, so Kim ferries us about, a bit of a worry, this, as we are reliant on one driver, and Kim's wrist is still painful after her break on May 26th. When consulted, our doctor says she has algoneurodystrophy, a painful condition which can last up to three years! I shall have to get permission to drive asap but the continuing weakness of my left arm means this will be some time yet. Still, it is steadily improving from Kine and home exercise and we hope that the doctor will give the all-clear soon.
  A more cheerful report about the recovery of our cat Indie knocked down in the road second of September , she had a badly broken rear leg and tail. The vet at Brioux X-rayed her and fitted her with  an external support over a plaster cast . After limping around for weeks, this was removed and she now runs and plays as before. The tail, however, hung limp, and the hair fell off the end third, which disappeared while we were away! She is left with a short stump which doesn't seem to be an inconvenience. The sole reminder is a hairy vet's bill which we are paying off in instalments....

We still haven't lit the log-burner, though we are lighting the gaz fired heater in the evenings as it gets chilly after dark.

  That's all the news for the moment, bye for now!