.
After their slightly tardy breakfast yesterday, Master Sparrow introduced Mrs and Mrs Cowbird to some of his flock.
“And here we have a bathing pool for your convenience.“
“Fresh water supplied daily.”
“Now, you lot. I want you to behave while I go about other business!”
And with that, Master Sparrow was off…
As soon as he took flight, the splashing began..
.
Two Lady Sparrows entertained Mr Cowbird to divert his attention from the water festival…
..and Master Sparrow had circled back to read the riot act to his flock.
“Missus, have you any cages handy? To lock up my flock?”
“Oh you never would! Would you?”
“Yes I jolly well would. Bath and be quick about it!”
“I’m not hanging around here to get locked up!”
“Nah. He just got off his twig on the wrong side.”
.
.
Meanwhile a Pigeon Scout came by to evaluate our station…
“I say, Mrs Dove, is it always this raucous?“
“Please sample our seed Mrs P.” urged Master Sparrow from his bush.
“I didn’t know there would be photographs!”
“Please get my better side.”
“Well this has been an experience.”
“I’ll put in a report to my flock.”
“You’ll be hearing back from us.”
.
That was the birds sorted.
Indoors, an unusual sight.
Willow sharing a perch with Patches!
This is a first. Willow is a loner and Patches is leery of her.
Willow seemed not pleased to have the event captured!
Patches must have jumped up while she was asleep.
Then the not great news.
Friday afternoon Lucy seemed anxious to talk to me. She poked me a couple of times and said “meow”. It’s something she used to do but not so much lately.
“What’s up, Lucy?” I asked.
Not long after she was sitting in her old chair that Willow had claimed possession of.
So clearly it was a territory issue.
The cats sort out their own issues, so no worries.
Overnight, the cats are always is their favourite positions. Saturday night suddenly:”Where’s Lucy?”
Searching around, I eventually found her on the floor beside one of the perches where she sleeps. “What are you doing there?” I asked.
She meandered around as if looking for something and then Willow joined in, so I figured it was a mouse or something. I put my light out.
Yesterday morning progressed as normal, with Lucy proudly in her reclaimed chair.
Lunchtime came while I was on the phone and Grant came around with the kibble. I saw him stop by Lucy with a puzzled look.
By now I ought to know when I ask a cat “what’s up?” that there is indeed something up. If a cat’s behaviour changes, there is a message, but Lucy was behaving normally, except for those minor things I mentioned.
We discovered, to our alarm, that Lucy appeared to have gone blind.
She only has one eye and it is always fairly dilated, but when Grant took a good look at her yesterday, the eye was totally black, completely dilated.
Over-reacting to problems with pets can be an expensive and not necessarily useful exercise. Lucy was fine in every other way and apparently not in pain.
So we would get her to the vet today.
But as is so often the case with these things, today is a public holiday.
If money was no object, I daresay we would have taken Lucy to an emergency clinic, but they are all at least an hour’s drive from here. I read that hypertension can cause eye problems in cats and if that was Lucy’s case, subjecting her to a long ride in a carrier would not be helpful. She really hates it.
So we wait. Tomorrow I have an appointment myself. It may snow. But somehow we will get Lucy to the vet.
In the meantime, while I have been writing, Lucy is sleeping behind me. I heard a cough and got up to see which cat it was. Lucy lifted her head.
“Look at me Lucy!” I said and gently tilted her chin.
The eye is no longer super-dilated. It has reverted to looking at is does in the above photograph.
But how well she can see is unclear and we must get her checked out as soon as possible.
Blind cats can manage very well, but in a house that tends to be somewhat chaotic, we would have to make adjustments.
Whatever needs doing will be done, needless to say.
Thank you, Carolyn, for tonight’s entertaining musing! Some of the conversation could be heard in my garden as all the birds have similar concerns.
Joanna
The birds make a great story for a children’s book Carolyn!
Hoping for the best outcome for Lucy…..
I understand the anxiety we feel, when one of our kitties is having issues. 😒
It is indeed a water festival of sorts going on in your garden – I really like the pictures (and the play)! Good luck with Lucy – hopefully the vet can look after her soon 💌.
Fingers crossed that Lucy’s eye can be treated.
Best wishes, Pete.