h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I added more photos of Benjamin, amongst other things.
http://public.fotki.com/Mudhooks/benjamin_and_other/

hi Mudhooks,

What a photogenic beast he is! Unlike myself - went to get my photo taken for my national identity card the other day (eek!) Well, it isn't half as scary as my passport photo but that's about all I can say for it.

az

I know what you mean.

I have had some truly horrifying photos taken for ID cards and passports.

I was just about to pop off to be. It is nigh on 3 am, here and I have to be up for 8... Silly moi.

"Gosh, I hope you're not one of those that go around saying - 'You know, I just eat and *eat* and EAT and I simply cannot put on weight!'"

I used to be like that. I was 9- ish stone right up until my 16th birthday.

I cannot smile in my photos. I look sullen. Smiling makes me look like a git.

<< I used to be like that. I was 9- ish stone right up until my 16th birthday.>>

Yeah, and yet you are still skinny and eat a lot. So I have no alternative but to HATE you!

As for not smiling in photos, I hear ya. I tend to get this very weird expression on my face that is something between a smile and somthing else - a grimace? Really, the best photos I have of me are ones that were taken without me realising it.

az

Well, not skinny as such. With mild padding, one might say. But if you say so .

Oh come now, you're not looking so bad in those photos you've posted online. But I know the expression well, too. I have this weird smile, that makes my top lip curl under itself.... my smile is 90% gum.

Hi Az,

If the photos of Leah didn't get through to you via email, here's a link to a small selection on Fotki (for which idea, many thanks) which you may also find in my new Journal entry:

http://public.fotki.com/Chaiwallah/leah_rose/

hi Chai,

I still haven't received the photos of Leah you sent to my email - how strange! Anyhow, loved the fotki photos - you must let us know when you update the album.


I think this weekend I am going to start working on a new album about various places in Spain I have visited.

az

Hey Az! How are you doing?

hi Mudhooks,

Long time no see. Cold enough fer ya? Check back on the last time you smacked your head and I will email you about that, okay?

kissitos,
az

More photos? Famous spanish places? I cannot wait.

Oh, no, I don't have any trouble putting on weight. I'm just terrified of gaining weight, weigh myself every day, work out like a fiend and watch what I eat. You know, that kinda stuff.

I've watched my mother struggle and complain about her weight and constantly diet throughout my life, and I don't want to get in that position myself!

Yes, I've seen the cat pix! Lovely, all.

Mars is now 5 months old and 9.3 pounds, but has develope some kind of mouth inflammation that so far is flummoxing the vets. It first presented itself as a swollen lymph node on the right side of his throat. His gums also were inflamed. They were hoping it was just that he was teething, but then a sore developed on the right side of his mouth, just on the edge of his lip.

He's tested positive for FIP (feline AIDS, they call it), but the doctor says he can't believe that's right, because cats that have that are usually anorexic, and Mars is eating well and gaining weight every week. Soooooo, now they have him on a second, two-week round of antibiotics and then will look at him again. Sigh.

Oops, forgot the kilo translation. 9.3 pounds = 4.2 kilos.

unfortunatly its quite rampent among cats but not a death sentence allthough it will mean segregation from healthy cats ,if you breed from him kittens will carry disease ,so bear that in mind,however i have known several cats who have lived long and "reletively" healthy lifes with ,very few side effects to the disease.

Thanks, Logicus. We are freaking out of course. I know almost nothing about this illness.

We can't breed him anyway; have an agreement with the breeder to have him neutered, so that's not an issue. But him possibly infecting our healthy older cat *is* an issue. She's safe for now. They got off on the wrong foot, so we've been keeping her segregated in our bedroom. Hate to think of having to do that forever, though!

My vet told me that FIV, unlike people HIV, can't be caught by humans. It can, however, be transferred to other cats. There is a new vaccine, just newly available for the prevention of FIV: http://www.aafponline.org/aafp_fiv.htm

Information sheet: http://www.fabcats.org/is2.html
FIV forum: http://www.poose.de/englisch/project/project.html (you'll like this one!)

Cornell University site: http://web.vet.cornell.edu/Public/FHC/fiv.html

Good veteranary website: http://www.marvistavet.com/ and thier page on FIV: http://www.marvistavet.com/html/owning_an_fiv__cat.html

By the way, unless your cats are prone to fighting, you needn't keep them separated. You would need to keep your infected cat indoors, however, for the protection of other cats, and for its protection from illnesses from other cats.

hi Big Red,

That is such a shame about Mars, poor thing. And poor you! Someone gave me a cat calendar for my birthday with photos of cats on it (close ups of face and eyes) and January was a Maine Coon. Gorgeous!

If he is eating well and growing then perhaps he will recover fully. I hope so.

az

Yes, he doesn't act sick AT ALL. His new thing is climbing up to the top of his scratching post and teetering atop it. He slid right off onto the floor the other night. Pretty funny! He also likes to sit under or beside my exercise bike while I pedal away.

Thanks for all the advice and information, Mudhooks. We have an agreement with the breeder not to let him outside, either, so that's also not an issue. But he and Tabitha fought constantly (well, he plays; SHE fights), so that's why they're in apartheid now. I'll check out the Web sites for more info.

We also can still hope it's a false positive. The vet himself doesn't believe it.