life with Stubby, the 3 legged Wondercat

My extended nest time can get kind of lonely since I don't feel like going out much... and even when I do, there's not really anyone to hang out with. I am slowly morphing into that "crazy cat lady"... although I currently only have one cat. I've thought about getting a kitten-- I even looked into getting one from the local animal shelter. The fee is $75, which includes their shots and spaying or neutering. I think Stubby would appreciate the company... and we just enjoyed Bitty soooo much.

Don't get me wrong... Stubby is great company. He greets me every time I walk into a room. Our lovely new living room suite is Stubby's territory. His favorite spot is the big ottoman but he also is known to perch on the little step ladder that serves as my side table beside my nest... if the computer isn't on it. If the computer is on it, he climbs into the nest and acts like a king on his throne. He also has a nice window seat that I set up for him... an old pillow and some stuffed animals on a bookshelf set at *just the right height* for him to gaze into the backyard at "Woosa" (the roosters) and other real and imaginary friends he sees out there. He makes the oddest noises when he's in that window seat. It's almost like E.T. trying to phone home.

He tucks me in at night... as soon as he hears my squeaky bed and notices that the light has gone out... he assumes his guard position beside me and watches me until my eyes close. Once I get still and close my eyes and he thinks I'm asleep, he makes the same little one syllable "mow" and goes on to his other nocturnal pursuits. Whatever they are.

With so much space in our house "unclaimed" - meaning - I fairly always stick to the nest and Austin is either in his indoor nest (his room) or his outdoor nest (the carport). My cozy double bed is always available for him. The living room is also a mostly unused space and so Stubby has a couch, a loveseat, a big overstuffed chair and an ottoman to himself... sometimes, though, oddly, he will set up camp in the middle of the space between mine and Austin's bedroom doors... spread out like a beached whale in the middle of the floor. He's been stepped on enough times that if either one of us gets up and starts walking his way, he lets out a warning "meow".

Although... I don't know if this is true of all cats but Stubbs has more of a "mow" and sometimes even "ma"... so I usually refer to him as "mow-mow" (rhymes with cow-cow)...

I'm in no place to judge but Mow-Mow has gotten so fat that he looks like a walrus, minus the tusks. When he eats he SPRAWLS on the floor beside his "num nums"... too lazy to even stand up and eat. He demands fresh water frequently... even if his water bowl is more than half full, he will put up a fuss until I pick it up, pour out all the old water, clean the bowl and then refill it. Once I do... he's full of purrs and appreciation.

His num num bowl has to be full all the time too. If it's not... every time I come into the kitchen he complains. Sometimes I just take the food bag out and shake it over the bowl without really pouring any food out. That's good enough, he says. He just thinks that any time I get num nums, he should get num nums.

And he ALWAYS has to know what my num nums are. He's so nosy about the things I eat that I can't so much as bite my fingernails without him having to sniff at what I'm putting in my mouth. He's got a nose like a bloodhound... I had TOAST for breakfast this morning and he came running to check it out like the smell was as strong as liver and onions. As if. He always *thinks* he wants what I'm eating but if I put my bowl on the floor for him to have scraps... he's rarely interested. He's just nosy, I guess.

He's also figured out that if he nudges the cat food bag when I'm pouring, he'll get more num nums. He's very neat and tidy with his food area... I have caught him several times taking his paws and sweeping the num nums into a neat pile.

I don't know if I've told the story of how Stubby lost his leg... you see... he was born to a cat we had back when we lived in the trailer, right before I met Michael... apparently, during gestation, his umbilical cord got wrapped around his leg so it was all shriveled and useless when he was born. Mama Cat, doing what animals naturally do, rejected him and wouldn't allow him to nurse. Austin took pity on him and forced Mama Cat to accept him, holding him on Mama Cat to nurse. My mom took him to the vet and had the shriveled part of his leg amputated... and he has adapted well.

Of course, if there's anyone in the house that he hasn't met before he'll play the "disabled kitty" card and limp around like a pitiful little lame fella. Toss a treat out and he'll dash across the room faster than the speed of light. He is losing a little bit of his ability to leap up... he struggles sometimes. He's insulted if you give him a hand up.

Despite the fact that Austin saved him at birth... Stubby HATES Austin... if Austin comes near he lets out a squeal like a stuck pig. Austin picks him up and Stubby screams at the top of his lungs... until Austin sits down and starts giving him "yubs" (love). He'll tolerate him then... but when Austin walks away he gets full blown kitty "stank eye". If I pick him up... he's fine. It makes Austin mad but... truly... he's my kitty.

Although Austin is the keeper of the litter box. I can't lift them when they're used. I buy the disposable litter box trays - they're $3 each and come with some litter. We add a little more litter to that ... and that's Stubby's potty. He never has accidents and is very neat and tidy about his business. The good thing about the disposable trays is that you don't have the accumulated ammonia scented clumps stuck in the bottom. We usually set out two trays at a time and switch them out once a week.

I spent yesterday enjoying lots of quality time with Stubby. I had tachycardia and severe dizziness in the morning... it eased up some in the afternoon and it came back with a scary vengeance in the evening. I had tingling in my arms and legs...blurred vision... i was fairly certain I was going to pass out - but I didn't. It came in waves ... every time I'd think that I had better call 9-1-1 (since I was alone with the cat and he's declawed so he can't dial a cellphone) it would ease up. The last thing in the world I want to do is call 911 and have all that expense and drama... and then by the time they get here the tachycardic event has passed. It was definitely exhausting though... I slept really well and I don't think I had any trouble during the night. This morning my heart rate is up but it's not racing. I'm a little dizzy but I don't feel like I did yesterday. I have a little more energy...

BUT my BACK is killing me. I can point to the exact spot where the discs are bulging... I woke up with my back hurting worse than it usually does at the end of a work day. So ... I'm being still because of the dizziness... being still because of the back pain... and I thank God that I've got about 23 hours more to rest before I have to leave the house.

So anyways... that's what's happening for Stubby and me today. I'm going to put a roast in the crockpot and just enjoy a quiet day. Love and hugs, y'all.