Rumblebirthday - let the smoochies begin! - Rumbles

Once upon a time there was a tiny boy-cat

ZzzzzZzZzzzz

Hmm, that mouse isn't too far away if I wanted to nom..

Who grew up to be a much bigger (and even more handsome) MANcat...

Hey dad, this area has gotten smaller

Meh, it's still a good nap place

And as it was his very special day, he decided he needed lots of smoochies and cuddles!

Ladies, I'm ready for smoochies!!!

*happy sigh* I love my birthday.

Hmmm - Rumblemum

I wanted to thank everyone for their comments and support, it's helped a lot to have so many people understand the grief we feel.

It's hard to know what to do next - looking at the blog I don't know what to do. This really was about telling the story of my boys, and their adventures. I guess the next step is to take Inigo's name off. I may wait a while to do that.

It's started to really sink in for Rumbles that his brother isn't coming home. He greets me at the door every day and looks past me, as if to say 'where is he?' We've got the Feliway running for him, and we're giving him lots of cuddles.

Thank you all again.

About a boy

We hadn't met Inigo before we decided he'd join our family, he came from a breeder in Auckland.

We'd looked at a lot of pictures of Ragdolls online at various breeders, and we knew he was the right boy for us the moment we saw him. He was such a sweet kitten - his eyes were like the sky, and the little patch of white on his nose... we were hooked.

Who can resist this face?

We spoke to his breeder quite a bit on the phone before he came, nervous first time parents and all... when we first asked what he was like her response was that he was a lovely boy, and he 'made best friends with everyone he met'.

He flew out here from Auckland, and when he arrived the flight attendant commented that he saw a lot of cats fly in, but that Inigo was the sweetest boy he'd ever seen - he didn't mew at all.

Young Inigo displays a talent for mixing tunes

Young Inigo was such a sweet and sunny boy. We kept him in one room at first, but he wanted none of that - he wanted to roam around and take over the whole house!

He loved to be loved. For the first few weeks Rumbledad brought his cat tower in every night (and this is a big, heavy tower!) so that he'd be comfy and watch over us. Rumbledad would then bring his tower back out to the lounge for the day, so Inigo could sit in the sun. This went on for almost a month, poor Rumbledad! But he wanted Inigo to be happy, and he never complained once.

Inigo on his beloved cat tower

Rumbledad and I very rarely fight, but we had one big one once when Inigo was about one and a half ( I honestly can't for the life of me recall what the fight was about) I remember how the fight finished -  Inigo RAN in between us and mewed his little heart out - I swear he was saying 'don't fight! don't fight!' as he looked up at us with such worried eyes. It's impossible to stay cross  when you're confronted with such cuteness!.

As he got older, it was really clear that he needed a friend. Whenever we left for work, he'd cry at the door for us... you could hear him in the hall and right up to the elevators! And so we got him a brother.

Less than an hour after they met they're best pals

Rumbles and Inigo were fast friends, within hours little Rumbles had demanded to be let out of the room we'd kept him in so he could see what was outside the door. If we were at all nervous that Inigo wouldn't like his new brother that was very quickly put aside - they were playing in their cat tunnel almost immediately.

Rumbles adored his big brother. Anything Inigo did, Rumbles did too. I laughed so hard the first time I saw Rumbles the Maine Coon do the 'Ragdoll flop'

Me and big brother, we do STUFF!

One of Inigo's very favorite things? Kisses on his head. He purred like a car motor if you leaned in and kissed his head... Rumbles figured this out early, and would wash his head whenever he wanted a cuddle with his brother.

If kisses on his head were number one, number two was defiantly cuddles. Whenever I was sick, or sad... he just knew. He'd curl up beside me, with his head on my pillow, and I'd cuddle him like he was a teddy bear.

I love Thwack cuddles!

Rumbledad and Inigo had a special bond. When Rumbledad was on his computer in the spare room, he'd jump on his lap and the two of them would have 'boy time' The spare room became 'The Boy Room'.

When Rumbledad plays on his computer, I keep warm next to
him and the heater!

Inigo has made me so happy every single day since he came here. Four years of unconditional love and gentleness.

He'll be going to the bridge tomorrow at four. His heart, the biggest one I've ever seen on anyone human or animal, has tried so hard to keep beating for us... but he can't do it any more. He's developed a secondary condition with his liver, and it's time to let him go.

The kitty cardiologist will help him to the bridge, Inigo loves her and she him - we asked if she could please do it. I'll be taking Thwack to go with him and to be cremated with him so he won't be alone.

Thank you all for your kindness and support and for letting us share his life with you.

Have Rumble, will travel - Rumblepurr

See? I travel well. Just put tuna in the side pockets....

Dreams in the Mouse House - Inigo

I love my house. I dream of  all the fabulous adventures
Rumbles and I will have!

It's so safe and cozy in here. zzzzzz

I got to see the cardiologist today. I like her, she says I'm handsome and gives me snuggles.

I've made good progress - she thinks I'm a LOT happier, and while I haven't put on any more weight, I haven't lost any.

She's going to keep watching me, and try some new meds. Thank you all again for being so kind to me and the Rumblefolk. It sure does help having friends.

Inigo says... - Rumbles

I've been wondering where Inigo goes in his carrier all the time... he wouldn't tell me before, he was pretty quiet about where he went, but the last couple of day's he's been giving me the scoop...

He's going to see BOOTIFUL girl cats and eat tunas!! Can you believe it?!? And he didn't take ME along!!

I've taken it upon myself to now try and get out every single time the door's been opened. I'll find those bootiful girl cats AND those tunas...

Ladies LOVE a long cat!

(note from Rumblemum: I think Inigo has been telling tales, cause all of a sudden Rumbles wants out in the apartment hall-way. He's never shown a glimmer of interest in it before, but all of a sudden he MUST go out into the world! Oh what fun for me to have to wrangle Inigo AND Rumbles back into the apartment!! But I'm so grateful to have both my boys, it's not such a bad task really :))

*ahem* - Inigo Flufflebum

Well I'm finally feeling up to writing a bit here, and I'm glad 'cause I've missed you all so much.

I'm feeling a bit better. My meds are changing again, and Rumblemum keeps following me around the house with food... but the vet has said I've put on a bit of weight.

I liked the vet today, a baby bird was brought in and I could hear it peeping!!! The vet said I looked just like a kitten with my wide eyes!

I've been a bit low-energy the last couple of days - Rumblemum thought it might be because I haven't been out on the deck, she put me AND Rumbles into the Kritter Kondo (so I wouldn't worry about him).

This is his first time out and he was so thrilled! He did manage to almost bring the whole thing down on us with his exploring *sigh*. He's a good brother, but he's big and goofy at times.

We both checked out the birdies and sniffed the new smells... it was an excellent adventure.

I want to thank you all so much for your sweet words to me and Rumblemum/Rumbledad. They've both been so very sad... I hate for anyone to be sad but I just didn't have the energy to cheer them up like I usually do. I'm so lucky to have friends that will help me out.

I'm off for a snooze now, but I'll make sure to post some photos tomorrow.

Inigo update - Rumblemum

I've been quiet because he's been doing well. I didn't want to get everyones hope up, but he was eating like normal, sleeping on the bed, greeting me at the door, coming for cuddles... it was like before he was sick.

I was getting my hopes up, I knew there was a good chance that I'd be crushed.

Today Inigo went to the cardiologist.

Long story short... he's doing better.

This being said: he is still very, very thin. He needs to eat LOTS more... but I have hope.

Thank you all for your support over the last few days, and for thinking of us all. It's been such a hard time, and having you all here has made such a difference.

You're a wonderful group of friends to us all.

Two bits of news

Inigo was out on the porch in his Kondo (I don't let Rumbles out with him because I don't want him to accidentally hurt Inigo) 

Rumbles was at the glass door, mewing at his brother and looking so forlorn... Inigo was so concerned about him! He mewed back, and tried to find a way through the mesh to get to him to comfort him! I could have cried, it was the sweetest thing how they couldn't stand to be apart. I took Inigo out and put him inside by Rumbles, and they were both happy again. I'll have to figure out a way they can both go out at the same time.

The second bit of news... Inigo ATE!!! Like normal, everyday eating!!! I'd made up two dishes, one for Rumbles and one for Inigo, expecting that Inigo wouldn't want his and I'd have to try and convince him to eat... the second the bowls hit the floor there were two pussycats NOMing!!

I'm so happy he's eaten... but another part of me is saying he could be eating because he's on an extremely low dose of his diuretic, which is controlling his plural effusion... which means he could end up with another chest full of fluid... but for now I'm just happy to see my boys happy.  

Progress report - Rumblemum

We're overwhelmed at how much love and support you've given us, thank you all so much. I tell Inigo when we cuddle about all his wonderful friends all over the world.

Inigo really didn't want to take his medication this morning. We managed to give him everything but one pill that he just wouldn't take, no matter what - his anti-nausea pill. We didn't want to torture him (he really was upset) so we made the call to not make him take it this morning (he has a second dose this evening)

He's not even looking at his food now, and I couldn't even coax him to smell it. This made me wonder if maybe he's not getting enough of the anti-nausea stuff? Maybe he needs a bigger dose of this to help him feel better?

He was out again today in his kondo, he looks like such a kitten when he's in it. He actually went to the patio door and looked at me, wanting to go out! He wandered around inside, and you could see him noming the birds with his eyes.

My empire!

That's the positive... but...He's stopped grooming himself, and for the first time he has tangles in his beautiful fur. I give him brushies to try to help.

Today is not such a good day - Rumblemum

The vet has said it's time to let Inigo go. His blood pressure is very, very low and he's lost more weight. Our only option now is to reduce the medicine that's keeping the fluid from his chest and this will help his blood pressure, but we run the risk of losing him at home.

They feel that if it was their cat, they would let him go peacefully.

Inigo has been so bright the last few days, he was even playing with Rumbles on Monday when the Kritter Kondo arrived! They were playing hide and seek behind the big box it came in and he was so happy. He's been coming for cuddles and brushies every day and he sits in his sunpuddle. He runs in when he hears the undercover mouse start up.

I don't know if he's just trying to keep us from being upset and he's hiding that he's suffering. He's such a good boy, all he ever wants is to love and be loved.

How can I betray him and tell them to put him to sleep?

Update: We couldn't do it, we brought him home. He came right out of his cage and started checking to make sure the house was as he left it.

We put him outside on the deck in his Kritter Kondo, and he was SO happy. There was a bird on the deck next to ours and his eyes just lit up when he saw it - he looked so much like a kitten.

We keep changing our mind about the best way to handle this, and as so many of you have said it just doesn't feel right to let him go today.

He goes back to the kitty cardiologist next week. If he has to go I think we'd prefer her to do it. She loves him so much, and he adores her.

Thank you all for your words of advice and support.

Brave new worlds... - Rumbles

OMC!! Rumblemum is home sick today (which means cuddles in bed! yeahhh!), so we're happy about that... but let me tell you what's got us both SUPER excited... we god a MASSIVE package from the US today!!

The very kind people from the Kritter Kondo store in the states have sent us our very own KONDO!!!

It's an amazing thing, it allows us (strictly indoors kitties) to go out on the deck (or backyard if you have one) Rumblemum is really excited cause she thinks this might help Inigo get his appetite back, he loves to sit in the door to the balcony and breath in the outdoor smells, now he gets to be out on the deck!

We'll be posting video and photos of our adventures, Rumblemum isn't feeling well enough to put it out for us (and she wants Rumbledad to see us in it and he's not home yet) Stay tuned!!!

(The lovely people at Kritter Kondo also have a blog, you can visit it here