Signs of recovery: Cleo is washing herself now

I felt so bad last night when it came time to take Cleo back to her room so that I could feed her and go to bed. She was half-curled up, half-stretched out, with that luxurious air that only cats truly achieve, and she looked completely content. I got up to do something shortly before feeding-time, and when I came back, Cleo had snuggled up against Michael's leg and was cleaning her belly, which has grown a short coat of down since she was shaved for her ultrasound.



So, Cleo has progressed from just cleaning her face and paws, to cleaning as far down as her belly. She seems to be grooming the fur nearer to her hind end, too, as some of it has stopped looking as scraggly. Some, though — not all; I guess she hasn’t felt well enough yet to give herself a full-body bath.

Today was kind of a strange day. I slept late and had to rush out of the house right after feeding Cleo, and then I was gone a good portion of the day. I was so busy that I didn't eat all day, so by the time I got home, I felt starved. Therefore, Michael and I and went out to dinner before I gave Cleo her second feeding of the day. As a result, her third feeding will be at 10:30pm, and her last feeding will be at 1:30am. (About as close together as I dare administer her meals is three hours.) I've been up late and gotten little sleep the last two nights since I’ve been finishing up some major assignments for the online class I'm taking this semester, so already at 9:30 it feels late. Hopefully I’ll make it, but the fact that I'll be finishing my paper in that time certainly doesn't make me feel any more motivated to stay up! At least I’ll have Cleo to keep me company while I work.