I have the day off tomorrow and I am very excited as the Big Fella, Vinnie, is off for his tests.

These are the first tests since he has been on the miracle food.

I know that he has gained weight, which is not that impressive, but the difference in this cat leaves me almost lost for words.

He has been on this new food for 6 weeks and in that time he has gone from being a moody grumpy old sod with too much attitude, to a fun loving plaything with endless energy levels!

He has, and he will throw a strop if it does not happen, play with the knotted shoe lace for at least 40 mins a day.
He has, and he will insist, that he has at least 20 mins of just him and me time.

He has really changed and although he is naughty and keeps ripping the corners of the carpets up and appearing from nowhere like a bullet form a gun to kill an imaginary animal on my feet, I love the revised Vinnie!

When I rescued him, he was very quiet, totally unapproachable, grumpy and not very much fun. He almost died within 72 hours and I have never had the feeling that he is happy.

Now, well he looks like velvet, his mad staring eyes are as bright as stars, he’s tail is constantly upright and he greets me now with lots of chirruping. I do honestly believe that at this current time, he is happy and well.

I will update you when I return on Friday as to his test results.

I am so optimistic that I am not even worried.

Last night I decided to pull one of my fake plants out and remove my rock..... and guess what...

I saw a flash of orange.... and there he was.....

Now it was the briefest sighting ever, and to be honest he looked a little pale and quite shocked to be out swimming.

I hastily replaced the plant and rock and he swam and disappeared again.

This morning I got up and went to check on him and guess what?

Jennymother sunset was under the rock and looks like she was having some more fry.... :eek:

Those sunsets are an amorous bunch!!!!

I remain optimistic and have promised myself not to disturb my tank now for awhile.....

I need a book really to see how long it would take for Nemo to grow to a safe side etc.....

Just wanted to let you know as I know you have all been in mourning after yesterdays post!!!

Well, I hate to dampen your day, but there was not a single sighting of Nemo all weekend.

I think that I can safely say that he was not quick enough to avoid all other fishes in order to survive.

I did leave the tank as it was all weekend, but I noticed that not only Jenny mother Sunset was able to get under his rock, but also the fattest Oto from the tank.

Looks like this one lost his fight.

Tonight I may have to move the rock etc just to double check, but to be honest, I don't think that I will find him.

Still, we have the photo to remember him by...

I hate to do this before the weekend, especially as I do not have internet access again until Monday....... but there may have been a problem last night

I got home to find Jennymum Sunset wedged under the rock that Nemo was living under. After being home and watching her, I realized that she had actually got herself stuck.

I moved the rock to free her, and up until 8am this morning, there have been no sightings of Nemo.

I cannot be sure that she did not get under to eat him, (can you tell that I am new to fish keeping?!) but I am wanting to believe that he is still in my tank, but is hiding in fear.

I will, of course, update you on Monday as to any Nemo action.

I have a good feeling about the little fella and will remain optimistic that maybe he will appear again tonight.

Now I really do know how the father felt in the film, as I really am now Finding Nemo.....

Well, last night I sat with food in one hand and camera in the other.

Now Nemo is tiny and moves at break neck speed, but I did manage to get this photo....

Then I could barely believe my luck as I caught him here as well.....

Then, to show how small he really is, I took a photo of mum.....

The excitement of it all just proved to be too much for Vinnie though!

Last night I went to move my big rock to start a good old tank clean... and out from underneath swam 4 baby sunset platy's!!!

One is about half the size of my little fingernail, immediately called Nemo, and the other 3 were really no more than dots with tails.

After emergency texting my fishy guardian angel Jenny, I put the rock back and watched the babies till the i-light went into moonlight mode.

This morning, there was no trace of any babies, but 2 of my Oto's have doubled in size over night!!!

They looked guilty so maybe they have eaten them as I disturbed the babies last night

I am secretly hoping that when I get home tonight and the i-light is in full daylight mode that I may still see Nemo swimming about in his secret place, but I am not overly hopeful!

It was really a night of totally unexpected excitement, and whilst it lasted it was lovely!

So fingers crossed that Nemo was too big to be eaten by the Oto's. I am hoping he was too big to be swallowed......

I am just so excited as I never knew the world of fish keeping held so much drama.......

Scooter pushed open the cat flap this morning and flew out of it like a jet black rocket.

Within 3 paws landing on the wet ground, there was a flurry of cat swearing and he reappeared through the cat flap as fast as he had disappeared.

Vinnie then decided that it needed a bigger cat to assess the situation, and to see what the fuss was about.

He took a more cautious approach, pushing the flap open so that it rested on his head. He could hear the rain on it so there was no need to go outside and traumatize himself, so he merely pulled his head back in.

Vinnie and Scooter than proceeded to chirp to each other, obviously discussing the weather conditions and whose fault it may be.

Next thing, I am sitting down with my cup of tea, and the next thing I have a cat either side of my feet, meowing and calling me all sorts of names.

As if it is my fault it is still raining.

Honestly, I get the blame for everything in my flat some days!

I just hope the weather clears for the weekend so they can go and get some of their pent up energy out. They do so hate to be in, but they should just be a bit braver and go outside.

Big girlies!!!!

p.s anyone know if you can get any cat wellies... just incase it never stops raining?!

A while ago I came home and was startled by the fact that both the boys were cuddled up togther on their sleeping chair. Normally it is Vinnie's chair!!!!

I have never seen them so close, let alone squashed up together in one place!!!

I was not quite quick enough to catch them asleep, so check out the grumpy face on Scooter, who is in mid stretch!

Since taking this photo, I have never seen them like this again!!!

It is weird how animals have some strange ways, just like us humans do.

Vinnie has an overwhelming urge to protect any banana's that come in to the flat.

Last night I bought a bunch and he spent all night, on the worktop, protecting the banana's.

This is a photo of Vinnie taken before I moved to my little flat..... and was taken by my good mate Jules.

Just before Xmas I had to take the big fella to the vets for a urine sample to check the crystal levels in his pee.

I was so distraught as there were millions of crystals still, but they had decreased in size, but there were far too many of them. His kidneys are all ok, and there was no blood in his pee, so that was the good news. He has been on this disgusting tinned food for 16 months, and it all seems to have been a waste of time.

After going back to the vets in the evening for a consultation, we decided to switch his diet to a urinary food, that comes in pouches and biscuit form. He was given 30 days to trial it and then return for another test to see if that helped. If not, then things could have looked a bit worrying, both for my bank balance and Vinnie.

Well, I cannot tell you what a revelation has taken place here!!! Vinnie goes berserk everytime I go anywhere near the cupboard with the pouches in and wolfs the food down like there is no tomorrow, both wet and biscuits.

He sits and clears his bowl in one sitting and is always begging for more to eat! He absolutely loves the food, and does not seem to mind the chicken or the beef variety!

The difference in him has been astonishing…. He has 40 minutes of play every night, (I have never seen Vinnie playful before) and has become very loving and has bags more energy. Scooter and I are having trouble keeping up with him now!

I have had him 2 years at the end of May, and I have never seen this side of him. It really is like having a totally new cat in the flat! The change in him is really amazing!

I am so excited and so optimistic as I do not want to rely on surgery or injections for him as he is only about 5 years old, and he is too young to be this ill.

I know that it must sound sad to some of you, but this total transformation in him has really started my year with a huge smile on my face! The relief that we may have found a way of controlling the big fella with food alone is a great relief to me.

It looks to be a great year for him, and I am very optimistic that when he goes in for his next pee test on the 31st January, that the vet will confirm that a miracle has surely taken place!

Such simple things make me smile.

Hare are a few photo's of him doing his favourite thing, sleeping!

but it is so busy at work that I have barely time to catch my breath!!!

I will have to write an update at home tonight and bring it in as it looks like another really busy week for me!

Hope that all is well, and Vinnie is doing so well, I am so happy and very relieved!

Anyway, must dash so will write my update tonight and post tomorrow.

If anyone is still visiting, hope you are well and had a lovely Xmas and new Year, goodness me, it already seems so long ago!!!!