For Cat Lovers Only VIII - Post Pics, Ask Questions, Comments, Etc.

[flybabe]

I love kittens

 

[Babydoll]

Chloe.... what a nice name for a kitty! She's sooo gorgeous!

Zooropa: x 6767567643!!

Sicy.... "dingleberries"?? That made me laugh for a solid 5 mnts!

 

[waynetravis]

Sicy.... "dingleberries"?? That made me laugh for a solid 5 mnts!

It did me too

 

[indra]

^

There is a record store (using that shows my age!) in Yellow Springs (OH) named Dingleberry's. It's a cool little store.

It has a Myspace site

 

[U2democrat]

Sicy.... "dingleberries"?? That made me laugh for a solid 5 mnts!

That was me actually

Unless I missed a post where Sicy used it too


Last night Chloe was hogging both sides of the bed. She kept creeping closer to me and she would stretch out so I wasn't able to move. It was cute though.

When my alarm went off we both jumped

 

[Sicy]

I used it to refer to Zooropa's balls

 

[WildHoneyAlways]

Will has a bladder infection again! It seems like he gets one once a year. Thankfully he is the easiest cat to pill on the planet. He just swallows them like a champ. The vet suggested I give him the medicated food every 2-3 months for a few days to ward off any further infections. I'll have to try it.

Here he is lounging on the bed in my spare room.

So I was at Target, in the cat section, and I came across something I haven't seen before. Something called a "Cat Hat." Of course I bought the stupid thing and put in on Will and Roscoe. They were not as happy about the purchase as I was.

Will

Roscoe

You can see Will on the stairs in this one giving him the "i told you so" look.

 

[LarryMullen's POPAngel]

That's the cutest thing EVER.

*runstobuyoneformia*

If I suddenly stop posting, you'll know that the hat was not a success and that Mia clawed me to death.

 

[Sicy]

Poor Will. I'm surprised they dont want him on the prescription food indefinately if he keeps getting infections. Zoey & Saki are both on special diets.

 

[WildHoneyAlways]

Will and Roscoe are on Hill's feline c/d (now in chicken flavor!) because Roscoe is prone to developing crystals. He's been rushed to the emergency vet once and that was enough for me. Since switching to the c/d Roscoe has had no problems.

Will, on the other hand, has. My vet has him on the s/d, which helps dissolve stones and crystals. She suggested I feed him the s/d intermittently. I'll try anything. When he has a UTI, Will likes to pee right in front of me as if to say, "hey mom, something's wrong here." Usually right in front of the TV. Ug. Once he's finished with his pills I need to have the carpet cleaners come out and treat the rug so he forgets that he peed there.

 

[BonoIsMyMuse]

Will and Roscoe in the elephant hat That's so funny that they actually wore it!

I have to trim Jack's claws today, which is always a chore. He cries and carries on like I'm hurting him, even though I'm very careful. But he kneads when he's happy, and last night he nearly drew blood when he started kneading on me

 

[Sicy]

Will and Roscoe are on Hill's feline c/d (now in chicken flavor!) because Roscoe is prone to developing crystals. He's been rushed to the emergency vet once and that was enough for me. Since switching to the c/d Roscoe has had no problems.

Will, on the other hand, has. My vet has him on the s/d, which helps dissolve stones and crystals. She suggested I feed him the s/d intermittently. I'll try anything. When he has a UTI, Will likes to pee right in front of me as if to say, "hey mom, something's wrong here." Usually right in front of the TV. Ug. Once he's finished with his pills I need to have the carpet cleaners come out and treat the rug so he forgets that he peed there.

Ah ok that makes sense. Zoey is on the c/d indefinately and Saki is on s/o. The s/d is only for temporary use to dissolve crystals. Hope it works for him! Male cats are such a pain with these things because as you know they can get blocked and have to go to emergency. At least Will is good about letting you know there's a problem, even if it involves peeing in the wrong spot.

I love the first pic of Will btw



And yeah, Zoey screams and hisses bloody murder when I cut her nails. She's all talk though

 

[waynetravis]

Roscoe

"mah hatz, iz a decoy. u think am looking away from u, but am not really "

 

[Babydoll]

So, I have news from one of my roommates back in the US that Max is definitely going to be given away within the next two weeks. I miss him so incredibly much here, and he wasn't even MY cat. My other roomie Katie (his owner) is going to be delivering her first baby end of this month, and she doesn't want the "extra" responsibility of having a kitty. So... when I get back, Maxxy will be gone.

 

[Sicy]

Sorry but your roomie is

 

[Liesje]

I can't STAND when people do that with their dogs and cats!! If I ever have kids, I WANT them to grow up with animals so that they learn how to be respectful, responsible, and treat all living things with compassion.


Anyway, I'm insanely lucky as far as UTIs and bladder infections. Six cats so far and the only one that's ever had a UTI came home with one. *keeps fingers crossed*

 

[indra]

So, I have news from one of my roommates back in the US that Max is definitely going to be given away within the next two weeks. I miss him so incredibly much here, and he wasn't even MY cat. My other roomie Katie (his owner) is going to be delivering her first baby end of this month, and she doesn't want the "extra" responsibility of having a kitty. So... when I get back, Maxxy will be gone.

If he's going to someone who will provide a good home it's probably best. I certainly don't want someone who doesn't want a pet owning one.

Sorry you will miss him though Babydoll.

hmmm...is the roomie and her new baby going to be there when you get back? That sounds just delightful.

 

[BonoIsMyMuse]

When I was young, my pediatrician informed my mom that I might be allergic to cats. She said, "Well, I guess we have to put her up for adoption." Luckily it either wasn't a very bad allergy or I grew out of it, because there was no way my mom was going to part with our beloved kitty Simba!

 

[Lila64]

you mean she would have parted with you first?

Cute pics WHA
Sorry about Max, Babydoll

 

[waynetravis]

So, I have news from one of my roommates back in the US that Max is definitely going to be given away within the next two weeks. I miss him so incredibly much here, and he wasn't even MY cat. My other roomie Katie (his owner) is going to be delivering her first baby end of this month, and she doesn't want the "extra" responsibility of having a kitty. So... when I get back, Maxxy will be gone.

Dammit
She wasn't nice to him much anyway, from what you told me she just kicked him out her room.

You and him we're so good together
Hopefully he will find a nice home, he is a good kitty

 

[indra]

When I was young, my pediatrician informed my mom that I might be allergic to cats. She said, "Well, I guess we have to put her up for adoption." Luckily it either wasn't a very bad allergy or I grew out of it, because there was no way my mom was going to part with our beloved kitty Simba!

Whenever my sister comes to visit she makes sure to tell me how hard it is for her to breathe (I sound totally heartless, but she can be a bit of a drama queen) because of the cats and dog. I always figure I can usually only stand being around her for 2-3 days at a time, so it's not really much of a contest....

 

[ylimeU2]

Will has a bladder infection again! It seems like he gets one once a year. Thankfully he is the easiest cat to pill on the planet. He just swallows them like a champ. The vet suggested I give him the medicated food every 2-3 months for a few days to ward off any further infections. I'll have to try it.

Here he is lounging on the bed in my spare room.

So I was at Target, in the cat section, and I came across something I haven't seen before. Something called a "Cat Hat." Of course I bought the stupid thing and put in on Will and Roscoe. They were not as happy about the purchase as I was.

Will

Roscoe

You can see Will on the stairs in this one giving him the "i told you so" look.

My vet suggested the same thing with the food a few years ago for Pokey and it has worked wonders. No infections since then, and the other two cats have never had one (they get the food, too, because I can't keep them out of it).

I love that hat! I want one. But if I tried to put it on one of mine, I'd probably die of blood loss.

 

[indra]

I thought this was a really interesting story. Kind of comforting in a way.

Oscar the Cat Predicts Patients' Deaths

PROVIDENCE, R.I. - Oscar the cat seems to have an uncanny knack for predicting when nursing home patients are going to die, by curling up next to them during their final hours. His accuracy, observed in 25 cases, has led the staff to call family members once he has chosen someone. It usually means they have less than four hours to live.

"He doesn't make too many mistakes. He seems to understand when patients are about to die," said Dr. David Dosa in an interview. He describes the phenomenon in a poignant essay in Thursday's issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

"Many family members take some solace from it. They appreciate the companionship that the cat provides for their dying loved one," said Dosa, a geriatrician and assistant professor of medicine at Brown University.

The 2-year-old feline was adopted as a kitten and grew up in a third-floor dementia unit at the Steere House Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. The facility treats people with Alzheimer's, Parkinson's disease and other illnesses.

After about six months, the staff noticed Oscar would make his own rounds, just like the doctors and nurses. He'd sniff and observe patients, then sit beside people who would wind up dying in a few hours.

Dosa said Oscar seems to take his work seriously and is generally aloof. "This is not a cat that's friendly to people," he said.

Oscar is better at predicting death than the people who work there, said Dr. Joan Teno of Brown University, who treats patients at the nursing home and is an expert on care for the terminally ill

She was convinced of Oscar's talent when he made his 13th correct call. While observing one patient, Teno said she noticed the woman wasn't eating, was breathing with difficulty and that her legs had a bluish tinge, signs that often mean death is near.

Oscar wouldn't stay inside the room though, so Teno thought his streak was broken. Instead, it turned out the doctor's prediction was roughly 10 hours too early. Sure enough, during the patient's final two hours, nurses told Teno that Oscar joined the woman at her bedside.

Doctors say most of the people who get a visit from the sweet-faced, gray-and-white cat are so ill they probably don't know he's there, so patients aren't aware he's a harbinger of death. Most families are grateful for the advanced warning, although one wanted Oscar out of the room while a family member died. When Oscar is put outside, he paces and meows his displeasure.

No one's certain if Oscar's behavior is scientifically significant or points to a cause. Teno wonders if the cat notices telltale scents or reads something into the behavior of the nurses who raised him.

Nicholas Dodman, who directs an animal behavioral clinic at the Tufts University Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine and has read Dosa's article, said the only way to know is to carefully document how Oscar divides his time between the living and dying.

If Oscar really is a furry grim reaper, it's also possible his behavior could be driven by self-centered pleasures like a heated blanket placed on a dying person, Dodman said.

Nursing home staffers aren't concerned with explaining Oscar, so long as he gives families a better chance at saying goodbye to the dying.

Oscar recently received a wall plaque publicly commending his "compassionate hospice care."

link

 

[Lila64]

 

[WildHoneyAlways]

If I had a loved one in that hospice I'd feel comforted that Oscar shared his time with them.

 

[music.u2]

weird! Just as well that the patients aren't aware of his being there otherwise they'd probably have to get rid of him!

 

[U2democrat]

Dangit.

Something's still not right with Chloe. I think she may be constipated, or afraid to go potty after getting her anal glands expressed. She's been eating the Laxatone regularly, so I don't know what the deal is...but she's still acting weird.

My mom will be going to the vet today to buy more diet food so she'll update them and hopefully something will be figured out...we really don't want to leave her when we go to the beach next Wednesday.

 

[Liesje]

Is the new food a different brand? If so, she could also be a little sickly from switching. I changed brands two days ago by mixing and they love the new food, but still the cats are a little...off, right now (stinkier/runnier poops). I would also give her smaller portions if she's still recovering from digestive/anal issues. Many overweight animals can be managed by smaller portions without even changing the diet (if it's a good diet to begin with).

 

[hardyharhar]

OK we just got back from the vet.

As expected, her anal glands were impacted again, and she has dingleberries that are irritating her. The vet said her obesity is the "root of all evils" and we're putting her on special diet food that we buy from the vet rather than the Iams "diet" stuff.

Hopefully her losing weight will mean she won't have impacted anal glands anymore, she'll be able to clean her rear, but until then we have to use baby wipes to help her clean her bottom... That's going to be an adventure.

Otto is on Hill's r/d (reduced diet) 'cuz he's a fat boy. Only available through vets. I don't think he's lost more than a pound or two, so monitoring daily amounts is probably key. I give him maybe a cup a day of dry and half a can of wet. The can only because I think a strictly dry diet leads to kidney probs.

But Mr. Fat Pads wants out big time, and forcing a cat to live indoors is not sitting well with me. It's something I'll never do again, regardless of the benefits. I feel like I've sentenced him to life in prison. Poor kitty.

U2dem - hopefully the diet helps, though you probably won't know until the weight is lost. Which could take a while. Impacted anal glands Gotta shape up these kitties. Fat cats which are democrats are bad for the party image

 

[RedRocksU2]

for Sicy...