Off Topic: Who wants to talk about their cats (or other pets)?

OK, thought I'd start this. Polymathic Monkey, since this is your group and this definitely doesn't fit the "Horror" theme, if you don't like this thread, I have no problems deleting it, but you can probably see we've ventured far off-topic discussing our cats in another thread!

Ok, so my boys are Angel (solid black, 15-1/2 years old) and Io (tuxedo (black and white), 11 years old). Poor Angel has been hypothyroid for a couple of years now and his kidneys are failing him. :-( It's not easy for either of us, I don't think, though (at least so far) he's not acting much different from normal. Lucky for me, he's still his usual cuddly self. (Even though I sometimes torment him with pills and needles.) So, we still get to cuddle while I read.

I'll introduce my boys. Like LibraryCin I have a black cat (Sweep) and a tuxedo (Woody). Both will be 14 this year. Sweep's my cowardly lion - a big heart but a bit jumpy when scared, and prone to being a bit (I hate to say it)... thick. He was at the vet today as he's had cystitis, all seems fine but I have to see how he goes during the next week. Woody is the big ol' lollopy* one, he's fairly thin and floppy with a big head and big paws, and he's the naughty, attention-seeking one.

>2 LibraryCin: Poor Angel! Two very common conditions for cats, still it hardly seems fair for Angel to have both. You wouldn't know there was anything wrong from the photos of him, he looks a very well (and well looked-after) moggy.

*I love the word 'lollop' and was glad to see it pop up in The Monk - see what I did there? I got a horror reference into the cat thread :)

>3 Moomin_Mama: Thanks! He does look good. The pictures are all from before he was sick, but he still looks pretty good now, I think. I don't have any current ones that I can share right now (need to get them off the camera onto the computer first... just another thing that didn't get done over the holidays!).

Ah, like your two... I have one who is jumpy/nervous, as well, at times (Io). But, he's also very friendly and he really is my "smart" one. Angel is super-sweet, cuddly, but not as bright. But, he's my sweetie!

Yeah, it sucks that he's so sick. Or, the tests say he is; he's not acting it (luckily!). I actually think the kidneys may have become worse after the radiation treatment he had for being hyperthyroid. Instead of getting him into the normal range, it took him the opposite way to hypothyroidism. That's when his kidneys started having "off" numbers. It was only slightly, though, until the tests in December.

What's cystitis?

>5 Moomin_Mama: I had a cat years ago who had hyperthyroidism and the malfunctioning half was removed - apparently there's a left and right thyroid, although they're connected and count as one gland. She was fine for awhile but then the other half became a problem, and because of her age (she was 18) the vet recommended pills. She died at 19 but her thyroid problems started at 12, and for those 7 years she was very comfortable and happy, although a bit thin and bedraggled looking in the last few years. They can surprise you.

Cystitis is a bladder inflammation which causes increased urge to pee, incontinence and sometimes blood in the urine. It's very uncomfortable and hurts like hell to pee. It can pass on its own but needs antibiotics if its a lingering infection.

>5 Moomin_Mama: Awww. poor baby. He's not on antibiotics, then? Hope he's better soon!

>6 LibraryCin: He IS on antibiotics! He had two injections yesterday, an antibiotic and an anti-inflammatory. Cried all the way to the vets and back again (he hates being in the carrier) but purred all over the vet and didn't notice the injections at all. Both should be in his system for a week and hopefully he'll be fine.

Late update on Sweep - he is all better (and as an added bonus, there have been no little accidents on any of my soft furnishings). Happy cat, happy owner!

How's everyone's little darlings?

I forgot we had this thread! I'm so glad to hear to Sweep's doing better! :) That's excellent.

I had one cat, Cali (see below), I had to take to the vet a couple weeks ago, because she'd lost 3 pounds over a few months (she was 11 lbs and did need to lose the weight, but not so fast! my first thought was cancer), her hair was falling out, and she still had a nasty cyst on her back I wanted taken care of. They did run tests on her. One test for her thyroid did come back leading us to believe she was hyperthyroid. But the T4 (I believe that's the one) registered as normal. So no meds for her now, but they'll retest her in 6 months. So far, she's doing great! :) I added fish oil to her diet--which she HATES!--so I'm experimenting with flax oils, etc. Otherwise, all my other critters are doing pretty darn good for being in their golden years. :) Knock wood!

ETA: Oh, and the cyst on Cali's back was removed. No problems there either. :)



^Cali

>8 Moomin_Mama: Glad he's doing well!

My Angel is still doing well, too! We're in a bit more a routine with the sub-q fluids - every 2-3 days, and he's doing so much better with it (most of the time).

Me, on the other hand - I have a cold, and that means my other boy, Io, needs to be locked out of my bedroom at night. For some reason I've never been able to figure out, he completely freaks out if I start coughing (a lot) in bed. He will attack me! So, he has to be out of the room. Of course, he doesn't understand why, as he's used to sleeping in there, so there are random scratches at the door throughout the night. The first night was the first, then he was ok, so I thought he'd gotten used to it, but he got worse again last night.

>9 saraslibrary: Good luck with Cali. I hope you can figure it out. Yes, the T4 is the main one they look at for their thyroid. (Angel was also hyperthyroid, but we did the radiation therapy which we'd hoped to put him back in a normal range; instead, he went hypothyroid, so he remained on meds (well, supplements, really). Till now. Now he won't eat Pill Pockets, anymore, and he doesn't necessarily always reliably eat his canned food (crushed pills would be my other method), so that doesn't work, either. Oh! He was fine on the pill pockets until his kidneys went bad.

Hugs and chin scratches to the kitties!

>9 saraslibrary: I've heard mixed things about fish oils for cats. I know people who swear by it but there are sites online that warn against it; I think it can be bad for the liver or kidneys. It seems that your puss has made her own mind up on that one (she's gorgeous, by the way).

>10 LibraryCin: Attacked for coughing! I've heard it all now. I can sympathise as I've been on the sofa-bed after having some work done in the flat, being woken up at all hours by Woody, clawing my face for attention. Bless his cotton socks (she says, through gritted teeth)!

He'll still get those hugs and chin scratches...

>11 Moomin_Mama: I know! Usually he's super-friendly and so nice, my Io. I don't know what it is about coughing (and only when I'm lying down in bed. I can be sitting here at my computer or on the couch, and he doesn't react that way).

My guess - was he abused at some point by someone who used to cough in bed? I have no idea.

I do know that he was dumped when he was just over a year (so I already don't think highly of whoever had him). He had been found in the parking lot of a bar with another cat and a litter box (which is how I know he was dumped, not a stray).

I don't really know why he gets so freaked out about my coughing when I'm in bed. Wish I knew...

>10 LibraryCin: I'm glad to hear Angel's doing so much better! :) But I am sorry to hear about your cold. And that's so odd your other cat would attack you when you're coughing. So almost laughably strange. I'm sure he's eager for you to get to feeling better, too, so he can sleep in his bed again. ;)

Thank you! :) Oh, yeah, pill pockets are a joke. None of my pets will take those things. Cheese or pieces of meat work much better for slipping pills into.

>11 Moomin_Mama: I wasn't aware of the differing opinion on fish oils for cats. That'll definitely be something I'll look into. My vet wants Cali to be on 250 mg/day, but she just won't eat it. She loves treats with fish oils mixed in, though. I do have one cat, though, Gwen, who loves the fish oil! And now we have a dog who loves the stuff, too, which is great, because she's one of our picky, underweight dogs. :)

>12 LibraryCin: Maybe Io thinks it's an aggressive noise, like a dog bark? I don't know. I'm definitely not a cat shrink, that's for sure. :D

>13 saraslibrary: I'm so confused about the fish-oil thing. Apparently it's cod liver oil that's not good for them, but everyone I've known who gives their cats fish oils on the advice of their vet uses cod liver oil. I don't know if there are different fish oils and people are giving their cats the wrong type...

>12 LibraryCin: How good of Io's last owner to leave him with a litter box. Why on earth would someone be worried about an animal's toilet arrangements but NOT worried about dumping it?

>13 saraslibrary: Angel quite liked his pill pockets for 2-1/2 years, but not since his kidneys have been messed up. I know I was lucky that he liked them so much for so long.

That makes more sense than my theory for Io not liking me coughing, I think - it may sound like an aggressive noise to him.

>14 Moomin_Mama: I know, right!?

>14 Moomin_Mama: I'll make sure I don't give my cats cod liver oil then (my vet never said anything about no cod liver oil). :o I really need to bone up on my oils then, so I'm not damaging my pets by accident. I've even trying flax oil on my cats, and they seem to like that a little better.

>15 LibraryCin: Yes, you lucked out that Angel liked his pill pockets for so long. :) I've never had any luck with giving medicine in them. They always eat the treat, but spit out the pill. :D

So, how's the couging/cold coming along?

>16 saraslibrary: I've been feeling just a touch better the past couple of days. I wake up and think.... oh... maybe it's almost gone, but I can feel it a bit more by the end of the day, again. Ah, well. I expect it.

>17 LibraryCin: I hope you're feeling better by now! :)

>18 saraslibrary: Unfortunately, no. Cold is still hanging around...

>19 LibraryCin: I think I know why. ;)



But really, I hope you get to feeling better soon! That's a long time to be sick. :(

>20 saraslibrary: That must be the problem! Thanks, yeah... it is long, but that's how colds are with me, unfortunately.

Now that I'm finally catching up on this thread and enjoying hearing about everyone's creatures...

>21 LibraryCin:, I too add my well-wishes! I used to have a cat that Staged coughing fits when she wanted attention, but getting attacked for coughing is something else entirely!

Our dog (a large neurotic coonhound mix) loves pill pockets, but they've never worked for our kitties either. Our vet most recently told us the trick of dipping pills in cream cheese, and that works wonders! We're still buying pillpockets, though--even though our dog is finally off xanax, he gets so stressed out if he doesn't get his daily peanut butter pillpocket that it's just easier to have them onhand as treats lol.

To let everyone know...we also have a spoiled and lazy siamese mix who squaws instead of meows, a grey muscleman named Hart who plays a little bit too rough, but is really a sweetheart, and one older cat, a longhaired tortoiseshell named Gypsy Gray. She's had a rough time this year--one of the reasons I hesitated to chime in, waiting to see how this week would go. She had to get her right eye removed last week (cancer), but she seems to be doing well. She Hates the cone she has to wear til Friday, but she had her last medicine today, and she's slowly getting back to herself! Don't feel too sorry for her either--she used to have a gigantic canine snaggletooth that made her look like a pirate. She lost that a few years ago to tooth decay that came from being a long-time stray, so our running joke has been that she purposely let this eye get sick so that she could go back to looking like a pirate kittie...

>22 whitewavedarling: Thanks for the well wishes! Staging coughing fits... jeez!

haha! It's great that the pill pocket still works as a treat! I don't know if the cream cheese would work for Angel at this point or not. He used to like marble cheese, but won't eat it anymore, either (I did try "wrapping" pills in some shredded cheese a few times, as well, but he just doesn't want to eat the cheese anymore).

Hopefully Gypsy Grey is feeling better soon and the cone of shame can come off. Good luck to her!

>19 LibraryCin: I do feel for you. There was a nasty lurgy doing the rounds over here leading up to Christmas, and a lot of people I knew ended up with chest infections and bad coughs that lingered for weeks. Hope you shake it off soon.

>22 whitewavedarling: An elderly cat of mine who passed away years ago had her eye removed. Not cancer, but an infection. She was a very slim, fluffy, girly cat and we joked, while she had the stitches in, that she was wearing false eye-lashes! She wasn't bothered by the missing eye, or the cone she had to wear for that matter. How old is Gypsy Gray? And what is your Siamese called?

>24 Moomin_Mama: Sadly, I've also heard of people having this cold for weeks. I guess it's been about a month for me, now. One person said she'd heard of some lasting 6 weeks; I guess I'm not that far off.

>24 Moomin_Mama:, Our Gypsy Gray may be around 10, but we're really not sure...we got her when she was already an adult stray (one of those owner semi-horror stories: they had three dogs they took good care of, and about twenty cats they just threw out table scraps to outdoors--hence her eventual bad teeth--a neighbor got permission to catch as many as she could and get them spayed/neutered, which she did, and eventually the couple decided to move. They informed the neighbor they were moving, and she eventually realized that had been their way of telling them they were leaving all of their cats behind! She caught the ones she could and looked for homes, and hence we got our Gypsy Gray :) )...so, to answer the actual question(!) she was at least 2 when we got her in 2010, maybe older. My best guess is that she's around 8 or 9... But yes, she doesn't seem to care that her eye is gone, so much as the cone is annoying her until Friday morning!

Our siamese mix is Ziva (named, admittedly, after Ziva on NCIS), and our gray muscle-man cat is Hart, who my husband named after a wrestler, which I fear only encouraged him to turn into the trouble-maker he is!

>25 LibraryCin:, My husband and I both caught a cold like yours which lasted about a month back in November-December, so with any luck, you're past the worst of it and on toward the end!

>27 whitewavedarling: Thanks! At this point, that's what I'm going to hope for! :-)

>25 LibraryCin: If it's the same one then all you can do is ride it out, unfortunately, although I swear by my own remedy - plenty of hot lemon and honey with a whole peeled garlic clove added to each cup. Seems to work with chesty coughs, for me anyway. An excellent remedy (which I didn't need this winter) is a steam inhalation with a couple of drops of thyme oil. Really good for chest infections.

>26 whitewavedarling: You have quite a brood, what with the dog too! I'm sure Gypsy Gray will be very happy to have the cone off, and I hope her eye is healing well.

>29 Moomin_Mama: Thanks for the suggestions. I was trying a bunch of things at the start, but I sort of gave up a week or so ago!

I wonder if I can edit the title of this thread to be more of a random chat, not just about our pets/cats...

ETA: Well, if editing the title of a thread is possible, it's not obvious! Anyone know if it's possible? Thanks!

>30 LibraryCin: I think we're stuck with the title of the thread, but I think we'll end up with random chat anyway!

Speaking of random chat...

In the March thread I recommended Salem's Lot (the 70's tv version) based on a particular scary scene. As horror fans, which scenes (in film, literature, or from television) scared the living daylights out of you?

Oh, man, I'm really behind on this thread! Sorry, guys! And much love to your fur babies! :)

Random chat is fine by me, too. :)

>31 Moomin_Mama: That's a really tough question. I've certainly been grossed out by some movies and books, but I think probably some of the 80's horror movies had the biggest fear-inducing moments for me (probably because I was a kid), like Jaws (that kept me paranoid, even in swimming pools!) and Ghoulies (that one almost kept me from ever using the toilet--and all I saw was the movie poster). I think I mentioned in the same March thread about Poltergeist and the tree outside the children's window; that gave me the creeps. Not really horror, but the Alien scene where the monster pops out of the guy's stomach was another scary moment for me. (Thankfully, Spaceballs kind of saved me from having that permanently etched in my brain. :) Hmm....oh, yeah, and that scene in Pet Sematary where the little boy (now turned evil) hides under the bed and slices the old man's Achilles tendon. Yep, that one kept me from ever getting out of bed like a normal person. *hop, run, turn around, sigh* Nothing was ever there...but you never knew when something would be. ;) Oh, yes, and that hound demon inGhostbusters. I do remember having a few nightmares of that thing chasing me. *gulp*

Omg, I could go on and on, but I'll just stick with a few of the 80's movies that stuck with me the most. :) Thanks for making me remember those nightmares! :P

>32 saraslibrary: I'm a child of the 80's too and yes, many of my worst scares were as a kid:

I've already mentioned Salem's Lot, the miniseries - there are quite a few scenes in that, not just the window scene.

Carrie - the mother hiding behind the door.

Dracula (1979) - Mina under the grave in the cavern.

Those scenes scared me so much I find them very hard to watch now, and can't watch them alone, but I still love being scared by them!

One of the few scenes to scare me that much as an adult was in the original version of Dark Water, when you realise the mother isn't holding her child, and then it zooms in... I screamed the house down, thankfully I was watching it at home on DVD with friends :)

By the way, I'll remember to pass on 'much love' to my fur babies when they are jumping on my head at four in the morning - I'm on the sofa till the weekend as my bedroom has been painted and it's been eventful :)

Also an 80s "child" (or more like teen... also 70s child). Ones that creeped me out: the Evil Dead series, Witchboard, Poltergeist was definitely one (but I LOVED to freak myself out with that one).

I never saw Pet Sematary. I did see Jaws but I must have been really young, I think.

Poltergeist was one of my favourites. Loved it! The tree and clown/doll freaked me out, too (I'm not usually freaked out by clowns... unless they are meant to be creepy!). Also loved the Nightmare on Elm Street series. Saw one of two of the Halloween movies and one or two of the Friday the 13th movies, as well.

>34 LibraryCin: Well yes, I'm probably about the same age, child of the late 70's, early 80's, and all my scary memories come from when I was about 10 or 11, possibly a bit young to be watching them but I wasn't complaining and I've loved horror ever since. About that time I caught the tv advert for The Evil Dead and jumped out of my skin when the woman's face popped up out of the basement! Really enjoyed the film when I first saw it.

Jaws terrified me. I was bought a game where you had to pick things out of the shark's mouth before it clamped shut and the box had the same image as the posters. I'd already seen the film (my parents didn't see it as a horror) and I could see the box on my shelf at night and it used to give me nightmares! What a strange idea for a toy...

I completely forgot - my parents didn't see black and white films as a problem, and one film I saw very young which creeped me out was the silent version of Phantom of the Opera.

One of my cats, Sweep, was rushed to an emergency vet on Friday evening (they always wait until your regular vet is closed, the little monsters)! He was on antibiotics as his stomach had started playing him up, and due to go back for blood tests if things didn't clear up, but vomited badly and collapsed on Friday. Turned out he had kidney stones and these had blocked his bladder completely, resulting in a sort of poisoning/toxic shock. He was in such a bad way that the vet thought the sedative would finish him off, but he responded very quickly. He's now back at his regular vet as he's needed a few nights on a drip to let his bladder, kidneys and liver heal, but so far he seems back to his old self. He's now off the catheter and the vet just has to see if he has any problems with urination (which means he'll relapse). I'm not sure what happens next if that's the case, but I saw him today and he is the same old softy, purring all over everyone and very happy, and the vet says his prospects are good.

Me, I'm exhausted from worrying! I won't be completely relaxed till he's back home.

So sorry your furkid is ailing. Hope Sweep gets better soon!

>36 Moomin_Mama: Oh, how scary is that!? I hope he'll be ok.

>36 Moomin_Mama: Omg! I'd never heard of kidney stones in cats before, especially so extreme to "poison" him. :( Sounds like you got him some good care, though. *fingers crossed everything keeps running smoothly* When does he come home? That's a long time to be without your cat.

Thanks guys. It's mixed news - his kidneys are back to normal, there's no liver damage, his urine is still slightly crystalline but there's a food to treat that, but his bladder is still not working. It could be numbness from the bladder distension, it could be that nerve endings have been permanently damaged. We could wait, and wait, and wait, as there is always an outside chance it is just taking a long time, but taking his age into consideration, and the fact he's had such a good, comfortable life, I've got a very difficult decision to make. I don't think it's fair he's in a cage at the vet surgery indefinitely, and he would come to hate having his bladder emptied manually twice a day. I think at this point if there's no sign of any progress by Saturday (a week), we'll go on waiting for a second week, but I doubt we'll go beyond that unless his bladder starts showing some improvement, even a tiny bit.

Then again I won't have to make any decision if his bladder recovers.

>39 saraslibrary: I think they were actually bladder stones, which are more like grit, but they formed a plug that blocked the bladder. Cats can get kidney stones too. And yes, it's a long time to be without Sweep. I visited him yesterday and he was all over me - he flicked off his bandage (where the drip was) and at one point when I stood back slightly to let my ex fuss him (we initially got the cat together and he babysits if I'm away), Sweep nearly dived out of the open cage trying to get to me again. I'm glad he's so chirpy but you'd swear he just wanted Mum to take him home. Fingers crossed.

>40 Moomin_Mama: Oh, wow! I soooo hope he gets better real soon. What an awful decision to have to make if it comes to that. :'( I sincerely hope he does get better and you don't have to decide anything. Sending positive thoughts that he'll feel better asap.

Sweep's home! I have to take him to the vet on Monday to see how he's been over the weekend, but so far he's peeing okay. He came home yesterday afternoon and he's in the kitchen (which is pretty big, the warmest room in the house, and is out of bounds the rest of the time, so a nice space for recovering cats). I'm keeping the cats apart until I'm completely happy with Sweep's progress - Woody has been known to give Sweep a box round the ears if he doesn't know where he's been - and Sweep needs rest. He's lost weight but is happy to be home.

Of course there's no guarantee there won't be a recurrence, but as long as there's no trouble peeing and he's comfortable, it's fine. I can't believe how worrying it's been - nobody warned us how long it would be before he could come home, and he was doing so well in other ways that we kept being told he'd be home tomorrow. When tomorrow never came, and then we were told it doesn't usually take so long for a bladder to recover, we had to prepare ourselves for the worst, but on Friday we got a call that he'd used his litter tray properly.

I feel terrible I didn't know he'd stopped urinating - as I was keeping an eye on his diarrhoea I knew he'd peed the day before collapsing, and on the day he collapsed he'd been laying in his usual spots and had enjoyed a fuss, the same old Sweep. From now on I'll be quite neurotic about my cats' peeing habits - they're gonna miss the days they could use the litter tray without me leering at them!

>42 Moomin_Mama: That's great news, MM! Try not to beat yourself up, though. It's not easy to keep track of litter box habits with multiple cats around. I'm sure I couldn't, especially when I'm gone for almost 11 hours per day for work.

>43 LibraryCin: I beat myself up every time. It's like being a parent! Once Sweep and Woody are gone that will be four cats I've said goodbye to, and worried about along the way. I think my next pet will be a goldfish...

>44 Moomin_Mama: You're right. It's so easy to do that, unfortunately. And - easy for someone else to come say - don't do that! It's not easy not to.

>40 Moomin_Mama: Aawww, that was so sweet he was so happy to see you! :) Absolutely, he wants to come home. And as for bladder stones, yeah, I can see them developing in cats. I was talking with my vet a few weeks ago (I have one cat with a UTI right now; she's had two shots of antibiotics so far), and he was saying cats sometimes don't drink enough water, which can lead to stones.

>42 Moomin_Mama: Yay! :)


I can imagine it being stressful having the vet clinic say he'll be home the next day...or maybe the next...or... Yeah, that would drive me insane, and I'd start thinking the worst, too. :( I know what you mean about having to "leer" at your cats when they're using the litter box. It's hard to keep track of who's done what, especially if you're at work, etc. I'm just so happy Sweep's home! :) Hopefully, Woody'll let him recover before slapping his ears. ;)

>43 LibraryCin: Agreed! You can't beat yourself up for that. I have four cats, and there's no way I know who left what in the litter boxes (unless it's diarrhea and part of it's still on them--blergh--that's happened before).

>44 Moomin_Mama: That is the hardest part of being a pet owner. :( It never gets easier. And I'm sorry to hear about your goldfish. Does your vet specialize in fish as well? I don't know much about fish, but I know some vets specialize in exotic or unique pets. I'm not sure what they could do for him/her, though. *hugs*

>45 LibraryCin: Yeah, it is easy to do that with other people's life situations, isn't it? :) I think we all do it and don't realize it. (I know I do it.)

>46 saraslibrary: I hope your cat's UTI clears up soon! Is it Cali?

Sweep had a check-up today and seems to have the all clear (although I'm still keeping my fingers crossed that continues). A few tips from the vet about increasing his water intake included giving him the brine from tins of tuna - apparently the salt content won't be too much - as well as kitten/cat milk, leaving glasses of water round the house, and a water fountain. He may have taken the hint, as he's been drinking water from the saucer at the bottom of a plant in the kitchen (Sweep, not the vet). He's also on a special urinary food to keep the crystals down.

No I don't have a goldfish... yet! When my boys are gone I'll definitely consider fish instead, it's got to be easier. Although you make a good point, the things they can do these days with exotics - knowing my luck I'll end up pacing a waiting room at some point while a goldfish has an organ transplant of some sort.

Thank you so much for the picture. I couldn't help think of my 4: Suzy, the only girl who lost an eye; Dennis, the big-eyed, handsome tabby; Sweep behind the others, happy to take a back seat; and Woody, definitely the 'indigo child' of the bunch...

>47 Moomin_Mama: So do I! And I'm sure so does she. ;) No, it's Gabi this time who has the UTI. I also have another cat (Gwen) who's been sneezing for the past few days and has lost some weight, so I'll be calling my vet in the next few hours to try and get them in asap before I have to go to work today. Yeah, no sleep for me tonight.


Oh, that's wonderful news about Sweep! :) I know how that goes--still feeling cautious, even though your cat's been given the A-OK. Sounds like some very good advice. I wish him the best. :)

LOL! My mistake about the goldfish. I think I was tired or something when I read that sentence. I've heard fish are very relaxing to watch and very hassle-free, so I guess they're ideal for people who aren't too invested in their pet. *lol-ing @ the idea of an organ transplant on a goldfish* Now I am really curious what specialty vets do with fish.

You're very welcome! And I totally planned for four cats to be in the picture. ;) Actually, it's pure coincidence. And that's awesome that you have four cats, too. I only have 3 of my cats in my member gallery. I really need to get all my photos organized. That should be my halfway-into-the-year resolution!

>48 saraslibrary: Well, HAD four cats, now only two....

Gwen and DeeDee are really lovely cats but I see you have no pics of Gabi yet. Let us know when you organize your gallery :)

>49 Moomin_Mama: Oh, I'm sorry about that. :( Foot, enter mouth. I wish the best for your other two cats. :)

Thank you! :) My mom adopted Gwen from the Humane Society as a kitten and gave her to me. (She's the one who possibly has some upper respiratory deal going on. We finally got an appointment for tomorrow at 10 a.m.) Dee Dee is one of my grandmother's cat's babies. She was the only kitten who got along with my dog (he's passed on since then), so I called dibs on her. She's a Russian Blue (I think) and just so intelligent. She watches TV with me, tries to get in my face when I'm crying...she's really cool. All four of my cats are awesome in their own fuzzy little ways. :)

I didn't get my gallery organized too well, but here's a pic of Gabi:

>50 saraslibrary: I'm the queen of foot-in-mouth, so I take no offence :)

Dee Dee sounds Dee-lightful, a bit like my Woody but without the naughtiness - he watches nature programmes with me, and is a big comforter, but he also knocks things all over all the time (sometimes deliberately), and he runs around with things in his mouth that he's pinched from my desk and bag, howling (receipts, bookmarks, balls of wool, although he also does it with a felted pom-pom I made for the cats). He also chews - not eats - plastic bags and wrappers.

Gabi beautiful, by the way, I love the look on her face.

>51 Moomin_Mama: That's a relief. Thank you. :)

*snort @ "Dee-lightful"* She is that. And she loves to bogart my lap, like she's doing right now. :) I don't know. Dee Dee did have a little Woody streak in her a year or so ago re: knocking stuff over. She used to do it ALL the time in the morning, because she wanted to be fed before the sun came up. Being the night owl I am, that didn't go over too well. :/ I thought cats were supposed to be night owls, too, but apparently her appetite runs super early.

Howling...now that's my Cali cat. She'll find something (a q-tip, a cat toy, sock, etc) and drag it around letting out this horrible howl that used to freak me out. I used to think she was hurt, but it was just her "war cry."

My first cat, Tara, loved plastic, too. All you had to do is rattle around some plastic and she'd come running. She was also the same way about paper. Scrunch some up and throw it for her, and she was a happy camper. :) She was also amused by fire, which is probably why her whiskers and hair on her paws was always singed. :D Apparently, she never got the memo that animals are supposed to be afraid of fire or something.

Thank you. :) It was the quickest pic I could find.

Plastic? I can't keep plastic bags anywhere where Io can get to them. He'll chew on them and I'm afraid he'll swallow bits of them.

I don't like plastic bags, anyway, and have mostly used canvas bags for years! I do have some plastic bags that I keep to use for various things, but mostly I try not to bring them home. (I used to have a private company come pick up my recycling - before the city started doing it - and I needed to sort the recycling before putting it out. I needed plastic bags for it, but I always ran low, since I so rarely brought more home, so I always used to have to ask co-workers if they could bring some for me!).

>53 LibraryCin: I'm not a big fan of plastic bags either, but they're kind of a necessary evil when it comes to collecting trash. I think we have a few stores in this state (Washington) that actually charge you now something like 5 cents per plastic bag you want. It's a good step in the right direction, imho. My mom and I both try and use reusable cloth bags when we go grocery shopping (we did so tonight).

>52 saraslibrary: Wow, singed whiskers and paws! Did she sit too close to fire, or play with it?

>53 LibraryCin: >54 saraslibrary: The image I have from American films and tv is of paper bags being used in supermarkets - is that typical? Over here all supermarkets use plastic carrier bags, and none of the big supermarkets charge, but the bags are getting thinner and thinner and it makes more sense to use canvas 'shoppers'. When I have food shopping delivered it comes in plastic bags and I use these when changing the litter tray and to line my rubbish bins, but the rest of the time use one of my shoppers. I have quite a collection now!

I think I've seen knitting and crochet patterns for re-usable shoppers that use strips of plastic carrier bags, which is quite a handy way of using the things. People use far too many, but then the amount of plastic packaging on things these days is also a problem. I remember the days when milk was sold in glass bottles :)

>54 saraslibrary: Yes, you are correct. I still use plastic garbage bags, just not shopping bags.

And I think every store should charge for plastic bags. It might encourage more people to bring reusable ones.

>55 Moomin_Mama: I'm in Canada, but it's similar here to the US, I think. Paper bags in stores used to be more common, I think. You used to be able to ask for a paper bag, but I'm not sure if that's the case anymore. Most places use plastic. :-(

My Mom crocheted me a shopping bag once, but I found it stretched a LOT, so it wasn't really good for carrying heavy things (i.e. groceries). For lighter things (weight-wise), they are fine.

Oh! Those ones where you use plastic bags to knit or crochet from! Yeah, those look cool! I bet they'd be better than the stretchy yarn that my Mom used.

>56 LibraryCin: I do have a book of unusual knits that has a raincoat for a toddler using knitted strips of carrier bag. Not very fire safe, I'd imagine - I haven't been tempted to knit one.

>55 Moomin_Mama: She played with it, especially candles. Needless to say, I almost never had any candles going when she was around.

>55 Moomin_Mama: & >56 LibraryCin: Almost all of the stores I shop at use plastic bags, unless you ask for paper (that is, if they even carry paper bags). There are only a few stores I'm aware of who us paper bags: Hallmark, Trader Joe's...um, I'm drawing a blank after those two.

Milk in glass bottles? I can't say I remember that. :)

>58 saraslibrary: I'm showing my age mentioning milk in glass bottles, I know!

Playing with candles - I've heard everything now. The things our little furballs get up to...

There is one brand of milk I can get in a glass bottle, if I'm at the organic store. The same brand does have milk in plastic jugs and/or cardboard/waxy containers, as well. I get some groceries delivered and when it's delivered it's in the plastic or waxy container, but from the organic store, I can get the glass bottle. When I return the glass bottles, I get $1 back for it and the bottles are reused!

>59 Moomin_Mama: It's all good. :) I show my age, too, especially when I talk about music and such.

Yep, I used to say she was a pyromaniac in a previous life. ;)

>60 LibraryCin: I can see where some organic milk companies would use glass. And that's awesome that you get money back and have them reused. :)

My sweet boy, Angel, had to be taken to the 24-hour vet hospital to be PTS early on Tuesday morning. It's been a rough week. :'(

Awww we have a kitty thread! As a lifelong (my only "sibling" was a big brother, who just happened to be furry with whiskers, and he was the best big brother one could have asked for! XD) feline lover I highly approve. =^.^= I will have to read through the whole thread soon.

After going just shy of 6 wretched years without any, due to stupid apt rules, we have 3 now. I actually reserved the first one (Aleksandra the torbie & white Maine Coon kitten) more than a month before we moved xD (though she didn't join us until 2 mos after) and the 2nd (Nushka the beige & gray tabby British/European shorthair mix) was picked up 3 days before we officially moved in (a bunch of things had been moved over, but not the furniture & big stuff yet). :P Kurkuma (the brown tabby European shorthair) was picked up the day after officially moving in. :D


Lexi has her own thread over in the Cats, books, life is good group. :P
Nushie is the sweetest little thing, she coos like a pigeon for her purr, it's super loud, hilarious, and adorable. She loves people, she started purring at us the moment we went back to see her and she's the official greeter when anyone else happens to be here, looking up at them as if to say Hello, welcome, who are you? :P She thought she wasn't a lap cat, which made me sad, but Lexi is my foreverlapkitten hahaha, and Nushie is timid and follows Lexi's lead, so she finally followed her onto my lap one day a few weeks ago (EVER so hesitantly, it took her ages!) and settled in and realized it was actually pretty nice! And has started coming over on her own now. She and Lexi are bestest buds and love chasing each other around & wrestling.
Kuma loves us, but sadly she hates other cats (NOT what her description claimed! *sigh* Oh well, we are her people, too late!) and does not get along with them at all. She hisses/growls when they are around, and will sometimes swat at them if they're too close for her. She and Nushie take turns of a few weeks each being the aggressor and jumping out at the other, blargh. But she's very sweet with us and when she plays, she goes ALL OUT racing around like a loon and rolling around with the toy, and doing what I call "kangaroo kicks" with her back feet at the toy while laying on the floor, lol. She has a skin allergy and has to get a syringe of meds every other day to keep her from scratching herself bloody, which she absolutely despises. She sometimes likes to come under the blankets in bed with us. XD

Nushie is going in for surgery on Friday, because whoever did her eye was an idiot and did something wrong, causing it to keep swelling with fluid, and it's twice gotten infected, and this past time it swelled up so horribly she popped it open and made a big bloody mess of it; so that was when he decided yep this is not a thing she can just live with anymore, it's time to go see exactly what the problem is and fix it! He consulted a specialist who agreed that there is likely some sort of tissue left behind causing the swelling (which the vet has never seen before, though he's done the surgery on plenty of cats before). So it should be a pretty run-of-the-mill thing and she should finally be rid of this problem. So, boo surgery but yay fixing! She bounces back from everything real quick though, so I'm expecting her to be just dandy in no time at all. :))

>62 LibraryCin: *hugs* So sorry to hear that.

>64 .Monkey.: Thank you. It's never easy, even when you know it's coming. :'(

It's nice to hear about yours. Poor Nushie. Hopefully his eye can be fixed up this time around. That's so great that he came around and is now enjoying laps. :-)

I also volunteer with cats, mostly strays, so some are used to people and some aren't. I work with them to help them become more social and, therefore, more adoptable. It's a great feeling when they finally (sometimes after years!) come around!

And I know I mentioned Angel way back at the start of this thread, but just a bit more info (or maybe I'm repeating some of it). He was already 8 years old when I adopted him. He was soooo cuddly. I was a volunteer for the Humane Society at the time - now I volunteer with a no-kill rescue - and he'd been waiting for a home for a few months, so I got to know him well. I couldn't figure out why he hadn't gone home yet; best I could come up with was that he was black and his age.

Anyway, he was my super-cuddly boy and stayed that way. Less so, the past couple of months, but really he was always happy to be held and cuddled - at least by me. He wasn't overly friendly with friends and such, so I do wonder if it was one of those situations where - way back when he was waiting to be adopted - he "adopted" me. Maybe he wasn't cuddly with other people when they saw him waiting for a home?

Anyway, he was about 16-1/2 at the end. May 7, 1999 - Oct. 13, 2015.

Yeah she's such a doll. She was taken in by a TNR program, so she was technically supposed to go back outside, they aren't meant to hold on to the cats for adoption. But she is such a sweetheart the woman couldn't put her back out there. Thank heavens for that, because clearly her situation showed she was not meant for feral life, and her love of people shows she was not a feral but some poor sweetie that was dumped by someone, or at least escaped. I cannot even fathom how anyone could have done such a thing to the sweetest cat ever! Anyhow she loves being held when standing, but she would just run right off if you tried to put her on your lap! But now, now I get

:D

I think our next cat I'd like to take home a bit older one. This time I exclusively looked for younger ones, because I wanted to make sure they were up for being a kitten playmate. Nushie is somewhere about 2 yrs and Kuma around 2.5yrs or so, according to what their carers thought & put in their passports. But whenever in the future we take in another, there won't be the worry about rowdy kitten, haha, so they can be whatever age so long as they get on with other cats! :)

It definitely sounds like Angel adopted you! And he had a nice happy life with you, too, that's what matters!

>67 .Monkey.: Oh, Nushie = "she"! Sorry about that. I currently have two (oops, only one now) boys. Previous to either of those, I had one girl. It seems that whichever I have is my default pronoun!

Oh, that's so lucky for her that they kept her instead of TNRing her. The no-kill shelter I volunteer at also does TNR and it is a valuable program, but it's always nice when they decide to keep some for adoption. They keep fewer than they used to (new management), but there are some you can tell right away who have been around humans (when they meow... did you know that cats only meow - or so I've read in a few places - if they have communicated with humans?), so I'm always hopeful when I hear meowing from the TNR room that that kitty will "graduate" to be able to be adopted.

I don't get it, either. I have no idea how anyone can abandon a pet... :-(

I have never (maybe when I was a kid, but not as an adult) wanted to bring home a kitten - too much energy, too much work! My requirement has always been at least 1 year. Io was just over a year when he came home. I mostly choose based on personality, but if I'm having trouble deciding, I try to factor in those things that may get a kitty overlooked or take longer to be adopted otherwise. With Angel being both black and 8 years, he was going to have a harder time than the 4 year old tabby I was also considering at the time (though that 4-year old tabby had also been around a few months, BUT he was adopted about a week later or so, so that worked out well).

The shelter I volunteer for now doesn't take owner surrenders (unless they were originally adopted from there... they will, of course, take them back), so it's just strays. Strays tend not to live as long or be as old (usually), so when I bring home another, they will likely be a bit younger. There are a few older ones at the shelter now (10, 11, 14), but I also want one who will be ok with Io. Not too sure about two of the three I'm thinking of, but those two pretty grumpy at the moment. I think they need some socializing work before they'll go home. Although I like socializing, I also like for them to have come around or be coming around before I will bring them home to continue socializing them here.

I do LOVE the 14-year old, but she didn't get along well with the other kitty she came in with, so I believe they are recommending she go to a single cat home. She is out and wandering the room with other cats, but sometimes she is grumbly about it. She would probably get used to one other cat, but for Io, it would be nice to have someone who could potentially be a cuddle-buddy. I'm sure Io wanted that with Angel, but Angel ended up not wanting that.

To add, I'm not sure when I'll be ready for another, but I do have a couple in mind if they are still around when I'm ready.

One was recently adopted out, but came back when the resident cats were beating the poor guy up. He had made my never-ending/rotating "list" of possibilities before he went home, and he just came back about a week ago. I saw him on Thursday, and he is doing well. He's back at the top of my list. 5 years old.
Here he is: This is Kells:
http://www.meowfoundation.com/adopt/4460/kells/
You can also click to watch the YouTube video of him (filmed before he went to the home he just came back from).

The other near the top of my list, who we're still working on, but he is slowly coming around is Joseph. He is only 1-1/2:
http://www.meowfoundation.com/adopt/4793/joseph/

There are others I love who have been there longer (though Kells was there quite a while before he went to the recent home) who I would love to take, but either they don't really seem to care about the other cats (whereas, I'm hoping for a cuddle-buddy for Io), OR the longest term kitty there, Taylor, I would LOVE to bring, but I just can't bring another short-haired black kitty right now.
http://www.meowfoundation.com/adopt/2538/taylor/

There are two nice (slightly shy) solid white cats, Teetee and Snowball. I've always wanted a white kitty. I would love to bring either of them home (it would likely be Teetee, because he's the shyer of the two and will likely take longer before being adopted), but I'm leaning toward one who has been there longer and - though they say the two aren't bonded - I don't want to be the one to break up the pair. I rent and am only allowed two cats.

Either way, I don't know when I'll bring another home (knowing me, I don't think it will be too long), but it will also remain to be seen who is still available at the shelter.

Haha no worries, had she been reading from my lap I'm sure she wouldn't have thought you were rendering her male with ill intent! XP

I have heard that, and I'm sure it's true in some cases, but kittens communicate with mamas by meowing, so I think it's pretty silly of whoever made these claims to think no cat would ever mew aside of with people! I had one that mewed at our golden all the time, and Lexi constantly trills to herself while she's playing, or walking, or stalking moths, or...! XD Funny, the woman claimed she was quiet! I'm not sure if she was saying that thinking we'd be pleased, or if she really was quiet while there, but she has not stopped talking since she got here, lmao. Actually I was hoping she'd be a talker, when we got to meet her at 1wk old she already had quite a set of lungs on her as she HOLLERED for mama, so I was keeping my fingers crossed that was a sigh of a chatter, hahaha.

Aw I love kittens, so cute! But I ignored all kitten listings because I know everyone loves the cute wee little furballs so they tend to get homes right quick, and since Lexi was bought not adopted, I was making sure to do my duty and give a home to one who needed it! As it turned out, I did for two, not one! Hahaha. Nushie is the sweetest, but I know people are dumb and her "defect" of missing an eye would make her less likely to be chosen, even though she's gorgeous and sooo soft (which the pictures you could practically feel the fuzz through the screen!) and cute, I couldn't resist her! A guy went to meet her the day we called, but he was clearly insane as he passed on her, god only knows how anyone could walk away from her! But our luck!! :D And Kuma, with her expensive meds for her skin allergy, also not desirable. She had apparently been with her foster people for a while.

I have always been the type to want another one right away. It helps fill the void that's been left. Think about happy new furball times than keeping sad about the one who is gone. But I know everyone deals with stuff their own way, in their own time.
Aww, Kells is so pretty. Joe has the crazy eyes, hehehe! Awww Taylor is so cute! I get that though. A bunch of times out of the blue I have gone to call Kuma Quester and I'm just like Wait wat where is that coming from?! but she was a brown tabby too, and a bit similar personality in some ways, so, I suppose it makes sense. Weird though!

Yes, it does help fill the void. Luckily, I still have Io, but I don't like him being at home by himself all day, without company, either. But, I don't feel ready already. I'm pretty sure it won't be too long, though.

With our (I was with my ex at the time) previous cat (before Io), she was our only one, so I don't remember how long before I wanted to bring home another, but it was fairly soon. My ex wasn't ready. At about 6 months, I finally convinced him to head to the Humane Society (this is before I volunteered there), and of course, we brought home Io. Since we've split, though, I don't think he'll get another cat ever. I'm sure we just got Io because I wanted another. If it had been up to him, I doubt we have gotten another.

My husband likes animals, and he loves our animals, but he's not an Animal Person. He never had them growing up (I think his mom is mildly allergic, to some sort?). He is perfectly content to live without any. Although I do wonder if now that we've had the rats, and the cats, if he would find the house too empty without some furball getting into some sort of mischief. xP He admitted when Nibsy (one of the two rats) died a couple mos ago that it hit him a lot harder than he had thought it would. So it's possible that now with the cats, who actually show affection and interact and are happy for our company and such, he may decide he does prefer having a full house. XD

>62 LibraryCin: I'm so sorry to hear that. Poor Angel, and poor you. We do our best when it's their time but it's never easy :(

I'm not surprised you are looking at other cats already, especially as you volunteer for a re-homing charity. When my two boys are gone I know I'll feel guilty that I have the space for another cat or two, and there are so many that need good homes.

>63 .Monkey.: Such beautiful cats - it's a shame that Kuma isn't so friendly with the other two, but from the look of their cuddle, Lexie and Nushie aren't missing out :)

>73 Moomin_Mama: Thank you so much. It's been almost a week (5:30ish tomorrow/Tuesday morning), and I miss him so much.

I can't say for sure when I'll bring someone home, but I'm thinking for kitty's comfort, I'll (at least) hold off till after Halloween. At least then, they won't have to freak out with every door knock... Maybe longer than that, as well, but at least till then.

Nushie had her surgery this morning. He said it was pretty difficult due to the fluid, but I guess he managed alright. She's sleeping in the other carrier (she abandoned sleeping in her own after she finally connected it to the -bad things- at the vet) in the bedroom now, my poor baby, her face looks awful! I just hope she heals quickly. She's supposed to go back to get stitches out in 10-12 days.

>75 .Monkey.: Awwww, hopefully she'll be feeling better real soon. Cats tend to get over things pretty quickly, usually. I think we are often worrying more when they're at a point where they've already forgotten about it!

Heh well she may not be in pain but she definitely won't have forgotten it any time soon, not with her half-shaved face and stitches and the horrid itchy feeling she'll be getting as it heals! xP

She's doing well, though. She only ate a tiny bit of food over 33 hours, but after she did eat that tiny bit last night she got a little energy/strength up and started her kneading & cooing in her favorite bed, which she did for several times for extended periods through the evening/night/morning, hahaha. And as I was getting their breakfast ready today, I was planning to take hers back to her since she hadn't left the bedroom when I did (normally they all follow me out, FOOOOOD IT'S MORNING!! XD), she wound up wandering on in, and then jumping up on to the counter too, to come have hers. She didn't finish, but she ate a nice amount, and she stayed out here and is sleeping in her beloved top of the cat post spot rather than resting alone in the bedroom, so she is definitely not feeling all wretched anymore. :))

Sounds like a good start to her healing.

>77 .Monkey.: Glad to hear Nushie is doing well.

Hmmmm, I guess I never did come back with updates.

On Nov. 19th, I brought home a new boy, Kells. He is maybe 5-7ish years old. Beautiful medium (long?)-haired boy, grey tabby and white. He was real shy when he came into the shelter about a year and a half earlier. He would run away, didn't want anyone to touch him. He eventually came around and was adopted out for a while, but came back (due to one of the resident cats picking on him).

At the shelter, he'd been picked on by other cats a few times, as well. He was doing so much better with people, though, and I'm a sucker for shy cats who come around! He and my boy Io are doing well. I was able to let Kells out of "his" room after only about a week and a half. By then, he was much more used to me, as well. (Of course, he knew me from the shelter, as well, but it's a whole new space.)

He and Io don't cuddle, but they sometimes play, and I've seen them groom each other a couple of times. Not often, but it has happened. I still hope they'll get closer. I was pretty confident Io would not be a cat who would pick on another scared kitty.

Ok, so that's the first update. Next update:

12 (almost 13) year old Io was diagnosed with asthma on Dec. 31. He's got inhalers (one for constant 12-hour interval puffs, and the other will be for attacks; for now he's getting both), and a mask/cannister thingy to get him to breathe in his meds.

It took a few weeks before I made him (took time to "train" him before that) use the mask/cannister, but we started that on Sunday and though he doesn't like it, he's getting through it without too much protesting.

In case anyone is interested and has 6ish minutes to kill, this is a really cute video on training kitty to use the mask/cannister/inhaler.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dH4k_dOdNbY

>80 LibraryCin: Aw if they are playing and grooming they will almost certainly wind up best buds! That's how Lexi & Nush started. Lexi was constantly trying to play with her and when Nush decided hmm, she seems maybe alright... and started to play back a little, it took a month or two before they got real close. They're super best buds now, always playing. They don't often cuddle up unless they're on my lap together, haha.

>82 .Monkey.: I hope so! I'm just afraid Io learned from Angel's "aloofness" (the best way I can think to describe it). Io used to try to cuddle with Angel but Angel just wasn't interested. I thought Io would be happy to have another buddy, and maybe he still enjoys having another kitty to play with (though he is also much older now!) - at least I hope so!

>80 LibraryCin: Kells sounds like a lovely new addition to the family. Looking forward to seeing a photo.

>81 LibraryCin: The training video is so cute! Io must be one patient cat to tolerate the mask.

>84 Moomin_Mama: I will add a photo or two once everything else dies down a bit more! :-)

Io is a pretty good little guy (treats help!). He does pull away from the mask every 1 or 2 breaths (if I'm lucky, he'll wait longer!), but I just put it back on until we get up to 8-10, which is what he's supposed to get.

Vet visit tomorrow to follow up on how he's doing.

>85 LibraryCin: He sounds like a good guy. Hope the follow up goes well tomorrow :)

Bad news I'm afraid - Sweep, who had a blocked bladder last year, had to be put to sleep yesterday. He wasn't distressed or in pain but seemed to be letting me know something was wrong - the day before he looked up at me and meowed a few times as if to get my attention, but didn't want to move. I took him to the vet immediately, he was kept in overnight, and when blood tests came back the next day it was apparent that his kidneys were failing. He was comfortable but would not eat, and was exhausted by this time despite being on a drip and pain relief, so there was only one choice we could make. We did say goodbye and stayed with him, and the vet as always was great.

You wouldn't have known anything was wrong with him, and there's been no problems with his peeing since the bladder issues last year. I always feel terrible afterwards, but often there's no way of knowing if something is amiss, short of full blood tests on a very regular basis - and he would have hated that. Sweep, bless him, for all his usual cowardly lion behaviour, has been the one to make the least fuss when getting old and falling ill, and like last year was absolutely fine until something was badly wrong.

Feeling sad, but it's been lovely having him, and I now have to adjust to being a one cat household.

>87 Moomin_Mama: Oh, no! :'( I'm so sorry to hear this, MM.

I had actually planned to come over here for an update on my boys. Io is not happy with his mask/cannister/inhaler contraption, but he's using it. He pulls his face back after every breath or two, but he is usually calm enough that I can just put it back on each time until he gets his required number of breaths.

Kells, on the other hand, also had to go to the vet last week. The vet initially thought UTI (urinary tract infection), so sent us home with 3 medications (anti-inflammatory, pain med, antibiotic). The anti-inflammatory and pain meds were both done on the weekend, and I heard from the vet again on Monday, that it's not a UTI. Not sure what the issue is, but I'm going to have to switch to the Hill's c/d food (or other brand's equivalent if he doesn't like the c/d), then take him back in for more tests in a few weeks.

For now, they're just saying FLUTD, which is really a blanket term to mean it could be anything to do with his lower urinary tract, but they don't know what. They didn't see crystals the first time, but that's because there were too many red blood cells in the way or something. So, we'll check again later.

>88 LibraryCin: Sorry too, believe me. He was a kitten when I got him, only just weaned and too young to leave his mum - he was tiny, fit in my hand, and was all eyes. Being the baby makes it a different kind of upsetting than it was for the others, but as pet owners we all go through it, don't we? I know you went through the same with Angel last year. It's sad, but we have good memories and the satisfaction of giving them a happy life.

I'm glad the Io is getting his medication despite hating his inhaler, and I'll keep my fingers crossed for Kells.

>90 Moomin_Mama: Thank you!

And Sweep sounds like a sweetie! I'm still working on a photobook of Angel. I did most of it before Christmas, then got busy, but I want to get back to it soon.

>87 Moomin_Mama: I'm so sorry for the loss of your cat MM.

>89 LibraryCin: I hope your boys get better soon.

>92 luvamystery65: Thanks. Io, though, will have asthma the rest of his life, and will need the inhaler always. Kells, though - I hope will improve on the new diet.

>87 Moomin_Mama: *offers hugs* It's always so hard.

>89 LibraryCin: Cats needing meds just sucks for everyone, haha. Kuma needs her allergy meds (some sort of skin allergy, she scratches nonstop, making sores, if she doesn't get it) and it's a little syringe of very aromatic stuff that I don't blame her not wanting anything to do with! She often scurries away when she sees it in my hand, or even just senses that it's coming lol, she knows. So then I have to follow her all around until I can grab her, and I have to sit on the floor on my knees with her between my legs, holding her head in place with one hand and trying to squirt the stuff in her mouth with the other. Often I think more of it winds up on the floor, or me, than in her mouth! She's quite adept at jerking her head at just the right moment, heh, she really hates it!

I give my dog Bruce an allergy med, Apoquel. It is so expensive but he will take it wrapped up in a small treat. I don't have to fight him for it and that is worth the price alone. Poor daddy. He is old and so sweet. I don't want to have to fight him to give him medication.

Yeah Kuma's meds are freaking €90 for a little bitty jar, that claims it's no good after a month. I still use it till it's empty though, that's ridiculous! But the vet has looked into it and when we were there last a few weeks ago said a generic version of it has just come out for dogs, so the one for cats should be coming soon, which will be very nice.

>94 .Monkey.: The hug's much needed...

>89 LibraryCin: The old 'squeeze 'em between your knees' trick - we've all done it :D

Looks like I need to do another update. Nothing has changed with Io and his inhaler.

Kells, though... only a few days after he was done with the antibiotic, I had to take him back for doing the same thing - in and out of his litter boxes for 45 minutes or so. Plus, this time, the bathtub. Nothing happening, though.

This vet (a different one) thought it was stress causing the issues. Once again, he was prescribed the pain med, the anti-inflammatory and this time, a homeopathic (though needing a prescription) med for stress. He is done everything except the stress homeopathic med, which - as far as I know - will be forever for him. It's a powder that gets mixed in with his food. I have also changed him from 1/4 wet food and 3/4 dry to the other way around. Also changed his food to "c/d stress". I'm not happy with the various vet foods (the ingredients), but if it works, I'm going with it.

She said to bring him back to recheck in a couple of weeks, which will be this weekend coming up. *knock on wood - he seems to be doing well, so far.

Sending your Kells good vibes.

Thanks so much!

I thought my Westie, Bruce was having a stroke this last weekend. I took him to the vet and it looks like he likely has a brain lesion. Only way to confirm is an MRI and that requires general anesthesia. Not very good outcomes even I tested and treated. He will be 14 on May 10th. He hates going to the vet, getting poked and prodded. He even hates getting a bath. I am treating with steroids. The steroids seem to have decreased his brain swelling because he is awake and alert now. His breathing and heart rate are normal. They were fast this past weekend and he was extremely lethargic, confused and had difficulty ambulating. Once his symptoms reappear in the slightest, I will call the vet and we will euthanize. I love this dog and it is no exaggeration to say I owe him my life. His presence in my life pulled me out a deep dark place when he was a puppy. I don't want him to suffer and I don't want to prolong his life just because it is hard to say goodbye. In the meantime, I took a few days off work and we are enjoying each day.

Poor dear, it's so awful when things like that happen, and we have to make those tough choices. *hugs for you both*

I'm so sorry to hear this about Bruce. I'm glad the steriods are helping and that you are able to take some time off to spend with him.

Poor baby. I'm with you, though; we know when it is time to make that decision. Our babies tell us. Bruce is absolutely adorable!

I'm super, super behind on this thread, but thank you for posting pics and notes on your guys's pets. I love reading and seeing them! :)

>101 luvamystery65: My thoughts are with you re: Bruce. He is so beautiful! I'm glad he's been there for you, and I can tell you've been there and beyond for him. Big hugs and good mojo coming your way!

I also have a cat (Gwen), who is on her way out too. She had a mass removed from her abdomen a couple months back, but it has since returned. She's on prednisone right now, which seems to be prolonging her life. It's hard to make that decision, though, of when she wants to pass on.

>105 saraslibrary: I also have a cat (Gwen), who is on her way out too. She had a mass removed from her abdomen a couple months back, but it has since returned. She's on prednisone right now, which seems to be prolonging her life. It's hard to make that decision, though, of when she wants to pass on.

I'm so sorry to hear about Gwen. It is definitely not easy to make that decision.

>105 saraslibrary: I'm sorry about your Gwen. It is a difficult decision to make.

Bruce started having some rapid breathing and minor confusion on Sunday evening. It was intermittent so I did not rush him to the emergency vet. On Monday morning he had 3 seizures. They were very mild but I knew it was time. His 14th birthday was on Tuesday but I euthanized him on Monday. I didn't want to delay and wait for worsening seizures or respiratory issues. He went in my arms and I miss him terribly. He was such a great dog. He had an amazing personality.

*hugs you both*

>107 luvamystery65: Oh, no... I'm so so sorry. :'(

:-( sad for you

>105 saraslibrary: >107 luvamystery65: So sorry for you both. It was an awful experience having to euthanize Sweep earlier this year and I feel for both of you.

>111 Moomin_Mama: Thank you so much.

Thank you all >108 .Monkey.: >109 LibraryCin: & >110 ccookie:

Uh oh... It was bound to happen. Now that I own my house, I resisted bringing another home for 5 months! I just applied to adopt another. This would still only make 3 cats. I volunteer with them, so I need to be sure this doesn't happen often!

It's been one year (by date, Oct. 13... but it was the Tuesday right after the Canadian Thanksgiving weekend, so tomorrow) since Angel died. I did bring Kells home in November last year. But, it's hard to resist when I volunteer with them. I've been wanting to bring her home for a while, but I try to tell myself I don't want more vet bills! I gave in...

Yay! Because when you have furballs you get furball snuggles! Like

The more the merrier! :D

>114 .Monkey.: LOL! Yes, it is true. :-)

In case anyone is interested, this is the kitty I've applied to adopt:
http://www.meowfoundation.com/adopt/2667/malaina/

I can't see being rejected, as I volunteer at the organization! :-)

>114 .Monkey.: >115 LibraryCin: Gorgeous!

Aww lovely, and she sounds sweet! :))

I thought I'd share photos of my kitties under/near the Christmas tree.
This is my oldest boy, Io. He is now 13 and has asthma. This photo was taken years ago.


Hmmm, before I attempt to show the other two cats, what have I done wrong with the coding to post the image? I'm planning to use all photos I've uploaded here to LT. In the carroted brackets I have img src= then the link in quotations marks then width=200 then the closing bracket.

Thanks for any help!

You just used the URL of the page, looks like, not the image source (which is http://pics.cdn.librarything.com/picsizes/68/ba/68ba477d3fccc26636e62326867434b4....

>119 .Monkey.: Yes, thank you!

Fixed! Thank you!

Now, the next one (my current profile pic) is Kells, whom I adopted just over 1 year ago. He is maybe around 7ish years old?

And my newest girl, whom I adopted in October. This is Lainey (or Malaina); she is probably 5 or 6 years old.

Sorry, not pet related, but is there going to be a thread for December's short stories? I am waiting on one from the library, but even if it comes in January, I'd like to post it. Not sure when I will get it. :-) Thanks!

Cute pics :) There's no need to make them so tiny, though, hard to see the furbabies then! ;P

Ah, I haven't gotten to reading any and so had glossed over that absence; let's see, that was Moomin_Mama's slot, but I'll toss up the thread now just because it's so late already, whoops!

>175 LOL! I guess I could have made them larger, true! Io is a nice close-up, so probably not necessary for his, but the others are from further away.

Thanks for putting up the thread! I hope mine comes in this month!

I made the photos of Kells and Lainey a bit bigger, so they are easier to see. :-)

>127 LibraryCin: I love these photos.

>128 luvamystery65: Thank you. Lainey eyes are half-closed, but I don't have as many photos to choose from yet!

>129 LibraryCin: I like that look though. "I'm going to catch Santa in the act. Zzzz" :D

>130 luvamystery65: LOL!