Last activity: 45 days ago
Status: Claudie is missed
status/mood updated 46 days ago
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My Blog
An Orange Cat
From NPR's "This, I Believe", an essay called Caring Makes Us Human.
Enjoy! http://www.brasschecktv.com/page/440.html
Mammary Tumors
Oct 1 update ~at 3:55pm today, Claudia >^..^< went to the rainbow bridge ~ she was only 12, but in late stages of cancer ~ she is the third of the six kittens from this litter to have this--highly genetic.
Claudie had 2 surgeries to remove mammary tumors, Aug of last year, & May of this year, under the excellent care of Drs Kristy & Scott Lund. I could not see putting her thru that, again to buy her a month or two. Her sister, the fluffy one, here, Bodhi is fine. They laid together on C's blankey most of the day. We got to sit outside this morning together, which she very much enjoyed, then she rested most of the day. Her breathing was becoming more labored.
She never purred last nite or today (she was a PURR MOTOR)! I did not want to stress her out on a 20 minute car ride to LAH, so we just went 1 minute away, here to VCA. Dr Beck did it. It was so calm and peaceful, Bob & I were both with her, it was the right thing to do....it realllly makes you wonder why we make HUMANS suffer so much when they have a debilitating, terminal illness?
Wed update: Picked her up, this aft. She is home and resting comfy, as well as possible, wearing an E collar. Poor thing. Vets said she is doing great. I heard Jack (dog) barking ~ Claudy was stuck between the sofa and coffee table.
In August, just before going to bed, I was rubbing Claudia's tummy. I felt a hard marble. Took her to vet, I had a feeling what it was, and sadly I was right. Two days later she went under the knife and had one big and 3 small mammary tumors removed. My vet told me every month to do a "breast check" on her and monitor if they came back.
Since the mammary glands are in a chain, these can develop quickly, and multiply. Left untreated, they invade the lymph nodes and move to the lungs, resulting in pain and then having to euthanize.
Well, the blasted things are back. When I called my vet, she said, "Wait, this cat is still alive?" I gasped, "What do you mean?" She said they usually only last a few months" - I am GLAD to I did not KNOW THAT!!! I now feel four on the right and two on the left. We have a surgery appointment on Tues morning.
Being an indoor cat, she was spayed at five years old. You can reduce the incidence of mammary tumors by spaying within the cat's first two years.
Please keep Claudia in your thoughts and prayers, especially this Tuesday, May 6. Her surgery will probably be around noon, EST. And, diligently monitor your cat's health, changes in behavior, weight or habits - it can save their life! >".."<
How Cat Savvy are You?
Just as we would consider it rude to walk up and go nose to nose with a stranger (invading the their personal space), many common things we do, are considered less than courteous to pets. People and animals have significantly different sets of rules and behaviors. How feline-savvy are you?
1) While visiting a neighbor’s, you spot their pretty, fluffy cat, looking out the window. Before you calmly approach, what two questions should you FIRST ask the owner?
a) Purrr? Meoooow?
b) Is your cat friendly? May I pet him/her?
c) What kind of cat is that? Will she/he scratch me?
d) None of the above
2) After you have received the correct answers on the above, from the owner. What should you do, next?
a) Present your open palm, and gently pet the cat on the head
b) Gently pick the cat up and place her/him on your lap
c) Tuck your thumb into your palm, cover it with your fingers; then present your fist (fingers to the ground), under the cat’s nose, to sniff
d) None of the above
3) Your cat is eating. Your daughter wants to play with him. Is it ok to let her go bother the cat?
a) Why not? They grew up together
b) No, feeding time is the pet’s private time
c) Yes, we need to prove *humans* are in control of food d) a and c
4) What is a common dilemma for most domestic cats, which can lead to digestive problems?
a) They don’t drink enough water
b) They might kill and eat lizards from outside
c) They ingest their fur as they clean themselves
d) All the above
5) Which cat should you be more respectful/fearful of?
a) A mom with kittens
b) A sick cat
c) An old cat
d) A hissing, spitting cat
e) A feral cat
f) Any of the above, depending on the situation/body language
6) Young nephew is visiting. He really wants to see your new kitten, peacefully napping under your bed. What should you do?
a) Call the cat
b) Let him go peek in
c) Tell him he can visit when the kitten comes over to him d) Don’t worry about it
7) Your affable Maine coone is lying on the floor, on his back. Your toddler goes over to climb on her. Do you
a) Run for the camera--what a cute holiday photo this will be!
b) Gently discourage the child, s/he could be bitten or scratched
c) Let the two of them sort it out
d) a and c
8) The cat you have had since a kitten does not feel well. You try to coax him out of the closet. You hear him purring, then he growls. Maybe a kiss on the head will make him feel better?
a) No! You may be bitten in the face. That growl was a warning
b) Yes. But more importantly, he will know how much you love him
c) Leave him alone, but monitor his health and behavior
d) a and c
9) Congratulations, you adopted a shelter kitty. A friend comes over with a thoughtful “ to welcome your new cat” gift basket. She then launches into high pitched baby talk, directed to your new addition.
a) Good, you want them to be friends
b) High pitched sound can hurt the pet’s ears and make them anxious and/or agitated
c) Get a grip, geesh!
10) Every day, before work, you feed your cat, clean the litter box and play for a few minutes. She starts going outside the litter box, all over the house.
a) Frustrated from lack of exercise and an outlet for her energy she may be trying to tell you something
b) She may have a urinary tract infection, go see the vet c) You take her to the shelter/rescue organization, because you just can’t deal with her ruining your home
d) Sadly, maybe all the above
Extra credit:
Dogs have masters. Cats have
a) people b) staff c) attitude
By: Tina Valant-Siebelts www.havedog.com
Fun Halloween Recipe
Litterbox Cake ~ HILARIOUS dessert for humans
1 spice or German chocolate cake mix AND 1 white cake mix
2 lg pkg vanilla instant pudding mix, prepared
1 lg pkg vanilla sandwich cookies
green food coloring
12 small Tootsie Rolls®
1 new kitty litter pan ~ 1 plastic kitty litter liner
& 1 new scooper (to serve)
Prepare cake mixes and bake according to directions (any size pans). Prep pudding and chill until ready to assemble. Crumble white sandwich cookies in small batches in food processor, scraping often. Set aside all except 1/4 cup. To to this, add a few drops green food coloring and mix until completely colored.
When cakes are cooled to room temperature, crumble into a large bowl. Toss with half the remaining white cookie crumbs and the chilled pudding. Mix in just enough of the pudding to moisten it. Combine gently. Line litter box with plastic. Arrange the cake/pudding/cookie mixture inside.
Put three unwrapped Tootsie rolls in a microwave safe dish and heat until soft and pliable. Curve ends slightly. Repeat with 3 more and bury them. Top with other half of cookie crumbs. Scatter the green cookie crumbs lightly on top of everything, to resemble chlorophyll in kitty litter. Heat 3 more Tootsie Rolls in the microwave until almost melted. Drag them across top of the cake; sprinkle with cookie crumbs. Spread remaining Tootsie Rolls over the top; take one and heat until pliable, hang it over the side of the kitty litter box, sprinkling it lightly with cookie crumbs. Place the box on a newspaper and sprinkle a few of the cookie crumbs around for a truly disgusting effect! Gross, yes, but FUNNNNNY!
Cat-astrophe?
You forward more warnings about the dangers of tinsel, grapes, onions and mistletoe than the CDC issued about anthrax and smallpox.
While garage saling, you stop at a house with a Free Kittens sign ~ to have an educational chat. Later, a friend is called to post your bail.
You have a running list of people you’d like to spay, neuter or euthanize.
Your t-shirt reads "Subtract Two Testicles For Every Four Feet."
Instead of presenting your palm for a handshake, you present your fist (thumb tucked in) under someone’s nose.
Your lunch: $1.59 hot dog and diet soda. Get home, feed cats holistic food, supplements and treats.
You not only allow pets on the couch, guests have to sit on the floor because the cat has territorial issues.
Any time your pet appears abnormal, you go online, post in the MDS Forum > Health, Advice & Vets, research more. By the time you digest all the information, the cat barfs up something (on the sofa) containing grass and is fine.
You and your vet are on a first name basis. His nervous tic begins, as he sees you enter reception.
By the time you investigate parasite control (advantages vs risks, natural vs chemical, and study the life cycles) fleas and ticks have died of old age.
Preparing for the holidays, you come up with a menu: eggplant parmesan, salad, and spaghetti. But your family is horrified with your invitation to Come to the Spayghetti NoBalls Holiday!
Is Your Cat an Amputee?
Over twenty years ago, I adopted Rocky, a loving black Persian, from the shelter. He was two years old, and my first cat (as an adult). Newly married, we had just purchased new furniture. My husband's sole request was he be declawed. The following week, we arrived at the vet for the procedure. As it was explained, I suddenly felt light-headed. Was the room spinning? The next thing I know, I am lying on the floor, smelling salts being waved under my nose. I was so embarrassed. Rocky, his claws and I returned home. He lived twelve more happy years, and was truly a love-sponge.
The truth is, declawing is equivalent to you having the first joint of your fingers amputated. Cats use all four of their feet for balance and climbing. Imagine grabbing something without your fingertips. It is especially painful when the cat is over a couple months old, with bones that are already mature (broken).
We can always buy new furniture, or have it recovered. Cats are not lizards; able to regrow lost joints.
There are so many products on the market today, including scratching posts, sticky tape (for furniture), and claw covers (which get super-glued on). Luckily, only Toy scratches. Combined with curbing the behavior ~ when you catch them in the act ~ there is no reason for this truly inhumane procedure. Many vets now refuse to do it.
www.pawproject.com www.stickypaws.com
The Case of the Missing Toy
WEIRD thing happened here ~ like 4’ iguanas at large in the house (a regular occurance), is normal? 
Toy has been here since he was a day old . He is very vocal and 14 lb (hard to miss). Last week, Mom could not find him & he was not answering when she called. He missed breakfast (rare). She posted pix in the neighborhood, made all the calls. She was a wreck (shhh, she likes everyone thinking she is sooooo together). Well, three days later, she hears scratching, opens a cabinet & VOILA! Toy jumps out. He is fine, thirsty, but fine. OY!!!!
Wheat Tigers? Corn Wolves?
Every day, we enjoy a wide array of food choices and styles, from fast food to elegant multi-course feasts. But, our pets have to eat what we serve, when we serve it. As a pet mom who cooks (and bakes) for her pets, I thought I was very knowledgeable about their nutrition. Evidenced by extra ribcage padding, our vet kindly suggested two of the dogs needed to drop weight. Another had a chronic problem with itchy feet, which kept me up nights with his gnawing and licking. We assumed it was a grass allergy. I know a lot of pets with skin and ear problems. I wondered, Could it all be food-related? I had to discover how my pets’ food was affecting their health. Was I feeding them “fast food” or solid nutrition which could improve health and vitality, and possibly increase their life spans?
Gently look in your cat’s mouth. The four long pointy teeth are “canines” and indicate a carnivore, a meat-eater. Review your pet’s food label. The first five ingredients are fundamental. Ground yellow corn was the first ingredient, in the food I had. Did you ever see a dog, wolf, coyote, or fox chomping down on an ear of corn? Do zoo care-givers offer wheat or soybeans to the tigers, lions, or cougars? After all, our domestic pets are tiny replicas of their wild cousins.
So, then why do pet food manufacturers use corn and wheat? A little research yielded that shortly after World War II, there was a grain surplus. Unfit for human consumption, it was directed to the pet food industry. Cheap, readily available, with a long shelf life; add a colorful label, clever advertising, and grocery store convenience; for a now multi-billion dollar industry. The second ingredient was chicken by-products (what remains after choice cuts). By-products can include unappealing items (heads, feet, tendons, intestines)….. No wonder they can be difficult to digest. I learned an optimum food would first list “meal”, (ie chicken meal) a human grade, concentrated source of protein with the majority of water extracted. Along with a meat meal, what else should your pet’s food contain? Vegetables, an animal based fat source, beet fiber, antioxidants, bacterial cultures and proteinated minerals.
What to avoid in your pet’s food:
By-products ~ Grains (soy, corn, wheat, corn gluten or wheat gluten) ~ Chemical preservatives (BHA, BHT, ethoxoquin) ~ Refined sugar ~ Artificial sweeteners ~ Artificial colors
I found the right foods, complete nutritional systems; and my pets are thriving. Rudy no longer keeps me awake. His feet are fine—it was an allergy to corn. Mack and Jackpot achieved their target weights. Chance’s coat is more gorgeous than ever. The little bumps she had vanished after about a month of being on the holistic food and supplement. And, I can’t tell you the last time I saw a hairball, on my sofa!!!
Yes, holistic foods usually cost more, but since they are more digestible, you feed less. Factor in, less trips to the vet (we miss him) for allergy relief. By taking an active interest in my pets’ nutrition, I believe I have increased and enhanced their lives. Our pets deserve to be healthy and happy, as long as we are entrusted with them. By Tina Valant-Siebelts www.havedog.com
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