More pet news

[chpxiii]

I have two kitty cats. One, Brick, an "orange marmalade" and the other, Cawfee, a black kitty.

Brick was just diagnosed with glaucoma this morning. It's treatable right now. But still.. I just don't want him in pain.

[epiphany]

Aw, I'm so sorry. At least it's treatable. I hope your kitty feels okay.

Meow,
Ep

[CATCHMEIFYOUCAN]

I feel for you. Ever since I had my cat Shadow he just comes up with all these problems. Already spent several thousand on him to keep ticking: only cuz I love em' to death. He is my buddy and talks to me when I come home: he always gots lots to say. Apparently he is allergic to bites, just as some people are allergic to bee stings (for example) he ends up losing his hair around where he got bitten. He is better now. Before he had a real diarrhea problem, it went on for a month - finally discovered he couldn't eat the aftermarket food, he has to eat the vet special food like forever. So this is one expensive kitty I rescued from a drain. But well worth it!

Catchmeifyoucan

[FLBK7]

I feel for you. Ever since I had my cat Shadow he just comes up with all these problems. Already spent several thousand on him to keep ticking: only cuz I love em' to death. He is my buddy and talks to me when I come home: he always gots lots to say. Apparently he is allergic to bites, just as some people are allergic to bee stings (for example) he ends up losing his hair around where he got bitten. He is better now. Before he had a real diarrhea problem, it went on for a month - finally discovered he couldn't eat the aftermarket food, he has to eat the vet special food like forever. So this is one expensive kitty I rescued from a drain. But well worth it!

Catchmeifyoucan

Are you sure you aren't talking about MY kitty?

Mine is allergic to bites too, so ever since he was a kitten I've had him on Revolution drops once every 6 weeks or so. Expensive, yes, but it works very well.

Even though he's a medium-haired cat, and I brush him daily and give him Petromalt a couple times a week, he has a MAJOR hairball problem too, which causes vomiting (and carpet staining!). So I had to switch him to the Science Diet 100%. The vomiting hasn't totally stopped, but it happens less often. The kitty is otherwise very healthy, very active and very happy. He's 6 years old.

As you say, he's my buddy and is also very talkative. I even talk back to him in made-up kitty language. LOL

[epiphany]

I feel for you. Ever since I had my cat Shadow he just comes up with all these problems. Already spent several thousand on him to keep ticking: only cuz I love em' to death. He is my buddy and talks to me when I come home: he always gots lots to say. Apparently he is allergic to bites, just as some people are allergic to bee stings (for example) he ends up losing his hair around where he got bitten. He is better now. Before he had a real diarrhea problem, it went on for a month - finally discovered he couldn't eat the aftermarket food, he has to eat the vet special food like forever. So this is one expensive kitty I rescued from a drain. But well worth it!

Catchmeifyoucan

Catchme, I lost a cat years ago who was allergic to bites. She became anemic..cats pull the fur out themselves around where they have been bitten cause it itches so bad! They literally rip it out with their teeth.

My Hazard pulled all the hair on her belly out constantly. She was always bleeding. This was before there were medications like revolution and program. Like FLBK7 says, it is expensive, but so worth it. I had to put Hazard down after only 6 years.

I had another cat who seemed to be headed down the same road when those medications came on the market. Put her on Program and she lived a long healthy 18 years with no problems and beautiful shiny fur.

I miss them both.

Take care of your little friend. Mine talk to me too.

EP

[CATCHMEIFYOUCAN]

FLBK7 .. the weird thing was Shadow had bites on both sides of his thighs, it was symetric. than he started pulling his hair out (just like EPIPHANY mentioned) they end up pulling their hair out around the bites. Shadow is going on 2 years now, and he too is very lively - you wouldn't think anything of it, even when he had lost his facial hair when he was a kitten and his face swelled up - he was an active child. I was so worried that my "half abysinnian (sp.) half bengal cat "Genevieve," would have contracted the same things he did but her immune system apparently is much stronger and different. EPIPHANY: I'm so sorry to hear about your previous felines, I hate to think of the day and wonder if I'll ever replace them. I hear some people who lose their loved ones, don't think of getting another because it is too painful. FLBK7: Shadow in on some special formula that starts with a "G." I can only find it at the Vet, well actually I've seen it the common pet stores, but I trust it better when I can pick it up at the vet instead, it's like $15 bucks for a 5lb bag and 1 bag last about a 3-4 weeks!

Animals are such a joy, that's for sure, and it makes it so much sweeter when you rescue them. The ironic thing, I hated cats when I was growing up!

Catchmeifyoucan

[FLBK7]

Our pets are like our children, and thankfully they don't go through adolescent rebellion! We love them dearly and would do anything for them. In fact, during the lean times before, during and immediately after my BK I would often go without to make sure both my child and my cat had everything they needed.

[CATCHMEIFYOUCAN]

If my apartment was burning I know I would risk my life to save them !

Catchmeifyoucan

[Minnymouth]

Being a "animal lover", I too have a love for cats as well as dogs. Right now my pets are dogs....beagle and bassitt.....

But for 17 years and 25 years I was loved and owned by two wonderful cats. One long haired black persian (17 years old) and one marbled persian (25 years).... and their dog buddy's a white belgium shepherd (8 years), a black labador (2 years old), a dalmation (15 years old) and a minaiture border collie (12 years old.)

As each pet passed on the other mourned for them. They all slept together, played together, and were best buddies. And they all shared my life and I had their love and devotion.

After all those years with these wonderful companions, after they were all passed on I went several years without any pets. And there was a piece of my heart missing.

Each one has a very special place in my heart and in my life. Each was very special in their own little way. They all brought me much love, happiness, laughter, and peace of soul and mind. They were my best friends, my companions, and my protector.

When they passed on my home was empty of 4 legged little buddies and they were all missed.

Years later I adopted my two dog-pound rescues and have had them 7 years now. They too are fantastic pets. Spoiled rotten, and have the best of everything.

We are not granted a great deal of time with our pets. It comes and goes so quickly.

So really appreciate them, the time they have with you, and the devotion and affection that they offer your lives.

When it comes time to say "goodbye", be fair with them, don't let them suffer, be humane. It's hard, but its the right thing to do if necessary.

When you know their lives have been full, happy and well cared for, and they have devoted their entire lives to YOU, then you want to do right by them when the time comes.

Many of mine died of natural causes, none in pain. Most of just old age. I only had one I had to have put down and it broke my heart, and I had one that a drunk neighbor shot and killed. Both were heart felt losses at their worst.

But love those babies, because they "pick you" as their owner, you really don't pick them most of the time..........

Aren't we lucky............. to be so blessed.

[CindyLou]

Our pets are like our children, and thankfully they don't go through adolescent rebellion! We love them dearly and would do anything for them. In fact, during the lean times before, during and immediately after my BK I would often go without to make sure both my child and my cat had everything they needed.

I beg to differ about the rebellion thing....lol! When one of my cats was around 2 years old he decided that he didn't want to pee in the litter box anymore! And he decided that he like to chew on furniture!!! Wow! Almost made me nuts! Hundreds of dollars in lab tests later, the vet decided it was just a "phase" and he indeed grew out of both. We had to buy new carpet and a new sofa, but I still love him just as much 7 years later!!

[epiphany]

I beg to differ about the rebellion thing....lol! When one of my cats was around 2 years old he decided that he didn't want to pee in the litter box anymore! And he decided that he like to chew on furniture!!! Wow! Almost made me nuts! Hundreds of dollars in lab tests later, the vet decided it was just a "phase" and he indeed grew out of both. We had to buy new carpet and a new sofa, but I still love him just as much 7 years later!!

Consider yourself lucky. My one 8 year old cat has never grown out of the "I don't have to go in the litter box if I don't want to" phase and NO plastic cord is safe from his feline destruction. When I was on dial-up, there were literally times when I was working on the computer and the connection went POOF! I guess he felt that I wasn't giving him enough attention and just decided to just cut the cord.

I have to hide cords before I leave the house each day.

He's neurotic but he's mine and I love him.

ep

[CATCHMEIFYOUCAN]

Why does my cat dump his mice in the water bowl ? Not only the water bowl but I left the bathroom door open just the other night and Shadow dropped his toy mice right in! I flushed it down and thank goodness it didn't clog the thing up!

When animals grow up together, they remember the other partner? How long do you think it takes them to forget about their partner? When you take a kitten(s) away from the Mama cat, I know the Mama goes searching hi and low, but after awhile she forgets about them. Than when you try and introduce them at a later time, their like strangers to each other?

Catchmeifyoucan

[epiphany]

Why does my cat dump his mice in the water bowl ? Not only the water bowl but I left the bathroom door open just the other night and Shadow dropped his toy mice right in! I flushed it down and thank goodness it didn't clog the thing up!

When animals grow up together, they remember the other partner? How long do you think it takes them to forget about their partner? When you take a kitten(s) away from the Mama cat, I know the Mama goes searching hi and low, but after awhile she forgets about them. Than when you try and introduce them at a later time, their like strangers to each other?

Catchmeifyoucan

Pretend we're in the wild. Mama cats nuture their young until they can take care of themselves and then literally do let them go and forget about them. That's nature. It's what they're supposed to do.

Domesticated cats who grow up together beyond the nuturing stages are friends. I believe that they do know when another is gone and they do miss that partner. How long that lasts and if they truly remember beyond a certain amount of time is what I don't know.

One of my cats was seriously depressed for about a year after losing her fulltime friend. I could see it in her behavior and in her eyes. She got better and I seriously have wondered if she had memories of her long lost friend. Oh, how I wish they could speak English...sometimes.

ep