MY HERO.....MAXI!

It's been tense around the PoD household since Maxi [their #1 cat] became ill! They've been in living hell with thoughts of cancer being in his throat/tongue, rotting jaw/teeth...even having to put him down...:(. He's had special diets/foods and she's even pureed til they were drinkable!

He was suffering just to eat? He's was medicated to cure whatever...yet not getting well?

In all...everything done just to see that their fur baby had a chance to live a quality life!



Thursday he went in for dental surgery [very expensive] to remove what was rotten and see what else could be happening...



Good News!

Report is he's like a new boy! Perky, happy & looking like he wants to play...


Seems all of his problems stemmed from his being allergic to the plaque on his teeth!


Who would have thought it was "just rotten teeth" that was making him that ill?


?

Can this happen to humans? [Is that why some [me] who don't look after their teeth have poor health?]


Lessons learned:

-ALL animals in your household should have their teeth brushed regularly...especially cats [who don't chew bones like dogs do]

-expense that can be incurred while your animal is sick means...we should all carry health care services for our animals as well if we are to consider them our "furbabies"!

Maxi is MY hero [look for cat saves family blog]and I want him around ALWAYS to make sure that my daughter, son-in-law & grand kids stay safe...


I KNOW HE'S ALWAYS LISTENING.......WATCHING.....


SO..............

BRUSH!

Hope Thumber learns from this picture...


Because I can't see me holding onto a BIG bundle of fur/24 claws/full set of BIG TEETH.....trying to brush HER TEETH!!!

OOPS!

Cat Facts:

Seems I haven't a clue what I am talking about!

In my previous blog on a "Rescued Animal", I showed you the wrong area where you would find the fang that showed you when your cat was around six months old....making it old enough to be neutered!

PoD corrected me this morning...must be the Alzheimer's problem again!

Here are the right photos....

I hope I got it right this time?

I forgot to add that the best part about trying to find this out is....getting the poor kitty to stay still enough to do this!

RESCUED ANIMAL!

Seeing as PoD has forsaken her blog for "Crackbook" [facebook], I want to update the progress of the new hellion in her house...BOOG!

In early June, we rescued this poor little kitten who was left to defend for himself, outside in the big and scary world!

When I first saw him hiding under one of the many cars in my back yard, I was amazed to see that someone could leave something so small...to defend for it's self! He sounded so pitiful, my heart just went out to him! All of my coaxing was for naught as he was too scared to trust me and I had to wait for PoD to arrive before he would come out. She has a way of making "Mommy Cat" sounds that helped to encourage the little guy to see that safety was nearby. PoD was finally able to pick him up...it was love at first sight!

There was no way I could keep him as my two cats wouldn't of allowed it! PoD had a easy going cat, Maxie, at home so she figured they would get along....she was right. Maxie became his new mommy. He even tried to nurse off of him which didn't impress Maxie too much!

Giving him a name was hard. My suggestion was to call him "Orca" because of his coloring and the fact that someone tried to do a "Free Willy" on him! But Pod couldn't bring herself to call him Orca or Orkie...it didn't sound cute enough for her...so she eventually ended up calling him "Boog" or when he gets into mischief..."Booger"

When we found him we knew that he wasn't too old...definitely not old enough to be out on his own and PoD wanted to make sure that he was "fixed" so he would want to stay home. She had lost one earlier to the "I want to make babies syndrome" and wasn't about to make the same mistake with this one!

Cat Fact:

Cats, male or female, cannot be spayed or neutered until they are six months old so Pod took him to the vet to figured out his age and get his shots. She found out that he was only a little over 3 months! The vet told her that they would have to wait for his "second fang" to come out before they could do the procedure and they showed her what it would look like.

This second fang comes out when they are 6 months old and this what it looks like.

This weekend it finally showed!

She also noticed that he was starting the "mounting" faze on Maxie and that clued her into checking for the fang.

So it's off to the vet just as soon as she can get an appointment!

CAT INFO

Last night my cats amused me with their antics after I gave them some catnip. Both of them just love the stuff! I don't give it to them very often in its raw form as they have it in their toys. The cats go through a faze where they need to play in it and can be quite demanding if they don't get it! I guess you can say their addicted! They have this scratch pad that I like to put it on and they really go nuts rubbing on it. You should see how wild they get on it! Sounds cruel to do this but my cats can be very demanding when they need this and they both have this weird meow that lets me know that it is time for their fix! I only let them have this about one a month!

This morning I decided to look up the facts of catnip and how it effects your cat....

CATNIP- this report was taken from HDW Enterprises & Foothill Felines

Catnip is a grey-green, leafy member of the mint family. This hardy, robust perennial was originally grown throughout Europe, and was native to the dry regions of the Mediterranean, inland Europe, Asia, Eurasia and Africa. It was introduced in America long ago as a popular plant in herb gardens. Catnip came to the U.S. along with the pioneers, as a vital element of their kitchen gardens, useful as a medicinal tea to alleviate coughing, cold symptoms, upset stomach and to aid sleep. The plant soon escaped the confines of cultivation and naturalized throughout much of the continent.

Catnip the herb is also employed as a remedy in the treatment of tension and anxiety, and is mentioned as being a useful calmative for hyperactive children. Also listed as a mild diuretic, catnip can be helpful in eliminating toxins from the body. Distilled oil from catnip can be procured from an herbal apothecary, and this oil is supposed to be a very effective appetite stimulant, and has been used in the treatment of anorexia.

Catnip loves full sun but can tolerate partial shade, and does well in almost any garden soil (pH between 5 and 7.5). It is more pungent when it is grown in sandy soil with full sun. Cataria grows to 4 feet tall and somewhat resembles stinging nettle. Mussinii grows to 1 foot, sprawls. It has a citrus-like scent and is sometimes called catmint . Bruising the leaves is what releases the powerful oils in the catnip which so many cats find irresistible!!

Catnip is now mostly recognized for its use as a feline "aphrodisiac", although it is estimated that about 15-20% of cats do not have a response to catnip. The presence (or lack) of a response to catnip appears to be a genetic trait for cats. Since catnip triggers responses that are sex-behavior linked, kittens generally do not begin responding to catnip until they have started to sexually mature, at the age of six months. Studies have shown that the Big Cats (lions, tigers, leopards, jaguars, etc.) also enjoy the effects of catnip!

It is the scent of catnip, not the consumption of it, that has such a dramatic effect on cats. When cats are enjoying the plant, they do often chew the leaves, but this may be merely to release more of the scent that is in the essential oils. It is the chemical nepetalactone , a volatile oil similar in structure to the sedative ingredient found in valerian root, another well known sedative herb, that triggers the response in cats' brains; however, because human brains are physiologically different, we must be content to gain any vicarious pleasure through watching our cat's enjoyment of the herb!!

I have also found that catnip oil, taken by steam distillation, is also a repellent against insects...in particular mosquitoes, cockroaches and termites. In research they found that the active ingredient in catnip repels mosquitoes 10 times more effectively than DEET!

So what could be worse...being chased by mosquitoes or being an attraction for cats?

I feel, like us cats need to have some fun once in awhile and if it makes them happy, with no harmful results....why not give it to them?

Cat Facts...

"It's hot in here and I want to take off all my clothes"...

I can sing that song but my poor kitties can't!

Not being able to have an air conditioner [bad for my health and my cat's] my house has become a sweat box! The fans are going continuously trying to keep some form of coolness for them but I am afraid that it isn't helping any of us! I'm able to remove all my clothing and fans help to cool me down but my poor cats are stuck with their fur coats!

"Cats with heavy dense coats such as Persians and Persian-type cats suffer the most. Obese cats will also be more prone to heat stroke because the layer of body fat tends to soak up the heat. Young kittens and senior cats likewise have a reduced ability to process the heat load and may cause vomiting. Indoor cats suffer the most if there is inadequate ventilation. Outdoor cats fair better as long as there is shade and a breeze to cool them off"

Suki has been vomiting a lot lately and this has become very worrisome for me! I have been trying to find ways that I can help heal her without the expensive cost of a vet!

I may own my own business and that might sound like I have lots of money but I don't...I am still trying to recover from a business that was poorly managed and money that somehow disappeared...not to mention my own medical woes! So seeing a vet has to be a last resort for us!

Don't get me wrong...I LOVE MY CATS...and I would like to be able to say that I would do anything for them but lines have to be drawn...like it or not! I know there are others out there in the same boat as me...we have no alternative but to help ourselves!

Thankfully I have the Internet and advice has been available on her various symptoms.

Hairball problem?

Both cats got a good brushing [hair brushed forwards and backwards] to help remove most of their excess fur and then I wrapped them in wet towels...giving them a good rub down so the water would reach their skin. Using this method keeps them from getting overly wet [like a bath would] and they don't have to lick themselves as much [causing hairball problems] to dry off. I was smarter this time and did Thumber first as she has always learned from what happen to Suki, would happen to her! She didn't care much for the wet towel but seeing her later she looked cooler. Suki is a better minded cat and took it better...and she also looked cooler!

Dietary change?

As for her continuing to vomit [not a lot, but too much for my liking] the on-line vet suggests that I change her diet [she is 10 and that's considered old] to one that has a better balance of protein and carbohydrates suited for an older cat. Maybe a change from dry to wet food might help? Suki is not over weight so that's not the problem!

Hopefully these changes work!!

Will keep you posted on the outcome....

CAT & DOG FACT:

Read an article lately about flea collars for your pets.

WARNING:

CATS CANNOT WEAR FLEA COLLARS THAT ARE MEANT FOR DOGS!

It seems that one of the ingredients [Permethrin] found in dog collars is not safe for cats! Over a period of time the ingredient will cause convulsions and in some cases even death!

Reading further about flea collars I found that most vet's recommend that you don't use these collars at all for either animal!

The use of these collars are only effective in the small area around the collar and seldom get to the back end. Over a long period of time the chemicals are absorbed into the skin and can cause other organs to fail. They recommend that you keep your animal clean with shampoos only recommended by your vet and none from over-the-counter stores!

And if that isn't enough reasons...the collars are not easily broken and can get caught...causing the animal to hang themselves!

I know every time I put these collars on the animals I would be the one getting sick! I found that I could never pet any of my animals when they wore these things so I eventually stopped using them and let nature take it's course.

I found washing my pets kept the bugs away and me healthier!

CAT FACTS:....FUR FACTS [facts taken from various vet sites]

- Cats with white fur and skin on their ears are very prone to sunburn. Frequent sunburns can lead to skin cancer. Many white cats need surgery to remove all or part of a cancerous ear. Preventive measures include sunscreen, or better, keeping the cat indoors on sunny days.

- A large majority of white cats with blue eyes are deaf. White cats with only one blue eye are deaf only in the ear closest to the blue eye. White cats with orange eyes do not have this disability.

- Cats have true fur, in that they both have an undercoat and an outer coat. They feel the heat more than a dog would.

- The gene in cats causes the orange coat color is sexed linked, and is on the X sex chromosome. This gene may display orange or black. Thus, as female cat with two X chromosome may have orange and black colors in its coat. A male, with only one X chromosome, can have only orange or black, not both.

- If a male cat is both orange and black it is [besides being extremely rare] sterile. To have both the orange and the black coat colors, the male cat must have all or part of both female X chromosomes. Thus this unusual sex chromosome combination will render the male sterile. So for every 3,000 tortoiseshell or calico cats born, only one will be male.

- Siamese coat color and crossed eyes may be caused by the same gene.

- The color points in Siamese cats is heat related. Cool areas are darker.

- A cat's whiskers are actually sensory organs that provide feedback on how near objects are.

- Most cats have no eyelashes.

- Brushing your cat daily will cut down on hairballs. A little vegetable oil daily will help to prevent fur-balls and bring a shine to your cat's coat.

CAT PROPERTY LAWS...author unknown

1. If I like it...it's mine!

2. If I saw it first...it's mine!

3. If it's in my paws...it's mine!

4. If I had it a little while ago...it's mine!

5. If it looks like mine...it's mine!

6. If I can take it away from you...it's mine!

7. If there's more than one...ALL of them are mine!

8. If you have something and you put it down...it automatically becomes mine!

9. If it's mine...it must NEVER appear to be yours in any way!

10. If it's boring or doesn't taste good...IT'S YOURS!

CAT FACTS:

- Contrary to popular belief, the cat IS a social animal. A pet cat will respond and answer to speech and seems to enjoy human companionship.

- Cats beat dogs for the #1 spot as the most popular pet in the USA and Canada.

- In ancient Egypt, killing a cat was a crime punishable by death. Mummies were made of cats and embalmed mice were placed with them in their tombs. In one ancient city, over 300,000 cat mummies were found.

- In the Middle Ages, during the Festival of St. John, cats were burned alive in town square.

- The first cat show was in 1871 at the Crystal Palace in London.

- In England, the government owns thousands of cats. Their job is to help keep the buildings free of rodents.

CAT QUOTE:

" There are two means of refuge from the miseries of life...music and cats"

Albert Schweitzer

CAT FACTS:

- Besides smelling with their nose, cats can smell with an additional organ called the Jacobson's Organ, located in the upper surface of the mouth behind the front teeth. Sometimes you will notice that they look like they are sneering or snarling...they are using that organ to check out their present environment.

"Can you imagine someone [stranger or otherwise] coming up to you who has either just bathed or didn't...what they would smell like? I have many allergies and I am bothered by those who are very odorous, pretty smelling or not...so the first thing I try to do is get away from them. If they extend their hand to me to shake [in greeting] I try to avoid it because of the soap smell [or not] or if they are sweaty...so if I was a cat with extra strong smelling abilities...I would hiss and back away"!

-A cat will spend nearly 30 % of their life grooming themselves.

"Can you imagine you just spending hours on grooming yourself...only to have someone come up and ruffle that nice hair-do that took for ever to get it that way...would you enjoy the fact that some weird smelling person just picked you up and spread their smell all over you?"

"Dogs may not care what they smell or look like but most cats have human traits!"

- Cats do not think that they are little people. They think that we are big cats. This influences their behaviour in many ways.

"Don't blame the cat for their attitude...they are only standing up for their rights in whether they want to be handled by you or by strangers!"

"After all...we teach our children not to talk to strangers...don't we?"

CAT FACTS:

Here is a chart that will relate your cats age to a human's age in years:

Cats Age: ...............Human Age:
6 mon..............................10 yrs
8 mon..............................13 yrs
10 mon............................14 yrs
1 yr..................................15 yrs
18 mon............................20 yrs
2 yrs................................24 yrs
4 yrs................................32 yrs
6 yrs................................40 yrs
8 yrs................................48 yrs
10 yrs..............................56 yrs
12 yrs..............................64 yrs
14 yrs..............................72 yrs
16 yrs..............................80 yrs
18 yrs..............................88 yrs
20 yrs.............................96 yrs
21 yrs.............................100 yrs

So in human years.....Thumber is 40 yrs old and Suki is 56....the same age as me!

I wonder if she feels as old as I do?

CAT FACTS - Kittens:

- Kittens are born with both eyes and ears closed. When the eyes open, the are always blue at first. They change color over a period of months to the final eye color.

- A healthy kitten has clear, bright eyes and clean ears.

- If you take a kitten away from it's mother before it is 8 weeks old, she may not of had enough time to train it properly to use the litter box.

- The color of the points in Siamese cats is heat related. Cool areas are darker. Siamese kittens are born white because of the heat inside the mother's uterus before birth. This heat keeps the kittens hair from darkening on the points.

- Hunting is not instinctive for cats. Kittens born to non-hunting mothers may never learn to hunt.

- Most lively, active kittens grow up to be friendly, outgoing cats.

- Only a mother cat should pick up a kitten by the scruff of the neck!

CAT FACT:

If you have a cat and want to have another cat, it would be easiest to introduce a female kitten. An elderly cat that is alone, however, should not be bothered with another cat. Let it rest in peace. Bringing a new cat into a household is always very stressful for all the cats concerned!

Cats don't usually crave companionship in quite the same way a dog does!

Different Countries Superstitions about BLACK CATS:

American:

- It’s bad luck for a strange black cat to cross your path at any time.

England & Japan:

Good Luck….

- Owning one or touching one.

- Greet you at the front door.

- Having a strange black cat enter your home.

- Meeting 3 black cats in one day.

Bad luck….

- Meeting one early in the morning.

- Having one turn its back on you

- Scaring or driving away from your property.

- Walking under the same ladder that the cat just did.

Irish:

- If this cat crosses your path by moonlight it will mean death by epidemic.

Scottish:

- A strange black cat on your porch brings prosperity.

To reverse the bad luck curse of a black cat crossing your path:

- Walk in a counter clock-wise circle

- Then go backward across the spot where it happened

- Count to 13

Hope you had a SAFE.....FRIDAY THE 13 TH

CAT FACTS:

WARNING - Easter Lilies can be DEADLY to your cat!

-Easter Lillie's and other variations in the lily family can cause kidney failure in cats.

-All parts of the lily plant are toxic to cats and consuming even small amounts can be life threatening. With their habit of brushing up against plants, even the pollen released by the plant can do harm.

-Within only a few hours of ingestion of the lily plant, a cat may vomit, become lethargic or develop a lack of appetite. These signs continue and worsen as kidney damage progresses. Without prompt and proper treatment by a vet, the cat may developE kidney failure in 36 to 72 hours.

- Other lilies to avoid are: Glory Lily, Tiger Lily, Stargazer Lily, Rubrum Lily, Yellow Asian Lily & Pink Asian Lily.

So if you want to celebrate Easter with flowers stick to these alternatives: Easter Orchids, Easter Cactus, Easter Daisies or Violets

HAVE YOU HUGGED YOUR CAT TODAY?

CAT FACTS: *facts were found in vet health sites

- Mature cats with no health problems are in deep sleep 15% of their lives. They are in light sleep 50% of the time. That leaves just 35 % awake time, or roughly 6-8 hrs a day. Cats come back to alertness faster than any other creature.

- A cat will spend nearly 30% of their time grooming themselves.

- They lose almost as much fluid in the saliva while grooming themselves as they do through urination.

- A cats saliva contains a detergent that keeps their fur clean. A smooth, shiny coat is the sign of a healthy cat.

- Studies now show that the allergen in cats is related to their scent glands, dander & saliva. They have scent glands on their faces and at the base of their tails. Male cats generate the most scent, allergic people should tolerate spayed females the best. If your cat has dander [dandruff], keep them dander-free by washing them fairly often.

- The average lifespan of an outdoor-only cat [feral & non feral] is about 3 yrs; an indoor-only cat can live 16 & longer....recorded age to be 34.

- When a domestic cat goes after mice, about 1 pounce in 3 results in a catch.

- A cat sees about 6 times better than a human at night, and needs 1/6 the amount of light that a human does - it has a layer of extra reflecting cells which absorb light.

CAT FACTS:

-The female cat reaches sexual maturity within 6 to 10 months; most vets suggest spaying at 5 months, before her first heat period. The male usually reaches maturity between 9 & 12 mons.

-Female cats are "polyestrous", which means they may have many heat periods over the course of a year. A heat period lasts about 4-7 days if the female is bred; if she is not, the heat last longer and recurs at regular intervals.

-If left to her own devices, a female can have 3 - 7 kittens every 4 months.

-Spaying a female before her 1 or 2 heat will greatly reduce the threat of mammary cancer and uterine disease. A cat does not need to have at least one litter to be healthy, nor will they miss motherhood. Records have it that one cat gave birth 420 kittens in her lifetime and another gave birth at the age of 30 to 2 kittens.

-Cat pregnancies last about 9 weeks - between 62 & 65 days from conception to delivery.

-Female cats are "superfecund" which means that each of the kittens in her litter can have a different father.

-Neutering a male cat will, in almost all cases, stop him from spraying [territorial marking], fighting with other males [at least over females], as well as lengthen his life and improve its quality.

-The indoor cat has a longer lifespan than an outdoor cat. A cat that has never been outdoors will not miss what it doesn't know.

CAT QUOTES:

"No matter how much cats fight, there always seems to be plenty of kittens"
...Abraham Lincoln

CAT FACTS

-Cats purr at the same frequency as an idling diesel engine, about 26 cycles per second. Domestic cats purr both when inhaling and exhaling. Purring does not always indicate that a cat is happy and healthy - some cats will purr loudly when they are terrified or in pain.

-Cats step with both left legs then the right legs when they walk or run. They also walk on their toes. A domestic cat can sprint at about 31 mph.

-Cats urine glows under a black light.

-Almost 10% of a cat's bones are in its tail and the tail is used to maintain balance. The domestic cat is the only species able to hold its tail vertically while walking and you can tell a cats present state of mind by observing the posture of his tail. A cat can jump 5 times as high as its tail.

- If a cat is frightened, the hair stands up fairly evenly all over the body; when the cat threatens or is ready to attack, the hair stands up only in a narrow band along the spine and tail.

- If a cat is frightened, put your hand over its eyes and forehead, or let him bury its head in your armpit and it will help to calm it.

-Cats respond most readily to names that end in an "ee" sound.

-A cat will tremble or shiver when it is in extreme pain.

-Not every cat gets "high" from catnip. If the cat doesn't have a specific gene, it won't react. Catnip is non-addictive.

-Many cats only like having their foreheads gently stroked [don't touch their back and hips], others may prefer to have their sides "thumped" [like some dogs do] and others like a gently stroking from head to tail. Not all cats are petted the same...test your cat to see what they prefer. This also goes for how each cat likes to be held.

Cat Facts -Structure:

-Both humans & cats have identical regions in the brain responsible for emotion.

-A cat's brain is more similar to a humans than that of a dog.

-A cat has more bones than a human; humans have 206, but the cat has 230-245 and some bones may fuse together as the cat ages.

-Cats have 30 vertebrae--15 more than humans.

-Cats do not have a collarbone, so they can fit through any opening the size of their head.

-Cats have 32 muscles that control the outer ear [humans have 6]. A cat can rotate its ears independently 180 degrees, and can turn in the direction of sound 10 times faster than those of the best watchdog. Cats can hear better than dogs!

-In relation to their body size, cats have the largest eyes of any mammal. Most cats do not have eyelashes. Their field of vision is about 185 degrees.

- Recent studies have shown that cats can see blue, green and some can see red.

-Blue-eyed. pure white cats are frequently deaf.

-It takes about 2 weeks for a kitten to be able to hear well. Their eyes usually open between 7-10 days.

-A cat has a total of 24 whiskers. 4 rows on each side. The upper two rows can move independently of the bottom two rows. A cat uses it's whiskers for measuring distance.

-A cats jaw has only up and down motion; it does not have any side to side motion like dogs or humans. For this reason dry food cannot take care of dental care!

-When a cat drinks, it's tongue -which has tiny barbs on it - scoops the liquid up backwards.

WEATHER UP-DATE:

White Crap has turned back to pavement....yippee!

All of us folks who reside in Sask know that saying..."wait 5 minutes and it will change"....so I have no plans on holding my breath while I wait for it! I am sure glad I am not a "Weather Person"...although my knee seems to want to do forecasting!

Right now it's quiet!

MOUSE UP-DATE:

All quiet on the home front....Thumber has gone back to regular routine...maybe she had lunch?

HEALTH UP-DATE:

Still 2 fisted eating!!!!!! Pounds are still piling on!!!!!

Good note is....I have managed to cut back food until the evening hits...then the resolve quits!!!

Still have Bronchitis but not as bad...I think it's "snow mold..itis"????


CAT FACTS:

-Don't be alarmed when your cats bring you gifts of birds, mice or other wild critters. This is a natural part of their gift ritual, and they do it to please you.

-Cats purr to communicate.

-If you do not respond when your cat talks to you, it will soon lose the urge to communicate with you.