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!!!

The Rainbow Bridge came yesterday, for one of my loved ones...

...around 2:00pm, one of my fur-babies, Suki, passed away from "renal failure"! She was 4 days away from turning 11.

I buried her last night at 11:11...on a clear and cool night which happened to be the start of a new moon?

I have more to say later about her untimely death and how it changed our lives?

But my heart is too heavy to continue right now...

R.I.P. my Suki Yama [ June 7, 1997 - June 3, 2008 ]

I MISS YOU ALREADY!

NEW BLOG

I've been reading a lot of blogs lately and enjoyed the ones that are animals with blogs. This is where the story is being told through the eyes of their pets. Dogs are DWB and cats CWB. I found it particularly strange to read at first and thought that they had lost their marbles until I realized that it's just another style of writing...kind of like narrating in the first, second or third person but instead being another creature. It's kind of weird looking at your life through the eyes of someone/thing else?

So I decided to give it a try!

I have given speech to one of my cats... who if could really talk, this might be what she would say. Anyone who has met her has found her to be very vocal and can be quite annoying when she wants to be noticed! I've always remarked that Suki always wants to put in her 2 cents worth and will keep bugging until she does! This is a trait of Siamese cats and they have many sounds for all situations. The reason I haven't done one with Thumber is that she is not a vocal cat unless it involves her "treats" or if the littler box needs changing. She has different vocalization for these things, other than that she is quiet! But I'm pretty sure if she wanted to say anything it would be how crabby her great, great grandmother is towards her!

So I have given Suki her own blog and it is called "Baby Doodie" which is a pet name I call her when she is being cuddly. Of course I didn't set it up...PoD did! We all know how inept I am at that sort of thing. She did have her own problems in some parts as we weren't able to give Suki her own profile because it kept changing mine...we have obviously done something wrong in the set up? You can access it through my "Links" section. Also "Blue has given Suki a nice send off also and a DWB -Jackson from Jasckson's World has already contacted her on her site! That's better than I've been able to accomplish!

So hopefully I can keep up both?

How can you tell I don't have a life?

ENDANGERED SPECIES

Was surfing the net yesterday and came across this endangered cat...I never even knew it existed let alone find out that it is on the endangered list!

The Pallas Cat or Manul Cat

This wild cat inhabits the rocky steppes of the Caspian Sea area, Iran, China, Russia, Mongolia, Tibet & Kazakhstan. Living in the rocky crevices or small caves, they make their dens in inaccessible areas to avoid predatory animals and humans. They hunt mostly at night and live off of Pikas and small rodents.

This wild cat is about the size of an average house cat and resembles a long haired grey tabby Persian cat, but it is not related to the domestic Persian! It has a short broad head [to fit in between rock crevasses], small round ears that are set down on the sides of the head [helps to make it hear rodents better] and large yellow eyes [excellent for seeing in the dark]. The body is heavy and supported on stocky legs...it's heavy claws aid in the climbing of the rocks. Their coat is the longest of any species of wild cat and consists of two heavy layers helping it to adapt to the coldest of winters. They have small black spots all over their body & head, and have 2 black bars on the sides of their face. They emit warning noises and mating calls that sounds like dogs barking.

The reason these wild cats are endangered are because of their fur coats and the fat from their bodies is used to treat upset stomachs and skin problems!

These cats are hard to catch and making a long coat requires about 25 pelts. This makes the coat very valuable and highly prized to wear one...not to mention keeping the wearer very warm.

These animals aid in keeping the rodent population down and are helpful in that area...so why must they be killed because of their fat and fur value? I guess one has to live in that area to understand why it is now being hunted to extinction! We don't even have very many in zoos around the world because of their small numbers and ease of being captured...thankfully there are people out there who are trying to save this animal!

Don't they look cute?

CAT POETRY

Gentle eyes

that see so much,

paws that have

the quiet touch.

Purrs to signal

"all is well"

and show more love

than words can tell.

Graceful movements

touched with pride.

a calming presence

by our side.

A friendship

that will last and grow -

small wonder

why we love them so.

Author Unknown

HOW TO GIVE YOUR CAT A PILL...Author Unknown

1. Grasp cat firmly in your arms. Cradle its head on your elbow, just as if you were giving a baby its bottle. Coo confidently..."That's a nice Kitty"...drop pill into its mouth.

2. Retrieve cat from top of lamp and pill from under sofa.

3. Follow same procedure as in #1, but hold cat's front paws down with left hand and back paws down with elbow of right arm. Poke pill into its mouth with right forefinger.

4. Retrieve cat from under bed. Get new pill from bottle. [Resist impulse to get new cat]

5. Again proceed as in #1, except when you have cat firmly cradled in bottle feeding position, sit down on edge of chair. fold your torso over cat , bring your right hand over your left elbow, open cat's mouth by lifting upper jaw and pop the pill in quickly. Since your head is down by your knees, you won't be able to see what you're doing. That's just as well.

6. Leave cat hanging on drapes. Leave pill in your hair.

7. If you're a woman have a good cry. If you're a man, have a good cry.

8. Now pull yourself together. Who's boss here anyways? Retrieve cat and pill. Assuming position #1. say sternly, "Who's the boss here anyway?" Open cat's mouth, take pill and...Oooops!

9. This isn't working is it? Collasps and think. Aha! These flashing claws are causing the chaos.

10. Crawl to linen closet. Drag back large beach towel. Spread towel on floor.

11. Retrieve cat from kitchen counter and pill from potted plant.

12. Spread cat on towel near one end with its head over long edge.

13. Flatten cat's front and back legs over its stomach. [Resist impulse to flatten cat]

14. Roll cat in towel. Work fast: time and tabbies wait for no man or woman.

15. Resume position #1. Rotate your left hand to cat's head. Press it's mouth at the jaw hinges like opening the petals of a snapdragon.

16. Drop pill into cat's mouth and poke gently. Voila! It's done.

17. Vacuum up loose fur [cat's]. Apply bandages to wounds [yours].

18. Take two aspirins and lie down.

Cat Poetry

"A Cat's Prayer"

Now I lay me down to sleep.
The king size bed is soft and deep...
I sleep right in the center groove
My humans can hardly move!

I've trapped her legs, she's tucked in tight
And here is where I pass the night.
No one disturbs me or dares intrude
Til morning comes and "I want food!"

I sneak up slowly to begin
My nibbles on my humans chin.
She awakes up quickly. I have sharp teeth -
And my claws I will unsheathe

For the morning's here and it's time to play
I always seem to get my way.
So thank you Lord for giving me
This human person that I see.

The one that hugs me and holds me tight
And sacrifices her bed at night.

Author Unknown

A Cat Owner's Prayer

Because I am only human,
It's sometimes hard to be
The wise, all-knowing creature
That my cat expects of me.

And so I pray for special help
To somehow understand
The subtle implications
Of each proud meowed command.

Oh, let me not forget that chairs
Were put on earth to shred;
And what I like to call a lap
Is actually a bed.

I know it's really lots to ask
But please, oh please, take pity;
And though I'm only human,
Make me worthy of my kitty!

Author Unknown

10 LAWS FOR CATS TO LIVE BY:

1. Always give generously. A small bird or rodent left on bed tells them, you care.

2. Climb your way to the top. That's why the drapes are there.

3. Curiosity never kill anything except for maybe a few hours.

4. Find your place in the sun. Especially if it happens to be on that nice pile of warm, clean laundry.

5. If you are not receiving enough attention, try knocking over several expensive antique lamps.

6. Life is hard, then you nap.

7. Make your mark in the world. Or at least spray each corner.

8. Never sleep alone when you can sleep on someones face.

9. Variety is the spice of life. One day ignore people, the next day annoy them.

10. When in doubt, cop an attitude.

Cat Poem – taken from www.adoptacatfoundation.org

The food in my bowl
Is old and more to the point
Contains no tuna.

So you want to play.
Will I claw at dancing string?
Your ankle’s closer.

There’s no dignity
In being sick: which is why
I don’t tell you where.

Seeking solitude
I am locked in the closet.
For once I need you.

Tiny can dumped in Plastic bowl
Presentation: One star
Service: none.

Am I in your way?
You seem to have it backwards:
This pillows taken.

Your mouth is moving;
Up and down, emitting noise.
I’ve lost interest.

The dog wags his tail,
Seeking approval. See mine?
Different message.

My brain: walnut-sized.
Yours: largest amongst primates
Yet, who leaves for work?

Most problems can be
Ignored. The more difficult
Ones can be slept through.

My affection is conditional.
Don’t stand up,
It’s your lap I love.

Cats can't steal the breath
Of children. But if my tail’s
Pulled again, I’ll learn.

I don’t mind being
Teased, any more than you mind
A skin graft or two.

So you call this thing
Your cat carrier. I call
These my blades of death.

Toy mice, dancing yarn
Meowing sounds.
I’m convinced: You’re an idiot.