Missing My Cats and Moving

I'm at school and I can't have the cats here. I currently live on campus, and they just won't allow it. So, I'd been planning on moving closer to school in June this year. However, things changed suddenly at home, and now I'm moving in the middle of February.

I have a LOT going on that week, and I may drop the ball on one of them.  Be that as it may, the cats can't move here till Feb. 11, when I take possession of the apartment. I won't even have my bed here yet, so they will stay alone in the new place for a day or so, while the rest of the house is packed up and my friend with the trailer gets things hauled up here.

I'm really missing the cats. I feel Beasley every night snuggling up to me and sitting on my chest. It makes it hard to breathe with a 15 pound cat on your chest. I'm also missing the girls, but we all know that Beasley is my baby.

I'm concerned for how Queenie is going to be and how I'm going to get her into a carrier. The others, not so much. Queenie is a problem-child when it comes to the carrier, though. I'm thinking I may get an open cage for her. That may be her best bet. She gets claustrophobic, and maybe since she was raised in a cage, that will help her.

Cats Pouting...

My cats are pouting right now. Beasley is so upset, he won't sit on my lap at all.

You see, I drove away for two weeks this morning, heading off for school. I have a new home for the cats (with me) beginning February 1st, but until then, the cat caretaker will have to do.

I began the heavy packing and Beasley just hid out in the bedroom. That gave Queenie license to take over. She is such a little devil-cat! She really wants to run the household.

Queenie sat on the arm of my chair, got in Beasley's face in the morning while I was setting the food out, and chased Princess around the house. She's really getting bold.

Bugsie wanted nothing more than cuddles, and insisted on them for a good three days before I left. She was on my lap, coming up to my pillow at night, and just being a real pain in the you-know-what. She clawed me several times, and the bunny kicks that I've been working with her about came back.

Princess got bold enough to jump on my lap about every hour. She stopped running away from me when I entered the room around her food bowl. Usually, I get my morning coffee after I feed the cats and go sit down in the room where I feed Princess. She has been pretty spooked, and had to be coaxed to return. Not this week - she insisted that she was going to eat her breakfast. I'm glad to see that.

I gave them a couple cans of Fancy Feast that my pet supply store gave me during a promotion. I don't give them fish very often, after Fluffy's reaction, deterioration and consequent death from it. I know it wasn't just the food being such high-quality protein, but knowing that fish can strain their systems, I limit fish-based foods to once a week at the most. Princess really likes this food, so she just chased Queenie and Beasley away from her bowl and then went on to empty theirs. That's a real first for her!

So, it will be a tough couple of weeks before I see them again. And then it will be another week before they get to move here with me. And our "stuff" will follow after that. They will actually have the apartment all to themselves during the crazy packing and moving party going on that I can't even supervise.

Have you ever moved and had to have everything done by others? That's my situation. It's very uncomfortable. I just hope that stuff doesn't grow legs and walk away or become shards instead of the items I'm used to. I trust my friends doing the packing, but it's still an uncomfortable situation.

BTW - the "Professionals" I talked to - they all rubbed me the wrong way. Red flags going off. So, I'm guessing this is what is supposed to happen....

Welcome to Everyone!

Hello, Hello, Hello!!!

I know this is a little unconventional, but it has to work for now. I welcome all my readers from For-the-Love-of-Cats.com.

I post as much as I can, as often as I can. I'm around the internet as often as I can be right now. I'm also in school, so I have a lot of demands on my time. I'm still available for "cat whispering" if you need it.

Latest topics are FLEAS, FLEAS and more FLEAS! I've been doing everything I can, but even Beasley, with his overfed self is getting sensitive to the chemicals. I'm about ready to start bathing the babies (claws and all!) to deflea them. As soon as they go to their beds or cat tree, they get fleas again. It's so frustrating! I don't know how much more of this we can take.

So, we are moving soon, and I'll bomb the place when I get them in their carriers and into the car.  Yes, I do change the litter box every time I do the flea stuff. Yes, I spray the house down and vacuum all the dead fleas and eggs up. It just doesn't seem to help.

I don't know where they are hiding, and I don't know if the cats can take much more of this. I know that Beasley and Princess, my larger cats, both had reactions this month. Bugs was fine, and Queenie was just a little more of a devil than usual (mostly because Beasley and Princess weren't able to keep her in her place).

Princess still attacks Bugsie in the middle of the night. I don't know what that's about. She just walks up to Bugs wherever she may be sleeping and smacks her about 5-7 times in the head. Bugsie is used to this by now, and I do try to stop it, but I almost wonder if Princess is sleepwalking....  Do cats sleepwalk??? 

Well, that's a quick update from the home front. I'll check in again in a few days. Request the Facebook page and I'll approve as fast as I can. It was supposed to be an open group, but somehow it got set up as a group that you have to be approved to join. I'll get that fixed next week when I have more leisurely internet access.

Love to all!!! 

Happy Holidays!

Happy Holidays, folks!
I'm offline most of the time, but checking in periodically.

And Then There Were Four

Fluffy lost her battle with Chronic Renal Failure a little after 11:30 this morning. She went peacefully. The last few minutes, she was out of pain.

When I got home from school yesterday afternoon, I saw how changed she was. Her face was different. Her eyes were different. She wasn't Fluffy anymore. She was a ghost.

The dreams I had over the last week were her saying good-bye and begging for release.

I do have a couple of photos of her from yesterday and today, but I prefer to remember her with us, with her spirit engaged.

She will be buried tomorrow, after her grave is dug. I don't believe in digging graves unless I have to. So, I wait until they are needed.

The other cats pretty much ignored her the last few weeks. When I sat down to talk to Fluffy yesterday and last night, they crowded around asking why I was spending time on a ghost. They had said good-bye to her, but I had not.

This morning, when we arrived at the vet's office, she mewed excitedly. It was like she knew she was going home, over the Rainbow Bridge. She wanted to go.

Her gentle spirit will be missed. I've done most of my grieving before this, over her illness. I will probably cry later, but right now, I just have business to attend to. The business of dying.

Sleep in peace, my Flufferdoodle. My Fluffy Bear.

Bad Dreams

I've been having bad dreams all week. It's been hard to sleep. Several of the dreams are about Fluffy. I had another one a while ago, and I haven't been able to get back to sleep.

I was turned loose, running for cover, and Fluffy met me on the trail. I called for her to follow me. She was wearing some kind of square thing around her neck, hanging down. When I got to safety, she met me. The "harness" was hanging on by a thin thread, and I removed it.

I can't think of a more poignant dream about the harness of life. Fluffy is ready to go.

I'm at school right now. I've been running past her and doing so much for myself and everyone else, that I haven't had time to concern myself with her more than getting fluids into her every time I'm home. I've been "running past her" and expecting her to keep up or come to find me.

The other cats pile on me when I'm home. They miss me, too. They take my time, and she lays in her bed. I call to her, she looks my way, and then snuggles back into her bed. She comes up to my chair, and climbs into it using her claws, walks across the table beside it, and lays in the cat-tree by the window. She can't climb up into it anymore, to lay in the sun. She doesn't stop for cuddles. They hurt - unless it's her head or tail. She's spent one night on the bed with me in the last two months. Probably, that was her "good-bye" sleep with me, but I mis-read it.

I'll be home with her tonight. I'll take the time to sit with her and talk with her. I need to see that she's ready. I need to say good-bye to her. We have an appointment with her vet for Saturday morning for more fluids. It may just be her time to sleep the long sleep, instead.

I'm a little somber this morning. I'm a little sad. I knew this was coming, but I kept hoping I'd have a little more time with her. Wait till Thanksgiving. Wait till the semester's over. Wait for me. Don't go, little one, don't go.

I'll miss her. 

How to Choose the Best Food for Your Cat

Cat's digestive systems aren't designed for carbohydrates or cereals. They just poop it all out and don't get any nutrition from it. It's just a filler. Protein is what they need, and they need it from animal sources. Fish needs to be used sparingly, but most cats love it. Once a week, a taste, that's fine. I found that out the hard way, when my Fluffy got sick. I had them on fish for about a month, and suddenly she dropped half her weight. Her kidneys about shut down, and now she's on life-support. If she makes it, it will be a miracle, but her vet says it's end-stage kidney disease. That's why I say to use beef or chicken, and duck, rabbit, lamb, or venison in a combination with beef or chicken.

Feeding our cats is so different than what we eat, and their dietary needs are so misunderstood by most cat owners. Even me. I've had to learn all this stuff, talking to vets and experimenting with my own cats. It may be cruel to experiment on my cats, but if I can keep someone else from losing their cat, then it's a good thing. Pet food makers are out for the most money off the cheapest ingredients they can use. That's just the story. I don't blame them, cause everybody is out to make a profit in business. But if it causes harm, then I advocate against it.

Most of the pet food producers don't know the harm they do. They look at calories, protein and vitamins, and get people to say that the food is good according to their organization. There is an organization that regulates pet foods specifically. They use research and tell us what is good or bad, but just like all other organizations, they can be influenced by money. The money that supports the organization, most of the time, comes from the producers of the foods. They don't get government money, or money from you and me. So, they are going to say that the foods are good for pets. Only by trial and error can a pet owner know what works for their pet.

I'm here to tell you what really works and what really doesn't. I get paid from you, not from the pet food makers.

Fluffy Got a Bath

I gave Missy Fluffers a bath the other day. No, I didn't take photos. She did fairly well. I couldn't find the vaseline to put in her eyes, but the shampoo didn't get there, only the rinse water. She doesn't look too good because I used cream rinse to make sure she wouldn't have mats. It didn't work, and didn't rinse out very well. I guess it's a good thing she doesn't groom herself anymore. At least she doesn't have any more fleas!

Yep, she's really weak. She got on my lap once this past weekend. Only once. She is affectionate, but seems tired. She just wants to sleep and lol around in the sun. It was very warm yesterday and I opened the windows for a while. She got up in the windowsill, then laid in the cat tree - her favorite place - and sunned for a while.

She loves her wet food, and that's probably what's keeping her going. They each get 1/4 can of food a day, spread over 2 feedings. I have to spread it or Beasley gets sick. He still gets sick, but not so much as he does if I give him more at one time.

I don't know if Fluffy will make it this next two weeks until I get home again. I have several friends watching her and the others. There is a vet we can take her to, if we need more fluids.

Like "if" is possible at this point. Of course she needs more fluids...  Poor baby.

I wonder if she was saying goodbye last night, when she got on my lap. She didn't stay very long, just long enough to be uncomfortable. One side is very tender, and the other you can pet without her flinching. She tends to lay on the tender side, possibly protecting it. But it hurts her, so she moves around and seems restless, without being restless, if that makes any sense. She gets comfortable, closes her eyes, and dozes. She still wants to be around all the action.

As long as she wants to stay, I'll help her stay.

Cats Dealing with Death

Cats deal with cat death differently than we do. Dying cats tend to isolate and the other cats tend to "cut the ill one out" of things. Not meanly, but just as a matter of course. The sick one doesn't participate much, and the others fill the void. They just move into the empty space.

Right now, I'm losing one of my cats. Fluffy has CRF (chronic renal failure) and she is dying. We keep giving her fluids, but she isn't strong enough for dialysis. She won't be. She's too far gone. But she's alert, and interested in things going on around her for the most part.

She sleeps in the main room, opening her eyes and gathering comfort from the noises and activity around her. When she wants to be involved, she gets up and gets involved. She even plays a little bit when I bring out the toys.

I give her "baths" with a wash cloth, My vet taught me how to do it, with a corner of a wash cloth dipped in hot/warm water and wrung out so it's only damp. The heat is more important than the wet. I run my fingers with the cloth over an area and then stop. She seems to like it. She doesn't even wash behind me. And it does seem to keep her cleaner.

She came up on the bed last night and got some snuggles. Later, I woke, she was gone and another in her place. They all know she's dying. Even Fluffy knows it, I think. She is slowing down, and just not ready to say good night for the last time yet.

So, my sweet girl is leaving me. I knew they would all leave me eventually. They are all about the same age - about 10-12. It just happened that way. But to have the first one be Missy Flufferdoodle -- it's hard. She's always been so sweet and loving. Kind of stand-offish, but not, and always ready for snuggles and food. She masticates fingers with her kisses. She's always had problems with the mats and grooming herself, but she's always been patient when it was time to groom or cut off the mats, too. And she's always been ready to play. She's never had a problem with the others, and they never had a problem with her. She was just happy to be out of that cage and have a home.

CRF isn't contagious. It has to do with body chemistry and stuff. It's the kidneys having trouble with cleaning the blood. Sometimes it happens because of the breed of cat; sometimes because of weight issues, and Fluffy has been heavy; and it can happen because of heart issues and holding or losing fluids in the blood, like hypertension and heart disease.

Older cats are all at risk for CRF, so if you see any difference in your cat - drinking more or less, weight loss, or anything out of the ordinary, have it checked. The tests aren't expensive, and it could save your cat for years to come. If your cat develops CRF, you, too may have to go through this part - the end-stage of CRF, with your cat.

A soft place to sleep, and gentle handling. Love and comfort. Your cat will tell you when she's done. They always do.


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Rescinding Website Sale

I've rescinded the sale of the website. I've discovered more copying, and instead of adding more content, I'm pulling it off the internet come the end of the year.

I'll add all the content I've been preparing, and not posting, and make it into a book. I actually have enough content for 3 books, and that may be what I do. I was just getting ready to post about Chronic Renal Failure (Fluffy is affected) when I discovered that my last page was already copied on the internet under another URL.

Whoever this person is who is copying my content, they have succeeded in putting the website out of business. I won't post new content just to have it stolen and posted elsewhere. And my ezine is not any more secure than my pages, since I archive the issues for folks to read who subscribe.

There are measures in place to stop the copying, and I probably have legal recourse, but this is the only way to stop him/her for good. I've changed page names, changed links, and re-written content, but there is a mirror site someplace picking up every change I make as fast as I can make it.

It's hard to let this go. I love the website, and I love what I've been able to contribute. I love helping folks with their cats. But enough is enough.

In one way, it's flattering to be copied.  But when it hurts my website, and my income, I can't continue to allow it to continue.