Wanderlost
Texas Hill Country
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It was cold today, and windy, so Alex only went outside once. Spot just had to go on patrol, but he kept close to the house and garage. Then he insisted on playing with WLToo. WLToo also took a cat toy and attached it to a 3" chain on the cat tree, and Spot's been having a blast, beating it mercilessly (and getting some much needed exercise).
Spot also took advantage of the bath mat, laying on it while I showered. Then he snatched the towel and laid on it, kneading biscuits and purring like mad. I finished drying with the other towel, then dropped it on him. He poked his head out and stayed there, purring and kneading. I finished dressing and he was still there, so I went off and did other things. He stayed in all the fluffiness for about an hour's nap, before I could retrieve them all and wash them. He does like fluffy.
Didn't see a single deer all day; they must be under cover, too.
Alex goes to the vet tomorrow for his annual exam and shots, and to see if his occasional urine leakage is normal for his age, or an impending problem. It doesn't seem to bother him, but I'd like to not be peed on as he snuggles on me, or wash the bed clothes every morning (he doesn't seem to have leaked on the bed yet). Of all the strange feline health issues we've dealt with over the years, this is yet another new one.
Just in case he was having to hold his breath, and therefore not totally finishing his business, we washed out his litter box. Haven't noticed him leaking the last few hours, but then it's not a constant thing. He certainly does not act like he feels bad, and there's no blood or cloudiness in the urine, so I'm hoping he just didn't like the state of his litter box.
Considering we almost lost him a number of times over his life, this seems rather minor for a 15 or 16 year old cat who's been through as many cat lives as he has. Not looking forward to the day we say goodbye; he's a very special cat, but as resilient as he's been, I don't think that day's near (knock on wood).
It's cold, the bed looks warm, and two cats are nagging me to join them there. Night, all.
"The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated." -- Mahatma Gandhi
Czarny, black cat
Rainbow Bridge: Spotacus, Alexander the Grrreat, and so very many more
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Wanderlost
Texas Hill Country
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Joined: 10/29/2004
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Alex is on antibiotics for a possible urinary infection (we caught it really early), has drops for his ear, and now must eat lower protein content wet food. So we picked a selection for him to try, and he can only have his beloved Fancy Feast beef on rare occasions.
Meanwhile, Spot needs to lose weight, or at least not gain more, so we got him the Blue Buffalo weight control dry food, which he seems to like.
Spot had quite the adventure yesterday. He wandered out of earshot and didn't come home by the time I had to go work at the library. WLToo came along, to assist a fellow writer in converting her work to Kindle format. We left a garage door cracked, so he could get inside out of the cold.
When we got home about 8:45 pm, he came running, terribly upset that we'd left him outside. I imagine he was reliving being abandoned and looking for someone to let him inside, and his chosen people were not letting him in the house. He laid on my feet most of the night, and periodically stretched out between WLToo's legs. He went outside twice today, and did not stay long. We gave him another box, and he's staying in it, looking out periodically to make sure we're here.
I don't think he'll wander out of earshot in the future...
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WandaLust2
TN
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Joined: 11/14/2008
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Be careful of that weight loss dry kibble. It's low in fats and some cats get very dry skin and brittle fur. It happened to my SD's cats when her vet put them on it.
Just curious, what has high protein food which is natural for an obligate carnivore have to do with the urinary infection? ???
Mrs. WandaLust. Retired. Middle TN
1999 Fleetwood SouthWind 32'
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Wanderlost
Texas Hill Country
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Certain levels of protein in older cats cause crystals to form in the urine, if I understand it right.
Spot's coat is in good shape, but we're watching closely, since we're now into the heating season, and central electric heat really dries out the air. That means static shocks to the kitties, and dry skin to all of us. And we still don't know why his skin does the creepy crawlies to the point of making him dash off, then stop and start licking. Don't want it to get worse in the winter.
Alex must be feeling better; he's sitting on the sofa with WLToo, demanding attention. Hasn't done that for about a week.
Spot's asleep on the bed. He did his morning patrol, played with a fawn for a while, then came back for his nap. Funny to watch him play. He stalked the fawn, the fawn stomped its hoof and ran at him, Spot dashed aside, then they started over. Soon as I became visible, though, the fawn dashed away. I had the impression they've done this a lot, out of human sight.
Time to get more stuff done. Later, y'all.
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phxmtngirl
arizona
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Joined: 10/26/2010
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Hi ![[emoticon]](http://www.coastresorts.com/sharedcontent/cfb/images/smile.gif "smile")
Just to start out, I also feed Blue Buffalo weight control and all the cats love it. I have not noticed any problems with their coat, it truly is a good cat food.
And now to the 3-legged cat Wow we are in love with her. Tulip. Now the other cats have not met her yet, as she has claws and uses them. So Monday is vet day for getting fixed and declawed, then she can be introduced to the other babies, and maybe not tear my hands up so bad. She is going to take time & patients, but we have lots of that.
Ok, now I'm going to comment on this weather here in TX. It's cold...... I'm use to AZ in the winter, and got to say this humid cold temps are coldddddddddd.
Take care for now
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WandaLust2
TN
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Wanderlost wrote:Certain levels of protein in older cats cause crystals to form in the urine, if I understand it right.
I never heard of this so will have to look into it. ![[emoticon]](http://www.coastresorts.com/sharedcontent/cfb/images/scratchead.gif "scratchead")
Quote:Spot's coat is in good shape, but we're watching closely, since we're now into the heating season, and central electric heat really dries out the air. That means static shocks to the kitties, and dry skin to all of us. And we still don't know why his skin does the creepy crawlies to the point of making him dash off, then stop and start licking. Don't want it to get worse in the winter.
I have a humidifier, the water-breaker type but the steam type will also work, to keep static electricity from developing in air that is too dry. It also keeps our noses and throats from drying out.
Quote:Alex must be feeling better; he's sitting on the sofa with WLToo, demanding attention. Hasn't done that for about a week.
Spot's asleep on the bed. He did his morning patrol, played with a fawn for a while, then came back for his nap. Funny to watch him play. He stalked the fawn, the fawn stomped its hoof and ran at him, Spot dashed aside, then they started over. Soon as I became visible, though, the fawn dashed away. I had the impression they've done this a lot, out of human sight.
Time to get more stuff done. Later, y'all.
That's good news.
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WandaLust2
TN
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phxmtngirl wrote:Hi
So Monday is vet day for getting fixed and declawed, then she can be introduced to the other babies,......... )
I hope you know what's involved with de-clawing cats, how cruel and unnecessary it is, and that many non-3rd world nations have already outlawed it. One day even here in the USA it will be outlawed when enough veterinarians protest and refuse to do it.
http://www.declawing.com/htmls/declawing.htm
...and many other websites out there explain the procedure. It's more than just removing the claw or like trimming their claws. The entire last digit of the toe is removed. It's like removing your fingertips at the first joint. The cat is also helpless and defenseless thereafter and forever.
We have 3 cats, none de-clawed, and not one piece of furniture has been damaged, either in the RV or in our home.
Please rethink mutilating your cats.
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Wanderlost
Texas Hill Country
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Tulip. That's cute. Photos?
Watch out for the Houston area weather. WLToo grew up there and described a winter day's progression of humid cold, moving to humid warm, then suddenly humid cold as the perfect pneumonia weather. I hate visiting there; can't imagine living there.
Spot yanked his right hind knee pretty good last night, don't know how, maybe jumping off the cat tree and catching it. I woke up with him stretched out between my legs, crying each time I flexed a leg muscle. It was a sad sound.
We spent the morning at the vet. Nothing appears to be torn, and nothing's broken, but his ligaments are not happy. He's on painkillers for a while, and we'll be moving the cat tree out for a while, so he doesn't think he can climb it when the painkiller's in effect. We've never had to give him any meds, so this afternoon's pill will be our first experience.
Missed the local Christmas parade while we got him treated. We really wanted to see the Commemorative Air Force's B-25 do the overflight, while there's still a B-25 that still flies. But Spot came first.
Alex is feeling so much better that he fought us royally this morning. Had to wrap him in a towel. Oh, joy. We have another five days of pills three times a day. That towel may not survive.
As we headed down the drive, a young three point buck (spike on one side, fork on the other) was in the meadow with the "orphan" fawn. We call it "orphan" because its mama did not take the best of care and doesn't seem to want it around her. Mama Doe takes better care of it. We don't see Mama Doe much right now, though, just the younger deer moving in and out when the gate's open. I miss watching them.
Time to go practice Christmas music on the piano. Later, y'all.
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Wanderlost
Texas Hill Country
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Alex started throwing up last night, as predicted, so we had to stop the Clavimox. Tomorrow we'll see what he can tolerate to get rid of the urinary infection and not make his throat raw from all the stomach acid he's throwing up.
Spot's still favoring his leg, but doesn't act like he's in any pain. Good thing, since he fought taking his morning pill so strongly that we decided to let him tell us if/when he's in pain.
He trotted from door to door, stalking the roadrunner that comes up on the north porch each day to torment Spot through the glass. It's quite plump, so it's finding enough food somewhere.
Alex runs when he sees a bird that large. His idea of food is a critter much smaller than he is...
Was a chilly, wet day. Nice fire, cocoa, and Christmas music are the order of the day. Alex is on my lap, and Spot's checking out the Christmas tree box, looking for a way inside. Never had a cat with such a box fetish before.
Back to editing WLToo's second book. Later, y'all.
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Code2High
One hour past Nowhere, CA
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Joined: 12/21/2004
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I recently had a UTI issue with one of my rabbits. When baytril didn't kill it and made him not want to eat, I switched to Lugol's solution. I'd been told there weren't any other good options (rabbits are complex to medicate)and I needed some way to fix it. Vet a little horrified and quite surprised with the last urinalysis results. But... it fixed it, and he ate while he was on it.
susan
Fuzzy Wuzzy was a wabbit, Fuzzy Wuzzy had a dandelion habit! RIP little Wuz... don't go far.
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