Saying Good-bye to Tammy

While the news was good for a while and we had high hopes for a full recovery, the final outcome for Tammy was not good. Her tumors returned and a second surgery showed some promise, but that didn't last, either. When the tumors again returned, they were somehow "angry" and we knew there was nothing left to try. An x-ray showed extensive metastases throughout her body, including her lungs. An x-ray just one month earlier showed none of this. It was an extremely rapid change.

Amazingly, though, she was still active, eating well, never missed the litter box in her life, and she even still enjoyed playing with the "red dot."  But now she was breathing rapidly, just to get enough oxygen, and she needed to rest often. It was her breathing difficulty that led us to take her to the vet for her final visit two days ago.

She was only 12. It just doesn't seem fair. She was one of the nicest cats we've ever known...always cooperative with whatever was required of her - vet visits, accepting new food when we needed to change everyone's diet, cuddling often, and never starting any fights. She even knew her name and usually came when called.

Her rabies tag will now be added to the Memorial Wreath I hang every year for the holidays. If it seems there are too many, I agree. I miss them all and wish they didn't have to go. But after 13 years rescuing more than 1,000 cats (and several hundred dogs), losing some is inevitable. Most rescued animals come from difficult situations, and we were happy to have been able to find them new homes, or to love them to the end at our home.

RIP, Tammy.....

Tammy's surgery was a success! Cancer free!

Tammy is about 12 years old, rescued from life on the street at about age 3. I had her spayed right away, along with her sister, Judy, and they quickly became settled into life at the shelter. Judy got lucky and was adopted that year, leaving Tammy behind to make friends with the other cats on her own. She did very well and became a favorite at the shelter. But no one wanted to adopt her. So I took her home with me.

However, it wasn't long before I noticed she was still going into heat on a regular schedule, 3 times a year. The vet who spayed her said not to worry about it and that repeating the surgery was unnecessary. She wasn't going to get pregnant, after all. So we put up with her yowling 3 times a year for the next 9 years.

Then it happened: This summer she developed some odd growths on her belly. She already had a somewhat large, fluid-filled cyst on her abdomen for the last few years, but again, the vet said it was just a "water sac" and not to worry about it. So we didn't. But the new growths had me concerned, since older female cats can get mammary cancer if they haven't been spayed. Tammy was still making estrogen, so she was a good candidate for a cancer diagnosis. And the nodules were hard and rough to the touch.

I took her to our new vet right away and scheduled surgery for the following week. We wouldn't know the outcome until she had x-rays to be sure her lungs were clear and the tumors were removed and examined.

We were all very happy to discover she did not have any malignancies and took her home to recover.

Here are some of the masses the
vet removed:

In this cluster are one ovary, part of the uterus that was left behind, and a fluid-filled cyst.

Tammy is very lucky to have survived this scenario that could easily have gone in a different direction. It's always a good idea to be sure your vet knows what he or she is doing. Just like human physicians, get references and check into their history for complaints. That's usually not easy, but asking around among people you know who have used their services is one way to get information. 

What's the most affordable and healthiest type of food for my cat?

Combining "healthy" and "affordable" when feeding our pets is the biggest challenge! Certainly, there are many affordable products on the store shelves, but are they healthy? Often, they are not even adequate, as claimed by their manufactuers. Additionally, it's difficult to find a food that has not appeared on a recall list.

By the time you find a petfood that has safe, optimum ingredients, the price has skyrocketed beyond the wallets of many pet owners.

It might be useful, however, to look at this in another way....that is, what's best in the Long Run?

I performed my own experiments a couple years ago and discovered that feeding what's called a "premium" pet food led to several unexpected results:

1. The cats ate less, because the nutrition satisfied their appetites rather than the quantity. This meant the product lasted longer.

2. The cats visited their litter boxes less often, and when they did, the droppings were smaller, better formed and easy to scoop. This means I use far less kitty litter...another savings.

3. The cats were more energetic, and over time, we were making fewer visits to the veterinarian. Many health problems are nutrition-related, similar to the human experience.

To keep things interesting, I also began making my own petfood from natural ingredients. There are many good recipes you can find online if you search for "natural homemade petfood." If one has the time and energy, making your own petfood is not as expensive as one might think, either.

In the final analysis, when you factor in the savings of using less food, less litter and fewer vet visits, I discovered that I actually spend about the same amount on the cats by feeding premium food as I did on cheap, commercial foods, and everyone is healthier.

Cat Safety Tips in the Summertime

In most areas, summertime can be a risky season due to extreme heat, increased insect populations, and exposure to sunlight. Yes, pets can become sunburned.

The following 5 tips will help you protect your beloved kitty from suffering any these problems:

1. Provide shade for outdoor animals. For the most part, it's just best to keep them indoors, where air conditioning, or at least a good fan, will help keep them cool. Like dogs, cats do not sweat. And though they may be seen panting, it's only normal for dogs. If your cat is panting, it's usually an urgent sign of trouble. Immediately cool the cat down with water. If she won't drink it, you will need to drizzle some onto her fur, or use a small cloth dampened with cold water, especially on her head and paws, while you are on your way to the veterinarian's office.

2. Never leave ANYONE in a locked vehicle on a hot day. It literally becomes an oven in there and WILL result in heatstroke and probably death. If you see a pet (or child!) in such a car, immediately contact local police.

3. Sunscreen may be just as helpful for animals as it is for humans. Apply it to the areas of thin fur on the head of your cat, but be sure to clean it off when the sun goes down or the cat comes inside. Cats like to wash themselves and human sunscreen may be toxic. There are animal sunscreen products that are better for your cat, such as Solar Rx. (Look for the page of cat products.)

4. Use flea protection products year 'round, but especially during the summer months. Check out the variety of products available at Only Natural Pets. Also look for tick prevention products!

5. Create and keep a first aid kit at the ready for your kitty. Use a breakaway collar, and keep identification on your cat.  Here are some poison control contacts you should keep handy and hope you never need:

http://www.pacc911.org/Poison_Control.html

http://petpoisonhelpline.com

The National Animal Poison Control Center 1-900-680-0000 or 1- 800-548-2423

Once you have these items and ideas in place, you can enjoy the summer months with your cat without taking chances.

New Book is Now Available!

Thanks to a great group of writers who love their cats, our next book is now a reality...and is available at these links:


https://www.createspace.com/4252359

http://www.amazon.com/dp/1484163443

Outdoor Cats Are Killers

Have you seen the recent "news" articles about all those horrible feral cats demolishing and decimating all the wildlife all over the world? Well, OK, maybe they are having a negative impact on some environments, but it's very upsetting to see how the media is handling this.

They make it look like feral and stray cats are from another planet and have invaded earth and their only purpose in life is to destroy the entire planet....because they are such awful little beasts.

The FACT remains that these cats are only doing what they must to survive, because some HUMANS put them in harm's way. It was NOT their idea to live like that.

Responsible pet owners don't throw cats out like just so much trash, littering the landscape as if they are bags of dirty diapers tossed out the back window of the car as they drive by.

Those of us who rescue these hapless creatures and work so hard to rehabilitate them, often at great cost, are going to have an even harder row to hoe with the already negative attitudes of many who either don't understand cats, or even actively hate them.

How can we teach compassion when the mainstream media preaches hate, without the least concern for the effect this will have?

Now it's going to be that much harder to find homes for even the shy, easy-going and loving cats stuck in shelters everywhere. There is way too much killing of sweet, gentle cats, and now many people will feel even more justified to accelerate the kill rate.Worse, more cat haters will feel justified in torturing them. 

Why not take this opportunity to promote the spay-neuter agenda? Or, why not put the birth control drugs back on the market? FeralStat was working! Yes, it had side effects in some cases. But what is the side effect of allowing abandoned cats to reproduce at will? Hint: a short list includes starvation, disease, injury, etc., all adding up to misery. Oh, but who cares, right?

Better yet, teach responsibility in cat ownership: keep them indoors, get them altered, give them the life they deserve.

Cat Dental Health Notes

Like humans, cats can have problems with dental health, often related to poor diet and lack of care. When we keep cats as pets, it's our responsibility to provide the proper foods and veterinary attention. Cats in the wild usually don't have these problems if their habitats remain natural. But even that may not be the case and wildlife experts sometimes have to intervene with remedial treatments.

To prevent problems with our pets, the best actions we can take include a diet of sufficient quality to prevent the buildup of tartar and the subsequent development of certain oral diseases or conditions, notably gingivitis, an inflammation of the gum tissue.

Gingivitis, and later actual tooth decay, account for tooth loss, pain, difficulty eating, and bad breath. This requires veterinary care before it affects the cat's immune system, as it can lead to more serious health problems, such as heart disease or other organ involvements, as well as premature aging.

Your cat should be seen for annual tooth cleaning and to check for other health issues. Keep in mind, a dental procedure, such as "scaling" (or scraping) to remove the tartar buildup, will require your cat to be anesthetized. You may wish to have your vet show you how to care for your cat's teeth at home, too, to prevent things from becoming advanced.

Most vets will recommend tooth care either daily, or at least twice a week. Use a soft toothbrush with a small head, or perhaps a bit of gauze wrapped around a finger to gently rub the teeth. It's important not to upset the cat if you want cooperation, so don't try to do too much when you first start.  If you only brush a few teeth at a time, that's better than nothing.

Start slowly and let the cat sniff the brush. Be sure to use toothpaste made for pets. Never use human toothpaste, especially if it contains fluoride! It can kill your cat.

End each session with petting or cuddling to help your cat relax.

Fleas on Cats - A Case Study

Here's an interesting question I received about fleas on cats:

Dear Ms. Kitty,

My poor Xander is suffering with an itch from fleas! He has these horrible bumps all over him and he just can't relax. His fur is always "crawling" and he can't sit still for looking around as though he's thinking about scratching! We just gave him a squeeze-on flea treatment (which didn't seem to work!). He has an appetite but isn't as playful as he could be. All he does all day is sleep (which I know cats do a lot of!) but I feel like he's doing it just so he won't have to deal with the itch! I hope I'm wrong but I know his "happy-healthy" behavior and this isn't it!

I thought I might use a solution of water and peroxide to wash him with.

I'm not sure he'd be okay with a bath...if that's an option!! I'd have quite a fight on my hands! But I will do whatever is necessary!

I love the little guy.

Thanks for your help,

Skip Purvis

--------------------

Dear Skip,

I think a bath is a good idea... fleas can be drowned, but it's not easy. They will migrate toward his head if his body is immersed, so you'd want to have something on his neck to kill or deter them as they arrive. Maybe a temporary flea collar. Or start the flea shampoo at the neck first, them bathe the rest of him and the fleas will jump off as they crawl to the top to get out of the water. Just be careful not to get any soap or water in his eyes or ears.

If you have any fleas in the house, sprinkle some DE (diatomaceous earth) around the perimeter of the room and under his bedding, and especially under the couch cushions, etc.

You can sprinkle it on him, too. It's like talcum powder, so you can sprinkle it on then rub it in. If he licks it, it's safe, and might even help "clean out the pipes" if he has swallowed any of the little buggers.

Just be sure the DE is the safe kind..."food grade," not for gardening or yards. I'm glad to know that your Xander is an inside kitty, so picking them up by being outside won't be an issue. But it's no guarantee. Fleas are perfectly capable of hopping into your house on their own!

Not sure the peroxide would do anything. Probably get better results with a good flea shampoo, as that clogs up the respiratory spiracles of the fleas. Ask your vet which one is best.

Here's a link to a book about flea control from a friend who knows more about it than I do:

Flea Control Secrets

Here's another link with free info:

When I have to bathe a cat, I use a bucket. It seems to help with keeping them under control. Not so easy to jump out and those hind legs are contained. Still have to watch for the front claws, though!

You can also try brushing him often with a stiff bristle brush to help with the itching and removing particles and loose fur.

If he's having a skin reaction, he may be allergic to the fleas.

Here are some remedies for the "hot spots" on his skin:

First, be sure his itchy spots are clean. You may have to shave or clip his hair down to the skin at those locations. Wash with a gentle, unscented, pure soap, and rinse well.

Tea: Brew a cup of strong tea and dissolve an aspirin in it. Soak a small cloth or cotton ball and place that on the itchy, sore spots for several minutes, 4 times a day.

Vinegar: Soak a cloth or cotton ball and place on the itchy spots as above, 4 times a day. Use apple cider vinegar. It's also safe to drink, so don't worry if your cat licks it off. It might even help "detox" him, too.

Good luck!

Follow-up:

Dear Ms. Kitty,

Y'know, I really wasn't expecting much from the whole apple cider vinegar thing but I'm here to tell ya...Awesome! On his first day of application (spraying it on his brush and brushing him), he already seems more comfortable!!

I'm just so happy! Hard to believe that we'd see such "immediate" results. And maybe it's just wishful thinking, but he really seems more comfortable. He's not twitching constantly...AND his coat is soft and smooth!! However, he is getting wise to my "put it on his brush" trick and it's getting harder to corner him for the brushing...the odor is quite intense, but he's been tolerating it!

Finally this evening he's become more like his ol' self! More playful, eating more and generally BETTER!

Thanks again for the tip! How exciting! Just had to let you know right away. I know you understand having a "sick" baby...it's like your own child sick! When we finally find how to love them, it's real! I love this little guy so much! When he hurts, I hurt and when he feels better...
Anyway, YAHOO!!! He's been laying on my chest loving on me since he started feeling more comfortable today....it feels so nice.

Skip

Related articles

• How To Get Rid Of Fleas (answers.com)
• Does Your Cat or Dog Have Fleas? (therealowner.com)
• Natural Pet Care - How to treat for Ticks and Fleas
• Fleas? In the Winter?? (skillsinlife.wordpress.com)
• How You Can Stop Flea Infestations Forever (mypetkingdom.info)

Birth Control For Cats Using FeralStat

Image via WikipediaWhat happened to FeralStat? It was being used successfully by many people who care about humanely controlling feral and stray cat populations. Of special note is that one person could handle a fairly large colony of cats without help or great expense.

By contrast, it's virtualy impossible to trap, transport, and pay for very many cats without the help and cooperation of other volunteers and at least one veterinarian.

We need to contact veterinarians and pharmaceutical companies to re-release the drugs that were available for more than 30 years.



(Some of the information for this article is from www.topix.com/forum/drug/megace/TAEVERNHSL2G5SLB2)

Here is some information to help in this quest:

Name of drug: Megestrol Acetate (Feral Stat)
Email: info @ WestlabPharmacy.com (They are collecting reports from people in the field who have experience using Feral Stat and want to hear how it has helped them in controlling stray and feral populations. Only send useful information; do not write to complain or ask about something.)

If enough people raise the issue, perhaps we can help each other help more cats.

Related articles

• Group training volunteers to catch, fix and release feral cats to keep numbers in check (heraldnet.com)
• Animal groups begin offering spay/neuter clinics to reduce Carlisle's stray-cat population (pennlive.com)
• Push to get feral cats sterilized (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
• A Call for Action (blogs.windsorstar.com)
• Animal Groups Target Feral Cats for Sterilization (abcnews.go.com)

What if All the Cats in the World Suddenly Died?

As much as some people might think it would be a good idea to completely eradicate any animal they view as a pest, it's a completely stupid idea. What if someone didn't like bees and found a way to eliminate them? While we may never find out what a world without cats might look like, we may actually get to find out what happens when there are no bees.

According to an article by Dr. Mercola:

"Honeybees are perhaps one of the least recognized workers in the agricultural industry. They contribute $15 billion in annual agriculture revenue to the U.S. economy alone, as a full one-third of the U.S. food supply depends on them pollinating crops.

"Apple orchards, for instance, require one colony of bees per acre in order to be adequately pollinated. So, unless the mysterious disappearance of bees is reversed, major food shortages could result."

Read more: http://bit.ly/qBhgKy

However, ecological changes would be just as drastic with the loss of all cats.

"Cats play a critical role in keeping the rodent population down. If there were no cats, we'd be overrun with rats."

Read more:

• What Would Happen if All of the Cats in the World Suddenly Died? (neatorama.com)