Sadie

We dropped Sadie off this morning at 7:30 am with Dr. Chretin.  Dr. called with her blood results (poor Sadie needs a light bit of sedation just so they can take blood); they don’t know how to deal with Her Majesty.  White count normal but while sedated doctor felt her body.  The tumor on the left side of her throat is a bit smaller but there is a small lump on the right side of her throat and a lump in her shoulder.  We elected to go with “rescue chemo” a pill called CCNU (lomustine) which is an anticancer drug that is used to treat some types of cancers, especially lymphomas, brain tumors and mast cell tumors.

In talking with Dr. Chretin after the blood work and prior to the administration of this pill, we decided that since Sadie has not had success with shot-based chemo the last several times, we are afraid she again will not respond well to another round of shot-based chemo.  To give her another chemo shot at this time and have her not respond well would be a waste of valuable treatment time.  Giving her the “rescue pill” now will hopefully  give us a bit of a head start.  The pill if successful is administered once a month for a specified length of time.

She is to see Dr. Chretin next Wednesday for bloods and an exam and then hopefully will not have to go back for another three weeks after that.  We are to examine the lumps daily to be sure they are not growing.

Sadie was very happy to be home this afternoon.  I fed her canned food right away, then she had a drink of water and then the dry food.  She is beautiful, chatty and seems happy to be home.  We are happy to have our girl home and pray she will be happy and well at home for a long time.

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A Cat with Cancer Part 8

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Joey Boop

Yesterday I got a frantic all from my wife that Joey, our number two cat, was lying on the floor panting and breathing through his mouth.  I headed home immediately but was intercepted by phone and told to head to the vet instead.

When I got there they were just getting ready to bring Joey to the back and get him stabilized.  We were both pretty freaked out because Joey, while having kidney disease, has been pretty stable and of course you’ve been reading about Sadie and Sophie.

The Vet came out and told us that Joey was in a special oxygen cage and was stabilizing.  She also told us that she wanted to take x-rays to see what was causing the problem.

A couple of years ago Joey had gone through something like this but they stabilize him and sent him home without a diagnosis. This time she came out with the x-rays and told us that it seems that Joey had an asthma attack.  We have no idea what may have triggered the attack.  We are very careful will all of our cleaning products and don’t bring plants into the house.  Now we will be even more careful.

The Vet suggested we get some type of air cleaner and run it where he hangs out the most.  Fortunate we already have one because we market one of the best air treatment systems in the market.  Of course it doesn’t do much sitting unplugged in the office.  That will change very soon.

We brought Joey home and he seems to be doing fine.  The vet gave him a long lasting steroid that should keep him stable but suggested we get a feline inhaler in case of an emergency.  She also suggested we check out a website called Feline Asthma with Fritz the Brave.  She told us there was a lot of information on the site that can help in case of another episode.

This has been a crazy year.  Two cats with kidney disease, one cat with cancer and now one with asthma.  We also got some new information on Sadie, our cat with cancer, which I will share in my next post.

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Cat with Asthma Part 1

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Sophie

Today marks the seven month anniversary from the day we brought Sophie from the veterinarian.  She is doing great (kanena hora).  She is getting around just fine. It is hard to tell that she has any problems.

We are still hydrating (injecting 125 mg of lactated ringers solution into the scruff of Sophie’s neck) three days on one day off.  The hydration is going much better now than it was.  We were originally given a #18 needle for the hydration but thought it was too big for Sophie so we asked if we could go to a #20 needle.  He said it would be ok.  After a couple of months of using the smaller needle we went back to the #18.  While bigger, the #18 allowed the solution to flow more quickly allowing for a shorter time to hydrate.  Sophie also seemed to be more comfortable with the bigger needle too.

We are always aware that this is a day to day blessing and we are thankful every day to have Sophie with us .

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A Cat with Kidney Disease Part 6

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Sadie Coquette

We woke up early Wednesday morning for the weekly trip for Sadie’s Chemo  session.  This is to be her third treatment.  We dropped her off and headed home to wait for the call to pick her up.

The Oncologist called us before Noon with good news.  Sadie is in “clinical remission” which means tumor in her throat 100% controlled.  She will still need course of chemo but will be able to skip next week. We will take her in to our regular vet for a blood count.  Sadie will continue with prednisone until end of 24 weeks when we will wean her off of it.  Her white cell count is great and she has normal blood pressure.  Last week Sadie would not have any part of letting them take her blood pressure so Dr. was please they were able to do so today.  He said they will administer the chemo shortly, it is doxorubinicin, and has to be administered slowly and carefully.  Sadie will need a mild sedative and we can pick her up early afternoon.  We were grateful for the good news.

We picked her up Wednesday afternoon.  She was a little groggy from the sedative but we were told that this normal.  In a few hours she was back to normal.  Her voice is coming back and she is strong enough to jump on the kitchen counter without help.  As with Sophie, our cat with kidney disease, we understand that these situation can change quickly.  We are grateful for every day they are with us.

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A Cat with Cancer. Part 6

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Sadie Coquette

We picked Sadie up late this morning (Monday); she seemed a bit dazed from her ordeal – she has never been away from home since we adopted her.  Sadie was chattering almost the whole time home in the car, but seemed to quiet down when either of us talked to her.  But, once inside the house she seemed at ease and found a few of her happy places. Our Vet called upon his receipt of the report from the radiologist, still no definitive answer as to what is going on.  He agreed that we need to contact the oncologist and perhaps start light doses of chemo; we have a call in to the oncologist.

We spoke to the oncologist this evening; he has not received report from radiologist and expects to receive same tomorrow.  We told him what the radiation specialist  told us, that it is not thyroid, and the oncologist recommended a biopsy so we can confirm or rule out lymphoma or confirm or rule out another type of cancer.  We will take Sadie in tomorrow morning and she will return home in the afternoon.  We should then have the biopsy report in 2 to 3 days and can discuss what, if anything, further to do.

We took Sadie to the oncologist early this morning (Tuesday) for the biopsy; he called us at 9:00 am to tell us Sadie looks good, the tumor has shrunk almost in half during the past week (probably due to the first dose of chemo), that based on the second lab report, it is early-stage  lymphoma and he does not feel that a biopsy is necessary.

We will continue the chemo protocol, which is once a week for six weeks (today is week 2) and then once every three weeks for the next 21 weeks.  The oncologist believes that since we caught this so early, Sadie has a good chance for the tumor should go away.  He does caution that 50% of cats in this condition experience remission after nine months but because this was caught early, he has given us a good prognosis for Sadie.  We’ll be picking her up later this mornig.

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A Cat with Cancer. Part 5

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Sadie

We got up early Sunday morning, fed our cats and then packed Sadie for her big adventure with the veterinary radiologist, a 60 mile trip from home.  We brought along canned and dry food for a week, a toy and towels with the scent of home.  Little traffic and we arrived shortly before our scheduled 9:30 a.m. appointment.

The doctor looked at the x-rays, read the medical reports and examined Sadie.  He said they would scan Sadie and keep her at least overnight and that we would hear from him Sunday evening.  We did and it was not good news.  While Sadie does have some small tumors on her thyroid they are not the mass that has been our concern.  These small tumors do not require any treatment at this time.

The doctor feels that the large mass in her throat is some other form of cancer but he can not tell what is involved.  He does not feel it is a lymphoma but it could be a cancer of one of the many other tissues in Sadie’s throat.  He also told us that other cancers are harder to diagnose and more difficult to treat. He will be forwarding the test results back to our oncologist and regular vet.

It seems we are back to square one and things do not look good.  We will be picking Sadie up from the radiation specialist Monday morning and will contact our oncologist.  I do not think we have too many options but we will know more tomorrow.

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A Cat with Cancer. Part 4

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Sadie Office Manager

The oncologist called late Friday afternoon.  He talked with a  radiation veterinary specialist, who is the same specialist that irradiated Sophie’s thyroid 3-1/2 years ago.  The oncologist  told us he still cannot determine if the mass is malignant or benign and he recommended that we take Sadie to the radiation specialist.  The oncologist said that if it is not cancer, then her thyroid would get low dose of radiation and be hospitalized for 4 – 6 days.  If it is cancer, then she would get a bigger dose of radiation and be hospitalized for two weeks.

We immediately made an appointment for Sunday, January 24 at 9:30 a.m.  to see the radiation specialist. Our oncologist said that by doing an initial scan, they will be able to determine whether it is specific to the thyroid and whether or not it is malignant.  If it is a tumor, the radioactive iodine will concentrate in the tumor and will cause the scan to “light up”.  If in fact the tumor “lights up” it is in fact a thyroid tumor.  The doctor will then be able to determine whether or not it is malignant.

If it is determined to be benign, the course of treatment is similar to what Sophie went through 3 years ago, relatively low dose of radiation to shrink the tumor and 4 to 6 days of recovery.  If the tumor turns out to be malignant, the treatment requires three times the dose of radiation and a much longer hospital recovery time, up to two weeks.

If the tumor does not “light up” during the scan, we are back to square one, which is the doctors will not know what the problem is and will not know what to do, at which point we will have to make a serious decision regarding Sadie, because whatever it is, it is fast growing and life threatening.

We talked to our vet tonight and told him what was happening.  He told us to make absolutely sure that if the scan “lights up” it is in fact a thyroid tumor.  Our vet wants to make sure that lymphoma is totally ruled out.  Irradiating a normal thyroid could be very dangerous.

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A Cat with Cancer? Part 3

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Sadie Coquette

We spoke to our vet Tuesday morning, December 19.  Bad news is that it is not an infection, which implies that it may be something more serious.  He does not have lab report back yet and will call us later today when he receives it.  I am devastated and scared.  Ira is also upset, but he handles things differently.

At 5:45 p.m. on January 19, our vet called.  It wasn’t good news.  It’s lymphoma and he gave us the names of two doctors who are veterinarian oncologists.  He also cautioned us that we either had to treat Sadie immediately or have her euthanized.  We made an appointment for the next day to see one of the two oncologists recommended by our Vet.

After reviewing the x-rays and the test results we brought from our vet, the oncologist layed out various scenarios.  We agreed to a sonogram and further testing.  The oncologist said that due to an emergency surgery, there would be a delay processing Sadie and she would not be able to go home until about 5:00 p.m.  We elected to stay and wait.  We also elected for a first dose of chemo, “just in case”.  We told the oncologist that Sadie did not like being poked, prodded and handled; he said okay.  A short while later the doctor found us in the waiting room and asked if they could give Sadie a small dose of sedative, called her “quite a pistol”.  We told the doctor “I told you so”.

The oncologist called Thursday evening.  Sadie has a tumor but he does not know if it is malignant or not; it is difficult to determine.  He told us that he also consulted with another doctor.  He did a sonogram of the spleen and while it was slightly enlarged, the spleen was not abnormal and not indicative of lymphoma.  A needle biopsy of the spleen also confirmed that.  They did an ultrasound of Sadie’s throat which did not help further diagnose her, but whatever it is, it is not consistent with lymphoma.  The oncologist feels that it is more likely a tumor on the thyroid.  He has never seen this type of tumor before in a cat, only with dogs.  He wants to do further research and will call us Friday.

We still don’t know what type of cancer it might be and we really don’t know  if it is cancer at all.

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A Cat with Cancer? Part 2

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Sadie

It’s been a really hard week. We learned early this week that Sadie our number one cat may have some form of cancer. What kind of cancer, if any cancer exists, is still unknown and that is a part of the story.

We noticed that Sadie had been breathing hard, wheezing and finally felt it was time to take her to the doctor.

Our Vet expressed immediate concern regarding Sadie. He took an x-ray of her throat area and it showed a mass around her esophagus. She had a regular exam and blood work in November and there were no signs of trouble. She lost one pound since November. Our vet also took a needle biopsy of the mass area and his viewing appeared to indicate an infection of the esophagus; he sent the biopsy to an outside lab for confirmation and diagnosis. Sadie was hydrated and given shot of antibiotic.

We were given amoxicillin to give Sadie at home and she ate almost one can of cat food last night. Good sign, we hope.

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The vet ask that she be be put on the floor so he could see how she was walking.  What a surprise when she ran across the room into her carrier.    Since we first brought her back from the hospital her eyes were round and seemed to be protruding almost like bug eyes. I thought it might be a sign of stress.  Today I noticed that her eyes looked normal.  She’s getting around the house and jumping on the bed with out any problem.

When she first got sick the vet didn’t offer us much hope but encouraged us to try.  It’s been challenging with hydration three days on and one day off. Keeping her on her special diet with two other cats on normal diets around has been interesting. The vet said it was an extraordinary effort.  We don’t see it that way.  We knew we didn’t have a choice and we know we will do what we have to do to keep her with us.

We know very well that everything can change in a minute but we feel very blessed to have her still with us.

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A Cat with Kidney Disease Part 5

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October 8, 2009
- None of us look forward to loosing our companions but we know it will help. This article might help.

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One of the most interesting thing that is happening is that the other three cats seem to be aware that something is wrong and are being very gentle with her.  We’ve even spotted Bobbie grooming her when in the past they were almost mortal enemies.

Sophie also had a thyroid problem and we have to give her a pill every day. We find using Pill Pockets is the most effective way to give her the pill each morning.

We are still hydrating her three days on and one day off.  I do not enjoy the process but I know it is necessary.  We know it’s still day to day but we do the best we can for her and are thankful we still have her.

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August 23, 2009
– Follow the links to a serious and very interesting blog on cat and kitten rescue. Talk about commitment.

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August 16, 2009
– We watch these behaviours in all four of our cats. It helps in relating when you have some idea what they are thinking.

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My wife had developed a very good relationship with Flash and started reading up on cats. We realized it was not a good idea to let a cat run free and decided to bring Flash indoors as much as possible. She got out occasionally but always came  back.  We began to understand the allure of being with a cat.  Unfortunately we were too late getting Flash indoors and got our first lesson in cat health and how to protect a cat. After a while we noticed that Flash was having problems getting around and wasn’t looking too good.  A trip to the vet confirmed that she had become infected with feline leukemia. The prognosis was not good and we knew time was short.  If we learned anything being with Flash it was that pets should be kept out of harms way.  They need to be kept indoors away from sick animals, vehicles, mean people and other dangers. Indoor cats live considerably longer than outdoor cats.

Some months after the diagnosis Flash crossed the rainbow bridge.  It was devastating. We had truly come to love this little creature but the die was cast.  We now understood why people love cats. Within a week of losing our beloved Flash we contacted a local cat rescue and met our current number one cat Sadie.  See our About Us page for pictures of  the family.

More on the other members of our family in future articles.

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August 1, 2009
– Here is a way to get started in training your cat to walk on a leash. There is something very elegant about watching a cat on a leash.

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Sophie

Well Sophie has been home for about three weeks now and things are doing OK.   We started doing hydration three days on, one day off. We mentioned to the vet that Sophie was not standing well and he suggested we bring in one of her hydration bags so he could add some potassium to give her some strength.

We brought her back to the vet a week later for a check up and blood tests.  Things looked pretty stable but she was becoming anemic.  The doctor prescribed Procrit to help generate red blood cells.  This is a human hormone and can have it’s own challenges but he felt the risk is worth it.  I give her an injection twice a week using a small insulin needle.  I feel bad because the poor girl must feel like a pin cushion.

She’s getting around well and is able to jump up on the bed with little trouble.  She is eating well and seem to be filling out a little.  We know this is a day to day blessing but every day with her is one great day for us.

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December 5, 2001

Bobby Boop

Bobby was one year old in October and weighs 11 pounds.  He is a bit of a monster, always chasing the other 3 cats.  Don’t know if he wants to play or is taunting them.  If he is disciplined by us, he will either bat his front paws at us or will run off and attack the other cats.  If he gets mad at me, he will run after me and jump on my legs.  Had him at the vet in October and because of this behavior, doctor thought we could put him on a ritalin type drug for 8 days.  He wakes up full of energy, and after taking pill is somewhat quieter.  Once he runs off his energy, he is okay.  We do not like giving him drugs and have decided to let him outgrow his attitude.

He does such cute things.  Follows me around house and comes when I call him.  He loves to score a cotton ball or q-tip.  He will take his bounty to a quiet spot and shred.  Think I saw him eating cotton balls, so we are very careful not to let Bobby get them.  Bobby also loves to dumpster dive in the trash cans.  Kitchen can is in a cupboard and office is usually out of bounds for him. Trash cans in downstairs bathrooms are in office and put out in guest bath only when we have company and cats are locked in our bedroom.  Bobby usually cuddles up at Ira’s feet at night.  Joey usually sleeps on pillow with me and Sophie is on my legs.  Sadie like the chair in our bedroom.  Bobby stretches himself backwards and is very long.  We call him Carpet Boy.

When we got back from San Diego, Coral told me that Robert holds the cat tunnel up and Bobby jumps in, runs through and jumps out.  I have done this with him several times, he is terrific. Have not had opportunity to talk with Robert to find out how this started.  I threw a toy for Bobby and he jumped up about 3 feet and clutched it with his front paws.  This kid has talent.  I told him that the next time the cat circus comes to town I will let him audition.

He is so cute and so endearing and such a monster.  We are so totally in love with him that nothing seems to matter.  He has been in the refrigerator, cupboards, toaster oven, closets and dishwasher.  He is very clever, very curious and very bright.  Heard a noise this afternoon and thought I would investigate.  Found Bobby in kitchen with a mouse in his mouth.  He heard me coming and when I walked into the kitchen, there he was, head between rungs of chair, mouse in mouth and guilt all over his face.  He is so cute.

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July 27, 2009
– This sounds like it could be a lot of fun and very enlightening at the same time. Check out Ustream at http://www.ustream.tv/

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Bobby Boop

I took Bobby back to doctor after 2 weeks.  He has gained weight and doctor very happy with his progress.  He received his first kitten shots and was tested for feline leukemia.  He is negative and we are thrilled.  I brought him home and let other cats see him.  They are underwhelmed.  We are overjoyed.

We feed him bottles, burp him, potty him and love him.  He thrives.  At age 5 weeks we have Thanksgiving dinner.   Everyone hugs and loves on him.  We take him to see Santa and have his picture taken with Santa.  Bobby is so little, he is smaller than the kittens in store awaiting adoption.  We are so grateful for his good health.

At age 6 weeks he is weaned and box trained.  Robert takes care of him for 5 days while we go to Las Vegas.  Robert brings Coral over to see the “cutest kitten in the world”.  Took me a few days to wean Bobby.  Ground up kitten kibble in coffee grinder and mixed it with formula.  Put some on my fingers and he suckled off as though it was a bottle.  After 2 days he was a pro, and a few days after that he was liter box trained.  He can jump out of his box, so we put the box on its side and Bobby lives there.

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A Lesson in Kitten Health, How We Met Bobby Boop Part 2

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Chapter 1

Bobby Boop

On Friday morning, October 27, 2000, I thought I heard a bird in the backyard; sound was a bit odd, but we do get wonderful and strange sounding birds.  Also heard the bird for the short time that we were home Saturday.  Woke up very early Sunday morning, fed the cats (we have three), cleaned their box, made a pot of coffee and brought in the newspaper.  Read the funnies and a terrific article in one of the magazines.  Bird still there, odd I thought, so clad in my nightgown and light jacket, I went into the backyard to find the bird.  Thought it might be injured and was not sure what or how I would care for it, but anyway, tracked the noise to the pool equipment area and climbed around in there (not easy) and found, on top of a pile of wet leaves, a kitten.

By then Ira woke up.  He said the mother cat would be around for the creature, so we put it in a box and tried to keep it warm and out of the drizzle.  Four hours later Ira decided that even if the mother did return, what chance did the creature have outside.  Besides, we think creature had been there for several days (I am sure Mom was around).  Ira went to the pet store and bought kitten formula and bottles.  The kitten now lives in a large box in our bathroom where it is warm.  While Ira was at the pet store I downloaded instructions on the care of orphaned kittens.  Have not seen Mom, whoever she may be.

I took the creature to the vet on Monday, October 30.  He is about 10 to 14 days old and has a bit of a cold.  Doctor did not want to give him mediation, but creature sneezed one time too many, so we have amoxicillan – 3 drops every 12 hours.  Creature goes back in 2 weeks.  In the meantime, I mix up kitty formula, bottle feed it, burp it and potty it.  All the while, of course, mindful that it could have feline leukemia.  (Feline leukemia is similar to Aids in humans.  It is highly contagious to cats and there is no cure.)

Our three cats did not get their feline leukemia booster shots this year because the current thinking on the subject is that the boosters could cause skin cancer.  Not often, but with indoor cats, why chance it.  So after I brought the creature home I loaded our 3 cats in carriers and took them for their boosters since the Doctor said it would be a very good idea to get this done ASAP.

Anyway, creature’s name is Bobby Boop.  He still has several challenges ahead of him.  He has to survive the trauma of kittenhood, he has to get over the cold and hopefully he will test clean for feline leukemia.  Please say a prayer for him.  He cannot be tested until he is at least 6 weeks old.

For the next month I have to keep him isolated and use plenty of disinfectant, etc.  We pray for Bobby Boop.  Oh yes, he is not exactly black, but almost black and you can see tiger stripes of gold-orange down his back and just a touch of white under his chin.

We are going to Las Vegas from December 1 to 5 and I have to find a  home for him for those 5 days.  He cannot be boarded because he has not had shots, etc. and he needs special care because he is so young.  He will be old enough to be tested for feline leukemia when we return; we hope he will test clean so we can add this creature to our family.  He weighed 8 ounces when I found him.

(to be continued)

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A Lesson in Kitten Health, How We Met Bobby Boop Part 1

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July 25, 2009
– We understand full well the competition between males in a household.

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Cat Behaviour News on July 25, 2009

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We really started getting concerned and brought her to the vet. The vet checked her out and said she was in critical condition due to failure of her kidneys that may have been exacerbated by an urinary tract infection. He took bloods and started her on IV and made her comfortable and opted to keep her at his clinic overnight.

The blood results were not good and he told us that she maybe had a 25% chance of stabilizing. He wouldn’t know for several days. We decided to wait until the end of the week and see her progress. He also said that even if she did stabilize she probably wouldn’t have more than several month in any event.

As of yesterday she was beginning to rally and things are starting to look a little hopeful. This morning the vet told us that she was eating and grooming herself. They’ll be taking bloods tonight and if all is well they’ll keep her over the weekend. the big test will be how she holds up with out the constant hydration with the IV. If all is well we can bring her home on Monday. If things are not good we have some serious decisions to make.

As long time pet care giver we are very aware of the downside of that responsibility. We know that one day they will leave us. But that doesn’t make it any easier.

We brought Sophie home on Monday. She is weak but getting around. It’s almost as though she doesn’t know she is sick but can’t understand why things aren’t working right. She is eating well and able to jump up on the bed. We know it’s one day at a time but it’s great having her home.

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A Cat with Kidney Disease Part 2

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Spraying usually takes place at ankle height, which distinguishes it from a litter pan problem. Cat spraying is when they back up to a surface, and tail twitching, mark the surface with their urine. When a cat is urinating outside of the litter box, the cat will squat to urinate on a horizontal surface. Inappropriate peeing is not the same as cat spraying.

Cat spraying is also more usual among male cats than it is among female cats. Non-neutered cats are more likely to spray than are neutered cats. Cat spraying can also happen when a cat is stressed, anxious or territorial. Male and female cats that are not neutered mark their territory as a way of calling another cat.

Urine spraying is a standard, innate territory-claiming behavior that has nothing to do with your cat’s hygiene. Though both male and female cats will spray, the behavior is most common in non-neutered males, and in multi-cat households. Urine marking is a communication system for cats. Cat urine has pheromones which are chemical compounds that tell other cats certain messages. Do not confuse spraying with behavior that might indicate urinary infections and digestive problems that cause uncontrolled peeing.

Neutering or spaying a kitten when young can prevent spraying problems down the road. Your vet will tell you on the best time to spay your kitten.

Stress is another trigger for cat spraying. To reduce this stress, maintain a home routine, feeding your cat at the same time each day and keeping his bowls and litter boxes in the same location. Stress can also be a reason for cat urine problems starting up. Cats can get stressed for many.

Clean sprayed places thoroughly with an enzymatic cleaner. What will not work is punishing your cat after the fact.

Cleaning the area with an enzymatic cleaner so the cat is not attracted back to the same site helps. Placing plastic or aluminum foil over the area, if you can, can be very helpful. Cleaning alone does little to reduce spraying. Cats that mark in one or two particular areas may cease if the function of the area is changed.

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Cat Spraying Behaviour

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July 15, 2009
– They make it sound like this is something new. Any cat owner has known this cat behaviour from the beginning

Post from: Cat Behaviour Maven Blogwhere you can get the information on cat behaviour.

Cat Behaviour News on July 16, 2009

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July 15, 2009
– They make it sound like this is something new. Any cat owner has known this cat behaviour from the beginning

Post from: Cat Behaviour Maven Blogwhere you can get the information on cat behaviour.

Cat Behaviour News on July 16, 2009

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July 4, 2009
– We have 4 cats and have learned to deal with behavior problems as soon as they arise. The key is patience and love. No threatening or aggressive behavior on our part

July 2, 2009
– Great video showing that you can train a cat. What fun.

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Cat Behaviour News on July 7, 2009

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Cat scratching is an inborn activity and because of this, you cannot get your cat to cease the scratching by chasing her away, shooting water, threatening or scolding. No matter what you do, they will still need to scratch.

Cat scratching trees come in many sizes and varieties. If you have more than one cat, obtain or build a post structure that has several resting places so that all the cats can contentedly share their ‘play’ area. Cat scratching trees are also a first-rate option because they often merge horizontal and vertical scratching surfaces and offer many textures and materials in one tree. More alternatives means more action and exercise for your cat.

Praise your cat when she uses her new tree. Locate it close to where she sleeps because scratching deposits pheromones in the paw pads on the surface, and when Kitty wakes up, she wants everyone to know that this is her singular territory! Commend her and tell her ‘Good Kitty’ and pet her to make it an pleasant  experience. You will have to be attentive in the beginning and attempt to catch her in the act of scratching your furniture. Commend her whenever you spy her using the new tree, and gradually bring it nearer to a preferred place, away from her old favorite. You might want to place it up near her regular resting location.

Punishment is unlikely to have any useful effect at all. Your cat simply will not understand it if you try to chastise her in any way for anything she has done. Cats do not connect punishment to the “crime”, they are far more likely to relate the punishment to you! Punishment in both cases is not productive.

Covering a favored scratching place with tinfoil, sand paper, double-sided sticky tape, plastic carpet runner (pointy side up) or a product like Sticky Paws for Furniture makes the surface unappealing to scratch. Once the incorrect scratching habit has been eliminated and the cat has learned to prefer the post, the covering can be taken off. Cover that edge of the couch with double-sided sticky tape that is completely unattractive to your cat (the tape can easily be detached for entertaining company). This will repel your cat away from your couch and right there is a tree that they will enjoy. Shortly the cat will understand where they should scratch.

If you build your own tree cover the it with rope instead of with carpet, the last thing that you want to do is give your cat the idea that it is OK for her to claw the carpet!

Sisal is a very durable material, and will last a long time. Also, if you rub a little catnip on the scratching tree, you can pull them right to it. Sisal is a good coarse material for covering the scratching tree as it is very durable  and cats like to sharpen their claws on such surfaces.

There are many scratching post on the market today but be careful because many of these use carpet for the main scratching surface.  One of the best out there is the SmartCat Ultimate Scratching Post. It has received top Amazon reviews – so you don’t have to take our word for it.

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How to Train a Cat to Not Scratch the Furniture

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June 28, 2009
– We have four cats and they all communicate differently. Joey will take a ball in his mouth and wander around the house making the saddest sounds imaginable.

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June 21, 2009
– We were in the pet shop a couple of weeks ago and saw a sight we don’t see too often. Two cats on leashes. They were very well behaved and I really saw the advantages to leash training a cat.

June 21, 2009
– Over the years we’ve mourned the loss of a pet. It’s never easy and we never get over it but it does get better.

June 18, 2009
– It turns out that our 3rd cat is older than we thought. When she started showing signs of cat health problems we had to check with the vet who gave us the surprising news. Instead of being the third oldest she most likely is the oldest of the four.

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June 21, 2009
– We were in the pet shop a couple of weeks ago and saw a sight we don’t see too often. Two cats on leashes. They were very well behaved and I really saw the advantages to leash training a cat.

June 21, 2009
– Over the years we’ve mourned the loss of a pet. It’s never easy and we never get over it but it does get better.

June 18, 2009
– It turns out that our 3rd cat is older than we thought. When she started showing signs of cat health problems we had to check with the vet who gave us the surprising news. Instead of being the third oldest she most likely is the oldest of the four.

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Cat with Kidney Problems needs to be Hydrated

Sophie is a cat with kidney disease. It was diagnosed a year ago we think it was being masked by a thyroid problem.  After the thyroid problem was fixed, the kidney problem became apparent.  The vet immediately put her on daily medication and weekly hydration.  He also told us that cats can usually survive a couple of years with this condition.

Learning to give her medication was fairly easy especially after we learned about Pill Pockets she actually started coming to us for her medication in the morning.

Hydration is another story.  This is a process where fluid is injected under the cats skin.  We could have brought her in to the vet weekly but the vet told us we could do it at home.  The vet showed us how to set up the equipment and how to inject the fluid. We brought home the solution bags, IV lines and needles.  The first time was scary but we managed and it has become a routine.  Last week, after bringing her in for a check up, the vet told us to hydrate twice a week.

We do what we have to do to keep our pets safe, comfortable and well

Post from: Cat Behaviour Maven Blogwhere you can get the information on cat behaviour.

A Cat with Kidney Disease

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June 18, 2009
– How many times have you been ready to relax just when your cat decides it time to play. Here are some suggestions to make like easier for both of you.

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Cats, like dog and most other animals, react best to the reward process of behaviour modification.  Rewarding a cat for each correct move brings the best results but it has been found that rewarding at random intervals instead of every time the the correct action is preformed gives more lasting results.

photo credit: Ack Ookteach a cat a trick

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Teach a Cat a Trick

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