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Archive through February 21, 2004

The TVClubHouse: Archives: 2004 January - Arpil: Cats (ARCHIVE): Archive through February 21, 2004 users admin

Author Message
Halfunit
Member

09-02-2001

Wednesday, February 18, 2004 - 9:46 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
DayD - is he neutered? Sometimes that can help with spraying, and/or territorial concerns.

Daydreamer
Member

09-16-2003

Wednesday, February 18, 2004 - 10:13 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Thanks, Halfunit, yes, he is neutered. I hope I can find a solution to this problem because I just can't put up with it much longer. I just called my vet's office and they have a company that will put the Elavil into a gel like Ruiner suggested. I think I'm going to try that and see how it works.

Halfunit
Member

09-02-2001

Wednesday, February 18, 2004 - 1:08 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Good luck - I really hope it works, and we hear about "No Squirt Bert" real soon!

Daydreamer
Member

09-16-2003

Wednesday, February 18, 2004 - 1:32 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
LOL!! No Squirt Bert! I love it. I usually call him Mr. Pissy, LOL.

Costacat
Member

07-15-2000

Wednesday, February 18, 2004 - 1:47 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
I use Dr Elsey's Precious Cat litter (although not the "cat attract" variety), and love it! It's the best litter, but I can only find it at PetSmart.

I've heard good things about Feliway.

Costa gets a beta blocker every day. Originally, the doc gave me pill form. I called my regular pharmacist and now get the prescription filled by them -- in capsule form. I open the capsule and sprinkle it in his "dinner." Because he's always taken meds of some form (thyroid for a while, now Diltiazem), both of them have gotten used to eating dinner. Which is just a small spoonful of canned food. Costa was getting persnickety for a while there, but he's lately decided he likes the IAMS. A small (3oz) can of food lasts for three evenings.

If you can keep the two animals separated, that might help. Try keeping Bert in his "own" room. Make sure that there's lots of comfy places for him to hide and to curl up in. And give him lots of entertaining toys to play with.

I'd hate for you to take him back to the Humane Society... do you have any other cat shelters that you could take him to as a last resort? A no-kill shelter who will take in cats who cannot be socialized with dogs?

I hate to say it, but Bert was there first... I don't blame him for getting ticked off at a 100+ pound dog slobbering after him!

<grin>

Clutterfree
Member

10-24-2003

Wednesday, February 18, 2004 - 5:48 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
A few years ago, Cypress used to spray EVERYWHERE...including on my vitamin bottles! I had adopted Mom's 2 cats after she died, and then rescued 3 kittens and the kittens were just too much for him. He "lost" it; practically had an epileptic fit when he saw them in "his" house and then proceeded to relieve his anxiety and reclaim his territory with constant spraying EVERYWHERE. Feliway didn't help, elavil didn't...but through Tufts Vet Clinic, after 9 months of this, I finally tried him on Prozac, which RESTRICTS URINE FLOW. I reduced the amount of Prozac down and down and was able to maintain him with only a very miniscule dose, and then finally as Mom's cats passed and the kittens grew or found homes, he went off the Prozac.
I like the idea of the transdermal ear gel...if Cypress had survived his latest crisis, I was going to try the medicines for his cancer in that form. It is certainly something I am going to remember.
Maggie (Margaret Amanda) ....my remaining 5 and a half year old ...and I say Hi to everyone...I haven't been up to posting much.~Beth

Serate
Member

08-21-2001

Wednesday, February 18, 2004 - 5:56 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Clutterfree I'm so sorry about Cypress. He was lucky to have such a good mommy.

Clutterfree
Member

10-24-2003

Wednesday, February 18, 2004 - 6:01 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Sooner or later I will be able to write about Cypress passing on Valentine's day, just not yet. But my next thinktank project is to adopt or not to adopt. I had promised Cypress that no matter how long he lived, after the great kitten upset, that I would never adopt another cat while he was around. But now??? Maggie I know craves another cat that would sleep fur to fur with her, and I worry about her being lonely; she's very sociable. I'm giving it one more week, but have already told my friend at the Humane Society that I MAY be looking for a young female who is a "cuddly bunny" with both people and cats.
~Beth

Daydreamer
Member

09-16-2003

Wednesday, February 18, 2004 - 6:54 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Thanks Costa - If I have to give Bert up (which I hope I don't have to) I will look into some other options besides the Humane Society. I know of a lady who has a shelter and she adopts the animal out, they never get put to sleep. But would anyone adopt a cat if they knew he sprayed? That is what worries me. I don't blame Bert for being ticked off either, I know sometimes I don't like that 100+ pound dog slobbering after me all the time either! (just kidding - but I am a cat person at heart and I had no idea Lexi would get so big!!) She really is a good dog, but she just doesn't like poor Bert.

Clutterfree - Very interesting about the Prozac. If the Elavil does not work, I will ask my vet about that. I'm very sorry to hear that Cypress is no longer with you. I know how that feels.
Right before I got Lexi and Bert I had to have my beloved cat Willie put to sleep. I had him for 14 years and I still get upset thinking about him. I hope you will be feeling better soon.

Halfunit
Member

09-02-2001

Wednesday, February 18, 2004 - 6:55 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    


Clutterfree
Member

10-24-2003

Wednesday, February 18, 2004 - 7:18 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
One of the options I was trying for Cypress re spraying was to adopt him out to a farm setting. He had been an outdoor cat for 5 years before I rescued him (at least 2 years in our neighborhood where an 80-yr. old woman fed him; when the woman died, I took him in). It seems so poignant to me that when he died, he had ears tatooed with my phone number, which was done in preparation for such an adoption that fell through at the very end. The spraying scenario took a lot out of me, but I was ultimately glad I kept him and worked out a solution. For a long time, he mainly lived in my kitchen (with an interior specially-installed screen door on the kitchen separating him from the rest of the house)and in an outdoor "playpen"( aka cage) with 2 shelves, where he enjoyed himself immensely. I didn't dare set him lose again in my neighborhood...the last 2 neighbor cats had been killed by a car and by feline AIDS.
Hope some of this is helpful~Beth


Mamie316
Member

07-08-2003

Wednesday, February 18, 2004 - 9:32 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Oh Beth, I am so sorry to read about Cypress' passing. I know how much you loved him. My heart and prayers go out to you. I hope that you do adopt another one soon, not to fill any void because Cypress is irreplacable, but because you seem to have so much love to give and there are so many kitties with no love and family.

Landi
Member

07-29-2002

Wednesday, February 18, 2004 - 11:43 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
i'm very sorry to hear about cypress' passing dear clutter. you were a loving mommy to him. i'm sure maggie misses him deeply also.

Costacat
Member

07-15-2000

Thursday, February 19, 2004 - 6:40 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Clutter, although you'll never be able to "replace" Cypress in yours and Maggie's hearts, having another little furbaby around may be just the ticket to helping you (and Maggie) get back on to an even keel. If Maggie really is that sociable, she'll welcome the contact with another sociable kitty.

It's always a tough decision after a loved one's passing (and by "one," I mean our furbabies). It is not disrespectful and you will never negate the love you had for the one furbaby. But having another one around can be distraction enough to help ease the pain. (Especially if you get a kitten... they can provide a LOT of distraction getting into EVERYTHING. And a lot of laughter, as they do get into everything! <grin>)

Oh, and I love the fact that you are gonna go to the HS. Although Costa came from a no-kill shelter (Friends of Cats), I went to the SDHS first. There were only two cats there, an Abby and a Siamese -- I knew both would be adopted out that weekend, so I went back to FoC. Poor Costa had been there for six months and hadn't been adopted -- I still don't know why cause he's the sweetest, smartest, most loveable kid!

Hugs!

Ruiner
Member

08-31-2003

Thursday, February 19, 2004 - 9:06 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Clutterfree!

Nice to see you here. You know my thoughts have been with you the past few days.

Not much to add considering all the info above...just know that when the time is right, you'll know when to add another furry....

I have a story about when I lost one of my cockatiels and how the little female reacted. If you twist my arm, I'll tell...

Know that we all care...

Oh yeah...lots of

(sappy huh?)

Herckleperckle
Member

11-20-2003

Thursday, February 19, 2004 - 12:51 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
{{{Clutterfree}}} flowers {{{Cypress}}}

Calamity
Member

10-18-2001

Thursday, February 19, 2004 - 3:11 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
{{Clutterfree}} I'm so very sorry that you lost your darling kitty cat. He was so handsome and very lucky to have found a home with you.

Cypress

Ruiner
Member

08-31-2003

Saturday, February 21, 2004 - 9:42 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
okay - I'm gonna try one of the old man - don't think the quality is as good as I'd like but oh well...

johnny

Serate
Member

08-21-2001

Saturday, February 21, 2004 - 9:50 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
aww Ruiner what a cutie. My folks have one like him. Well he has them. Neighbor moved away 5 years ago and left the kitten. He roams the neighborhood and everybody feeds him, but he comes in their house when it's cold or when he wants something to eat. [cat food inside is just the same as outside but he thinks inside is better sometimes]

what's his name?

Ruiner
Member

08-31-2003

Saturday, February 21, 2004 - 10:47 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Sorry, I just assume everyone knows my cats...

That's Johnny Cat - he's 18. The old man of the gang. I 'adopted' him about a year ago from the clinic where I work.

He'd lived there for about 15 years and I thought he should live his last year(s) in a home and the clinic allowed him to come home with us...

So far he's hanging in there with us - doin' very well. Keep hoping he'll give us another couple of years.

This little old man keeps all the delinquents in line around here...

Rosie
Member

11-12-2003

Saturday, February 21, 2004 - 11:15 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Ruiner, I can't see anything in the photo. Drat I wanted to see your kitty.

Whoami
Member

08-03-2001

Saturday, February 21, 2004 - 11:36 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
{{{{Beth}}}} I'm so sorry about Cypress. Please know we are here when you are ready to talk about him. What a wonderful life you gave him.

Juju2bigdog
Member

10-27-2000

Saturday, February 21, 2004 - 11:38 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Rosie, see if you can see this one. Unfortunately I know exactly what you are talking about when you say you can't see anything in the picture, because it happened to me. More unfortunately, it meant my monitor was on its way out.

ruinercat

Ruiner
Member

08-31-2003

Saturday, February 21, 2004 - 11:53 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
nah just user error - thx jujumom!

Rosie
Member

11-12-2003

Saturday, February 21, 2004 - 11:58 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Thanks Juju. Ruiner, Johnny is a handsome guy.