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Archive through January 25, 2004

The TVClubHouse: Archives: 2004 January - Arpil: Cats (ARCHIVE): Archive through January 25, 2004 users admin

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Clutterfree

Thursday, January 22, 2004 - 7:46 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Calamity, I love your cat photos and stories; they brightened me up a bit! I hope I find my Cypress soon!!!!! I think he's tired out from our long trip today (and second biopsy). He never sleeps out of sight, but he is NOW! We're waiting for results, I hope tomorrow rather than having to wait til Monday. If it's operable, next up is probably exploratory surgery. My vet did give me some of the AD high calorie food; we decided against the appetite stimulant because if he eats more, would probably only throw up.
I also tried 4 or 5 places, and finally found CliniCare, which is a feline form of Ensure, only better. He did drink some of that when we got home an hour or so again.
Again, thanks for the help, and LOVE the photos!~Beth

Serate

Friday, January 23, 2004 - 12:02 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Right now I'm wondering WHY I HAVE A CAT!!!! It's 1:30am and for the past hour and a half he's been terrorizing me. Started by getting into the tub and batting around the shower curtain, so I got up, picked him up out of the tub, shut the door and put him under the covers with me. He laid down and started purring loud, so I figured he just wanted to snuggle. I must have drifted off, cuz then next thing I hear is him in his paper grocery sack - he'd drug it into the bedroom and started rolling around in it. I got up and put it in the bathroom, shut the door, went back to bed, put him under the covers, purrrrrrrr. Just now he woke me up by dragging a newspaper up on the bed and onto my face. I gave up and got up. Shutting him in a room or out of the bedroom isn't an option - he's long enough he can open the doors if he works at it. [have to keep the deadbolt locked on the front door or he can get out] Anybody wanna adopt a cat? OK so you couldn't pay me to get rid of him but he's darn annoying at the moment. *L*

Whoami

Friday, January 23, 2004 - 12:28 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
LOL. I love kittie antics.

One house we had, there was a large room downstairs that had once been a garage (converted into a basement room). Mom built a wooden divider to make it into two bedrooms. My older sis got the closet side of it, I got the back wall side of it. My bed was against that "wall."

There was about a 5 inch space from the top of the divider to the ceiling. Many was the night I would be awakened by a tremendous POUNCE by my kittie, who would climb up to the top of the divider, hide out until I had just drifted off into la-la land, and then dive bomb me (landing on my stomach). I finally figured out she was listening for me to settle into sleep mode and then she'd pounce. So I'd lay real still so she'd think I was asleep, then when I heard her pounce, I'd spring up and try to grab her in mid-air. She always won though.

Clutterfree

Friday, January 23, 2004 - 12:57 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Kitty antics and getting a "time out":
I have screen doors inside my house in a couple of places (learned this trick from a kennel my Mom worked for). It has worked wonders when introducing a new cat into the household or when I just need a little physical space from my darlings. They can see me, and even "talk to me" when the screens are shut--but are unable to delete my latest document in Word or help me devour a hot chicken dinner (actually, they get some, but only later). My 5 yr. old orange DSH Maggie (Margaret Amanda)whom I have had since an 8-week old kitten (a rescue) learned early on to scale these screens to the very top, where she would walk along the doorframe and gaze down at me from above. It never startles me; I'm used to it...but one visitor to my house was terrified (it makes quite a commotion when she lunges at the screen to get momentum going)!
By the way, I FOUND CYPRESS! I had to crawl on hands and knees, but he's got a new spot, way under the sofa. With its hanging skirt, he feels quite protected. He also did come to see me once in bed tonight, which made me feel better.~Beth

Costacat

Friday, January 23, 2004 - 6:56 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Yay, Clutter! I hope Cypress is doing better today!

Calamity

Friday, January 23, 2004 - 3:25 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Those interior screen doors are a great idea! I have a baby gate I keep across the basement stairs. Fortunately neither Spencer nor Indy (my other cat - she's a slinky black DSH) are interested in leaping over the gate and sailing down the stairwell. Besides, most of the time I keep the pocket door closed that leads to the stairwell anyway.

Keeping my fingers crossed for Cypress! Oh, and Maggie sounds like quite the character!

Clutterfree

Friday, January 23, 2004 - 5:41 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Re Cypress: It’s lymphoma, with probable blockage in intestine.
Operation scheduled for Monday, unless I can find something less than $800 for the operation. I really can’t afford it, but really would like Dr. Ackles to do it.
But no permanent cure, just buying time, year to year and a half. Either Prednizone orally to keep back more cancer, or chemo treatments on an ongoing basis running $1000 to $2000.
Finger feeding him the AD high calorie food recommended. That and a few dry food pellets are all that he will eat. I thought overnight I might just see him fade away and die, he is getting so weak so fast.
Keep us in your thoughts and prayers. I am not prepared to lose another one: I still have major insomnia dating from May 2001 when Mitty died.~Beth

Whoami

Friday, January 23, 2004 - 5:48 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Awwww Clutter....

{{{{Beth & Cypress}}}} I'm sure he's going to love the pampering that comes with the finger feeding!

Landi

Friday, January 23, 2004 - 7:39 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
i think that my baby girl, Ariel, may be blind in one eye. she's a 9 year old dark ranch mink tonkinese. she's never had many medical problems. she has a non-cancerous cyst in her back that would cost more to take out then to leave it, it wasn't hurting her and no reason to mess with it as it has never grown. would it be a smart idea since she is 9 now and my other baby is 10 to pay the money for vet insurance? and is it acceptable to buy it before i bring her in for a possible big vet bill?

Tagurit

Friday, January 23, 2004 - 7:52 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
My oldest cat Cleo is having the time of his life right now! I am hating it though. There is a mouse in the house and, of course, dh is working and won't be home until morning. I was banging around everything before to try and scare it out. It didn't make a noise, didn't move or anything. So, I thought it scooted out through the opened door - those little mice are fast! Nope. Looks like it is between the breakfront and the wall. That is where Cleo has been sitting for almost an hour.

Part of me hopes he sits there all night and the other part doubts I'll be able to sleep knowing the mouse is where it is! We don't have any type of mouse traps and I can't go out now and buy them because it is just me and my son who is now fast asleep. Things like this always happen when dh is at work - he works a 24 hour shift.

Hopefully Cleo will enjoy his evening. lol My other cat Abby hasn't even been in the area yet! They'll want to have a party! lol

Ruiner

Friday, January 23, 2004 - 8:40 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Clutterfree - sorry about Cypress' diagnoses. I hope the surgery goes well. I've seen some amazing comebacks! Wishing Cypress the best come Monday.

ETA: Landi - I think pet insurance costs are based on age and pre-existing conditions. Might not be real cost effective at this point. I would check with your vet to see what plan(s) they recommend.

Everyone else - I really enjoy cat stories!

Costacat

Friday, January 23, 2004 - 9:14 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Clutter, I am so sorry to hear about Cypress!! My thoughts are with you!

Landi, if your cat has a pre-existing condition, it'll be excluded. VPI anyways will request the pet's records from your vet and will exclude anything that has been diagnosed previously. (This I know for a fact; Costa was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy before we really knew what the problem was and NONE of his treatment, tests, drugs are covered.) You may want to call and see if they'll insure your kids. I've got VPI for both cats (they've had it since they joined my family).

Landi

Friday, January 23, 2004 - 10:13 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
noone has diagnosed anything about my cats eyes. they have been totally indoor cats their entire life. they've had clean bills of health. i'm not concerned about the cyst. i'm concerned about other things that may come up.

does anyone have a # or website for this VPI?


Jmm

Friday, January 23, 2004 - 10:18 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
landi, Try this: VPI

Denecee

Friday, January 23, 2004 - 10:20 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
my picture

Mamie316

Friday, January 23, 2004 - 10:25 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Well, you all know that I have 3 cats and a little stray kitty that I feed everyday that hangs outside my house...well, now we have a pregnant cat and it looks like I will be taking care of these too! I ought to just open my own pet store here! I told my daughter we will take care of her and the kitties but then they will have to find homes or we will have to take them to the shelter. 3 and i/2 cats of our own is more than enough!

Denecee

Friday, January 23, 2004 - 10:31 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
I'm going to try this again.my pictureit's patches loving her monkey.

Fanny

Friday, January 23, 2004 - 10:34 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Oh, how fun! Mamie, you're going to be Grandmamie before long!

ETA: Patches is beautiful!

Mamie316

Friday, January 23, 2004 - 10:35 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Denecee ,she's a beauty!

Whoami

Saturday, January 24, 2004 - 3:57 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
LOL. Congrats Grandmamie!

Denecee, looks like you may have gotten in trouble taking a pic of Patches and her monkey. I think I see that "look" that cats are so good at giving....

I had to share a funny my mom did tonight. We were watching Animal Planet, and they were rescuing a cat from a storm drain. The only way they could grab the kitty was so snag its tail and pull it out. Needless to say, the kitty was yowling and carrying on, letting anyone within earshot know that it did not appreciate getting snagged by the tail. Mom said, "uh, I think they should have bleeped some of that?" She had me ROFLOL on that one. I was thinking, "yup, anyone that understands kitty language really got an earfull on that one!"

Herckleperckle

Saturday, January 24, 2004 - 9:38 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
She's a sharpie, Who. That was a riot!

Rosie

Saturday, January 24, 2004 - 10:58 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Yup, Whomama, enjoyed that tale too.


Landi

Saturday, January 24, 2004 - 1:14 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
thank you jmm! i'm looking into the kitty insurance

Costacat

Sunday, January 25, 2004 - 8:37 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
A tip for all of you who might be interested in insurance... I think the younger your cat is when you get the insurance, the cheaper the insurance will be. And you have various different types of plans. For example, the first year I had Kassie, I got the slightly more expensive plan that covered her vaccinations and spaying. After that first year, I dropped her back down to what is equivalent to a major medical plan. Normal office visits (annual check-ups, vaccinations, whatever) are not covered. I've got both kids on an automatic payment plan, so they renew automatically.

Also, if you submit a bunch of claims, your rates may go up the next year. And sometimes, they may exclude something (for example, Kassie had an eye infection -- I think a Costa claw caused a scratch -- and they excluded something that had to do with her eye for the next couple of years).

I'm not 100% happy with the way they do things for the kids, but I do have a feeling of relief knowing that they would be covered in the event of anything major.

Clutterfree

Sunday, January 25, 2004 - 7:31 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Prayers appreciated for Cypress-Michael tonight. He is in pre-op overnight and surgery tomorrow afternoon. It was really hard to leave him. I'll let you know how it goes.

Am interested in exploring insurance for major events for the future.

Someone has generously offered to do Reiki for Cypress later.
Later~Beth