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Costacat
| Tuesday, December 30, 2003 - 6:58 pm
Max!!! First, congratulations on the new addition to your family. Sounds like Ellie has a very caring daddy! I had a major problem with Costa when I adopted him. I got him at Friends of Cats, a no kill shelter out in the east county area. He'd been there since he was 8 weeks old, and he was 8 months when I got him. I took him to the "free vet" visit offered by the shelter, and the idiot (and I do mean IDIOT) vet listened to his heart, said "oh he has cardiomyopathy and won't live a year, I'd take him back to the shelter." OK, love that bedside manner. Back then, I had NO IDEA what cardio what the heck was. Turns out it's a catch-all phrase for any multitude of heart problems, including a murmur. I cried as I took him home from that idiot vet. I'd only had him for two days and was already in love. So decided that I would keep him and love him as much as I would be able to have him. And promptly took him to MY vet. Who said, well, yeah, he has a murmur but we can figure out what the problem is (usually) with tests. So the x-ray's came up negative for anything. Got a whole blood panel (where I found out he had low thyroid and and to take thyroid pills for a few years). Eventually took him to a cardiologist (yes, my kid has a cardiologist) where he got an EKG. The cardio doc prescribed Diltiazem (a human beta blocker) and he's been on them for two years. Each yearly EKG shows no change (the EKG showed where there was some turbulence due to a thickening of the heart wall). Needless to say, he's seven years old now. And right this minute is having catnip fits and a stare-down contest with his "sister." FWIW, both of my kids have vet insurance. It costs about $160 a year and is, essentially, a major medical coverage. Costa's cardiomyopathy is excluded as a pre-existing. His thyroid meds were covered, although I ended up not submitting claims (since it was cheaper to just pay for his meds). His Diltiazem is filled by MY pharmacy, so I pay considerably less than what the vet wanted to charge (25% of the cost, in fact; and it's funny when I get his meds I have say "Costa Heim, he's feline"). I have VPI ( www.petinsurance.com and I think they are nationwide. It gives me a lot of comfort to know that, should something major happen (kidney, cancer, anything), my babies will have full treatment and I won't have to worry about the cost. Although, yes, I'd mortgage my home if I had to, to make sure they had the best treatment available.
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Max
| Tuesday, December 30, 2003 - 10:29 pm
Well, good news! I just got home from bowling league and Ellie was up and about (first time today). It feels like her fever broke, which is probably why she's feeling a little better. I'm going to keep her in the laundry room for tonight (they said to keep her in a smaller confined area) and see how she's doing tomorrow. I'm very confident that the antibiotics will do the complete trick. Costa, I'm glad you hung in there with your kitty. Some vets are just terrible! I was planning to get pet insurance but hadn't figured out which one to get yet. I'll check out your insurer and see what it's like. I definitely think it's worth the money.
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Juju2bigdog
| Tuesday, December 30, 2003 - 11:47 pm
I was trying to figure out who Ellie's daddy would be, and how Costacat would know about him. Finally figured it out. Costa, Max is a cat-momma, not daddy. Max, hope you don't mind that I squealed on you.
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Max
| Wednesday, December 31, 2003 - 9:01 am
LOL No worries. This morning, Ellie is back to her "old" self! Amazing what one dose of antibiotics will do. (Of course, she has several days more to look forward to -- I'm not taking any chances.) She's playing and purring and just wonderful. Whew!
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Costacat
| Wednesday, December 31, 2003 - 9:03 am
Oh crumb. How stupid of me! Max, I am SO sorry for confusing your gender!! What a dope (me!). At any rate, I'm glad to read that Ellie is on the road to recovery. Those magical antibiotics do work wonders, don't they? Hope y'all have a safe New Year's Eve! And keep your babies safe!
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Cassie
| Wednesday, December 31, 2003 - 9:58 am
Don't feel stupid, Costa. I thought the same thing. In fact, when Max talked about baking "his" Decadent Chocolate Cake I thought, "Wow, what a guy--he bakes!" LOL Glad Ellie is doing better, Max. It seems to be quite common for critters to get sick shortly after being adopted. I went through it with my two as well.
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Max
| Wednesday, December 31, 2003 - 10:44 am
Hee Hee! That's why I chose an androgenous name...to keep y'all guessin'!
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Juju2bigdog
| Wednesday, December 31, 2003 - 1:07 pm
Me too, Max.
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Lkunkel
| Thursday, January 01, 2004 - 8:36 am
Today is Bopper's 14th birthday: . His littermate, Beatnik, passed away on 9/10/2001. We've already lit a memory candle for her today (and she looked a LOT like the picture Bandit posted up thread). I can't take him or his sibs to the vet right now, but he seems to be having a major ear wax issue in one ear. Anyone have any suggestions?
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Jbean
| Friday, January 02, 2004 - 12:31 pm
lkunkle, bopper is a cute boy. 14 years? wow. sorry, can't give any advice on the ear wax thing, just wanted to tell you what a cutie you have. 
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Janfts
| Friday, January 02, 2004 - 3:46 pm
LK-sure it's ear wax and not mites? Wish i had a suggestion but never had that problem with Cleo or any of his ancestors.

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Lkunkel
| Friday, January 02, 2004 - 4:47 pm
Janft: I'm not sure what mites look like. It doesn't seem to bother him, and I thought mites would bother him.
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Janfts
| Friday, January 02, 2004 - 6:19 pm
It depends, sometimes they're bothersome, most times not. What color is the wax? If it's a butterscotch to brown or dk brown color, it sounds like mites. It can have the consistency of a wax or coating. You can pick up ear mite medicine at any pet store, just make sure it has a mineral oil base. Lots have an alcohol base and that can be irritating to the ear canal, too drying. Be sure and look closely in the other cat's ear as mites are sometimes transmitted. Hope this helps. He's a beauty, btw.

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Lkunkel
| Friday, January 02, 2004 - 6:33 pm
It's a dark brownish. Sounds like I pick up mite meds as soon as our checks come in.
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Lucy
| Friday, January 02, 2004 - 6:37 pm
Lkunkel, I've had kitties that have had ear mites. You can't see the mites with your own eye, but they leave behind blackish/brown debris (poops, I think). My vet prescribed Mitox Liquid to clear it up. I think my kitty rubbed her ear when she had them, but I'm not sure that all cats have symptoms, other than ear debris. Here is some additional info on ear cleaning: http://www.petsmart.com/articles/article_150.shtml <oops, came in late on this...> Cute baby, Lkunkel!
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Lkunkel
| Friday, January 02, 2004 - 7:13 pm
Thanks, Lucy. They're all my babies. I just wish I had realized what that stuff was sooner. My poor babies!
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Janfts
| Friday, January 02, 2004 - 11:10 pm
Hope that the meds clear it up for you. Don't feel bad. If it was bugging him, you would've known it, so it's probably not that big of a deal to Bopper. But like i said, check each of your cats closely just in case they have the beginnings of it. Usually a cat's ears are very clean inside.
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Hippyt
| Saturday, January 03, 2004 - 12:12 pm
OKLAHOMA CITY -- Why should your cat lack the usual modern conveniences? SURVEY Would you try to toilet train your pet cat? Yes No Results | Disclaimer An Oklahoma man has invented a device intended to toilet train house cats. Kevin Rymer's Feline Evolution CatSeat is aimed at weaning cats from litter. The device is shaped like a regular toilet seat and is attached to a box with retractable shelves that are textured to replace the feel of litter. Rymer said it usually takes two to three weeks to train the cat, and eventually the device can be mounted to the toilet, where a push of the button allows it to be used by people. The CatSeat has won the 2003 Editors Choice Award from Pet Product News.
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Costacat
| Saturday, January 03, 2004 - 8:40 pm
Problem with the cat training toilet seats is... well... my kids use the toilet seat as a jumping onto place to jump up to the counter top so they can drink water outta the tap. I would hate to have them take a dive INTO the toilet. Although, yes, I'm sure they would do that once and only once. I honestly don't mind scooping. Their litter box is actually in my bedroom (I didn't wanna put it in the guest room cause when I had guests they wouldn't be able to get to their pooty house).
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Janfts
| Sunday, January 04, 2004 - 9:21 am
Costacat-love the pic in your profile! Is that Costa?
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Seamonkey
| Monday, January 05, 2004 - 4:30 pm
I have a sad cat story today.. Now this isn't about my beloved black cat, Critter, she's happy and healthy and currently snoozing on a pillow.. Recently a stray cat started hanging around my front door.. mostly because my new neighbor, who is a very nice woman, but doesn't get that leaving out food brings in possums and other creatures who can carry fleas and also can be rabid.. well anyway, she's a softie and there you are.. but during the cold and rainy weather, this bedraggled little siamese or himalayan mix.. she had blue eyes, fawn medium long fur with chocolate points.. under the grunge and junk in her fur, a pretty little cat. She had goopy eyes, some open sore near them. She would be sleeping by the door. Now, I have an indoor cat and knew I could not expose her to anything dangerous so just bring the little one inside was not an option, but I did put out some rugs for her to sleep on. Finally I came around to thinking I should rescue her, have her tested and if she was ok or curable, adopt her. Sunday I had an appointment.. of course the little cat was no where to be found.. my neighbor and her twins called her Annie and they looked with me for an hour; they know all her "places".. but finally, as planned if I couldn't capture Annie, i took Critter (a highly indignant Critter, I might add) in to get her overdue shots.. she was pronounced gorgeous and healthy.. still maintaining her 10 pound weight and got just the shots we agreed she should get and came home to nap. Within an hour, guess who showed up? Loud meows.. well she got scooped into the carrier, not too happy, but on the ride to the vet she settled down and was looking around.. So.. she overnighted there but today came the very bad news.. as we had feared, the blood work came back and she had not just the VIRUS for the feline version of HIV but also full blown cat version of AIDS.. the vet said she probably had other problems internally and this was probably why the eyes and other wounds hadn't healed. So... she's go on to the Rainbow Bridge.. I had decided that while Annie wouldn't have been my choice, I'd keep it for the neighbor kids so had decided to spell it Ani after Ani di Franco because this little girl had a story to tell and vocalized .. So please send up a thought to this kitty who apparently lived wild for several years with no real care. And if you have outside cats, make sure they have those shots because you just don't know who is out there carrying the virus. Me, I'm shedding tears and giving extra hugs to Critter today.
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Mamie316
| Monday, January 05, 2004 - 4:33 pm
Poor kitty and poor you! It is so hard to know that any animal could be so sick. Our little stray Scraggletag hasn't been around for a couple of days. She won't let us near enough to catch her so I don't know what we will do.
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Costacat
| Monday, January 05, 2004 - 4:40 pm
Jan, yup, that's my Costa man! Ain't he the cutest? Sea, that is so sad! That is why I hate to see outdoor cats... there is so much that can harm them. I know my two would love to play outside with the birds, but no way will I let them. Thank you for taking time to care for little Ani. I'll send lots of kitty nose kisses her way!
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Max
| Monday, January 05, 2004 - 4:42 pm
Oh, Sea, that is so sad. Bless you, though, for caring enough to take that little kitty to the vet. Rest in the knowledge that she is no longer suffering and that you saved her from a long, drawn out ordeal of dying in the cold. {{{{Sea}}}} Now, to cheer you up, here's my latest kitty story: Today, I was working at my desk and Ellie was hanging around as she usually does. She's gotten a lot more comfortable in the last few days and has been exploring all kinds of odd places. Now, to set the scene, you have to realize that my desk is upstairs and overlooks my great room. There is a 4' high railing to keep people from falling down to the first floor. The desk is a big U-shaped unit with one arm of the U open to the room, the middle section backed up to the railing (which stands about 8" higher than the desktop), and the other arm against the wall. There's a window in the loft that has shutters (which are always closed 'cause there's only a view of my nieghbor's house). On that same wall, on the other side of the railing (where it's open to the great room) is another window. It's about a foot from the railing to that window. Okay, so now you get the picture. As I'm sitting at the computer, Ellie jumps up on the desk and proceeds to walk along the top of the railing like it's a balance beam or something. This makes me nervous, but when I try to talk her into coming to me, she's not having any of it. Instead, she meanders the full length of the railing to that wall and proceeds to hop over to the window sill of the window where there isn't a floor! Now, she's sitting in that window happy as a clam looking out on the neighborhood. There's no way I could reach her to help her out, so I'm sitting there worrying that she'll turn around and either fall or get scared and not know how to jump back. I decided to go downstairs and see if she would follow me (curiosity usually gets to her). Before I went, I told her that she was on her own to either jump back to the desk or down to the first floor! Well, the good news is that she jumped back without a problem at all. Now, she's been back in that window several times today, the silly girl! Good thing she's cute or I'd be mad as heck at her for scaring me that way!
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Rosie
| Monday, January 05, 2004 - 7:18 pm
Sea, you did a wonderful, caring thing for that poor kitty. It is always painful to see an orphan suffering like that and you did your best. Max, I loved your kitty story. I have one today too. I have been on a cleaning binge around here. Not just cleaning but moving things around, etc. My kitty watches me closely and when I have finished dusting/polishing something, she jumps up on it. Great, cat hair all over again right? Then she watched me vaccum the hair off of the furniture and you got it. As soon as I am done, up she goes. Why do they have to do this???????
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