testing my personal limitations
November 30, 2006 l Comments Off
I feed the cats a whole prey model raw diet, which means I try to provide a balanced diet of meats, bones, and organs in as whole a form as possible (i.e. whole chicken). But whole chicken isn’t really whole chicken, it’s been plucked and devoid of, among other things, it’s head and feet.
So I took the next logical step and ordered really-truly-authentic whole prey: mice.
No, not live mice, that’d be cruel (have you ever seen how cats treat their prey?). Rather, these are humanely euthanized mice from a company that mainly supplies snake and lizard owners.
Cats eat mice, of course, I know this. But carving up a not-so-whole chicken is a lot easier than thawing out a little mouse. Why? I know the mouse was treated a lot better than the chicken ever was. It met a much kinder end.
I find it incredibly ironic
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That this afternoon I’m giving someone advice on how to deal with her cats peeing everywhere, and this evening we find that one of the cats had recently urinated on Hannah’s sleeping bag and teddy bear.
So of course, after cleaning up the mess with enzyme cleaner and bagging the soiled items, my mind went into analytical mode. The litterboxes aren’t too dirty, but the litter is lower than normal (I’m buying more tomorrow, couldn’t they wait?) Could be stress – PJ is spending more and more time out in the house. Scully is the most likely suspect, she still hates PJ. And Hannah’s room is directly across from Stephen’s room, where PJ stays, so stress and territoriality would make sense. I have a Feliway Diffuser, but I don’t have any refills, so I couldn’t plug it in. Instead I grabbed the bottle of SpiritEssences ‘Stress Stopper’ and put a dropperful into the cats’ water fountain, as well as rubbing a little around the base of Scully’s ears.
*whew*
These things just happen sometimes, of course. Cats are such strange, sensitive creatures. But cat pee is something entirely reviling, so if this is a new behavior I want to nip it in the bud.
Wonderful update, and another prayer request
November 29, 2006 l 3 Comments
Two weeks ago, I posted about my classmate, Kate. Her cats were very, very ill, but amazingly they have all made a complete recovery! The vet says it’s “miraculous”. So thanks again for your prayers and well wishes.
And if you could, please say a quick prayer for Martin the mouse. The antibiotics for his myco flare-ups have stopped working and he’s going back to the vet on Friday. I don’t know what, if any, our treatment options are. I know he’s ‘just a rodent’, but he’s also one of God’s creatures and I hate to see him doing so poorly.
The Dynamic Duo
November 28, 2006 l 3 Comments
Believe it or not, this is her favorite sleeping spot…
Did I mention the fuzzy butt? ‘Tis ever so fluffy…
What did you say about me?
Hi, mum.
Lovin’ those ear rubs…
And afterwards, of course, there’s the obligatory face wash:
making a list, checking it twice…
November 27, 2006 l 2 Comments
I’ve started buying the furkid’s Christmas presents. For the cats, a Jungle Gym (plus a new scratching post from the remnants of the livingroom carpet). For the rabbits, a basket full o’goodies and a Cottontail Cottage (with extra floors – always think ahead). And for the mice, one Snak Shack each. There are still some little items here and there that I might purchase.
Now my only problem will be waiting until Christmas to give it to them.
We managed to make it through Thanksgiving without a single bite of turkey being stolen. Though the cats didn’t hesitate to make note of the fact that there was a giant dead bird on the counter right there and somehow the cruel humans wouldn’t let them touch it.
At one point we did look over to see PJ licking the crackers that were placed on the coffee table. Appetizers, anyone?
the Mighty Pea
November 19, 2006 l 1 Comment
My sweet, yet someone dorky, little gal once again wandered beyond the walls of the pen…and couldn’t figure out how to get back. She’d made it all the way over to the cats’ bed, but every time she’d try to return to the pen she seemed overwhelmed by the task. So she stayed put.
I fed the bunnies their food, rattle the dishes, even put a handful of pellets under her nose. She’d sniff, and circle, and stumble around, but always return to her newfound safe spot on the bed. After an hour, I gave up waiting and carried her back to the pen.
She was not happy of course. I got a perturbed growl and the death glare from the left eye that’s perpetually facing upwards. Then she ate dinner, had a drink, used the litterbox, and went to sleep. I was not forgiven until the next morning. Don’t let anyone tell you that disabilities put a damper on attitude…
early morning excitement
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Scully caught a mole. We’re not sure how it got into the house, but the kids heard squeaking in the wee hours of the morning, and when they came out to investigate Scully tried to run off with her prize. Scared about the possible risk of disease, they caught her and disposed of the poor creature. Of course, the cats were very disappointed to have it taken away. My precious little predators.
status report
November 18, 2006 l Comments Off
cats:
The introductions are going really well. PJ is out with the girls for most of the day, with only light supervision, and no fights so far. We’re hoping for a full integration by Christmas time. Obviously we still have a few hurdles, such as letting them eat without being separated, leaving them together overnight, and leaving them home alone. All in good time…
rabbits:
Rex is going through molt, which means half of his coat is rough, shaggy, and coming off in clumps. He looks as though I recently picked him up off the side of the road. But he’s loving the 24/7 free run of the bedroom. He hops over to greet me in the mornings, dances around my feet for dinner, and happily lounges in the cats’ bed. Peanut, on the other hand, chooses not to leave the security of the pen, so I spend time with her in there. She really loves those noserubs and kisses.
mice:
Martin’s meds have all but lost their effectiveness. The antibiotics were never a cure, just a treatment, and we knew it was only a matter of time before the bacteria became resistent. He’s chattering a lot more, but he’s still very active and seemingly content. I’m not sure what the next step will be, whether we’ll try stronger antibiotics (and risk side effects) or allow him to live out the rest of his life and be prepared to take the final step if he should become too miserable. It’s a tough thing to think about, but I will continue to pray about it and love on him as much as I can.
vibes and prayers please
November 15, 2006 l 1 Comment
A friend at school is going through something no pet owner ever wants to face.
She bought flea control for her three cats, a brand she didn’t usually use, but one that came highly recommended by the kennel clerk. She applied it to the cats last night, and woke up this morning to find them wracked with seizures. The vet told her that the flea control had caused neurological damage, and was essentially shutting their bodies down.
She came to class and told us the story, and said that all three were at the vets and it wasn’t looking good. Half-way through class, the office called and asked her to come and sign paper work to have one of the cats put to sleep. They also said they had things to talk about “face-to-face”.
As if that weren’t enough, one of her cats got outside two weeks ago on a farm in a very rural area, leaving her with two kitties. She’s still holding out hope, but decided to adopt a teenaged cat from the local shelter. Now she’s faced with the prospect of losing all of her cats.
Please pray for Kate tonight. I can’t even imagine being in her place…
