Goodnight Midnight

It’s amazing how one small animal can make such a huge impact on your life. It’s true…I’m in mourning. This past weekend we lost a precious fur child to complications from inflammatory bowel disease. Midnight was one of the sweetest babies I’ve ever had the privilege of being owned by. She loved everyone and everyone loved her. It was impossible not to. She is the third fur child in five years in our family to succumb to feline IBD. After Alex, I didn’t think I’d have to deal with it again so soon. I was hoping not at all. But it was not meant to be. 

After my sister lost her husband, she moved in with us and brought her two cats, Moufasa and Midnight. Moufasa was sickly and it was not long before I recognized the symptoms of the dreaded disease I’d come to hate so much. Luckily his case was easier to handle than Midnight’s, but he did not live as long. I changed his diet to strictly raw food (Stella & Chewy’s) and it put an end to his uncontrollable diarrhea. He did very well for a long time. Sadly after almost two years, he developed a mass in his stomach and eventually we had to let him go. But with raw food, B12 injections and plenty of love, he lived a lot longer than we thought he would. 

After he passed, Midnight did very well for a few months and then began developing symptoms of her own. I was so upset and I couldn’t believe it was happening yet again. Because of all I’d learned between Alex and Moufasa, I was able to give Midnight an extra four years with us. Medications, B12, fluid therapy and diet all played a role and again, I learned so much I didn’t know before. In the end I know that’s a good thing and my knowledge can now continue to help others, as I did when Alex passed. But when it comes down to it, seeing yet another creature I love suffer is just unacceptable.

This disease is robbing us of way too many years worth of love and happiness. Yes, kitties with IBD can lead a very good quality of life but I defy you to find one pet parent that is accepting of what their babies have to go through, even in its mildest form. For me I’m left yet again to sift through the happy memories I have and try hard to remove the ones of how sick Midnight was at the end. Unfortunately it’s impossible to do completely and it hurts me terribly that she had to go through this at all. We need to push universities to further their research and make advancements into better treatments and hopefully a cure. The loss I experienced recently is one that’s happening every single day somewhere in this world and it’s leaving pet parents everywhere alone and traumatized. It has to end.

In the meantime, I’ll force the bad memories to the back of my mind and concentrate on how completely loving and affectionate she was; how she adored us and showed us every single day how big her heart was for such a little girl. She loved belly rubs, couldn’t get enough kisses and was the best patient for a sick kitty that ever lived. In all the years I had to give her pills, injections, fluids and occasionally syringe feed her, she never once fought me or made a fuss. She’d never even flinch. Until the very end where she was hurting so badly she couldn’t stand to be touched anymore and actually hid behind the bed for the first time.

Well Midnight, my sweetheart, there is no more medicine! No more poking with needles and no more losing weight and feeling lousy. You are free from all of that now and as much as it hurts us and we miss you, I can only hope you are running around and playing, having shed your old, broken body. I hope we meet again someday my sweet girl and until then I’ll see you in my dreams.

The Risks of Feeding Your Pet

Feeding your pet these days is a dangerous task. Never mind all the disgusting ingredients in their food but all the recalls and notices are making it very difficult to know what’s safe! The 2007 melamine pet food scare killed thousands upon thousands of pets. I can’t even be sure I didn’t feed some of it to my Alex when she was sick. I’m assuming if she did eat it, her organs would have shut down immediately and she would have died within hours. Oh wait…that’s exactly what happened! I don’t know that the food had anything to do with it in all honesty since I was at the point of feeding her ten different brands, just to make sure she ate. Her kidneys were not failing as was the case with so many of the pets that died. She was eating something grain free, but I can’t be sure there was no rice in it, which could have contained melamine. It was not one of the better brands, that’s for sure and she did go downhill extremely fast and out of the blue.

The truth is we’ll never know. I didn’t have the money for a necropsy, nor was I even given that option. I wasn’t told much of anything really and once I found out I could have done that, she had already been cremated. Also by the time I'd even heard of melamine, the food I'd fed her was gone. Thrown out or given away. I’ve always wondered if it had anything to do with the food she ate. In fact I do know a few people who have lost their kitties to possibly tainted food; one as recently as a few months ago. Come to find out in this recent instance that the food she was feeding could possibly have been mislabeled and counterfeited as the real thing. Again, this may not be the case and there’s no way to know for sure but it’s currently being investigated. It’s beyond devastating to think that something you think you’re doing right for your pet could actually harm or kill them. And although it’s not the pet parent's fault in any way, there isn’t a one of us that wouldn’t feel like it was indeed something we did wrong.

There was a time when it was mainly dry food that had recalls. Then it was wet food and in the past year it’s expanded to premade frozen raw food. Feeding a home prepared raw food diet is the healthiest for your cat but how can you be sure the food you’re getting at the grocery store is safe when there are plenty of recalls there as well? Admittedly it’s mostly prepackaged, ground meat that’s the problem but chicken is not far behind. And the U.S. government is debating importing chicken from China which I think is the most preposterous idea ever! China is where most of the problems stem from, although the U.S. does have issues of its own. But given all the food issues we have with them, the recent bird flu deaths and all the dogs dying from chicken jerky, I see this as nothing short of catastrophic.

So what are we supposed to do? What on earth do we feed our pets? Every time we think a brand of pet food is safe, there’s a problem or a recall. Not everyone has the time to make their own pet food but I think it’s coming to that. Even without all the hidden dangers I have been questioning some pet food ingredients for years now; carrageenan, spinach, avocados, corn, corn and wheat gluten, etc. etc. etc. Not to mention the chemicals found in them such as BPAs. The way I see it, pretty soon it will in fact come down to most of us making our own food. I see that as the only option if things continue this way and I see no end to the corruption in the industry. Cutting corners, using cheap fillers and raking in the money are what it’s all about. In pet food, as well as people food.

In any event, whatever way you are feeding a homemade diet, whether it’s a cooked meal or a raw food diet, the safest bet would be to go to a local or holistic market to get your ingredients. I do this for myself anyways so why wouldn’t I do it for my pets? There’s one here that I go to called Fresh Market that sells fresh, organic and locally obtained meats and other foods. I absolutely love this place! They cut the meat fresh right in front of you and you can tell the difference between that and the supermarket brands or prepackaged meats. Most everything there is locally and organically grown and obtained. This is what I prefer to do, it’s probably the safest available, and it’s only a few dollars more than the grocery brands. And of course there's always ordering from reputable companies that cater specifically to raw pet food. 

If you can’t feed a homemade diet for whatever reason I suggest researching pet food companies extensively and even calling them and talking to someone in charge to get a handle on what and where they manufacture, distribute, etc. A good company will not make excuses but will understand your concerns and work with you. Staying vigilant and taking as much control of what we feed them as much as possible is what it’s going to take to keep them healthy. 

Allergy Season…Not Just for People Anymore

Allergy season is upon us again and I’m already feeling the effect of the trees blooming. I know pretty soon my kitties will also. Plus any kitty with a chronic illness can have allergy symptoms due to a suppressed immune system. Your pet is just as susceptible to pollen allergies as we humans are. Here are some simple tips to help curb those allergy attacks from your furbabies. Keep your window sills clean. Wipe them down with soap and water or a mixture of vinegar and water. Give your kitty a good wipe down with kitty wipes (I use Tropiclean allergy wipes, they have no chemicals or bad ingredients: (http://ibdkitties.net/Groomingoral.html), or even just a soft cloth with water a couple of times a week during high allergy days to get that pollen off their fur! Try using an electrostatic dust cloth like Swiffer since it will pick up pollen and dust and it has no chemicals or scents in it. It works great and you can see the yellow pollen on the cloth afterwards. I use those often to wipe down my furniture in between cleanings and can really see the pollen on them so I know they work.

Keep their ears clean and free of pollen and mites and if their eyes get red and irritated you can use pure saline to give them a little moisturizing rinse. Use a furminator to get the extra layer of fur off and brush them OFTEN. There’s a PetAlive product called the Furball Dr. that’s also on the grooming page but I don’t know how well that works I haven’t had to try it. Give them L-lysine daily in their food or at least 3-4 times per week for respiratory and eye issues. You can subscribe to a daily email of your local area’s pollen count and they’ll tell you the numbers and specifically what pollen is active at that time: www.pollen.com/allergy-weather-forecast.asp. Don’t forget this is only March and seasonal allergies last well into November! I’m suffering already so that automatically puts me into kitty pollen mode.

If respiratory/allergies and/or terrible itching of the skin are uncontrollable, ask your vet about Zyrtec. I’ve seen a lot of good things about it being used in cats, and some have managed to lower their prednisone doses because of it. The following articles are really worth reading, especially if your pet has symptoms of eosinophilic diseases. The more I read about this condition, the more I think in IBD kitties, it can be a side effect of inflammation in their intestines.

Why I Love Zyrtec for Cats

www.petmd.com/blogs/dailyvet/2010/february/zyrtec_for_cats#.T2o0UtW6-N8

Eosinophilic diseases; Skin Diseases from Allergies in Cats

http://www.petmd.com/cat/conditions/skin/c_ct_eosinophilic_granuloma_complex#.T2o19NW6-N8

For insect bites or stings you could use fractionally distilled clear aloe vera liquid, (I have some on the digestion page of my site). It MUST be fractionally distilled and clear. It works great as a wound cleaner and healing agent. You can also try the Flying Bassett Organics Aloe Vera Extract on the grooming page. It’s a powder that can be made into a paste for wounds as well as used internally for digestion.

PLEASE remember that if you have to use pesticides for any reason, remove clothing and shoes immediately when entering the house, wash yourself up very well (showering would be best, also washing your hair) and wash your clothing in the laundry. Pesticides are sometimes a necessary evil, especially when you have a horrible pest infestation that’s doing some major damage. Remember to close your windows before you spray or apply anything on your property as the wind can bring it in the house. I know I sound like a crazy, paranoid pet parent but I have learned so much about pet safety and health. They are just like our kids and their systems need protecting as much as possible. Chemicals can cause cancer and we need to be extremely careful. Don’t forget that so many of your kitties already have compromised immune systems and it doesn’t take much with a cat to tip the scales and develop additional conditions and being on steroids can help that along. It’s a good idea when you’re mowing the lawn to shut the windows until you’re completely done and again, remove your shoes, shower and wash your hair. I have to do that anyway otherwise I’m very sick afterwards, I’m severely allergic.

Think about removing the cover from your cat’s litter box as ANY cat litter contains dust, some more than others. And all that does is contribute to their allergies and respiratory problems. Since I’ve started using Dr. Elsey’s Respiratory Relief cat litter I’ve noticed that Finnegan no longer wheezes and he hardly snores anymore either. And Lacey doesn't sneeze as much also. But they do still sneeze during pollen outbreaks so it's best I keep the house as clear of it as I can. I hope these tips will help you and your little ones have a more healthy allergy season. 

What's In Your Water?

Did you know that prescription medication flushed down toilets is ending up in our water supply? It’s extremely concerning and why we now have a national “take back day” issued by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency. The Office of Diversion Control states that, “In the four previous Take-Back events, DEA in conjunction with our state, local, and tribal law enforcement partners have collected more than 2 million pounds (1,018 tons) of prescription medications that were removed from circulation.” 
http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drug_disposal/takeback/

The old advice of flushing your prescription medication is not only out of date but dangerous. Waste treatment centers cannot filter out medications completely which leaves a whole lot of dangerous meds left in our water supply. Even in trace amounts these are extremely dangerous and can over time do damage to our organs. Anti-convulsants, anti-psychotics, cancer drugs, hormones, etc. are all ending up not only in our drinking water, but rivers, streams and lakes as well. Flushed medications can kill helpful bacteria in septic systems and do damage to our eco system. Some waste treatment plants test for more pharmaceuticals than others but currently there is no regulatory requirements for testing and limits of these contaminants. A cat's liver does not have the mechanism to properly filter out these contaminants and can absorb them better than a human’s. 

This could be a big reason that life threatening illnesses have been on the rise in our pets in the last 10-20 years. Now of course this is not the only possible reason, I know that. Other things factor in like bacteria (which can be acquired through tap water), genetics, age, and a proper diet still have a lot to do with it. But even those who have always fed them an organic and/or raw diet have had pets with these diseases in recent years. Something has to be contributing to it and our environment plays a huge part. Another factor in our water is hexavalent chromium. 

Chromium-6, Widespread in US Tap Water - Cancer-causing chemical found in 89 percent of cities sampled: The National Toxicology Program has concluded that hexavalent chromium (also called chromium-6) in drinking water shows “clear evidence of carcinogenic activity” in laboratory animals, increasing the risk of gastrointestinal tumors. In September 2010, a draft toxicological review by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) similarly found that hexavalent chromium in tap water is “likely to be carcinogenic to humans.” www.ewg.org/chromium6-in-tap-water. For those of you who saw the movie Erin Brokovich, you’ll understand why this is so important. Ms. Brokovich fought a very long time to get hexavalent chromium removed from water supplies in California and many people there died from cancer because of that chemical. It seems the public has been duped into believing the battle was won. 

On that note, please consider using an over the counter or under the counter water filter in your house. Brittas and other low cost filters do NOT remove these chemicals. Nor do they remove parasites and other chemicals such a chlorine, fluoride, lead, mercury, arsenic, etc. Bottled water is not filtered for medications, it's best to use a water filtration system of either reverse osmosis or a carbon filter system.

This is the filter that we use:
www.crystalclearsupply.com/Countertop_Water_Filter_p/ct.htm.
The initial investment is a little costly but the cartridge replacements are very inexpensive (around $20) and last at least 6 months or longer depending on your water type. This one removes cryptosporidium, giardia, lead, chlorine, among many other things and works really well. There are plenty out there so do some research and see what you can find but make sure they can remove many particles & chemicals and these particular bacteria. Again, I make no money or receive anything for mentioning this company, this is just an example.

If you’d like to read more about what’s in your water please visit this page of my site: http://www.ibdkitties.net/healthywater.html.

Little Known Bad Ingredients

Would you purposely add hormones to your pets’ food? Would you purposely add something that’s known to cause dangerous and life threatening crystals and urinary blockages? Would you purposely add an ingredient that’s scientifically proven to instigate inflammatory bowel disease? If you’re a good pet parent, of course not! But unfortunately being a good pet parent isn’t enough anymore, we need to be educated parents and we need to get good and mad; because these very things are in your pets food right now!

Soy contains compounds called phytoestrogens, which are basically estrogen hormone-like chemicals found in plants that can act like the hormone estrogen. Phytoestrogens may negatively affect cats by interfering with nutrient absorption, normal growth, thyroid function, and hormonal development. Although weaker than normal estrogen hormones, we have no idea whatsoever how these hormones will affect cats and since hyperthyroidism is extremely common in cats, soy should not be in cat food even in small amounts.

http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2012/03/28/avoid-using-soy-on-pets.aspx

Spinach has one of the highest calcium oxalate levels of any food and cooking does NOT diminish the oxalates much at all, very minimally. The oxalates in spinach are sturdy and binding at around 600-750 content milligrams per 100 gram serving. You’d have to boil or blanch it to reduce it even 5-15% (not much) and then you’ve lost all the nutrients in it. If your cat suffers from kidney, gallbladder or thyroid issues, they should NEVER be fed any foods with high oxalate levels as it can do severe damage. Spinach can cause crystal formation in the urinary tract and kidneys in cats. Calcium oxalate stones are EXTREMELY painful and once formed in the kidneys, cannot be removed. Whether cooked or raw, spinach should be completely avoided in cats and has been shown to cause such major damage it can result in hospitalization and in some circumstances (when fed raw), death. And although it’s cooked in pet foods, as I’ve already stated it doesn’t matter.

Despite my efforts to get spinach removed from various pet foods, it remains an ingredient that doesn’t seem to be going away anytime soon. I’ve provided pet food companies with information regarding the dangers of including spinach in their foods and got pooh-poohed and ignored. One company said they understood but still wouldn’t change the recipe and one company did promise to remove it but that was well over a year ago and it still remains in the food. I’ve even gotten help from Dr. Lisa Pierson of catinfo.org with explaining the dangers to pet food companies and still there's no consideration as to what this is doing to them. NEVER feed raw spinach to your pet, whether they are ill or healthy! www.ibdkitties.net/January2012.html

Carrageenan has been known for awhile to be a problem. Used as a thickening and stabilizing agent in foods, carrageenans are highly flexible molecules produced by different types of seaweed. The thickness of the agent depends on which seaweed is used to make the finished product. Scientific studies have shown that carrageenan can induce inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in both humans and animals. Unfortunately carrageenan is used in just about every commercial pet food available.

http://truthaboutpetfood2.com/carrageenan-just-dont-do-it

We have to start thinking about our pets’ long term health, just like we do with ourselves and our human kids. Toxins accumulate in the body and a cat’s liver is not equipped to filter some of the things that a human liver can. Educate yourself as a pet parent, read labels and if you can, voice your concerns to the pet food companies. It took many years to get grain free foods to the point where it is now, a top priority on many pet food shelves. We’ll hear many “no’s” before we get a yes to remove certain ingredients but it can be done. We have to keep trying, for our furchildrens’ sakes.

The Perils of Cat Litter

Last summer my friend Judy picked up a bag of lavender scented World’s Best Cat Litter. I expressed my concern with how they apply the scent so she called the company and this is what Judy told me: “I called World's Best Cat Litter in Iowa and had a nice conversation with a gal there named Debbie. She said the company has done extensive research and that the lavender oil is mixed with several other natural oils with a vegetable oil base and is perfectly safe in the amounts combined. I thought it smelled a bit strong when I first opened the bag.” 
Apparently Debbie doesn’t realize that essential oils are toxic even in very tiny amounts!
www.ibdkitties.net/Toxicunsafe.html. We also don’t know what the other “natural oils” are. This information about essential oils is everywhere on the internet and if aromatherapist know better than to use them with cats, then shouldn’t WBCL or any other pet product company? Also I will no longer use any corn or wheat based cat litter as they have the potential to contain alfatoxins. I realize the risk is very low but I’m not willing to take that chance. Especially with them breathing it in. Speaking of essential oils; any cat litter such as cedar will also have oils in it which is also toxic. It’s too bad because I do love the smell but it’s no safer than the lavender oil is. www.worldsbestcatlitter.com/about/contact-us.php.

Purr & Simple All-Natural Kwik Klump Cat Litter was brought to my attention by Kelli and what I don’t like about this is that it’s made from nutshells. Nuts of any kind are harmful but walnuts and macadamia nuts are especially toxic. Pets can start to develop symptoms such as an inability to stand or walk, vomiting, hyperthermia (elevated body temperature), weakness, and an elevated heart rate within 12 hours of eating nuts. So what kinds of nuts are specifically used for this product? It doesn’t say…only that they are from northern California and the level of nut protein is small, 14 ppm, (parts per million). But again, when licked off of their paws and body, over time how does this affect their health? Long term use plays a part in everything! www.purrandsimple.com/faqs.html. And btw, nuts can also contain alfatoxins! There are now all kinds of new cat litters with nuts in them including the new Blue Naturally Fresh Cat Litter. These nut shell cat litters are extremely dusty and your cat is breathing in tons of dust and possible alfatoxins every time they go in their box and scratch the litter!

Aflatoxins are common and widespread in nature. They can colonize and contaminate grain (such as corn and wheat) before harvest or during storage. The native habitat of Aspergillus is in soil, decaying vegetation, hay, and grains; undergoing microbiological deterioration and it invades all types of organic substrates whenever conditions are favorable for its growth. Favorable conditions include high moisture content (at least 7%) and high temperature.
http://taildom.com/blog/reviews/the-best-cat-litter/

Aflatoxins are extremely durable under most conditions of storage, handling and processing of seeds or in foods or feeds made from contaminated seeds. It is very heat stable and will withstand temperatures up to boiling. Toxin levels in corn may decline in storage, but may still be present after 7 years.

http://aes.missouri.edu/delta/croppest/aflacorn.stm
www.ansci.cornell.edu/plants/toxicagents/aflatoxin/aflatoxin.html
www.wellvet.com/aflatoxins.html

I will repeat the statement I’ve made over and over in the past couple of years. Just because a company says their product is safe, it doesn’t mean squat. We’ve all learned this by now and some of us the hard way. ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS read every single ingredient in a product and not just the active ingredients but the INACTIVE ingredients as well. If you can’t find the ingredients on the website you’re buying the product from, Google that product and include “ingredients for…” and you’ll find it. A company that makes it extremely hard to find their ingredients worries me. A company with mystery ingredients frightens me.

In my quest to find a good cat litter I’ve tried many different ones. I tried Cat’s Pride and holy moly what a mess! It’s mainly sand, sticks to them like paste and my cats left huge paw prints of wet cat litter all over the floor. Judy introduced me to Green Tea Leaves cat litter. Some sites are selling it for a ridiculous price but if you Google it you can find it for under $10 a bag. I added a quarter of the bag to their regular litter and although I love the absorbency and the smell is great…it is chunky, makes a mess as it tracks everywhere and Finnegan loves the taste! He thinks it’s a treat when it’s on the floor. So that one is a no go for us. Yes, I’ve tried the bigger brands like Arm & Hammer, Tidy Cat, Fresh Step, etc. and all were extremely dusty and strong scented. They also contain sodium bentonite clay - also toxic. www.ehow.com/about_6741583_sodium-bentonite-dangers.html. I can’t try the paper ones as Finney loves to eat paper and I’m worried about the ink as well. I worked for newspapers for a very long time and ink comes off easy!

I finally settled on Dr. Elsey’s Respiratory Relief. It has safe herbs in it, not oils. My cats like it; it doesn’t leave any funky smell or stick to their butts and lasts a long time! Two and a half bags will last me a month, even with twice daily scooping. And they’ve stopped sneezing! With other litters they sneezed up a storm and were covered in dust. Whereas this one does not kick up dust and yes, it tracks but not as bad as some others. I defy anyone to find a litter that doesn’t track, it’s impossible. This litter is my preference, and I have absolutely no ties to the company at all. Mainly I feel this is the safest and best litter brand out there. As I stated, this is just my 
opinion. Please don't take offense if you use any of these products, I wanted to re-address some of the issues I’ve seen lately with cat litters and keep your cat as healthy as possible. 

The Winter Blahs

Freezing temperatures, gray days, no wildlife outside to watch; does your cat have the winter blahs? If you live in an area that gets snow, ice, freezing rain, etc. chances are they do. It’s tough keeping them entertained when you can’t open the windows, there aren’t many birds outside at the feeders, and all anybody wants to do is hibernate. When they’re kittens it’s so much easier because it doesn’t take much to get them going. They’ll play with anything, anytime, anywhere. But as they get older it can be a challenge to get them off their butts, just like with us.

Lately we’ve bounced between having a snowstorm of 21 inches to temps in the mid to high 40’s where everything is melting. I’ve been able to open the windows and let some fresh air inside. This has jump started the nut brigade of running from window to window, room to room. Nothing fills me with more pleasure than seeing the furs flying past me at warp speed. When they’re bored, I’m bored and vice versa. It seems to rub off. I’ve tried to get them to chase some of their toys, such as “da bird”, to no avail. They just stare at me and are probably laughing inside for all I know. I think sometimes they’d much rather see me playing with their toys and be content to watch me run around like a nut with a feather toy trying to get them to move even an inch. Their eyes say so much. “Look at mom! What a dope!” LOL.

Then there are the times when I’m doing nothing at all and somehow, some way, BAM! The sliding across the floor starts and I can hear them smashing into the furniture sideways. From downstairs it sounds as if they’re actually rearranging my furniture. Perhaps that’s what they’re trying to do. Who knows how they really feel about my set-up. Is it conducive to their “flight path”? What is their trajectory? Do they like the rooms the way they are or would they love it better if I just moved everything out of their way? I wouldn’t go that far but sometimes I feel like I need to do whatever it takes to get them moving and as fellow pet parents I’m sure you have done just as much. I do have these little nylon tunnels I set up in each room and they seem to love to go flying inside them (or into them) as they’re chasing each other. I’ve even put paper bags in the kitchen as a sort of obstacle path.

I’ve had to anchor their towers to the walls in fear of them falling over when they go up one side and down the other. Finney is a big boy and I think it wouldn’t take much, no matter how sturdy the towers are. As I type this it’s 49 degrees and the sun is shining bright. Still not many birds outside just yet and I’m looking forward to the day when they all come back and taunt my kits at the windows. The birds have a habit of sitting on the back stairwell right in front of the window where the kitties sit watching them. They seem to know there’s a plate of glass there separating them and there are no worries of any teeth coming closer. So they take that opportunity to sit on the railings right smack in front of the windows and preen themselves. Drives my cats nuts! 

Such a simple thing can get a cat’s engine revved up for at least 30 minutes of horseplay. Those are the days I love, when it doesn’t take much for them to get their exercise. I guess it sort of pushes me also to go out and get mine. Spring is near! The birds will be back, the windows will be open more often and I’ll see flashes of fur flying by me again in no time. Until then, I’ll have to put up with the long stares, the pathetic looks of “Mom! I’m bored!” just like a human child. And with another snowstorm coming this weekend, I’m guessing that’ll be a constant.

Tell me how you entertain your pets during the long winter months!

When a Cat Stops Eating

There’s nothing more frustrating than watching a cat walk up to their food, sniff it or barely taste it and walk away. Cats can be extremely picky but there’s a fine line between picky and sick. Just like humans there’s a certain amount of calories a cat must have each day to function properly. But the difference is that a cat can easily develop hepatic lipidosis (fatty liver disease) if they’ve gone longer than 48 hours without food. For some it takes less than 48 hours and it’s a matter of not having enough calories even though they’ve been picking at their food from time to time. In order to determine how many calories your cat should be getting, it almost always states the daily caloric intake for your cat’s weight on the back of the can or bag of food you’re feeding.

Healthy cats will once in awhile become picky and not eat that much. For instance, in the summer a cat will not burn off that many calories as it’s too hot for playing or exerting itself. And it won’t eat as much as it normally does, but it will still eat. Or cats can even develop a 48 hour illness just like people do and may not eat as much because their stomach needs to rest. But if you have an already sick kitty, let’s say with a condition like chronic kidney disease, and they suddenly become overly picky or stop eating altogether, it’s time to take matters into your own hands and quickly. With diseases such as CKD nausea and even vomiting often play a big role in not eating so ask your vet about using something like Pepcid A/C or even Cerenia.

Some kitties are put on prednisone or prednisolone and that usually jump starts their hunger pretty well along with working on any inflammation going on in the body. Sometimes pred is not enough and an appetite stimulant is a must. There are two kinds; one is cyproheptadine which is an antihistamine but also has the side effect in cats of making them hungry. The other is mirtazapine which is an anti-depressant and usually makes them ravenous, but can also cause hyperactivity and restlessness. Cypro acts the opposite and can be rather sedating. If none of these things are working it’s time to learn to syringe feed your cat. It’s fairly easy and can literally save your cat’s life.

Syringing can not only get the right amount of calories in them but can also turn on that hunger switch. You may need to do it several times a day or for several days but for some kitties it doesn’t take long to realize that eating is a good thing and they’ll start eating on their own again. If they are still barely picking but are showing an interest in food, keep up the syringe feeding until they look like they are getting back into their usual eating mode. Don’t stop giving the appetite stimulants even though you’re syringe feeding because once that switch turns on for them, it’ll still help them eat on their own.

Always contact your vet when your cat stops eating and take them in if need be. A kitty never stops eating without a reason and you need to figure out what’s going on in their bodies that made them stop in the first place.

For more information on fatty liver disease, see this page of my site: http://www.ibdkitties.net/fattyliver.html.

For instructions on syringe feeding see this page: http://www.ibdkitties.net/syringefeeding.html.

The Next Step

After four years of doing the website and newsletter, juggling Facebook, guest blogs and now my own, it's time to think about the next step for IBDKitties. I've been asked quite a lot lately "when am I going to write a book". For awhile I hesitated because it'll not only be a lot of work but I already have so much information on my website, I really didn't see what else I could contribute. But after speaking with several friends in the business I'm now giving it some serious thought. 

What I am going to do is ask for opinions on what you all would like to see added in the book. Based on my discussions with others, the book will be a lot more on the personal side and somewhat less on the technical and medical. I'm still not sure I'll be doing this but I'm putting out some feelers to see if it'll be worth the time and effort. 

So with that in mind, please give me some of your ideas and what you'd like to see in the book. Would you like more stories of other IBDKitties? Would you like more in depth writing about me and my Alex and our relationship? I've also thought about taking some of the information I've used in my newsletters over the years and adding the most important items that I feel people really need to learn about. Please let me know what you all think and if you have any ideas. I'd greatly appreciate it! Thank you all for sticking with me these last four years and to all the newcomers whom I've already grown to love and admire for your dedication to your fur children. Let's see if we can take the next step together to help others not only with the ever growing epidemic of IBD and other GI disorders but for the care and health of all of our furry families. 

Do You Deserve Your Pet?

Sometimes I hear or read comments from pet owners that just floor me. “It’s just a cat”, “they don’t deserve any better than what I get”, or “I’m not going out of my way to help a dumb animal”. I can’t get over it, it makes me incredibly angry and it’s really difficult to hold my tongue sometimes. For the most part people I’m in contact with are very loving pet parents who would do anything for their fur children. But if you belong to any forums or know someone personally who’s ever said one of those phrases, I’m sure you’ve had your own choice words for them.

I can’t for the life of me, understand why people take pets into their homes and lives when they don’t seem to have any love for them, and they certainly don’t have any respect. Why is it such a luxury to give a household pet a good diet, good health care, and proper love and respect? Why don’t they deserve that just as much as we do? Personally I think their reasoning for having a pet says a lot about them as a human. Do they treat their spouses that way? Do they treat their human kids that way? I am an animal advocate and lover, period! I do not want to hear or read that anyone treats their pet horribly either by abuse or neglect. Amazing to me how some pet owners think neglecting their medical needs is perfectly okay, and not because of lack of money but because they think they don’t really need medical attention.

Some of the things that I read and hear from pet owners disgusts me to the point that I’ve broken off a few friendships because of it. Unfortunately when it’s a relative, we’re stuck with them but a couple of times recently I lit into a few people and told them I was “the absolute wrong person to be making remarks like that to.” When I made that announcement they knew I meant business by the daggers  shooting out of my eyes. Needless to say this past holiday season I quieted the dinner table very quickly at one point. Just yesterday I was in a sandwich shop ordering lunch and talking with a friend who works there. We were talking about our pets when I commented that I can’t have a Christmas tree because my cats would take it down. One of her co-workers chimed in immediately that I should just get rid of my cats. My immediate look of disgust surprised her as I stated as politely as I could that “my cats are my kids and something material like a Christmas tree was not nearly as important to me.” That shut her up.

In the same shop a very broad shouldered and large man making the subs spoke up about his tortoise and how much he loved him. This was perfect and reiterated what I’d just said. He too loved his pet more than anything and hearing that made up for the insult to my cats I’d heard right before that. You never truly know by the looks of someone how they feel about animals. Sometimes we’re repulsed by their comments and sometimes we’re very pleasantly surprised. I always love talking with other animal lovers and appreciate the love they have for all kinds of pets.

This blog entry is basically me venting as I’ve heard quite enough of this lately and I need to talk about it with others who understand my frustration. I can ask anyone if they deserve the love and devotion of their pets but I know for a fact my readers definitely do. I know your pets are all your kids as well and they are lucky to have you as I know you feel lucky to have them. Thanks for listening! 

Equal Rights

Don’t get me wrong, I love all animals and I especially love dogs. I was in Petsmart just the other day and saw a puppy that made me lose my ability to speak like an adult. But cats are my life and I still feel like they are not getting the attention that dogs are. If you walk into a store like Petsmart you’ll see about 10-15 aisles dedicated to dogs as opposed to 4 or 5 for cats. There are many more brands of dog food on the market than cat food and don’t even get me started on cat toys. Yet if you go on any forum there are hundreds of thousands of cat lovers complaining of these very things. So why hasn’t the pet industry gotten a clue? There are now cat only veterinary practices due to their special needs; needs that are not being met by the pet food industry by the way.

I’d love to see some specialty foods out there that do not have to be obtained via prescription. I understand there are certain conditions where it would be too dangerous to feed those certain foods without a script from a vet. But unfortunately there are food companies that have that market cornered and it has more to do with money than proper ingredients. There are so many issues with gastrointestinal disorders I really think it should not be such a big deal to obtain foods made specifically for IBD kitties or cats with colitis, megacolon, constipation, etc. And there should be foods available that are ingredient specific to those conditions but actually appeal to a cat’s taste buds. No one likes to see those little noses turned up when they are so sick and need to eat.

Thank goodness we’re entering an age where more men are admitting their devotion to felines. Perhaps this will entice companies to make some cat safe toys they actually want to play with. Though I have yet to see anyone in my area actually walking their cat on a harness, and I can’t see there ever being a “cat park”. The whole territorial thing would send the fur flying! Although I don’t know which is easier to take care of, a cat or a dog, they both come with a long list of pros, cons and questions. Which one experiences more separation anxiety? Cats are more independent but have plenty of other anxiety issues. Cats don’t need to be walked but can easily have litter box issues. You don’t have to play with cats as much or as long as dogs. Cats love it as long as they can stare at you making a fool of yourself for some 30 minutes or so while you try to get them to play. Cats don’t take up as much room; not true as they will spread themselves out all over the house and so will all of their stuff.

Truth is that pets are a lot of work no matter if it’s a dog or a cat. But as a cat owner I’d like to see the industry step up and realize that cats have a huge role in our families and they deserve equal time. They deserve fun, safe and affordable toys, decent and species appropriate food (again, affordable), and better advances in their healthcare, especially as they get older. They deserve everything we can give them as a family just as much as any other pet who would be so kind as to own us. 

Playing It Safe

Safety is the first priority when you have a human child. So why shouldn’t it be when you have a fur child as well? Lately I’m seeing a disturbing trend of horrific pet deaths due to safety issues. In the last two weeks alone I’ve seen two cats in forums die due to being stuck inside a clothes drier. Leaving the doors open to appliances is asking for trouble as cats are always looking for a little hideaway spot. If your cats have access to your washer and/or dryer, always check inside before turning them on.

Believe it or not, your cat climbing the curtains is not just bad for the curtain; it can be deadly for your cat. In one forum I read of a cat yanking down the curtains while the mom was in another room. Unfortunately that kitty was hit very hard on the head with the curtain rod and didn’t make it. If you have a cat or kitten that likes to climb curtains, try to break them of the habit by getting a kitty condo or high cat tree for them to climb instead. If this is not enough of a deterrent, think about getting shorter curtains, tying them back so they cannot easily be ripped down, or hanging only valances at the top so they can’t be reached. Don’t forget about blind cords as well. It doesn’t take much for a cat to want to play with a stringy blind cord; I don’t want to think of what could happen if they get tangled in it.

Don’t forget about electrical wires. Pets love chewing on wires so it’s best to hide them as much as possible. You can use some bitter spray they sell especially for pets as well as a plastic cord cover. You can get those at any Radio Shack, Walmart, Target, etc. While we’re talking about chewing things make sure to keep people foods out of their reach as so many of them are either toxic or unsafe. Dogs are likely to grab anything they can get their mitts on and cats are forever curious and can jump up on the counters doing the old snatch, grab and run.

Be sure to use safe cleaning products as most things we use are highly toxic to them and their livers are not capable of filtering those toxins out. I only clean with vinegar and water now; it kills germs just as well as bleach and is non-toxic. As far as my furniture goes, I wash them down with a soapy sponge and dry with a microfiber cloth afterwards. I don’t trust furniture polish getting on their paws and coats, especially when they’ll lick it all off. Make sure if your cat likes to jump on the counter tops and especially the stove tops when you aren’t around that the burners are shut off and cooled down if you’ve recently used it. If your cat is indoor/outdoor, don't use pesticides in your garden or lawn. Try using something organic instead, there are plenty of websites with ideas on what to use.

Just like having a baby around you need to understand that your pet does not know the difference between safe and dangerous. It’s a big responsibility having a pet and one that should not be taken lightly. They are like children and need us to guide them and keep them safe. Always be aware of that, no matter what you’re doing. Being extra careful could save the life of your pet. 

My Every Day Gifts

I know I talk a lot about how they drive me crazy and what I can’t do and have because of them. But I’d like to take some time to talk about what I do have because my cats are in my life; laughter, sheer joy, unconditional love, companionship to name a few. There are countless ways they give these things to me. And as we’re now in the season for giving and are approaching the Christmas holiday, I think about the things I’m grateful for and how my kitties are my every day gifts.

When they’re sleeping and I kiss them, they curl their toes…one of my favorites. When I’m sleeping on my bed they bookend me and keep me warm, sometimes purring in my ear. I love how they get crazy before or during a storm. They’re both nuts and not one bit afraid of thunder or lightning. When a storm gets really bad I actually have to close the windows, otherwise they’d stay in the windowsill and get completely drenched if I’d let them. I love how they wrestle and run around the house, their feet sliding on the floor and their nails clicking as they round a corner.

Lacey loves it when I have music on. I pick her up in my arms and dance around the house with her. She loves dancing and there’s certain music she loves the most like Michael Jackson or Lady Gaga, she goes running through the house singing along with it. You’d think she wouldn’t like it since she hardly likes to be held. Other than dancing, she’s so squirmy she’s like Houdini in a straight jacket. They love going downstairs to visit my parents, they think it’s a treat. Mostly they’re adventure is to go sniffing around each and every room, the heck with visiting; it’s a whole new world down there. There are a lot of things they used to do that I miss (and a lot that I don’t, LOL). They used to love to go nuts playing with a ping pong ball in the bathtub. It kept them amused for at least a half an hour at a time and completely wore them out. They used to go racing around the apartment until I thought one of them would surely pass out. Sometimes they still play so hard if I happen to be downstairs, it sounds just like they’re moving furniture.

Lacey used to do back flips when I’d throw a ball or a toy, jumping at least four feet in the air. I love how Lacey will be chattering at me and suddenly have to yawn in the middle of it. While she’s yawning her ears go back and her eyes roll all over the place like a cartoon. She’s my little cuckoo and a lot of her actions resemble a cartoon. Speaking of cartoons, Finnegan loves to watch them and will sit in front of the TV with his head following each movement across the screen; up, down, back and forth. Finney is a big boy (Maine Coon, 17 lbs), but has the tiniest meow. He tries so hard to meow loudly and he’s unfortunately getting better at it, LOL. If I’m sad for any reason and maybe shedding some tears, he’ll come over, cozy up with me and lick my face as if to say “It’s okay mommy, I’m here”. Those are the moments I treasure so much with them. They are my comic relief, my entertainment, my pride and joy and my most of all they are the loves of my life. They give me daily headbonks, they are my purring machines and cuddle monsters, they are my every day gifts and I cherish each and every thing about them. During this holiday season when I am opening my presents, in the back of my mind I’ll think “I’ve already got the best presents in the world, the love of my cats”.

Christmas Tree-LESS

Yes it’s true. I am without a Christmas tree for the fourth year in a row. When Alex was alive she was such a good girl I could put up a tree, and even hang tinsel on it; she wouldn’t touch it if I told her no. Finnegan and Lacey are a whole other ball game. Long drapes – check! Climbs them. Loose TV or computer wires – check! Plays with them. Toilet paper – check! Plays with it and eats it. Finney even got constipated once after eating it, I had to take him to the vet. I have to keep the toilet paper in an enclosed trash can next to the toilet.

Most of the time I don’t mind too much that it’s not really my house or my things anymore. Because as every cat owner knows; we don’t own them, they own us. So it stands to reason that they also own everything in the house. Especially since they fully believe they do anyway. Christmas is the one time I wish I could have what I want for a change. I’d love to put up even my small, artificial tree, have some lights, pretty decorations, glittery garland, etc. But I can see it now. All day and all night I’d be fighting the inevitable; the chewing on the wires (absolutely too dangerous), the eating of the tinsel (also dangerous), the batting around and breaking of the ornaments, and so on.

In my mind I can see the tree being knocked over several times a day. I can see them ever so cleverly pretend they don’t care about it anymore only to wait until I’m sleeping or not home for the real fun to start. I can see my tree-top angel being mangled to bits and feathers flung, half eaten, all over the floor. I do manage to put up some decorations as long as they’re completely out of reach (which is not easy with cats). Even then it’s unbelievably compelling and they spend a good amount of time staring and thinking of ways to get at them. I also have some ceramic decorations but those also have to be kept out of reach in fear of Lacey’s paw of doom! You know that paw; the one that acts like they are just inspecting the object only to take a sudden swipe at it and before you know it…CRASH! I suppose I could put up a fiber optic tree but that still would not allow me to hang my ornaments and pretty decorations. And it goes without saying that there is absolutely no way I could ever leave presents out. That would be a complete waste of wrapping paper. For now (and maybe forever) that tree will have to stay in the basement all by itself, as if it’s the Charlie Brown Christmas tree; so lonely. Bah…humbug. And I will remain always and forever…tree-less.

If anyone has found a way to put up a tree and not have it torn down and ruined, I’d love to hear it so please leave comments. I’m sure others would love to figure this one out as well. OR if you have your own Christmas tree disaster stories, please also leave comments. I’d love to hear them. I’m sure we’d all love to hear some Catmus disaster stories. 

It Takes a Village

It takes a village to raise a child but it also takes one to care for a sick pet. As a caregiver for some of my family members I can tell you it’s stressful. But to be honest, it’s by far easier caring for a person than it is a sick pet. I’m lucky enough to have my mom helping me care for a senior kitty with health issues in my home right now. I was also lucky enough to have her helping me with Alex when she was alive. But I get a lot of emails from people who are doing this all alone. I cannot imagine trying to give a shot to a sick and irritated cat by myself. My sister’s cat Midnight is a little sweetheart and I can pretty much pill her, give fluids, shots, etc. by myself if need be. But what do you do when it’s just you and your cat is completely uncooperative?

Things are getting better and easier in that regard thanks to new methods and medications. These days you can get a whole slew of medications compounded into either liquid form that you squirt into their mouths, or transdermals that you rub onto their ears. They also sell special bags where you can zip your kitty up for easier maneuvering. I don't know how well that works though, kitty may get even more irritated but I've heard of some using it with great success. If you can afford it you can have your vet come to your home or even call in a mobile vet for things like shots, fluids, etc. This might be a better solution than carting kitty off in a carrier each time to go to your vet’s office. Travel for most kitties is very stressful and can even be debilitating for some. My poor Alex used to vomit each and every time we went to the vet so I tried to do as much for her at home as I could. I even had the vet show me how to change her dressing for her feeding tube; something I don’t recommend unless you’re very good with this sort of thing. I had a mini hospital set up in my kitchen for her and my mom, who lives downstairs from me, would come upstairs several times per day and help me. She would hold and soothe Alex as I’d give her sub q fluids, her tube feedings, shots and pills. Again, Alex was a good patient, I was lucky. But I’ve learned that soothing a kitty by playing soft music and speaking quietly to them works great. You can also try flower essences, rescue remedy and keeping a Feliway diffuser plugged in next to the area you give kitty their medication. Never use anything like essential oils as they are toxic! Make sure there are no loud noises and/or talking going on other than the soothing and soft sounds of yours and your helper’s voice. Try to be calm yourself, kitty will know if you’re nervous, believe me. They are sensitive and perceptive. Try to stick with a routine of doing treatments and medications at the same time each day.

And I know I say this a lot but don’t forget about having support for yourself as well. Caring for them is a full time job that is exhausting. Recently I had to put out an SOS for help and the response I got was overwhelming. I always knew I was grouped with wonderful and caring people. But when you’re stressed, afraid and in need of help, that’s when you really find out how much people care about you. And I sure did! Having the support you need to get through a hard time is vitally important and for me it’s just something I cannot live without. I have found that the animal community are the best and most loving people in the world and while you won’t see me running through the streets shouting “Merry Christmas, it’s a wonderful life”, (from the movie of course), I do right now feel rich inside and well cared for. This helps me be a much better pet parent to my two healthy ones, and a better nurse maid to my sick little one. Positive energy, no matter how it comes to you, keeps you going. Whether its emails saying they love you, they are sending their prayers and hugs; or whether they help you out in other ways needed at the moment. Take it and use that energy for your sick pet and yourself. Know that when the time comes, you can return the favor because that’s what our community is all about. That’s what our worldwide village is made up of; love, support, caring and positive energy. And I’m so very grateful for that. 

The War on IBD

It’s been almost four years since I started IBDKitties and although I always knew it would be an important resource, what I didn’t know is how much more prevalent IBD would become. To say it’s a war on IBD would be an understatement as I now have readers from every corner of the globe. And while I’m glad I can bring much needed information to pet parents struggling to treat this awful condition, it just shows me how much worse it’s gotten and how much more work there is yet to do. Thankfully since the site began there are a lot more studies, trials and research happening and many more ways to treat it. There is also a vast improvement in how veterinarians deal with IBD and its ever growing associated conditions.

Four years ago there was hardly a vet to be found that would be happy about you putting your cat on a raw food diet, let alone recommend it; not so these days. Yet there are still plenty who will never consider it, or even a grain free diet for that matter. But the communication between pet parents and vets has improved greatly for the most part. My beef is with the vets who still refuse to listen to the parent’s concerns and ideas, but also the refusal by some to drop the ego and learn something new. I’ve seen many a cat die in the last four years because of incompetent vets who refuse whatsoever to try a different medication, even with some of the case studies listed on my site as proof that it’s worth a try. Nothing is a guarantee, but when you have a kitty that is quickly failing in health, anything is worth a try. I’ve also seen some older vets agree to start using newer (to them) treatments for IBD such as giving B12 injections. Kudos to them for not only doing what’s important for the patient but also learning about what could possibly help others and using it.

I know we’re probably seeing a lot more cases of IBD because more cats are getting the proper testing done but no one can tell me that cases of IBD, pancreatitis, lymphoma, etc. haven’t gone through the roof. Of course there are many factors involved, including diet, bacterial overgrowth, genetics, chemicals, poor immune systems, etc. etc. But why so many? Hardly a day goes by that I don’t get one or more emails from someone or comments on my Facebook page asking for help. Lately I’ve had quite a few shelters and rescue groups write me as they see a large amount of cases. And though it’s not always financially feasible for them to change their diets to grain free (which can be more expensive), we can try and help them get it under control as much as possible. Hopefully teaching the adoptive parents about IBD can make the difference in some of the cats getting a good home. But unfortunately this could also be a huge deterrent for an adoptive parent. Who wants to adopt a kitty with a lifelong and unpredictable disease? I know some people that have and they are a blessing to those pets! That takes a mighty big heart to take in a kitty with health issues.

So what can we do now? What’s next in finding ways to control and maybe even cure this disease? We need to find and develop some protocols that won’t put places like shelters and rescues into financial constraints - as well as people with large multi-cat households. Treatments that involve less medication and actually work long term, so these animals can continue to be adopted into good homes and live healthier and longer lives. For me Alex was not my last IBD kitty as I’ve had to care for two of my sister’s cats that have it; one has since passed. I was quite upset when I realized I was dealing with this again so soon after Alex died. But I’ve come to realize that any one of us could have another kitty with IBD at any time, or any other condition for that matter; which is all the more reason to keep searching for answers. My goal is to find some of those answers and keep chipping away at this mountain called IBD. Sooner or later we’ll make a dent in this war and maybe even someday win it.

Why I Love My Cats

There are a whole lot of reasons why I love my cats, but let’s start with why they drive me crazy. Any pet lover who says that their furry kids don’t do anything to drive them nuts is flat out lying. Because let’s be honest here, they are just like kids. When they want you attention they will do everything in their power to get it, no matter what that is. But when it’s the other way around, they have very short attention spans as well as selective hearing. At times it even seems like they’re doing the opposite of what I want on purpose. Sometimes I swear I can hear those wheels turning in their heads, they are just too smart. If my cats were to write a book it would surely be called “How to Make Your Parents Insane”. That would no doubt be a best seller. On any given day you can hear me saying “stop that!”, “don’t touch that”, “get down from there”, and many other colorful exclamations. I often find myself wondering “why will they eat junk off the floor and not the food in their bowls?”, “why will they beg me to open a door, just to ignore it once I do?”, “why would they rather watch me playing with their toys instead of playing themselves?” So many questions without answers, but I’m guessing the answer to all of these are “because I can”; hence the driving me insane part.

At the same time they are so cute sometimes I can hardly stand it. They love each other so dearly, the grooming and kissing practically never stops. When one wants to play, they’ll simply go over and bop the other one on the head and run. That look of “what just happened here?” makes me laugh every time. When Lacey runs around the house she practically skips and lets out the funniest meow at the same time; she’s such a character. She is a big ball of sunshine, a happy go lucky girl who gets into more trouble than any other pet I’ve ever had. I’ve had to baby proof everything in my house, she’s entertaining to say the least. Finnegan has become a real momma’s boy. At this time last year I thought our relationship was over. I accidentally poked him in the eye and that was the end of him loving his mom. He was terrified of me after that and refused to come near me. Lucky for me one of my good friends online sent us a calming collar www.ibdkitties.net/giftshops.html and it saved my relationship with him.

It took about a month for him to be completely over that horrific ordeal but when he was, it was a brand new start for us. He only needed that collar a short time and hasn’t needed it since. Now a year later, he wants to cuddle with me all the time. He’s a giant, puffy, ball of floof with a soft and tiny meow. It used to be that I could hardly hear it but Lacey has taught him some bad habits; one being how to yell at the top of his lungs for attention. The other is how to pound on the bedroom door all morning so mommy has to sleep with ear plugs. They sleep with me some of the night but at the witching hour, Lacey must get up and start knocking everything off my bookcase. She’s compelled to do it, she can’t help herself. These are all minor incidents compared to when they were kittens. They were little hellions to say the least. But as I sit here writing this, they are both napping and all I can think about is how much I want to tickle their furry little toes and bellies. They are everything to me and as much as they can drive me loony tunes, they make me laugh and smile a whole lot more. Life without them would be dull and I would be missing out on a lot of snuggles and kitty kisses. I’d be able to have plants in here again, I wouldn’t have to clean as much and I wouldn’t be eating fur all the time. Life would be a whole lot easier. But who wants that! I know I don’t!

Up Close & Personal

This is the age of technology and more often than not, this is how we form our relationships now…online. Whether it’s on Facebook, Twitter, online dating and friend sites or joining a particular group, we are bound to make some incredible connections. For a long time I fought off going this route and wanted nothing to do with talking to new people because let’s face it, they can be very nice or they can be incredibly cruel. But when Alex got sick I was pushed into joining an online support group. I had no other way to find the help and answers I needed to treat her illness. It was scary to be honest and yes, there were days when I wanted to scream at people to stop being so rude. But this gave me the opportunity I needed to realize how much something like IBDkitties was needed and it also got me to open myself up to new people.

I have long since left that group but found another one I feel much more at home with. In the 2 ½ years I’ve been in this group I have met truly some of the nicest people I’ve ever met in this life; so much so that they’ve restored a lot of my faith in humanity. They’ve showed me how to have fun, how to let loose and open myself up, and most importantly to trust people. This trust always comes with a healthy dose of caution of course, as it very well should. But it’s very important to have that trust and let yourself be a part of something bigger than your little world. I’ve also joined some other groups and have my own newsletter from my website of around 300 people or so. In all of these people I talk to online and sometimes on the phone, I had never met a single one in person…until now.

Yesterday I was lucky enough to meet one of my fellow pet parents for the first time. She and her husband live across the country and were here visiting relatives. They were nice enough to take time out of their very busy schedule to come over and meet with me and even though it was a short visit, it was a memorable one.  I realize now how important this was for me, talking with someone about a subject we are both so passionate about connected us very deeply online. But talking in person was truly effortless, as if we’d already met before and have known each other for years. Even in that short time I felt so glad I’d made that long journey from seclusion to proud kitty parent who has that special bond with so many people, it’s made me a better person. I now hope in the future to make this happen again with other pet parents and hopefully even see this particular friend again. Who knows, maybe it’ll be me travelling that way this time, you never know.

This has shown me how important it is to meet new people not only online but in person. Nothing can beat that human, personal connection. And in this world where technology can seem so cold sometimes, we all need that, we really do. As I said, be careful and cautious but know when it’s time to open those doors and let some fresh air in. Find that something you are passionate about and share it with others! You’ll be glad you did.

When A Pet Parent Crashes

Many of us know how hard it is to be a caregiver to a human; but being one to a pet is twice as hard. There is no way to make the pet understand that having continuous accidents on the floor, carpet and/or bed, takes its toll on the one who has to clean it up. There is no way for them to know how overwhelmingly exhausting it is to give medication to them several times per day and still have to make sure they eat, when you know without you coaxing them, they won’t. It is a thankless job but one that we do because we love them. When they reach the age where they are technically over 100, they can no longer control themselves and it’s really not their fault. Yet it’s still very hard on us, there’s no denying that. You can only pretend for so long that it’s not disgusting to pick up diarrhea three or four times per day. Why won’t they just go in the box? Because there is a big difference between a human having IBD and a cat having it. A cat just doesn’t have the control that we do. I’ve heard of people going so far as to cover their floors or carpets with plastic to make the cleanup easier.

But all of this aside, one thing is certain; these diseases wreck havoc on everyone. There are only so many medications to treat these symptoms in pets and they don’t always work. When they do work, it’s only for awhile until their bodies get used to it. Basically it’s hell to go through this with your pet and although Alex didn't have these particular symptoms with her IBD, I am currently caring for a senior kitty that does. It’s difficult to say how to handle this when I’m going through it myself. After Alex died I thought I’d have many more years before dealing with a senior kitty with special needs. But it is what it is and as I said, because we love them, we do it. That doesn’t mean however that we don’t have the right to have our moments. We may be loving parents but we are not perfect and we do need to vent once in awhile.

It’s easy to say “take some time for yourself, do something for you, or don’t let the stress get to you.” That’s all well and good but there aren’t any days we can tell the kitty, “okay I want today off, you’re on your own”. There are no vacations and no sick days for us. One thing I will say is to find a good peer group to talk to. There are so many of them online and it’s never tough to find someone who is going through the same thing. Be aware also when dealing with another pet parent who is crashing that they need the kind of love and support that they are offering you. Telling them to “be strong because their kitties need them” is counter-productive and just feels like more pressure. While good intentioned, it’s not something anyone wants to hear. They want to know that it’s about them and they have your full attention. Tell them you understand and that you’re either going through the same thing now or you’ve also been through it before. They need to know they aren’t alone, not be reminded of what they already know. Just listen with an open heart and mind, that’s all most people need, want and appreciate. If you know someone who’s suffering from caregiver exhaustion, let them know you care.

For yourself, maybe start your own pet caregiver support group online or even in person. Giving others a place to talk about it could very well be great medicine. You’ll meet new people and make friends with fellow pet lovers. Most likely you need to stay close to home to give them medication several times per day. But try to get out occasionally. Take a short ride and enjoy some nice weather, just get out of the house; even if it’s for a short time. Get on the phone with a friend who’s been there, or someone you’ve met through your group, and talk about it instead of typing it. Sometimes hearing an empathetic voice can mean all the difference. We do choose this path and we choose it because we love animals. We know they cannot care for themselves and that’s the tough part. But if you’re starting to crash and you need someone, then reach out. You may be a super parent to your pet but you are in reality, after all, only human.