tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7831848512610961582024-03-14T02:39:37.981-04:00Welcome to IBDKitties BlogIBDKittieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08542967766238603387noreply@blogger.comBlogger36125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-783184851261096158.post-79361926366334465762015-07-10T22:32:00.000-04:002015-07-10T22:32:36.042-04:00My Heart<div style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17.5636348724365px; margin-bottom: 6px;">
Seven years ago tonight, at this very time, I was sitting in the ER holding the lifeless body of my sweet and beautiful Alex. She died in the car, in the back seat while I was stuck on the highway because of an accident. There was a lot of cars backed up. I heard her die. I heard her and I sat there screaming and crying and no one could help me. I never in my life felt so helpless, horrible and broken. I ran into the ER with her carrier crying and screaming "NO NO NO! this<span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;"> can't be! Please no!"</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 17.5636348724365px;">And then they brought her to me, wrapped in a blanket, so I could say goodbye. I just couldn't say it. I drove home and my boyfriend at the time pulled up on his motorcycle coming home from work. He asked me if Alex was staying overnight at the vet. I told him she was gone. He immediately started crying as hard as I was. I got out of my car, he got off his bike and we stood in the middle of the street holding each other and crying so hard we couldn't breathe. I will never, ever, ever get over this.</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 17.5636348724365px;">I don't think about it that much anymore. But that little girl was the best thing that ever happened to me. she was an angel in a cat's body. She loved me more than any human ever did. I thought I would die right along with her. There wasn't anyone that didn't love her, she was utter sweetness. My boyfriend never liked cats. But she immediately turned him into a cat daddy. She loved him so hard he had no choice. I was a zombie for months after she died. But she visited me several times and I felt her here.</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 17.5636348724365px;">Part of me sometimes feels like she was a dream. A beautiful, beautiful dream. And then I remember everything. She sent Finnegan and Lacey to me, no doubt in my mind. Because they make me laugh so much and that's what I needed most after she died. She's a guardian angel now and stands at the gates to meet each kitty we lose to this horrid HORRID disease that took the love of my life. And I'm not one bit surprised at how glorious she is, and always was. My angel, my soulmate. I love you so much Alex. I never stop holding you in my heart.</span></div>
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IBDKittieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08542967766238603387noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-783184851261096158.post-1799817758837516222014-11-17T22:40:00.002-05:002014-11-17T22:53:00.253-05:00Pain in the Teeth Part 2<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Now it was Finnegan’s turn
and at first I thought maybe his teeth were not as bad as hers. How wrong I
was! Of course he was much worse to bring into the vet, even for just an exam.
He screamed bloody murder in the car, and he’s the one with the soft meow! He
hissed at the vet and tech panted heavily and wandered the room continuously. He was a good
boy for the exam though which showed he had some significant problems. We did
the blood work, rabies shot and came home so we could go through this again in
a month. Unfortunately, he had a bad reaction to his rabies shot and stopped
eating completely. A couple of days later we were back at the vet (NOT FUN) and
he had to get a Benadryl and famotadine (Pepcid A/C) shot. This took
care of it and as much as I protested, unfortunately we’ll have to go through
this again in the future. But this time we have it in his records and he’ll be
getting the Benadryl and famotadine BEFORE the vaccine from now on. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">A month later we were back
for the dental and thankfully due to his stress level, they were wonderful
about making the same accommodations for him as they did for Lacey. All went
well but he had two teeth that were already broken and needed to come out, and
one lower canine that was rotting from the root that needed extraction. No
wonder he was also not behaving as himself.</span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">But we had another problem. When I
got him home and gave him his pain medication (buprenex) he began acting
terrified of me. Beyond anything I’d ever seen him or any of my pets ever do.
He was shaking like crazy, hiding his face in the corner of the room, not
eating, etc. It was horrible. I only gave him two doses and felt this was more
than the anesthesia after effects. I called the vet the next morning and she
told me to stop it immediately which I had. Buprenex is a good pain medication
and as I said earlier, Lacey did well on it and so did my late kitty Alex. But
it’s also an opiate and in some cases it can cause a pet to hallucinate and that’s
what was happening here.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">So in the meantime I had to syringe feed him some baby
food (no onions or garlic) and my instructions directly from the vet were to
give him a one-time only dose of baby aspirin (81 mgs). Aspirin can be toxic to
cats so I asked a lot of questions and she assured me this ONE TIME dose would
be okay. It did him wonders and within two hours he started eating on his own.
It took a full 24 hours for the effects of the pain medication to wear off but
he began to come around and was fine. It was an unfortunate incident but there
was no way for my vet or myself to know he’d have this reaction. I am the one
who prefers Buprenex over Metacam and asked for it but from now on, any
procedures he has, he will have to use another pain medication. And again,
NEVER give aspirin to your cat without specific instructions from the vet
first, EVER. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">As with Lacey, since his
dental procedure I am seeing a brand new cat. Playful, loving beyond anything
I’ve seen in a long time and doing very, very well. In fact he had been
vomiting hair up quite frequently for awhile before his dental. I had them give
him a lion cut (shaved him) during the dental since he was already out cold and
this has helped tremendously with that issue. But I also suspect that his
vomiting had a lot to do with his bad teeth causing him gastrointestinal
distress. Inflammation in the teeth and gums can cause stomach upset, which
makes perfect sense because inflammation travels elsewhere in the system.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Here
is some more information on dental disease, the cleaning and dental procedures
and what to look for:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=1+2121&aid=378"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=1+2121&aid=378</span></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Although
my cats did not have tooth resorption, this is a common condition and very
painful. Another good reason to have their teeth checked annually:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2012/01/17/teeth-resorption.aspx"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2012/01/17/teeth-resorption.aspx</span></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The
vet wanted me to start brushing their teeth and gave me some CET toothpaste
with a tiny finger toothbrush. Unfortunately the CET gave them both diarrhea. I
looked up the product and it contains 50% sorbitol which is a gastric irritant.
This is why I go on and on about even tiny amounts of certain things. If this
can happen to my healthy cats...imagine what ingredients like this can do to a
kitty that already has IBD or gastric issues. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">There
is no reason to put 30-50% sorbitol in a cat product, especially when it
clearly can and has caused my cats to get soft poops/near diarrhea and tummy
aches. It states right on their product pdf: <i>Sorbitol: Reports of adverse
reactions to sorbitol are largely due to its action as an osmotic laxative when
ingested orally, which may be exploited therapeutically.</i> I also found this on
another site: <i>The only significant concern with sorbitol is that it can promote
Irritable Bowel Syndrome or lead to problems in the gastrointestinal system.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://www.virbacvet.com/products/detail/c.e.t.-enzymatic-toothpaste-for-dogs-and-cats/dental-health/c.e.t.pet-toothpastes">www.virbacvet.com/products/detail/c.e.t.-enzymatic-toothpaste-for-dogs-and-cats/dental-health/c.e.t.pet-toothpastes</a></span> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://www.foodintol.com/sorbitol-the-trouble-with-sugar-free">www.foodintol.com/sorbitol-the-trouble-with-sugar-free</a>.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sorbitol">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sorbitol</a>.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">That's
the last thing I need is another cat with IBD. And although IBS and IBD are two
different things, we don’t know the effects it has on a cat’s body versus a
human’s body. Either way, it made them both sick. And I tried to find one but I
don’t think they make a pet toothpaste without sorbitol in it. I thought about
what to do because I am going to have to continue brushing their teeth. So I decided to
make my own toothpaste, and this is what I came up with. It may not be the best
but to me it’s the safest and works just fine. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Toothpaste</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Use
Amco spoons for measurement:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000MOYI5W/ref=as_sl_pd_tf_lc?tag=ibki-20&camp=213381&creative=390973&linkCode=as4&creativeASIN=B000MOYI5W&adid=1S90DV73JSEKVJSEZ2FN&&ref-refURL=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ibdkitties.net%2FHelpfulproducts.html"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000MOYI5W/ref=as_sl_pd_tf_lc?tag=ibki-20&camp=213381&creative=390973&linkCode=as4&creativeASIN=B000MOYI5W&adid=1S90DV73JSEKVJSEZ2FN&&ref-refURL=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ibdkitties.net%2FHelpfulproducts.html</span></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">250
mgs opened capsule of lactoferrin</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000BREORC/ref=as_sl_pc_tf_lc?tag=ibki-20&camp=14573&creative=327641&linkCode=as1&creativeASIN=B000BREORC&adid=0AK9XAQPFV05KC6A3K54&&ref-refURL=http%3A%2F%2Fibdkitties.net%2FImmuneliver.html">http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000BREORC/ref=as_sl_pc_tf_lc?tag=ibki-20&camp=14573&creative=327641&linkCode=as1&creativeASIN=B000BREORC&adid=0AK9XAQPFV05KC6A3K54&&ref-refURL=http%3A%2F%2Fibdkitties.net%2FImmuneliver.html</a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">500
mgs opened capsule of taurine</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/NOW-Foods-Taurine-500mg-Capsules/dp/B000RMH2C0/ref=as_sl_pc_tf_til?tag=ibki-20&linkCode=w00&linkId=&creativeASIN=B000RMH2C0">http://www.amazon.com/NOW-Foods-Taurine-500mg-Capsules/dp/B000RMH2C0/ref=as_sl_pc_tf_til?tag=ibki-20&linkCode=w00&linkId=&creativeASIN=B000RMH2C0</a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">One
scoop of Viralys L-Lysine powder or 500 mgs opened capsule of L-lysine</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="http://www.entirelypets.com/vetsoluviralys.html?aff=shareasale&utm_source=SS&utm_medium=affil&utm_campaign=data">http://www.entirelypets.com/vetsoluviralys.html?aff=shareasale&utm_source=SS&utm_medium=affil&utm_campaign=data</a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Largest
spoon dose of Petkins Invisible Formula Liquid Oral care solution</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00E8GLLXC/ref=as_sl_pc_tf_lc?tag=ibki-20&camp=14573&creative=327641&linkCode=as1&creativeASIN=B00E8GLLXC&adid=08K1DYBD72M4VJ3ECTPD&&ref-refURL=http%3A%2F%2Fibdkitties.net%2FGroomingoral.html">http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00E8GLLXC/ref=as_sl_pc_tf_lc?tag=ibki-20&camp=14573&creative=327641&linkCode=as1&creativeASIN=B00E8GLLXC&adid=08K1DYBD72M4VJ3ECTPD&&ref-refURL=http%3A%2F%2Fibdkitties.net%2FGroomingoral.html</a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">2
largest spoon doses of George’s 100% Aloe vera liquid</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Georges-Aloe-Vera-Drink-QUARTS-32-oz/dp/B00014EWUO/ref=as_sl_pc_tf_til?tag=ibki-20&linkCode=w00&linkId=FAQHBVYPEG762S7I&creativeASIN=B00014EWUO">http://www.amazon.com/Georges-Aloe-Vera-Drink-QUARTS-32-oz/dp/B00014EWUO/ref=as_sl_pc_tf_til?tag=ibki-20&linkCode=w00&linkId=FAQHBVYPEG762S7I&creativeASIN=B00014EWUO</a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Teaspoon
Beechnut baby food (meat and broth only)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Sprinkles
of fresh catnip for taste and mint flavor</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Stays
fresh in refrigerator for 6-7 days</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">After
brushing give a freeze dried all meat treat as a reward</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Unfortunately
to buy the tiny toothbrush you’ll need, you have to buy the CET product. But
this is the sample paste so it’s not expensive. I personally wouldn’t use the
toothpaste but that’s my preference. I wash the little toothbrush with clear
dish liquid, no dyes or perfumes. This brush works better than any other, is softer and
fits in their mouth perfectly,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/CET-Toothbrush-12gm-Poultry-Toothpaste/dp/B007GB9WKK/ref=pd_sim_petsupplies_6?ie=UTF8&refRID=0E1ZFZ6NYEWDBKCFSP0S">http://www.amazon.com/CET-Toothbrush-12gm-Poultry-Toothpaste/dp/B007GB9WKK/ref=pd_sim_petsupplies_6?ie=UTF8&refRID=0E1ZFZ6NYEWDBKCFSP0S</a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">For
brushing, I sit down on the floor with one of them in between my legs, wrap a
towel around the front of them and quickly but gently open their mouth with my
fingers. Slide in the toothbrush and very gently scrubbed. It’s hard to get the
back teeth, no ways around that. But if you can, those are the worst. Do it
quickly for the first week, no need to get the back ones yet. After every
brushing, give them a freeze dried, all meat treat. Let them know it’s not all
bad. </span></div>
IBDKittieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08542967766238603387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-783184851261096158.post-71630215092223302892014-07-24T22:38:00.001-04:002014-07-24T22:39:49.252-04:00Pain in the Teeth; Part 1<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">None of my pets have ever
needed a dental before; at least not that I know of. But I see now how
incredibly important it is to check my pet’s teeth and keep them clean. It all
started with what I thought was a cute picture of Lacey yawning. I never took
enough pictures of Alex and now she’s gone. So when I adopted Lacey and
Finnegan I bought a good camera and have taken probably thousands by now. As you can see her teeth are covered in plaque and tartar and her gums are incredibly red and inflamed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ki-tDhyK3yk/U9HBDOZytQI/AAAAAAAABzE/PlfGKnDn6tY/s1600/Laceydental1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ki-tDhyK3yk/U9HBDOZytQI/AAAAAAAABzE/PlfGKnDn6tY/s1600/Laceydental1.jpg" height="229" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I knew Lacey’s teeth probably
bad, her breath was horrendous. Like something crawled up in there and died.
But when I saw this picture on the computer I literally cried. I realized she
had to be in a lot of pain and I needed to take care of this for several reasons.
Yes, pain is number one. Your pet should never be in pain and because cats hide
it so well, it’s your job to know their behaviors. I noticed Lacey slowing down
a lot although she was eating fine. I thought it was just her age, but couldn’t
understand that as she’s only seven. Two weeks before her dental, I also noticed
she didn’t groom as much as she normally did. She did not experience all of
these other symptoms but bad teeth and gums can also cause them to paw at their
mouths, chew on one side more over the other, bleed from the gums, over groom
themselves, become lethargic and develop an infection.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Eventually your pet’s
teeth will indeed cause so much pain they will probably stop eating and that’s
not something you ever want to happen. A cat can develop hepatic lipidosis
(fatty liver disease) within 48 hours of starvation. I know because my Alex had
it and needed to be hospitalized, on an IV drip with antibiotics and fluids to
flush out the toxins in her liver. It CAN be fatal so never let your cat get to
that point. If your cat has not eaten on its own, or barely picks at their
food, looks lethargic, tired, etc. please call the vet immediately and take
them in as soon as possible. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">There are other very
important reasons to make sure they have healthy teeth and gums. Dental disease
is just as hard on their health as it is on ours. Toxins can enter the blood
stream through the gums and cause problems to vital organs like the heart and
kidneys. I take excellent care of my pets and I want them to live a very long,
happy and healthy life. This is no different than any other health issue and no
less important.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Because I’d never gone
through this before, I needed to do some research. So I called around to
different animal hospitals and asked a lot of questions. You should know that
it IS very expensive. They need to do a full check-up beforehand to make sure
your pet has nothing else going on and that they are healthy enough to be put
under anesthesia. Pre-op blood work is essential for this and can tell them if
their organs are functioning properly, if there is any underlying conditions,
infections, etc. They also check for heart disease which is again essential to
know before putting them under anesthesia. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">If you’re wondering why a
pet needs to be put under for a dental cleaning, the answer is simple; a pet is
not a human. They are already beyond terrified just going for a vet visit.
There’s no way on this earth they’d lie still for someone to go poking inside
their mouth and possibly even extracting teeth (which is painful). Under
anesthesia the pet can have thorough dental x-rays, a complete scaling and
cleaning and again, teeth pulled if necessary. Anesthesia free dental cleaning
is growing in popularity but in my opinion is not nearly thorough enough and
has some dangers associated with it. Here is an excellent article on why anesthetizing
them is necessary:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://wellpets.com/anesthesia-free-vet-dentistry/">http://wellpets.com/anesthesia-free-vet-dentistry/</a></span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The procedure itself
doesn’t take long; usually no more than 30 to 45 minutes, but the pet must be
prepped with sedation and pain medication before surgery. The time it takes for
each pet to wake up is different. Lacey woke up very quickly and was tired when
she came home but not at all wobbly or in a stupor. Finnegan was a different
story. He woke up quickly but took a long time to come out of it once home. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">What I did was call around
to several veterinary hospitals, including my old vet, to see what they used
specifically for anesthesia, pain meds, antibiotics, etc. I asked if they would
honor my requests that certain medications not be used, what the entire dental
exam and cleaning entailed and I asked for a quote. Since there are four stages
of dental disease categorized it’s difficult to give a quote. But usually they
will give you a range and quote on the high side the day of the procedure in
order to prepare you in case they find extensive tooth and gum disease. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The hospital I ended up
choosing was one that a friend had recommended to me some time ago. For all my
questions and concerns I had, the vet tech stayed on the phone with me for over
30 minutes and was completely willing to answer anything and everything. They
explained everything to me in great detail and because my kitties were new
patients (or potential new patients) they offered me a free tour of the entire
facility; the exam rooms, surgical area, in house lab, feline recovery area
(which was kept in the opposite part of the building from the recovery area for
dogs), etc. During the tour they again went over every aspect of the procedure
and if I had any questions I could easily ask. I beat them over the head with
questions to be honest and it didn’t faze them one bit, they were courteous and
extremely helpful. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It just so happened that
both my cats needed their rabies vaccinations and as it’s the strict law here
in my state I had to make the choice, even though they are indoor only. If they
were to bite anyone there, including the vet, the law requires them to be quarantined
for 10 days in the pound if they are not vaccinated and I cannot put my cats or
myself through that hell. During Lacey’s exam they did her blood work and
rabies vaccine (rabies only, nothing else) and examined her teeth. She was
surprisingly good about it. But since she’d just had her rabies vaccine that
day, we had to schedule her dental for a month out to give her immune system
time to rest and recoup. If your pet gets a vaccination of any kind, surgery or
any kind of invasive procedure should not be done for at least a month out for
that reason. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It also happened that her
blood work results showed her liver enzymes were up slightly, which can be a
sign of infection. She seemed to be fighting it off on her own so we did not
give antibiotics at that time. We kept the schedule and decided to do blood
work in house right before the dental and I would wait for the results to make
sure they’d gone down. A month went by and the morning of the procedure was a
disaster as the waiting room was filled dogs barking loudly and nervously. The
good news from her blood work was that her liver enzymes were normal, however
she spiked a fever. At the urging of the vet, I left her there for several
hours to see if her fever would come down on its own. But it fluctuated. The
vet felt it was due to the stress of the dogs and told me to bring her home and
see how she does. We had to reschedule the dental for the next week. I was not
at all happy, very stressed out myself and began to wonder if I’d made the
right choice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">However, the next morning they
called me to say they had made a plan that would accommodate Lacey better. We
were to go in at 8 am instead of 7 (when the waiting room was full). We would
wait in the car and I’d call when we got there and they would wave us directly into
the exam room. They’d check her temperature again, and get her into surgery
immediately, no waiting; in and out as quickly as possible to alleviate her
stress level. This pleased me tremendously and I felt they really cared about
my pets and as the vet had said “the goal is to take care of them but put as
little stress on them as possible.” And I do know from being at other vet
hospitals in the area, no one has separate waiting areas for dogs and cats. But
for sure none of the others would have made these accommodations; I’ve been to
some of them so I know this.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The day finally came and
everything went smoothly and according to plan. Her temp was still slightly up
but they felt it was still due to stress and she needed her teeth done badly,
so we went ahead with it. In the end, three teeth were pulled and one canine
has to be watched as it showed signs of some “potential” issues. She was sent
home with amoxicillin (antibiotic) and Buprenex (for pain). She ate some soft
food within the hour of being home and did well with her medications. Within a
week and a half after surgery I began to see my little girl coming back to life
again. No more tooth pain meant feeling good enough to play, groom and act as silly
and loving as she used to. I was instructed on how to brush my cat’s teeth and
will be discussing this and Finnegan’s dental experience in part 2.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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IBDKittieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08542967766238603387noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-783184851261096158.post-63745633895968071452014-04-13T22:24:00.000-04:002014-04-17T22:45:34.540-04:00Safe Cleaning for You and Your Pets<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">I’m on a mission; not only for my cats’ health but for
my own. I’m using as many homemade, safe and non toxic items as I can as
opposed to chemicals to clean.<span style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">I stopped using sprays like Fantastic or 409 for my
counter tops and Windex for my mirrors and windows. I now use a 50/50 solution
of white distilled vinegar and water and if I need to disinfect something more
than that, I use straight hydrogen peroxide. Because of it's acidic nature, vinegar cannot be used on natural stone counters, floors and tiles. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 18.399999618530273px;">I also don't use any dish detergents with phosphates, dyes or fragrances. But vinegar and baking soda is great to use on baked on pots and pans.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 18.399999618530273px;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">Usually I use a stove top cleaner called, Cerama Bryte
cook top cleaner for my ceramic flat top stove. It says its eco friendly and
biodegradable and it does not contain phosphates. However its main base is
citric acid together with some other oil based liquids. I don’t know what those
liquids are and citric acid can burn the skin. Seeing as how I don’t know if my
cats jump on top of that surface at night when I’m asleep, (I can only imagine they do), I chose to stop
using it and tried simple baking soda and vinegar. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">I sprinkled a little bit of baking soda on my stove top
and sprayed it with the vinegar and water solution. I then took the same
special scrub sponge I normally use with it, made especially for ceramic stove
tops and voila! Clean as a whistle! I had to rinse really well though to make
sure I got all the baking soda off just to be sure. But it worked like a charm,
there’s no residue and it’s now safer for them. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ilDrckYWMXc/U0s6XspgybI/AAAAAAAABnw/Y63zsiOUOmI/s1600/Picture+092.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ilDrckYWMXc/U0s6XspgybI/AAAAAAAABnw/Y63zsiOUOmI/s1600/Picture+092.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">Next I switched from using Lysol toilet bowl cleaner to
adding some baking soda and pouring a bit of
straight white vinegar in the bowl. It fizzes and also works to unclog anything stopped up in the drain. I used my regular toilet brush (no chemicals on it)
and it worked great! (No my cats don’t drink out of the toilet bowl but I still
want to use safer cleaning items for myself).<span style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">I then took that same spray bottle with the vinegar and
water solution and cleaned the rest of the toilet. For a great disinfectant
fill another spray bottle with pure hydrogen peroxide and spray on the toilet
seat and wipe. I also used the vinegar/water and baking soda to clean my sink
and again, it worked really well; shiny, now safe for kitties to walk on it, and
no toxins for me either. I did the same thing for the shower, used the baking
soda and vinegar/water solution. And gone is the Scrubbing Bubbles spray bathroom
cleaner.<span style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lSVr2USO5oo/U0s6p6KDtgI/AAAAAAAABn4/3yma0w5Fb7c/s1600/Picture+095.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lSVr2USO5oo/U0s6p6KDtgI/AAAAAAAABn4/3yma0w5Fb7c/s1600/Picture+095.JPG" height="219" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">For cleaning my floors, I use a Bissell Steam Mop but
will not use the chemical laced cleaner pads that you can buy to go with them.
I should have bought a Shark steam mop instead as it has a washable pad that
comes with it but after spending $50 on the steam mop and liking the way it
works, I’m keeping it. So instead I use some thick Swiffer dry pads and fill
the tank with another 50/50 solution of vinegar and water. Even works well on
my laminate hardwood floors. Apparently though vinegar should never be used on natural stone of any kind whether it's the floor, counter tops or bathroom. Here is a great alternative to vinegar:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18.399999618530273px;"><a href="http://www.ehow.com/way_5553663_can-use-vinegar-clean-granite.html">http://www.ehow.com/way_5553663_can-use-vinegar-clean-granite.html</a></span></span><br />
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 13.65pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-weight: normal;">Next is the furniture. Furniture polish contains <span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">petroleum distillates, which are highly flammable and can
cause skin and lung cancer. They contain nitrobenzene, which is easily absorbed
through the skin and extremely toxic. Since cats absorb everything through
their skin very easily and lick it off, this was bothering me a great deal. I
researched for days and found something about coconut oil. I tried it but it
smears and doesn’t absorb into the wood. Then I found a recipe, non toxic, easy
to make and shines like the dickens! I went the extra step and used organic apple
cider vinegar and olive oil. Be aware that the organic ACV smells <u>much</u>
stronger than regular but the smell does fade. Please do not use any
fragrances, natural or not, as things like citrus of any kind and essential
oils are toxic to cats. If you can, dust and polish when you’re able to open
some windows for a few minutes to air the place out. Otherwise, just wait it
out, the smell fades.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 6.0pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Mix 1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar with
2 tsp. of olive oil. The vinegar removes dirt from furniture and the olive oil
shines without greasing. This homemade polish is safe for homes with kids and
pets, and it's gentle enough to be used on most any surface that needs
polishing. As you can see, my wood looks amazing! In fact, it hasn’t shined
like this since I bought it years ago.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aYdpp1p6xy0/U0s7AVVLVfI/AAAAAAAABoM/GIwiQ-7IlhU/s1600/Picture+096.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aYdpp1p6xy0/U0s7AVVLVfI/AAAAAAAABoM/GIwiQ-7IlhU/s1600/Picture+096.JPG" height="200" width="320" /></a> <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ootgIcJseNU/U0s7ASWGVSI/AAAAAAAABo4/QQMhMRUxKjs/s1600/Picture+097.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ootgIcJseNU/U0s7ASWGVSI/AAAAAAAABo4/QQMhMRUxKjs/s1600/Picture+097.JPG" height="320" width="236" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 6.0pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I no longer have carpets anywhere in my
house but I did find these instructions and I know these ingredients are safe. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Again,
follow only the pet stain formula and don’t use any fragrances or essential
oils:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-line-height-alt: 10.15pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Basic Pet Stain Formula</span></b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
Try this on stains that have already set.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><i>
Caution:</i></b><i> test first on a hidden area<br />
to be sure the peroxide won't change the color of the carpet.</i></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>
to be sure the peroxide won't change the color of the carpet.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><b><i><span style="background: white;">Note:</span></i></b><i> <span style="background: white;">You may be tempted to use a scrub brush for this
treatment, but you risk splitting the carpet fibers if you work it too
vigorously.<o:p></o:p></span></i></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-line-height-alt: 10.15pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Baking
Soda<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-line-height-alt: 10.15pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">White
Vinegar<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-line-height-alt: 10.15pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Liquid
glycerin soap (or dish soap)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-line-height-alt: 10.15pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Hydrogen
Peroxide<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 6.0pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Mix equal parts of vinegar and water, and work the mixture well
into the stain using a clean white towel. Blot well, and let dry. Once the area
is dry, sprinkle baking soda generously over the spot. Mix together 1/4 cup
peroxide with 1/2 tsp liquid soap then pour the soap mixture over the baking
soda to dissolve it into the nap of the carpet. Work the paste down deep into
the fibers. Blot again, and let dry. Vacuum to remove the residue. You may have
to repeat this treatment on persistent stains.</span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"> </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 6.0pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<a href="http://www.back-to-basics-cleaning.com/natural-carpet-cleaning.html"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">http://www.back-to-basics-cleaning.com/natural-carpet-cleaning.html</span></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 6.0pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Last year we started using straight white vinegar
as bug repellent around the house and yard. I couldn’t believe how well it
works. You have to reapply it every so often, maybe once every couple of weeks
to a month, but it does the job and you don’t have to worry about fumes or
anything. We had these awful red bugs infesting our tree in the yard. They took
over and multiplied like nothing I’ve ever seen in my life. One year they were
swarming the house and coming in everywhere. They don’t bite or anything but were
an awful nuisance. I got desperate and sprayed chemicals on that tree for three
straight years but it didn’t work that well and I hated handling that stuff. I
decided last year to try the vinegar and I couldn’t believe how well it worked.
I just dumped half a gallon jug of straight white vinegar on the tree and they
were completely gone, the tree was fine.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 6.0pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I also take a spray bottle and go around the foundation on a nice day to get rid of anything like ants, crickets, etc. trying to get in. You can even spray it indoors as well, especially if you get ants in the kitchen area.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 6.0pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Vinegar is simply amazing and although it's not the greatest smell there is, the smell does wears off fast and I am very pleased with how
well it cleans and how safe it is. My advice if you want to go green, get
yourself a couple of gallon jugs of white distilled vinegar, apple cider
vinegar and olive oil. The uses are endless.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 6.0pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<br />IBDKittieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08542967766238603387noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-783184851261096158.post-91146457495511299162013-10-14T18:10:00.003-04:002013-10-14T19:43:04.541-04:00My Resolve<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I wish I’d had Alex since she was a kitten. She traveled
far and changed hands many times before coming to me. She never had a proper
diet and maybe she still wouldn’t have had one even if she was with me. I
didn’t learn what I did about pet food until it was too late for her. I’d like to think maybe I would have learned
about it sooner and maybe she would have had a healthier and longer life. I can
do the “what ifs” all I want but it won’t change anything. I can’t get her back
and I can’t erase her illnesses and how she died.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">By the time she came to me she was obese. I put her on a
diet and fed her Iams and Science Diet. I thought I was doing better by her
than her previous owners did. She did start to lose weight but she also got
very sick. She began throwing up all the time which eventually led to her
anorexia and fatty liver disease. No doubt she was sick before I switched foods.
I certainly don’t blame it solely on the foods I gave her; but they didn’t help
the situation. (These particular foods contain a large amount of grains and
by-products). While she was sick I did an enormous amount of research and I
found groups and vets online that explained how cats don’t eat grains in the
wild; how they’re obligate carnivores. Grains can cause everything in a cat’s
system from diabetes, obesity, allergies, food intolerance, to the dreaded IBD
(inflammatory bowel disease). Things started to make sense to me but back then
it was extremely hard to find grain free cat food.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I embarked on a mission to feed her a grain free diet. She
was very sickly at this point but I had to try. Unfortunately the diet change
was too little too late. Her system was destroyed and she left me regardless of
my efforts. In the seven years since she first got sick I’ve done more
research, started my website <a href="http://www.ibdkitties.net/">http://www.ibdkitties.net/</a>,
and more grain free products have become available. Many kitties with GI
disorders have since been stabilized on a grain free and/or raw food diet and
educating others on this subject has become second nature to me. I’ve got two
cats that are now five years old and have always eaten grain free since the day
I adopted them. After what I went through with Alex, I wanted to start them off
right. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If there ever came a day that either one of them were so
sick they needed prescription food, or they refuse profusely to eat anything
else but food with grains in them; of course I’ll always do what’s best for my
kids. But for as long as I can and with a lot of resolve, I’ll feed them a
grain free diet. Why? Because I’ve never once seen a cat run into a field to
eat the corn; they run into the field to eat the mouse that ate the corn. This
is my preference based on what I’ve learned, what I’ve experienced and what I
see in front of me. My cats have shiny coats, lots of energy, are a good weight
and so far (knock on wood) are very healthy. Will this kind of a diet
completely stop illnesses? No. Will it cure any illnesses? No. But next to raw
food (which is the ultimate species appropriate feline diet) a grain free diet
helps keep them at a proper weight, is low carbohydrate (cats don’t need and
all those carbs) and higher in protein (which is what they should be getting). </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Why don’t I feed a raw food diet? I’m still trying to. I
should have started them on it when they were kittens and they tore into their
food. Again, I’m still learning like everyone else. Now, they are much more
stubborn. And this must be done slowly and with patience. NEVER let a cat
starve because they won’t eat what you want them to. You risk hepatic lipidosis
(fatty liver disease) in less than 48 hours of them not getting the proper
nutrition; and its life threatening. I don’t know that my cats will ever eat a
full raw diet but either way, I’ll continue to try, and in the meantime to feed
them grain free. My goal is to keep their digestive tracts working properly, for
them to stay at a healthy weight, and to stick around their mom for a very long
time. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Aflatoxin: The
Single Pet Food Ingredient to Be Especially Vigilant About<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2013/10/09/aflatoxin-contaminated-pet-food.aspx">http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2013/10/09/aflatoxin-contaminated-pet-food.aspx</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The
Truth About Grains<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://blog.onlynaturalpet.com/2013/10/04/the-truth-about-grains/">http://blog.onlynaturalpet.com/2013/10/04/the-truth-about-grains/</a>
</span><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.catinfo.org/">http://www.catinfo.org/</a><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<a href="http://catcentric.org/"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">http://catcentric.org/</span></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Do Dogs and Cats Need Grains?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<a href="http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2005/02/05/pets-grains.aspx"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2005/02/05/pets-grains.aspx</span></a>IBDKittieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08542967766238603387noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-783184851261096158.post-28748506708037946072013-09-10T18:06:00.000-04:002013-09-10T18:19:44.590-04:00Good Vets, Bad Vets<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Do you have a good
relationship with your vet? Do you trust them to take good care of your furry
family member? Too many times I’ve heard from people ready to give up because
their vet has prematurely given up on their pet. One person told me that their vet
felt just because her kitty was elderly and had IBD, she should be put to
sleep. Without trying any treatments or proper diagnostics, this vet felt the
cat should be euthanized. Luckily the parent didn’t listen and the kitty is now
getting the proper treatment for her condition. But this didn’t stop her in the meantime from
thinking that it may be the end!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Another person I know
lost her kitty because the vet out and out refused to try a different
medication with her and there were no other vets around for over 100 miles. The
medication is used frequently for cats with IBD and could have potentially
saved her life. Maybe not, but it’s always worth trying if there's still a possible chance of recovery. He wouldn’t even consider it and there was no good explanation
given as to why. This poor woman eventually lost her best friend. There are more stories
like these unfortunately. But thankfully there are plenty of stories of good
and even great vets as well.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I know many people with vets that truly care about them and their pets. Some have more experience
with IBD and certain medications than others. But here’s the kicker; the ones
who don’t…are willing to learn! They take their oaths as healers seriously and
put aside any egos to actually listen to the pet parents and possibly even try
new things. If you have a vet like this, you’ve won half the IBD battle. You
need a vet that will be on the same side of the battle-lines with you and your
sick little baby and do what it takes…together.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you are unhappy with
your current vet or you need to find another one for whatever reason, here are
some things to look for:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Find a vet that has
experience with IBD (or any other disease that may apply) and is willing to
learn more about it. They can always do consultations with other vets and/or hospitals and consult with you in the process. They can
also take a look at my website and view the case studies to see what’s working
and what isn’t for different kitties. </span><a href="http://www.ibdkitties.net/LivingwithIBD.html" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">http://www.ibdkitties.net/LivingwithIBD.html</a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Make sure your vet
listens to your concerns about medication side effects, long term dosing and
different medication options. Arm yourself with knowledge so you know what
questions to ask.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Keep a diary for
yourself and your vet so they know exactly what’s happening with your pet and
what they’re looking for. Mention any vomiting, soft stools, diarrhea, blood in
stools, inappetance and so on. It’s much easier to remember everything that’s
happening and give the vet what they need to make a diagnosis. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Make sure your vet has
flexible hours and can squeeze you and your pet in if you feel something is not
right. You know your pet better than anyone. If you feel something is very off
or they’re sick, don’t wait to call for an appointment. Otherwise you may end
up taking your kitty to the emergency.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ask your vet’s office
for a copy of your pet’s records or at the very least, an itemized receipt.
This way you know exactly what they gave your pet, how much, what tests were
done, etc. If you do have to take kitty to the ER for something like an adverse
drug reaction, you’ll know exactly what was given to them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<u1:p></u1:p>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<u1:p></u1:p>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Just as in your own
medical care or that of your human child, be involved and ask questions. It’s
you’re right as a pet parent. Any good vet won’t have a problem with that as
long as you aren’t bombarding and overwhelming them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
IBDKittieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08542967766238603387noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-783184851261096158.post-3566149894733958782013-08-11T20:20:00.004-04:002013-08-11T20:25:17.771-04:00Kitty Caretakers<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I often speak about how stressful it is to care for an
ailing pet; how difficult it is and how draining. But also that there is a
connection made that can’t be broken. Anyone who’s has a sick kitty knows how
deep this runs. But what happens when the kitties become the caretakers? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">This has been a very difficult summer for me. My father
became very ill quickly and we almost lost him a couple of times. I’ve spent a
lot of my time going back and forth to the hospital and taking care of my
elderly mom as well. I wore myself out and my kitties knew it. They could tell
something was wrong and different and did all they could to show me how much
they love me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">There was no time or energy for playing. I came home
and took naps, ate something, then went back out. I came back home, did my
nightly rituals, tried to keep it together and went to bed. In between all of
that I did laundry, dishes, housework, etc. etc. But something else happened
that was wonderful. I got extra cuddles, extra kisses and extra love from my
furry kids.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It was just what the doctor ordered as I was very
scared and stressed. Finnegan and Lacey love my mom and dad and oftentimes go
downstairs to their house with me to visit them. When they couldn’t go for
awhile they knew something was wrong. So they gave me extra meows of comfort,
they kneaded the bed longer and more often and they looked at me with eyes that
said “we’re here for you mom, whenever you need us”. I don’t know what I’d do
without my two nursemaids. But I’m so grateful for them. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">They were so patient and understanding during this hard
time, as if they knew that I needed their love more than ever. And I got it. I’m
lucky to have such smart kitties, because for once I needed them more than they
needed me. And honestly when we think about why we have pets in the first
place, isn’t this the very reason? They are unconditional love and support
during good times and bad. And there’s nothing better in this world than when
your kitty kisses your tears away and purrs next to your heartbeat. That’s the
best medicine there is. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
IBDKittieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08542967766238603387noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-783184851261096158.post-80370115547214874232013-06-30T20:52:00.000-04:002013-06-30T20:52:08.385-04:00Ready or Not, Here I Come!<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">I can honestly say my babies are my life. I’d do anything
for them, they’re my priority. I go without many things so my kitties can have
what they need to be happy and healthy. I will admit that when I first took
them in, it was no walk in the park. I had lost Alex in a very traumatic way
and had convinced myself I would never again give my heart to another fur
child. It was though, extremely difficult. I soon found out it was too quiet
and too lonely. Although I did enjoy not having to clean so much and I was able
to have things like plants again…it just wasn’t the same.<span style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">But taking in one new baby, never mind two, was a shock
to my grieving process and admittedly it took a lot for me to let go of the
anger, resentment and pain of losing my soul kitty. I know I felt pushed by a
lot of people to get another fur child. And even though it all worked out in
the end, at the time, I just wasn’t ready. But I wouldn’t trade this time with
my two scampers for anything. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">Finnegan came to me first and he was a handful! He
climbed my curtains and wanted my attention 24/7, which is why I got Lacey.
Both of them fell in love with each other immediately. However, it took me a
little time to reach that point with them, I hadn’t finished grieving yet. But
they tugged and tugged on my heartstrings until I couldn’t resist anymore and I
gave in. I let my heart open to its full capacity and realized that Alex had
sent them to me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">The shock of losing Alex the way I did though scared me
to pieces. I realized there was always the chance of one of these two getting
sick. After all, there are never any guarantees and eventually they will get
old and get sick, and yes, die of something. It took me a good year to relax
and just enjoy them. I was so scared they would develop some life threatening
illness like Alex had. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">Losing a fur child is without a doubt one of the
hardest things we as pet lovers will ever go through. It can really mess us up!
For me, I was thrust back into momma hood very quickly but it turned out to be
just what I needed. I don’t think I could have done my website had I not
learned to laugh again and have something to look forward to everyday. But
everyone is different and we all know when it’s time to be alone and heal, or
when it’s time to open our arms and hearts again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">If you’re in that position right now and aren’t sure
what to do…don’t rush into anything because others are telling you to. Do it
because you’re ready, you feel the situation is right and/or because you’ve fallen
in love with the right little furry face.<span style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
IBDKittieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08542967766238603387noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-783184851261096158.post-43964818845730397992013-04-30T14:59:00.000-04:002013-04-30T15:15:46.246-04:00Goodnight Midnight<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">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. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">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. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">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.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Z97WLqBcri0/UYAXrU00P3I/AAAAAAAABcE/bfTKKmthy7c/s1600/Picture+229.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Z97WLqBcri0/UYAXrU00P3I/AAAAAAAABcE/bfTKKmthy7c/s320/Picture+229.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">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.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">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.</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">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.</span></div>
</div>
IBDKittieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08542967766238603387noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-783184851261096158.post-91398746795551337162013-04-10T14:31:00.000-04:002013-04-10T14:49:31.313-04:00The Risks of Feeding Your Pet<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">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. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">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. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">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. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">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.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">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. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">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. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
IBDKittieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08542967766238603387noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-783184851261096158.post-78171582708903220572013-03-15T15:57:00.003-04:002013-03-15T15:57:33.345-04:00Allergy Season…Not Just for People Anymore<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 115%;">Allergy season is upon us again and I’m already
feeling the effect of the trees blooming. I know pretty soon<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span style="font-size: small;">my kitties will also. Plus any kitty
with a chronic illness can have allergy symptoms due to a suppressed immune</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span style="font-size: small;">system. Your pet is just as
susceptible to pollen allergies as we</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span style="font-size: small;">humans
are. Here are some simple tips to help curb those allergy attacks from your
furbabies. Keep your window sills clean. Wipe</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span style="font-size: small;">them
down with soap and water or a mixture of vinegar and water. Give your kitty a
good wipe down with kitty</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span style="font-size: small;">wipes (I
use Tropiclean allergy wipes, they have no chemicals or bad ingredients: (</span></span><a href="http://www.ibdkitties.net/Groomingoral.html" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 115%;">http://ibdkitties.</span></a><a href="http://www.ibdkitties.net/Groomingoral.html" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 115%;">net/Groomingoral.html</span></a><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 115%;">), or even just a soft
cloth with water a couple of times a week during high allergy days to<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>get that pollen off their fur! Try
using an electrostatic dust cloth like Swiffer since it will pick<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>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<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>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. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 115%;">Keep their ears clean
and free of pollen and mites and if their eyes get red and irritated you can
use pure saline to<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>give them a
little moisturizing rinse. Use a furminator to get the extra layer of fur off
and brush them OFTEN.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>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<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>per
week for respiratory and eye issues. You can subscribe to a daily email of your
local area’s pollen count<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>and
they’ll tell you the numbers and specifically what pollen is active at that
time: </span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 115%;">www.pollen.com/allergy-weather-forecast.asp</span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 115%;">. Don’t forget this is only March and seasonal allergies
last well</span><span class="apple-converted-space" style="line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 115%;">into November! I’m
suffering already so that automatically puts me into kitty pollen mode.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
If respiratory/allergies and/or terrible itching of the skin are
uncontrollable, ask your vet about Zyrtec. I’ve seen a<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>lot of good things about it being used
in cats, and some have managed to lower their prednisone doses because<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>of it. The following articles are
really worth reading, especially if your pet has symptoms of eosinophilic
diseases. The<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>more I read about
this condition, the more I think in IBD kitties, it can be a side effect of inflammation
in their intestines.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Why I Love Zyrtec for
Cats</span></span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">www.petmd.com/blogs/dailyvet/2010/february/zyrtec_for_cats#.T2o0UtW6-N8<u><span style="color: blue;"><br />
</span></u><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 115%;"><b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Eosinophilic diseases; Skin Diseases
from Allergies in Cats<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">http://www.petmd.com/cat/conditions/skin/c_ct_eosinophilic_granuloma_complex#.T2o19NW6-N8<u><span style="color: blue;"><br />
<br />
</span></u>For insect bites or stings you could use fractionally
distilled clear aloe vera liquid, (I have some on the<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>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<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Organics
Aloe Vera Extract on the grooming page. It’s a powder that can be made into a
paste for wounds as<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>well as used
internally for digestion.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
PLEASE remember that if you have to use pesticides for any reason, remove
clothing and shoes immediately<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>when
entering the house, wash yourself up very well (showering would be best, also
washing your hair) and<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>wash your
clothing in the laundry. Pesticides are sometimes a necessary evil, especially
when you have a<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>horrible pest
infestation that’s doing some major damage. Remember to close your windows
before you<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>spray or apply
anything on your property as the wind can bring it in the house. I know I sound
like a crazy,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>paranoid pet parent
but I have learned so much about pet safety and health. They are just like our
kids and their<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>systems need
protecting as much as possible. Chemicals can cause cancer and we need to be<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>extremely careful. Don’t forget
that so many of your kitties already have compromised immune systems and it<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>doesn’t take much with a cat to tip
the scales and develop additional conditions and being on steroids can<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>help that along. It’s a good idea when
you’re mowing the lawn to shut the windows<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>until
you’re completely done and again, remove your shoes, shower and wash your hair.
I have to do that<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>anyway otherwise
I’m very sick afterwards, I’m severely allergic. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Think about removing
the cover from your cat’s litter box as ANY cat litter contains dust, some more
than<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>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. </span></span></div>
IBDKittieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08542967766238603387noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-783184851261096158.post-46291765779225020342013-03-06T12:55:00.000-05:002013-03-06T13:08:47.123-05:00What's In Your Water?<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">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.” </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drug_disposal/takeback/</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">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 </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">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. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">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. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">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, <u>increasing the risk of gastrointestinal tumors</u>. 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. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">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.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is the filter that we use:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">www.crystalclearsupply.com/Countertop_Water_Filter_p/ct.htm.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">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.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">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.</span><br />
<br />
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<br /></div>
</div>
IBDKittieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08542967766238603387noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-783184851261096158.post-26641669888755563462013-02-26T18:10:00.000-05:002013-02-26T18:10:22.248-05:00Little Known Bad Ingredients<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">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!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="text"><b>Soy</b></span><span class="text"> </span><span class="text">contains compounds called phytoestrogens, which are
basically </span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222;">estrogen hormone-like chemicals found in plants
that can act like the hormone estrogen.</span><span class="text"> 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.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="text"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2012/03/28/avoid-using-soy-on-pets.aspx">http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2012/03/28/avoid-using-soy-on-pets.aspx</a><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="text"><b>Spinach</b></span><span class="text"> 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. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span class="text"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">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! </span></span><a href="http://www.ibdkitties.net/January2012.html" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">www.ibdkitties.net/January2012.html</span></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="text"><b>Carrageenan</b></span><span class="text"> has
been known for awhile to be a problem. U</span><span style="background-color: white;">sed as a
thickening and stabilizing agent in foods, carrageenans are highly flexible molecules<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span>produced by different types of
seaweed. The thickness of the agent depends on which seaweed is used to make<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>the finished product.
Scientific studies have shown that carrageenan can induce inflammatory bowel
disease<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>(IBD) in both
humans and animals. Unfortunately carrageenan is used in just about every
commercial pet food<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>available.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="text"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://truthaboutpetfood2.com/carrageenan-just-dont-do-it">http://truthaboutpetfood2.com/carrageenan-just-dont-do-it</a><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<span class="text"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">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.</span></span></span><br />
IBDKittieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08542967766238603387noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-783184851261096158.post-62792314829636318792013-02-15T15:05:00.000-05:002013-02-15T15:05:10.992-05:00The Winter Blahs<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">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.<span style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">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. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">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.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4feircyhkXU/UR6UxxS5Z6I/AAAAAAAABbc/IBMmsgNfwR8/s1600/Picture+018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="197" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4feircyhkXU/UR6UxxS5Z6I/AAAAAAAABbc/IBMmsgNfwR8/s320/Picture+018.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">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! </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">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.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">Tell me how you entertain your pets during the long
winter months!<span style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
IBDKittieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08542967766238603387noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-783184851261096158.post-4457290118950084072013-01-30T14:12:00.000-05:002013-01-30T14:12:59.238-05:00When a Cat Stops Eating<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;">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.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;">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.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;">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 <u>must</u>. 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.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;">Syringing can not only get the right amount of calories in
them but can also turn on that hunger switch. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">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.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;">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. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;">For more information on fatty liver disease, see this
page of my site: <a href="http://www.ibdkitties.net/fattyliver.html">http://www.ibdkitties.net/fattyliver.html</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;">For instructions on syringe feeding see this page: <a href="http://www.ibdkitties.net/syringefeeding.html">http://www.ibdkitties.net/syringefeeding.html</a>.<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
IBDKittieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08542967766238603387noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-783184851261096158.post-67024805453999705442013-01-20T13:28:00.001-05:002013-01-20T13:28:28.829-05:00The Next Step<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">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. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">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. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">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. </span>IBDKittieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08542967766238603387noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-783184851261096158.post-29874804977592805372013-01-15T22:30:00.001-05:002013-01-24T19:04:49.100-05:00Do You Deserve Your Pet?<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">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 <u>anything</u><span style="font-size: small;"> 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.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">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.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">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. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">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. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">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! <span style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
IBDKittieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08542967766238603387noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-783184851261096158.post-90100121630715627002013-01-07T23:18:00.000-05:002013-01-15T20:19:21.576-05:00Equal Rights<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;">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.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;">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. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;">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.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;">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 <u>affordable</u> 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. </span>IBDKittieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08542967766238603387noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-783184851261096158.post-63397840620025141572012-12-27T22:08:00.000-05:002013-01-15T20:19:05.240-05:00Playing It Safe<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;">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. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;">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.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;">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. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;">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.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;">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. <u>Always</u> be aware of that, no matter what you’re doing. Being extra
careful could save the life of your pet. </span>IBDKittieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08542967766238603387noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-783184851261096158.post-15230442425511041852012-12-16T19:59:00.000-05:002013-01-15T20:18:42.422-05:00My Every Day Gifts<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;">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 <u>do</u> 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.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;">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.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;">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. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;">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”.</span>IBDKittieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08542967766238603387noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-783184851261096158.post-85673772305332212162012-12-09T18:36:00.000-05:002013-01-15T20:18:25.434-05:00Christmas Tree-LESS<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;">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. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;">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 <b><u>I</u></b>
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. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;">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.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;">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. </span>IBDKittieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08542967766238603387noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-783184851261096158.post-55186295063799229162012-11-29T16:02:00.000-05:002013-01-15T20:18:06.207-05:00It Takes a Village<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;">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?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;">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. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;">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. <span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
IBDKittieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08542967766238603387noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-783184851261096158.post-10972162497201118692012-11-20T13:49:00.000-05:002013-01-15T20:17:47.297-05:00The War on IBD<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;">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. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;">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.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;">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. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;">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.<span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
IBDKittieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08542967766238603387noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-783184851261096158.post-49145057472747620282012-11-11T18:04:00.000-05:002013-01-15T20:17:26.148-05:00Why I Love My Cats<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;">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 <u>just</u> 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. <span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-m-ZNqC3tuvM/UKsFMVXz-QI/AAAAAAAABaM/stH_5sgP1MY/s1600/Picture+006+(3).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-m-ZNqC3tuvM/UKsFMVXz-QI/AAAAAAAABaM/stH_5sgP1MY/s320/Picture+006+(3).JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">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 </span><a href="http://www.ibdkitties.net/giftshops.html" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">www.ibdkitties.net/giftshops.html</a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">
and it saved my relationship with him.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;">It took about a month for him to be
completely over that <i>horrific</i> 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!<span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
IBDKittieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08542967766238603387noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-783184851261096158.post-14112622317288103562012-11-05T22:44:00.000-05:002013-01-15T20:16:53.666-05:00Up Close & Personal<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">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.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">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.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">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.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">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.</span></div>
IBDKittieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08542967766238603387noreply@blogger.com18