Meet Mutchka!

1990

We heard the weak cries of a kitten outside. When we found him he was soooo skinny that you could see his bones. He was only a few weeks old.   Covered with flees.  We brought him in and fed him, quickly took him to the vet and they gave him a flee bath and gave him a physical.

We brought him back home and introduced him to Buddy.  There were a few hisses but nothing serious.  Then something weird happened.  We didn't see Mutchka for almost 2 weeks.  We looked everywhere.  The food we left out was eaten by morning.  But we noticed a bump in the back of our sofa getting bigger. Yes, he had been living in our sofa!

Eventually he was too big for his hiding place and he started to explore.  He was very skiddish, frightened easily. Our vet said usually white cats with blue eyes are deaf but Mutchka's hearing was normal.  The Vet said it was due to 1 dark hair on the very top of his head.  Buddy started to teach Mutchka about boxes. It was so cute.

Mutchka was mentally slow.  It was because he was taken from his mom too soon and he didn't get the benefit of mother's milk.  And he didn't learn socialization at an early age.  Anyway, Buddy and Mutchka became best friends.  Our hearts melted when we saw them together. 

"Catnip"

I can't believe how cruel people can be. They can allow a poor little kitten to be left outside alone and not take the time to take him to a shelter or ask friends if they can adopt him.
Thank you if you have adopted a stray.
Share your stories with us!
Support ASPCA

  https://read.amazon.com/kp/embed?asin=B08GKBNM6P&preview=newtab&linkCode=kpe&ref_=cm_sw_r_kb_dp_ZP2P5YFDHZ7RAQ5NVVD4

https://www.aspca.org/news/what-do-if-you-find-kittens-outside

 

Buddy Loved Boxes!

Buddy had a thing for boxes!!!!!

Any box in sight was a definite challenge.  He loved any size.

He had to get in even if it took some work.

He even introduced shy Mutchka to boxes.

Buddy was so beautiful.  He had such a wonderful personality and it didn't take him long to become the boss of our home.

 

And then there were the weekends.  Oh, those wild weekends.
Well, actually, this was the after affects of the beloved catnip.

Buddy never touched hard liquor. lol 😊

https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/crazy-catnip#:~:text=Researchers%20suspect%20that%20catnip%20targets,growl%20at%20the%20same%20time.

This is "Buddy"

 

After being married several years I felt like I would never convince my husband that I needed a cat.  Then it happened.

One morning I heard a kitten crying outside our window.  All I  could see out there was a paper bag.  I went outside and noticed the cries were coming from the bag.  

Inside was this tiny kitten covered in fleas.  I brought him in and spent the rest of the day cleaning the little guy up and trying to figure out how I was going to introduce him to my husband.  

When my husband came home from work he heard the kitten and my story began.  I told him what happened in the morning.  And I told him how much I had been wanting a cat.  It seemed to me that it was fate that brought this little guy to us.  
He needed a good home and I needed a cat. Perfect fit.

Of course we kept him. Took him to the Vet.  Got all his shots. And my husband fell in love with him.  I found out that my husband had never been around cats before and confessed he was kind of afraid of them.  He thought they were too sneaky.

Now the name.  I came up with the name "Skids" since he was sort of a skid row cat.  But as time went by my husband just called him "Buddy".

I can not understand how people can just get rid of kittens.  I wish they would do the responsible thing and take them to a reputable shelter.

I will tell you more about Buddy in my next post.  And please share your stories.

https://www.aspca.org/

https://www.youtube.com/user/aspca

*If you’re in the L.A. area, you can also visit fixnation.org for additional community cat resources and information.

 

Older Cats Will Sleep More

Yes, senior cats will sleep more.  They may not have the energy you have been so accustomed to.  

That's when they need more help from you.

They probably won't feel like grooming themselves, so take time to brush their fur.  This will help avoid matting of their hair which can be painful.

Also pay attention to their nails. Since older cats usually are arthritic, they have trouble grooming their own nails.  Trim the nails regularly to avoid them becoming overgrow. 

Overgrown nails can dig into their paw pads and cause pain.

If you do not feel comfortable trimming your cat's nails you can have them trimmed at the Vet or groomer for a minimal fee.

You furry friend may demand more attention and crave closeness.  Spend some time petting, combing and gentle playtime.

I know it is so hard seeing our little companions getting old.

Spend quality time with them.  You both will feel better.
 

What Happens When Cats Get Older

In this post I will review a few of the problems senior cats can face.  

This was our 20 year old cat who had to be put to sleep last summer due to end stage renal disease.  As you can see, she was very thin.

Weight loss in seniors can be caused by:

• Chronic Kidney Disease
• Dental Disease
• Diabetes
• Thyroid Disease
• Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency
• Bowel Disease
• Cancer

Best thing to do is have the Vet perform some tests and see what the problem may be and discuss the appropriate course of treatment.

It may be as simple as getting some teeth pulled followed by some antibiotics.

Maybe some intravenous fluids and diet change.

In our case, CC had to be changed to a strict renal diet which was prescription. Such a diet can be ordered through your vet or a service like Chewy.com. 

Even with the diet change we made a few emergent trips to the Vet for IV fluids. 

Note: Another worrisome symptom of renal disease is increased water intake and decrease urination.  Eventually the kidneys shut down and they don't produce urine.  Unfortunately this leads to lethal levels of toxins building up in the blood.  So keep an eye on that litter box.  Nausea and vomiting is also common.

Also, dementia will likely become apparent.  Most notably howling at night when they become disoriented. (leaving a light on may help)  They may also forget to eat or forget they just ate.  So monitor their oral intake.

Pain, possibly from arthritis, can also cause howling.  Your cat may become withdrawn.  

Whatever symptoms your cat exhibits will help you and your Vet come to an agreement on a plan of care for your dear furry friend.

Our Vet was very supportive and would call to check on CC at least once or twice a week.  She answered so many questions for me. 

We finally agreed that there was not much that was going to help CC's quality of life.  That's when she helped me through the process of letting go.

I recommend holding your pet while he/she goes to sleep.  It's not for everyone but I have done it with 2 pets now and it really helped me cope with the loss.  Helped with closure.

I hope this information has been helpful.  Please let me know your experiences with losing a pet.

Senior Cats Need Extra Attention

Cats are considered seniors by the time they reach 11 years old.  So we need to be more attentive to their behavior and needs.

• Make sure they see the Vet at least once a year
• Watch for any change in their eating habits
• Monitor their litter box habits
• Make sure they are drinking water
• Be aware of changes in activity
• Get their teeth checked yearly to help prevent infection
• Monitor their weight
• Observe if they are having trouble walking or jumping on the bed
• Increase in vocalization

In my next post I will go into more detail about all of the above.
Being a cat owner isn't as simple as it appears.  It's a big responsibility we take on.

See you next time.

Rosie the Raccoon

I  know what you are thinking.  You noticed that there is a leash on this raccoon.  Well, you are correct.  There is a leash.

This was my pet raccoon, Rosie.  I was 13 years old when someone game me Rosie as a "kit".  A baby raccoon is called a kit.  She was a few months old in this photo.

She lived in a cage when she wasn't out playing with me.  She knew her name and would come when you called her.

Raccoons are very smart. Rosie was no exception.  

When she was about 6 or 7 months old she picked the lock of her cage and killed one of our chickens.
Unfortunately this experience turned her into her natural wild self. 

My parents couldn't go near her anymore.  She still played with me but it was getting too rough for me. 

My parents felt she was too much for me to handle so she was given to a family who had a teenage son.  I missed her.

Has anyone heard of a pet raccoon before?  If so, please let me know,
 

Great Progress with Pheromone Collar

I think we have a winner.  So far at least.

The collar seems to have helped Fanny be more like her old self.

I know she will never be exactly like she was when she had CC around.  

My husband and I have discussed getting a kitten for her but at her age I'm not so sure that is a good idea.

She is very attached to us and I don't think she would appreciate any competition for our affection now.

As long as she seems more relaxed and interacts more with us-I'm happy.  It's a start.

https://www.amazon.com/SOBAKEN-Calming-Collar-Cat-Aggression/dp/B084142RG7/ref=sr_1_50?crid=18A3CA434LFJ8&dchild=1&keywords=calming+collar+for+cats&qid=1613028819&sprefix=calming+%2Caps%2C242&sr=8-50

Fanny Takes a Toy Out of Her Basket

 

Fanny has finally taken a toy out of her toy basket.

She hasn't done that since her friend CC died last July. She did it while we were out today.

I really think the Pheromone collar is working. We are thrilled.

Is Fanny a Russian Blue?

 

https://www.thesprucepets.com/russian-blue-cat-4580390

She has many characteristics of a Russian Blue: Eyes, mauve paw pads, double layered coat, loyalty, cuddly.

Hard to tell since she was a stray.

Me and Tippy

This is Tippy.  He was the only dog I called my own. 

Interesting fact:  My dad traded a post hole digger for him.

It was common back then for farmers to trade among themselves.  

Tippy was such a cutie.

Anyone out their ever own a Pomeranian? They are pretty tiny under all that hair!

 

Ozzie The Rooster

Here is another photo of my mom with Ozzie.

1964

He was so unique. 

 

Fanny Update

Fanny continues to do well.  

She tends to get into "routines" very easily so we nightly have to do the egg carton game with her treats.  Otherwise I will not get any rest. 😉

Does anyone have a cat that drives you crazy with "routines"?

Fido and Butch our Border Collies

We always had 2 Border Collies as watchdogs for our property.

 My Dad had them trained really well to let us know if a stranger came near. Gave my Mom and I a sense of security when my Dad was away at night working in the steel mill.

Their names were Fido (left) and Butch.  I was about 10 years old when this photo was taken (around 1961).

There were also 2 other Border Collies on the property used strictly for herding cattle.  They were awesome to watch when they were working.  So smart.

Is there anyone out there who lived on a farm and used border collies?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gY_KujhVW6s