Sunday Selfies

B.W. Huckleberry with Gooseberry in the background

B.W. Huckleberry in a photo fail, sort of

We're joining the Kitties Blue for the Sunday Selfies blog hop. Haven't been able to get anything else together for a post today so this will be it. Enjoy.

A Recap of the Week Gone By

Wow, did I ever miss the boat(s)! Because of the weather I thought I should point out the winter hazards that are on the horizon. But I forgot two other happenings: National Veterinary Technician Week and World Cat Day (didn’t that used to be Feral Cats Day?).

Just because National Veterinary Technician Week is over that doesn’t mean you can’t go ahead and thank your local veterinary technician. Sure, veterinarians perform the surgeries but whom do you think preps the animals for surgery? And the veterinarian must diagnose diseases and be the one to prescribe medications for your pet but a veterinary technician will actually dispense those medications. Veterinary technicians will run lab work so the veterinarian can make that diagnosis. In smaller clinics you might even find veterinary technicians helping to clean the kennels, bathe animals and answer phone calls. No matter what role they play in the clinic/hospital you take your pet to, don’t they deserve a simple thank-you?

Two-y before he came inside

World Cat Day is important to me because I am devoted to my cats and because all of my present cats are “retired” ferals or the offspring of ferals. Without my work with feral colonies I wouldn’t have my present family! And I’m proud to say that last year I took in the last feral cat from the last colony I’ve worked with. His name is Two-y and he is slowly learning how to be a domestic cat. Just this weekend he came out of his cubbyhole to try to join the other cats at mealtime. They aren’t yet ready for this though so he had to go back to his cubbyhole to eat. I’m proud to say that yesterday I was able to clip his claws without having someone else to hold him.

I’m happy today because we may have found the cause of Mulberry Spot’s illness. First we had to diagnose his food sensitivity (probably an allergy) by going through diet after diet until finally he is stable on Royal Canin’s Ultamino diet. That helped to stop his vomiting and he stopped pulling out his fur. I have to be extremely careful not to leave any food out where he can get into them. He eats his meal in a carrier and doesn’t get to come out until after I’ve picked up all the other bowls and utensils.

Mulberry Spot at the Cat-n-Around Cat Club show

He continued to have diarrhea though and he continued to lose weight and muscle mass. Finally this week we submitted a fecal swab for a culture and sensitivity. It appears, tentatively, that the culprit is E. coli haemalytic. So I started Spotty on the appropriate antibiotic today and am praying that will be the solution.

Mulberry Spot is my last show cat. I continued showing him until he started to get sick. He is now retired from the show circuit, and enjoys his cuddle time.

Strawberry: "Can I get back to my nap now?"

We are joining The Cat on my Head again this week for Sunday Selfies. By popular request I helped Strawberry with his selfie. I interrupted his nap, however, and he wasn’t particularly pleased. I’ve also included a photo of a part of my feline family curled up together in a very warm lump. Enjoy!

Spot, Strawberry, Glitter, Gooseberry, B.W.

Winter Hazards

We're joining The Cat on My Head again for Sunday Selfies although this might be titled Easy Like Sunday Morning.

Jabberwoky Glitter and B.W. Huckleberry

 Our weather took a turn toward winter this weekend. Saturday we had our first hard freeze. I bring this up because it reminds us all to be sure we have our pets prepared for winter hazards. Even if your dog is “indoor only” he will be going outside a few times a day to tend to business and maybe go for walks.

First remember that some breeds relish winter weather but even they aren’t prepared for the worst that winter can throw at us. My late American Eskimo dog, Blizzard, loved to run outside after his baths to roll around in the snow – he was still wet! But even he knew that once the temperature hit below zero, inside was a much better place for him.

Two-y when he decided to be an indoor cat

Walks are another story. Think about all the things your dog’s paws touch during your walks. Remember he’s barefooted. He could be walking through salt or other thawing agents from the roads or sidewalks. There might even be anti-freeze mixing in there. And imagine all the ice that could be packing in his paws. That builds up and hurts his paws. Two possibilities can help. First, be sure to clean your dog’s feet off as soon as you get back to your house. Second, consider getting some boots for him. Pet supply stores usually carry them so you can try them on before buying.

Then there are the times when you might be transporting your pet somewhere. Be sure to line the carrier with something warm and cuddly. Also consider a cover for the carrier. I made a couple for my carriers when I was showing my cats. They are made of fleece and sewn to fit the carriers. I used Velcro on the front flap to make it easy to open. You might also put sweaters on your cats or shorthair dogs to help keep them warm.

This cold spell may only be temporary but winter is coming. Let’s all prepare for it now.

How do you protect your pets from winter hazards? Do you have some that I’ve left out?

A Cat Show and More

Maine Coons playing it cool

I’m sorry I’m so late with my Sunday Selfies hosted by Cat On My Head post but I spent the weekend at a local cat show. The weekend started out with a horrible thunderstorm. Of course I drove through the worst of it. I thought it was like God emptying his buckets of water on me. Then he added scary lightning bolts to accentuate the storm. Eventually I made it to the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines. We have a guest selfie today. He'll appear at the end.

Have you ever been to a cat show? Regardless of the association that backs them, cat shows serve many purposes. First of all they help to promote the pedigreed cat. It’s a great place to learn about the many different breeds. You might have a chance to visit with the breeders themselves to learn about the breed and any kittens they have available for purchase. I was surprised to see two new breeds, the Toybob and the Kurilian Bobtail.

  

Toybob

Kurilian Bobtail and a Maine Coon

Then there are the vendors. You might find just about anything related to cats at a show. At this show, the annual Cat-n-Around Cat Club show (an American Cat Fancier's Association club), vendors included cat supplies (toys galore, beds, show tents, grooming tools, bowls and more toys!), a booth with bows, collars and leashes, a cat furniture booth, a cleaning products booth and my sister’s booth of amazing artwork that features . . . cats!

 

Many clubs also have a raffle to help raise money. In most cases, if they make a profit, the money is donated to a needy cat-related organization. Cat shows help to raise awareness of cat issues. At this show a local rescue, Happy Tails Ranch and Rescue, had a booth where they sold baskets to raise money and had some adoptable kittens for people to fawn over. They didn’t adopt them out at the show but rather took applications for possible rescues. That way they can check references before adopting out any animals.

And my favorite part of the show is the Household Pet class where mixed breed cats and pedigreed cats that don’t qualify for the championship classes can compete for the highest honors. At this show one particular cat stood out to me. His name was Sunshine. He was a bright light on a dreary weekend.

Sunshine

Sunshine originally came from a Missouri rescue. He’d had a virus that took his eyesight. Yes, he was totally blind but still qualified for the Household Pet class because he was a friendly guy, well groomed and otherwise healthy. That’s all we ask of our Household Pet competitors. Oh, and the judges have to like them. I don’t know how well Sunshine did overall but in the one ring I was able to watch he took the Best Cat award. He made me smile and he wasn’t even my cat!

Yes, I think it was a good weekend spent with friends and cats. Much better than a weekend mowing my lawn. And my Iowa State Cyclones won!