I usually sit on the floor to enjoy the sunpuddle, but I had to go up to the arm of the chair for this one. Mom’s never seen me here before, but a girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do to enjoy a late winter sunpuddle.
Last Monday the vampire vet took more of my blood, and this time it was sent off for testing. The results were mostly very good, except my thyroid hormone levels were too high. This is called hyperthyroidism, and it’s a common disease in older kitties. Some educational information about hyperthyroidism in cats can be found here (Peteducation.com) and here (Cornell). In a nutshell, the thyroid gland in your neck produces too much thyroid hormone and your metabolism “revs up” and causes a variety of serious health problems.
I have several symptoms of hyperthyrodism:
My symptoms are mild, so it wasn’t obvious that my thyroid hormone levels were too high. It’s a good thing I was tested so we can start treatment and keep me as healthy as possible.
I’ve started taking medication that prevents me from making thyroid hormone. I will have to take it for the rest of my life.
The medicine comes in a pill or in a cream that can be applied to the inside of my ears. Since I’m not a treat eater and will get cranky after a few days of having to take a pill morning and night, Mom decided to try the cream medicine. I cooperate with the ear massages as long as Mom doesn’t mess up my long ear furs and make my ears tickle.
I’ll have to go to the vet again in a few weeks to have my blood checked and make sure the medicine is working and not causing any bad side effects.
This morning Mom made my ear cream a little more pleasant by letting me enjoy some fresh, chilly air at the open window. We have to go now so Mom can stop me from grooming too much medicine from my ears! Have a great Caturday everyone!
You know the phrase “Sh!t Happens”. Well, we had a “Blood Happens!” mishap.
I went to the vet last Friday (February 9). I’ve been feeling poorly occasionally, and I’ve lost 1 pound over the last 6 months. Sometimes I have super gurgly guts that you can hear from across the room. I lose my appetite or vomit a little, and just feel poorly for a day. Since I’m 13+ years old, Mom suspects I’m developing some health issues and wanted to get me checked out.
The vet gave me a thorough exam and agrees that I’m probably starting to have some type of intestinal health issues. He took some of my blood and suggested medications we can use to keep my digestive system calm.
When Mom called for my test results, the vet apologized and said they lost my blood! They didn’t lose the results, they lost my blood!
I’ll go back to the vampire on Monday so he can steal my blood again.
The worst part about having to give blood is that it’s a 40 minute drive each way, so it cuts into my morning sunpuddle time!
I do have some good new to share. Mom found another allergy-friendly food that I enjoy. It’s made by the same company that makes the food I currently eat, but it has more of the rabbit meatiness that I like. Mom’s hoping my interest in this food will make it easier for me to maintain my weight.
Mom & Dad visited the local animal shelter today to look at this kitty.
He was described as being approximately 16 years old and “gentle, affectionate, loving”. He needs medication for high blood pressure and has limited vision. He was being housed in a multi-cat room, so he’s proven to get along with other cats.
Lucky for me, they decided he wasn’t a good match for our family. Ambivalent is the best way they could describe him. After 5 minutes of petting him in his bed - to which he showed no interest other than some mild tail twitching, he stood up to stretch and Mom gently put him on her lap. He didn’t settle in and didn’t seem particularly interested in being with a person. They stayed with him for about 15 minutes while he got up for a snack, visited the litter box, and wandered around the room before going back to his bed. He never showed any interest in Mom or Dad.
Maybe he was having a lackadaisical afternoon, or maybe he didn’t take a liking to Mom & Dad the way Sammi and I did when we were choosing them as our new family. In any case, they decided he wasn’t a good fit for us. We hope he meets his match soon and can settle in to a permanent home.
This boy isn’t at risk of being euthanized (at least for now). He’s one of the luckiest cats at the shelter because he’s housed in the “catfe”, a large area dedicated to promoting the adoption of adult cats. This area houses up to 5 adult cats, and potential adopters can hang out enjoy a free cup of coffee. Here’s a photo of the room. Behind the camera, there’s an adjoining area with a big window & window seat and the litter boxes. 
It’s unfortunate that there are so many animals who need homes, but I’m glad our community has several large shelters that do their best to provide care for many animals who are waiting to be adopted.
Today is National Hugging Day and it brings back wonderful memories of the best hugging kitty I’ve ever had - My Eddie Bear. Ed’s favorite thing to do was lie on me and nuzzle his head into my neck to try to get my hair. He was a big, sweet, oaf of a mancat and I loved rubbing my fingers through his very floofy neck ruff.
Ed was one of my First Generation kitties who lived with us from 1995- 2006. The first post on this blog in 2006 was about losing him, but I’ll have to write about some of his antics and quirks. He was a fantastic kitty and quite a character.
We enjoy watching Vet Ranch where veterinarians treat homeless animals and get them healthy for adoption. The videos feature rescued animals who can be in poor condition and often contain surgery. But the videos are always informative, positive, and I don’t think I’ve seen one yet that didn’t have a happy ending.
Raven and Sammi were adopted from the Sacramento SPCA.
