Kitty’s Ears Going Bald!!

OMG!! My kitty has balding ears!!!!!! How did THAT happen? I totally freaked out. This cannot be happening. I mean, what the hell??

 Here’s a before picture:

 

                                           Nice, furry ears–right?

And here is a more recent picture:

And one more shot that so clearly shows this:

 

YIKES!!!!!

I’ve had kitties before and none of them had balding ears. OH!!! Any other signs of balding any place else? I looked…..and to my relief, no. SHEW!!!!!! So, I called my vet. My holistic vet. Who went down the list of possibilities. We decided to   give her a vitamin / mineral supplement as we’ve been playing with her food (attempting to get her to eat more nutritionally and we’ve been somewhat successful), however, she hasn’t really been eating a whole lot.  So I went to the vet’s website and selected NuCat for Seniors, since Sissy is getting up there (ahem).

Yesterday I put down one of the vitamins and she scarfed it down immediately, no problem. YES!!!! However, she was not  up to eating anymore. She’s supposed to take 4 a day!! Great. So today I broke up the little tablet (shaped like a little fish…lol)  into smaller chunks and put it in with her food. SUCCESS!!

 Now…we’ll see how she does growing back that fur!!!

Sissy the Jungle Kitty!

 

 I am blending in so you can’t see me! See? I have to check out what’s going on, see who’s coming into the room and be ready. This is my job, you see, because I’m the only one who can fit here. Aren’t I smart?

Hey, what’s over there? Something’s going on….meow……a birdie?? Hummmm…..Oh…false alarm.

 

 

Now  …back to hiding. This time, I’ll just peek out a little bit so I’m hidden better.  These humans really need my help….

 

 Now….this plant is my hat! HA! I look so stylish!!  Purrs…..

Oh this place would just fall apart without me. Tisk tisk.

Okay, I’m exhausted now, time for a nap.  Later dudes!

Trip to the Doctor

 Once I got Sissy here, it was obvious something wasn’t right. She was displaying symptoms of kidney problems. I tried to rationalize this away, and put off taking her to the vet, but finally I took her. Sure enough, that’s what the diagnosis was. Immediately I contacted a homeopathic vet who told me that with the right diet and homeopathy, it was possible to turn this around. So we started working together, trying to change her diet over to something more healthy for her, and giving her homeopathic remedies. She did show some good changes, like grooming herself, rubbing her head against the step and other more normal catlike behaviors. She came downstairs, and became very affectionate with me. But her appetite is not improving , nor is the telltale litter box behavior characterized by kidney problems. However,  given her lab results, she is doing well as she is acting pretty normal otherwise. So whatever we’re doing is helping her.  Keep your fingers crossed!!!

Other Loving Animal Couples

 

 

    

 

 

Happy Valentine’s Day

 Sissy, Happy Valentine’s Day.  You are a funny little being and I am most grateful to have you in my life. You make me laugh every time I see you hop up the stairs, and every time I find you when you play hide and seek . You have given me so much joy.

You were an alley kitten, fed by two old ladies. My mother somehow found them and then found you. You are a testament to how wonderful a “free” kitty can be. And you have been through so much, yet are able to love just the same. I learn from  you every day, little one. Be well and thank  you for gracing my life with yours.

Her Personality is Discovered!

   So Sissy had been pretty much contented to stay on the bed, mosey on out to use the litter box in the bathroom, and then go back and hop on the bed. She did enjoy looking out the window perched on the cat tree.

           Over time she ventured into the computer room, finding a favorite spot on my computer chair (which I now must share with her). She straddled the computer mouse, demanding that she wanted it. I had to give her one of her own so that she would let me use mine. Sometimes she would also refuse to get out of the bed, even if I tried to make it. She would plant herself in the bed and totally refuse to move, even as I would try to pull the sheet from under her. It was amazing.

 

Note the very determined look on her face.  “Don’t mess with me. I want to stay here…and that’s that!”

       Every night she lets loose these mournful meows. Shez. I thought they would stop after a while, and I guess they have decreased in frequency, but she still does cry at night. I go upstairs and talk to her, and she stops, then later on she starts up again.

     Oh…and she likes to play hide and seek. She will go into a room, meow until I come in to see where she is, and then she nonchalantly walks out. She has found a closet that is almost like a small room to go hide in…that’s her favorite spot. This closet/small room is fairly deep so I just pile things up in there. (Hey, let’s not discuss my housekeeping habits, okay?) She’ll wander through it all, finding somewhere to settle in.  She’ll even go and sit up in one of the shelves. Then she meows….”come find me, come find me!”  It’s dark in there so  I peer inside to see if she’s there and I see just her eyes looking at me. Then of course she’ll meow. “You found me!!” I don’t know …am I supposed to hide next? I usually just laugh and then go back to do whatever I was doing.

        After a while we decided it was okay for her to come downstairs. She managed the steps, her first time trying, and was downstairs. She of course went right for the poisonous plants. NOOOOO!!!!!!  AHHH!!!!….I furiously searched the internet for something I could use and found a product and YES Petsmart sold it! Hooray! So off to PetSmart .  I found it –the product is called Grannick’s Bitter Apple, and used it and voila- it worked perfectly. Next time she came downstairs she went right for plant again. This time, she just sniffed it then turned and walked away. Success!! I was so relieved.

       Now she comes downstairs numerous times during the day and evening. She sometimes follows me around, meowing. She likes to supervise what I write on the computer…like now. She’s sitting here watching me type, purring, making sure that I only write good things about her! While I watch TV she will venture on into the family room, jump up on the table and drink water out of my mug. She’ll knead my stomach and then curl up inside my arm and sleep…..I am totally blissed out!

     Sissy is opinonated, stubborn at times, sweet, affectionate and funny. What a surprise. I thought she was standoffish and cold. No….she just is a one person cat, that’s all. Wait till I get a video of her walking up the steps…..That will be for next time!

The Kitty “Squeeze”

    When we went to my mother’s room in the assisted living facility to get her valuables, Sissy was laying on her bed as usual, keeping watch. We put the TV, vanity,  and other things together on a dolly and loaded everything into the car. After unloading everything at home, we rested.  Finally in the afternoon we went back for Sissy. What I didn’t know is that she had let loose a mournful cry that went on forever after we had left that morning. Poor thing. She must have thought we had abandoned her!!!

    So when we got back there we had to pack up the automatic litter pan, her food, her dishes and finally Sissy. She didn’t like much going into that carrier and put up a fuss. In the car she let out more mounful cries. Oh dear! Finally, when we got back home I put all of her things, including her cat tree, in my room and let her out of her carrier. She scurried under the bed to hide while trying to figure out what was going on.

   And that’s where she stayed for the rest of the day, that night and the next day. Finally, the second night, she hopped onto the bed with me. She curled up beside me and placed her paw over my finger. “This is interesting, ” I thought. Then, much to my surprise,  she began to squeeze my finger with her paw pads! I was stunned, as no cat had ever done that to me before. Again, she squeezed. And again and again and again. Whoa!  What an experience! It was as if a little  baby was squeezing my finger. Instantly, my heart ripped wide open for this little one.  She was so happy and grateful that we came back for her! Sissy, my little one, you are home!!