Wednesday, February 28, 2007

borrowed from Petwarmers.com


OPENING DOORS

by Sandy Whitaker

Pets can do so much more than fulfill a life. They can open doors and break down walls people put up towards each other.

One day, a very uppity, and stylish young woman who had married an adored bachelor in our hometown was walking down the street. We had all heard some stories of how she wasn't good enough for our hometown boy and thought she acted like she was too good for us.

Our part time dog catcher had been trying to trap a stray dog roaming Main Street for days. On this busy Saturday, screeching tires were heard along with the yelping of the stray dog which rolled into a ditch.

This young woman rushed to his side while the crowd cautioned her to stay away. "It's a stray. It will bite!" Ignoring the spectators, she leaned close to the dog, cooing softly and asked for permission to touch it.

The dog raised its head and gave her grateful eyes, so she petted it while asking someone to go into a store and call the vet. Of course the vet didn't make house calls for a stray dogs, so she took off her jacket, rolled the dog in it and asked someone to take her to the vet's office.

She and the stray were hurried to a vet where I heard she stayed with the animal until he died. This may seem a sad wasted tale, but good things happened.

The community quickly learned this was a shy young woman who had not found her place in the small community. She didn't know how to reach out FOR help, but she knew how to reach out TO help.

After that, she was asked to join clubs and often welcomed visitors to her home. Her comfort level increased enough to show she was outgoing and fun to be around.

It's quite possible this dying stray dog did more to open everyone's eyes than any other event could have. Not only did the community benefit, but there is no way of knowing how many have benefited from her charity work.

-- Sandy Whitaker

Tuesday, February 27, 2007

but moooommmmmm...


For regular readers of this blog, you know my cats are spoilt rotten. Today provides no exception to that rule.

A few days ago, I went to the grocery store, and bought some kumquats.. nope.. no need to say "bless you" most people don't know what kumquats are. (if you do, forgive me) they are small little citrus fruits that you eat whole. They are VERY tart. I like them sliced up in my salads. since they are so tart, I only have a few at a time, so I bought a handful, and then put them in a small bowl.

On the counter.

Well my kitties aren't supposed to get on the counter. That really is the only limit I have placed on them... well that the kitchen table and they have to pee IN the litterbox, but for the most part they choose to do that. But the counter is a hard one cause it is right where we are most of the time, and it has such yummy things to sniff at and play with on it. Including the kumquats in a bowl.

this morning my husband found one in our office. We keep the door to that room shut for now as I am storing a few things in there I don't want covered in cat hair. A few minutes later I saw one in the room next to that where the bunny's cage is.

I often project what my cats might say if I was able to ask them to explain what happened..

but moooommm.. we were playing with the kumquats (ok so they wouldn't say kumquats, they'd say small orange things) and we thought the bunny might want to play with one, so we knocked it down the hall, but it rolled under the door, so we just HAD to bring her another one..


on another note, I think I'm in total denial about Em. she so needs to go to the vet, but the reasons behind it are so unspecific, that I can't imagine the vet finding anything. Can you imagine the visit? "but Doc.. it is just a FEELING.. can't you feel it?"

I should probably break down and call an animal communicator. I've heard some amazing stories about some..

Sunday, February 25, 2007

first post of a new blog.. sorta


well okay, I'm transferred over to google blogger. I resisted.. horribly resisted.. but finally I had no choice.

So here I am (not that you'd notice a difference). and I have lots to report on Emerald.

Let's see.. looks back to last post.. Em went back to begging for food. food is a major issue in her life. She refuses to eat her entire dinner in one sitting. She likes to eat a few bites, leave the safety of 'her room' wander around the house a bit, then go back and have some more. Only problem is every time she enters and exits 'her room' she risks letting in the other kitties who have no problem eating all her food in one sitting... so now she's left without any food, and that's not good. I don't know what else to try with her or them. I've tried making that room scary for them. I've tried yelling at them, I've tried smacking them (only after yelling, they know full well what they are doing is wrong) I've tried making just the noise of Em going in her room a bad thing, but it is what draws them to her. If they don't make it in when she's going in, they just sit around and wait for her to come back out. I don't want to lock her in there full time, and I don't want to lock them downstairs all day.. arrrgh

This battle had Em down to 10 lbs 8 oz. I was certain I was going to have to take her to the vet. I explained if she lost any more weight she'd have to go. Well, she's back up to 10 lbs 15.5 oz.. so at least we are going in the right direction.. of course now (I weighed her this morning) she's got a stuffed up nose. At least there is no blood this time

Her insulin levels have been all over the place too. She started getting picky about her food, so she wasn't eating, (weight loss, wacky BGs) so we went out and bought her several different varieties of food. I tried to make sure they all were grain free, or good for her, but apparently, they weren't, cause her BGs were all over the place. So now I'm just about out of test strips. *sigh* I ordered some on ebay, but I have a feeling they aren't going to show up. I should probably buy some more, but I know if I overbuy, then I'm not going to have a use for them all (yes, negative thinking.. but I want only good things. I want to have to buy more in the future... )

***

I also went in and had a conversation with the foster care coordinator at the shelter where I foster. For a reminder, I am very reluctant to foster again due to the extreme opinions of some of the health care providers there and their putting me off and putting me off when I say that my kittens NEED more help. The force feeding issue with Cruiser, and how he was acting as if I was drowning him. Teddy's eyes, and how now they still water probably due to a blocked or partial block due to how long they left him with bad eyes. How Cruiser was practically dead.. It frustrates and infuriates me. I know they need to be proactive in keeping their costs down, but this was insane, and I don't want to run into that again. The FCC was very surprised I felt this way, and that I was treated this way. I didn't want to confront the person who put me off, cause she is also a shelter manager, and I hate confrontations.. so she's going to put out a questionnaire and see if anything else comes in. I doubt it will.. but hopefully a few other people who know the difference in treatment when you see someone who cares not only about the cats but the people caring for them and when you see someone who's only concern is the bottom line.

*sigh*

I miss having kittens. I suppose I could volunteer for another shelter, but the next two closest ones are still very far away. I guess I'll give it one more try, but if I still get put off, I'm going to have to figure something else out..

Monday, February 12, 2007

Emmy.. my darling darling Em...


Can't live with her, can't live with out her..

She's losing weight again. Down to 11 lbs 3 oz (unless she's just been fed, then its 6 oz.. MAYBE 8) She's not begging for food all the time like she used to. It just scares me.

Monday, February 5, 2007

mom.. whatcha doin.. mom.. whatcha doin.. mom...


Oh my goodness, my Jack is so inquisitive. It's cute and sweet and most days I LOVE it.. but there are times when he gets on my last nerve, like when I am dishing up or assembling Emerald's medication.

Em is on 1 1/2 pills for her thyroid. I stick them inside her cosequin. usually once a week I put them together. Jack thinks I am doing something insanely delicious and usually he dances and cries to get at what I am doing. Even when I pill him (with something harmless) he isn't bothered and continues to do the dance.

Last night I decided to make up as many as I could. I took all the cosequin I had, and all the methimazole, and made up a months worth of pills. I couldn't keep him away. Maybe the cosequin smells really good and he wants some? who knows.

I also went online, and found that my vet is being very good to me on the thyroid meds, but he charges $10 more for the cosequin than I can get online.. while stumbling around for new dental items for my kitties I ran across a site that had some good deals on cat treats, so they got some of those (along with some more toothpaste and brushes) and I broke down and bought some PawBreakers for them. I hope they like them!! I have only heard good things, so I would imagine they will be big hits.. if with no one else than Eli, who is a Nip-a-Holic! :)

My kitty's ears are all starting to be bad. Eli even had what I might call puss in one. *sigh* he's always had bad ears cause of his eyes, and the gunk built up and caused problems. I'll have to keep a closer eye on it, but he so hates when I do anything to him. Hopefully, the PawBreaker will be a good peace offering :)
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...