Personal

Our elderly baby, Prissy, gave us a horrible scare Friday night. She had a housefull of people in tears. My husband, our middle daughter, and I had gone to the movies (We had a date with The Mummy.)

After the movie, when we came in the back door, our oldest daughter (Emily) and her boyfriend (Dill) were eating cookies and watching Prissy. Stephany and her boyfriend (Rusty the snake catcher) were nearby as well.

Apparently, Prissy had had some sort of a seizure. Emily said that she started going around in circles, disoriented and even fell over. She picked her up and held her for a while - telling her everything was all right, etc. When she put her back in her bed (on the kitchen floor, near her food), she was restless and kept getting up - but couldn’t walk, she kept going extremely to one side and falling down.

The kids rubbed her and got her to lay down and go to sleep.

When we came in, Prissy heard the door and was getting up as Emily told me about what had happened. Sure enough, she kept falling - breaking everyone’s heart in the process.

Given the fact that our girl is almost 20 (her birthday’s next month), has lost her sight entirely, and weighs less than 10 pounds, we thought this was pretty much the heartbreaking end. I got out of my clothes and into my gown and took up my rightful place by my baby.

Alexa stayed nearby, keeping a concerned watch over everything. She kept looking from me to Prissy, then back to Prissy… I held Prissy and offered her water and food - she seemed grateful for all of it, especially the holding. She didn’t seem to mind that I was crying all over her. I just kept thinking how I wouldn’t allow her to suffer or to die slowly. I made up my mind that I’d take her to a vet and have him help her along. Oddly enough, even through all of the drama, Prissy (the sweetest cat in the world - I swear) managed to purr.

Stephany knew me well enough to bring me a pillow and cover - she knew I wasn’t going anywhere. I spent the night sleeping on and off on the floor beside Prissy’s bed. We had frequent visitors through the night, everyone checking in from time to time - on both of us. I’d always loved our white marble kitchen floor before, but it’s miserable to sleep on! Around 3:00 am I was certain that it was the coldest, hardest floor ever made.

Saturday morning, Prissy seemed much better. With my arms steadying her, she even managed to walk to her food and water rather than them coming to her. The improvement felt like the weight of the world had been lifted off of my chest. By Sunday, her movement was even better - she ventured pretty far a couple of times… Purring the whole time, of course. She was pretty proud of herself.

The emotional rollercoaster has left all of us drained. I know full-well that the time will come when she doesn’t rebound. I know that, at 20, she’s really pushing the envelope. But she’s still happy, able to eat, drink, and do her business. She loves to be talked to, rubbed, and brushed. She enjoys life and I can see that. She gets excited over food, fresh cool water, and (oddly enough) when I give her fresh blankets, pillows, or stuffed animals to cozy up with. If they’re fresh from the dryer, she really gets excited! She loves attention and was born to be the star of the show. I know that our days with her are coming to an end. I know we dodged the lightening this time and probably won’t be so lucky the next time.

But I also know that my baby is right in the next room, still with me after nearly 20 years. It means so much to me that she AT LEAST makes it to her 20th birthday, but if she begins to show signs of suffering even in the slightest or (as my husband put it), losing her dignity and pride, every other concern will go flying out of the window. She’s always been a very proud, “prissy” little diva - which is how she got her name in the first place. We owe it to her to make sure she’s able to leave this world with as much pride as she entered it.

God willing, it will be peacefully in her sleep after a day spent in the center of the stage - receiving the love and attention of her audience. That’s how she’d want it and it’d be a fitting end to our little star.

But, for now, the show goes on and I thank God for the extended performances!

Alexa and I got the scare of our lives Friday. It involved the thing I’m most scared of in this world (hissssssss).

I noticed her at the sliding doors in our home office. She’s a totally fearless cat, so her odd, sort of frightened demeanor freaked me out immediately. It was also weird that she was looking upward - as in about 4 feet off the ground. Oddly enough, I never even suspected a human. We live sort of out in the country, so I knew it was an animal (or bird) of some sort. Problem was, Alexa has never shown any fear toward birds or any of our other frequent visitors (rabbits, raccoons, possums, skunks, cats…) She even saw a coyote (through a window) once and just bugged out a little.

But this time, she was sort of transfixed, almost frozen - yet she was trying to back away. I oh so carefully walked over, bent down to her level (while baby talking her, of course - she loves that stuff), and followed her gaze.

AAAUUUUGHHHH!!!!   You’ve heard of a rebel yell?  I gave a “Kill me now” yell.  This thing was quite big - and had slithered up the bricks, cut over sideways and presently was jutting it’s ugly face toward the glass, all the while sticking out its God-forsaken tongue.

My daughter (Stephany) and her boyfriend (Rusty) were in the driveway, getting ready to go somewhere. Being the brave person that I am, I went for their help.  I knew they’d get a thrill or two out of it - they love the Animal Planet channel and watch it religiously.  In fact, they’d just left the living room where they’d been “visiting” with bears.

My brave little Stephany stayed on the safe side of the glass doors with me and Alexa, while Rusty got a huge stick and got the snake down.  She got her camera to “capture” the drama as it unfolded!

Even though I’m scared to death of the vile things (snakes, not Rusty and Steph), I was honestly very impressed with the way Rusty handled the situation.  He never (not once) was agressive toward the snake or even gave it cause to think it was in danger.  Granted, my brain was thinking, “Club it! Kill it! Destroy it! Make it wish it’d never been hatched!”  - but the snake was very lucky that Rusty has a respect for all living things, even snakes.   If it had been poisonous, it would have met a different fate.

He “led” the snake away from the wall and the windows - for which all of us females were grateful.  He even let it all seem like it was the demon’s idea.  He sort of coaxed it with the stick - it kept “feeling” for the stick with its black tongue.  Gross!  Sorry, that just slipped out.   When he got it to an open area, he gently touched it’s back (?) with the stick a few times.  It kind of got into a little coiled heap (ugly) and Rusty put the stick down.    I love the kid, but I thought he’d lost his mind entirely when he made his next move.  He reached down, grabbed the thing close to the head (so he wouldn’t get bitten), while holding it’s tail end with the other hand.

The whole time, Steph and I were afraid  that Rusty was about to face a certain death, but Rusty seemed to like the fool thing.  He kept talking to it. I’m pretty sure that IF I ever did speak to one, it’d be through screams and possibly even profanity.  Rusty spoke to it calmly, though.  Then he took it to a field and let it go.

In all honesty, watching the whole thing actually made me a little less afraid of snakes.  I have no intention of ever befriending one, mind you, but I think it and Rusty both handled themselves remarkably well.  And I’m struck by the fact that Rusty wasn’t the least bit scared the whole time.  He treated it the same way I’ve always treated stray animals when they make their way onto our property.  I, of course, go way out of my way not to scare them and I always do what I know is best for the animal.  He did the exact same for the snake.

This experience showed me that snakes are simply wildlife, too.  Like the raccoons and possums I leave food out for and joyfully watch, rabbits I toss carrots to, and birds I feed every day - they’re pretty helpless in a lot of ways. 

I even thought one was kind of cute one time.  My husband, knowing my intense phobia, has often tried to expose me to them - in the hopes that maybe, just maybe, I’d become a little more reasonable.  The first time he ever took me near them, it was in a Snake House in a zoo in Kansas.  The minute I saw one, I ran (not walked) out of there, screaming the whole time. 

Calm.  Cool.  And oh so collected.

Fast forward about 10 years and we were in a pet store.  Behind the glass were some of these things.  One was curled up in what appeared to be a dog’s food dish.  I said, “That’s cute.”  Of course, I immediately turned and walked away, but at least I didn’t find it totally vile.

I’m still mystified by Alexa’s reaction. I just don’t think she knew what to make of it. She was actually born outside (her mother was the very essence of a wild cat… and I still miss her), and until I brought my baby girl inside, she lived outdoors. So, I’m pretty sure she’d seen snakes before. But she seemed completely out of her element and was very unAlexa-like.

Hopefully another one of those unwelcome visitors will never come calling again. She and I still go to the glass doors and peek out, like, a couple of billion times a day - sighing with relief when the only thing on the patio are cardinals, furniture and a grill. The things that belong there!

Obviously, someone who’s familiar with Alexa, Prissy, Svenn, and Bo used them as inspirations to create a bumper sticker. You’d think they’d at least send me one free, right?

The Cats running wild! Bumper Sticker lets the world know you love cats and gives them something to smile about at the same time.

You gotta love that!

My little girl is going down pretty fast. It seems like she’s aged 10 years since November.

I moved a large, shallow box that Prissy’s fallen in love with right beside her food and water dish. I’ve lined it with a soft baby blanket. She, literally, hasn’t left the area for over a week. No more scratching on the wall in our bedroom each morning to let us know it’s time for breakfast, no more wandering into the office to see what we’re up to, no more curling up beside Stephany in the evening for tv and snacks. Frankly, our work, breakfast, and even Steph on the couch just don’t matter to her anymore.

Needless to say, it’s one of the hardest things I’ve ever gone through in my life. I’ve had (and loved) Prissy longer than any animal I’ve ever had - last September it was 19 years. I can’t remember NOT having this beautiful, pampered, graceful, and incredibly sweet-tempered cat.

I’ve been trying to look at the entire situation from a perspective that doesn’t make me want to lie down and cry for 3 hours straight. Yes, she’s actually dying more than she’s living right now - but what a life she’s led! She’s lived in Kentucky, Indiana, Iowa, Florida, and then back home to Kentucky. Kentucky’s her favorite - she loves the climate and she says that Kentucky boy cats appeal to her more. She’s always been a flirt.

She has helped to raise three beautiful girls. She has played barbies, been a “baby” in a stroller many times, celebrated many rowdy Christmases - right under the tree! She’s swatted countless ribbons and helped shred more paper than any secretary. She has supervised Scrabble games (from the opened box), helped work puzzles (often from sitting right ON the puzzle), and helped with many, many, many school assignments.

She has watched my husband fix and repair everything from kitchen faucets to bathroom light fixtures. Her reward for her assistance was the periodical rub on the head, the scratch under the chin, and the reminder of what a “good girl” she is. According to her, he gives the best chin scratches around.

And, the number of meal preperations she’s over seen! She’s been a constant kitchen companion for me since she was so tiny I had to watch out for her. One of her favorite pastimes used to be when I’d sort through my recipes. She’d lie across half of them while we decided what exactly would be made that week and what we’d need from the store.

She has seen every episode of Little House on the Prairie, I Love Lucy, Andy Griffith - as well as every cartoon ever made. She has been there for every major sporting event over the past 19 years as well. She’s seen her St. Louis Cardinals win the World Series and her UK Wildcats win more than one championship. She was stoked for weeks.

I’m thankful that she isn’t in pain and doesn’t appear to be uncomfortable. In fact, she purrs as much as ever and loves baby talk more than she ever did. Her breathing isn’t laboured and she still eats and drinks. She just sleeps in her box - getting out only twice a day to have a little bit to eat and a drink.

Needless to say, if it weren’t for the purrs and if we detected any pain or difficulty breathing -we’d take her to the vet and end her suffering immediately. That’s why I’m so thankful that, while her fading away is extremely hard on me, she just seems to be enjoying the extra rest.

For all the extra fun, love, and enjoyment she’s given us - she’s earned it.

***The picture at the top of the post is one that one that my daughters took back in January. Prissy was actually playing a little bit and they wanted to capture the moment. She had more people around her giggling and awwww-ing than most pre-school kids do!

Oh, this is clever. Right up there with opening a Starbucks in my grocery store.

You Pet has created a MySpace type of community for pets and their owners, of course.  Pets need supervision - do you know how much trouble one could get into left to their own devices in an online community.

Svenn would be arrested inside of a week and Bo wouldn’t make it that long.  Truth be told, our male cats are unappologetically nefarious. As for the females, Prissy’s too old to raise much hell (it has to come to her these days) and Alexa…. well, since her operation, she’s not much of a player.  For either team.

From the website: 

Hey, we love our pets and we like meeting new people that own pets. We thought, “Let’s share our love and interest that our adorable animals bring to us.”

That’s why we decided to develop YouPet.com, so pet owners could have a safe and informative place to meet other pet lovers and have fun exchanging pictures, videos, blogs, and having discussions on our forums, or chat live in our chat rooms.

YouPet.com is an online social network devoted to Pets and their Owners who regard their pets as family. Pets are an important part of our lives, and we want you to share the joy and love your pet brings to you with all of us.

Have fun and don’t forget check out our online store where you can shop for cool YouPet.com products.

You can create a free profile and be on your way to meeting other pet lovers.  You can also find out how you can Win a $100 Petco Gift Card on YouPet.com! That last part has me reconsidering letting Bo and Svenn join. If I give in, be sure you keep an eye on your girl cats. And dogs.  And boy cats.  And dogs.  I’m just saying…

 

Prissy has lost just about all of her vision. We often thank God for the fact that she has long whiskers, they’ve saved her from walking smack into furniture, walls, people, Alexa (which wouldn’t go over that well)….

While it’s heartbreaking to see our little girl like this, I’m thankful for each day we have with her. She’s quite an antique and has lived a very fun, happy life. She’s been a lot of places and seen a lot of things. You name the cat toy, she’s had two. Name a new cat treat, she’s given it a taste test. She has watched ballgames with my husband, cooking shows with me, cartoons with our girls and American Idol, Survivor, and LOST with all of us.

She still is every inch a very happy cat. She purrs as much as ever, possibly even more - probably because someone is always holding her, talking to her, telling her what a good girl she is. I’d purr, too.

She wanders every now and then, especially in the morning, but, aside from that, she hasn’t changed that much. She wants to be where the action is now, more than ever, and she’s never happier than when someone’s in the living room on her couch with her reading the paper or watching tv…complete with lots of head rubs, chin scratchings, and sweet talk. She never tires of the sweet talk.

When I’m working at the computer during the day, I’ve found a way to keep her close so we can enjoy each other’s company. I put a bean bag on the floor beside my desk. I cover it with one of my old fuzzy robes and put my girl on top of it. She sinks down into a warm little nest and she sleeps as I work.

She used to lie on top of my desk - right in front of me, but I don’t let her off the ground too much anymore. So, Prissy has agreed to give that spot to Alexa. Besides, she likes her special little day bed. A special bed for a very, very, very, very special cat.

Alexa, Prissy, and I were doing a little research earlier on the IAMS website and we found a great article.  It tells how chicken is a complete protein source for cats.  My girls were thrilled to hear it and celebrated by having a little chicken for lunch.  Actually, Alexa had a little - Prissy gorged.  Their eating habits are hilarious.  When you look at them, you’d think Alexa was quite the pig, yet she’s a dainty eater.  Prissy, on the other hand, is tiny but outeats all 3 of our other cats combined.

They’re healthy, thankfully - they just have peculiar eating routines.

Click the link below to see the article for yourself;  it’s really interesting.  While you’re on the website, take a look at the other articles.  There’s a wealth of information there.

Chicken:  The Complete Protein Source for Your Cat

I was thumbing through the newest issue of Cat Fancy in our local bookstore a few days ago when I came across an article that had my angel, Prissy, written all over the subject - “Older Cats.”  Our beloved little girl is going on 20 and is really beginning to show her age.She’s still a beauty, of course.  There’s always been such a graceful elegance about her.  When she was younger, she didn’t walk, she glided.  The glide has kind of disappeared over the past two years, though.  I think her little bones must ache sometimes because she walks with her back legs kind of spread and it’s closer to a gallop.  Adorable?  Definitely!  But, graceful?  Not very.The article was a must read for anyone with an older cat.  I recognized Prissy in a few of the areas the author addressed, but she was nowhere to be found in others.

For example, according to the article, a lot of older cats lose their appetite.  I think Prissy’s increases with age!  She out-eats all three of our other cats, who are all much younger.  Sometimes I think she could EAT all three of the other cats….which is why we never let her plate get too empty for too long.  Not taking any chances.

The author said that if your older cat isn’t eating, the problem may be that their sense of smell has dulled.  They suggested dabbing a little warm water on the food - it’ll help release the aroma.  I’ve also heard that garlic powder entices a cat (or dog for that matter) to eat.

Another problem that older cats can face is disorientation.  I’ve seen this a little with Prissy.  They’ll get in a room and look off into space, as though they aren’t sure where they are.  Apparently some cats even get  into a corner and just meow until they’re “rescued.”  I’ll go on record as saying that’ll completely break my heart if that happens!

I have noticed a few “senile moments” with her, though.  When she first wakes up, she looks around as though she isn’t too sure what’s going on.  We always talk really softly and sweetly (as always) to her  - then she starts purring and we know we have our Prissy back.

The article also touched on something else I’ve noticed.  It said that older cats will frequently lose patients for other pets that they once got along with famously.  Prissy has done that with Alexa.  When Alexa first came along, Prissy was amused by her.  It actually wasn’t that long ago that they were playing together.  Alexa would get on bookshelves and knock things down for Prissy to scrutinize.  When I picked up on the game, I’d “plant” things up high like toy mice, tiny balls, etc.  Alexa will still knock things down to Prissy but now she usually just gets hissed at for her efforts!

They also used to run around and sort of mix things up together - then Prissy would go to her favorite bed and Alexa would know the game was over.  Now, though, when Alexa tries to get a rousing game going, Prissy hisses and looks at her as though they’d never even met.  It makes me sad for both of them.

We’ve tried to spend extra time playing with Alexa lately - especially when she’s especially frisky - it keeps her out of Prissy’s hair and keeps her from getting the “HSSSSSSS” (Though I gotta admit, Prissy’s awfully cute when she’s mad!)

Older cats also tend to have “bathroom” issues.  Doctors say that arthritic bones make climbing into and out of litter boxes painful, so they suggest using the flat “pans” that go under a lot of litter boxes instead.  They also suggest investing in several litter boxes, so your cat always has one nearby.

A tip I thought was worth its weight in gold was this:  Since your older cat may be disoriented and confused, gate off a section of the house - a couple of rooms they prefer.  This makes their world much smaller, much safer, and much…well, cozier.  Also, try to never let your older pet on stairs.  Arthritis can make climbing very, very painful - plus falls are always a threat, mostly for dogs.

Personally, I think it all comes down to three words:  TENDER LOVING CARE.  As our babies get older, we should give them all the TLC they can handle.  We want to make their last years as comfortable, as peaceful, and as enjoyable as possible.  If there are any unusual habits or concerns - always take your cat to the vet.  It’s always better to be safe than sorry.

We’ve always spent a lot of time with our pets - after all, there are five of us, so someone’s almost always here (I even work from home and my youngest daughter, Stephany, is always home as well.).  We’ve started giving Prissy EVEN more attention - when she’s awake, that is! 

Even though none of us want to talk about it or even think about it, we aren’t naive.  We know we won’t have her with us forever.  Just typing those words has left me with tears chasing one another down my face!  I can’t even imagine what I’ll do with myself when she moves on to Heaven with Carly…. (And, yes, Michael - I fully expect that IS where Carly went!!!!)  Well, I do know - I’ve been there before.  You live through days that hurt so bad you just want to go to bed.  You miss them like crazy (I still miss Carly terribly), and you cherish the pets you have as you cherish the memories of those you no longer have.

One more thing about older cats.  Naturally, they begin having vision and hearing problems.  I think Prissy has selective hearing.  Some things she responds to (can opener, the pantry door opening, Whiskas packets being ripped…), and other things she ignores.  Her vision’s not that great - I get the feeling she pretty much sees shapes more than anything.  Something we’ve always done, since she was a few weeks old was play a little game of “Nose Beeping.”  I fly my finger around in a little circle, then land it on her little nose with a “beep!“  About a month ago, though, I noticed that she’d jump right before my finger got to her nose.  So, we changed the rules of the game.  Now I just hold the finger out in front of her face, and she brings her nose slowly to it…. I whisper, “beep” and she purrs. 

Then I tell her what a very good and special girl she is.  Because she is.  I also tell her how much I love her.  Because I most definitely do.

 

I’m  fascinated with the way animals communicate with us, and like all cat lovers - I certainly want to make sure I’m understanding everything my babies want me to know!

Our cats actually let us into their emotions and psyche in a very unique way:  Through their tails!

Tail lowered with just the tip curved up. This is a happy, relaxed cat.

Tail gently switching from side-to-side. This is a cat who has noticed something interesting like a bird at the window or the scratching sounds of a mouse. It can also signify indecision as to what to do next such as to climb a tree or stay on the ground.

If you approach a cat like this, she could be wondering whether you’re friendly or not.

Tail straight up. This is a friendly cat that is coming forward to greet you. If the tip is bent, this could mean he is a little insecure about his reception.

Tail tip swishing quickly and sharply from side-to-side.  This cat is irritated or angry. If pushed, it could swipe with a paw or even bite.

Tail swishing quickly and violently from side-to-side.  This is an angry or seriously frightened cat that could be getting ready to attack or flee. It’s best to back off until he calms down.

Staring at a cat is both threatening and provocative.  It’s best to look away and move away until the tail switching stops.

Tail bristled. This is an aroused cat. If lowered it can mean fear. If the tail is up, it can mean an aggressive cat. Cats bristle their tails and the fur on their bodies when aroused. This makes them look larger than they are in an attempt to intimidate whatever is worrying or bothering them.

Tail held straight up and quivering as the cat is backed up against a vertical object like a bush or tree.  This is a cat that is marking its territory with urine. If a cat is doing this inside your house, it’s time to get out the cleaner and find your cat another hobby.

Source:  MetCat.com

As the post title says, we are indeed on the threshold of changes at Cat-Pause.com! Our previous blog, located at http://www.cat-pause.com/blog is still up and running.  It’ll stay that way for a while - I’ll simply add my post to both blogs, the old one as well as this new one.

I’ve been working on the looks of the new blog for a few days, and it’s close to the way I want it.  However, I haven’t had time to get much of the content from the old blog moved over - I’ve been working at it, but the weather isn’t cooperating with my plans!

Here in Owensboro, Kentucky it’s icy, snowy, and frigidly cold.  Somehow it’s doing amazingly hideous things to my internet connection.  I’m thisclose to getting up from the computer until March.

So, for now, please accept my apologies - everything will be gloriously wonderful in a few days.  After all, when you’re doing a blog dedicated to cats - nothing but the best will do!  They wouldn’t have it any other way.  Until things are all settled, please visit our old blog (http://www.cat-pause.com/blog).

 I hope it’s warm and dry where you are!

- Joi