Freaky Felines Posts

Check out my latest Examiner series for October... Freaky Felines, including felines with two faces, four ears and much more! You will love it!!

To Catch a Killer

I had fun today trying to catch a feral cat! Her name is Matri (short for Matriarch) and she has lived in the back room of my basement for 2 years. She is a beautiful cat; long tortie coat and big green eyes. But I don't get to enjoy her much. 


She came to me as a feral foster 2 years ago. Someone needed to take care of her. She hates other cats and is scared to death of people. At the time she made a funny wheezy sound so I took her to the vet. Turned out she had nodules on her vocal cords. They were removed and she has lived in my house, staying mostly hidden, ever since.


Only within the past 6 months or so has she started to eat near the other cats and allow me near her (though not touch her).


But then the fleas came...


I had to catch her to flea-treat her, but when I was able to corner and grab her, she flipped a wicket, so to speak and got away!


After that she stopped coming out. I didn't see her much after that... just a glance if I happened to come into the back room when she was eating or drinking.


But then, about a week ago, I noticed that I had not seen her in a few days... nor had I heard her (she is usually quite vocal as her hearing is a bit dim and she talks a lot, esp when  another cat comes near her).


In the back room of the basement, there is a lot of stuff. Nothing dangerous mind you, but since my "apartment" is in the front part of the basement, the back area is for all my bins of clothes and stuff, plus my "kitchen." Add the laundry room to that, furnace and oil tank as well. Lots of places for a cat to hide.


Tonight, I saw her as she hid behind the oil tank... and I could see how thin she looked, even under all that fur. She hadn't been coming out to eat much apparently (she usually eats at night when no one is around so it's hard to notice with any consistency whether or not she eats her dry food). I fed her wet food and she ate some, but then hid again.


I knew it was time...I HAD to catch her! 


Long story short... I managed to trap her under the oil tank with blankets, got my hand on the back of her neck, scruffed her and pulled her out slowly. Phew!


Once I had her in my possession, I could feel how thin she is and I brushed her and flea-combed her. She is loaded with scabs and fleas. The only cat in the house not treated, she has been feeding the fleas!


Now I can get her treated, get her to the vet for treatment, etc. She will have to stay in a cage for a bit while I get her healthy again, but that's ok... this way I can take care of her without her hiding where I can't get her. The funny thing is, once I have her, she loves to pet!! 

Courtesy at the Vet

Too many people think a waiting room is a place for chaosIt's not unusual, when I take a cat or kitten to the veterinarian, to find several barking dogs pulling on their leashes, someone with a frightened cat in their lap or kids running around petting all the animals. You rarely find such chaos in the waiting room at human doctor offices (except the occasional run-amok child).
So, why, when people bring pets into the waiting room of a veterinarian's office, do they not initialize the same common sense and courtesy of restraint? Here are a few of the problems common in veterinarian waiting rooms and solutions to think about:
First and foremost, cats should ALWAYS be kept in a carrier. I know what you're thinking, "But my cat is calm and won't go anywhere." Maybe that's true, but it's always better to err on the side of caution. Cats get frightened in unfamiliar areas, and when dogs are barking and kids are running around, your normally calm cat might just decide to get away and escape it all. Kennel Cab type carriers are no longer expensive; a cat sized one can run only about $10-$15. You can also purchase a cardboard carrier that is sufficient for most cats, and is less than $10. I have seen people with their cats on leashes (PLEASE use a cat harness and not a collar), and this is okay but can still lead to fear and scratches or bites. Cats feel more secure in a carrier, so do your pet and yourself a favor and use a carrier for your cat. Vets all have horror stories of cats lost forever that got loose from their owner's arms.

Keep dogs on a good solid leash. Leather leashes are best because if you have a dog that pulls, your hands won't get torn up by the nylon. Keep your dog under control at all times.

Don't pet other people's pets without permission. And certainly don't let your child approach a strange animal. Ask first!

Pay attention to your own pet. Yes, as animal lovers we all want to meet new pets, give them a pat and talk to their owners, and that's all well and good to a degree.But don't forget your own pet. He/she is probably stressed out by the visit and needs you to pay attention.

Keep the really little ones (human) at home if you can. Small children can be hard to control and if you are trying to control a pet, take care of business with the vet, and understand everything, it can be daunting on all. Get a babysitter.

If the waiting room is packed and you have a dog with you, stay outside and have someone let the receptionist know you are there. Dogs can become aggressive when packed together. Don't chance trying to get your dog through the crowd and possibly getting bit.

Most of all, use common sense and be courteous.

Oldest cat

Cat lovers hope and dream that their precious felines will live long healthy lives. But Charlie, Scotland's oldest cat, has brought that hope to a whole new level. Last year, Cat Professional, Ltd in conjunction with Royal Canin and Pets at Home, held a contest to find the longest lived cat in the country of Scotland. Most of the cat entries received boasted cats in their early 20's, average around 21. But Charlie beat them all at the ripe old age of 28!

Catprofessional.com contest coordinators state: "The idea for the competition came about as feline specialist and CEO of Cat Professional ltd, Dr Sarah Caney wished to find a model for her upcoming book 'Caring for a geriatric cat'. The book with be the latest addition to the already globally successful range of Cat Professional books. For a full list of the books and to find out more about Charlie and the runners up go to www.catprofessional.com"



*For more on helping your cat live a long and healthy life, visit http://christinechurch.net

And Then There was One!

Scientists have spent a lot of money and time proving what true-blue animal lovers already know... That all mammals feel emotionally. They dream, they hurt, they feel sadness, loneliness, anger and grief.

My cat Sammy, passed away the day after Christmas this past year (2009). I am fairly convinced he died from loneliness and grief. He was 15 years old and had come to me as a foster kitten, having been born in a shelter. At that time, I had a neutered male Tuxedo cat named Pounce who was quite an unusual fellow. Pounce loved to lay with the young foster kittens and let them "nurse" on him (they literally suckled his belly fur while he bathed each of them, just as a mother cat would). Sammy thought Pounce was his mother, and the two bonded very closely. Sammy's brother Shadow also bonded to Pounce as a mother figure, all the kittens did, but none so much as Sammy.

Out of the foster kittens, I kept Sammy and Shadow. The three of them were inseparable. They were my three Muskateers, my triangle boys! We owned many cats, but those were the special trio. They spent the most time together, bathing one another, playing and sleeping together.

On August 29, 2006, Pounce became ill. He was rushed to the vet, but never came home again. He passed away Aug. 30th from FIP (feline infectious peritonitis). It had for some reason hit his brain and he was gone in less than 24 hours. Nothing could prevent it, nothing could have saved him!


Sammy cried for him each night, searching the house almost continuously and waiting for him in that special spot where the two of them always slept. He ate poorly for days after and seemed down; lethargic. Slowly, he and his brother drew even closer, taking comfort in each other after the loss of their "mother."

However, in June of 2008, tragedy struck once again in Sammy's life. Shadow developed terminal cancer and passed away only a week after diagnosis. Sammy found himself alone for the first time in his life. The other cats that had lived in the house had all passed away through the years, no other cats were brought in, and Sammy was now a single cat. Everything in his life had changed, his feline friends were gone, and though he still had me and sought me out more than ever, I could tell he just wasn't the same. He cried a lot and searched the house. He didn't eat the same and he slept more. Sammy was feeling not only the change, but grief as well.

I tried to bring in other cats, but he wanted no part of it. He had been raised with his surrogate "mother," Pounce and his sibling, Shadow. He was not a cat that took well to any others. He also was not a "people" cat; he liked me and only me. But during the day when I was at work, he was alone. And very slowly, he started to "age." Where before he was always the perpetual kitten, age seemed to find him quickly once he lost his feline family. He hung on well for over a year, staying close to me, always with me no matter where I went in the house, no matter what I did. I did all I could, giving him extra attention and treats. I made sure he had regular blood tests and check ups to be sure everything was okay physically. Yet, still, he started to lose weight. His blood tests were normal. Nothing really "stood out" as a danger sign to the vet. He shouldn't have been going downhill as he did.


Christmas day 2009 he seemed a bit perkier, eating a bit better than he had been, like he wanted me to be happy on this special day with my family. The next day he passed away at home, in my arms.

So, what really happened we will never know. Was it a physical malady that simply did not present itself in all the tests we had done? Or did his lonely heart simply give up? Perhaps he just needed to be with Pounce and Shadow again.



For more information on indoor cats, see my site, house cat.