He's All Thumbs

I have finally been inspired to pick up the "pen" and write again. I've had a bit of a hiatus mostly due to lack of motivation from the winter blahs.  When it is cold and gray everyday, all I prefer to do is curl up and go to bed at night.  Needless to say, I don't get a whole lot accomplished around the house in the winter time. Fortunately, I think spring has finally arrived in Ohio!  Therefore, I have no excuse but to get motivated and clean the house, do my taxes and write more blog posts.  I'll start with the blog as that is much more fun than the other choices!

My first story of the year begins with the newest addition into our kitty clan.  His name is Ernie and he is 11 years old.  I adopted him from the nutritional research facility where I work after he retired from the important job of testing feline diets. I was attracted to Ernie from the first time I met him due to his large sweet personality and his HUGE feet!  Ernie is somewhat of a unique cat because he is polydactyl.  I have always loved these cats and am very excited to finally have a multi-toed guy in my house!



Ernie

...and his toes!

    

For those unfamiliar with the term, it has nothing to do with dinosaurs despite the fact it sounds quite similar to pterodactyl.  It simply means having more than the normal number of digits (toes) on one or more of the paws.  The cause of polydactylism is an inherited gene which can be found in any breed of cat. And by the way, not only cats can have polydactylism. While doing some reading on the subject, I ran across some very interesting information and pictures of other species that also carry the gene.   Humans, mice, and horses can be affected as well. Anyway in cats, they can have multiple paws affected and usually have one to two extra toes on the paw.  They are more commonly known as "Hemingway" cats or "mitten toed" cats.  Ernest Hemingway, the famous American writer, had a colony of polydactyl cats at his Key West home.  His first cat was given to him by a ship's captain and he quickly became a fan of the multi-toed beasts. You can still see descendants of this cat living at the Hemingway museum in Key West.  Apparently polydactyl cats were commonly found  on ships as the sailors felt they were good luck and the large feet made them sure footed on the decks.



Count the fingers......

Count the toes......

Ernie  is starting to settle in quite nicely.  He isn't quite sure what to think of the dog who randomly chases him.  He was used to living with several other cats so I don't think the cats bother him too much.  The resident cats are still trying to get used to a new guy on their turf but they are slowly coming around.  Fortunately there have not been any "knock down drag outs" to date.   I know when Ernie is out and about as I can hear him plodding across the floor with his big mitts which has one of those extra toes tapping the floor as he goes. I forgot to mention that Ernie has a whopping 24 toes vs. the normal 18 toes that the average cat has.  It doesn't sound like a lot but when you add 6 digits to tiny paws, it adds on alot of flesh resulting in huge feet.  It makes me wonder what it would feel like to have extra toes or digits and does it give one any cool benefits?  Probably not, but it is an interesting anomaly that nature has provided none the less.   

A Foxy Lady

When I started writing this blog a couple of years ago, I had lots of ideas as to what it would become. I haven't become rich and famous and probably never will but it has become an avenue to talk my passion in life to those folks who are kind enough to read the blog.  Working in the animal field and owning pets fuels my list of stories to tell.  The list is becoming very long as the hours in a day just aren't enough for me to accomplish all that I want and need to get done.  Never the less, there are times when it is important to make the time in an effort to share something that has moved me. Today is one of those days.

I first met Lilly, the Foxhound, about 6 years ago when she moved here from Canada.   Her owner is a nutritionist who adopted her from her nutritional research program when the studies were completed.  She told me that no one else would adopt Lilly because she was so quiet and laid back. The other adoptable dogs apparently were more desirable because they were much more lively and active.  Lilly was quite the opposite:  a lovely, quiet, gentle soul who was truly the perfect dog. I got to know Lilly as she came to work frequently and was often seen wondering the halls looking for the next person who would give her some attention. I' m quite sure that in all the years I knew her, I never once heard her bark! Despite her quiet demeanor, she still enjoyed "dog stuff.". She frequently went for walks, bike rides and the yearly trip to the remote cottage in Canada.  I later became great friends with both of Lilly's owners and had the honor of providing veterinary care for her on occasion.  Sadly, Lilly developed cancer this year and a decision had to be made. Lilly crossed the bridge yesterday and moved on to a world with no more pain and suffering.

Decisions such as these are heart wrenching.  The ability to end pain and suffering for our beloved pets is truly the ultimate gift we can give them. It is a selfless act but our hearts do suffer as a result. It really speaks to the iron strong bonds and relationships that develop between humans and animals. Animals become deeply weaved into our lives and hearts.  Unconditional love is hard to come by these days but never ending when a cat or dog enters your life. When they are gone, a large void remains.  Of course grief runs its course and we all manage to move on, but always they remain part of our lives.  You are missed Lilly.  May angels greet thee at thy coming.

Lilly

Gone to the Dogs

So, this dog friend of mine keeps bugging me to get writing again.  There is plenty to write about but more hours per day are needed in my life.  I have many legitimate excuses. It has been an extremely busy summer as we put the house on the market, searched and stressed over buying a new house, bought a house, sold a house and then finished all that fun with more fun by moving into the new house. Just a side note....moving sucks!  Oh yeah and to add to all that fun, we got a dog.  A "what" you say??  This is supposed to be a blog about cat stuff, right?  How'd a dog get into the feline palace with the crazy cat lady?

Her name is Isabel and I swear she is the cutest damn dog on the planet!  Her story is not uncommon......People get dog they can't afford and don't  get her the necessary vaccines.  Dog starts vomiting and having diarrhea.  Take dog to vet.  Dog has Parvovirus.  People can't afford treatment.  Owners relinquish dog to vet so she doesn't have to be euthanized.  Vet fixes dog!  Yeah for us! We adopt her and she becomes the most spoiled and loved dog, ever.

At the vet recovering from Parvo.

My first cool toy.  Aren't I so cute!

Sadly, I saw this over and over again when I was in practice.   Vaccines are extremely important to prevent diseases of which several can be life threatening.  Parvovirus is treatable but can cost several hundreds of dollars to treat and can be fatal.  Lucky for Isabel, she survived the disease and has moved on to a healthy puppyhood.  I'll get on my soapbox later about this topic.  She is on her third name though.  Previously she was known as Coco and then Penelope.  Isabel suits her and she has adjusted to her new life with us and 7 cats.

I can play with cat toys too!

I was most worried about the cats and their reaction to a canine in the house.  We were already having some feline wars which could have escalated with the new addition.  As it turns out, she is a mild mannered gal who really doesn't pay much attention to them.  In fact, she is about the same size as the cats and actually smaller than a couple of them!  We lucked out on finding her as she has been a near perfect addition.  Perfect would be the dog that doesn't eat from the litter box, would use a litter box, doesn't eat the cat food, doesn't play with their toys, and doesn't destroy toilet paper and cardboard boxes.  We had to run some interference to curb the bad habits but I can't complain too much.  She doesn't eat my shoes or woodwork so it could be much worse!

I like toilet paper alot.

  It has been nearly 10 years since having a dog around the house. I had forgotten how much different it is vs. having cats.  I still claim to be the cat lady but this little dog has grabbed my heart and there would be a hole without her.  By the way, I am number two in the pecking order around here.   In the end, her heart belongs to G. He is the number one guy in her world.  I have turned G into a cat loving guy but I think that he secretly is a "dog" person.  I'm ok with that as long we can still hang around!

The Headless Chipmunk

Having a large clan of cats can be problematic if you don't have enough space.  It  can lead to stress in the cat which can lead to health issues such as bladder inflammation causing bloody urine or difficulty urinating.  It can lead to cat fights which result in bite would abscesses or inappropriate elimination in the house.  Well, we have a large clan of cats in our house and we have seen all of the above and more.  To reduce the stress in the house, we take advantage of the garage as part of their living space.  We have a two car garage that is attached to the house so it is very easy for them to move in and out at their leisure.  We often leave the door open, especially in the warmer months so they can come and go.  The great thing is that they love the garage and we don't have to put them out there against their will.  I think it is a bit like going on vacation for them.  There are different things in there to explore, lay on, and hunt.  Ah yes, hunt.  The true ecstasy of the feline who is a carnivorous predator by heart.  It is in the genes.  Over the years, many critters have lost their little lives venturing into our garage as they weren't warned by friends and family of the dangers that lurk under the garage door.  The bird seed was too tempting for them. 

On occasion, we have had chipmunks in the house when we left the door open between the house and the garage.   It is not a secret for long as you can hear animals scratching across the floor at a maddening pace and then find statue like felines peering under the furniture just waiting for the opportune moment.  The more hilarious part of this story is the humans trying to fetch the little creatures and move them back outside and at the same time trying to keep the cats from grabbing them and murdering them in front of us.  I'm sure it is great fun for the cats but something I do not want to witness.  We actually had a recent chipmunk adventure which fortunately resulted in a live release.  If only there were video..........Two humans trying to trap it under the chest and chase it into a bucket, it escapes...the female human screams and the cats start chasing it around the house.  Fortunately, the little guy went under another piece of furniture and this time we were successful in luring him into the bucket.  I'm fairly certain he won't venture back into the garage.  It was probably a life changing experience for him. 

Last week, two critters did not escape from the wraths of the feline hunters in our garage.  I saw a tiny field mouse four paws to the sky one night when I went down to check on the cats.  It was the middle of the night so I didn't want to engage in disposing of the little guy.  I expected to find him in the same spot the next morning.  Well, not so much.  All I found the next day was the tail.  I have to guess that the feline hunter was supplementing his high quality dry diet with a little fresh meat.  Gross but at least I didn't see the blood shed.  Not two days later, I walk out to the garage to dump some trash in the bin and when I go back in........a headless chipmunk!  Now remember I am a veterinarian used to seeing guts and all that but this was icky and I could have stepped on it!  I don't care for little critters to start and especially dead ones with no head and organs hanging out.  I would have to have a chat with my feline predators.  First of all, the head has the least nutritional value and the most bones while the organs have the highest nutritional value.  Maybe it is the result of having no practice from living the life of a spoiled house cat and I suppose it would be like a child testing out different foods to see what tastes good and what doesn't.  I have no problem with that as long as they don't vomit things back up.  But my biggest message to the fierce predators is don't leave it on the door mat because I do not want to step on it!

Whippet Inspiration

Today,  good friends unexpectedly lost a long time companion.  Asanya was not your regular run of the mill breed like a Labrador or a Cocker Spaniel rather she was a lovely little Whippet with a wonderful little personality.  Now, Whippets are not a breed that the average dog owner adopts.  But then again, my friends are not the average dog owners either!  Having been in the veterinary business for many years, I actually don't recall taking care of any Whippets, ever.  Having known this lovely dog and appreciating all her coolness makes me wonder why they are not more popular.  I have to admit that until I moved to a new high school with a "Whippet" for the mascot, I had no idea what it was.  I went from a Demon to a Whippet.  Kind of humiliating when you are a teenager.  Anyway, I have recovered from those wounds and now truly appreciate why it was named as the mascot.  The Whippet is a sighthound which is known for its speed and was bred for hunting.  They are relatives of the Greyhound and look much like them except they are a smaller version.  They are a delicate looking dog but they can run like the wind.  When they aren't running, they are usually sleeping. Sighthounds in general tend to be very lazy, laid back dogs.

Asanya was the odd dog out living with two boxers in her household.  She was a princess living with two brutes!  Despite this, she fit in well with them and was held on a pedestal in her house by both dogs and people.  There is an iron strong bond between animals and people in that house which was abruptly shaken today due to her loss.  Even though she is gone, the bond has not been lost as I think  relationships, whether human or animal, continue to have a strong bond even in death.  They are not walking beside us anymore but they are still with us and part of us in the memories we have of them.  Asanya was a  dog who lived a charmed life with people who adored her and made her life fantastic while here on earth.  I'm sure the brutes will notice her absence and mourn for her as well.  They were a tight knit dog family.  She's a dog deserving of a public tribute as well as the people who shared their lives with her and cared for her.  She'll be waiting for you at the bridge.

Angels of Mercy

Today was one of those days that makes my job more difficult than the average person.  I had the responsibility of euthanizing an animal who had reached the end of her time here on earth.  She had excellent care throughout her 18 year life but the body had finally worn out.  It was a rough day.  As I was driving home and thinking about her, it  occurred to me that veterinarians deal with death routinely  as part of our daily work life.  For whatever reason, it was kind of a revelation.  I've been doing this job for nearly 19 years and never thought about in the same context before.   It is something that a person  experiences when losing family members or friends but on average this isn't a regular occurrence.  Veterinarians deal with death routinely but it is never routine.  It is the end to a life that was spent with some purpose whether it was to be a loving pet to a family or a service dog for the handicapped.  It is the end to the beautiful animal that we had the opportunity to share our lives with who gave us comfort and happiness during their short time with us.  Something not to be taken lightly.

I read an aritcle in The New England Journal of Medicine (Treadway, 357;13) a few years back that discussed the end of human life from the perspective of an intern.  The article discussed a busy hosptial and the routineness of a "code".  Everyone swarms into the room, tries to revive the patient with death often the outcome,  they leave and move onto the next patient .  During all this, they are trying to  remove their fear of what they were actually doing-trying to save a life.  If they thought about the shear responsibility they had of saving that life, they might fail at what they were trained to do.  During one of her experiences of a failed code, she was the last to leave the room and repeated a phrase she remembered from church "may choirs of angels greet thee at thy coming."  It was a way to acknowledge the loss of a soul here on earth who she had a part in trying to save.  

Since reading this article, I always think of those words when an animal has taken it's last breath and is free from it's malady here on earth.  I hope there are angels awaiting to greet them or that a gatekeeper is waiting at the bridge to give them a shiny new collar or a new furry mouse.  Wherever their souls go, I long for it to be a happy place and they are rewarded for their time spent here to enrich our lives. 

Up Close and Personal

Three Legged Wonder Dog



Roxy (1992-2001)

More Cats as Supermodels

I saw this video posted on BlogPaws today and couldn't resist passing it along.  Cat lovers will definitely love this one!   It is a perfect follow up to my recent post on "The Making of a Supermodel".  Enjoy!

Iams Home 4 the Holidays Update #2

7 weeks left to adopt an orphan and save a life! 

The Making of a Supermodel

Now that Halloween is over, my cats can breathe a sigh of relief.  The costume season is over so I won't be torturing them any longer in an attempt to get that perfect photo to post on my blog for Wordless Wednesday.  You may have seen some of the photos last month of "victims" who endured a short session of unwilling poses in front of my camera.  If you know anything about cats, you could probably tell they weren't "smiling for the camera".  Rather, they all had a somewhat evil gaze that actually added to the costume!

This is not a supermodel.



Help me, I'm melting.......

I am not looking at the camera.



I suspect there are not many  house cats that have acheived the status of supermodel. If you've ever tried to adorn your feline friend in costume, you will quickly understand why. What you don't see behind the lens is the twenty plus photos snapped before a good one is captured.  When I say "good", by no means do I mean perfect or one that Cat Fancy would be knocking down my door for next month's centerfold.  They are either petrified and won't move, staring at the ground as the costume as rendered them motionless or they are trying to flee the scene.  Before digital photography came along, it would have added up to a lot of bad photos and expensive developing costs. 

Below are some photos I took for a pet photo contest I  recently entered.  Two cats  and 30 photos later, I had one shot that  had  Bruce at least looking at the camera and not scowling!  Unfortunately, I didn't win the contest which was a prize of cool Rick Springfield gear but maybe next time. 

Some of the not so good shots......

Aunt Bea is not a Rick Springfield fan.

  This was not on her evening agenda.

 

I'm outta here.



I'm not saying it is impossible to make your cat into a supermodel, but understand it takes lots of patience and a significant amount of training and time.   In fact, check out this video of some cool Hollywood cats who attended the cat premiere of "Puss In Boots."  These cats are obviously well versed on walking the red carpet with style. 

Now we all know that dressing dogs up in costume is much easier.  Generally they are more willing to participate than our feline friends.  Even though cats are a domesticated species, they still seem to maintain a few wild hairs that make them highly independent and less carefree than their canine counterparts.  For this reason, I believe cats are much less willing to put up with crazy human antics such as dressing them up for holidays.  Like I said before, training cats is not impossible and I challenge you to try if you have the patience and time.  As for me, I will continue to dress them up  much to their dismay in an attempt to get that photo contest winning shot.  Little do they know, I was perusing the clearance costumes at the pet store yesterday in anticipation of next year!



Rick Who and Why Am I Wearing a Seashell Necklace?



Bruce posing to help me win a pet photo contest for some awesome Rick Springfield gear! 



Sunbathing

The Devil Made Me Wear It

Iams Home 4 the Holidays Update

 
 

Well on our way to 1.5 million!  Keep adopting!!

A Tragedy in Ohio

These beautiful beasts are the victims of pathetic stupid human beings.  My heart absolutely aches for them.  It is a horrifying tragedy that innocent animals had to suffer the consequences.  It is time to end the sale, ownership and trade of exotic animals not only in Ohio but everywhere.  They are creatures meant to be wild and free not trophies.  Please support your local legislature to prevent this from happening somewhere else.  Share this blog to spread awareness and memorialize the fallen beasts.  This photo makes me ill and brings tears to my eyes but I felt the photo needed to be reposted as it truly reflects the sheer sadness of the situation. 

ABC 22 / FOX 45 Dayton's News Source's photo.

A Cat and Her Dog

Cats in Toyland

As responsible pet owners, we make a concentrated effort to keep our felines in a healthy state of mind.  Being that they are house cats and don't have run of the neighborhood, we try to keep their environment interesting and enriching.  This involves buying lots of toys and cat furniture and daily visits to the garage for chipmunk watch.  Enriching an animal's environment is extremely important as it improves their daily life and welfare which can reduce stress.  Stress, particularly in cats, can have a significant negative impact on their health which can lead to urinary tract disease and gastrointestinal issues to name a few.  With our most recent feline addition who is a youngster, she plays non stop.  She is a bit of a bully to the others so she doesn't have any buddies, therefore she has become quite good at entertaining herself.  Remember, I mentioned I have bought lots of toys.  I've never counted but I'm sure there are easily 50 or more items that include furry mice, balls with bells,  fluffy balls, crinkle balls, and the list goes on and on. 

Toy Chest  #1

But despite this never ending toy chest to choose from, she often finds something else to entertain herself.  I'm not saying she never pulls stuff out of the chest to play with, but when she does it never seems to be as interesting to her.  Her most recent "toy of choice" is drinking straws.  Yep, that's right.  I have become a bit of a Diet Coke fan so it is not uncommon to have a fast food restaurant cup on the counter waiting to be recycled. So my counter surfing cat identified her new toy and off she went.  She flings them up in the air, carries them around, and bats them across the floor.  We have laminate floors so they really fly  across the floor and make an unusual sound when they move.   

"Tornado" Tonks and her new toy.



Drinking straws are not the only cat selected entertainment device.  Wine bottle corks, cherry tomatoes, pimento peppers, rolled up plastic bags, and milk jug rings are also popular toys for them.  Did I mention I have counter surfing cats?  I don't know how many dried up cherry tomatoes I found under the furniture last winter!   Which brings me to the next subject.......the long lost toys under the furniture. 



Toy Chest #2



This is fun??



I am not a "Suzy Homemaker"  but I do try to make an effort and do a deep clean of the house every so often.  It doesn't take long to have ginormous dust bunnies in the corners when you have a house full of cats.  This usually includes vacuuming under the furniture as this is a favorite dust bunny hang out.  Before I vacuum under things, I have to check for toys so I don't choke the vacuum with mice, milk jug rings or whatever else is lost under there.  On occasion, I will see a cat, with a longing look in their eye, gazing under the furniture This a clue that it might be time to do a sweep with the yard stick.  I'm amazed at the pile that can collect under there. 



The long lost toys (and flameless candle that became a toy) under the china cabinet.



Seems that  Harry missed them.



Even thought the cats will choose their own sometimes unusual toys, I will continue be a doting owner and buy them what I think will excite them and enrich their lives.  They never cease to amaze me with their cleverness and antics.  It proves that if you have cats, you don't have to spend a lot of money to offer them toys.  Of course, safety comes first so you have to take this into consideration if you are looking for home made toys.  Think outside the toy box, you might be surprised at what they will consider the best toy ever! 

Bring 'Em Home for the Holidays

This week is the kick off for Iams Home 4 the Holidays (IH4TH). IH4TH is a joint effort between Helen Woodward Animal Center and Iams with a goal to find homes for 1.5 million orphaned animals between now and January 3rd, 2012. This might sound impossible but for the past 12 years, this collaboration has resulted in over 5.7 million families adopting an animal from a shelter, rescue or adoption center.   Last year alone, 1,125,667 animals were adopted.  This is not small potatoes.  This is saving lives. 

The man behind the magic is Mike Arms, President of Helen Woodward Animal Center in San Diego, CA.  Mike founded the IH4TH in 1999 with 14 shelters in the San Diego area who together adopted 2,563 animals who all went home with Iams food.  Today, there are over 3700 organizations globally that are participating in this adoption drive to save lives.  The success of this program is credited to the thousands of volunteers and  workers who dedicate their time to find homes for millions of animals. 

This week I attended the employee kick off event at P&G Pet Care that included a wonderful video presented by Mr. Arms which was dedicated to the canine heroes of 9/11.  A fact I didn't know is that over half of the search and rescue dogs used during that tragedy were adopted from shelters.  In addition, the first annual Mike Arms/Iams  'Hero' Award was presented to the Austin Humane Society for their efforts in coordinating disaster relief for displaced animals during the recent Texas wildfires.  This award is given by "Iams to a person or animal organization that exemplifies the commitment and passion for the lives of orphaned animals similar to what Mike Arms has been doing for so many years."  Frances Jonon from the Austin Humane Society graciously accepted the plaque and the $5000 award for their organization. 

Mike Arms, Frances Jonon and Michel Brousset (Iams)

Another partner in this years effort is the Ryan Newman Foundation.  Nascar driver Ryan and his wife Krissie are avid supporters of spay/neuter and animal adoption.  They were supposed to attend the kick off event but Ryan was a bit busy with his driving schedule.  (I'm not a Nascar fan but it would have been cool to meet them!)   They did have a great video of them sharing their support of IH4TH with one of their many adopted dogs hanging out with them in the kitchen of their North Carolina home. 

You don't have to adopt an animal to participate in IH4TH as there are several other ways you can become involved.  You can volunteer at your local shelter, give a donation (food or money) to your local shelter,  "Like" Iams on Facebook to donate food, "Share" Iams Facebook with friends and family, and/or buy a bag of specially marked Iams who then donates food to a shelter.  Saving all these animals is a community effort.  The workers and volunteers at animal adoption organizations cannot do it alone.  They need our help to support and care for these animals and help find them loving homes.  Your efforts will be saving lives by reducing euthanasia of orphans.  What better holiday gift to yourself than knowing you made a difference in a creature's life!

Let the adoptions begin!!

For more information: 
Iams Facebook page--Get up to date information, adoption announcements, and holiday cards
Iams Home 4 The Holidays--Learn more about how you can help the effort
Helen Woodward Home 4 The Holidays
Adopt Your Next Pet!--Browse through and see all the orphans waiting for their forever home

Dino Kitties