LITTLE SCRUFFY

Scruffy went to Heaven last night.  He was lying on my neighbor’s porch on Thursday and he threw up and was acting lethargic.  She thought he might have had a heat stroke.  So she took him in the house and put him in her bathroom but he still wouldn’t eat and could barely move.

I went to visit him last night and took her some antibiotics and he looked terrible. But he did purr and attempt to meow when I scratched him.  He died an hour later.  She just called me. She was crying saying she should have brought him in the house sooner.  I told her she gave him love.  He died knowing someone cared about him.  He was eating good and getting lots of attention probably for the first time in his life.  She buried him this morning with her other kitties.

I will say a prayer for Scruff. I became attached to him as well. I’ll miss his cute little face. 

MY SLEEPYHEAD

She takes after her namesake, Aunt Melinda, who liked to sleep in.  We miss you Melinda.  Can’t believe it’s been 7 years today.  But I know that’s why I have my little girl, who has an excitable voice and personality just like you. 

WHO'S YOUR DADDY

It's not Scruffy!  I haven't seen this cat for a few years and he just showed up again several months ago.  Someone said they had seen him in the gazebo across the street and because the kitties all look just like him, I assumed he was the daddy.  He is a mess, that's for sure.  I think a dog got a hold of his neck. It has no hair and there is a scar down to his right leg. And his hair is half out, going every which way. He obviously didn't get the memo that cats spend a third of their lives grooming. 

So wasn't I surprised when the spay/neuter alliance emailed me and told me that Scruffy had already been fixed. But they dewormed him, gave him shots and he is back now.  My neighbor has taken a liking to him so I think he may have a home. In fact, I told her if she would take him in, I would pay for it.  He hasn't left her porch since.  He's actually semi-tame.  We have both scratched him.  He did swat at me once but the claws were in.  Another one taken care of.  Hopefully, this will be it for a long time.

BATH TIME

That Melinda is a smart little bugger.  She saw me pull out the towels and fill all the water jugs with warm water and she was gone.  Under the bed. 

The more I read about steroids, the less I want to use them. They can have severe long-term side effects like lowering the white blood cell count making it easier for bacterial infections, an increased chance of pancreatitis and possible permanent organ damage. Since I may have to give them a shot later in the summer while I’m on vacation, I would really like to figure this out.  And I doubt my pet sitter will want to bathe them multiple times a day.

But I will call the vet again tomorrow since the Claritin and Benedryl don't seem to be working as well as I want them to. I read an article today about spraying them with Apple Cider Vinegar. Crossing fingers…..

MORE ON ALLERGIES

Melinda and Stinky have me stumped. I have tried about everything I can think of to get them to stop itching.  I’ll probably take them for a cortisone shot but that can cause health issues in dogs and is only a temporary fix anyway.  So I’ve been trying to figure out what the cause is so I can eliminate that.

In the past, I have only had to bathe them and give them Benedryl for a week… problem solved.  For the last month, I have been bathing them at least once a week, sometimes twice.  Not always with shampoo, just to wash the pet dander off.  I give them fish oil twice a day, Benedryl twice, sometimes three times a day.  I have been wiping off their paws almost every time they come in the house. I am even giving them sponge baths often throughout the day.

Today I washed all the bedding, mine and theirs (well mine is theirs), with hypoallergenic laundry soap.  I also changed their food to Blue Wilderness Freedom Grain Free after another holistic brand didn’t result in any change. According to my vet and what I have read, when they have food allergies, the most common ingredients are the corn and other fillers.  And this particular food has lower protein, so it’s better for older dogs. 

It’s probably dust mite allergies from the high pollen count due to the mild winter we had. I thought the baths and wiping their paws would work for that. I read about a product call Paw Clean so I will have to look into that. 

All of my “treatments” have helped but then all of the sudden; they will have an itching attack. And I feel so bad for them because I had poison ivy a few months ago and I know it’s miserable to itch.

I know it’s not fleas and they don’t have any hot spots from itching.  Their fur is lush and soft because of the fish oil and the high-qualify food they eat.  And lately, the hypoallergenic baby oil that I sometimes wipe them down with.  They actually really like that.  Spoiled puppies…. Wish me luck!