2-3-17 Friday

Posted on by Robyn

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It strikes me that Dewey has similar colorations as Corbie. Is that just my imagination? Also, do you have more orange cats or more brown tabby?

I can definitely see the resemblance – Dewey on the left, Corbie on the right:

Corbie had more caramel coloring in his fur, but otherwise they’re very similar.

The orange and brown tabbies are tied at three and three (Frankie is now a permanent resident; more on that near the bottom of the post). We are at 11 (SIGH) cats.

IN THE BROWN CORNER:


Kara, Dennis, and Dewey.

IN THE ORNJ CORNER:


Newt, Stefan, and Frankie.

AND IN THE NEITHER BROWN NOR ORNJ CORNER:


Jake (all gray), Joe Bob (gray and white tuxie), Alice (calico and white – I think?), Archie (silver tabby and white), and Maxi (black with a white locket).

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Would you show us the [calendar] picture for January please?

Sure thing! I can’t believe it didn’t even occur to me.

January’s permanent resident cover girl was…


Alice!

And the January foster kitty calendar girl was…


Adele!

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Any plans to update the compatibility chart? It is such a fun page!

Yes, I definitely plan to update it – it’s badly out of date! I can’t promise I’ll have it updated by Friday, but I will aim for NEXT Friday, how’s that?

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I have a question about the kerosene heater. Does it give off a noticeable odor? I’ve been thinking that we really need to have some kind of back-up heat in case we have a power outage in the winter.

The only time I smell kerosene is if Fred has spilled a little when he’s filling the heater. Otherwise, I might smell just the very faintest odor when he first turns it on, but that’s it. They do sell stuff that you can add to the kerosene to cover up the kerosene smell, but I don’t know that that would be any improvement.

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I have an unrelated question for you. Have you heard of “Pretty Litter“? What do you think? My friend uses it and loves it. I think it’s expensive. I don’t know how much scoopable I use a month for one cat but this is $22 for 4 pounds. I’d like to hear from you and your followers on this. Thanks

Chris O/CT said: I use Pretty Litter for my two cats and really love it. Yes, I think it’s expensive but I rather be able to catch an early sign that something is wrong with change in urine color before a disease/disorder gets too far along. I wish I had it for my older cats which have now passed. It would have saved me a lot of vet bills in their advancing years. It gives me peace of mind that I can monitor any abnormal changes in their health and that they may not exhibit.

As far as being scoop able, you only need to scoop out the solid waste as the silica absorbs the urine. You just mix the contents with your scooper and your done! Very little tracking as well and I find there is no dust at all. I change out the litter boxes once a month. Pretty Litter did have a special last year to buy in bulk which was a good deal.

I had not heard of Pretty Litter before, but I can tell you that it’s not something that would work for me. I can see the appeal, though. Has anyone else out there used it? If so, please chime in!

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Also, I have a question. I have a cat who’s about 2 now, and a cat who is 12. Neither of them like to play (which is understandable for my old man). I’m wondering if this is because they’re mainly outdoor cats and get plenty of stimulation outside? As a side note to this question, my younger cat does NOT like toys with bells. And I haven’t tried catnip toys on either of them.

It’s certainly possible that they both get enough stimulation outside that they don’t feel the need to play when they’re inside – they probably do a lot of hunting of birds and rodents, and chase their fair share of insects. On the other hand, it’s possible you just haven’t tried the right toys to get ’em playing. My suggestions (depending on how much you want to spend, of course) would be Da Bird, definitely give some catnip toys a try, and how about some mylar balls? And fur mice! Have you tried a laser light? It might be worth a try.

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Better keep an eye on that cat bed situation, Robyn. Looks like you’re running low, and it’d be a bitch if you couldn’t find anything for them to recline on.

Isn’t that absolutely horrifying?

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“Dewey likes to stand on the platform and eat out of the bowl on Fred’s desk…”

Really? There’s a bowl of food on his desk. And you wonder why all these kitties flock to Crooked Acres. You guys are like the couch at Central Perk.

But… but… they would STARVE if it wasn’t there!

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Hi Robyn, I know you’ve answered this question a million times, but is there a water fountain you would recommend?

I like – and use – the Cat Mate fountain, but if you check here there are several fountains I’ve tried and that work just fine.

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Oh Frankie, you’re killing us with your mouth. Does he still yelp when he yawns? Immediately thought of some kind of arthritis or jaw problem but the vet would’ve caught it.

He actually screams rather than yelps (the difference, I think, is in the length of the sound he makes). He was lying on my chest the other night, yawned, and screamed, and I pretty much ended up on the ceiling, it scared me so badly. The pain medication he started seems to be helping, thankfully.

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Hello, beautiful.

So, Frankie’s bloodwork came back yesterday. He’s a sick boy, but he’s not at death’s door. He’ll need a month of antibiotics to (hopefully) fix him up. Given that he’s sick and that we need to medicate him for so long, we both agreed that he’s not going anywhere.

What a roller coaster of a week, huh? We’re keeping him! We’re not keeping him! We’re keeping him.

We’re keeping him. That’s the final word on the topic – and I know y’all will be so very unhappy about that. NOT!

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Oh, Joe Bob, you are just. So. PURTY!

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Previously
2016: “Did someone say “ham”?”
2015: Simon is planning nefarious things, looks like.
2014: “Go ‘way, lady,” says Angelo.
2013: No entry.
2012: Oh my god! Corbie! WATCH OUT! HE’LL CRUSH YOU! Corrrrrrrrrrbieeeeeeeeeeeee!
2011: I hereby officially give up. Corbie and Reacher will not be making the journey to Petsmart again.
2010: For the first few days, the cats were literally standing in line to lay on the Ham-Mick.
2009: Rumba likes to drag the feather toy around, while Samba chases the end of the stick.
2008: No entry.
2007: No entry.
2006: No entry.
2005: No entry.

Comments

66 thoughts on “2-3-17 Friday”

  1. Oh, Robyn, I am SO glad that you are keeping him……
    I do DID totally supported each of your previous decision – we are keeping him – and then we are not keeping him – but now that I know he’s a sick boy I am so much reliefed because he’s in the best possible hands and he’s not going anywhere away.
    So, once again…. WELCOME Frankie, you’re at home now! <3
    And you couldn't wish a better one 😉

  2. Ok…what is Frankie’s diagnosis? What is making him sick? Worried minds want to know. As for his mouth….has the vet checked his jaws (bone)? I am wondering if he has a jaw fracture or if it pops out of alignment. My jaw as done that a number of times (and gets locked in a slightly open position). It is really painful (and a bit panicky).

    Whoever made this comment: “Better keep an eye on that cat bed situation, Robyn. Looks like you’re running low, and it’d be a bitch if you couldn’t find anything for them to recline on.” That was a riot. 🙂

    As for Alice being “Calico and white”. Well, she is just calico. White is part of the calico coloring. So, if you have a tortie, with a white spot on her stomach, legally, she is a calico….even though people will still call her a tortie. 🙂

    1. He’s heartworm positive and has mycoplasma haemofelis. He’ll require a month of antibiotics for the latter. The vet did a pretty thorough exam (I wasn’t actually there, so I’m hearing it secondhand from Fred) before Frankie got too agitated. If Frankie’s not improved by early next week, the vet will sedate him so he can really get in there, and he’ll do an x-ray at the same time.

      I can imagine that having your jaw out of alignment is panic-inducing!!

      1. Yeah, happened once while driving (eating a Milk Dud). HURTS putting it back into joint.

        I had a friend who had a kitty pass of heart worms at a very young age. Rescued him as a kitty. Sadly, he passed in front of her eyes. She had no idea what happened/the cause. That was the first time I heard of heart worms in a cat (many years ago). Now they do have prevention for cats, which is wonderful for outdoor kitties in the south.

        Ok, I had to google mycoplasma haemofelis. Will he be getting a transfusion along with the Doxy? And will you need to give him glucocorticoids? Please keep us all posted as this could be a very educational situation for all of us. What symptoms did he possess?

        Thank you so much for everything you do!

        1. No steroids – with the FIV+, he can’t have steroids for a reason I don’t remember at the moment. I think because steroids suppress your immune system and with an already compromised immune system, steroids could be disastrous. No transfusion – the vet didn’t mention it. The bloodwork pointed him toward that diagnosis. He’s slightly anemic, but (thankfully) loss of appetite isn’t something he’s suffering from.

          1. Such good info. I know a lot of people with FIV+ kitties. I never knew steroids were a no-no! THANKS!

      2. I didn’t know what it was either & had to google so thanks for telling us, the more we learn as a community of Cat Enthusiasts, the more we can help each other.

        Repeating what others have expressed, I understood your back & forth decisions for keeping/not keeping Frankie but am also very happy that the sweet boy somehow found his way to you and is able to get the care he needs and deserves. It pains my heart to think he may have wandered outdoors the rest of his days, homeless and sick, without ever knowing the safety, warmth & compassion of a loving home.

        So, as always, you & those like you, who strive to make this a better place for our furry friends, have my utmost respect and gratitude. On behalf of Frankie and allll the other kitties you’ve given a second chance, THANK YOU.

        <3

  4. As if I didn’t already endlessly admire you and Fred, Robyn — thanks for putting Frankie first. And may his recovery be swift and sure!

  5. So Forgotten Felines “outed” you last night on Facebook, so I knew Frankie was now a permanent resident again! 😉

    But I knew y’all would want to get him well, and now you get your lap cat in the process. I hope Frankie has an easy time with his meds and starts feeling better soon!

  6. So what’s wrong with Frankie’s? Do we have a diagnosis about his mouth? Is this just those missing teeth? And not to muddy things but if you kept him just for a month or so till he’s better then found a forever home, we understand.

    We just want him cared for and happy.

      1. I did but not sure how the mycoplasma/heart worm affects his mouth. Can it act like lockjaw in rare instances?

          1. Which brings me back to the original question, do we know why he’s screaming in pain when he yawns? Or was he too agitated for the vet to touch his jaw.

            1. He got agitated pretty quickly. If the problem doesn’t solve itself after a week of painkillers, he’ll go back in and be sedated so the vet can really get in there, and do an x-ray if it’s warranted.

  7. My heart goes out to Frankie for all he is going through. I am glad he is in the best place possible to build back his health! Bless you and Fred for taking on this special kitty – he will pay you back with love ‘n’ snuggles!

    (I did not see the FF post – going to look for it now – but Fred’s Facebook post last night tipped me off.)

  9. Aww Frankie, you are one tough dude to still be around with all the bugs going after you. Thank you Robyn and Fred for deciding he was going to stay right where he is. I felt such a wave of sadness when you, rightfully, decided he needed to move on. I cannot explain it but this one just got into my heart and I hated to see him move on. I think it is the look in his eyes that you capture with your wonderful photos. He reminds me of our Hamilton. He too is a big orange/buff former road warrior. I still think about the people who lost him somehow (it is obvious that he was loved at some point because of the way he just moved in to our family) and how lucky we were to have him choose us. I get very scared thinking about what could have happened to him if he had not been picked up off the street, wounded and sick, and taken in to a vet then foster care. Thank you for taking in Frankie. He has a tough few weeks ahead of him but the payoff will be glorious for all of you.

  10. Love to Frankie!! And YAY I got the “nobody knowwwss” header today. Love seeing the squash bugs demanding their lawyer. 🙂

    So how come no “gray corner”? Those boys are going to feel slighted having to be in the same catagory as Maxi and Alice. 🙂

    2. I threw that together last night and as I was looking at the picture this morning, I thought “Well, dummy, you’ve got yourself three gray cats, too.” I may have to update that! 🙂

  11. I know this hasn’t been an easy decision for you and Fred, and my heart goes out to you. If it was anyone else, I’d have been screaming KEEP THE DAMN CAT ages ago, but you two are known for careful and kindly decision making, and I trust your judgment completely.

    BTW, the pic of Jake in the color grouping is far and away the looniest I think I’ve ever seen. And THAT is sayin’ sumthin… 😉

  12. I know how it was when I caved and kept Raven which took me to an all time high of 6 cats. I’m glad I have her though. And now I’m down to 4 for the first time since 2004. I hope Frankie responds well to the meds. You’d never know visiting your house that 11 cats live there. I think last time I only saw a few.

    2. I saw Raven in one of my recent “previously” posts from when I covered at Petsmart and she was there, and it made me smile because I know her happy ending. 🙂

  14. Awwwwww. He belongs with you, although I totally understood your reason for trying to find him a good home. Here’s hoping he heals up quickly with the antibiotics and that his little mouth quits giving him fits soon, too. Peace, blessings and healing, Mr. Frankie!

  15. Oh Frankie! His little face and posture says it all – he just looks so relieved and content to be at Crooked Acres. What a lucky darling boy he is to have found you, and THANK YOU Robyn and Fred for giving him the very best love and care he deserves. I’m rooting for you, beauty boy, and hoping you get better soon xxx

  16. Well he couldn’t have ended up in a better place than y’alls place that’s for sure. Add me to the list of everyone thanking you and Fred for all you do for the kitties in your area.

    Sending good vibes to Frankie for a quick heal. Here’s to hoping the meds work and his jaw pain gets better soon. I have a very soft spot for all orange tabbies but especially ones with medical issues. My first cat was an orange tabby that had been tore up as a baby. One of his eyes had been badly injured and the cheek on the same side was split open to the bone and the flesh was barely hanging on. My best friend found him outside her apartment but luckily she knew a vet and rushed him over to his house. The vet was able to sew up his cheek so that ended up looking perfectly normal but his cornea was gone and there was nothing they could do for his eye. So he was a pirate his whole life. LOL I got him from her when she moved back home and couldn’t take him with. Loved that boy like no other. As fate would have I’ve haven’t gotten another orange tabby but I know I will again one day.

  17. It just occurred to me that your boy kitties outnumber your girl kitties quite significantly these days! 8-3!

    Which makes me wonder if you have noticed an, um, attitude difference between male and female cats? I haven’t had as many cats as you have had, but of the ones I have had (or known), the boy kitties seem to be way more easy-going and friendly than the girl kitties…

    1. I can only speak to the cats we’ve had, but I would say that the boys are friendlier with other cats than the girls are. Maxi would prefer it if there were no other cats in existence, period. Kara doesn’t like other cats, but wishes they’d just do what she tells them to. And Alice is kind of scared of the boys, but will also play with them sometimes. All three girls are more people-cats than cat-cats; the boys like other cats (well, most of the boys do. Maybe not Archie.) and also people. I guess what I’m saying is that the boys are more well-rounded than the girls. 🙂

      1. My friend from the rescue organization I work with, who’s been fostering for ages, says she has found in her experience that females tend to bond with one person, whereas males love everyone.

  18. Man, Frankie looks like he’s liking whatever meds Dr. Feelgood has given him. Aw, poor little man. But, he doesn’t look like he had any doubts where he’d be lying his sweet little head by the end of the week.

    Yes, they would starve. I had to run out to the store this morning (in -17C (so, what’s that? 1F? At that temp, what does it matter?), just out of the shower with wet hair and a microfiber towel around my head, no socks in my boots and my sleeping t-shirt on under my coat), because SOMEONE(or TWO) decided crunchies weren’t going to cut this morning, and please to be serving gooshie food. Toot sweet. Please and thank you.

  19. And Joe Bob? He’s always been one dreamy dreamboat, with that dapper grey and white coat and perfect little pink nose…

  20. I’m thrilled that you’re keeping him, no one else could give him as good care as you guys. Here’s hoping he makes a full recovery and rewards you with many years of his beautiful smile. Love to see him in the pink bed!

    1. There’s not a treatment – we hope that the situation resolves itself. Heartworm infection in cats is unusual, and heartworms tend not to live to adulthood in a cat host. The good thing (I think it’s good) is that he’s not showing any of the signs of a bad heartworm infection (diarrhea, vomiting, coughing, gagging), so basically we’re keeping our fingers crossed.

      1. Good that it should resolve itself. I am glad you are keeping him. He loves you guys!!! Awwww, little sweet kiddo.

  22. Robyn and Fred, you are my heroes! Perhaps we the L&H followers could chip in to help you cover the med costs for Frankie?

      1. Well, can we donate to your foster org in Frankie’s name? Help some other kitty. Also, are heartworms contagious? I’m glad Frankie is staying with you, and I’m glad he gets along with the others. I was afraid he was not getting along with the other permanent residents.

  23. “Isn’t that absolutely horrifying?”
    Uh, no. I’d say not nearly enough beds there given how many cats you have. Our Bruiser had 7 beds all to herself, and we live in a small house!

    And a p.s., Frankie is such a lucky boy! Here’s hoping he recovers quickly.

    1. HA – we are trying to declutter, and as part of that discussion, Fred suggested that we should limit the number of beds to 2 times as many beds as we have cats. My reaction was just ::splutter::

  24. I’m going to tell my husband about Crooked Acres when I make my pitch for us to adopt my one remaining foster kitten. Yes, I kept one from the first litter. No, I’m not going to keep doing this with fosters. But my little girl was just so scared at her adoption event, and just so happy and relieved to come home. Anyway, this would just bring us to six permanent residents.

  25. Thank you for keeping sweet Frankie. You do know, Robyn, that there will be a special place for you and Fred in Heaven for all you do!!

  26. Awww…. welcome home (again), Frankie! And thank you both, Robyn and Fred – these kitties are so lucky to have you….❤️

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