3-04-16 Friday

54 thoughts on “3-04-16 Friday”

1. I love the puddle of Newt!!

   Thanks for the tips on Da Bird alternatives with tougher string. Although the PURRfect Pouncer Toy (https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0080J8Q6S/ref=ya_aw_od_pi?ie=UTF8&psc=1) makes them a little crazy. They just grab the feather blob on the end and run off, growling at no one in particular. It’s quite fun.

   New question: can anyone recommend a cat harness/leash set for 6-7 lbs. kitten-cats? The zoomies and the pantalones da loca on Ailbhe are set on extra high so Dad is convinced she needs to go walkies (Laoise is much more laid back, except for that feather blob from above).

   My crazy ginger girls.

   1. I just get “dog” ones for my kitty (Sam). He is up to a medium dog size and weighs 15 pounds. We started him out on small size when he was a tiny little kitten. Sam goes with us everywhere – camped from Florida to South Dakota and always has on his harness! The 15 foot leash comes from the popular “big box store”.

   2. I got these for my four. They don’t go for walks or outside, but I have them for emergency situations and leashes also (if their carriers are not avail or such. Yes, I am a worry-wart, so back off. hahahaha).
      http://www.walmart.com/ip/Oxgord-Cat-Dog-Comfort-Travel-Portable-Pet-Harness-Small-Pet-Harness-Red/45218803

   3. I bought this at PetSmart:
      http://www.petsmart.com/supplies-training/toys/national-geographic-trade-owl-teaser-cat-toy-zid36-23108/cat-36-catid-200099?var_id=36-23108&_t=pfm%3Dsearch

      My kids were much happier when I cut it free from the wand. It is a nice poof of feathers (pretty big) and they really feel like they “killed it”. 🙂

   4. vest and harness ideas: http://www.sparklecat.com/special/buying-a-cat-harness

2. I have pet insurance for my cats, if anyone has any questions about it! It’s fantastic and I would recommend it a hundred times over. My snooger Sophie had some medical issues over the last six months – urinary tract stuff, she’s doing well now – and the bills totaled over $1,500. Because of my insurance, I only paid $250 of that. Let me know if I can provide any information!

   1. I have to concur about pet insurance. I did not have it with my previous cat, who lived to 21, acquiring a variety of expensive conditions. Most of the cost of meds, tests, treatments would have been covered if she had been covered. (Fortunately, I was able to afford most on my own because I had a well paying job.) Now, semi-retired and having adopted a six-year-old from a shelter, I extended the free one month pet insurance that came with her adoption package. Well, well worth it. She has a URI that comes and goes,requiring medicine when it flares up, and had a tooth that needed to come out. All covered, save for co-pays. I just renewed the insurance and intend to do so every year she is eligible. But do compare policies, and have a very clear understanding what is covered – and what is not.

   2. We just had a kitty that broke three bones in his left hind foot. Would that have been covered? It cost $1,000.00 after all was said and done. He’s recovering nicely now, no longer has to wear his “cone of shame.” Hee When we were at the vets the day his splint came off, while waiting to get his meds we saw a couple pamphlets and grabbed ’em. We have a total of 4 cats and a dog. Over the years we’ve had a cat with diabetes, one with cancer and one with renal failure and the dog got into my husband’s psoriasis topical medication and almost had kidney failure when he was a puppy. Our bank even offers pet insurance but we’ve never gotten it as we’re torn on whether it’d be worth it or not.

      1. Under my plan yes all of that would have been covered! There are different levels of plans. I have the standard medical plan which is basically just for emergencies (broken foot definitely applies) or unexpected illnesses (like all of Sophie’s UTI issues). The annual deductible per issue is $250 and after that everything is covered up to a certain point. For things like diabetes/renal failure, I believe the plan would pay for all the diagnostic testing (which in my experience is the very expensive stuff) but NOT the supplies after (insulin, prescription food, etc). I have plans for both cats; Sophie’s is more expensive because she is older ($27/month) and Lenny’s is $22/month. My insurance is through VPI, a subsidiary of Nationwide, and they’ve been wonderful to work with – claim submission is super easy and it’s never taken longer than 2 weeks to get a check from them.

         1. Thanks Kate. That helps, I’ll let my husband know. Sounds like it might be a good idea; at least for the younger set of brothers as they’re only 4. The older set, which includes the broken foot, are 16 so not sure if he’d agree to get it for them. The dog is 8 but he’s a little guy and in good health so he could live quite a few more years so might be good for him too.

            1. You are very welcome! If you have any other questions or I can help at all please let me know.

3. I LOVE the pictures of the perms! It is nice to see them – especially the puddle so Newt!!!

   Is Dennis’s eyes blue?

   I am so happy for Shelton and Levine! Nothing better that siblings being together for lifetime!

   1. No, they’re a really gorgeous shade of green. He and Alice have the MOST gorgeous eyes!

4. I love the “puddle of Newt”, too!!! Actually, Stefan is ANNOYED that you hung a step ladder on his kitty perch – the NERVE OF YOU! Archie and Loony Jake look like they each need a kissy!!! Hello, Maxi! You are soooo purdy! I love seeing all the perms.

   Declawing is a very personal choice and controversial (which I will not stir any pot here. LOL). People are either for it or against it. However, the apt complex surprises me as dogs can do tremendous damage…chewing up baseboards, kitchen cabinets, digging up the carpet, poo and pee on the carpet, scratching up doors, etc. I have rental property and I am more concerned with the dogs than I am cats. If the cats are spayed/neutered and use the kitty box like a champ – I have no problems.

   Hurray for Levine and Shelton. Nubb’s family is taking a little extra long because they are searching for that extra special kitty.

   1. That’s what I figured about dogs…but in my apartment-hunting online, I’ve come across an awful lot of places that say “dogs okay, NO CATS.” It’s very puzzling.

      1. I have seen where cats have clawed up door jambs and frayed carpet. They probably had good luck with dogs and bad with cats. Most of the cats that have been in my rental were declawed. I had no damage. I bought an investment property where all the wood work was chewed up by the ex-owner’s little dog. So, I guess preference is based on experience.

         Oh, just realized that a lot more people are allergic to cats than dogs. It can cause anaphylactic shock in some people. So, that can also be a big reason for no cats.

         1. My cats have clawed the snot up out of my carpets (especially at doors where I close the doors to separate them) and door jambs, so I can see where the apartments would require that. It’s definitely something they’d have to consider. You have to remember that not everyone actually trains their cats and/or isn’t home all day to train. I’ve got scratching posts, beds, etc. everywhere and my cats are just willful little monsters on occasion.

            1. We’ve had 10 cats over the years. Two of them were/are door jamb clawers. LOL Especially my bathroom door. We have several scratching posts, including a scratcher that hangs on a closet door that’s right next the bathroom. He uses it but still loves the door jamb more. He’s even coming running around the corner and jumped half way up the door and slid down it then went to town. That’s happened a few times right in front of me! Not please to say the least. We’ve resolved ourselves that it’s just going to happen no matter how many times we’ve tried to deter it. So we’re not going to worry about it until we move, then we’ll replace them.

               They’re so lucky we love them so. LOL

            2. They will scratch where ever they darn well please, don’t they? Kate will only scratch approved scratching items – posts, boxes, etc. Jack will only scratch my furniture, despite my best efforts at redirecting him to scratch the approved items only. He just can’t help himself. I’ve just decided that we aren’t going to buy any new furniture until he crosses the Rainbow Bridge. I hate to think like that but it’s really his only bad habit. So we live with a wrecked arm chair and a stringy couch 🙂

               1. And they are worth every minute of it! . I have found that if I trim their nails, they scratch less.

   2. I hate the “dogs are okay but cats aren’t” too. I’ve seen the damage done by dogs before, doors all scratched up from the dogs wanting to go out, floors, etc. I have a dog friend who had the same misconceptions about cats and when I started pointing out his dogs do the same thing (one of his husky dogs was up on the counter begging for food) he started to realize what an idiot he has been with the double standards..

      (not to mention dog poop all over the lawn and urine burn marks)

      1. Reading this reminded me of something I saw at Petsmart last week: disposable litter boxes for dogs. I was totally amazed (and laughed because of course I immediately imagined George trying to use a litter box!)

      2. 

         1. He would be lucky to get a paw in it. He would, also, always be in trouble for “missing” cuz his booty would always hang over! 🙂

5. I thought I posted a cheesy song last week… the one I’m thinking of is called “Where Is Love” which was on the radio a lot in the early 70s I think and is really from the musical Oliver! As if having a stomach bug wasn’t bad enough, I also had this as an earworm while recovering. Eh.

6. For the reader who’s heading to the Phoenix area, best of luck with your move and congratulations on the prospect of a new family member or perhaps two! I would, though, like to gently suggest that adults cats, even those with mysterious backgrounds, can definitely be the way to go. Look at all the adorable grown-ups who’ve shown up at Crooked Acres and been lucky to make it their home. Also, pet insurance is the way to go. I didn’t have it and had to shell out thousands in an emergency.

7. I wish I could afford pet insurance but with 16 cats @ $30 a month…nope. When I was having so many issues with my Phalanges (RIP), we were struggling to pay for one vet visit after another. I was in tears at the last visit, worried sick about how I was going to come up with the money for further treatment. The receptionist suggested Care Credit and she applied for me on the spot. I’d had credit problems in the past, but, lo and behold!, I was approved for nearly 3K. That card has allowed me to have Bruisers pillowfoot treated, Joey’s inflammatory bowel disease treated, Gracie’s tail cyst removed, Buddy’s body lump tested (benign), Rufus’ ongoing scabby cat thing treated and my sweet Pansy (RIP) cared for during her many issues and covered her cremation.
   Yes, it has a balance and probably will for awhile, but it’s been amazing peace of mind to have that credit available when it’s needed.

   1. I will have to check out Care Credit. Never heard of it before.

   2. The emergency vet did the same for us when our puppy got into my husband’s psoriasis medicine. It cost about 2 grand to have him there for 3 days cleaning out his kidneys. And they still weren’t sure if he was going to make it. Thank goodness he did. We’ve wondered over the years if insurance would’ve covered at least some of the cost. We’ve since let that card go though.

8. Emergency back up money is a good plan in any case. I would also say insurance is the way to go. Care Credit is a good thing as well (what we use due to age restrictions in the insurance companys).

9. Oh, that’s such cool news about the adoptions! Yay! Now, we’ll all sleep better knowing that The King of All Nubbs finds his realm, so hopefully soon!

   So nice seeing all the Permanent Residents. 🙂 Stefan, lol. Reminds me so much of my Malcolm.

10. We’ve used Care Credit for kitty emergencies…our Rufio ran up some awesome hospital bills. When we used it, bills reaching a certain balance could be paid off in a certain time frame interest free. Also…and seriously…if anyone is heading to Oregon from Alabama, Jethro Tull and TC (Thunderclap Newman) would love a little royal brother. We’d love to welcome King Nubbs as a 5010.

11. Newt is melting! lol

    Re Phoenix – check Petfinder to see what rescues are in the area and go to their websites. They may have blogs or be linked to blogs run by their fosterers. And you may find one to volunteer with, which might ease your sadness at moving and also help a cat or kitten pick you to be their hooman.

12. LOVE the residents pictures. Those are some of the best things I have seen. Could you put them on the favorite pics page? And yeah for the littles getting adopted!

    Also, regarding costs: I spend about $100 for a checkup each yr. So if you average it it’s a little over $10/month. Then I spend about $5 a week for canned food and another $7 for litter about every 2 weeks. It works out then to be about $50 a month. If you multiply that out it is about $600/yr. They say a cushion of savings of twice what you think you need for emergencies for people (like a month’s salary times two) so if you do the same with this number that would be $1500-$2000 a yr as an estimate.

13. Cat in Phoenix:
    I don’t know of any foster bloggers in Phoenix, but having been a resident there for over 20 years, can vouch that the local Humane Society has some awesome adoptees. Also, the vet practice on Cave Creek Road – Amigo Animal Clinic is excellent. All three of our boys came from them.

14. that Newt has quite the spread 🙂

    1. shhhhhhhhh……

15. “According to this report, the total first-year cost of owning a dog is $1,270 and for a cat it’s $1,070. As you can see, having a pet can cost you over $1,000 in the first year, and well over $500 each additional year. Depending on the food you buy and your actual medical expenses, the costs could be much higher.”

    The first year can be expensive if you don’t get a fully vetted kitten from a shelter. If you do then the expense is the adoption fee. The first few years SHOULD be relatively inexpensive, food/litter and general vet visits. about eight you need to consider doing annual blood work and old kitty exams, and depending on what you feed dental cleanings will happen once a year or so from the time they are four or five. (my younger cats who were raised on raw have much better teeth than my older ones who spent years eating junk food)

    Urinary issues can be horribly expensive, but if you pay more for food chances are you’ll never have them (they are much more prevalent in cats who eat dry)

    Diabetes, same

    I’ve priced insurance several times, and calculated the payout if my cats became ill, and realized that if I put the money aside for the premiums I’d be far better off than I could in all but the rarest of medical issues. In just under three years you’ll have $1000 put aside if you put $30 a month aside, and if your cat doesn’t have any huge medical expenses, you’ll have a nice nest egg for yourself.

    This is not as true for dogs. I’ve seen insurance save a lot of people when it comes to dogs.

    FYI, the black cat being adopted last is actually a myth. It *feels* true because out of all of the homeless cats, a large percentage of them are black. There have been studies. http://www.vetstreet.com/our-pet-experts/is-it-a-myth-that-black-shelter-pets-are-less-likely-to-be-adopted

    *sigh* Nubbs.. I’m sorry people don’t see how awesome you are..

    and I love that song.. haven’t heard it in years.. *hits play again*

    1. ^^ I should have added this in my comment – if you are the type of person who will actually put away the premium payment every month then that is TOTALLY a viable option. I am emphatically not that person, so insurance is a great choice for me. 🙂 Also, an unexpected veterinary medical issue can really, really quickly exceed $1,000. It’s a crapshoot, really.

    2. I did not know that about black cats, Connie. Thanks for the link!

    3. My cat (RIP) was diabetic from birth. Then he became insulin resistant thus his new fancy insulin was $82 every 21 days. Add in needles and test kits. He was $1100 to diagnose and another $1300 when he became resistant and got neuropathy in his hind legs. (The new insulin cured that.) I use to kiss him on his face and tell him that he pooped gold. He lived for 17 years. He was worth every penny. I am/was blessed to have a good job. This was before pet insurance existed. I was hoping to get him a SS# so I could have him as a write-off. ha

       One thing to thing I will say is pay attention to what your insurance will cover. Take the monthly cost x 12. That is the cost of the policy for the year. Add in your deductible. What are the costs of the procedures? Sometimes it may be frugal to pay yourself the monthly insurance cost and deductible each year. That way you will have it when and if you need it and not pay for something that you didn’t use that year or five. Just a thought. I would have only needed it with my one diabetic….just for the diagnosis. Else, it would have been a big waste of money for all six cats.

16. I was wondering how old Mama Sheriff was. I love her little face which reminds me of my Sadie the Grumpy Ole Lady who is 17.

17. Los Angeles has made declawing illegal. It may be the whole state but not sure. My vet was so caring he would only remove the claw if he absolutely needed to. Most places removed the bone right after the claw, too. I have seen cats like that who had trouble walking.

    Black cats are awesome and mine were very smart.

    Watch your cats if you put soft rubber tips on their claws. Some chew at them until they can get it off causing injury to themselves.

18. Get pet insurance as soon as you adopt an animal. My daughter’s groomers broke her cat’s leg. They denied wrong doing and fought the court order they should pay. It dragged on over a year. Groomers then appealed and the appeals judge yelled at them. It was expensive and cat became so clingy she had to get another kitten as a companion. Always test your cats for feline contagious diseases so you don’t have to put them to sleep. FIP a fatal disease killed companion cat at 8 months. She had to get another one because original cat began eating drapes and clothing. THIS cat is black, and was tested and insured immediately.

19. Puddle of Newt! They’re all so sweet. Are Dennis’ eyes turquoise? I had a Maine Coon girl that I lost last November (sniff) and she had the most beautiful turquoise eyes. You don’t see that color very often.

20. I’ve never used pet insurance, but I have made a point to put money aside (into a savings account that is interest-bearing), and save about $225/month. That’s $2700/yr, and so far it seems to have kept me in the clear, though my current ones are apparently not good teeth-wise, so some of that cash gets used every year. My goal is to get the account up to $5k, but the dentist happens. I try to keep a minimum of $2k in the account, though, just in case. (plus I have a credit card if care goes beyond that.)

21. If you have a pet that gets a prescription medication that is also prescribed for humans, you can sometimes get that prescription filled at a human pharmacy for less. I have a friend who gets some of her cats’ medicines at Walgreens and uses their prescription savings card.

22. I say $5K, just in case your kitty has health problems. I looked into pet insurance, but there are a ton of things it won’t cover, so it wasn’t right for me. Especially if you’re adopting an adult cat, the insurance might not cover most of your issues.

    I spent well over 2K in the past year finding out that my cat had cancer, and then putting her down. My vet worked with me on the cost, but it was still a fortune. Blood work costs money, room and board costs money, meds cost money. Beyond the vet stuff, food and litter cost a lot of money. Especially if you have a picky cat. Trying to find the right food and litter can waste a lot of money before you get to maintenance costs.

    In fact, my plan after my 18yo cat dies (I hope I have a few years left with her) is to wait a while so I can save up a lot of money for my next round of pet ownership.

23. I paid $50 a month for 10 years for compounded cat thyroid medicine. At the same time for 15 years I paid for special eye drops for our other cat who had a rare condition. After they passed at 18 and 20 years, I got Care Credit card for my daughter’s teeth and then found I could use it for pets. If insurance had been available for those cats, I would have gotten it.

24. I emailed my best friend from college who lives in Phoenix… she has this recommendation… halorescue.org She isn’t aware of a blog in the area but you may find one with the fosters for Halo Rescue. They love their adopted kitty from years ago, Patella. (she’s in the medical field… lol)

25. OK Robyn –

    So the Pie scratcher/bed arrived five minutes ago, and three minutes ago, Precious had curled up in it and claimed it as her own. Magic! (Although the next size up – if it existed – would suit her batter, her motto is ‘if I fits, I sits!)

    One question – Do you have any idea what is in the little foil packet attached to the paper liner? That’s me being curious – whether it is silica, catnip oil or some treat, I am just going to trash it: clearly Precious doesn’t need it to to be attracted to the bed!

    1. That’s Silvervine powder, I believe – some cats love it, some cats don’t. Most of my cats think it’s the bees knees. 🙂

       I’m so glad Precious loves her pie plate. Precious pie for everyone! 😉

26. I just saw the list of possible foster names, and I was totally amazed because a good number of them are names I have actually used for some of my previous fosters! I’ve had an Apple Jack, a Cocoa Puff, Cheddar, Sunkist, Popcorn, Pretzel, Nacho, Dorito, Penne, Ziti, and Tortellini. I think it would be really weird for me if you ended up naming a new foster one of these… I’d always be thinking about my previous foster! ha..

27. Nubblet has turned into a total love bug, not that he wasn’t before, but he’s even more so now. I cuddled and loved on him several times yesterday. Everytime he purred like crazy. I put a little harness and leash on him and had him out at the table with me which he loved. He wasn’t too sure about strangers approaching him, but then it’s a noisy store and you know STRANGER DANGER! He’s a happy little guy and someone is going to be lucky to adopt him as their newest companion.

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