The Yearly Visit to the Vet

Yup, it's that time of year again when Kirby gets his regular checkup, his shots, etc. I used to dread this  because he was hard to catch and extremely noisy when he was in the exam room. Started following some of the advice I had read and written about in previous blogs which seemed to help. Brought out the carrier where he can go in anytime he wants (and come out), put treats and play toys in the carrier, and threw in something with my scent on it. That seemed to help a lot. Still doesn't like to ride in the car. :>) Let's just say it's a work in progress.

In the beginning, I would be met with a face like this when I'd bring out the carrier:

(Especially the last one in the first row and the first one in the second row)

Getting him into the carrier would be something like this.

While in the carrier, his attitude was probably:

Thank goodness Mom got smarter and started considering how Kirby felt and how scary a trip to the vet can be. This part is much better now. Of course, once we are at the vets and he comes out of the carrier:

Dr. Molly has a way of keeping him calm if I leave the room. Don't hear the screaching and the squalling anymore like I used to. Exam goes well and it's time to go home. What a difference! Quiet and sleeping.

But if the truth be known, he may be having these thoughts.

Once we're home, the trip is just a thing of the past.

These links will take you to my previous blogs about preparing your cat for a more relaxed way of going to and seeing the vet. Wish I had known this when my boys were kittens. Sure would have made it a lot easier.

 http://sammythesupercat.blogspot.com/2015/04/no-no-not-vet.html
 http://sammythesupercat.blogspot.com/2014/04/omg-im-going-to-vet.html

If you have any suggestions that have worked well with your cats, please share them with us.

Marion Lovato is the author of Sam, the Superkitty.  Her book describes an ordinary cat changing into a superhero to protect his family from things that go bump in the night.  Available on Amazon as a paperback or Kindle edition.  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1604588667

Spring Has Sprung!!

Spring is here! The snow has finally melted off the lawn and the temperatures are getting warmer. Do cats enjoy spring? I'm sure they do after a long winter of snowy days and not much sunshine. So, how do cats celebrate the coming of spring? Let's see............

For cats who are inside/outside cats, maybe they'd be the first in their neighborhood to sit on a fence.

They could take a walk with a friend.

 They would most definitely enjoy the warm sunlight wherever they were!

 It's time to relax!

 It's fun to play in the yard for the first time.

Sometimes a spring storm will happen, but cats can adapt.

Of course, there's always the thing that happens in the spring even to humans.

After all this activity, it's time to get recharged.

What do you notice your cats do when winter changes to spring? Share your stories with us. We'd love to hear from you.

Marion Lovato is the author of Sam, the Superkitty.  Her book describes an ordinary cat changing into a superhero to protect his family from things that go bump in the night.  Available on Amazon as a paperback or Kindle edition.  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1604588667

A Poem From a Cat

Thomas and Salem lived in the northern part of the United States that received a lot of snow. Thomas was a man; Salem was his cat. Salem was a very handsome tabby that kept Thomas laughing when he was home. Thomas worked during the day so he was home in the evening to keep Salem company. Since he was a very smart cat, Thomas was able to teach Salem some cute tricks. He would fetch small things like a dog would which was very unusual.

One day, however, Thomas didn't come home as often in the evening. If he did, he would have another human with him. She seemed very nice, but she wouldn't pay any attention to Salem. She would just talk to Thomas and pay attention to him. Salem was starting to feel very neglected. He would try to cuddle with her, but she'd just shove him away. Thomas wouldn't even let him sit on his lap when SHE was around! Salem was getting very angry and didn't know how to change the situation.

He had been noticing that Thomas was always giving her something like flowers and candy or reading poetry to her, etc. But one day, he gave her a ring! Something seemed different and Salem knew he had to act quickly. But what? If he didn't get her attention and affection now, he'd be out in the cold. Ah, ha! He had a great idea! He ran down to the flower shop, crept in when a customer opened the door, grabbed some carnations on the counter that another customer was buying, and took off on a dead run when the door opened again. He ran to HER house and waited for her to come out to go somewhere with Thomas. It worked! She thought this was so cute...............

Marion Lovato is the author of Sam, the Superkitty.  Her book describes an ordinary cat changing into a superhero to protect his family from things that go bump in the night.  Available on Amazon as a paperback or Kindle edition.  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1604588667

Easter DANGERS For Cats!

Like to remind people about this at Easter Time. Right now, lilies are very popular.  Unfortunately, they are very dangerous for your cat.  I would like to share a blog with you from an urban weekly called Inlander.  In this blog, they explain why these are not good for your pet.

The trumpeted blooming flowers often given as gifts in the weeks leading up to Easter’s observance are certainly lovely icons of spring, but if you have cats — beware. Out of all types of plants that, when ingested, can cause minor to severe symptoms in cats, lilies are one of most dangerous and deadly of all cultivated plants. And that’s lilies of any kind — not just the traditional Easter Lily.

 

Though obligate carnivores — meaning their diets must be animal protein-based — many domestic cats are naturally attracted to greenery both in and outside their homes because plants serve as a small source of fiber. Cats can’t efficiently digest plant matter, though, so if you see your cat nibble on something green only to puke it up later, that’s not unusual, either. Cats may intentionally eat plants to induce vomiting to pass a hairball.

That said, even if your cat has never shown interest in nibbling plants, it’s still a good idea to avoid the risks entirely by not bringing any lilies into your home. Ingesting any part of the plant can cause death if not treated, but the first symptoms are vomiting, lack of appetite, lethargy and kidney failure, according to the ASPCA, which offers a lengthy guide on all plants known to be harmful to pets.  

It’s not known what specific toxin in lilies is so deadly to cats, but even one bite of a leaf or taste of pollen can bring on symptoms. If you suspect your cat has eaten part of any houseplant, seek immediate veterinary care. It’s also a good idea to take a picture of the suspected plant(s) if you’re not sure so the vet can give an accurate diagnosis and treatment.

Another thing to avoid at Easter if you have cats, especially kittens — fake Easter basket grass, at least of the non-paper variety. If accidentally ingested by a cat, the foreign object could potentially require surgery to remove.

The ASPCA has a 24-hour poison emergency hotline (888-426-4435; note there is a cost involved) for pet owners who are concerned their cat or dog is showing signs of ingesting a harmful substance, plant or not.
Sources and more info on plants harmful to cats and other pets:

ASPCA
Cat Fanciers Association
PetMD
Animal Planet

Marion Lovato is the author of Sam, the Superkitty.  Her book describes an ordinary cat changing into a superhero to protect his family from things that go bump in the night.  Available on Amazon as a paperback or Kindle edition.  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1604588667

Oh, No! It's Sunday Again!

It was a beautiful spring day. The family had decided that it would be nice to go for a picnic after church. Mom fried some chicken, made potato salad, and added other things she thought her family would like. She even made a pie for dessert. Everyone piled in the car to go to church. After that, they went to the local park to have their picnic.

Mom and Dad spent the afternoon just relaxing and visiting while the kids played on the equipment, ran races, visited with friends they found there, and just kept active until they were too tired to do anything else. All in all, they spent about three hours at the park. By then, everyone was ready to go home. Both Mom and Dad had things to do to get ready for work tomorrow and the kids had homework to finish for school.

When the family arrived home, their cat, Jordy, was there to greet them. He noticed they didn't look as happy as when they left in the morning, but he didn't think much about it. After he was fed, he just sat and watched them. Dad was getting papers ready for a meeting at work the next day. Mom was making sure that her lesson plans were ready for the week since she was a teacher. The kids were mumbling under their breath about having to finish their homework. Jordy was so happy he was a cat because..........

I Hate This Time of Year!

Before you go to bed tonight, be sure to your clocks forward an hour. (Oh, joy!!) I'm being a little sarcastic there because I hate doing this. Seems like it takes me at least two weeks to catch up with the time. Maybe some of you are like me. One piece of advice I've heard to prepare for this is to go to bed early every night for a few weeks so you are ready for the time change when it happens. Try to convince a cat of that! They'd probably give me this kind of look.

Let's see how our furry friends adjust to their daily routine of sleeping, eating, and playing.

Sleeping

Eating

Playing

How do your pets adjust to the springing forward an hour? Would love to hear some good stories!

Marion Lovato is the author of Sam, the Superkitty.  Her book describes an ordinary cat changing into a superhero to protect his family from things that go bump in the night.  Available on Amazon as a paperback or Kindle edition.  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1604588667

Dashing Is Out of the Question

Considering that I have AT LEAST three feet of snow in my back yard, I thought this story was be very appropriate for this week!  

Corky was born in the late fall when the weather was still warm. As soon as he was able, he was allowed to go outside and play in the yard with his brothers and sisters. Leaves were falling off the trees. It was so much fun to jump into a pile of leaves that the family had raked because they made so much noise! Not only that, but the kittens could hide from each other. Corky looked forward to going out into the yard every day.

Then things changed. He was ready to go out, but everything looked different. What was that white stuff all over the lawn? Had something bad happened? His mom explained that this was snow. He could play in it too. It would be cold and make him wet, however. Corky wasn't sure that he wanted to do that. He finally decided that he would try it. First, one paw; then another. Before you know it, he was out running around and having a good time.

Corky remembered when the humans were enjoying something called Christmas a few months ago. Kids  watched things on TV about Santa Claus and his reindeer. Corky had liked the song about the reindeer dashing through the snow. He liked to do that too! One night a big storm blew in while everyone was sleeping. The next day when Corky went out to play, he made a decision: