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Well I am a little behind on this series... so I am going back and doing a few of the subjects that people have already done. This week I am going to chat about pets. I have two cats Merry and Pippin. I have now had them for 10 1/2 years. We adopted them from a no kill shelter at PetSmart. Merry was 3 1/2 and Pippin was 6 months. I actually went in with the intention to only adopt Pippin but my mom was with me and told me he needed a friend. So ... Merry came home too. Yes they are named after the hobbits!
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| Pippin and Merry |
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Merry and Pippin are diabetics. I don't know how both my cats ended up with diabetes. Perhaps free feeding? Perhaps crappy food? I don't know. Merry also has Acromegaly which is a tumor on his pituitary gland. It shoots out too much growth hormones but we are managing it with insulin. I actually have a
blog that I write on about cats with diabetes in the hopes that I can help others who cats have the same issues. It can be hard at times taking care of them.. but with help from my husband we do it together. It can be hard sometimes... honestly it's probably like having a dog. They must get their shots/pills twice a day. So we have to be home and the shots need to be about 12 hours apart. It's a nightmare if we get off schedule. We have some pretty good friends who have gone out of their way to help us when we go out of town. They have had to learn to give shots just like us.
My kitties are my world. They usually sit here in my lap as I read books.. or waste time watching TV. I can't imagine my life without them. Be sure to pass on my cat blog if you know anyone who deals with diabetic cats. The picture below is of my cats and Mama Squirrel. She passed away last year but for 5 years she came to out house everyday for peanuts. She would just sit on the deck with my cats. They aren't outdoor cats but I have a big deck with a big railing so they just sit out there. They don't just the deck or anything (of course if they did they'd be banned from outside).
What about you??? What kind of pets do you have?
I am both a cat and dog person, Angie. At the moment, I have a silver gray Persian cat named Freedom who's also nicknamed as Cat, Picky, and Pick. So far, she's not feeling anything and thank the gods for that because I just couldn't handle such pressure with having to always worry about her meals, her medicinal shots and all that.
ReplyDeleteFreedom doesn't like to be handled unless you want to scratch her chin and the side of her face. She doesn't want to be hugged. She really reminds me of those alpha males in erotica books who doesn't want to be touched by their female partners. Instead, they want to do the touching themselves. Freedom likes to scratch and sleep on my belly but when I am about to touch and give her some hug, she always find a way to evade. hahaha
Apart from Freedom, I also have 3 dogs. And they're named Sushi, Perry and Clary. Perry and Clary are named after book characters just like your Meriadoc and Peregrine. hahaha.
Thanks for sharing, Angie. Merry and Pippin really look cuddly and sweet. :D
I love that the name of your cat Freedom sounds a lot like her personality. She doesn't seem to really want to be cuddled and well basically wants her freedom. My mom has a cat like this Cleopatra. She doesn't really want to be picked up or combed. She just wants to chill and live her life. Those cats are the ones where non-cat people just don't get it. Cats come to us when they want to!
DeleteAwe such sweet kitties! It is tough to have pets with diabetes and I am glad they found someone willing to take care of them.
ReplyDeleteMy own girl, Valerie, who is 10 1/2 has liver disease and pancreatitis but she is so much a part of my life I couldn't imagine it any other way. She has made some remarkable changes in the recent years and went from being a people hating cat (except for me & Hubby) to absolutely loving everyone, even my busy toddler.
Pippin has pancreatitis too. I didn't mention it above. What are you doing for Valerie to help with it? Pippin is on one steroid a day, a supplement in his food for his pancreas, his insulin (of course) and a Cerenia (nausea pill) once a day too. I love that she has come along and is more friendly. Unfortunately this is why people get rid of cats a lot of the time. They aren't friendly so boom.. to the pound. Cats can take time to really get to know people and be comfortable.
DeleteOur vet decided to not medicate and just keep her on high quality food, both wet and dry and measured amounts. She also has to have her liver enzymes checked a couple of times a year. If she seems to start getting sick, she has to be rushed in immediately for IV fluids. They said at the animal hospital when we first found out that if the cat makes it through the first attack that they can live a normal full life with careful monitoring which was a huge relief.
DeleteIt is sad, both of my cats came from the shelter I worked at and Mim (who has since gone over the rainbow bridge) had been returned twice for urinating outside the box. We found out she was just extremely picky and needed several boxes that were scooped daily. Cats are cats, their personalities are so much more along the line of people, some are outgoing, others are introverted. Cat owners just need to give it time and figure out their cat's personality.
I love to hear successful rescue stories!! I find that people who haven't really owned a cat before expect them to be like dogs. I adopted Merry in October with Pippin and found out Merry had been at that shelter since April. That shelter had taken him from the Human Society because he was about to be put down so who knows how long he had been there. Most of the beginning of Merry's life was in the shelter. So sad to me. There is nothing even wrong with him (at the time). Sounds like you really have your cat's Pancreatitis under control! That is great. Pippin's pancreas has a lot of scaring so it gets inflamed a lot. We are not sure why it got so damaged? Possible the diabetes caused it. Thanks for sharing your story!
DeleteAw they are too cute! I have a Dog (a Boston terrier/ French Bulldog mix), 2 bearded dragons and a cat named Cooper - he is such a pain but I love my animals so much. Cooper likes to get into everything and anything and he had intestinal issues so it is even more of a pain, but he is fuzzy and loves to nap with me during the day (when we have the time).
ReplyDeleteI miss when my cats got into everything. Now that they are getting old they are much more lazy. In fact... Merry puked as I was commenting on this post. Thanks Merry. I was able to get to him in time and flung him onto the kitchen floor and off the carpet. Yea I know you wanted to read all that! ;)
DeleteYour kitties are so cute! Books and cats go well together. I read Bunnicula when I was a kid and was convinced that cats could read because Chester did in the book. We have an 11 year old orange kitty, no diabetes but he does have hyperthyroidism. Alabama, or other kitty is one and a half and is adorably whiny. And then we have a 9 year old chiweenie dog who is terrified of our cats.
ReplyDeleteWhat I want to know is... why haven't I heard of Bunnicula before????? I am totally checking this out from the library!! I think if I ever get cats again I will do like you and get their ages much further apart. The problem with having both cats older is they are both getting old together.
DeleteI am getting Merry's teeth cleaning in a couple of weeks and that's a hard decision too. With him being so sick is it worth getting his teeth cleaned? Meaning will he die shortly after? I don't want to waste money but I don't want his mouth hurting either. Sigh....
Awww your cats are so cute! My boyfriend and I have two guinea pigs — Wesley and Harvey — and a Russian Blue cat named Ivan. I love them all to death :)
ReplyDeleteGuinea Pigs!! I don't know much about them but they seem to make a lot of noise. LOL. Russian Blues are very pretty cats!
DeleteThis is a great post, Angela. I love seeing more into the personal lives of my blogger friends. I have a guinea pig that was a runt and requires special care too so I know what you mean. I think it's so fantastic that you are taking care of them like that though :) If only everyone had the same mentality. Your cats have a great home with you!
ReplyDeleteI do enjoy these posts too. Some of them on the list I am going to skip.. but there are some fun topics I am for sure going to keep doing. I know... I feel bad for cats with diabetes that no one wants to take care of or spend the money on. It really isn't that hard. To me if you adopt a pet it is for life. So you need to be ready to take care all off their needs especially when they get old. Think you might not be able to afford it when they are older??? Well then those people should get pet insurance BEFORE they get sick. That is a smart move.
DeleteI love their names, and they are too adorable! they look like my old cat. I really want a cat again in the future. I'm sorry about their illnesses. That's so sad, but it's great you have some lovely friends that can help when you need them.
ReplyDeleteI have a dog named Luana. She's Alaskan Husky, with someone else in her thought...she's smaller and has brown eyes instead of blue. Her name is Hawaiian though, which I find funny. It means "happy and content."
-lauren
Oh no.. your cat passed? Once these cats pass I don't know how I'll feel. It's hard.. I mean the end. I have to try to remember all the good years and that when I do have to finally put them down that was only a short time of their lives.
DeleteI love your dog's name. What a cool play on words. I sometimes want a dog. I always thought they'd be too much work because you always have to let them go out to the bathroom and if you go out of town you would have to find someone to do that for you. Then I ended up with diabetic cats and I pretty much have to do the same thing anyways. Sooo... lol. I won't get a dog though till the cats pass away.
Thanks for sharing about your cats. They are adorable.
ReplyDeleteI have two female Pomeranians. Roxy will turn 11 years old next month and has orange colored fur. Koko turns 7 years old in September and has chocolate colored fur. Both dogs are loving and smart. I can't imagine life without them.
Roxy was diagnosed with kidney disease last year and has luxating patella issues, which is common in small dogs... I manag both of her issues with diet and physical therapy. Roxy was rescued as an 8 month old puppy, so don't know much about her past.
Koko, knock on wood, has been extremely healthy. I bought her from a Pomeranian breeder.
How interesting to read all these posts. It seems most of us have older pets who all have some type of health condition. It just goes to show when you adopt a pet you adopt them health issues and all. They both sound like cute cute dogs!! I had a Golden Retriever growing up and boy did I love that dog. I remember when we had to put him down... so hard. He really was with me as I grew up. If I get another dog it will be a Golden.
DeleteI never knew cat diabetes was so prevalent until my sister mentioned that her cat Grayson suffers from it and then a neighbor told me two guys in her building also have a cat who needs insulin injections every day. Hope yours stay healthy, they have beautiful fur.
ReplyDeleteI have a 2 year old Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier named Henry. We love him, not just because he doesn't shed (I'm allergic to animals that do that, cats included :( ), but because he is a true cuddler. Smart as a whip as well.
Cat diabetes really is bad. My cat Merry has it because of the Acromegaly but Pippin shouldn't have it. He is healthy and fit. I really blame the cat food. When I first had my cats I never looked at the bag to see the ingredients. The ingredients in cat or dog food should never start with corn. It should always start with some type of meat. I didn't really know that. I also didn't realize how much free feeding was a problem. So getting my cats on a breakfast/lunch/dinner schedule was ruff. They still act like they are starving. I wish the pet industry would look into the fact that all these cats are getting diabetes and do something about the food.
DeleteI am glad that you found a pet you can live with since you are allergic. I have some friends who have a hard time coming over to my house because of the cats. So I try to extra clean the livingroom for them but they are still bothered by it. It's tough!
With our dog, we have to be very careful never to give him anything with chicken, because it can cause skin allergies to develop. So all of the food we give him is also grain-free. Fortunately he is not a fussy eater. We do always make him wait until we finish our food. We read in a book that helps him not to beg. He lies down and waits until we move then plates -- then he goes running for his bowl where he waits until we deliver his food.
DeleteOne thing I have found that helps me when I go to people's houses when they have cats is if I can sit on a chair that's wooden or made out of plastic. It can be wiped clean beforehand and I'm less likely to end up with a reaction to the dander. That often seems to work the best...
That is good to know. I feel bad for people who are allergic who come over. I am glad to know that... we have some metal chairs from outside that we could bring in for people.
DeleteI wish I had known about grain-free food sooner. Now I always pay attention and try to warn people I know with pets about it. Everyone just thinks that food you find in a grocery store must be good for your pet, I thought that too. Really more information should be given to the public about pet food!
For me it's the cutest thing seeing your cats with the squirrel! I live in the Netherlands and squirrels are a very rare sight here, so this is amazing to me.
ReplyDeleteI have a cat named Joey, after Joey in Friends (my parents have a cat named Phoebe!). He has slight stomach issues so we have to feed him hypo-allergenic food, but that's a minor adjustment compared to the things you have to deal with. Right now Joey is sleeping on my legs. I actually have to get up to do some ironing but I don't want to wake the sweet thing. Ah well.
I didn't know squirrels were rare there? People here act like they are rodents which makes me sad. I really do love them. It's awful when you have to do something and a cat is on your lap. You start telling the people around you... hand me that remote I can't move because the cat is on my lap!! I love the names of you and your parent's cats. It fun to give them pairing names.
DeleteAwww, your Merry and Pippin are so sweet. I'm sure it's a lot of work talking care of them, especially because they have Diabetes, but I'm also sure it's totally worth it. I know I always feel that way about my dogs, Ginger and Daphne! I love the pictures. They're so pretty!
ReplyDeleteTwo dogs!! Whoa! That sounds like more work then my cats. My aunt had four dogs.. big dogs! (One just passed away). I will say one thing about dogs is that they are really excited to see you when you get home. Cats are like.. hi... feed me... Thanks. :)
DeleteI love the picture of your cats with the squirrel. My cats love to watch squirrels too. Sometimes they get so excited the step on each other, then there's a slap fight and hissing.
ReplyDeleteMy cats became very used to Mama Squirrel. Like friends kind of. Well... or maybe just used to each other. They could be on the porch and the squirrel on the porch at the same time and they would just all ignore each other. Mama came to my house for a very long time until last year. We are pretty sure she passed away. She was getting very very old. I miss that squirrel!
DeleteWhat pretty cats! I always wanted a marmelade cat, but I've never found one at the right time.
ReplyDeleteI really admire you for being willing to do what it takes for your cats. Some people would have given them up or had them put to sleep when they found out the kitties had diabetes. (I didn't know cats could even get that!) My hat is off to you and your family. You're giving them love and a good home and taking good care of their health. (But how on earth do you get them to put up with shots and pills? When we had to deworm our kittens, they were so resistant to taking pills that we ended up importing someone from the vet's office twice a day - and even she had a lot of trouble with one of them, every single time.)
Our cats (now about 8 years old) are dear to us, too. Now that our daughter has gone to college, they keep me company during the day. I work at home, so I'm very thankful for them!
At first I was so nervous giving pills and shots. Honestly it was tough. I think though over time not only have I gotten used to it but so have the cats. So giving pills is easier now. So is giving liquid medicine which is WAY harder then giving pills. Sometimes I end up squirting the medicine all over their face!! Crazy Crazy! I think it's wonderful you have your two cats still! You are right.. there are a lot of people who would just give their cats up.
DeleteAw what awesome babies! They're so gorgeous. We had a diabetic kitty growing up and it was hard at times. Thankfully she was very good with her injections and didn't have trouble until near the end (and she was almost 22).
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing their story. I loved that pic with mama squirrel.
Wow!!! 22!!! That is really good for a cat with diabetes!!! My cats are really good with injections too. In face, Pippin will just lay down when he sees us coming with the needle.
DeleteAdorable! I have always wanted an orange tabby. I have a grey tabby who is 14 years old now. It is crazy how fast time flies by!
ReplyDeleteIt is crazy how time flies and makes me kind of sad. I just can't believe our animals are maybe here 10- 15 - 20 years if we are lucky. Unconditional love like that is what makes it so special. I could have a bad day and my boys love me anyways. I love tabbies!
DeleteAwww! I'm a dog person more than a cat person, but I love all animals and it breaks my heart to hear of one that is even a little sick. I just am so thankful that there are people out there like you giving them good homes and taking care of them. I have a dog, named Buffy (yes, after the slayer), and I can't imagine life without her.
ReplyDeleteI love your dog's name!! I love to read all the comments about dogs. So fun! My aunt has three dogs so I love to go to her house and visit with them and play with them.
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