Cat Forum / Health and Behavior / December 2006
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sheelagh - 12 Dec 2006 16:55 GMT Just after dark last night there was a knock at the door.I got to answer it,but as I looked through the glass,I couldn't see anyone...Thinking that it might be someone who had just walked away, I opened it but saw no one-then I looked down & there he was....a most splendid middle aged ginger fellow.He looked at the bowl, then at me most repraochfully..I asked him politely if he would wait @ the door, but he just walked straight in & followed me straight through to the kitchen where he proceeded to give me some wonderful leg rubs before helping himself to the moggies food bowls.After a fine feast, he made his way through to the living room,where he chose the most comfortable chair &slobbed-out for the night!! This is not the first time we have seen him;he has been a fairly regular visitor for some months now, but he has never knocked on the door before last night.This morning he went out for a morning stroll, then returned for his breakfast(& knocked on the door, most politfuly again!),& returned to *his* chair again.How could I say no?Looks like we have ourselves another lodger again:o) S. http://picasaweb.google.com/sheelaghmadden/OURLATESTVISITOR
bookie - 12 Dec 2006 17:15 GMT > Just after dark last night there was a knock at the door.I got to > answer it,but as I looked through the glass,I couldn't see [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > S. > http://picasaweb.google.com/sheelaghmadden/OURLATESTVISITOR nice as long as he is not stresses out any of your current felines, chexck that they are ok with all this and not hiding out under a bed somewhere
sheelagh - 12 Dec 2006 17:53 GMT nice as long as he is not stresses out any of your current felines, chexck that they are ok with all this and not hiding out under a bed somewhere He seems to be acting like we are the visitors lol!It is as though he has always lived here.The others are a very docile crew & are very tolerant indeed.I have made a bit of a muck up here by posting the same thing twice-sorry folks,mistake:o) I am going to take him to the vets in the morning just to see if anything can be done about his toe's, & to make sure that he is fine and well too, with no added extra's like worms ect.I have just used some stronghold on him as he had flea's, but should he need any further work done, we will get it out the way too. S.
> > Just after dark last night there was a knock at the door.I got to > > answer it,but as I looked through the glass,I couldn't see [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] > chexck that they are ok with all this and not hiding out under a bed > somewhere none - 13 Dec 2006 20:33 GMT > I am going to take him to the vets in the morning just to see if > anything can be done about his toe's, & to make sure that he is fine > and well too, with no added extra's like worms ect.I have just used > some stronghold on him as he had flea's, but should he need any further > work done, we will get it out the way too. Great photos and such beautiful cats! What camera are you using?
I admire your kindness in caring for all these animals. I'm so paranoid already about animal illnesses (after dealing with it for awhile) that I would have quarantined that beautiful orange tabby if I discovered the fleas and before I took him to the vet.
How can you be sure your other cats didn't catch some fleas from him?
sheelagh - 14 Dec 2006 00:52 GMT > Great photos and such beautiful cats! What camera are you using? Thank you very much.I love them so I am blind to their bad points;they do say that love is blind....
I just had to go and grab the camera to have a look-It is a samsung Digimax A503 5million mega pixel.I wanted a bigger more powerful with go faster stripes ect,but I couldn't afford one,so we ended up with that one.I was a bit miffed to start with,but the more that I use it, the better I like it-It just goes to show that I din't need one of the bigger ones after all,did I?
> I admire your kindness in caring for all these animals. I'm so paranoid > already about animal illnesses (after dealing with it for awhile) that I > would have quarantined that beautiful orange tabby if I discovered the > fleas and before I took him to the vet. That is exactly what I should have done, but we had a look at him 1st & allowed him to have a feed and a waddle around the cat bowl.... I don't normally allow them in...Ringo caught me by suprise & good old fashioned guile..! If anyone in appear's @ the public feeding bowl ,who seems in need of help, we usual work as a herd(family!), & entrap them into our little cat extension.It's a bit like a holding bay(it's like a veranda with patio doors so that they can see outside yet be inside,especially in the winter.) ...where we can keep them warm,feed them & let them settle down for a while before going in & taking a look to see if we can see what the problem is.
> How can you be sure your other cats didn't catch some fleas from him? *I can't*... is the short answer to that one-He slipped past me,had a sumptuous meal &I looked at him whilst he was eating & discovered the flea excriment inside his furr coat.The moment I saw it, we stronghold'ed him immediately.I was lucky that he was freindly & hungry enough to allow me to really. With so many cats around, I had the carpet's & flooring treated by our local authority pest control dept, quite recently.In England, you can get them to come out & treat your whole house including your soft furnishings too.They charge by the hour,but it still works out cheaper to get them in, than It does to buy product's that may, or may not work-this method is a tried & tested one by us & we know that it works-all eggs/fleas die on contact &with all cats treated with stronghold, none of the live fleas live either.
> I'm so paranoid > already about animal illnesses. I hope that I don't regret it too:(I allowed him to sleep on that chair for the evening, but transfered him to the cat veranda that night. We had a case of ringworm recently, So I appreciate exactly what you mean!!It came as an added extra with Tiggie & frightened the life out of me. I came here to get a possible diagnosis, because I had already taken her to see a locum vet who told me that she had eczma?!!The group was spot on tho...after a look under a woods lamp, she lit up like an xmas tree. Ringo was checked out for it today too,but thankfully no problems there so far.He is isolated now,but I fear that if he did have anything viral-I might live to regret it...It is a fatal error on my part,but we all got so caught up in the moment with excitment, that *It is possible*.I pray not though...You would think I would learn,eh? I spent most of the afternoon going through him with a flea comb, which he seemed to appreciate-I guess it saved him the trouble of grooming-He is soooo friendly Do you mind my asking what horrible lurgy you got caught out with?It is always interesting to know what possible hazzards there might be that I am not aware of yet...I seem to learn something new here every day I drop by, which is a good thing.
I hope that I am answering in the correct format?If not, can someone tell me where I am going wrong & how to correct it please?Thanks a buch S.
Lynne - 14 Dec 2006 01:11 GMT on Thu, 14 Dec 2006 00:52:16 GMT, "sheelagh"
> I hope that I am answering in the correct format?If not, can someone > tell me where I am going wrong & how to correct it please?Thanks a buch Sheelagh, you are doing just fine!
As to letting Ringo in, I probably would have done the same and kicked myself later. I let little Levi around my Rudy before he saw the vet, too. H turned out to have a URI, eye infection and herpes. I did keep them apart after the 2nd day for a week, though by then it was too late. Thankfully Rudy is very healthy and didn't catch anything, though my dog caught the eye infection (easily treated). So don't beat yourself up or worry, what's done is done. Since Ringo was probably well loved until his previous person died, he probably had proper medical care.
He must be so grateful to have a warm, dry and safe place to rest his head, ample food, and a human who will comb him and pet him and make a fuss over him. What a wonderful find for you! (And I'm still so tickled that you named him Ringo :)
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sheelagh - 14 Dec 2006 15:04 GMT > > I hope that I am answering in the correct format?If not, can someone > > tell me where I am going wrong & how to correct it please?Thanks a buch > > Sheelagh, you are doing just fine! Thank goodness for that,lol!
> As to letting Ringo in, I probably would have done the same and kicked > myself later. I let little Levi around my Rudy before he saw the vet, too. [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > previous person died, he probably had proper medical care. >Re:Picassa photos OH....wow Lynne!!!!This is the first time that I have actually seen Levi &Ruddy.I have often seen you talking about them & I have to say that they are really smashing indeed.Now I see why you were commenting on Ringo too...Ruddy looks like quite a big cat,is he?I also wondered how long you have had them both?Rudy looks like the cat that got to the cream lol!I bet you get loads of entertainment out of the pair of them...who needs day time Tv I ask you?!!! I am so glad that I am not the only one that doesn't have exceptional forethought, as I do feel a bit like beating myself up over not thinking 1st, & allowing my heart to overide my common sense here
> He must be so grateful to have a warm, dry and safe place to rest his head, > ample food, and a human who will comb him and pet him and make a fuss over > him. What a wonderful find for you! (And I'm still so tickled that you > named him Ringo :) He seems to be over the moon & despite photo mug shots of him all over our village, no one has claimed him as yet either.I want to feel bad, yet can't help feeling glad.....
As for Levi...well words escape me...he is sooooo cute, isn't he? Am I guessing right that you got them both from the shelter too?Was it at the same time, or on two seperate occasions?The reason I ask is because they seem ever so close despite playing "Bat n Kill" & the super photo of Levis doing the "dying fly act" on the chair.I also particularly enjoyed the huge wide yawn photo as well.He looks a right little charactor...
We had a very similar cat that used to come and visit us who looked ever so much like him, but she was a little girl that we called Gracie.They both look like they have a bit of royal russian in them, don't they?(Russian Blue or even the chatreaux perhaps?).Very close eye colouring,similar paw colouring & the wonderful bunny soft furr too... I saved a couple of them to send on to my daughter by e-mail today,as I'm more than certain she would love to see him.She was heartbroken when we homed her(& I felt so cruel @ the time), but it was for the best & she now agree's it was the right thing to do now that she has seen her lying on the hearth rug at her new owner's fire side.It is Katie's 21st birthday today....It makes me feel so old...&emotional too.She is @ University until the 18th so it will be good to see her then. Thank you very much for sharing the photos btw:o) S.
Lynne - 14 Dec 2006 16:05 GMT on Thu, 14 Dec 2006 15:04:33 GMT, "sheelagh"
> As for Levi...well words escape me...he is sooooo cute, isn't he? Am I > guessing right that you got them both from the shelter too?Was it at [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > enjoyed the huge wide yawn photo as well.He looks a right little > charactor... They were both ferals, found in the woods by friends who own a Bed & Breakfast, www.torrentfalls.com I got Rudy in February of 2003 and Levi just a few months ago. Rudy loves everyone, dog, cat, people, and Levi is a ball of fun.
Rudy is a big boy, and I think Levi will be as well. Rudy needs to lose some fat though... I should have named him Piggy. :)
Levi has an unusual bone structure in his face, which is very well defined and narrow. He almost reminds me of a siamese in that way. At first we thought he might be a Russian Blue, but he definitely has tabby stripes. They show up much better in photos than in person, where you can hardly see them. I really have no idea what his lineage might be, but it's fun to guess!
My friends found Levi and 2 other kittens when they were just a few days old and quickly determined they had been abandoned by their mother. Their daughters hand raised Levi and his littermates. When they were 4 weeks old, several of us (all rock climbers) adopted them. He's been a great addition to the household! Looking at your photos makes me want to get more more more! but I'm probably going to just stick to 2 cats. I think I will foster a kitty in the Spring, though, for a local rescue which is absolutely overrun with cats.
 Signature Lynne
cybercat - 12 Dec 2006 17:27 GMT > S. > http://picasaweb.google.com/sheelaghmadden/OURLATESTVISITOR He's gorgeous!!
mlbriggs - 13 Dec 2006 00:36 GMT > Just after dark last night there was a knock at the door.I got to > answer it,but as I looked through the glass,I couldn't see [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > S. > http://picasaweb.google.com/sheelaghmadden/OURLATESTVISITOR Your house is apparently his home away from home. He has probably decided he likes your home the best. Congratulations. MLB
sheelagh - 13 Dec 2006 01:24 GMT > mlbriggs wrote: > Your house is apparently his home away from home. He has probably decided > he likes your home the best. Congratulations. MLB Thank you:o).I am a little concerned that he might belong to someone else, so this evening, we printed up some picture's of him & we intend to put one in the vets window, & also some around our area on the telephone poles too, just in case... I would hate somone to start feeding my cat if the positions were reversed.However, I have already asked a few people in the same area as me & it looks/sounds like he used to belong to an old man who died recently.Nevertheless,... I want to be sure before I fall head over heals for him(I think I might have done that already,unwhittingly...?!!)He has been around for sometime now @ the communal feeding bowl, but he has never actually knocked on the door before,lol...He has such impeccable manner's too &knows exactly when to flutter those wonderful eye lashes at me. He has spent most of the evening sitting on my feet nuzzeling my shoe's-I imagine that he likes the portable scent emmiters lol?!, But has recently retired to *his armchair* for a nice little snooze (inspecting the inside of his eyelids of course,lol:o).After a big fat belly full of royal canin complete ,& a good portion of sardines as well. In the morning-or should I say later,I am taking him down to the vets to see if he needs any other attention other than his shot's, as I notice that he has a couple of broken toe's on his rear paw.It is not a new injury, but I want to be certain that they are not causing him any pain;he has allowed me to look at them if that is any indicator?Although strongholded for fleas & worms,I am looking for advice on a good worming product to cover all worms? The rest of the feline family(the girls), have had a very good bottom smelling session whilst he was eating,but he paid them no heed & there has been no eye to eye contest between them either, so I am feeling quite optomistic about him. He has a new name too.Considering a recent ringworm problem, & a little help from Lynne, he is now called Ringo Spice-rack...rather a Mouthful,but it suites him. He has lived with someone who loved him dearly, because he is soooo friendly, & has found the time to give us all a good leg weaving session, head butt rub's & is even a lap - sitter too.He even allows the kids to handle him as well.All in all,he is a lovely well mannered cat indeed-Watch this space..... S.
Lynne - 13 Dec 2006 01:46 GMT on Wed, 13 Dec 2006 01:24:26 GMT, "sheelagh"
> The rest of the feline family(the girls), have had a very good bottom > smelling session whilst he was eating,but he paid them no heed & there [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > the kids to handle him as well.All in all,he is a lovely well mannered > cat indeed-Watch this space..... He sounds like a wonderful kitty! Love the name, too. :)
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sheelagh - 13 Dec 2006 02:14 GMT > He sounds like a wonderful kitty! Love the name, too. :) > > -- > Lynne And thank you too :o).It was you that came up with the inspiration you know! It is well past my bedtime over here, so going to grab a few hours before our appointment @ the vets.Ringo has just been out for a quick spend a penny, & came straight back in & currled up in a ball again,utterly oblivious to all the excitment that he has caused of course!
I am hoping that when I take him to the vets later this morning, that she might know him & enlighten me as to who cared for him before me;it is more than obvious that someone cared about him, even if it is not recently-It will be interesting to see how old she thinks he is as well.My guess is around 6-7ish years old.He is no spring chicken, bit not ancient either. G'night folk & fill you in tomorrow.... S.
femcat@nospam.com - 13 Dec 2006 20:36 GMT > .Considering a recent ringworm problem How did you spot the fleas and what were the symptoms of ringworm? It's so hard to catch. Even cats who you think might have ringworm test negative for it and it's something else.
sheelagh - 14 Dec 2006 03:09 GMT > .Considering a recent ringworm problem > > How did you spot the fleas and what were the symptoms of ringworm? I noticed the flea excriment in his furr as I stroked him & headed straight for my little bag of tricks for a disposable head lice comb- Sure enough as soon as I dragged it through his furr, there they were trying to hop of him & the comb too, fleeing (excuse the unintended punn!!) I keep a pot of warm water to hand & dip it straight into the water so that they don't get much of a chance to hop off & try embedding themselves into either soft furnishings or anyone else's furr.Whilst he ate in the kitchen we let him be & then allowed the girls to have a quick sniff of him.After a quick whiff, we let them out into their area & put him in the cat pad on the supa~ doopa chair he seems to like so much until he asked to go out this morning.I let him out into the garden, & he headed straight back in for his breakfast..then off to the vets we went.
> It's so hard to catch. Even cats who you think might have ringworm test > negative for it and it's something else. This was my first experience of ringworm, so I am not the best person to advise you on this one. However,In our case this time, I had just been to collect her from a breeder who had given up breeding & was looking for a home for her.On the day that we collected her, I noticed that she had little patches on skin under her furr that *felt rough & a little bit scabby*.When I asked the breeder why & what it was that made feel like that under her lovely coat, she told me that it was an allergy to fleas,ticks & house mites, with central heating just been turned on-That she was used to being kept outside &that it would pass in a few days or so once she got used to being indoors again(I am certain I must have *MUG* Printed on my forehead!!!!). Unfortunately,She failed to mention that she had been kept outside in a rabbit run ,until after I got her home and rang her some days later (out of concern),when it appeared to be getting worse, not better:o(.Having never had any similar problems to this one, I was stummped,but quarantined her for good measure as I was certain that there was something amiss.... I took her to my local vet surgery & told him all the history that I was given regarding her, & the locum vet agreed with the diagnosis-It was eczma,gave me some science plan &some lotion to apply & wash her with too. By 3days later, she was incessantly nibbeling at her self & nearly ripping out her furr with agrivation & I was @ a loss as to what to do.. so I had a quick look on the internet to see if I could find *anything symilar*...& fell on to* this site*.I asked the group what they thought that it might be, & within minutes I was swampped with quite a few people asking if it might be ringworm!I honestly couldn't believe it & was reluctant to take her back to the same vet-who likes telling the vet they could be wrong??! Nevertheless, I thought about the alternatives & it didn't take me too long to see that I had to just that(my own vet was in australia @ the time:( . By this time,Tiggs was almost scabby & I even considered the possiblity that it could have been mange. I was advised to ask if the vet thought that it might be apropriate to have a look @ her under a woods lamp & consider the poss it could be Ringworm... & sure enough, Tiggs lit up like an xmas tree;she went bright green under the lamp!!!!We had bloods done @ that point to support diagnosis. I brought her home, then had to go back with the rest of the crew that might have come into contact with her..none of them seemed to have it, but around a week later,Lilly started to get the same scaly/crusty lessions-only around 2of them;but two too many. By this stage I was cleaning the house from top to bottom with the same stuff that was used in the foot & mouth crisis in uk recently to kill all of the spores & also sporal d to eliminate the rest of it on the cats.Lilly was the only feline to contract it & we had a few weeks of great fun washing down some very unhappy moggies.Meeee was an excellent support to me having gone through a symilar outbreak herself.I think that it did help that we don't have the same humid climate that she has. All cats have been clear now for a matter of several weeks now & we keep testing(bloods and woods lamp too), every week for another 3more weeks to ensure that we have entirely knocked it on the head...all the signs are very encouraging-but we still have Tiggs appart from all of the others & Lilly is most unimpressed at being confined too-but after that horrible time,I would rather be safe than sorry again.Very expensive error too!
>what were the symptoms of ringworm First sign was the scaly skin, then very shortly afterwards, you could see the dark lessions/ circles if you parted the furr on her hind left leg & one on her back too.Nibbeling at herself all of the time,unable to stop herself(until she had a lampshade fitted to stop her!)-furr pulling,generally looking out of sorts,off her food slightly-but immensly better now as you can see in photos of her:o) Worth mentioning that we had to be given precautionary treatment too as it cross's species as well. Very hard intensive treatment, not funny & a little hard to fogive-I failed to see how breeder didn't know, & on contacting another who took 6bengalli cats from her to rehome,I found out that they all had it too & to a far worse degree than we did. I think meeee could advise you far better than I could & she was a huge support too. S.
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