Make It Monday for Cats: HackyCat

It's sort of a hacky sack for cats, this latest DIY cat toy is. It's very easy to make and it's environmentally friendly, because you recycle old socks or shirts to make it.

Basically, you need a fabric tube. The designer used the sleeve from a thermal shirt but also recommends making it with thin socks. Knot one end and trim as needed. Add a little stuffing and catnip. Knot the other end and trim. Voila! Instant cat toy. It looks like something my cats would enjoy, and next time I clean out my closet, I'm making some!


The complete instructions are free at Pets Advisor

Not Just for James Bond: Pussy Galore

Well, not so much Pussy Galore as pussy vet bills galore. I've been quiet on the blog lately, at least in part, because of all the issues the cats have been having.

Remy still has extremely high liver enzymes. We are slipping him lots of extra treats and mini-meals, and his weight has been fairly stable over the past three weeks. Every so often we give him the lactulose to make sure he is not getting backed up again. He is having weekly B12 shots right now to see if it helps him.

Wicket began (late one night, of course) to pant heavily and his heart was racing. We took him to the emergency vet, and they found that one of his kidney levels was a little elevated. We took him to our vet in the morning for more tests, and at that time, his kidney levels were both fine, though he was a tad dehydrated and had some fluids before coming home.

Jynx, our FeLV positive boy, has had a bad case of feline acne. No idea why that popped up suddenly when there's been no changes in his environment or toys in about two years. He had the problem, seemed to clear up, then all of a sudden his chin was four times normal size. The vet cleaned it out and found crystallized pus! After all the digging around, his chin was about ten times normal size and he didn't want to eat anything for another 24 hours. He's doing a bit better now.

Trickster, like so many of the humans we know, is having major allergy issues.

Indy has now started on Humulin-N (replacing the Vetsulin that can no longer be sold in the U.S.) and he seems to be doing okay. He acted odd one night, after about a week on the new stuff, so in to the vet he went for a glucose check, and he was a bit high (I expected him to be low). Doc said that was not a bad place to be getting used to the new stuff, so to keep the dosage the same.

It's been a very busy and stressful few weeks. I was also leaving my old job and starting a new job, and that has its stresses as well. I will keep posting here, hopefully a bit more than I've been able to of late.