Scritch, Scritch, Scritch – It’s Dry Skin Season

January 27, 2024 | cat9984

If you are like us and live in the Northern Hemisphere, it’s winter. And in addition to being cold, winter is full of dry air. Also, the same process that keeps us warm usually dries out the air. As a result, a lot of us are scratching. And scratching is not good for us, It irritates our skin and can lead to infection.

How Do You Know You Have Dry Skin?

Skin flakes on your fur (your human may say you look like you have dandruff)
Bald spots (if the scratching gets out of hand and you pull out some fur)
Scabs or scaly spots
Constant need to groom and/or scratch
Itching

How to Bathe Your Cat in 5 Easy Steps - Allivet Pet Care Blog

What Can You Do?

Hot Towel – Soak a towel in hot water. Squeeze it out thoroughly and wrap yourself in it. (We think you’re going to need your human to help with this one. Actually, a human helper would be useful for most of these.) Five minutes wrapped up will soothe the irritation and refresh the dry kin.
Oatmeal Bath – Not gonna lie. This one sounds awful to us. But it’s all over Mr. Google, so apparently it works. Have your human use a food processor to break down the oats, then mix them with water. How much water you depends on whether you want a paste for one or two spots or a full immersion bath. The oatmeal needs to stay in contact with the skin for at least ten minutes.
Coconut Oil – One way to use coconut oil is to spread it on your skin. If you’d prefer, you can add one teaspoon of coconut oil in your food daily. This remedy is contingent on you not hating the taste of coconut oil. It is full of antioxidants. Also keep in mind that coconut oil is a natural laxative.

The 10 Best Cat Brushes of 2024, Tested and Reviewed

Brushing – Hopefully, you are being brushed regularly. Brushing is an excellent way to spread the oil from your skin through your fur and keep you glossy and gorgeous. If you are starting your brushing program in the midst of dry skin, be gentle. Brushing may further irritate sensitive skin if done too aggressively.
Eat Wet Food – If all you are eating is kibble, you may not have enough moisture in your diet for optimal skin health. Fun fact: Tasty little mousies are 70-80% moisture; kibble is only 10% moisture. Look for foods that have lots of protein.
Talk to your human about using a humidifier. They may need to add extra moisture to the air to keep you skin glowing. Remember – A healthy cat is a happy cat.

Tips for Keeping Your Cat Relaxed - NYC Pet

CBD-Rich Hemp Oils – Don’t worry, this part of the hemp plant won’t make you high. But some cats swear by its effectiveness in treating dry, itchy skin. It also has the added benefits of being an anti-inflammatory, appetite stimulant, energy stimulant, and pain/anxiety reliever. Some of these products haven’t been around for an extremely long time, so make sure you’re getting the real thing without too many additives.
Lower Stress – The more humans study stress, the worse stress sounds. Stress can lead to our skin becoming itchy and dry (doubly bad in this dry season). Impress on your humans the need to keep your lives stress-free.
Address Allergies – If you have allergies year round, it is probably not the dry air. Your human should look at the food you’re eating (your vet can help with that). Or if you were fine until until your human stated using a new cleaning product, that may be the problem. Ask your human to avoid fragrances and harsh chemicals when they clean. Our sense of smell is 40x stronger than theiirs, so they might not even really they’re making the place stink Besides, we’re closer to the floor where a lot of the cleaning takes place.

Itchy Cat? Here's Why Your Cat's Scratching So Much | BeChewy

One Final Note

If the scratching doesn’t go away with the cold weather, it may be related to something a little more serious. The following conditions can all cause dry, itchy skin:

Parasites like fleas, mites, and ringworm
Fungal and bacterial infections
Hyperthyroidism
Diabetes

How to Keep Your Cat Safe and Warm in Winter - Hastings Veterinary Hospital

We are wishing you all a happy, non-itchy rest of the season. We’re off to Amazon to find humidifiers for cats. There are a lot of choices, so Mom might have to buy several.

Pictures courtesy of Google Images.

Sgt Stripes: Reporting from Sick Bay

January 6, 2024 | cat9984

Sgt Stripes here. We want to thank you all ‘s for your well wishes to our humans. Our human brother and sister are doing much better. Mom seems to have gotten the worst of it. She even went to the doctor yesterday (that’s like a vet for humans). They gave her three kinds of medicine. She is still coughing a lot, but we are hoping that annoying habit will end shortly.

The ladies and I have been sharing nurse duties. Upstairs, I have been assisted by one of our newcomers. Not Onyx. She remains aloof and stand-offish. My aide is named Gypsy. She is a beautiful dilute calico. Snoops and Kommando have been handling the downstairs duties. We make sure that she is never cold or lonely. We also still let her feed us so she doesn’t feel useless. (She’s not doing much else.)

We know that none of our readers would ever question whether a cat knows that their human is sick. But there are apparently humans out there who think that we are all aloof, unfeeling balls of fur. In case you ever run across one of them, you can tell them the following about how cats know when their humans are sick.

Smell Cat GIFs | Tenor

Humans smell weird when they’re sick – There are chemical changes that take place when humans get sick. They only have about 5 million smell sensors, so they can’t tell a lot of the time. We kitties have about 200 million smell sensors. We know when something’s not right. In fact, studies have shown that cats can detect high blood sugar and cancer through smell.

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Humans act weird when they’re sick – We know your normal behaviors. And we notice when you’re acting different. We love our routines, and when you’re sick, you mess up our routines. (Like our breakfast was 2 hours late today.) Humans lay around a lot when they’re sick. We can tell when you hurt, and we want to help you. We spend our lives around our humans. We want them to be in top shape for us.

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Cats exhibit some common behaviors when their humans don’t feel well.

We get clingy – Obviously, all cats are different. Some cats are more cuddly than others under any circumstance. But, generally speaking, cats want to cuddle with their sick human. This is particularly true if the humans has a fever. We cats love to be warm. We’ve been working in shifts. Snoops and Kommando sit on Mom downstairs. Gypsy and I lay with her upstairs. Sometimes, I’ll let Gypsy handle the bed while I take the cat tree, but it’s usually the three of us together.

We get anxious – If the human is sick enough that they can’t fully care for kitty, the cat can feel anxious and get frightened. Mom’s not that sick, so we don’t have that issue. However, we do find the extended coughing spells very annoying.

Cute Cat licking : r/aww

We lick – If we think our human is stressed or upset, we may try to help by licking them. It de-stresses us, and we want to help.

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Mom says that she used to have a cat that she called her “get-well kitty.” Critter always knew when someone was sick and would stay with them until they felt better. Apparently none of us are quite that good, but she says that I’m the closest she’s seen. Hopefully, it’ll only be a couple more days. This is exhausting.

Pictures courtesy of Google Images.

Cat Forum: Cats and Stress

August 19, 2023 | cat9984

Greetings fellow felines. It’s me, Sgt Stripes. The lady cats say that I am causing them stress. I don’t mean to; I just want to have a happy home. I thought that maybe I would do some research to help them (I love Mr Google). Here’s what I found.

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The Most Common Causes of Stress

Living with other cats – Hmm. wasn’t really expecting this to be the number one answer. Apparently we don’t naturally live with other cats. Guess we all like to have our own way.
Strange cats coming into your home. That’s what they say I did. But it’s not true – Mom invited me. Besides, I’m not strange.
Putting our stuff in the wrong place or not taking care of it. We like our litter boxes clean and our food and beds in quiet areas. That’s just common sense, don’t you think? And most of us prefer not to share that stuff.
Changing houses. More common sense. Who wants to adapt to a new space? (Unless the old one was icky, like the shelter.)
Renovating or redecorating the house. A bunch of noise and confusion. And kitties really don’t like change.

Petting May Stress Some Cats Out | Live Science

New animals in the house. It’s not just other cats that can make us nervous. Dogs can do it too. Especially if it’s an energetic, noisy puppy.
Unsuitable handling. Not all of us like to be petted or fussed over. Some of us will paw back or bite a little. Those are the kitties who know how to maintain their boundaries. There are others who suffer in silence and get stressed out about it.
A new baby. Not a surprise. They’re loud and smelly. And take away time from us.
Guests visiting. Some of us like people, and some of us do not. And some humans are loud and obnoxious. (Just a personal observation.)
Fireworks. Is it even necessary to explain this one? They have loud, scary noises and bright lights. They are awful from a feline perspective.

Feeling stressed? - Meme Generator

How should you let your human know if you are stressed? Different cats handle it differently. Sometimes it’s obvious, and sometimes your human needs to pay attention (which they should be doing anyway.)

Useful Guide to Feeding Cats and Kittens - Parkside Vets

Physical Symptoms of Stress

Change in eating habits. We kitties love our food, but we are also generally creatures of habit. Any obvious changes should be looked at closely. For example, we shouldn’t be eating non-food items like plastic or wool (it’s called pica). If we started eating a lot more or a lot less, it might be due to stress.

Quotes About Cat Litter. QuotesGram

Change in toilet habits. Stress can cause diarrhea and/or vomiting. It can also be responsible for us not using the little box as often as we once did. Severe stress can even lead to cystitis, an inflammation of the bladder that causes painful, bloody urination.
Changes in the way we look. If you notice bald patches or sores due to over-grooming, the cause is likely to be stress. A generally less-spiffy looking coat may be the result of the other signs of stress.
Stress-induced “cat flu”. We might get a runny nose and eyes for no apparent reason if we are under stress. Stress can also make it tougher for us to deal with chronic illness or recover from being sick.

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Behavioral Symptoms of Stress

If you notice a kitty who is just not acting like themselves, it may be due to stress. Look for changes in litter box use, spraying/defecating outside the litter box, or excessive scratching.
Kitties who become aggressive may be stressed out. They might attack their human or other animals in the house. They may also meow excessively. (Not sure how you tell in those kitties who already talk constantly.
A change in a kitty’s interaction with their human is also important. Either wanting a lot more attention or avoiding the humans can be a sign of stress.
A general lack of interest is a warning sign. Some kitties stop wanting to play, some don’t want to come inside anymore (or go outside).
A kitty who paces around meowing is generally a stressed kitty. (Unless it is a kitty who is trying to get their human to FINALLY feed them.)

10 Signs Your Cat Might Be Stressed | PetMD

The Look of a Stressed Cat

An alert human should be able to see the signs of a really stressed cat fairly easily:

Crouches and looks tense when not hunting
Ears rotate backwards and flatten
Wide eyes with dilated pupils
Stares at the floor with a fixed expression
Rapid, frequent grooming
Frequent head shaking
Twitching skin on the back
Exaggerated swallowing

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What Should You Do if You are Really Stressed?

Humans say that the first step is a trip to the vet. That’s particularly important if there are problems with eating or using the litter box. They even have kitty therapists to help with behavioral change. Of course, sometimes the humans have to change things like moving our food station or litter box.

Why Is My Cat Sniffing Everything All Of A Sudden? - Cats.com

I don’t think the ladies downstairs are quite at that level of stress. Mom tried stress-reducing treats. Not really sure how they would have worked. They tasted so nasty none of us would eat them. Now she’s going to try a pheromone diffuser. Guess it’s supposed to make us think of our cat moms and help us relax.

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Other possibilities for less-severe stress is taking our minds off whatever is causing it. Some humans experts recommend food puzzles to distract us, more vertical space, more scratching posts, and more safe outdoor access. If we’re thinking about something else, we won’t be thinking about being stressed out. It might work: Snoops doesn’t seem stressed out when she’s hunting mice.

Hope the ladies read this and feel better.

Pictures courtesy of Google Images. (Except us.)

Cat Forum: Cats and Sunscreen

May 27, 2023 | cat9984

Kommando Kitty here, You may not know this, but May 27th is National Sunscreen Day in the US. Why should you care about this human celebration? (I guess it’s a celebration. They gave it a day. But I haven’t seen any ads for it on Amazon, so I don’t think it’s a real holiday.) Believe it or not, even with our fur coats, we can get sunburned. (So can doggos, for those of you with multi-species households.)

As your human probably knows, one of the real dangers from too much sun is skin cancer. And cats are susceptible to something called Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC). It’s a skin cancer caused by sunlight damage. Human scientists have determined that white cats (like me) are 13 times more likely to develop SCC than darker-colored cats (like Snoops). Ginger cats are pretty susceptible too. Our skin is lighter colored than other cats. And the older we get, the more at risk we are because it develops slowly (over a period of months or years.)

The most common spots to get SCC are the ear tips, nose, and eyelids. (We can get frostbite those places too.) If you spend a lot of time in the sun, make sure your human keeps an eye out for crusty patches that look like a wound or scratch, but doesn’t heal quickly. An affected kitty can get it in more than one of those places, but it usually doesn’t spread to the rest of the body.

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It’s a lot better to prevent SCC than to cure it. It has to be removed surgically by cutting or using radiotherapy. As an indoor cat, I’m not at much risk. But we’re going to talk about what you outdoor kitties can do to lessen your risk.

How to Keep your Cat Cool in Summer & Hot Weather | Medivet

The first thing is pretty obvious. If possible, don’t spend a lot of time in the sun during the hottest parts of the day. Find a sheltered, shady spot to hang out. (Most of you are smart enough to do that anyway.) You may want to stay in the house for the middle of the day.

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If you need to be out in the sunlight, you need to have your human buy you some sunscreen. They need to buy pet-safe sunscreen, not that glop they use that smells like coconuts. Even the stuff that’s good for human babies shouldn’t be used on kitties. We’re delicate. The thing about sunscreen is that it’s supposed to go on you, not in you. It’s important to let it dry and not lick it off while it’s still wet. (Don’t lick it off your human either; you will get sick. Think vomiting and diarrhea.)

Why Do Cats Move Their Ears Around? - Catster

Sunscreen SHOULD NOT be used on the eyelids or nose. It SHOULD be used on the ears and above the nose. Have your human apply a thin layer of sunscreen to both sides (inside and outside) of your ears and above you nose. Smart humans will try to distract you afterwards with play or treats while the sunscreen is drying. Smart humans will also be very gentle while applying sunscreen. As I said, we’re delicate. It will get easier for all involved after the first couple of times.

Kitty Clues: 8 Signs That Your Cat Might be Sick - Cat Healthy

If you think you or a loved one may have skin cancer, here is what to look for:

Scabs
Small, black, crusty patches of skin
Weepy, raw looking skin
Red, raised areas of skin
Non-healing wounds or ulcerated areas
Unusual-looking patches of skin that look worse in the summer and improve somewhat in the winter

Remember: Cats with skin cancer, more often than not, have more than one patch of it.

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If you have any questions about whether a sunscreen is safe for you, talk to your vet. They are usually really smart humans. Also talk to them if you have any of the signs of cancer. It’s pretty easy to treat if they catch it early,

Enjoy a happy, healthy summer!

Pictures courtesy of Google Images.

Cat Forum: Allergies in Cats

April 22, 2023 | cat9984

UPDATE and Happy Spring to everyone! | Friends of Felines Rescue Center

Greetings. Snoops and Kommmando here. (And Sgt Stripes) Mom has been feeling pretty miserable lately because of her allergies. It happens every year when the pollen comes back after winter. She gets kinda grumpy and talks funny until she gets it under control. It made us wonder about the kinds of things that cats might be allergic to. We were surprised at how many things can cause a reaction in cats.

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Turns out that allergies are one of the most common medical conditions cats have. Allergies are the result of our immune system overreacting to some outside substance. They’re called allergens, and they’re foreign proteins that our bodies try to protect us from by removing them.

The ways that we get rid of allergens are by scratching; coughing, sneezing or wheezing; and vomiting, passing gas, and having diarrhea. They type of allergen determines which reaction an allergic cat has. Cats have four common types of allergies: insects (mainly fleas), foods, atopic dermatitis (dust, pollen, and molds), and contact allergies.

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Flea Allergies

Watch out for:

Scratching around the head and ears
Chewing and biting yourself
Excessive licking on the legs
Red, irritated skin
Patches of fur loss

The most common type of allergy in cats is a reaction to fleas. When a flea bites a cat, they inject a small amount of saliva into the skin. Most cats will get some minor irritation. The allergic cat will have a severe reaction to a single bite. They will get intense itching that will result in the cat roughly biting and scratching the skin to get relief. The intense scratching will result in open sores and scabs, which may become infected. The areas most commonly affected are the base of the tail and the head/neck area.

If you or a loved one is allergic, the most important treatment is to prevent fleabites. You can talk to your vet or use an over-the-counter preventative. If an allergic cat gets bitten, a trip to the vet may be necessary for corticosteroids or antibiotics. It can take two to four weeks to get rid of an infection that is the result of scratching a fleabite.

Once everything is back in balance, you should regain your beautiful fur coat.

Meme Generator on Twitter: "The expression on the cat's face says it all... #Diet #Dieting https://t.co/qnHk5tvhgA" / Twitter

Food Allergies

Watch out for:

Red, itchy skin
Flaky or greasy skin
Dull fur
Vomiting
Diarrhea
Gas
Weight loss
Conjunctivitis (pink eye)
Difficulty breathing

A food allergy is triggered by an immune reaction to either a food or a food additive. It is generally the protein (either plant or vegetable) causing the reaction. A food allergy can trigger any type of reaction: itching, breathing issues, or digestive problems.

The only way to determine whether there is a food allergy is to use either a hypoallergenic diet or by eliminating proteins from the diet one at a time. Because it takes at least 8 weeks for a protein to be completely eliminated from a cat’s system, the trial-and-error method can be time-consuming and frustrating. You must avoid all foods containing the protein, treats, people food, and flavored medications while doing the testing.

If you feel better after eliminating a certain protein, the humans will assume you have a food allergy. You will probably need to stay on a hypoallergenic diet for life. But that’s better than barfing after every meal.

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Atopic Dermatitis (Atopy)

Watch out for:

Red, watery eyes
Itchy eyes
Nasal discharge
Coughing, sneezing, wheezing
Rash
Itchy skin

Atopy is an allergic reaction to environmental allergens. These allergens include pollen, grasses, molds, mildew, and dust mites. Some are seasonal, some are year-round. Allergic humans respond to these allergens with sneezing and other breathing problems. Allergic cats usually respond with itching, sometimes severe itching.

Itchy Cats: Causes and Treatment | PetMD

Unfortunately, kitties with atopic dermatitis will probably require regular visits to the vet for life. There are a variety of drugs that will help: steroids, antihistamines, essential fatty acids, and immunosuppressives have all helped some cats. Some kitties have had luck with allergy shots. Cats with atopy should also try a hypoallergenic diet because the two types of allergies are often related.

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Contact Allergies

Watch out for:

Itchy skin
Red skin
Irritated skin
Rash

Contact allergies are exactly what they sound like: you are allergic to something you come in contact with. It might be your bedding, some type of material such as wool, a flea collar, or that nasty shampoo your human tried to use on you. Contact allergies result in skin irritation and itching. Obviously, if you are allergic to something, don’t get near it anymore. The trick is identifying which substance is causing the itching. Ask your human for help.

One Simple Way to Help Cats This Week - Learn from a Distance - MRFRS | The Merrimack River Feline Rescue Society

Wow. We learned a lot. First, we think that Snoops may have a flea allergy. Second, we’re glad that Mom has the environmental allergies, not us.

Signs & Symptoms Of Allergies In Cats | Dutch

Pictures courtesy of Google Images.

Cat Forum: Cats and Herbs

June 11, 2022 | cat9984

Greetings. Snoops and Kommando here. We’ve probably told you that our human brother is an outstanding cook – if you’re a human. He’s the one who introduced lentils to the menu. And chickpeas. And lots of dried beans. He also uses a lot of different herbs. Some of them smell good. Others just smell.

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Mom is trying to help. She bought a bunch of herb plants. Some are outside in pots, and some are inside in pots. It looks like a basil jungle under the plant light. Neither one of us is much for plants, so we’ve been avoiding them. But it did make us wonder if there were any herbs we should look out for.

As is the case for flowers and other plants, some herbs are good for us and we need to avoid some. In the case of herbs that may be beneficial for cats, make sure your vet is on board before taking them medicinally.

Safe (and possibly beneficial) Herbs

Basil – Has both anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. It also relieves anxiety in some kitties.

Calendula – It has anti-inflammatory properties. It might even be able to help speed up wound healing.

Catnip – It is a mood and activity stimulant and can help calm stress and anxiety. It also has anti-itch properties. Note that it is a member of the mint family and can cause vomiting and diarrhea if you overindulge.

Cats & Herbs | Good & Bad Herbs for your Furry Friend - THE SAGE

Cat’s Claw – It helps with allergic reactions. It might help with your immune system.

Dandelion Root – It has anti-itch properties so it can help alleviate allergies. It also aids digestion and liver detoxification.

Dill – It can calm the stomach. It also alleviates bloating and gas.

Echinacea – It helps support good immune health. If you’re prone to upper respiratory infections (like the human cold), maybe you should ask your vet about it.

Goldenseal – It has antibacterial properties. It may be useful as a natural disinfectant on cuts and scrapes.

Licorice Root – It’s like the cortisone your human uses, so it helps your mucus membranes. It can reduce allergic itchiness, digestive issues (it is particularly soothing to your bowels), and respiratory problems.

Do Cats Like Mint? (Revealed!) | Pests Banned

Mint – It’s a natural pest repellent. It also soothes your skin and helps you relax. But too much can be rough on your tummy.

Parsley – It can help boost your immune system and support good eyesight (it provides vitamins A, C, and K).

Rosemary – It has antioxidant, antibacterial, and antifungal properties. It can help with your skin, coat, and eyesight. It also improves digestion.

Thyme – It has antioxidant, antibacterial, and antifungal properties. It also provides fiber to your diet.

Valerian – It is a mood and activity stimulant for cats. It can be used as an alternative to catnip or silver vine. Weirdly enough, it usually has the opposite effect on humans. It is also known to boost the immune system.

Witch Hazel – It can be used to treat feline acne. Simply dab your skin once or twice a day.

How to grow and care for chamomile | lovethegarden

Unsafe for Kitties

Chamomile – There are several types of chamomile. German chamomile is safe for cats. However, English, Roman or True chamomile can cause dermatitis, vomiting, diarrhea, and allergic reactions.

Foxglove – It can cause cardiac failure and death.

Garlic – It is extremely toxic. It can cause vomiting, increased heart rate, and damage to your red blood cells leading to hemolytic anemia.

Growing Lemongrass: Best Varieties, Planting Guide, Care, Problems, and Harvest

Lemongrass – It can cause diarrhea and vomiting.

Marijuana – It can cause vomiting, low blood pressure, hypersalivation, and possibly even seizure, coma, and death. No form is safe.

Onions and Chives – They can cause diarrhea, vomiting or an upset stomach and severe damage to the red blood cells. Onion powder is as dangerous as the whole onion.

Oregano – It can cause diarrhea and vomiting.

St. John’s Wort – It can make you more sensitive to the sun, leading to ulcerative or peeling dermatitis.

Tarragon – It can cause diarrhea and vomiting.

Catnip and Cats — In Defense of Plants

We’ve decided to leave the herbs to the humans. Although we are going to try to get Mom to move the catnip inside.

Pictures courtesy of Google Images (not us or our plants)

Snoops and Kommando: Cats and COVID

October 17, 2020 | cat9984

We are using cute pictures to go along with this post because we like them, not because they have anything to do with the topic.

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Greetings from Snoops and Kommando. This is a pretty strange topic for us to be commenting on. In fact, we try to ignore the human world as much as possible. However, our human has forced this topic upon us.

Paperwork -

She has been sick for a couple of weeks. Finally she went and had one of those virus tests. The doctor thinks she has it. She might never know. It seems that where we live the results have to be sent to the State department of health who then calls. Only humans would come up with a silly process like that.

sharing is caring - cats eating ice cream | Meme Generator

It was really nice having her home at first, but we are getting tired of it. She isn’t sick enough to be in bed all the time, but she’s really boring. She’s taking up space on our sofa. And we’re not sure about the kibble budget since she’s not working.

May 2015 – Journey of a MOOCer

Why are we talking about her when we are usually the center of attention? We wanted to make sure she wasn’t going to make us sick. And the news is pretty comforting, although there are a few things we want to pass along.

Cats and the coronavirus quarantine – memes on the web – Cat in the Box LLC

Can Cats get COVID-19?

Apparently the virus really likes humans. They say that humans can pass this thing around easily. Luckily, we have superior immune systems. There have been a few cases in domestic cats, but we seem to be more or less safe from it.

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Does it Make Cats Really Sick (like some of the humans)?

There have been very few cases to study, but it seems to be similar to a common cold. The virus stayed in the upper respiratory system and did not go into the lungs. The cats all made a full recovery in less than 2 weeks.

During the 1918 Flu Epidemic, Pet Parents Put Masks on Their Cats - Atlas Obscura

How do Cats get Sick?

So far, the cats have have caught the virus from their humans. However, the scientists think that cat-to-cat transmission is possible. So if you have a sick friend, be sure to wear a mask and keep your distance.

Felix...he thinks I've neglected him if I'm not constantly petting him! | Cute animals, Cats, Cute cats

Do We Need to Avoid Our Human?

We don’t recommend you totally avoid your human if they are sick. However, someone else should feed you (and take care of you) as much as possible. If you only have one human, it shouldn’t be a problem. As we said, the virus is very rare in cats. And no human has gotten COVID (or many other viral diseases) from a cat.

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Do We Need to be Tested?

There is a test for pets, but you really don’t need it unless you are sick with a respiratory problem and have been close to someone with COVID. If you don’t have symptoms, there is no reason to think your human gave it to you. There is no routine testing for pets, and your vet will have to check local regulations before testing.

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Once again, cats have proven their superiority to humans. However, if your human is sick, remind them to wash their germy hands a lot.

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Pictures courtesy of Google Images

Feral Purrfessionals: Cats to the Rescue

March 21, 2020 | cat9984

Image result for cats being doctors

We last saw Katie Calico and her friend Elise at the end of their first year at Mid-America Animal Tech. They were studying medicine to be able to help treat feral cats. You can read the story at Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, and Part 5. In the last part, Katie received a scholarship to work with Maria Meowski at her clinic for feral cats. Also in that part, Katie’s mother and Elise’s dad (the dean at the school) married each other.

Katie and Elise have graduated from Animal Tech. Elise has continued to work at Maria’s clinic and loves it. She plans to stay there for the foreseeable future. Elise is working as a lab instructor at the school.

One day, Katie got a call from her stepfather Edgar asking her to come to the school for a meeting. When Katie arrived, she saw that Elise was there, as well as several other graduates.

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Edgar: Thank you all for coming. I received a call from a human doctor asking for our help.

Maria: Why do they want our help?

Elise: They have some kind of sickness going around that’s really contagious.

Susie: What’s that got to do with us? Do they want to make us sick too?

Edgar: Nothing like that. Whatever this is, cats can’t get it. But human doctors and other medical personnel are at significant risk, particularly when people first some into an emergency room or clinic.

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Katie: Why is that?

Edgar: They don’t know whether the person has this sickness or not.

Katie: What type of sickness is it?

Edgar: It’s a virus that attacks their lungs and their breathing.

Maria: That sounds awful.

Edgar: The humans are very concerned. It’s not just the virus itself. If the medical people get it, they won’t be able to help the others.

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Susie: What do they want us to do?

Edgar: A lot of the clinics have stopped seeing walk-in patients. Everyone has to call first.

Elise: But hospitals have to stay open.

Edgar: They want us to be the face of the hospital. There would be a cat at the front desk. Cats would also be doing triage for the emergency room.

Josie: Exactly what does that mean?

Edgar: You would be the ones who greet the people, take their temperature, and type out their symptoms. There would be two cats working as partners.

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Katie: When does this start and how long will it last?

Edgar: They’d like you as soon as possible. They don’t know how long they will need you.

Katie: What about our current jobs? I definitely want to keep working with Maria.

(The other cats nodded.)

Edgar: I’m sure you can get a leave for this situation. I can speak with anyone who has questions.

Josie: I’m not sure I want to do this. Humans have turned a hose on me and chased me away.

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Edgar: No one will be forced to do it. It’s entirely up to you. Is anyone interested?

All of the cats raised their paws, even Josie. They knew it would be an excellent opportunity to learn new skills. Even if they were practicing on humans.

Edgar: Excellent! The humans will be very happy to hear it. I’ll email you your assignments as soon as I know.

The cats left, nervous but excited.

Next week: Will the cats and humans work together effectively?

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Pictures courtesy of Google Images.

My Wrists are Making My Head Hurt

April 17, 2016 | cat9984

I got my new job stocking overnight.

My hands and wrists started to hurt a lot more.

I went to see the hand surgeon.

The resident told me that the reason my thumb hurt was because of arthritis due to my age.

I said that the x-rays didn’t show any arthritis.

He said everyone gets arthritis in their thumbs.

I said the x-rays didn’t show arthritis.

He said he hadn’t looked at the x-rays. He asked who read the x-rays.

I told him whoever worked in his clinic.

He said it didn’t matter, we were there to talk about my hands.

I said that I wasn’t comfortable with him.

He said we were there to talk about my hands.

I told him I wasn’t comfortable talking to him.

He told me that he was fully trained in the functions of the hands and the surgery.

I told him I didn’t want to talk to him.

He stalked off.

The surgeon came in.

He talked really loud.

He said the test results said that I had mild to moderate carpal tunnel syndrome, but that he would say it was probably moderate based on the readings.

I said that the doctor had said the same thing at the time of the test.

He looked at me. Who did you talk to?

I wanted to tell him, “The man who came in and introduced himself as the doctor in charge of the department.” But that doctor was really nice, and I didn’t want to make him sound obnoxious. I said that I talked to the tech and then the doctor came in.

The surgeon said OK, I agree. That test was done in 2014, so things are probably worse by now. We should do the release surgery as soon as possible to prevent any more damage. You’ll have to be off work for two weeks and on light duty another two weeks.

By the way, most people do get arthritis in their thumbs when the ligaments stretch as they age.

I went to work and explained the situation. My supervisor told me that he would tell me a good time to take off.

My husband told me that he might lose his insurance in June.

I told my supervisor. He said to go ahead and schedule the surgery for the end of April.

Three weeks later the time off request was still pending. I asked if he had changed his mind. He said I hadn’t made the request in the system. I said I had.

He called me in the floor. Didn’t realize I would be off that long. The store director would have to approve it. Had I spoken with the third-party administrator (TPA)?

The TPA can’t help me. I haven’t been with the company for a year and am not eligible for an official leave.

How long have you been here?

Six months.

Oh. I thought it had been a lot longer. I have to talk to the store director.

No response a week later. I ask if they have talked.

Yes, we did. The store director makes these types of decisions. The answer is no.

My head started to hurt.

I Can Type Ten Words a Minute!!

June 28, 2014 | cat9984

Actually that’s probably an exaggeration unless it’s something like “The Cat in the Hat”.

If you are a fan of old movies, you might remember the stereotype of the star reporter with a hot story. He (remember, it’s an old movie) types furiously with two fingers, finishes in a couple of minutes, tears the paper out of the (manual) typewriter and hands it to the errand boy. I am soooo jealous of that reporter right now.

I taught myself how to type on a 1903 Royal typewriter (with its corresponding manual). No, it was not a current version. It had been my grandmother’s and was old then. It’s one of those machines that allowed solicitous men to say that women could not be secretaries because their baby fingers were not strong enough to push the end keys. It probably would have been an excellent thing to drop on the heads of those men to show how wrong they were about women’s strength. It was made out of iron. I recently saw a relative at a museum (I still have mine).

Anyway, you would be amazed at how much faster you can type on an electric typewriter (to say nothing of a word processor) if you have strengthened your fingers on the manual one. (The men were right about that – the keys were hard to push at first, especially if you’re a preteen.)

Aside – I do not want to hear from you if you do not know what a manual typewriter is. Look it up on Wikipedia. Or Google/Bing it.)

The point of all of this is that I have been reduced to typing with two fingers. As you may recall, my doctor (the one with the recessive bedside manner) ordered an EMG. It showed mild to moderate bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome. So she sent me to a medical supply store to get two cock-up splints. I only needed one since I had gotten the spica splint for my thumb a couple of weeks earlier. (My insurance company loves me.)

I sent her an email after about a week asking when they would start making my hands feel better rather than worse. I guess it was supposed to be sooner than a week because she referred me to an orthopedic surgeon and an occupational therapist.

I can’t see anyone in ortho until September. Guess summer’s not a good time to see someone who can take multiple weeks of vacation. Went to see the occupational therapist on Wednesday.

Apparently the good news about medical-supply splints is that they are relatively inexpensive ($100-$200) and fairly comfortable to wear (soft felty material with metal bars to hold your wrist in place). And I only had to wear them at night. It really only impacted the cats who do not like to be petted with soft felty material (no one attached a warning to the cats, so I had no idea).

The bad news is that the reason they are so comfortable is that they really don’t do a very good job of keeping your wrists in place. And an even worse job of keeping the thumb in place. The pain in my thumb was getting better, but I was having a lot of trouble with my wrist. Turns out the tendonitis had just moved to better neighborhood.

You may know where this story is going. The therapist made me two custom rigid splints (more good news for the insurance company). It was really cool to watch. They take some kind of heavy fiber board and put it in a steamer. Then they mold it to your arm so it fits. Once it cools off, it doesn’t move (hence rigid splint). I was supposed to wear it 24/7 for two weeks, then only at night.

OK. The sensible person would think: Rigid split. I need to modify how I work. Not so sensible person: Rigid split. I can work the way I usually do, and the splint will set the limits. Guess which side I fell on. Rigid means that in a contest between your body and the splint, the splint wins. Hey, I’m not an engineer.

After 2 1/2 hours, I was so sore I had to go home. I called the occupational therapist. She said I was working against the splint. (It only took her 1.5 minutes to figure out what I was doing wrong.) She said to wear the soft splints during the day, and the rigid splints at night. It worked really well yesterday.

Not so much today when I took the wrong soft splints to work. That’s what happens when you don’t take the old splints upstairs when you get the new splints (they all look pretty much the same). I gotta tell you – having a semi-disorganized brain is a pain. I never know when it’s gonna flake.

The old splints were worse than no splints. Don’t ask me why. I have no idea. So I iced my wrist when I got home. And got the right splints. Much more comfortable. But still detrimental to typing. Thus the two fingered typing. My brain is going crazy. Some of my best snarks are getting lost in the time lag. Don’t feel bad for me – I’m enjoying them even if you’re not.

I wonder if any of those old newspapermen would be willing to come out of retirement?