Snuggle Safe is a microwaveable plastic disk that stays warm about 10 hours. I
really liked them for making a bed or small den especially warm.
There are supplements for RIs that someone on the list should be familiar with.
I think one is Lysine.
You may want to run Ashley by another vet or an alternative vet. That doesn't
sound right.
If you have men who will
exclude any of God's creatures
from the shelter of compassion
and pity, you will have men who
will deal likewise with their
fellow man.
St. Francis
----- Original Message -----
From: Melissa Lind
To: [email protected]
Sent: Thursday, April 05, 2007 11:07 PM
Subject: Cassidy and Ashley are home!
I haven't had time to read all the posts, but I'm starting to, and it's
comforting to know there are others out there like all of you!
I'm so sorry about all the losses I read on here. Marissa, I hope a beautiful
kitty finds you soon. I'll be thinking of you. I only wish there were people
like you around here to take on my newest kitties.
I know that I've been strongly encouraged to mix my household, but I just
can't-at least not yet. You all have so much experience, and I'm just starting
out, just learning about FeLV, and I'm such a doubter-I've been taught to
question everything-so I have a hard time trusting.I have all these worries
about endangering my other cats. I can hear all the success stories, but it
still doesn't change things. If Smokey (less than one year) were older, I
wouldn't have a problem with it. Maybe in the future I'll consider it, but I
hope to have a sanctuary by then anyway for FeLVs and others.
But, with good news.I chose to put Cassidy (FeLV+) in my office with me since
that's where I spend most of the time. Oh the joys of having a litter box in a
small, warm room! But, I'm not sure if he's even used it yet! He's been eating
very nicely since we got home today, so I expect some treats by morning.
He's still pretty tired after his neuter-and he spends the majority of the
time at my feet under the desk all curled up. He talks every once in a while to
let me know he's there! How precious! It sounds as if he'll be with us for a
while since most FeLV sanctuaries/rescues require another IFA in 3 months for
confirmation before they'll take him in. I won't get his IFA results (only
Elisa so far) back until next week. But, he's doing really well-quite the
talker. His lion-cut is adorable, and I'm sure he feel so much better without
that snarly fur. My other three cats in the house are upset that they don't get
to hang out in their favorite room!
But, not so good news.Ashley (FeLV neg.), the stray who found me the day
after Cassidy, also came home today. She was spayed yesterday and is just not
moving around as much as I thought she would. I had to put her in the garage. I
was going to put Cassidy in there, but he has a problem paw, so I thought the
cement would be bad for it. Well, Ashley liked the garage fairly well when she
stayed the first night-found herself a nice place to nest on my husband's work
coats near a window. Today I covered the coats with a furry blanket-an Alpaca
one I got in Peru and was saving for special-but who's more special then these
guys? Then I also put a little pet-safe space heater in the garage for her.
It's still pretty chilly here in Nebraska. She cried through the door a little
today, and that was heartbreaking, but it's for the best.
The vet had suggested that Ashley stay quarantined for 60 days until she has
another FeLV test to be sure she's still neg. He also thought that she should
be isolated since she could be carrying other things. I'm very worried about
her upper respiratory. She was sneezy when I first got her--now she seems to
have some respiratory problems--wheezy and phlegmy-sounding. I heard the girls
(vet techs?) at the vet's office talking to him about her nose, etc., and I
heard him say something about some cats can have severe respiratory infections,
but then when he came in the room, he never said anything to me. I'm going to
call tomorrow and see if I need to give Ashley anything for that. I've never
had cats with anything more than routine issues, so I'm sorry if I sound
dumb--I'm new to this-I've had to learn so much just this week!
I was also worried because the vet girls were looking at me in a way I was
not comfortable with (not like I smell), but they looked like they knew
something I didn't. I don't understand why they wouldn't send me home with
something for Ashley's nose, etc., I picked up antibiotics for my other cat,
Bandit, who gets abscesses all the time from the littlest scratch.
I'm glad I've finally embraced my passion and found my calling. Now it's time
to plan for the future and more room for cats (and kids too I hope). This week
I've heard so many negative comments about saving cats that I just stopped
telling people about my new kitties. Some people's comments surprised me, some
didn't. But, I'm glad I have you guys to talk to so I don't feel so alone. I
don't understand the lack of compassion-but I'm sure you all know what that's
like. It doesn't make any sense to me why people can be so mean about cats. One
of my closest friend said, "Well, I just don't like how they're always rubbing
up against me." She meant cats in general-not just mine. And I thought, that's
what makes them so great! They're loving and they show it! I could go on and
on, but you already know all of this. It just feels nice to tell it to some
people who agree.
Bless all of you for all you do! And thank you for the support!
Melissa
