Re: [Felvtalk] FW: Keep Cats Indoors
On 03-24, MaiMaiPG wrote: > I deal with ferals too and all of my house cats have been ferals. One > cost me two surgeries thanks to biting through a finger...my fault not > hers. A lot of older people are on blood thinners, have extremely > "thin skin" etc. I've been scratched more times than I can count. > Obviously, you have been blessed. I'm in my 50's and recover fairly > easily. I know of too many older people without sufficient support > who can't recover quickly. I suspect it has to do with the overall > health of the individual and the personality of the cat. Personally, > I have seen my mother bleed for hours from various (for me) > insignificant cuts. As I said, declawing should be the last resort > but there are times I feel it is justified. My husband is 89 and on coumadin. He bleeds easily when one of our cats scratches him, but we use a styptic pencil to make the bleeding stop and then bind up the scratches if necessary. We'd NEVER declaw one of our 15 rescued cats.. ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
Re: [Felvtalk] Cat claws
On 03-23, Natalie wrote: > I don't understand why an old person can't have a cat with claws. > Dealing mostly with feral cats, I have never been bitten or > scratched - what's the danger, I am 70 yrs old. And as I said, > bites are a natural defense for declawed cats! I'm 78 and when you're old your skin is very fragile and thin and you bleed easily... That said - I would NEVER NEVER declaw a cat. We have 15 rescued cats at home and sure we get scratched when they play or knead us, but so what! Put some iodine on the scratches. Lorrie ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
Re: [Felvtalk] Garrett Please add to the CLS :(
Sherry How hard it must be to see the ones you love leaving so soon. Your consolation may be that you have helped make their too short lives better. Bless you. And bless Garrett on his journey. ~Bonnie - Original Message - From: "Sherry DeHaan" To: "Felvtalk" Sent: Thursday, March 24, 2011 7:14 PM Subject: [Felvtalk] Garrett Please add to the CLS :( So you would think there was no more need for MORE kitties in heaven!! Today our sweet Sids kid Garrett left us. He was a quiet laid back cat that NEVER caused any problems.Always had a purr for you and such a sweet face. Dont know how much more we volunteers AND Dr Jen can take with losing so many all so close together...ONLY good thing to come of their passings is that there is room for another kitty in need of TLC and a home. Sherry "We who choose to surround ourselves with lives more temporary than our own, Live within a fragile circle,easily and often breached. Unable to accept its awful gaps. We still would have it no other way" ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
Re: [Felvtalk] LTCI thank you!
Sean - Thank you for the info that it helped with your FeLV baby's stomatitis. I wish I had had that info 8 years ago! Beth Don't Litter, Fix Your Critter! www.Furkids.org --- On Thu, 3/24/11, Sean T. Collins wrote: From: Sean T. Collins Subject: [Felvtalk] LTCI thank you! To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Date: Thursday, March 24, 2011, 8:48 PM Beth, Sharyl, Andy, thank you so much for your concern and help! And Andy, thank you for the link to tcyte.com—I was unaware of that site. Fortunately, I got good news from the staff at the vet today: Felix's doctor was able to order the medicine using one of the numbers I sniffed up from the Internet! I didn't speak to her directly, so I'm not sure which one worked, but it would have been associated with either AgriLabs or its subdivision ProLabs, which I believe bought out Imulan, the company that used to manufacture the medicine. (Of course, now I have no idea how TCyte factors into all this...) If and when my wife or I speak to her directly, I will find out which number worked and share it here. Thanks again, with all my heart! Sean ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
[Felvtalk] Update on Studs
The little FeLV kitty I was supposed to get does NOT have a heart murmur. Unfortunately he has Hemobart & non-regenerative anemia. He is being treated with Doxy, & we will re-do a PCV on Monday. He is not eating much. He is on fluids. It is not looking good. I know the Hemobart can be treated, but if he is not producing red blood cells it is not good. His HCT is 20 - no horrible, but not good. He is just a love bug. He will remain at the vet until he can be re-tested Monday :( Beth Don't Litter, Fix Your Critter! www.Furkids.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
Re: [Felvtalk] FW: Keep Cats Indoors
Dr. Nicholas Dodman wrote an awesome book about cat personalities and problems, including aggression towards housemates and people. It's called "The Cat Who Cried For Help", and addresses situations like yours. -Original Message- From: Diane Rosenfeldt [mailto:drosenfe...@wi.rr.com] Sent: Thursday, March 24, 2011 6:46 PM To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] FW: Keep Cats Indoors My housemate and I were faced with such a decision 10 or 11 years ago, when we moved from our separate apartments to our formerly-two-flat house, and melded our cat families. She had two, an elderly lady named Kitty and a pugnacious orange boy named Tribble. I had 3 -- my laid-back Luc, my introverted fluffy tortie Phoebe, and my mom's black girly, Missy. Tribble had always deferred to Kitty when they lived together, and continued to do so, thank goodness. But as time went on and our cat population changed a little, Tribble showed quite a bit of aggression, and we had to take somebody or other to the vet to have bites treated at least twice. So we were in a real bind, since we are both cats-are-family-for-life people, and we did love Tribble with all his peculiarities. We knew nobody would adopt him anyway. We are both anti-declaw and had the raggedy furniture to prove it, but we decided that for the safety of the other cats we would have him declawed, feeling maybe he would lose some aggressiveness, and also that he might still be able to bite, but he wouldn't be able to dig in and hold on while he did so. We found the one place in town at the time that did the laser technique. We were worried about all the things mentioned -- the pain, the litter problems, the behavioral problems. But he really seemed not to mind, even during the first days. He was fine with the litterbox, and didn't develop any behavioral problems above and beyond the ones he had going in. He was still aggressive, but wasn't able to inflict nearly the damage, which was mission accomplished as far as we were concerned. The upside for him is that to this day he still tries to sharpen those claws on furniture, wicker etc., and he's the only one that doesn't get shooed away. I know we got lucky here, and that most cats suffer more, but if we had it to do again we'd still make the same decision under the same circumstances. It was either that or sentence Tribble to almost certain death. Diane R. ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
Re: [Felvtalk] FW: Keep Cats Indoors
I love that book! In it, Dodman describes a cat in a recovery cage after having been declawed - if that doesn't do it, I don't know what will! Natalie -Original Message- From: felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org [mailto:felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org] On Behalf Of POTT, BEVERLY Sent: Friday, March 25, 2011 4:47 PM To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] FW: Keep Cats Indoors Dr. Nicholas Dodman wrote an awesome book about cat personalities and problems, including aggression towards housemates and people. It's called "The Cat Who Cried For Help", and addresses situations like yours. -Original Message- From: Diane Rosenfeldt [mailto:drosenfe...@wi.rr.com] Sent: Thursday, March 24, 2011 6:46 PM To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] FW: Keep Cats Indoors My housemate and I were faced with such a decision 10 or 11 years ago, when we moved from our separate apartments to our formerly-two-flat house, and melded our cat families. She had two, an elderly lady named Kitty and a pugnacious orange boy named Tribble. I had 3 -- my laid-back Luc, my introverted fluffy tortie Phoebe, and my mom's black girly, Missy. Tribble had always deferred to Kitty when they lived together, and continued to do so, thank goodness. But as time went on and our cat population changed a little, Tribble showed quite a bit of aggression, and we had to take somebody or other to the vet to have bites treated at least twice. So we were in a real bind, since we are both cats-are-family-for-life people, and we did love Tribble with all his peculiarities. We knew nobody would adopt him anyway. We are both anti-declaw and had the raggedy furniture to prove it, but we decided that for the safety of the other cats we would have him declawed, feeling maybe he would lose some aggressiveness, and also that he might still be able to bite, but he wouldn't be able to dig in and hold on while he did so. We found the one place in town at the time that did the laser technique. We were worried about all the things mentioned -- the pain, the litter problems, the behavioral problems. But he really seemed not to mind, even during the first days. He was fine with the litterbox, and didn't develop any behavioral problems above and beyond the ones he had going in. He was still aggressive, but wasn't able to inflict nearly the damage, which was mission accomplished as far as we were concerned. The upside for him is that to this day he still tries to sharpen those claws on furniture, wicker etc., and he's the only one that doesn't get shooed away. I know we got lucky here, and that most cats suffer more, but if we had it to do again we'd still make the same decision under the same circumstances. It was either that or sentence Tribble to almost certain death. Diane R. ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
Re: [Felvtalk] FW: Keep Cats Indoors
I will have to see if I can find that. Thankfully, we haven't had anykitty else with the kind of behaviors Tribble displays, but I often wonder what his little brain is really like. I personally think a necropsy of his head would reveal noodles and Ninja stars. ;-) And, after describing this side of his personality, I should say that when he chooses, he can be a love bug himself. He does this thing where he climbs onto you and leans the full front of his face into whatever part of you is available -- usually under a boob or your stomach -- and just stays there. We call it "quieting the voices in his head" and I sort of suspect we're not completely wrong. He also shares the kitty trait of trying to fit into any box he sees, with wackiness usually ensuing. And, surprisingly, when we added the two feral kittens to our household a couple of years ago, he became a really good father figure. I think it's partly because the other cats sort of keep their distance, and the twins were fearless and willingly played with him. We loves our weird old Tribble. ;-) Diane R. -Original Message- From: felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org [mailto:felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org] On Behalf Of POTT, BEVERLY Sent: Friday, March 25, 2011 3:47 PM To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] FW: Keep Cats Indoors Dr. Nicholas Dodman wrote an awesome book about cat personalities and problems, including aggression towards housemates and people. It's called "The Cat Who Cried For Help", and addresses situations like yours. -Original Message- From: Diane Rosenfeldt [mailto:drosenfe...@wi.rr.com] Sent: Thursday, March 24, 2011 6:46 PM To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] FW: Keep Cats Indoors My housemate and I were faced with such a decision 10 or 11 years ago, when we moved from our separate apartments to our formerly-two-flat house, and melded our cat families. She had two, an elderly lady named Kitty and a pugnacious orange boy named Tribble. I had 3 -- my laid-back Luc, my introverted fluffy tortie Phoebe, and my mom's black girly, Missy. Tribble had always deferred to Kitty when they lived together, and continued to do so, thank goodness. But as time went on and our cat population changed a little, Tribble showed quite a bit of aggression, and we had to take somebody or other to the vet to have bites treated at least twice. So we were in a real bind, since we are both cats-are-family-for-life people, and we did love Tribble with all his peculiarities. We knew nobody would adopt him anyway. We are both anti-declaw and had the raggedy furniture to prove it, but we decided that for the safety of the other cats we would have him declawed, feeling maybe he would lose some aggressiveness, and also that he might still be able to bite, but he wouldn't be able to dig in and hold on while he did so. We found the one place in town at the time that did the laser technique. We were worried about all the things mentioned -- the pain, the litter problems, the behavioral problems. But he really seemed not to mind, even during the first days. He was fine with the litterbox, and didn't develop any behavioral problems above and beyond the ones he had going in. He was still aggressive, but wasn't able to inflict nearly the damage, which was mission accomplished as far as we were concerned. The upside for him is that to this day he still tries to sharpen those claws on furniture, wicker etc., and he's the only one that doesn't get shooed away. I know we got lucky here, and that most cats suffer more, but if we had it to do again we'd still make the same decision under the same circumstances. It was either that or sentence Tribble to almost certain death. Diane R. ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
Re: [Felvtalk] FW: Keep Cats Indoors
Sounds like my Harley. He is the terror of the house and then he can be the sweetet baby ever. Gotta love them. Can't get rid of them, would leave too big a hole in your heart. Sometimes he creeps onto my lap, reaches up and pats my face and then curls into a ball and goes to sleep. Other times, he refuses to do what I tell him to do, lays his ears back and swats me. Sometimes even bites my nose (gently)as if to say, "Don't tell me what to do". Diane Rosenfeldt wrote: > I will have to see if I can find that. Thankfully, we haven't had anykitty > else with the kind of behaviors Tribble displays, but I often wonder what > his little brain is really like. I personally think a necropsy of his head > would reveal noodles and Ninja stars. ;-) And, after describing this side of > his personality, I should say that when he chooses, he can be a love bug > himself. He does this thing where he climbs onto you and leans the full > front of his face into whatever part of you is available -- usually under a > boob or your stomach -- and just stays there. We call it "quieting the > voices in his head" and I sort of suspect we're not completely wrong. He > also shares the kitty trait of trying to fit into any box he sees, with > wackiness usually ensuing. And, surprisingly, when we added the two feral > kittens to our household a couple of years ago, he became a really good > father figure. I think it's partly because the other cats sort of keep their > distance, and the twins were fearless and willingly played with him. We > loves our weird old Tribble. ;-) > > Diane R. > > -Original Message- > From: felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org > [mailto:felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org] On Behalf Of POTT, BEVERLY > Sent: Friday, March 25, 2011 3:47 PM > To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org > Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] FW: Keep Cats Indoors > > Dr. Nicholas Dodman wrote an awesome book about cat personalities and > problems, including aggression towards housemates and people. It's called > "The Cat Who Cried For Help", and addresses situations like yours. > > > -Original Message- > From: Diane Rosenfeldt [mailto:drosenfe...@wi.rr.com] > Sent: Thursday, March 24, 2011 6:46 PM > To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org > Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] FW: Keep Cats Indoors > > My housemate and I were faced with such a decision 10 or 11 years ago, when > we moved from our separate apartments to our formerly-two-flat house, and > melded our cat families. She had two, an elderly lady named Kitty and a > pugnacious orange boy named Tribble. I had 3 -- my laid-back Luc, my > introverted fluffy tortie Phoebe, and my mom's black girly, Missy. Tribble > had always deferred to Kitty when they lived together, and continued to do > so, thank goodness. But as time went on and our cat population changed a > little, Tribble showed quite a bit of aggression, and we had to take > somebody or other to the vet to have bites treated at least twice. So we > were in a real bind, since we are both cats-are-family-for-life people, and > we did love Tribble with all his peculiarities. We knew nobody would adopt > him anyway. We are both anti-declaw and had the raggedy furniture to prove > it, but we decided that for the safety of the other cats we would have him > declawed, feeling maybe he would lose some aggressiveness, and also that he > might still be able to bite, but he wouldn't be able to dig in and hold on > while he did so. We found the one place in town at the time that did the > laser technique. > > We were worried about all the things mentioned -- the pain, the litter > problems, the behavioral problems. But he really seemed not to mind, even > during the first days. He was fine with the litterbox, and didn't develop > any behavioral problems above and beyond the ones he had going in. He was > still aggressive, but wasn't able to inflict nearly the damage, which was > mission accomplished as far as we were concerned. The upside for him is that > to this day he still tries to sharpen those claws on furniture, wicker etc., > and he's the only one that doesn't get shooed away. I know we got lucky > here, and that most cats suffer more, but if we had it to do again we'd > still make the same decision under the same circumstances. It was either > that or sentence Tribble to almost certain death. > > Diane R. > > ___ > Felvtalk mailing list > Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org > http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org > > > ___ > Felvtalk mailing list > Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org > http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
Re: [Felvtalk] FW: Keep Cats Indoors
My first feral, Shorty, got me 2 times, both my fault. My father had built a house for my strays complete with lapped siding, a small porch with columns and I got leftovers from a client's new carpet ($50.00 a yard, wool) to line the walls and floor. Of course, we put in 2" styrofoam insulation everywhere. And then we stuffed a lot of straw in there for him to arrange however he wanted. Shorty showed up in March and the weather was rainy, snowy, etc so I leaned a piece of plexiglass against it to keep his fod dry. Everything was great if I knocked on the door so he could see me coming and get away. Couple of times I forgot and surprised him. Since he could not flee, he fought. Wraped his legs around my leg and bit me. I did what I usually do, let it bleed to wash out bacteria, put peroxide on it and bandaged it. Applied pressure for a bit and it was good as new. After 8 months, he got used to me and finally allowed me to pick him up and from there went to sleeping on the foot of my bed. I have been very lucky with all my bites and scratches and only 1 time had to go to the ER. A stray came to court my girls and Harley (then 4 months) got out and came flying around the corner of the garage. Moses thought he was attacking so he jumped at him. I grabbed Harley to save him and Moses got me on the back of the hand and hit a large vein. Bled like crazy all over the garage and house. Finally got a couple of 4x4's folded and made a pressure bandage, tied it on with gauze and went to the ER. They gave me a prescription for antibiotics, said I did a real good job of fixing it and told me to find the cat or take rabies shots. I remembered which direction he ran and found him the next day sitting on his ower's porch and very sweetly came to greet me. We had to confine him for 14 days and that was that. He looked so heathy, I was sure he did not have rabies, but the doctor siad was best to be safe. Just remember when dealing with ferals, they feel they have 2 choices, flee or fight so always give them the opportunity to flee. Lorrie wrote: > On 03-24, MaiMaiPG wrote: > > I deal with ferals too and all of my house cats have been ferals. One > > cost me two surgeries thanks to biting through a finger...my fault not > > hers. A lot of older people are on blood thinners, have extremely > > "thin skin" etc. I've been scratched more times than I can count. > > Obviously, you have been blessed. I'm in my 50's and recover fairly > > easily. I know of too many older people without sufficient support > > who can't recover quickly. I suspect it has to do with the overall > > health of the individual and the personality of the cat. Personally, > > I have seen my mother bleed for hours from various (for me) > > insignificant cuts. As I said, declawing should be the last resort > > but there are times I feel it is justified. > > My husband is 89 and on coumadin. He bleeds easily when one of our > cats scratches him, but we use a styptic pencil to make the bleeding > stop and then bind up the scratches if necessary. We'd NEVER declaw > one of our 15 rescued cats.. > > ___ > Felvtalk mailing list > Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org > http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
Re: [Felvtalk] Cat claws
Many older people are on coumidin and that really makes it bad for them to get scratched. Some cats get carried away with their play so you just need to not overstimulate them. You play hard and they will too. And then there are some that don't play much at all. They just want to be petted or sit on your lap all day. Maybe older people should learn as much as possible about their future pets and only adopt "gentle" ones. We just have to use common sense when dealing with any animal. If they growl or flip their tail back and forth or lay back their ears, that is a sign that they have had enough. Then back off and let them be. Lorrie wrote: > On 03-23, Natalie wrote: > > > I don't understand why an old person can't have a cat with claws. > > Dealing mostly with feral cats, I have never been bitten or > > scratched - what's the danger, I am 70 yrs old. And as I said, > > bites are a natural defense for declawed cats! > > I'm 78 and when you're old your skin is very fragile and thin > and you bleed easily... That said - I would NEVER NEVER > declaw a cat. We have 15 rescued cats at home and sure we get > scratched when they play or knead us, but so what! Put some > iodine on the scratches. > > Lorrie > > > ___ > Felvtalk mailing list > Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org > http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
Re: [Felvtalk] Question re heat cycle
I had always been told that yeast along with garlic and onions were not good for cats. Natalie wrote: > www.swansonvitamins.com - great source for great prices > Brewer's Yeast tablets: > http://www.swansonvitamins.com/Search?keyword=Brewers+Yeast+tablets&doSearch > =true&ntt=&n=0&ntk=Level1&x=44&y=12 > Nutritional yeast flakes are very nutritious - great in cooking and > flavoring! > > -Original Message- > From: felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org > [mailto:felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org] On Behalf Of Bonnie Hogue > Sent: Thursday, March 24, 2011 9:30 PM > To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org > Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Question re heat cycle > > MMPG > I used to sprinkle brewer's yeast onto the dog and cat food years ago. I > think it helped with fleas. But lately (new cats) it isn't accepted as > well. > When we have "movie night" we make popcorn, put an olive oil/butter combo on > > it (trying to reduce the butterfat) then put the brewer's yeast on. Very > tasty. This is for us humans, mind you. The cats always try to lick out > the bowls, which I discourage because of the fat content. So, if we can > find out who makes the tablet form, it might work better. > ~Bonnie > - Original Message - > From: "MaiMaiPG" > To: > Sent: Thursday, March 24, 2011 3:14 PM > Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Question re heat cycle > > > > Please: More information on Brewer's yeast on popcorn. This is a new > > one...type and amount? Brewer's yeast worked wonders for Mai Mai and > > Allie's (dogs) coats and I know it would be great for Copper and Thomas > > Cougar and Bob the Dog. Just figuring out how to present it is the > > issue. I think it would be great for the ferals too. > > On Mar 24, 2011, at 4:58 PM, Bonnie Hogue wrote: > > > >> Natalie > >> What kind of yeast tablets do you get? > >> My cats always try to lick the popcorn bowl when we're done...we put > >> brewer's yeast on our popcorn. > >> Thanks. > >> ~Bonnie > >> - Original Message - From: "Natalie" > >> To: > >> Sent: Thursday, March 24, 2011 2:48 PM > >> Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Question re heat cycle > >> > >> > >>> Yes, get some vitamin C crystals, and start with a small amount and > >>> build up > >>> so Amber doesn't get diarrhea. Does she like yogurt? If not, also get > > >>> some > >>> acidophilus/probiotic capsules, and mix powder into food. There are > >>> also > >>> some chewable vitamins for cats (ours aren't too keen on them) - they > >>> do, > >>> however, love to chew on yeast tablets as treats! > >>> > >>> -Original Message- > >>> From: felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org > >>> [mailto:felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org] On Behalf Of Jannes Taylor > >>> Sent: Thursday, March 24, 2011 5:28 PM > >>> To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org > >>> Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Question re heat cycle > >>> > >>> I will ask about that when I take her back to the vet. In the meantime, > > >>> are > >>> > >>> there any supplements you recommend that I can purchase? Thanks! > >>> Jannes > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> From: Natalie > >>> To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org > >>> Sent: Thu, March 24, 2011 4:22:22 PM > >>> Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Question re heat cycle > >>> > >>> Vitamin C, B12 - my vet gives injections that we call "the > >>> cocktail"works wonders! > >>> > >>> -Original Message- > >>> From: felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org > >>> [mailto:felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org] On Behalf Of Jannes Taylor > >>> Sent: Thursday, March 24, 2011 4:37 PM > >>> To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org > >>> Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Question re heat cycle > >>> > >>> What vitamin supplement do you guys recommend? > >>> Jannes > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> From: MaiMaiPG > >>> To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org > >>> Sent: Thu, March 24, 2011 2:56:44 PM > >>> Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Question re heat cycle > >>> > >>> There are blood tests that can be run tooexpensive though. I took > >>> Dixie > >>> > >>> Louise Doodle Katt to be spayed. She had no scar. Apparently scars are > >>> becoming harder to see with self-absorbing stitches etc. I was > >>> convinced > >>> that > >>> she had been spayed.not sure why but an angel sat on my shoulder > >>> and > >>> yelled > >>> in my ear. My wonderful vets ran the blood test even though they were > >>> very > >>> sure > >>> I was wasting my money. A couple of weeks later, one called with the > >>> results. > >>> Either Dixie had been spayed or she was a male. My little darling was > >>> all > >>> girl. Dixie was apparently a throw-away who came into my life by was of > > >>> the > >>> > >>> same pine thicket that brought most of the cats in my life. She was > >>> FeLV+ > >>> which > >>> led me to this wonderful group. > >>> > >>> All of this is to say, follow your instincts and knowledge of cats > >>> before > >>> you > >>> have her spayed. FYI: I l
Re: [Felvtalk] Keep Cats Indoors
My vet said to keep new negative cats seperate from positives until they had the vaccination for felv and then just to be safe, wait a cuple of weeks to be sure the shot worked. I have done that and my pos and neg cats all have had free run of the house for 2 years now. No one new has tested positive so far. Natalie wrote: > Is there any way you could use a full-spectrum light in the basement for > Amber? I have installed fluorescent full-spectrum light for the cats in > our garage cat condos; none have been sick for years! > > -Original Message- > From: felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org > [mailto:felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org] On Behalf Of Maureen Olvey > Sent: Thursday, March 24, 2011 2:50 AM > To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org > Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Keep Cats Indoors > > > Regarding Amber - > > Been doing more reading. By keeping Amber in the basement you're not > putting your cats at risk at all so don't feel guilty about that. One thing > said 60% of cats exposed to FeLV don't get it. 5-10% put it into a latent > stage. Only about 30% get it and die (still too many though). Sometimes it > can take up to a year of prolonged exposure for a healthy adult cat to get > the virus in it's system. I honestly think with Amber in the basement your > cats have no chance of getting it. You have done a wonderful thing by > taking her in. > > Also - do the IFA test too. Or do it in a couple months when you re-test if > the ELISA comes out positive again. Another website I read said the in > office ELISA combo test are wrong about 50% of the time. Wonder how many > cats have been put down because of that. > > > "I am not interested to know whether vivisection produces results that are > profitable to the human race or doesn't..the pain which it inflicts upon > unconsenting animals is the basis of my enmity toward it, and it is to me > sufficient justification of the enmity without looking further." - Mark > Twain > > > > > Date: Wed, 23 Mar 2011 08:04:47 -0700 > > From: jannestay...@yahoo.com > > To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org > > Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Keep Cats Indoors > > > > I use to have indoor/outdoor cats, but now they are strickly indoor. There > are > > so many dangers outside such as cars, dogs, and the chance of encountering > a > > another cat with felv, for example. I do feel sorry for them sometimes, > but I > > have to say I would trade places with any one of them to live the life of > luxury > > they experinece indoors. They do "long" to go outside sometimes, but I > open up > > the windows and let them smell the fresh air. I don't feel too guilty > about it. > > LOL > > > > Update on Amber, my felv kitty. I've had her three and a half weeks now > and she > > is looking and feeling so much better! She has gained weight and still has > a > > good appetite. She is so sweet. My husband is building her a "kitty > palace", > > which is eight feet long, four feet wide, and six feet tall. We bought a > cat > > tree to put in it so she can climb and get her exercise. I have been > keeping her > > in a much smaller cage (the only on I have) and letting her roam in the > > basement a few hours a day when I can. I so wish I could bring her > upstairs with > > the other cats, but just don't feel I should take the risk. I am still > > struggling a little bit with putting them at risk at all, but it is what > it is! > > I still plan to have Amber retested in a couple of months. Whatever > happens, I > > am still glad I have been given the opportunity to make a difference in > her > > life. Jannes > > > > > > > > > > > > > > From: Natalie > > To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org > > Sent: Wed, March 23, 2011 8:13:09 AM > > Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Keep Cats Indoors > > > > As an adopter, my views on this are very strict and well-defined - I am > > responsible for placing cats in the safest possible homes, and I would do > no > > less. I need to be able to sleep at night, knowing that the cats that I > > rescued and invested so much time, energy, and emotion will be safe and > > happy for a long time. > > Yes, I agree, there still are a few safe area left, but not many and none > > are 100% safe, ever. It is true that times used to be safer for cats to be > > outdoors - ours always had been, especially when I was growing up, until > one > > of our kittens was killed by a carUnfortunately, it takes many people > to > > understand this only after a tragedy occurs. When an adopter tells me > that > > their cat ALWAYS sat on the front porch, and never leftand they intend > > to do the same with a new adopted cat, I say NO! Their old cat may have > > indeed done that, but it doesn't mean that a new cat will do it: It takes > > ONLY ONE TIME - chasing a squirrel or bird across the street, and WHAM! > > Cats can be perfectly happy indoors with tall cat trees by a window, a > > window perch, the right kin
Re: [Felvtalk] Keep Cats Indoors
I live in the middle of the woods so we have coyotes, raccoons, and possum all around us. For that reason, I do not let my babies out at night. They usually go out for an hour in the morning and then are content to stay in the rest of the day. Even then, they mostly stay on the deck or very close to the house. We have not had a problem so far. Even when my mountain lion showed up at deer season, he never bothered my cats. I think he was feeding on a couple of bucks that hunters wounded and never tracked down to put them out of their misery. He usually stays around for 2 or 3 weeks and then moves on. He crosses our road about 50 yards from the house on a deer crossing. Just in case, the first time I see him, I kep the cats in. Of course, I also keep them in to protect them from the hunters. Maureen Olvey wrote: > > > > > > From: molvey...@hotmail.com > > To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org > > Date: Thu, 24 Mar 2011 01:56:54 -0400 > > Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Keep Cats Indoors > > > > > > Yikes! I don't like those statistics at all but I believe it. > > > > I've been feeding ferals at my office for the last 8 years. Several months > > back I found one dead and half eaten, then another one went missing not too > > long after that. A week or two later I saw a coyote in the parking lot of > > the office building next to us. I work at night a lot so I have more of an > > opportunity to see them than some people. I stopped leaving food out for > > my cats at night. After not seeing the coyote for a while I got back in > > the bad habit of leaving cat food out at night. Just last week I walked > > outside about 10 PM and there was the coyote at the food dish, which isn't > > too far away from my front door. The coyote didn't scare me but then I saw > > my two remaining semi-feral cats running towards me and realized they had > > been close by while the coyote was eating. I've stopped leaving food out > > and hopefully he'll move on. I'm so scared for my cats at the office. I > > wish that if I left a lot of food out for the coyote he'd stay full and > > leave the cats alone. I don't think it works that way though. He'll still > > want to chase and kill them because of his instinct. > > > > I really wish pet cats could roam outside and enjoy the extra freedom. But > > stuff like this has made me more of an advocate of keeping them indoors all > > the time, unless you have a cat fence or something. Loose dogs have always > > been a problem killing cats but I don't remember having a coyote problem as > > a kid. > > > > > > > > Date: Wed, 23 Mar 2011 17:24:10 -0700 > > > From: hingebacktorto...@yahoo.com > > > To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org > > > Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Keep Cats Indoors > > > > > > Maureen - I am in GA also, and analysis of coyote stomach contents showed > > > that something like 60% of them contained cat remains. I suspect that's > > > why we have such a coyote "problem," even in the suburbs - they are > > > supplied with an endless number of cats as prey - somebody's cat goes > > > missing and they just replace it with another one. > > > > > > > ___ > Felvtalk mailing list > Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org > http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
Re: [Felvtalk] Cat claws
I UNDERSTAND WHAT SOME OF YOU ARE SAYING ABOUT "OLD" PEOPLE AND THEIR THIN SKINS NOT WANTING TO BE SCRTACHED, BUT WHY WOULD A CAT SCRATCH ANYONE, UNLESS ONE HAS A FERAL CAT THAT'S TERRIFIED WHEN CORNEREDIT'S LIKE PEOPLE DECLAWING THEIR CATS WHEN A BABY COMES ALONG. If the cat hasn't scratched them, why would it scratch the baby - besides, it's better to be scratched than bitten anytime! Years ago, neighbors adopted a baby and had their two 4-yr old cats declawed, worrying about scratches, although the cats never scratched them. When baby arrived, one of the cats bit the baby in the hand - seriously (never, ever having attempted to bite the neighbors). The baby didn't even provoke the cat - it was just lying on the floor. Both cats were euthanized the next day. -Original Message- From: felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org [mailto:felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org] On Behalf Of dlg...@windstream.net Sent: Friday, March 25, 2011 11:00 PM To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Cat claws Many older people are on coumidin and that really makes it bad for them to get scratched. Some cats get carried away with their play so you just need to not overstimulate them. You play hard and they will too. And then there are some that don't play much at all. They just want to be petted or sit on your lap all day. Maybe older people should learn as much as possible about their future pets and only adopt "gentle" ones. We just have to use common sense when dealing with any animal. If they growl or flip their tail back and forth or lay back their ears, that is a sign that they have had enough. Then back off and let them be. Lorrie wrote: > On 03-23, Natalie wrote: > > > I don't understand why an old person can't have a cat with claws. > > Dealing mostly with feral cats, I have never been bitten or > > scratched - what's the danger, I am 70 yrs old. And as I said, > > bites are a natural defense for declawed cats! > > I'm 78 and when you're old your skin is very fragile and thin > and you bleed easily... That said - I would NEVER NEVER > declaw a cat. We have 15 rescued cats at home and sure we get > scratched when they play or knead us, but so what! Put some > iodine on the scratches. > > Lorrie > > > ___ > Felvtalk mailing list > Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org > http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
Re: [Felvtalk] Cat claws
Some nursing homes require cats to be declawed in order to stay with their owners in the nursing home. On Fri, Mar 25, 2011 at 10:50 PM, Natalie wrote: > I UNDERSTAND WHAT SOME OF YOU ARE SAYING ABOUT "OLD" PEOPLE AND THEIR THIN > SKINS NOT WANTING TO BE SCRTACHED, BUT WHY WOULD A CAT SCRATCH ANYONE, > UNLESS ONE HAS A FERAL CAT THAT'S TERRIFIED WHEN CORNEREDIT'S LIKE > PEOPLE DECLAWING THEIR CATS WHEN A BABY COMES ALONG. If the cat hasn't > scratched them, why would it scratch the baby - besides, it's better to be > scratched than bitten anytime! Years ago, neighbors adopted a baby and had > their two 4-yr old cats declawed, worrying about scratches, although the > cats never scratched them. When baby arrived, one of the cats bit the baby > in the hand - seriously (never, ever having attempted to bite the > neighbors). The baby didn't even provoke the cat - it was just lying on the > floor. Both cats were euthanized the next day. > > -Original Message- > From: felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org > [mailto:felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org] On Behalf Of > dlg...@windstream.net > Sent: Friday, March 25, 2011 11:00 PM > To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org > Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Cat claws > > Many older people are on coumidin and that really makes it bad for them to > get scratched. Some cats get carried away with their play so you just need > to not overstimulate them. You play hard and they will too. And then > there > are some that don't play much at all. They just want to be petted or sit > on > your lap all day. > Maybe older people should learn as much as possible about their future pets > and only adopt "gentle" ones. We just have to use common sense when > dealing > with any animal. If they growl or flip their tail back and forth or lay > back their ears, that is a sign that they have had enough. Then back off > and let them be. > Lorrie wrote: > > On 03-23, Natalie wrote: > > > > > I don't understand why an old person can't have a cat with claws. > > > Dealing mostly with feral cats, I have never been bitten or > > > scratched - what's the danger, I am 70 yrs old. And as I said, > > > bites are a natural defense for declawed cats! > > > > I'm 78 and when you're old your skin is very fragile and thin > > and you bleed easily... That said - I would NEVER NEVER > > declaw a cat. We have 15 rescued cats at home and sure we get > > scratched when they play or knead us, but so what! Put some > > iodine on the scratches. > > > > Lorrie > > > > > > ___ > > Felvtalk mailing list > > Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org > > http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org > > > ___ > Felvtalk mailing list > Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org > http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org > > > > ___ > Felvtalk mailing list > Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org > http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org > -- Rescuties - Saving the world, one cat at a time. http://www.rescuties.org Vist the Rescuties stores and save a kitty life! http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/redirect-home?tag=rescuties-20 http://www.zazzle.com/rescuties* Buy or renew magazines and help our kitties! http://www.magfundraising.com/rescuties Please help Trooper! http://rescuties.chipin.com/trooper "And it is the most divisive incivility to tell true animal lovers they can’t complain about it, that they can’t fight for the animals, that they should sit down and shut up and allow the killing to continue." - Nathan Winograd ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
[Felvtalk] FW: Keep Cats Indoors
My friend does that too and she's had negatives and positives running around together for many years with no problems. However, even knowing what I do about FeLV I would have been very hesistant to bring a FeLV + cat into my house with all my negative cats so I understand Jannes' worries. You just hate taking a chance. I never had to make that decision. All my cats and fosters tested negative before coming to my house, but then we found out that my baby that was two years old that died a few weeks ago was positive, even though her initial combo test was negative. So the virus kind of sneaked it's way into my house. I didn't realize I already had a FeLV + cat. Anyway, before a few weeks ago I was always scared I'd find a kitten and it would test positive. Then I knew I'd have to make a choice and there's no way I could put a healthy looking kitten down so I'd knew I'd be in a real bind. It's a tough spot to be in. That's why I hope for Jannes that Amber's next test comes out negative so she won't have to worry anymore. Now my friend that I mentioned wouldn't hesitate taking in a new FeLV + cat because she's been doing this for years an all her negative cats have always been fine and keep testing negative. And she's got a lot of cats. So if in her whole population a negative kitty never turned positive after living with a few positive kitties then it's a pretty good testimony as to how effective the vaccine is. I think she's got a couple of FIV cats in the mix too and she vaccinates them also and they've never picked up the FeLV virus. Oh, today I got the ceramic paw print in the mail from the vet's office for my kitty Two Face, that I mentioned above, that died a few weeks ago. I was sad all over again. I miss her so much. I still can't believe she's dead. One day she's fine, and the next day she's dead. Then I found out about the FeLV. That was a bad week. “I am not interested to know whether vivisection produces results that are profitable to the human race or doesn’t….the pain which it inflicts upon unconsenting animals is the basis of my enmity toward it, and it is to me sufficient justification of the enmity without looking further.” – Mark Twain > Date: Fri, 25 Mar 2011 22:24:57 -0500 > From: dlg...@windstream.net > To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org > Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Keep Cats Indoors > > My vet said to keep new negative cats seperate from positives until they had > the vaccination for felv and then just to be safe, wait a cuple of weeks to > be sure the shot worked. I have done that and my pos and neg cats all have > had free run of the house for 2 years now. No one new has tested positive so > far. > Natalie wrote: > > Is there any way you could use a full-spectrum light in the basement for > > Amber? I have installed fluorescent full-spectrum light for the cats in > > our garage cat condos; none have been sick for years! > > > > -Original Message- > > From: felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org > > [mailto:felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org] On Behalf Of Maureen Olvey > > Sent: Thursday, March 24, 2011 2:50 AM > > To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org > > Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Keep Cats Indoors > > > > > > Regarding Amber - > > > > Been doing more reading. By keeping Amber in the basement you're not > > putting your cats at risk at all so don't feel guilty about that. One thing > > said 60% of cats exposed to FeLV don't get it. 5-10% put it into a latent > > stage. Only about 30% get it and die (still too many though). Sometimes it > > can take up to a year of prolonged exposure for a healthy adult cat to get > > the virus in it's system. I honestly think with Amber in the basement your > > cats have no chance of getting it. You have done a wonderful thing by > > taking her in. > > > > Also - do the IFA test too. Or do it in a couple months when you re-test if > > the ELISA comes out positive again. Another website I read said the in > > office ELISA combo test are wrong about 50% of the time. Wonder how many > > cats have been put down because of that. > > > > > ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
Re: [Felvtalk] Cat claws
Or they take in a small feral in order to keep her from being eaten by hawks then the person get older/go on meds/become more fragile etc. and runs out of viable options. There are so many variables. On Mar 25, 2011, at 9:59 PM, > wrote: Many older people are on coumidin and that really makes it bad for them to get scratched. Some cats get carried away with their play so you just need to not overstimulate them. You play hard and they will too. And then there are some that don't play much at all. They just want to be petted or sit on your lap all day. Maybe older people should learn as much as possible about their future pets and only adopt "gentle" ones. We just have to use common sense when dealing with any animal. If they growl or flip their tail back and forth or lay back their ears, that is a sign that they have had enough. Then back off and let them be. Lorrie wrote: On 03-23, Natalie wrote: I don't understand why an old person can't have a cat with claws. Dealing mostly with feral cats, I have never been bitten or scratched - what's the danger, I am 70 yrs old. And as I said, bites are a natural defense for declawed cats! I'm 78 and when you're old your skin is very fragile and thin and you bleed easily... That said - I would NEVER NEVER declaw a cat. We have 15 rescued cats at home and sure we get scratched when they play or knead us, but so what! Put some iodine on the scratches. Lorrie ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/ felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
Re: [Felvtalk] Question re heat cycle
Don't know about garlic but onions can cause an irreversible anemia in cats and dogs. On Mar 25, 2011, at 10:04 PM, > wrote: I had always been told that yeast along with garlic and onions were not good for cats. Natalie wrote: www.swansonvitamins.com - great source for great prices Brewer's Yeast tablets: http://www.swansonvitamins.com/Search?keyword=Brewers+Yeast+tablets&doSearch =true&ntt=&n=0&ntk=Level1&x=44&y=12 Nutritional yeast flakes are very nutritious - great in cooking and flavoring! -Original Message- From: felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org [mailto:felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org] On Behalf Of Bonnie Hogue Sent: Thursday, March 24, 2011 9:30 PM To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Question re heat cycle MMPG I used to sprinkle brewer's yeast onto the dog and cat food years ago. I think it helped with fleas. But lately (new cats) it isn't accepted as well. When we have "movie night" we make popcorn, put an olive oil/butter combo on it (trying to reduce the butterfat) then put the brewer's yeast on. Very tasty. This is for us humans, mind you. The cats always try to lick out the bowls, which I discourage because of the fat content. So, if we can find out who makes the tablet form, it might work better. ~Bonnie - Original Message - From: "MaiMaiPG" To: Sent: Thursday, March 24, 2011 3:14 PM Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Question re heat cycle Please: More information on Brewer's yeast on popcorn. This is a new one...type and amount? Brewer's yeast worked wonders for Mai Mai and Allie's (dogs) coats and I know it would be great for Copper and Thomas Cougar and Bob the Dog. Just figuring out how to present it is the issue. I think it would be great for the ferals too. On Mar 24, 2011, at 4:58 PM, Bonnie Hogue wrote: Natalie What kind of yeast tablets do you get? My cats always try to lick the popcorn bowl when we're done...we put brewer's yeast on our popcorn. Thanks. ~Bonnie - Original Message - From: "Natalie" To: Sent: Thursday, March 24, 2011 2:48 PM Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Question re heat cycle Yes, get some vitamin C crystals, and start with a small amount and build up so Amber doesn't get diarrhea. Does she like yogurt? If not, also get some acidophilus/probiotic capsules, and mix powder into food. There are also some chewable vitamins for cats (ours aren't too keen on them) - they do, however, love to chew on yeast tablets as treats! -Original Message- From: felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org [mailto:felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org] On Behalf Of Jannes Taylor Sent: Thursday, March 24, 2011 5:28 PM To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Question re heat cycle I will ask about that when I take her back to the vet. In the meantime, are there any supplements you recommend that I can purchase? Thanks! Jannes From: Natalie To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Sent: Thu, March 24, 2011 4:22:22 PM Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Question re heat cycle Vitamin C, B12 - my vet gives injections that we call "the cocktail"works wonders! -Original Message- From: felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org [mailto:felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org] On Behalf Of Jannes Taylor Sent: Thursday, March 24, 2011 4:37 PM To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Question re heat cycle What vitamin supplement do you guys recommend? Jannes From: MaiMaiPG To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Sent: Thu, March 24, 2011 2:56:44 PM Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Question re heat cycle There are blood tests that can be run tooexpensive though. I took Dixie Louise Doodle Katt to be spayed. She had no scar. Apparently scars are becoming harder to see with self-absorbing stitches etc. I was convinced that she had been spayed.not sure why but an angel sat on my shoulder and yelled in my ear. My wonderful vets ran the blood test even though they were very sure I was wasting my money. A couple of weeks later, one called with the results. Either Dixie had been spayed or she was a male. My little darling was all girl. Dixie was apparently a throw-away who came into my life by was of the same pine thicket that brought most of the cats in my life. She was FeLV+ which led me to this wonderful group. All of this is to say, follow your instincts and knowledge of cats before you have her spayed. FYI: I like colostrum (health food stores or the local farm store--cheaper) for those I know are going to have any surgery and try to give it for a good while before. Most of the cats in my life are feral and they have their own thoughts about what they will and will not consume. Arnica helps healing...I use it frequently myself and swear by it. On Mar 24, 2011, at 2:19 PM, Natalie wrote: A veterinarian can probably be able to tel