Speaking of snoozing... We think some rest is just what Amy needs right now...she told us this morning she's "coming down with something"... :-(
Our prescription: rest, vitamin C, chicken soup... and a kitty cuddle. (And we know just the kitty she should snuggle with, right Sebastian?)
Kathi & CJ
CJ briefly suspended Operation Occupy Kitchen at 1:00 Tuesday AM. He began crying and looking around...Kathi thinks for Cosmo. (Don't ever let anyone tell you animals don't grieve!)
Kathi decided to bring him to bed with her - praying she wouldn't roll over him in the middle of the night - and awoke to the most beautiful sound on the planet: CJ purring. Now that was a good night's sleep!
As many of you know, I work for Hallmark Cards. One of the things I have learned through this experience is how very important the human connection is.
Reaching out to others in times of crisis and loss...that helps you heal. And if there's one person I know who needs healing right now, it's Kathi.
One very inexpensive way you can help Kathi is to let her know she's not alone. If you're interested, you can send her a card or a gift, or send CJ a bag of treats or a nip mousie, to this address:
_____ Just wanted to say...this community has been so amazing. You are "The Very Best"! THANK you, thank you, for the incredible gestures of love we have witnessed.
ChipIn widgets use flash and don't like iPhones or iPads or iAnything.
Yesterday was a special day for Sebastian. He spent his second day in his new home celebrating his "gotcha" day (the day mom Amy adopted him from Wayside Waifs).
Our mom w/ Sebastian, a few months ago
He was still a little too unsettled for any major partying but Amy
promised him a special meal later on, once life settled down a bit more
into the "new normal."
(Sebastian has a sensitive stomach & mom Amy didn't want to
risk anything new or different at this point, with all the changes going
on in his life!)
He did get a brand new nip ducky toy and some treats to celebrate his special day. And of course he had mom & dad there with him, together in their new home.
And that's gift enough, for now!
Amy & Lee are busy with the monumental task of taking care of all the details that consume so much time after a tragedy like this: filling out insurance forms and tracking receipts for every single item they replace; contacting utility companies, fielding calls from concerned friends and relatives...
Oh, and saying goodbye to a longtime friend and fellow Red Sox fan, Mike, who lost his battle with cancer yesterday. Sometimes it seems the hits just keep coming.
Did we mention how overwhelmingly grateful they are for your love, your care and your support?
CJ: Operation Occupy Kitchen
CJ's circumstances improved dramatically yesterday - he got to come home. Since no cat in the history of veterinary medical care has ever actually enjoyed a stay at the V-E-T, this was a huge relief!
He's understandably disoriented - new home, strange smells, all his things gone. Including his best bud, Cosmo. Kathi received news today confirming that Cosmo had not managed to escape the fire (we were quietly holding onto the hope that he might have escaped, but now know that was not the case).
Rest in Peace, sweet Cosmo
CJ roams the apartment, occasionally crying - possibly missing Cosmo, possibly from the pain he's in - probably both. He has taken to occupying the kitchen, specifically the kitchen counter, a place Kathi has labeled his "safe place".
CJ on his kitchen counter
For some reason, he's afraid of the closet, where his litter box used to be housed in his old apartment. Kathi guesses that might be because the fire came up from the floor, and wonders if the reason he is clinging to the countertop is because that was his refuge during the fire.
Kathi put the sweatshirt she was wearing the night of the fire on the kitchen counter and that's been his bed. Since he only leaves it to use his litter box, she's put his food and water up there next to him.
(Kathi joked that it's a good thing she doesn't cook much since the kitchen's CJ's for the duration!)
Oh, he'll get up for one more thing: to run from Kathi when it's time for her to follow the emergency vet's instructions on his care (he hates his meds, by the way).
Please keep both CJ and Kathi in your thoughts and prayers. Kathi got a nice lecture from the Red Cross today about taking care of herself - that's important, and she's not doing it. Her focus has been 100% on CJ, following him around as he roams and cries. It's tearing her up inside.
She hasn't begun to rebuild yet... in part, it's because of CJ - in part, because without renter's insurance, there's nothing to rebuild with.
Many people have asked how they can help. There are two really fantastic ways you can do that: one is financially, through the ChipIn widget below. The other is through your words of care and encouragement. You can leave them below in the comments on this blog, and I also hope soon to get permission from Kathi to share her P.O. Box with you so that you can tell her directly.
Again...thank you, thank you for all the wonderful donations and expressions of concern and compassion for both Amy & Sebastian and Kathi & CJ.
Kathi told me last night that she's not sure words can express how very much your support means to her. And Amy agreed - she said your words were comforting and you were all amazing. We agree, too.
ChipIn widgets use flash and don't like iPhones or iPads or iAnything.
"I got to bring CJ home today! He's doing fantastic under the circumstances. The staff at Mission MedVet were amazing and want me to keep them up to date on his progress.
Saturday night was the first night Sebastian spent in his new home, just down the street from his old one. He was doing pretty well, considering. He greeted me with rubs, stropping my legs once as I walked through the door, then continuing his exploration of the Space With Funny Smells.
As boxes were unpacked and furniture moved in, Sebastian quietly made his way back to the closet, jumped up onto a shelf, and made a bed out of three sweaters a nice old lady had donated to his mom, Amy.
It's the only bed he has right now -- no toys, no window perch, no covered cat cube. They incinerated, along with the rest of his possessions, in the blaze that destroyed their apartment building in Shawnee, KS Thursday night. The same fire that claimed the life of CJ's 14 year old sibling, Cosmo.
CJ's mom Kathi spent her first night in a new apartment too. But CJ wasn't there to investigate the new smells or rub his scent on every door frame in the new living space. He spent the night in a kennel at Mission MedVet, swollen and in pain.
CJ suffered severe burns on all four paws, his ears, his face and his mouth. Kathi was told the second day is worse with burn patients, because that's when the swelling sets in. Often there is more pain the second day, as well - and this was the case with CJ. He didn't eat nearly as well on Saturday as he did on Friday. But mom Kathi holds out hope she'll soon be able to bring her furbaby home.
We hope so, too. They need each other to help heal.
For most of the day, firemen stood watch, pouring water on the structure which housed Kathi, Cosmo and CJ on the far right, Amy and Lee, Sebastian and Dottie on the far left.
It is not the kind of view you want, if you've just lost a beloved family member in that very spot.
Amy was the one who called Kathi at work to tell her their building was on fire and she needed to come home. Police rushed through the building, kicking doors in and ushering people out with extreme urgency. One saw Amy gathering her emergency pet kit and pounded on her door, yelling for her to evacuate. He carried Dottie to safety, while Amy carried Sebastian.
The victims were all housed temporarily in the complex's clubhouse, where Amy awaited her husband who literally ran on foot all the way home from where he worked, not far away. One of the people came in carrying a cat they had rescued, calling out - asking if its owner was here.
Amy looked up - it was CJ.
UPDATE: It turns out that a vet was on site the night of the fire and she was the one who found CJ running away from the fire. She was able to get oxygen on him right away (thanks to MedAct). That helped counteract his smoke inhalation problems. She also called ahead to Mission MedVet to let them know he was coming. She probably saved CJ's life - and we hope to some day learn this angel's name so we can thank her!
Everyone is still in shock - operating on auto-pilot, as it were. The Red Cross housed families who needed hotels for that first night, and passed out emergency kits. Ironically, Kathi is a volunteer for the Red Cross -- and they called her to ask her to help out with her own crisis, not knowing she herself was its victim.
The ChipIn widgets in the right sidebar are linked directly to Amy and Kathi's respective PayPal accounts. We discovered that Kathi had not had a PayPal account prior to this emergency, and the reason the widget is not updating is because she has not yet linked her bank to her PayPal and has yet to verify that she's received the funds. She's had email notices sent to her on every donation, but it's difficult to keep up when you don't have internet access other than what you can get on your phone.
And there's Real Life that keeps intruding. Kathi escaped for a bit this afternoon and spent some time with C.J. We think she needed it as much as he did.
Give if you can -- even if it's just a few words of encouragement left in the comments section of this post.
And...thank you.
_________
Thank you to George, who reminded us that ChipIn widgets use flash and don't like iPhones or iPads or iAnything.
As many of you know, our good friends from Sebastian the Sensitive Soul lost all their belongings in a tragic fire that swept through their apartment complex this past Thursday.
Thankfully they all made it out safely, but with just the clothes on their back. They're going to have to start over now, and they have nothing.
Some have asked how it happened. Initial thoughts are that the fire began in a crawl space under the complex, then moved into the gas lines. Residual gas in the lines further fueled the fire. One of the worst culprits that night was the wind, which turned the fire into an inferno. Shawnee fire chief John Mattox said that the winds made this into one of the toughest fires he has ever battled in his career.
Kathi's sweet CJ at Mission MedVet
Thankfully, no human life was lost, but some people did lose family members: to our knowledge, two cats and a dog were lost. The dog was owned by Sebastian's next door neighbor and one of the cats was owned by Kathi, a friend that Amy & I both volunteer with at Wayside Waifs.
Kathi in particular is facing a rough time - she had not yet purchased renter's insurance, she lost her beloved 14 year old kitty, Cosmo, and her other kitty, CJ, is at Mission MedVet with severe burns.
(Kathi also volunteers for the Red Cross in crisis situations...and ironically, they called to ask her to volunteer -- at her own crisis -- not knowing it was her home that was going up in flames!)
There are two ChipIn widgets in the right sidebar, one for Amy & one for Kathi. We aren't sure why Kathi's isn't refreshing, but we've been assured that the money is going directly into her PayPal account. If you are able, please consider helping out financially.
The outpouring of love, care & concern has been amazing to watch and we want you all to know how deeply this has moved Amy and Kathi. We know Amy & Sebastian will tell you this in greater detail - and in their own words - as soon as they are able. Kathi is just beginning to venture beyond facebook in social media and does not have a blog, but please know that she will see every word of encouragement written in comments here, on twitter, facebook and on other blogs.
Sebastian's mom, Amy, with Faraday
For now, please know that your words, your thoughts, your prayers are coveted. You continue to be an incredible emotional support to them all as they go through this -- and that is a gift beyond measure.
UPDATE: Just talked to Kathi - CJ is off the IV fluids now but not eating as well today. He was snippy at first but then she said he warmed up to her & let her pet him. Pawprayers for CJ!
_________
Thank you to George, who reminded us that ChipIn widgets use flash and don't like iPhones or iPads or iAnything.
We're calling this post fearless Friday because it's The Day After.
The Day After what, you might ask?
The Day After Tragedy.
Amy & Allie
You see, last night, one of our most dear friends in Real Life and in the blogosphere - Sebastian the Sensitive Soul - lost everything in a dreadful fire. Everything except the things most cherished and most important in this life: our loved ones.
And that's why we're calling today Fearless Friday, in honor of Sebastian and Amy and their family, who awoke this morning to face the day after a tragedy so fearlessly.
Some of their dear friends on twitter have begun a ChipIn account for them, just to help them get back on their feet (you know, insurance companies sometimes take a while to respond, but people still have to eat - we're funny like that).
And please hold a dear mutual friend of ours close in your hearts, thoughts and prayers today...she wasn't so lucky. Kathi lost her beloved kitty in last night's fire ... as well as all her earthly possessions.
Our hearts go out to her. *pawhugs*
________________ UPDATE: We've added a ChipIn for Kathi on our sidebar, too. Kathi's second kitty, CJ, suffered severe burns and is at emergency vet. Please consider helping Kathi & CJ too!
_________
Thank you to George, who reminded us that ChipIn widgets use flash and don't like iPhones or iPads or iAnything.
For the next 5 weeks, we'll be cross-posting a series of articles on a feral cat situation in and near Canton, Ohio to help spread the word. Our "guest blogger" is BZ TAT, an artist and former counselor/therapist who is the founder of Okey's Promise, an outreach through public art designed to create awareness about the connections
between animal maltreatment, child abuse and domestic violence. The original posts can be found at the Okey's Promise blog. _________________
In recent weeks, numerous friends have brought to my attention
concerns about the way feral cats are treated in my community. The city
of Canton, OH has one of the most draconian animal control policies
around, and many friends have asked me to get involved in the process of
making change.
"Okey" Artwork by BZTAT
“Just think, had someone called Animal Control on Okey, she would
never have become the star that she is,” one friend posted on my
Facebook wall.
The city has a contract with an individual to perform Animal Control
Officer duties. This individual reportedly takes complaints from the
community regarding nuisance animals, including feral cats and assorted
wildlife (skunks, raccoons, etc.) and he removes them from the location
of the complaint. Wildlife apparently are relocated and released back
into the wild where they will be less of a nuisance. Feral cats are
taken to the Humane Society and euthanized. A handful of kittens and
adoptable cats are rehabbed and placed for adoption, but unsocialized
cats are deemed “ill” and destroyed.
Aside from the ineffective and inhumane method of dealing with the
animal control problem, there are also complaints about inappropriate
and inhumane treatment of animals by the individual in the role of
Animal Control Officer. There is a personnel issue here – complaints
from the community that the officer is doing his job in an inhumane
manner – in addition to the problematic policy in place.
Alley Cat Allies, Best Friends Animal Society, ASPCA, Found Animals Foundation, and every other major animal welfare organization in the United States advocate for TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return) as the most humane and the most effective
means of controlling feral cat problems. Neutering and providing basic
vet care to feral cats typically reduces the nuisance behaviors that
cause problems, and returning a neutered cat to it’s previous location
leads to a reduction of non-neutered cats entering the area. Progressive
cities are instituting TNR programs and seeing great benefit.
With all of this in mind, I accompanied my friends to the City
Council meeting on Monday, February 6, 2012. Ten other advocates and I
spoke at the meeting to implore our City Council to consider: 1)
discontinuing the current contract, and 2) developing a TNR program for
the city.
Surprisingly, we encountered interested and open minds on the
Council. They continued the current contract for a shortened period of
time (90 days), however, they also agreed to work with advocates to
develop alternatives to the current method of animal control.
Although I am concerned that the city contracted with an individual
who has active complaints of animal maltreatment from the community
against him, I did receive personal assurances from 4 council persons
that the complaints would be investigated immediately.
I will keep you posted on the progress of the effort in this space.
What follows are the remarks that I shared in the Public Speaks portion
of the City Council meeting on February 6, 2012.
My name is Vicki Boatright. I speak to you as a counselor, as an
advocate for children and as an advocate for animals. I also speak to
you as an artist who has personally contributed to the redevelopment of
Downtown Canton with 2 murals depicting the bond that exists between
animals and human beings. I am currently working on a third public art
project along the same theme with funds provided to me by my community. In my 20 year career as as a counselor with children, I saw
clearly that there is a link between the maltreatment of animals and
violence towards children. Considerable clinical research backs up my
own observations. When animals are treated poorly, children are often
treated poorly as well. As a counselor, I worked with parents, teachers and other child
advocates to help children develop empathy and wise methods of problem
solving. My objection to the renewal of a contract for very inhumane and
ineffective feral cat control practice follows that trajectory of my
purposes. I believe that we must set an example for our children in our actions and in our public policies. Trap-neuter-release has been proven to be the most effective,
efficient and humane method of managing feral cat problems. Trap and
euthanize programs have been proven to be ineffective, inefficient and
inhumane. We should not even be having this conversation. We often talk of attracting young professionals to Canton as a
place to make their home. With the documented rise of pet ownership
among young professionals, progressive cities are working to become more
animal friendly communities. What is Canton doing? Killing cats. As a
result of this contract renewal issue, pet writers across the country
have already begun to black-list Canton as a very pet-unfriendly
community. Yes, we are on their radar. I first heard of it from a writer
in California. This issue is not simply about whether or not to appease some
bleeding heart animal rights activists. This issue is about how we as a
community demonstrate the empathy and the wise problem-solving that we
desire our children to embrace. It is about the economics of making this
city a place where people want to live. I urge you to stop this
ineffective and cruel practice of killing cats today, and show our
children what empathy and wise problem solving really means. Thank you.
So here we are, halfway through the month and Mother feels it's High Time we discussed Pet Dental Health Month!
I'm the one doing the discussion because, as you can see, Faraday and Maxwell are nowhere to be seen.
That's because unlike me *preen* they don't have healthy pink gums. *smiles wide for the camera* See? Did I mention they're a healthy PINK, my fave color? *squee!*
Me, having my teeth brushed by Gramma
(see the PINK toothbrush? *giggle!*)
While Allie may love the fact her gums are PINK, I'm just happy they're healthy. She falls squarely into the category of most cats, who don't face oral heath issues until their middle years (7 is the median age for plaque buildup, gingivitis and the beginning of periodontal disease in most cats).
But there are some who aren't so lucky. Some kitties experience gingivitis at a very young age. Gingivitis is a fancy label for inflammation of the gums (or "gingivae" - thus the name gingivitis). This Juvenile Onset Gingivitis can begin to occur in some kitties as young as 3-5 months, or when their permanent teeth begin to come in.
This isn't gingivitis as we normally understand it. It's not caused by plaque building up over time; instead, this form of gingivitis is caused by an oversensitivity to the new teeth coming in.
Sometimes the inflammation is made worse if the kitten has had a history of upper respiratory infection (either URV or Bordetellosis), a disease that rescue groups and shelters are most susceptible to and work hard to control. This more aggravated form of inflammation is known as Stomatitis/Gingivitis, where the inflammation erupts into blisters.
It's common for pet owners to not consider a dental checkup for their cat until its well into its adult life - though we are happy to see an increasing number of veterinarians including this in standard practice for wellness checks even for kittens. But we advocate for dental screenings during the first year.
Whether or not your vet is in the habit of checking for gum disease in young cats, the welfare of your baby is in your hands. Don't assume - ask. Ask your vet to do a thorough examination of your kitty's gums. The good news is that there are several opportunities to do this during the first year - what with all the booster shots your new baby should be getting!
That's what we did with Maxwell and Faraday. As both boys are oriental breeds, they are more prone to sensitive and inflamed gums than most. And sure enough, they both have it.
Faraday's gums are less inflamed than Maxwell's - and that is probably due to the many ear and upper respiratory infections Maxie suffered as a rescue kitten. Poor Maxie had his first tooth cleaning at around 9 months - at which point he lost all of his milk teeth. Yep, all 12 front teeth had to be extracted, because the surrounding gums were so sensitive and inflamed that they were causing him a great deal of pain. The good news is that Max is doing much better now. It took five months of aggressive treatment before we conquered his many ear and upper respiratory infections, but beat them we did. He's now on a grain-free diet and an aggressive form of oral hygiene. And his oral health has improved.
How do you fight Stomatitis/Gingivitis in young cats? The good folks at Manhattan Cat Specialists ( a great blog to follow, too, if you aren't already) have the following advice for cats with juvenile onset gingivitis:
" It has been found that it is imperative to eliminate plaque in these cats. To do this requires:
good nutrition, using a diet designed to control plaque.
use of a plaque-reducing water additive that has the Veterinary Oral Health Council (VOHC) seal."
And that's what we're doing with Maxie. Every 6 months, the boyz get their teeth cleaned. Check with your vet, as many offer a discount during the month of February to promote Pet Dental Health month. (In fact, the boyz are both going in before the month is out to have theirs cleaned.) We have an additive that we add to their water on a daily basis. We feed the boyz a completely grain-free diet.
And Max gets Biotene, an antisceptic oral gel that is packed with an enzyme that is antifungal, antiviral and antibacterial, applied to his gums on a regular basis. (Faraday won't begin his application until after his teeth are cleaned, but then he'll join the ranks of the "terminally oppressed by Mom" as I hunt them down and faithfully apply the gel!)
Unfortunately, even with this intensive care, the disease will progress in some young cats. And in that case, the pain becomes so unbearable for the cat that full tooth extraction is the only way to calm the inflammation. It's almost as if the gums have begun to react in an autoimmune manner and refuse all treatment to reduce sensitivity.
Though this sounds drastic, many cats can and do live their whole lives without any teeth at all. Please visit Mario's blog, Mario's Meowsings, to read a firsthand tale of how a kitty can lead a wonderful (and pain-free) life, tooth-free.
And please have your kitty's dental health checked out by your vet.
It's never too early to start. And they're never too young to need it!
____________
We're participating in this weekend's Weekend Cat Blog,
which is being hosted this week at PaulChen's foodblog.
Whew! That's a lot of bloggies! We think we needz a treat, now, Mommy. No, RILLY!
uh, wait. We still gotta tell people 7 things about ourselves.
Our Seven Things
(Faraday: Two for me, an' one for you, and two for ME... OW! Allie! Quit thumping me!)
Faraday was weaned too young as a kitten. Who knew that came with so many quirks & oddities? There's the tendency to suck on plastic bags (groceries are instantly put away & the bags go into recycle because of that)... and the middle of the night, burrow-under-the-covers, nipping proclivity (accompanied by extraordinarily loud purring).
Because he came to us completely deaf and with raging ear infections, Max isn't comfortable being lifted. We assume that's because the infections affected his middle ear and sense of balance (he didn't try jumping up onto anything until those ear canals were healthy!). To this day, his gait is a bit clumsy and he really hates the sensation of being airborne.
Allie sounds like a cross between Marge Simpson and Edith Bunker when she's mad. And she gets mad at Faraday a LOT.
Max has no front teeth. Because of his infection, he lost all 12 of his milk teeth.
All three cats hate kitty treats! Instead, they split a 3 ounce can of grain free food twice a day - and think they're getting this incredible deal. Much healthier than the stuff that comes in treat bags.
Allie refuses to eat grain-free food no matter how many different ones Mommy tries out on her. She fusses if there are even ten tiny little pieces of kibble mixed in with her Pink Nutro. (Doesn't she realize that the pink label is the diet version? Seriously, that cat is addicted to pink
Maxie just invented a new game of Hide & Seek with mommy last night, all Faraday wants is another Wand Toy and Allie hates the neighbor kitty with a purple passion!
If you haven't met the kittehs in the blogs we're passing this award along to, stop by and say hello to these pawesome people!
