Temujin, wishing he were a plush animal

Temujin recently has been bullied by Pumpkin and Cupid.  I am not certain what is going on, but it makes me very upset with his brothers.  Temi never causes trouble for any one.  He is gentle and friendly towards his entire family.  I never saw him lash out or even respond to the attacks.  He simply runs away and hides.

I was afraid to bring him upstairs simply because he has had such a dificult time adjusting to the move.  When I tried to move him from the little back room to the back porch at the old house, he literally climbed the walls and hid for days afterwards.  Here, his actions reflected the same terror.  I therefore waited...

Two days ago, I brought him to my bedroom, thinking that the adjustment could not be worse than the hostility of his littermates.  He cried piteously by the door for a brief time, but then leapt onto the bed to sit quietly among my animals.  We had a lovely afternoon together.

Dear Little Kiffle, Rest in Peace

Kiffle was not, strictly speaking, one of the Puttikins, as he was not a cat.  Nonetheless, he was a beloved member of our family for many years.  When he died a few days ago, we cried and grieved for the sweet little Chinchilla.

Chinchillas make fantastic pets for children and adults alike.  You have to make certain that there is nothing in the way of paper, cardboard or fabric within reach of their cages, as they will chew on almost anything.  Apart from that, though, they are clean and intelligent as well as quite affectionate.

When Kiffle died, the last thing I wanted was a replacement.  I have enough trouble with the Puttikins, although I treasure each and every one of them.  Freya's best friend Kait had been babysitting Kiffle while I was away at sea, and he died at her home.   She and her mother, quite amazingly, had a family member who raised chinchillas and she offered us two babies...

Well, what can one say or do?  Freya really wanted another 'pastry pet'.  She named one Strudel even before we saw them.  She told me I could name the other one, and I decided I wanted to name it Kiffle, even after she said, 'We're not having a Kiffle II like Snowball II!'  (Any one who watches the Simpsons would know what that means.)

One cannot replace one pet with another.  Each little creature is unique.  I always felt sad that Kiffle was alone in his enormous cage, and if one is to have another Chinchilla, it is better to have a pair than one.  They do love company.

We do not know yet what the genders of these two are.  They only arrived at our house yesterday, causing a terrible upset in the Puttikins population.  Quite amazing really.  I had worried about the safety of the Chinchillas, surrounded by so many cats, but in fact, it was the Puttikins who responded with terror and hid!

In fact, Ashleigh had what I could only describe as an almost psychotic episode.  Half of the Puttikins never became acclimatised to the big porch with the windows and when they continued to hide behind boxes in dark corners, I decided enough was enough and returned them to their original 'womb room' which is a disused bathroom without any windows.  They were thrilled actually.  Evidently, there is comfort in that room for them.

Cupid, Apollodoro and Beauty continue to inhabit the porch and now, the Chinchilla cage is there as well.  Cupid went into hiding for half a day from the tiny creatures!  I am not certain why I thought it would be better to move Apollodoro temporarily into the womb room with the rest of his family except that, at the time, I felt that the Chinchillas would benefit from as few Puttikins as possible in their environment.

I am not certain what happened really.  There never has been any problem with Apollodoro and Ashleigh who is his father....  When I went into the womb room a couple of hours later, I found a total disaster.  The litter boxes had been tipped and there was enough hair on the floor and walls to create a new Puttikins.  Ash was in a corner baring his teeth, growling and hissing at EVERY ONE.  He never has growled before in his life.

I removed Apollodoro at once and cleaned the mess but even after that, Ash continued to growl at the remaining Putti who resembled Apollodoro.  In other words, the two other flamepoints, one of whom was his closest and dearest companion, little Leo.

Meanwhile, the Chinchillas did not appear to be paralysed with fear in thsir new room and Beauty and Apollodoro (when the latter was returned) did not appear to share any of the fear that Cupid demonstrated.  In fact, I felt Beauty was almost too curious about the Chinchillas.

It is difficult to tell the two babies apart, although one has a slightly longer nose and a more timid disposition.  The little blue house belonged to Kiffle who demolished it rather quickly even though it was made of hard plastic.  I then bought him a wooden one which he demolished with the same alacrity and perhaps more genuine pleasure as Chinchillas love wood.  The only materials they cannot chew to bits are metal and porcelain.  You can see the pink porcelain bath in the background.  I will find some new nesting houses for these babies soon... I did not even know they would be part of our family until Saturday, so was ill-prepared.

I believe that the baby in the blue house is Kiffle and the one who is out in the open is Strudel.  That would make sense as well as Strudel is kind of fearless.

I spent quite a lot of time with Ash last night, but he continued to hiss and growl at his family.  This morning, however, every one was loving and affectionate towards one another again.  It is the most bizarre and unpleasant event ever.  The most interesting aspect of it in a way was the fact that ALL the Flamepoints were treated by Ash as the enemy until he calmed down.

I had removed Leo as well last night, when Ash continued to hiss and growl at him, but Leo was desperate to return to his father and kept escaping out of the porch this morning  to race towards the womb room.  I finally surrendered to the inevitable and allowed him to be with his father.  I hope to God there are no further problems.

I believe now that somehow the Putti in the womb room were aware of a change in the dynamics of the pet population, even though they did not see the Chinchillas.  How else to explain all of this?  I have moved Putti back and forth from the porch to the womb room without incident in the past.

One of Kiffle's favourite treats was made of wood.  The treat consisted of a painted wooden stick.  It was sold as a package of many different coloured sticks made of very soft wood.  I do not know if the colours made any difference whatsoever to the Chinchilla.  The colours probably were more appealing to the humans than to the animal.  I daresay a Chinchilla would be as pleased with a natural, uncoloured piece of wood!  In any case, I still had an unopened package of Sticks and I decided to give a couple to Strudel and the new Kiffle.

Strudel went at it like a veteran, demonstrating no fear, nibbling at my finger from time to time as well.  His brother or sister, however, was less inclined to participate.  I left a stick in the little blue house where he was hiding, hoping he would go for it after I left.

Freya is very fond of Strudel and likes his manic energy.  I tend to be more drawn to the quiet little one, although I hate to think of him or her afraid.  I will be happier when both respond to me equally.  Meanwhile, though, it is highly amusing to see little Strudel exploring every inch of the cage, nibbling on the bars, on the wood, on the water bottle spout and everything else in sight.


This post was supposed to be about Kiffle and not the new Chinchillas.  It is difficult not to cry when I think of little Kiffle.  He was such a good boy, apart from the depredations he made on some of the furnishings.  He was very clever.  He would jiggle his cage until boxes moved close enough to allow him to chew on them.  Quite often a box I had placed out of reach would end up in his grasp!

He knew his name and responded to my voice.  When I asked if he wanted a Stick, he actually would become excited, knowing very well what I meant.  He was very clumsy sometimes, though, dropping his sticks half-eaten through the bars to the lower section where only debris was supposed to fall for removal.  When I cleaned the bottom section of the cage, I found dozens of wasted sticks.

I hope there is an afterlife for our beloved pets.  Dear Kiffle, we loved you and miss you.

Pumpkin has been FOUND!

I should have known better.  Whenever I gave one of my babies to some one in the past, the cat or kitten often would hide from his/her new owner, sometimes for a few days.  When Pumpkin did not show a whisker for two days after my return, though, I went into a panic, with awful visions of him lying dead beneath a box on the porch...

Yesterday afternoon, I realised that, whatever the cost, I had to move everything in that room to find my last recalcitrant Puttikins.  I found him ultimately in the darkest, most inaccessible corner with Jasper sleeping on top of him!  No air or light for those two.  They missed their windowless room, evidently, so I picked them up by the scruff of their necks and returned them to the little interior bathroom where they had resided previously.  They appear to be much more at ease now.  They actually eat and drink.  Silly little boys!

In any event, I was so happy to see that little heart-shaped face that I almost wept for joy.  I was annoyed that Pumpkin simply stared as though he could not understand what the problem was.  Did he not realise how much anxiety I had suffered???

A Missing Pumpkin

I did not wish to leave my Puttikins for an entire month and, upon my return on Saturday, I discovered how much it had disrupted their psyches.  Despite the fact that both Bobbie and Jackie love animals and especially cats, the disappearance of their Mummy for a month as well as their move to a new, larger room, albeit one filled with boxes and other storage stuff, made them even more fearful and paranoid than ever.

Remember that most of these cats never saw any one but me....  Two days after my return,  I still have not seen Pumpkin nor even any evdience that he is alive.  When I first greeted my Putti, they ALL hid from me.  Soon, though, Beauty and Ash came out and Cupid followed shortly after that.  I could see most of the others in their hiding places.  The ones whom I could not see were Temujin and Pumpkin.

I went repreatedly into the room and sat quietly on a chair.  It was not until I returned in the middle of the night (and no electricity there!) that I felt the presence of many of my Putti brushing up against my legs.  Scruffy Leo finally began to purr, a sound I had missed terribly.

I kept vigil in the night, but no Pumpkin.  I sat on the chair from 4.00 a.m. until an hour after dawn and was rewarded by greetings from every one BUT Pumpkin.

Dear little Pumpkin... I worried terribly about him and still do.  I pray he is alive and well somewhere in that room.  Despite the fact that I did my best to move all the boxes, finding horrid little desposits of offerings of resentment and terror in and beside them, (many of them archaeological evidence from the beginning of May I daresay), no hint of Pumpkin.

Cupid's Recovery

These liquids as well as the concoction of Cranberry Juice with Apple Cider Vinegar probably saved Cupid's life.  He now is behaving in a very healthy fashion for the most part, even complaining of boredom!

Here is Cupid in his little hidden corner, sleeping comfortably.  He has begun to chafe against his forced stay in the kitchen but I must keep him away from the other Puttikins for another day or two. This morning at 3.00 a.m., when I visited the kitchen, he immediately trotted towards me to complain that he was both hungry and bored.

He eats very little but would consume all the catnip treats if I allowed it.  It is REAL food that does not interest him that much.  He will eat pureed chicken from my fingers and a few mouthfuls of tinned food but his appetite still is not as healthy as I would wish.  I am giving him fluids subcutaneously and he continues to inundate the litter box with clear, healthy urine but I was very distressed because I never saw him drink either water or chicken broth that I had placed in some bowls I bought recently.

Today I discovered that he returns instead to the horrid old water bowls I intended to chuck out for his water.  I made certain to fill the double bowl with fresh water, even though I left the new bowls out in the open for him.  Cats are such creatures of habit!

I would like to thank every one who expressed concern for my little boy.  Your thoughts and prayers meant a great deal to me and I cannot help but feel they made a real difference.

Cupid, my Brave little Boy

Today has been eventful.  In fact, since Saturday, I have not rested either physically or spiritually much until now.

Cupid began to exhibit great pain when he went to the litter box on Saturday morning.  It had nothing to do with the procedure he had on Wednesday when he was neutered.  Everything was healing well.  In fact, he had been more his old self at dawn on Saturday... but suddenly, there was blood in his urine and he was prowling back and forth from litter box to litter box.  I wrote about this in an earlier post.

I took him to the doctor and suggested that he be given liquids as he was dehydrated.  They gave him some and sent him home with more painkillers.  What followed was a perfectly awful weekend for both of us.  I was terrified he was dying.  He was in almost constant distress or discomfort, prowling back and forth, pissing first in one box and then the other, almost always with fresh red blood showing in the urine.

I began to research the situation on the internet and discovered a natural remedy for crystals in the urine that consisted of Apple Cider Vinegar.  For the very acidic urine that Cupid had exhibited, Cranberry Juice was recommended.  I mixed Cranberry Juice, Apple Cider Vinegar and a little plain Apple Juice to sweeten it.  I forced it down his throat with a syringe.  I did this twice on Sunday.

The hospital opened this morning at 9.00 and I rang them immediately.  The doctor returned my call about an hour later.   He looked at Cupid's chart and told me what I knew, that he suffered from a low urinary tract condition.   It was hereditary and plagued Himalayans in particular.   Most important was diet.  He was not that concerned about the blood in the urine.  He was more concerned about the amount of urine that Cupid was passing.

He did agree to give me a bag of fluids for Cupid with needles so that I could administer the liquids myself.   I surprise myself sometimes.  I know that I have done this before.  I basically saved Miela's life once years ago by giving her fluids subcutaneously... but faced with the bag and needle today, I was filled with trepidation.  It was a far more complex arrangement of tubes than the ones I had administered years ago as well...

In any event, I was able to administer the liquids to Cupid, although I did not give him the full 150 cc. that the doctor had suggested.  He began to protest shortly after he had received 100 cc. and the bulge beneath the skin of his neck was very pronounced.  I decided it would be better to stop and then give him more later if necessary.

He immediately went to the litter box and spent about five minutes there accomplishing absolutely nothing.  I am not certain what he was experiencing at that point in time, but it made me very nervous as the worst situation is blockage.  When a cat cannot pass any urine at all, it can mean death in a very short time.  I had an odd feeling though that he was trying to do something quite different.  His posture suggested it...

I coaxed him out of the box when obviously nothing was going to materialise.  I persuaded him to rest a little in his little corner.  I then decided to leave him in peace for awhile.  After all, he had the fluids inside him.

When I returned, he had pissed in one box magnificently with only a tiny bit of blood in the other box.  He purred when I touched him and licked a little pureed Chicken (infant food) from my finger.  After that, he went back to the box and urinated again.  This time, the stream was entirely clear!

I do not want to be too jubilant at this point, but I still have a large bag of fluids that I am supposed to give him every other day.  The key to his recovery IS fluids.  He now is resting in a much more comfortable position than before.  He actually is curled up with his head on his arm rather than maintaining a rigid Sphinx-like position eloquent of pain and fear.

I want to thank every one for their prayers and good wishes.  Please continue them!

Natural remedies for Cystitis in Cats

The veterinarian told me on our first visit that Cupid had crystals in his urine.  She did not give me any sort of remedy for that, apart from the advice to make him drink plenty of liquids.  His urine now is filled with blood and he is going back and forth to the two litter boxes filled with newspaper endlessly.

A human friend has gallstones and his doctor advised him to have a procedure to remove his gallbladder.  He was unwilling to do so and wanted to find a natural remedy.   He found a site on the internet that recommended five days of imbibing large quantities of apple juice, followed by a concoction that mixed lemon juice and olive oli.  The gallstones sometimes dissolve in the apple juice and even if they do not dissolve entirely, then pass with the olive oil concoction.

Today, desperate to help my little boy, I looked for a similar natural remedy for Cupid.  I found some sites that discussed natural remedies.  

The crystals that form in cat urine usually cannot be seen with the naked eye and can be detected only by analysis of fresh urine.   The condition is known as Crystalluria and cats who tend to be at an increased risk of developing this condition include Persians, Himalayans and Burmese.  Cupid is a pedigree Himalayan.

The greatest danger from these formations is that they may become large kidney stones.  Causes of crystalluria include:

Concentration of crystallogenic substances in urine, influenced by rate of excretion and urine concentration of water;

Urine pH off balance, requiring balance of acidic or alkaline levels;

Lack of solubility of crystallogenic substances in urine;

Excretion of certain medications, including sulfonamides;

Dietary influences.

Increasing urine volume, encouraging complete and frequent voidin of urine and modifying the diet (especially elimination cat food with large percentage of ash) is part of the therapy to eliminate the crystals.

Feline Cystitis, sometimes known as Feline Urologic Syndrome, is all too common among cats.   Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD) can affect both female and male cats, although it is more common among females. This  phrase is inclusive of a number of disorders, but cystitis specifically refers to an irritation of the feline bladder. The condition occurs as a result of an infection in the bladder and will cause tiny crystals to form, which blocks the normal passage of urine.  A cat with cystitis will need to urinate more frequently but upon attempting it, will generally only be successful in passing only a few drops at a time. A cat may  discontinue use of the litter box when it needs to urinate, as this condition is very irritating for them and they are more comfortable using a cold, hard surface such as a bathtub, sink or countertop. It is also likely that the consistency of the urine will be thicker than it normally would be, the scent will be strong and foul smelling, and the urine will contain traces of blood. 

The precise cause of cystitis is not known.  The same condition in dogs or in humans would be caused by a bacterial infection, but most cats with this problem do not have bacteria in their urine. If a cat is affected by cystitis you may want to temporarily increase the amount of tinned food as it obviously has a higher water content than dry food.  At the same time, increase the amount of water that the animal takes in and decrease the mineral content of the diet.

Additionally, there are several homeopathic treatments that can be administered including Nux Vomica, Chimaphila or Cantahris.  

As mentioned previously, persistent crystalluria may contribute to the formation and growth of kidney stones.  Chronic crystalluria may solidify crystalline-matrix plugs, resulting in a urethral obstruction.  

There are two types of crystals: 

In 1985 the incidence in cats of sturvite crystals was 75%, while calcium oxalate crystals were 2%. With changes in dietary factors by lowering protein and magnesium, and lowering the pH to make the urine more acid, the incidence in cats in 1995  became almost 50% for sturvite crystals and a sudden increase in oxalate stones jumped to 40%.

Struvite crystals are composed of magmesium, ammonium, and phosphate which form the struvite stone, which is the most common stone found in cats.  The next highest incidence is a stone or crystal composed of calcium oxalate.  The remedy is to acidify the urine. It also says that high or low magnesium can precipitate the struvite stone.  The  recommended pH for the cat's urome is 6 to 6.5.   Apple cider vinegar is 4- to 5% acid, so it should acidify the urine without grossly acidifying it. 

Another old remedy is the Juice of l lemon with 2 tbsps. of extra virgin olive oil, but for a cat rather than human reduce that to juice from 1/6th of a lemon and l tsp. olive oil.  This remedy is for evacuation and should not be given more than once in a week.  

For the Apple Cider Vinegar mix, 1 teaspoon ACV with 2 teaspoons of water appears to be the mixture.  Some owners mix plain cranberry juice into it as well.   Give 6 cc. of this three times daily until the cat begins to urinate properly.  If bloody urine persists, a major procedure may be required, but for the majority of cats who suffer from cystitus, both male and female, the Apple Cider Vinegar treatment can work wonders.

The Apple Cider Vinegar should be given INSTANTLY and repeated until the cat urinates normally without any blood or straining.  A cat whose urethra is obstructed completely can die within four hours, so crystalluria can be extremely serious.  I am rather upset that the veterinarian did not make the dangers clear to me.  Moreover, when I took Cupid back to the doctor yesterday, it was I and not the doctor who suggested that his dehydration needed to be addressed with subcutaneous administration of liquids.

What I hope is that, despite the awfulness of the appearance of his urine pink with blood, the fact that he is passing a fair quantity of urine is positive.  The poor darling is using the two boxes, but I keep them spotless.  As soon as he passes the bloody urine, I remove the dirty newspaper and add clean newspaper.  The doctor advised me not to use real litter for another week as it could irritate his incisions.  Newspaper is far safer at this stage.

I made a little concealed place for Cupid to rest between two pieces of furniture in the kitchen.  It is next to the very low place beneath the rolling cupboard where he was hiding and which I feel was causing him injury as he should not be squeezing ANYWHERE at this point, so soon after the procedure.  He should not jump or run either.  He was not jumping but he was leaping to his favourite chair before he took a turn for the worse yesterday morning.  Now he stays in the little 'corner' i made for him.  An old hoodie conceals the entrance, making him feel safer.

I am sharing this information partly because I hope people will pray for my Cupid but more importantly, that it may prove helpful to other cat owners whose cats display the same symptoms.

Finally, I would like to mention a comment on one of the sites I visited for information about this condition that truly infuriated me.  Some one wrote to the effect that any one who cannot afford to pay thousands of dollars potentially for professional medical care for a pet has no right to own a pet. That is utter nonsense.  The idea that one can throw money at a problem to eliminate it is part and parcel of a typical American spoiled attitude that has brought ruin to our civilisation and does not contribute to a healthy society of human beings or animals.  Love and personal attention are far more important than money.  In most of the cases of cystitis described on these sites, moreover, the owners HAD taken their pets to a professional veterinarian who had NOT solved the problem.  Our pets are being poisoned by expensive commercial cat food in the same way that our children are being poisoned by genetically altered food ingredients and products.  The answer is not money but education.  The internet can spew forth a great deal of misinformation and hysteria but at the same time, it can be a godsend with sites that give real life-saving information freely.

Cupid's Setback

This morning, Cupid appeared to be much better initially.  He was sitting on his favourite chair in the kitchen and purred when I held him.   He ate a little tinned food and I felt I might be able to relax a little.

A couple of hours later, things changed.  He began to cry and he went in and out of the box repeatedly.  He was unhappy and in pain obviously, even after I gave him the painkillers.  I rang the doctor and they told me to bring him to hospital as they would be open only until noon.

When the doctor saw him, she said he appeared to be healing properly.  I mentioned that he was very dehydrated so they gave him some fluids and sent us home with more painkillers.

At home, he went to the box again and I found blood in his urine.  Again, he prowled back and forth, in and out of the two boxes I had in the kitchen for him.  He actually pissed on the floor once, but whenever he attempted to do so, I called to him and he went into the box... this has been going on for half an hour or so.  His urine now is very concentrated and stinks.  There is no blood now, but there is very urine each time he goes but he feels a need to keep trying.

I am furious and terrified.  The first diagnosis, BEFORE they neutered him, was urinary tract infection and they did find crystals in his urine.  Why hasn't this been mentioned again?  Now it's simply talk about the procedure!  I think perhaps he is trying to pass the crystals and that is why he keeps going back and forth to the boxes and why little emerges.  I am not a vet, but can any one help me?  Does it make sense???

Evening:  There is blood in his urine again.  He is agitated, insecure and in pain.  He begged to be taken back downstairs to his 'home' but I can't allow that.  He has to be kept isolated, especially now.    I have created a little 'tent' for him behind the shredder next to the cabinet that he chose for his own hiding place.  I made a temporary 'wall' with an old hoodie that he likes and placed a clean towel on the floor.  He is resting there now.  It is much better for him than the very small, low space beneath the cupboard.

I think it is the crystals that are causing the blood in his urine as well as the pain.  I pray he can pass them.  He will not drink of his own volition so I will make certain that I force bottled water down his throat every few hours.  The doctor last week told me that lots of liquids were required to pass the crystals... this before his procedure.  One becomes sidetracked so easily by the other conditions he has... post-operative wounds and pain as well as the expression of his anal glands.   I sort of forgot that the MAIN issue was the presence of crystals in his urine.

Cupid Sulks in his Tent like Achilles

Here is Cupid, home from the hospital, sulking in his 'tent' like Achilles.  He has to become almost two-dimensional in order to be able to squeeze into the very small space beneath this cupboard on wheels.  The space is about two and a half inches high but somehow, he manages.    

The hospital told me to keep him in a small, confined area but my thought was the half-bathroom off the kitchen.  I therefore placed a litter box in there last night with food dish and water and a clean towel on the floor.

Two hours later, I heard a terrible thumping from my room below the kitchen.  It sounded as though he were hurling himself at the door!  When I went upstairs to open the door, he shot through it instantly and squeezed beneath the cupboard.  

When he first came home, he sat in my lap and purred while growling and making little cries of pain or unhappiness.  And yet, he purred and gave me kisses...   Today, however, he is determined to remain beneath the cupboard.  If I pull him out, he will sit with me for a moment and then shoot off to his hiding place.  How long will this go on???

Meet little Pumpkin

Pumpkin is one of the most retiring, 'scaredy cats' I ever had.  He was the 'odd man out' in a way, the only kitten in his litter with his colouring.  Although at birth I thought he would become a little male mirror image of his mother, he does not have her 'marmalade' colouring, nor does he have any markings.  He is a uniform tawny colour.  Furthermore, his body and especially his paws have a delicacy that is not apparent in any of his family members.  His paws are tiny, quite different from the fat paws of the Himalayan/Persian.  He has the fabulous golden eyes of his brother, Temujin, but that is the only characteristic they share.

The first Puttikins were four in number: three were almost identical little white balls of fur with flame tips on their ears, paws and tails.  The fourth was Pumpkin who, as his name suggests was orange.  Cupid was one of the three flamepoints.  The other two were Leo, aka Scruffy Little Leo and Apollodoro.  Apollodoro appeared to be a girl at first and Freya named 'her' 'Dora the Explorer' because she was the most intrepid of the four, entirely without fear.  It was only months later that her male genitalia manifested, showing her to be quite definitely male.  I changed her name to Apollodoro, feeling that the name should be one containing the kernel of the original name in order not to confuse the poor Putti any more than necessary.

Freya still continues to assert that 'Dora' is a girl.  Apollodoro is the most handsome cat I ever saw actually but this piece is not about Apollodoro.  It is supposed to be an introduction to my darling little Pumpkin.

If there were 'Cat Angels', they would look like Pumpkin.  He has an extraordinary innocence to his face, a purity that almost breaks my heart.  It is very difficult to take a good photograph of him because he is so very shy.

If one can win his trust, however, Pumpkin's love is intensely rewarding.  He snuggles into my arms, burrowing beneath one arm, purring passionately.    I rather suspect he views me as his second mother and is trying to recreate the infant's sense of security when nursing.  He does not try to perform THAT action in any sense, but it is the way he moves that makes me feel he is dreaming of those days.  Cupid does the same thing on occasion but not with half the frequency of his brother.

When Pumpkin was a young kitten, he almost died.  He was being pushed out of the way by his more aggressive litter=mates and was not receiving enough milk from his Mum.    I had to feed him myself using a feeding syringe.  It gave him a special bond with me, I suspect.  Freya drew a wonderful sketch of Pumpkin lifting his little head to receive milk from the syringe.

Odd and Unexpected Feline Issues

I did know about feline urinary tract infections before Cupid ever was suspected of having one and it is possible that one can lower the probability that a cat will develop one by neutering him, but I have heard tales of Cats who were neutered at a very young age and still developed the infection.  Another possible culprit is the dry food that we feed our Cats.  Some Cats, including most of my Puttikins, actually prefer dry food to food in tins and there are reasons why a parent SHOULD give a Cat dry food on occasion.  It is good for the teeth for a start.

Both medical theory and feline fashion have changed the composition of dry food over the decades. For indoor cats, dry food is made that contains grass as it now is believed to be beneficial to cats to consume some grass on a regular basis.

The main problem with any dry food is the need for cats to have lots of liquids in their diet.  If they drink enough water, the dry food will not pose any health risks.  If they do not drink sufficient water, it is possible that they will develop problems similar to those that Cupid developed.  Urinary tract infections, concentrated urine as well as urines containing crystals all can be due to a lack of sufficient liquid.

I always fed the Puttikins tinned food twice weekly and made certain that there was plenty of water for every one and yet, evidently it was not sufficient for Cupid.  He is very fond of the dry food and will not be happy with the doctor's latest proclamation that he should be placed on a diet that does not include ANY dry food at all.

The urinary tract infections, crystals and so on can be fairly serious health problems.  They certainly can cause significant pain and discomfort in a Cat.

There is another problem that I have discovered in male cats that is simply rather peculiar.   Through the years, I have noticed that certain cats tend to have greasy tails.  The greasy area always develops in the same location, about an inch from the place where the tail meets the rump of the Cat.   It is possible that this is a difficult area to reach when a Cat is grooming himself.  Whatever the cause, the grease, if not washed off, can create an actual black tar-like substance on the skin that will be hidden by the cat's fur.  It is not enough to comb the Cat regularly either.  I always comb my Cats and yet, two of my Putti have this problem.    Cupid is one and Pumpkin is the other.

I imagine that bathing a Cat regularly would prevent this problem from occurring but recently there have not been many actual Puttikins baths even though I do groom every one and make certain their costs are clean and have no tangles.  Today, I gave Pumpkin a half-bath, washing his tail twice with shampoo.  The skin in the area that had been covered by the grease was red, although there was no rash or wound.  I shall have to be vigilant in future about the boy's little tail!

Cupid under the Knife

I took Cupid to the veterinarian early this morning to undergo the procedure that will remove his masculine pride in the hope that it will improve his health and disposition.  Male cats who have not been neutered tend to be more prone to urinary tract infections and Cupid has been suffering from one.  I have been treating him with antibiotics and painkillers given by the doctor but his negative behaviour has continued.  After the procedure, he will have to be isolated from the other Puttikins temporarily.  Oddly enough, when he has been alone in the kitchen, he has used the litter box for everything but when he is here downstairs with his family, he pisses on the floor morning and night, using the litter box only for the solid 'waste'.  Obviously, although urination is causing him great pain because of the crystals that have formed and its alkaline, concentrated nature (possibly giving him a burning sensation), the action of pissing on the floor must be deemed slightly antisocial or a 'red flag' aimed at his brothers, an attempt to show himself to be the dominant male. 

I am heartily tired of it, whatever the psychological reasons for it.  I love all my Puttikins and hate to see them all miserable, stinking of piss as if they were homeless vagrants without any lavatories when in fact they have lovely covered litter boxes and every one uses them except Cupid!  Even Cupid never, ever failed to use a litter box until recently.

Well, my purpose here is not to moan about it but to ask that every one remember Cupid in their prayers today.  I hope I will receive positive news late this afternoon from the vet.  Meanwhile, I am anxious for his sake, as he always has been the most delicate of all my feline children.

Update on Cupid

First I want to thank all those who have remembered little Cupid in their prayers and who care about his progress.  It warms my heart to know that there are people who do care.

Until his visit to the vet on Friday, he never had left the house in his entire life  As one of the Puttikins, he had been allowed on the deck wearing a harness but that actually frightened him last summer, although he had been quite happy the previous year to explore the few feet of timbers that comprise the deck.

In any case, I was prepared for utter terror at the vet, and his eyes were as big as saucers and he hurled forth a couple of unearthly howls before he decided to 'go with the flow' as it were.  Unfortunately, we were surrounded by DOGS.  Not a cat in sight or in hearing distance.

I liked the vet immediately.  I explained the entire Puttikins situation and the fact that I have no regular form of transportation and very little money.  She told me that, if any infection were indicated, she would give the medications to me immediately rather than making me return after all the tests were completed.

Poor Cupid has a rather severe urinary tract infection with crystals in his urine that make things extremely painful for him.  Furthermore, the urine is very concentrated which is one reason for the terrible stench.

She gave me antibiotics and painkillers as well as giving him all the usual injections we had been able to avoid throughout his life so far on the basis that he NEVER was exposed to any Cats apart from his own Clan members.

He has an appointment to be neutered on Wednesday.  When she rang with all the test results on Saturday, we discussed the situation.  Ideally, it would be better if he could be entirely recovered from the infection before any procedure were to take place but I need to be here for him and that won't be possible later.  So unless he takes a turn for the worse, he will be going to the vet again early Wednesday morning.

In all honesty, part of the problem appears to be those pesky 'balls' because he still is leaving puddles all over the floor in the Putti room although he will use the box when he is allowed to be alone in the kitchen.  The kitchen is not MY space in this house, so he is on sufferance temporarily up there.  One mishap, however, and that would end.  We are not dealing with a real cat lover and there is only so much sympathy that will be extended even to a Putti who is ill

So please keep Cupid in your prayers.  He disdains the chicken broth that the vet suggested I give him and eats only a tiny amount of the gourmet cat food I bought to entice him.  He wants his beloved Goodlife dry food but he mustn't have it at this point in time.  He needs liquids, liquids and more liquids to help pass those painful crystals.  So far, he does not appear to comprehend the need and is being quite stubborn.  He does appear to feel much better after the pain medications kick in!  He actually plays with his toys for a bit and becomes very affectionate...

Will continue to update this site.  Thank you again, dear fellow feline fanciers and friends for your prayers and thoughts.  I am utterly exhausted, so please forgive lack of emails.  I haven't had a decent night of sleep or any rest for days,  I cannot sit without pain ever, so sitting in the kitchen with Cupid for long periods of time has not helped me, although it is important for him.

Prayers Please for Cupid

My darling Cupid is ill and I hope that all my fellow feline fanciers will say a little prayer for his recovery.  He has an appointment with the vet on Friday morning.  At first I thought he was bedeviled by springtime surges in his masculine urges but now I believe he may have an infection.  I hope it is no more serious than a condition that can be remedied with medication.

If there is a 'higher Power', and I firmly believe there is, a cat's life must be as precious and valuable as that of any human being.  If we as humans have more power on this earth than other creatures, it is for the purpose of caring for those who are weaker and less able to change their circumstances.   The Bible declares that God knows when even a tiny sparrow falls from the sky and cares about all creatures.  The Holy Qur'an declares that mankind was placed upon this earth and give the power to act as guardians and caretakers for all other creatures.

I pray that I can care for my little Puttikins as they deserve!

Meet Ashleigh Attila, my Pater Familias

This is Ashleigh Attila, a quintessential bluepoint Himalayan and father of all the Puttikins.  He wasn't meant to be the head of quite such a LARGE clan, but nature slipped two litters into the equation in the space of four months and that was that.

What I have discovered, much to my surprise and consternation, is that there is a prejudice AGAINST long-haired and pedigreed cats now.  They do require more grooming, although short-haired cats should be combed regularly as well.  What disturbs me, however, is the idea that pedigreed cats do not need to be rescued and that one always should go to a shelter when looking for a feline companion.

Ashleigh Attila and Beauty both are pedigreed cats but they definitely needed to be rescued.  When I acquired them, they both were infested with fleas and ear mites.  It was a disgrace.  The owner was breeding the cats entirely without being able to give them proper care and she was charging an arm and a leg for the kittens, even though they were neglected.  She was a widow whose husband had been the original breeder.  When he died, I surmise that she felt she could earn a little extra money by continuing to breed them.   I did telephone her a couple of times after I took the two home to offer to help her eradicate the fleas and the ear mites that plagued the remaining cats in her house but she was not interested.  What does one do in such a situation?  If one reports the person, it could be worse for the animals as they could be euthanised.

In any case, my darling Puttikins may be purebred but it is wrong for people to tell me I should have adopted cats from a shelter.  I admit I have a fondness for Himmys as my original cat clan was Himalayan.  They died ultimately of old age and without leaving a new generation for me to love.  When I saw the photo of Ash, he looked as though he could be the progeny of my original Ashley and Anastasia, two of my original Cats.  I fell in love with him instantly and vowed to bring him home.

Unfortunately, I think the woman sensed my determination and her price was a bit outrageous.  Nonetheless, I never could regret the impulse that took me to her door to adopt Ash and Beauty.

When Beauty had her first litter, I discovered that most people were unwilling to adopt long-haired purebred kittens.  It has become a political point rather than a matter of simple love of animals.  What was truly shocking was the fact that Beauty became pregnant again while still nursing her first litter.  She was very young and I never imagined she would have ONE litter at her age, let alone two.

She was so exhausted when the second litter was born that I had to feed the babies myself.  It took her a fortnight to recover from the ordeal and much to my dismay, I found that she was nursing the OLDER Putti!  I was furious with them but at the same time, slightly amused.  It was quite a busy time for me, as there were four new Putti to raise.  I continued to hand-feed the 'Tiny Babies' as I could not persuade Beauty to concentrate on them.  She was bonded to the first litter, it appeared, and spent hours nursing and grooming THEM, even though they were quite capable of feeding themselves by this time.

I made certain there would be no new Puttikins after that, although the experience of any birth, and especially cat births, is utterly magical to me.  It was so exciting to anticipate the next kitten to be born, to speculate as to its colour and gender.  It felt rather like unwrapping Christmas gifts!

That is the history of the Puttikins, all of whom are the children of Beauty and Ashleigh Attila.  Beauty, by the way, is a gorgeous marmalade Persian/Himalayan.  Many of her children are flamepoints, carrying her colouring in their 'points' with their father's characteristic colourpoint markings.

Easter for the Puttikins

Here are Cupid and Temujin with their Easter Basket.  The original Easter Basket containing their Easter Eggs and gifts that was placed on the Easter Table by the Easter Bunny was far more elegant but this basket is one with which they can play.  It contains three felt mice and some plastic eggs filled with catnip treats.

Cats love plastic Easter Eggs.  I always have given them Eggs filled with treats at Easter.  The treats rattle in a satisfying fashion and given the slightest nudge, will roll along the ground.  Most of the new ones have tiny holes in them, allowing any enticing odour of catnip or whatever else is in the treat to reach the curious Putti's nose.  Opening the Egg is another game for them.

The three mice actually were part of a packet of mice I bought at Christmas.  Each was a different colour.  I immediately thought that the yellow, purple and green mice would be perfect for an Easter basket so set those aside.  Oddly enough, Cupid favoured the plain grey mouse above the gaily coloured ones in the Putti Christmas stocking.  Realism could not be the reason, as they never have encountered a live mouse.

Puttikin Dialogues

Himalayan cats, like Persians, require regular grooming.  If I take one of my Cats out of their room and sit in a very small room with him or her, the Cat will sit calmly and quietly for hours while I use the comb.  If, however, I am in a rush and attempt to groom any or all of them 'on the run' as it were, there is general resistance and consternation.  The act of one Cat affects the others.  One Putti running from the comb creates a general exodus.

Today, I found that Beauty and Temujin desperately needed a little grooming in the neck area, but I did not have the time to take them out of the room to perform a ritualistic grooming.  i therefore took the Comb and attempted to groom Beauty a little.  Amazingly, I was able to accomplish my task, not only with respect to Beauty but with Temmi as well.

When I began to move away from Temujin, Ash saw the comb and went into a panic.  I declared, 'rather contemptuously I fear: 'It's not as though I'm THAT into it, Ash.  I do have other things to do in life apart from combing YOU.'

So that is the Putti Dialogue for Wednesday, 27 March.  I daresay I am not the only Cat fancier who tcarries on conversations with his/her feline children.  I think I will keep a little journal... After all, according to THEM, I have absolutely nothing else to do with my life apart from serving my Cats.

N.B.  The three photographs show Isabella during a 'grooming session'.  AKA 'Bitey', Isabella was the most energetic and mischievous of all my Puttikins as a young kitten and loved to bite.  She never bit hard, never broke the skin, but I was under the mistaken impression originally that she was not the nicest of my Cats.  In fact, it was simply her way of playing and she is a very affectionate and sweet cat.  She loves to place one paw on my cheek while she licks my chin.  She becomes rather distressed if I do not allow her this daily greeting ritual!  Readers of the 'Twilight' series will understand the link between her name, Isabella and her nickname, 'Bitey'.  After all, Vampires are known for their bites!