Wednesday June 17, 1998 32 Message(s) ======================================== From: WORKPARK@aol.com Date: Wed, 17 Jun 1998 02:40:56 EDT To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Subject: Re: Jake Reply-To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Nancy, We all know how much you've done for Jake. As everyone says, talk to him, be with him, and what is best for him will eventually come to you. Hang in there. We support you and whatever decision you choose to make. Pam ---------------------------------------- From: WORKPARK@aol.com Date: Wed, 17 Jun 1998 02:55:49 EDT To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Subject: Re: Rubin's web site Reply-To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Gina & JoAnn, Rubin looks like a well-loved happy fur-baby. I'm sure he misses you, but is playing with his favorite dog friend while he waits til the next time all of you are together. Loving thoughts, Pam ---------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 17 Jun 1998 06:36:50 -0400 To: felvtalk@MailingList.net From: Angela Holderby Subject: Re: Rubin's web site Reply-To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Those are beautiful pictures. What a lovely cat. I am assuming the one on the left is a Christmas picture...I just love kitty Christmas pictures. I had a kitty once that loved to play in my Christmas tree and I cherish the pictures of his adorable face sticking out between the branches.....I hope the pictures of Rubin make you smile now...they sure did me... Angela. ---------------------------------------- From: katseven@pcsia.com Date: Wed, 17 Jun 1998 06:38:28 -0600 Subject: Re: Rubin's web site To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Reply-To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Gina and JoAnn, What a wonderful tribute to Rubin. What a beautiful boy! I can tell he's a gentle soul by these pictures. Susan ---------------------------------------- From: meowmama@bellsouth.net Date: Wed, 17 Jun 1998 08:13:46 -0400 To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Subject: Re: Lefty References: <673a17f8.358723fc@aol.com> Reply-To: felvtalk@MailingList.net > Angela, > I agree with barb - we need all the good news we can have!!! You're doing a great job with Lefty and are an inspiration to all those who are fighting the fight right along with you! Please keep updating!!! Hugs, -- Kathy G and the 3 furries in Daytona Beach =^.^= Rusty =^.^= Smokey =^.^= Money see us at: http://cgi.gambitsys.com/homey/webdoc5.htm The Cat: Mother Nature's Masterpiece ---------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 17 Jun 1998 13:27:43 +0100 From: "Sonja Lnders" To: Felvtalk Subject: To Nancy Reply-To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Dear Nancy, Reading what you wrote and the replies - all I can add is, my heart goes out to You! Love and strength, Sonja ---------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 17 Jun 1998 08:27:22 +0100 To: felvtalk@MailingList.net From: BILL BEAMISH Subject: Re: Rubin's web site Reply-To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Dear Gina and JoAnn, What a handsome boy he is! I love all cats but I sort of favor tiger cats, I think because my very first cat was a beautiful long haired tiger. Your memorial to him is beautiful. Judy ---------------------------------------- From: "Belinda Sauro" To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Subject: Memorial Page Date: Wed, 17 Jun 1998 05:44:19 PDT Reply-To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Join our " Happiness is being owned by cats webring..." http://www.geocities.com/heartland/estates/7122/webring.htm Come see why I'm so happy... http://www.geocities.com/heartland/estates/7122 http://come.to/Be-Mi-Kitties Hi All, I just wanted to let everyone know that we would be very happy to post pictures and tributes of babies that have been lost to this horrible disease. I'm so very sorry for everyone's losses. Please feel free to email me privately at pacat@earthlink.net or macat@hotmail.com if you'd like to write a tribute with or without a picture. Those of you going thru very stressful situations right now, I'm praying that you'll be able to make any decisions that need to be made, with peace of mind, knowing that it's the right decision, made with unselfish Love and in the best interest of the one's you Love so much. Take care all of you....you are in my thoughts and prayers. Those that have recently lost loved ones, I'm very sorry for your losses and hoping you'll find the strength to know that you did everything possible to make your loved ones lives have quality, happiness and full of the Love you had for them. They are all pain free now, waiting for the day we're all together again. Belinda ---------------------------------------- From: meowmama@bellsouth.net Date: Wed, 17 Jun 1998 09:29:06 -0400 To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Subject: Re: Rubin's web site Reply-To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Gina and JoAnn, I'm so glad to have seen Rubin - he's soooooooo handsome. Would just love to pinch those cheeks. And thanks too to Belinda for putting his picture up and so generously offering to put others up too. We sure have a great family on this list! -- Kathy G and the 3 furries in Daytona Beach =^.^= Rusty =^.^= Smokey =^.^= Money see us at: http://cgi.gambitsys.com/homey/webdoc5.htm The Cat: Mother Nature's Masterpiece ---------------------------------------- From: GinaTex@aol.com Date: Wed, 17 Jun 1998 10:41:18 EDT To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Subject: Re: Rubin's web site Reply-To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Thank you all for the wonderful compliments on Rubin. We too feel he was such a handsome boy and his cheeks where pinched alot esp since we are an Italian family (JoAnn is Italian/Portuguese, me heinz 57 mix). The photo on the left is a Christmas photo, that is our favorite photo of him. He was a very gentle cat, never once did he scratch or anything. And every night he would sleep on my head or in the crook of my arms holding my hand with his paw. Gina and JoAnn ---------------------------------------- From: Paula Lazo To: "'Felv Talk List'" Subject: Benito's visit to the vet Date: Wed, 17 Jun 1998 12:41:40 -0400 Reply-To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Dear Friends: Yesterday Benito was examined by the vet, he found a small upper respiratory infection, though Benito doesn't have any symptoms at all. The vet stimulated the coughing reflex, and Benito coughed a little, he says he could hear a small respiratory noise in his lungs. He says it's almost nothing, and prescribed amoxicilin (my good old friend) and to tell you the truth it was like going back into time and seeing myself medicating Lucky with amoxicilin with a syringe (sp?), this was sort of a bit depressing. The diarrhea has stopped for now and I'm feeding him skinless, boiled turkey brest until his stomach gets used to good food. Last night Benito went nuts over the raw turkey brest, I had it in the counter while I was getting things ready to cook it, Benito jumped to the top of the counter and was just about to start eating it. He complained and demanded his food throughout all the cooking time, the poor little one had been almost fasting since the night before. When he fights off this infection he'll get the rabies vaccine and the triple. Meanwhile we're going to test him for felv and fiv. Other than that he seems pretty normal, plays and purrs and follows me everywhere. I know this infection could mean a felv+ test, but I'm still hoping for the best. Thank you all for your support. Love from Chile Paula and Benito. ---------------------------------------- From: "Moermond, Barbara" To: "'felvtalk@MailingList.net'" Subject: RE: Rubin's web site Date: Wed, 17 Jun 1998 11:59:55 -0500 Reply-To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Gina, Rubin's a gorgeous kitty! He looks happy and healthy and very huggable! Rest assured, he is waiting for you and JoAnn at the Bridge. Barb+Ninja ---------------------------------------- From: Paula Lazo To: "'felvtalk@MailingList.net'" Subject: RE: Rubin's web site Date: Wed, 17 Jun 1998 13:33:00 -0400 Reply-To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Rubin looks like a teddy bear, what a precious lovable kitty. I'm sure he was a blessing for you both. He surely is waiting to meet again with his 2 mommies. love Paula and Benito ---------------------------------------- From: "Moermond, Barbara" To: "'felvtalk@mailinglist.net'" Subject: Ninja update - kinda long:) Date: Wed, 17 Jun 1998 12:33:56 -0500 Reply-To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Hello all! I haven't updated in a while, so here goes. Ninja had a rough Friday last weekend. She started her day with a hair ball. and while I was at work, I think she had a seizure, because she was hiding in her sick place and she had thrown up some bile and had peed on the bedroom floor, which she hadn't done before. Then, poor baby, she had diarrhea that evening. I spoke with the vet Saturday morning and she said to start the oral prednisone that day instead of waiting until Sunday (2wks from the shot). I am also trying what other people on the list have said they do, with giving a treat right after the medicine so they will at least tolerate the pilling better. It seems to be working pretty well. She also suggested trying baby food for easier digesting. Ninja hasn't had another bout of the diarrhea, so I don't think it was anything serious. I am using the baby food as her post-pilling treat and she loves it. I have found a better enzyme cleaner for the pee-smell - Liqui-Zyme. It is concentrated where the Nature's Miracle isn't. Both work well, but I think the Liqui-Zyme works better. We also got the results back from the heartworm test; she has been exposed (she has an antibody level of 7 - out of 20 I believe) but doesn't have any antigens, which is good. The lab recommends testing once a year. It is starting to get scary with all these tests; what else does she have wrong with her? But, she is the love of my life and I will do whatever I can for her. Saturday she was feeling a bit better, but I was fighting with my boyfriend and ended up breaking up with him and then on Sunday an ex-b.f. called (whom I had also broken up with well over a year ago), so I was relieved on Monday to come in to work! I think Ninja had a better weekend than I did. It's all for the best, though. I am currently playing phone tag with the neurologist at the vet school to update her about Ninja's re-newed seizure activity and see if she has any suggestions or ideas etc. Ninja had started out on a very small prednisone dosage, but when I tapered her down, she started to seize again and so her current dosage (until she goes a couple of weeks without a seizure) is 5mg twice a day. My vet has used this dosage with no problems on other kitties (she is on her 2nd leukemia kitty at home) and we are watching her very carefully. Ninja was feeling very good this morning and we had lots of luvin' before I left. This leukemia roller-coaster stuff is really tiring!! Barb+Ninja ---------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 17 Jun 1998 18:34:41 +0100 From: "Sonja Lnders" To: Felvtalk Subject: Marilyn, your package is here already! Reply-To: felvtalk@MailingList.net That was quick, crossing the Atlantic ( while the vet is still waiting for the Baypamun from Germany posted 2 days earlier)!! Thank you so much, Marilyn, I am so grateful, I can't tell you how!! I did get to the archives, and I read among other things, that litter-chewing is a sign of anemia - I saw him do this lately, so it is just the thing for him now! Did you one give it extra, or mixed up, do cats like it, or does one have to trick them, in your experience? May great joy be yours! Sonja ---------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 17 Jun 1998 14:58:19 -0400 To: felvtalk@MailingList.net From: Angela Holderby Subject: Re: Benito's visit to the vet Reply-To: felvtalk@MailingList.net SO VERY happy to hear that Benito is doing well. I can just imagine how cute he is following you around being demanding. I just hate to think of how he must have lived before. We are all hoping for a wonderfully negative test result. Either way, he is incredibly fortunate to have adopted you!!!! Angela. (and Poncho & Lefty) ---------------------------------------- From: "Claude Horstmann" To: Subject: tricking cats ? :) Date: Wed, 17 Jun 1998 14:45:06 -0400 Reply-To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Hey Sonja, I'm delighted that the pkg arrived ! Tricking cats ? Surely you jest..... I used to give Selena her meds in home cooked chicken broth.. and at the end, I was using a syringe to deliver the goods. (diluted in the broth) Good luck with the protocols suggested, and always remember, love is the answer. peace & light, ..marilyn. ---------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 17 Jun 1998 20:11:42 +0100 From: "Sonja Lnders" To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Subject: Re: tricking cats ? :) Reply-To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Hey, Marilyn, that was quick again, well, with tricking I did mean hiding the medicine in something, like you suggest! (I once had some English vitamin tablets which my cats loved, they were 'sweeties' to them, but I could not get them any more lately) Yes, I love them alright, every single one of them...... Thanks again, and LOTS of LOVE, Sonja. ---------------------------------------- From: "Claude Horstmann" To: Subject: Nancy Date: Wed, 17 Jun 1998 14:54:58 -0400 Reply-To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Dear Nancy, I feel like the little red caboose running behind the train. I am working night shift, and miss some of the immediacy of responding to the postings on the list. I am so sorry to hear about Jake, you have barely healed form Panther's loss and are in the thick of it again. Does this path have a heart ? Your sense of what is appropriate is guiding you now. Have courage.. peace & light, ..marilyn. --------------------------------------- From: Paula Lazo To: "'felvtalk@MailingList.net'" Subject: RE: tricking cats ? :) Date: Wed, 17 Jun 1998 15:24:33 -0400 Reply-To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Dear Sonja: are you giving your kitty vitamins? You know, once we had to give Mancha (our Felv+ and PIF cat) some vitamins and the vet gave us this tube (sort of a toothpaste tube) with cream vitamins. It had tuna fish flavor (the tube said, I didn't try it :-)) and although Manchita was almost dying she would eat it.=20 I know it might not be the kind of vitamins you need right now, but just in case. Love Paula and Benito ---------------------------------------- From: "Claude Horstmann" To: Subject: Dr Chaudhri-- Nutrical Date: Wed, 17 Jun 1998 15:11:48 -0400 Reply-To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Well, one last posting before I enter the witness-protection program: Our favorite Dr Chaudhri spent an hour with me=20 on the telly.. and I thought we'd like an update=20 on the Nutrical debate: The pkt of info I sent him has been examined by the Research and Development Dept, and they are experimenting with a trial of Nutrical minus the sod. benzoate. These tubes will be test marketed here the big concern regarding the new composition will be the TASTE. European market does NOT use the sod benzoate ingredient as a preservative=20 So, stay tuned. Film at Eleven ? .marilyn. ---------------------------------------- From: GinaTex@aol.com Date: Wed, 17 Jun 1998 17:04:48 EDT To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Subject: Re: Benito's visit to the vet Reply-To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Paula I am glad that Benito's vet visit went well, I would not over worry about the respitory infection sounds like it is under control. He sounds so cute, I feel the best kitttes are the ones that adopt us. Keep us in touch Gina ---------------------------------------- From: GinaTex@aol.com Date: Wed, 17 Jun 1998 17:08:53 EDT To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Subject: Re: Ninja update - kinda long:) Reply-To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Barb I am glad that Ninja is feeling better than she was in the early part of the weekend. I know that Leukemia rollercoaster very well. Did you find out anything yet on her seizures? Hope for a better week ahead Gina and JoAnn ---------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 17 Jun 1998 17:01:59 -0500 (CDT) From: "Nancy A. Schmall" To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Subject: Re: your mail Reply-To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Thank you Paula, Marilyn, Jean, Kat, Sonja, Pam, Linda P., Gina, JoAnn, Larry, Angela, Paul, Kathleen, Kathy G. Barb, Judy & Susan and anyone else I may have overlooked. It is not intentional. I appreciate all your thoughts and prayers, advice and suggestions and I have gleaned something from each of your posts. I was very frustrated last night--hubby has been gone for 2 weeks, and I'm going to summer school which is a challenge in and of itself; the new puppy (25#) is just being a puppy, and Maggie (the older dog) has gotten out of her habit of listening and went after a mama cow and her calf (everyone is okay) . . . and then these problems with Jake became overwhelming (it makes harder when so recently I've lost Panther). Jake wouldn't eat (had hardly eaten all day) and put up a fit when I tried medicating and I have to medicate his eye. Much to my surprise, prior to having a talk with Jake, (after reading several posts, he came into the kitchen and gobbled up dry food 3 times. Later, he had a huge helping of roasted chicken which he refused earlier. Then he went into my bedroom (I'm allowing the kitties in there in Ray's absence) and took a nap on the treadmill on a thick blanket. I went in there and while petting and loving him, I told him that I felt that he was not so bad off that I was willing to give up and let him go. I reminded him that although his platelets were down, his chemistry panel was good--he didn't even show the protein in his blood like he had last October. I told him I had reached a decision (which was flexible). Because I thought he might have awhile left on this earth I was going to continue trying to medicate twice daily. Additionally, because I knew it was stressful for him, I would take my cues from him. Any medication try that became a battle I would let go of. If it got to be a constant battle, no matter how hard it would be (and it would be HARD), I would stop trying. I reassured him that I had enough experience with animals to know when to quit. I also told him that he probably thought I didn't love him because since he became an adult I didn't show him much affection. It wasn't that I didn't love him--I love him very much; but I reminded him that after his kittenhood, he became aloof and independent and didn't want to be treated like a baby. Most of his time was spent outside. I was trying to respect his choice to not be coddled and babied--because I know that is what he wanted. He didn't like to lap-sit or even be petted much unless he initiated it. All the time I was talking and stroking him, he would head-butt and brush up against me. When I was done, he started playing with the treadmill key hanging above him. He then let me medicate him without a struggle. It will be hard for me to let go of a medication attempt, but I am practicing affirmations to that effect. A little struggling I think we both can put up with, but anything more is intruding on his quality of life and I will respect it on a case by case basis until I know it is overwhelming both of us. I truly feel this is the right decision at this time--I don't believe Jake is sick enough for me to stop trying. Again, thank you--ALL of you. You are wonderful people, and I know I would never have made it this far if he hadn't been for your caring and support. I truly feel affection for each and every one of you. Love, Nancy ---------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 17 Jun 1998 22:40:16 +0100 From: "Sonja Lnders" To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Subject: Re: Ninja update - kinda long:) Reply-To: felvtalk@MailingList.net What a weekend for you two girls, I do hope the next one is much better! Re Heartworm: Here in Portugal lots of dogs get it, if they are outside during the night when those mosquitos bite, but it is very,very rare in cats, they say, hardly ever, so they are never tested for it. Is this wrong? All the best, Sonja ---------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 17 Jun 1998 23:01:41 +0100 From: "Sonja Lnders" To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Subject: Re: tricking cats ? :) Reply-To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Dear Paula, Yes, as of now, as Marilyns package arrived to-day. I never thought it necessary, since all mine had a varied diet of IAMS, tinned food, and the occasional treat of steamed fish or chicken. By the way, my Schurli does not have any eating or digestion problems, his troubles seem to be respiratory. Of course, when he was running a temperature he declined food, but I always managed to get him to eat after giving him the soup (i.e. the water the chicken or fish was boiled in) in a syringe first. I wish I could have some more specific testing done, as you all do, but here, in this forsaken corner of Europe (where this is concerned, it is lovely here, otherwise), putting down is the usual answer to a positive test - not that there is much testing or vaccinating done for FeLV, at that! Love and best wishes for you and lucky Benito, Sonja ---------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 17 Jun 1998 23:12:22 +0100 From: "Sonja Lnders" To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Subject: Re: tricking cats ? :) Reply-To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Dear Marilyn, Just to report that I have given Schurli his first dose of vitamins to-night. He was not going to drink it from a dish, so he got it from a syringe, but only grumbled slightly and wolfed down his fish afterwards! His problems seem to be mainly respiratory, I just hope when he comes off the BAYTRIL in order to go on the BAYPAMUN, he will not start a fever again! I must search the archives for someone with a similar case history! Marilyn, may I ask, what you are doing in your nightshift? Sounds like something in TV! Love and thanks again! Sonja ---------------------------------------- From: "Moermond, Barbara" To: "'felvtalk@MailingList.net'" Subject: RE: heartworm Date: Wed, 17 Jun 1998 17:36:37 -0500 Reply-To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Sonja, No, heartworm IS mostly a canine problem. It is rare for cats to get it, but it is possible. The test that my vet had done tested for levels of antibodies and for levels of antigens. The presence of antibodies without the presence of antigens means that the animal has been exposed and has either fought it off or is in that process. Hence, the need for re-testing. My vet told me that the lab just gave her some new figures which I think the list will find interesting: Out of 700 cats tested for heartworm in Wisconsin, only 10% showed the presence of antibodies and only 4 kitties out of the 700 actually had heartworm. I think that is pretty encouraging. One more reason to keep these precious ones indoors. As much as some of them LOVE to be outside. I have plans for a fairly mellow weekend, although I may go salsa dancing as I haven't done that in a while. Take care:) Barb+Ninja ---------------------------------------- From: "Lynn or Josiah Stickels" To: "felvtalk" Subject: Nancy-Jake's eye medicine Date: Wed, 17 Jun 1998 17:12:11 -0700 Reply-To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Nancy, I also have a hard time putting drops in Stinker's eyes. What I have = started doing is soaking a cotton ball with the medicine(liquid?) and = gently wiping his eyes and then (this is the hard part) squeeze as much = as you can into his eye. Then, you gently dry it with another cotton = ball and give him lots of pets! Sometimes after medicating, I will = brush him and all is forgiven. As for the pills, I crush mine up and = put it in with something that tastes good(just a little) and a little = water and put it in an eyedropper. I try and get the uky stuff over = with quickly and then make sure there are other times he just gets lots = of love and no eye droppers. Just a couple of suggestions. I too have = to drag him out from under the bed = sometimes.:)......................Lynn(Stinker) ---------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 17 Jun 1998 20:36:46 +0100 To: felvtalk@MailingList.net From: BILL BEAMISH Subject: Re: Nancy-Jake's eye medicine Reply-To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Lynn, That is really a great idea for the eye medication! I don't know what cat likes to get eye drops! Judy ---------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 17 Jun 1998 20:19:37 -0500 (CDT) From: "Nancy A. Schmall" To: felvtalk Subject: Re: Nancy-Jake's eye medicine Reply-To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Lynn, thank you for the suggestions. I think you hit the nail on the head. You said something about other times, there's just love and no eye droppers. I think I have to approach Jake sometimes (whether he wants it or not) with just a pet or a treat. . . just to let him know I'm not just the person with the medicine. Nice to hear from you, Lynn. I miss your input. Love, Nancy ---------------------------------------- From: "Claude Horstmann" To: Subject: sonja Date: Thu, 18 Jun 1998 00:09:55 -0400 Reply-To: felvtalk@MailingList.net What do I do.... on my night shift... ? I wanted to get real sassy , and say I'm a $1000.00 a nite Hooker..=20 If that were true I could have retired by now.. truth is, I'm a Nurse, Private Duty, 3 nites a week. Nurses don't retire, they expire. ..marilyn.. ---------------------------------------- END