Flea Collar Day

 TBT:  I've had some Seresto 8 month flea/tick collars for a couple months.  

Today I decided to stop putting it off and put them on The Mews.  Let's just say it did not go well.

Loki was nearest, so I picked him up and set him on the table.  He doesn't mind being picked up.  Putting something around his neck was a new experience he didn't like so much.  Still, I got the collar on him.  And I leave collars a bit loose.  None in the past have pulled them off.  He shook his head a few times and then pretty much ignored it.

Lori was next.  While she growled about the collar, she didn't fight much.  And then she ignored it, too.

I thought I was on a roll...  But Marley has a 7th sense about when I want to pick him up sometimes for something he doesn't want.  He just kept walking away out of reach.  OK, I'll put his collar on tomorrow or whenever he isn't feeling too suspicious.

Which left Binq.  Now, Binq is a very friendly cat.  She follows me around into some rooms but not others (for some reason, she won't enter the bedroom).  Where she wants to engage with me, she is very aggressive about wanting my attention and stroking.  On the cat platform in The Mew's Room, she pushes into my hand.  In the computer room, she runs in to walk along the table and asks for attention.  She is very friendly!

But that's at her choice.  If I try to pick her up, she goes entirely nuts!  I mean totally, crazed, tasmanian devil "nuts".  I mean "grab a wolverine and kick it" a few times "nuts".  I don't try often...

But I wanted her to have the flea/tick collar.  Guess how well that worked?  Quick clue: "horribly".  

First, I tried to pick her up (knowing she would hate that).  I should have worn heavy leather gloves. but I wouldn't have been able to thread the collar through the  holders.  But while I still had her, I knelt down and tried to hold her between my legs.  Yeah right...

As tight as I held my feet and legs together, she fought (screeching and clawing) and pushed her way back out between them.  And I was left kneeling in a pool of "angry pee".  And she peed on the kitchen floor too.  She is great in many ways, but she just won't allow being picked up.  

I may have to bring her to the Vet for assistance on the collar.  I can get her into the open-top carrier if I do it in one fast movement with it right next to her.  😓

Marley will be more amenable later.  I just have to catch him when he suspects nothing.

I want The Mews to all have the good flea/tick collars now that they are all going outside.  An hour at a time a couple times a day with me with them, but they still need the protection.  There are squirrels, and sometimes skunks, possums, and groundhogs.  And lots of mice.  All can carry fleas/ticks.

Flashback Friday

This week in 2011, Ayla was wearing an inflatable collar.  She had some sort of abdominal infection so I brought her to the Vet.  He was good!  It turned out Ayla had spay remnants left inside her by the breeder's Vet!  TWICE!

My Vet found the problem and operated immediately to remove the infected remnants.  She still had half her uterus and a whole ovary.  No wonder she kept going into heat every few weeks for 2 years!

 She was much happier after the operation by my Vet.  And the inflatable (small dog) collar was so much easier on her!

There was still some trouble.  The sutures leaked a bit and her tummy was pink from fluids.  I panicked and brought her to an emergency hospital that night.  It turned out not to be necessary but I'd rather do too much than too little...

Not to get too far into the details again, but my Vet cautiously told me the remnants were "obvious" and he couldn't imagine a Vet missing them once, never mind twice.  

Based on that (and photographs of the remnants) I wrote to the original (aged) Vet and demanded financial recompence.  He paid it at once with apologies and retired immediately.

So I suppose some good came out of all that.  Ayla was cured and a Vet past his abilities stopped.

But the main thing is that Ayla stopped going into heat finally!  So this is a week to celebrate Ayla's freedom (and my great relief from the "every 3 weeks").

Easy Like Sunday - Not!

TBT:  We all know what trying to get a cat to take a pill is like.  So, when I was sent this graphic, I just had to pass it along...  I don't know who created it.

 

Caturday Saturday

We sometimes have problems getting comments to publish.  So we started copying each one before trying ta post in case it dint get through and sending it to Notes (with Dad's help of course - we have our limits).   We are sure the problem is here with us, not our friends blogs.  It isn't always the same ones.  And it isn't always whether it is a blogspot, wordpress, or owned site.  It baffles us and Dad...

So we are trying something new.  Here is a list of the blogs and the comments we wanted to send to but failed.  Partly so you all know we tried, and partly because we can't stand it when our clever or sympathetic comments don't reach our dear friends.

A few showed up hours later an we deleted the from the list below...  We are never sure.  So "just in case"...

Ducky - That was a great-lookin meal!  We trust she cut out a bit of the steak center for you (rawer).  That shrimp looked a bit spicy.  TBT usually cuts off a small portion of his meat (UNSPICED) and cooks that separately for us.  It is nice ta be able ta eat some of the good meats we can smell.  He says "We are all housemates here and housemates share".

In return, sometimes we bring him a mousie.  Granted, he likes ta go eat it privately on the front steps where we can't see, but he always comes back inside licking his lips, so we know we are contributing…

Lone Star Cats - We see you are all wearing red in anticipation of National Wear Red Day!  Good planning...  Good planning for Valentine's Day too.

Ramblingon - Carbs are GOOD (when they are fresh veggies and fruits).  I go easy on the starchy ones like pasta and potatoes though.  Not enough nutrients (though I have read that the main problem with potatoes is that people want to drown them in butter or gravy), LOL!

I make a dish with cubed beef, peppers and potatoes and the only add-on it gets is pan-juice (a little splash of dry sherry to de-glaze the skillet).

I make bread in a bread machine (easy-peasy).  But I use beer instead of water and add a lot on crushed onion and garlic, and a heaping tablespoon of oregano or Italian Seasoning mix.  Really deepens the flavor.  Friends and family (and the neighbor who helped while I was injured) all love it!

Rose - First encounters with snow can be weerd!  Laz had his fist couple days ago.  He had SEEN it before at his 2 previous homes (we assume) but had never been out in it.

He was NOT thrilled!  He kept shaking is paws when walking on it.  And when a paw finally sank in, he was done with it. We (Marley and Ayla) were WAITING for that.  MOL!

Zoolatry - Tails are wunnerful fer pictorial modesty.  And we love to sit on the computer keyboard and newspaper ta get attention focussed on US.  Where it should be!

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We and Dad hope to figure it all out when he feels better (and he is getting there).  HE says it is probbly "32/64 bit apps conflicts" (whatever THAT is - and don't ask US).  But we dont want some of our friends ta thing we are ignorin them!