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I love everything about cats, but I have a special weakness for their whiskers. Besides helping them navigate in the dark and determine whether they can fit in small spaces, whiskers also express moods and feelings. When a cat’s whiskers are loose by the side of his face, it means the cat is content. When the whiskers suddenly bunch up backward and lie flat on the face, it means something happened to annoy or scare the cat. I’ve read that cats whose whiskers are damaged have trouble with balance and are often disoriented. They are such complex creatures with so much to tell us. (Although I understand “feline,” I’m still working to improve my “bunny.”)
Howard and I pay close attention to our cats’ body language. This is so important, as it’s the only way they can let us know something is causing discomfort or making them upset. The other day, for example, Walter was rubbing his little ear a lot and then I noticed he was doing it more and more throughout the day. He sprayed the curtains soon after and I then absolutely knew something was going on. I cleaned his ear with the solution my vet gave me a while ago. The next day he was like a new little man. No discomfort, no spraying, no rubbing.
Sometimes what cats are trying to tell us is so important. Whenever our kitties have been sick, they’ve let us know, and this includes our precious Poopy Pebble. The first sign was a change in her appetite. She lost so much weight, even though she was ravenous and ate like there was no tomorrow. Tests and bloodwork…ultrasounds and more bloodwork. My specialists suspected lymphoma. Then we learned she has Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) as well as Pancreatic Enzyme Deficiency. She is currently getting B12 injections weekly, daily pred, pancreatic enzyme pills before each of her six small meals a day, anti-nausea pills, and a strict pure protein diet, which is hard to manage when there are six other resident cats. She is so high maintenance but it’s wonderful that she’s feeling better. She’s back to her sassy self!
I’m grateful that Pebble is with us and we’re able to take care of her now…when she needs us so much. So many are not as lucky.
And that’s why we all have to make 2024 the best year ever for homeless pets. I read about a shelter in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, (my home state!) that was celebrating Christmas by being nearly empty for the first time in 47 years! (One cat remained, who then found a home too.) That was such a wonderful thing to see. However… it didn’t take long for the shelter to start filling up again.
Sadly, 2023 was a tough year for shelters. A nonprofit organization called Shelter Animals Count, which collects and analyzes data from shelters across the country, says that shelters are facing a crisis, with many more animals coming in than getting adopted. These numbers have gotten worse during the past couple of years, some of it due to the pandemic and the economy. I know from experience that this is true. At the moment, I’m getting two three-year-old British Shorthairs who were adopted during the pandemic by a man who now is back to his busy life and no longer needs the companionship. Really? Oh, boy!
Pets like these compete for homes with so many others, including all my adult and kitten fosters like Ruben whose little face speaks for itself. Ruben is one of seven kittens born to Mama Ruby in November. Since then, he’s taken my IG by storm. There’s always that “one” in a litter, and he seems to have captured the hearts of all my IG friends! He truly is one-of-a-kind adorable.
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