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Animal companions in our happy homes

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  • That's what spats are for.
  • cgichard wrote: »
    That's what spats are for.
    Oh how I’ve wished for the bramble-bashers (gaiters) I used to wear when orienteering. However, yesterday evening and this morning have passed without a claw being used so maybe we are over that phase. Yesterday evening she curled up on my lap just like a cat should.
  • BoogieBoogie Heaven Host
    Puppies attack ankles with their needle-sharp teeth (they are playing). I have a pair of ‘house wellies’ for when my pups are going through that stage. :)
  • So today was spent trying to make a doctors appointment but ending up in the Urgent Treatment Centre - yesterday evening the new cat (now called Pixie) bit my left hand so hard I can’t use it, and it’s swollen. I was given strong antibiotics. A previous rescued cat had, on his vet notes, “use monkey gauntlets” (they were the vet for a local zoo) for good reason (a vet who ignored it ended up having stitches in his eyebrow) and I have a feeling Pixie will be having this on hers. Anyone know where I can get myself monkey gauntlets?
  • Oh sorry to hear that daily dairy, I hope the healing is swift, and Pixie mends her ways. Molly the dog past inspection to move into our new upcoming mobile home park. Lease said small dogs only 10lbs or under. Molly I said is 19 although I am guessing now it is more like 22. Still a small dog they said so okay to buy the mobile home. No dog no deal on our part. The 10 lb limit seems a bit silly if you ask me.
  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    When we lived in a mobile park, we were told no large dogs (not that it mattered to us) - it's obviously something they like to insist on.
  • BoogieBoogie Heaven Host
    I took my large dog for a walk today - pouring down! He’s a Golden retriever so his coat is not waterproof like my Lab’s is. So I put him in a rather fetching raincoat.

    It’s my weekly Pilates zoom this morning, about ten of us attend and it’s excellent. My physio recently told me my joints are hyper mobile, so when my Pilates teacher says ‘reach as far as is comfortable’ she adds ‘not Boogie, you reach 50% as far as you can’. :mrgreen:

  • HuiaHuia Shipmate
    Hey Boogie, Spencer got mentioned in The Guardian on Saturday as a COVID sniffer dog in training. Well done Spencer.🐾💜
  • BoogieBoogie Heaven Host
    Huia wrote: »
    Hey Boogie, Spencer got mentioned in The Guardian on Saturday as a COVID sniffer dog in training. Well done Spencer.🐾💜

    Not my Spencer. He’s a working Guide Dog. There are several Spencers as M&S sponsor at least one pup a year.

    🙂

  • caroline444caroline444 Shipmate
    edited December 2020
    I'm sorry, I tried to post a photograph here, but I don't think they are permitted.
  • caroline444caroline444 Shipmate
    edited December 2020
    In recent years I've had three wonderful kitty companions, but they are all now waiting by the rainbow bridge.

    I hope it's okay, but I can't resist posting a link to someone else's animal companion. He's my Christmas card for this year, and I'm smitten.....

    https://imgur.com/TZ6cPlc
  • HuiaHuia Shipmate
    And here was me thinking I knew a famous dog. Still the Spencer in the article sounds like he will be able to to serve in a different way,

  • Pixie gets a gold star for behaving impeccably on her first visit with me to the v.e.t. for the 2nd of her vaccinations (rather amusingly we parked at the centre where the covid vaccinations are being done!). Now we are home she has been extra demanding of fuss - I wonder if she’s realised that she did come home rather than to yet another temporary place.
    As she informed me yesterday that she prefers to drink running water she has an early Christmas present of a water fountain.
  • HuiaHuia Shipmate
    I was thinking of one of those for Aroha, but at this late stage it will have to be a New Year's gift.

    Since getting new hearing aids I have discovered that when Aroha comes in from outside she gives a little greeting trill announcing her arrival.
  • Clever Aroha! My Luther would shake so his bell would ring.
  • Something is wrong with Elizabeth's front right leg / paw.

    For the past 24 hours when she's lying down, or sitting cleaning herself, her front leg is quivering / jerking. She's walking and jumping up and down normally and doesn't seem to be distressed.

    Our plan is to try to get a clip of her leg doing this on our phones and take her to the vet tomorrow. As she doesn't seem to be in any pain or distress, it doesn't seem to be an emergency. If, when we take her to the vet, she's standing on the examination table, there won't be any of the odd movements to examine, which is why I think we need to film it.

    Does that seem a reasonable plan? What could it be?
  • What a good idea to video Elizabeth, @Priscilla . If only cats could tell us where it hurts.
  • @North East Quine is your vet allowing you in with your animal? You might find that it is simply a video consultation, so then your filming will be very useful.
  • I don't know what the current rules are. We weren't allowed in during the March lockdown, but I have been in with her since. I tried to make a appointment online, but the system was down. I'm going to try again tomorrow.

    The leg / paw isn't tender - she's happy to let us feel it, but she's still got this odd quiver.
  • It's a good idea.

    Try not to worry too much? I know that I've had eyelid shivers for hours on end, and it was simply a nerve that had gotten pissy with me.
  • @North East Quine how is Elizabeth?

    Today Pixie ventured through the catflap into the back garden where she encountered one of the neighbouring cats (very laid back) and a blackbird. She’s now recovering from the expedition in the safety of her “nest” on my bed.
  • It seems to be settling down of its own accord. We haven't managed to film it yet and though there's a still an occasional quiver, it's not as marked.
    Elizabeth herself seems oblivious to it - she's walking, running, jumping, eating etc as normal.
  • Good.

    I'm sorry to report that my parents' dog died yesterday. We had so much fun with her over the years.
  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    Aaah - sorry to hear that. :cry:
  • So sorry Lamb Chopped. They are indeed part of our family of the heart.
  • Yes. And since my mother intends/expects to die next, there will be no others... I think this is a mistake, but no one's asking me.
  • HuiaHuia Shipmate
    I did wonder about getting another cat when Georgie-Porgy Fat'n'Fluffy died, because it might outlive me, but there was a huge cat-shaped hole in my life - besides which who else would I blame when things went missing?😸
  • How sad @Lamb Chopped - in time maybe your mother will realise there is a dog shaped gap that needs filling
  • I do hope so. Even if she's right (and she tends to forecast death 30 years in advance), my stepfather will almost certainly need a four-legged presence in the house for a long time to come.
  • We are of that age, and so went for an older rescue cat who was a dear sweet thing and lived with us for 5 years before dying. Next we got a 4 year old dog with the promise of our son to take her if we outlive her life span. The good thing is my son and the dog already really like each other and he dog sits for us from time to time. So Lamb Chopped I hope your mother will be encouraged to rescue an older pet.
  • Another landmark today - Pixie put up a brave fight as I successfully administered her first worming tablet.
  • Oh dear!
  • HuiaHuia Shipmate
    Well done daisy daisy. I admit to using the gel as I'm fond of my fingers.
  • Indeed. I am all for the drops on the back of the neck!
  • Cathscats wrote: »
    Indeed. I am all for the drops on the back of the neck!
    The tapeworm tablet is in addition to the drops on the neck - thankfully the tablet is only once every 3 months, unlike the monthly drops.
    @Huia I’ve not come across the gel, but I have gizmo to help.
  • MooMoo Kerygmania Host
    We used to have a terrible time giving our dog pills. Then one day we accidentally dropped the bottle and a few pills landed on the floor. We quickly reached to pick them up. The dog, seeing us rush and realizing we didn't want her to have them, rushed to wolf them down. Fortunately we beat her to it. From then on when we had to give her a pill, we called her attention to the fact that we were holding a pill bottle, then dropped a pill and tried to grab it. She always neat us to it.
  • @Moo that sounds like a plan. Pixie is a thief - I've had to tidy small things away otherwise she takes them away and hides them. I will try this with her next tablet - as long as she swallows it.
  • We are currently having to syringe two lots of medicine into one cat twice a day, and continue putting a pill into another cat once a day. Millie (2x a day) is now highly suspicious every time we go near her, but if we can grab her is relatively calm. Pomme (1x a day) accepts the pill (with not much grace) if it's crushed into butter and smeared on her gums.
  • Jane RJane R Shipmate
    Minnie "the Minx" will eat any number of pills, provided they have been wrapped in cheese...
  • Our cat of fond memory, loved Greenie brand pill pockets. Worth the cost for no drama.
  • I took Elizabeth to the vet today, to have her leg checked out. I'd hesitated to take her because the nearest branch of our vet's practice shut for the lockdown last week, and Elizabeth finds the car journey to the main branch very distressing.

    However the tremor was persisting, so off we went today. Elizabeth excelled herself by twisting round 180 degrees in her cat carrier to pee through the mesh door onto our car upholstery.

    The vet has declared herself baffled. She got three of her colleagues to take a look and they were equally baffled. There's a definite quiver, but Elizabeth is happy to have her leg and paw handled, so there's no discomfort or tenderness. She's jumping up and down, batting her favourite jingly ball around, and walking, running and zoomying around as per normal.

    We've been told to get back in touch if it gets noticeably worse, or if it starts to bother Elizabeth.

    Meanwhile Elizabeth is making it very clear that she will not quickly forgive us for the trip in the car. She is walking up to us for the express purpose of turning and stalking away again.
  • What a character Elizabeth has!
  • @North East Quine so that ‘s told You! Some attitude that....
  • I bumped into someone who volunteers for the local food bank on my walk this morning. She asked if I could start adding dog food to my food bank donations. Apparently they are desperately short, but if they add "dog food" to their list of "most wanted items", they get complaints from randoms that this is not what the food bank should be for. To avoid hassle, this is a "word of mouth" request.

    I can imagine how desperate I would feel if I couldn't afford to feed Lizzie the cat, so I'm happy to donate dog food. I thought other shipmates might appreciate this tip-off.
  • Ethne AlbaEthne Alba Shipmate
    edited January 2021
    Yesterday was a day for changing our rooms around and along the way all available work surfaces n tables were full of books.
    So having made cakes there was nowhere to cool them.

    Used the settee to put the cooking rack on, then promptly burst into tears.

    This is the first time since oh, 1982/3 ? that putting Cakes on a Settee has been a sensible idea
    🙁


    Wondering how long we will hold out before getting another dog or cat?

    Dog would have eaten the cakes, cat would have Sat on them😅
  • Our cat growing up had a liking for sponge cake, so she had a nibble given half a chance!
  • Ummmm!

    Our ( dear departed) dog once ate a whole batch of cooling chocolate muffins......
  • Jane RJane R Shipmate
    Minnie has just been having her claws ground down (safer than using clippers on a black dog). Problem is, one of her dew claws is really long and sharp and will need to be clipped, because she gets really stressed when we touch it...

    Having a lunch break while I screw my courage to the sticking point. 😟
  • Thank I am going to have to contact the vet tomorrow. Domino the cat got in a fight a week ago and a cut above her eye is now swollen and oozing. I have put The Collar of Shame on her (and she really can’t believe that she won’t get away from it by walking backwards, which would be funny if it wasn’t pitiful) but I think she will need antibiotics. 😕
  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    Poor pussycat. :cry:
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