(The persevering with adventures of Charley, the little black cat that Tim despatched me the day after he handed. Read all about her shenanigans right here. -jb)
This week, Charley had her annual checkup at Oakwood Veterinary Hospital. It’s by no means enjoyable for anybody concerned. I begin dreading it weeks beforehand, as a result of in case you recall, she completely hates getting stuffed into her little provider and taking a street journey to the vet’s workplace.
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Last yr, I made a decision to attempt a distinct comfortable provider that zips up, which was a extremely dumb transfer on my half as a result of getting her into the provider and conserving her there whereas zipping up the highest was simply not going to occur. She ended up escaping upstairs to her cat cave below my mattress, and we needed to flip the mattress over to retrieve her. Let’s not do this once more.
This yr, I as soon as once more determined to attempt a distinct provider – will I ever study? This one is a smaller hard-shelled provider that I believed may assist Charley to really feel safer and extra protected. Another dumb transfer. My son Will and I surveyed the smaller prime and determined to not likelihood it. Trying to suit a struggling cat by the opening would possible lead to issues going horribly awry once more. No. Just no.
So, we ended up utilizing the provider that she got here home in from Maura’s home out by the Lighthouse greater than two years in the past. That’s fairly the story.
I feel we’ll simply follow that provider any more! With a bit cat-bed in there, she will be able to snuggle in and make herself tiny and attempt to disappear right into a nook of the provider. All the whereas taking pictures darts at me out of her eyes.
Throughout the yr, Will has been getting her used to being picked up, in order that positively helped. Well, form of. The jig was up as quickly as she found out what was taking place. But we managed to get her into the provider and snap the highest shut earlier than she was in a position to escape and race upstairs.
On the recommendation of her vet, Dr. Mason, one new factor I did this yr was purchase some cat calming pheromone spray and spray a bit into the provider. It’s supposed to assist with anxiousness, and I feel it actually did. She was extraordinarily vocal after we put her into the provider, however by the point I turned off Bluff Road onto Center Road, she settled down and took it just like the courageous woman that she is.
Charley had an excellent appointment, and Dr. Mason mentioned she’s in nice well being. She misplaced a bit weight, clocking in at 8.5 kilos — down three ounces since final yr. But he’s not frightened and mentioned that something below 10 kilos is an effective objective for her. He additionally gave her a Rabies vaccine. I requested if she wanted it since she’s an indoor cat, however apparently, a Rabies vaccine is definitely required yearly. She did effective with it.
I discussed that she’s been throwing up lots these days, so he prompt we attempt her on Royal Canin Dry Cat Food. I’ve tried her on quite a lot of meals these days, together with Purina One Sensitive Tummy meals, with various levels of success (much less throwing up). I’ve one thing like 5 totally different sorts of cat meals for the time being. But we’ll positively attempt the Royal Canin.
A word about crops … to assist determine why she’s throwing up, I made certain all my houseplants had been out of attain. Even although all my crops are supposedly non-toxic to cats, Dr. Mason mentioned even the “safe” ones could cause points.
I requested him if cats want some form of plant materials to assist them digest meals (you know the way out of doors cats eat grass on a regular basis), and whether or not wheatgrass could be okay. He mentioned that’d be effective. So as soon as once more, we’re again on the wheatgrass! I discovered natural wheatgrass at Oryana Food Co-op for a pair bucks, and also will attempt to develop some myself.
In reality, I additionally picked up some hippie cat meals known as Lotus from the Co-op that she appears to be doing rather well with (she likes it and hasn’t thrown up these days). Maybe that meals, together with the wheatgrass and conserving the houseplants out of attain is the proper combo of issues to maintain her wholesome.
After we received home, it didn’t take her lengthy to forgive us and get again to the necessary work of inspecting the woodpile.
And, after all, absorbing some warmth.
Read all Charley tales right here.
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A NOTE FROM JANE: I began Old Mission Gazette in 2015 as a result of I felt a calling to supply the Old Mission Peninsula neighborhood with native information. After many years of writing for newspapers and magazines just like the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Family Circle and Ladies’ Home Journal, I actually simply wished to write down about my very own neighborhood the place I grew up on a cherry farm and raised my family. So I began my very own newspaper. Because the Gazette is especially reader-supported, I hope you may contemplate tossing a couple of bucks my means if I point out your occasion, your business, your organization or your information merchandise, or in case you merely love studying about what’s taking place on the OMP. Check out the donation web page right here. Thank you a lot in your help. -jb
