Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

There was no good reason for me to end up a cat person either -- I grew up with a dog and there are no cat people in my family. They sort of grow on you.

Has anyone read "The Price" by Neil Gaiman? Black cats are lucky.

-- Erika
Fuzzbutt Bears

My guess is that your poor kitten has a fever-coat -- a color change from being sick or stressed. If he was a smoke you can usually tell by lighter circles around the eyes (smoke is lighter roots, fever coat is ligher tips or general fading). But then, smokes are famous for taking a long time to manifest their real color.

Anyway, his normal coat will grow once he's got a good diet and he's got the parasites cleared out.

Congratulations on your new addition! "You will always be lucky if you know how to make friends with strange cats".

-- Erika
Fuzzbutt Bears

Poor Golly. What a rough thing to be going through! Best wishes and prayers for all of you!

I don't know if it would help or not, but one of my favorite rescue groups (harlequin haven great dane rescue at www.hhdane.com) has some danes with seizures. Not the same breed but they are also large dogs, maybe the folks there would be able to answer questions (the non-vet kind) if you have any.

Also, you might want to consider getting involved in the mastiff epilepsy DNA study. Canine genecists are trying to identify the gene that causes epilepsy in mastiffs http://cgap.ucdavis.edu/Epilepsy.htm and are looking for samples from dogs with the disease. The research might provide a test that will help identify epilepsy more easily in future dogs, or even allow the gene to be removed by assuring that breeding dogs don't carry the gene.

Good luck with your furry kid,
Erika

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Great to hear your pup is going to be okay. Best wishes for a smooth and speedy recovery!

-- Erika
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We're all praying for you and your kids (furry and un-furry) to pull through this. Hang in there.

--Erika
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I'm lucky my kitties (otherwise known as the quality control team) aren't motivated enough to break into my supply closet, although I did need to find a sewing box with a good lock. I have negotiated a treaty -- they are allowed to play with the scraps so long as they leave my pieces alone. Keeping them away from needles, pins and threads is harder -- basically everything is either in my hand or in the ziploc bag and I've taught them not to touch the ziploc bag. 

Of course, I'm also probably the only one who's ever made cat toys out of scrap mohair. Spoiled kitties? Maybe.   

-- Erika
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Oh, she's gorgoeous! She has an adorable expression. Thanks so much!

-- Erika
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Congrats on the new addition, he's gorgeous!

I can probably answer your Maine coon questions, I live with four coonies and showed Maine coons for a while. Unfortunately, Xander turned out to be too smart for showing and figured out that hissing at judges got him home faster than cuddling with judges. Ripley got her Grand Premiership in CFA though.

It's hard to tell from pictures though whether a kitty is a coon or coon mix or not, especially since at about a year old they tend to go through a gangly teenager stage. Your boy seems to be going through his gangly stage so he isn't showing off the heft and mass that coons are known for -- although it looks like he's got some good bones to start with :). Coons can take as long as three years to mature.

He's got a nice coon face though: square muzzle and great ear placement. No coat right now but you said he's been living outside in the summer so that makes sense. Indoors or over the winter he should develop a thick, silky, double coat. I can't tell from the pictures if he has the fabulous ear tufts (it's really hard to get those to show up in pictures) or fluffs between his toes -- those shouldn't disappear over the summer.

I would guess that you have a coon-mix if not a full-blood coon. Watch for the absurdly wide vocabulary, I think that's the biggest giveaway. Coons don't just meow, they growl, squweak, chirp, warble, mumble, sing etc, etc.

Oh, one word of warning -- I don't know about normal polys but coonie polys learn how to use those thumbs.

-- Erika
Fuzzbut bears

Maybe it would help if you didn't try to decorate thinking of large spaces but instead worked one-shelf or one arrangement at a time. Just about anything looks good on a shelf if it's the only thing there -- if you watch enough home-and-garden TV you notice that. Unfortunately, I'm a clutter fanatic so that Zen "two orchids and a rock" look is out except for the first few days of unpacking.

Don't try to unpack the whole house at once -- you won't be able to tell if you are making progress. Just try to clean out the boxes in one room at a time - even if that means marking the boxes for later and moving them into a closet.

Remember, Step One in moving isn't "Unpack all the Boxes", it's "Make the Place Liveable".

-- Erika
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(I've moved every 2-5 years since birth. I've gotten pretty good at packing and unpacking, but the rest of the experience still sucks. It's been 6 years in Columbus (3 apartments, 1 house) and I still haven't found a hairdresser.)

. . . tried something I didn't think I could do.

I read an article that said the difference between average and great is that the people who acheive greatness are always pushing the limits of what they can do. So, new fabrics, new colors, new techniques . . . the downside is that I spend a lot of time very frustrated but how else would I know I was challenging myself?

-- Erika
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I'm so sorry Shantell. The kittens were loved while they were alive and that's the best us humans can offer sometimes. 

-- Erika
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My signifigant other is off enjoying his boys-night-out so it's quiet here except for the usual rumble of fish tank filters. I'm trying to decided whether I should give into the fact that it's the day before grocery day (and so the fridge and pantry are mostly barren) and order a pizza, or maybe I should try to pull together the few ingredients left into something food-like. So far I've found un-expired mozzerella cheese, flour and frozen ground beef. Also pasta and cheerios.

There is a very annoyed hummingbird outside the kitchen window reminding me that I haven't refilled the hummingbird feeder. Maybe I should take care of that before I figure out my own dinner.

-- Erika Fawcett
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Anyone want a papier-mache dragon? :)

-- Erika
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Lucius is the summer swap bear I've made for Birgitte of Pijangibears. He's mostly mohair with hand-dyed & painted silk accents. He has painted glass eyes, a lightly waxed nose and an acrylic thread collar.

I didn't do the dying of the silk myself, I found it at a local art show. The gentleman selling it in the form of vests and ties was willing to sell me his scraps quite inexpensively. I spent half the show trying to work up my courage to ask, but it was definitely worth it!

Somehow Lucius seems to have a very suspicous expression, at least it seems that way to me. Maybe he's destined to be the grouchy watchdog of Birgitte's collection -- or perhaps he's just annoyed that I took half the summer to finish all his details!

-- Erika Fawcett
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PS. My apologies for the quality of the pictures, somehow the "new camera" fund always ends up being spent on mohair . . .

Hmm. Remember that humans share 60% of our DNA with the banana (not as much as the 75% we share with the pumpkin though).

Just food for thought.

-- Erika
Fuzzbutt Bears

Oh, forgot something! If you go to see a massage therapist or chiropractor make sure it's one who has experience with migraneurs. Apparently some of the therapies that work on non-migraneurs will trigger migranes in us unfortunates. Make sure you do the research!

-- Erika

I started getting migranes in second grade, when I was seven years old. Until two years ago I'd have one or two migranes a year, then for some unknown reason they started picking up and now I get them once or twice a week. So I've got lots of migrane information, *sigh*.

For migranes you need two types of medications, one preventative to reduce the frequency of the migranes and one acute to take when the migrane is just starting. Once a migrane starts there isn't much that really helps (as you've probably found) even the hefty pain-killers that the hospitals give you only really make you not care that you are in pain rather than take the pain away.

As an aside, I've been to the emergency room a few times when the migranes got out of control. If it's been more than 24 hours, the symptoms are different than your usual headache, or you are having memory problems/dizziness/vision problems/heart problems etc get yourself to the hospital.

The preventative medications are the important ones, they are basically anti-depressants, anti-convulsants or beta-blockers. The last one I was on was Nortriptyline, and now I'm on Topamax (which is an anti-seizure medication) but I don't remember any of the others I've tried.

The acute medications are the ones that get all the press coverage, when there are TV commercials that's the ones they are advertising. Imitrex is the big one, it comes in a pill, nasal and injectable form. Obviously if your nausea gets really bad when a migrane starts then a pill isn't going to help much. I've tried all three and Imitrex doesn't work for me but I know it works for lots of people. Migranal worked for me for about six months but then stopped working. Other options are Zomig, Amerge, Maxalt, Relpax, and Frova. There are probably more out there, nothing works on all patients and lots of the drugs sort of "wear off" after a while. It's a big market.

The biggest migrane triggers for me are missing sleep or meals. Combine either of those with a bit of second-hand smoke or somebody wearing too much perfume and I'm stunk in a dark room for two days.

Another thing to watch is weather. Heavy humidity and storm fronts are big nasties. Not that there is much that one can do about the weather, but if you know a storm is coming you can make sure to avoid any other triggers (make sure you get to bed early, have an extra snack handy etc).

Stress, of course, the most famous trigger. I think mostly because it's usually accompanied by lots of missed sleep, missed meals, and possibly lots of the other possible triggers -- alcohol, caffeine, sugar binges . . . Basically, don't miss the sleep or the meals and de-stress as much as you can (legally!).

Personally I think food allergies are overhyped as migrane triggers. A lot of the research pushing allergies as triggers has some unlikely demands (like it takes six months to a year before you see results) and my own neurologist didn't support it. Wheat allergies are REALLY rare.

There are health supplements that are supposed to help with migranes that I haven't tried (I was worried about side effects with the other stuff I'm on). If you can't get ahold of perscription stuff these might be worth trying even though there isn't a clinical background:
B2 / Roboflavin 400mg per day
Magnesium 360 per day
(look for "Migrelief" from "PR Osteo" in Westlake Village CA, it contains the above two in one pill)
Coenzyme Q10 300mg per day
Petasites hybridus root (Butterbur) 75 mg 2 times per day (there are liver concerns)

Other stuff to know: No alcohol (it dehydrates you), no smoking, and no caffeine. Migrane medications tend to contain caffeine so having it other times dilutes the effect of taking it when you need it. Regular exercise (helps you sleep). Treat depression if you have it. Treat even non-migrane headaches as soon as possible, because mild headaches can become major headaches. I've found that Tylenol makes my migranes worse so I avoid it even for backaches and sore muscles.

Good luck,

-- Erika
Fuzzbutt Bears

I petsat a siamese once, the owners told me "he's really mean, bites everyone, just put food down for him and leave." The meezer was an angel, not big on being petted (probably because of the grabby little girl in the house) but he loved to play. The secret is that cats give you back what you give them -- regardless of breed.

The purebred meezers I've met are very active and very mouthy (the vocal measures of a siamese are distinctive). Meezer crosses tend to be more laid back but just as mouthy, from what I've heard.

-- Erika
Fuzzbutt Bears

PS. If you don't end up keeping him, contact www.siameserescue.org.

Okay, here's my pill-administering-routine-for-the-desperate. I have Maine Coon cats, who at roughly twice the size of average household tabbies laugh off the "tuck under the arm" routine and go *through* the towel they are wrapped in.

Step one: Find comfy denim jeans, or tough canvas pants. Long sleeved shirts help but make sure they aren't too baggy. If your cat is really a biter, leather gloves may be necessary but I've found that I'm better off with the extra sensitivity and a few near (or not near enough) misses. Actually, that not-near misses wasn't the coons -- that was my grumpy Egyptian mau. He's barely got any teeth left and still managed to put a hole in my thumb. Brat.

Step two. Find a well lit, small room with limited kitty hiding spaces. I prefer the bathroom, but closets work well. Put yourself, the cat and the pills in the room. The cat will be suspicious and probably wedge himself behind the toilet. Wait a few minutes for the cat to calm down, take the opportunity to place the pills needed on the counter (you don't want to be opening the bottle while wrangling the cat).

Step three. The tricky part. Remove cat from hiding place. Place cat firmly on the floor near the counter where the pills are. Having all four feet on the ground makes it harder for the cat to turn and scratch but easier for the cat to run so keep hold of the scruff of the neck or a hand under the chest. Sit on the cat. Actually, kneel, such that either leg is on each side of the cat so that you can squeeze the cat between your legs. Don't forget to cross your feet so that he can't back out. Your cat will not be amused by this manuver and will need a few minutes to realize you are serious, but luckily you have both hands free to thwart escape attempts. (I said this was the procedure for the desperate, didn't I?)

Step four. Once your cat has decided that you are insane and he needs to wait it out use one hand to grab the pill and the other hand to open the cats mouth. I suggest lift the top jaw rather than prying the top from bottom, but whatever works best for you. Put the pill as far back as you can in the cats mouth. You will not have much time. Hold the cat's mouth closed around the pill -- VERY IMPORTANT! Putting a slimy, spit out pill in a cat's mouth is much less fun then the original dry pill. Point the cat's nose up and wait for gravity to induce swallowing.

Step five. Feel free to engage in any of the variety of behaviors that are supposed to induce a cat to swallow. I myself prefer the stroke the throat and mutter curses method. I've also heard of startling the cat into swallowing by suddenly blowing into it's face (like the cat isn't pissed enough at this point). Eye droppers of water seem like they might help but most of my cats take the pill giving routine as an opportunity to drool profusely so I'm not sure that would make a difference. Wait until you feel the cat swallow twice. Really.

Step six. Let cat go. He'll probably take three steps, sit down and start grooming. Don't open the door yet. You want to make sure that pill doesn't reappear. This is a good time to start counting your own war wounds, which is why I like to do this in the bathroom -- I can start cleaning up while keeping an eye on the kitty. Usually the pill is spit out in a minute or so. It's also important that your cat not associate getting free from the leg hold with getting immediately free from the room.

Step seven. Nurse your guilt. Trust me, your cat will forgive you before you stop feeling guilty about having to manhandle him. It's okay, cats have been selectively breeding humans for that trait for thousands of years now. :doh:

-- Erika
Fuzzbutt Bears

I'll chime in too, don't worry about acting wonky -- there's never a time when you should have to feel embarassed. For one thing, the surgeon has probably heard alot stranger things -- and probably said alot stranger things from his own sleep deprived days.

Painkillers aren't the only things that will make you say odd things or forget chunks of time -- plain old pain will do it too. I get migrane headaches, and I've lost hours to the things -- I think the human mind just doesn't want to remember pain so it conveniently forgets everything else that happens to be going on at the same time.

Unfortunately, I do remember some of the conversations I've had with doctors and EM techs when the headaches got too bad and I ended up in the emergency room -- these are not shining moments of wit and wisdom. I wish I could forget some of those. . .

-- Erika
Fuzzbutt Bears

I can sympathise with the blue boy being your special baby -- I have two blue kitties (one solid and one tabby). My little boy blue is watching me type, actually. I swear that the dilute coat colors really are softer -- there is a legend that experianced cat show judges can tell the colors of cats blindfolded by feeling the texture of their coats. I mostly can tell my cats apart in the dark by which organs they choose to squash.

I'm also facinated with the calico, tortishell and patched tabby coats though. No one has figured out how the pattern of red and black is determined. It's not entirely genetic -- sisters won't have the same pattern though they may share distinctive freckles or splotches. It's not all environmental because littermates may be vastly different. Calico coats are one of the few really random, magical things in nature.

Hence my ongoing desire to design a patched-tabby teddy bear . . . I just haven't figured out how to manage it without an absurdly complex pattern.  :doh:

-- Erika
Fuzzbutt Bears

Calicos are 99.9% female, but there are a few odd things that will cause a male to be calico -- XXY genes (which are the infertile ones) or two embryos merging (which is generally fertile) are the basic ways. I think there are maybe a dozen male calicos worldwide -- on the Maine Coon mailing list I'm on someone just announced a new male calico kitten (in Germany, I think).

Melanie Jayne: If you have a timid adult cat the best option is to get two kittens. The kittens will tear around with each other rather than just one kitten harrassing a tired adult for playtime. Littermates are a great bet because they will already have a relationship -- both breeders and rescues will generally charge a lower rate for two adoptions at once.

If you're really committed to only one kitten pick a laid back individual or breed (ragdoll or persian not siamese or abbysinian) and make sure you've got lots of interactive toys on hand to wear out the newcomer.

Krista: Looks like you have a tortiseshell kitten too -- the black one with the red smudge will probably show more red as she grows up. Since Mom is a brown tabby, you know that Dad was red or cream so any girl kittens in this litter should have red or cream on them -- at least in theory. Assuming there was only one dad.

If one of those blue kittens develops cream splotches I'm going to be extrodinarily jealous -- dilute torties are breathtaking.

-- Erika
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(I'll stop prattling about cat stuff now. I promise. But if you have any questions just ask.)

Renae, poor you! I hate having to get dressed up too.

For me it's the exact opposite this weekend, all my mail-ordered shrubs arrived this week so I'm spending the weekend planting them (plus mulching and weeding and more weeding). I'm hoping that I can convince my significant other to help me put up the bat house -- the wisteria that's supposed to climb up the bat house pole is already planted and is unhappy at being without support.

-- Erika
Fuzzbutt Bears

The kitten in the first picture looks like it's got a white face that fades into his coat, that could mean it's a cream-silver or red-silver, which are absolutely gorgeous colors. Each hair would be white at the base and red at the tips. The amount of white varies, so he might end up with a pink coat or look like a white cat in with his own personal sunbeam. (I'm jealous, had you noticed?)

This is the website of a friend of mine who breeds Maine Coons, the little boy at the top of the page is a cream silver: http://home.earthlink.net/~coonbitzky/news.htm

-- Erika
Fuzzbutt Bears

Oh, Pet Nanny is good. I'll pass that along. Thanks so much!

-- Erika
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