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Dorset, EnglandOccupation:
Retired Insurance ManagerAge:
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March 17, 2006Answers:
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about
I've been away for a while due to a serious illness and subsequent health issues. Favourite quotes of the moment:
The children of Israel wandered the desert for 40 years - Even in biblical times men wouldn't ask for directions!
Humankind has not woven the web of life. We are but one thread within it. whatever we do to the thread, we do to ourselves. All things are bound together. All things connect. - Chief Seattle.
We spend the first 12 months of a child's life teaching them to walk and talk. We spend the next 12 years telling them to sit down and shut up!
As you slide down the bannisters of life, may the splinters never be pointing the wrong way.
May you be in Heaven half an hour before the devil knows you're dead.
I've been very happily married since August 1980 to a wonderful man and have beautiful twin girls, now aged 31. Both are married to wonderful young men and one of our girls has recently made us grandparents to a beautiful, smart and feisty granddaughter. I studied geology with the Open University. I am retired from being a manager in a large UK based insurance company which I actually quite enjoyed. (How sad is that?). I love anything to do with the environment and wildlife and try to do my bit for preservation and conservation. I would like there to be a decent world for our grandchildren to inherit. I also have CFS so find life a bit of a challenge at times but always hope for better health in the future.
I have a deep interest in the spiritual and the paranormal worlds, having experienced several incidents myself, and have been involved in meditation groups and groups that (safely) explore the paranormal. There is more to this life than we would normally credit, so an open mind is always the best option. You're not so likely to get caught by surprise!
I have a deep fascination for anything to do with Ancient Egypt, as you can probably tell by my name. I have statues and paintings all around the house. As my hubby has a similar interest in Native Americans, we tend to have a lot of unusual wall decorations, like a tomahawk.
I love cars, especially vintage ones, but my all time favourite has to be the Bugatti Chiron, what a car!
I have had a lot to do with animals over the years. I have fostered many, helped to set up a wildlife charitable hospital and raised a diverse range of young animals from bats to fox cubs and different species of birds, even a baby deer! I have had great pleasure in sharing my life and home with a number of animals over the years, most of them rescues. I am currently sponsoring an Amur Tiger, they are such beautiful cats and desperately need help, there are so few of them left. I was lucky enough a couple of years ago to meet some Aye-Aye's and Livingstone's Bats, a truly wonderful experience. We now have three cats, Oliver and Mollie, a brother and sister, he's a ginger and she's a tortoiseshell and a black and white called Daisy. She arrived in a taxi and was left on our doorstep in a cat carrier with the message that 'they knew we loved cats and would be good to her'. She has settled down well and gets on wonderfully with the other two.
If you have a pet that is showing ANY signs of illness or distress, please, please, please take it to a vet! Even if finance is an issue, work that out later. It is cruel to leave an animal suffering for any reason. Most animals do not show signs of illness until they have been ill for some time, basic instinct tells them it is a display of vulnerability, and certain death in the wild. Their instincts have not caught up with domesticity.
I do feel that we should all treat others as we would wish to be treated. Bad karma comes back to haunt us.
advice
Does he look thinner around his haunches than he used to?
***NO, HE HAS ACTUALLY GAINED WEIGHT, LOL :)
How much water is he drinking?
***ABOUT 1 CUP TO 2 CUPS DAILY
How much milk, what type of milk and for long has he been drinking it?
***WE GIVE HIM WHOLE MILK ON OCCASION SINCE WE GOT HIM (WE'VE HAD HIM SINCE HE WAS ABOUT 7 WKS.)
Check his coat, does it look odd? Clumpy, 'starry', etc.
***NO-BUT HE DOESN'T GROOM AS MUCH AS HE USED TO.
Is he eating as normal?
***HE EATS WAY MORE THAN HE USED TO.
Do you have him on a senior diet?
***NO.
I don't know if this has anything to do with it, but about 1 yr ago, we got a dog. They are completely separated most of the time. We've never had a dog with him [my cat]. My cat is petrified of the dog! IE: He won't go outside (that's where the dog is usually), he'll growl at the dog, etc.
Thank you!!
Thank you. Ok, first you need to get him onto a senior diet, there is too much protein and phosphate in adult cat food for a cat over seven years. You should also cut out the full milk, it's actually not good for any age, but it's worse for the senior citizens, and they don't get enough nutrients from it. If you have to give him milk as an occasional treat, stick to cat milk. You'll be doing his kidneys a favour by following this. If he is eating dry food, he would drink more water to compensate. However, if he is on a wet food diet, that does seem like quite a lot of water. (Understand that I am from the UK and we have different measurements over here).
So onto the symptoms. He is showing some signs of hypothyroidism but cats with this tend to over groom, but the rest fits, although it is rare for cats to get this.
He only seems to have a couple of kidney problems symptoms.
He could be depressed due to the dog, he also has some of these symptoms. Are you giving him lots of extra affection? If his freedom has been compromised by the dog this could have an effect on his health and well-being. Living in fear is not good for anyone. If it is the dog, you will need to sort this problem out.
I would have to say that if you are ever in any doubt about the condition of an animal it is always better to get it checked over by a vet. Animals tend to hide illness until they're quite bad. Their primeval instincts are to hide any weakness as it shows vulnerability, leading to them being attacked by a bigger animal.
Good luck
(Rating: 5) Thank you