Pet Wellness Month Roundup

When I was a little girl my dream was to grow up to be a veterinarian. That all changed when I watched Patch, my best friend and companion of the first 14 years of my life die of a brain tumor. I came to the conclusion that I could never deal with sick, dying animals on a daily basis...even if the good moments of making a difference in the lives of people and their beloved pets far outweighed the bad.

Looking back now I wish I'd followed my heart instead of my head. The cats I've loved since Patch have taught me so much, especially Tara. Her two year journey with diabetes and heart disease helped to form such a deep bond between us, and the things I had to do for her, from insulin shots to glucose testing and curves to keeping track of a half dozen meds per day, made me realize I'm much stronger than I originally gave myself credit for.

Sometimes I feel like I've gained enough first hand knowledge through the years to be a vet tech, and anything I (thankfully) haven't experienced personally I enjoy researching in order to write our medical posts. It's a sad fact that cats do not receive the same vet care that dogs do, so that makes it all the more important for us pet bloggers to get helpful information out there to cat parents. We certainly can't take the place of veterinary professionals, but we can help people know what to be on the lookout for and about the importance of regular wellness visits for our fur babies.

In honor of Pet Wellness Month, here's a roundup of some of our favorite health-related posts:

Mudpie's Vaccination Scare...and What We'll Do Differently Next Time Mudpie's most recent wellness exam was anything but routine because it left me with 6 weeks of worry thanks to a lump that popped up at her rabies vaccine site.

D-Mannose & Your Cat's Urinary Tract Health So many cats suffer from urinary tract infections, and Tara had her fair share as a result of feline diabetes. That came to an end once I started adding D-Mannose to her wet food each day!

4 Invaluable Resources for Managing Feline Diabetes When a cat is diagnosed with diabetes there is so much to learn it can feel overwhelming. This post outlines the resources I found most useful while I was caring for Tara.

VitusVet App Provides Peace of Mind Many of us know all too well the stress of being in the emergency room with your pet late at night with no access to their medical records. This app allows you to carry their entire medical history right on your phone. Planning on travelling with your pet over the holidays? Download it today!

New Diagnostic Test Holds Promise for Feline Asthma Patients Just by listening to her lungs and an x-ray to confirm, Mudpie's asthma was diagnosed very easily, but some cats aren't as lucky. A new test similar to a human breathalyzer has the potential to help vets identify and treat asthma in cats earlier - potentially meaning fewer acute asthmatic attacks and improved lung health for cats in the long term.

Time for Your Cat's Wellness Visit? #AskYourVet About Kidney Disease Screening 20 years ago I lost a cat to kidney disease in just 4 short months because the diagnosis came to late. Now there's a test that can screen for chronic kidney disease to help detect this serious disease months to years earlier, when there is still time to do something about it!

One of our greatest responsibilities as pet parents is keeping our cats healthy and happy.

Be observant - visit your vet regularly - and love them to pieces each and every day!

Sunshine On My Shoulders Makes Me Happy #SundaySelfie

A blooper, but this shot made Mommy smile!

We're joining our friends at The Cat On My Head for the Sunday Selfies blog hop!

My Heart #CaturdayArt

Meows from Mudpie!

I created my art again this week using Photo Lab, and it serves a dual purpose. First, as the blog post title states, Mommy often calls me her "heart". (Aww, I love you too, Mommy!) Second, today is my wonderful grandma and grandpa's 45th wedding anniversary, so only a heart will do for this occasion! They both think I'm the cat's meow and I love them to pieces too!

Visit more artsy kitties at Athena's Caturday Art blog hop!

And now our weekly answers (answered by Mommy) for the Friendly Fill-Ins challenge, hosted by 15andmeowing and McGuffy's Reader!

1. Keep calm and rescue cats.

2. Our fall weather this year disappoints me. We've had way too many days that still feel like summer and I'm missing the beauty of a true Vermont autumn.

3. Mudpie is my muse, my love, my best friend.

4. In retrospect, I wish I had entered the veterinary field. (More on that Monday.)

Fun Feline Finds: Kitty Karma Books

Cat tales fund shelters for abandoned, unwanted felines in need

A guest blog by Wai-Lin Terry, Founder & Publisher, Kitty Karma Books

Why should dogs feel all the love? That’s what I asked myself before epiphany struck.

I have seen so many books devoted to dogs – not that there’s anything wrong with that, dogs are wonderful – and I thought it was time to have one devoted to cats. After all, a life graced by a cat is changed forever.

I was also looking for a meaningful way to honor my cat, Kealani, who died right in front of me in November 2016. I wanted to channel my grief into something positive for all cats.

And with that, Kitty Karma Books was born. Kitty Karma has grown into a force for doing good, designed to help elevate the quality of life of cats around the world… one, two, or three kitties at a time.

Kitty Karma Books

With help from the global cat-loving community, Kitty Karma Books aims to honour all cats, elevate the welfare and improve the lives of abandoned, unwanted and disabled cats and kittens in need.

How am I doing this? By publishing cat books and donating all net proceeds from book sales to cat shelter charities around the world.

The first book is Kitty Karma: Big Stories of Small Cats Who Change Our Lives, an anthology of unique cat stories. Some are hilarious, others heartbreaking. You’ll read about adventure-cat escapades and heart-wrenching miraculous rescues. The book also sheds light on the shadow aspects of the cat world – things like cruelty at kill shelters, cat abuse, and irresponsible ownership. It features tales of adventure cats and feral cats; cats who are sailing on high seas off the coasts of New Zealand and Mexico; and a cat sanctuary located in a war zone. Readers will learn about a popular cat café in Ontario, Canada as well the very first cat café in India. The book will be published and available for sale in November.

Our authors include award-winning writers, journalists, animal communicators, rescue workers, and amazing cat parents. All of them have donated their stories for free because they care deeply about the cause. They may be from all over the world, living different lives and bringing different perspectives, but they are united by one simple thing: a fierce and passionate love for cats. Check out the full list of contributing authors here.

The Hero Cause

Some call it a cause. I think of these shelter organizations and the people who toil in them as heroes. Kitty Karma Books has chosen three hero cat shelters to receive donations out of the net proceeds from sales of this first book.

The Cat Man of Aleppo or Il Gattaro d’Aleppo, is saving, feeding and housing cats left hungry and homeless by the Syrian war.

If you haven’t already heard of Mohammad Alaa Aljaleel, you may be in the minority. He and his big heart have been the focus of international news coverage, like this NBC News story from May 2017. The book includes a full-length chapter about Alaa, as his friends call him, and readers will learn about his commitment to cats in the face of grave personal danger.

Abaykitties is near and dear to my heart. I’ve spent a lot of time on the Big Island of Hawaii and I’m always sure to visit Abaykitties. They tirelessly care for the feral colonies on the Big Island of Hawaii, where there is no natural fresh water source and the cat population must be managed.

And Whangamata CAT (cat adoption team), a small group of New Zealand volunteers providing safe refuge, food, and veterinary care for misplaced cats. Whangamata was referred to me by Skatty, a famous adventure cat who has been featured in online and traditional media. Partly because he’s a gorgeous polydactil maine coon, and partly because Skatty is the ears for his deaf sailor cat parent Paul Thompson. (You’ll hear from both Skatty and Paul in the book.)

The Indiegogo Campaign

I’m raising money via an Indiegogo campaign to help with the start-up costs to get this book out to the public. There are production, design, publishing, promotion and distribution costs. The sooner you can help me meet those production expenses, the faster I can provide an economic benefit to the cat shelter caregivers and the cats they care for.

The campaign is live, and I’m thrilled that at the ten day mark we achieved nearly 50% of our goal. However, it’s not time for a catnap. My hardworking team and I need all the help we can get in order to provide the much-needed support for these cat charities.

To honour your contribution, Kitty Karma has assembled a furr-tastic array of perks. We’ve had fun naming them: There’s the Head Bump Hello, Morning Meow, Cat Stretch Cursty, and Kitty Lick Love, to name just a few. Get free early-bird stories, copies of the book, or signed limited edition hard covers. Maybe get your own beloved cat featured in our M-M-Meow Gallery. Certain perks include social media shoutouts, or acknowledgement right in the book.

(Note from Mudpie: We've pledged and secured our copy of the book! I can hardly wait to get my paws on it!)

Can You Help?

We’re launching a special challenge. For every single contribution at the $200 Cat Stretch Curtsy level that comes in this Friday Oct 13 and Saturday Oct 14, Kitty Karma Books will directly contribute 15%, or $30, to Mohammad Alaa Aljaleel aka the Cat Man of Aleppo. With renewed bombing in the Syrian civil war, an increasing number of cats to house and feed, and his work as an ambulance driver, his need for our support has become acute. We wish to respond, together, to help him elevate the lives of the cats in his care at House of Ernesto.

Wanna play? Here are the next steps.

1. Visit the Kitty Karma Indiegogo campaign page, select the Perk Challenge $200 Cat Stretch Curtsy.

2. Hover your mouse over the date shown at the bottom of the perk description until it turns PINK, and click.

3. Follow the rest of the prompts, easy peasy.

You can, of course, choose any other perk level that suits your budget – we offer options from $5 all the way up to $2500. This weekend, however, the 15% direct donation applies only to the $200 Cat Stretch Curtsy perk.

The following two weekends we plan other surprise challenges aimed at directing early funds to our other two recipient shelters. You’ll have to check back with us for the details.

Cat Blessings

I believe that cats bless us when they favour us with their attention and the world is a better place when there is a cat at home and cat fur on our clothes. The width, depth and breadth of joy a cat can bring into our lives is without measure.

Kitty Karma Books’ aims to do good in the world. Starting with the cats.

Wai-Lin Terry, Founder & Publisher, Kitty Karma Books.

The Purrfect 10: Things To Know About Breast Cancer in Cats

We love reading and researching anything and everything about cats, and wanted to find a fun and unique way to share the interesting facts we learn with you! Since top 10 lists are very popular in the blogosphere, we created The Purrfect 10 as a way to present 10 educational or fascinating tidbits about a wide variety of cat-related topics, everything from health issues to cat breeds to famous felines.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Every one of us knows someone whose life has been changed by this dreaded disease, but you might be surprised to learn that it's also frighteningly common in our beloved cats. Here's what you need to know...

1) Breast cancer is the third most common cancer in cats (after lymphoma and skin cancer), and over 85% of mammary tumors are found to be malignant.

2) Most of the time the patient is female, either unspayed or spayed well into adulthood. The average age at onset is 10-12, but these tumors can strike at any age with reported incidents from 9 months to 20 plus years old.

3) Cats have two “chains” of four mammary glands and nipples running parallel on each side of their belly. The first sign of breast cancer a cat owner might notice is a lump in, on or near one of these glands in the shape of a pebble or dried pea. These tumors, most commonly adenocarcinomas, can spread rapidly to adjacent glands, the nearest set of lymph nodes and beyond. Unfortunately it can be months before a growth is detected because in it's initial stage it can be very hard to feel, it won't be painful to your cat, and won't show any obvious clinical signs.

4) Cat parents should check their cat's mammary area for lumps on a regular basis. (A great excuse for extra tummy rub time!) When found, these tumors need to be removed as soon as possible, followed by chemotherapy. Left alone, they get larger and harder and eventually ulcerate the skin, resulting in a strong odor as infection sets in. Small tumors might be removed via lumpectomy, but your vet may remove the entire mammary gland and nearby lymph nodes, if not the entire chain on that side (the feline version of a mastectomy), the surgical method of choice because it significantly reduces the chance of local tumor recurrence. If caught early and a cure is possible, the opposite side may be removed after a few weeks.

5) Life expectancy following removal of a mammary tumor varies, with tumor size being the most important factor. According to the Ohio State University Veterinary Medical Center, cats with tumors larger than 3 cm in diameter have a median survival time of 4 to 6 months; cats with tumors 2 to 3 cm in diameter have a median survival time of about 2 years, and cats with tumors less than a 2 cm in diameter tumor have a median survival time of over 3 years. Early diagnosis and treatment is key, but even when tumors are caught early and appear to be successfully treated, the long term prognosis is guarded. Over 60 percent of tumors that have been removed will redevelop within 12 months.

6) While very rare (less than 1% of cases), male cats can also get breast cancer, and any suspicious lumps should be reported to your vet.

7) Sex hormones are the greatest risk factor for mammary tumors in cats, so spaying at an early age is the most significant way to prevent breast cancer: spaying prior to 6 months results in a 91% reduction risk, and before one year old an 86% reduction.

8) Siamese have twice the risk of developing breast cancer than other breeds, developing tumors at a younger age and with higher rate of lymphatic invasion than other cats. Persians also develop tumors frequently.

9) In Scandinavian countries mammary tumors are especially prolific because domestic cats are not commonly spayed and the female hormone progesterone is often used to prevent pregnancy. In fact, until 1988 it was illegal for Swedes to remove the reproductive organs of their dogs and cats unless medically necessary!

10) Pulmonary metastasis (spread of the cancer to the lungs) is the most common cause of mammary-cancer related deaths, and cats presenting with advanced lung involvement at diagnosis have a reported median survival time of only one month.

Have you ever had a cat diagnosed with breast cancer? 

Maneki Neko Mudpie

Mommy here!

I don't like to play favorites when it comes to kitties, but there's a special place in my heart for Instagram superstars Olive & Rye (& their new baby sister Fig). I'm a huge fan of those three gorgeous girls - and their talented mom Laura - and have long been coveting a piece of her incredible artwork.

Last month a group of pet-oriented small business owners got together to raise money for Hurricane Harvey's animal victims, and for one day only 100% of the profits from pet portraits ordered from Olive & Rye Cat Art were donated to the Houston SPCA. I decided to treat myself to an early birthday gift and ordered custom art of Mudpie as the Maneki Neko (Japanese Lucky Cat).

Last week Laura sent me the proofs and it's pure purrfection in every single way. Mudpie's face markings, her black nose smudge, the tan spots on her right paw, it's all there...

I had several choices for a background and decided on the Japanese Maple Leaf, not only because it's perfectly suited to tortie colors, but also because here in Vermont our state tree is the Sugar Maple. Different from the Japanese, but a maple tree nonetheless!

I can hardly wait to hang my 8x10 print on the wall! If you're looking to have customized artwork done of your pet, we can't recommend Olive & Rye Cat Art highly enough. And if you're not following them on Instagram, do it now!!!

This post contains Etsy affiliate links.

Paw It Forward NYC, A Party for Cat People

Decked out in some of their finest cat-themed apparel, Paw It Forward NYC started in 2015 as a way to get the humans behind Instagram-famous cats together in real life. The event is now in its third year and has raised over $10,000 for cat charities. The team organizing the event is made up of five cat-focused Instagrammers with a total social reach of over 500,000 followers.

Included with your ticket:

• A 3-hour full open bar with cat-themed drinks such as the "meow-garita," "whisker-y sour," and the "Pink Panther
• 10 free raffle tickets to bid on the evening's prizes
• A free cat-themed "photo booth"
• A goodie bag worth over $35 including cat toys, treats, and coupons
• Meeting tons of like-minded cat people (including some of your faves from Instagram!)

100% of proceeds from ticket sales, raffle sales, and donations will benefit KittyKind, a no-kill, nonprofit, all-volunteer rescue group in New York City. KittyKind is the rescue that supplies NYC's first cat cafe, Meow Parlour, with their adoptable cats!

Check out the pawsome list of sponsors:

Event Details:

Paw It Forward NYC

Saturday, October 14, 2017, 7-10 PM
$50 advance purchase or $60 at the door

Dewey's Pub, 135 West 30th Street, New York, NY 10001

Ticket Link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/paw-it-forward-nyc-2017-tickets-36455323855
Website: pawitforward.nyc
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/1414296078653896/

Who has plans to attend? 

If you do we hope you'll return to this post and tell us all about it!