Topper Tuesday! Tacos or Sardines….

Well, here it is Topper Tuesday and how will my cat crew be celebrating? I know, you are thinking with fish tacos and a hearty whiff of catnip. Not quite…but close! They will be dining on Sardine Meal Feast wet food by Nature’s Logic.

As you can see Topper can barely wait to sink his teeth into the new grub.

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Tacos are out of the question for the cats (too bad–can you just picture their cute little paws wrapped around a taco?), but…they can eat all the sardine pate they want. Another of their preferred choices is the beef feast. I like the food because it’s free of corn, wheat, rice, soy and gluten—all of which are hard for kitties to digest as these ingredients aren’t naturally meant for their digestive systems. It’s also potato free. With Lexington in diabetic remission, I’m on the lookout for food that does not contain potato because of its high glycemic index.

IMG_8181I’m happy that they favor another top-quality food. As we cat lovers all know, healthful food is key to healthy kitties. It looks like I’ll be back to buy more of Nature’s Logic feline feasts.

Feline Feeding Fact: I’ve recently learned that cats get “whisker fatigue” and eating from a deep or narrow bowl, which rubs their whiskers can cause irritation to these sensitive “antennas.” They may stop eating before they are full, appearing to dislike the food. Try feeing them in wide, shallow bowls or plates. I’ve been feeding my cats their wet food on saucers for years, and they eat kibble out of shallow bowls. Also note that plastic plates or bowls emit smells that our feline family find offensive, so stick to ceramic type feeding bowls and plates.

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Hello?  A little more paw-leeeez.

Colds and Comfort Cats

Are we done already with cold and flu season? I mean, enough. I’m still hearing of people getting that insatiable cold and debilitating flu, and it’s March! Like so many others, most of my holiday season was spent being sick and recovering. Hot tea, gallons of water, homemade chicken soup, fruits and vegetables were my daily diet ritual along with natural cold/sinus healing remedies.

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Yet, after weeks of diligent attempts at natural healing, I still felt pretty much like what the cat dragged in.

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It was time to resort to over-the-counter meds to quell the debilitating symptoms: Nyquil, Theraflu and mega doses of Sudafed helped, but I finally went to the doctor and was put on prednisone and antibiotics, which finally nixed the inflammation and killed the bug. I don’t know how I would have managed without my nursemaids, Lexington, Topper and Bobcat, who dutifully followed my every move from grabbing another Kleenex box to pouring yet another cup of tea. Lex was on tissue duty, making sure I never ran out.

Even in living a healthful lifestyle, we can still succumb to sickness, especially if we are overstressed, which was my case. Nutrition, hydration, a good night’s sleep and exercise are key for optimum health (and are especially important when we are rundown)—just take note from my healthy cat crew. All those catnaps, nutritious food, and lots of kitten-like play keep their health in check.

It’s been two years since Lexington’s diabetes went into remission and I credit a lot of his recovery to removing grain from his diet (along with wonderful veterinary care). I learned through his illness how crucial proper nutrition is to feline health, just as it is for human folk.

I recently discovered an excellent feline nutritional resource infographic produced by Reviews.com, which is quite useful in making informed decisions about what to feed your feline family member(s). Many of Reviews.com’s recommendations for the best cat food (based on scientific research and analysis) are some of the brands I’ve been feeding my clowder. Find out what Reviews.com came up with and how they conducted their research: http://www.reviews.com/cat-food/ – quick-guide

I’m grateful to be finally feeling like a kitten again.

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Meeeeoooow!

Crazy Cat Lady in the Lobby

I was in the middle of responding to an email from a client when the demanding yowl from downstairs broke my concentration. “Lex?” Again, another loud, urgent yowl. I ran downstairs to find Lexington standing in the middle of my bedroom looking disoriented. He looked up at me and cried. I picked him up and he continued to cry as he looked aimlessly around the room. I put him down so I could pick up the phone to dial my vet. His back legs splayed outward and he stumbled. We rushed to the vet’s office. I suspected a blood sugar “crash” and was right.

Lexington’s blood sugar dropped to a very low level of 26 (normal range for a diabetic cat is between 100-200; non-diabetic, 80-100). He stayed at the vet for the rest of the day. When I picked him up at 5:00 his blood sugar was 70 and he was alert, chirping, and happy to see me. Two weeks prior Lex’s blood sugar level was 408. My vet shook his head at the drastic drop and thought that Lex could very well be in remission. There were new marching orders—no more insulin injections, and a follow-up blood sugar check in two days.

This morning I took Lexington to the vet for his follow-up blood sugar check.  A few minutes after he was taken back to the exam room, Johnna came out with Lex in his carrier in one hand, a thumbs-up on the other, and a big smile. “His blood sugar level is 115–he’s in remission,” she announced. “Yay! Oh my gosh! Hallelujah!” I said, jumping up and down and clapping. I was over-the-moon with joy; no more insulin, no more needles, no more worry. Lexington was healthy again. I was one very happy cat lady—and maybe just a little crazy. I finally stopped the pogo stick routine.

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There is a chance that the diabetes could return, but as Johnna said, “Keep doing what you are doing,” which is the grain-free, low carbohydrate meat-based protein diet, minimal grain-free kibble, and the easy part, providing lots of love.