I’m sittin’ here with Billie Holiday in my ears…I’m a fool to want you…
Her voice is heartbreaking.
Shaka-Bear is on the left. Beautiful huh? What you should know is that I had to color-in his red neck! It was nasty, but he's such a gorgeous cat. I couldn't let anyone see his flaws. Bagheera, our panther is of course on the right. Yes, he is definitely posing. He is the "Beauty" in the house (my nick for him). But when they are being their neurotic cat selves...I call `em freaks!
Ok…Here is my story about Shaka-Bear. Let me mention that for me, animals in my house are not just pets, they are family. I’m willing to pay any price for their good health.
Yes, the events I will recount happened last Friday 5/11/01 and is fairly disgusting. But life is messy…
Shaka likes to perch himself on any windowsill, but particularly in the kids bedroom and playroom. He was enjoying the lovely day looking out the playroom window, thinking Rambo thoughts about the birds and I gave him a pat. He seemed happy enough. I looked where his chin had been resting. Wet black fur, huh?
Now, history.
Our former next-door neighbors mistreated Shaka. He left their house. Our neighbor said he shit and pissed all through the house. (I found out later that he’s one of those cats that have to have a “spotless” litter box. He doesn’t like being in a dirty box at all and will poo and pee right outside the box to show his displeasure.)
At 5:30am I woke up to crying resounding throughout the house. I thought our kitty Bagheera was having problems. I got up and started calling to Bagheera…no dice, he came to me and still the meowing continued.
It was emanating from our laundry closet.
Outside are bushes near the dryer vent.
Loud and clear was a little black kitten.
I placed a blanket, food and water on his owner’s porch so he would get the hint.
That cat camped out on our porch for a week and a half, ignoring the food on the other porch.
He wanted to come in.
Finally, October 31, 1999…opened the door for him to come in.
Halloween, a terrible night for black cats to be out an about. Bagheera is mostly an indoor cat, except when he streaks out the door, but we are especially stringent on Halloween. He’s my baby-boy, my Beauty…I couldn’t bear to think of what dangers may happen to any black kitty, let alone my own!
Shaka stepped into the doorway and sat. Bagheera pounced on Shaka and rolled with him out the door in a perfect doughnut shape! Oops
They separated, and Shaka ran inside and settled under our buffet/china closet where he stayed. Next morning, I asked our neighbor if she wanted the cat or not. I explained that it seemed Shaka wanted to stay with us, she didn’t want him, really and I didn’t want to spend money getting him neutered, wormed, vaccinated, etc. and then her want this little-one back.
She said, “Keep him, good luck,” and that was it.
Shaka leans up against people and will “suckle”, i.e. something I’ve never seen a grown cat do! It is very much like a cat kneading…comforting and reminds them of their kitten hood. Shaka-bear is extremely affectionate and lovely. Except… I noticed that he had a bald patch here and there and that it looked raw in one area on his neck. I didn’t think anything of it.
So, flash to 8 months ago. I had to take Shaka-Bear to the vet. He had scratched patches of fur and skin off his neck…all around his neck. Dr. Mangini gave him a steroid shot, check him for fleas…he didn’t have any. Still, the vet told me that I needed to spend $40 on the Advantage Flea Prevention Program; needed to buy special allergy-free food that cost $17for a 4.5lb bag.
Mind you, Bagheera is on special low pH and ash food because he passed a couple stones (that was 3day, $700 emergency hospital treatment)! That food, which of course Shaka eats as well is $20 for a 10lb bag and I thought THAT was bad.
This new Hill’s ZD was horrendously priced!
I expressed my misgivings. I relayed to the Dr. that this seemed to be a behavior issue, not allergy or skin related. I told him I thought Shaka had Feline OCD. He told me we had to run the gamut of cures before we would find out what it was.
‘Should I keep his claws clipped short?’ “I don’t think you have to worry about that.”
‘Can I have one of those collars to prevent him from scratching?’ “No, he won’t need that.”
‘Do you have a cream that I can put on his lesions?’ “The steroid shot I gave will suffice.”
So, that $150 veterinary visit to no avail and no change with his condition.
He’s gotten worse.
Back to last Friday…it’s about 45minutes until Bren’s baseball game. I lift up Shaka’s head and, there is a pocket of skin hanging on his “waddle.” Oh Lord, what the Hell has this cat done to himself!?
I talk to him, coaxing him to talk back and he does. Whew!
I tell B- Shaka’s gotta go to the vet…. a different hospital…the hospital we take our Dalmatian Tigger.
Damnit! I’m gonna miss the game. Seeing the family off to play ball, I disappointedly, call the veterinary hospital and tell them to expect us. After a short wait, Dr. O’Brien invites Shaka and I into an examination room. Open the door to the kitty-carrier and out strolls Shaka. He looks at the doctor, puts his two paws on her chest, jumps up, walks the expanse of her shoulders and perches on the left one! Dr. O’Brien, laughed out loud and said, “This is a cool cat! He’s like one of my own!”
I told her this is how he always was…a beautiful lap cat that loves people and is affectionate.
I gave her my speculations as to why Shaka scratches incessantly and then pointed out the gash under his chin.
She was shocked and said she needed to check that out to make sure Shaka hadn’t given himself a tracheotomy. I told her he was breathing normal and had meowed to me. She confirmed that he hadn’t torn his throat open, cleaned his wounds, put a collar on him, gave me medication, gave him a steroid shot and told me that it may very well be a psychosis that Shaka has.
Dr. O’Brien stated that there are anti-anxiety and anti-depressants for cats…she recommended BuSpar after Shaka heals up and I remove the collar. Luckily, it won’t be for life like the Hill’s CD-s cat food that Bagheera & Shaka eat. Only for a month or two. (To Graybo's 5/17/01 Blog, Animal psychologists and medication for kitties…doggies too, I never thought I’d have to go through this with any of my “family members.”)
Shaka looks hilarious in his collar! Of course, you can’t laugh at a cat, they get peeved. The first night he smashed his face in the wall while jumping on the sofa (one of the funnier things I’ve seen). He walks like a slinky runway model because he’s unbalanced with the collar. He is healing nicely and loves me to put the cortosteroid/candida medication on his wounds…although I must admit it’s not at all pleasant to me rubbing his scabs and getting “Shaka-Funk” on my fingers.
Slowly but surely. Oh, still hoping I’d be able to rush over to Bren’s’ game, as soon as I got home and got out of the car…B- and the kids pulled up. Bren had a wonderful game! He hit the ball every time and ran for the ball when it came near him. He was excited and grinning from ear to ear…I’m so glad!
Now Nina Simone rises in the background.
Her music, her voice, her emotion…
Gives me chills.
holla@me
posted by MobiusRazor at 14:25 
