Home wanted!

Harry

Harry and Cino's people

Cino

are moving to Texas USA sometime after June and are looking for a fantastic home for their Burmese boys. They want to rehome them together as they have been together since they were kittens.
They have always been inside cats but go outside into a secure courtyard.
As they are getting on in years, they would prefer them to be only cats. However they have grown up with a golden retriever and a Labrador.
Their people will supply their paraphernalia, cat tower, crate, bed, litter box etc, and any food which may be remaining.
Harry, the red, is the more verbal one, he is the boss apparently and keeps our dog in line. He also has a penchant for hair ties which will go missing from the bedroom and turn up in his food dish!!
Cino, the brown, is the smarter, much more affectionate one who loves the rings from around milk containers. He will play with them for hours.
They have been very healthy all their lives apart from some dental problems. Harry has just been diagnosed with low grade kidney disease but is healthy and happy otherwise. 

They love them madly and would like to find someone who is a genuine cat person to love and adore them - and who doesn't mind being entertained.

Please phone Hall Vet Surgery on 6230 2223 if you think Harry and Cino might fit into your home.

Litter tray worries?

Food allergy

Kingston as a kitten

Kingston now

Poor old Kingston had a rough start to life! Almost from the moment his family brought him home for Christmas he had diarrhoea and vomiting. At first we thought it was the change of diet.
When it continued we tested him for infectious diseases like Tritrichomonas, Giardia, Cryptosporidium, Clostridia and Salmonellosis. All tests were negative.
In January we and his family switched him to a low allergy diet and miracle of miracles his stools firmed up and he stopped vomiting! He also started putting on weight and playing more.
Food sensitivities and allergies are not common but when all the common causes of gastroenteritis in kittens are ruled out we have to consider them.
Good to see Kingston growing and happy with his  loving family!

Update on yesterday's visit

Gustav and Klaus in their usual handsome pose - purrrrrrrrrrr!

Pancakes on my mind

 Gus looking a bit cross with his family for telling his secret 

Gustav (Gus to his friends) and his brother Klaus came for their annual checkup this morning - and nearly broke the scales! Between them they have put on 1.5 kg in a year.
Their diet hadn't changed much since last year.... or so I thought until their family divulged a deep dark secret.
The family used to make pancakes and leave them covered with a tea towel on the bench overnight so they could have a quick breakfast each morning.
Until one morning all that was left on the bench was the tea towel, a few sticky crumbs and two sleepy cats. Fortunately they hadn't added maple syrup!
Pancakes have been eliminated from the cats' diet and they are on kangaroo meat and low fat biscuits. The family are moving into a house with a yard soon and plan to build an outdoor play area for the cats. More exercise, less food and no pancakes should equal slimmer, more active and healthier cats. Smile Gus!

Flea allergy

 Although I couldn't find a flea on poor old Stripey the pattern of hair loss over his rump is typical of flea allergy dermatitis. The broken hair shafts and sparse hair coat are evidence that Stripey has been overgrooming trying to get rid of the pesky little insects.
The fleas are out in full force with the recent hot and occasionally humid weather.
Flea allergic cats like Stripey should be treated with a flea product like Advantage or Frontline every month without fail to keep flea numbers in the household to a minimum.
Stripey's sister was also treated even though she had no obvious signs of fleas.
I gave Stripey some allergy treatment as well. He should soon be more comfortable and able to get on with life.

Older head of the house

Eighteen year old Andy Mitchell is a frequent visitor to Hall Vet Surgery. He has a few little troubles that need attention so that he can get on with his home duties as head of the house.
A few years ago his owners noticed that he was getting stiff and having trouble jumping up on the window sill to check the yard. Because he is not a fan of pills he has a medication rubbed on his ears to ease the pain in his joints. Guard duty is a lot easier now.
Since he fled his last home a decade or so ago he has had intermittent bouts of flu. Often this happens during times of stress - as defined by Andy. His carers manage this by bathing his eyes and nose, giving him lots of TLC and with antibiotics when necessary.
A few years ago his carers noticed that he was vomiting more and more and losing a bit of weight. His vet diagnosed food intolerance or inflammatory bowel disease. A special diet for sensitive stomachs keeps the carpet clean.
A mild heart murmur has never worried him, but today we found that his blood pressure is up a bit - and that worried us. He may have to go on medication to bring it down because high blood pressure damages cats' eyes, kidneys and other organs.  
Andy Mitchell is a typical older cat - multiple little problems that when managed well let him live the life he enjoys.