Sick Kitty etc.

One of my cats is a bit under the weather.  He was neutered and had immunizations and blood tests last week and took almost 2 days to recover from all that.  Then yesterday he had a few more shots as a
follow up - because he was a stray he needed to have 2 doses of a few shots (feline leukemia was one
of them).  He seemed ok during the evening and jumped on bed for a cuddle for half the night then he
left for other sleeping quarters - a cushy chair in the kitchen.  When I woke up he was still in his chair
but a little lethargic and cried when I tried to move him.  I did pick him up and put him on the table in
front of the window in the tv room.  He whined and cried as though it really hurt.  I was almost in tears
myself.  I called the office as soon as it opened, and they  gave me an appointment for 9 am.  I got
there at 8:30 or so and they took me right in.  He had a temp of 104 F and that is kind of high for
such a little guy.  The doctor said that he was like this after the last shots he had at the time of the surgery     so she thinks that maybe next time he should get half of the shots and a few days later the rest.  That's
ok with me, but it will cost me for 2 visits. But when you have  pets, you have a responsibility to take
care of them which includes food, shelter, love and medical needs.  Just like having children.

 And just just like children you have to plan for their lives if you should die before they do.  Rescuing is
 complicated because if you take in a stray and are barely able to feed it,  not able to give medical attention
or provide for them after you are gone should you not take the cat in?  Then if no else does is he better off?
  As a community all of us need to be more responsible pet owners and do what we can to help them.  A
warm home with cheaper food, and no medical care is better than living on the streets and getting
attacked by dogs, cars and cruel people who hurt them as sport.  I guess it's all relative and one
can only do so much.  But keeping an animal off the mean streets or dangerous wooded areas is
certainly a worthy goal.  I hope a time will come when there are no more homeless people or
animals.  We have so many charities devoted to this problem that it's hard to pick which one to
support.  But I think any of them  would be good.  My favorite is "The Cathouse on the Kings" in
California (northern) because I love cats and they do too. They have a huge area ( several acres)
all fenced in so the cats can be outside and still safe.  There are a few cat friendly dogs there as well.
They will even take on pets who survive their people.  It is necessary to make arrangements in your
will and there is a cost for the estimated care.  I think I will do that for my kitties some day.  Right
now I'm not expecting to die anytime soon (don't we all say that?).  I'm pretty sure my daughter
won't step up and take them, although she does have a cat and some other pets.

My other favorite cat rescue is the Blind Cat Rescue.  That is a beautiful safe place for blind cats.
I think there are a few cats with other type handicaps and some with multiple handicaps who get to live
theirs lives in a warm, safe, happy environment and have their needs met.  It is an amazing place: clean,
safe, and cat friendly to the max.