Almost Wordless Whiskerhump Wednesday...

Here's a pix of Brighton at the vets today, getting a follow up urinalysis. He is looking very festive for a visit to the vet...just like Coco was a couple of weeks ago!

We like making people smile! The FedEx driver smiled big-time when Brighton greeted him with mega-bonks and a knee high 'porpoising move' that is his 'signature'!

Unfortunately, BrightOne's urine is still way too concentrated, 1.084 and the pH is 7.0 (should be ~ 6.5). There were 2-3 struvite crystals per HPF, but everything else was normal--no bacteria or blood...

So, even though he seems symptom free and hasn't had a urinary blockage in over 18 months, he will need to go on a prescription diet to see if we can bring him back in line with what's normal.

We already have water fountains and Sink Drinks and Teri adds water to our canned food, and Teri would have to check all our labwork to be sure, but she said it seems every one is our house has pretty concentrated urine for some reason...

It won't be so difficult as everyone is on a 'mealtime feeding' schedule an I don't leave dry food out all the time any more...but I think it will be hardest on Teri as she is really into feeding holistic foods with no by-products, corn or wheat.

But neither does she want Brighton blocking again, so she will try the diet for a month and then have his urine retested and see if it's better. Then she will go another month and re-test. If it's still the same, she said she will go back to feeding the Nulo and Life's Abundance that she likes for us.

And here's a good double Whisker Hump photo to honor Manly Kismet, RIP...

These two handsome kitties are Billy and Edward, part of our extended family...they live in Missouri and obviously have some cushy blankies there, just like us!

Toysday? We're just toying with you!

Mancat Monday--Disco's Diet

Down 2 more ounce this week!

Disco can't speak for Santa Claus, but one day, Disco's

"...little round belly won't shake like a bowl full of jelly...".

hahameow!

Simply Sunday Evening...

We were trying soooo hard to get on the computer every day in December and dictate a blog post to our secreTeri, but we missed yesterday!

Teri was busy working on her Christmas card list and trying to get cards out for the first time since our Daddy died...she says they will probably be New Years cards but she is going to do it, and catch up with many long, lost friends she hopes...

We didn't get out strolling last weekend cuz Teri was hanging Christmas lights and finishing decorating the house, and then today she finally got all the storage boxes back up into the attic, but we got to play in them for a while, anyway!

Disco got to go out into the cold today, but he was wearing a coat and has two Snuggle Safe's to keep him toastier...Coco and Brighton stayed home cuz they hopped right out of the stroller when she was getting it zipped up, and Teri took that to mean they wanted to stay home!

Here's some pix she took today out strollin' (yes, she remembered the camera this time!)

And here's our 2011 Xmas Photos!

Teri got dressed up and went out Saturday night to The Cat Hospital's Christmas Party...she wore those 'Adult Pajamas' again but everyone said she looked pretty!

Oh, and her date last weekend? She said it was the most enjoyable evening she'd had in a while that didn't include us, hahameow! This guy likes cats and we want to give him the once over...Teri said soon, ok.

Last week, we told you that Coco is going to have to have surgery on her torn ligaments that are making her limp. So we thought we'd tell you a little more about that today...

Last July, Coco and Brighton and Disco were in the 'Stud Room' keeping Sammy company. Teri is not sure what happened, but she heard some commotion and growling and she thinks there might have been a fight over who gets to be in the heated cat bed on top of the cabinet in that room.

Anyway, Brighton was hiding, Disco looked wide eyed, and Coco was carrying her left hind leg. At first, Teri thought maybe Sammy bit her but then she remembered he doesn't have any bitey teeth left.

So, she thought Coco probably fell off the top of the cupboard and hurt her leg. The vets examined her the next day and took xrays but Coco was very grumbly and they could tell if it was from pain or just not liking being at the vets.

For a month, she was on pain meds and Cosequin and she did get better, as far as the swelling in her knee went down and she didn't complain when Teri examined her. But she continued to carry her leg many times a day, and so our vets talked to a orthopedic specialist and they thought Coco probably tore some ligaments when she fell. Here's a short video of her in 'action':

Teri decided to get their expert opinion on what was wrong and so last week, she took Coco to see Dr Lotsikas and this is what he said:

Coco has bilateral patellar luxation, left clinically worse than right, minimal fluid buildup on left side, Great II-IV lateral patellar luxation left hind leg, no cranial drawer or tibial thrust noted on either stifle. Full range of motion both joints. Surgical management of trochlear block rescssion, joint capsule inbrication and potentially a tibial tuberosity transposition.

So, she had not so great knees before she hurt herself, but he thinks that she 'tore' some support ligaments when she fell, and if Teri does nothing, she will continue to limp and worse, could damage the other ligaments if she had another accident.

Coco is only 6 years old and as most Cornish Rex are, very athletic and active. We live in a 3 level house with lots of running room and stairs (Teri says it's our 'Giant Cat Tree', hahameow!). And to have to restrict Coco from 'being a cat' wouldn't be how Teri would like her to spend the rest of her life...

So, on January 3rd, Coco is going to have surgery on her leg, and then have an 8 week 'bed rest' enforced. That will be easy as Teri can take her to work with her every day and then when she is at home, she will stay in the 'kitten tent' which Teri kept just for these kind of situations!

We will keep everyone updated on Coco's surgery and progress and ask for lotsa healing purrs for her on her surgery day and during her recovery...

Fashion Friday!

We haven't had our 'sitting' for our Christmas 2011 photos yet, so here are a few from last year...and at the end, a real cute video from Klaatu42, that guy with the great Talking Animals videos!

A very sexy Mrs Claws!

Peace on Earth...

Is Santa on the roof?

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas...

A festive Christmas drink!

And a pretty birdie, all decked out in Christmas red!

And since it IS Fashion Friday, a photo from our extensive collection, of Kiki, who is 'Pretty in Pink'!

Thankful Thursday...Our Review of the Purina ProCare Products!

Way back in August, we attended BlogPaws and part of the fun was visiting all the 'vendor' exhibits and learning about new pet products out there!

In fact, our Swag Bags were filled with many goodies, including some of Purina ProCare Ultra Dry Advanced Training Pads...

Teri is familiar with using 'puppy pee pads' or human 'incontinence pads' at the cat hospital where she works. And she will often put a pad in our PTU (Prisoner Transport Unit aka cat carrier). So including such an item in our Swag Bag was very useful!

All the pads of various brands she had used previously were lacking in speed of absorbency and 'durability' when we used our paws 'n claws to cover an 'accident'...Not so the Purina ProCare Ultra Dry Pads! We all gave them our 'Paw of Appurruval'! (Oops, guess that means we umm, had an 'accident' while 'on the road'...).

When we got back home, we had Teri look into the Purina ProCare line and mewowza! They have everything from toys to beds to grooming products...and we cats thought Purina just made food!

Of course, there are lots of choices out there when it comes to pet products, but in looking at their new ProCare line, we think they are well thought out and good for pets, too. Then the folks at Purina contacted us and asked if we would be interested in testing and reviewing some of their new ProCare products. Teri said sure...we are messy kitties from time-to-time!

The Purina.com website is chock full of good information from veterinarians that Teri is familiar with and trusts! Here's the link to their page on basic cat care. They even have Podcasts, which are something Teri likes to listen to when she is traveling.

The Purina name is well-known and Teri knows that they have all kinds of foods, including prescription diets. She was eager to try out their new Pet Stain & Odor Eliminator, as well as get another box of their their new ProCare Ultra Dry Advance Training Pads!

Typical 'puppy pee pads' often leave our servants with a mess to clean up, kind of counterproductive! The Purina ProCare™ Ultra Dry Advance Training Pads feature exclusive DryStep microweave technology for fast absorption and as a result... dryness!

They say that thousands of one-way microfunnels quickly channel urine into the core, trapping it there and keeping the surface dry; the super-absorbent gel core provides maximum absorbency, keeping paws clean; and a leak-proof backing also protects floors and carpets. Teri gave them an A+ on results, better than anything she had used before!

The pads are available at pet specialty retail stores in 10-count, 30-count and 50-count quantities and come in an easy-to-store box for convenient dispensing.

They have a video that shows how absorbent they are and she knows now that we'd stay dry and odor free if we did pee in our carrier, and that's a good thing! And she has used them in our hotel rooms when we travel, to put in front of our litterbox to catch any tracked messes. Handy in case we have any tummy upsets due to the stress of traveling, too!

Now on to the 'odor eliminating products' (yes, we can be stinky at times, hahameow!). In visiting the Purina.com website, we found they have 4 ProCare odor eliminating products:

We got to test the Carpet & Upholstery Pet Stain & Odor Eliminator:

Here's a video from the Purina website that tells you all about it...

http://purinaprocare.com/stain-odor-video.html

Teri has probably tried every product out there for pet stains and odors, all with varying degrees of success. As our followers know, Teri used to breed Cornish Rex cats and also is actively involved in helping 'rehab' kitties that have 'out of litterbox' experiences, and that means there can be 'odors' from time to time.

So she decided to try the ProCare product on some 'old' stained and odiferous spots on the carpet...a true test, to be sure! And she was very pleased with the 'sniff' test after she cleaned those areas.

The Purina ProCare Pet Stain & Odor Eliminator has a unique six-enzyme blend that breaks down stains and eliminates odors safely and naturally, and is certified by The Carpet & Rug Institute.

The cleaner lifts pet soils from and cleans surface carpet fibers for easy removal while the odor-eliminating technology destroys surface odors on contact. The enzymes and bacteria continue to break down deep-set stains and the source of odors until they’ve been completely eliminated and thorough odor removal discourages pets from remarking.

It is designed for use on carpet, upholstery, pet beds, litter boxes and any water-safe surface, the Purina ProCare™ Pet Stain & Odor Eliminator is safe for use around children and pets.

Teri said she is very satisfied with the two Purina ProCare products we tested, and she will have to look into their other ProCare products (though she said we already have enough beds and toys...that can't possibly be true!!).

Disclaimer: We are happy to be a part of this product review, and we did receive free products from Puina to use and review, and keep! However, all of the opinions about the product are ours and not dictated in any way by the company.