Jun 272011
 

Household Dangers for Cats and Kittens

 slat back chair

I stripped my bed today, washing all the bedding and vacuuming the mattresses. In putting it back together, I was reminded of why I had blankets covering my foot board, which led me to writing this post. I would like to share a few dangers found in the home that I now take precautions for when I have kittens, in particular; but also adult cats in my home…which is 99% of the time.

Sleeper Sofas
Have you ever thought of your couch being a hidden danger for kittens and cats? Well…it can be especially sleeper sofas. I’ve had a cat get her head/neck caught in the sleeper sofa bar, and in not knowing she was caught in it, people were sitting down on the couch which ended up killing her. It was a tragedy and I will never forget it.  What had happened is she had disappeared this one day and we thought someone either stole her or an animal got her. It wasn’t until she’d been missing almost two weeks before I could smell a horrible odor near the couch. We tore the couch apart to open it up and there she was. The couch was too far-gone to be saved between the bodily fluids and the odor.

Swivel/Rocking Chairs/Recliners
Kittens and cats love to sleep wherever they fancy at the time.  We are always cautious when sitting down in one of these types of chairs because we never know if one our fur babies has climbed up under or is lying on the floor underneath it.  FYI – recliners are one of the top causes of deaths of ferrets.


Kitchen/Dining Room Chairs slat back chair
Take a look at these chair’s back slats. They are wide at the top and then get narrower towards the bottom. I have had kittens, which naturally are learning how to climb and jump on whatever they seem to deem appropriate, that have slipped trying to get from one table to another using the chair as a go between. In doing so, they have lost their footing and have had their heads fall in between two slats – getting their necks caught between the slats as they slipped down further between the slats. The kitten is unable to get its neck out from between the slats and screams out.

I’ve had this happen to two three kittens with this type of chair.  If I have any kittens around, I now cover the back of the chairs with a heavy coat or thick blanket so this will never happen again.  All two three of my kittens survived as I was at home at the time to set them free.  *Note these are not the exact chairs I have but are extremely similar.  The slats are almost identical to mine.

Scroll Furniture
What about that scroll furniture?  A hidden danger?  Most certainly!!  The headboard you see to the right, is my headboard.  The footboard has the exact same scrolling. While lying in bed one night, a kitten we had was playing on the bed.  All of a sudden I heard him scream.  He had slipped into one of the scrolls and his head and neck were caught.  He survived…but again, I was right there to rescue him…what if I hadn’t been?

The Clothes Washer and Dryer
Although I have never had a cat or kitten parish in either my washer or dryer; I have heard of other cat owners who have lost their fur babies from them climbing in these appliances.  I have had them climb in these appliances when loading or unloading them, which has me very paranoid I might miss one climbing in, so I always double-check (the dryer in particular) before I turn it on.

Refrigerator
Yes, these little creatures love to climb in the fridge.  I’ve had this happen on more than one occasion with kittens and adult cats.  I actually had one shut in the fridge.  She had climbed in and laid down in the back of the fridge on the bottom shelf while I was putting groceries away – I hadn’t seen her climb in.  It wasn’t until I heard a cat meowing. I went searching for where the cry was coming from and there she was lying on the bottom shelf wanting out.

Please share this post with everyone you know.  It could save a feline’s life.

               

Jun 012011
 
So…what now?  Do we have a whole lot of choices in today’s world? We all want the newest technologies…we all want the conveniences. I’d love to hear your take on all this :-).


It’s all over the news…The World Health Organization is now categorizing cell phones as being in the same “carcinogenic hazard” category as lead, engine exhaust and chloroform due to the radiation (non-ionizing) they emit. “What that means is they found some evidence of increase in glioma and acoustic neuroma brain cancer for mobile phone users, but have not been able to draw conclusions for other types of cancers.”


What are your thoughts on cell phones and brain cancer?  Are you concerned for your children (those who use cell phones) in developing brain cancer where their skin and skulls aren’t as thick as adults? Will you be going more hands free?  Holding the phone further from the head when talking? Using the speaker phone?  What about how the kids use cell phones?


Even though it’s stated it could take decades to develop a brain cancer…I do not completely buy that.  My brother in law (31 yrs. at the time) died a few years back from a type of glioma (fast growing cancerous brain tumor) that manifested so fast that we were told even if he had been diagnosed prior to finding him dead…they wouldn’t have been able to do anything because these types of brain tumors grow at such a fast rate.  


Here’s the timeline he experienced symptoms…it shows you how fast a brain tumor can kill.  About 3 weeks before his death…he began to complain of  headaches.  Then he started to complain of heartburn and was downing milk to ease the symptoms.   A couple of his friends noted him wandering off by himself during this time…which was not like him, but nothing was ever said to his family.  Next thing…he was found by his brother dead in his bed.  The tumor had brought on a grand-mal seizure, seizure caused a heart attack and it was fatal.  


So knowing what I do know about gliomas…I am not convinced it takes decades for them to erupt. And, sure there are other brain tumors and they aren’t as fast growing as the gliomas.  In fact, my son still has a piece of one (choroid plexus papilloma) in his brain…it’s never grown in 27 yrs.  And as far as acoustic neuroma brain cancer…I have no idea what these are about…but I will be researching these for sure.  


It’s a scary world we live in today.  I have said for a long time that it’s our environment killing us. All these new products we use to cook with.  All of the chemicals we use.  Our drinking water…drinking water in Maine was said to be the cause of two children from the same area having a type of leukemia back when my son was at Children’s Hospital in Boston when he was 3 weeks old…they both died.  I ran into a woman a few years back…she told me she was a breast cancer survivor…she told me the doctors told her it was her drinking water that caused it.  How do we trust anything being safe for us today?  


Facebook Bounty Giveaway
Bounty Giveaway on Facebook every Friday in June to the first 5000.  ‘Like’ their page to receive a $5 coupon towards Bounty Products.  They will send you a reminder should you ‘like’ them earlier on.




Buzz around today…join in on the Wednesday Social Bzzz Hop.

May 192011
 
Every year, for at least the past 10 years, we have been nastily blessed with ticks.  These nasty lyme disease causing bugs are just that!  Nasty!  Needless to say, the past 3 or 4 years we have been getting increasingly infested by these bugs and this year by far…has been the worst so far.

Ticks began to show up around our area (southern NH) about a month and a half ago.  My animals have to be treated with a good flea and tick treatment and us humans…we have to check our bodies all the time.  About three weeks ago, I pulled off a good size tick from my daughter’s fathers back.  Not long after that, I was removing another near his neck.  Yesterday, I was in the shower and discovered a black spot on my breast.  Not sure what it was because I couldn’t see clearly w/out my glasses…and I wasn’t touching either…I called Paul in to look at it. Sure enough…it was a nasty tick. I have pulled several off my cats in the past few weeks despite the tick treatment (they stick to the animal and will die on them). I walked 25 ft. to my car last weekend…got in it drove around the block to get the dog…came back…walked back into the house and what was crawling in my hair?  A tick!

Well tonight…my daughter comes out to me and says, “Mom…can you check me for ticks?”  I asked why.  She says, “I found one crawling on me and I panicked and flipped it off in the bedroom.” I asked where in the bedroom…which happened to be MY bedroom….she says, “I’m not sure if I sent it towards the TV or towards the big bureau.”  Fabulous I am thinking…just fabulous!  So, I check her, go in my room looking for the tick…it’s no where to be found!  I asked how big of a tick it was…she told me it was a big one…not the one like she found on a kitten two days ago which was a pin head size.  So, in my bedroom somewhere a tick is living there for free!

Well…since my daughter’s room is in the process of a good spring cleaning…she’s been sleeping with me.
Take a look at how she went to bed tonight:

Yes, you see correctly!  She’s got on a long sleeve turtle neck, sweat pants and a winter knitted hat that covers the neck.  At one point, she was duck taping the sleeves and cuffs of the pants to her body…aye yup. She tossed that thought out for around the wrists but she still may have purple duck tape around her ankles still.

Ticks can make us humans very sick.  Two years ago, I thought I had gotten bit by a flea under my bra strap.  I saw the little bugger and didn’t give it a second thought as to being anything other than a flea (our home is in a sandy area so we have to do flea control all summer).  Anyway, I kept itching the area and thought the redness in the area was from my scratching.  About two months down the road, over-night the redness tripled in circumference over night.  I was feeling very hot and was very sweaty..sweat was just pouring off my skin.  My MIL had come to visit and said you don’t look good…we’re going to the walk-in clinic. Once there, a nurse looked at the area and said to the doctor…it looks like a tick bite to me.  He said…I do believe you are correct.  I was then informed I had second stage lime disease.  I was give two anti-biotics that I had to take for quite some time and then revisit my primary care physician.

For those of you who may not know…Lyme Disease progresses in three stages.  If not caught before progressing to the third stage, it can cause devastating effects to your body.

My favorite part about finding a tick…is burning it with a lighter or match!  They blow up (you can hear it as it does) and let me tell you…that works for me!

 

Apr 062011
 
I came across this project and I so wish I had known about it 13 yrs. ago when my daughter was small.  I see this project as being extremely customizable.  One can use wrapping paper from their child’s first bday and so on through the years.  They can use shoelaces from their child’s shoes.

Since I am 13 yrs too late to use wrapping paper from my daughter’s first bday; I will customize the scrapbook using her clothing I have saved throughout the years. I will cut them up and fuse the pieces to hold them all together for the wrapping paper. I will also use strips of the clothing I have and make a tie instead of a shoelace.  I could also enlarge a picture from the event to use as wrapping paper. I will then cover with an iron on vinyl to preserve the clothing from stains etc.

I bet you are thinking I must be a huge pack-rat…well that is true to a point.  If I think there’s a way to recycle something…I’ll hold on to it…I love containers (read this short post on a couple of my uses for different containers). I tell ya, some of the things I have saved, have come in very handy!  As far as the my daughter’s articles of clothing I have saved all these years, I set a mission into place back 13 yrs ago. I am going to make her a quilt, out of her most favorite clothing articles, since she was a baby.  I want to give this to her for her 18th birthday.  Even using the clothing for the scrapbooks, I should have plenty left over for the quilt. As far as the scrapbooks of her…I bought all the stuff 13 yrs ago…and it still waits for me in the closet.
What you need:

  • Cardboard (cereal boxes work well)
  • Used gift wrap
  • Brown paper bags
  • Slightly used office paper
  • Old shoelaces, ribbons, string or yarn
  • Hole punch
  • Scissors
  • Tape
How to make it
  1. First cut the cardboard to be the size you want your scrapbook to be. You will need 2 pieces the same size. Or you may cut one large piece and fold it in half.
  2. Wrap the cardboard up like a present with the old wrapping paper. Try to do the backside neatly as this will be the inside cover of your scrapbook. You may cut another sheet of wrapping paper to tape over the inside to hide all your tape marks.
  3. Cut 10-12 sheets of slightly used office paper, or cut a paper bag into pages in the size of pages you want.
  4. Punch 2 holes along the side (spine) of the front and back cover (see picture). Then punch holes in the pages to match the cover. Make sure they are equal.
  5. Put the pages inside and string the holes with the shoelace or ribbon. Tie this into a bow. Add more pages as needed.
  6. Fill with your favorite memories, pictures or words
Find this project, and others, at Envirokids

Apr 052011
 
Easter is coming and I came across this activity which I thought was really cool…not as convenient as store bought coloring kits, but environmentally friendly.  You would use some (or all) of the following ingredients:

  1. Items used to create various colors of dye:
  • Pink/red: Pomegranate juice, red onion skins, beets, chopped rhubarb stalks, cranberry juice, red grape juice
  • Orange: Yellow onion skins, paprika, chili powder
  • Yellow: Orange or lemon peels, shredded carrot, celery seed, ground cumin
  • Green: Spinach
  • Blue: Red cabbage, blueberry juice, blackberries, purple grape juice
  • Brown: Dill seeds, black walnut shells, instant coffee, tea

You can get the directions in complete HERE.  They have other projects too…click on the link at the bottom of the page that says “more projects” :-).  How cool is this!?….Have fun!

Mar 312011
 
Once again, I have treated an abscess on one of my cats with black salve!  Much to my amazement…it only took one application and the abscess broke.  Mr. Snickers is a happy kitty now…no more pussy lump… no more pain… and he’s walking w/o a limp (abscess was on his hind quarter). If you missed my post on this fabulous home remedy you can read it here.  Read Ollie Ollie’s (cat) story of his abscess here.
Mar 162011
 
Have you ever wondered what carcinogens are in your cleaning products?  Here’s a list of a few.

Carpet Stain Removers: To have the power to lift serious stains, these products sometimes use percloroethylene, which isn’t only toxic but also can irritate the respiratory system.

Furniture Polish: This one is pretty scary – Most furniture polish achieves that shine with nitrobenzene, a central nervous system toxin that can be absorbed through the skin.

Air Fresheners: These generally contain formaldehyde and naphthalene, known carcinogens, and other chemicals as well. You don’t even need to use air fresheners! They simply mask the odor, when you need to be removing it.
The Solution: There are tons of green cleaners on the market as well as natural green cleaners. There are even tons of DIY recipes for homemade cleaners. When it comes to air fresheners, baking soda does the trick. And if you want a delicious scent, light a candle or simmer natural spices like cinnamon or ginger.
Since I only clean my area rugs twice a year, I don’t worry too much about using the cleaner I do…which isn’t a traditional carpet cleaner such as Bissell’s.  I came across one at the pet store when our dog was a puppy as she had them ‘accidents’.  Well…that carpet cleaner turned out to be the best thing ever for my braided rugs.  I decided that since it worked so well to just keep using it; and, it actually costs less than what I would pay for Bissell’s brand. 

Furniture Polish…well only on occasion in my house.  I had heard a long time ago these weren’t good for you, or your furniture.  And air fresheners, I don’t use either as I would rather simmer cinnamon sticks in water on my stove.  I also use vinegar and water or just vinegar to clean surfaces.  In fact, vinegar is one of my best friends.  I wash my windows with it, my floors, fabrics that need deodorizing…I add it to my wash, I use a mixture of vinegar and water in my hand-held steam cleaner to wash my walls, and more. Vinegar is cost effective, a natural deodorizer, green and doesn’t leave the water-like marks on my laminate flooring like other cleaners do.  

Mar 042011
 
I received this in an email….I actually tried the wart removal method years ago on a wart my daughter had…worked like a charm 🙂

Bananas contain three natural sugars – sucrose, fructose and glucose combined with fiber. A banana gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy. Research has proven that just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout.  No wonder the banana is the number one fruit with the world’s leading athletes. But energy isn’t the only way a banana can help us keep fit. It can also help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and conditions, making it a must to add to our daily diet.

Depression: According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND amongst people suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating a banana. This is because bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier.

PMS: Forget the pills – eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood.

Anemia : High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anemia.

Blood Pressure: This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it perfect to beat blood pressure. So much so, the US Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit’s ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.

Brain Power: 200 students at a Twickenham (Middlesex) school ( England ) were helped through their exams this year by eating bananas at breakfast, break, and lunch in a bid to boost their brain power. Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert.

Constipation: High in fiber, including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.

Hangovers: One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to make a banana milkshake, sweetened with honey.. The banana calms the stomach and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system.
 
Heartburn: Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.
Morning Sickness: Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness.

Mosquito bites: Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin. Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation.

Nerves: Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system.

Overweight and at work? Studies at the Institute of Psychology in Austria found pressure at work leads to gorging on comfort food like chocolate and chips. Looking at 5,000 hospital patients, researchers found the most obese were more likely to be in high-pressure jobs. The report concluded that, to avoid panic-induced food cravings, we need to control our blood sugar levels by snacking on high carbohydrate foods every two hours to keep levels steady.

Ulcers: The banana is used as the dietary food against intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and smoothness. It is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chronicler cases. It also neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach.

Temperature control: Many other cultures see bananas as a ‘cooling’ fruit that can lower both the physical and emotional temperature of expectant mothers. In Thailand , for example, pregnant women eat bananas to ensure their baby is born with a cool temperature.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): Bananas can help SAD sufferers because they contain the natural mood enhancer tryptophan.

Smoking &Tobacco Use: Bananas can also help people trying to give up smoking. The B6, B12 they contain, as well as the potassium and magnesium found in them, help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.

Stress: Potassium is a vital mineral, which helps normalize the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates your body’s water balance. When we are stressed, our metabolic rate rises, thereby reducing our potassium levels. These can be rebalanced with the help of a high-potassium banana snack.  Eat bananas to help with leg cramps and charlie horses.

Strokes: According to research in The New England Journal of Medicine, eating bananas as part of a regular diet can cut the risk of death by strokes by as much as 40%!

Warts: Those keen on natural alternatives swear that if you want to kill off a wart, take a piece of banana skin and place it on the wart, with the yellow side out. Carefully hold the skin in place with a plaster or surgical tape!    


So, a banana really is a natural remedy for many ills. When you compare it to an apple, it has four times the protein, twice the carbohydrate, three times the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron, and twice the other vitamins and minerals. It is also rich in potassium and is one of the best value foods around So maybe its time to change that well-known phrase so that we say, ‘A banana a day keeps the doctor away!’

Feb 182011
 

BLACK SALVE….aka…Drawing Salve, Ichthammol, Black Drawing Salve not to be confused with the black drawing salve made with bloodroot also referred to as black drawing salve and is used for skin cancer.

UPDATE 6/22/14:  The salve I’ve been using (below) has either gotten extremely hard to find or extremely EXPENSIVE.  That said, I’ve ordered this Squire Drawing Salve  at Amazon.com (NOTE: the image below shows that the label is blue – it is NOT.  The product I have is the red label you see when clicking on the link):

drawing salve

Now, I can’t tell you how well it works compared to what I had been using, but can tell you that it contains the same ingredients as the Perrigo brand and is a drawing salve like Perrigo’s.  The other important piece that I have noticed once I received this, is that the scent of this brand’s isn’t as strong as Perrigo’s….whether that be good or bad – I don’t know yet.

I do know that it smells exactly like the Prid brand drawing salve, which I know has worked on healing other issues on humans.  That said, I’m COUNTING on it working as well as Perrigo’s and will update you after I’ve tried it out on a cat’s abscess (it’s only a matter of time before one of the 13 cats gets another).

****ORIGINAL POST****

I have been dying to tell you about my encounters with Black Salve. So, for you who don’t know what it is, or would like to read what black salve is all about….here you go.  This stuff has saved me so much money in vet bills you can’t even begin to imagine!  Plus, I have saved countless trips to the doctors using Black Salve….read on!

What is this salve?  Well…if you go to a store you would more than likely find…Ichthammol ointment on the shelf, or many times you need to ask the pharmacist for it, as it’s kept in the pharmacy.  I have asked some pharmacists for Black Salve, and have them not have a clue what I was talking about, as most only know it by Ichthammol ointment.  You can purchase alternative products made with herbs online and possibly in health food stores.  

For purposes of this writing, I am going to use the ingredients you’d find in Ichthammol ointment. It is made from sulfonated shale oil and combined with other ingredients, like lanolin or petroleum, to treat skin problems. It comes in different strength concentrations. Ichthammol ointment, well-known for its drawing effect, also has antibacterial, antimycotic and anti-inflammatory properties. Ichthammol ointment can be useful to treat different types of skin conditions in both humans and animals.* And…don’t say I didn’t warn you…it stinks!

This is the same exact product (below) I use to treat…boils, ingrown hairs, pimple like lesions that don’t come to a head (sorry…don’t know how to describe them otherwise), slivers, and the countless abscesses my cats have encountered (as they aren’t too smart and have to fight thinking they each own the home). I recommended this to a friend when she had no health insurance as she had an issue with a toe nail…she told me it worked like a charm! One can find it online at Amazon.com and many other online retailers as well as in pharmacies.  I would not hesitate in buying the product below either – it’s the same as the one below – just by a different company.  If you don’t have the need for the larger tub above, try this.

So here’s what you do with it:

Boils:

When you have a boil manifesting apply the black salve to the area and cover with a bandaid. Continue this treatment…usually about 3 days until the boil or pimple like lesion erupts and begins to drain. Once this happens, you need to stop using it right away. Next, I use a triple anti-biotic ointment on the wound to help keep the area from getting infected (not always necessary…but I like to be on the cautious side…you know…an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure…kinda thing). That’s it!

The lesions I refer to are very common for my son who has multiple handicaps. He gets them on his back and on one shoulder. Just recently, he had one on his lower back…it looked so sore! So I applied the ointment at bedtime, and come morning…yes…the very next morning, the lesion opened and drained. It’s was completely healed in two days. He has fabulous skin otherwise. I am actually thinking these lesions may be a result of the fabric softener I insist on using in my laundry (they contain oils I recently discovered). I am going to try the Purex Crystals to see if these lesions disappear as the Crystals don’t contain oils.

Cat Abscesses

On my cats abscesses I use the ointment the very same way, except of course, no bandaids. As I write this, I am in the processing of nursing Ollie Ollie (cat) back to normal as over the past week he had developed a lump on his hind quarter. It was getting huge, and as it did, I could tell it was an abscess (it ended up being the size of a golf ball by the time it erupted). So three days ago, I began applying the black salve to a good portion of the lump…I couldn’t find the wound that caused it. I also applied a warm wash cloth (only because he let me) to the area. Last night, I went to check it to see how it was as he was lying on it. Well…it had erupted and was draining real well. I am thinking he knew it needed to drain, and it more than likely felt good to relieve the pressure, so he laid on that side which he had been avoiding for the past week. Today, I began using the triple anti-biotic ointment to the area and will continue to do so for a few days. I am sure he’ll be as good as new…he’s already giving me loves again. I did have to clean my couch as that’s where he was lying when it drained…but that’s a small price to pay considering what the vet bill would’ve been!

I have treated MANY abscesses on my cats like this and only once did I have to take one to the vet. Mr. Mu had one near his ear and I just couldn’t get it to go away. No matter what I had done, he would have needed that abscess surgically drained as it was in his ear as well. That’s what he gets for thinking he’s all that and more!

Cost

A tube of black salve costs all of $4 – $8 depending on where you purchase it. I would venture to say I have saved over $2000 over the years treating the cats’ abscesses this way…never mind the doctor visits I would have had to attend for us humans. Below is the very exact product I use. I always keep a tube in the house whether it’s needed at the time or not, as I have run into having to have the pharmacist order it. Of course…when it has to be ordered, this means I have to wait for it to come in…delaying treatment!

Slivers

For slivers, the smalls one that aren’t too deep, I find it works well on. However, when I get a sliver…I want the thing out NOW. I am a baby when it comes to pain so I will get myself some ice, a needle, and a pair of tweezers and get rid of it the old fashion way! That being said, I found my daughter would much rather deal with the sliver and wait for the salve to work…no needles for her. If after reading this you have any questions…feel free to ask. I know sometimes it’s hard to digest whether you can trust an article that’s been written, or wonder if…can I safely use it for? …So please, don’t hesitate to ask…anything! *Taken from the product description of: Ichthammol 20% Draw Out Drawing Salve Ointment

Skin Cancer – black drawing salve made with bloodroot – Do your homework before using this.

The black drawing salve that one needs to be very aware of is the one made with bloodroot.  It is often used to treat skin cancer.  Some people claim this ointment is a lifesaver for skin cancers. I would have to really, and I mean really, read up on reviews before I would use it for that.

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