cat rescue – Siamese Cat Spot

Monroe the Two-Legged Cat

Siamese Cat Spot — Sat, 31 Aug 2013 14:52:35 +0000

This story is from Lindsay about her snowshoe mix kitty, Monroe. You can connect with them on their Facebook page, Monroe the Two Legged Cat

UPDATE 08/22/2013: Sadly, Monroe succumbed to a series of mini-strokes due to complications from his blood clotting and passed away in Lindsay’s arms. But they remain an inspiration to everyone and remind us that we should NEVER GIVE UP

This is about my cat Monroe. He’s had quite the obstacle course of sickness in his 5 years since being rescued from an animal shelter.

Monroe’s Cancer Diagnosis

A few years back he was diagnosed with Vaccine-Associated Sarcoma, which is cancer at the injection site of a vaccine he got as a kitten. We had to have his back leg amputated to make sure the cancer didn’t spread to the rest of his body.

The surgery didn’t even phase him, in fact he almost enjoyed being able to run and slip through crevices in doors even faster to get outside to the wild cat nip in our yard.

Tragically, More Health Problems

Monroe was doing fine for a few years until one day he had a seizure. he was taken to the vet, and diagnosed with epilepsy and given medication. A week later he had another seizure, this time even more severe. We wanted a second opinion so we took him to an animal neurologist and they said it was indeed epilepsy and he would be fine with medication to make the seizures less frequent. We were happy with this diagnoses and went back to our daily lives of Monroe sleeping on our necks at night, drinking out of water bottles, stealing our hairbrushes to rub on, and climbing in our pants every-time we went to the rest room.

And then tragedy struck. My mom called me in NYC and said Monroe’s back leg stopped working and he was acting very weak. I thought it was possibly a symptom of his epilepsy. Nothing prepared me for what I flew home to.

Monroe was diagnosed with a Saddle Thrombus, a blood clot that blocks the blood flow to back legs and paralyses them. While I was flying home, the emergency vet told my mom there’s usually nothing they can do and to euthanize the cat. My mom refused to and had him examined by a veterinary cardiology specialist. They preformed lots of tests and gave him medicines to break up the clot. They diagnosed him with Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy, which coincidentally is the same heart disease I have.

Monroe Loses His Other Back Leg

We visited him every day at the clinic while waiting to see if the clot would break up. Every time we walked through the door he was bright eyed, so excited to see us. He would climb into my arms everyday on the examining table and take a nap.The vet said there were signs that the back leg was dying and that we should take him home to wait it out and see what happened.

We took him home and his leg did end up dying. Dr. Garnett said our only options were to amputate his remaining back leg or euthanize him. They had never had a double back leg cat amputee but said he would be the best candidate they could think of. He was young (5 years old), and he had an immense will to live and that he was such a “chill” cat that he would adapt fairly quickly. He would risk more blood clots in the future though. We took him home for the next week and prepared him for surgery.

Surgery day came and were plagued with fears of all the complications mainly of the blood clots he could encounter during surgery. We were a mess sitting in the waiting room seeing other animals parents emerge from rooms crying that their pets could not be saved. Dr. Garnett came out after 2 hours and told us the surgery was a success and we could go back and see him in a little.

Monroe is a Miracle Kitty!

We walked to the back room, and even though he was a little loopy from anesthetic he was absolutely ecstatic to see us and wouldn’t stop rubbing us and trying to get up and squirm to us. He eventually fell asleep with his head on my hand. We visited him at the clinic the next 2 days then were able to take him home.

Immediately when he got home he was himself, He was trying to scoot around. After just 3 days he had perfected his scoot and had started to carry his back in the air occasionally. Its now a week and a half after the surgery and he can walk on his front legs and he is beginning to get used to his cat wheelchair. Monroe is a miracle and were so lucky he persevered through all his hardships and is coming out such a strong motivational kitty.

Black Cat Appreciation Day August 17!

Siamese Cat Spot — Sat, 17 Aug 2013 05:27:12 +0000

The Black Cat is surprisingly a very controversial figure! Depending on where or when in the world you are, she can be good OR bad luck. Egyptians kept cats as cherished pets and worshipped Bastet, cat-goddess of warfare, divine mother, and protector for Lower Egypt. However, by the time of the Middle Ages in Europe, black cats were believed to be the evil familiars of witches and were often killed. Superstitions surrounding black cats, both good and bad, still abound today. In Britain and Japan, when a black cat crosses your path it is good luck, but if you live in the United States or several European countries, this is bad luck.

Bad Luck Means Black Cats Last to be Adopted

It was the bad luck superstitions in the U.S. that inspired Wayne Morris to create Black Cat Appreciation Day. He chose August 17 for the day his beloved sister passed away to honor both she and the black cat that she loved. Because so many people still believe that black cats are unlucky and evil, they are often the last to be adopted from animal shelters and the first to be put to sleep. Morris created For the Love of Black Cats (Black Cat Appreciation Page) “to bring awareness to the world about the joy of living with a black cat, to dispel myths about black cats, and to help black cats across the globe get out of shelters alive.” Many animal shelters now hold special adoption days for black kitties every year on August 17. So go check out your local shelter if you’re looking for a new addition to your family!

What is a Black Cat?

Of course, black cats are just the same as other cats, but with solid black fur coats! The solid color comes from recessive genes that mask the tabby stripes underneath, so in some ways you can think of a black cat as a tabby in disguise Many breeds of cats can be black in color–the Bombay is the best known, but most notably for our Siamese Cat Spot are the Oriental Shorthair and Oriental Longhair. Ebony Orientals are even sometimes called “Black Siamese.”

Fun Fact

Except for one genetic difference, a Seal Point Siamese is actually a black cat! The point pattern comes from a mutation of the gene that gives cats their color and is temperature sensitive. This means that cool parts of the body turn dark but warm parts stay lighter. If not for this mutation, the seal point cat would be a solid black color!

To Breed or Not to Breed?

Siamese Cat Spot — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 22:25:43 +0000

One of the most controversial topics surrounding pet ownership is whether to go through a breeder or a shelter. There is no question that cat overpopulation is a problem that plagues many countries, and that thousands experience tragic pain, suffering, and death each year. So, what is the best thing to do? Let’s consider that question now.

All Kitties Need Loving Homes

We all wish that more kitties could find safe, loving homes. Some claim that breeding is a major contributor to this problem — that every cat created through breeding directly results in the death of a cat in a shelter, because the person who purchased from a breeder now has one less “spot” open for a shelter cat. So, the argument goes that if we stopped breeding altogether, this would go a long way towards solving the problem. However, we here at the Siamese Cat Spot feel that the situation is a little more complex.

Focus On Responsibility

To get at the heart of the problem, the focus should be more on our responsibility to domestic cats in general and less on where these cats come from.

First and foremost, this means we should spay and neuter all pets. There is no reason for a household or barn cat to remain fertile. The urge to mate is natural and strong, so ensuring that there will be no “accidents” is extremely difficult, if not impossible. Sadly, too few people are willing to take the necessary steps to avert these accidents.

Secondly, only controlled, reputable breeding programs that are undertaken for the love of the breed should be supported. Responsible breeders are committed to improving the breed as a whole, and therefore focus on one or just a few specific types. They will often participate in shows to learn more about the cats as well as legal issues in the industry, to connect and work with other experts, and to enhance their reputations. (Interestingly, traditional Siamese cats are not recognized by some associations and thus cannot be shown.)

When responsible breeders sell kittens and cats as pets, they work hard to be sure their babies are happy, healthy, and placed in good homes. Kittens may be spayed or neutered early, before placement, or come with a spay/neuter agreement. Kittens are typically not released until about 12 weeks of age to ensure proper socialization. Reputable breeders should allow home visits from prospective owners so they can check out conditions for themselves, and they also make themselves available to help after the owner has brought their new baby home.

Irresponsible breeding in the form of kitten farms (and their canine counterpart: puppy mills) results too often in sickly, poorly socialized animals. The cats are overcrowded, females are bred too frequently, conditions are not clean, and the breeding is undertaken solely for profit, rather than for love of the animals. These breeders are not interested in the breed itself, and in fact may be producing cats from numerous breeds. There is little to no support for owners after they’ve purchased a new pet.

So What’s the Answer?

Cats deserve a loving home, no matter where they come from. We believe that an emphasis on education about responsible pet ownership and breeding, and commitment to spaying/neutering, will go a long way towards improving the situation for all. And to be clear, we take no issue with responsible, loving breeders since they are the reason the breeds we love can be maintained, and because they share our concern for the well-being of these wonderful animals.