Tiger's Second Acupuncture treatment

On Thursday October 20th I had the second treatment for Tiger her paw. Today would be the decision day to continue the treatment or not. And to be honest I decided for myself to stop beforehand. Even if there was some progress.
But when the vet saw her walking she was so full of contentment, my sweet made a huge progress she expected to happen. I was focussed on her sense of feeling. But forgot about the fact that she is using her leg so much better than before. A person who sees her less frequent of course sees more than I do. And it is true, Tiger has a less lowered hock, she walkes on her paw now more than she walks on her whole lower leg. Also if you look from above, you see barely any difference between a left or right stride, since she is not sinking when she walks on the right side.

I told the vet that recently Tiger becomes furious when I put Bach Rescue cream on her skin. I know this cream is a little bit giving a burning sensation. I would not use it if I knew she is with feeling. But she reacts to it very very intense. While I can squeeze her paw, and possible even hit it with a hammer, and she would not feel. But it appears that she is sensing very light impulses directly on the skin.
The vet did a test with a needle, and I almost cried when Tiger withdraw her paw immidiately. The vet says this can be a sign feeling is returning. It starts with very small impulses. It is not to say feeling will return completely, but with the other progress it is quite possible her treatment is working.

Then the treatment started, and Tiger was not as relaxed as the last time. The vet wanted to put a needle in her back to calm her, but especially that one Tiger really really did not want. Like she was saying that she is calm enough to handle. The vet managed to get all the necessary needles in her paw, and tried once more the one in the back. But we respected Tigers decision she didn't want this one. Trying to proceed would cause the other needles to drop out. So we left it this way.
Then Tiger snuggled up with me, calming down, and we could make it the full 15 minutes to have the needles do their work. She did not move any at all. So she prooved us that no calming needle was needed.
Taking the needles out after was a different story, but there were less of them this time, and when they were taken out, she was free to walk and she came purring. But I have no clue how she will react when I take her for the third treatment. I think she is getting suspicious now about the times I take her out.

To my surprise a third treatment has been planned for 2 weeks later. It cost a hell lot of money but Tiger has a very long life (I hope) ahead of her, knowing that I expect her to be around for at least 12 more years, but 20 is also possible) I don't mind. In the 'worst' case she need orthopedic surgery, but I am lucky enough to be able to save some money for that one. It is no emergency that I have to scrape money for in just a little time. But I believe in the years ahead a lot can happen, and I still did not run out of other remedies that hopefully will be available for cats in the future. Like stemcell therapy, used quite frequently with horses that have nerve damage.

The day after the treatment I see clearly a progress in Tiger. It is not one I would prefer, but she is walking on her leg perfectly normal. But because she is now having the leg in normal position, she cannot place her paw flat anymore. Before the treatment, her moving was worse, but she placed the paw normal by chance for like 80% of the time. And now she walks normal but has her paw always folded, so she is always walking on the upside of her toes. Weird thing is that she only does when walking on carpet. On the vinyl floors she walks normal. But my house mainly has carpet... Now her skin is damaged again and bleeding. So I need to bandage her again. Also it worries me that her nails are now always out. They will grow and possible damage the skin later, by pinching in. I can only hope that she feels this when this happens, like the vet triggered her with a needle.

Though I agree with the vet, I think she is making good progress. I have the feeling that she is much more aware now when I do something to her paw. Sometimes she hissess and growls, and I don't even touch anything else, and when I do I always make sure she is not aware. Also, before she was without feeling from the hock all the way down. And I think she has got feeling back halfway her underleg now.

So that is the progres of Tiger so far. I continue with homeopathic medication (Phytonic Spine Comp) and I also got hands on Traumeel today at last. Because this one beholds the homeopathic remedies that I think would be helpfull. I am very very strong with the feeling she needs Hypericum. And that is because I also found Hypericum still blooming outside, and Hypericum, known as St Johnsworth is known to bloom around St Johns Day/Midsummer only. And it comes on my path all the time. It is one of the most valuable homeopathic medicine and especially for nerve damage. Let's hope my feeling is so right!

Tiger and her laptop obsession

Most of my blogs are about Tiger. That is because she is by far the most exploring and sometimes annoying (in a funny way!) of the two. If there is trouble, it is always Tiger coming to me purring and chittering with those innocent eyes either telling me "Look what I did!" or "Did I do something wrong?". Grey is just a whole lot more stable in his actions. While Tiger is the happy unspoiled youngster in the house, he is the happily snoozing on the couch cat.

Tiger on the day she arrived here.... One of the first pictures I took...

From the beginning on, Tiger had the weird habbit to always want to be on my laptop keyboard. Probably it is warm and cozy for her to be there. Personally I believe she wants to tell me to put the stupid thing away, because she knows very well how to close a laptop as well.

At this very moment, she is also hanging out here, trying to get on 'key'board. And, since I often fall asleep with my laptop beside me, I usually wake up with the terrible sound of the pressed key notification. Tiger seems used to it by now.
Another moment of her naughtyness action... In fact, she has been climbing up on the flycovering door AGAIN. And I had to get out of bed to remove them permanently because those can be hazard to the cat nails. Tiger found her way to the upper windowsil. And I put her back on the ground because she cannot go down from there by herself. No space to jump off, nor do I want her to do anyway with her leg. She is off now, doing something else. I am waiting... ;-)

But usualy when I wake up I find innocent changes to my computer. Sometimes she wrote a little bit, sometimes she changed color/brightness or sound or opened a window (yesterday the search query was London bombing. I have no clue how this came up as searching query, there must have been a link on the current page, because why should I and how can Tiger search for such nasty subjects?
Nothing to worry about, so I usualy let Tiger sleep on the laptop. But this morning something strange happened. The screen was all grey like pavement, not equal grey. And a huge arrow showed up. A bit of scrolling told me the screen has been zoomed to the maximum, I guess more than 10 times of original.

This is normaly just 1 x 1 cm of the screen, just the first cm of the toolbar

I tried to find back the application to change it back, because I know it works with 3 or 4 keys to enable and disable it. But which ones I had no clue. I was trying for a while, and Tiger just kept on trying to get on the keyboard as if I was not supposed to change it back. For her maybe it was the new wallpaper of her new 'sleepingroom'. She liked it sort of. But for me it was no question to be asked, this had to changed back. But how...

I went to my other computer to find out the code to change it back, and luckily that worked quite easily. But it was not the only thing. Tiger enabled another option for the disabled. With every action I got a message telling me what it is, what it does and how it works. Quite annoying, because I can read the icons and know what I am doing. And the horrible part is, that this was part of the voice over.  But Tiger has turned off the volume, LUCKILY or else I would have gone insane.

The laptop is back to original now, but there will be no more sleep for me. Her naughtyness is quite busy. I can just hope she will come back here any moment to snuggle up. But all she does is chirping that I took away her climbingthingie... I have to buy her a huge climbing construction soon. Thank Goddess it soon is my birthday!

Tiger got acupuncture today!

As you know, Tiger has arrived here with me with severe nerval injury on her paw. No one knows what has happened to her during her flight, but when she arrived, she just dragged her leg behind.
During the next 4 weeks, I have had several vet consults, but no vet really loved the challenge to really find out what is wrong with her paw. She is not in pain, there is no damage, no swellings, no fractures, no discomfort nothing. Only that she can't use her paw correct.

She made huge progress compared to the day of arrival due to homeopathic medication and lots of TLC, and, after 4 weeks, she is using her leg. Only her foot remains paralysed.

I now made an appointment for acupuncture, because it is clear her problem has to do with nerval damage. Acupuncture would be the first thing to think of to help her. So I did, and found amazingly a vet that is interested in acupuncture and works with cats as well. Because most only work with dogs and horses or feel cats are too difficult. I was too happy it was quite close by, and this vet felt really good in the way she responds to me and Tiger. Giving me this little bit of hope to possibly be able to help her.

Today was the appointment, and there I was with a cat walking through a shoppingmall. Because the vet is situated there. Tiger looked her eyes out. She was quite relaxed. And when it was our turn to be supervised, she was still the lovable little kitty as she always is. She is a perfect vet cat. She seems to know it is helping her, because she is going in her crate so easily, and handled without any fuzz.

The vet was very clear to me that her progress possibly comes to an end here, as she now really has no feeling at all in her paw. Last visit there was still a very little bit of reaction. Tiger failed now on all reflex tests below the knee (that one works perfect). And that makes the prognosis very very weak.
But... the vet told me, there is not at all need to take the leg of, since she is using the leg. And she like me still believes in the small chance she has. She will treat her 3 times, and after the third time it is final diagnosis. This is because nerval damage can take up to 3 months to heal, it usually lasts 6 weeks before feeling comes back. So it is not too late yet. And seeing Tigers progress we can keep fingers crossed.

Tiger got 12 needles in, most of course in the affected leg, one in her hip, her front paw and spine. She was quite calm for the 10 minutes it should last. Cats are usually quite impatient, but she was doing quite well. Lost a few needles, but the most important ones stayed in. And I amazed myself that she was not at all stressed. She wanted to get off, but not very scratchy or devoted to have it happen.

I am curious to the result, but since we got home, Tiger is very calm and quiet. Something is working within her body, and I hope it is good. I give it a rest for now. But happiness can say that she has been walking a lot of steps without a folded toe.

Even if I know her chances are so small (or well she will be perfectly fine of course, but her paw) I keep on hoping for this miracle to happen to her. Because from the first moment on, I have this feeling she will be allright.

I got new medication for her as well, since the one I use now is almost finished, and it is more for acute trauma. Now I got a medication that is for nerve damage. I beg for a miracle...  The vet warned me most cats hate this medication and it is quite hard to give it, but Tiger takes it so far with the same ease as the one she had so far. She is a wonderfull kitty, and I am sure she knows what is best for her. She is very smart :-)

TIGER and the autumn leaves

Tiger has a weird fetish for plastic bags. She absolutely goes bonkers when she sees or finds one and you cant make her more happy than to have a few of them piled up. Many times I have found her in a bag, with a bag on her head (dangerous I know...) or caught her cleaning out my own stock of plastic bags. And you won't even need to be mentioned how it looks like when I did some shopping and arrive home with plastic bags. She loves especially the noisy ones and garbage bags, the last even more when in use.

Last year I had a collection of wonderfull autumn leaves, that perfectly kept color. I stored those leaves to use them as not always you have a chance to find leaves this beautifull. And when I was cleaning out some closets I found back this bag, not yet fully aware of this new awaken 'fetish' of Tiger.
So yesterday night when I was preparing to construct the bookcase I bought and it is quite a heavy one, Tiger was of course by my side to assist me in her own special way. But the bag of leaves was also here, and it didn't take long before she found out.

Very devoted as if there were thousands of mice in it, she hunted it like prey, ripping it apart, take the 'intestine' out, all in total extacy. I don't know what she was thinking, but for over half an hour she was in heaven with this bag of surprises. Her eyes even bigger than they already are. Playfight with beech nuts, tearing the leaves to pieces and stripping the twigs. My precious beechnuts, because they are from my favorite Glastonbury Copper beech. And they have the seeds firmly tugged in their velvet 'skins'. But for this time I let Tiger play.

Tiger has been naughty the last days, really she is a handfull and I have been saying 'no!' a lot, kept her away, chased her away and she is getting a little fed up with me now. The last days she isn't snuggling with me, not purring a lot, not wanting attention like she used to. She walks away, does not sleep besides me. She is sort of ignoring me now. I have to have her something she can be playing with instead of forbid her whatever she chooses. It is of course a female, it can be her moodswings, but I need to keep her mentaly healthy. Which is hard, because the only things she is interested in, are the things that are not meant for the cats. Her cat toys she leaves aside. Only if Grey is playing, she gets jealous and wants to have it. She is ohso typical female... if it could she would walk on high heels and black latex. Bitch of the house. But well... she is very lovable and adorable before you may think she is evil. Haha, but she has a very strong own will, and has no rules to obbey (she thinks). She has a head on as we would say in Holland.

Grey also came to pay a visit, but Tiger only gave him a few affectionate licks on the head and continued her own business. And Grey as man of the house did not understand this weird hobby of Tiger and took off to have a sleep elsewhere. He is not as destructive. Or well... Grey has a couch fetish. Either to sleep on, or to molestate... Cats... They bring so much joy, but also a lot of garbage...

The result after 30 minutes:

Tiger & Grey's first holiday

Or well, they didn't choose for it to be on holiday, but had to since I was out to my annual trip to England.
Tiger and Grey stayed with my parents. And because I had a busy schedule and would depart at midnight, they allready got at their holiday place the day before. My parents are in the middle of a movement, so they have rooms that are unused. They prepared a small room next to my old room, where they could watch the sea, the beach, the gulls, people walking by. Just the things they love to watch. But Tiger was not too happy with her holiday residence. She missed me, and the change was a bit too rushy, and in the afternoon of course my niece and nephew visited them, and especially my niece is one energybomb. A bit too much for the cats who are not used to all this. Tiger didn't eat for a while. Both cats dugged away in their crates, staring out with big eyes. And as Tiger already has huge eyes, she even more looked like an alien than she already does.

After some time they settled in, and started to eat again too. Tiger kept missing me, but they obviously had enjoyed their seaview residence, until after 5 days their (and mine) holiday was over.

When I arrived back from England 5 days later, my parents had allready dropped them off at my home, so they welcomed me. And that felt so wonderfull, they were both stroking my legs and purring, being happy I came back. I called my parents the other day, and they had a good stay with them. Tiger was a bit unsocial and Grey was the affective one. Nah Grey is more stable in his social interaction, he loves everyone equally, whilst Tiger is absolutely a one person kitty and she choose me. Luckily because it would have broken my heart if she didn't want to bond with me, seemingly to be in the wrong place. But happily I can say, both Tiger and Grey have to be here in my life, our life.

Tigers paw is doing little better too. I need to change her bandage one of these days however as it is loosing fixation. She is using her paw most of the time, but yet is is not the right time to have the bandage off all the time. I have to find a way to just have her paw protected from deskinning.
I am not loosing hope with her leg at all. I will go for a check up with the vet within a few weeks, because what I think she broke a toe, and that toe might be damaged or even died. It looks different than the others. She showed me what might have happened during their transport to my parents, as Tiger got very outragious, she was sticking out her paw all the time. And I think that during her flight she got stuck with her leg in the door and foodbox. The crew had to open the box to cut loose the legs. In worse case the crate may have fallen somewhere. Because the crate was damaged.

But, both cats feel more content here since our holiday. Tiger even started to groom Grey once in a while, and I saw them eat together from the same foodsource. They are getting more and more along. Grey has still this passive look in his eyes, knowing that Tiger will always be the queen around. He just has a very big heart my Grey! They changed roles as well, Grey is getting more well fed now. He was quite boney (but surely not underweighted) when he arrived, and now he has more proportion giving him a well done masculine look. He really it getting a charming male cat. I know I have to control his appetite, because I guess he has some Russian blue ancestors (or has the genepole that created the Russian Blue and or Chartreux) which are notorious for their weightgain. I bought them a Pipolino feeder, and Grey uses it very well. But he just eats what he likes, so my whole floor is covered with food he doesn't fancy. It better gets time the food that will be theirs will be choosen. But I am trying to find out if I can feed them natural, since I did some research in commercial petfood. That simply is adapted more to our ease than the cats wellbeing. They will only get food with pure flesh (preferably at least 70% of one or 2 proteine sources), by-products free and of course without preservatives and chemical additions. It is a pitty they don't fancy Orijen food. Now they have Applaws, which they looove but is not biological/holistic. Got to make a choice here... At least it is not from any giant petfood supplier. I ordered a cats cookbook. Because I believe it is simple and easy to give the cats the same as I eat. Or well, buy some meat or fresh fish for them with a little bit of veggies and fruit, herbs, egg and mayb a little added nutrients.

PROFILE Grey

This is Grey

Thanx to the rescuer of Grey I have quite detailed information about how this sweet grey cat started his life.
Grey was born in May 2009 at the college campus in Alexandria Egypt, in a litter of 3. Sadly he was born in the wrong place, where cats were unwanted, tortured, poisoned and killed as if they were just 'things'. Along with this litter, there was another one, as you could expect in a country where almost no one looks after the cats, let alone neuter them. But Grey, and a few other cats were very lucky. Because there was one woman who looked after them. Who cuddled them and fed them, even during the times that the campus was closed, finding her way in to water and feed the cats.

Everybody was calling her crazy to do this, and why not feed the poor people instead of those useless cats... Because that is unfortunately how the average Egyptian sees their living ancient heritage, considering those cats being filthy, unwanted and a plague. A plague caused by humans themselves, because they allow them to reproduce. Everyone knows how fertile cats are, that is why they are together with rabbits, symbolic animals of fertility. But also are they those magnificient creatures that were once worshipped as living appearance of the Goddess Bastet, and are now equal to a bag of garbage you throw away.

Thats how the cats got fed at the college campus in Alexandria

Prince and another cat from Greys clan. I can imagine the right one is related to Grey...

Grey at his birthground in Alexandria

Another picture of Grey at Alexandria

This is hunter, in the background it is Grey

Grey on the look out

Grey grew up, while some of his litter mates and other cats around him got killed without any emotion. Thrown away litteraly to die. But Grey was loved, he was the only cat that even those men that killed other cats loved, and begged for to not have him taken away. Because the guardian angel of the cats was trying to bring as many cats as possible to a better place. And they all wanted Grey to stay. But Grey didn't stay. He qualified to be Egyptian Mau enough to go to the EMRO shelter in Cairo. And together with another cat named Prince, Grey left his birthplace and the people who loved him to find a better life. So on April 2nd he and Prince started the 200km journey to Cairo.

Both Prince and Grey stayed at the shelter for some time. Prince still awaits his forever home. And since I also loooved Noha, who he bonded with, his future may look bright if my life turns to the right direction. It is funny that he also caught my attention as possible adoption choice to company Tiger. But it turned out to be Grey... and really that was destiny because I really opted for another cat, but before I knew it, Grey as third option, was confirmed and I decided to keep it this way. 

Grey at EMRO in Cairo on August 17th 2011

It's Tiger, at EMRO on August 17th 2011 :-) with a still healthy leg.

And Grey found his way to Holland 3 months later. Where I got contacted with his recuer who is of course more than happy to stay in touch with this amazing cat. I would have loved it too to know how an animal that means so much to me ended up. It would be painfull to hear the animal travels out of reach. I know with 'my' horse QueJuizo how it feels, as he was sold before I knew it, and ended up in Thailand. While I had been there just that time. I didn't know. But happy I am he returned to Portugal. And though I have no contact with anyone, I wait patiently for the day I can go back and visit him, as he returned to the grounds he was born at. Now I know, Grey won't return to his roots. But he sure took some of it with him. And he was saved and protected by lovable people. And I am thankfull for getting this 'old day' pictures of Grey, in the place he grew up.

I do not know Grey well enough yet to describe him, but he has really a special personality. In his new life he has to conquer the claiming and attentionholic Tiger, who thinks all attention belongs to her. But Grey on the other hand is quite sophisticated. He knows what he wants, and though he loves to come say hello and shrug his head and kick you over, he is not a cat that loves to be on your lap for hours. At least he did not show this so far. Maybe because he is 'afraid' of Tiger, or accepts his place. Sometimes he looks at me like, 'Oh I want this too, but she is always in the way'.
Grey is very smart, especially if it comes to getting food. He begs like a dog, carefully getting attention with his paw, and if that makes no sense, he will be more pushy giving gentle bites to let me know he is (always) hungry. He has a special meeow to let me know his water or food has run out. Grey is also quite vocal. He meows a lot, saying hello and answers if I ask him something. Every room he enters he says hello. And when he plays he talks to, even when he jumps. Also I am amazed he knows when I come back home from work. He is always waiting there in the window, giving hugs through the glass and of course, meowing.

Grey is also an excellent climber. You will know when I finaly settled my new life and schedule. I will hopefully get on with more frequent posting. But Greys climbing talent stunned me when I was woken up by lots of stumbling. I thought of robbers, but no... It was Grey who managed to jump all up to the window sil of the small windows above indoor doors. It is only 6cm wide at max, and he stood there towering out, scared and didn't know how to get off. He choose for his pride and didnt allow me to help him. That's Grey... my little explorer. Curious to what other strange places he discovers!

Tiger's progress

When Tiger arrived here at the airport, she came with a lame leg that I only discovered when I got home with the cats. I was really heartbroken this has happened, and in all veterinairy reports she was declared in full health. People already told me, those vet checks make no sense, as they only look if the animal is still alive and the paperwork is ok. But at the airport I didn't pay attention to the fact that the seal of Tiger's crate has been removed, and her foodbowl was disconnected. Something has happened with her. But since I accepted her this way, nothing I can do. Even if I said something at the Lufthansa desk, the only option I possibly could have is to leave her, to die. Because Lufthansa only knows accept and treat her yourself or not accept and have her send back or being killed. What fair option would I have? I could only accept a cat with a lame leg. And I love her, I waited for like 4 months for them to be here, and I am not giving up. I have declared myself responsible for them until the day they die, in hopefully old age and good health.

I went to my vet the next day, as I hoped the problm would just be some muscle pain, going away in a few days time. But my vet really disappointed me. When I told her my cats came from Egypt, she immidiately made a statement I could expect this things to happen if I just take some good luck strays. I was furious, because I know EMRO is a decent reliable organisation, offering limp cats, threelegged cats, disabled and blind cats like any healthy cat in their true nature. They would never have send me a lame cat as a good walking cat.
The vet did nothing more than a quick palpation of just one leg. Every idiot knows you always examine both legs at the same time to compare and possible feel differences in temperature, sensitivity, fractures, swellings, reactions etc. She never saw Tiger walking. And did not even consider medication to relief pain. She told me to come back when the leg got infected, because that is the moment her leg should be taken of. Her diagnosis was that this cat has suffered this for much longer time. I was really flabbergasted. Not even she suggested to put a wrap around the leg...

So I went back home, confused, but with an incredible feeling that leg will be cured. There is no way that without fracture or any clear reason this leg should be amputated. The cat is lame for no longer than 24 hours so far.

I saw slight progress over the next days, but also her skin wore off. I had to find a way to protect the foot of Tiger. I put wraps on, which is quite hard thing to do. It is not that she is not cooperative. At first she was very mad, but after a few times she accepts it as daily routine, but she is so flexible, she curls and moves with her paws and tails. Just doesn't know to lie still for a second. And with one hand in her neck to avoid me being bitten it is almost impossible to roll the sticky wrap tape with one hand.

After exactly a week, when I made an appointment with another vet, I got tearshed, bcause I noticed Tiger to use her leg again. She bends it, brings her leg underneath her body again. Not always, but the progress is there. The only worry is, that her paw seems to have no feeling. I could squeeze it, touch it wrap it without her notice. While when I touch just above her paw, she gets quite mad, what is her reaction because she only likes to be touched on the head and body.
But, I understand this paralysis can be temporary, because I feel there is life and energy in her paw.

At the vet, I received good news. I am glad I went here, they were taking it seriously and were very interested in the cats, where they came from and what my idea was about EMRO. They understood that there are good people out there, caring for the cats. And they loved Tiger. I left Grey at home because he isn't really a traveler. Tiger loves it and she may come with me for trips in the future, but for Grey I have to see how he develops.

The vet told me it is very possible and very likely she will overcome her problem. She cannot guarranty, but believes this is a temporary paralysis. She felt reaction in the paw, it is not completely gone. So somewhere a nerve may be blocked due to infection or swelling. Or indeed a moved spine. She checked her from spine to toe for fractures or dislocations. And afterwards wrapped in her leg. She gave me spare material to wrap, which surely will make it more difficult because this kind of wrap is already a nightmare with 2 hands free.
Also Tiger got medication, and if I need it, approval to forward to a specialist. Im glad for this, because I sure believe specialistic care may help her. Like fysiotherapie or ortho manual therapy.

Now I supply Tiger also with homeopathic medication. I am curious how it will work out. It brought me back to my ambition to do more with the study I did a while ago. I still want to be herbologist and homeopathic consultant.

It is waiting now for the further progress. I hope and keep believing it will be allright. :-)