Maple Syrup Breath

Day 327

My oldest cat, Pretty Boy, has been sick for a couple of weeks. He keeps vomiting, usually after he

eats. Sometimes during the day, sometimes during the night. Pretty Boy sleeps on the bed with me at night and when he get's sick it's on my bed, or nightstand, or next to the bed. Sometimes I hear him and wake up and I would clean up the mess. Other times I find out when I get out of bed to use the bathroom and I step in it. And then I would clean it up.

Almost always, I found a blade of grass or some pine needles in the mess. Cats routinely eat these when they have an upset stomach, to cause them to expel whatever is upsetting their stomach. Fur can gather in the stomach after grooming and is either passed through or regurgitated. When neither of these things happens they will self induce vomiting by eating something their system can't digest.

Cats also will make themselves sick to let their owners know they are unhappy about something. In these cases they often aim for the owners shoes. There's nothing like finding a fresh "tootsie roll" in your shoes when putting them on in the morning.

At first, I couldn't think of anything recently that would have upset him. He follows the same routine every day. He likes to go outside to check his territory and does his duty outside, saving me from emptying the litter pan. So considerate. He comes in, eats some food and takes a nap. Routine.

Lately, he only goes out at night. He won't go outside during the day. I'm not sure why, but I think I can guess.

My neighbors, two houses over, have a dog. For some reason, they don't think they have to tie their dog up when he's outside. Maybe they just want the dog to run over and shit in someone elses yard so they won't have to clean it up. I don't know.

I believe the dog attacked Pretty Boy. He didn't hurt him. Maybe he just wanted to play. But Pretty Boy was shaken up and is now afraid to go out during the day.

My cat has lost dominance in his territory. He has been psychologically scarred and he may never be the same again. My old tomcat Curly had a similar experience. He was king of his domain. Then one day, he wouldn't go outside, he just laid around the house. He was missing a tooth, so I knew he had been in a fight...and lost. Curly was old. Pretty Boy is getting old.

The animal doc believes it's just hair, so he gave me some hairball medicine. A tube of grease to lube

up the intestinal tract so the hair can slide out the rear. Only $20. Cats are suppose to like the taste and...it smells like maple syrup. Yum.

This morning I awoke with my cat sleeping next to my head with no sign of sickness. He yawned on me with his maple syrup breath. I was thankful he was feeling better, and celebrated with a huge stack of buttermilk pancakes. Smothered in Mrs. Butterworths. Only $3.89.

Until tomorrow,

Ken