POT PURRY
There is an unfilled place at the Heidi Ho chow table tonight. For ten short years it was filled by a cantankerous, opinionated, neck nuzzling, gravel-voiced Siamese. Abner P. Katt (also known as Uncle Fud) has gone to join his best buddy, Kim Chee.
We attended our first show in two years and brought home a pneumonitis bug. All fifteen adults and both kittens caught it. Everyone came through fine except Unc and his ailing kidneys couldn’t take it. Even though I know he had been living on borrowed time for the past four years, it is still hard to accept the fact that my elderstatesman is gone.
Heidi-Ho’s loss emphasizes the need for more research into means to prevent diseases such as pneumonitis which can be so devastating. MCBFA contributes as a club to Morris Animal Foundation, but we aren’t very rich. Consider how much more could be done if each of us would contribute one dollar for each of our cats!
From an objective point of view, this has confirmed for me the opinion currently held by many veterinarians–that vaccination for pneumonitis is useless. There were 11 Maine Coon Cats entered. Five had been recently vaccinated; three of these got it. Six had not been vaccinated. Two from another cattery did not get it; two from Heidi-Ho did–and then passed it to the rest of the crew. Severity of symptoms varied from almost none to very severe regardless of vaccination. Form your own opinion.
There is some good news. Remember Freddy-the-Freeleader and his girl friend, Little Olie? Well, Little Ollie’s wild mother was finally tranquilized with a pill in her hamburger, captured and spayed courtesy of the U.S. Army Veterinary Service. She is now back in Big Ollie’s back yard, happy and indepen dent as ever, but no longer adding to the stray cat population.
Becky Ellis is now fully recovered and out in her yard doing the things a cat is happiest doing. I owe Becky an apology; her name is Miss Sebago Lake, not Miss Kennenbunk. «Bunky» lives in Mars, Pennsylvania with Jane Von Hagen. More good news for those of you with lots of cats and/or unaltered toms. I’ve finally found a deodorizer that not only WORKS, it smells good. It is a contraption made by Scentinel, F.0. Box 248, Levittown, New York 11756.
While a bit more expensive than a can of perfumed spray, it works! S.O.S. HELP! Does anyone know Melissa Ponce of Chicago, Ill. or Clara Hardesty, Pittsburgh, Penna? Both sent $ for fancier memberships but when I sent acknowledgements, they came back as undeliverable. If you know them please send me a correct address.
Summertime brings parasite problems both inside and outside (of your cat). Stool check for worms by your veterinarian are in order. Watch for fleas. If they get in your grass, spray with Sevin. Use as directed and keep the fur people off until dry and you’ll have no problems. For the fur people them selves, there are powders. shampoos.
I should apologize for Pot Purry’s absence from the summer issue. I just couldn’t make the deadline. However, it was «an ill wind that blows no good!» I had a bit in about a method of using flea collars–24 hours on and 24 hours off. Well–don’t do it! We were invaded by the varmints for the first time in 8 years and I tried it. Henry had a raw neck after the second 24 hours on and some of the others had broken out in a rash around their necks.
I got rid of the little beasts in short order though. Powdered the pussies, sprayed the yard with Sevin and the carpets with Raid House and Garden Spray. I kept the troops inside when I sprayed the yard and chased them out until the Raid on the carpet. was dry. Fleas gone–no one had ill effects.
Connie