Tiger looks for Tabs

It's probably anthropomorphising, but Tiger went berserk yesterday, squeezed out of the grille and dashed around the living room, looking for something or someone.

I think Tiger was looking for Tabs as both of them are very close.

So, how do you explain it to an animal that his best friend is in hospital and won't be back yet, but not to worry, as his best friend is safe.

You can't.

We can say it in our language, in our thoughts, and only hope that they will somehow understand.

I was reading "Cat Sense" by John Bradshaw on Day One while accompanying Tabs in hospital. The emphasis is, we always make the mistake of assuming or expecting that our pets will see the world in our eyes and as we do, but they don't. That is the truth - they just don't. They see the world on their terms and it is so very different from how we see it.

So, while we comfort ourselves thinking that they will understand, the truth is, they may not, but I certainly hope that somehow our pets and us will reach a platform where there is understanding...somehow.

So I could only carry Tiger and "tell" him that Tabs is alright and will be back home soon. But now, Tabs is unwell and has to be at the clinic for treatment.

My husband says Indy was making a lot of noise in the afternoon too, but I think that's more of asking him where I was as Indy has sworn his life to protecting me. But even then, we'll never know. Indy is also close to Tabs.

The Cow Family is somehow not close to Tabs at all; they ignore her. But that's just how I see it. It may not be true at all!

Meanwhile, Tabs' vet continues to explore and think of all possibilities of what may be affecting Tabs, leaving no stone unturned, yet all in good time. We have to give the medicines a chance to work and time, as ironical as it seems (as we seem to be fighting against it), will tell us more. Only time will tell.

We are going to do a full blood profile today and hopefully, we can eliminate some possibilities. As of yesterday, Tabs wasn't jaundiced, so I think that is good. Perhaps the force-feeding is helping.

Joy sent this: http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2010/10/05/pancreatitis-in-pet-cats.aspx, article which is really useful. Before this, I had never heard of pancreatitis in cats and dogs as no one had ever claimed for such treatment before. So, there is really much to learn, if indeed, Tabs has pancreatitis. It seemed to the most probable cause now as she does has some discomfort in the abdomen and snarls when we carry her.

Siti Azura shared some notes by Irene de Villers on homeopathic treatment for FIP cats.

And everyone has been very helpful and supportive. Thank you very much.

Much as I hope and pray it isn't FIP, it still helps to be prepared. When the vet first suggested the possibility of FIP, he said that cats get it because they have had no exposure to the corona virus when young. Vaccination does not offer immunity against this deadly virus, so the only immunity is from the environment. Tabs came to us wearing a bright red collar early one morning on Dec 16th,  2011. She just walked straight into our house asking if she could live with us. It was during the time when Indy was mysteriously and seriously ill. For the record, Indy was put on drips and eventually recovered and until today, the vets are still baffled as to what was wrong with him.

The day Tabs walked into our lives: http://myanimalcare.org/2011/12/16/a-new-kid-on-the-block-2/

The fact that Tabs had come with a bright red collar probably means she was a former pet, either abandoned or lost. I asked the neighbours for a week, but no one claimed her. Since then, Tabs had been with us and kept indoors. She only strayed for a few hours each day when Cow and Cleo chased her out of the house in that initial week when I was trying to find her owners. After barely three weeks, we moved to this present house, so we brought her along with the six of them (Cow, Bunny, Pole, Cleo, Tiger and Indy). The six of them were free roaming in the previous house so they would have got some immunity from the environment. But Tabs had been protected indoors because after we moved here, we had to keep everyone indoors (in case they tried to run back to the old house).

So, do you keep your beloved pets indoors or allow them some measure of contact with the environment? After all, they are creatures of Nature and belong with Nature.

Isn't this a Catch-22 situation? What should you do for your pet? Expose her to the environment so that she can get some natural immunity (and subject her to the dangers of being free-roaming in a man-made environment - road accidents, poisons, abuse) or protect her indoors and provide the necessary vaccinations which do not provide immunity to certain diseases such as those caused by this deadly corona virus?

Not wanting our cats to be in a concrete environment, we have a back garden for them so that they are still exposed to Nature - sunshine, green grass, plants and the Earth. Some bacteria comes from the soil, but where do we draw the line now?

It boils down to the fact that whatever we do, we can never do it perfectly. We can only do our very best and leave the rest to Nature.