Feliway and Greyhounds... a Two Part Post

No, I am not here to report that Feliway has any effect on greyhounds whatsoever.  Argos has remained blissfully ignorant of the plug-in that we got for Romeo's benefit.

Part The First, Feliway and a Romeo Update

But I did want to report that we've had the Feliway plug-in for 24 hours, and it MIGHT actually be having an effect on Romeo.  I'm fairly certain that I'm seeing what's really there and not just what I would like to see ...  he seems a bit more relaxed.  We have it in the dining room, where he hangs out most of the time, and where his food and water are.  It's also the room where Charlotte tormented him several nights ago... blocking his way out of the room until he peed and crapped in there because he couldn't make it to the litter box in time.  (Charlotte, my dear lady, I love you dearly, but sometimes you are really a bitch.)

Friday night, Romeo started to show signs of a possible bladder infection... he'd strain in the litter box for awhile, and maybe only produce a quarter-size wet spot.  And kept going back in, every hour or so, to try again.  He did this before, when we first got him, and the vets seemed to think that it was stress-induced, but gave us antibiotics just in case it was bacterial.  They were certain it wasn't the bloody shards thing that male cats can get sometimes.  So I was fairly certain that this was stress-induced as well... he didn't show any signs of visible pain, and was eating and drinking normally.  But we hauled him to the vet, always a fun Saturday afternoon activity,  to be sure.  I know that kitty bladder infections can be very serious, even fatal,  if left untreated.

The vet is almost positive that it is stress-induced.  Romeo is too fat (ahem) for the vet to be able to feel the bladder to be 100% certain that it is blocked or not blocked, but he was pretty sure that Romeo would have reacted a lot more strongly to the pressure had there been a blockage there.  I almost died laughing when the vet told us that cats with a bladder obstruction almost never want to eat... because as he was telling us this, he opened a drawer and pulled out a can of "gooshy food" one of Romeo's favorite treats.  Because I knew what was going to happen.  The vet popped the top off, and Romeo leapt to his feet, and practically tore the can out of the man's hand.  The vet only gave him a spoonful in the end, but Romeo inhaled it.  He kind of laughed, and then said, "Clearly, this cat has no appetite issues."

SO anyway.  The vet listened to our tale of woe about the cats not getting along, and recommended the Feliway plug-in.  I know that several people on here have suggested it, but there almost always seemed to be some kind of qualifying statement  "This doesn't always work, but..."  etc.  And they're so expensive - I think $65?  that I have hesitated to spend the money on one, since it might not even work.  But... the vet had them in stock, and we just got one directly from him.

As I mentioned earlier, we've had it running for about 24 hours now.  When I went into the dining room to check on Romeo this evening, I was expecting him to stump away from me as fast as he could...  he will show us affection if he's in the living room in "his" papisan chair, or on the dining room radiator, but if he's on the floor he tries to get away because he's afraid we're going to take him upstairs.  (I know, I know, the horror.)  But he stopped and started head-butting my feet, demanding attention, and purring, and dropped over on his side right in front of me.  Granted, yes, he did then try to herd me towards his food bowl, but I will call that progress!  He is blissfully snoozing in the chair right now, only his ears twitching to let me know that he is listening to me type.

Part the Second:  Greyhounds


I kept meaning to post this last week, but to say that I had the week from hell would be something of an understatement.  So, better late than never...  Last weekend, I volunteered at a Petco Meet & Greet but wound up going without my husband or even Argos.   I stopped by Steel City Greyhounds and picked up one of the adoptable hounds, Soloman.  (Who is a loveable cuddle machine, btw.)  I took him, and met another volunteer, who had picked up Pepsi, one of the other adoptables.  (Pepsi was originally named Bang Bang, but her name was changed because she came into the adoption program right after we won the Pepsi grant.)  We had a great time, and I made a blog post at the blog that I do for Steel City Greyhounds.  Anyone know of someone in the Pittsburgh area that is looking for a great family dog?  I know of a few!  Here is the blog post that I made about Soloman and Pepsi:

http://houndsofsteelcity.blogspot.com/2011/02/getting-to-know-you.html

Then yesterday, someone else took the third adoptable greyhound, Bobby, back to the Petco for another Meet & Greet.  I didn't go to this one because I had family obligations, AND, unbeknownst to me, my cold was turning into something far more sinister... bronchitis with a higher than usual chance at becoming pneumonia (as I found out at an urgent care clinic this morning.  Oh joy.)  She absolutely loved Bobby, and sent me a description of how he acted along with pictures.  I made a blog post about him as well, which you can view at the link below!  All three dogs are still looking for homes.

http://houndsofsteelcity.blogspot.com/2011/02/bobbys-day.html

The Pittsburgh Home & Garden Show is coming up soon.  It is a huge event, and has a large turn-out every year.  Steel City Greyhounds has a booth, and yours truly is manning it, this coming Saturday for a few hours, and then again next Saturday.  We did it last year, though we'd only had Argos for a couple of months by that point, but really loved it.  If you're in the Pittsburgh area, I would love to see you at the show!  Email me if you're going to be there and I'll let you know the hours I'll be around.

I hope that everyone has a great week!  I wish that I could say I had the holiday off tomorrow, so that I could stay home and rest and recuperate one more day, but unfortunately have to go to work.  I'm going to try to take it easy once I'm there, though.  My cats are already looking at me disapprovingly as I try to prepare things for tomorrow.  They would much rather I stay in bed and let them drape themselves over me.  Argos doesn't glare disapprovingly, but will give me sad, sad eyes in the morning.