Got Cats?

[aharris2]

Alene, how is your kitty doing?   

Thanks for asking David, He's still recovering from his broken back. Just yesterday I noticed that he was beginning to walk on his toes again. Meanwhile, his kidney failure is progressing. He is on a renal diet now and is getting sub-q fluids every day. He's such a good cat.

[Jean]

RM, now that was a really sweet story. makes me wish I had met Celeste.

[RichardMEL]

Celeste is still with me she sleeps next to me every night

[David13]

Alene, how is your kitty doing?   

Thanks for asking David, He's still recovering from his broken back. Just yesterday I noticed that he was beginning to walk on his toes again. Meanwhile, his kidney failure is progressing. He is on a renal diet now and is getting sub-q fluids every day. He's such a good cat.

And you are a wonderful person for taking such good care of him.  Please give him a special hug from me.   

[bmevans]

  Beware PD patients!  Animals should never be allowed in the same room you dialyze in.  I've known many a patient that has had serious types of peritonitis because of cats on the cycler!  Our unit has even had to take some PD patients off of PD because they wouldn't follow the clinic's home rules regarding pets in their bedrooms.  They check our houses a few times a year.  Peritonitis can be a liability for some of these clinics and is too serious and dangerous a consequence to pay for letting your pets have control.  My dog's out of the bedroom and has been from the time I had to start PD.
It's not easy but I don't want to have to be put on Hemo because of the scary P word not to mention a premature and agonizing death.  Beware CAT ladies!   

[Jean]

that is not very good news. Maybe I will have to do in-clinic dialysis after all.

[Hanify]

I have been doing PD for a year and a half, and I think I lasted about 2 weeks before I let the cats back in my room.  I have never had even a hint of peritonitis.  Touch wood this will continue.  Now I'm not suggesting anyone else should be as slack as I am, I'm just saying I haven't had a problem.

[PDBookkeeper]

My dialysis trainer told me I couldn't have my cats in the room when I was doing my exchanges.  I thought keeping them out of my bedroom when they were used to sleeping with me since birth would be a real problem, but they've actually been really good about it.  I really miss having them with me, but I realize the cat hair and dander wouldn't be very sterile.  Plus, my Smokey is fascinated by water (or any fluid) and when I did a manual exchange in my office he wanted to play with the drain bag.

[Dave86]

I have been doing PD for a year and a half, and I think I lasted about 2 weeks before I let the cats back in my room.  I have never had even a hint of peritonitis.  Touch wood this will continue.  Now I'm not suggesting anyone else should be as slack as I am, I'm just saying I haven't had a problem.

Pretty much same with me. I'm on pd just under 1 year, and occasionaly my cat will spend the night at the head of the bed. Haven't had a problem yet. I do make sure he is out of the room when connecting; I guess that's just common sense though.
Bookkeeper, my cat looks just like one in your sig. His name is "little dude" and I found him when he was a newborn kitten under a construction site trailer. Holds a special place in my heart.
Also he seems to avoid the cycler and bags, lines, etc. Think the humming/buzzing noise deters him. 
One day i'll get his picture up.

[lodisweetthing]

alley and groucho...they dont care for dogs but will have to learn when rod get a guide dog...(we are shooting for) they dont care for invaders heheheh

[jbeany]

When I started home hemo, my former craft room became dialysis central, and my kitty was no longer allowed in when anything having to do with dialysis was going on.  She learned so quickly that the machine running or my working with the supplies meant "No Entry" that within a couple of weeks, I could leave the door open and she would sit right at the sill and watch me, without setting foot across the threshold.  They may seem set in their ways, but they adapt quickly when they have to.

[RichardMEL]

When I started home hemo, my former craft room became dialysis central, and my kitty was no longer allowed in when anything having to do with dialysis was going on.  She learned so quickly that the machine running or my working with the supplies meant "No Entry" that within a couple of weeks, I could leave the door open and she would sit right at the sill and watch me, without setting foot across the threshold.  They may seem set in their ways, but they adapt quickly when they have to.

That's so gorgeous JB! I love it!!! They are very smart too and that way she can keep an eye on you and still respect that she can't go in when you're doing dialysis stuff. What a good pet!!!!!

[jbeany]

Heehehehe - you should have seen her at the beginning, though.  I'd leave the door open, and she'd sit there for a bit, then sneak a look at me to see if I was watching.  If she thought I wasn't, she'd try to take a step over the threshold.  I'd say "Nooooooooo" and she'd scoot back.  But just to be pissy, she'd set one foot over the metal threshold and stay like that, glaring at me.  "See, I'm in the room and it's not hurting anything, Mom!" 

[RichardMEL]

I think I love your kitty and her attitude, JB!!!

she's still in charge, of course!!! 

[cherpep]

When I finish my home hemo treatment, I usually rest for a couple of hours in a recliner before going up the stairs and to bed.  So, that means that I'm crawling into bed in the middle of the night. 

Last night, Sparkle (my cat) was laying on my side of the bed and was extremely comfortable.  I swear, he even had is head on my pillow.  He was completely taking up my space.  So, I nudged him a little - wouldn't move.  I nudged him a lot - wouldn't move.  I think he sank even deeper into the bed.  Sparkle is a pretty big cat, at least 19 lbs, so I try not to pick him up.  I pulled back the covers, which ended up covering him up - he still would not move.  I literally had to get into bed and push him with my body in order to get him to move - even then, he tried his best to stay there.  It was quite funny, and at least he had the bed warm for me. 

[PDBookkeeper]

Hey Dave86 -- Hope your "Little Dude" is as sweet as my Smokey Bear.  He's taken to hanging right outside my bedroom and sneaks in if he has the chance, just to check it out.  I certainly understand why some people don't want to exclude their cat(s) when they are doing PD, but I just don't want to take the risk.  They get plenty of loving other times.

[twirl]

your Smokey Bear looks just like my Slugger -- Slugger has no tail

[Restorer]

I live with four cats, two that came from the shelter as kittens, and two which were strays that we "acquired." Since I moved in here 3 months ago, the oldest has gotten even more friendly with me, and she spends most of the day on my bed. If I lie down on the bed, she just has to lean up against me, or rest her head on my arm, or reach out her front legs and do the bread-kneading motion just near enough to lightly poke me with her claws.

If I'm lying on my back, she wants to walk up and shove her head into my face. If I'm lying on my side, she wants to get behind me and lean against my back. None of the other cats will even hang out in my room.

[RichardMEL]

I love it when my cat likes to "reverse spoon" me. Like this morning I woke up lying on my side and Celeste is snuggled up with her back to my back so it was all warm and snug (but gosh what if I rolled over in my sleep?!?!!  ). The companionship and love is so special

[funnygarcia]

awww, my Poly is being a very good kitty today.
She curled up next to my leg and is watching the drain line, I pulled her back twice before she settled down and realized she should leave it be..... she has a fondness of biting the soft plastic of the drain extension and watching the fluid dribble/ spray everywhere.

It's the bubbles, she has to play with them you know.
When dh first starts treatment she watches the line, scampers up and down the hall looking at the bubbles and trying to figure out how to capture them. ( We use Christmas light clips to hold the line off the floor, they have sticky backs and the hook part is the perfect diameter to hold the drain line extensions. )

She jumps up on the counter, reaches for the line and CHOMP

NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!


Used smelly dialysate spraying YUCK!

[twirl]

hello funnygarcia     where ya been

[Restorer]

One of my cats discovered the bubbles in the drain line a couple weeks ago. Fortunately she doesn't seem to want to bite or claw the line, just sit outside my door and watch the bubbles go by. She did show a tendency to reach for my hanging catheter when I was hooked up, though, so I don't let her in the room when I'm not paying attention. If she does go for the drain line, at least it won't give me peritonitis. If she goes for any other line in my room, though...

[funnygarcia]

hello funnygarcia     where ya been

 

Hello!
Having a very busy summer that is now winding down. Whew!

[RichardMEL]

Northern Territory man claims his cat can swear:

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,27574,25997497-421,00.html

This is mostly for our friend up north, Jessup!

[Restorer]

Mocha settled down on my warm drain line as it started draining. Right now she's sitting there staring at the cycler as it makes its pumping noises.