Aging Cats
Herbs
★★★★★
When I got her she was severly overweight, borderline diabetic, and in the process of losing a major canine due to diabetes onset. The vet also found a heart murmur. My baby had no energy, didn't talk or play, and looked perpetually miserable.
After two different vet consultations I was talked into beginning an insulin regimen to manage her diabetes.We tried two different insulins in a 2 month period beginning with ProZinc.
During that time she went from just above borderline diabetes sugar levels (pre-insulin injections) to levels in the high 300 - low 400 levels while the vet was trying to get the insulin type and amount right. She was a mess and went from being lethargic, timid, and docile to being agressive and panicky. She lost all the hair at her injection sites. She was itching like mad all over. It was horrible watching her go through this.
I decided to leave my vet, ditch the insulin and go a holistic route. I did a ton of research during the insulin crisis and settled on a few things that have helped immensely over the last year since.
Raw Food:
When I got her I put her on Innova Evo, weaned her off dry kibble and moved to a 95% protein diet. She went from 21 lbs to 10 and has remained at 10 for 4 years now - obviously her 'healthy' weight as she doesn't budge from here unless she's stressed.
Innova sold out to P & G so I switched to raw. The cost is well worth the amazing changes I've seen in her overall wellness.
Her heart and diabetes are no doubt due to the artery damaging, high carb crud that she was fed for so many years.
The high incidence of diabetes and heart disease in humans due to the Western Diet is now mirrored in the poor health of our pets as a result of corn/carb laden commercial pet foods.
I've had her on a raw food diet for almost 2 years (this prior to the insulin) - I prefer Primal over Nature's Variety as Primal includes Taurine in their feline formulas. People will tell you there's enough naturally occuring taurine in meat, thus it's a non-issue, but feline taurine needs are higher than canine needs, thus I'd rather not take a chance.
I feed her at regular 3 hour intervals to keep her blood sugar steady. I do use both 'Tripsy' (to combat the diabetic impact on her kidneys/UT health) and 'Mellit' for diabetes.
I alternate the drops every other day with a daily herbal regimen to address her heart and blood sugar.
In a small bowl I mix the powder from 2 capsules of Nature's Way 'Blood Sugar Formula' (diabetes and kidney support - chromium polynicotinate is the key), 1 capsule Doctor's Best CoQ10 (Heart support), and 1 capsule of Jarrow's 'Hawthorn' (FABULOUS for both human and pet heart health) 500mg.
These are powerful herbs and I made the mistake of giving her one day's dose in one feeding the first time - MISTAKE!
Her little heart was racing as the hawthorne was that effective at increasing circulation.
I found the best method is to divvy it up over each feeding.
I use a kitchen measuring spoon set, choosing the tiniest spoon labeled 'Smidgen', I put enough of the mix to cover the bottom 1/4 of the spoon and sprinkle it over her defrosted raw food nugget.
Ultimately she gets what amounts to a 1/4 capsule of the herbal mix over a 24 hour feeding cycle.
Every other day I giver her 5 drops of Tripsy and Mellit in the morning and 5 more at night.
Since begining these she's testing/averaging BSL of around 130.
Her energy is through the roof, she's vocal, and so very loving. A 180 degree shift from her demeanor during the nightmare insulin incident.
One last thing to report... Last month I went to a new vet to get her yearly check up done. I did not mention my regimen to the vet, nor did I mention she had a heart murmur (I did tell them she'd been diagnosed diabetic and I was refusing insulin).
The vet did not find a heart murmur and was impressed that her blood sugar was borderline without injections despite having been diagnosed so many years back.
Herbal therapies may not work for all pets as there are many varying factors, but the pharmaceutical alternatives in her case were wrecking what was left of her health.
I took a chance and it is working in her favor.
I hope our story may inspire you to do a little herbal research for your baby. I'd definitely suggest Hawthorne and CoQ10 for the cardomyopathy.
I like to occasionally comb the pet forums to see if anyone else has had similar success with herbs. I'm not finding as much pet experimentation as I thought I would.
I should also add I'd NEVER use an herb that's not been deemed safe for felines.
As an example I considered ALA as there's so much sucess with it in human use, but I found a holistic pet forum that says it's specifically toxic to felines.
Good Luck*
Feline Conjunctivitis
★★★★★
Our poor 9yr old Daisy has suffered with feline conjuctivitus since she was a kitten, our vet said when she was 2yrs old that if she gets any more she will be blind, every year twice a year she gets glue eye and severe reddening of the lids. She also suffers with heyfever. And every year i use ordinary cooled boiled water with 4 balls of cotton wool for each eye, each ball soaked generously in the water and i wipe her eyes 4 times a day for 5 days. I do not leave the eye wet but slightly damp after dabbing with a soft cotton cloth.
The water i use is boiled from the kettle and placed in a jug to cool in the fridge, then i put the same water back into the kettle, boil it again and pour some into a clean dish to cool. the remainder of the water i tip away.
7 years later after vets saying she will be blind and offers of expensive ointments (which i continued to turn down) she is still going strong and has 20/20 vision! Our Daisy is a Pure white persian cross with very slight tortoishell markings on her head and tail and would be an extreme shame if she ended up blind. After all, pets are there for care and attention!
Respiratory Infection
★★★★★
★★★★★
DMSO
Acupuncture
★★★★★
★★★★★
2 scoops meyenburg powdered goats milk + 1 egg yolk
Run just enough boiling water over yolk to sterilize. Blend or shake in a jar according to ratios listed on can. Don't make it too watery and let it warm up to room temperature before serving. Kittens are temperature sensitive. Refrigerate.
My ex didn't get his beautiful queen spayed after the first litter. She had been a great momma to her first litter and let them suckle up until 4 months! At which point, couldn't stand the sight of them any longer and spent all of her time away from the house.
She gave birth to her 2nd litter somewhere outside and finally brought them to the house after a few weeks, starving and flea infested. Her nipples were dry. She wasn't as interested
I tried A LOT of things until I stumbled on to the goat's milk recipe. They say not to feed kittens cow's milk, but then why is the kitten formula cow milk based? Anyway, the powdered goats milk has folic acid added. That's a good thing.
If they don't like the egg, try it without.
I also fed my kitten probiotic plain yogurt and little bits of butter. I splurge on milk products and get the best I can afford, grassfed, organic, and raw if possible.
She was the sickliest, the runt of the litter (I wasn't even sure she would make it) and at five months is doing great!
Caution in DIY Cat Remedies
I just want to give a fresh reminder of how different a cats liver/kidneys is from ours or a dogs, etc. They lack an important liver detoxification enzyme called glucuronosyltransferase (yes a mouth full). That is why so many things cause much toxicities in our cats. Their livers can not clear so many substances safely & there for a toxic build up happens, this can be over time of many years or shorter time depending on what toxins are taken in. Taken in can be either oral or through the skin, or breath. This is very much so when it comes to Essential oils as the EO's are 500 - 2000 time stronger then the plant. However what ever is being used oral, eyes, skin, etc., please remember that there are other things in most products not just one thing. It may be safe for a human but not for cats. Always do research, over & over to make sure of safety. You could find illness or disease many, many years down the road. We have toxins in & around us all the time, from cleaning items to smoking, outside environment, paint, carpets & so on, this is adding to the cat as well as good intentions. Mind you I am not saying that DIY help is not a good thing, just be sure to do your home work of researching very well. I work at a animal shelter and have seen first hand what good intentions or even the lack there of can do to our furry babies, of all kinds. We sometimes get tunnel vision when it comes to our babies, we need to keep that tunnel open with research and knowledge.
This is a wonderful site and I for one hope it is always here. The best to all of you.
P.S. I forgot to mention that cats are "lactose intolerant" they may love the milk but it is not, again, it is not good for them.
Aloe and Laser
However, the clear inner gel is quite safe for humans & pets to ingest! It is also very easy to give aloe to our pets without the aloe latex!
'Only the Latex in Aloe Vera is Toxic' https://www.happyhousegarden.com/for-pets/is-aloe-vera-toxic-to-pet-cats-dogs-or-other-animals/.
Aloe gel also works to confuse &/or repel fleas (& ticks?) when applied on their coats! (So does 2.5% vinegar---50% each 5% vinegar & water!) I've used both remedies for this purpose successfully, applying either one 2x daily!
It has also been found that many essential oils can be used carefully with cats, and even birds ... you just have to use the correct ones specially prepared for pets in amounts safe for them!
Medical Use of Essential Oils for Animals https://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2019/02/21/essential-oils-for-pets.aspx
Aging Cats
Digestive Enzymes, Salmon Oil
★★★★★
Our indoor/outdoor cat had been scratching and chewing his fur off the back of his legs and underbelly, and had bumps and sores on his skin all over his back and sides as well. His fur had also lost its lustre and looked ragged instead of smooth. We'd fed him high quality, high protein no grain organic foods for years, so we didn't think the food was the problem. Vets, even a naturopathic vet, told us he must be allergic to fleas and we were encouraged to constantly spot treat him with prescription treatment. This never really caused the problem to go away and it would sometimes get a little better, only to flare terribly until he lost all his fur on the backs of his legs and belly, and in patches all over.
My husband went to the natural pet food store to pick up his food and got into a conversation about our cat's issues with the person at the counter, who gave him some handouts about fleas, skin and fur problems. They contend that itching and fur loss was often the result of insufficient digestive enzymes causing an inflammatory reaction in the skin and other systems. They recommended, besides a raw food diet which provides the correct live enzymes for your pet's digestion, adding digestive enzymes to wet food as well as salmon oil.
For a cat, that's 1/8 to 1/4 tsp. of enzymes (specially formulated for pets) and a few squirts of salmon oil added to any serving of food. Our cat was slightly reluctant at first, but quickly adjusted and we fed him this mixture to half a can of high protein no grain orgarnic wet food a day. Within days the itching stopped, within weeks his coat regained it's lustre and smooth appearance, is soft to the touch, and grew back more lush and full than ever. They also cautioned that the spot treatments were probably crippling his immune system and making him more susceptible to fleas. We have stopped those, and he hasn't shown any signs of itching or fleabites.
Training Your Cat to Come to Its Name
★★★★★
First, try to 'tune in' to your cat and get a sense of what his or her personality really is like. I remember this one sassy cat a friend had years ago who was named "Princess." The name did not fit the cat's personality at all. When I tuned in to her fresh face, I soon felt that a more suitable name for her would be Toots, as in the roaring '20s, "Hey, Toots, whatcha doin' tonight?"
My friend really loved the new name (being a New Yorker), and so the cat finally had a name that fit her and her sassy attitude. So, be fair to your cat - they have really sensitive feelings - and try to resist naming it things like Xanax or Harddrive. Funny though they may be, names like this are just not likely to suit an individual cat's personality. No wonder so many of them seem 'aloof' or unresponsive - the owners have never taken the time to get to know who they really are!
Second, try to come up with a name that has long vowel sounds in it, especially "ee", as this is a sound that is very easy for an animal's ears to hear, like Chi Chi. Even a name like Lulu has long vowels that are easy to hear, as opposed to Princess, which has short vowel sounds that are not distinctive.
Training Your Cat to Come to Its Name
Now we're getting down to the fun part. I came across this information years ago when I was on my own after college and acquired three throw-away kittens. My family had always had pets, but I never had sole responsibility for them until now.
I discovered this old book, The Fabulous Feline, or Dogs Are Passe`, which was very thorough and comprehensive on everything from feeding and grooming to training and cat psychology. The most trainable period for a cat is from 3 to 9 months, very similar to dogs.
The author pointed out that, while dogs are often trained with treats and verbal commands, the key to a cat's heart is pleasure. Yes, pleasure! Most cats - unless they have been abused or abandoned - love to have their spines stroked. It's just like mama cat washing her babies to stimulate the pituitary gland so the kitten grows and thrives. And remember, for 4-legged creatures, the spine goes all the way out to the tip of the tail.
When you're petting your cat - stroking its spine and neck, around the cheekbones and ears - it should begin to purr. Once it purrs, this is when you start to implant the association with its name.
So, over and over, as you stroke and it purrs, you say the cat's name, lovingly. Every time you have the cat in one of these pleasure sessions, repeat the cat's name fondly. Something in their psychology responds well to being adored. (A carry-over from Egypt when they were revered as gods? It might be genetic! )
After a couple of weeks of this, try testing out whether the name has "taken" yet, whether the cat has associated the name and the pleasure response. You see the cat across the room and it's looking at something else or washing itself, whatever, it's preoccupied. Then you call its name and see if it looks at you, or at least cocks an ear in your direction. This is a good sign.
You'll know that the cat really recognizes its name when it comes over to you when you call it. So keep up the association of pleasure and saying its name until you get this result.
When I lived in the country, my cats would roam out into the woods and fields. When I called them for dinner, I'd see them appear from far away, running to the house, just like dogs. People would be amazed that they came to their names but, once you know their secret, responding to their names is as natural for them as it is for us!
Respiratory Infection
We just had his lungs and stomich drained. I just want to know if any cats have survived and or how long does it take before death?
He still eats and seems ok... just a bit down but his quality of life is good
Apple Cider Vinegar
If your cat is young, treatment on Earth Clinic will probably work for upper respiratory illness. Yesterday, I had to put down my older cat (18 years old) due to respiratory illness as I was afraid she was going to suffocate. I was only able to help her once using antibiotics. But the next time my cat came down with this illness nothing would work! Absolutely nothing. Although it is very difficult to put an animal down it is best for the animal. Don't allow your pets to suffer if they don't get well. Just my opinion.
Activated Charcoal
Aging Cats
Apple Cider Vinegar
PLEASE do not EVER give a cat cream or half and half OR MILK- especially when they need liquids. MOST cats are lactose intolerant and will develop severe stomach cramping and often diarreah from it. This will make the cat more dehydrated, which can be lethal and is a horrible way to go for any creature.
Apple Cider Vinegar
~Mama to Many~
Apple Cider Vinegar
The best treatment is powdered turmeric applied dry onto a wound. Heals fast and no pus. It is a natural antibiotic, makes new blood. When healed, apply coconut oil. I have used it on large wounds with great results.
Namaste, Om
DMSO
Herpes Remedy Needed for Cat
★★★★★
Apple Cider Vinegar for Ear Infections
★★★★★
Flea Remedy for Kittens
★★★★★
i would not try tea tree oil on cats - but someone wrote recently about collodial silver working in ear mites. i've never tried it though.
Cat Sinus Infection Remedies
★★★★★
For 7 days skipping some days, I have used a nasal spray I bought through Amazon, its 2% potassium iodine & fulvic acid. It's working well! She's the best I've ever seen her except after giving a round of antibiotics, and I can't keep giving those since it takes the life out of her because antibiotics given so frequently are toxic, literally.
So everyone, try the 2% potassium iodine/ fulvic acid nasal spray, made in the USA.brand name is Triquetra, Nasomin, blu& white box.
I have for 7 days
Apple Cider Vinegar
The bad breath you detected was due to your cat detoxing - a good thing! You can try adding the baking soda again to alkalize your cat or add raw, unpasturized, unfiltered -'with the mother' Apple Cider Vinegar - 2-3 tablespoons to a liter of pure, non-chlorinated water, and yes, change daily and put fresh down each time. Also consider adding probiotics/acidophillus to your cat's food to help combat yeast overgrowth associated with a PH out of kilter.
You can help your cat feel better by cleaning his gunky ears; try 1 cup of olive oil and add to that a couple of smashed or pressed cloves of garlic. Let it steep over night and then strain out the garlic. Warm it up nice and toasty before using it in your cat's ears. Use it liberally. After 3-4 days try cleaning his ears of the gunk. Keep on using the oil until the ears are clean.
Severe Respiratory Remedies
Dear Amy, in my rescue years I have lost a number of cats due to upper respiratory illness. Nothing I tried worked and I can truly say the vets helped death along wit their antibiotics.
But now my oldest, over twenty, is the last and very ill. I ordered SERRAPEPTASE from Dr.'s Best on Amazon and this is the second day. I opened the capsule and emptiet this into a tiny glass bottle, taking out a good pinch mixed with a good drop of water and put it into a syringe. He took it nicely taking his time. But the entire day he sneezed very little and seemed at ease and slept well. I am much relieved. I gave this three times a day but hope to go down to two times a day away from food. If one uses high potency, this has to be considered.
When needed, I use his cotton wash cloth and turn on hot water. Then squeeze it out quickly and after making sure, it is bearable, wipe his face and eyes. He likes it as it seems to ease the pain from his sinuses.
Amazon has over 500 customer reports on Serrapeptase. It is an enzyme from the silk worms and not a drug. People use it also for their dogs. It seems excellent for many conditions and I have started to take it myself once a day.
You may want to try this.
Namaste. Om
Severe Respiratory Remedies
Feline Herpes
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lm8qBR7NdVg
which said to use raw honey in the eyes for two weeks. I used raw unheated honey with a syringe in both eyes morning and night for two weeks. It does burn (I tried it in my eye) so I would put very light pressure on the eyes with paper towel after putting in the honey to try and reduce the pain. It has been two months since I first used the honey and the herpes has not returned. Even if it comes back, he has never gone this long without needing the prescribed medicine. I wanted to share this miracle here to help all the kittys and owners struggling with feline herpes.
Aging Cats
★★☆☆☆
Aging Cats
EC: See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nori
Aging Cats
Fish does NOT supply any Taurine, so please be sure to supplement it in his diet if necessary!
Taurine - Please Make Double Sure Your Cat Gets This Daily!
https://www.barkandwhiskers.com/2017-02-07-nl-cat-taurine-deficiency/
This ^ article is by Karen Becker, Holistic DVM.
