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| Truffle |
Wednesday, August 31, 2016
Wordless Wednesday
Tuesday, August 30, 2016
Cool and Fresh Water
There's nothing like cool and fresh water. Henry David Thoreau may have said that water is the only drink for a wise man, but plenty of water is also a necessity for us kitties.
This is not a sponsored post, but we have links in our post that connect to one of our pet fountains.
We received the Drinkwell 360™ Multi-Pet Stainless Steel Fountain from PetSafe® last month as part of Pet Hydration Month. At first, Truffle wasn't drinking from the fountain (she usually drinks from a fountain with a stronger flow), so Mom Paula put the fountain in front of the AC vent during the hot summer days we've experienced this year. Now, both Truffle and Brulee both love drinking from the fountain. We like the cool water with the cool breeze blowing on us. Mom Paula is pleased because she knows how important it is for us kitties to drink plenty of fresh water.
We don't know what we're going to do when the heat is turned on. MOL!
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| Truffle drinks some refreshing and cool water from her Drinkwell Fountain. |
We received the Drinkwell 360™ Multi-Pet Stainless Steel Fountain from PetSafe® last month as part of Pet Hydration Month. At first, Truffle wasn't drinking from the fountain (she usually drinks from a fountain with a stronger flow), so Mom Paula put the fountain in front of the AC vent during the hot summer days we've experienced this year. Now, both Truffle and Brulee both love drinking from the fountain. We like the cool water with the cool breeze blowing on us. Mom Paula is pleased because she knows how important it is for us kitties to drink plenty of fresh water.
We don't know what we're going to do when the heat is turned on. MOL!
Monday, August 29, 2016
A Little Taste of Hawaii #ChewyInfluencer
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| Truffle eating the Tiki Cat® Aloha Friends |
Disclosure:
As members of the Chewy.com Blogger Outreach Program, we received a case of Tiki Cat® Brand Cat Food Aloha Friends for free in exchange for our fair
and honest review. Chewy.com is not
responsible for the contents of this post.
Sweet Purrfections only shares products and information we feel will be
of interest to our readers.
Mom Paula has always dreamed of going to Hawaii. Everyone in her family has gone except her and she says it is on her bucket list once she retires. We don't know what Hawaii is, but we were happy to receive a case of Tiki Cat® Brand Cat Food Aloha Friends to try this past month from Chewy.com. We've had Tiki Cat products in the past and always liked them. The first ingredient in the new Aloha Friends is fresh tuna.
The Tiki Cat Aloha Friends is available in five different flavors combined with fresh tuna.
- Tuna with Shrimp & Pumpkin
- Tuna with Calamari & Pumpkin
- Tuna with Ocean Whitefish & Pumpkin
- Tuna with Pumpkin
- Tuna with Tilapia & Pumpkin
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| Truffle thinks the food tastes delicious |
We wish we could show you photos of Brulee eating this food because she had "tuna stain" all over her cute little white mouth when she first began eating it. She chose to eat her food under the kitchen chair behind one of Mom Paula's sweaters during the photo shoot. Even though Brulee had "tuna face" she didn't eat too much of this food (everyone knows she is a little finicky). Truffle ate about half of the food and then walked away. We don't know if it was because of the shrimp or the pumpkin in this particular variety, but we didn't clean our plates. We're definitely going to give it another try. Both of us have begun eating a little bit, walking away, and then coming back for more. Mom Paula plans on donating any remaining pouches to a local shelter or to her nephews who have cats.
The Tiki Cat Aloha Friends come in pouches (case of 12) or cans (case of 12). Chewy.com also offers a variety pack so you can try the different flavors. They are both currently priced at $10.16 per case. Chewy.com also offers 20% discount if you set up your first Autoship. If you combine this with other cat supplies that total $49+, Chewy.com offers free 1-2 day shipping. The customer service is excellent and we always enjoy the box!
Sunday, August 28, 2016
Rainbow Bridge Remembrance Day - Sunday Selfies
Our Sunday Selfies today are in memory of all of Mom Paula's fur children who've left for the bridge. We're are participating in Rainbow Bridge Remembrance Day, (sponsored by Zee and Zoey). Mom Paula grew up with pets her entire life. She's had birds, a turtle, fish, chickens, dogs, and cats. Each has made an impact on her life and she can't imagine her life without them. The first 19 years of her life were mainly spent with dogs and the last 40 years have been with cats. We hope you enjoy our little trip down memory lane.
Mom Paula recently shared detailed posts remembering Sweet Praline and Beignet since this year was the 5th anniversary of them leaving for the bridge. We really haven't shared much about Muff, but she was Mom Paula's first cat.
Muff was the first kitty Mom Paula ever had. She'd grown up with dogs the first 20 years of her life. When she got married, she wanted a pet, but her husband didn't like dogs, so Mom Paula said she wanted a cat, but the cat would stay indoors to stay safe. Muff was "rescued" from underneath a mobile home in rural South Carolina. She wasn't feral, but was the kitten from a mom kitty who belonged to of one of Mom Paula's college classmates. Mom Paula immediately fell in love and wondered why she never had a cat. Muff was a destructive little kitty and never agreed to use a scratcher for her claws. She preferred to destroy two different sofas, but we're proud to say Muff kept her claws. As Muff became a senior kitty, she would lay down beside Mom Paula for an afternoon nap after Mom Paula would get home from a long day of teaching. When Mom Paula and her ex would get into fights (verbal), Muff would always walk in between their feet, look up at them, and meow loudly. That usually gave Mom Paula a laugh and their focus went to Muff. Muff developed chronic renal failure (CRF) at about 15 years old. When Mom Paula and her ex separated, he asked who would get Muff. Mom Paula's exact words were, "if I'm going to lose both of you, then I'd rather it be at the same time." She said this because the vet had only given Muff a short time to live. Muff fought the valiant fight for almost 5 more years before leaving for the bridge one month prior to Mom Paula's divorce (after 21 years of marriage). Mom Paula never got to say goodbye and that always makes her sad, but she does remember that fun times with her first little fur child. Muff was 19 years old when she left in 1996.
Mom Paula keeps searching for her old photo albums to share photos of the dogs she grew up with. She was lucky to find some of them and scanned them for today's special post. We know there are some better photos of Tiny, but this is the only one she could find. Fond memories of:
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| Sweet Praline, Muff, and Beignet |
Mom Paula recently shared detailed posts remembering Sweet Praline and Beignet since this year was the 5th anniversary of them leaving for the bridge. We really haven't shared much about Muff, but she was Mom Paula's first cat.
Muff was the first kitty Mom Paula ever had. She'd grown up with dogs the first 20 years of her life. When she got married, she wanted a pet, but her husband didn't like dogs, so Mom Paula said she wanted a cat, but the cat would stay indoors to stay safe. Muff was "rescued" from underneath a mobile home in rural South Carolina. She wasn't feral, but was the kitten from a mom kitty who belonged to of one of Mom Paula's college classmates. Mom Paula immediately fell in love and wondered why she never had a cat. Muff was a destructive little kitty and never agreed to use a scratcher for her claws. She preferred to destroy two different sofas, but we're proud to say Muff kept her claws. As Muff became a senior kitty, she would lay down beside Mom Paula for an afternoon nap after Mom Paula would get home from a long day of teaching. When Mom Paula and her ex would get into fights (verbal), Muff would always walk in between their feet, look up at them, and meow loudly. That usually gave Mom Paula a laugh and their focus went to Muff. Muff developed chronic renal failure (CRF) at about 15 years old. When Mom Paula and her ex separated, he asked who would get Muff. Mom Paula's exact words were, "if I'm going to lose both of you, then I'd rather it be at the same time." She said this because the vet had only given Muff a short time to live. Muff fought the valiant fight for almost 5 more years before leaving for the bridge one month prior to Mom Paula's divorce (after 21 years of marriage). Mom Paula never got to say goodbye and that always makes her sad, but she does remember that fun times with her first little fur child. Muff was 19 years old when she left in 1996.
Mom Paula keeps searching for her old photo albums to share photos of the dogs she grew up with. She was lucky to find some of them and scanned them for today's special post. We know there are some better photos of Tiny, but this is the only one she could find. Fond memories of:
Tiny - Collie (1960s)
Chin - Pekingese (1970s)
Cheena - Pekingese (1970s - 1980s)
Blog Hops
You can see more Rainbow Remembrance Day (Zee and Zoey) posts and Sunday Selfies (The Cat on My Head) posts by visiting the links.
Saturday, August 27, 2016
Happy Birthday Brulee!
Today is Brulee's 5th birthday! Our cute and quirky little girl has grown into a beautiful ladycat.
Mom Paula: I told you the story a few days ago of Truffle's little brother, Beignet, leaving for the bridge at 11 weeks of age. I was so depressed. I'd been on an emotional roller coaster for the past 6 months: Sweet Praline's diagnosis of cancer, losing her one month later, making the decision to bring two new kittens in my life, having Truffle and Beignet choose me, the anxiety of waiting for the new furchildren, and then losing Beignet one week before he was scheduled to come live with me. Even though it was a sad time, God knew what he was doing because little Brulee was born 4 days later and would eventually choose to come live with Truffle and me.
Brulee was in a litter of 4 silver shaded kittens who were born to Mikayla. Mikayla is a beautiful golden shaded Persian, which is in the same color classification of shaded Persians with the silver shaded Persians. Brulee had the same daddy cat as Truffle, so they are half siblings. I think it's so amazing that the silver shaded Persians are born looking like little tabbies.
To be honest, I still wasn't quite sure I was going to get a second kitten. I think I was so afraid of losing another one that I hesitated. Terri was very patient with me and told me that I had first choice and we could decide by the time they were 6 weeks old. I received Brulee's first glamour photo at 3 weeks of age. Her darker coat was beginning to lighten and she had that Persian pout.
Brulee's glamour photo at 5 weeks was a big surprise for me. I hadn't seen a photo of her in a couple of weeks and I couldn't believe how much she'd grown. Her fur was gorgeous, she had the round face of a Persian, and she had the cutest little brick red nose (which is standard for the silver shaded Persians).
By the time Brulee was 6 weeks old, I finally told Terri that I did want a second kitten. When I went down to visit, Brulee really wasn't my first choice. I didn't take any photos of the kittens that day because it was the first day they'd been out in the front of the house after going to their first vet appointment. I was the first person (besides the vet) who'd been around the kittens except for Terri's family. I played with another female kitten who looked very similar to Truffle and had Truffle's personality and the little male kitten, who was adorable. I stayed about 3 hours with the kittens and towards the end of my visit, I told Terri I had no idea which kitten would come home with me. However, Brulee did something about 10 minutes before I left to make an impression on me.
There was a little kitten who was off to the side sleeping the entire time I was visiting. Towards the end of the visit, she walked over to where we were sitting on the floor and rolled over and let Terri rub her belly. I commented to Terri that she looked different from the others and Terri said she had a flatter face. I reached over to tickle Brulee's little belly and she reached over with her paw and tapped me on the arm. I said, "you want to make sure I remember you, don't you?" I told Terri I had no clue and she stressed that a decision needed to be made soon because other people were waiting to choose their new fur children. I told Terri I would let her know within a couple of days.
It was a two hour drive back home that day. The whole way back while I was thinking about the kittens, Brulee kept popping into my mind. Little did I know, but she had already chosen me as her mom with that tap on the arm. I poured over the photos of all the kittens once I got home and I kept going back to Brulee's photo. Two days later, I emailed Terri that I'd chosen kitten #2. Let me rephrase that, Kitten #2 chose me!
Brulee has the cutest personality and can make me laugh with her little quirkiness. She grew into a beautiful silver shaded Persian who is a challenge to keep groomed because of her cottony-soft fur and big eyes that drain all the time. She gets along with Truffle about like you'd expect sisters to do. At times I think they tolerate each other because both love me. They aren't real cuddlers to each other, but they do seem to enjoy each other's company and tend to stay near me. Brulee is becoming more of a love bug this past year, but on her terms. I'm so happy she chose to be part of our little family.
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| Graphic courtesy Zoolatry |
Mom Paula: I told you the story a few days ago of Truffle's little brother, Beignet, leaving for the bridge at 11 weeks of age. I was so depressed. I'd been on an emotional roller coaster for the past 6 months: Sweet Praline's diagnosis of cancer, losing her one month later, making the decision to bring two new kittens in my life, having Truffle and Beignet choose me, the anxiety of waiting for the new furchildren, and then losing Beignet one week before he was scheduled to come live with me. Even though it was a sad time, God knew what he was doing because little Brulee was born 4 days later and would eventually choose to come live with Truffle and me.
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| Photo courtesy Terri Rogers August 27, 2011 |
Brulee was in a litter of 4 silver shaded kittens who were born to Mikayla. Mikayla is a beautiful golden shaded Persian, which is in the same color classification of shaded Persians with the silver shaded Persians. Brulee had the same daddy cat as Truffle, so they are half siblings. I think it's so amazing that the silver shaded Persians are born looking like little tabbies.
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| Photo courtesy Terri Rogers Brulee - 3 weeks old |
To be honest, I still wasn't quite sure I was going to get a second kitten. I think I was so afraid of losing another one that I hesitated. Terri was very patient with me and told me that I had first choice and we could decide by the time they were 6 weeks old. I received Brulee's first glamour photo at 3 weeks of age. Her darker coat was beginning to lighten and she had that Persian pout.
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| Photo courtesy Terri Rogers Brulee- 5 weeks |
Brulee's glamour photo at 5 weeks was a big surprise for me. I hadn't seen a photo of her in a couple of weeks and I couldn't believe how much she'd grown. Her fur was gorgeous, she had the round face of a Persian, and she had the cutest little brick red nose (which is standard for the silver shaded Persians).
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| Photo courtesy Terri Rogers Brulee - 6 weeks |
By the time Brulee was 6 weeks old, I finally told Terri that I did want a second kitten. When I went down to visit, Brulee really wasn't my first choice. I didn't take any photos of the kittens that day because it was the first day they'd been out in the front of the house after going to their first vet appointment. I was the first person (besides the vet) who'd been around the kittens except for Terri's family. I played with another female kitten who looked very similar to Truffle and had Truffle's personality and the little male kitten, who was adorable. I stayed about 3 hours with the kittens and towards the end of my visit, I told Terri I had no idea which kitten would come home with me. However, Brulee did something about 10 minutes before I left to make an impression on me.
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| Mom Paula and Brulee - October 21, 2011 |
There was a little kitten who was off to the side sleeping the entire time I was visiting. Towards the end of the visit, she walked over to where we were sitting on the floor and rolled over and let Terri rub her belly. I commented to Terri that she looked different from the others and Terri said she had a flatter face. I reached over to tickle Brulee's little belly and she reached over with her paw and tapped me on the arm. I said, "you want to make sure I remember you, don't you?" I told Terri I had no clue and she stressed that a decision needed to be made soon because other people were waiting to choose their new fur children. I told Terri I would let her know within a couple of days.
It was a two hour drive back home that day. The whole way back while I was thinking about the kittens, Brulee kept popping into my mind. Little did I know, but she had already chosen me as her mom with that tap on the arm. I poured over the photos of all the kittens once I got home and I kept going back to Brulee's photo. Two days later, I emailed Terri that I'd chosen kitten #2. Let me rephrase that, Kitten #2 chose me!
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| Brulee - 5 years old |
Brulee has the cutest personality and can make me laugh with her little quirkiness. She grew into a beautiful silver shaded Persian who is a challenge to keep groomed because of her cottony-soft fur and big eyes that drain all the time. She gets along with Truffle about like you'd expect sisters to do. At times I think they tolerate each other because both love me. They aren't real cuddlers to each other, but they do seem to enjoy each other's company and tend to stay near me. Brulee is becoming more of a love bug this past year, but on her terms. I'm so happy she chose to be part of our little family.
Happy 5th Birthday, Cutie Pie!
Friday, August 26, 2016
Flashback Friday - Brulee
Brulee is a gorgeous silver shaded Persian now, but she has such a cute and quirky personality. She can look at you in that special way and make you smile. Her mom, Mikayla, is the same way. We wanted to revisit this video we shared back in June 2012 (Brulee was still a kitten). Brulee reminds Mom Paula of a Jack-in-the-Box the way she pops up from the trashcan. Watching Truffle reminds us of the "hit the gopher" games you'll see at the fair. If you watch the entire video, you'll get to see to floofy Persians having a smackdown. We hope we can bring a smile to your face as you watch it.
Mom Paula: Both of the girls always loved playing in this trashcan. It got to the point where I couldn't keep trash in it because they were always jumping in and turning it over. I finally put it in a tight space behind my chair and now it's full of papers. Perhaps, I should rethink this because I'd love to look down and see this cute face staring up at me again.
What favorite games do your cats and/or dogs play?
Mom Paula: Both of the girls always loved playing in this trashcan. It got to the point where I couldn't keep trash in it because they were always jumping in and turning it over. I finally put it in a tight space behind my chair and now it's full of papers. Perhaps, I should rethink this because I'd love to look down and see this cute face staring up at me again.
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| Brulee at 8 months - 2012 |
What favorite games do your cats and/or dogs play?
Thursday, August 25, 2016
Cute Baby
Someone has a birthday coming up!!! Look how dark she was when she was born! We can't wait to celebrate Brulee's birthday this weekend.
We have one final giveaway that is connected to our 5th Blogoversary and hope to have it posted this weekend.
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| Photo courtesy Terri Rogers Brulee - 3 days old - August 2011 |
We have one final giveaway that is connected to our 5th Blogoversary and hope to have it posted this weekend.
Wednesday, August 24, 2016
Our Little Mancat - Remembering Beignet
We're being reflective today because we want to remember our little brother, Beignet, who left for the Rainbow Bridge 5 years ago. He was the only littermate to Truffle and was scheduled to come live with Truffle and Mom Paula, but he left for the Bridge at 11 weeks of age due to cancer. The photo below was taken when Mom Paula went to visit Beignet on August 20, 2011; three days later, he was gone.
Mom Paula: What can I say about the little mancat that wasn't meant to come home with me except that he was loved as much as if he had lived with me 20 years. I'd lost Sweet Praline due to cancer in April that same year and had decided to get two Persian kittens a few months later. I knew I wanted two kittens this time, but I was convinced I wanted two females. When I first went to visit the kittens, Truffle chose me immediately. When I left that first day, I didn't know who the second kitten would be.
I'd received several photos of all the kittens (2 different litters) from Mom Terri those first six weeks. It was difficult to know which kittens would be my new fur children based on their photo. At about 3 weeks old, Beignet's personality began emerging in the photos I received.
By the time I went to Mt. Pleasant, SC for my first visit, I already knew Truffle was coming to live with me. She had such an outgoing personality and she immediately showed me I was her new mom. Beignet was a little slower in choosing me, but it was probably because of Truffle taking up all of my attention. I had debated for over 6 weeks which kittens would live with me, but both Beignet and Truffle chose me that day. It was so nice to hold kittens in my arms again and I couldn't wait until they would come to live with me in about 6 more weeks.
Once Truffle and Beignet chose me on July 21, 2011, I eagerly awaited photos and videos of the siblings. Their dark coats were beginning to get lighter with the silver shading and their personalities were definitely developing. My job took me to Charleston a few times that summer, so I always asked Terri if I could come visit the kittens and she always agreed. My second visit with Truffle and Beignet happened on August 4, 2011 and Beignet had come out of his shell. In the video below, Truffle is the kitten sleeping on the left and Beignet is the kitten playing with my hand on the right.
Terri was able to finally get some photos of both Truffle and Brulee together for my weekly photo shoot. Truffle was the first-born and she acted like it, but I believe she was also protective of her little brother. One of the photos I received showed Beignet snuggling up next to his big sister and I knew then that I made the right decision by selecting these two siblings.
The kittens had their first vaccinations that week and everything was going well until I received an email from Terri several days later, saying she was taking Beignet to the vet because she found a little bump on his side. At first she thought it may be related to the kittens playing a little rough, but it was growing, so she thought it best to take him to the vet. The vet recommended its removal immediately since it was growing so fast. The lump was about 3 cm in diameter and it was near the surface of the skin. The vet felt everything was okay and it was nothing serious, but Terri insisted the tissue be sent off for testing. Terri sent me a video of Beignet later that day and said he was doing great. I think I had a knot the size of a basketball in my stomach, waiting to hear the results. I asked Terri if I could come visit that weekend to see how he was doing.
Even though Beignet had a large incision on his left side, he was doing great. He was out with the other kittens and playing. He tired a little easier, but the surgery had been a few days earlier, but if you didn't see the incision/stitches, you'd never know he'd just had surgery. I left that Saturday feeling better about both coming home with me in another week. A couple of days later, Terri sent me the 11-week old photos of Truffle and Beignet and he looked great. You can see the incision on his left side in the photo below.
My heart dropped to the floor when I received a message from Terri that Monday morning that the pathology result came back and Beignet had cancer. The diagnosis was a Vaccine Associated Sarcoma (VAS). There has been more research about this type of cancer and because scientists have found these type of tumors can occur with almost any type of injection, the name was changed to Feline Injection Site –Associated Sarcomas (FISS). This type of cancer is rare in cats (about 1% of cats), but unfortunately, Beignet fell into that small percentage and needed immediate surgery to remove the tissue areas around the original lump. I made the hard decision to not bring Beignet home with me because most of the research I'd read said that this type of tumor recurred throughout their lives and it would be an ongoing problem with treatments and surgeries. I'd just lost Praline a few months earlier to cancer and my finances were tight because surgeries I recently had. Terri and I both cried that night on the phone and she assured me that Beignet would have a quality life with her as long as he was on earth. I felt so guilty with this choice and it still haunts me.
Beignet was taken to the vet the morning of August 23, 2011. Terri told me the vet said before the surgery that Beignet was going to be fine and that I should still bring him home. Unfortunately, Beignet didn't make it. He died half-way through the surgery. We think it was because his body was so little and he couldn't handle the long surgery. I felt so sorry for Terri because she was the vet technician who was doing the anesthesia. We were both heartbroken! It's still hard to talk about it five years later. I'm sitting here crying the past couple of hours as I write this post and remember. I posted a short video the day after he died. You can click on the link to visit the webpage from 2011 or the tab above. Terri insisted on sending biopsies to feline oncologists and other labs. The company who made the vaccination paid for all of the tests because they didn't understand why this happened. All of the specialists had the same conclusion: they didn't know why it happened to Beignet at such a young age and so quickly after the vaccination. Terri sent me copies of the lab results and I gave them to Truffle's vet to keep on file. Some of the recent research is showing this type of cancer could be genetic, so we watch Truffle carefully after injections. Even though I'd only seen Beignet three times that summer, he was my little mancat and he'd already begun filling that hole Sweet Praline left.
We'd agreed that Truffle should stay with Terri a little longer to see how she'd react after her second vaccination. Truffle did fine and came to live with me September 4, 2011. When Terri brought Truffle to me, she began taking special items out of the bag. She then told me, "I'd hoped to bring Beignet to you today, too, but at least you can have part of him with you." Terri had brought me a small urn with half of Beignet's ashes (she kept half). I told her that I wanted to ask for them, but since Beignet was technically still hers that I didn't. He has a place beside Sweet Praline's ashes in my living room. I have some comfort in believing that Sweet Praline is taking care of him at the bridge and that he is driving her crazy with his little mancat antics. I'll always wonder what it would have been like to have Beignet living with Truffle and me. I've wondered if there would have been a closer relationship since they were the only littermates. I've imagined what he would look like today as a handsome adult. He is missed.
Four days later, Brulee was born...
Special Note: In the next few weeks, I will share an informative post about Feline Injection Site –Associated Sarcomas (FISS). There isn't a lot of research on it yet, but the research that is out there has impacted decisions I've made about Truffle and Brulee.
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| Beignet on August 20, 2016 |
Mom Paula: What can I say about the little mancat that wasn't meant to come home with me except that he was loved as much as if he had lived with me 20 years. I'd lost Sweet Praline due to cancer in April that same year and had decided to get two Persian kittens a few months later. I knew I wanted two kittens this time, but I was convinced I wanted two females. When I first went to visit the kittens, Truffle chose me immediately. When I left that first day, I didn't know who the second kitten would be.
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| Beignet - 2 days old - June 3, 2011 |
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| Photo courtesy Terri Rogers Beignet - 3 weeks old |
By the time I went to Mt. Pleasant, SC for my first visit, I already knew Truffle was coming to live with me. She had such an outgoing personality and she immediately showed me I was her new mom. Beignet was a little slower in choosing me, but it was probably because of Truffle taking up all of my attention. I had debated for over 6 weeks which kittens would live with me, but both Beignet and Truffle chose me that day. It was so nice to hold kittens in my arms again and I couldn't wait until they would come to live with me in about 6 more weeks.
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| Truffle (left) and Beignet (right) - July 21, 2011 |
Once Truffle and Beignet chose me on July 21, 2011, I eagerly awaited photos and videos of the siblings. Their dark coats were beginning to get lighter with the silver shading and their personalities were definitely developing. My job took me to Charleston a few times that summer, so I always asked Terri if I could come visit the kittens and she always agreed. My second visit with Truffle and Beignet happened on August 4, 2011 and Beignet had come out of his shell. In the video below, Truffle is the kitten sleeping on the left and Beignet is the kitten playing with my hand on the right.
Terri was able to finally get some photos of both Truffle and Brulee together for my weekly photo shoot. Truffle was the first-born and she acted like it, but I believe she was also protective of her little brother. One of the photos I received showed Beignet snuggling up next to his big sister and I knew then that I made the right decision by selecting these two siblings.
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| Photo courtesy Terri Rogers Beignet snuggling underneath Truffle's chin - 10 weeks |
The kittens had their first vaccinations that week and everything was going well until I received an email from Terri several days later, saying she was taking Beignet to the vet because she found a little bump on his side. At first she thought it may be related to the kittens playing a little rough, but it was growing, so she thought it best to take him to the vet. The vet recommended its removal immediately since it was growing so fast. The lump was about 3 cm in diameter and it was near the surface of the skin. The vet felt everything was okay and it was nothing serious, but Terri insisted the tissue be sent off for testing. Terri sent me a video of Beignet later that day and said he was doing great. I think I had a knot the size of a basketball in my stomach, waiting to hear the results. I asked Terri if I could come visit that weekend to see how he was doing.
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| Mom Paula holding Beignet with Chloe (Truffle and Beignet's mom kitty), August 20, 2011 |
Even though Beignet had a large incision on his left side, he was doing great. He was out with the other kittens and playing. He tired a little easier, but the surgery had been a few days earlier, but if you didn't see the incision/stitches, you'd never know he'd just had surgery. I left that Saturday feeling better about both coming home with me in another week. A couple of days later, Terri sent me the 11-week old photos of Truffle and Beignet and he looked great. You can see the incision on his left side in the photo below.
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| Photo courtesy Terri Rogers Beignet - 11 weeks old |
My heart dropped to the floor when I received a message from Terri that Monday morning that the pathology result came back and Beignet had cancer. The diagnosis was a Vaccine Associated Sarcoma (VAS). There has been more research about this type of cancer and because scientists have found these type of tumors can occur with almost any type of injection, the name was changed to Feline Injection Site –Associated Sarcomas (FISS). This type of cancer is rare in cats (about 1% of cats), but unfortunately, Beignet fell into that small percentage and needed immediate surgery to remove the tissue areas around the original lump. I made the hard decision to not bring Beignet home with me because most of the research I'd read said that this type of tumor recurred throughout their lives and it would be an ongoing problem with treatments and surgeries. I'd just lost Praline a few months earlier to cancer and my finances were tight because surgeries I recently had. Terri and I both cried that night on the phone and she assured me that Beignet would have a quality life with her as long as he was on earth. I felt so guilty with this choice and it still haunts me.
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| Photo courtesy Terri Rogers Truffle (left) and Beignet (right), 11 weeks old |
Beignet was taken to the vet the morning of August 23, 2011. Terri told me the vet said before the surgery that Beignet was going to be fine and that I should still bring him home. Unfortunately, Beignet didn't make it. He died half-way through the surgery. We think it was because his body was so little and he couldn't handle the long surgery. I felt so sorry for Terri because she was the vet technician who was doing the anesthesia. We were both heartbroken! It's still hard to talk about it five years later. I'm sitting here crying the past couple of hours as I write this post and remember. I posted a short video the day after he died. You can click on the link to visit the webpage from 2011 or the tab above. Terri insisted on sending biopsies to feline oncologists and other labs. The company who made the vaccination paid for all of the tests because they didn't understand why this happened. All of the specialists had the same conclusion: they didn't know why it happened to Beignet at such a young age and so quickly after the vaccination. Terri sent me copies of the lab results and I gave them to Truffle's vet to keep on file. Some of the recent research is showing this type of cancer could be genetic, so we watch Truffle carefully after injections. Even though I'd only seen Beignet three times that summer, he was my little mancat and he'd already begun filling that hole Sweet Praline left.
We'd agreed that Truffle should stay with Terri a little longer to see how she'd react after her second vaccination. Truffle did fine and came to live with me September 4, 2011. When Terri brought Truffle to me, she began taking special items out of the bag. She then told me, "I'd hoped to bring Beignet to you today, too, but at least you can have part of him with you." Terri had brought me a small urn with half of Beignet's ashes (she kept half). I told her that I wanted to ask for them, but since Beignet was technically still hers that I didn't. He has a place beside Sweet Praline's ashes in my living room. I have some comfort in believing that Sweet Praline is taking care of him at the bridge and that he is driving her crazy with his little mancat antics. I'll always wonder what it would have been like to have Beignet living with Truffle and me. I've wondered if there would have been a closer relationship since they were the only littermates. I've imagined what he would look like today as a handsome adult. He is missed.
Four days later, Brulee was born...
Special Note: In the next few weeks, I will share an informative post about Feline Injection Site –Associated Sarcomas (FISS). There isn't a lot of research on it yet, but the research that is out there has impacted decisions I've made about Truffle and Brulee.
Tuesday, August 23, 2016
Sleepy
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| Truffle |
We interrupt this sleep to tell you that we're a little inactive right now because Mom Paula is on some medication that makes her sleepy. She's fallen asleep in the chair watching TV every night and is sleepy throughout the day. Don't change that channel, because we'll be back.
Giveaway Winner
Congratulations to Jeanne K. from Random Felines on winning the Chewy.com 5th Blogoversary Cat Package.
We have another exciting 5th Blogoversary Kitty Package coming up in a few days (once we wake up around here).
Remembering Beignet
We feel so bad. We had the incorrect date written on our calendar for the anniversary of little Beignet going to the bridge. We thought it was Thursday until FB reminded us it was today. We promise we'll have a memory post on him tomorrow. :(
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| Truffle's little brother - Beignet |
Monday, August 22, 2016
Bring Your Cat to the Vet Day #askyourvet
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| Pledge to take your cat to the vet this month |
When was the last time you took your cat to the vet? You may think this is a foolish question, but statistics show that even though there are more cats owned than dogs in the United States, only a small number of cats are taken to the vet on a regular basis. Some research has shown that 83% of cats are taken to the vet the first year of ownership, but over half don't return. The American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) has used the month of August to educate cat caregivers on the importance of routine check-ups. Not only are checkups important to get required vaccinations, but cats should be screened for possible diseases and health problems to help maintain health and longevity.
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| Photo courtesy of IDEXX |
Did you know that kidney disease is the leading cause for suffering and death in cats (like heart disease is for humans)? IDEXX SDMA™ is a breakthrough test that screens cats for kidney disease. This test can detect kidney disease months to years earlier and gives the cat parent and vet time to do something about it. If your cat receives the IDEXX SDMA screening test, kidney disease could be detected when much of the cat's kidney function is still intact.
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| Truffle and Brulee share facts on kidney disease in cats |
Why is it so important to have your cats tested for kidney disease? One in three cats will develop kidney disease. There are no visible signs early on, which is why it's important to have your cat tested with a screening test, such as IDEXX SDMA. Cats tend to hide disease, even if it's advanced, so they can appear normal in the early stages of kidney disease. In later stages, symptoms often include increased thirst, frequent urination, and subtle weight loss. These symptoms can also be signs of other diseases and that's why it's so important to take your cat to the vet for annual checkups which include examinations, needed vaccinations, and other screening tests, such as the IDEXX SDMA test to help identify or rule out kidney disease.
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| Truffle had an A+ examination at the vet |
Truffle went for her annual examination last week. She'd gained almost a pound, her temperature was normal, her teeth looked great, and the vet drew blood for baseline screening since Truffle turned 5 years old this summer. We're happy to report that Truffle's blood work results were pretty good. There were a couple of counts that were off a little bit, but the vet believes it's her summer allergies in her eyes. Brulee goes to the vet next month for her annual checkup and will have her baseline blood work performed also.
You can get more information about IDEXX SDMA and kidney disease by following Pet Health Network® on Facebook.
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of IDEXX. The opinions and text are all mine.
Sunday, August 21, 2016
Sunday Selfie
Mom Paula tried to take a true "Sunday Selfie" of Truffle and herself this past weekend, but Truffle wouldn't cooperate and look into the camera. Mom Paula was hesitant to post the photo because the "bags" under her eyes look terrible, but she figured everyone would understand human tiredness. We converted the photo to black and white and added the frosted effect to soften the photo. We hope you have a great week this week. We have a busy week ahead with a sponsored post, a memory of our little Beignet, and Brulee's birthday.
You can see more Sunday Selfies by visiting The Cat on My Head.
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| A quiet moment together |
You can see more Sunday Selfies by visiting The Cat on My Head.
Giveaway
Today is the last day to enter the giveaway for the Chewy.com 5th blogoversary cat package. We have one more major giveaway as part of our 5th blogoversary later this week, so stay tuned.
Saturday, August 20, 2016
Caturday Art
We found a new photo editing page for our Caturday Art creation today - Ribbet. We cropped the photo of Truffle and then applied the sketch on it. We tried to add color to Truffle's eyes, but it was part of the premium package and we didn't want to buy it at this time. We went back to Picmonkey and added green to Truffle's eyes (not her real color of green) and added the frame. We're happy with the effect.
You can see more Caturday Art creations by visiting Athena Cat Goddess.
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| Pencil sketch of Truffle with green eyes |
You can see more Caturday Art creations by visiting Athena Cat Goddess.
Friday, August 19, 2016
Resting Up for the Weekend
Truffle is resting up and storing her energy for the weekend! Don't you wonder what she has planned for everyone this weekend?
This is the one-level cat tree that Mom Paula bought so we could be beside her when she's on the computer. Mom Paula loves to look down and see us beside her. The funny thing is that as Mom Paula is slowly cleaning out the home office, Brulee now prefers to sleep on the floor.
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| Truffle resting in her cat tree beside the computer |
This is the one-level cat tree that Mom Paula bought so we could be beside her when she's on the computer. Mom Paula loves to look down and see us beside her. The funny thing is that as Mom Paula is slowly cleaning out the home office, Brulee now prefers to sleep on the floor.
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| Brulee prefers to take a nap on the floor |
Thursday, August 18, 2016
The Wheels are Turning
Can't you just see the wheels turning in Brulee's head as she contemplates how to get the two bag of treats on the top of the scratching post? We know many of our kitty friend would probably already have climbed up the scratching post and be off with the treats. Luckily for Mom Paula, Truffle and Brulee aren't really climbers. In the meantime, poor little Brulee is still sitting there trying to figure out how to get her treats.
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| Let me see... |
We'll let you in on a secret. Mom Paula moved the post from out of the bathroom before we figured out we could jump on the toilet and then on the cabinet where we could easily get to the treats. MOL! Now, we must figure out how to get to the treats.
Giveaway
Here's the good news! One lucky kitty household won't have to work so hard to get their treats. You can enter our 5th blogoversary giveaway for the cat package from Chewy.com. The package includes 5 different treats, the tall cat scratcher, a comfortable kitty bed, and a tunnel. The giveaway ends August 22, 2016, so enter now.
Wednesday, August 17, 2016
Wordless Wednesday - Black Cat Appreciation Day
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| Mr. Jones |
Mr. Jones belongs to Mom Paula's sister, who has the 31-acre farm. We think Mr. Jones is gorgeous!
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| Mom Paula and Mr. Jones - Black Cat Appreciation Day |
Tuesday, August 16, 2016
Found Treat Drawer
Truffle discovered the treat drawer beside the bed. Now, every morning, she walks across Mom Paula and sits on the bedside table waiting for Mom Paula to open the drawer and give us some treats. Mom Paula may need to begin limiting the treats because the vet said Truffle gained almost a pound from last year. We think (so does Mom Paula) that the scales are incorrect.
Don't forget to enter our giveaway which included a package of the Cat-Man-Doo freeze-dried treats along with four other treats and 3 cat products. This giveaway is sponsored by Cnewy.com as part of our 5th Blogoversary Celebration. Giveaway ends August 22, 2016.
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| There they are! |
Disclosure:
As members of the Chewy.com Blogger Outreach Program, we received a
bag of of Cat-Man-Doo™ Freeze-Dried Chicken Treats in exchange for our fair
and honest review. Chewy.com is not
responsible for the contents of this post.
Sweet Purrfections only shares products and information we feel will be
of interest to our readers.
We talked about our Cat-Man-Doo™ Freeze-Dried Chicken Treats that are available from Chewy.com, in our blog post yesterday and told you Mom Paula usually hides a bag of our treats in the bedside table in the drawer. As you can see from the photo above, Truffle discovered where the treats are located.
Giveaway
Don't forget to enter our giveaway which included a package of the Cat-Man-Doo freeze-dried treats along with four other treats and 3 cat products. This giveaway is sponsored by Cnewy.com as part of our 5th Blogoversary Celebration. Giveaway ends August 22, 2016.
Monday, August 15, 2016
5th Blogoversary Chewy Review and Giveaway
Disclosure: As members of the Chewy.com Blogger Outreach Program, we received some cat items and treats in exchange for our fair and honest review and as part of our 5th blogoversary celebration. Chewy.com is not responsible for the contents of this post. Sweet Purrfections only shares products and information we feel will be of interest to our readers.
We have something really special for our readers today! We began participating in the Chewy.com Blogger Outreach Program in May 2013 and always look forward to receiving a special Chewy box with treats, food, or cat supplies to review. Of course, every kitty knows the Chewy box is special, too! Chewy has been a part of our lives every month since 2013 and they've graciously agreed to let us feature some of our favorite treats and some new products (to us) and host a special giveaway as part of our 5th Blogoversary month-long celebration.
Treats
Mom Paula didn't let us have any treats until we were a year old. Unfortunately, many of the special treats she used to give Sweet Praline were discontinued or not available in the United States. She began searching for special treats that were healthy and tasted great. The five treats below are some of our favorites we wanted to share. We've provided a link to our original review in the subheadings for each treat.
Whole Life Freeze-Dried Treats - December 2012
Instinct Raw Boost Minis - July 19, 2013
We received our first box of Nature's Variety Instinct Raw Boost Minis back in 2013 from Chewy.com. These treats are 100% freeze-dried raw ingredients, which include the protein of chicken or duck with turkey, carrots, and apples. They are grain-free and gluten-free and contain no corn, wheat, soy, or fillers. The cat treats are available in duck or chicken formula. Mom Paula keeps a bag of these treats in her night stand beside the bed and it's the first thing we get in the morning when she wakes up.
Orijen - January 28, 2014
We were lucky to receive our first tast of Orijen Freeze-Dried Cat Treats back in January 2014. These treats are made in Canada and boast being Biologically Appropriate single-source treats. They are freeze-dried to lock in the flavor and nutrition. There are five varieties: Original (chicken, turkey, flounder), Alberta Wild Boar, Tundra (elk, quail, trout), Regional Red (bison, wild boar, lamb), and Ranch Raised Lamb. We like these treats because of the variety of protein available. They are small in size and easy to eat. Mom Paula also keeps these in her night stand and in the home office. She thinks she has us trained, but we know we have her trained to have treats in every part of the house.
Halo Liv-a-Littles® - March 31, 2015
We've received samples of the Halo Liv-a-Littles® a couple of times in the past. This is another freeze-dried treat we love to eat. Mom Paula likes that they come in a plastic container because it keeps us from chewing into the bag to eat the treats. These treats are suitable for both cats and dogs. There are five flavors: chicken breast, wild salmon, beef, farm-raised rabbit, and New Zealand lamb liver. We've only tried the chicken breast so far, but we're intrigued with the other flavors. Our only concern about the treats is that the chicken breast flavor contains carrageenan. The other flavors do not contain this ingredient, so many of you may prefer eating them. Mom Paula likes to keep the "dusty crumbs" that collect in the container to sprinkle over our wet food, especially for Brulee, to encourage us to eat.
Can-Man-Doo Life Essentials - August 2016
We think you're seeing a pattern in the types of treats we enjoy eating. Most of our treats are freeze-dried treats. Mom Paula thinks this process helps to preserve the nutrition of the proteins and the flavor. Since we've tried other freeze-dried chicken breast treats with success, we wanted to try the Cat-Man-Doo Freeze-Dried Treats. We'd heard of the Cat-Man-Do Bonito Flakes (we're reviewing them later this month), but didn't realize they also had the freeze-dried protein treats. There are two flavors available: chicken and wild Alaskan salmon. Both flavors are single-ingredients with no additives or preservatives. The Life Essentials Freeze-Dried Chicken can be crumbled over food as an appetite enhancer (Mom Paula does this), rehydrated with warm water for a soft and delicious snack, or given as an everyday treat. The freeze-dried pieces tend to be a little large for our small mouths, so Mom Paula breaks them apart when giving them to us.
Cat Supplies
SmartCat Ultimate Scratching Post
We kitties love to scratch on things, so it's important for the humans to provide us with appropriate furniture and devices. We also love to stretch when we're scratching. Imagine our pleasure in receiving the The SmartCat Ultimate Scratching Post. It's 32 inches tall and covered in a fibrous woven sisal that won't snag nails like carpet-covered scratching posts. The post in on a sturdy base (16" x 16") and weighs approximately 20.5 pounds, which helps keep it from tipping over when we stretch to our full height when scratching. Your human will need to put the post together with the two dowel rods and screws that are include in the box, but it's very easy. Mom Paula likes that the neutral tones of the scratcher blend in with any of the decor in our house. The texture of the woven sisal is a little different from some of the other sisal scratchers we've used, but it's effective for us.
Aspen Pet Sofa Bed
When Mom Paula comes home in the evenings, if we don't meet her at the door, she can usually find us on one of the beds resting. She thought we'd like a bed of our own, so Chewy sent us the Aspen Pet Sofa Bed. This miniature-sized bed is is filled with 100% recycled fiber fill and is machine washable. It weighs 8.96 ounces, so is very lightweight and the dimensions are 20 x 16 x 9 inches. The beds are available in black, burnished red, espresso, or taupe and Chewy chooses the color for you. We were lucky to receive the burnished red, which matches our Gamecock colored-theme in the house. The sleep surface and decorative trim are Sherpa fleece. There is a non-skid bottom that keeps the bed in place. The bed is designed for extra small or small breeds. Mom Paula has placed the sofa bed on the bed in the guest bedroom in the hopes we'll begin using it.
Jackson Galaxy™ Cat Crawl Cat Toy
We kitties love to play chase and hide & seek and the Jackson Galaxy™ Cat Crawl Cat Toy is perfect for us. The tunnel is made of nylon and is approximately 3 feet long with a 10 inch diameter. This tunnel has a zipper on the end that allows it to fit the Jackson Galaxy Base Camp Hub or Base Camp Carrier to allow for more fun for us kitties. The tunnel comes in green or orange and Chewy chooses the color to send to you. The tunnel is easy to store because it can be folded back together and tied. This tunnel doesn't crinkle as much as previous tunnels we have, but we love to run through it while playing chase or hide from each other (or Mom Paula).
We hope you've enjoyed our treasure chest of items available from Chewy.com. When we first began reviewing and purchasing items from Chewy.com,. we didn't realize they carried more than food, treats, and cat litter. We were excited to find they also carry furniture and toys. As always, Chewy.com offers free shipping if the total is $49+. The customer service is amazing and the empty box is always an added bonus.
Giveaway
The wonderful people at Chewy.com have graciously agreed to provide these products to one of our lucky readers as part of our 5th Blogoversary celebration. The winner will receive all five treats, the scratcher, the cat sofa bed, and the tunnel. No purchase necessary. The giveaway is open to residents of the United States who are 18+ years old, except where prohibited by law. The giveaway will run from August 15-22, 2016 at 11:59 pm ET. A single winner will be randomly selected by Rafflecopter and notified by email. Winner will have 48 hours to claim their prize; failure to do so will result in forfeiture of the prize and a new winner will be randomly chosen. Please check your email and be sure to add sweetpurrfections@sc.rr.com to your address book. Each person is required to leave a comment before accessing additional entries.
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