Talked to the vet

Well, my SO called the vet to ask about this whole Feline Leukemia Virus issue.

And the vet sounded very confident, we shouldn't need to worry about it.
We don't even have to come in and get the younger cat checked out, unless of course he start getting symptoms of anything, which he most likely won't.
So I've calmed down and can enjoy watching the cat doing whatever he's doing, without fearing that he'll get really sick.

Phew.

Feline Leukemia Virus...

Less than a week ago we had one of our two cats put down due to Feline Leukemia Virus. It was an old cat, nearly 12 years old. We have a younger cat aswell in the household and after having done some reading up on it, I'm getting anxious.

The following quotes are from http://www.winnfelinehealth.org/health/FeLV.html

"The prevalence of FeLV in single-cat households is about 3% and can be as high as 11% in stray cat populations. In large multi-cat households and in households where cats roam freely outdoors, the prevalence can reach as high as 70%. Cats roaming in urban areas are more likely to be exposed to FeLV (40%) than cats roaming in rural areas (6%). "

So this area is not urban, but it's not exactly rural either. The cats were both allowed outside at anytime they wanted, it's not a large multicat household but it was a multicat-household till the older cat was put down.

"The most common route is contact with infected saliva through grooming, licking, biting and shared dishes and litter pans."

Well, they shared the dishes and we did have a litter-box from time to time when it's cold outside. They mainly ate dry food, sometimes wet, but the wet food they almost always ate up.

"When a cat is exposed to FeLV, there are four possible outcomes. In about 30% of cats, an effective immune response is produced and the infection is resisted. These cats then become naturally immune to FeLV infection for an unknown period of time. In about 40% of cats, the virus is successful and the cat eventually becomes persistently infected and excreting virus in its saliva. Another 30% of cats do not produce immunity but also do not become persistently infected immediately. In these cats, the virus hides in the bone marrow for up to 30 months. Eventually, these cats either overcome the virus or become persistently infected. Finally, some cats can develop latent or sequestered infection. This probably happens to less than 5-10% of cats."

I don't like the look of those odds...

I'm really very nervous and the best way to settle that nervousness would probably be to just have the cat tested for it, but that can't be done till in 3 months time and then what am I supposed to do till then? Sit here and be anxious?

I'm just going to panic and keep the cat in doors as much as possible, keep it away from cold, make sure the waterbowl is superclean, not let the cat go hungry at all if possible... I wonder if there's vitamines for cats, that boost their immune system. Anything I can do to help it fight off the virus in case it has it...

Anybody out there that can calm me down or give me some advice...?

One of those days...

Today was “just one of those days”. What, one of those days?
The kind of day where you feel like punching the first person you see, where everything you touch seems to turn into failure, where your words are like poison and where all the chocolate in the world just won’t make you feel any better.

I’m wondering what makes a good day, a good day and a bad day, a bad day.
Some days are just like that, from the minute you open your eyes the day is ruined. Is there some sort of lottery going on during the night, where people get to draw their lucky number… or not so lucky number? Who will get out of bed on the wrong side today… drum roll please!

Is it our dreams maybe? Do the dreams we have, even those we don’t remember, have an influence on how our day will be? Is it the quality of our sleep? Or maybe the quantity?
Or maybe it’s just hormones? Or perhaps the explanation lies in our… so called biorhythm? If I believed in astrology the answer might be in the stars and moons and what else is up there in the endless universe…

Luck, fate, psychology or science? I wish I knew. Whatever it is, I hope tomorrow is better than today was.

The stench of wasted time

I just read about a 20year old guy, who was worried about his future because at the moment he has some bad habits. He smokes Hash almost everyday, he drinks and smokes cigarettes - alot.
He was asking, if he had any future.

I was expecting people to say things such as "You have to pull yourself together, starting such bad habits at age 20..." But no. There were a few comments like that, but most were more or less saying "You're normal. That's basically how 20year olds are".
My jaw dropped and my eyes widened as I read the comments. A few even said "Don't worry. That's the perfect image of me at age 20, and I'm 35 and doing great now!"
That is all so wrong. You people need to push him in the right direction, not encourage this behavior.
But what is the right direction? Has it really come to this? Is it fine for a 20year old to waste everyday smoking Hash and partying from wednesday night till monday morning?

I don't think I need to say that being already involved with Hash, other dangers lurk just around the cornor. A few of your Hash-buddies might get bored with Hash and wants to try something else. Cocaine, Ecstasy, LSD...

Shouldn't 20year olds have some healthier habits, like... sport or girls/boys? Or am I just all wrong?

Living with a man that hates christmas

I'm in the happy situation of being married to a man that hates christmas.
In mid October, I can be sure to hear the words "If you want christmas decorations, you can do it on your own". He doesn't want part of it. He and christmas pixies, elves, santa's helpers, whatever you want to call them, seem to be death enemies. I'm sure if he had a paint ball gun he would have a field day in the stores shooting down anything slightly christmas-ish.

Apparently his anti-christmasness stems from the fact that christmas is no longer as much about Jesus as it should be. That seems to prevent him from picking out the positive things about the celebration. It's a friggin MONEY-SCAM! OH NO!

If I sound upset, it might be because christmas is the holiday I love the most. I don't care about the rest and for my sake they can take them out of the year if they want. As long as I get to keep christmas. I love elves, reindeer, santas, lights and fancy little decorations. I love the atmosphere, I love the christmastrees, the presents, the cookies. I love absolutely everything about christmas, even the stress!
I have no problem with christmas being about Jesus, none at all, it has always been about Jesus for me. Even if my family felt differently. But I don't see why christmas being about Jesus should leave out all the rest of the good stuff?

It's very bad dancing around a christmastree, because that is like the story in the bible where a group of people were dancing around a cow, and that upset God.
Right... I'm sure God is very upset that we dance around a decorated tree, give each other presents and eat chocolate till we're about to burst. Because God, is evil! He doesn't want us to have fun and enjoy outselves. Riiight...
Maybe not. Maybe, just maybe, He has more important things on His mind?

I just want to be able to enjoy christmas, and to share that joy with my husband, but I guess I can forget that...

Ms. Dewey

I just found a neat way to search for things.

Forget about google or yahoo. Cause Microsoft's got something more interesting.

It's called...

Ms. Dewey

She will make funny or interesting comments about the words you search for and then she will bring up the results.
I tried searching for "jokes" and she started telling me a joke.
I searched for "books" and she said she liked to curl up in front of the fire with a good book and then she pulled out a book from under the table. "Kama Sutra".

Don't sit around and stare at her for too long though, or she will poke at the screen or try getting your attention in other ways.

"Helloooo... Type something here!"

Water balloon bursted in slow motion.

Wow, that looks awesome!

The Dance

I watch them closely. The shadows, lights, colorful smoke and patterns unites around them, combines into new and even more beautiful sightings.
They disappear, it almost looks as if they sank into the floor, then they reappear.
His hand is resting on her waist, the other holding her hand.
Gently, but with authority, he leads her across the floor, lightly swaying. Their feet are light as feathers and barely touching the surface beneath them.
They look almost transparent, angelic as they dance in what seems like an eternity and yet it seems like it lasts only a second.
They’re smiling, but they’re serious. The look in their eyes tells me they’ve done this many times. His hand slides off her waist and out to his side as he raises the other arm over both of them, turning her slightly. She curtsies and he closes his eyes for a second as he nods in approval.
It’s only just begun and now it’s over.
I gasp for breath; I’ve been holding it since I saw them and the air that fills my lungs seem filled with magic.

She walks away as I ask how I can be part of the fantastic scene I have just witnessed, I ask him to teach me. He says he can’t.The next few minutes are sheer horror. The surface I’m standing on starts spinning and moving and I try to keep up. I hear him asking me questions, one after the other. I see the woman behind him, she’s nodding, I’m not sure why but I can see she’s smiling too, so all will be well.
The beautiful smoke from before whirls up and around me, it almost feels as if it was trying to push me or turn me. I collapse on the floor. It's pale wood, polished. He’s still talking; I look up at him hoping he will help me up. But he keeps asking questions faster than I can answer, I can barely hear what he is asking anyway, the flow of words is constant.
The surface stops spinning and instead it seems to move in one direction and I’m trapped. I can’t get lose. All of my limbs hurt and it feels like they’re being stretched, I fight for a while and then give in. His voice quiets down, I listen, he has disappeared and so has she.

I dance, I drift, I float across the surface. The colored smoke is my dancing partner. My skirt is light and almost looks like it’s blending with the smoke and lights as I whirl and swirl. My feet are barely touching the ground beneath me and I can’t help but smile. I feel like I’ve done this many times before. I see him, he smiles and says “I could never teach you this…” then he disappears.
Light as a feather I keep dancing, wondering if anyone is watching…


The picture is a paraphrase of Laurie Cooper's "Freedom Dance" check her own site to see the original. Link