Kitty Dreams

Kitty Dreams
By
Theresa Chaze

Snuggled on the back of the over stuff chair,
comfortably snoozing in the sun.
Your ear twitches.
Your paw curls, but just end.
Your nose twitches.
The tip of your tail quivers, but just a bit.
What is that you dream?
Where does your magical slumber lead you?
Do you romp with your new siblings or chase the errant bug.
Or are you remember the time before you came to me?
The time of hunger.
The time of cold.
The time of fearing the dark night.
I remember that finding you cold and wet in the dark.
My heart wept to see someone so young, alone and toss out as trash.
You stretch.
Your eyes open.
You lick your lips and yawn.
Seeing me you purr and slip back into your kitty dream.
No more shall you hide in the shadows or feel the pangs of hunger.
Here in my arms you will always be safe.
Dream my little one.
Momma is here.
No longer need you fear.
No longer need you hunger.
No longer are you alone.

Death is but a Dream
By
Theresa Chaze

All things that come
will eventually pass
Each soul is born to learn and grow
Teachers and students they walk into our lives
To give us unconditional love and heal old pains
Messengers of the Goddess they guide us to the higher road
Yet as all who are born they must cross the bridge
Only their bodies have returned to the earth
The memories dwell within our hearts
But their true essence lives on to be born again.
As we have loved them in our own special way
So we are tied soul to soul and heart to heart
For when it is our time they shall be there
To greet and again guide across the bridge
Into another time and place.
Where love is alive
And death is a dream,

Furred, feathered or scaled, they come into our lives as blessings only to leave voids in our lives and our souls when they cross over. It is an inevitable truth we all have to face eventually. The joy is followed by loss, but is it forever--no. The beautiful, loving souls that come into our lives are never really gone. As with us all, their spirits rise up to rejoin with their own souls so the lessons they learned can become part of the whole. It is the way of things.

In my life I have lost four. Each of the reminded in their worn out bodies until I was ready; it was a great gift. In return, I allowed their crossing to be painless and peaceful, arranging for them to be met with unconditional love and protection as they reach the other side. Merlin was the first; his illness came on quick. I never thought I would have the strength, but it was his soul that held me together. Sasha followed a couple of years later; cancer claimed her body but could not touch her soul. Pooky, the beautiful soul who taught me unconditional love, crossed over the end of the same year. Ralphie, Sasha’s littermate, stayed with me as long as he could, but his kidneys failed March, 2005. All remain in my heart and connected to my soul. Helping them cross over was the hardest thing I ever had to do, yet their love and strength gave me the ability to let go. I couldn’t allow them to be in pain any longer; instead I took the sadness on myself and their spirits were freed.

But what to do with the body that is now an empty shell. Most bury them. My father buried Ruffles, his favorite family dog, in the back yard and bought her a headstone with all her information to mark her grave. There are also pet cemeteries becoming available across the country, complete with caskets and religious ceremonies. Others release the bodies to discretion of the vet. All of mine were cremated and the remains are on one of my alters as tributes to the lives. Still others follow the Native American tradition of a ritual burning where the loved ones build a wooden structure on which the body is place; wood is piled high beneath the funeral pyre and set on fire. The wind fans the flames causing them to reach for the heavens and spread the ashes to the four winds. It is believed that the ashes so released become part of the earth and all upon it. Which ever way you deal with the remains should give you comfort and solace; funerals are for those that remain, not for those who have crossed over.

The body is gone, but their memory and souls remain. At first, there will only be sadness and tears. But then the special moments will creep back and a smile will return to your lips. Eventually only the good times will remain. The healing will take as long as you need to; there isn’t a schedule or set list to be checked off. Talking about you loved one will help the healing process. Keeping pictures and favorite belongings out will help you and others find a way to speak of them by remembering the good times. Many establish tributes and memorials. Some do it by setting up a memorial either online or by creating a special place. For mine, I planted special trees in their memory; it a living tribute to their lives and represents their souls, which have continued to live on. It can be done online by creating web sites with pictures and information. There are sites available such as Pets lost at http://www.petloss.com/namelsts.htm, which gives grieving parents the opportunity to tell others about the beauty of their fur-kid. On my site there is a new board available for tributes and memorials to your loved ones. The address is www.geocities.com/tirgana/Tirgana.html; it is on the second page. Others become involved with local animal rescue groups, donating their time, energy and resources to help animals in need. By helping others, you can actively make a difference in those who need it the most.

So what next? You cried and grieved until the tears wash away the pain so that only the joy and love remain. No matter how painful the loss, think how empty your life would have been without them in it. You would haven’t felt the pain, but you would have missed out on all the joy, love and fun they bought into you life. When you are ready, think about adopting another. There are so many out there who need good, loving homes and you never know what miracles can happen. A year after Sasha crossed over, another calico appeared in my yard; I don’t know where she came from. I brought her in and put her in the cat enclosure. She stayed there one night. The next day she found her way out and immediately ran upstairs and curled up in Sasha favor spot in the linen closet. Her path was direct; she knew where she was going. Several months ago two kittens appeared on my back porch. Oliver is just as determined and pushy as Pooky. Timmie has the same need to cuddle and lick my nose as Ralphie. They look and act the same as before only their bodies are new and healthy. If I had not opened my heart to them, I would have again lost old friends. Blessings come in unexpected places and different packages. Being open means being blessed.

The Wayside park in Gulf Breeze, Florida is just over the Pensacola Bay Bridge and for years it has been home to a colony of cats. People fish there so I guess that's what originally attracted the cats. And then people started abandoning their unwanted cats out there to fend for themselves. So for years these cats have been there, somehow surviving the hurricanes. But now the Gulf Breeze City Council has decided that they must go. So three weeks ago they announced that on July 1 Escambia County Animal Control will begin trapping and destroying these cats. They've been deemed "feral" so they won't be eligible for adoption through the shelter. So a friend of mine has been working very hard to find homes for them. So about a dozen of us have pitched in and I have temporarily dedicated my website for the cause. I bought a new domain name so you can find our site at http://www.waysidecats.com Right now about 20 of them have been rescued, but there are at least 20 more out there. We have a City Council meeting next week and we're pleading with them for more time.

So I'm hoping you can take a minute to check out my website and take a look at these beautiful cats. And if you can donate a few dollars we will be so grateful and so will the kitties! 100% of the money we collect is going for vaccinations, feline aids/leukemia testing, spays & neuters and food. We want to be able to give these cats the health care they need before we relocate them to their new homes.

Thinking Outside the Litter Box
By
Theresa Chaze


Animal care has become big business with owners of “furkids” willing to pay top dollar for accessories, food and daily necessities. It would be very easy to spent hundreds of dollars to make your home feline friendly; yet a high priced tag doesn’t necessarily mean the product is more effective. Sometimes the simple, inexpensive resolutions are the best. Whether it be litter box odor, scratching on furniture, chewing on household plants or shedding, there are uncomplicated solutions, which will allow cats and humans to peacefully co-exist in the same home.
Costing from several dollars to close to two hundred, litter boxes come in all sizes and shapes; some of them are motorized coming complete with sensors, which automatically scoops after the box has been used. However, the higher price tag doesn’t always mean it is more effective. Normally cats use the box once or twice a day. By keeping enough litter in the box for the cat to bury their waste and by scooping once a day, you get the same odor control, but at a lower cost. The rule of thumb is that there should be one litter box for each cat. Although cats will share litter boxes, it's best to give them a choice. In additions, more litter boxes will prevent the waste from accumulating if it is divided among multiple boxes. Scooping daily and completely changing the litter boxes once a week radically cuts down on the odor. Although some people swear by the clumping litter, there have been cases of the ingredients, which cause the litter to clump, also causing intestinal blockages that needed to be surgically removed. By using the cheaper clay litter, it can be inexpensively replaced weekly or bi-weekly if the necessity arises. By completely cleaning the boxes, everything is removed and the possibility of missing something is eliminated. With the clumping litter, the box is completely cleaned less frequently, making it easier for urine to build up on the bottom beneath the litter.
What you wash the box with will also make a difference. Many of the pine cleaners can cause liver damage to cats and should be avoided. Warning labels need to be checked for pet safety issues before they are used. Pet enzyme cleaning products are the safest to use. Normally these products are used to clean up accidents on floors and furniture, but they are also excellent for cleaning the litter boxes. A quarter cup mixed with water in a quart spray bottle is strong enough to clean the box and eliminate odors. Although they contain a mild detergent, the primary benefits are friendly bacteria and enzymes, which break down the odor causing elements. The enzyme cleaners are designed to be safe around cats and the residue actually is beneficial, as it continues to work to keep the box odor free between cleanings. Some people swear that adding baking soda is beneficial because it absorbs the odor. Being alkaline, it neutralized the acidity of urine, which can curb some of the smell but does nothing to really keep it clean. More than anything else, it masks the problem, but doesn’t solve it.
A secondary source of litter box odor could be the flooring. Porous materials, such as cement and carpeting, readily absorb both aromas and waste. After a while, the area can continue to smell even when the litter boxes are clean. Hooded boxes will help by preventing misses and control over enthusiastically digging, but they do nothing to prevent litter being dragged out on paws. Washing the area regularly will help, but it won’t solve the odor absorption problem. Keeping the litter boxes on non-porous surfaces, like tile or linoleum will prevent the transference and keep the area fresher. If you don’t have a suitable surface available, it is easy to create a floor guard that is both efficient and mobile. To make a floor guard you will need a piece of plywood or the equivalent that is about two feet larger than your litter boxes area and a non porous surface such as linoleum or tile that is the same size. The plywood will keep the top covering flat and stable. An uncut piece of linoleum would be best, because it lacks the seams where dirt could collect; however, if the tiles are tightly fitted, they will also be effective. The self-adhesive vinyl tiles are more cost effective, easier to install and makes the floor guard lighter than ceramic. Once the tile or linoleum has been attached, the guard is ready to be put into place. If you are concerned about damaging your floor, you can put an inexpensive rug beneath it. You will still have to keep it clean, but it will be easier to do so and will not absorb odors.
Those with dogs in the household have already learned of their attraction to litter boxes. Even well trained dogs have a tendency to snack on feline feces. By keeping the boxes up out of their reach by placing them on tables, you prevent this nasty habit from becoming a disciplinary issue. It is simpler to prevent a problem than try to correct it later. As long as the table is large enough for the litter boxes to sit flat without wobbling and for cat to jump onto it safely, they shouldn't have an issue unless age or illness are factors.
Diet can also contribute to the intensity of the litter box odor. The cheaper dry foods contain ingredients that are not easily digestible by cats. Grains are frequently used as fillers, but contain no nutritional value for them. Although your cat may feel full, they haven’t met their daily nutrition needs; therefore, they will eat more regularly. The fillers will not be absorbed in their digestive track and will eventually find their way into the litter boxes. Although the food will be initially cheaper, your cats will eat more of it and use the litter box more frequently. In addition, the filers cause intestinal issues such as upset stomachs and foul smelling flatulence, which isn’t pleasant for anyone. Ingredients are listed on the bag according to the content percentages. Foods that list meat first have that product as the primary ingredient. They keep your cats healthier and more active, especially in the later years of their life. Although these foods cost a few more cents per pound, they will save you in the amount of litter you use and time spent cleaning the boxes. They will also reduce the odor both in the litter box and what you experience scratching your cat’s belly.