Throwback Thursday

Today marks the 5th anniversary of the fire that took brofur Cosmo. Mom is taking this anniversary a little bit harder because it's the first one without me now too. Mom is looking through old photos and wanted to share some.

Hope all my pals are doing well!

Love,

Angel CJ

From fires to flood... Can't a kitty catch a break?

So mom got the call yesterday that nobody wants to get... "Come home, there's an emergency!" Um... deja vu! At least this time it wasn't a fire! (That awful anniversary is coming up next month.) This time it was a flood. 

See the temps have been brutally cold the last few days with highs only in the single digits and teens. The temps have been so cold us kitties haven't gotten any deck time lately! But worse, it's been so cold that apparently a pipe in the kitchen froze. So... when the temps got up in to the 30s yesterday that pipe decided to thaw out. And thaw out it did.... it burst and rushed water right in to the wall and in to our home! Here's a pic of some of the damage.

Kitchen where the pipe burst from behind the washer.

And because the pipe decided to burst while mom was at work, Mia and I got scared. Mia ran to the bedroom to hide while I tried to escape out the front door when management & maintenance came in to try to stop the water leak. That's when management called mom and said come home. Because the water was all over the kitchen floor and spreading to the living room as well as down the wall to the neighbors apartment, maintenance needed to enter right away to try and stop the leak (by turning off the water and containing the water from the burst pipe). They grabbed me as I tried to escape out the front door and put me in the bedroom with Mia. They made sure our food and water got put in there too. It didn't take mom too long to get home once she received the call. I am pretty sure probably broke some speed limits but I won't tell! When she got home she wouldn't let us out of the bedroom but she did feed us our nightly dinner of wet food and made sure we had toys to play with while she talked with management to determine if we could stay in the apartment that night or if we would have to go somewhere for a few days. It turns out the damage wasn't so bad that we would have to leave but us kitties will be confined to the bedroom for a few days until the damage to the wall and floor is repaired. I hope they fix it quick, I don't like being cooped up in the bedroom! I'm thankful that the emergency wasn't worse. I still have nightmares from the fire and don't need any more emergencies. I'm getting to be an old kitty (I am 13!). Can't a kitty catch a break? No more emergencies please! I am pretty sure sisfur Mia agrees! 

Paying it forward...

Mom learned of a woman who recently lost her husband and 4 kitties in a house fire on Christmas Eve. While mom doesn't know this person she knows of her through a Facebook group she participates in called Cat Addicts Anonymous. Mom remembers how much support we got after our fire and wanted to help. While mom doesn't have a lot to give she still felt it was important to pay it forward. Mom knows she can never repay all the people who helped us (including complete strangers!) but she thought paying it forward would be a good way to thank all those that helped us!

The devastating fire happened in Decatur Illinois on the night of Christmas Eve. The story can be read here: http://www.foxillinois.com/news/features/top-swordtories/stories/decatur-man-dies-tuesday-night-fire-2385.shtml. Linda Henderson lost her husband William in the fire. The funeral for William is being held today. Perhaps pals could include Linda in #pawcircle today?

There is a GoFundme account set up for Linda here: http://www.gofundme.com/jjlmcc. If you feel compelled to help please do. It looks like she doesn't have a lot of support. Even a little bit might be a big help to her. If nothing else, say a prayer for her that she is able to remain strong during such a difficult time in her life.

Thanks pals!

Mom, Mia and I want to wish everyone a Happy and Healthy New Year!

Pet Fire Safety Day

Do you know what today is??? It's Pet Fire Safety Day! And if you know my story, you know how important fire safety is to me!

According to the NFPA an estimated 500,000 pets are affected annually by home fires and nearly 1,000 home fires are accidentally caused by the homeowners' pets!

Here are some tips to help protect your fur-kid from accidentally starting fires and to keep everyone safe in the event of a fire:

Prevent your pet from starting fires:

• Extinguish open flames - Pets are generally curious and will investigate cooking appliances, candles, or even a fire in your fireplace. Ensure your pet is not left unattended around an open flame and make sure to thoroughly extinguish any open flame before leaving your home.
• Remove stove knobs - Be sure to remove stove knobs or protect them with covers before leaving the house. According to the National Fire Protection Association, a stove or cook top is the number one piece of equipment involved in your pet starting a fire.
• Invest in flameless candles - These candles contain a light bulb rather than an open flame, and take the danger out of your pet knocking over a candle. Cats are notorious for starting fires when their tails turn over lit candles.
• Beware of water bowls on wooden decks - Do not leave a glass water bowl for your pet outside on a wooden deck. The sun’s rays when filtered through the glass and water can actually heat up and ignite the wooden deck beneath it. Choose stainless steel or ceramic bowls instead.

Keep your pets safe

• Keep Pets Near Entrances When Away From Home - Keep collars on pets and leashes at the ready in case firefighters need to rescue your pet. When leaving pets home alone, keep them in areas or rooms near entrances where firefighters can easily find them.
• Secure Young Pets - Especially with young puppies, keep them confined away from potential fire-starting hazards when you are away from home such as in crates or behind baby gates in secure areas.
• Since Pets Left Along Can't Escape a Burning Home - Consider using monitored smoke detectors which are connected to a monitoring center so emergency responders can be contacted when you’re not home. These systems provide an added layer of protection beyond battery-operated smoke alarms.
• Affix a Pet Alert Window Cling - Write down the number of pets inside your house and attach the static cling to a front window. This critical information saves rescuers time when locating your pets. Make sure to update the number of pets listed.

Other things to consider: 

Do you have a pet emergency kit?  If you don’t, the ASPCA has recommendations here that can help you work through the process of selecting one.

Do you have a fire escape plan? If you don't, the Red Cross has some tips to help you develop your plan. Click here to learn more.

And last but not least do you know you can provide CPR to your fur-kids if necessary? Click here to learn the basic steps to performing CPR on your pet. Mom will always be grateful to the neighbor who found me in the parking lot on the night of our devastating fire and performed life saving CPR on me. You can learn to provide CPR and First Aid on your pets too! Click here to find a class.

I hope you found the above information helpful! In closing, here is a pic of me a day after the fire and me now. As you can see I have a made a full recovery. 

Recovery from fire is possible! Take care pals!

"Feel Good Story"

So you may or may not know but mom teaches CPR classes as a part-time job. Well she has begun telling what she calls a "Feel Good Story" during her classes. Guess what that "Feel Good Story" is? Yep - it's about me and how our neighbor who was a veterinarian saved my life the day of our fire! She said it's appropriate to tell in CPR class because many of the people taking the class have fur-kids at home too and may not know that CPR can be done to save a fur-kid's life! I think that's awesome that mom uses my story of survival as a "Feel Good Story" during her classes! I also think it's really cool that many fire departments now carry oxygen masks specifically to save a family's pet (fur-kids)! It is amazing how many fur-kids are now being saved during a fire that might have otherwise gone Over The Rainbow. A big thank you to mom and everyone who is doing their part to help save fur-kids! I am one kitty that is very happy someone made the effort to save my life!

Me the day after our fire.

Recent pic of me. Don't I look like a happy fur-kid?

Anniversary of Life

Rather than dwell on what was lost in the fire 2 years ago, I'm celebrating 2 years of life thanks to the nice neighbor (veterinarian) who saved my life that evening. Look how handsome I am! :)

I still miss my brofur Cosmo though...

It's my "Gotcha Day" Anniversary!

December 26 is my "Gotcha Day"! On this day in 2001 mom and the Pottingers/Prices went to PetSmart in Shawnee and picked me. Actually I am pretty sure I picked mom to take me home but I'll let her think she picked me. Anyhoo, I was a Christmas present from the Pottingers/Prices. They were smart and got a gift certificate so that mom could choose me. Too many times people try to choose a pet as a gift for someone. It's much better when the hooman recieving the gift gets to choose their forever friend!

 

Mom doesn't have any pics of me when I was a kitty because well... the world wasn't quite digital then like it is now. Mom had some actual pictures of me from my younger days but they were lost in the fire last year. But mom does have some digital pics of me pre-fire and moving forward. Some pics are below. It's been an adventure. I am so glad I survived the fire and am still here. I even have a new sisfur!

 

Here are some pics of me pre-fire:

Aren't I a handsome kitty??? Mom always called me a "pretty kitty".



I have always liked boxes! But what kitty doesn't?





This was brofur Cosmo who passed away in the fire.



Brofur Cosmo and I hanging out in our favorite spot in the old apartment.





I loved getting in the laundry!





Iz helping with the laundry!



Yep. laundry's done!





I love bags!

 

And here are some pics post-fire up to today...

 



Day after the fire. I'm at the emergency vet where I spent 3 days receiving care.





First day in new apartment after the fire.

 



Ouch! I was still in pain for about a week after the fire. Mom did good giving me meds and helping me heal.





I still have my earz in this pic!



This is me several months after the fire. My earz are half gone and the fur hasn't returned on my nose but Ize otherwise a happy healthy kitty!

 



This is my new sisfur Mia. her "Gotcha Day" is November 1, 2013.





This is me today (12/26/2013). As you can see I am still a handsome kitty!



 

Thanks again to everyone who helped me and mom after the fire. I am a lucky kitty! 2012 was a tough year because of the fire and 2013 was an even tougher year for mom personally. I am praying for mom that 2014 is our best year yet! Happy Holidays everyone! May 2014 bring joy and many new memories to treasure!

1 Month Anniversary...Look How Much I Have Improved!

Today is the one month mark from the fire.  Just wanted to show off how much I have improved!



February 24, 2012 at Mission MedVet



March 22, 2012 at home

I am looking GREAT!!!  Thanks everyone for all the LUV!!!

4 Week follow up visit

Whew am I tired from my visit at the VET. Got a good report though. Whiskers are growing back, fur's starting to grow in where burns are. May not get fur in all burn spots but getting it above my eyes. Time will tell how well I heal. Another visit to VET in 2 weeks.

Mom and friend Amy got spooked again last night when fire truck and police car came screaming in lights and sirens. Emergency wasn't a fire and wasn't in either of our buildings but scared them anyway. Think they may be spooked by sirens for a little while. It's been 4 weeks since fire #1 and 2 weeks since fire #2. Recovery is not quick...

Cats and Trauma

Stealing er.. Borrowing another post from my friends Ryker'z Boyz. 

Cats and Trauma

I ended Friday's post with the question: Can Sebastian and CJ experience trauma?

The answer, of course, is yes.

In the very excellent book, "Animals Make Us Human," Temple Grandin states that cats can exhibit high levels of OCD-like behavior triggered by anxiety and fear. This stems in part from the fact that cats tend to be very set in their ways, much more so than dogs, and don't always adapt well to new circumstances. They can go from calm to terrified in seconds -- she says it's because cats have very small frontal lobes, the part of the brain which functions as the "brakes" for emotions.

Listen to this:
"Cats get intensely attached to their homes, too. ... (they) can be obsessive about their surroundings ... A man told me that his indoor cat notices every tiny little change in the environment and will stand by a dripping faucet until someone comes and turns it off."

Now lay that template over what Sebastian and CJ have experienced in the past two weeks. Considering what they've gone through, it's really amazing they're adjusting so well to their new environments.

Testament, I think, to the great love and care their humans have given them.

Ironically, the book, "Animals Make Us Human" is the only book remaining from Amy's library. She had loaned it to me to read. I'm looking at the sweet face of a tabby cat right now, staring out from a book plate on the inside cover: "From the library of Amy Palmer."

Once again, to read the entire post with comments please visit click here Ryker'z Boyz. 

 

March 8... Two Weeks Post Fire

March 8, 2012 is 2 weeks post fire.  I'm going to borrow a post from Ryker'z Boyz because it had some really good information:

The Shawnee Fire: Two Weeks and Counting

Even though the Shawnee fire “two week mark” technically was last night, daybreak that following morning saw firefighters still fighting the fire. (Did you know they kept pouring water on that building for three days before they were convinced it was safe to withdraw?)

Thanks in part to the “fast food” mentality of a society addicted to 24/7 news and the Next Breaking Thing, most have forgotten this tragedy and moved on with life.

But when a crisis of this magnitude strikes you, two weeks is barely enough time to begin the healing process.

Three separate incidents that both Kathi and Amy told me about recently caused me to seek out a friend and ask her for an article on trauma. Here’s what happened:

Amy:

Friday after the fire, Amy and Lee stepped away from the apartment complex for a quick bite to eat when a fire truck raced past their location. The minute she heard the sirens, Amy’s heart started to pound and she started to shake. Trauma.

Kathi:
This past Sunday night, around 11 PM, a fire truck comes racing into the apartment complex, lights flashing and siren screaming. It stops at the building Amy now lives in. It was responding to a medical emergency, not a fire. Still.
In Kathi's words, "my heart's about to jump out of my chest." All thoughts of sleep - banished. Trauma.

Amy & Kathi:
2 AM, Wednesday morning. Fire trucks yet again race into the complex. This time they stop at Kathi's new apartment building. And this time, it is a fire. Kathi grabs CJ and races to Amy's. Kathi tells reporters, "the memory of seeing the building go up in flames - it's still too raw." Neither one can sleep that night, nerves on edge. Trauma.

Who wouldn’t respond that way, given the circumstances?

 

The friend I reached out to is Marla Swoboda, then VP of Development for Wayside Waifs. Marla recently invited her sister Jana, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, to fly in to KC to speak with us about Compassion Fatigue. During her very informative talk, she briefly touched on how trauma can impact our lives.

I asked Marla if Jana had any articles on the topic and Jana graciously forwarded this link to two great articles on her blog: one on anxiety, one on PTSD. I'm not suggesting Amy or Kathi have PTSD -- but the general concepts could apply to this situation.

Here’s a brief excerpt from the first article:

"The brain is great at learning what scares it. Danger memories can get hard-wired to provide a quick spill of chemicals that ideally would serve us well-- to get us the hell out of dodge, or help us fight off our attacker.

Brain is not particularly selective in what gets filed, which can result in some strange associations we may not even know exist. For example, if you're in a car wreck, Brain may file away not only screeching tires and breaking glass. You might find yourself also getting panicky feelings (the emotional interpretation of all those chemicals coming to fore) when you pass white Hondas, or that particular intersection. That one's easy to connect, but while you might not have noticed what was on the radio, Brain could have, and you may not understand why your heart races every time that Lady Gaga song plays."

The articles are excellently written and informative. Perhaps they will provide insight, or just a bit of sensitivity, towards two friends who are continuing to work through an especially difficult situation.

If you’re interested, I’d encourage you to click over and read the articles. Who knows? You may have reason to put this information to good use some day in the future.

Can Sebastian and CJ suffer from PTSD? We’ll take a look at that on Sunday!

To read the full blog from March 9, 2012 click here:  Ryker'z Boyz.  Thanks Ryker'z Boyz for letting me steal... er borrow!  (Guess I should have asked huh?)

Day after second fire...

I'm pooped after last nights scare...

(March 7, 2012)

On a positive note... I had my checkup at VET yesterday and he thinks I'm looking great!  Of course I am, I'm a handsome boy!  But am I getting better?  Yep... my owwies are healing.  I don't like the white stuff mom keeps putting on me but doc says it's helping so I guess I'll try not to paw it off quite so fast after she puts it on.  Doc said it's okay for me to paw it off though.  Says its not harmful to me...  

A Second FIre...

March 7, 2012 mom and I were awakened about 1:30am to the sound of the building alarm and neighbors yelling fire... Mom jumped up, got dressed, grabbed me and tried to put me in the carrier. I didn't want to get in so she tipped it on it's side and dumped me in head first. I wasn't happy and tried to get out but mom got the door shut.

Mom grabbed some stuff and out we went, down the stairs and to the car. We didn't go far though and mom grabbed the carrier and this time we went upstairs in a different building. Once inside the apt, mom opened the carrier door so I could come out. I slowly came out of the carrier and sniffed my way around while mom talked with another hooman. Turns out we were at mom's friend Amy & Lees apartment. Their furry friends Dottie the guinea pig and Sebastian the kitty were out of the way so I could explore.

We stayed there for a while until we learned we would be able to return to our home. Our new home was not damaged in the fire but would smell like smoke for a few days. Thank you Sebastian for the bed! Seb didn't care for a new bed he got after he lost it in the first fire so he donated it to me.

Before we headed back to our pad a man with a camera talked to mom. I made sure to meow so that I got attention. Mom says I looked handsome on camera. Of course I do!

I feel sorry for those boys who started the second fire. Mom's pretty mad! Pretty sure she will kick their ass if she gets the chance! She was shaken up and I was too...

A helping hand... er blog.

Purrs and tail wags to Lisa Richman for being an awesome friend to mom & me and Amy Palmer & Hubby Lee!  As soon as Lisa learned about the fire she started the ball rolling on getting prayers and much needed support for mom/me & Amy/Lee/Sebastian/Dottie from postings on facebook to blogging to encouraging those that could consider giving by donating to ChipIn accounts set up for both families.  I read somewhere that Lisa wanted to "Pay it Forward".  Lisa, you did more than that, I know we all are so grateful!  Thank you!  Gentle nose taps and pawhugs for all that you have done!!!

Going home to NEW home...

Day 3 at pet hospital and as nice as everyone is, I'm tired of being here. Mom came to visit and this time says we are going home! Yay!

I'm given a dose of meds which I try to spit out and then I'm loaded in to same carrier I was brought in a few days ago.

After mom talks with woman in white coat we head out to the car. Mom drives slower this time. I guess she wasn't as hurried this time like she was the night she brought me here.

We get to our destination and mom unloads me from the car. We then go up a flight of stairs and mom says we're home. Huh? We've never gone up stairs to get home before! Mom opens the carrier and I don't want to come out. Mom finally tips the carrier a little so I have to come out. I don't know where I am. It looks a little familiar but not really. I go to the kitchen to my safe place... the counter.

I wouldn't move from this spot until the following night. Mom put my food and water up on the counter so I would eat. I didn't want to eat or drink but mom encouraged me too so I ate a little to please her. I meowed until mom figured out I needed to potty. She picked me up and put me on the floor so I could use the kitty box which was now in the kitchen. When I was done doing my business I meowed and meowed until mom put me back on the counter.

The following day I still wouldn't get off the counter. When it was bed time mom picked me up and took me to bed with her. I was scared at first but settled in for the night. I woke her up in the morning with my purrin. She thought I was purrin to show my love but really I was hungry. Don't tell her that though!

Saturday...

Mom came to see me today. She was hoping to take me home but I wasn't feeling as good today as yesterday. My owwies were hurting more and I wasn't eating as much. There was good news though. My lungs were clear and I hadn't developed an illness they called pneumonia. Mom would be able to take me home soon as long as she was comfortable giving me meds. My mom has healthcare background so giving me meds wouldn't be a problem.

Mom said we would be going to a new home... Whatever that means. She says our old home no longer exists, not even the building. It was still there when I ran out of it but I don't want to go back in anyway...

The next day...

Mom came to see me this morning. She got good news. I was eating, going potty and let the humans wearing scrubs pet me. They really like me and kept checking on me all through the night. Mom didn't cry today but kept saying sorry and that I would get better. Mom told me that lots of people and anipals were praying for me to heal quickly. Aww...thanks everyone!

The night my life changed forever...

Feb 23, 2012 life as I knew it changed forever... Mom had just fed brother Cosmo and I dinner and then left for training at hospital. Not much later the floor got hot, smoke filled the apartment and mom wasn't home to help get Cosmo and I out safely. I don't know what happened to brother Cosmo but I ran out when policemen kicked in the door.

I was found running away from apartment. Strange man picked me up and carried me to clubhouse where woman put mask on my face. I was in pain so I tried to fight the mask off. Before long mom appeared and tried to reassure me that I would be okay. Man and woman put me in carrier that wasn't familiar. I meowed and meowed because I was in pain. Mom picked up carrier and ran outside up the hill past the fire to car. If you click this link http://www.shawneedispatch.com/news/2012/feb/28/apartment-fires-take-toll/ you can view a video of fire and see a glimpse of mom as she scoots by the camera. You can't see but she has me in the carrier and we are heading to the car. We then went racing in car to pet hospital where I was looked over.

I was placed in special kennel that had air flowing in it to help me breath. I was hooked up to IV so that I could be given fluids and pain medication. Men and women in scrubs kept putting cream on my owwies and stuff in my eyes to help the burning. Mom came back to visit. She cried and kept saying sorry she wasn't home to rescue me and Cosmo. I wanted to say it's not your fault mom but all I could do was cry from the pain. Mom eventually had to leave but it was okay. I didn't want to be pet and the people in scrubs were taking good care of me...

When mom returned to the apartment complex she was asked to do an tv interview (she's a red cross volunteer and ironically was on call the night of the fire and dispatched to help).  Here's a pic of mom doing the interview:

You can see our apartment building on fire in the background.  Here's another pic this time our building is already gone... fire is almost out.  Fire crews would stay on site for 3 days putting water on hot spots so as not to rekindle and risk the other buildings.

I think it's fair to say mom is in shock at this point.  Reality has sunk in that home is no longer there and Cosmo hasn't been found.  She fears the worst for Cosmo.  (As of 3/27/12 when mom updated this post, Cosmo has not been found and is assumed deceased.)


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Here's a pic of big brother Cosmo.  Sitting in or on top of boxes was one of his favorite activities...

I sure do miss him!