Much better, thank you

I don't want to speak too soon, but I think the pets are all back on track. After some experimentation, Roxie seems to be doing fine. We ruled out flea problems and stress problems, and finally linked her scratching to either a food allergy or her seasonal allergies. Yes, my cat is allergic to pollen. What a fussy cat she is. Normally her allergies manifest themselves in runny eyes for a week or two in the spring, but I guess as she gets older they're getting more severe. Well, so long as I know what the problem is, I can do something about it. She's now on a hypoallergenic diet (just in case it's the food she's allergic to after all), and she's taking antihistamines so that she's a bit more comfortable until it all passes.

We noticed a difference almost at once after starting her on the medication. She's back to her normal fussy, bitchy self. She comes out of the spare room and wanders around the house complaining, taking occasional swipes at the dog. She still isn't too interested in going outside, but that's probably for the best while Lady Spring does her thing.

And the fish! Oh, I want to be cautious talking about them, because I don't want to jinx it. But they're alive and active! Wait a minute, you're saying, didn't she only have one fish left? Did the others come back to life?

Yes, you're right, I only had one. But the pet store said the stress of a schooling fish being alone could end up killing it in the long run, so I sorted the aquarium issues out and brought home three more platies. "Sorted the aquarium issues out." Doesn't that sound so simple? It turns out it was a simple problem. There was copper in the water! I switched my water conditioner and badda boom! Happy, active fish! At least for the moment.

So there you go. It turns out the pet problems weren't so terrible after all. Thanks for the support while I figured it out. If you're really good I might tell you the story of Shadow and the Crazy Neighbourhood Dog Lady. Don't worry - it has a happy ending.

Filed under: pets