Cats: Where the Meat Comes From

As I've mentioned before, probably far too much for some, I make my cats' food.  I buy meat from the grocery store, grind the meat, grind poultry bones, and add supplements, so I have total control over the making and mixing of the food.  With cats with multiple dietary issues, this has solved most of their problems.

But I don't control what goes into the meat while the animal it comes from is still alive.

Honestly, I never expected that I would have to be concerned with what the cow was fed before it became steak.  My expectations and reality seem to be different now.

Robbie has allergies and intolerances to poultry and canned food.  So, he gets raw pork, beef, lamb, etc.  He still scratches some, but not as much, and I had assumed this was from environmental allergens.  And then I ran out of beef.  In an effort to clean out my freezer, I pulled 3 pounds of buffalo out to make his food.  Well, even discounted, it's $6 per pound so he gets it and mostly no one else does, so it lasts a week or more.

And then it struck me -- he was barely scratching!

That got me thinking what the difference was between beef and buffalo.  I know cattle and buffalo are genetically similar because they can interbreed.  Thus, I assume the actual protein structures are very similar.  So it had to be something else and the only thing I can think of is how the animals are raised.

Beef predominately is raised in large feed lots.  Because of the crowding and because of the desire to get them to market weight as soon as possible, most cattle are given a variety of antibiotics and growth hormones.  Also, one of the main feeds for the cattle is corn, which may or may not be GMO corn.

Buffalo on the other hand are grass fed without added antibiotics or hormones.

I wonder if Robbie is very sensitive to the traces of antibiotics, hormones, and/or "corn" in the normal beef?  Would he stop scratching on organic grass fed beef?  Is this why he's marginally better on lamb, since a lamb is exposed to less of this?  Is this why when I buy venison and feed it to him every other meal he seems a bit better?

For now, Robbie will get buffalo, venison, and rabbit.  After a month or so, I may try the organic beef.

It's things like this that make me stop and wonder.  How safe is the normal food we buy in a grocery store?  I understand Robbie's body is much smaller than a human's so the effects are easier to see, but still.  Makes me glad I'm a vegetarian.

My RealAge

The other day when I was in the bookstore, I picked up a book called RealAge Workbook.  The reason I bought it was years ago I purchased another book called RealAge and found it interesting.

The basic idea is this -- we have a chronological age and we have the age which our body feels.  For example, two people might be 60 years old, but one smokes, drinks, and doesn't exercise so that person acts and feels like 75 yrs old, while the other does a lot of the right things and feels 45 yrs old.  So a person has a calendar age and a 'real' age.  The nice thing is the real age can be moved up or down by doing various things.  Some of the things are simple, such as take an aspirin a day, while others are more challenging, such as removing stress by completing most of those nagging little tasks a person avoids.

So, the first step is to take the RealAge test.  It's in the books and it's on line at www.sharecare.com  (You have to register to take the test, but it is free... except for the additional emails they will send.)  The online version takes about 30 minutes to do and is... interesting.  It's very easy to see what you should be doing but if it's going to help you, you have to answer honestly.

Despite a lot of indifference to my health, I'm 1.8 years younger.  To me this is shocking because I really don't take very good care of myself.

The next step is to pick out things to work on and change.  The website gives a lot of ideas and things to do, but honestly, it was confusing and on dial-up would be a challenge.  I'll stick with the book, which gives you a list of things to do, rated from "Quick Fix" to "Extremely Challenging".  It suggests picking out 3-6 items to do for 3 months, then adding another 3 or so items for 3 more months, and so on.

What I picked out was:

1. An aspirin per day
2. Folic acid tablet per day
3. B6 tablet per day
4. 1 drink, preferably red wine, per day
5. Fish 3 times per week
6. Tomatoes about 3 times per week (for lycopene)

Okay, these are not terribly hard and really there should be some exercising in there too, but I am doing something positive for me.  And that is hard to do -- I will work my butt off to help a cat, but ignore myself.  I know part of this is from my childhood, but part of it is from being depressed.  So, I'm giving myself credit for trying.

Now, people might be wondering why and some have suggested this is because I'm having a mid-life crisis because I turned 50 or because my husband is dying.  The former, no.  The latter, sort of.  It's not because I see him dying and so I'm inspired to improve my health.  That would be a noble reason.  No, my reason is much more practical -- I have all these cats depending on me and once he dies, if I should get sick, I don't know what will happen to my cats.  But in the grand scheme of things, even if my reason is for the cats, the end result of improved health is all that really matters.

So, off to take my vitamins!

Cats: The Use of Colloidal Silver

Isabel

I have persian cats.  And as anyone who has had one knows, these cats have a tendency to have slightly runny noses.  Usually it's just clear liquid, but it can be slightly white.  It's not really a nasal infection as the snot isn't green and there's no fever.  It may be related to herpes but with some cats, even lysine doesn't help that.  I've even wondered if it's fungal.  Vets either don't consider it a problem or want to use steroids on it to cover it up.  It is a problem since some cats, like Isabel, are hesitant to eat if their noses drip.  And I refuse to keep a cat on steroids for life.  So, I've been trying to find something that will help.

One thing I'm thinking about using is colloidal silver.  I have used this on cuts, scratches, and ringworm with good results.  It does seem to have some antibacterial and antifungal properties.  I know people use it as a nasal spray and some people claim it is helpful for sinus issues.

To me, a natural extension would be to try colloidal silver as a nasal wash in a cat.  So, I posted this in a cat group hoping to get some suggestions on dosage, like I had with the MiraLax.  This sadly was not what I got.

It seems there are two camps when it comes to colloidal silver -- those that think it will cure everything, and those that think it will cure nothing.  And the two groups hate each other.  Yes, hate...  It's like all rational discussion goes out the door and what is left is grand pronouncements.  The 'cure nothing' group sees the words colloidal silver and then begin the automatic response to colloidal silver regardless of the question asked.

According to the "cure nothing" group, colloidal silver is also dangerous because:

• high doses can cause kidney damage in rats
• it's not a mineral found in the body
• high doses over long periods can turn skin bluish
• it may interfere with other drugs

Now these were all presented as reasons not to use 1-2 drops in saline as a nasal wash for a cat.  1-2 drops is not a high dose, so I'm pretty sure the bluing and the kidney damage won't happen.  And since the cats are not on other drugs, it will not interfere with anything.  As for the argument that it's not found in the body, so?  Most drugs are not found in the body but that doesn't stop them from being useful.  These dangers might be relevant for ingesting colloidal silver, but not really as a nose drop.

In all this was a quote from the Mayo Clinic stating that there was no reasonable research to support the claims.  Likewise there is no research to show that the claims are false.  There is no research.  Period.  End of discussion. So what was the discussion about if there is no research?  It should have then been based on actual experiences, but it was based on accusations for and against.  So was the discussion helpful?  No, because neither side listened to the other... Heck, some didn't even understand I had asked about nose drops!

Luckily, there is more than one cat group!  In another group (Fancier's Health Group on Yahoo, fanciershealth@yahoogroups.com), someone posted this:

I used Water OZ Silver full strength sucked up into a very small eye dropper found in the Rescue Remedy Pet Stress Reliever. One squirt in each nostril 3 X daily for 1 week, then 2x daily for two additional weeks. This cleared a upper respiratory infection that two rounds of antibiotics would not touch in a rescue cat that sneezed out 3 inch snot strings.

Does it work?  I have seen it work on skin problems.  

Will it work as a nasal wash?  I don't know...  But I will try it.  I can't see that it will hurt the cats -- annoy yes, hurt no.

In the end, the whole discussion left me wondering if there is any value in trying to have a discussion.  I'm sure some people would like to have a nice discussion -- based on facts and experiences -- but the problem is those that feel strongly about a topic will drown out all others by virtually shouting irrelevant ideas.

Cats: The Use of MiraLax

My Robbie has a problem with constipation.  This may be due to low motility of his colon, or thickening of his intestinal tract as part of the development of intestinal lymphoma, or simple dehydration.  Whatever is the exact cause, the result is his feces are very hard and dry.  They don't come out easily, so he will strain for over an hour which in turn causes him to vomit.

Not the most pleasant thing at 3 am.  Or any time really.  And since this is nearly identical to what happened to Bertie, who died a year ago from lymphoma, it's hard.

Thankfully, someone suggested MiraLax, which is the trade name for polyethylene glycol 3350.  It's classified as an osmotic laxative, because it works by pulling water into the intestine to make the feces softer and easier to pass.

The only concern is the warning on the bottle:  "Do not use for more than 7 days."  My main concern was that it might prevent some nutrient being absorbed.  After some research and some discussions with people who used it on cats, it seems this warning is for two things:

1. To encourage people/owners to have problems checked out if the problem does not resolve itself.  Or in simpler terms, the company is covering its legal ass if there is a major undiagnosed problem.  Okay, with Robbie, I know he's got intestinal issues and maybe the beginnings of lymphoma.
2. To prevent dehydration and electrolyte imbalance.  This is very reasonable since it does pull water from the body.  And the fix is simple -- give him fluids with electrolytes.

So for the last couple of weeks, Robbie gets 1/4 tsp of MiraLax and 50 ml of fluids every other day.  The MiraLax is dissolved in 1-2 tsp water syringed into his mouth.  The 50 ml of fluids is lactated ringer's solution given subcutaneously. He neither minds the syringed fluid (which seems to have no taste) nor the sub-Q fluids.  And the results have been great!  He now has firm but not hard feces which pass easily.

In my discussions, some people have used upto 2 tsp of MiraLax daily for several years without any reported problems.  This is encouraging so if he starts having more issues then I can up the dose.

Now, to me, this was what the internet was designed for -- I had a problem, people shared their experiences, some shared links, and everyone learned more.  There was no nastiness.

The Lack of The Internet

I finally took my laptop into to have it checked because I was having so many problems with Facebook and other sites.  The folks said it would be 2-3 days, but that was over a weekend, and they took a bit longer, and..

And I didn't miss it all that much!

What I missed:

• looking up a couple of facts about cats
• finding out when my books would arrive

What I didn't miss:

• the pettiness of many people
• the negativity overall of most sites
• all the drama related to someone else's ill cat
• random requests for immediate help with a sick cat

I honestly did feel very much calmer and quieter inside without the internet.  Now that it's back into my life, I'm hoping that I can control how much I'm on the internet so all the negativity does not come back.

Cats and Medicine: When is it not worth it?

I got into a bit of an argument with someone recently over giving cats medicine.  This owner was doing everything possible to help her cat and was following all the vet recommendations with the result that the cat was on 8 different medications daily plus fluids.  I commented that sometimes we need to focus on the quality of life and not just the quantity.  I further explained that for some cats, no medication is best even if that is not the 'right' medical decision.

This was then translated by someone else to mean I didn't love my cats nor did I see them as part of my family.

And that struck me as wrong... Somehow I managed to bite my tongue, but just barely...  From my perspective, there are several scenarios and each one must be treated differently.

1. Willing cat with fixable problem.
2. Willing cat with stable problem.
3. Willing cat with terminal problem.
4. Unwilling cat with fixable problem.
5. Unwilling cat with stable problem.
6. Unwilling cat with terminal problem.

Bodhi peeking out of a crinkle bag

By willing cat, I mean a cat that does not fight the pilling, syringing, etc.  The cat may not enjoy it, but he doesn't put up much resistance.  For these cats in group 1 or 2, yes, medicating them makes sense. They either get better or they stay the same.  For example, Bodhi got an URI and he got antibiotics, which, since he's a kitten, he thought the pink medicine was okay.  With Anya, she needs occasional eye drops for her herpes and in general she's fine with them.  The medicating of these two cats did not or does not upset them or otherwise bother them.  A willing cat with a terminal problem I think comes down to the owner's willingness, the amount of discomfort for the cat, and honestly, the attitude of the cat -- if all parties are willing, then fine.  My dear Maggie was like this -- she had cancer which had metastasized and was a very compliant patient who wasn't ready to die.  Some cats will endure receiving a large number of pills and liquids without any problem.

Wendy

By unwilling cat, I include those cats that fight the medication process. (I'm not talking feral cats -- that's a whole other set of problems.) For an unwilling cat with a fixable problem, most of the time it does make sense to treat the cat.  There will be a period of stress with giving the medication for a few days to a couple of weeks, but then the cat is fine and back to health.  For example, Wendy had a scratch on her eye.  She is nearly impossible to pill or put eye ointment on, but for 5-7 days, she got it because I knew in the bigger picture, she would get better.

Now here is where I start getting in trouble.  I personally don't think it's worth it for the cat in the big picture to force medication on him if he is dying and there is no hope.  To me, that is creating not only extra stress in his life, but creating a living hell for his last few days or weeks.  Yes, do small things to keep the cat comfortable, but that is it.  If the cat is so uncomfortable without medication, then perhaps euthanizing the cat is the best choice.  My angel Bertie hated the medications, had not hope of recovering, and so, as hard it was, I let him go.

The big question is the unwilling cat with a stable problem.  Again, I usually get in trouble for my ideas about this.  I would work on helping the cat adjust to the process, give it a sufficient amount of time, and if the cat adjusted great, and if not... well, I guess I would try to decide if my interventions are helping or hurting.  Clancy has CRF among other things and when it comes to pilling, injection, or doing much with him, it usually ends with me bleeding.  But over months, I have gotten him to take a herbal pill by using pill pockets.  Giving him sub-Q fluids is still exciting, but we are getting it done although maybe not as frequently as we should.

Robbie

If I'm not in trouble enough... I also include in 'unwilling cats' those cats that may not fight the medicating, but which you can see are upset and literally depressed by the whole experience.  Robbie is probably soon to be in this category.  He has the pre-cursors to intestinal lymphoma.  There is a well-tested treatment that might buy him more time.  He would need a biopsy (not just a needle biopsy either).  He would need to go to a vet 1-2 times a week.  He would need blood tests every 3-4 weeks.  He would...  The list goes on.  And I can tell you, his spirit would die -- he might live longer, but he would die inside.  He is terrified of cat trips and vet offices.  He gets depressed after each trip to a vet.  So, dragging him to a vet weekly would be nothing short of torture in my book.  I love him and would like him around for longer, but I can't do this to him.

There's two basic points I'm trying to make in all this.

• Just because we can do something medically for a cat may not mean it is actually right to do it for the cat. 
• Perhaps by not doing something to the cat, the owner is actually loving the cat more by respecting the cat.

Morning Plan

I went to bed last night thinking that I would have a tough decision to make this morning -- do I take Peaches to the show this weekend or not.  The tough decision is now easy.  The answer is 'no'.  Two big sneezes helped answer it.  Whatever the virus we have in this house, she now has it.  She may get over it by Saturday or she may not.  In any case I won't risk taking her.

I'm still left with trying to figure out what to try to accomplish today.  I so impressed with the cleaning up in my studio that I would like to do more, but (a) the studio is done except for major re-arranging which I don't want to do and (b) there are other rooms that need basic clutter removal.  And it's clutter removal, not really cleaning, that I'm talking about.  I would like to do something fun and creative, but I honestly have no idea what I would do.

Today's list:

1. Sand the bad spots in the bathroom.  I keep putting this off and off, but if I don't get it done soon, school will start and it still won't be done.  My goal is to have it done, excluding any trompe l-oeil painting, by the 25th of July, so I can start on the bookcases either in the study or the bedroom.
2. Make an appointment for the dentist.  I truly hate going to the dentist and this goes back to my childhood when I had a rather masochistic dentist.  (He figured a 10 yr didn't need Novocaine for a filling.)  In all the chaos of the last few years, I have neglected my teeth (and other things) so now I have to pay the price.
3. Thoroughly clean the kitchen.  There's a couple of shelves one cupboard that would be more usable if the contents were switched.  The kitchen table has lots of stuff that needs to be put away because someone (whistling here) buys stuff in town, comes home, and leaves it on the table.  And the area around the phone needs to be de-junked.  I'm sure I will have some fuzzy helpers.

If I do get done with all that, maybe I'll dig out the quilt I was working on years ago and continue working on.  I'd like to sew some vests, but it seems really silly to me to start yet another project when this little quilt could and should be finished up.

And now, off to make cat food...

Day 2 Post(?) Facebook: Recap

Another pretty good day, although I didn't get everything done and it ended badly.  Of the 3 things on my 'must-do' list, I did get the dishes done and my studio cleaned.  I did not get to the bathroom painting because the studio was a big mess.  It looks a lot nicer in here and there is more room, but it wasn't easy and I can still do more.

But I got sidetracked by a sick cat.  Robbie is constipated.  When a cat gets constipated, they can leak feces around the dry mass.  And that's what he did.  All over the bathroom.  All over the carpet in the bedroom.  All over the bed.  And then after I gave him Miralax for the constipation, he tried pooping and threw up.  So he go another dose of Miralax.  And since Miralax is an osmotic stool softener (pulls water into the colon), I now have to give him fluids.  I hate sick cats.

Day 2 Post(?) Facebook: The Plan

Since yesterday went so well, meaning I got lots done, I'll try for two days in a row.

I'm not sure how it will go, since it's after 7am and hubby is still sleeping.  I want coffee and breakfast, I need to feed the cats and do some dishes, and I need not to disturb him.  I know he says my doing things in the kitchen won't bother him or if it does, he'll go back to sleep, but it bothers me.  I know he gets very tired and needs to sleep so it really upsets me to wake him up just for my coffee.  (I can write this and hopefully he'll wake up a bit by the time I get done.)

I'm now kind of caught between the major things I need to work on and small stuff that really doesn't matter.  I guess the key is to break the big stuff into smaller pieces and do one step at a time.  So, today's top 3 must-do's:

1. I need to do the dishes, which I was planning on doing last night but we watched a video instead and get the kitchen cleaned up so I can actually cook.
2. I box up some of the books I have here in the studio so cleaning the carpet is easier.
3. I need to sand some of the drizzles and ridges that are in the paint in the bathroom so I can paint this week and get it done.  (Someone else painted it and did a bad job of it.)

#2 got moved up the priority list because I just picked up a pad of post-it notes and there was a tiny, baby scorpion on them.  Gulp!  I know we have them around, but it was so tiny that it must have just hatched.  Well, scorpions do not have 1 or 2 babies... more like 100-200 babies... in my house... I'm really not like this scenario...  Thankfully, I think our scorpions are the less dangerous variety, but still... I'm not keen on being stung.  I really don't know what boxing up books will do, come to think of it.  They would be more contained, maybe.  They would be easier to see, maybe.  It's one of those times where I feel I need to do something!

Well, I think I heard Tom move around a bit, so I should get going with my coffee and the cats.

Day 1 Post(?) Facebook: Recap

Well, with a couple of suggestions and some trial and error, I have managed to get Facebook to work.  It still isn't working 100%, but I can use it.  I'm happy and upset by this all at once.  Happy because I know I would miss interacting regularly with some of my friends and miss help kitties.  Upset because part of me was looking forward to not using Facebook (I have a love/hate relationship with it) and because there is something just not right maybe with my computer. (Things should work so when they don't, I get horribly frustrated!)

In any case, I'm going to try to keep Facebook to a minimum, except for my cat health group.  I worked hard to create that group and it does seem to help some people, so I hate chucking it.

I must confess during the time I thought I was off of Facebook, I got a lot done.  I had 3 things on my to-do list and they all got done.

1. Took Tom to the bookstore.  He did well getting there and while we were there, but not so good once we got home.  He found some books, and of course, I found some.  His were mainly science fiction.  Mine were all over the place from self-help (and I really need a lot of help!) to historical fiction to some art books and of course a cat book.
2. Cleaned 4 litter boxes... Oh the fun and excitement!
3. Dug out the tai chi and weight lifting books.  I still need to figure out exactly what I will be doing for the weight lifting, but I also know I need to buy some equipment and find some area to do it in.  I would like to do it in the house, but the cats will help.  So, the garage?  The tai chi I will read over the beginning moves of the 24-forms and practice them tomorrow morning.  I'm thinking even during the school year, I could do the tai chi  and qigong in the morning before I go to work, then weight lifting or walking at night when I get home on alternate nights.

Plus, I got 3 loads of laundry washed, dried, and put away!  This kind of makes up for the fact I didn't do the dishes.  I know part of this is because I stated publicly that I would do this stuff but part of it is also because I didn't have to run and check if so-and-so posted a reply or what about that kitty over there or ....

So, I'm actually fairly pleased with today.

Alpha Lipoic Acid Toxicity in Cats

I tell people over and over -- cats are cats and not short fuzzy people, so just because something is okay in people, it may not apply to cats.  And then I go do it!  Geesh!!!

Dante

Dante, my 20+ yr old cat, is diabetic.  I control it mainly by food and supplements.  One of the the supplements I was giving was alpha lipoic acid.  It does a number of good things in humans and has almost no side effects IN humans, so I assumed it would be fine for him.

Last night I was reading about feline nutrition and came across a statement -- "dl-alpha lipoic acid is highly toxic to cats".  My jaw dropped open.  I reread it 5 times, then looked for any references which it didn't give because this was common knowledge, I guess.  So, I looked it up this morning.  And yes, indeed, it is toxic.  At distressingly low levels -- 30 mg/kg.  Dante weighs about 11 lbs or 5 kgs, so about 150 mg.  Maybe less.  I was using 150 mg capsule, divided up for 2-4 days, so at the most he was getting 75 mg, which is under the tested level, but maybe not under the effective level.  (The researchers tested at 0, 30, and 60 mg/kg levels.)  There was hepatocellular toxicity at the 30 mg/kg level, but maybe lower?  Until someone comes back and tries 10 mg/kg or 20 mg/kg, there will be the question of where the toxicity level lies.

The good news is it effects the liver, which can and does regenerate.  The other 'good' news is I gave it to him off and on, but mainly off because I never could remember to do it.  So, my laziness and forgetfulness may have saved him.

For a summary of the research, see Lipoic acid toxicity research

Day 1 Post FB: General Plan

This is the beginning of the great "No Facebook" experiment and I'm already nervous.  "What if someone messaged me?"  "What if a cat needs help?"  "What if...."  The list goes on, but you know, if I can't get Facebook to work, I shouldn't worry about it.  People can contact me, IF they want to.

And therein lies the question -- what are Facebook friends?  Are they real?  Some of mine surely are but they are also mainly those that will call me.  Are they pseudo-friends?  I would guess that is the bulk of them and they might miss me but won't reach out to me.

Well, the thing is now I have to deal with me and doing stuff, rather than chatting with people.  My big plan for this summer was to:

• exercise with the hope of losing some weight
• do some repairs and remodeling around the house
• get my cats groomed and vetted
• prepare AP Stat material for the fall
• read more on feline nutrition
• sew some vests

I know, that's a lot and it's already mid-July.  I have started on the repairs and the cats, but the rest... maybe now without Facebook I can get more of this done or started at least.

Today's planned activities:

1. Tom, husband who is dying of COPD, wants to go into town to the bookstore, so I will do everything possible to get him there.  I just hope it doesn't totally wipe him out.
2. The glorious cleaning of the litter boxes!  Even with fresh litter, a couple of them smell because James (and yes, I will name names) raises his butt up to pee as high as he can.  So then the piss gets all over the sides, drizzles down the seam to outside the boxes, and collects in the ridge that top sits on.  I really wish I knew how to correct this annoying habit of his!  I at least want to get 3 of them washed thoroughly.  (I'd do more, but I'm shooting low because I don't want to kill my back.)
3. Dig out two books -- one is Weight Lifting for Fat Loss and the other is on the 24-forms of Tai Chi.  (The former I need to review anyway.)  I picked up a 10lb dumbbell and it seemed so heavy, which is one reason I often feel like everything is such a struggle -- I have mass, but no muscles!  And I think going back to the Tai Chi will help me mentally also to be calmer.  So, if I can make a reasonable workout plan using both, I know it will help me a lot now and especially during the school year.

So, if I can get these three done, along with routine things like the dishes and cooking, I will be thrilled.  Fingers crossed!

Goodbye Facebook?

For the last year or so, I've been not blogging and instead have been writing about cats, my job, and my life in general over on Facebook.  That has been interesting, and I'll say more later, but I think it's over.  Several days ago, I noticed Facebook redid the chat module and added something about your friends' activities on the top of it.  This little addition was one of those dynamic components -- hover over and a box pops up.  And ever since this appeared, I have had issues using Facebook.

A typical problem is what happened just now.  I go to Facebook, the top bar loads and tells me I have 45 new items and 2 messages.  NOTHING else loads.  The rest of the page is blank.  I click on the items and while I get the drop down box, it never loads the updates.  Ditto with the messages.  I click on 'Home' and likewise, it loads the top bar and never loads anything else.

Several people suggested I dump the cached pages and cookies, so I did that last night.  (And now I have to remember all kinds of things the cookies took care of...ugh.)  So, when I turned on my laptop this morning, I expected Facebook to work, but it didn't.

I know the problem is probably mine.  I have a 5yr old laptop, so that is old by technological standards.  I connect via dial-up, which is both slow and also old.  I have old software, which I can't update easily because I'm on dial-up.

So, what to do?

Right now, I'm thinking of just forgetting all about Facebook.  I've had some very nasty experiences and met some very nasty people on there.  For example, I help a cat who was going to be destroyed get to a rescue, so I am told the only reason I do this is for the publicity.  Then again, I have met some truly lovely people who I don't want to just leave and through my cat health group and other groups I have helped some cats and owners and have helped save a number of cats.

So, for the next few days or week, I'm going to try to forget about Facebook, work on doing things I need and want to do, and return to blogging... assuming I can get this to work as I see a red banned that says "An error occurred while trying to save or publish your post."  Hmmm...