The Vine: April 16, 2010
Hi Sars,
So, I have a question for you and your readers. Here’s the background:
Last year, during a period of unemployment, I moved back home with my parents.Luckily, I’m employed again and have saved up enough money to move out on my own again — into a tiny NYC apartment with a roommate.
Here’s the problem: while living with my parents, I acquired an adorable little kitten, Bess.She herself is not the problem as she’s a total sweetheart.The problem is moving her from a large suburban house to a small apartment.
My roommate is totally fine with Bess; however, I’d still like to minimize her impact in such a tiny space.I was hoping that you or your readers who have lived in close quarters with a cat could recommend some (cheap) tips and tricks to keeping smells and mess to a minimum. Especially since the bathroom and kitchen are too tiny to keep the food and litterbox so these things might be tucked away in my bedroom.
Thanks very much,
Kitty In The City
Dear Kitty,
I don’t have much advice as far as the transition; neither of my cats required weaning from a bigger space (the one time we moved to a smaller apartment, they got a deck to sun on in exchange).
You might consider taking the doors off the bathroom-sink cabinet and parking the litter under there. It’s how I’ve done it everywhere I’ve lived. You give up some bathroom storage, but a small shelving unit right outside the bathroom usually takes care of it.
Readers?
Sars,
I hope you don’t mind the plea for help, but I have to give this a try. I can’t stand the thought of animals suffering needlessly because of stupid things that people have done or neglected to do.
My friend, who is a great and caring owner of a blind rescue husky named Zeus, is in a panic because her dog is in a great deal of pain due to the neglect he suffered earlier in his life. She tells the story best, so these are the words from her blog:
I met him once when I was adopting my first puppy, but I didn’t know he had to be mine until I read his story. He was rescued when he was three years old, from his owners who had him chained up outside for his entire life. His fur was burned to wire and was severely underweight when he was found wandering the streets, but to add onto that, the sun damage from the lack of protection and complete neglect had left him with cataracts, causing him to be completely blind.
I adopted him two years ago when I was only 21 and everyone I knew thought that I was absolutely crazy to take on a dog with such issues. Zeus was not only completely neglected by his previous owners, but was consistently picked on by the dogs he lived with while in foster care.
This wasn’t an easy fix, and it’s taken a lot of work to get him to trust again, but being the kind of person who always needs to help, I never gave up. It’s been two years and he’s been an absolute angel, but now he’s facing further pain.
I recently found out that his cataracts, that if he was cared for he never would have had to begin with, have given him glaucoma and retinal atrophy. His eyes are swelling, causing him to have a constant migraine. Imagine being in his shoes, it’s a horrible feeling. Now, because of this, Zeus needs to have his eyes removed and unfortunately it’s quite an expensive surgery.
This is Zeus today. His eyes have gotten so swollen from the glaucoma, that it causes him pain to even open them. We’ve been trying homeopathic remedies to try to keep him comfortable until I have raised the money for the surgery.
With the help of family and friends, I’ve managed to raise about $400 but I still have a long way to go, so if you can donate even a dollar, it really does go a long way. Thanks to everyone who has been so amazing through all of this.
Sars, there is still about $1,700 left to raise and I have passed his story through just about every social media network I know over the course of the last month and so has she. It’s only today (4/15/10) that she mentioned his pain was getting worse (to the point mentioned above, that picture makes me so sad).
I fear that my friend’s getting discouraged with how long this has been going on and how long she’s had to watch Zeus deteriorate. I would love to surprise her with a jump in donations. She’s started a blog just for the cause, here, and there’s a donation button there that allows payment through PayPal. Anything anyone can do, even just spreading the story would be appreciated.
Thankful For The Good Pet Owners Out There
Dear Thankful,
It’s been a while since the Underground Nation Cat Railroad swung into action; let’s hope we can help a dog out this time. Times are tough, friends, so if you can’t spare a couple bucks, that’s okay — put the word out on Twitter if you can.
Thankful, please keep us posted!
Tags: Ask The Readers cats shut up crappy pet owners
100%!
100%
Zeus (especially the happy puppy pic) reminds me of my husky, so I added my bit, and have been obsessively refreshing since, and it looks like the fund is over 100% !!
Woo hoo!!! Over 100%!
I refreshed the page after I donated, and Zeus’ surgery fund is at 102%. Y’all? Frickin’ rock.
–Loree, who also rescued a husky-mix
Zeus has 102% of the money for eye surgery! It isn’t even noon here.
I don’t know what else to say.
Okay, so I went to go donate to Zeus… but we’re already over the total (102%)! What an amazing group of people. I’m so proud to web-know you.
102%!!!
I went to donate and it was at 83%, by the time I was done it was 102. I think TN rocks! Good for Zeus.
109% – wow!
In the 3 minutes I spent on the donation site, it went from 102% to 109%… Absolutely crazy, good job everyone!
Good lord, this West Coaster didn’t even have a chance – already 109%!
I am donating anyway.
102%!! You guys make me so happy.
OMG, it’s at 112%. The Tomato Nation Kicks ASS!! So very glad to add to the total for after care!
http://helpzeus.blogspot.com/2010/04/just-told-zeus-we-raised-money-for-his.html
:)
Way to tear it up, TN. Yay, Zeus. My own rescue dog, who was picked up as a malnourished pregnant stray (one of her pups was born blind) approved our contribution.
@Thankful, thank YOU for telling us about Zeus! My childhood kitty had to have an eye removed. The bright side was that he ended up looking like a pirate, and didn’t seem to mind a bit.
Not to be gross, but Zeus’ mom, are you planning to have his eyes sown shut? Because if we raise enough money, maybe he could rock some new eyeballs!
We did it! We did it! WE DID IT!!!!!
117% YAY TN!!!
money raised before i even had a chance to chip in!
time to find something else to donate that money too.
well done everyone.
You guys, I’m practically bawling in my cube here. I went to Zeus’ website, and he’s at 117%. Pamie’s Dewey library gets another book today because of all of you.
Cool litter box covers: http://www.kattysaks.com/home.html (looks like they’d cut down on odor, too.
I’ll have to donate for sweet Zeus later — the site is blocked here at work. Not that I’d ever do anything like read blogs or anything at work.
My little rescue puppy just had to have her leg amputated because of a badly-healed break and some neglectful previous owners, and I was so floored by the amazing network of shelter people and great vets who helped make it happen. I’m so glad I could give some money to Zeus in honor of my own sweet tripod girl.
ETA: Oh, it looks like the Zeus-o-meter has been hit! Hurrah, my money can go towards some sweet post-op toys!
ZEUS DID IT!!!!! 126%!
I’m unemployed right now — the recent massive flood in my area drowned my store and I’m not eligible for unemployment in the meantime — and can’t help, but I started crying reading Zeus’s story and even harder when I saw his surgery’s been funded. We lost our 12-year-old Akita in January and he’d been blind since he was 6, so as far as raising a blind pup goes, I know what Zeus and Vivian have gone through. Maybe I shouldn’t be amazed by the efforts of the Nation anymore, but I still am. Good job, guys, and everyone else out there. Yoshi’s wagging his tail somewhere for you, Zeus.
Yay!! It’s already funded, but if she leaves the paypal account up, I’ll still donate when I get home from work. I noticed that the amount she was raising was for the bottom end of the estimate.
Zeus is Canadian!!!!! Woohoo!!!
I donated before I read the estimate, so now I am doubly glad that I did.
He only lives 4 hours away from me. Wonder if he can feel the love?
You…you…you guys. I am so not crying.
Just when I think I cannot be more cynical; when people confirm every hateful, negative, misanthropic thought I have; when all I want to do is pull the covers over my head and hug my dog…The Tomato Nation steps in. To everyone else who donated to help Zeus- right on, people. What you do, what you give, doesn’t just affect one adorable and deserving dog, it reaches far beyond that. Not to be all “We Are the World”, but you all never fail to inspire. Instead of feeling sad for Zeus and his suffering, this hardened New Yorker will be smiling today, thinking about how awesome it is that we live in a world where strangers will leap up to help with a small but heroic gesture; a click, a keystroke, a forwarded e-mail, a kind wish for a canine and the woman whose heart he’s snuggled into. So thanks- for caring about Zeus’ eyes and for opening mine. Have a fabulous weekend, everyone.
129%!! TN is simply amazing. There are really not adequate words.
Ack, Vivian and Whitney! I was being so cool with the not-crying-at-my-desk thing, and then Vivian posted about how she’s crying with happiness and THEN I got to Whitney’s post and read, “he used to locate my mother by sniffing the ankles of everyone in the room until he got to her.” OH MY GOD, PEOPLE. My heart can only take so much. Crying at my desk now, and blaming it on the stupid pollen. STUPID POLLEN *sniff*
I just went to donate in memory of my late, much-loved shelter dog– and it’s done! The Nation rules.
Don’t forget to actually clean the litter pan itself, if your cat is at all a side-pee-er or scoops down to the bottom of the pan first. The litter can be brand new fresh & clean, but if the *pan* is dirty, there will still be odor. Don’t use stinky soaps or perfumed litters, as those are bad for kitty’s health. Just scoop multiple times a day, wash the pan itself when it needs it, and you’ll be fine. 400sq ft house + litter box, here, and no stinky! :)
129%!
I was driving home from lunch with Wing, wondering if you guys had hit 100% yet (which is idiotic of me, really; you always do), and then that Sarah McLachlan song came on that plays on the rescue-pet ads and I started bawling in the car.
@Sandy: That’s hilarious. We can buy him sunglasses, we can buy him a fancy padded cone…
PS Looks like we cleared the revised estimate as well. Maybe some silk pajamas? :)
@ sandy will definitely be getting those eyes sewn shut!! hhaha
was reaching for the lower end of the estimate, but i’m keeping the chip in up to see what else people can donate. like i said in my post, not to be greedy, but in case it ends up costing more, or if there are any post-op complications. it would be great to be covered. and any extra money that i have after all of this will go to the rescue that i got him from (siberrescue.org) i volunteer for this rescue and i know first hand that because they are the only husky specific rescue in the area, they get a lot of dogs with mental and physical issues since she knows how to deal with them. so her vet bill is always astronomical and she does such wonderful things.
oh and maybe a little will go to a vest he can wear during walks that says something along the lines of “i’m blind so please stop yelling at my mom for my bumping into you”!
you guys are so beyond stellar, you have given me SUCH faith, you have no idea.
i will keep you all updated on helpzeus.blogspot.com for sure! you’re all a part of his life now and deserve to know any and all updates!
thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you.
@Sars – I wasn’t trying to be funny, I’m just unintentionally hilarious. :) They really do make implants for pets whose eyes are removed. Look: http://www.neuticles.com/eyeimplants.php
My dad decided not to get them for Goldie the pirate cat to save some dough.
I used to go to the vet where Zeus’ surgery is being done! (Is that really hot gay vet still there? He was a nice guy.) I made a donation in memory of my cat who just died on Good Friday. Sorry I couldn’t donate more, but I have his surgery bill! GOOD LUCK!
Aw, I was just looking for a good place to donate in memory of my cat Max who died not too long ago. Go Zeus! Hope he turns out okay; let us know! I have a special place in my heart for dogs after I grew up with so many great ones.
oh and i have to mention, it’s zeus’ “birthday” (dont know his real birthday, so it’s actually the day i adopted him) on sunday, so this is seriously the best birthday gift i could possibly give him. well the best birthday gift you guys could possibly give him!!
i seriously don’t think i will ever be able to thank you enough.
Omg, up to 131%!
I was going to make a neuticles joke myself; I had no idea that company actually made the implants.
I donated this morning when the meter was at about 76%, and now I see it’s 131%! Amazing! TN rocks.
I can’t wait to see those photos of a healthy Zeus in silk pajamas! :)
Sars – argh, the Sarah McLachlan commercial for SPCA gets me every. time.
Sandy – Oh my GOD… NEUTICLES? Best website name ever. Now in addition to tears, my keyboard is soaked with spit and coffee :D
Aw, snif. TNers always bring the awesome.
Hey! I never noticed on the estimate, but this is my kitty’s vet clinic (hi, Dr. Lu & Dr. Banks!). They are great people at this hospital, but notoriously pricey. Do not even ask how much it costs to give a cat an enema there.
Oh God, I didn’t see this until donations had already reached 130%, but I donated anyway because that story almost had me crying at my desk and because I had a German Shepherd/Husky mix growing up who was the sweetest dog in the world. She thought I was her puppy. Give Zeus a Happy “Birthday” hug for me, Vivian!
Unable to donate myself, but I have to say that just when I’m feeling like 98% of humanity is a lost cause (I’ve been watching too much news again), along comes the Nation to prove me wrong. You guys rock!!
I chipped in myself, even though it is well over the 100% mark. I’ve adopted three rescue Basset Hounds from rescue in my day and the efforts of rescue organizations cannot be overstated. And yes, I am a little teary because of how awesome people can be…:)
I hate scooping and our youngest cat is ultra-picky about her box. The boys don’t care at all and we were used to that, so it’s been an adjustment finding something that works for both her and us.
We keep one non-clumping box for the boys which we are lazy with and got her something along these lines: http://www.omegapaw.com/RollAwayReg.html to use with clumping litter.
Even I can remember to roll the box over once before bedtime and add another scoop of litter if needed. I change it once a week and if it’s almost time to change I spritz a bit of kitty odor-away spray around inside it.
This is the most awesome thing ever and yet another example of why I love Tomato Nation so much. And yes, I’m crying over here too.
Had to donate too… I had a Husky growing up. Looks like Zeus is at 140%! Whoo! That’s good, though, because he’s likely to have follow-up appointments, medications, etc. Hard to predict vet expenses.
Please let us know how he does post-op!
I’m so happy. 142% of her original total, which means almost the high end of the estimate is covered.
I think the best thing in the world is extending generosity, especially when the world seems so polarized. Reminds us all how much we really have in common.
Tomato Nation is so awesome. I hope Zeus pulls through the surgery just fine!
Donation in honor of my old Beagle Ludwig, who is blind from untreated diabetes (we’d noticed he was drinking lots of water and losing horrendous amounts of weight, but a combination of denial and summer travel kept us from getting him to the vet until his eyesight was just about gone).