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Location: Scott County, Tennessee/by way of Detroit
3,352 posts, read 2,825,032 times
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You are a Georgia peach... The stuff I read I can put up with cat hairballs but I hate smoke.. Your friend is so lucky... To have you....Who is taking her to physical therapy? You have been an A1friend.
Thank you all so much for your advice. Selhars, OMG! I believe I would be done with that friend also.
My friend's house wasn't terrible, it just had boxes of stuff everywhere. She bought this house a year ago and it's as if she never really moved in. So while she's speeding on her pills she has been opening all the boxes and I've been putting it away or throwing it out.
As far as the cats, the piles are hairballs. Not poop. She already has them on anti-hairball food. I don't see that it's working though. I just can't believe everywhere they do their thing. Like they have no respect. LOL On top of the dining room table, in the spare bedroom, on the stairs... Ick.
Every morning she still has to have a real cigarette so she's started closing her door while I stand in the living room with the ceiling fan on high and the windows open.
Because of the storm, none of the OT and PT people have been here. I was able to get out yesterday and get a tub bench, tub safety rails, a bathmat, Depends, stuff like that. We looked online and read reviews and she ordered what she wanted and I went and picked it up.
We'd been using the commode chair and she didn't feel safe with it. I shored up the legs with wood against the tub and vanity but it was still iffy for her, and the commode seat was built for a skinnygirl.
I got everything installed last night and she took a shower by herself for the first time in a month. She loves the safety rails on the tub and now she can use her regular toilet seat.
This morning at 3:30am she went to the bathroom and the toilet overflowed. That was lots of fun. So I set up the commode chair again in the spare bedroom with the bucket and we called a plumber. He is on his way now.
I have a flight out of Baltimore at 3pm today and I feel comfortable with her abilities now. A big difference from when I first arrived here.
I've been making her do stuff for herself every day and she's gotten real good with her wheelchair. She cleans up the hairballs now and she cooked me a wonderful meal last night.
We celebrated her showering with a bottle of Korbel for me and we watched Spy.
I am so going to miss her but not the cats or the smoke
Glad things are resolving for both your friend - and you.
As for those hairball-blessed cats, send your friend a cat brush. Tie a pretty ribbon on it. if the cats are brushed regularly (even short-haired cats need brushing, just not as much as the long-hairs), the hairball problem should diminish considerably. Most cats loved being brushed gently (unless their fur is very tangled, which is another issue), and your friend could easily handle this task from her wheelchair.
As for the "distribution" of the hairballs, cats will do their thing wherever they like, but they should be discouraged from getting onto tables, counters, the refrigerator, etc., whether hairballs accompany them or not.
But of course, all of this is up to your friend to address. Except for the cat brush. Maybe you could make a little "care package" for the cats, and send a package of catnip along with the brush, so the gift wouldn't be quite so pointed.
So glad things are working to a good conclusion with your friend - I am sure she is very grateful to you!
I like the idea of a cat brush. I have another suggestion, as the "mother" of an old, fat, hairy cat: Our vet recommended that we pour just a LITTLE BIT of fish oil over our cat's food. I mean, like a tiny bit - a teaspoon over several days of food. Our cat has a feeder (that's part of his weight problem but oh well, he's old and we tried cutting back his food and he just drove us crazy and everyone was miserable so there you have it). So we are able to drizzle fish oil over the top of a full feeder and it just sort of works it's way down into his food.
It's made a big difference in the shedding as well as the luster of his coat. It might help your friend's cats, and even if it doesn't address the hairball issue, it's good for cats - and they love it!
Glad things are resolving for both your friend - and you.
As for those hairball-blessed cats, send your friend a cat brush. Tie a pretty ribbon on it. if the cats are brushed regularly (even short-haired cats need brushing, just not as much as the long-hairs), the hairball problem should diminish considerably. Most cats loved being brushed gently (unless their fur is very tangled, which is another issue), and your friend could easily handle this task from her wheelchair.
As for the "distribution" of the hairballs, cats will do their thing wherever they like, but they should be discouraged from getting onto tables, counters, the refrigerator, etc., whether hairballs accompany them or not.
But of course, all of this is up to your friend to address. Except for the cat brush. Maybe you could make a little "care package" for the cats, and send a package of catnip along with the brush, so the gift wouldn't be quite so pointed.
My daughter has a long haired cat, very, very long hair. She brushes the cat everyday, gives it some type of anti-hair ball medicine/suppliment and it rarely, rarely ever has a hair ball.
Hi OP, I just wanted to say that for my cats I found a hairball medicine in a tube at walmart that the cats love and will lick it all up readily, and it has completely eliminated the hairball problem, believe it or not. I just used the last of it and havent gotten a new tube yet so I cant tell you the name of it since I threw the empty tube away, but I got it at walmart. My cats just lick it off the tube as I squeeze it out so its very easy to give it to them. Just let your friend know about it so she can get some, or you could send a tube of it with the brush if you send one.
Kudos to you for helping your friend during her time of need!
So glad things are working to a good conclusion with your friend - I am sure she is very grateful to you!
I like the idea of a cat brush. I have another suggestion, as the "mother" of an old, fat, hairy cat: Our vet recommended that we pour just a LITTLE BIT of fish oil over our cat's food. I mean, like a tiny bit - a teaspoon over several days of food. Our cat has a feeder (that's part of his weight problem but oh well, he's old and we tried cutting back his food and he just drove us crazy and everyone was miserable so there you have it). So we are able to drizzle fish oil over the top of a full feeder and it just sort of works it's way down into his food.
It's made a big difference in the shedding as well as the luster of his coat. It might help your friend's cats, and even if it doesn't address the hairball issue, it's good for cats - and they love it!
must be careful with the fish oil, though.... it can cause stomach upset in some pets.....
Walmart, PetSmart, PetCo.... all have a number of hairball remedies for cats that are flavored so that the cats lick them right up.....
I love the ideas about a care package for the cats. Another friend of mine suggested adding mayonnaise to their food because it coats the throat and keeps them from having hairballs. I suggested that to her and she shrugged it off. Oh well, it's her mess, not mine.
I made it home and went straight to bed. I'm so glad I only have two days of work before the weekend. I feel like a zombie.
My husband hadn't done anything in the house since I left. The same dishes are in the sink plus more that he's used. That irritated me. I guess he thinks if I can do all that for my best friend I can do it at home too.
Grrr.
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