My cat Zekey was diagnosed with sky-high creatinine phosphate levels. He constantly shakes and trembles. I’ve had him 10 years; he has never been sick, always been indoors, and everything else on his blood work and urine samples were perfect. We got a corticosteroid Saturday and his back legs quit trembling, but his neck and head still twitch and he seems to be acting lethargic and sneezing a lot. There has to be an answer without him needing muscle samples or a spinal tap. Please help me — he’s my baby!

~ Amanda

Sleepy cat, (CC-BY-SA) by Wikipedia user Thomas M.

Siouxsie: Well, let’s start out by explaining what creatinine phosphate is. It’s an organic compound that provides the initial quick burst of energy that allows muscle fibers to contract. When cells are resting, they store creatinine phosphate so that it’s available when it’s needed.

Thomas: High creatinine phosphate levels are generally considered an indication of temporary or permanent kidney damage. But creatinine levels can also be elevated in dehydrated cats.

Bella: Because all your cat’s other blood and urine tests yielded normal results, the odds are good that he doesn’t have chronic renal failure, diabetes, hyperthyroidism or other such illnesses.

Siouxsie: But the bad news is that you really can’t know what’s going on with your cat unless your vet does more tests.

Thomas: Just because the more common causes of your cat’s elevated creatinine levels have been eliminated, doesn’t mean he’s out of the woods yet.

Bella: We can’t even begin to speculate what might be going on — first of all, we’re not vets, and even if we were, we wouldn’t diagnose your Zekey without seeing him.

Siouxsie: Mama says if one of us were having those symptoms, she’d go back to the vet for more tests. You can’t treat a problem if you don’t know what that problem is.

Thomas: If your vet is recommending a muscle biopsy and a spinal tap, we’d suggest you discuss that with him or her.

Bella: You might ask if the tests could be done one at a time and if so, which one he or she would recommend first.

Siouxsie: Your vet will probably recommend doing both tests at the same time, though, because Zekey will need to be sedated, if not actually put under anesthesia, in order to keep him safe while they’re being done.

Thomas: We’d also suggest that you ask your vet if he or she has eliminated any diagnoses based on the blood and urine test results and what he or she will be looking for with the spinal tap and muscle biopsy.

Bella: You can also ask about what will happen if those tests are inconclusive.

Siouxsie: “Mystery illnesses” can be really frustrating for both vets and cat caretakers, and we hope your vet will be able to reach a diagnosis that will help Zekey feel better.

Thomas: Please let us know what happened as a result of the tests. We’re curious to find out what’s going on, too.

I was invited to speak at the first conference, BlogPaws 2010. I went, not knowing quite what I was getting into, how well the event would be organized, or how good the workshops would be. I know how much effort it takes to organize even a small conference — I myself had organized (with a lot of help) two small conferences, and I knew what a logistical maze that could be. I was very pleasantly surprised on all counts.

At BlogPaws 2010, I was part of a panel discussion on practical tips for search engine optimization.

What I didn’t expect was that the BlogPaws organizers would decide, based on the success of the first conference, to hold a second conference in 2010, this time hoping to attract more people from the western US. I was kind of bummed out because I knew I couldn’t afford to go to two conferences in one year — but fortunately, a brand stepped forward to sponsor me and a couple of other bloggers, and I was able to attend.

Stacy Kowalchuk of Trupanion Pet Insurance, Angie Bailey of Catladyland, and me, at BlogPaws West

Because I didn’t speak at BlogPaws West, I had the time and energy to socialize with my fellow pet bloggers. Before I began meeting other people who were crazy passionate enough to have made a commitment to write about them, I’d felt sort of isolated. Sitting at my computer in my rural Maine apartment, I knew I was making a difference for you, my readers; I knew there were other cat bloggers, but I had no idea just how much we’d have in common until I met them in person.

BlogPaws 2011: Angie Baily of Catladyland, Joanne McGonagle of The Tiniest Tiger, and me.

BlogPaws 2011 was set in Washington, D.C., on the eve of Hurricane Sandy Irene (thanks for the correction, Rachel). There were some incredibly dramatic happenings: Two transporters were driving a clowder of kittens from a high-kill shelter in the South to meet Robin Olson, author of the blog Covered in Cat Hair and co-founder of Kitten Associates, a Connecticut-baed rescue group. They arrived at the hotel just ahead of the storm, and a bunch of us oohed and aahed over the cuteness in our midst.

But somewhere during all the petting and purrs, somebody noticed that one of the kittens’ spay incisions was popping open. We fortunately had a bunch of veterinarians there, but unfortunately, none of them was licensed to practice in DC. Nonetheless, they did some first aid and Robin and her partner, Sam, hit the road as fast as they could, hoping to get home before the storm and get those kittens to their vet ASAP. The whole BlogPaws community came together to help Robin, Sam, and the kittens, and that’s when it clicked for me: We really are a community. No matter how far apart we live and how unique each one of our blogs are, we’re united by our love of animals and a universal kindness and compassion toward those who depend on us to be their voices.

BlogPaws 2012 was set in Salt Lake City. Once again, the conference was chock full of education and entertainment. I was grateful to be a finalist in the Nose to Nose Pet Blogging Awards, along with several of the friends I’d met over the years.

The whole gang: A group of my cool blogging friends at the Nose to Nose Awards Red Carpet Event.

With each BlogPaws conference I attended, my passion for cats grew. As I learned more about rescue efforts and what I could do to help get cats adopted, I became more active in that area — but nobody was more inspired than Dorian Wagner of Your Daily Cute. Since last year’s conference, Dorian has become very active in rescue advocacy in her South Florida home and has begun arranging transports of cats from high-kill shelters in her area to shelters and homes in the North. I’ve gotten to meet some of the cats who have benefited from her hard work, including Samuel L. Catson, who landed at HART of Maine, the shelter where I volunteer.

I’ve made more friends through BlogPaws than I ever made in my efforts to socialize in my daily life. Maybe it’s because it’s easier to start a friendship when you already know you have at least one shared interest — who knows? But if it hadn’t been for BlogPaws, I’d never have met two amazing women whom I’m honored to number among my best friends.

Two women I’m proud to number among my best friends: Angie Bailey of Catladyland and Robin Olson of Covered in Cat Hair.

I can’t wait to see what this year’s conference holds. I am once again honored to be a finalist in the Nose to Nose Awards — and this time I’m up for Best Meow Blog. I love the Nose to Nose Awards because they’re judged on merit. They’re not a popularity contest where you have to go out and whore for votes and get people to go to a website, thereby earning that website lots of traffic while really not having much benefit for you, the blogger.

After 10 years of writing Paws and Effect and four years of BlogPaws conferences, I know for sure that the one thing I really want to do with my time, energy and talent is to work with, and speak for, cats. I want to show the world that low-cost spay/neuter really works; that behavior issues can be resolved; that it is possible to understand your cat’s health issues — and, more than anything else, to take my cat knowledge to the public at large. I may be an introvert, but I am a very good public speaker. I’ve been told I have a good radio voice, and I’m not at all scared to sit in front of a camera.

Maybe I’ll meet some people at BlogPaws who can help me make my dreams come true. I bet it’ll happen!

I have a cat who spends most of the day by himself. I was worried that he might want some feline companionship, but I cannot get another pet. Sometimes when I’m surfing the web at night, I’ll loudly play one of the many YouTube videos of cats meowing to get him stimulated. His ears immediately perk up, he runs over the the speakers, sniffs around and purrs. He even meows back sometimes. When I stop playing the video he goes back to his normal self. Is he doing this because he likes the sound of others meowing? Or does he think there is another cat around in distress? Does he get stressed out when he can’t find the cat and think he’s being tricked? Should I keep doing this occasionally?

~ Eric

Kitten and computer, (CC-BY-SA) by Wikimedia user elian

Siouxsie: Good question, Eric. Mama sometimes plays videos with cats meowing, too. And when she watches My Cat From Hell, there are always cats meowing and screaming.

Thomas: We’re usually curious when we hear sounds of other cats coming from the computer or the TV, but once we realize there aren’t any other cats around, we just relax and go about our business, just like your cat friend does.

Bella: You can tell how your cat feels about hearing those sounds from the computer by noticing his body language and reaction. In your case, it sounds like your kitty is enjoying the experience of hearing other cats.

Siouxsie: On the other hand, if he folded his ears back and his pupils were either very big or very small, that would be a sign that he doesn’t like what he’s hearing.

Thomas: When a kitty screams and we look at her like “WTF is that?!”, she says, “It’s OK, it’s just the TV,” and then we relax again.

Bella: But the bigger question we think you’re asking is, how can you keep your cat entertained while you’re away from home?

Siouxsie: This is a question lots of cat parents face. You and many of our other readers are in situations where you can only have one cat, and you want to ensure that your feline friend doesn’t get bored or anxious while you’re away doing what you need to do.

Thomas: And we have some tips for you.

Bella: First of all, did you know that there are videos made just for entertaining cats while you’re out of the house?

Siouxsie: We’ve never watched one of these — we have each other to stay entertained, and there are lots of birds and squirrels to watch, too — but these videos do seem to get good reviews.

Thomas: You can also use puzzle toys or create your own puzzles by hiding treats in strategic locations so that he can look for them when he’s feeling bored.

Cat window perch. Image courtesy of Kaboodle.com

Bella: We also recommend some nice window perches or tall cat trees so your little fellow can look down on the world below.

Siouxsie: If you can’t do the cat sitter videos, consider leaving the radio turned on at a very low volume. At the animal shelter where Mama volunteers, they do this in all the cat rooms, and they change the stations pretty regularly.

Thomas: Mama says the kitties mostly get to listen to light rock and country music, but she suspects your cats would also appreciate mellow classical music like Bach guitar pieces or Haydn’s piano works.

Bella: But please do avoid Wagner operas and the like. We don’t need that kind of Sturm und Drang! … Um, what’s Sturm und Drang?

Siouxsie: I dunno. But it sure is fun to say!

Mama: It’s a late 1800s literary movement from Germany that’s characterized by really emotional and rousing work. But in modern usage, it generally means “turmoil.” And where did you learn that word, Bella?

Bella: I heard a human use it once, and it sounded like a fun word!

Mama: It’s a good idea to ask what a word means before you use it, Bella. You never know when you’re going to say something hurtful if you don’t know what you’re saying. And I’ll always be happy to tell you what words mean, sweetie, so you can ask me any time.

Bella: Okay. Thanks, Mama!

Siouxsie: Now that we’ve had our vocabulary lesson for the day, do you mind if we get back to answering Eric’s question?

Mama: No, not at all. Have at it! But we’re going to have a talk later about why you’ve been so grumpy lately.

Siouxsie: *grumble*

Thomas: Motion-activated cat toys like this mouse chase toy can also be helpful for keeping a cat entertained while he’s alone. (Full disclosure: We’ve never used one of these, so we don’t know about its quality or durability; we’re just using it as an example of a general type of product.)

Bella: So, Eric, there are lots of ways to keep your kitty friend entertained while you’re away. And don’t worry about sharing those meowing videos as long as your cat keeps enjoying them!

My cat is terrified of everyone but myself and my boyfriend, with whom she lives. If anyone else comes into our apartment, she runs and hides. She growls at delivery men and the neighbors. I am not afraid of her being violent, but I just don’t want her to live a life of fear. I’ve had her since she was 8 weeks old. I got her spayed and after she came back from the place, she was like this. I can’t say that they did anything wrong: they seemed very nice and the surgery went well. But my cat is now a different cat. She loves her Daddy and me very much, and she’s always happy when it’s just us. I always give her treats when new people enter the home, so she thinks new people = treats = positive experience. I give her space and tell her everything is okay. I tell guests not to bother her and let them come to her. Is there anything else I can do to help her?

~ NotNicky

Photo via Morguefile

Siouxsie: It’s not all that unusual for a cat to come back from a spay surgery with some amount of trauma. Our beloved Dahlia was never quite the same with the vet after her experience.

Thomas: But it sounds like your kitty took it really hard, and now whatever trauma she experienced at the vet’s office has turned into a generalized fear of all people besides you and your boyfriend.

Bella: You’ve definitely got the right idea — helping her to associate visitors with good things like treats.

Siouxsie: We’ve got some more ideas that might be helpful, too. You’re going to have to undertake a multi-part plan to help your baby get her confidence back and reduce her fear of strangers.

Thomas: The first thing we’d recommend is that you call your vet and see if they remember anything that particularly freaked her out while she was there for her spay. If you can identify the trigger for her fear, you’ll have more tools to help her overcome it.

Bella: If you haven’t done so already, get some Feliway plug-ins and install them in the public areas of your home. Feliway is a synthetic “happy cat” pheromone that is very helpful in reducing stress.

IKEA Stolmen cat tree. Image via IKEA Hackers

Siouxsie: Then look around your home, especially in those public areas. Does your cat have a way to get up to an elevated area? For example, do you have a tall cat tree or wall shelves? If not, we’d recommend that you give her some observation areas and “escape routes.”

Thomas: You don’t have to buy ordinary cat furniture or spring huge amounts of money for cool-looking designer items. If you or your boyfriend has any handy-person skills, you can do some awesome IKEA hacks like the one pictured at the left, or go to your local home supply store and buy shelves, screws and brackets and build your own.

Bella: Watch some episodes of Jackson Galaxy’s show My Cat From Hell to see some simple ways you can “catify” your home and give your baby lots of room to go where she wants to go.

Siouxsie: If you live in the US, you can watch episodes on Animal Planet’s website.

Thomas: You might have to teach her that those high places are for her — by leading her step by step up the cat tree with her favorite treats, for example.

Bella: Playing with your kitty is a huge confidence booster. Use interactive toys like feather danglers or other “things on a string” and get her hunting, catching and killing the toy in the center of the room.

Siouxsie: For some tips about best play practices, check out this article Mama wrote for Catster.

Thomas: Once you get your kitty used to playing, your guests can join the fun and give your baby even more positive reinforcement about strangers.

Bella: We’ve seen really good results with using certain holistic remedies to help ease feline fear. For example, one woman has transformed almost-feral cats into adoptable kitties using a flower essence called Bach Rescue Remedy.

Siouxsie: Other flower essence companies such as Spirit Essences produce remedies that are specifically for fearful cats (Kissy got Safe Space for Cats essence to help her with her fearfulness and trauma-based aggression).

Thomas: We should point out that flower essences are not the same thing as essential oils! Essential oils are created from the elements that give plants their distinctive smells, whereas flower essences are created by steeping flowers and plants in high-grade alcohol.

Bella: You have to be very careful using essential oils on cats because some contain ingredients that are toxic to kitties. Although you might be concerned about using alcohol on cats, the amount of the remedy you administer is so small and so highly diluted, when used properly, that there is very little danger of toxicity.

Siouxsie: Also, make sure not to accidentally reinforce her fearful behavior by giving her treats after she’s had her fear reaction. It’s natural for people to want to say, “It’s okay, it’s all right” and give a treat when the cat is scared — but if you do that, you’re telling her that she gets goodies if she gets scared.

Thomas: It’s going to take a while for your cat to get her confidence back, so don’t despair if it doesn’t happen right away.

Bella: Good luck, NotNicky! Please let us know how things turned out.