20% off with code: Romano 

To help fund Romano's overnight stay at the vet I am doing 20% off my entire website, except for Caturday's Rainbow drop. If you are in the U.S. and spend over $100 you will get free USPS Ground Advantage shipping on your order. These deals will be good all week long!

If you already have a pending order that has not shipped yet & want to grab something else, you can use code OK1MORE at checkout and you will not be charged shipping on the second purchase, even if it is under $100. I will combine the orders and they will ship together.

Click on the link below and the 20% off will be automatically applied at checkout.

20% off for Romano

Rainbows & Romano Drop

Rainbows

June is Pride Month and I wanted to celebrate and show my support by creating a collection based around the Rainbow. For me, the Rainbow represents love, pride, diversity, unity and life. For pet parents, it can remind us of the love and friendship we shared with a beloved pet who has transitioned across "The Rainbow Bridge". For the artist, the Rainbow spectrum is the foundation for color theory and all that is achievable when colors are combined in different ways. Whatever it means to you, the Rainbow is undeniably special.

Romano

Speaking of undeniably special... this guy right here is a true gem. He is the "reward cat" the universe sent to us after we said goodbye to China. If you weren't following me pre 2020, then you never knew the fierce spicy Queen that ruled this house for 17 years: China. She had "single cat syndrome" (this is why you ALWAYS adopt kittens in pairs!) and I had to be the crazy cat lady with only 1 cat for 17 long years. Romano was my first foster kitty who came from a 40+ cat colony, so he loved every single cat he met. His arm was amputated the day after he was brought in as my foster due to an unknown injury. He recovered like a champ and hasn't let that loss affect his outlook on life in any way. He is a lover, through and through, and quickly earned the nickname "RoMOMo" because he is the peace keeper and comfort kitty to our other 2 cats.

Urinary Blockage: what is it?

Many people are unaware of this serious health issue that is most common in neutered male cats, especially if they are overweight and consume dry cat food. I wanted to share information about this life threatening issue because if the signs are there and you can catch it early, it can not only save you money, it can save the life of your cat.

Blockages occur when the urethra (the narrow tube that carries urine out of the body) gets clogged. This is most common in male cats due to their narrower anatomy.

Symptoms to watch for:

  • Straining, crouching, or spending extended time in the litter box with no pee produced
  • Crying, yowling, or acting distressed when attempting to urinate
  • Excessive licking at their genital area
  • Bloody or cloudy urine
  • Vomiting, refusal to eat, or extreme lethargy
  • A very hard, painful abdomen (firm as a baseball)


A cat urinary blockage (urethral obstruction) is a life-threatening emergency. If your cat is straining to pee, producing little to no urine, crying in pain, or vomiting, get them to an emergency vet immediately. A blocked cat can suffer kidney failure or a ruptured bladder within 24 to 48 hours.

Romano's "vacation"

After noticing some excessive licking to the gential area late last night, I made a point to monitor Romano in the litter box to make sure he was able to pass urine. This morning he strained to pee so hard that he farted and then had a small bowel movement. Immediately after exiting that litter box, he entered another one and went right back into the squat position to try and urinate. This was a telltale sign of a blocked urethra and I was on the phone with the vet in a matter of seconds. Thankfully I was able to drop him off asap to be examined & they confirmed the blockage. They put him under lite anesthesia and were able to clear it, but then had several mucus plugs re-clog his urethra. A catheter was placed to allow him to pass anymore stones or plugs and he had to stay overnight so they could leave it in. Thankfully his blood work showed only one slightly elevated level in his kidneys, which is expected after a blockage. His urinalysis revealed that he does have a lot of struvite crystals present.

Struvite crystals are microscopic minerals made of magnesium, ammonium, and phosphate. While low levels are normal, high concentrations can clump with mucus to form life-threatening urethral blockages or bladder stones. Thankfully, special vet prescribed urinary food will break up the struvite crystals and prevent more from forming. But it is also crucial to make sure your cat is getting a lot of hydration (mixing water into their wet food is a great method to insure they are getting adequate amounts). Romano was also given antibiotics for urinary track infection & pain meds after having the catheter in overnight.






Romano update

First off, THANK YOU ALL so much for sending Romano a moment of positive thought and love. Second, THANK YOU ALL who have purchased something to help me with his vet bills & medicated food. This experience is making me think it would be beneficial to start a blog on my website, so I have a place to share information about my life with cats. Things like the types of toys & treats that they love and maybe a place to talk about my work in more detail than what I share on Instagram. If you have any topics or suggestions of things you would like to see me share in a blog, please let me know!

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