This is the archive of my old blog posts, from Dec 2012 to May 2018
To read my current blog posts, please visit TheCatTherapist.com


Monday, June 22, 2015

June 2015


THE WILBOURN WAY BLOG  


(AKA Cats on the Couch)  For a better view Click http://cattherapist.blogspot.com/ 


Dear Readers,

I was recently interviewed by T.J. Banks, a columnist for Pets Advisor

How Cat Therapists Help Solve Behavioral Problems  http://www.petsadviser.com/behaviors/cat-therapists/

What a surprise when I saw the video. It was a flash-back from memory lane back in the day. (Notice the vintage boom box at our feet).

Keith Haring's Animated Cats

The late, famous, Keith Haring, worked in many other fields before making his mark. He even took a stab at being a Warner Bros. animator. They were not impressed by his handling of their standard test, Animating a Cat in Four Funny Situations.   

Some years later he sold his rejected cel for enough money to buy a sprawling estate once owned by Cecil B. DeMille, including mineral rights.

(Cats of the Masters, Michael Patrick)



Carole's Take on Oscar The Cat Who .....  

.
No More Spraying - Bear Feels Much Better
Bear and his kicker
Bear has finally stopped spraying, and now he uses his litter box. He may urinate once a day outside the box, but on the wee wee pads said Nancy. Its been a rocky thirteen years. Were so grateful Dr. Landefeld gave us your name.” 

Yes, in three months, weve been able to achieve what we couldnt in Bears thirteen years, ” added Michael. You were our last resort.

HAPPY TRANSFORMATION THIRD HOME VISIT
This was my third home visit, and what a happy transformation for the entire family. And a happy cat always makes me a happier person. Bears kittenhood started with seizures, that were controlled with medication, and early aggression that subsided when Nancy married Michael. For a while indiscriminate defecation was his signature. He also vomited whenever he ate. These bouts have been reduced with special prescription food.

But it was the puddles of misplaced urine  and spraying, that might subside for awhile but continued on through his thirteen years, that was Bears anxious, constant cat-speak for help. Bear cohabited with Monkee, his companion cat, at a distance. His relationship with baby Sima was a plus, whereas Monkee  bolted or raised a paw whenever she approached or cornered him.

It's a Fun-Fest
As the two cats rolled in the sprinkled catnip, relaxation music played from my iPad to ease the cat-mosphere.  I provided Nancy and Michael with the link so they could carry on with the reinforcement of this healing mood. Baby Sima waved a Multi-pet toy to join in their bliss.  
(Scroll through to BEARS LIFE SPARED http://cattherapist.blogspot.com/2015_03_01_archive.html)
BEARS NEW FUN HABITAT HIS SAFE SANCTUARY 
I had recommended they provide Bear with an enclosure that he could hang out in. This habitat would provide him with a controlled environment where he would feel protected from any unexpected or threatened interventions that made him anxious. At first Bear was wary and resisted this enclosure.
RELAX AND APPEAL TO BEARS FIVE SENSE 
But at his second home visit, as I led the verbal communication, the music played, the cats were stroked (which included Reiki http://www.thecattherapist.com/moreaboutreiki.asp) and catnip was added, Bear claimed and inhabited his new digs his safe sanctuary.  
Bear's Sanctuary

BEAR CANT SUSTAIN WITHOUT AUXILIARY SUPPORT 
At our follow-up phone session, I was told Bears bouts of sprays and puddles of urine were less. Progress, but not for long.  It was clear that Bear could not sustain his feeling of ease. But now that his program included the healing template for his five senses, the right anti-anxiety or psychotropic medication could be added to relax his body. The medication would be the auxiliary support to reinforce his behavioral program. It would be the prop, that eventually, could be slowly reduced or eliminated. Bear had experienced many different anti-anxiety medications  that neither sedated nor controlled his incidents — before Dr. Landefeld treated him and referred his case to me. Benzodiazepines such as Valium or Xanax had originally been ruled out because they could possibly wreak havoc with his epilepsy medication. But now we were down to the wire. Bear needed every aid we could provide.
THE MISSING INGREDIENT FOR BEARS STEADY RECOVERY 
I texted Nancy that I had spoken with Dr. Landefeld. She would write a script for Xanax that Bear could be started on. It was a low dosage, and his medication for epilepsy could be increased if needed. I explained to Nancy that Xanax could increase his appetite, cause him to be a bit ataxic floppy and more affectionate as the medication kicked in and his skeletal muscles relaxed.
MAJOR BREAK-THROUGH 
Two days later Nancy texted: Bears finally sedated. He looks a little dopey but more affectionate than ever and very floppy. Best of all, hes stopped spraying and only urinated twice outside his box on the wee wee pads.

So finally Bear had a recovery program that would enable him to slowly and steadily recover from his long term physical and emotional angst that provoked his deviant and unmanageable symptoms. Yes, there would be breakdowns, but they would be brief as he integrated new coping mechanisms to deal with everyday stress.


MONKEE, BEARS COMPANION, BENEFITS  

Monkee who internalized his fear with food to stuff his emotions and externalized his fear with flight was now more interactive with Bear and less toddler phobic with Sima. She could now stroke him ever so slightly, and he didn't dash away whenever she appeared. 

I'll fill you in on Monkee's behavioral program in my July Blog.

A REIKI TREATMENT FOR THE FAMILY
I ended the session  with a Reiki treatment where I placed a hand on Nancy's head, and the other on Michaels, to start the placements. Sima cuddled up next to her parents as the cats stretched out beside them for a contact high. 

They would be in touch with progress reports as Bear and Monkee recovered from the demons that provoked their neurotic behavior. Michael was soon to graduate from his second year of a dental residency. What auspicious timing for the cats recovery!



Carole's Been Anthologized  .....

In The Big New Yorker Book of Cats.  See Lulu, The Cat The New Yorker Left Behind by Lois Metzer, Huffington Post  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lois-metzger/lulu-the-cat-the-new-york_b_3983154.html



Lost Cat is Reunited -- I.D., Google, Selfie 
When a tabby gray cat showed up on Joans porch, she thought it was the cat who lived next door. A closer look, and she realized this look-alike was a different cat, not a youngster and somewhat frail. She leaned down to stroke the cat who nuzzled her hand. With her other hand she checked out the cats collar.  No i.d. tag, but the name Ollie and a number were written on the collar. 
Ollie shows up on Joan's porch
So Joan sat down next to the cat and rang the number on her iPhone. The phone rang into oblivion. Joan resorted to Google. The number was listed on the site of a water testing company under the directory of employees. What a stroke of luck. She immediately called the company.  At first the receptionist was reluctant to divulge the employees cell phone number. But when Joan texted a selfie with Ollie on her lap, the cell phone number was had.
Within the next hour Ollies family appeared at Joans house. The seven-year old boy immediately swooped Ollie into his arms and repeated a thank you over and over.  His parents smiled and hugged their boy as he hugged Ollie. They told Joan that Ollie was fifteen, their first born, and he was their sons surrogate nanny. Ollie managed to slip out the door when there was a delivery. Now they would be more careful. No more slips not with their Ollies welfare.

Reiki Soothes the Runway Captain 
Captain is a neighbors dog, not one of my 02s play dates (like Radio) but a potential candidate. When Captain was recently spooked by a good samaritans toss of breadcrumbs to some fluttering pigeons, Captain lunged, his dog walker stumbled and  Boom  -  Captain bolted. 

MIRACULOUS RUN
Away he went, leash and all. He started in the West Village and ended up in the East Village at Avenue B. Miraculously, his mad dash across one road after another of heavy metropolis traffic wasnt fatal.

CAPTAINS I.D. TAG
Did you lose a dog? was a message Ellen,  my neighbor, received while away at work in Los Angeles. The caller had found Captain, panting, with swelling paws and immediately phoned the number on his I.D. tag.  Ellen contacted the dog walker, who retrieved Captain, while she made a reservation for the next plane back to Kennedy.

HERO DOG
Bruised, bandaged paws
Fortunately, a visit to the vet concluded that Captains paws were badly bruised from his near marathon run but no serious injuries. No doubt, his spirit and energy were somewhat bruised. What a hero to overcome such an ordeal!  

A REIKI TREATMENT FOR CAPTAIN AND ELLEN
That evening I gave a Reiki treatment to Captain and Ellen. As the relaxation music played softly in the background, I could feel Ellens body relax and Captains face softened.

Captain after Reiki treatment


Two days later, only 1 bandaged paw



QUICK RECOVERY
Two days later Ellen texted me with Captains latest photo. Only one paw was bandaged. His other paws had healed, and she felt like a huge weight was lifted. 




A CAT DEVOTED TO HIS POST 
Biggie's passion for his Sisal Rug Direct post delights his guardian whose furnishings are now catproofed.                                                             




Scroll down to Natural Cat Products at Sisal Rug Direct.  Check out their special discounts. 



..




ORION'S CATITUDES
(Orion, a recovering feral rescue, gives his cat-speak on cat issues)
FORGIVENESS

Orion wants to acknowledge the members of the Emanuel A.M.E. Church for their unconditional show of forgiveness of the white gunman who fatally shot the head pastor and nine church members. And he gives a whisker wave to the people of Charleston for their show of unity. 





Mayor's Alliance For NYC's Animals 

Adoptapalooza at Washington Square Park
And you too can make yourself, as well as many a cat and dog happy.  Become a volunteer with the Mayor's Alliance for NYC's Animals  http://animalalliancenyc.org/help/volunteer/index.htm

ADOPT A LITTLE NEW YORKER TODAY  http://www.AnimalAllianceNYC.org/index.htm




A Free Consultation With The Cat Therapist