Mrs. Harris in her Cat Cave
* "Mrs. Harris is adorable, she is also ferocious...."
Many years ago, we got a tiny orange kitten and named her Mrs. Harris. Her name came from a dream I had. Her story, * Welcoming Mrs. Harris, was the first online publishing opportunity to open for me.
Several Years Ago:
Mrs. Harris began to weaken, she lost hair, appetite, motivation, even her voice became quiet, her coat was pale instead of bright orange. Aging?
What to do?
A vet visit revealed a possible chronic treatable infection. She also thought perhaps kidney weakness might be present.
Meanwhile, Mrs. Harris changed her diet! Years ago, Mrs. Harris, to our dismay, only ate dry cat food and nothing else. She loved plain yogurt, butter, and raw meat, but instantly became ill on any of those. She did eat plain chicken thighs braised in extra virgin olive oil cut up fine and nothing else except some crushed cat vitamins sprinkled on her food.
After a while she disliked that~
In desperation we tried chicken breasts braised in olive oil. She started eating again! We realized the chicken breasts were not as nutritious. But go with it~
"Mrs Harris doesn't eat cat food because she doesn't consider herself a cat...."
Gradually Mrs. Harris began to play with the bird on a stick and vocalize! She even told us off~in long streams of cat words. Today Mrs. Harris went to the glass door and said "Ahhhh-Wahhhh" drawing it out meaning "dog" is outside somewhere. Twice today she said "Wow," one of her favorite words." Mrrs. Harris' coat is thick and orange, she is alert and social, "amazing!"
Never a dull moment.
Mrs. Harris continues to delight us at age 14. She is strong, agile, has gained weight and can jump high in the air after the cat toy.
Three days ago, Mrs. Harris actually ate some moist cat food for the first time in her life!
The Dog Who Ate Butter:
A friend told me about her dog. The pet was diagnosed to live six months at best.
Her vet asked , "What's his favorite food?"
"Butter"
"Be sure he gets a butter treat every single day...."
"My dog lived two more years!"
Rejuvenation Is Possible!
Blog Search Key Words: Cat, Dog
Related Posts
* Welcoming Mrs. Harris (2002) published by Shirley MacLaine on her web site, shirleymacLaine.com category Pet Pages
Welcoming Mrs. Harris, reprinted on this blog with permission from Shirley Maclaine, 2011
Mrs. Harris is a Sand Cat
The Little Chessie That Could
Escape Artists
Resources:
Shirley MacLaine, author, actress, dancer, spiritual teacher, Books: Out on a Leash, What If, Above the Line and more
James Herriot's Cat Stories
Dahlis Roy: Visionary Artist, Author, and Tai Chi Instructor
Images by Dahlis
Mrs. Harris In Her Cat Cave, photo
Champion Kailai T'Sa-Bo Rag Ma, "The Luck Bringer," Tibetan Terrier, oil painting, displayed with owner's permission
