My mom's apartment is really bad for the cat...need some help.

Greetings,

So my mom is partially disabled and has had my cat for the past 8
years for company. I still clip the cat and brush her every week or
so, and she is healty for being 14 years old, but the problem I think
is the smoke.

Mom smokes a pack a day, all in a small 1 bedroom apartment. The poor
cat's fur stinks so she won't groom herself, and I don't blame her.
At times it has gotten as bad as the fur being matted. I hate smoke
myself, and can barely stand the place for an hour, I can't imagine
being inthat 24/7.

Taking the cat away is not an option, but I know it really is the only
way to get the cat healthy. When mom was in the hospital for a month
last year the cat was with me, and after a couple of weeks was healthy
and full of life again...these days she is like her owner, lying
around 1/2 dead.

What can I do to help this cat live a few more years in these
conditions? Opening all the windows in a Northeast winter is out,
having her smoke somewhere else is out becuase of the diability, she's
tried to quit many times, (and I told her she is killing the cat, but
she just can't stop) and taking the cat is out becuase mom would go
right over the edge without her best friend. I tried an air purifier,
it was soon overcome by the smoke.

Any thoughts to help? Is there a super smokeless ashtray? A gismo
that provides fresh air in a small area the cat can run to?


Bluesman

"Bluesman" wrote in message
om...
Greetings,

So my mom is partially disabled and has had my cat for the past 8
years for company. I still clip the cat and brush her every week or
so, and she is healty for being 14 years old, but the problem I
think
is the smoke.

Big hepa filters for every room. Expensive, but they do help. Just one
near the place where your mother sits and smokes will keep her place
from stinking so bad. Why isn't she opening a window or using filters
now?

Incidentally, I really doubt that the cat will not groom herself
because her fur smells like smoke. Too many smokers own cats that
groom themselves just fine. There may be another reason the cat is not
grooming herself. Is it time for a vet visit? For a few dollars the
vet could rule out any health problems the cat has now and make some
suggestions to you regarding the smoke.

"Mary" wrote in message r.com...
"Bluesman" wrote in message
om...
Greetings,

So my mom is partially disabled and has had my cat for the past 8
years for company. I still clip the cat and brush her every week or
so, and she is healty for being 14 years old, but the problem I
think
is the smoke.

Big hepa filters for every room. Expensive, but they do help. Just one
near the place where your mother sits and smokes will keep her place
from stinking so bad. Why isn't she opening a window or using filters
now?

Incidentally, I really doubt that the cat will not groom herself
because her fur smells like smoke. Too many smokers own cats that
groom themselves just fine. There may be another reason the cat is not
grooming herself. Is it time for a vet visit? For a few dollars the
vet could rule out any health problems the cat has now and make some
suggestions to you regarding the smoke.

I thought of that too...and yes the cat gets a check up every year.
Mom lives in a senior housing complex and they have a vet come every
year and Fatass gets her checkup every year. Aside from needing her
teth scaled a couple of years a go and some on going ear mites, the
cat is fine.

The grooming issue went away when the cat came to live with me for 6
weeks. If it isn't the smoke, what could it be?

"Bluesman" wrote in message ,snip

Fatass gets her checkup every year.

LOL! Is that really her name??

Aside from needing her
teth scaled a couple of years a go and some on going ear mites, the
cat is fine.

Good.


The grooming issue went away when the cat came to live with me for 6
weeks. If it isn't the smoke, what could it be?

Well, it could be the smoke. Anything is possible. Or she could be
depressed in that place. Anyway, I understand why you don't want to
take her away from your Mom--studies show the great benefits pets have
for elders. Maybe try the filters? Let your Mom know that you think
Fatass would like some decent air to breathe?

in article , Mary at
wrote on 1/13/04 8:01 AM:


"Bluesman" wrote in message ,snip

Fatass gets her checkup every year.

LOL! Is that really her name??

Aside from needing her
teth scaled a couple of years a go and some on going ear mites, the
cat is fine.

Good.


The grooming issue went away when the cat came to live with me for 6
weeks. If it isn't the smoke, what could it be?

Well, it could be the smoke. Anything is possible. Or she could be
depressed in that place. Anyway, I understand why you don't want to
take her away from your Mom--studies show the great benefits pets have
for elders. Maybe try the filters? Let your Mom know that you think
Fatass would like some decent air to breathe?


Does she have some nice windows to look out of?

Karen

Karen Chuplis wrote in message ...
in article , Mary at
wrote on 1/13/04 8:01 AM:


"Bluesman" wrote in message ,snip

Fatass gets her checkup every year.

LOL! Is that really her name??

That is my name for her...When she was mine her name was Speck (After
the dog in Pee-Wee's big adventure), then my mom re-named her muffin,
but too much tuna fish turned Speck into Fatass.


Aside from needing her
teth scaled a couple of years a go and some on going ear mites, the
cat is fine.

Good.


The grooming issue went away when the cat came to live with me for 6
weeks. If it isn't the smoke, what could it be?

Well, it could be the smoke. Anything is possible. Or she could be
depressed in that place. Anyway, I understand why you don't want to
take her away from your Mom--studies show the great benefits pets have
for elders. Maybe try the filters? Let your Mom know that you think
Fatass would like some decent air to breathe?

She might be depressed, but the cat loves my mom - with her
everywhere, purrs all the time...when she was with me she was more
active and her coat and eyes were clear and bright, but no more happy.



Does she have some nice windows to look out of?

Yes, big ones...there is a balcony. Maybe I will put a bird feeder
out there.


Karen

Karen Chuplis wrote in message ...
in article , Mary at
wrote on 1/13/04 8:01 AM:


"Bluesman" wrote in message ,snip

Fatass gets her checkup every year.

LOL! Is that really her name??

That is my name for her...When she was mine her name was Speck (After
the dog in Pee-Wee's big adventure), then my mom re-named her muffin,
but too much tuna fish turned Speck into Fatass.


Aside from needing her
teth scaled a couple of years a go and some on going ear mites, the
cat is fine.

Good.


The grooming issue went away when the cat came to live with me for 6
weeks. If it isn't the smoke, what could it be?

Well, it could be the smoke. Anything is possible. Or she could be
depressed in that place. Anyway, I understand why you don't want to
take her away from your Mom--studies show the great benefits pets have
for elders. Maybe try the filters? Let your Mom know that you think
Fatass would like some decent air to breathe?

She might be depressed, but the cat loves my mom - with her
everywhere, purrs all the time...when she was with me she was more
active and her coat and eyes were clear and bright, but no more happy.



Does she have some nice windows to look out of?

Yes, big ones...there is a balcony. Maybe I will put a bird feeder
out there.


Karen

in article , Mary at
wrote on 1/13/04 8:01 AM:


"Bluesman" wrote in message ,snip

Fatass gets her checkup every year.

LOL! Is that really her name??

Aside from needing her
teth scaled a couple of years a go and some on going ear mites, the
cat is fine.

Good.


The grooming issue went away when the cat came to live with me for 6
weeks. If it isn't the smoke, what could it be?

Well, it could be the smoke. Anything is possible. Or she could be
depressed in that place. Anyway, I understand why you don't want to
take her away from your Mom--studies show the great benefits pets have
for elders. Maybe try the filters? Let your Mom know that you think
Fatass would like some decent air to breathe?


Does she have some nice windows to look out of?

Karen

"Bluesman" wrote in message ,snip

Fatass gets her checkup every year.

LOL! Is that really her name??

Aside from needing her
teth scaled a couple of years a go and some on going ear mites, the
cat is fine.

Good.


The grooming issue went away when the cat came to live with me for 6
weeks. If it isn't the smoke, what could it be?

Well, it could be the smoke. Anything is possible. Or she could be
depressed in that place. Anyway, I understand why you don't want to
take her away from your Mom--studies show the great benefits pets have
for elders. Maybe try the filters? Let your Mom know that you think
Fatass would like some decent air to breathe?

I thought of that too...and yes the cat gets a check up every year.
Mom lives in a senior housing complex and they have a vet come every
year
Wow, that is great! I didn't know they did that.

Teri