Taking Harriet home for the weekend - good idea or not?

Harriet is a bookstore cat who spent time in the hospital twice in
August, for constipation. She's currently eating only canned Eukanuba
low residue food, and gets 1ml of Lactulose daily. Since Hariet is one
of two cats in the store, I still don't know how much she's going to
the bathroom.

I have been going to work 6-7 days a week for the past 6 weeks and
would like a break for the long holiday weekend. I'm exhausted and
just can't deal with travelling 2.5 hours a day to come give Harriet
her medication. The store will also be closed on Sunday and possibly
Monday.

So, I was thinking of taking Harriet home with me this weekend. I have
two cats at home, and she doesn't like other cats (not even Stinky, her
storemate) so Harriet would be kept in my bedroom with a litter pan,
her food & water. I KNOW this will stress her out and it's probably
not the best way to find out if she's pooping okay, but I don't know
what else to do. If she didn't need medication, I'd just bring Stinky
home and leave Harriet at work. I think I might do that next week -
exchange the two cats. That way Harriet will be the only cat at work
and I'll be able to see her litterbox contributions.

Does this sound like a good idea? And no, there is nobody else willing
to go to work over the weekend to medicate Harriet. Half of the staff
is terrified of her. There is one person who works on Sundays who has
been giving her the Lactulose, but the store won't be open then anyway.

--
Liz

in article , Elizabeth
Blake at wrote on 9/2/05 10:56AM:

Harriet is a bookstore cat who spent time in the hospital twice in
August, for constipation. She's currently eating only canned Eukanuba
low residue food, and gets 1ml of Lactulose daily. Since Hariet is one
of two cats in the store, I still don't know how much she's going to
the bathroom.

I have been going to work 6-7 days a week for the past 6 weeks and
would like a break for the long holiday weekend. I'm exhausted and
just can't deal with travelling 2.5 hours a day to come give Harriet
her medication. The store will also be closed on Sunday and possibly
Monday.

So, I was thinking of taking Harriet home with me this weekend. I have
two cats at home, and she doesn't like other cats (not even Stinky, her
storemate) so Harriet would be kept in my bedroom with a litter pan,
her food & water. I KNOW this will stress her out and it's probably
not the best way to find out if she's pooping okay, but I don't know
what else to do. If she didn't need medication, I'd just bring Stinky
home and leave Harriet at work. I think I might do that next week -
exchange the two cats. That way Harriet will be the only cat at work
and I'll be able to see her litterbox contributions.

Does this sound like a good idea? And no, there is nobody else willing
to go to work over the weekend to medicate Harriet. Half of the staff
is terrified of her. There is one person who works on Sundays who has
been giving her the Lactulose, but the store won't be open then anyway.

--
Liz

I'd take them both home over the weekend myself.

"Karen" wrote in message
...

I'd take them both home over the weekend myself.

I couldn't take them both home, and there's no reason to. I did decide to
bring Harriet home with me tonight. I had brought in my Sherpa bag, since
that's the easiest to carry. She didn't meow at all the whole time. While
we were waiting at the bus stop she seemed very interested in what was going
on outside. She was great on the bus (an hour ride) and I had the Sherpa
bag on my lap, and she was able to look out the window.

When I got into my apartment, Tiger came right to the door to greet me as
usual. She didn't realize what I had with me. I took Harriet right into my
bedroom and had to push Tiger out with my foot, since she was following me
in. I put the bag on the bed and let Harriet out and she began exploring.
I left here there so I could feed Tiger & Otto, who still had no idea that a
visitor had been brought in. Harriet didn't know that there were other cats
around either. Tiger & Otto gobbled their dinner and every time I went back
to the bedroom they tried to get in. I gave Tiger & Otto some treats in the
kitchen and went to bring a litter box into the bedroom. Harriet was right
at the door and got out. She went into the bathroom, which is right next to
the bedroom and checked out the covered litter box. Meanwhile, Tiger saw
the open bedroom door and went in. She never noticed Harriet and Harriet
never saw her. Otto came out of the kitchen and stood looking toward the
bathroom in horror. Harriet finally noticed him and wasn't happy. Otto
approached the bathroom slowly, but he was puffy & growling. Harriet
decided to hiss at him and stand her ground. Tiger came out of the bedroom
to see what was going on, and she started to hiss & growl. I scooped
Harriet up and put her back in the bedroom. Otto was upset with Tiger for
several minutes after that, but then they both calmed down and seemed to
forget about Harriet. I'm at the computer and both of them are in their
usual spots - Tiger under an end table a couple of feet away, and Otto in
the little hallway across from the bedroom door. He's literall two feet
from the door but doesn't seem to know that Harriet is in there.

When I've gone in to see Harriet, she was on my bed and seemed content, but
once I shut the door behind me she would do a little hissing & growling. I
went in again just a few minutes ago and lay on the bed for a bit. She came
up to me and sniffed my lips (she seems to like the fruity Blistex I put on)
and then settled herself near me, but not touching me. She let me pet her
without any complaints.

So, she's got a litter box and a water bowl in my bedroom. She ate dinner
before we left work so I won't give her any food until morning.

Tiger & Otto are acting completely normal. Otto was just chasing the laser
pointer dot, and when Tiger heard me talking to him she ran over to get her
share of attention.Now they're sleeping in their usual places.

I saw indentations in the litterbox when I checked on Harriet but I think
she was just checking it out. I hope she uses it - I only have WBCL at home
and she's never tried it before.

--
Liz

Elizabeth Blake wrote:

I couldn't take them both home, and there's no reason to. I did decide to
bring Harriet home with me tonight. I had brought in my Sherpa bag, since
that's the easiest to carry. She didn't meow at all the whole time. While
we were waiting at the bus stop she seemed very interested in what was going
on outside. She was great on the bus (an hour ride) and I had the Sherpa
bag on my lap, and she was able to look out the window.

I hope Harriet has a nice 3 day weekend, relaxing, as well as you. she
sounds like a good girl. Has she been to your place before?

Candace

Elizabeth Blake wrote:

I couldn't take them both home, and there's no reason to. I did decide to
bring Harriet home with me tonight. I had brought in my Sherpa bag, since
that's the easiest to carry. She didn't meow at all the whole time. While
we were waiting at the bus stop she seemed very interested in what was going
on outside. She was great on the bus (an hour ride) and I had the Sherpa
bag on my lap, and she was able to look out the window.

I hope Harriet has a nice 3 day weekend, relaxing, as well as you. she
sounds like a good girl. Has she been to your place before?

Candace

"Candace" wrote in message
oups.com...

I hope Harriet has a nice 3 day weekend, relaxing, as well as you. she
sounds like a good girl. Has she been to your place before?

Candace

Harriet has only been to the vet (several overnight stays). She's probably
not happy about being locked in my room but she hasn't complained yet.
Tomorrow I might lock Tiger & Otto in the room and let Harriet roam around.

I'm amazed that Tiger & Otto aren't freaked out knowing she's in there.
When I first found Otto, he was around 6 months old and Tiger was 10 years
old. She didn't move from the same spot in the living room for a week. She
knew he was in there and she was terrified. I had to bring her into the
bathroom to use the box and bring her into the kitchen to eat/drink, then
she'd go right back to her spot.

--
Liz