My name is Cleopatra!

Special Adoption / Fee

Cats About Town Society is considering a special adoption fee for Cleopatra. If you have any interest, you can contact Andrea at 916-224-1117, andrea@catsabouttown.org or talk with someone who knows about her during a weekend adoption event at the Natomas PetSmart.

Hi, my name is Cleopatra and I am a black domestic long hair kitty with amber to copper colored eyes. I am almost 2 years old and have been through a lot in my young life. It turns out I am a special needs kitty, so before I tell you all about my likes and dislikes and how much fun I can be, I’m going to let my Foster Mommy explain about my condition.

From my Foster Mommy:
Cleopatra has what is believed to be an auto-immune disease called Pemphigus Foliaceus. What this means is that her immune system attacks her, and she will need to be on medication for the rest of her life; although she can still lead a relatively normal and long life.

We are still working to find the optimal medication(s) and/or dosages for her to remain in remission, and to avoid any complications from the Prednisolone that she is currently taking daily, to suppress her immune system. Although she’s not crazy about having to take her medication daily, she has been very good about it and doesn’t try to hide when it needs to be administered. We are working on having the Prednisolone compounded so that it can be mixed in with a small amount of her wet food, to ensure she eats it all at one time, since she usually grazes on her meals throughout the day. There may also be times when administering a pill or liquid medication directly may be a requirement. Above all else, it is really important that she receives her medication around the same time every day.

The start of a flare up can include blisters and pustules that rupture and crust over beginning around head, face and ears and can include the loss of fur, which may progress to the legs and feet. She may also be itchy, become lethargic, have a poor appetite or show signs of lameness. When this happens, it is crucial that she obtain immediate medical treatment. Chances are this would probably require an increase in the amount of medication and/or additional medication(s).

Cleopatra is not contagious and can be around healthy animals and even gets along well with other cats and dogs. However, she MUST be an indoor only kitty. Caution also needs to be used when bringing a new animal into the home, since illnesses that other animals can easily handle can be catastrophic for Cleopatra because her immune system is being suppressed and she has no way to fight off any disease or infection that she may come into contact with.

Cleopatra is currently eating and drinking out of glass bowls, and is on an all wet food diet. The vet did say that changes could be made, but they should be done one at a time, and to wait about a month in between changes, to ensure that there are no problems or complications from the change. The one thing the vet did say was that plastic bowls should NOT be used, but ceramic, stainless steel or glass ones should be ok.

Since we are trying to protect Cleopatra from contracting any colds or bugs, you won’t find her at the Natomas PetSmart on the weekends. If you are interested in adopting her, we can arrange a meet and greet, so you can see her before making a final decision.

If you would like to read more about this condition, here’s a site that goes into a little more detail. http://www.petmd.com/cat/conditions/skin/c_ct_pemphigus?page=show

From Cleopatra:
So, now that you know a little bit about my condition, I’d like to tell you a little bit about what I’m like when it comes to being a cat.

I have been very good about using my litter box since I’ve been with my Foster Mommy, but I don’t like a covered litter box, and I prefer it to be in a quiet place where people aren’t around a whole lot, like a bathroom or even a laundry room.

I’m still working at not scratching the carpet but I am getting better about it. If my Foster Mommy sees me stretching out, she knows to call out my name so that I don’t start scratching. I have recently started to use the sisal posts in the giant cat tree my Foster Mommy has, so right now I’m a work in progress, but I am learning.

When it’s time to eat, my Foster Mommy makes me sit down before she puts my food down, although I’ve pretty much got this part figured out. I’m still working on ‘waiting’ to start eating, but I’m getting better at it every day. You may want to consider putting a place mat under my bowl, because I sometimes take a bit of food out of the bowl and put it on the ground and eat it there.

One interesting thing about me is I make a lot of different noises, aside from just meowing or purring. When I see birds or other things outside that get me excited, I will chatter. When I’m trying to relax, I may let out a small sigh. Other times I may make slight moaning and groaning sounds and when I’m happy or content I often make chirping noises.

I love being held, but I’m not always big about sitting in someone’s lap. From time to time I also like belly rubs, but when I’ve had enough, I will push against your hand with my back feet. I also really enjoy pets, but sometimes when my Foster Mommy tries to pet me, I’ll move my head and won’t let her because I’d rather give her kisses to let her know how much I love her.

When I want to rest, a lot of times I will lie under the coffee table, on a tall perch in the kitty tree, or in this really cool box my Foster Mommy got me that she turned upside down on the couch, so I could crawl inside and take a nap. Occasionally I will either lie next to my Foster Mommy or even around her legs if she happens to be lying down watching TV. When it comes to bedtime, a lot of times I like to be on my own, but if my Foster Mommy carries me into the bedroom, most of the time I will sleep around her legs or feet.

When I’m feeling good, I really enjoy playtime. Some of my favorite toys to play with that don’t require a human on the other end, are soft toys that I can pick up in my mouth to carry to another location and attack, such as sparkle balls, foam balls, small mice, and other soft, fuzzy or furry toys. I also like toys that smell like catnip, or even just fabric squares that are filled with catnip. You may need to check my toys from time to time to make sure they are still safe for me to play with, because I’ve been known to destroy or tear them apart.

I also really, really enjoy toys that require a human on the other end. I like the various cat teasers with feathers, a cat dancer which just has a long piece of fabric on it, or the fishing pole ones with different attachment options, such as suede or mylar tassels, and all kinds of feathers. If the toy also has a bell on it, that really gets my attention. At times, I will run and even jump in the air to catch these, but be aware, if I catch it in my mouth, I will try to walk away with it. Sometimes I want it so bad that I will even turn around to give it a good tug. Whatever you do, don’t try to hide any toys that have string on it somewhere that I might be able to get to it. I’m known for burrowing under blankets and will sometimes get on tables if I know a toy I want is there.

On the subject of things with strings, it doesn’t even need to be a toy for me to try to get it. I have been known to try to catch any long hair that may be dangling near me, and even shoelaces of shoes that are just lying about. My Foster Mommy has gotten really good at hiding her shoelaces where I can’t get a hold of them. I also like to stick my head inside shoes or lie there with my head on top, even if there aren’t any shoelaces to be found. Occasionally, I will grab onto a shoe and attack or bite it, so if you have some good shoes that you don’t want to see kitty teeth marks on, you might want to keep those out of my reach.

I know I have special needs, but I am also a little quirky, can be a lot of fun and I have so much love to give in return. Might you consider adopting me and giving me a furever home?

Remember: Cats About Town Society is considering a special adoption fee to help ease the cost of my medical needs, so if you have any interest, you can contact Andrea at 925-352-1014 or andrea@catsabouttown.org or talk with someone who knows about me during a weekend adoption event at the Natomas PetSmart.