In the last few weeks, I started sneezing a great deal and get these crusty things by my eyes. My nose is all running and I just want to sleep. Am I dying?
Yours truly,
Meow Choo
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Dear Choo,
Thanks for writing. No, you are not dying, you probably have seasonal allergies. Just like our humans, we can develop reactions to pollen, dust, and even grass. If you are sneezing, coughing, have irritated eyes or a runny nose, it is very possible that spring has sprung in your area and you are reacting to the blooms, especially if you go outdoors or sit in the window a lot. I get even pinker than usual this time of year. And Mom is really slow at getting the crusty things out of my eyes. Also, keep a whisker out for any new skin irritations, excessive scratching, bald patches on the skin, excessive redness around your eyes, mouth, chin, or ears, and if your human tells you that you are snoring.
There are a few things you and your human can do to help:
Stay indoors during high pollen days
Keep the windows closed and run an air conditioner to keep pollen out of the house
Wipe yourself down with a wet cloth if you have been outside
Take a bath (it is not as bad as it sounds)
If none of this seems to work then ask your human to take you to the Vet. You might have something else going on like an allergy to fleas. That would be bad!!!! (I hate flea bites!)
I am hoping that you can help me with this very big problem that I have, you see, I have multiple dogs that live in my house ( I know you can relate), and they tend to make a mess all the time and chase me whenever my humans aren’t looking. It is getting to the point that I don’t feel safe anymore just walking across the kitchen floor. What’s a feline to do?
Help me please,
Fearful in Fairfax
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Dear Fearful,
If anyone can relate, it’s me, because I have 3 stupid dogs that I have to share my house with. It is time to take out your claws and let them know, right directly on the nose, who is the boss, Trust me, one or two well placed scratches and they will back off, at least for a while.
Noel, here. I can’t believe the suffering that I must endure with all the coffee cups that Mom has with dog sayings on them. At least she has cat dishes. Don’t you think that someone can buy her a cat mug for her birthday (which actually happens to be today)? Don’t tell her I told you about her birthday because she is feeling really old. My birthday is tomorrow, maybe someone will get me a new cat bowl, with lots and lots of treats in it (hint! hint!). I feel younger than spring time!
Noel suffers from chewing everything she shouldn’t, especially plastic. She chews napkins, tissues, and any plastic wrappers or bags that she can find. She really likes those plastic airbags that come in Amazon packages. We do our best to ensure she does not have access to things that she can swallow, but we don’t always know what she will start gnawing on next. I think they call this eating disorder PICA, a need to eat non-food things like dirt or paper. That would be our Noel.
