the straw that broke the camel?...heck no

sometimes I feel like I couldn't possibly handle ONE MORE THING...and yet somehow I do. Some (my family included) would tell you what else should I expect when I take on so many. But truthfully..if I don't who does...but one does need to draw a line someplace.

my daughter got a puppy a few weeks ago from a neighbor who no longer wanted it. A very cute little white Chihuahua. Did we need another dog..heck No...but we love him and he's a great dog.
The other day he and my dachshund Gingersnap were chasing each other from couch to couch...really seemed innocent enough...Chibi (the Chi) jumped off the couch and broke his leg. Not onto tile, or slate, but onto carpet...who would have ever guessed?....
much less a puppy....I really thought my head would pop off...but fortunately after the momentary panic passed, I treated him for shock (remember how in a previous post I mentioned how you should NEVER be without Ringer lactated sub cut fluids?? ) and pain...etc..
so now he has been treated and his leg is in a cast that I swear weights more then he does.
I know that while I will forever be scraping the bottom of my pocketbook for pennies to take to the coinstar, my life is fuller, better, happier because all these unwanted pets have come into my life.
IF some weeks I cut back my own food budget for cat litter, that is okay...I would never make a different choice.
My mother would say I was nuts for having tnr stray cats out of my own expense...and planning to get the neighbors cat done soon since she's had two litters this summer..but the truth is...it's only money...I could drive a nicer car...mine is 17 yrs old and has 255000 miles, but I love it...I could use a vacation, but the last time I took one, I hated it, couldn't sleep and worried about the animals the whole time I was gone. What I have traded in lifestyle, I have gotten back a million times in life.
Yes, my heart broke with each FIP death...and will never be the same after losing Zilla. And some people might use unsavory terms such as "collector"...yes, I collect what others throw away. They are well taken care of and well loved.
and I swear...this is the last one....really...truthfully....
well right after I get the three little kittens....who's momma needs to get spayed...

the move, an update and a promise to continue

well, it's been a while since my last post. Moving to a new area, a new home, and a new life has been great, but exhausting.

all the cats are doing well. I know that is the most important update. Mo and Lily who I was worried would pass from the FIP have actually improved greatly in the new house, though they still are separated in my son's bedroom. In a few months, I will have a titre run and make a decision about perhaps letting them out.

I had a group in the Netherlands interested in the FIP cats, because of how many I have lost, but in the end they bailed because my vet didn't have enough information for them on the cats that died and they didn't want to pay the fees to have samples/or the frozen cats overnighted to them. I was VERY disappointed and I think they missed a great opertunity to gain valuable insite. But I have not given up hope yet.
I still believe my cats hold some answers. It will just take more time.
In the meantime it has become obvious to me that both the house and the town we were living in is not innocent in it's contribution to the declining health. My own son had cancer, and last month, the 10th person we know of died from leukemia in the town. The obvious improvment in the cat's health and the great improvement of my own health since the move, leads me to believe that there were contributing factors to the great numbers of FIP. More food for thought for sure.
On that note, I can happily report that my fibromyaligia has been in complete remission since the move and I have never felt better, so those lack of symptoms can't go unexamined.