Grief is a healthy and normal response to loss. Attempting to suppress feelings of grief can actually prolong the grieving process. Grief can feel like being lost.

The familiar things we relied on to live each day are gone. We must find new anchors or stabilizers along the way and learn a new way of relating to the world and people around us. It is also common to replay the last moments of your pet’s life repeatedly in your mind, like a videotape that keeps playing the same scene over and over.

No one can hurry the process or provide a magic cure for grief. When grief is new, it is common to feel exhausted: physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Changes in appetite, sleeping patterns, or health are frequently reported. Those who are grieving often describe feelings of being out of control, isolation, and loneliness.

Things that seemed so important before may now seem trivial. Others may experience a sense of “life isn’t fair” or being in a tunnel or fog while everyday life swirls around them. All of these feelings are normal and part of the grieving process, which follows no organized plan, rules, timetable, formula, or schedule. Don’t be surprised if you start to feel better, and then feel as if a wave has hit you. There will be ups and downs in the process of grieving

• From Ohio State Coping With Loss

It’s the magical time of year when all hopes of an early spring have been dashed by the polar vortex and constant snow so we have more time for the ultimate episode in our kitten’s life. Harness training footnote[note]Wikihow article[/note]so she can out on the deck in the summer. Why? She’s a leaper and really hates Squirrels.

When teaching your cat to go outside with a leash, it’s important for you to remember that the outdoors can initially seem overwhelming to a cat used to the indoors. Be sympathetic and patient if your cat at first seems alarmed or panicked. It will take time for your cat to feel comfortable with wearing a harness and going outside, so take things slowly and reward your cat with ample praise and lots of treats. Read on to learn how to get your cat safely out and exploring.

Take your cat’s measurements.
In order to go walking outdoors with you, your cat will need a well-fitted harness–never use a leash and collar. If you’re walking your cat with a collar and the cat bolts–which cats are very likely to do–the collar can damage the cat’s windpipe, voice box, and ability to swallow.

Choose a harness.
Most cat harnesses are made with adjustable straps designed to fit either kittens or adult cats and are made of either nylon or neoprene. Some harnesses may come in sub-sizes based on your cat’s specific measurements.

Choose a leash.
Cats have different leash needs than dogs, so choose an appropriate leash carefully. Generally, lighter is better.

Put your cat in its harness for short periods of time.
Before you’ll be able to take your cat outside, you’ll first need to get it accustomed to wearing its harness. Helpful tip: wear thick gloves so when the cat hauls off and punches you there’ll be less damage.  

Practice walking with the harness and leash.
Once your cat has become comfortable having the leash trail behind it, pick up the leash and again encourage your cat to walk around–this time with you holding the leash. It’s always best to humiliate your cat in private.

The world famous Ambrose Butterbutt who has thyroid issues.

Hyperthyroid disease in cats is at an epidemic level. My mother has lost 2 cats to it, she has another right now and I have one with it as well so this topic hits close to home.

Hyperthyroidism has been researched heavily and some conclusions have been reached. As it turns out, the safety of you and your family can cost you your cat. Here’s some of an article from the healthy pets website footnote[note]Healthypets.com[/note] footnote via The National Library of Medicine. footnote[note]National Library of Medicine[/note]

More research has recently come to light linking flame retardants to hyperthyroidism in cats. The latest study was published this past March in the journal Environmental Science & Technology.

The researchers analyzed the blood from 60 pet cats for the presence of flame retardant chemicals, specifically decabromodiphenyl (BB-209), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), hydroxylated PBDEs (OH-PBDEs), and 2,4,6-TBP. The research team wanted to study the differences in the levels of these chemicals in healthy and sick cats diagnosed with hyperthyroidism.

Of the 60 cats, 23 had normal thyroid function and 37 were hyperthyroid. The study results showed that the hyperthyroid cats had higher blood levels of PBDEs on a fat weight basis.

The study finds that older cats are at higher risk which is a logical leap of deduction – the older the animal is, the more of the poison it will injest over time and thus causing the Hyperthyroidism.

But there’s another theory that is making the rounds and that is fish based cat food. Again, my mother never feeds her cats fish based food yet has had cats with Hyperthyroidism. Yet, I have a cat that loves fish based cat food and also has Hyperthyroidism, so one is left to wonder if there are multiple causes for this condition footnote[note]Petmed article[/note].

First some background. Hyperthyroidism is a usually caused by a benign tumor within the thyroid gland that secretes large amounts of thyroid hormone. One of the primary functions of this hormone is to regulate an animal’s metabolism. Cats under the influence of too much thyroid hormone have a greatly increased metabolic rate, leading to the classic symptom of weight loss despite a ravenous appetite. Elevated thyroid hormone levels can also lead to high blood pressure, a type of heart disease called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, vomiting, diarrhea, and increased thirst and urination.

In most cases, hyperthyroidism can be diagnosed when a cat has high circulating levels of thyroid hormone (total T4 or TT4) in conjunction with typical clinical signs. Additional forms of thyroid testing may be necessary in complicated cases. Treatment varies depending on the cat’s overall health and owner finances, but options include radioactive iodine therapy, daily medication, a low-iodine diet, and surgical removal of the thyroid gland.

So, the only thing to do is once they get to a certain age, talk to your vet about getting a blood screen done once a year, especially if the cat begins to lose weight and still eats like a wolf.