scary herbs

SHE has not seen me since yesterday afternoon, but SHE thinks I might have slept in the house SHE made for me. The straw bedding looks like something me-size might have nested in it overnight. Of course, it could be another cat. Or a 'possum! Or a skunk! It is hard to tell when you live in a wooded area.

SHE keeps putting out food for me, but the stupid dog keeps eating it. SHE does not think I have eaten anything at this house for about 36 hours.

This is perfectly normal behavior for recently trap-neuter-released cats, and SHE knows I may go make my home elsewhere, and that will be okay for me. I'm a wildcat! And I'm a survivor! But SHE will miss me a lot if I do that. SHE still misses the Fluffy cat she released here this past spring. SHE thinks she sees him sometimes, but he doesn't come close enough for her to tell for sure.

SHE is also worried, because SHE made a mistake she hopes isn't too bad. SHE gave me some herbal medicine, not realizing it is not good for cats. You see, I have a chronically irritated eye, and SHE was trying to help it. This ondition looks like something Cow!Cat, Dougal, and Taffy also have had. They all have taken antibiotics for it, but it has recurred for both Cow!Cat and Dougal, though less frequently now that they are not feral and their nutrition is well regulated.

The vet had suggested that in Dougal and Cow!Cat the eye irritation is possibly a viral or immune-related condition - perhaps feline herpes, or part of eosinophilic granuloma complex. Regardless, because I couldn't get to the vet for a full exam while I was still sedated from my surgery, and because I am a Ferocious Feral and would tear a vet's office apart if I were there when I was awake - and would also tear HER arm off if SHE tried to pill me! - SHE doesn't have antibiotics for me. But SHE wanted to try to help my eye feel better anyway, especially since SHE now knows I am FIV+, and I don't need any infections going unchecked.

So SHE has been putting some antiviral lysine powder in my food every day since my surgery. (Taffy also takes this nonprescription powder every day, per vet instructions, because her immune system is suppressed by her steroid medication.) And my eye was looking a little better by the time SHE freed me from captivity yesterday. But then yesterday SHE couldn't leave well enough alone. SHE wanted to give me something that might fight a bacterial infection as well - so SHE added a drop of rosemary oil and a couple drops of thuja extract to my food bowl. They are both supposed to be antiseptic, and SHE has seen them listed as ingredients on pet shampoo and flea products, and in cat litter.

I ate the food right up before I wandered away, and SHE didn't think anything of it at the time. But then today SHE thought to look up those herbs, and found out that both are BAD for cats to eat or even have on their skin. So now SHE is worried about me, and upset because these herbs are in pet products, and they are human-grade supplements, so SHE thought they were safe for us - and instead SHE might have made me sick, and SHE has no way of knowing where I am or checking on me!

So SHE is going to fret until I show myself again. SHE just hopes the couple drops I had weren't enough to hurt me. And SHE will never, ever give a cat a single drop of anything herbal again, before referencing it to make sure it is safe for us. SHE knew cats couldn't have onions and garlic and raisins and chocolate and lots of house plants - but SHE never knew before that rosemary and thuja - and oregano, and thyme, and chamomile, and cloves, and ginger, and all sorts of other herbs and spices! - are bad news for kitties. Even pine and cedar in our litter is bad! It seems like the only herb we should have is catnip.

SHE just is purraying that I am okay, and feeling very guilty and sad. And SHE wants all the other kitty Mamas to know NOT to use herbal shampoos or flea medicine on their cats, and NOT to give them any herbal remedies even if they're fine for humans. SHE knows lots of Catster humans use Rescue Remedy for their cats, and now SHE's wondering if even that is safe?