Tropicalkaren Paws and Purrs

Dog and Cat Dental Care

2016-07-04T16:11:00.001-07:00

We have had multiple cats in the past who developed tooth or gum disease and needed yearly cleanings and extractions under expensive (and not so safe) general anesthesia.

So when we got Bubba and Bunny I decided to start them with early tooth brushing. I use a product just for pets called Maxi/Guard Oral Cleansing Gel, which I buy on Amazon. I apply a small amount of gel onto a 1" x 1" gauze pad and rub it across both their top and bottom teeth on each side of the mouth. Supposedly it is chicken flavored, and they don't love it, but they do tolerate it to get a treat afterwards.

This came from the PETA website. It wasn't signed so I don't know the author but I think it is well worth reading.

"Recently, I asked my vet about having my canine companion/best buddy Pete’s teeth cleaned.

Now, understand that I am someone who flosses daily, has never had a cavity, and faithfully wore a retainer for years after my braces came off. You could say that I’m a bit of a dental hygiene geek.

I guess my geekiness extends to doggie dental hygiene, because when the vet looked in Pete’s mouth, he seemed puzzled. He told me that Pete’s teeth were so clean that a professional cleaning simply wasn’t necessary! Hooray for prevention! And hooray for honest vets!

What about your dog or cat? Could your animal companion be in a Tom’s of Maine toothpaste ad, or is Fido’s or Fluffy’s breath so stinky that you hold yours every time he or she woofs, yawns, or meows? Good dental hygiene for your animal companion isn’t just about having pearly white choppers—although that’s a nice benefit. It’s also essential to his or her overall health.

For instance, did you know that if your dog or cat’s gums were to become infected and abscessed, it would allow bacteria to enter the bloodstream? This can cause complications with the liver, the kidneys, and even the heart!

If you haven’t already done so, why not start your best buddy on an oral hygiene plan today? The following are some tips on how to begin:

• Start very, very slowly. Use toothpaste that is specifically formulated for animals (as human toothpaste can upset animals’ tummies), and allow your animal companion to lick the paste off your finger. You may have to try a few different ones to find a flavor that your cat or dog likes. (Pete hates peppermint but loves vanilla!)

• Once your animal companion accepts the paste, put a dab on your finger, and gently run it along your animal’s teeth. When Fido or Fluffy is OK with this (it may take several days—be patient!), try doing the same thing using a soft toothbrush designed for animals’ gums and teeth, and make small, gentle circles along the gum line.

• Be sure to provide lots of praise throughout, and give Fido or Fluffy a treat, playtime, or a walk afterward so that the brushing will be seen as a pleasant experience. • Try to make brushing part of your animal companion’s daily routine—perhaps right after you brush your teeth!

Call your vet and make an appointment as soon as possible if you notice any of the following warning signs:

• Yellow or brown tartar buildup along the gum line

• Inflamed, red, swollen, bleeding, receding, or tender gums

• Persistent bad breath

• Broken teeth

• Tooth resorption—a common and very painful condition in cats, in which the tooth basically dissolves

• Change in eating or chewing habits, pawing at the face or mouth, or depression Your animal companion is sure to thank you for your efforts with sweet-smelling doggie or kitty kisses—and that’s a reason for both of you to smile!"

Tiny Paw Bracelet available at www.tropicalkaren.com

A Product We Love: Cat and Kitten Attract Litter

2016-07-02T16:32:00.002-07:00

Bubba came into our home without any difficulty adjusting. So when we got Bunny 1 1/2 years later, we were expecting a similar experience. (This is Bunny).

No such luck. Bunny had tummy issues from the very beginning. He had runny bowel movements and didn't use the litter box on many occasions.

We had him tested for internal parasites, etc. and he was healthy. The problem was a 12 week old kitten who was adjusting to a new diet and a new home. He had been fed a raw diet at the breeder's home so we continued that but it was a different, local brand.

So what we did was to try different kitty litters and we also went from two to three litter boxes.

We found Dr. Elsey's Kitten Attract Litter and after that, no more accidents. We now use Cat Attract Litter and both cats are fine with it.

It might not have occurred to me to blog about this product except for another incident.

One of our neighbors has a cat who has never used her litter box, preferring to use her owner's shower.We wondered if the fact that the cat had been declawed might account for her not wanting to use litter. So we recommended Cat Attract to the owner and from then on the kitty has used her litter box.
Apparently, regular litter hurt her paws when she stood on it but the Cat Attract doesn't.

The other thing I like about this product is that there is a 32 page "Litter Box Solutions" pamphlet in each bag or box of litter.

Dr. Elsey is a Feline Veterinarian with 30 years of experience and in this pamphlet he covers a lot of reasons that cat's don't use their litter boxes and gives advice about step-by-step methods to change this behavior. He also addresses how to clean areas soiled with urine or feces.

In preparing this blog entry I went to Dr. Elsey's website, www.preciouscat.com and noticed that there are also discounts there for someone making their first purchase. We don't qualify but are happy purchasers!

This is our Swarovski Clear Crystal Large Paw Bracelet available at tropicalkaren.com.

Dogs and Cats: Everything You Wanted to Know About Microchips for Dogs and Cats

2016-06-30T18:02:00.001-07:00

When Bubba came into our lives the first thing we did was take him to the Vet for a checkup to make sure he was healthy.

Aside from checking his weight, listening to his heart and all the other great stuff the Vet does, she recommended that we get him microchipped.

We had never heard about microchips and the thought of implanting a device under our "new baby's" skin sounded painful and somewhat repulsive.

So we asked the Vet about the procedure and here is what we were told.

Not Painful! Microchips are implanted just under the skin, usually right between the shoulder blades. This is done with a large-bore needle and doesn't require anesthesia. Bubba (and then a year later, Bunny), didn't even flinch when the chip was implanted. It did have a cost, I think it was $45.

What are Microchips?

Microchips are tiny transponders, about the size of a grain of rice, that can be easily implanted under the pet's skin. If the cat or dog gets out and lost they can be returned when a Vets office, an animal control officer, or humane society uses a special scanner to detect the animal's identifying information.

Each microchip contains a registration number and the phone number of the registry for the particular brand of chip. A handheld scanner reads the radio frequency of the chip and displays this information. An animal shelter or vet clinic that finds your pet can contact the registry to get your name and phone number.

Once we got home, we got on the computer and registered our pets with an online pet registry linked to our pet's chip.We also received a tag for our pet with the chip number and registry phone number.

I must admit that it is a reassuring feeling to know that if one of them gets out (they are indoor cats), we will stand a much better chance of getting them back.

Introducing Bubba

2016-06-28T16:41:00.001-07:00

We've always had cats. Unfortunately, my husband had become allergic to them, with itchy eyes and wheezing. So when our beloved cat Mickey died at age 18 I thought that was it and tried to reconcile myself to a catless home.

After about 6 months of grieving for Mickey the house just felt empty. Just out of desperation I went online and did a search for hypoallergenic cats, thinking there wasn't any such creature. I knew that the allergy-causing enzyme is in the cat's saliva and not related to his/her fur or dander so that the hairless cat, the Sphinx wouldn't work.

So, my search came up with a breed called the Siberian. (If you read my last blog entry you will get more info on that breed). They have only been in the USA since 1990 or so, having been imported from Russia.

I found a breeder in Georgia, the closest to Florida and we took a chance on one of her kittens. Sure enough, my husband had no problem with allergy symptoms. So we brought in an adorable 12 week old Brown Mackerel Tabby Siberian kitten. Since we knew he would become a large cat (14-20 lbs) and since we live in the South, we named him Bubba. Here he is at about 7 months old.

Well, I don't know if we were being paid back for calling him Bubba, but this guy was all play, all the time, and ROUGH! We soon realized that we couldn't keep up with him and would need to get him a companion.

Here's Bubba today...

My next blog entry will introduce Bunny, yes he is a cat and is definitely well named too.

Are There Really Hypoallergenic Cats?

2016-06-21T13:47:00.000-07:00

"The Siberian is a medium to large cat first arriving from Russia in 1990. Their overall appearance is of excellent physical condition, strength, balance, power, and alertness, modified by a sweet facial expression. Siberians are a natural breed and reflect the climate in which they developed, with their very dense, medium to long, water repellent triple coat. This coat is accented with a ruff around the neck, full fluffy britches, and a bushy tail, normally carried up with pride but also quite useful to wrap around the face and paws to keep warm.

Although it has not been proven scientifically, many people believe that the Siberian is hypoallergenic. In fact, many allergy sufferers have a sensitivity to FelD1, and some Siberians have a lower than average occurence of FelD1 in their saliva. When a cat licks its fur, the saliva dries and flakes to create the dander to which people are allergic. This can vary from cat to cat and person to person. If you are allergic to cats and want to test your allergic response to Siberians, it is best to test with the Siberian you are thinking of getting. Spend time with it and find out how you react. There are no guarantees, but there is hope for allergy sufferers.

Siberian cats are very personable and want to be near their owners. They enjoy the company of children, dogs, and other animals. They are fearless and easygoing. Not much disturbs their natural calm and equanimity. They seem to know when they are needed for psychological and moral support and spend time with the person who needs that support. They are a quiet breed that expresses itself in a melodic way through sweet mews, trills, chirps, and lots of purring. All types of toys intrigue them. Some learn to play fetch, while others are intrigued by the moving cursor on the computer screen or sit and watch, entranced, as you type. Acrobatic by nature, the Siberian will play hard, often executing amazing somersaults in pursuit of a feather toy. An over enthusiastic kitten may need to be rescued while attempting to climb the bricks on the fireplace or jump to the top of a bookshelf. Siberians stay playful throughout their lives." (Excerpted from the Cat Fancier's Association Siberian web page).

This is Bubba wearing my Sterling Silver Cat pendant that actually looks a lot like him. Stay tuned for more photos and stories of both Bubba and his younger brother Bunny.

A New Focus?

2016-06-11T18:24:00.001-07:00

I am trying to get my on-line jewelry store going and I think the fact that there is so much competition is going to hurt.

What I really love to do is create with sterling silver and beads of all kinds. What I also love are my cats, Bubba and Bunny.

So I got to thinking. I wonder if there would be any interest in sterling and bead pet collars.

Look at this handsome guy, Bubba. I think he just might love a bling collar, maybe with a little bowtie? I would love some feedback on this idea if you have an opinion. Note: telling me I am a crazy cat lady is a waste of time cause I already know it.

My Workspace

2016-06-01T13:48:00.002-07:00

Overview of Work Room

I am always curious about the spaces that beaders and silver workers use to create their
art.

My work space is my favorite room in the house, dedicated to designing and crafting and doubling as a spare bedroom for visitors. I haven't killed anyone yet with poisonous fumes because living in Florida I do all my soldering and polishing outside on the lanai.

The work bench is an old wood bedroom bureau with wide drawers filled with silversmithing tools and with my bench pin attached at one end conveniently close to my Flex Shaft drill.

Work Bench

On the wall between my bench and my bead storage is a gorgeous Guatemalan wall hanging that I brought back from a trip there and which I used to inspire my Guatemala cuff bracelet (available in my shop).

The wall also holds the two awards I received from the Fire Mountain Gems contest, one for my Butterfly Kaleidoscope Collar Necklace (sold) and one for my Melting Collar Necklace (available in my shop). I am very proud of these because both photos were used as back covers of beading magazines and one of them was used on the back of a Russan magazine.

Lastly, I am including two photos of some work in progress on my bench. The first is 5 pairs of Sterling Silver earrings awaiting polishing and ear wires and the second is my beading tray with a partially finished Sterling Pendant frame and some Malachite and Amethyst cabochons. I am waiting for some sterling bezels before soldering the gems to the sterling.

I hope you enjoyed this short peek into my work space and I would love to see your comments. Thanks for visiting today. Karen

www.tropicalkaren.com

2016-05-27T08:04:00.003-07:00

The Making of a Video

May 22, 2016 Karen D'Andrea

They make it seem so easy in the movies. The plot unfurls, one scene seamlessly follows another until the conclusion wraps it all up. So how hard could it be, right?

Take two "older" women, add an IPhone 6 (one of us is still using a flip phone), and how hard can it be to take an 8 hour process and squeeze it into a minute or two?

Patting myself on the back with my great organizational skills, I divided the process into 5 sections: Intro and patterning; using the jeweler's saw; soldering; sanding and finishing; and showing the finished work. That's where the fun began....

Memorizing a script for a 60-something - not gonna happen. So write it down on a LARGE white board, OK done. Then, how do you read it while looking at the camera? My cross-eyed cat could do it (if he could read), but not I. So you end up looking like one of those 1950's black cat clocks, back and forth, back and forth.

Casting in the movies is done by having multiple actors try out for a particular part, the best one chosen for the role.

I cast myself in this video, having no choice really, and prayed that my New York accent wouldn't be too obvious. (One of my neighbors said she couldn't hear it, isn't she nice?).

So after two days of filming...film, repeat same section, film, repeat same section (you get the idea), we have 5 nice sections ready to splice together (for those of you who remember when film was really film and you had to put it in the splicer).

Only today, there's no film and "putting it together" goes over both our heads. Luckily, there's Google. Found a nice gentleman, Chris, in England who could do it inexpensively. After repeatedly instructing me how to send it to "the Cloud" (really?), it reached him.

His first response, "You filmed it vertically and need to do it again horizontally for a more professional appearance", resulted in two old women lying on the floor laughing hysterically (or as you younger folk say, lmao). That wasn't gonna happen.

The finished product looks great to me, vertical and all. It was a great experience, but I don't think I will be going there again real soon.

You can this this prize work at the bottom of my home page at www.tropicalkaren.com

2016-05-27T07:58:00.000-07:00

Hand-crafted vs. Mass Produced

May 07, 2016 Karen D'Andrea

What makes a hand-crafted item different than a mass-

produced one?

The adjective "artisanal" is sometimes used in describing hand-processing in what is usually viewed as an industrial process.

Inexpensive jewelry, mass produced, usually in countries that pay very low wages, can pump out attractive jewelry but what are you really getting? Do you know for instance that the sterling silver piece you bought really is sterling, or is it some diluted metal that may have a little silver in it or will tarnish almost immediately?

Paying a little more for a hand-crafted, one-of-a-kind piece of work, that takes one person many hours of design and crafting results in you owning a piece of that person's heart, joy and skill.

You can see all my latest one-of-a-kind work at www.tropicalkaren.com.

Bubba the Problem Child Cat

2012-03-29T21:01:00.000-07:00

We have a Siberian cat. The reason we have a Siberian cat is that my husband is allergic to cats and Siberians don't produce as much of the allergen in their saliva that other breeds do and so we are able to have him here without any allergy symptoms.

We have always had Burmese cats. When our daughter was little we would show our cats as a family hobby. So we know Burmese cats very well. Burmese cats, in my opinion, are the dogs of the cat world. They are friendly, calm and sociable. Our Burmese were very smart. One could open our bedroom door by jumping up on the door knob and turning it. The three Burmese were smart enough to unroll the toilet paper as an admonishment when we would leave them for a week's vacation. (We did have people come in to feed and play with them during that week).

Anyway, when our beloved 8 lb. Mickey died at age 18, I thought we couldn't get another cat because of my husband's allergy issues. Then I researched it and found the Siberian.

This is Bubba at 14 weeks, two weeks after we adopted him. This is still his favorite position. You can see that he has a "I am the boss of you" expression even at this young age.

My husband named him Bubba because we now live in the South (Florida) and because we knew that he would grow to between 16 and 20 pounds. And he is now 12 lbs at one year of age and still growing.

I have never really had a cat before, as I have previously explained. Whenever I read what cats are like I would proudly think, "not our cats".

Payback is a bitch as they say. Bubba is a CAT, all capital letters. I tried to clicker train him by giving him a treat if he came when I clicked. He saw the treat, turned up his nose, and ignored me.

Finicky eater- check. There really isn't anything other than tuna that he really likes and even that doesn't motivate his behavior.

He does greet visitors at the door and rubs against their legs, but only when he feels like it.

The worst problem we have is that he nips, both when he plays with us and also when he doesn't like what we are doing (like brushing him). He never breaks the skin when he nips but we really want to extinguish that behavior early on. I emailed the breeder in Georgia and asked what to do about the nipping. She said he would grow out of it and that we should tap him on the nose when he does it.
So I have been tapping him on the nose and saying "no biting" for months now and it hasn't made a bit of difference.

At my wits end, I emailed the breeder again about the nipping. No help there. I sure wish Bubba would finish training us soon.

Tom Brady the Kitten

2012-02-10T10:43:00.000-08:00

If there is one thing I love as much as beading, it is cats. So when I found a stray lying outside a local Beef O'Brady's I went over to it. This small cat was relaxing on his side and allowed me to approach and pet him. Well, that is like waving a red flag to a bull and I had to prevent him from getting hit by a car in the adjoining parking lot.

Just then, a woman came over with a can of cat food and said she had been feeding him every day for three months. She loved him but couldn't take him home because she has a sick 10 year old cat.

My poor husband is severely allergic to cats although he loves them and has made the best of it for 20 years. Our current cat, Bubba, whom I have posted on before, is hypoallergenic, which is the only way we can have a cat.

So I brought this grey tabby home and put him on our lanai (a screened in porch for those of you not familiar with the term). I figured it would be easy to place him with one of the local pet shelters. WRONG! They were all full and having difficulty placing cats. In the meantime, I had him neutered, immunized, treated for fleas, tested for feline leukemia (negative) and heart worm (also negative).

The Vet tech named him: Since he was a male, she named him Tom and since he was found outside Beef O'Brady's, Tom Brady. I thought it was a stroke of genius.

Fortunately, one of the local rescues suddenly placed 7 cats in one week and took Tom and today I received the best news. He is in a loving home with an elderly gentleman who recently lost his cat and was wanting another. This gentle kitty now has a forever home and I am so happy.

Bubba the Kitten

2012-01-24T07:06:00.000-08:00

This post has very little to do with making jewelry, but since he is my assistant beader, I thought I would introduce you to Bubba.

When our beloved Burmese cat Mickey died last year, I thought we wouldn't be able to get another cat. My husband's cat allergy had become progressively worse and I felt that it wasn't fair to him to continue this exposure.

On a whim, I googled "hypoallergenic cat" and was surprised to find a breed called the Siberian, who supposedly produced less of the allergenic protein in its saliva, and therefore did not aggrevate allergy symptoms. Siberian cats come from Russia, where they were feral until the 1990's, when they began to be pets. They have only been in this country for a short time but are recognized as a purebred cat and are shown at cat shows.

I researched Siberian breeders and found quite a few in other states but didn't want to put a kitten through the stress of the cargo hold of an airplane. When I spoke with Lillian Narramore of Shadowlawn Siberian Cattery in Georgia, the problem was solved. Lillian is a flight attendant and was able to bring the kitten with her in the plane.

So that is how Bubba came to be a member of our family. This is him in his (still) favorite positions.

We got Bubba at 12 weeks of age, a sweet-natured little guy, very playful, and even better he has not caused any allergy symptoms in my husband. We didn't know what to name this little one, and people suggested giving him a Russian name, like Nikita. But you know. he just didn't seem to fit a Russian name, and knowing that he was going to be a big guy, (males reach 16 to 20 lbs.), and because we are now southerners, my husband suggested Bubba.

He quickly grew into his name and now, at 10 months of age, weighs 12 lbs. But he is still a kitten, racing around the house and catching the occasional bug that gets into our lanai. What makes him unique is the chirping sound he makes instead of "meow". It is funny to hear a tiny little trill coming from this big body.

He follows me all around the house like a dog. He hides behind corners and from a sitting position, jumps up into the air, sometimes as high as 4 feet.

He allows us to brush him, which we do daily, and though he rarely sheds, his fur is fine like a rabbits and will mat. He allows me to brush his teeth daily, although he isn't crazy about it. At 10 months he is still as goofy and funny as he was when we got him.

And what has this to do with my beading? Bubba naps for hours every afternoon, taking a break from play so mommy can do her thing. What a good boy!

Craft Room Organization

2012-01-21T21:11:00.000-08:00

I need my space to be organized in order to work. The room that I use has a dual purpose, it has to be available for guests and it has to hold my many craft supplies. So here is how I organized my room.

This is where I store my beads. The blue drawers on the floor hold medium and large sized beads, shells, wooden beads and gemstone beads.

On both sides of the bookshelf top, (which has all my bead books and magazines), are smaller plastic drawer units for my seed beads. Each of these 7 separate units has 5 drawers (35 drawers in all), and I can add a five drawer unit as my collection of seed beads increases. I have also separated seed beads by size, with 11/0 in one drawer and 15/0, 8/0 and 6/0 in another.

In the center section of the bookshelf top, I keep all findings, divided by silver, gold, copper, brass.

Along a wall in the room is this bureau, which holds all my silversmithing tools, all my wire and beading thread, beading fabric and miscellaneous "stuff". I use the top of the bureau as a work station, although I also do a lot of work sitting on my living room couch. At the left of the bureau is a rolling cart which contains resin, color pigment for resin and resin molds.

In front of the window is my sewing machine and bench. As you can see, the guest room part is the white wicker day bed, which has a pull out bed so two people can sleep comfortably. I like the day bed better than a convertable couch because there are two good quality mattresses. I still remember the days of sleeping on the bar of a pull-out sofa.

So that's my craft room. I'd love to see how you organize your space.