Poor beautiful Beel - how is he now? Your description sounds horribly like the least day of the Great White Cat, though his end was through the bundle of causes they neatly label as 'old age'.
That next-to-last paragraph above is how is he is tonight: five days after contact with the stuff. Based on the anecdotal evidence on the sites above, I guess I'm lucky he didn't die, but I have no way of knowing if he'll recover fully. It's hard not to feel really guilty; I held him down and dripped poison on his neck, and then ignored him, when he was made ill by it.
I just can't believe they're still selling the stuff, given that the EPA voiced concern in 2002.
I know they have a rep for being somewhat drastic in their actions but have you thought of contacting PETA?
I found strays and made the same mistake as you did not thinking that cats lick themselves clean and their natural oils will spread this shit everywhere.
Either way, I'll say a little prayer, rub a buddha, cast a protection spell.
Thanks for your good thoughts, buddha rubbings, etc.
Reading some of the accounts of people whose cats died, the worst cases were definitely people who applied it to more than one cat at the same time. Hartz's genius method of applying the shit where a cat can't reach it didn't fare so well in households where more than one cat lived, because the cats naturally groomed each other. I find it hard to believe that that never occurred to Hartz.
Ditto on Poor Beel. In theory I hate cats - an acquired trait from my father. In practice I'm masochistically friendly to them. In any event, though, I hate guilt, and were I in your position I'd probably feel the need to bolt to another room every time those back legs flail. Because although clearly it wasn't your fault (or mine in my hypothetical), there's no way for the cat to know it wasn't malicious, and given its history of abuse I wouldn't imagine it being too inclined to forgive.
So really, it says something pretty good about both you and Beel that you still carry it to its litter box and it still lets you. I guess that's about all I've got to say.
I was not much of a cat person ever, either, but what are you going to do when something tries to nurse on you? Other than say, "Christ, that's nasty, stop that."
I won't know if the neurological damage is permanent, well, for a long time. He improves slowly every day in the sense that he goes for longer stretches without symptoms, and when he does have them, he doesn't freak quite as much. The worst by far is the disorientation; it's like kitty Alzheimers; he gets this panicky, vacant look and just loses it, doesn't seem to know where he is, or what's happening. This was happening hourly a few days ago, and now happens maybe once or twice a night, so I guess that's a good sign
( ... )
Awwww. Poor Beel. If you recall that I accidentally fed my child tainted meat the first day of school, you'll know I understand a small part of your guilt.
God, that sucks. Can the vet give/tell you anything to help him recover?
Hey. The vet can give him muscle relaxants that will inhibit the muscle spasms, but then I'll never know if the spasms are abating or not. Plus getting him there without him having a heart attack is the bigger issue.
He's slowly improving, and that's something. But the guilt, man.
I understand the guilt completely. My poor puppy jumped out of my arms at 10 months old and snapped both of his front legs when he hit the ground.
I also had a dog that ate fertilizer and nearly died of poisoning. It is terrible that Hartz products are still for sale like that. I hope everything turns out ok.
Hey, thanks for your thoughts. I'm working on getting the stuff pulled at Target. They can only sell it through December 31st anyhow, per the EPA.
When Beel thrashed out of my arms for the third time at the vet and did a back flip to the floor, I was sure his spine was going to snap. Lucky he's a rubbery bastard.
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I just can't believe they're still selling the stuff, given that the EPA voiced concern in 2002.
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I found strays and made the same mistake as you did not thinking that cats lick themselves clean and their natural oils will spread this shit everywhere.
Either way, I'll say a little prayer, rub a buddha, cast a protection spell.
I'm sorry.
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Reading some of the accounts of people whose cats died, the worst cases were definitely people who applied it to more than one cat at the same time. Hartz's genius method of applying the shit where a cat can't reach it didn't fare so well in households where more than one cat lived, because the cats naturally groomed each other. I find it hard to believe that that never occurred to Hartz.
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So really, it says something pretty good about both you and Beel that you still carry it to its litter box and it still lets you. I guess that's about all I've got to say.
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I was not much of a cat person ever, either, but what are you going to do when something tries to nurse on you? Other than say, "Christ, that's nasty, stop that."
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Is he going to be okay, or is he permanently injured.
I'm so sorry. You should take Legal action.
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If you recall that I accidentally fed my child tainted meat the first day of school, you'll know I understand a small part of your guilt.
God, that sucks. Can the vet give/tell you anything to help him recover?
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He's slowly improving, and that's something. But the guilt, man.
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I understand the guilt completely. My poor puppy jumped out of my arms at 10 months old and snapped both of his front legs when he hit the ground.
I also had a dog that ate fertilizer and nearly died of poisoning. It is terrible that Hartz products are still for sale like that. I hope everything turns out ok.
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When Beel thrashed out of my arms for the third time at the vet and did a back flip to the floor, I was sure his spine was going to snap. Lucky he's a rubbery bastard.
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