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October Cat of the Month: Pumpkin

October 26th, 2008

Pumpkin, appropriately enough, is the Cat of the Month for October. She is the petite sister of Smokey and Sparky. Not orange as you might imagine from her name, she’s basically a short haired version of her mother, Sage. Soft brown tabby fur (our vet once described her as “juicy”) and little white toes that make me think of ladies’ elegant lace gloves that allow the fingertips to peek out.

Pumpkin is a sweet kitty, with a sneaky trick up her sleeve. She often gets my husband with this one—she lures him into picking her up (with sad but demanding meows) then she quickly climbs up over his shoulder, causing him to instinctively to bend forward. She then moves on to his back (by now he is bent over) and settles down, claws dug in. There she purrs and smiles smugly till I come to the rescue.

Sadly, Pumpkin was recently diagnosed with hyperthyroidism which has caused her to lose a lot of weight. With her we opted to try the medication route until we can spring for the radioactive iodine treatment that Rosie had. So far I don’t see much improvement but it’s early days. I’m mystified by this condition which seems to be on the rise and no one quite knows what causes it. It could be genetic, environment, diet, or a combination of factors. We did change the cats’ food a few years ago, which helped us avoid the tainted pet food, but now I can’t help wonder if the new food has brought issues of its own. So keep your fingers crossed for this tiny girl!

Entry Filed under: Cat of the Month