Greetings, Olive Fans!

Here we are with our August update on our feisty lobby dweller. First, some good news: Olive is no longer anemic! Her anemia seems to have resolved itself. When a cat becomes anemic, we re-check two weeks later to make sure it was not a fluke. So Olive’s anemia may have been a temporary glitch in her system or just a one-time event. Considering that she has a number of chronic issues, she certainly didn’t need another, particularly an issue that involves a blood draw for assessment.

Olive continues to have some problems with constipation, but we’re doing our best to keep her regular. Considering how she is about being pilled, it’s not easy, but we’re trying. I can’t help feeling that she might calm down just a bit if she wasn’t constipated much of the time; it can’t be comfortable. It’s a pity we can’t explain to her what’s happening, but we’ll just have to take this one day at a time.

We have seen a bit of irritation on Olive’s hind legs recently. This is showing up on the surfaces that drag along the floor as she moves. Right now, it’s minor (a little hair loss and just a bit of scabbing) and doesn’t require any treatment.  But as you can guess, we’re watching her closely and will develop a treatment plan if that becomes necessary. Believe it or not, Olive is significantly overweight, though you’d never know it by looking at her. Losing the extra pounds would help with the hind leg irritation and might help with the constipation, too, but, like everything else surrounding Olive, it’s not easy. She receives too many treats from the staff and volunteers, for starters, and she shows no hesitation in going after other felines’ food if there’s any way she can access it, even if she has to snag one kibble at a time.

Olive has seen a number of changes in her surroundings recently. Unhappily, we’ve lost several wonderful lobby cats, so there are a few new faces in the lobby. Our lobby greeter (read “greeter of people only”) seems to take these alterations in stride, as long as any new arrivals don’t commit the unpardonable crime of getting too close to her, which invariably results in a hiss or growl and swat or two.

As always, thank you so much for helping our temperamental girl.

Your correspondent,
Stephanie