Corona ... someone had to start it!

For all your feline miscellany - any interesting stories, news or subjects that do not fit in the other sections.
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Mollycat
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Corona ... someone had to start it!

Post by Mollycat »

Confined to the house with no-one but our cats for company? Don't get me wrong I am not underestimating the issue, just choosing to see the silver lining under the big black cloud.

My vets have been communicating daily through their social media channels.
One vet is immunocompromised so she is doing skype consultations from home.
The whole waiting area is being disinfected on an hourly basis.
Hand gel is available to clients.
We are invited to ring the surgery and a vet will come out to see us in the car if appropriate.
We can ask for pets to be collected, seen and returned if we are in isolation.
We are asked for one person only to bring the animal in, to limit the number of humans in the waiting room.
They are also encouraging payments over the phone or contactless where possible.

What are other vet surgeries like, has anyone been contacted or had any announcements or communications?

Local eateries including the farm shop are offering home deliveries of groceries and hot meals, no charge.
The post office have announced a protocol for sign-fors and parcels.
Plans are in place for working from home (not me, I'm a cleaner)
There is a community plan for taking care of isolated and vulnerable or elderly people and even offers of dog-walking.

In contrast, we've heard nothing at all from the doctors - other patients have told people the surgery is closed and it's telephone appointments only - and the housing association have not piped up with any advice or plans for increased cleaning of communal areas.
Last edited by Mollycat on Wed Mar 18, 2020 10:59 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Corona ... someone had to start it!

Post by booktigger »

When I went last week, my vet told me their contingency plans, but they might have changed. I feel sorry for charities, the rescue Lucy is from have had to cancel their easter fair, and some volunteers were going to do the Manchester marathon for sponsorship, that has been postponed, so that is potentially £5k they will lose :cry:

My doc has sent a couple of texts, my neighbours has changed to telephone consults. I had to go to her chemist, they were asking people to stand 2 metres apart but there were too many of us to do that! On the plus side, I've noticed an increase in people posting on forums! I do worry about people's mental health with self isolating, I can't cope with a day in my own house!
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Re: Corona ... someone had to start it!

Post by Mollycat »

Yes charities will suffer badly, not just in fundraising events but also donations as people can't work and sick pay is woefully inadequate. Even my charity can't fundraise though thankfully this also means no new beneficiaries.
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Re: Corona ... someone had to start it!

Post by alanc »

Our Vets are the only business I deal with who have not sent me their COVID-19 precaution procedures. Still we have not had to go there for some time and should not need to until June for Tilly's booster inoculations (and those can probably be put off for a week or two if needed).
Had to do some panic buying of cat food this morning, as Tilly decided she did not like what I had stockpiled.
On a positive note, listening to the radio this morning, the COVID-19 virus seems to have caused a great reduction in pollution as factories shut and travel is much reduced, so some beneficial effects!
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Re: Corona ... someone had to start it!

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I was also glad it meant the Grand National would be cancelled
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Re: Corona ... someone had to start it!

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I was wondering how long Cat Chat would stay a Covid free zone! I thought just this morning that those of us with lap-loving cats are well-used to sitting still for long periods of time.

I am pretty well prepared - I have ordered extra of all the regular medications from the vets, and they seemed happy for me to collect, although that might have changed in the interim - they said they will post them as things ramp up. Human and animal food and other essentials are sorted. We are all doing our best to keep a safe distance round here, although some of my at risk neighbours seem to be finding it difficult to remember - I keep having to back away as they get closer and closer, reminding them it is for their safety as well as mine! Emergency boxes for the cats and dogs are nearly complete to stash in the garage safely away from the house if it becomes infected, and neighbours are lined up to care for them if I become incapacitated. I am so used to living alone that semi-isolation feels normal - if I were banned from going out of the house to garden or walk the dogs that would change very quickly, though!

Our village is well organised with deliveries of food and meals, and regular updates on the local situation. Community spirit comes into its own at these times.

Sit tight and stay safe, people.
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Re: Corona ... someone had to start it!

Post by Kay »

I'm much the same, fcm - self-isolation is pretty much my way of life anyway

stocking up on cat food is a bit of a worry though, as surely the manufacturing side of everything is going to be hard hit, and stuff is not going to out there to stock pile anyway

time to train our cats to live off birds and mice, perhaps - or will we have to go out hunting for them? :? :?
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Re: Corona ... someone had to start it!

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More likely I will send Tilly out to hunt for all of us...

When rabbits were plentiful she could probably have brought in enough to meet our minimum protein needs easily - may take a bit more effort with voles!
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Re: Corona ... someone had to start it!

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I'm actually enjoying the peace and quiet of being home alone again, now the plumbers have gone. I'm self employed and work from home, i had a craft fair last Sunday, which will probably be the last for a few months instead of the normal Spring load i do, I've already heard that one in July has cancelled and I have a feeling that one I had booked for May will as well, i'm not going to be looking for others until this has all blown over.

I've heard nothing from my Doctors, Vets or Dentist, fortunately the cats are well at the moment, I put a prescription order in last Saturday so hopefully that will be ready to pick up this weekend, but I do have a dental appointment on Tuesday and it is two bus rides each way to get there, to make matters worse one tooth is thinking of playing up, I'm hoping by Monday I will know if it is and whether I really need to go and see him of if cancelling is a better option, while not yet 50 I do have asthma and Type 2 diabetes so I'm in the risk group.

My OH works in the Referrals and Bookings department at the local hospital answering the phones regarding appointment changes etc. and it has gone absolutely manic there, and as he needs access to confidential health records they would have to provide a secure lap top and mobile phone to everyone in the office if they want him to work from home, which I can't see them doing.

I was speaking to my Sister the other day, she's a biomedic and works in the drug research section of Liverpool university. It sounds like they are testing every drug possible that might effect Corvid 19 to see what the results are and the managers are actually having to clamp down on the amount of hours the research pharmacists are putting in

I know the local rescues are worried about being hit hard, mainly by the lack of cat food, or places limiting how much they can buy, one or two boxes of 12 won't go far in most rescue centres. i have also seen a few Facebook posts regarding the possibility of getting Coronavirus from you pet, it sounds like some scare stories are doing the rounds. As I have been pointing out where ever I see it, Coronavirus is a large group of viruses and while it is possible for cats (and other animals) to catch a Coronavirus it will not be Covid 19. There is a Coronavirus that is very common in cats and most of the time causes no problems at all, this is one of the few places I feel it is safe to then add the next part without starting a major panic, it is the same virus that very occasionally mutates in young cats and becomes FIP, no cure, 100% fatal, i can just imagine what would happen if some of the general public got hold of that piece of information.
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Re: Corona ... someone had to start it!

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Ruth B wrote: Wed Mar 18, 2020 3:00 pm i have also seen a few Facebook posts regarding the possibility of getting Coronavirus from you pet, it sounds like some scare stories are doing the rounds. As I have been pointing out where ever I see it, Coronavirus is a large group of viruses and while it is possible for cats (and other animals) to catch a Coronavirus it will not be Covid 19. There is a Coronavirus that is very common in cats and most of the time causes no problems at all, this is one of the few places I feel it is safe to then add the next part without starting a major panic, it is the same virus that very occasionally mutates in young cats and becomes FIP, no cure, 100% fatal, i can just imagine what would happen if some of the general public got hold of that piece of information.
Yes corona is a group of viruses that are spiky and have a crown-like look, many hundreds of known and harmless diseases are caused by corona viruses including the common cold. I read that about FIP too but again FIP is a mutation of a virus carried harmlessly by many many cats. FIP is a stroke of bad luck. Reminds me of Multiple Sclerosis that was known for decades to have a genetic component and then some activating factor, and it seems very possible that the activating factor may be excess histamine making blood vessels more porous allowing white blood cells to cross the blood-brain barrier. Slight digression but interesting nevertheless, I love medical stuff.
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Re: Corona ... someone had to start it!

Post by alanc »

Just had a new practice guideline from my dentist regarding COVID-19. Glad to see it is certified virus free!
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Re: Corona ... someone had to start it!

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13 days after the vet got into gear starting daily updates and practical solutions, the doctors manage a text message saying as of today it's telephone triage. I appreciate doctors are busy but I'm underly impressed.
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Re: Corona ... someone had to start it!

Post by mr_frisky »

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2020 ... ion/6/made

Restrictions on movement
6.—(1) During the emergency period, no person may leave the place where they are living without reasonable excuse.

(2) For the purposes of paragraph (1), a reasonable excuse includes the need—

(a)to obtain basic necessities, including food and medical supplies for those in the same household (including any pets or animals in the household) or for vulnerable persons and supplies for the essential upkeep, maintenance and functioning of the household, or the household of a vulnerable person, or to obtain money, including from any business listed in Part 3 of Schedule 2;
(b)to take exercise either alone or with other members of their household;
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Re: Corona ... someone had to start it!

Post by Mollycat »

But no driving the dog to a local beauty spot for walkies and I'm pretty sure the lady riding her horse down the road yesterday shouldn't have been doing that either.
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Re: Corona ... someone had to start it!

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I think you could get away with taking the dog to the 'local' beauty spot for exercise, the problem comes when everyone decides to drive to distant beauty spots, if you live in a city a natural area might be a drive away and would do you much more good than walking around the streets. If you have driven past half a dozen other similar options then that is where i can see the problem being.

As for the horse rider, if your horse is kept in a stable with no where to exercise then it needs to be ridden frequently. If it is turned out in a field then you can either ride there or it could possibly manage not being ridden for a while.

It amused me when they were saying about going out for essential supplies infrequently, then said no more than once a day, I was concerned about popping out to the local Co op to pick up a bit of extra fruit and veg (and the biscuits, crisps etc that happened to fall into the basket) once mid week having done the main shop at the weekend. Unfortunately some people just aren't being sensible and are make things hard for everyone else, others of us read the advice and almost take it too much to heart.

On a sightly different note, Saturn, my young lad (who you have heard about on numerous occasions) has also taken the advice to heart, he has tried to get 'essential supplies' whenever he has gone out this week, which is why I have had 3 mice brought back.
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Re: Corona ... someone had to start it!

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I am rather wishing Tilly was still bringing rabbits home - it would have cut back on shopping considerably!
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Re: Corona ... someone had to start it!

Post by Harv Setterfield »

Hang on. I thought that the Chinese started it?

I'll just get my coat! :lol:
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Re: Corona ... someone had to start it!

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Problem with this working from home business is that my Tilly thinks that as I am home dinner ought to be served at 3:15pm, not 5:15pm!
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Re: Corona ... someone had to start it!

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Mollycat wrote: Sat Mar 28, 2020 4:29 pm But no driving the dog to a local beauty spot for walkies and I'm pretty sure the lady riding her horse down the road yesterday shouldn't have been doing that either.
unless she was on her way to the nearest supermarket, of course
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Re: Corona ... someone had to start it!

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All of the local vets, including the one I normally use, have closed. They are only seeing emergency cases and doing phone consultations. Even in an emergency, you have to wait in the car while the cat is taken in by the receptionist and you speak to the vet on a mobile. You can't go in with your cat.

I'm sure this contributed to the recent death of my cat Cydric. He'd been ill and seeing a vet for a couple of months, then suddenly took a turn for the worst. Normally, I would have taken him to see the vet, but had to make do with a perfunctory phone consultation with a vet who knew nothing about his case history. This was short and unsatisfactory: he couldn't examine the cat over the phone!

Cydric got considerable worse in the early hours of the following morning. I decided I'd had enough with these vets and called them for an emergency appointment. Cydric died while we were waiting for the taxi. The vet just confirmed the death.

While I'm mindful of the Covid 19 situation and the need to stay at home, avoiding contact, I consider vets an "essential" service, and think they should be open for everything except routine appointments (this wording would be better than saying they're seeing only urgent and emergency cases).

Vets are to pets what doctors are to people. Yet doctors are carrying on heroically, and have my greatest respect. Vets, at far lower risk of infection, especially if they wear personal protection and limit the number of people in the waiting room, have all but closed down, thereby abandoning their human and animal clients.

The grief I'm now going through is probably weakening my immune system further (I'm 61 and have mild neutropenia - low white blood cells). I'm dreading what I'll do if my remaining cat, Victoria, becomes unwell during the lockdown. I live alone and my cats are/were everything to me.

I've told the vets what I think of their actions on their facebook page, but their replies are totally callous; it's a case of "tough, them's the rules now,".

I know I'm going through the anger stage of grief, but still think that vets are being over cautious. If they didn't want the risks of the job with its possible infections from members of the public and animals, they should have gone into IT, or something else office-based and not public-facing.

Rant over, for now.
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Re: Corona ... someone had to start it!

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I am so sorry, Hipkit. It is always hard to lose a beloved companion, and worrying that the outcome may have been different if things had been normal and the vet had seen him earlier must make it even worse. You don't say what his illness was - it is very probable that given how quickly he got worse and slipped away there would have been very little the vets could do. Perhaps he was spared unnecessary stress in his final hours, and interventions that could only have delayed things for a very short time.

Not all vets are being so unhelpful. Mine are offering appointments for essential ongoing care as well as emergencies, and the vets themselves are coming into the carpark to take the details and discuss treatment options. I would not want anyone with concerns about their pets' health to be put off phoning their vet for advice.
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Re: Corona ... someone had to start it!

Post by Mollycat »

Echoing fjm's comments, so sorry for your loss but unfortunately such a sharp decline does usually point to intensive care and a dicey chance of pulling through, at best. My vets as posted above are doing all they can to continue non-routine appointments, keeping us informed, keeping us and our pets and crucially themselves safe - one is in isolation due to her own health issues. I'm surprised there isn't better cover where you live.

One of the concerns from pet owners has been transmission from pets and if anyone asks I found this helpful and realistic article this morning
https://www.sciencenews.org/article/cat ... us-covid19
As we know FIP the terror of cat owners is a coronavirus, one of the large family of coronaviruses, for which we have neither cure nor vaccine. The flu vaccine is really the only thing we have against any of the coronaviruses. You can't help but respect a microscopic spiky thing that doesn't even have DNA and can't live without us having the capacity to bring an entire civilisation to its knees.
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Re: Corona ... someone had to start it!

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On a lighter note ...

91625242_1096032944081522_8575966649683804160_n.jpg
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Re: Corona ... someone had to start it!

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I have to say my vet has been fine. Tiggy, my Golden Oldie suffered a bad respiratory infection last year, several courses of antibiotics didn't really help, but the Bisolven powder did help with the symptoms. To be honest I was surprised she made it through last year. A bit over a week ago I notice the symptoms were coming back, so phoned the vets and had a good chat. As it was something she had had before he was quite willing to let me have a few sachets of Bisolven and to bring her in if that didn't help. The Bisolven was paid for over the phone and my husband called in for it on his way home from work (he works at the local hospital). i know if she has to been seen they might have her in with us staying in the car and chatting on the mobile, or they might limit it to one of us in there and the other staying in the car, either way I would be fine with that. From what they have said in a very few cases they would let more people in. Fortunately Tiggy seems a lot better now she is back on the Bisolven.
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Re: Corona ... someone had to start it!

Post by exlibris »

I've not needed to use the vets yet, thank goodness, our two are still terrified of anything even vaguely surprising.

My partner's doctors went very militant before everywhere else. No new appointments, everyone had to speak to the doctor over the phone before they were allowed to come in. If you had an appointment you got a phone call the day before to check you did have a fever. When we went to my partner's nurse's appointment it was a real faff. I've recently had an operation on my foot. I can walk with this weird shoe on, but not very far, and need to try and keep my foot up as much as possible. So I lumbered all the way from the carpark at the back of the building to the front door only to find that the receptionist was talking through a window open 2 inches. She took the appointment details and then said we had to go in the fire escape at the back! So I had to lumber all the way back around again. When we got let in they took our forehead temperate with a heatgun as well as got us to sanitise our hands.

Because my operation was about a week before lock-down, I had luckily pre-stocked up on toilet paper and frozen food knowing I couldn't shop - I must have been clairvoyant! However, now we are running low on bits and bobs and you can't get a delivery slot for love nor money. I can stand, but not for long periods, so I can't queue outside Tesco, but our two love Tesco's own compete biscuits....so I've had to buy ALDI where I could get into.....when we run out of Tesco's I dare not think will happen!!! I remember when I tried them on ASDA's own once and they were NOT happy.
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Re: Corona ... someone had to start it!

Post by Ruth B »

This came up on my Facebook feed, shared by one of the charities I follow, I thought I would share it here.


A veterinarian's voice during Covid 😢😭

"This weekend I euthanized twice as many pets as usual.

Owners cannot justify unexpected bills when they have no idea when their next paycheck is coming.

This weekend I rationed my anesthetic drugs, as they are being diverted to humans on ventilators. I carefully considered each pain injection knowing that opioids will be diverted next. I pulled a sewing needle out of a puppy's throat while wondering what I would have done to save her life without these medications.

This weekend I gave tragic news and terminal diagnoses over the phone, over and over again. To owners whose face I had never seen. To familys who sent their pet inside, unable to accompany them because of covid.

This weekend I wore reusable mask and cap into surgery to save a dogs life. My disposable caps and masks are being donated and diverted to our human counterparts.

She had severe heart disease and was unstable under anesthesia. She survived this surgery, she went home to her mom, in part due to the ventilator that kept her breathing steady. The same ventilator that is earmarked for donation to human hospitals if the need arises.

This weekend for the first time in my life, I euthanized pets without stroking their fur, rubbing their ears, or hugging their grieving owners. I stood 6 feet away, wearing a face mask, and giving my injections and condolences from afar. It broke my heart a little more every single time.

Your veterinarian isn't on the front line of this war, we are the rear defense. We are being called as volunteers in states where human medical professionals are overwhelmed. We are donating and rationing our medications. We are giving up our ventilators. And we know why. We know that our actions will save human lives, and we won't hesitate at doing what we have to. But don't for a second think that our hearts aren't breaking too. And as this virus spreads, it will get worse.

Please, Stay Home.

Your pet can't catch covid, but it can hurt them nonetheless."
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