Words from a Reader

The “Writing Life Stories” e-mails I receive are such treasures. As soon as I see there is one in my inbox, I read it immediately. I look forward to them and never know how they will touch me. They can be interesting, informative, humorous, and/or touching.

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Debbie's "retarded" Cat is cured


My friend Debbie told me an amazing story about her cat. Debbie rescued a cat that was about to be euthanized because it was "retarded." The cat was not adoptable, but kind-hearted Debbie, who would save all the animals in the world if she could, took the unwanted kitty into her home.


Debbie carefully chose cat litter and bought a covered litter box. Right away Debbie noticed the poor cat's problem. It would pass out and fall down. At times the cat would become unconscious and fall from high places, hitting the floor with a hard thump.


With the cat's history, Debbie thought this could be what had caused the "brain damage" -- the reason the cat was said to be retarded.


Luckily for this little kitty, Debbie did some research and discovered the litter she was using was poisoning the cat. First the litter with fragrance and then the second one, the clay, caused the cat's fainting spells.


The litter was replaced with a natural pine product, and within days the cat was fine. No more passing out. "He does have a brain and now he is smart," Debbie told me on the phone.


If she had not investigated and been persistent, the cat would probably have ended up being euthanized.




Debbie is one who has learned the hard way about chemicals and products we use that are harmful to people and pets. She owns a cleaning business and has her own problems with chemical sensitivity. No longer can she use bleach for cleaning, and she can no longer use products with fragrance on her person or in her house. In her fifties now, the products she has used all these years have damaged her with the harmful chemical fumes she breathed. She believes that anyone who cleans with the popular brands on the shelves will eventually develop the same sensitivities. Debbie has searched far and wide for safe products. I appreciate her suggestions for clean, green products available locally and by mail-order.




Like that poor cat, when chemically sensitive people are overcome with harmful fumes that shut off the oxygen to their bodies, their brains don't work properly. We can't think when we can't breathe. One day we all may be presumed "retarded" like Debbie's cat.

5 comments:

  1. What a story! I know how that poor cat felt. I cannot be around scented kitty litter at all, it makes me very ill. Kudos to Debbie for caring enough about that precious cat to find out the cause of its suffering.

    There are studies showing people who clean homes for a living have a high incidence of respiratory illness from all the chemicals.

    I know I feel a lot smarter when I'm not around toxic chemicals!

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  2. Glenda,

    Great story that illustrates the dangers of chemicals. Wonder how many harm humans?
    Brenda Kay Ledford

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  3. Well, that last thought ain't too far off the mark, except that everyone is at risk, not just those of us who have aready had our blood brain barriers breached by toxic chemicals.


    The scent-marketing industry is deliberately messing with our brains - they call it Aroma-chology (tm).


    I had been under the impression that to administer drugs, one had to be trained and licensed and that the drugs had to be tested and approved 1st.


    Seems that the fragrance chemical and pharmaceutical industries have found ways around that.

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  4. MCS is much more of a problem than the public is made aware. Our beloved pets are being treated like guinea pigs by vets who don't know the answers but continue to push steroid drugs, different commercial dog foods, and many times the problem is the carpet cleaner or the pesticide sprayed to kill insects.
    Thanks for all your comments.

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  5. Pets and humans both!

    Children who's behaviour changes because of the neurotoxic chemicals are labelled with ADD, ADHD or even worse, and put on more chemical drugs.

    Look into Dr Doris Rapp's work on how children are affected.

    But maybe it will finally be the awareness about how it hurts our beloved pets that finally wakes people up.

    Let Debbie and her lucky kitty's story be a lesson to all.

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