A good carpenter can occasionally solve some cat and caretaker problems. Here are two positive cat stories of the spirit triumphing over disability aided by a bit of nice carpentry.
Lyme disease is nasty. There is a story in the UK press today about a lady who was tragically bitten by a tick while out walking. The bite caused Lyme disease, which has multiple symptoms and which left her wheelchair bound. Her life was made so miserable she decided to kill herself. She bought animal tranquillisers online from Mexico. She took them and they killed her.
Her partner of 15 years waited until she was dead and then called the ambulance. He was arrested on suspicion of assisting suicide, a crime in the UK. While on bail, 6 months later, he took his life in the same way. He couldn’t live without her. All because of an unfortunate bite from a damn tick. Ticks are those horrible parasites that become bloated when filled with your blood.
We know, therefore, how awful it is. Lyme disease affects cats too. Outdoor cats are susceptible. Let’s move to the USA. A women who cared for her two adored cats acquired Lyme disease in the same way. In the US it is usually transmitted by the deer tick (see ticks on cats and humans).
She was beginning to be unable to care for her cats. She feared that she would have to relinquish them. The symptoms of Lyme disease include joint pain and swelling and bone pain. She could barely feed her cats and couldn’t do the cat litter.
A plan was hatched: to build a platform with a stairway for the cat litter. This enabled her to manage the litter at wheelchair height. Here it is:
The lady was overjoyed and burst into tears because she was able to cope and keep her cats. This must be a not uncommon problem; cat caretakers who love their cats who can no longer care for them. In having to relinquish them there must be a negative impact on an already fragile situation.
In another story, a cat with cerebellar hypoplasia liked to look out the window but was unable to jump up. This time a another platform was constructed with ramp underneath:
Is there are moral to these cat stories? A bit of imagination and modification to the household arrangements can reap unimagined rewards. Cat enclosures are another good solution under certain circumstances.
Good luck Donna. Take care.
I love this idea . I have Lyme disease and been living with it since 2006 and having multiple cats with multiple cats I would love to get the plans for this as I just recently had hip replacement surgery and I am one month post op . I have someone that is helping me with the cat boxes right now but when he is at work I can’t clean them as I have hip restrictions and can’t bend over . I have tried to replenish their food on my own but end up making a mess since they are also on the floor and food goes flying when I try and do it even with my operated leg out behind me and bending the good leg . Thanks Donna
I’ll share the photo and link with my rehab director. When the issue comes up again, which it will, we can actually have something to hand the person as one possible solution. I’m thinking the one built for the cat with cerebellar hypoplasia could be used for an older cat who can’t jump up onto a table to be fed. But he could walk up the ramps to access his food and water dishes. Just use the upper platform as a feeding and/or watering station instead of as a bed. Does that sound like it would work?