I'm back!

Hey all you cats and kittens!  It's me, Pearl and I'm back after a long break.  Today's topic is caring for an injured loved one.  You may have been wondering about my silence for the last few months.  Well, a terrible thing happened.  My mommy fell and was badly injured.  I was terrified when it happened.  I felt helpless.  Happily other humans were able to help Mommy and soon she was back from the human hospital.  By then, I had collected myself and was ready to give Mommy all the help she needed.  I had the Aunts and Uncles come to help take care of my dogs, but Mommy's care was mainly my job.  

It was exhausting, but Mommy is much better now and things are getting back to normal.  I learned a lot about caring for hurt humans during the experience.  The main thing to remember is that it is okay to be afraid when something terrible happens to the human you love, but don't let it stop you from providing the best care you can.  Below is a list of important things to do for your injured loved one.

1. Keep a close eye on them!  Mommy had medicine to take that made her sleep a lot.  She was groggy and didn't always watch out very well at first.  I had to follow her around and make certain she was being protected from anything that might harm her.  The Aunts and Uncles sort of helped with this.  It is important to accept help from others.  You can't care for your loved one by yourself.

2. Provide lots of love and encouragement.  This is extremely important.  Mommy was so sad and angry because she couldn't do everything she wanted to.  Whenever she was showing signs of being upset or unhappy I jumped into action.  I rubbed against her, slept next to her and purred for her.  This was very helpful and always cheered her up.

3. Purr for your loved one!  This is the most important thing you can do.  Purring, as all felines know, is not just to show you are happy.  Purring can have a calming effect.  Some research says that purring promotes healing, lowers blood pressure, and reduces stress.  Science may not have proven it yet, but I know that it helped Mommy.  So, all of us felines should definitely make sure we are using it to help our human loved ones.

4.  Take care of yourself.  Remember fellow felines, you can't care for your loved one if you are too tired or you become ill from overwork.  You must take time to replenish your own reserves and rejuvenate yourself.  I have posted a picture of me, Pearl, looking tired after caring for Mommy.  I was preparing to take a nap on my favorite stuffed toy.  

That's it for now, fellow felines!  Follow the list and don't forget to ask for help from human friends and family.  

Until next time, keep scratching,

Pearl