Congratulations to Aloysius Sullivan, our Companion Animal of the Month for October 2008! Alley Cat, as he is known to his family and friends, is a 15 year old Abyssinian that I had the distinct privilege of interviewing. After shedding on the couch and quilt, Alley Cat shed light on his charmed existence. His humans are Mike, Dale, and Elizabeth. His friends include a Rottweiler-Shepherd mix named Bandit, a West Highland Terrier named Sarah, and a Sun Conure parrot named Sunny. His human, Dale, served as translator for Alley Cat in the interview.
Aloysius adopted his family eight years ago after finding them through an Abyssinian rescue website. He had lived with a previous family in Washington, DC for seven years. The owner was a single mother who traveled frequently, leaving Alley Cat by himself for extended periods of time. After adopting the Sullivans, Alley Cat found himself fitting right in. “I loved the idea of being the boss of so many furry buddies, “ he said. He and Sarah share the office chair for naps, and he enjoys teasing Bandit into chasing him across the hardwood floors. Bandit, being a large dog, slips and slides across the floor but never manages to catch him. Alley is not only in charge over all the other companion animals in the home, but he is also a therapist and a multi-talented entertainer.
Alley
Cat's human, Elizabeth, is autistic. He has been helping her overcome her
obstacles for the past eight years. He will sit with her on the couch, either in
her lap or on the armrest. “I insist that she stroke me and acknowledge my
presence by sitting on the newspaper she is reading,” Alley Cat explains. He
never leaves her alone, despite her pushing him away sometimes. He has been able
to draw her out of her shell many times with his attention and antics. Alley Cat
then stated that, “I have helped her learn to give and take affection.” For
this, he is truly a gift to his family.
Abyssinians are described as very
affectionate and love to be with their humans. Some would even go so far as to
say “dog-like”, but Alley Cat objects to this comparison. “Abys are much smarter
than other cat breeds, and certainly a cut above canines.” He went on to muse
about how he knows his name, the sound of the can opener on a can of tuna and
not a can of peas, the best windows for sunbathing, and which drawer the treats
are kept in. But there have been times that he has lowered himself to
average-cat standards in order to appease his humans. The parrot was twirling a
mirror around in his cage, which caught the sunlight and created dancing flashes
of light all around the room. Alley Cat chased the flashes and tried to catch
them, much to his family's delight, but Alley Cat knew the specks weren't mice
or insects. He wasn't fooled. "I just needed the exercise! Really!”
About two months ago, Alley Cat began experiencing abnormal discharge from his right eye. He had developed a tumor on his third eyelid. The third eyelid is a thin membrane that protects the eye from dryness and damage. The tumor caused him to develop keratoconjunctivitis sicca, also known as dry-eye. This occurred because his tear glands were not producing enough tears to keep the eye lubricated. Dr. Sukhija started him on a regiment of artificial tears and a medication called Optimmune to help increase tear production. Dr. Sukhija also surgically removed the tumor from his third eyelid. He will have to continue the medications to treat the dry-eye. Without these medications, his eye would not have that protective layer of tears and could develop more problems such as eye ulcers or infections.
Dr.
Sukhija sent the excised tumor off to a pathology lab for analysis. The results
came in and showed that it was an adenocarcinoma - a cancer of a gland. In Alley
Cat's case, it was cancer of the third eyelid gland that produces tears. As much
of the tumor was removed as possible, but it could return again. Radiation can
be used to destroy any leftover cancer cells that weren't removed during
surgery, just like with cancer treatment for humans. Alley Cat's family elected
not to pursue the radiation therapy for him due to his age and possible side
effects. Those side effects could include hair loss, dry and itchy skin,
irritation and ulcers on the cornea, cataracts, and retinal deterioration. If
Alley Cat's tumor should return, it may be removed again.
When asked how he has affected his family's life, Alley Cat responds, “I can't imagine their life without me.” He greets all guests politely and affectionately, without knocking them over as the dogs do. He also provides plenty of exercise for his family in the form of feeding, changing litter and filling water bowls, and, of course, giving him treats. His trademark is being able to cross his eyes, which was featured in his adoption photograph. With all of his antics and cute poses, Alley Cat keeps everyone well-entertained. He's the star of the show in every way and as Alley Cat closed the interview he commented, “thanks to me, we've gotten to know everyone at Atlantic Animal Hospital very well!”
--Written by Jennifer Liggett (Client Advocate)
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