Hi everyone, I found this forum a few weeks ago when I was in a similar situation. It started off with our family pet vomiting all the time, then she started losing weight. We thought it could be hair balls so we bought her hair ball remedies and the it eased up. She started getting very thin and couldn't jump as much or walk as far anymore. We took her to the vet and found out she was at least 15, more since I remember growing up with her as a kid (we took her in after a store owner abandoned her when we moved and literally kicked her out). So I'd say she was about 18-19, maybe a tabby breed but not 100% sure Anyway, the vet took a urine test-wasn't diabetic. Blood test-had a double white blood cell count. She weighed 4.6 lbs and for her age, should have been 8-10 but she was always on the smaller side. When you pet her all you could feel was fur and bones. The vet gave her an antibiotic shot which made her poop and sent my mom home with medicine, the diagnosis was either cancer or a kidney infection. My mom didn't get an X-ray because of the cost and surgery so took a chance on the kidney infection. The vet bill came out to be around 250, the cat started to get better, she would eat more, one day she ate 2 cans. The final days she was falling because she couldn't keep herself up and ate very little. My Mom saw her take her last breath yesterday. Sad but she was so pitiful and in so much pain. I made sure to post this in case someone was in a similar situation. The medicine might have prolonged her by a week but she didn't finish taking it. Had my mom given her the surgery she might have lived but she was old and might have not survived it. Vets are extremely expensive and just didn't help in this case. Good luck to anyone who has a cat like mine and just keep in mind when they pass that they were suffering and in pain.

I've got 7 reptarian cages, Paul - 1 big, 4 medium and 2 small. I've also got a little bitty plastic thing that was meant for goldfish, but it has a vented top on it - I use it for tiny hatchlings sometimes. I've also got a hanging type cage that I don't like - it's hard to attach water picks to the sides, and you can't put a plastic leftovers container on the bottom without it turning over in the wind and/or weighing down the flimsy cage too much - I don't use this one unless I'm desperate. I've brought in 4 GF cats so far. They're in a small reptarian cage, but 2 of them are so small I'll probably transfer them to the little "fish bowl" for additional safety. The buckeye that's in it now has grown SO much, it's ready for the big time! MissSherry

I think I may have RAs finally. I found the tiny uppermost leaves folded over, but was afraid to open them since they would be so tiny. What do you think? I've had several RAs flying through the garden as well as Buckeyes. No Buckeye eggs yet, though. Congrats, Paul. No Monarchs for me yet, but something is eating my milkweed right and left. I keep checking, but only find these black spots where it looks like a wasp may have gotten something. Susan

You are already doing the best thing you can to find the eggs, watching the momma monarch in action. I have seen some eggs on the top of the leaf, but not many. They mainly lay on the underside of the leaf and sometimes near the flowers of the milkweed. Wish we were neighbors, I would help you look for the eggs. Good luck! Mechelle