Just to say hello from me and my catboy from Cornwall

It's been suggested I introduce myself - came on here for some help with flower essences for herpes virus for my catboy of 15 years (usually known as Jimmy-James but actual name Jimmy-Jemima-Jehosphat-Bostick-James aka Splig aka Sausage aka mon petit poulet aka many many other terms of endearment disguised as peculiar monikers.  It makes life more interesting, we think.

He has helped me through numerous upsets in life and I in his, including a huge facial cyst recently and then nearly all his teeth out last year! My poor baby.

Although he is a very Cornish cat in many ways, I do feel he is probably originally from Siberia gene-wise, by way of the Bosphorus and at some point an ancestor came ashore via the Spanish Armada at Mousehole. Don't ask me how I know, but I do.   If any of you have ever read 'Yan and the Pike' (and if you haven't, you should) I tend to think that Yan, the cat hero of the story, is Jimmy, and Jimmy him - at heart/in spirit they are one and the same.  It is a wonderful story (and all true ;-))

That is all for now, we have a very chaotic difficult time at present in our home but we are soldiering on, and still Jimmy's health and happiness comes first - as it should. I love him to tiny bits

ps.we your icons!

Hi and welcome to TCS! That is quite the moniker Jimmy has. It sounds like you will fit in great here. I have no advice for you on flower essences for herpes, but I'm sure some others with experience will come along. That's one of the greatest things about this site. There's a wealth of info here and some really kind people who take the time to share it.

Kind of you to welcome us...we're off to bed now (nearly midnight here) and he is purring away on my lap awaiting transfer to bed...along with biscuits on the side and wet food on the bedside top . Just so he doesn't have to move TOO far...sad, isn't it?!  We have busy lives but will check back now and again I'm sure. Bye for now

Welcome to the site!

I don't know about flower essence, but I give my kitties l-lysine sprinkled on their food every day to help control the herpes virus.

Yes I've been using L-lysine in a squishy liquid form, BUT Jimmy really doesn't like it and it's difficult to get in his mouth (he clamps it shut when anything different is coming towards him!) so I have to try to smear it around his mouth for him to lick off and it often comes off as he does this and falls on the floor, and that is only half the dose recommended for helping with immuno-deficiency - it really stinks of fish too, and not the type of fish he normally eats, so would be very hard to do the full dose daily. That's why I was looking for an alternative and did see on the web that there were some flower essences supposedly for both senior cats and for immuno-deficiency, but I live in the UK and these were from the US and were expensive even before the equally expensive postage.   I don't mind spending out for Jim but thought there might be less costly alternatives or maybe one of the Bach Flower Remedies, except I cannot work out which one's best for this particular problem, as they treat the underlying emotions and - well, yes I know supposedly stress brings out the herpes virus, but what kind of stress?! as cannot ask the poor boy. I notice you say you use powder - now I couldn't put the squishy gel on his food as he definitely would not touch it, the smell is so strong, but then again he is hyper-sensitive to any different smells in his food so it would definitely have to be without any odour or taste or something that is genuinely (as opposed to what the packaging says!) palatable to cats, or at least him.  The only powdered l-lysine ive found on the web is supposed to be for humans, whereas this gel I'm using is definitely marketed for cats only. Any suggestions regarding make? and then I could see if I could get it here - so long as it doesn't smell or taste of anything off-putting of course!

Thank you for your comment and suggestion though.

Hi, welcome to TCS!  It is nice to meet you.  Jimmy is a handsome gentleman. 

Thank you! and yes he is (I may be a bit biased) despite his nose scabs not making him look wonderful at mo (the reason why I came on here in the first place).  I see you have an interesting family of his cousins - I would if I could but I can't!  due to money, and only being able to afford one insurance policy for him - though I do at times care unofficially for a peripatetic visitor who thinks he is Jim's younger brother (I looked after him and his sisters and brother when they were first born for some time and I think he thinks we are now therefore connected for life) who comes in the catflap on a regular basis and sleeps right next to Jimmy on the bed - they look literally joined at the hip. They love and kiss each other, and sometimes fight, like all good step-brothers I suppose - this interloper is called Horace. Maybe I will post a piccie of him sometime. Jimmy-James on the right, Horace on the left (and okay, joined at the bottom not hip!)


Naughty Horace and poor tired long-suffering (but gorgeous) old Jim in background!