OSA and lions

[timbalionguy]

I had a rather interesting experience today.

Sunday is my day to do heavy chores at the zoo next door, like cleaning out all the big cat houses and put in new bedding. Even with a crew at my command, this is a big job. So, when things slow down towards the end of the day, one thing I enjoy doing is going down to the big cat area and hanging out with my lion friends.

We have a male lion named Rudy. Rudy has no mane, which happens when a male lion is castrated, often by mistake. Rudy belonged to a couple in California, who loved him very much. Rudy sometimes slept on the bed with 'mom and dad', of course, between the couple! Rudy was placed with us because circumstances beyond their control made it impossible for them to keep him. They still visit Rudy frequently and bring him treats and new toys.

As a result of his special upbringing, Rudy is very friendly, and enjoys people. He really likes the die-hard lion people at the zoo, of which I am one. He just loves it when we stop and spend quality time with him.

Today, Rudy was being especially friendly. So while waiting for a large tank to fill with water, I sat down just outside Rudy's enclosure. Of course, Rudy came right over and let me scratch him through the fence. But eventually, Rudy settled down, and so did I.

The time I spend each week with the lions is the most peaceful time I have. Its hard to describe. But all the many cares of the world melted away in the face of the simple love offered by this gentle lion. And along with the peacefulness came something people on xPAP shouldn't do....fall asleep.

It was hard to fight off the sleepiness. But because I was sitting upright, I figured to just give into it. Well, maybe sitting upright doesn't work for me. So, when I would doze off, I would either begin to snore, or I would experience apneias.

Lions are very sensitive to things like this, as they can tell if an animal is in distress by, among other things, how it breathes. Animals in distress make for easier meals. Or, if they aren't 'food', they need help. Well, to Rudy, I am not 'food'. I am a friend of his choosing.

So every time I would begin snoring, or gasping, Rudy would awaken me with a gentle 'lion hum', which sounds kind of like 'awuuum'. He would often let me touch him, and then I would get sleepy again. This happened at least half a dozen times. When i finally woke up for good, Rudy eventually got up and went into his house.

Has anyone else and an experience like this with an animal?

[jules]

Well this one



(that is her sleeping on top of me actually)

used to hang out on the dresser at night and do flying / crying leaps onto my chest when I would stop breathing. This was pre-diagnosis time and she had it figured out long before the doc did. She liked to sleep on my chest but this wasn't do that as she would leap, I would wake up and hug her and she would go back to "dresser duty" and not stay.

[Julie]

Well, if dogs can tell when someone's going to have a seizure, then why can't cats tell if we're having apneas? Timbalionguy - you probably get sick of hearing it, but ... do you have any IDEA how absolutely, totally jealous I am of you and your job? I have two little 'lions' (house cats) myself at the moment, young and crazy males, but to be able to watch and interact with a 'real' lion every day is amazing (though I can see its scary side .

[nocreek1]

Animals really do connect with us humans, if we would only let them.
I have had dogs, cats and horses (plus other small rodent types when I was young).
I remember one time when there were 6 cats living with us in the house and stable, I was suffering from some type of the flu and one night I woke with all six in bed with me. It never happen again or had it happened before. They seemed to know that they were needed.
Nocreek1

[Guest]

Before I was diagnosed, I would often find my dog waking me up by licking my face. I also noticed that every time she did that, I would wake up feeling as if my face was flushed.

With my new mask, she won't come near my face. My wife talks in her sleep so now she gets woken up by the dog.

[JoyD.]

Timbalionguy,

What a beautiful story! Thanks so much for sharing it. You'll have to take some photos of your friend with you outside his enclosure! I've never been much of a domestic animal lover (no offense to those of you who are). But I have always loved animals in the wild. Having been an avid birder, and spending all my vacation time off on a trek somewhere in the country with other birders . . . I often came in contact with other animals including mammals and reptiles. I'll never forget the time when a beautiful bobcat ambled slowly past me as I sat in my parked car looking at him through my binoculars. When he got so close that my binoc's failed me, I just watched him as he casually walked so close to the side of the car where I was sitting that I could have put my arm out the window and petted him. I was so intrigued with his eyes, definitely a difference from domesticated animals. They just looked wild.

Do you see "wild eyes" with Rudy, or do you see a recognition and warmth in his eyes because of your relationship with him ?

Joy

[timbalionguy]

Jules, I loved the story about your cat! Animals are so amazing. Sometime, I'll have to share the story about the lion who solved a crime....

To all of you who envy my job, there is no reason to envy. Simply move to Reno and volunteer. We train people to be zookeepers, and we get good results because everyone at the zoo is there because they want to be there. Many people there have special expertise in the animals they work with, but do not have a formal degree that would be required in a big zoo. (AFAIK, many of our keepers are better at what they do than the degreed 'professionals'!) I wish more zoos would do this. There might be a zoo or other animal facility in your area that takes volunteers.

As far as the look in Rudy's eyes goes, the general rule with these animals is to avoid eye contact. But when I have, there is a passive, gentle look in his eyes. Ditto for all the other cats. They really do care about their human friends more than most people would ever realize. I even remember our liger (God rest his big soul!) coming up to me crying one day because he though he had hurt me.

[BleepingBeauty]

Great story, timbalionguy.

I was so unaware of my own arousals/awakenings pre-diagnosis (and even since) that I don't know if my cats have ever known something was wrong and/or attempted to wake me. But I remember reading about a nursing home in Providence, RI with a resident domestic cat who predicts when a patient is near death by curling up with him/her. I found the article about Oscar on Google:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19959718/

Animals really have amazing senses (thank goodness) that we just don't understand yet.

[jules]

Well that was my good cat / OSA story.

That cat wanted to save my life. I can't say so much for my other cat.

This one discovered how the block the exhaust on the swift mask with her paw and found it was a great game to capture the hissing air.

[5aces]

Were you raised on a farm?

[preemiern]

Pre diagnosis, my shih tzu Roxy would wake me up many times at night by either pawing my shoulder or licking my face. Once she had me awake, she would curl up next to me and go back to sleep. I could not figure out what on earth she was doing. When she needs to go outside during the night, she jumps off the bed and barks at me til I get up and let her out, so I knew she wasn't waking me up to go outside. Once I started BiPap, she never woke me at night again, unless I somehow managed to get my mask off in my sleep, then she would paw at me and wake me up. Once I would put my mask back on, she would once again go back to sleep. Our pets are more in tune to us than what we often realize. My doctor (GP) has since written me a letter to carry with me that Roxy is a therapy dog for my sleep apnea, and she is allowed to fly free with me(not that I fly very much!! I like my feet on the ground, thank you!!) and be in hotels with me even if they are ones that don't allow dogs!!
Cindy

[timbalionguy]

If the question about growing up on a farm was directed at me, the answer is 'no'. I kinda wish I was, though. I really enjoyed the not-too-frequent visits to my cousin's farm when i was growing up. Corn, cows, pigs, and adventure!

Oddly enough, my domestics didn't pay much attention to my apneias, even though they all snuggled close at night. Now, they don't snuggle as much, but part of that is probably due to the warmer weather we are now having.

One of my cats still insists in pestering me in the morning. His goal has always been to stick his paws in my mouth (I can and will kiss a tiger, but paws in my mouth....yuck! Plus, he uses his claws to get more of a 'rise' out of me!) He was initially frustrated with the presence of the mask. Now, he just accepts it. But two weeks ago, he managed to pull my hose off the mask. I didn't know there was a breakaway joint on a hybrid mask just for that eventuality. It prevented the mask from receiving any damage.

[SheZAAM!]

My cockatoo (pictured below) used to sit on my chest when I'd nap. If I started snoring I'd get a quick "POW!" on the face to wake me up.

[timbalionguy]

My cockatoo (pictured below) used to sit on my chest when I'd nap. If I started snoring I'd get a quick "POW!" on the face to wake me up.

Those Sulfur-Crested Cockatoos do not mess around. We have one at the zoo, and it managed to nip me real good one day. Luckily it hurt far worse than any damage (there wasn't any but a minor bruise) that was done. That is about the only time anything has bitten me at the zoo in the eight years I have volunteered with them.

I don't do birds anymore. We actually have a local bird club that has taken over the care of our parrot-type birds, and they have done a fantastic job!

[Songbird]

Jules, I loved the story about your cat!

Me, too, Jules.... BOTH of them!! The good cat AND the bad one. That one had me rolling with hysterics. This is such a fascinating topic... I've loved everybody's stories. More, please!!

Animals are so amazing. Sometime, I'll have to share the story about the lion who solved a crime....

Sooner rather than later, please, Timbalionguy. I love a good mystery!!

Marsha