Can you teach a cat to use an inhaler?

We appear to be magnets for animals that are in need or just plain weird. Last summer, Thomas comes marching home with this itty-bitty kitty that he found abandoned in the neighbor's barn. It was scrawny, flea-ridden, and lethargic. We took it to the vets who confirmed that the liquid shooting out of her butt was indeed diarhhea caused by a host of issues. A couple hundred dollars later, and she was on the mend.

For a long time, Tulip was anything less than sweet and cuddly. She was most likely a feral cat, but we quickly cured her of her people aversion since she was subjected to 4 kids mauling her daily. She a nice enough cat and lives in the garage, rarely leaving its safety even though the garage doors are fully open. I wouldn't leave either knowing there's a mountain lion living somewhere around us either. She occassionally sleeps inside with Thomas, as she did last evening.

Last week we took Tulip back to the vets since she had this highly annoying high-pitched, wheezing cough. Seems that when Thomas brought Tulip home from the neighbor's barn, she carried with her a pre-existing medical condition. She has asthma and seasonal allergies. I ask you, who in the hell has ever heard of a barn cat having asthma, allergies and needing steroid shots? I am incredulous about this. I can't help but wonder if instead of the steroid shots, if it wouldn't just be easier to teach her to use an inhaler?

Only in my dream!

Oh, and Richnightder's guinea pig, Cochon, was demonstrating signs of stress and depression by pulling out his own hair, so we bought the last littermate brother and now those two are living in pig heaven. The new guinea pig is named Bacon, since he is the color of a lovely peice of crispy, pan fried bacon.....and he's a guinea..PIG. We are so NOT creative. So Cochon and Bacon are liviung the high life in their new deluxe enclosure and I hope they do not develop asthma or allergies. I can't take anymore humiliation!