Feral Cat Behavior

A few nights ago, I was sound asleep when a crash woke me. I flipped on the lights, raced out into the hallway to find Baker lying on the floor next to our pantry. On top of the pantry was McGee looking quite proud of himself. I believe that McGee jumped up on the top of the pantry and either startled Baker or pushed him off. (They both are alphas). Baker stood up, seemed to shake himself off a bit and walked a bit unsteadily away to find another spot to sleep.

I watched him and when he started to really limp, I put him upstairs in the bigger cages for awhile, but he was most unhappy, so I just let him roam the room. Nothing high to jump on in the room.

Yesterday, I took him to the vet because he was walking with a arched back and he looked like he was walking on tippy-toes. Films revealed he has a protruding disc from the fall and needs surgery. I am at a loss, I can’t afford the surgery so for right now he is on pain management. I told Mike this morning that I wanted to sell my ivory bracelets but he pitched a fit. These bracelets were made for me by a famous Alaska carver- Lincoln Milligrock (RIP) they were a swap for several walrus knives Mike made for Lincoln. One bracelet is the exact duplicate of Lincoln’s bracelet that is in the Smithsonian. They were all three custom made for me and one of the best gifts I have ever been given.

So Baker is on cage-rest and I am using a towel-sling to help him use the litter pan. I am always amazed at how cats handle pain so well. I am going to try and work with another cage and make him a longer cage to be in as he will be there for quite awhile. Just please say prayers for him- The pantry top is about 9 feet tall and he fell on a tile floor not carpet. Just a tip, should anyone ever need to make a towel sling for their kitty because of injury or illness- take two DEPENDS- cut on in half at the crotch- superglue them together and use this instead. I was trying to figure out how to provide more padding for Bake because the towel kept curling up under him when he tried to struggle. The DEPENDS gives that padding and also when he leaks (because they do after severe injury, the pads pick up the moisture and the kitty doesn’t need a butt bath afterward.

There’s a commercial running right now that chills me to the bone. It’s a group of the elite and they are all enjoying a huge dinner out at a fancy restaurant. The bill arrives at $4,000.00 and the hostess whips out her phone and does quick calculations and announces everyone at this long table owes $37.00

The guests all whip out their phones and using the phones transfer the monies directly to the hostess’s bank account.

Mike and I sat in stunned silence. We as a society are becoming so dependent on technology. Mike has a favorite saying “Take away our batteries and we become a nation of idiots.”

I’ve noticed hardly anyone wears watches anymore. Ask someone the time, they whip out their phones to tell you. At a rare dinner out the other night- most of the diners were sharing booths and were either on the cell phones or they were texting.

On the news last night they announced that parents would be better off texting punishments to their kids rather than telling them about it! I’m thinking, “yeah you can text to your teen that their cell phone is off limits for a month!”

Mike and I don’t own a cell phone. I had one for awhile but didn’t find much benefit in it so I turned it back in.

So the question of the day is where are we traveling, and what are we going to do when we get there? And, is there anyone sending postcards along the way?

This recent story just slams home what I am talking about- and oh my heaven’s how sad for the boy on the bike and his family.

Teen dies

Ten degrees outside right now! YIKES!

I am sitting by the fire, cuddled up by cats who are highly annoyed at my laughter. Piper who is trying to sleep on my chest keeps giving me this look like “Please just stop!” McGee and Donovan sharing my substantial tummy are not amused at my chortlings. But I can’t help myself! I just finished reading Allia Zobel Nolan’s two new books I’d Rather Be A Cat and Dog Confessions! I am amused, my cats however are not!

I love the whimsy, the quick read, the wonderful photos that accompany these small gift books. In Dog Confessions, you see a big ol German Shepherd with such expressive eyes. In his mouth is a green rubber duckie. The caption reads: “I can’t sleep without my green rubber duckie!”

Small gift books, purr-fect for cat and dog owners alike- these books will bring you warmth and giggles. Just be sure your cats are prepared for the earth to move, especially when they want to lay on your tummy while you read these two books!

The ice has settled on the ground overnight making the way up to the barn this morning a bit treacherous. A slippery slope as my father would say. It’s early morning and although the sun isn’t up the rooster across the road is crowing its fool head off. I always thought they only crowed when the sun comes up! But I was told as most of them live inside factory like facilities, it messes with their internal alarm as the windows are blocked off from the sun- for whatever reason- I have no clue. I wonder what it is like to sleep in, hit the snooze button, forget about responsibilities and burrow deeper into the covers ignoring everything. Not on my agenda, to many depend on me being an early riser. All I can say is God Bless Carharts!

Blossom is up in the rafters and her calico head peers down at me. I pour the kibble into the automatic feeder and she scrambles down the ladder ready to eat.

Pippi got out yesterday into general population twice. There were moments of concern as I blocked off exits to rooms and the outside enclosed porch and wrangled her back into the bedroom. She is smart, I found out she climbs the screen and flips the latch up. The door swings open and out she goes. Although she is not “actively” sick, I cannot chance her being with the rest and so I had to apologize to her and put her back into her room. Mike promised he will fix the door today, but I doubt he will. These days, it is hard for him to walk and he is cold all the time so I suspect he will hide under the blankets and sleep on the recliner all day. That’s as it should be, for the diabetes is taking over slowly. I will figure out how to fix the door although I am tool challenged!

There were over a dozen requests for my cats and kittens in the last few days based on all the ads I have running around the area. Some people find it strange that I request them to fill out an application form. One man strongly interested in Fog refused to fill out any personal information. It’s not like I ask them for their mother’s maiden name or their bank account number! I just want to be sure I am not putting these kittens into harm’s way! I finally told him that he must have something to hide and if he wants a kitten- he should just go to Walmart. There are always people giving away kittens there, and they don’t give a darn where those kittens end up!

Received a call yesterday from a long-lost friend. She traced me through a posting I left in Don’s memorial book. I have known her a very long time but we lost touch.

We were talking and she said she wanted to come and visit me and then asked me how many cats I had. When I told her, she laughed and said; “Meeho, if I come to see you, would you get rid of your cats for me?” I was stunned and told her no. Then she asked me if she could bring her BB gun! She also offered this piece of advice, a week before she arrives, I am to leave the doors open and tell the cats to scatter to the wind! When I didn’t answer right away- she laughed and said she was “just kidding!” Funny, I didn’t see the humor in it. Guess I really don’t know this chick at all like I thought I did. And no, she is not coming to visit me.

Pippi is all over me this morning. She is nipping at my hands lightly, rubbing and chewing on the side of the Inspirational Journal I received at Christmas, kneading her claws into the bedspread. She wants to play this morning, but last night Bayer grabbed a hold of the bug on the end of the nekoflies wand and rushed under the bed with it. I held firm, but so did he. I thought I had a halibut on the line he is so strong! I pulled back a bit, I heard the snap and the line went vanishing under the bed. I dove after it quickly banging my head on the side of the frame. But, I emerged triumphant with the line intact and in my hand. Had Bayer been able to swallow that bug and line- I would have had yet another hefty vet bill! Time to order a new nekoflies- this one lasted an impressive four years!

So this morning, Pippi settles for chasing my hand, running for the pen or anything else that might move. She claims it all. She has already claimed my heart- I guess nibbling on my hand is her way of saying, I have claimed her heart as well. This little tortie girl is determined to stay in the day. She inspires me-

She became an effective paperweight this morning, plopped on my chest and daring me to even get up. The heat had quit sometime in the night and I tested the air and decided that staying under the warm blankets was preferable to hitting the shower.

She smiled and settled back as if she knew as the day crept closer, I would leave her yet again to spend time alone. I visit her as much as I can during the day and I know she is lonely as cats are social creatures. But it is best for now for her to be the only feline in the room.

I contemplated moving my office into the bedroom to be able to spend more time with her, but without Mike’s help the move would be impossible. I wish I had a laptop- then it would be an easy matter. My office is in the far corner of the living room and that is how it has to be.

She’s quieter now and moved off my chest. I throw off the blankets, grab my robe and slippers and join her at the window. She is staring out at the back pasture. It is just now 5:00 a.m. The moon is full and I can see the grasses of the field lit up like a Christmas tree.
I pet her gently knowing full well that when I stop, her paw will dart out quickly and her claws will nail me. My hand has so many holes in them right now, it’s a wonder they don’t leak when I wash my hands! But that is her way- she squeaks when she meows and when you pet her and stop, she strikes quickly. You have to be on your toes with this one.

Her eye looks a little misty, her temp is normal and I tell her about yesterday when I took Mr. Cool to be at his forever home. I told her that last night before I went to bed, I received an email from the new family telling me with delight that MC slept on Pam’s lap last night with the dog on the other side and there were no confrontations.

I dish out her food and turn to leave- it is time to start my day.

Mr Cool was adopted out tonight. The last home didn’t work out- but this one is purrfect for him. He is an only cat and now has a new dog-buddy to hang with and two adults to love on him all day long!

I sit here in the early morning light remembering over thirty years ago after walking my dog Sasha in a local park, finding a litter of newborn kittens inside a fallen log. I can’t take credit for the find- Sasha alerted me to their existence and it was a foggy, Southern California morning and the kittens were huddled together for warmth. There was no adult cat in sight, so I took the wee ones, bundled them up in my coat and took them home.

When my then husband, Don came home from work that night, he found me in tears- all the kittens had died.

Back then, there was no instant help available. Local vets were not knowledgeable about the tiny ones- they were schooled with only kittens of 6 months of age or older. There was no Internet, no ap on the phone- no one to call. Despite all I did, and I did it ALL wrong- the kittens faded.

I swore that day that I would learn all I could about these newborn kittens and other cats and when the chance came to share my knowledge, I would do so gratefully. And thus, my path was set and over the ten years of our marriage, both Don and I worked side-by-side trying to help the abandoned ones that God placed in my path. The man back then was as patient as a saint and he tried to help as best he could. Just like the man today is helping me with these cats and kittens.

Pippi picked up on my restless spirit last night. I could barely sleep, thinking about Don and our once life and remembering days of long past that led me to the journey of today.

Pippi is eating, she took her meds. I am now crushing them up and mixing them with baby food along with the other supplements- pet tinc, vitamin c and powdered deer antler. She has refused the raw chicken livers and I can’t blame her for that one- but the other kittens love the raw livers so they won’t go to waste. I won’t eat them liver in any form is just yucky!

And so Life goes on in spurts and sputters and the day is starting. Time to get the cats fed, the dog fed, the husband fed and then there are deadlines to meet as well. Three articles due in three weeks- but that’s okay, I have many muses here to inspire me-

Pippi’s diet:
2/3 raw meat
cod liver oil
1/3raw milk
dusted with vitamin c powder

No more kitty crack for this baby!

I was married before many years ago for ten years. Don and I were good friends first then we became a bit more. But when you lose a child, something happens between couples and sometimes no matter how strong you think your love might be- it can’t always triumph in the end. We have kept in touch over the years and he never remarried.

He usually calls on Christmas and this year, I didn’t hear from him. He had just undergone another open heart surgery in July and called me soon after but then nothing.

When I thought about him the other day, I felt strange about it- not connected I guess and I knew in my heart he was gone. I don’t know how I knew, I just did. I called his phone but all i reached was dead air.

Tonight, I searched for his obit on the web and found it. He died, in September. Although he was a bad boy- a typical hippie when I met him, he was a kind soul and only started going to the dark side after the death of our son. But I think he never accepted the death and who could blame him for that. My hope is that in the end, he found peace with God and now he and Jeremy are reunited and he has peace at last.

Goodbye Don, I am sorry I didn’t get to say a proper goodbye to you. I will miss you and I pray you are wrapped around our little boy right now and catching up on all you missed out on. I will miss you old friend, you should have lived longer than just 58 years.