Kodiak has been returned to his owner. I haven’t heard how he is doing, nor do I expect that I will. That is all I am going to say at this point about that. He is no longer under our care, so it is up to his owner to follow through with what the vets would like her to do.

Thank you, to those of you who chipped in to help with his bill. His owner is not able to afford such care, so you took a big stress off our shoulders.

I have started re-introducing the outside clowder to each other by putting them slowly one-by-one into the main cat enclosure. I have wired closed the holes where the tunnels once were, but of course, one of them found a weakness in the underwire and dug out. I had to first find the hole- which was not easy because of the grasses growing outside, but I finally did locate the escape hole and fixed that.

Currently, inside the cat enclosure is Bentley, Pigeon, Baker and PITA,  I can tell they are not easy about the change, as they were free-roaming until recently. No more ducking under the house when they feel scared or threatened. Pigeon is the most worrisome, he was the escapee and there are times that he is pacing the enclosure like a caged lion which makes me sad. His wound from the past has not quite healed and there is a spot above his knee on his back leg that keeps breaking open. It is not life- threatening, so I can’t really justify taking him to the vet right now. I am using Vitamin E oil on it to see if it might finally  heal on its own. because they are so used to being able to get away from each other when they were under the house, skirmishes have resulted. Bentley is injured now, and in the house inside the patio enclosure. he has an abscess festering between his left front paw pad.

It is still scary here when it comes to the virus. Just as I imagine, it is where you are right now. The governor is getting ready to open up Oregon soon- but in my area, it never really shut down. Only recently when I am at the store, do I see the majority of people taking this seriously and wearing masks and social distancing. Sadly, out on the street, this is not happening. When we first began this exposure, LInn County was fourth from the bottom on the chart tracking the exposure to the virus through the counties. Now we are 6th from the top! Not a good time, in my mind, to open up Oregon even if it is done “softly.”

I heard about, and ordered a book called Deadliest Enemy. It is written by the top epidemiologist in the world: Michael T. Osterholm PhD, MPH. He was the forerunner during the AIDS epidemic, and he writes the facts quite succinctly. He says as long as man continues to encroach on forestland and jungles, killing the animals that live there, pandemics are going to happen. I am only on chapter four but this stood out to me more than what I have read so far. He was talking about how when the primates and other animals are killed, hauled away for meat for humans or other animals, the microbes will jump ship. They will move from animal to human in order for them to survive. He likens it to an alien invasion. (The ET type).The book was published in 2017. Here is the quote that jumped at me:

” AIDS is a horror story that haunts all of us in the business. Once we understood what we were dealing with and how it was transmitted, we were unable to stop or warn off much of the behavior and habits that led to its spread. Evidence, knowledge, and logic aren’t always enough.”

If that isn’t enough what is? I highly recommend this book. It is not just a book about infectious diseases, it also a history of mankind in a most extraordinary way. I can’t read much of it all at once. It’s too heavy but when I am not reading it, I am thinking about what I have read deeply.

Please all of you continue to stay safe, keep your loved ones in your thoughts and prayers and may we soon find a good way out of this nightmare. I know that there is talk of a vaccine in the future, but according to what I have read so far, this vaccine isn’t going to appear magically any time soon. As he says, they have never been able to cure AIDS, only like Diabetes, manage and try to control it with certain cocktails. All of which I know have nothing to do with disinfectant! :

The enclosure where I hope all the cats will be soon:

Kodiak is being quietly confined in a large cage. He is on antibiotics and painkillers and he goes back on Friday morning to see if his drains can be pulled out. He is eating, drinking, peeing and pooping. He has been through it as his vet bill reflects: his care increased our Vet debt $500.00! At least he is okay now and I can concentrate on getting him back to normal. Again, if you can contribute to his care, it would be appreciated but please don’t feel bad if you cannot. Like I said before this is a helluva time in the world to ask for donations.

The vet called yesterday and told me that after they sedated and shaved Kodiak, these were his findings:

Kodiak was bit several times in his underbelly. The vet said based on all the wounds and damage left behind, the dogs, shook, rolled and sheared this cat. I did not know what shear meant, so when I asked, here was his reply. It is when a predator is attacking a cat with such fierceness that the tissue is ripped away from not only the skin, but the muscles as well! 🙁 He is concerned that the amount of bacteria that was able to fester inside Kodiak because I couldn’t find him in time, has made the tissue that wasn’t injured in the mauling to become infected as well. Kodiak has two drains in him now. My vet said that it will be a long time before Kodiak even looks normal. They are keeping him until Monday. When he does get released, he will need to be quietly confined (I’ll put him upstairs now that all the workers are gone) He will need to be medicated daily and watched closely.

During the build, destroyed along with most of the patio room were the custom built cages Mike designed for me. They were 5’x6′ triple tiered and lined on the back wall. I did ask the crew to save them, but somehow they just got smashed and carted away. So, I will keep him upstairs and I will keep  you updated on his progress. He does still have a fever though that the vet is hoping by Monday will be back under control. I want to go to him, hold him (the cat not the vet!) and tell him it will be okay now. I also would want to tell him that I wish I had found him first, before he made his way back to me. But at least now, he is getting help. The dogs have vanished. No one has seen or heard from them since.

Although the days seem to be blending together lately. it was (I believe) five days ago when a neighbor called me and told me that two pitbulls were on my property mauling a cat! I rushed downstairs, but by the time I got to the back of my pasture, the dogs and the cat were gone. I quickly examined every cat that we have, and all were just fine! I went and looked for a wounded cat, but I couldn’t find one..until this morning.

I noticed a cat  laying underneath one of my trees. He was not moving. I rushed over and his rear legs were both in tremors. He had a huge swelling under his belly. he was alert, and he was a real sweetheart, not even fighting when I gently lifted him into a top end cat carrier.

Gone are the days, when I could just pick up the phone, talk to one of the girls and the vet and rush out the door with the cat to do a drop off. The new procedure is curbside service. Appointments only.They make you an appointment, when you get there, you call them. They will come out to the car in full gown and mask (which I was thrilled to see!)  They took a brief history and whisked him away. I stayed in the truck.

About, twenty/thirty minutes later, the vet arrives. Fully gowned, gloved and masked. He told me that Kodiak’s stomach was a real mess. He said that “it doesn’t even look like a stomach!” He said there were masses, inside the stomach, but he wasn’t sure if he was looking at multiple hernias,  internal bleeding, or gas!

Kodiak (he is a marbled Mackeral Tabby) was immediately started on supportive fluids, IV pain medication, and antibiotics along with anti-inflammatories. The plan is that they will sedate him in the morning, shave him, ascess him and call me to form a plan. At the shape this boy was in, I suspect surgery is going to be in his future. He was  pretty badly hammered

This is time like no other in my life (and I know for so many others). This is a helluva time to ask for small donations to put toward his care. But, I am asking.

I also wanted to leave all of you with something that I found the other day on FB. It spoke to me deeply and put some things into perspective for me. It was not signed, someone had spotted it and forwarded the writing. Whoever did write it, she is amazing.

(It was untitled)

We fell asleep in one world,and woke up in another.
Suddenly, Disney was out of Magic, Paris is no longer Romantic,
New York doesn’t Stand Up anymore.
The Great Wall of China, is no longer a fortress,And Mecca is Empty.

Hugs and kisses suddenly become weapons, and not visiting parents and friends becomes an act of Love.Suddenly you realize, that power, beauty, wealth are useless,and it can’t get you the oxygen you are fighting for.The world continues its Life and it is beautiful. It only puts humans in cages. I think it is sending us a message:

“You are not necessary. The Earth, Water and Sky without you are fine.
When you come back Remember: You are my Guests, you are not my Master.”

Stay Safe Friends,  this is far from over.

It saddens me to write that Twist went into surgery this morning and she did not make it out. They had detected a slight heart murmur on her but decided to go ahead with the surgery because the leg had to be dealt with. There was nothing that went wrong during the surgery, but she just didn’t wake up. 🙁 As I stated before, although she was an adult cat in age, in stature she looked like a small kitten. In retrospect she was probably heavily inbred.

Goodbye sweet girl, your brothers and sisters are waiting. Mike is there as well and I will see you again.

Hi, it’s me. I’m still here. Not in the hospital and not below ground which that in itself is a miracle these days. Twist’s bones are not responding to the pins and screws. She is scheduled to have her front leg amputated on Thursday. Because of the way things are these days, the vet will keep her longer than normal and call me when she is ready to go home. Thank God he is working with me on payments. We owe him $1,900.00 right now after the estimate he gave me.

The cat food donations from the local store has become leaner and leaner at every visit. Several times, we have left the house and arrived there only to be told, there is nothing here for you today. It is a crushing disappointment. I’ve been having to dip into savings and buy the dry food for the cats. What we’ve been given lately when they do give us something have been inadequate as far as nutrition goes and I end up throwing a lot of the food away daily, because the cats just won’t touch it.

I hope everyone is safe and healthy and masked! I did order just regular face masks last week. I use them when I scoop out the litter pans. Not only has the price doubled from the place where I order them, but I was told that they won’t be shipped until May 30th! Wasn’t expecting that. A friend and volunteer for CATS is making homemade masks and she was kind enough to make one for me. I now wear it not only when I am cleaning the litter pans, but also when I go out in public.

I am staying home, doing a DIY project in my bedroom. I never realized just how much Mike knew about everything when it comes to maintaining a house and property. I never paid attention to what he did, I just took it so for granted. Just as he took for granted all that I was doing for him along the way. I wish I had watched how he did things because it would certainly make what I am encountering now, easier.

What I have learned (and please don’t laugh) How to check all levels of fluid in my truck, and when to check them. How to repair a broken wheelbarrow. How to charge batteries on everything from the lawnmower to the truck. How to effectively clean the blade of the lawnmower without incident. How to plaster, how to build a gravel path and landing pad. The list is endless and will probably grow in the future. Thank God for YouTube. They have a video for everything!

Well that’s all folks! Stay safe all of you- chime in if you feel the urge so I can know how you are doing and how you are holding it together these days.

The other night, as I was feeding the outside crew, I noticed that Twist was up above me on the roof. I was popping cans of food below her, when I saw something out of the corner of my eye, I saw a black object hurtling off the roof! In normal times (before the build) she would have landed on a small shed (that was no longer there). Instead, she landed on the concrete. I heard the snap and I winced and as I went toward her she turned and hobbled off into the bushes and was gone!

Long story short, after many attempts to catch her, I was finally successful. She is now in a cast. They had to set pins in her leg but she is so small, there is a concern that the pins won’t hold. She is as immobile now that I can make her within the Introduction cage. They will re-assess her in 18 days. So now, like it or not, she will be socialized slowly. I have to be careful and not stress her out when I step into her cage. She will try and move away from me. So it is really a dance at this point- between the two of us trying to figure this out. It could have been so much worse. Understanding the times are hard for all right now, the vet is working with me on small payments. Donations are down right now and understandably so. I’m just glad it was just one broken leg and not internal injuries. She jumped from about 8 feet up. 🙁

Please all of you, please just stay safe in these uncertain times. We went on stay at home orders a few days ago and I am still amazed at how much traffic is going up and down the highway. It is a soft order at this point. I wish Gov. Brown had been more hard-lined about it. I am only leaving home for groceries and to pick up cat food. At this point, I am scared. I am scared of the people who are NOT scared of this virus! Some on facebook in my town are insisting that this is the way that the government is trying to control the masses and make us into sheep. Can you imagine having that type of mindset with all that is going on in the world right now? Makes me just shake my head in disgust. Love you all- hope you all find smiles and laughter hiding around the corner in your day.

First off, I hope that all of you reading this are doing well both financially and with your health. These are the strangest of times right now that I have ever seen. We are fine here- both two-footed and four-footed creatures. I have seen all my under-the-house kitties in various places on our property. They are a little bit confused and so I took about two days to build them a place where they can feel safe and eat in peace and relative quiet. All feeding platforms are elevated now, as the skunk has moved from under the house, to under the shop. I had hoped she would move on down the road, but it could be she has babies and wants to stick close to home. I don’t know, but she is still here.

It’s nice to see them out and about and assess their health and well-being. Twist, is getting used to me. I almost petted her this morning but she did flee when she felt my fingers on her back.

The house is so much warmer now! I was thinking this morning, remembering actually how a few months ago, I was taking a hot shower in a bathroom that was minus most of its walls! LOL Now I have a nice heated room to get ready for the day in. Far cry from what it used to be.

About the corona virus- here in Oregon, there hasn’t yet been any official decree about staying home (although for the most part that is where I am). I do see that the highway in front of our house has less traffic on it these days. But our restaurants and bars are still open, and the grocery stores are somewhat picked through. Absolutely no toilet paper to be found anywhere locally! Which is just strange. No one I know is sick, nor do they know anyone who is fighting resp. illness.

I keep hearing over and over, to wash your hands several times a day with hot water and antibacterial soap, and I wonder when it became not the normal thing to do so? I am a fanatic about washing my hands. When I was growing up, we had to wash our hands before and after every meal. If we did not wash our hands before a meal to their satisfaction, we were not allowed to eat. So I have been programmed to respect proper hygiene habits.

Again, I hope all of you are doing well and hanging on to your sanity in these uncertain times. I feel like I went to sleep and woke up in a bad science fiction novel or a bad Hollywood movie! But knock on wood- all is good here on all fronts.

A friend of mine from the Coast (and a former adopter) when learning about these three cuties has decided to adopt them! They left the other day bound for a loving home with a wonderful human being! Thank you Carla! Carla used to own a successful gift store in Newport but now she has retired and is looking to place all her attention on the three babies.

This couldn’t come at a better time. The day I have both been anticipating and dreading has arrived. They started this morning, working under my house as well as upstairs in the attic and crawl spaces. I have only four under-the-house kitties left and I pray that they will be able to make the transition to the alternate living spaces I have provided for them. There’s also a skunk under there, and the workers have been warned.

They will be done by Friday end of day and sadly on Saturday, they are predicting snow. My cats who are so used to being under the house, do have alternative outbuildings to hide under, but I really want them to go to the main cat enclosure. I suppose time will tell. There are a lot of heated cat beds waiting for them in the main enclosure. I just hope they use them.

As soon as the sun went down and I turned out the lights, the kittens started screaming. I was halfway down the hall when it started, and fearing the worst I ran back into the room to find out what happened. I turned on the light, the screaming stopped! I didn’t see anything amiss, they were still just cuddled together inside of the open carrier, so, on a hunch, I turned the light off and shut the door- they screamed like they were being tortured.

Three night-lights later, they were all settled in and quiet. Because of being stuffed into that heavy gunny sack, they are afraid of the dark. The only other time we have encountered this is with Dunkin who was a near drowning victim.

After we got the call to rescue her, Dunkin would forever be afraid of the dark, and would also always want some sort of heat around her. We figured it was because the lake water was so cold when this happened to her. We kept her until she passed from cancer at age 12.

So these kittens are showing the same type of fear of the dark. Good thing the bedroom walls are now painted bright white!

Patt thank you for the goodies! The kittens will love the food and I am sure that Kota will make short work of your treats!