September 19, 2016
Well, the kitten is socialized due to FoffDad's efforts. She is adorable! She is a sturdy square built little thing who loves to be petted. We often hear her, running and rolling on the floor, thumping after a toy. She would love a feline playmate, but so far Daisy is not warming to her. This is rather sad, as Daisy earlier in her life also was eager for a cat buddy. Now she is too old for such nonsense I guess. But we continue to allow them to be exposed to one another in a controlled way. No fights but also no hugs, lots of obsessive observing. We are so full. But also, so overjoyed to have a kitten again, and to have rescued her from the top board of the fence.
Sep 19, 2016
Jul 14, 2016
Sigh
July 14, 2016
So full? Remember that?
About 4 weeks ago, while walking Birdie, I heard, is that a cat? A harsh broken sound, like a cat, or a bird doing a bad imitation of a cat. It was hot and very dry. I resolved to ask FoffDad to listen for it. He is better at the bird noises than I am.
The next morning while walking Birdie, I heard it again. And I saw, on the top board of our black fence, a black and white puffball of a kitten, clinging with all it's strength. It was the source of the strange screechy noises. Unfortunately, when I went towards it, it hustled down the fence board back into the forest. Feral. Crap.
So of course, I put out cat food. And water. I figured out that both had to be placed on the top of fence posts, as she would not leave that top board of the fence. The screeching became more normal kitten meows. The food disappeared regularly. We fed her twice a day. (FoffDad decided it was a her, based on face structure.) She would sometimes wait for us on the fence post. I think the first two weeks she stayed on the top rail, scooting back and forth like a Holstein tennis ball.
She looked ill at first. FoffDad wondered if she were deformed, her legs were always scrunched beneath her to cling to the board. But after two weeks, we could see that she was much better. She even began to leave the fence. When she stood or stretched, it was clear she was normal.
We had The Talk. At one point, contemplating FIV?FLEUK positive possibility, FoffDad said "Let's just leave her where she is and feed her. That's better than having to euthanize her if she is positive.". It took me 24 hours, but I got there. "There is a reason that won't work. If it is a she, she will have kittens in less than two months. That is why we can't just leave her in the forest. ". At 61, I have finally mastered Facts of Life 101.
So we put out the Hav a Hart trap. We let her get used to it for four or five days feeding her on top of it, and the first day we set it with food in it, she walked in and tripped it within 5 minutes.
Noah's Ark again stepped up to the plate. She was negative for FeLeuk and FIV!!!! They did the spay. The vet communicated through the tech that "I think this kitten can be socialized in a week or two, so you can bring her back then for her second vaccine.".
So now, in the guest bedroom that has been cat free, is a dog kennel. With a small kitten, hiding in the box placed for that purpose, on top of a eggcrate pad bed. She has her own litter box, water dish, food dish. She has just won the kitty lottery. She just does not know it yet.
So full? Remember that?
About 4 weeks ago, while walking Birdie, I heard, is that a cat? A harsh broken sound, like a cat, or a bird doing a bad imitation of a cat. It was hot and very dry. I resolved to ask FoffDad to listen for it. He is better at the bird noises than I am.
The next morning while walking Birdie, I heard it again. And I saw, on the top board of our black fence, a black and white puffball of a kitten, clinging with all it's strength. It was the source of the strange screechy noises. Unfortunately, when I went towards it, it hustled down the fence board back into the forest. Feral. Crap.
So of course, I put out cat food. And water. I figured out that both had to be placed on the top of fence posts, as she would not leave that top board of the fence. The screeching became more normal kitten meows. The food disappeared regularly. We fed her twice a day. (FoffDad decided it was a her, based on face structure.) She would sometimes wait for us on the fence post. I think the first two weeks she stayed on the top rail, scooting back and forth like a Holstein tennis ball.
She looked ill at first. FoffDad wondered if she were deformed, her legs were always scrunched beneath her to cling to the board. But after two weeks, we could see that she was much better. She even began to leave the fence. When she stood or stretched, it was clear she was normal.
We had The Talk. At one point, contemplating FIV?FLEUK positive possibility, FoffDad said "Let's just leave her where she is and feed her. That's better than having to euthanize her if she is positive.". It took me 24 hours, but I got there. "There is a reason that won't work. If it is a she, she will have kittens in less than two months. That is why we can't just leave her in the forest. ". At 61, I have finally mastered Facts of Life 101.
So we put out the Hav a Hart trap. We let her get used to it for four or five days feeding her on top of it, and the first day we set it with food in it, she walked in and tripped it within 5 minutes.
Noah's Ark again stepped up to the plate. She was negative for FeLeuk and FIV!!!! They did the spay. The vet communicated through the tech that "I think this kitten can be socialized in a week or two, so you can bring her back then for her second vaccine.".
So now, in the guest bedroom that has been cat free, is a dog kennel. With a small kitten, hiding in the box placed for that purpose, on top of a eggcrate pad bed. She has her own litter box, water dish, food dish. She has just won the kitty lottery. She just does not know it yet.
Oct 26, 2015
Feral followup
October 25, 2015
It has almost been a year since Daisy came to live with us. She is the feral Foffdaughter trapped before moving. And she has become a project for FoffDad, a lovely project. FoffDad has done a very nice job of socializing Daisy. She allows petting if she knows you. Mostly. Occasionally, I am still greeted by a hiss if I surprise her, but she rapidly settles and comes up for caresses. She can be a bit aggressive with her nails and teeth, but again slowing down the play brings her self-control into focus. She is still hyper-vigilant and quick to flee. Any new sound, even from outside the house, can elicit the terrorized flight. She is allowed out to roam a larger part of the house at night, and she loves this. She has not made much progress in cat to cat socialization, and I am not sure she ever will.
Advice for anyone going down this path would include months of patience. I did not see this cat for three months. She was fed twice a day and her litter box done every other day, so I knew she was in there. But I literally did not see her. She was like a ghost who ate and used the box. When FoffDad started to work with her, he would bring a book and sit in the room on the floor for 30 to 40 minutes each day. Slowly she began to show herself. But the process requires much patience and time. She will always be a feral cat at heart. I realize if she escaped outside we would probably never see her again. She will never be a good cat for a chaotic household with children for instance. But I think we can provide a safe boring home for her, which is what she needs.
We are still FULL. We lost a barn cat last July. Elwood left, vanished, relocated. It is impossible to say but it is a hazard of keeping cats outside. We had had him for nine years. I miss him. I think our cat count is now 15. We are FULL.
It has almost been a year since Daisy came to live with us. She is the feral Foffdaughter trapped before moving. And she has become a project for FoffDad, a lovely project. FoffDad has done a very nice job of socializing Daisy. She allows petting if she knows you. Mostly. Occasionally, I am still greeted by a hiss if I surprise her, but she rapidly settles and comes up for caresses. She can be a bit aggressive with her nails and teeth, but again slowing down the play brings her self-control into focus. She is still hyper-vigilant and quick to flee. Any new sound, even from outside the house, can elicit the terrorized flight. She is allowed out to roam a larger part of the house at night, and she loves this. She has not made much progress in cat to cat socialization, and I am not sure she ever will.
Advice for anyone going down this path would include months of patience. I did not see this cat for three months. She was fed twice a day and her litter box done every other day, so I knew she was in there. But I literally did not see her. She was like a ghost who ate and used the box. When FoffDad started to work with her, he would bring a book and sit in the room on the floor for 30 to 40 minutes each day. Slowly she began to show herself. But the process requires much patience and time. She will always be a feral cat at heart. I realize if she escaped outside we would probably never see her again. She will never be a good cat for a chaotic household with children for instance. But I think we can provide a safe boring home for her, which is what she needs.
We are still FULL. We lost a barn cat last July. Elwood left, vanished, relocated. It is impossible to say but it is a hazard of keeping cats outside. We had had him for nine years. I miss him. I think our cat count is now 15. We are FULL.
Mar 5, 2015
....why?
First it was the IRS giving whaling vessel captains a break on their taxes, and now, this?!
Damn. That really impacts my planned activities!
 |
| Source: https://www.animallaw.info/statute/ky-horse-chapter-189-traffic-regulations |
Damn. That really impacts my planned activities!
Mar 4, 2015
Mr. S.D.
My face gets red and my mouth goes dry all at once.
A flash of cold washes over me and I start feeling sick; like I could really, possibly be sick right there (wherever 'there' may be). Now is when I start to sweat.
When I am uncomfortable, my whole body sweats and any fabric laying against my skin becomes blotting paper for the perspiration; it is discolored quickly.
I know at this point, that there is only a certain amount of time left before I start to stink.
There is no moisture in my mouth and I know that anything I say will be hard to understand at this point. My tongue feels as if it may clog each one of my nervous gulps (which all take coordination and effort) but meanwhile I cannot stem the flow of moisture coming from my palms. I try to surreptitiously dry them, but my expectations are pretty low, to be honest.
When I absolutely cannot get out of speaking to someone, there is a wobble in my voice and I know that it isn't my imagination- everyone definitely hears it. I struggle to understand what is being said when I'm being asked a question that I am THEN expected to hear, process and reply to. Voice wobbling is the disguise that falls apart if I must say an entire sentence, and there is no hiding the full-blown vocal tremors in that case.
Since I am feeling uncomfortable, my (sweaty) hands will start to shake as well.
I can put my hands in my pockets, make tight fists of them, rubbing each in turn to relax them.
I can try to squash them by sitting on them or by jamming them under my armpits. My fingers reach for Gibbs- for his full, dark coat, which is long enough at his ruff to conceal the worst of my shaking. Giving Gibbs a good, satisfying scratch is the perfect excuse to keep my hands hidden, and he enjoys when I itch underneath his collar(s) and vest for him.
I cannot continue. Leaning down to reach Gibbs' chest created a roaring sensation between my ears, accompanied by darkness at the edges of my vision. Passing out would, most assuredly, make me feel even MORE uncomfortable, and that threat makes me lean on Gibbs until I am squatting beside him. I'm not red in the face anymore- momentary plus!- but I know that only because I can feel how pale I've become. The world still seems to keel and pitch just like a sloop of war in rough seas, and I shakily tangle one hand in the fur between Gibbs' shoulder blades to anchor myself. Less than 1 minute passes before I am back to feeling the standard uncomfortable.
Gibbs doesn't mind; he doesn't think that stuff is a big deal.
Feb 26, 2015
Jokes make themselves
While checking the local Craigslist 'pets' section, I saw this:
Which I INSTANTLY assumed was connected to this awesome joke:
"I went to a zoo the other day.
It was completely empty, except for a single dog.
It was a Shih Tzu."
So of course I started laughing (which was unavoidable) and it would have been great if I hadn't been in the middle of gulping some juice when this happened, but I was when it did.
It occurred to me while I was cleaning juice spray off my computer screen, that there wasn't actually any connection between those two things.
Jan 19, 2015
TB racing related link
Every so often, I get stuck on the horse racing industry- Thoroughbred racing mostly- and this relates to THAT so.... I'll care enough to write about how much I care later.
Bloodhorse article on the topic.
Jan 17, 2015
eh? (foffdaughter)
| Huh!... How interesting! (Click the image below to make it bigger)  |
| Source: http://www.irs.gov/publications/p526/ar02.html |
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