Funny

Cupid and the kittens have the URI, as I feared. Donner and Mama have the worst of it. They're each on 5-6 meds, twice a day. Shoot me!

Cupid and Blitzen, not too happy to be confined, yet again.

Donner (I know it should be DonDer, but too late for spelling boo-boos), is not doing well. She hasn't been eating for a few days and has to be force fed right now.

Dancer behaved herself for her claw trim. She's doing pretty well overall, but did have a fever.

Blitzen is beautiful No matter what angle or lighting!

This morning, Super-Deb the Vet Tech and dear friend, emailed me to ask me if it would help me if she volunteered to continue caring for Cupid and Rudy until Saturday! Sure, it's just two more days, but with Mama and the kittens flaring up with URI, the less cats I have here, the better. I was truly overjoyed and grateful for her help. THANK YOU, SUPER DEB! I'm SO GLAD I BOUGHT YOU A BOTTLE OF WINE LAST NIGHT! You'll love Pure Evil Chardonnay from South Australia. Well reviewed. Should be a keeper!

Also either I kissed or got kissed by Dr. Larry! Delirium set in so I fogged out the important, who started it all and it was just a kiss on the cheek, but heck, after what...10 years? I got a kiss! He liked his wine, too. I think he chose 3 Blind Moose Merlot. Not sure. I also got some Bitch Bubbly which went over well with some of the staff. Thank you guys, for helping me when times got tough.

Also, thank you to Jennifer for offering to take Rudy & Comet this weekend!!! Now that they are "safe" to go into foster care with other families, Jennifer kindly stepped up to help out even though she has her hands full with her own cats and their health problems. Having the little tuxes out of here will really help me focus on Cupid and the babies.

Sadly, I did not have time to do my special custom Christmas Card, though I think the crappy image above covers how I feel. YES, those are REAL hairballs on the tree and YES, I am leaving them there as the new vogue in holiday ornaments! Yes, I'm a trend-setter AND a cat rescuer on the verge of a nervous breakdown!

Merry Christmas, everyone. May our New Year be filled with Joy and Healthy Cats!

Our beloved Clare, who generously and compassionately adopted Will, sent me new photos of him today. I just HAD to share them with you! Apparently, Will is doing very well, thankyouverymuch, in his new digs!

Photo by Ms Clare

Will knows how to share with his new family. Uh huh.

Photo by Ms Clare

Excuse me, Will, but I think you've had enough!

Photo by Ms Clare

I wonder what the bunny is thinking right now?

Photo by Ms Clare

Laughing too hard to type! LOL!!!! I know who the Alpha Dog is at Clare's house!

P.S. Hey! Will's gettin' a bit CHUBBY THERE!!!

The only Holiday Song my cats know is: “Feed Me! Pet Me! Feed Me!”

(from left to right) Petunia, Spencer, Gracie, (front-center) Nora & Nick (held by Gracie) Bob J. Dole. ©2008 Robin A.F. Olson

In less than a month “our Will,” the kitty who survived being hit by a car, stuck at a shelter that would have to euthanize him due to his medical needs, then suffered a 900+ mile transport, is now living the life of luxury in Connecticut.

Apparently Will is:

1. not afraid of dogs

2. the alpha dog

3. a bed hog

Photo of Will (left) and Millie (right) provided by Will's doting Mother, Clare, who we at CiCH simply adore!

It's a good thing his family is English, because they teach their companions good manners at all times. I'm sure Millie, the dog, would never be so rude as to insist on getting her dog bed back! Also, with Millie's excellent breeding (pardon the pun), there are high hopes that it will rub off on our wiley, Will!

Will, please learn to share, buddy! Glad to see you doing so well!

I recently asked an ex why men love dogs given they personify all that is deemed undesirable in the opposite sex – needy, dependant, requiring constant validation, easily excitable, unable to contain emotions (not to mention the love of snuggle time). He replied, “They don’t talk and you always have the option of putting them outside.”

An acquaintance once asked her dad “why do most men hate cats?” He responded (apparently not missing a beat), “I think they remind us too much of smart-ass women.”

Both these anecdotes speak of the desire for an ever obedient, adoring and controllable female partner. So what then, can we extrapolate about the man who loves cats? The kind of person he is, and what type of partner does he want?

THE MAN WHO LIKES CATS IS...

Yesterday I had a good chat with Karen, the ACO at Jasper about the kittens. They just had their Vet visit and got their Health Certificates for travel. Thing is-they CAN'T go anywhere just now!

Turns up, some of them have coccidia, which if you don't already know, is VERY contagious to cats, dogs, people! Oops. It would be one thing if they had it here and we could contain it, but it's just not safe to transport them if they have it.

Karen was surprised at finding the cats have parasites because they didn't really show anything more than some soft stool and kittens have all sorts of funky stool and some times it doesn't mean anything is wrong.

The kittens will go back into quarantine for 10 days to get their Albon twice a day. ALL the animals at Jasper Co. are going to be treated, as a matter of fact, to make sure it doesn't become a nasty problem. What a pain in the butt!

Karen, a former Vet Tech, sighed and said how she wished she could get a microscope and some slides. She knows how to read the stool samples to see coccidia. If she could have caught this sooner, this wouldn't have been a big problem. It also would save her $10/animal for testing and that money could stay in her budget to make the shelter even better.

I told Karen to let me know what she needs. We'll do a fundraiser for them if the county can't afford to help her out. If we have someone willing to do the work, we KNOW it will pay off and then some. Karen was shy about asking me for anything. I don't think she understands how many people care and want to help, but just don't know how.

I think Karen may be surprised to find out!

If any of you have access to a great microscope that needs a good home, let me know. I'm going to wait until I hear more from Karen about what she wants, but heck, doesn't hurt to ask to "re-home" medical equipment if someone is not going to be using it any longer!

Sorry. There's no link or Petfinder ad for this plea!

They said if I could keep him restrained for five minutes that should do it. Who were they kidding? Two seconds in and my right bicep had already endured multiple lacerations. I was convinced my left eye was in imminent danger. I should have put a shirt on before attempting this. In fact, safety goggles were probably in order. How could an otherwise docile 8 year-old be so strong? Four seconds in and I wasn’t sure how much longer I would last. This is what I get for skipping Total Body, I thought to myself.

Will someone please tell me WHY it's necessary to INHALE buttock-fumes? Do I go around doing that to MY friends and family? If I did, I certainly would keep that to myself!

Just thought with all the pleas for help and sick cats and traumas, it was time for something ELSE to balance the load a bit. Sure, I could have chosen a CUTE photo of a kitten, and I did, sort of.

I have to face the truth. My cat is insane!

This is part of a conversation I just had with a person who's frustrated by her friend's cat peeing all over the house she shares with her.

ME: Tell me about the cat. How old is it, where does it live, are there other animals in the house? Any recent changes?

HER: The cat is 1 1/2 years old, neutered, lives in a condo. Lived there his entire life. Lives with another cat, about the same age. They get along fine. Owner got deployed to AFRICA for a year. Left a month ago.

ME: How long has the cat been peeing out of the box? Where? On the wall or on the floor?

HER: He's peed all over since he was a KITTEN. Now it is WORSE. Since his "mom" went to Africa. He pees on the sofa, bed, floor, counters and right in front of us on the table. He DOES use the litter pan, too. Oh yeah, and there's another new cat in the condo, but it stays in a separate room.

ME: Wow, that's a lot of peeing, but you're only NOW dealing with the problem? Did you take him to the Vet?

HER: Yes.

ME: When?

HER: Last YEAR, I think. He had blood in his urine.

ME: Last YEAR? Was there a diagnosis? Any treatment?

HER: I don't know. I don't think so. I think he was ok.

ME: Um...well blood in the urine isn't really OK, by any stretch. You need to get this cat to a Vet NOW.

HER: Okay, but I have to contact his owner and find out who the Vet is and see if that's what she wants to do.

ME: Sigh.