Right now, I have three cats
Which might not seem like a lot to some of you, but it really is to me. :shock:
It's like I'm just starting to understand the joy of being a cat lady. :cats-bed:
So, haha, it's cat story time. If you don't want to read the story it's OK, just skip to the cute kitty pics.
I do hope you guys can post some cat stories too.
First up will be my old cat, Ceylon, who's been with me longer than my children. 14 years old now.
He seems to love having these other cats around so much, I feel a little guilty that he endured the past few years without feline company.
I mean, don't get me wrong, he's always been an ill tempered animal.
It's not like he really plays with the other cats or anything, but his vitality and competitiveness are at a high point right now, and his appetite has improved immensely. :lol: That means a lot to me, because he had been getting a little too thin in his old age. I'm glad to see him finally putting some weight back on, even if it's just to spite the other cats. :roll:
The second would be my Keiko. The short version is that she simply approached me and asked to be mine.
The long version:
I was up to do some work at a homestead (processing chickens,) she climbed into my arms (me, a complete stranger) stuffed her little nose into my neck, and told me, on no uncertain terms, that I was to take her home with me that day.
It was kinda awkward, cause there I was asking these people;
"So, umm, It's OK if I take this cat home with me right"
It turned out that she actually didn't belong to the landowners, and was one of several cats that had been abandoned there.
Now, don't get me wrong, but there are farm cats and there are house cats.
There is nothing wrong with well cared for farm cats living the farm cat lifestyle, but these cats were NOT farm cats. They are cuddly house-pet cats who were left to fend for themselves. The landowners were nice enough to provide food and to not to run them off, but didn't get involved with much else due to pretty severe cat allergies.
Surprisingly, my husband didn't really question why I was clutching a cat on the ride home, even if the only answer I could give was that she had insisted on this arrangement.
Keiko was covered in ticks, and fleas.
I managed to get her cleaned up without having to bathe her, but her guts were gurgling horribly.
When the worm medicine I gave her kicked in..
Oh this poor kitty pooped STRAIT WORMS.
It's no wonder she ate like she was starving, the worms had to have been stealing her nutrition.
I honestly fear she might not have survived this unusually cold winter outside, and she knew it.
She has a chipped tooth, a TNR ear cut (not uncommon for locals to use TNR programs for cheap neutering for their pets,) and a fear of men. There isn't anything feral about her. She's the first cat I've ever had that would follow me around, and cry if she couldn't find me, even when the rest of the family is available.
I took some worm medication to the farm for the rest of the cats, and consoled myself in that I took in the one I could. Still, I was a bit haunted by a certain other cat who had been following me that day.
Somewhat over a month later, I get message from the same homestead. A cat is injured, they didn't know how, but they wanted me to come get him. Wouldn't accept any other solution. He's the same cat I'd been feeling guilty about leaving behind. :shock:
My husband says no, we already helped one and we can't save them all.
A week goes by, and I'm informed the wounds worse, and are now oozing, the farm owners claim they cannot take the cat inside, or do anything at all for him.
My partner finally relents to us taking him in to heal, and foster.
Turns out he was the only other neutered animal there, aside from Keiko, whom I'd already taken.
He also has a TNR cut on his left ear, a big ole tomcat head showing he was neutered after maturity, and a fear of men. He also loves to cuddle, like Keiko, and is extremely gentle with children.
The wounds were consistent with cat bites, and my best guess is that he was just getting beat up by all the intact toms up there. Poor guy.
(This pic isn't the best, but he's so cute, I couldn't help it)
I've been unsuccessfully trying to talk the landowners into letting me take all the rest of the cats to a shelter, where they would be neutered, and have some time for the hormones to leave their system before finding a home. Thankfully, Keiko was the only female so there won't be kittens.
Anyway, that's all my current cat stories.
Anyone else can share some here too. I'd love to see all the kitties <3 <3 <3
Which might not seem like a lot to some of you, but it really is to me. :shock:
It's like I'm just starting to understand the joy of being a cat lady. :cats-bed:
So, haha, it's cat story time. If you don't want to read the story it's OK, just skip to the cute kitty pics.
I do hope you guys can post some cat stories too.
First up will be my old cat, Ceylon, who's been with me longer than my children. 14 years old now.
He seems to love having these other cats around so much, I feel a little guilty that he endured the past few years without feline company.
I mean, don't get me wrong, he's always been an ill tempered animal.
It's not like he really plays with the other cats or anything, but his vitality and competitiveness are at a high point right now, and his appetite has improved immensely. :lol: That means a lot to me, because he had been getting a little too thin in his old age. I'm glad to see him finally putting some weight back on, even if it's just to spite the other cats. :roll:
The second would be my Keiko. The short version is that she simply approached me and asked to be mine.
The long version:
I was up to do some work at a homestead (processing chickens,) she climbed into my arms (me, a complete stranger) stuffed her little nose into my neck, and told me, on no uncertain terms, that I was to take her home with me that day.
It was kinda awkward, cause there I was asking these people;
"So, umm, It's OK if I take this cat home with me right"
It turned out that she actually didn't belong to the landowners, and was one of several cats that had been abandoned there.
Now, don't get me wrong, but there are farm cats and there are house cats.
There is nothing wrong with well cared for farm cats living the farm cat lifestyle, but these cats were NOT farm cats. They are cuddly house-pet cats who were left to fend for themselves. The landowners were nice enough to provide food and to not to run them off, but didn't get involved with much else due to pretty severe cat allergies.
Surprisingly, my husband didn't really question why I was clutching a cat on the ride home, even if the only answer I could give was that she had insisted on this arrangement.
Keiko was covered in ticks, and fleas.
I managed to get her cleaned up without having to bathe her, but her guts were gurgling horribly.
When the worm medicine I gave her kicked in..
Oh this poor kitty pooped STRAIT WORMS.
It's no wonder she ate like she was starving, the worms had to have been stealing her nutrition.
I honestly fear she might not have survived this unusually cold winter outside, and she knew it.
She has a chipped tooth, a TNR ear cut (not uncommon for locals to use TNR programs for cheap neutering for their pets,) and a fear of men. There isn't anything feral about her. She's the first cat I've ever had that would follow me around, and cry if she couldn't find me, even when the rest of the family is available.
I took some worm medication to the farm for the rest of the cats, and consoled myself in that I took in the one I could. Still, I was a bit haunted by a certain other cat who had been following me that day.
Somewhat over a month later, I get message from the same homestead. A cat is injured, they didn't know how, but they wanted me to come get him. Wouldn't accept any other solution. He's the same cat I'd been feeling guilty about leaving behind. :shock:
My husband says no, we already helped one and we can't save them all.
A week goes by, and I'm informed the wounds worse, and are now oozing, the farm owners claim they cannot take the cat inside, or do anything at all for him.
My partner finally relents to us taking him in to heal, and foster.
Turns out he was the only other neutered animal there, aside from Keiko, whom I'd already taken.
He also has a TNR cut on his left ear, a big ole tomcat head showing he was neutered after maturity, and a fear of men. He also loves to cuddle, like Keiko, and is extremely gentle with children.
The wounds were consistent with cat bites, and my best guess is that he was just getting beat up by all the intact toms up there. Poor guy.
(This pic isn't the best, but he's so cute, I couldn't help it)
I've been unsuccessfully trying to talk the landowners into letting me take all the rest of the cats to a shelter, where they would be neutered, and have some time for the hormones to leave their system before finding a home. Thankfully, Keiko was the only female so there won't be kittens.
Anyway, that's all my current cat stories.
Anyone else can share some here too. I'd love to see all the kitties <3 <3 <3