"Pet Tails": What sense is this??

This isn't as much about my pets as it is about me. But it concerns them, obviously.

I have five cats: Porkey, Tabby, Athena, Whiskers, and Sylvester.

I have five food dishes for them to eat out of.

I have two litter boxes going at the same time for the five of them to use.

How many water dishes do you think I have for them? Three? Four? Two?!

Try one. One water dish? I have every other aspect of pet care for them thought out and taken care of, but I can only have one water dish going for them? What sense is that?!

"Pet Tails": Santa Pork

"Pet Tails": Sylvester's toy

They say that cats are finicky. Picky. Unusal in their tastes and preferences. Both for things they like and dislike. This applies toward food and toys and even people they meet. Some might say that cats have a sense of what people are good and which are evil. Gosh darn it, I wish they would have warned me about a few people from my past! (My cats, that is).

My cats are certainly unusual when it comes to toys. Granted, they are a bit older right now and aren't quite kittens anymore. Porkey is about 7-1/2 years old, Tabby is about 8-1/2 years old, Athena is about 8 years old, Whiskers is about 4-1/2 or 5 years old, and Sylvester is about 4 years old. Not young spring chickens, but they aren't old fogies either. They have their moments of activity and wildness. Trust me, they have a LOT of those moments. Do they have toys? Sure do! Countless catnip toys, jingle balls, and whatever else are all scattered about the apartment. I know they have a lot of them, but it'd take a whole day to try to find everything.

But they don't always go for them. Some of the toys they hardly touch, others they don't ever touch, and some they just really go crazy for. But that's only like one that I can think of that they go really gaa-gaa for. Like other cat owners, I have spent money on various toys and other accessories in hopes that they'd go crazy for something. And a lot of the time, 9 times out of 10, they don't.

But in the past month or so, Sylvester has found a toy for himself. It wasn't anything I bought for the cats. But it was something he found to play with that was around the apartment. What is it?

The stopper for the bathtub. Yes, that little rubber stopper thing. I know because I have seen him playing with it. In fact, I first began to suspect things when I began to find the stopper laying on the bathroom floor outside of the tub. How did it get there? It took a few days of finding it elsewhere to determine what was going on. Then, one day I found the stopper in the living room. To understand the crazy-ness of this you'd have to know the layout of my apartment. The bathroom door opens into the bedroom. Right immediately around the door to your left is the door from the bedroom out into the living room/kitchen area. So what would have to have happened, is this: he got the stopper out of the tub, across the bathroom (which ain't big), around the corner to the right into the bedroom, around the bedroom and bathroom door on the left, and then out into the living room. How he managed to do that is like performing on some sort of obstacle course. Left, right, left, right, left again, right again....up down up down. You get the idea.

But a tub stopper??? What's so alluring about that? Its a hunk of rubber shaped almost in a disk that has one purpose only: to put in the drain in the tub so it can be filled up with water. There's nothing to it! But.... Sylvester has taken a liking to it and will now play with it. So I have to be careful to keep it in the bathroom and not lose it because its the only bathroom tub stopper that I have.

I have made sure to put out a notice to Santa Claus that he might like one as a gift this holiday season. If not from Santa, then perhaps one of Santa's assistants or elves will give one to Santa to give to him.

Never in my life have my cats played with something around the apartment that is so unusual and strange.

But hey, whatever keeps him occupied and from attacking my plants, right?

what Santa Jay is bringing the cats

Santa Jay here just got home from the store and managed to pick up a few things for the cats for Christmas:

-a few different varieties of canned moist cat food (which they dont eat too often)

-a few different packages of dry and moist cat treats

-this fold open nylon cat play house (variation of a trio of fold-open cubes that I already have for them)

-a few cat nip toys

-a comfy looking cat bed that I will set in the window on a table for them to lay in, supposedly its got a pocket area underneath that can treat it with catnip

-a few toy tiny mice

-a few toy tiny mice treated with....what else, catnip!

*~Wait to hear about my cats' reactions to their stuff on Christmas morning!~*

"Pet Tails": 'Twas the Night Before Christmas... With Jay's Cats

'Twas The Night Before Christmas... With Jay's Cats

Twas the night before Christmas,
And all through the room,
Not a creature was stirring,
Except for the cats of doom.

As I lay in bed,
I heard such an awful noise,
I jumped up out of bed to see what was the matter,
Only to find Tabby's sick vomit splatter.

All the stockings were hung,
On the apartment wall by Jay with care,
But they were pulled down by Porkey,
Encouraged by another cat on a dare.

Athena was all comfy,
Laying on the couch sleeping,
She was the only one that I knew,
Was not up to anything.

Whiskers sat silently watching me,
Sitting over by the empty food dish,
Waiting for me to fill it,
That was his wish.

Next to the other pets was Sylvester,
Trying to paw through the cage doors at the critter,
Not being able to reach the gerbil,
Was really making him bitter.

What is up with my cats?
What is up with them?
Its fine to be crazy,
But its two AM!!

I fall back into bed with my blankets in a heap,
In hopes that I can still catch some sleep.
As I pulled up my covers over my head,
Merry Christmas to all my cats,
Now go to bed,
And get to sleep!

L.A.R. Part III - the final chapter

There really isn't much to say here except to say just what went on.

The other day I was in at the animal shelter like I usually am on Saturday mornings to volunteer. In a way I was anticipating seeing my rabbits again as their cages had been in the room I regularly clean. However walking in I only saw one cage. And that cage was empty.

It wasn't until I spoke to Crystal, one of my friends in there who's one of the employees, that I learned that this past week the rabbits each found a home.

It's a bittersweet feeling. Glad that they were finally adopted out and that they have a new home now. But still feeling bad that I was not able to keep them with me forever.

I still feel like a failure, but I am glad that someone was able to give them the home that I could not.

Seeing their empty cages in the shelter with them no longer there... knowing that I will now never see them again..... is very heartbreaking and I had a good cry myself that morning. It still hurts and is still sad to think about....

But life goes on.

"Pet Tails": my cats are UPS drivers

Everyone knows about UPS, the delivery company. It's a common sight in any town or city to see the big brown trucks driving around the streets and parked out in front of buildings. Even before you see the words on the side of the vehicle, you know its UPS by that poop-brown color. Haha. One of the well-known jokes is that they park wherever in the damn hell they want to. Often blocking traffic and creating treacherous situations on streets as they will park right in traffic so they can get into a building right nearby, which causes hectic situations for traffic going on the street in the same direction.

My cats have become the same way in the past several weeks. My apartment is certainly not the biggest, and I probably will be truthful to admit that perhaps I have a bit too much stuff around. Not that its crowded by any means, but I just have a lot of belongings and it can make for interesting layouts of where to put stuff like furniture, book cases, entertainment stand, and so forth. This causes for varying methods of crossing a room from one side to another. Maybe its a narrow path to go between the refrigerator and a piece of cat furniture (this jungle-gym like thing), but you can get that way.

My cats have a tendency to sit where they know I am trying to go. If I am cooking at the kitchen counter, then they may lay in spots just behind me so that if I am going to turn around, then I may end up stepping on them or something. Tripping over them. If I am trying to walk most anywhere in the apartment, they will tend to lay directly in my path. If they see me standing over them wanting to pass by, do you think they bother to move?

No.

They simply park their hairy butts down on the floor anywhere, and if its in my way....so be it. this includes laying in the bathroom as well. I need to go take a shower or use the tub for a bath? Chances are there's a cat laying on the bath mat rug on the floor right in front of the tub. Will he (usually Whiskers) move? Not until I turn on the tub's faucet to start the water running!

I have yet to figure out what my cats will hope to accomplish by doing any of this. The only thing they have accomplished is sometimes I may step on their tail BY ACCIDENT and then they'll run off meowing. Or I may nearly trip over them and fall down myself. Or in trying to step over them I may fall off balance, or spill or drop anything I am trying to carry. And who's at fault?

Cats? No.

Me? What do you think! Oh no, if something goes wrong it's never their faults! It's clearly my fault somehow.

Just like when you are driving down the street and a UPS truck in your way. Oh hell no, its not their fault. You need to get out of their way. My cats are the same way. If they are blocking your path....

Just suck it up, sigh, and take the long route around.

"Pet Tails": Whiskers' attempt to prolong the vet

Several weeks ago with my cats' last vet visits for Porkey and Athena, I thought that all the cats were going to be settled for their vet appointments on the year until next. Little to my surprise when I received a reminder card in the mail informing me that Whiskers is due for his routine exam and necessary shots. Making an appointment the date that was going to work out the best was day - the day after Thanksgiving at 2:30 in the afternoon.

So it was. Approaching the appointment during the preceding week I reminded Whiskers from time to time that his vet visit was coming up today. I was always met with the same reaction that I usually get from my cats: non chalantly showing no concern for this "vet" place. (Do they not remember what happens when they go there?)

The day came today and just before we were about to leave, I felt the need to then look for his cat carrier. With having five cats, and at any time needing a use of transporting all five cats simulataneously, I had purchased five cat carriers over a year or so ago. Therefore, each cat had his/her own carrier, and I even used a black permanent marker to inscribe their name on the front door opening on the top of the carrier. So five carriers reading Whiskers, Tabby, Porkey, Athena and Sylvester.

I knew the carrier underturned beneath the gerbil's cage was not his as I cleaned Mr. G's cage earlier in the day. Perhaps it was the carrier that sits overturned and inside out in the bathroom on the floor that I keep a blanket in for Sylvester who's in there 90% of the time. Maybe it was one of the two cat carriers that I brought in from the car earlier when I cleaned it out so I could fit one of my old rabbit's cages into the car to get it out of the way from in here. Where could it be? I began walking all around the apartment and looking everywhere that I could think of. Where is his carrier? Where is Whiskers' pet carrier?? Eventually not finding it but needing to head out, I just took the nearest one I found and put a blanket towel in there and loaded up Whiskers. As I stood there trying to figure out what to do, Whiskers sat on the other side of the couch in the living room just watching me. Watching me... staring at me.... and I am sure laughing at me.

I tried to tell him that it wasn't going to matter. His carrier or one of the others', we were still going to go into the vet. It was actually a very humorous moment! Of all the cat carriers that I have, the one that I can not find is.... his! On the day he goes to the vet!

So I load him up and take him out to the car and we drive in. During the ride in of course he did the cries of help. Like anyone's going to hear him in the car where it's just us!

Arriving at the vet clinic I wasn't surprised to see a few other cars there, as with the time in the mid-afternoon it was sure to be a busy moment in the day. It's less busy earlier in the day in the early morning than it is later in the day. Obviously. A few people in the waiting area, so I sign in with the receptionist lady and take a seat.

Over the next hour that I waited - yes, that's right, after getting there it was almost an hour before our appointment came up - we watched a variety of pets and other owners. One or two people were in with their dogs. But the rest were cat owners, like us. One lady and man were daring enough to bring in their orange kitty without a carrier or anything and he didn't run away. Another lady and man came in with their two cats, one with each. The man carried that cat in a carrier, but the lady brought the car in....what appeared to be a pillow case. :) She had set him down in there and then kinda held it up close to her with the top secured around his head so that he couldn't climb or run out. It was both silly and a bit.....odd. I didn't even realize it but apparently I sat down initially next to a guy who was in with his cat and....he's someone I work with. Shows you how much I look around and notice those around me.

So after about 50 minutes of waiting we finally got in. Almost immediately after going into the only exam room they have operating (!!!) the technician right there just took him in his carrier out back to get weighed. So I ended up waiting about 5 more minutes or so before he came back with the technician and the actual vet-lady. So he gets checked out and gets the clean bill of health. Vet did point out how he has a bit of redness in his gums in his teeth. Something all my cats seem to have, but yet they eat dry food and get some crunchy cat treats from time to time.

Anyway, the most interesting point of the visit? The most important aspect of probably any vet visit of any of my five cats during the entire year?

Whiskers is now the officially heaviest of my five cats. Ever since I got the first two cats, Porkey and Tabby, back in 2001, Porkey has been the heaviest. Even after adding the other three to the family in the next few years he was still the heaviest.

No longer. Porkey at his visit a few months back was just above 15 pounds - maybe 15.0-15.5 pound range. Whiskers at his visit today? 16.4 pounds. I would have to go back and check, but there's a possibility that Whiskers is now a full pound heavier than his "little" brother. Maybe not a full pound, but it could be even about .... well, the difference between them could be anywhere between 0.3-1.3 pounds. Depends on what Porkey's record says, and I don't have the paper in front of me.

Whiskers the heaviest cat? It doesn't really surprise me. I just didn't expect that it would ever be confirmed.

L.A.R. - part two

It was a week ago today that I had to surrender my two rabbits, Emilo and Sarah, to the local animal shelter facility in my town. It was immensely difficult on me that day, but as the day came to a close and I went about my day the next morning on Saturday, I thought I'd get better. I though I could slowly start to move on with my life, and to not feel like a big of a failure of a pet rabbit owner.

During the lead-up to the surrender, I found myself listening to two different songs more so than others on my mp3 player. One of them was "Apologize" by One Republic and Timbaland. Part of it was regarding my ex-Susan and her apparent attempt of trying to reconnect with me. After what she did to me and the position she left me in... why would I want anything to do with her now? I gave her a chance....and several more changes...and she didn't take it. So if she feels like she misses me now and feels guilty about what she did (which I hope she does), its too late to apologize. But I also felt like listening to the song because it was also reminding me of my rabbits. I felt like apologizing to them about things getting to this point where we have to part our ways, but.... what good is it to apologize when things aren't going to magically change at the last minute. There wasn't any point in me apologizing to the rabbits.

The other song I found myself listening to was "Umbrella" by Rihanna. The lyrics of the song just really hit hard to me. Trying to be an umbrella to my pets in providing them shelter and support...... The line about where she sings how it's "raining" now which I relate to me trying to be an umbrella but being unable to stop the rain. If you haven't heard the song, go do as its a good tune.

Anytime either of these songs came up on my mp3 player I tended to slow down or stop what I was doing and it made me begin to reflect on my life. Where I had come to in order to be letting my rabbits go and how hard it was on me emotionally.

Two days later, this past Sunday, I was arranged to go with my mom and stepdad to a post-Church service Thanksgiving-like dinner at the church. Because I was needing to catch up on my sleep, I let my mom know that I would not be going to the church service earlier in the day with them but I could make it into the dinner. Which she was cool with.

So that morning I got showered and dressed up. Mom said service would last until about 11:30 and the dinner lunch was to be right afterward. So I planned to get up there at just about 11:30. On the way up there in my car, guess what song comes on the radio as I am getting into my car to leave my place?

"Apologize" by One Republic and Timbaland. It nearly set me off hearing that song. Knowing that I was going somewhere I would have to be and couldn't be wearing my emotions on my sleeve, so to speak, I attempted to hold it together the best I could.

The dinner lunch itself was all right. Turkey was good, mashed potatoes were good, and so forth. It's not always my thing to go to church, in particular as this church is predominantly old and elderly people. Not, not just people who are like 10-20 years older than me (haha, that makes them old right?), but we're talking about little old men and women in their 70s and 80s and 90s. It was nice though to see my mom and stepdad and my sister and her husband and my two little nieces where there. It was all nice and ok. Mom asked me about the critters and if I had found a home for the rabbits yet. So I had to suck it up and talk to her briefly about how I was unable to, and had in fact on Friday dropped them off at the shelter. I think she could tell it was hard on me. After eating people were sitting around and having "fellowship". I waited around until my comfortable moment to make my exit. When mom looked like she was going to be talking to this guy sitting next to her for a while, I took that time to get stood up, and waited for a chance to thank her for the meal and that I was heading out then. Got to the coat rack, got my coat, and headed out. Got to my car, got in and started the car and was preparing to head back home where football was waiting for me as the afternoon 1pm games had already begun by then. I turned the car on, and the radio began playing.

One guess what song was immediately playing on the radio....

L.A.R. = Life After (My) Rabbits

The first part to this email clearly would be my entry about how "Black Friday" has come to me one week-early, although not in the same spirit as the traditional "Black Friday" which is more commonly known as the retail shopping day after Thanksgiving.

On Friday, November 16th, I surrendered my two pet rabbits to the shelter. That morning I packed them up into pet carriers, cleaned out their cages, loaded one into my car, brought along a storage container with their food dishes and water bottles. Then along with the rabbits in tow, I drove the sad drive across town to the animal shelter that I am so very familiar with. Just as I was nearing my way across the parking area on foot with supplies in hand to the door, the shelter manager Betsy - whom I would consider a good friend based on what I have gone through being a volunteer there for the past 3+ years - was there to open the door. She greeted me with a 'morning', but noted she left the 'good-' off the greeting as she knew it was not much of a good start to the day for me. She said this outloud to me too. And I was in agreement. It was a morning, but unlike any others.

Set up their cages, filled water bottles, filled dishes with fresh rabbit food, and got everything all set. Then one by one I took the rabbits out of their carrier that I brought them in. I held them close to me. Held them tightly in my arms as close to my heart as they could be. And with tears strolling down my eyes, down my cheeks and to the floor, I told them that they were a pair of really great pets for the past few years that they have been a part of my life. They have been excellent rabbits, very well behaved, and a great set of pets that a person to could have. I would never forget the good times we have had, and that they would find just as good of a home by going into the shelter. That some day very soon someone would come in and want a wonderful rabbit to take home to make a part of their home, just like I had done with them. After putting Sarah into her new cage, I did the same with Emilo. After which was one of the saddest moments I had to endure. Closing their cage doors, securing it shut, and then sitting down to fill out the owner-release forms. Officially and legally signing over control and possession of the rabbits and their well-being to the shelter and releasing them from my life.

While in at the shelter until I left, I was in tears. Betsy and even other shelter employee Crystal, another friend of mine, expressed their concern to me as I left, but.... what can I say? I couldn't say anything. I no more gave a slight shrug of my shoulders and barely spoke at all as I walked out.

It's been a bit of a life change to say the least. Even as I sit here on my living room couch early in the morning on Sunday the 18th, I look over in the general direction of where the rabbit cages had been since we moved into this apartment about a year ago. No more do I see two big animal cages with two rabbits in them. Instead I see one rabbit cage that sits motionless and empty. I hear no sounds of chewing on metal bars, and no one shaking toys around their cage. No need to say "heyyyyyyy Emilo!" or "Saaaaaaa-rah!!!!" because there's no one to hear it. (Well, no one outside of my cats).

There is one benefit of the situation as it now is. Certainly not as much weekly cleaning needed to animal cages, and wood shavings will be cut down a lot from being cleaned up off the floor. However, is it all worth it? I'd much rather have my rabbits and clean up after them, than to have things cleaner and not have them here. But I know that I can't as the landlord is prefering me to not have as many animals in this (size) apartment.

I am trying to remain happy as can be. I still have my cats - Porkey, Tabby, Athena, Whiskers, and Sylvester. As well as the goldfish Goldie. And I do still have the pet rat Mattie and gerbil Mr G, but.... the rabbits were just as much a part of the family as any of them are/were.

It just feels different to not have them here. While I saw them again in the morning of Saturday the 17th when I went in to do my weekly volunteering, it was difficult to see them in there. Knowing that I could not have them with me at home.

So while its been a big change to the household situation not having them here, it has also been a bit of a life-learning experience for me. Not only am I learning how to cope with such a situation and loss, but I am learning a bit more about the people around me.

Leading up to Friday the 16th I told most people that I could about how I was having to give up the rabbits. In part with hopes that someone might say that they could take one or both in themself. While no one was able to show me that, they have shown me a lot more.

When you know that someone you claim to care about and support is in a time of depression and sadness, you show them comfort and compassion and friendship. To just let them know that you're there for them in their time of need. What have I learned from this? Just who is there for me and who isn't. Some people who are clearly aware of my situation and depression involving the rabbits have chosen to not say anything.

One former "friend" said nothing at all to me all week. No emails, no IMs, no messages via MySpace. Suddenly later in the day on Friday after I was already back at home I did receive a message from this woman. Did she express her sorrow for me? No. She was wanting to wish me a Happy Thanksgiving if she didnt speak to me before then. ???? Who the hell cares about the upcoming holiday in a time like this? I dont care about anything else except the idea that my rabbits are no longer "mine". The heartbreak I'm feeling? That's my concern, not a day of eating freshly cooked turkey. She knew about the rabbits and said nothing in support?!

Another soon-to-be former "friend" has reacted similarly. About 8 days ago now I left this woman a profile comment on MySpace. Even though it had been a day or two earlier when I last heard from her. Have I heard any response or reply from her since then? Nothing. Not a single word from this woman in just over a week now. Maybe she's just not been online at all? Ahhhhh, no. She has been online. I know for a fact because she's constantly changed her status message on MySpace to reflect whatever it is that she's doing. She's had the time to change her status message on there, but not to reply to me. She too knew about my rabbit situation, but has said NOTHING in terms of support.

There have been more individuals than just these, but its not worth the time getting into. I could probably count on one hand by fingers the people who have shown their support to me in this time, which doesn't say much good.

My feeling? Most people I know out there are more concerned with themselves. If they have something good going on with them, they want to share and even gloat it in my face. If they have something bad going on in their life, they want to talk to me so I can help them through it. That's all in good. But.... what about when I have something good going on in my life? Who's there to share it with me? When I am feeling sad and down, who's there to hold me? All those people who were looking for attention from me, do not seem to want to give me attention. Is that selfish? I think not. If you want support from someone else, why can't you give it to them in return?

So in addition to learning about myself as I let go of my rabbits from my life, I have learned more about those around me. Those who have concern for me and my mental well-being right now. And those who appear to care less.

To those who have shown there care for me in this time, I send out a big thank you.

To those who have chosen not to say anything or have any concern....those who are more concerned selfishly about their own lives and expect me to always do things for them but never have the desire to do anything in return...... To those who have known that I have been terribly depressed and sad lately during this circumstance of releasing my rabbits..... I have other words for those people. Words that I will not bother printing here because they'd be considered tasteless, improper, harsh, and qutie a bit...well....probably obscene.

What would someone expect otherwise? I'm depressed and sad and crying and someone doesn't even have the decency to give me a hug but they're all about talking about how they have a new job? F*** that!

I'm not like other people. I don't have the brillance that others have. I don't have the money that some do. I don't have a glamorous or glorifying job that some do. I don't have significant other I can call any time of day and feel love in my heart for like others do. My life? All I have in my life is my pets. So when I have to give up any of them, that's just like giving up part of my life. Giving up that which is a part of "me". So it's going to me more to me than it would someone else.

Giving up my rabbits was incredibly difficult on my mind and my heart the past few days, and will be so for some time. If someone can't understand that, then they don't know me. And if they can't be a friend and be there for me in this time, then they are no friend of mine.

'Black Friday' coming one week early

Everyone knows that the day after Thanksgiving is known as "Black Thursday" because it's one of the biggest shopping retail days of the year. So-called because it's when retailers go from being in the red (bad) in the financial books to being in the black (good) with lots of sales and profit and revenue. Most years it doesn't mean much to me as I've never been one to get up at 5am to go in for the super-special sales they have going on before like 10am, or even do much shopping that day itself. Most years in the past I would work that day because at my current job it's considered one of the company holidays where Thanksgiving and this Friday after we get it automatically paid as a day off, but if we work it then we get that money PLUS double-time for whatever hours we put in. So if you work 8 hours on one of those days, you get it paid 8 automatically plus two-times-8, for a total of 24 hours worth of "pay" just for that one day alone. Double that if you do it for Thanksiving and the day after.

This year is a change. Because I have the second job that I have, there is no need to try to get the extra holiday bonus money. So for the first time in about 6 or 7 years or so I'll be able to have it off. I won't have to work Thanksgiving or the day after. Really looking forward to it as it'll mean some time off, with only one vet appointment scheduled for one of my cats on that Friday.

But this year has also brought heartache.

The short of the long story is that this couple that used to live in an apartment downstairs from me didn't do good at cleaning up after their cat and small dog they had with them. So after getting evicted in the past 2-3 months the landlord spoke to me if I had all the pets still that I have. I told her that I did. She knew about them from having to come in here to fix the heating vents when it was malfunctioning shortly after moving in last December/early this year in January. She knew what I had for pets and expressed amazement but otherwise nothing came of it. Skip ahead 7 or 8 months to this conversation I had with her. I believe that only for the reason that she had problems with the couple downstairs and cleaning up their apartment after them, while she KNOWS that I have no problem cleaning up after my pets (as I do a great job cleaning up after them!) she just felt that I had too many for this size apartment. The best deal I could make with her was to be able to keep my five cats, and find new homes for my 2 rabbits, pet gerbil, and pet rat. For all purposes I believe I can try to "hide" the gerbil and pet rat in a smaller cage in the apartment, but the rabbits need their cages. So I've spent the past few months hoping first for a second job to get caught up on bills so I could find a larger apartment to move to, then to looking for someone to take them in and give them a new home, to also hoping to find someone to take them in where I could still visit them and even take them back should I move to a bigger apartment.

However after several weeks and a month or two, nothing has worked out. No one I have spoken to is either interested or capable of taking in either of my two rabbits. I kept meaning to visit this rabbit rescue organization that is in the next town over that the manager at the local animal shelter, a GOOD friend of mine, suggested to me. But anytime I got the time I either couldn't find it, or I got busy with other things and didn't make it over.

According to the landlord, she'd hope for me to have this completed by winter time when they start heating the building. Solely for the reason of not having things to block the heating vents or whatnot.

I've tried and I've tried to find them new homes, but nothing has worked. So it's not doing any good for me to continue to hold onto them when I know that in the end I'm having to give them up no matter what. As it turned out, on November 16 I have a scheduled vacation day from my fulltime job and have the day off from my parttime job. Thus I felt that it'd be a day I could use to take care of this.

As you may know by looking at the calendar, the 16th is this very week - in 2 mere days away. For all intensive purposes it'll be a day when I pack up their supplies and take them into the animal shelter. Leave their future with the shelter staff in hoping that they will find them each a good new loving home.

It's becoming extremely hard on me. Very emotionally, especially this week. Many times while working at my fulltime job I find myself thinking about the rabbits.... how I've been a failure of a owner for them..... and how after Friday I will probably never see them again..... I almost break down in tears. I am trying to keep it together by listening to my recording of that day's "Bob & Sheri" show in hopes of having some laughs, but even after I am finished listening to it.... my mind drifts back.

I've had one rabbit for about 2 years (Sarah), and the other (Emilo) for about 6 years. Emilo I got when I was living downstate going to college. Sarah I got about two years ago as I was volunteering at the local animal shelter here in town. She was part of a seizure of animals from a property in town. She was one of two rabbits that came in - and as it turned out the other rabbit got adopted by the time I thought I could take one in, so I took her in. I named her Sarah after a really great cat that was in the room that I regularly cleaned, who was in there for several months before she (the cat) was adopted.

When you adopt an animal and take it into your home, you make it a promise that you'll care for it, love it, and provide it a forever-home. As with all my pets that I have ever had, I've made the unspoken promise. Promising them that no matter what happens they'd stay with me. That if I needed to move I'd make sure that they could all come with me. I chose the apartment that I am living at now because I could have multiple cats.

However, all that I have done and tried has gone for nothing. And I feel like a big-time failure. I promised the rabbits that they'd be with me always, and in 2 days I'm having to let them go and say goodbye. Forever. I've had them for 2 years, and 6 years, respectively.

People may not understand, nor do I care if anyone does. My pets are like part of my family. My pets ARE my family. I'm not cool enough to have a lot of friends. I'm not sweet enough or handsome enough to have a lot of women chasing me, so its not like I have any romantic options that exist. My days are spent either working, or... at home.

My pets have always been a part of me. I love my cats, I love my rabbits, I love my fish, gerbil and the pet rat. It's one thing when I've had a "critter" that will pass away overnight or while I am out and I find it in its cage. Sometimes that happens in life. But it's easier to deal with. Easier to deal with than having to give one up, knowing that it's healthy and fine but... it just can't live with you. This ain't like me finding a hamster dead in its cage. This is about me giving up my rabbits so they can go live with someone else, and I can spend the rest of my days wondering how they are doing and if they're ok.

My rabbits should be with me, but they can't. And it's tearing my heart apart. One good way that I am looking at it is that I'll still have my cats - all five of them - with me. That is what is trying to keep me held together.

People are looking forward to "Black Friday" to do their shopping on the biggest day of the year.

I'm not looking forward to my own "Black Friday", which is coming a week earlier. Which will be one of the hardest days of my life.

"Pet Tails": T-a-double b-y to the v-e-t

This past Monday, November 5th, my cat Tabitha - more commonly known as Tabby - had her yearly routine exam and check-up. And shots. Originally it was scheduled with two of my other cats, Porkey and Athena, at their visit back in August or September, but due to financial constrictions I opted to postpone the exam until I was better able to financial handle the situation.

Of course leading up to the vet visits I am always dropping hints any little way that I can to my cats. Making sure they know that "the vet visit is this Monday," or "Tabby you and I are going to the vet tomorrow," or "Tabby....guess where you and I are going this morning!" However no matter how much I try to prepare the cats.... it's as though they don't listen to me and act surprised when I get the cat carriers out of storage from the closet.

"Ohhhhh, what's that Jay? Is that one of our cat carriers that you have for us? Is someone going somewhere? Huh, Jay, huh?"

As was the case with Tabby. She didn't know what was going on until I put her in the carrier, closed the door, and set it next to the door as I put my shoes on. As we walked down the stairs in my apartment building to go out the front door and then outside on the way to the car.... came the pitiful, pathetic, sad cries of a car that thinks its being treated badly by its very nice owner. :)

All the way on the drive to the vet I heard the cries of "Meow! Meow!" Come on now. Nothing like breaking a guy's heart here! You're making me feel like a bad owner, Tabby! :(

Luckily when we arrived at the vet there were no other vehicles in the parking lot, and no one else waiting in the waiting area. It felt unusual not because of the time of day (9am) or for any other reason except....the ladies working the reception desk were probably ones I had seen before but they didn't really have the familiar faces of the ladies that I am used to. Or the very adorable Liz who works there as a vet tech. I wouldn't mind have seen her there. Anyway, so it wasn't a long wait before we got in.

Overall her health was good. Though my cats seem to have a slight, very small problem with tartar developing on some of their teeth. Tabby didn't have any fleas, mites, or problems with her ears. Her heart sounded good, and everything else that the vet checked was on the a-ok for the "Tabber".

The notable issue out of the visit that we learned? Tabby gained weight since her last visit. I don't have the papers in front of me to reference it for an official number, but to my recollection I believe it was about .25-.50 pounds since her last visit last year. Which is surprising as she's been mostly the thinnest of the five cats I have. Not saying that she's the smallest by any means, although she is the oldest (approximately 8-1/2 years old). But... it was just unexpected. I'd expect it from Porkey and Whiskers as both my 'big boys' are about 15-16 pounds each (yes you read that right), or even the other half of "the Black & White Boys" Sylvester, but...Tabby?!

Still can't figure out how she gained any weight. I know my cats don't probably get too much exercise as they are strictly indoor cats now. At this point last year we were still living at our previous residence where they were allowed outside. Now, since we live right in downtown PI along Main Street (I see it out my living room window like 20 feet away from me), they do not go outside. Far too many dangers, including the risk of them running way for me to ever let them loose at all. So they only really have the apartment to run around in. My apartment is by no means a palace, but its not the small place I was living at before. Its a small, affordable, reasonable place for just a single guy - which I am. I don't need too much room as more room means more rent per month. But I do have places that the cats can jump up into, and of course between the five of them there are often episodes of someone being chased around. From living room to bed room, to bathroom, to bedroom, to living room, and so on and so on. However, wouldn't a cat need to eat extraordinary amounts of food and really do absolutely nothing?

My cats are far from being inactive. As if my blogs and stories about their antics and hijinks's are any evidence. :)

While it was amazing and shocking when a few months ago at his vet visit that Porkey registered a slight weight gain, all I can say is....

I think I know where that pound or less went to.

"Pet Tails": thoughts of the cats

"Jay, do you really need to know everything us cats are up to??"

"Go ahead outside, Jay. We'll supervise from here in the window inside where it's nice and warm while you go outside and shovel the snow!"

"Pet Tails": my cats...are...laughing...at...me

(originally written on July 21, 2007)

Last night I went to a birthday party for my niece, Amelia. She's turning 2, as far as I can remember. LOL. Well, they did the birthday party in a theme of SpongeBob SquarePants because she's kinda into SpongeBob, calling him "BobBob". From what my brother in law said last night she actually calls him "BobBob Bob Pants".

Anyway, one of the favors I brought home were some of the SpongeBob stuff they had. including the cardboard party hats that is all decked out in a SpongeBob design.

This morning after I got up I tried to see if any of the cats would wear the hat. its got that stringy elastic cord that hangs down so it goes under your chin as you have the hat on your head. None of the cats really wanted to wear it.

I was just about to settle down to read more on the Harry Potter book I bought when I saw the hat sitting nearby. With Tabby and Sylvester already laying on the bed.... EXACTLY where I was going to lay down as I read on the book.... I thought I'd tease them. So I put the hat on my head and am wearing it right now.

My cats?

They're laughing at me as though I am some sort of weirdo.

What do they know? Me...weird? Why would they be laughing at me right now?

"Pet Tails": My katz are my kidz

People who know me, know how much my cats mean to me.

Porkey, Tabby, Athena, Whiskers and Sylvester.

When my family talks to me, they're always asking "how are the critters? how are the cats?" My family, the people who know me the closest know that I love them, care for them the best that I can, and that they mean a lot to me in my life.

Sometimes they, as well as some friends in my life, have referred to them as my kids. And that is quite true.

They are like my kids. I wake up with them in the morning. I miss them as I get ready to head off to work leaving them here. They are as excited to see me come home during the day and at the end of my work night as much as I am glad to see them.

They make me cry in things they do that upset me...

They make me laugh when they do things that are silly...

And they make me feel very loved with things that they do that show me that they appreciate me as an owner, a provider for them, and someone who has given them a home and rescued them from an unknown life elsewhere at an animal shelter or on the street.

They are like my kids and I am protective of them.

Someone that I used to know only a few months back told me something that I have heard before but has stuck in my mind the past few weeks. They are a single mother and they are not very apt to just bring new guys home of someone they might be dating to meet her sons because she didnt want them to get attached to the person only to have the guy leave shortly or not stick around for the long-term.

Similarly, I have become that way with my cats. People in my very near past have shown me that even those that are the closest to you in your life, that claim to care for you and show concern for you, can not necessarily be who they say they are. I have dated a few people in the past few years since I have had my cats, they have met my cats and shown them affection and my cats have gotten used to someone new around here. Normally it's just me and almost always me. But they like to meet new people.

I cant begin to say that I know what animals thing, but I like to guess. What must my cats think about when I come home crying...

When I come home feeling upset or depressed...

When the weekend comes and instead of having friends to hang out with or a woman to romanticize, I spend my times alone hanging out by myself...

When I bring someone home to meet them and express even to them when we're just here how much I care for another person, only to have that person leave me in my life...

My cats are a part of my life. Therefore what someone does to me, they do to them too.

I can accept someone doing something to me as I can deal with it on my own.

My cats.... are my weak spot. I have always told myself that people cross the line when they do things that outright disrespect my pets or do something that woudl adversely affect them and their life or well being.

Do what you want to me as I dont care. But do something to affect my cats in a bad manner, and that's when I have to stand up.

After some recent thinking I have gotten to the point of knowing just how much my cats are like my kids.

I may not have given birth to them, but they are MY CATS.

Make me homeless and broke and left alone if you want...

But make my cats homeless, live with an owner who struggles to buy them food, or does somethign to affect their life where we don't have a good place to live or survive at...

There are some things in my life that I can forgive and forget.

Cross me and you may be forgiven or forgotten for what has gone on...

Cross my cats, my kids, my life...you'll find out what its forgiven and forgotten...

And what isn't.

"Pet Tails": my cats all have their places

I have had my pets, in particular my cats, for several years now. With the cats, I have had 2 since fall '01, 1 since spring '02, 1 since summer '04, and 1 since spring of '05. What I have caught on to from them, slowly by slowly, is that they have all taken up various tasks around the house. Whereever I have lived, from the little 'cabin' in PI, to the current place downtown in the same area, they have interacted with each other to such a point that they have formed their own unique....heirarchy within themselves. They each know what the other cats are like and they base their actions and habits upon that information.

Tabby, for one, is usually ending up being the leader of sorts. At night I can always expect her to be on my pillow at night. If she is elsewhere on the bed, or elsewhere in the apartment, as soon as sh eknows that I am laying down in bed really to go to sleep I can expect her to come onto the bed and take a place right directly on my pillow. That is unless she is not already there, taking the room that should have my head on it....by the time I go to bed.

Porkey is one to always want to be around where I am, though not involved directly. For instance, as I type this blog I am sitting on the couch in my living room. Him? On a cat furniture piece just behind the couch. Enough so that he's high up enough to be able to see around the apartment, but also to keep tabs on what I am doing. If I were to go into the bedroom, for example, I am sure he'd follow. If I went into the bathroom to use the facility, I am sure he's be quick to follow. When I go to bed at night, just like Tabby, he will come say goodnight. Except his idea of such is to lay right down next to me which ever way I am facing. Lay right in line with my neck....relax down...stare intently at me....and reach out his paws and try to lightly tap me. Unfortunte part of that is that he'll stick out his claws and it ends up hurting. So most of the time I am forced to either move away or push him away.

Sylvester, is more one to be seeing what I am doing and get involved. If I am going to cook lunch and need to open a package of sliced meat (like ham), he will know what is going on and will be RIGHT THERE expecting a handout. ... Sad thing is that he knows I will end up giving him a piece of whatever it is.

Whiskers....where do I begin with that guy? He is always following me around all over the place. I go into the living room, he's THERE. I go into the bedroom, he's RIGHT THERE. I go into the bathroom to use the toilet ... he's right there to sit and watch ME. I get into the shower to take a shower or a bath....and he's right behind to follow and watch. When I get out of the shower I can most of the time safely bet that he'll still be in the bathroom sitting on the floor or toilet steat. Even if he's asleep in one of the rooms...such as asleep on the couch in the living room...if I go into the bathroom to go pee or something..... wham, bam, there's Whiskers keepign watch beside the toilet. Why does he do this? The only thing I can think of is that he watches me in hopes that he won't loose sight of me. That if he can always know where I am that I won't be leaving him. That's beacuse when I first moved to my current residence he was very afriad at first, probably wondering if I was leaving him here and going elsewere. It took several weeks for him to get adjusted there and to know that he's still my cat and he's still living with me. So know he wants to always know what I am doing. Which is cute. Just.....I dont really need an audience if I am sitting on the toilet, ya know.

...

Athena is obviously the fifth of my five cats. However, she usually just kinda of spur of the moment decides where she is going to be. She's the more independent of the cats, and thus is more often off to herself. Most of the day she may be laying up on top of the bed by my pillows or even under the bed trying to hide. When I go to bed at night she'll almost always jump up and snuggle up somewhere closer to my head on the pillows. Othertimes when I am in the living room sitting on the couch she will get up and lay down with me. Right now she's up in the 'cat perch' in the bedroom.

"Pet Tails": no forklift? no problem!

"You're gonna make us move, Jay? Ha! You just gotta ask yourself...... do you feel lucky? Well...do ya?"

"Pet Tails": la la la...just vaccuming the cat...wait...what?!

Everyone knows that cats hate vacuums, right? Too noisey, and I don't think cats understand what the vacuum is doing or why its not gonna hurt them. But you turn on the vacuum and cats go a scurrying. For the most part, mine are the same way.

But they seem to feel a bit more safe and secure when they are not on the ground floor...but instead up on something higher up. Like a perch or something.

So now I can go vacuuming around the couch in the living room, and my cat Porkey will be up on top of the cat jungle gym laying around watching me, and I can take the hose attachment off...hook up the brush end that is good at getting hairs.....hmmm.... and even kinda brush him with it and vacuum him up at the same time. And he doesn't run! He just lays there like he's enjoying it!

Hey, all the power to him if he doesn't mind it. Saves the cat hair from getting up in the air and ending up all over the place in the apartment, and instead is getting vacuumed up right away.

Ha! I can vacuum my cat!

"Pet Tails": two of my boys

This couch ain't big enough for the both of us, Porkey!

Whatcha talkin' about Whiskers, sure there's enough room!

"Pet Tails": me and my dancin' cat

When I was regularly volunteering at the local animal shelter, one of the things I'd do to be happy and have fun with the cats as I'd clean their cages was to be silly and foolish with them. Clearly, as with all cats, some cats like to be held, while others.....eh, not as much. Some cats - anywhere - like to be held so much that they'll roll around in your arms and snuggle up with your head. They just enjoy being held so much. At the shelter, you can tell one way that the cats like to be held by the fact that if you opened up their cage door to go to clean it out for them....that they'd leap out of the cage right onto your shoulder as if to prance around on your shoulder and back, as if they're saying "Heyyyyyyy J! Thanks for coming to see us! I appreciate you cleaning my cage for me! You're an awesome person!!!"

(Wow. If I only could get that much attention from people in general, especially single and attractive women. )

One of the cats who loved to do that was ... my cat Sylvester. This was back before I even adopted him. In fact, he became my buddy AT the shelter becuase he was so loving like this. I was even the one who named him myself - Sylvester, because of his black and white fur design, and his cute lil' pink nose, and his friskyness for being a year and a half old (estimated) cat.

He'd jump out on my shoulders, lay around my neck, snuggle up next to my head, and try to roll around playing without falling off. We got to having so much fun that we'd begin to dance around the room and just act silly.

Eventually of course I adopted him and brought him home and added him to the family. I did say here earlier that "my cat Sylvester".

But just because we're not at the shelter anymore, doesn't me me and 'Bester don't still dance. Every now and then for no reason if he jumps up on my shoulder and I'm holding him, we'll get to dancing around and he'll still snuggle up next to my head like he's enjoying it. This morning? He was acting crazy rolling around on the bed meowing and suddenly on the radio station we were listening to the song "Safety Dance" came on. So I allowed him to jump up and we danced around the bedroom to "Safety Dance". Just me and 'Bester, acting silly like the goofy guys we are.

Who's to say that I don't love my cats and appreciate them and act silly with them?

a call-to-action for help for all pet lovers

As some may know and while others may not know, since June 2004 I have been a regular volunteer at the local animal shelter in my hometown, the Central Aroostook Humane Society.

Recently I discovered there is a promotional fundraiser for animal shelter facilities nationwide in a contest competition. The grandprize, as well as other prizes, are funds for "shelter makeover". the grand prize? Nearly (up to) a million dollar makeover at the shelter facility!

WOW!

The CAHS shelter that I volunteer at may be not as large as other facilities, but they do a good service for the area. With all the homeless and unwanted animals including dogs, cats, rabbits, and other critters in the area, CAHS works expertly and professionally and with love and compassion for every single animal's well-being in hopes of placing it in a new and warm and loving home.

So what I am asking of anyone who may read this blog, is to please support CAHS in this event.

Simply log onto http://www.zootoo.com/. Register on the site - IT's FREE!!!. You can add pictures of yourself, and add your pets to your profile too. Don't worry, if you don't have any pets thats fine. Then after getting your profile set up, there is an option for selecting a shelter. Where you can enter in a zipcode please enter 04769 and then select the shelter named "Central Aroostook Humane Society" among the results for the zip. After that it's easy. You can comment on news articles, rate and review animal/pet products and services, and more.

The more you do the more points you accumulate. And the more points that you accumulate it helps support the shelter. The top shelters will receive the monetary prizes at the conclusion of the competition, which I believe is in March 2008, or so.

So please log on and help support CAHS. The more points we can achieve, the greater chance for success we will have in possibly winning one of the top spots and money of a undetermined yet amount for renovation and upgrades to the shelter!

All the homeless pets will thank you.

I will thank you.

Four of my pet cats will thank you - as 2 were adopted from a shelter downstate, and 2 were adopted right here at CAHS in Presque Isle, Maine. And I know Whiskers and Sylvester would just love to know that you did something to help their friends back at the CAHS be able to have a wonderful shelter to stay at as they wait for a new loving home.

Please log onto http://www.zootoo.com/ and register and select CAHS (after entering in zipcode of 04769).

Thank you.

"Pet Tails": aftermath of a vet visit

Like regular clock-work during the year, and because I do have FIVE cats..... I regularly receive in the mail reminder cards about my pets from the vet. Different cats due for routine examinations, feline leukemia shots, rabies vaccinations, and whatever else they are in the need for. Recently three of my cats were scheduled for their annual vet visit. Porkey, Tabby and Athena. However, due partially to financial constrictions I decided to see if any cats could be re-scheduled for a later date when I'd be sure to have the money to pay for all their fees. As it turned out... Tabby had another appointment needed in November for a shot or something, so I simply re-scheduled her visit for November. So on Friday of this week it was just Porkey and Athena going to the vet with me.

The night before I tried to tell the two cats about how they were going to the vet with me on Friday, but I don't think they caught on. Not until bedtime, at least. Maybe its just coincidence that they are the two that do this, but.... the night before I was laying in bed playing a video game and they both were up on the bed with me hanging around. Wanting attention. Like they always do at bed time when ... I'm trying to go to sleep. Haha. This time they were hanging around knowing that I was still up purposely. Almost as though they were trying to talk me outta it. Haha. Lucky try, but it ain't gonna work kitties.

In the morning, I went around to get their respective cat carriers together. See, because I have the cats that I do and at any time may need to move them all at once... I over time purchased a cat carrier for each cat. Not expensive ones, but some cheap one found at Walmart, but still pretty sturdy. Anyway, they do come apart for easy storage and such. So..... I knew I had carriers all over the apartment so I had to find specifically Porkey's and specifically Athena's. This because I had all five written with their names on the top of it. I know, ain't I cute? Well.... as it turns out the two that I needed were the two I had to deal with. One was underneath Mr G's (my gerbil) cage collecting falling wood shavings. So I had to move him somewhere else and clean out that carrier. The other one was in the bathroom on the floor that I've used overturned as a cat bed for Sylvester with a towel in it. So I had to clean out that as well. And in both cases,.... I had to find the metal door that goes on the front.

Finally got into the vet. Noticing a few cars in the parking lot I figured there'd be some people in the waiting area. Not a problem. Just hopefully not too many dogs. Well....

Entering there were a half dozen people. One man I ended up sitting next to had one small dog. Not a problem as it wasn't overly aggressive. Didn't really see any other pets in there right then as the other people's pets were probabl out back or something.

But then this lady came in with her small Jack Russel Terrier. Just a tiny little dog, but quite active and barking a bit. Happy cute little dog. :) Howver, after he noticed my cats in carriers he had to walk over to get a looksie. While the dog was interested in Porkey, Porkey was not in the dog. When the dog got too close...... HISS!!! SPIT!!! Porkey launched into attack mode while inside the carrier and noticably and audibly....acted as though he were defending himself. The dog backed up, but that only made him more interested in this cat that was in a carrier. The dog then began almost non-stop barking for like a good 5 minutes straight. Meanwhile I can only imagine what poor P-kitty was thinking of this critter. The dog was about the size of Porkey himself - which was funny.

Now in terms of their health evaluations...

Athena was ok. Looked good and everything was ok... except for a small spot of swelling near one corner of her mouth on the right side. Looking inside Athena's mouth the vet noticed a small sore near the back of her mouth which was probably causing this inflammation on the outside of her gums. To take care of it the vet recommended some steroid shot that would take care of it (?) and I had to bring her back in about 2 weeks for a re-checkup. So... now I can say that my cat Athena is on steroids! hahahaha. I did get worried about her, however, as that night I didn't see much of her and she wasn't up on the bed at night like she usually is. Didn't see her this morning when I got up and out the door, so when I returned from work I had to peek around under the bed to see if she was there and if she was ok. She was. Just hiding. Probably mad at me for taking her to the vet for all I know.

Porkey also got a clean bill of health. He did have some plaque/tartar on his teeth in a few spots, but otherwise was ok. The notable point of his exam came when he came back out afterward after having been given his shots and weighed.

15.2 pounds.

Last time I knew last year when he went in he was about 16 pounds. That mean he lost about 0.8 pounds?!?!?!?! WOW!!!! This is Porkey we're talking about! The biggest of my five cats. He..... lost weight!!!!! He actually lost close to a FULL POUND!!! OH MY!!!!

While this is good news as its better that he can lose weight as being overweight is never good for one's health, it did make me realize soemthing after I left....

This puts him close to, if not.....under????....the weight of Whiskers. I'd have to go back and look at their records or even try to weigh the cats here at home myself, but....

There's a slim chance Porkey may not be the biggest cat that I have. And to me this is big news as I've had him since one of the original two (him and Tabby) and since then he's been THE biggest cat of mine. So for now Porkey to be second biggest and the potential of Whiskers being the biggest..... Porkey no longer can be the brunt of fat jokes. This means Whiskers will get all the comments and jokes and teasing we do here.

All of my cats are in good health, which I do expect. At the new residence here they do NOT go outside under any circumstances, so they don't have any thing outside to affect them. I feed them decent food, and try to encourage them to run around some when I can - even if it means teasingly chasing them around the apartment. Haha.

Hey, who ate all the pizza? Porkey!!

"Pet Tails": Nightmare On CatStreet

Every once in a while things need to be done but they don't always go as planned. Such is the case when things involve my cats.

One thing that I perhaps don't do as well.... ok, there are two things....that I could do better about in regards to my cats are keeping their hair from getting matts and giving them pills.
Do I have a cat hair brush? Yes. But how often do I keep them brushed out to keep them from matting up and from keeping all the stray cathairs from going all over the place... not very often at all. So it seems like ever few months some of the cats get quite bad hair matts. And that calls the need to break out the scissors and drag a cat into the bathroom and cut the hair clumps off. Some of the cats are easier than others to deal with. Porkey? Not bad. Whiskers? Kinda difficult. Athena? Very difficult.

One of the last times that I had to cut the clumps of hair off Athena was one of the most difficult. Athena does ok when she's laying on one side or the other, but when it gets onto her bad side she doesn't want to lay down still. And its a tricky situation when I am using scissors to cut hair off and I need to get as close to the skin as can be to cut the clumps....but....heck, I have a pair of sharp scissors and this wild cat under my arms! At one point as I was cutting I realized that I felt something kinda sticky on one of my hands. What the hell..... looking at my hand I saw blood.

OH CRAP!!!

I searched all over Athena for any possible cuts hoping that I didn't cause her great injury. But I didn't see any. Where was the blood coming from?

Myself.

The scissors were sharp enough that some time they slipped across one of my fingers and sliced it open. And here I was bleeding around and even getting some on Athena's fur. And if you know her from my photos page then you will realize she is a mostly white-haired cat. Not a good combination: white hair, red blood.

So the other week after a vet visit I ended up with some pill medications for Athena. One pill I administer as a whole, but the second pill has to be given in halfs. It's a rather tiny pill, but its got a little crease in the center of it for "easy splitting". (haha.)

Beginning last Friday I was doing good at giving her the pills when she needed to get them - twice daily - but by like Saturday I wasn't doing good. I never do good in taking my own medication or giving it to one of my pets. I just don't remember most of the time. While she's gotten better by now obviously - actually since Friday night she was doing ok, but its one of those things ya know that you have to keep on giving them their meds anyway until its up - and tonight when I got home I was wondering when I'd be able to get a hold of her to give her the pills for tonight. About to start supper I looked over at the food dishes and saw her tail. There she was! Blimey, theer be da wild Feena cat. Crikey!!! So I casually reached over and grabbed the pills, by that point though she saw me and realized what was in the works. So she began to circle around the couch. While I stood in the doorway leading into the bedroom, her haven, she circled slowly around the couch and then attempted to make her getaway. But I managed to dodge downward and grabbed her. Gave her the full pill. Now I needed to cut one of the other pills in half. Without letting her go all I had right there were....those same scissors. Hmmmmm.... was trying to use them to cut the pill in half when Tabby cat came wandering by to see what was going on. As she did it lost my concentration and Athena ran off. I chased after Tabby for ruining it and soon both were running off for cover in the bedroom. Ok, forget Tabby, Athena needs her medication! However she was underneath the bed in such a position that made it difficult to reach under and get her. I went from side of the bed to the other side trying to poke and prod he to run out. Finally was able to, but by the time I got to the other side of the bed I had no idea where she went to. Out into the living room? In the bathroom? or did she just circle back around the bed? Hmmmm. Luckily I looked right down and saw a bulge by the underside of the blanket hanging down by the floor. Slowly reached under and pulled her out. Ah ha! I gotcha now kitty cat! Went back out to where I was in the doorway where the light was to cut the pill. As I did and went to feed her I felt a sticky feeling on my left hand. Did she drool on me? What was this? Looked down at my hand and saw blood again.

Damn it. I cut myself again with these scissors. The ONLY time I have cut myself on the
scissors at all have been when I have been using them in relation to Athena.

Which begs the question..... if I ever need to use scissors for something regarding my cat Athena, shoudl I use child-proof scissors? Or get an 'adult' to do it next time? Or......hell, as crazy as it sounds I might have better luck in not getting hurt using a machette or an ax or a chainsaw!

How can I keep cutting myself with these scissors? Unless......

Athena is somehow secretly using the scissors when I am not paying attentiong to try to gain her revenge.

Coming to a theater near you soon. She looked like an ordinary white cuddly cat. But behind that adorable exterior, on the inside lay a blood-thirsty demon. When you cross her path, the most sadistic evil that the world has ever seen will be unleashed. Coming soon to the movie theater its....

Nightmare on Cat Street IV: Athena's Revenge!

(Move on over Freddy, this cat's got scissors!)

"Pet Tails": The Instigator

My cats are quite an interesting cast of characters. They have their own unique personalities. And of course....someone has to play the part of the instigator.

Now, I have written before how Sylvester will frequently appear out of no where when I am opening a package of sliced meat. This also has unintended consequences.

Oh, and it doesn't just apply for sliced meats. :)

For instance, on a break from work today when I stopped by the apartment I went to grab a snack. Thought I'd open the box of Froot Loops that I had gotten at the store, and was gonna get myself some to take into work to snack on. I had the box and was starting to open it.

At the same time I looked around and saw the cats here: my girls were laying over on a storage tote looking out a window, Porkey was laying on top of a cat jungle gym just behind the couch which is right behind me nearby my kitchenette area. Whiskers was laying on the bed, which I could see from where I was standing at at the counter. Sylvester? laying in an overturned clothes basket inside the bedroom to the left. Out of sight.

I grabbed the plastic bag inside the box of cereal and proceeded to open it.

RRRRiiiippppppppp!!! Apparently it made the same sound as a opening of a plastic pak of meat. Becuase before I knew it I heard him meow outloud, and come a running out. Had to see what I was doing. What I was getting. And if he coudl get any. As I proceeded to open it he kept on meowing and talking and calling out to me. As if to say "Jay, gimme some of dat!!" I tried to tell him to be quiet or the othe cats would begin to think that I had something for them....

Too late. The girls were now focused over looking at me. Porkey was awake and looking my way. Whiskers was awake on the bed staring at me, and then jumped off and proceeded to waddle his way out. haha.

Sylvester does this every time. Anytime he thinks I have something for them to eat...even when I DON'T....he'll get to talking. I dont speak cat talk too often, but I think part of that has to mean that he is trying to convince the other cats to come by.

It's as though he's calling in the reinforcements. Figuring if they all gathered around and looked sad...that I would have to give them some of whatever it is. And if its nothing for them to be eating....

Then I should get them something.

"Pet Tails": the latest in dinner-theater

They say that owners begin to look and act like their pets after a while. Me? I think its more like the pets begin to look and act like their owners.

One of the things I have to do with my cats is sometimes watch them when they go to eat new food in their dish because I have learned that Tabby has a tendency to eat too much and too quickly. For whatever reason she does it, if I don't stop her after a few seconds she will eat too much and then wander off and within about 5 minutes she'll vomit. But if I can control how much she first eats, then I usually can prevent this getting sick.

However, in the past several weeks I have begun to notice something that is rather unusual. I've had Porkey and Tabby since fall of 2001. Athena since spring of 2002. Whiskers since late summer 2004, and Sylvester since spring of 2005. All of a sudden it seems in the past 2 or 3 months or something, at night I will get home and go to eat supper. And for whatever reason.....

I'll have an audience as I eat supper. I will be sitting on the couch enjoying my supper of whatever food I have cooked, and usually I'll have one or two or three cats sitting on the floor in front of me in various positions ... watching me. Seriously, they're just sitting there watching me. Usually one of the cats, mostly Whiskers, will get up on the couch beside me. He'll lay down in a comfortable position and just observe me from a closer position.

Once in a while one of the three, most of the time either Whiskers or Sylvester, will attempt to just get right in close at my plate. I'm sitting right there and my face is right there and they're daring to get in close like that to my plate??

This is like a bad-version of a entertainment dinner theater. Except... I'm not only the one eating the food, but I am the one being watched for the entertainment.

"Pet Tails": This bed is crowded

One of my cats' routines is that as the weather gets colder out, they seem to gravitate toward places in the apartment that are warmer. Typically that is usually the bed. What place would be warmer than where their owner sleeps on a bed covered in comfy pillows and blankets and such. During the summer, they aren't as much up on the bed with me at night. During the summer months they're more often found in the living room on the couch, sleeping overnight in the bathroom (strange, I know), or just whereever they feel like it - underneath the bed as well. So as the weather gets chillier outside, this presents some really interesting and silly situations at night time or early in the morning when I get up.

Such as this very morning....

Even though I have nothing to get up for until work at 11:30, I do usually wake up M-F at about 6am. Why so early? Because a radio show I enjoy listening to starts on the radio at 6:05am and goes until 10am. So not wanting to be up period all so early and wanting something to listen to at work that is silly and funny, I will get up at 6 to start my mp3 player recording off the radio station. Then I can just listen to it when I get to work (kinda like tape-delayed). So this morning while my alarm was set to go off at 6, I for some reason woke up out of my sleep at 5:30. instead of going back to sleep, I laid in bed just kinda relaxingn for the next 30 minutes.

As I did, I began to observe things that were around me. What cats did I have up on the bed around me? Athena was kinda laying up on the pillow up above my head. Tabby was laying on the pillow on the other side of the bed from me. Whiskers? Laying about half way down my legs, and off to the same side of the bed where Tabby was. Porkey? Laying down at the corner of that side of the bed, about near my feet. Sylvester? up on this cat "perch" I created by overturning a clothes basket and putting a thick blanket in it and stacking on top of a few storage totes.

However, after laying around until my alarm was going to go off, they began to shift and adjust their positions. Not very much except for Sylvester then joined us on the bed. So just before the 6am mark, I was laying in bed and noticed: Athena, Tabby, Whiskers, Sylvester and Porkey were all laying up on the bed with me. However, observing that I was semi-awake, Whiskers decided to come say hi at a closer view. So he got up on my side and laid there. Kneaded his paws and then just laid down on my side. Fine for a while until I had to roll-over. When I did he got back down and laid back down on the bed near me.

Why they were all up on the bed at the same time? Who knows. I did look around at them and asked them if they all wanted me to do something for them. And for a little bit, I had all five looking at me. That's right: five sets of eyes looking my way and five stomachs probably aching to tell me to go fill their food dishes. It was just the funniest sight.

Of course when I finally needed up get up and out of bed, and went out into the kitchen/living room some of them followed me. Then went to their food dish and patiently waited for some food. After feeding them, starting my mp3 player and using the bathroom, I returned to bed to catch some more Zzzzz's. Shortly thereafter the cats returned slowly.

Soon we were right back where we were. Tabby and Athena laying up on the pillows by my head. Porkey and Whiskers were laying up near my upper half, with Porkey taking a spot between me and Tabby. And then Sylvester was either down at the foot of the bed again or he got back up in the "cat perch" tower.

Its quite interesting how the cats will hang out with me on the bed at night time and then closer to morning they seem to gather and take up spots on the bed. At times I think they have agendas that they try to accomplishm. One of the biggest being to get me up to go put food in their dishes that they emptied overnight. One way they accomplish this is by laying close enough to my body on top of the blankets so that I can't move. By doing so I believe they know that they can prevent me from moving and thus will eventually wake up. They have other tricks up their hairy but shirtless sleeves.

The only question I have for them is.... do they hang around on the bed in the morning as a way of being cute, or is it a devious ploy to get me up?

I never even got into explaining how I will get up and then before I can return back to the bed to get some more sleep in the morning some of them will retake their spots on the bed quicker than I can and there's barely room enough for me. Hell, some times they take back MY spot on the bed!

.... and a photo of me

And this is me! The one of the right, obviously.

a photo introduction of my cats

A brief pictoral introduction to my cats:

Sylvester

Athena

Porkey

Tabby

.... and Whiskers.

my first blog

The job I work at involves reading media articles from various sources - including television, internet, newspapers, magazines and such. It has been from the internet articles that I have had to read that I have learned about "Blogspot.com". I do also have a blog going on my daily adventures, thoughts, and stories involving my five cats (Porkey, Tabby, Athena, Whiskers, & Sylvester) on my webpage at MySpace.com, but I thought it might be good to have an additional source to post my blogs at. I like it when people read my posts, but I've been hesitant about letting some of my fellow co-workers read my writings. Why is that so? Some have shown that they're all about reading what I have to say but they never bother talking to me at all, and they've taken some extreme reactions to posts I have written....which haven't even been about them.....and they've shown displeasure to me. In other words: they're OVER-REACTING!

So here is my first post. First of more to come. As long as my cats do silly and crazy things, I will always have something to say.