Tortoiseshell cats are named for their distinctive coloring – a combination of patches of black, brown, amber, red, cinnamon and chocolate. The size of the patches varies from a fine speckled pattern to large areas of color. The term “tortoiseshell” is used for cats with brindled coats that have few or no white markings. Cats of this coloring with larger areas of white fur are called calicos. Sometimes, these colors present in lighter versions such as lilac or cream. Torties with this lighter coloring are called dilute torties. Occasionally, the typical tortoiseshell colors are also seen in a tabby (striped) pattern, and these cats are sometimes referred to as “torbies.”
Tortoiseshell cats are almost exclusively female. Tortoiseshell and calico coats are the result of the interaction between genetic and developmental factors. The occasional and very rare male tortoiseshell cat is the result of a genetic mutation.
In addition to their distinctive coloring, torties also have a reputation for unique personalities, sometimes referred to as “tortitude.” They tend to be strong-willed, a bit hot-tempered, and they can be very possessive of their human. Other words used to describe torties are fiercely independent, feisty and unpredictable. They’re usually very talkative and make their presence and needs known with anything from a hiss to a meow to a strong purr. These traits are stronger in tortoiseshell cats than in calicos – it seems as though these traits are somewhat diluted with the addition of more white to the color scheme.
As of the writing of this post, I share my life with Amber*, and those of you who’ve followed this blog for a while have gotten to know her in her Amber’s Mewsings posts. You will soon be able to read all about Buckley in Buckley’s Story – Lessons from a Feline Master Teacher. The photo above shows Buckley in the front, Amber behind her.
Prior to Amber and Buckley, there was another tortie in my life. Virginia was the first office cat at the animal hospital I managed. She was my introduction to torties, and my love affair with this particular type of cat began with her. She, too, had the “tortitude” I so love about these particular cats.
Do you have a tortie or calico in your life? Does she have “tortitude?”
*Sadly, Amber passed away on May 13, 2010, after a sudden, brief illness. I now share my life with Allegra and Ruby, two tortoiseshell cats who have their own columns here on The Conscious Cat, titled Allegra’s World and Ruby’s Reflections.
Photo ©Ingrid King, all rights reserved
Happy Birthday, Lynn! Hopefully, Peaches, Monkey and Shanks will let you be queen for the day today, before they take over again 🙂
Lol…not much chance of that!, but my day is coming! I splurged and ordered a $50 bottle of http://crystalheadvodka.com/welcome
lol….soooo, I’d suggest you guys don’t read or try to make sense of anything I may attempt to post Friday night….I may be entertaining, but I may also hurt your brain lol…..I’m generally a happy drunk, but I never drink GOOD liquor, so only God knows……lol
And yes Jay, the bottle is cool as hell and you MUST get one! lol
I’m getting a fifth for $50, but they also sell half gallons, pints and half pints
In the same sweet-looking bottle….just different sizes. I plan to eventually have two of each (only one half pint) so I can set them on a shelf in a V shape
Thanks Lynn,
I saw the bottle in the State Store 2 months ago when looking for cat wine. Really liked it but as I don’t like vodka did not buy it (put Tequila in it and I’ll get a case). Might get this as a Christmas gift for my son though.
I forgot to say Happy Birthday to Lynn today.
I asked Bernie to wish her a HB for me on FB last night as I only get home after midnight but today is her day (although Peaches, Shanks and Monkey think it’s their day).
So Lianimal – have a GREAT day 😛
Thanks Jay!
Imma post a Monkey AND Peaches Christmas song……Ronnie James Dio is universal, there is no person or animal who doesn’t like Ronnie James Dio, right?
http://youtu.be/ONJFL4ABSmo
Update on the kitties
Frankie was upstairs and I found Stir’s food bowl upside down this morning.
Put food in it and food in both bowls near the kitchen door.
Punky was there instantly (Go figure ) and Frankie next to him. Frankie did not eat (I found his bowl downstairs was filled so maybe he ate out of Stir’s overnight as he was upstairs last night.
Anyhow things are progressing well.
Last night (around 1:30am) Frankie came upstairs and I had my camera. Punky and Frankie met and ths time I got some pictures. I just put them on my FB page.
Things are going well with them. And a few days ago I saw the bigger B&W cat outside.
He will roll on his side and back as if he wants a belly rub but will hiss and claw if I try.
I can pet him but only for so long. He is to Frankie as Stir is to Punky. Maybe a relative but totally different personalities. Still, any outside kitty is welcome to a meal and as much love as they will take.
I love the pictures!
Hell, Jay, I have an INSIDE cat who acts like that! lol….Peaches is SUCH a mean old bitch….pardon my french lol
Kasey comes to my rescue.
I was on the computer in the basement and I had one of those rare moments where I could comb Taz, who is a “wool bearing cat” and desparately needs it.
However, combings are few and far between because this normally docile big orange guy is comb or brush aggressive.
I did very well and got a big handful of fur off of him, if it was spun into yarn, it would at least make a pair of mittens.
Kasey was snoring in a cat bed 20 feet away.
I got to the back end with the comb and I guess that was unacceptable, I got a real good hiss out of him.
He is the type of cat that will hiss at you, ears back, then literally 5 seconds later will be bumping and rubbing your ankles.
Now Kasey doesn’t see it that way.
She went from a sound, lazy sleep and came right over to where I was and charged him and he retreated about 10 feet.
He actually turned to face her but she repeated the process without hesitation and he took off. Since this took her near the food bowls, she decided to snack, quite unconcerned.
It appears that a 22 pound big orange guy is no match for 15 pound tortie, even if she is a bit disabled by old injuries.
I did go over and pet Taz after the whole thing, to console him.
No cat (or any other animal) will face a mad Tortie.
Punky might play with Stir but when she gets that same look as Kasey sanity comes back and he retreats too. Kasey will have no one hurting her Dad and let Taz know it. No worries about zombies at your house 🙂
Aww, poor Taz. And he didn’t even see this one coming. He’s probably still trying to figure out what he did to incur the wrath of Kasey!
This is jot the first time Kasey has demonstrated what appears to be protective behaviour towards me.
I thought since cats aren’t pack animals, it would seem that protecting others isn’t “programmed in” but nor is guarding the house and she does that, too.
But remember – Tortie are NOT “Normal” cats so so not follow the rule book.
Steeler does guard duty every night for Bernie. Walks every room including the upstairs and basement before going to bed.
Just be glad that their size is of a normal house cat and not their attitude of a big jungle cat.
Then we would all be in trouble.
Yeah, those are all good observations. 🙂
She does seem to protect me, however, in her world, it appears its OK for her to take a swing at, or nip me once and a while but others aren’t allowed to do it. 😉
It is a good thing they are one of the “small” cats.
I just lost another Facebook friend. It never depresses me that much, but usually the reason cracks me up, and this one is no exception.
The last person who blocked me….Someone posted a REALLY nasty and offensive pic, she was an overly religious person, she didn’t realize that by posting in the thread she was causing it to be shared to ALL her friends…..I said “Brenda, calm the hell down, the more you post the more you share it on EVERYONE’S wall” SHe came back with LYNN GARROW I WILL SAY ANYTHING I WANT AND I WILL DEFEND MY GOD and blocked me
Thjis one I lost because they had certain preconceptions about the occupiers, and I proved them wrong, I think……
What I listened to on the way home last night
Nickelback – Bottoms Up
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mT7EcNHovJ8&ob=av2e
I like Nickleback. They are what you’d expect. A solid good band, nothing extaordinary. Good solid (what my friend Sarah would call Cockrock lol) They have some good stuff. I like them mostly. Not edgy enough or hard enough for my usual style….same with Three Doors Down. I especially love their first album!
An all time fave…http://youtu.be/Lg8gEIBs5CU
Ugh, bad video… I prefer this one
http://youtu.be/jERdZt54S1g
Peaches music, btw
Example…..Peaches music……
http://youtu.be/gkIrZxN9pHk
Monkey music’
http://youtu.be/1ZS5JCbzjjA
I like the line on the second link; You built your, your empire on Pillars of cadavers genocide yields power
Now there’s some cheerful lyrics!
lol,,,,,Yea, The agonist isnt exactly
cheerful, but what they say is true….
Ingtid, great song! http://youtu.be/1ZS5JCbzjjA
Nice try, but I just can’t do the growling voice.
Another woman who screams and growls with the best of the men….I think I just like them because they can! lol
http://youtu.be/UDniQN64N_c
For any new or old posters, the term “Monkey music” is now synonymous with screaming metal music….lol
Explanation…..my cats all are used to metal…..Peraches will hang out with me for ballads and softer stuff, but she runs when I play harder stuff…Monkey is opposite, she’s actually attracted to the harder stuff. So things that are okay for the general public….Alice Cooper, Black Sabbath, Kiss, random ballads, stuff like that is labled Peaches Music…..the really crazy Screamer stuff is lab led “Monkey Music”
Apparently only 1000 original copies were made…ingrid and Jay, I think you’d both luike this….I’m seriously thinking of buying the cheap copy……..Warning; Monkey music
http://youtu.be/tgzvuZ_dg00
I actually like this a lot – up until the point where he starts singing…lol… I just can’t do the growling voices.
I really liked it. My type of music
Bernie might like the beginning – after that 🙂
LMAO Poor Peaches…..I was on Facebook, clicked on Farmville and went to get a drink while it was loading. Peaches was lying on the couch. I was coming back down the hall when the game finished loading, I apparently forgot to turn the volume down…. the cats started meowing, the cows mooing, the horses neighing, the pigs snorting, the chickens and elephants making chicken and elephant noises….Poor Peaches jumped up from a dead sleep, looking around wide eyed, like; “What the heck did that crazy human bring home this time?!” and ran into the kitchen, glaring at me distainfully on the way by.
Forgive the typos, btw, forgot my glasses at work again….I can barely see the screen at all
Ugh….tried to read back to answer posts…..Like I said, I can’t see the screen….maybe if I stood against the back wall, my far vision is perfect….my arms aren’t long enough to get far enough away from the screen to read it lol….so I’ll catch up with all of you tomorrow, and just go back to Facebook…..To play my games I can enlarge the screen, and I mostly only have to look at pictures….lol
Poor Peaches! I’ve done that to Allegra and Ruby with YouTube videos of cats meowing. I usually have the sound on my computer off, so they’re not used to any noise coming from it. When it does happen, it’s quite a surprise.
lol….I usually have my sound very low. but a friend earlier posted some rare Slipknot from before Corey Taylor….He bought a rare cd off ebay for $400.00 (can you imagine? I’m a fan, but no-where NEAR that calibre of fan! lol) Apparently there are only 1000 of these in existence, So I needed to turn the volume up…..as a metal fan you know how it is…lol
I looked it up on amazon…..It costs 40 bucks there, and everyone is saying it’s a cheap burnt copy in a generic jewel case with the liner notes on cheap printer paper. Seeing as how I’m poor, I decided not to get it lol
Frankie update.
I was talking to Bernie last night (she said to thank all of you for your prayers and kind thoughts for her and Eric.)
Last night Frankie came upstairs by himself and explored the kitchen/dining room area. He saw Punky in the bedroom and Punky saw him. Punky being shy did not go out to see him then. Eventually Pumpkin went out and I would see him walk around the Stove island and then a minute later see Frankie. Like a kitty carousel that went on where they would be about 8 feet away from each other around and around. Then Punky came into the bedroom and onto the bed. Frankie laid next to the bathroom door and then I saw him walk toward the spiral stairs. A loud hiss meant that Stirfry was greeting him in Tortie style. She was on a step leading upstairs and he was on the landing.
He did not seem disturbed when I checked on him. Eventually he went downstairs to sleep.
Still cannot wait till he is part of the crew.
Slowly but surely – sounds encouraging!
lol… Every single day of my life I come home from work….Monkey and Shanks meet me at the door….I say Hi to them both, give them each a scratch, then head to the kitchen to see Peaches, give her a pet, get bitten, then go back to Shanks and Monkey. Seriously, that is my routine. Peaches bites me every single day! LOL…..luckily, she’s preparing me for the (GEEK ALERT!!!!) upcoming zombie apocalypse……LOL
I mean, when it happens being bitten will become a way of life, we all have to know which bites are dangerous …..lol
This is why it is best they are not bigger than they are.
Remember; “Cats, domesticated for 4,000 to 8,000 years……………………………………and the process is still ongoing” 😉
Torties – resisting domestication for 8001 years
Zombie 1: Slurp… eat here…
Zombie 2: Nooooo.. tortie there….
Torties – the perfect anti-zombie defense system.
“….and the process is still ongoing” – especially as far as torties are concerned!
LOL Glen! I knew I couldn’t be the only tortie owner who was geek enough to be thinking about the zombie apocalypse!
Actually, that was Harry. 😉
However, I know someone that believes their house is haunted.
I have said that if they want the spirits to leave, we’d just have to loan them Kasey for one night, the spirits would be gone.
They probably would rather have those spirits than Kasey. I remember those noises you said she makes.
Jay, that is true, the sounds are “not of this world” 😉
New heating system is “Kasey Approved”
On Dec. 1, 2011, after a lot of research, we replace the furnace; it was the original installed when the house was built in 1968. The house has hot water heat and boilers last a long time, it was running OK but it was time.
The piping circuits for the rads were originally installed in three loops, bedrooms, main are and basement. Each had a globe valve on it, the idea being that you adjusted the individual valves to suit the need, OK for 1968 😉
Try as I might, I could not get the temp over 60F in the basement with adjustments.
The new system has a high efficiency, modulating boiler, three thermostats (one in each area) and automated control valves on each loop.
This means if you set the basement at 70F, when it needs heat, even if it is warm upstairs, the boiler comes on about 1/3 throttle and only the basement valve opens, water is sent only to the basement loop.
Now, the basement is a steady 70F.
The cats always liked the basement before.
However, now, I find them spending even more time down there. Kasey is curled up behind me, snoring, didn’t even look up when I came and sat in the chair 4 feet away from her.
I’ve heard of people doing big things for their cats, but a whole new heating system – now that’s going above and beyond :-)! So glad to hear Kasey approves!
PLEASE don’t let Sabrina know. She’ll demand a new heating system for our house, with individual cat thermostats.
I have a couple of vintage lamps on my desk in the home office. They’re small, and sit on the top part of the desk, which is a drop leaf secretary. In between the lamps used to be several cat figurines until the real cat started sitting there, usually as close to underneath a lamp as she can be. I envision, when eventually I have run out of the stockpile of incandescent bulbs in the basement, Sabrina and a mob of cats marching on Home Depot smashing compact fluorescent bulbs and demanding the “heat globes” be brought back.
I’ll be right there with Sabrina and the other cats. I have a huge stock of incandescent bulbs, too – I can’t stand those newfangled bulbs.
My cats will attest to the warmth of the compact flourescents–all the photos you’ve seen of them for the past year or so where there are lights, especially in my studio, all are CFLs. I go through a lot of bulbs in my studio and at my desk and I would run out of my stock-ups, plus in the summer it was way too hot for me under all those lights!
But I won’t let them know about the new furnace. I won’t even let them read that message.
As the old incandescent bulbs but out more heat than light I can see why they are kitty approved. And I can see Sabrina requesting the thermostats be 8″ off the ground so thay are easy to turn up.
I have an update on my little Steeler. Yep, she did something again. Many of you will recall how when she first began to sleep on my bed with me, she would wake me all hours of the night to go feed her. I took care of that by putting her snack pack under her pillow. That way I would just reach under her pillow and give her a few treats.
Well these past few months I have had a lot going on and have been somewhat preoccupied. Jay even bought Steeler some snack packs, (actually bribing her so she would love him, and darn she did). Well I wasn’t up to par this past week and did not go out. You know what’s coming. Yep, I ran out of her snacks. Early during the AM hours before dawn on Saturday, she started torturing me for her snack. So I went out yesterday and stocked up on her litter, snacks and other things.
Last night falling asleep was difficult for me. So sometime during the early hours, I finally went into a deep sleep. When I awoke this AM I noticed a contented Steeler on her pillow in a deep sleep. On the bed pad, was the pack of snacks that had been under her pillow (empty but for a few). Well I know when I slid the package under her pillow I didn’t close it tight. So I guess she put that long little paw and managed to help herself. Well help herself she did. You can bet she is not going to luck out like that again. I will have to make sure I seal the package when I put it under her pillow.
I was taught again, I can be outsmarted by a little 6# Tortie, named Steeler, but “again”.
Ok, let me see if I have this straight. You *want* Steeler to wake you up for food in the middle of the night, and don’t like that she was able to attend to it all on her own. I’m not sure how I can best help you out here – send you one of mine who always wakes up at 4 a.m. hungry, or just call you every morning before dawn to wake you up. Just let me know how I can be most helpful…
Kasey doesn’t bother me at night, fortunately.
But I did make the mistake of buying these;
http://bennybullys.com/index.php?c=52&t=50&menu=open
Taz and Morgan don’t even recognize them as food but Kasey is now asking for them all the time.
I’ve never heard of these – I can see why Kasey likes them. Clearly, she’s the conoisseur in the group!
lol…Harry…..I could send her Shanks…..he’s always waking me up at 2:30, 3 am……
Sounds like Steeler is learning she might not need you.
Do not show her how to drive as that KFC run is all that’s keeping you there.
Ok now you guys, this is Ingrid, Harry, Bernadette and yep you too Mad. No fair speaking in languages we all don’t understand. I don’t know if you guys are being nice or using bad words. Tortie language I think I have down pretty good. People language, well , not so much. 🙂
Tortie I speek, some Pa Dutch but after that forget it.
Can’t spell for Sh*t though 🙂
It’s amazing how peaceful your nights sleep can be when it begins with your tortie snuggled up next to you with her precious little head cradled in your hand. Of course it’s just as peaceful with any of my other babies snuggled up to me, it’s just that last night it was Columbia being extra snuggly with mommy.
There’s nothing better than having our babies snuggled up next to us, is there, Betty? I was wedged in between Allegra and Ruby last night – a tortie sandwich!
It is the best thing to be surrounded by your babies whether sleeping, sitting on the couch or anywhere else they are. It seems to make most of life’s drama slip away for a while and finally let some peace come into your life.
I wish Peaches would get along with Monkey and Shanks. I’d love to cuddle with them all. On the rare occasion Peaches wants to cuddle, the sight of Monkey or Shanks walking around the corner will put her into scary vampire mode
I have a little Tortie too, she’s 3 months 1/2 old and her name is Mousse! I would send you a foto but I don’t know how to do this?
Regards from Vienna, Austria
Herzlich willkommen, Mad! We’d love to see a picture of Mousse, you can post it on our Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/consciouscat
Welcome to our Tortie Family Mad.
Tell us all about Mouse.
I am the proud caretaker of Stirfry (a Tortie) and her son Pumpkin.
But he would love your Mousse. With a name like that they would be great friends.
And being from Austria you have made a great friend with Ingrid.
You have to read her book – Buckley’s Story
The very first time I recall totally falling in love with a cat was in Austria during a childhood vacation. I was probably 6 or 7 years old. Not a tortie, though 🙂
Welcome Mad! Can’t wait to see photos of Mousse, torties are so adorable when they are babies.
Hey welcome Mad. Good to see someone from my own heritage here. Great name for your Torties
Mousse!! My am owned by a Tortie named Steeler after the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania USA Steeler football team.
Please if you can, post a pic of your little one on Ingrid’s FB. Would love to see her.
Welcome, Mad! Very exciting to hear about Mousse, a geniune Austrian tortie!
Good to see you here Mad! Mousse is an awesome name for a torti, We’d love to see pics!
Frankie came up the stairs today.
I was out all day from 6am till 5. Gun show in Harrisburg.
When I came home I put the critters to bed and came inside. I heard Frankie downstairs waiting for dinner.
An hour later I heard him again. He wanted attention. I gave him some scratched and coaxed him up 4 stairs. Then he went back down.
About 30 minutes later I heard him and when I looked down he was halfway up.
I called him and he came upstairs all the way.
Bernie said to give him a treat (she was on the phone) and within a minute Punky was out for a treat also. Frankie and ?Punky touched noses and no aggression on either side.
My camera was not availble.
A few minutes later therte was another nose touch (and damn camera was not working – I dropped it 5 days ago and the switch is intermittant)
But things went well. Frankie explored the upstairs and went down to his cage by himself. Hopefully now he will come up on his own. Tabby still hisses at him but no aggression. Stir has hissed before when she met him downstairs – but I do not expert her to make friends but just a cold war treaty.
Thats progress 🙂
Kasey is the same way with Stir, as far as other critters go.
“Gun show in Harrisburg.” Did anything tempt you, there 😉
I am out this aft. for a turkey shoot (clay targets, prizes are turkeys and pork chops).
Glen, I was tempted as soon as I entered the door.
Okay, guys, I’m jumping in here. You know I rarely censor comments on this site, but I edited Jay’s reply to Glen, because it exceeds my comfort level with a topic that I’d prefer not to see discussed on this site.
We are a very diverse group from very diverse backgrounds, and we’ve become a family because of our love for our torties. Please know that I respect everyone’s background, and the varying points of view we all bring to this family. One of the many things I love about this group is that we came together despite our differences in other aspects of our lives.
The only other time I’ve censored a comment was when the subject of politics came up. I’m going to add guns to the list of topics that are off limits on this site.
Thanks for understanding. We now return to our regularly scheduled tortie programming.
Sorry Ingrid. It won’t happen again.
Only mention here will be of my little stink bomb downstairs. 🙂
No prob.’s 🙂
LOL….Hmmm, I remember that other time….I seem to remember I was the culprit….
Jay, you and me have to learn to behave damnit!
Hmmm, just went to the kitchen…Monkey and Shanks are lying nose to nose completely stretched across the hallway, they wouldn’t break up the meeting and move for me…they were apparently having a meeting of the minds and I’m scared
You should be very scared. Very, very, very scared. Full moon???????
very very…..they’re plotting something
Ingrid, thanks so much for clueing me onto Metal Christmas…The Alice Cooper is great because he manages to make it so sinister while barely changing a word….All the rest are pretty good…..Silent knight is downright disturbing, and Rudolf the red nosed reinder off the bonus CD is hilarious! But the Ronnie James Dio…..OMG….I want to burn that onto a mix CVD and just listen to it every once in a while…Man, he rocked that!
http://youtu.be/ONJFL4ABSmo
I have to skip past Silent Night – that’s a bit too dark for my taste. You’re right about the Dio track!
LOL…I LOVED Silent Night, just for the wierdness of it. It started off pretty trite and fabricated to shock. but it actually ended kind of genious, except when he growls “Infant so tender and mild and it kind of sounds like he’s planning to eat the baby……lol
Seriously, is there ANYTHING Dio couldn’t make awesome?
If there is, I haven’t heard it yet!
I have it uploaded to my comp….I’m going to put it on my regular metal playlist….that one can’t be only for Christmas….that’ll be an occasional listen. I discovered a new female fronted band tonight, and ordered the CD. Not to much screaming or death growls ,more of a thrasher band you should check them out. The name of the band is Mortillary and they’re really good
You two ladies are a trip. I am not going to let Steeler listen to your music. She is enough to handle already. 🙂
lol…Berns…..Anyone who doesn’t like Dio is unamerican! lol
“Hey, whatchew saying Willis” 🙂
Just messing with you Bernie, you know I love you! Cmon, let Steeler come over to the dark side….you know she wants to
I know your just messing with me. As for Steeler, she has enough habits that are out of my control. I don’t want her taking on heavy metal. I would have to live in the basement. I really don’t want to give up my bedroom. 🙂
Well Berns, you MIGHT be out of luck…I have reason to believe she and Monkey are in contact by computer when we’re not home…….If that’s true Steeler’s already been corrupted…..
I love Dio, more by himself and not with Sabbath.
Sam him in concert a few years ago.
RIP RJD
I was a HUGE Sabbath fan, so of course I hated Dio at first, he changed the band SO much…..but then over time I came to actually like him better than Ozzy. I mean, lets face it, he was more talented than Ozzy in a HUGE way! An in your face, there’s no way to deny it kind of talent……lol….Ozzy is funny and likeable. But Dio was…..DIO! He was a rock god. Who could believe that HUGE voice could come out of such a small funny looking man?
Hi this is not Kitty related but it is Tortie family related for me. My son Eric, as you all know is not well, has a birthday on Dec. 16. I am asking, if you can or want to, no pressure of any kind, to send him a birthday card to help cheer him up. There is not a lot that cheers him up right now, but if we flood his mail with happy or funny birthday cards, he will at least smile. Today he is having chemo and and IV for dehydration. Monday he will have a pet scan. Tuesday he will have a blood transfusion. This is a lot for him and the only thing I can do is try to cheer him up and give him all the hope I can. Now if you guys don’t send a card to him that is ok. I won’s sic Steeler on you. However, Jay might sic Stirfry on you. 🙂
His address is: Eric Sherwood 596 Pringle Rd., Smithfield, PA 15478
Don’t feel pressured that you have to do this. It is just a thought I had. Thanks to all.
Do you think he would prefer a humorous card or something basic?
As a side note, I’m not sure how safe it is to have his name and address available as there are people who use site scanners to grab email addresses, names and home addresses. They then either sell the lists to telemarketing firms, mail order businesses, and sometimes to phishing site creators.
Of course it could just me me being my usual paranoid self (anti-depressants don’t get rid of everything!)
Betty, I think it will be ok for his address to be published. It is already available on all white pages of phone book listings. Most of us are. In the new tech age, all our info is open somewhere or other.
I am hoping for humor. He needs to laugh. Thanks for asking.
You behave yourself, if you can. 🙂 Stop pushing “hubbie’s” hand in the kitties claws. 🙂
I don’t have a car….I’ll get a card if I can get to a store….otherwise please just give him a big kiss on the forehead for me?
And put on some gothic hooker red lipstick first. I am NEVER without my goth hooker red liipstick lol
Gothic Red. Well no wonder Peaches is as you say. Here I thought Gothic was black. Shows what I know.
Steeler better not be on the computer with Monkey and Shanks. She might get some ideas she hasn’t even thought about.
This is my normal lipstick color…I will expect a pic of this in a lip shape imprinted on his forehead……
http://theblackcatcloset.com/ebay/brosg.jpg
Nah, black lipstick is for the youngsters….ladies of my age have to be a little more……reddish lol
You will have to wait until he is better to have a pic of the lipstick kiss. No pics being taken just yet. Except by medical equipment. I will however tell him you send him a kiss and it’s from a very heavy metal music lover with kitties to match. 😛
Cat related – really.
Help Wanted !
A local business was looking for office help. They put a sign in the window saying:
“HELP WANTED. Must be able to type, must be good with a computer and must be bilingual. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer.”
…
A short time afterwards, a dog trotted up to the window, saw the sign and went inside. He looked at the receptionist and wagged his tail, then walked over to the sign, looked at it and whined. Getting the idea, the receptionist got the office manager.
The office manager looked at the dog and was surprised, to say the least. However, the dog looked determined, so he led him into the office. Inside, the dog jumped up on the chair and stared at the manager. The manager said, “I can’t hire you. The sign says you have to be able to type.”
The dog jumped down, went to the typewriter and proceeded to type out a perfect letter. He took out the page and trotted over to the manager and gave it to him, then jumped back on the chair. The manager was stunned, but then told the dog, “The sign says you have to be good with a computer.”
The dog jumped down again and went to the computer.
The dog proceeded to demonstrate his expertise with various programs and produced a sample spreadsheet and database and presented them to the manager.
By this time the manager was totally dumbfounded! He looked at the dog and said, “I realize that you are a very intelligent dog and have some interesting abilities. However, I *still* can’t give you the job.”
The dog jumped down and went to a copy of the sign and put his paw on the part about being an Equal Opportunity Employer. The manager said, “Yes, but the sign *also* says that you have to be bilingual.”
The dog looked at him straight in the face and said, “Meow.”
I forgot to tell you guys! When Dixie first came, I took her to the litter box….the bathroom is about 3 feet from my chair and comp….I eventually realized she was sitting in the bathroom hissing and growling….I had no IDEA what she was on about…..I finally realized she was staring at this silver winged pig doorstop I use to prop the door open because it’ll drift shut lol That pig was pissing her off in a MAJOR way!
lol…I’ve never in my life seen a teeny little kitten so attitudy
ALERT; The Pittsburgh Steelers, the team that wears the Black and Gold of our Torties, and my Steeler are on TV against Cleveland. So if anyone has any interest (you better, or I send Steeler after you) might want to tune in. 🙂
Harry I don’t know where the left paw or right paw remarks are, but I know Steeler is definitely a lefty. I have the scars to prove it.
All have a good evening and talk a lot. I will check in on you all later. 🙂
I got home too late to see the game but saw Bernie had posted a pic on FB of Steeler watching the game and cheering the Tortie Team on.
We won 14 – 3 and I am sure it was her doing that helped.
Has anyone else here ever had a problem like this? Shanks is constantly falling off everything! He’s the Clumsiest cat I’ve ever known, even though he LOOKS long, lean and graceful, he’s not at all, and I’m scared he’s going to hurt himself!
Ruby was pretty klutzy when she was a little younger, mostly because she got so enthusiastic about everything, she didn’t pay attention to where she was in space!
Maybe that’s it, I hope so. He worries me, he’s constantly falling off stuff lol..the desk, the window silll…..mostly it happens when he’s trying to jump from the window sill to the top shelf of the desk….I feel so awful because it looks like it must hurt….
Both of my male babies, Brad and Rockie are always misjudging when they try to jump up on something. Then when they fall they run into another room obviously embarassed.
Does he have a balance problem? I’m thinking he is just growing into his body or maybe has a minor ear infection as that can make people dizzy and uncoordinated as well. Or since my boys are adults it may just be a boy kitty thing.
I’m thinking…hoping, that maybe he’s just in an awkward stage….he LOOKs awkward….he’s getting long and lean like his mom, with that extra long tail, but he’s funny looking….short, shiny slick fur except for a ruff around the neck and a big fluffy tail….he’s lost most of the white hairs, but still has a few in the ruff and the tail, and on the top of his head. His eyes are HUGE like his mom’s, except hers were bright green, and his seem to be going to stay wierdly brown. H3e’s a strange little cat. I love that he does the paw thing his mom used to do, and I REALLY love that he and Monkey have bonded like they have
I have to wait to see what Glen says about Taz, but big orange kitties and gracefulness do not go together. Punky doesn’t let it bother him – he deals with Stir the same way. He can jump for being such a big cat and air bombing Stir and using his weight to keep her down.
“I have to wait to see what Glen says about Taz”
Taz was the most frantically, hyper active kitten I have ever seen.
He climbed up on everything, did everything on a dead run.
None of it too gracefully, either. But he is very robust and the falls didn’t even slow him down.
Now he is 13 and is in very good health, however, by choice, he is a “ground-dwelling”, terrestrial cat, which is a very good thing. 😉
LOL…Peaches and Monkey are both “High dwelling” cats. Shanks got a clean bill of health from the vet, and he’s getting fixed in two weeks when I have money again. The vet said he’s at an awkward stage, and he may or may not grow out of it. He said some cats are tree dwellers and some are bush dwellers….if Shanks doesn’t grow out of his clumsiness, he will eventually learn to be a ground dweller lol
Guys I was supposed to go stay with my son Eric this week for a few days. Well some bug caught me and I am spending most of my time feeling “yucky”. Unlike Ingrid’s little ones, my Steeler is having no pity or compassion for illness. She is constantly coming in and out of my room vocalizing and pulling at my robe to get out and come to the kitchen with her. When I don’t go with her, she heads out to the dining area and I hear my wooden chairs being clawed. Talk about a determined Tortie.
Well what the devil will we ever do with these little ones, except just look at them and try not to laugh at their anger revenge.
I’m sorry you’re not feeling well, Bernie. Allegra and Ruby are sending thought waves to Steeler on how to properly take care of a human who’s a little under the weather 🙂 Feel better!
Thanks Ingrid. I may have to open every one of the 30 windows in this house to get Steeler to get those waves in here from Allegra and Ruby. Steeler is not being receptive to my requests. 🙂
Sending some from me, Monkey and Shanks too…..but not from Peaches…brainwaves from Peaches may be dangerous
Leave Peaches be happy. She might be the answer not the problem. 🙂
Am I ever glad Frankie will never experience snow and ice again. That storm in Nov was the only one she was ever out in. Now – Indoor kitty forever. 🙂
“She”? Was that a typo, Jay, or did Frankie turn out to be a girl?
At 1:35 am I was just tired and used to writing about Stir.
But when I saw B&W outside I saw right away he was a male.
Now when I look he is not (or maybe they gave me the wrong cat)
lol….Jay, when you first saw the cat it was black and white…..now it’s a brown Tabby and white. The offer to hook you up with a GREAT eye doctor is still open, and she’s a cute strawberry blonde (probably brunette to you lol) to boot!
Frankie might be getting a new name.
Stinky…..
Only cat I know that come close to stinking up the litterbox is Steeler.
lol Shanks is TERRIBLE! No idea why his is so bad, it must be a guy thing. He eats the same as everyone else does!
Hey my Wild Child, think back over time and you will remember I complained about Steeler’s bm stinking up the whole place. It is definitely not a Male “thing”. In a way I wish it were.
I have also mentioned that she passes so much noxious gas that if it could be contained it would reduce our dependence on foreign products.
Jay’s Frankie is in the running to either surpass my Steeler in his “stinkiness” or “tie” her. I know. I have been there. Frankie is a proud little “Stinker” and like Steeler, he is very vocal. Very, very vocal.
LOL!!!!! The worst gas offender I ever had was this majestically beautiful and regal purebred Doberman foster fail named Buck…I swear that guy could have saved me gas money if I could have figured out how to bottle and liquify it! Now I realize I should probably have changed his food, but back then I didn’t know any better…I’d asked a veterinarian what was the best food I could give my dogs that was in my price range, and he said Pedigree. I fed all my dogs Pedigree for years, and never had a problem before Buck, but he apparently had a problem. It never occurred to me to change his food.
Its not a “guy thing”, Kasey is proof of that.
She gets Royal Canin dry and Performatrin wet food and has no issues that would cause odour, it just seems to be natural for her 😉
GLEN, Steeler and Kasey have a great deal in common. I knew it was not a “guy” thing. Our girls put out gas with the “worst” of them. It’s not the food either. 🙂
Have Frankie and Shanks been dewormed? Parasites can often be the cause of stinky poops. If you have a cooperative vet who will give you the stuff (a few mls of liquid or a small pill), you can deworm at home, I do it all the time for our rescue cats.
Frankie was dewormed and tick drops 2 weeks before he became an indoor kitty. And the Himane League did both Tick and Worm for an additional $10. He is just a Stinky cat.
I’m a bad mom……they’ve cut our hours at work, and I haven’t been able to afford to take him to the vet. But today a whole buttload of orders came in, we’re back to 40 hours, and I’ll be able to take him next week to get fixed AND shots. He’s a healthy boy, though, clear eyes, no runny nose, no ear mites, he’s never had the distended “worm Belly”, he’s growing like a weed and his coat is thick and glossy, so I’m sure I’ll get an all clear
Usually, there’s a direct correlation between diet and how smelly poop is. The first thing most people will notice when they switch to a raw, or even grain-free canned, diet, is that the volume of stool, and the smell, decrease dramatically. And that’s actually how it’s supposed to be, because it means that the cat absorbs most nutrients. The more low-quality ingredients, fillers, by-products and grains in a diet, the more stool, and the more smell.
That has certainly been our experience. When we switched to Weruva, the stool in the box nearly disappeared. And before that, when we just went grain-free, Henry’s ability to clear a room substantially diminished…
Steeler is not likely to change the noxious gas or the stool. Even tho it would be nice. She has IBS on top of everything else. So whatever she eats goes right thru her. Uh uh she is stinky. Sometimes I think she goes just to make me go clean it out because as soon as she does this she comes to me with that noise that is not a meow, more like a snarl to come and clean this mess out of my box. Gee I wish she could use the commode. 🙂
I wish Peaches would eat Weruva. She was eating Wellnees, but now she’ll rarely even eat that. I got desperate the other day and fed her Fancy Feast….she ate it, but then she puked. Which is why I stopped feeding it in the first place. She’s not losing any weight….still really slim, but no more than she ever was. She’s eating the dry Taste of the Wild. She’s never really liked wet food. No idea why, I think she’s just a wierd ornery cat
I thought my Rockie held the stinkiest littedr box award. If my husband (a typical guy that still finds farts amusing) has to leave the room, you gotta know its bad.
Bernie, make sure that nothing you feed Steeler has any grain in it. No rice, barley, wheat, corn, or anything else masking as grain. Add a probiotic to her canned food. You’ll probably see quite a dramatic difference in her stools.
Thanks Ingrid. I will have to get the probiotic. Will check her food again. I really feel bad to see her run for her litter box almost immediately after eating. Gosh what else for this little one? She is a true Tortie. Not showing her discomfort. 🙂
Ingrid, I just spent the last 45minutes looking for probiotics for Steeler at Petco and Petsmart online. No luck. Any suggestions as to what brand, store, or where I should be looking. Not sure where to look.
I’m sorry Bernie, I should have just posted the link to what I use with my earlier comment. Here it is: http://www.goodpet.com/library/pharmacyFiles/feline.asp
But you can also use just about any human probiotic, as long as it doesn’t have FOS in it. If you have a Whole Foods or health food store in your area, you should be able to find something.
Just got home from work.
A mix of snow/rain with more snow as I got closer to home.
Was passed on the highway by a ambulance (no lights on) doing 65-70.
They are calling on the radio for 2 – 4″ of snow.
Weather channel on TV just says about 1/2″
I am hoping the TV is right.
I HATE WINTER !!!!!!!!!!!!
I hate winter too. Steeler and I are going nowhere. Black ice here.
Just a little while ago my hubbie and I were having lunch and as usual Columbi was in “her” chair next to me and I noticed that just about where here eyebrows would be (if cats had any) there were 2 very long whisker type hairs sticking up. I don’t know why I never noticed them before unless it is because they are white and the light was just right.
My first instinct was to cut them, but I decided to post here instead to see if anyone else has seen this.
My hubbie said “they’re probably horns” but I defended her and said they are on the same side and look like they are coming out of the same follicle. He said that she should have horns. My poor baby with tortitude does not need horns, she is just highly misunderstood!
Stir has 1 very long white whisker on her left side.
And if any Tortie had horns it would be her.
Emma has some black ‘eyebrow’ whiskers. No doubt they are shadow horns. They are also used to tickle sleeping humans in the face.
lol….I understand, my Peaches is also terribly misunderstood. Every time someone from work is coming to my apartment for whatever reason, my friend Carol tells them to stop at a nearby church and pick up a cross and some holy water first.
And yeah, all three of mine have “horns” lol
Betty, et al, that’s what George Carlin called “that shit sticking out of their foreheads” (sorry for the profanity, but it’s hard to quote George without it). Does anyone else remember his routine about cats?
Anyway, all cats have the potential to have whiskers in that area and many cats actually do–all mine do (but then mine are perfect because they are artist’s models). You might also take a look on each side of their faces right in the middle of their cheeks and you may find a pair, one long one and one short one, and under their chin where you may find some taht look like slightly longer, thicker hairs. Also on the backs of their front legs about halfway down. They are all sensors like antennae that not only brush against things so they can judge space and distance, but they also catch tiny air currents that may be caused by predators or prey.
Bernadette that is so cool! You are just a wealth of information.
When I go home I’m going to check for oddly placed whiskers on my girls of course I may need an ambulance and a blood transfusion afterwards 🙂 hee hee
By the way…love love love George Carlin and his potty mouth too!
I always loved George Carlin as well. Another hysterical guy that died way too soon was Sam Kenison, he cracked me up so much. I guess I just have an affinity for comedians that are potty mouthed, anti-society and make digs at the government. Lisa Lampenelli is just down right dirty…lol you need to keep an open mind when you listen to her.
Oh yeah, my babies like these people as well, although I don’t let them listen to Lisa as they are too young.
(phew…had to mention kitties to keep out of trouble).
“potty mouthed, anti-society and make digs at the government… you need to keep an open mind ”
Oh, wait – I thought you were talking about our torties’ better qualities! 😉
(but then mine are perfect because they are artist’s models).
LOL…..well, mine are perfect because they’re the 99% …LMAO
But mine are models BECAUSE they are the 99%! Who would want to see a cat that didn’t look like a cat? But it’s the one thing I like when it comes to my art about cat people vs. dog people, and even people who have both–if it looks like a cat, cat people are happy, but for dog people, it has to look like their breed and even their dog. It’s why I don’t have any dog art except for commissioned portraits. I’d have to paint every single breed, people really expect me to, even ask me to call them when I decide to paint pugs. I know there really is no one truly representative dog image, though in logos I’ve usually used a long-snout and pointy-eared dog and people will accept that.
LOL, too true. Maybe because cat people are humbled by the lofty nobility exhibited by our pets. Dog people are owners, cat people are just lucky they let us live with them…..and if we didn’t provide food, water, heat and toys, they’d most likely get rid of us!
I forgot a set, right behind the corner of their mouth! This set is not very common and I always forget it. I know this best from studying feline anatomy and details for my portraits–and listening to George Carlin.
I am sO glad I decided to post about them here instead of cutting/trimming them.
That is great info thank you.
My hubbie likes Columbia but doesn’t understand why after we have been together for over 6 years he still needs her permission to pet her. He also doesn’t like her chasing and tormenting Rockie all the time. Mommy doesn’t need permission to pet her or give her scrutchies, it’s just everyone else that needs to. Of course all the babies except for Rockie take off and hide if someone stops in. Rockie stays out and is the official greeter then proceeeds to ravage their purses or toolboxes.
Sounds like Steeler.
As Bernie says “Don’t touch the Tortie”
Steeler is a greeter though and so does my Tabatha.
Pumpkin is GONE, and Stir will watch but keep her distance. I think Frankie might be a greeter. He does talk a lot.
Monkey is the center of the universe. If anyone has ever wondered where the EXACT center of the universe physically is, it’s in my apartment, wherever Monkey happens to be at that moment. Anyone who comes MUST pet her and love her, she will NOT leave them alone from the time they come until the time they go….she’s all over them. Shanks is a shy boy……he’ll peek at them, then when they look at him he’ll run behind the infamous 900lb couch. Peaches will USUALLY just sit in the corner and pin them with an unblinking evil glare, but occasionally she will actually come at someone in total halloween mode, Back arched, fur up, growling and making scary vampire faces….and she has the freakiest bright green eyes….most people who’ve ever met her are terrified of her, but she can occasionally be really sweet. To me. Most other people think she’s possessed
I think Peaches may be slightly Psychotic…Just a little…..but she’s mostly just misunderstood…..lol
Lynn, these “Evil” cats are overrated 🙂
I was able to scratch and even hold Steeler – and I was told this was impossible.
Bet I could have Peaches getting Belly rubs in no time.
Jay…just saw this…..hehe…you might have Peaches OFFERING you belly rubs in no time…..she has no qualms about offering that soft fluffy inviting snowy white belly…..but I dare you to touch it…in fact, since it’s Christmas time, in the spirit of “A Christmas story”, I’ll skip double dog dare and go right to TRIPLE dog dare…lol
Betty, my Steeler shows you this sweet love me face. But anyone who dares to think she is waiting for a touch soon finds out she is deceitful. There is a certain female FDOJ agent who thought differently. Well Steeler did her thing. My son, warned the agents when they stopped by to see her, (my son to see me), not to touch Steeler. Well the rest is history. I think they will take Steeler as their next secret weapon. So tell your hubbie he is not alone when it comes to who can touch a Tortie. 🙂
I don’t know what it is about both my hubbie and the ex-hubbie but if it looks like they are going to get scratched they are wimps. Columbia likes to wrap her paws around your hand or wrist and direct you to where she wants her scrutchies. My hubbie thinks that the paws reaching for his hand are to attack him…lol
Of course since she is a tortie I can’t guarantee him that it’s not going to happen, I only know it doesn’t happen with me. She might nip now and then but doesn’t scratch me. I also know enough not to scratch her belly!
LOL…LOVE George Carlin!
I’ve had a little issue here–every time I get up from my computer, Giuseppe takes it over to talk to his French Canadian girlfriend Mademoiselle Daisy Marguerite Emerald. I’d chalk it up to their being teenagers, but Mlle. is a senior kitty, about to turn 12! She should know better. I’ve pushed Giuseppe aside, and he is reduced to gazing out the side window toward the northeast. Lots of eye rolling happening around here.
Cookie is on the march tonight, around the house and looking out all the windows and doors.
Peut-être vous devriez le laisser appeler son amour ?
Giuseppe n’a aucune pouces!
I’m just lucky I can keep him from running off to find her. He tried to hide himself in the package we just sent to Kingston. His mom said it’s a good thing he’s not out wandering the streets like his papa.
Seems like love is in the air.
Long distance relationships can be tough but worth it.
Hang in there Giuseppe.
He’s currently sitting between me and my monitor, just in case a message comes in from Mlle. Daisy. Oh, mio caro, i deliquio con amore! Their little affaire also gives me a chance to brush up on my French and Italian, just in case I get a document to translate.
BTW, anyone witnessing my recent foster success NEEDS to know that this is not typical. I’ve had a lucky streak lately, normally animal rescue of any kind is very gruelling, heartbreaking, and only for the strongest among us. I’ve had a lucky streak lately, but it usually doesn’t work out like that, trust me, I’ve had my share of critters who were unplaceable, and I’ve shed my share of tears, but you can only do what you can do. As long as you do your best, that’s all you can do.
Unless, of course, you see someone fighting Pitbulls….then you must IMMEDIATELY call 911 and have those sick bastards arrested
It must be something very strange in the fabric of the universe this week. At my adoption center we had three black cats. Black cats, as you know – don’t sell well. Tonight, I adopted all three out. Granted, two were 4 month old kittens, but the other one was 2 1/2. And I got two emails from other people about the 2 1/2 year old today, and someone showed up wanted to adopt the adult as I was putting him in a carrier to go home. This is definitely not typical!
Now, there’s another adult tortie I know of that needs some extra energy to make something good happen this week… think good thoughts.
Now you are getting a lot of good thoughts to find that baby a forever home. No Tortie should be without a forever home. You can do it. I have faith in your determination to find her a great home.
Thanks for your help with this, Harry. Fingers and paws are crossed.
Harry, congratulations. What a great day you had by getting those little ones a forever home. Whether it’s the universe or some other “pull”, you are doing some really good work.
Harry, I can ship a 2-3 year old black cat down to you named Amber Midnight, a stray someone has been feeding in a retirement community who is pitch black with amber eyes, friendly and loving, but her kitty will have none of another cat and the community doesn’t allow outdoor pets or strays. I’ll be posting Amber Midnight tomorrow.
Congratulations on the others!
WAY TO GO HARRY !!!!!!!!!!!!!
Congrats on the adoptions and hoping that Tortie girl get and forever home by the holidays.
Wow, there really is something in the air! Grats Harry! Some powers that be somewhere are finally smiling down on the unwanted animals for a moment….hopefully a long moment
Lianimal, after a number of years, each new kitty got to be a big worry as I had filled up all my friends’ and co-workers’ homes and their friends and relatives and had to resort to going out to third-level recommendations, which often meant they simply stayed with me because I didn’t know enough about them. Nine cats in a changing population for many years.
But you’ve been mentioning the time when you lived in an area where animals were dumped–I remember the late 80s and early 90s when there were so many animals everywhere, out in the woods, running the streets, in back yards, I got to be frightened to go anywhere because I knew I’d see a cat that needed to be rescued, as well as a half dozen or so that I’d never catch or might have been safe enough. Pediatric spay and neuter has made a huge difference in these populations. I’m so glad those days are over, at least for shelter pets.
LDCRF does pediatric spay/neuter, and I still occasionally get pushback on it from a potential adopter. I just refused to engage the person last week whose vet told her not to adopt from us because it was better to spay when the cats were 6 – 8 months. What I wanted to say was, “yes, statstically, some cats will be harmed by that, but in the aggregate, if you consider all the ones dumped at shelters at 8 months, pregnant with 6 kittens, it saves untold lives.” Two of our own cats were spayed at 2 months and 2 pounds, and are fine.
Harry, I know I’m preaching to the choir, but tell them studies have been done that show there is no difference in the development of a cat spayed or neutered as young as 8 weeks (2 months/2 pounds), and the practice has been done since the 1970s so we can also see it does not shorten an animal’s life in any way. In fact, it lengthens it since chances of developing mammary cancer are reduced to nearly nothing when spayed before the first heat, and with no reproductive organs there can be no reproductive cancer. Most of all kittens and puppies recover and heal much more quickly than older animals. This article has an answer for every argument:
http://veterinarymedicine.dvm360.com/vetmed/Surgery/An-overview-of-pediatric-spay-and-neuter-benefits-/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/709366
That’s awesome Bernadette! I just shared on Nikki’s wall. Believe it or not, her dad and some other friends and family members actually called her irresponsible because she got her dog spayed before her first heat! It’s hard to believe, but there are still pockets of rural America where such “wisdom” still prevails
Our county has a spay/neuter law in that cats and kittnes (and dogs and puppies) are not allowed to be adopted out unless they have been spayed/neutered. Their guideline is 2 lbs. for kittens, don’t know what it is for dogs.
The low income vet I had spay and neuter my cats wouldn’t do it until they were 5 months old. Both Columbia and Angelike started their first heat the night before their spay appointments. He spayed them anyway but it kills me to know those girls had to suffer a night in heat. This was prior to the county law and the 2lb. requirement so I didn’t know any better, but it still bothers me.
Yup, my almost a hoarder days were in the early 90’s right around that time.
Lynn, wasn’t that a frightening time? it was hard not to feel responsible for all those animals, but the rise of TNR began then as well as many smaller rescue groups and it may have been just those overwhelming numbers that did it.
It was TERRIBLE! At least a couple of days every week when I woke up there was someone new in my yard, dirty, hungry……all I could do was open my door. I had a running ad in the paper, “Free to good homes, dogs and cats of every size, shape and color” I don’t even know if half the people I gave them to were really responsible or just telling me what I wanted to hear because there were so many! It was an epidemiic! I HOPE I gave them to good people, but at that time it was hard to be choosy….I just had to get them off my property! I had dozens all the time! I was living in a single wide trailer on a half acre…..I didn’t always count them, but every so often I did. I post different amounts here all the time because on different days I remember different counts lol……at some point I had 18 cats and 14 dogs……I couldn’t take care of them all properly at that point…they had food and water, but no vet care because how the hell could I afford vet care? And that’s how hoarding starts…..
Ugh, the Pitties are still and will probably always be my favorite cause. They are SO villified and misunderstood. But anyway…..lol
Hey, remember that “Cat with brown eyes” conversation? Shanks is as big as his mom now, His kitten eyes would have changed to their final color long ago, I’ve scrolled back and can’t find The post that says cats don’t have brown eyes…….anyway, this adult cat has almost the exact same eye color as Shanks. He’s an adult, and I would call this brown……I’ve found only two other pics in all my searches, so it’s apparently very rare
http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/285522_10150252593666262_540096261_7827034_3930359_n.jpg
Wierdly enough, brown eyes only seem to show up in black cats and orange cats. I’d love to see a study on that
I found a couple of pics where the eyes were a little more reddish brown, and a couple were a little more yellowish, this was the closest I’ve found to Shanks brown
Fascinating, I love this stuff. The eye colour in that photo is beautiful.
Such a pretty orange kitty (I am biased ya know).
And love the brown eyes.
Not sure if cat color and eye color have a correlation.
Ingrid/Bernadette/Harry ? What do you think.
And I was sure we would have a Tortie with RED eyes.
Well, we know our torties can change their eye color at will. Green means go, red means stop, and laser beams mean “It’s too late for you, sucka.”
Emma’s are actually two slightly different colors, one green-yellow and one orange-yellow, so she must be slightly undecided about what to do with us.
lol…LOVE that analogy!
3 others, I meant…The pics I’ve found have all been orange cats, but I found a thread on a message board where several people mentioned that they hd a black cat with brown eyes. Never any other fur color mentioned…only black and orange.
Good news for the kitten formerly known as Diva! This afternoon she got a new name, Dixie, and a new life. She went home with my friend Nikki from work. Nikki is a sweet responsible young lady with a toddler, a lab pup, and a cushy hubby for Dixie to lay on. I asked how she planned to introduce the kitten and the puppy (who weighs 50lbs, but is used to cats, and gets along fine with the neigborhood cat who shows up every so often to eat) She said she was going to put the dog out and let the kitten roam around, explore, and get used to the dog’s scent for a little bit, then introduce them slowly….good answer! Plus the pup is being crate trained, so she’ll be crated whenever no-one’s home, and Dixie will have the run of the house. I sent Nikki with a little Taste of the Wild, and she says she’s planning to keep her on it….another good answer! She even called her veterinarian today at break and made an appointment for first shots, and was told by the vet that she could make an advance appointment to have her spayed in March, and she did it! I told y’all she was a responsible young lady! But I knew that. I’ve worked with her for 5 years. She was 19 when I met her, rarely misses work, and has maintained her own apartment and bills, as well as paying her own way slowly (via night classes) through Phlebotemy and now nursing school the whole time. Plus I know her mom lol…
Dixie reassured Nikki that she knows all about the litterbox by stinking up the joint REALLY good before she left, then oh-so thoroughly and responsibly hiding the evidence while we watched. I wish she’d have taught my heathens that trick before she left!
Hopefully these cats will stop showing up on my doorstep for a while at least, as my recent lucky streak can’t last forever! lol
That’s wonderful news! Sounds like a wonderful home, and I love the name Dixie. You did good!
I know…I’ve been so lucky!
Got a bit of bad news, Sarah, the one who took Shank’s mom, now Olive, got her declawed because she scratched one of the kids. I spoke my piece about it, but since she didn’t ask me, and her veterinarian actually RECOMMENDED it (while speaking my piece I advised her to get a new vet), I guess I can’t hold it against her. I explained the actual process, she got pale and teary, said she didn’t know, and swore she’d never put any cat through that again. So at least there’s one more cat lover who, in her lifetime, will avoid that.
On the plus side, Nikki was in the room when this conversation was happening, and she swore she’d never do that to Dixie
Hey! Nikki just Facebooked me that the hubby (who was pretty reluctant) and the dog and the toddler are GREAT with her…..that’s what I LOVE to hear! FOSTER SUCCESS!!!! WOOT!
Wild Child congrats. You are ranking way up there on foster/adoptions. Your little ones have a good “Momma”. 🙂
Hehe Bernie, she said the dog came nosing up, and Dixie hissed, spit and growled so scarily the dog ran away! The poor dog keeps trying though, and Nikki says every time she comes nosing, the cat lets her get a little closer. They’re going to be fine…that’s exactly what she did with Shanks and then Monkey, and within’ two days they were all playing tag together.
Lynn, I learned to give the non-declaw speech in a casual conversation to anyone who came to see a cat or even called me, just mentioned that all my cats have their claws and my house is fine and I can’t believe people want to do that and do you know what it is? Unless they are diehards, or they have a very persuasive veterinarian, you’ve usually got them right there. And I hate to say anything bad about veterinarians, but there are many who offer it along with spay surgery as if it’s somehow related, and even if they are knowledgeable people think the veterinarian is suggesting it’s necessary.
I can say that now after listening to everyone here and learning about declawing that Frankie will keep his switchblades.
Last week afer I took him upstairs I had 2 puncture marks on my hand (and Bernie had 1 from a Tortie Fang – I won’t mention any names as to who’s fang 🙂 ) Peroxide was brought out to treat them. I keep a few bottles around at all times. Luckily Tortie owners heal fast – we have too.
I can’t believe there are still vets out there who recommend declawing. Unbelievable. Thankfully, this is the exception rather than the norm. Recently, I heard of someone who wanted to have their 12-year-old cats declawed (don’t even get me started!), and they weren’t able to find a single vet in the entire DC metro area who would do the procedure. Sadly, they ended up finding a vet in Richmond who agreed to do it, and drove the cats down there to have it done. The US is one of the few remaining so-called civilized countries who hasn’t banned this procedure. It is already illegal or considered inhumane in most European countries, and I believe Israel recently joined the list of countries that ban the procedure.
For such a civilized country, we can be VERY uncivilized Most Countried ban tail docking and ear cropping too, but not the good ol’ US…we say Maul ’em if you’ve got em! Sickening
Yaaaaay foster success! I love to hear stories like that. Way to go!
Congrats on Dixie getting a whole new life and forever home. I like how you picked out a responsible person to take her in. 1 less kitty for you.
Now you have room to find another rescue 🙂
NOOOOO! I don’t know that many more responsible people! lol
Lost and Found
This morning Frankie was brought upstairs for another meet and greet.
Stir was watching and growling but that was all.
He explored the upstairs but nothing exciting happened. 30 min later he was gone.
Searched the whole house and the only place I could not get to was under my waterbed.
Drawers on each side but a tunnel from the back to the center goes to the bottom.
Punky has been there before and it is almost impossible for me to get too.
Well with a flashlight and mirror I was able to look back there.
2 blue eyes stared back to me.
Relief that he was found.
I watched the rest of the Football game – The Bengals even though tough cats had their tails handed to them by the Torties. Black and Gold won 35 – 7.
Anyhow a minute ago I used a food dish to coax a cat into the room. I then pushed Pumpkin aside so Frankie would would come out.
After a minute I took him downstairs to his fiood bowl and litter box.
Will close off that entrace now.
That must have been scary. Amazing how cats can find the smallest hiding space when they want to. Sounds like it might be time to back up a little on the introductions – things might be moving a little too fast for Frankie.
I will let his cage door open and let explore each level on his own.
I know all 3 went down to see him before. He can greet them in the safety of his own cage.
Frankie was released into the general population today. He explored the house and met Tabby )a single his on either side), Pumpkin kept his distance and will not fight (can’t wait to see what happens at the food disj though). Stir just watched from the chair but did not say anything but we all know those Tortie stares. Finally he found a spot in the bedroom under my rolltop desk and behind a cardboard carton. He slept for 2 hours. I finaslly took him downstairs for his food and litter. But his cage door is open.
Will see how tonight goes,
“Will see how tonight goes”
Hopefully there will be no wake up calls of crashes or glass breaking, etc. 😉
They’ll be okay Jay, you did all the proper introductions….my poor 6 week old had to get plunked into the middle of hostile territory and fend for herself! SHe’s one tough little broad! lol
Sounds like things are going really well!
Shanks is thrilled to have someone smaller than him to chew on! He’s tired of getting chewed by Monkey, and he’s paying it forward! lol
lol, he’s about 3 times her size, but she’s ornery enough, she holds her own, It’s a good match lol
She is a lucky little cat to fine someone who will give her such good care.
………………..and provide some entertainment in the form of someone to play with 😉
She was having a fun time….but I have an aversion to cleaning, so my place really is NOT the greatest atmosphere for cats, I’m no-where near the clean freak most cats need and deserve. My place is awful….Monkey, Shanks and Peaches deserve better, but they always have food, and most of the time they have clean litter, though I tend to be a little lax on that. But Monkey, Shanks and Peaches are my babies and are not going anywhere!
This is funny-wierd….remember how I told you guys Shanks’ mom, now Olive, used to put her front paws on my knee to ask if she could hop up, then when I rubbed her jaw She’d stretch her left Paw WAAAAAY out toward me? Shanks has started doing the same thing. Only he’s apparently right handed lol It’s so cute
A right handed cat? Now *that’s* unusual! (Have you noticed that most cats are left-pawed?)
Yay! Shanks and Diva started playing about an hour ago….it’s still kind of tentative and shy, but progress is progress, right? Monkey and Peaches are still not buying, but at least they’re not being hostile, they’re just staying away from her.
I bet Shanks is thrilled to have someone his own size and age to play with!
Hey kids! Sounds like y’all have been having way too good of a time in my absence.
Emma was a wild terror when I first rescued her. A high holy terror. She was a few months old so after the initial rescue and her spay/shots I didn’t even try to pick her up, just let her hang out in the apt (she hid for the first week) and slowly by slowly she started to come out, explore, get to know Grey Cat, and eventually get to know me. She is now a huge mush, sleeps under my arm, is good with company, and although she only likes to be picked up one very specific way, she will allow it and is an all-around wonderful tortie.
I wrote about our initial meeting on my blog (it’s way too long to go into the extent of her fierce tortitude here!) Part 1 (the capture): http://obsidiankitten.blogspot.com/2006/12/cats-on-tuesday-pt-2.html and Part 2 (the vet): http://obsidiankitten.blogspot.com/2006/12/cats-on-tuesday-pt-3.html
By the way, that was when the vet told me that “Cats with those sort of tortiseshell markings tend to be little spitfires!” Indeed!
Good to have you back here, Shannah! I loved reading the story of Emma’s rescue. It’s so rewarding when these little spitfires turn into these wonderful, loving cats.
Welcome back Kitten
More Kitten!
That’s quite a story 🙂
She is on the opposite end of the tortie colouring to Kasey, in that she is a light torie, Kasey is a dark tortie, they are almost like comparing a picture to a photo negative.
They are about the same age, too, though I rescued Kasey when she was about 8 years old.
Kasey also likes being picked up but only one way, too.
These rescues often seem to turn out to be very nice pets.
Kitten, well it about time you came back. 🙂
I’m so thrilled that y’all are all still here! I mean, I see many of you on Facebook now so I feel like I’m still in touch, but I’ve definitely missed all the excitement over here. Amazing.
You guys have me thinking of Emma as a “reverse tortie” (who coined that term? one of you on here) due to her light coloring…she’s sort of orange tabby overlaid with a light sprinkling of black.
I’ve had great experiences with rescues. My first one, Grey Cat, was extremely shy and hid for many weeks. By the time he came out from behind the books in the bookshelf, he was at least half-grown. Ultimately, he slept cuddled next to me every night, had an unbelieveably loud purr that never quit, and got me through some of the hardest times in my life. Such a long way from the frantic kitten climbing the blinds and hissing at us fiercely every time we got near him, only coming out to eat and use his litter box when we were sleeping.
Emma is purring on my lap as I type this and sends you all her reverse-tortie regards.
Welcome Kitten, FB is nice but here we can share the love of our Torties.
As Glen said , Emma is a photo negative of most of ours and unique (but aren’t they all),
And she is extra special as is Doodlebug (OUR MALE TORTIE).
What Jay said! And welcome back!
Hi i am Reba. I loove animals and i have always taken care of them. I am in process of getting my degree in Vet technology so yea its an honor to read and learn new things about Tortis dont know much about them so yea . Anyways i have a Torti named Cleopatra. She goes by cleo. I was wondering how to handle The Tortitude. Cleo is not a mean cat but shes scary unpredictable. I am sometimes afraid to touch her because she has attaked me out of no where so many times that now i just look but don’t touch. So please tell me how i can get her to stop being so RAWER. shes really sweet and kitten like but boy she can be horrid sometimes.
Reba, Cleo’s behavior may be related to her tortitude, but there may be more to it than that. I can’t tell from your description whether she’s petting aggressive or play aggressive. How old is she? Is she your only cat?
Welcome, Reba – Ingrid’s the expert. But keep in mind the tortie poem:
There was a little tortie, with a spot in the middle of her forehead,
When she was good, she was very good,
And when she was bad, she was horrid.
-Harry Wadsworth Catfellow
Awww, I love that Harry!
Hello and welcome Reba. I’m with Ingrid, it sounds like there may be another underlying issue.
she is not playfully agressive at all. She will attake out of no where. One day she climbed in my dresser drawer when i was putting away cloths, I wasnt even touching her and she just attaked me for no reason. she dosent like it when people move around where she is laying if you get to close she will attake , you can pet her and she will like it for a split second then she will want you to stop touching her all together or attake and bite. she just seems like she dosent want to be botherd at all. i am close to giving up if i have a cat id like to cuddle and love the cat, cleo dosent want that at all. its raer that she will let you love on her or cuddle her. she just likes to lay close and not be touched.
Reba, that sounds like petting aggression to me. It’s going to take patience on your part, and you’ll need to work with her and be consistent. Here’s a link to a great article on feline aggression: http://cats.about.com/od/againstpeople/a/fixpettingaggression.htm I’d encourage you to follow the advice in the article, it’s pretty much what I tell my clients.Don’t give up on her. Spend as much time as you can playing with her, but use interactive (fishing type pole) toys, don’t use your hands. Whatever you do, don’t try to force her to cuddle, you’re just going to make things worse. Most likely, she wasn’t handled or socialized enough as a kitten. While she may never be a lapcat, these cats can come around with love and patience, and when they do, it’s incredibly rewarding.
I believe you said you were in vet tech school? Talk to one of your instructors who covers feline behavior, I’m sure they can offer suggestions and help as well.
Welcome Reba and Cleo.
As to “So please tell me how i can get her to stop being so RAWER. shes really sweet and kitten like but boy she can be horrid sometimes”
When you find out let the rest of us know because so far no one has been able to do that.
Post a pic on Ingrid’s FB so we can see her.
Hi Reba and Cleo. It’s great to have you here. I have Steeler, a Tortie. I agree with others here.
I have had Steeler for a little over 2 years and picking her up is tough most of the time. Although she love being petted and sleeps on my bed on a pillow beside me, she calls the shots on when and how she wants to be treated.
Cleo sounds like she is having fun just being in charge.
it wouldnt be so bad if she would stop attaking me and meowing agressivly at me all the time. i just dont know what to do with her. i play with her but ugh i want to hold her too and it sucks that i cant =(
Sometimes aggressive behavior is a health issue…they’re in pain but they have no way of telling you. I read an article about a lion tamer who was very humane and took a positive approach, and had a GREAT relationship with all of his cats….he was walking one of his lions on a leash one day when it suddenly attacked him. As they were loading him into the ambulance he was yelling at them “DO NOT destroy the cat, look in his mouth, there’s something wrong in his mouth!” Sure enough, the Lion had an abscessed tooth, wasn’t put down, and the man got his “puddy” back lol
Wow, that’s an amazing story. It also makes me think of the tiger who “attacked” Roy (of Siegfried and Roy). He was really just trying to protect Roy from what the tiger perceived as a threat from a woman in the audience.
Right? But still, every time I hear someone say they’d love to have a lion, panther, whatever….I ask; Have you ever had an 8 lb housecat? Do you realize how moody and wierd and dangerous they can be? Do you REALLY want one that weighs 100+ pounds? lol
I’ve often said that the only thing that makes a housecat safe as a pet is the size of the mouth. Both Brooke and Sabrina are not afraid to bite, if things don’t go their way, but they can’t get their jaws around your neck.
Omw….so wierd, I just went to pick her up and she totally started growling, yowling and hissing at me again….I wonder if she’s gonna be another Peaches that I have to tame because she’s more or less feral? What a wierd little baby kit…definitely Diva’s the right name for her for now lol
I didn’t know torties came in grey 😉
Harry…lol, me neither! My goodness! I know she’s just scared and I understand why, but to get such attitude from such a teeny little thing is kind of disconcerting!. LOL…I’m not used to dealing with babies, until this year, most of my rescues have been adults!
Berns….I think Steeler might really like my new Diva! She’s a beauty! I hope she doesn’t turn into a foster fail…God knows I DO NOT need another cat
Luckily you have Bernadette, Harry and myself to explain how to Foster kitties.
But then again – better not.
You guys did it – 8000 comments! Thank you for turning this blog post into something so amazing. This has to be a record. You never know, you all might just wind up in my next book…
Hey you guys, I am reading these post. Congrats Wild child for the 8000 mark.
1st No on an addition to Steeler’s family. No others in the house with her.
Ingrid, I would think with this crew, you would end up on the front page of the Time and People magazine. The stories behind the posts. yoi!!!
I am mostly just going to read. Once in a while I will pop in. You guys are the greatest.
Bernie, I may have to change some names to protect the innocent, or however the saying goes 🙂
Ingrid, don’t change my name, I wanna be famous like Snooki! lol
Angelina Jolie for Wild Child.
Stir and Steeler as themselves as I have never seen any badder ass cats as them.
Cher as Ingrid ?
I love all your casting suggestions – but Cher for me? Really? I’m thinking Brooke Shields.
Casting all the torties will be a much bigger challenge. They may have to resort to hiring Steven Spielberg of someone of that caliber who is an expert in working with animation, because let’s face it, only something larger than life would adequately represent our torties!
Hey Ingrid, use my name in your book. It will fly off the shelves. Hot stuff reading and a Tortie servant to boot. It could not be any better. Then throw in a lawyer, a technician, and our Wild child, and all the others, would not be able to print them fast enough to keep them on the shelves. The main theme is that each of us have a Tortie and everyone of us is different and alike. 🙂 Anyway using my name would mean I could help pick who plays me in the new book to movie!!!!!!:) Royalties, oh yea!!!! 🙂
Another vote for no name change 🙂 And I like the way you think: book to movie! Now you’re talking!
Jay and I are cool with this. He’ll be played by Nicholas Cage, I want Tom Hanks.
Thanks Harry, Nicholas Cage or Brad Pitt. I like either.
Bernie can be Julia Roberts.
Nicole Kidman as Bernadette. A really good looking redhead!!! 🙂
Keanu Reeves or Brendan Fraser are 2 well know Canadian Actors who could play Glen.
They’d need someone with a few more years……………………………and pounds, if it was a true to life portrayal 😉
Kasey would have to be played by a black panther with some dye mixed in for the tortie effect.
The real thing would be too dangerous for a movie set.
Glen, this is the movie so I waa asking for someone with more hair to play me so don’t worry about the age or weight. The black panther with dye as Kasey does not do her justice No Panther is as dangerous as a REAL Tortie. Guess CGI will be needed iif we want them on the big screen. James Cameron’s CGI could really do them justice with 3D technology.
I had to look up Nicole Kidman–oh, maybe that was me at 18, but she’d have to seriously gain some weight, or I’d have to lose some! But thanks!
Ok now on the non-fiction, we now have two excellent writers and a lawyer to draw up contracts. Now all we need is for the writers to co-author a best seller. I am willing to be the infamous one.
Wild Child wants just to be famous. Now we need a male “villian”, besides our Torties.
Does the male villan have to be a person or a cat? If a person I’ll offer up my ex-husband…lol
If I’m in it you could get either Lisa Lampanelli (sp) or Roseanne Barr or any other smart mouthed woman. They’d need to dye their hair red though.
Hey BETTY, ex’s exempt. Has to someone here for a true non fiction. Ok you can have either women play you. Henna Red hair dye not a problem. Rosanne Barr would do most anything and yes she has a mouth.
Someone else on here will have to answer for Lisa Lampanelli. I don’t know anything about her, but if that is who you would choose, go for it. 🙂
Remember our Torties will be played by our Torties or a facsimile, such as Glen said. Panthers with gold!!!!! Now that’s character picking. 🙂
Not as red as henna, more of a darker red (Garnier #66 pomegranate aka true red)…lol
I can’t think of any of the guys who post in here being mean enough to be a villan unless someone just wants to play the role of a mean guy against his true nature 🙂
Lisa Lampanelli is a comedienne, a really foul mouthed one at that…lol
I told Columbia about her upcoming role and her sister Janet is jealous as she was looking forward to getting to primp and play in the stage makeup. Anytime someone gets makeup out, she is right there seeming to admire it and wants to be involved. Been ;ike that since a kitten. Columbia could care less, more of a tomboy I think.
Betty – I can’t think of any of the guys who post in here being mean enough to be a villan unless someone just wants to play the role of a mean guy against his true nature.
Let any person hurt an animal in front of Harry, Glen or myself and you will see the villian.
Harry – How did you know that Nicholas Cage was my favorite actor ?
ConAir I can watch over and over.
Bernadette, that’s where creative non-fiction comes in…. 🙂
So Ingrid, who do you want to play you ?
I thought I posted that somewhere already, but apparently I didn’t, because I can’t find it, either: Brooke Shields!
You guys are too much!
Hey can Luna, Nikita and I get in on the movie action?
I’m thinking Christina Hendricks could play me (don’t I wish). I too have auburn hair by way of the bottle of Feria (Brilliant Bordeaux).
Actually i dated a guy who said I looked like a younger version of the Barefoot Contessa from the Food Network. I wouldn’t mind if I could cook like her. 😉
Nikita is too much of a sweetie to portray an actually tortie (even though she is one). Maybe Luna could be her stunt double.
“Angelina Jolie for Wild Child.”
SWEEEEET! Jay, I like the way you think! Truthfully I look more like Rosanne Barr, but I’ll happily roll with Angelina, chick is SMOKINNNNNNNNNNN! lol
Betty, I madly LOVE Lisa Lampinelli….so funny! But we’re casting good-looking people to play us, otherwise I’d HAVE to be played by Roseanne Barr. How old are you? Because I’m thinking either Susan Sarandon or Laura Prepon (Hot Donna from “That 70’s show) depending on age
Monkey and Shanks could play themselves, they’re sweet, and it would only take a day to make friends with all except their MEANEST co-workers. Peaches, however, would need a stand in…….
Sounds like the “Good Torties” can play themselves and the MAJORITY will be computer animated. I can’t wait till those animators get to interact with Kasey, Steeler and Stir.
That will be a movie unto itself.
Well, unfortunately I am 56 so probably Susan Sarandon would be the choice.
Good choice, even though she’s a lot older than you. I’ve always thought she was so beautiful. And she stands the test of time, I believe she’l still be beautiful when she’s 100
I think for now her name is Diva because of the cattitude and the french mani-pedi
She’s very pretty. silvery grey with four perfectly matched paws….white just on the tips of her toes like a french manicure, a white chin, a little white snippet on the nose and a white patch on her chest, and the most whiskers I’ve ever seen on a face that tiny. She’s a LOT smaller than Shanks was when he came…I really don’t think she’s much more than 6 weeks old
Sorry I’m late, been tied up with a server move the past several days.
You are such a good person Lianimal to take in these poor mistreated and forgotten babies. I hope Diva (my Columbia’s middle name btw) finds wither a good home elsewhere or one with you. Problem with finding her a hime is the longer she is with you the more attached shanks will be to her and if she goes, he might be a sad little boy.
I forgot to tell you guys….this was funny. The kitten came, ate, I sat her in the litterbox. She was in there for a really long time, then she started growling and hissing…..I couldn’t figure out what the heck she was so upset and threatened by….then I noticed she was staring at the door-stopper…it’s a pig with wings, and I use it to prop the bathroom door open because it drifts shut by itself lol
I got the kitten about an hour ago…gosh, what a skinny little thing, and so scared and hostile. She can’t be more than 8 weeks, but I think she’s younger. I gave her a spoonful of Wellness and a little handful of Taste of the Wild….she ate voraciously…..all but two kernals of the dry. Everyone got an extra snack laced with Peacemaker. I showed her the litter box, and now she’s sitting in it growling…poor little thing. Monkey’s curious, but she’s giving the kit her space, same with Shanks. And Princess Peach hates me again, and hasn’t come out of the kitchen lol. Ugh, I have to go get the kit, I just looked and she’s sleeping in the litterbox….not cool.
Do you have a box you could set up for her, with a towel or blanket in it? It sounds like she needs a safe space she can “hide” in. We saw that a lot at the animal hospital, cats sleeping in their litter boxes in their cages because they were scared. It would upset me to no end. One of our techs got the idea to put a small box in the cage, and the cats would sleep in there instead. I think the enclosed space gives them a sense of comfort.
Hmmm, she’s curled up on the infamous 900 lb couch now, in the corner against the pillow…Peaches hopped up once, they hissed at each other, and her highness retreated back to the kitchen, the other two are sleeping in the Condo. All I have is a carrier, and it smells like Monkey (EVERYTHING smells like Monkey around here, since she leaves no corner un-Monkey-fied….she IS, after all, the HBIC of the Garrow corporation….lol
Diva is now on the back of the 900 lb couch above where my head will be later…..everyone here knows how kittens are, with the uncontrolled claws, Hopefully she won’t hop down and take half my face with her while I’m sleeping….lol, I’m scared after this weekend I’ll go to work looking like something from The Walking Dead lol
I found that a large Tupperware tub that I cut a hole in the side and padding on the bottom works great. The pop off lid helps for setting it up but gives them the cave feeling where they are safe.
Plus only $10 at Walmart helps.
4 more post till 8000.
It was 5 put I shortened it by 1 telling you all this. 🙂
Well, I think this is probably the 8000th richere! lol
I just got home from the Humane League TNR clinic.
The B&W is a White/Brown Tabby but his name is Frankie so it does not matter
They will Neuter him, Rabies Shot, Worm & Flea care and check for Aids/Feline leukemia virus (FeLV) All for $48 ( They said on the paper if the cat has Feline leukemia that they are automatically put down but I said I did not want that to happen. Ni matter what he will live.
Bernie is coming down to pick him up as I will be at work tonite. She will be able to watch over him tonight and maybe I can convince her that he would make a good start on her goal of being a multiple cat family. 🙂
Good luck with Bernie, Jay! lol
I’ll need it.
Tortie owners can be like their Torties – unpredictable.
In some ways……………Ugh, Nevermind, I’lll let y’all know tomorrow what happens with the kitten
I’ll tell you how I keep from hating the whole world… no, that’s not quite accurate – how I manage to pull myself back enough from hating the whole world to keep doing what I do – I read this: http://lostdogbarb.blogspot.com/ (Scroll to the second entry, “People Power”)
The rotten ones create much more disruption than the great ones. It’s like a room full of cats, and one skunk – the stinker overwhelmes all the goodness in the room – but if you focus on the good ones (and hold your nose)… good ones like the couple that last weekend adopted a 5 year old, shaking, shy cat, because – in their words – “she needs us the most of all the cats you have here.”
Love the story about People Power.
People like you, Bernadette, Lynn and others who take in strays to foster (even if they fail 🙂 ) are the ones I admire.
And that person who took in that shy 5 year old cat are the ones that see to the soul of the animal and make that special connection. Fantastic.
That’s a wonderful post, Harry. I’ve always believed that we can achieve more good in this world if we focus on what’s already good.
People like you restore my faith in the human race. After being in rescue and working in retail for years, I do NOT have much love for people. But every once in a while I meet that one special person that restores my faith in humanity……This poor little kitten who probably isn’t even 8 weeks old is already so damaged that she’s gobblling food….she’s young enough that it can be fixed, Thank God….
I misposted, BTW, she was found in a box beside the dumpster, and there was a rotten dead animal smell inside that people assumed were dead kittens, but that hasn’t been proven