April is Animal Cruelty Awareness Month

Considering this is  Animal Cruelty Awareness Month  I should of posted this the first of the month. I was a bit disappointed how little involved my state is in the concern for animals. But then I thought what am I doing? It's about time I became aware in the concern for animals and helped to promote the cause.

We should all help in any way we can, no matter how humble it might be. Simple acts of kindness, volunteering, writing letters, fostering pets, or donations. All good deeds great and small help to make the animal world a place, where animals are treated with compassion and respect. I think promoting our own state is a good way to start. I'm making a commitment to myself to get involved and understand more about the concern of animals in the New Hampshire State Legislature. And considering that the state line of Vermont is only a few miles away from where I live, I would also include the state of Vermont.

Legislature

Animal Cruelty

Concord SPCA

Spay Neuter NH pdf

Other ventures I started this month

Feral Cats Yahoo Groups

The Humane Society Of The United States

Upon researching about how money might be raised for nonprofit animal shelters, I came upon this informative website.    ActivistsCash

I am against any animals being kept in unsanitary, abusive, neglectful conditions. I'm also against circus performers keeping animals in abusive, neglectful unsanitary conditions. But after reading about the HSUS I was surprised to learn how wealthy the organization is, and how little they contribute to our local animal shelters?

Remember the big football player, Michael Vick? One good thing the HSUS did was shut him down. This article also claims the negative side of the Michael Vick subject. The HSUS claimed that they rehabilitated the Vick dogs, but other sources claim they had nothing to do with the funding of their rehabilitation.     The Vick Victims 

In my opinion credit should be given where credit is due.

The Unsung Feline Heros Among Us.

Being concerned about the hostility between Zelda and Isabella, I had previously called the clinic where Isabella was spayed (Riverside Rescue) to see if they could take her in. No room for her there, or any other shelter for that matter. When I spoke to the lady at the Riverside Rescue she gave me the number of a lady that just takes in cats, gets them neutered and try's to find homes for them. Her name is Linda and she lives way up around Cannan Vermont, some distance from where I live. I called Linda, but she had no room for her. The more I thought of it, it saddened me to think of Isabella locked up in a cage all day.

Linda was very friendly and helpful with many tails of woe, of her experiences with stray and feral felines. She has trapped many feral cats, and had them neutered/spayed and inoculated. She said she kept them (in cages) for awhile to see if there was a possibility that they might be adoptable. A few of them came around and bonded with her, but the cats that remained aggressive towards her were eventually released back in the wild. As for the cats that accepted her, she tried to find homes for them, and very few were successful adoptions. Seems that most of them bonded only to her. And when they remained unlovable and fearful towards their new owner, they were eventually returned.

She told me a very sad story about a mutilated cat that was found. The poor thing had a smashed up leg, it's front paw was bent backwards, it was matted and loaded with fleas. Two men were going to shoot it, to put it out of it's misery, but she stopped them. She thought perhaps it might belong to someone, so she took the cat to the vet. The vet cleaned it up, put the front paw in a cast, and had to amputate the leg. She tried to find the owner, but nobody claimed it. So she ended up with a fearful, aggressive, cat towards humans, and a very high vet bill. Finally after a time the cat bonded with her, and she found a home for it. So far she's not sure if this cat will come around and bond with it's new owner, so time will tell. She seems to think that this cat was abused by some one. But I would rather believe it was a wild animal, and that there are no humans that cruel.

Her current project is nursing some very young kittens that were recently born. Some cats were found living in an abandoned barn, and apparently the mother cats milk dried up. She said every few hours they must be fed. Now that's a time consuming task, those kittens will surely imprint themselves on her. But they will probably be very acceptable to human hands.

Considering her past experiences, she knows a thing or two in dealing with the shelters in our area. I was surprised that the shelters don't take cats unless they are friendly and lovable. If they have the room, they will take friendly cats that have already been spayed. Seems everyone wants a kitten, so they will take kittens because they can place them quickly and make more money on them. They tend to be more accepting of the Angoras, the Maine coons, and the Siamese cats. I certainly believe this, because when I called the shelter about placing Isabella, her first question was "what kind of cat is it?" I said "she's an american short haired cat, all black with a little white at her throat" Her reply was "I'm sorry we have no room" :(

Now unfortunately there is no catch and release programs for feral cats in the state of New Hampshire or Vermont. And I can understand why the shelters don't want to get involved with the difficulty in dealing with feral cats. However there are many cats that are just strays that have gotten lost, been abandoned, or ran away because they were abused. How sad that such little concern is shown for the ordinary looking stray cat, that might have a few social problems. Well I guess they need to turn the money around so they can board them, fund inoculations, and being altered. However if taken to a clinic to be altered it's not that expensive. It only cost me $52.00 to get Isabella inoculated and spayed, at the Riverside Clinic in Vermont. I'm sure they take all the kittens to that clinic, or one like it for their medical procedures. My granddaughter took 5 kittens there all together, and it was amazingly cheap. I cannot comment on all shelters, but for the shelters in my area, it's all seeming more like a profitable business?

God Bless people like Linda, that are willing to take in and assist any helpless stray or feral cats in need of care. She try's to place the cats in good homes, and requests no fee. With the goodness of her heart, she does it all on her own. After talking to her I thought to myself, most shelters are charitable non profit organizations, relying only on private donations. Considering that I'm sure they don't get any help from the state. Now I'm wondering how many states are involved with the 'catch and release program' And might one go about requesting a state to assist in funding a catch and release program for feral cats? I'm sure someone has already inquired of that. And if it were doable in this state, there would be a program.

The tom that keeps coming back

I opened the bedroom door to Isabell's room and she ran right out on the deck. Considering that we finally got a little warm weather, I thought she might like to stay out for awhile. After an hour I checked on her, to let her in. When I opened the door she was right there, but this brown and white tom that has been lurking around here since last July was also on the deck. When Isabell went for the door he jumped in front of her. Then their was a cat fight, and Isabell ran off with the tom chasing after her. I thought tom's only went after cat's in heat, and since she's been spayed, she can't be throwing off the mating scent?? I called her and called her but she was gone most of the day. I didn't get her back in the house until hours later

Last summer I thought he might be a hungry stray, so I offered him some food. At that time he seemed gentle, with no interest of a hand out. So I assumed he was someone's pet that was well fed. The people that live up the road from me have a small barn and 2 or 3 horses. Possibly he could be one of their barn cats. Unfortunately he has not been neutered, and I'm sure he is the cat that got her pregnant.

Still Coping

It's still an uphill battle dealing with 2 cats in separate quarters

When discussing the situation with a friend, she suggested I cuddle and bond with Isabella. Considering that she gets to stimulated when being petted, that's currently impossible. Because she has had very little or no human contact, she starts biting and scratching the hand that is petting her to show affection.

I also informed my friend that I did not take the cat in because I wanted another cat. I took her in because it was so cold in the winter months. Some advice I was given from the get go was "if you didn't want another cat, you shouldn't of fed her, and you should of ignored her"  Well that seemed rather harsh. They have no catch and release programs in New Hampshire, where they will offer some assistance. For the people who care they are on their own. For me it was sort of a catch and release situation. But after she healed, and was let out, it seems that she didn't really want to be released. When I thought about finding a home for her, because of her bad habit of being so close to feet, I had visions of people tripping over her. If she was in a household where people had no patience in dealing with her problems, it could turn out to be disaster. Some people think they want a cat, then when it doesn't turn out to be what they expected they bring it back or throw it out to fend for itself. .

I came to the conclusion that I would start with some spray bottle training and give her more freedom. I don't want her to get to attached to me, so I'll be kind and patient, but not affectionate. Every day I put Zelda in my room and set up a gate. Then I let Isabell out of her room for a couple hours. Every time she got close to my feet I gave her a quick, light spray. So far she gives me freedom to walk, and now she knows what the bottle is for. Most of the time when I hold it up, I don't even have to spray. She generally walks around and explores for awhile. One day she jumped up on my kitchen cabinet. I only had to abruptly say NO! and she got right down. I have been doing this for a few days, with no problems. Unfortunately today it was a different story. When I let her out, she was doing fine at first, but then I noticed her getting into a stalking possession (the thing cats do when stalking their prey) I got up from my chair and noticed that Zelda was in plain site of her, but way back against the wall away from the gate. When I said NO, she heard me, took notice, but decided to ignore me. Later she did not want to go back in her room, so it took awhile getting her back in her there.

Before she was afraid of Zelda, but now I can clearly see that she has claimed her territory and wants to be the Alpha cat. I don't want Zelda living her senior years in fear. So once I get her trained to keeping away from feet, I think I should start looking for a good home for her.

Doubting Thomas

I have been striving on getting some spring cleaning done, so I took some time off from blogging. I planned on fostering a Brittany spaniel, until I was given no guarantee that a dog I might foster would be good around cats. I'm a little disappointed, because on Petfinder it states if the dog is good with cats and kids. After talking to the person in charge of the Brittany spaniel rescue, he claims no guarantees. Until I get that guarantee, my foster dog project will be put on hold.

I miss my Daisy since she passed away, and I need a watch dog. One that barks and alerts me of any unusual noises. but I am not going to allow a dog to terrorize my cats.

I could of adopted the 2 year old papillion, named Phoenix, but so far I've dragged my feet on that decision. All though it's a gift, it seems this little fella comes with a few problems. Unfortunately he has a stubborn streak and really bad gingivitis. I can live with ongoing dental care. The other problem is getting him to walk along with you while on a leash. Every time she tries to walk him, he lays down on the ground. She got him as a young dog from a past coworker in Phoenix, Arizona, (claims he is now 2 years old) that bred and trained papillions. She gave him to her for free, but she had to pay $92.00 to have him transported to New Hampshire. When she called her up and alerted her of all the problems, she said "if your not happy you can send him back" Well that would of cost her another $92.00, and when most people get an animal even if they don't get attached most would prefer not to reject it to more transportation stress. She does love dogs, she had 3 papillions and 2 shelties. She placed one of the papillions. Now she has 2 sheltie's Jake and Patches, two papillions, Red and Phoenix.

First time I spoke to her (over a week ago) in spite of my uncertainty she was very determined on me taking the dog.(Perhaps she expected an instant decision) Then last Thursday when I saw her everything seems to of changed. She's telling me about an acquaintance in Massachusetts who is very good at training dogs, who has been interested in him for some time now. I'm wondering why she didn't inform me of this when we last spoke. I felt like saying "if this person already knows how to break this dog to stop laying down, when on a leash. You should give the dog to her" The fact that a dog refuses to cooperate while on a leash, makes it almost an impossible situation in taking the dog out to do his doggie business. She' at work all day, so when she gets home from work, she puts all her dogs outside in a little pen. Now I'm wondering how house broken her dogs are?

When I make a decision I generally put a great deal of thought into it. With this new information, being suddenly brought to light, I sort of felt like she was pushing me into a premature decision. Such as "if you wanted the dog you should of taken it last week, or you better take it now, or it will be gone" I'm thinking that if this person has been interested for some time, in this little papillion, why hasn't she taken it?

Cats And Dogs

I let Isabella out yesterday. She ran out on the deck and disappeared for awhile, Then I called her and she came right back and ran into her room. When I let her out I had a gate up, so I did not lock Zelda in my bedroom. Zelda sat by the gate looking in at her, and this time it was Isabella that got aggressive. She hissed and jumped at the gate. (almost knocking the gate down)

I have decided to make an attempt at being a foster mom for Brittany Spaniels. I applied online, and I am presently waiting acceptance from the .Brittany Rescue Of New England 

Yesterday I visited a friend and she has a registered, 4 year old, free Papillion that she offered me. She showed me a photo of one online. They are atttractive dainty looking little tykes, listed under the toy breed. They weigh from 4 - 9 lbs  Height at the withers is approx. 8 to 11 inches. Anything over that disqualifies as a show dog. but none of that matters to me, because I'm not a show dog person.

They were named papillion because of the butterfly ears, papillion is the french word for butterfly.

A Hectic Week

My son from California came home for a surprise 5 day visit. It's great when he's here because if anything needs to be fixed, he fixes it. Considering I had Isabella in the guest room, I decided to give him my room. So I ended up on the couch. Isabella is doing better, and appears to be all healed. I opened the back door and gave her the option to go out. At first she ran out on the deck, but came right back in. So I guess she feels safe in her room for now. She has a single bed with a comforter, a bench by the window to sit on, and plenty of food. What more could a cat ask for? Perhaps when the snow is gone (if it ever goes) she will calm down and go out.

Verification And Confirmation

Yesterday I re-posted the information about the Carboodle Ranch  Today being concerned about the controversy that was posted from the Cuddles and Catnips Blog, I came to the conclusion that the person named Dana should have some sort of verification proving that this information came from a reliable source. Of course it's not wise to put your telephone number or your physical address online. However in my opinion for confirmation, Dana needs some sort of online identity.

Today when I checked into my blog I had received a comment from a person named Bella. I clicked on her name, assuming it would lead me to her blog or website. But there was nothing there.Hopefully Bella and Dana will eventually come forward, and reveal an online identity.

Remembering Mickey Moonshine

As I was surfing the blogs this morning, through other blogs, I was led to
 Mickey's Musings  Sweet Mickey  has gone to the bridge. Rest in peace Mickey. I also visited Miss Peachs Blog  There are so many kitty blogs I have not yet discovered. One can get lost in a beautiful maze following these blogs. I don't know who created this lovely photo in memory of Mickey? I take no credit for it, as I copied it from Brian's Home

Life Goes On

I wonder what Isabella ponders on when she sits in the window, watching the days go by. Or do animals speculate as humans do? I am still keeping her in the small bedroom, away from Zelda. It would be better if she had the run of the whole house, but after her medical ordeal, (spaying, aborting kittens, and inoculations) I think confrontations with Zelda would be to stressful for her. I have noticed that she still rubs up against my legs and I think that's a good sign. But unfortunately her attitude towards me seems to of changed. When I bring her food in she hisses at me, and she never did that before. However she was never comfortable about feet, as she would often grab at them, so when around her, I wear shoes. (in the house, I hate shoes) But she never hissed at me, until after her return from the clinic.

Ermest Hemingway's Six Toed Cat

Here is something I gleaned from the net this morning. Because Ernest Hemingway was impressed and captivated by a friends poly-dactyl cat, it all started with a cat named Snowball. He was given a six-toed cat from a sea captain named Stanley Dexter . Today some of the cats who live at the Hemingway Home and Museum are descendants of that original cat.

There are variations to that online data, as another claims that a sea captain gave Hemingway a female, double pawed cat that was named Princess.

Sailors believed that six-toed cats were lucky. Cats arrived on Key West in the early 19th century in the company of sailors looking for sunken treasure.

Is any of this information true facts? As stated I gleaned it off the net, so I don't know?

Mount Washing Home Of The Worlds Worst Weather

As I was checking several weather sites this morning, I decided to check out what was going on up on the observatory. Mount. Washington is well known as home of the worlds worst weather.

I live close by, so I have taken the trip up many times.
I was pleasantly surprised to read about Marty the cat, who was taken up to the observatory on January 21, 2008.

 More about Marty on this link. Arrival Of Marty The Cat

More research brought me to  The Summit Cats of Mount Washington Observatory

They are all lovely cats, but it appears that Nin was the cat that was not distracted by the camera. This gorgeous feline appears to be posing for the camera. :)

Mission Accomplished, With Negative Side Affects

Because I don't sleep soundly, or for very long, I'm an early riser. I may be up at 5:00 am, but when I'm having my coffee I'm generally reading the newspaper, watching the news, or surfing the net. So I'm not doing much until around 7:00 or 8:00 am. But Thursday morning, considering I had to have Isabella at the clinic by 7:30, I had time for none of that. When I got up in the morning to prepare for the day, Zelda knew something was up. Funny how cats you have owned for awhile, are so in-tune to you actions. that way. During my preparations Zelda seemed to be a bit disturbed. She kept looking at me as if to say, something peculiar is underway here, and I want no part of it. And then as my preparations wound down she vanished from my site. I finally found her in the small bedroom, hiding under the bed. (the bedroom I prepared for Isabella upon her return) Under the bed, in that room, has always been her favorite place to hide. For the time being she'll be locked out of that bedroom. Hum... maybe she had a sense of that?

All in all the day went well. My driveway was fine, I got Isabella to the clinic on time, and there were only 4 young dogs in line before me. Isabella was the first cat to get checked in. When I picked her up she appeared to be sleeping in her carrier. They also gave her a rabies and distemper shot. I asked the lady at the clinic if she was pregnant. She said "she was 7 weeks along, we aborted the babies. In 2 more weeks she would of given birth"

I don't think Isabella appreciated the bumpy ride home. When I got her in the house I took her straight to the back bedroom and opened the carrier. She came right out, sort of stumbling and she ran straight for the door, which was shut. By her behavior, I would say that the whole ordeal, being locked up in a carrier, transported in a car, being around people, barking dogs, getting inoculated and spayed, traumatized her. She did not hiss or growl at me, but she refused to leave the door, and she was actually struggling at the one and a half inch under the door to escape. I guess she figured if she tried hard enough, she might fit through that little gap? I grabbed a screen that was close by and slid it front of the door. When she finally went to another part of the bedroom, I quickly left the room, taking the screen with me. And as I did she ran back for the door. Because she was so determined to get through that gap, I decided to put the screen on the other side of the door. The poor cat struggled for about an hour at that door. Now I fear the minute I open the door to bring in her food, she will make one quick run for it.

Where ever she originally came from, be it a barn cat, abused cat, abandoned cat, or a true feral cat. Within the last year I became the only human she trusted. Presently she's probably having second thoughts on ever trusting me again. What she wants right now is to get out of my house and away from me. :( I'm sure if I were to open the window and let her out, she would take off and never return. Perhaps thinking "this is what happens when you trust humans" I'm hoping that I can keep her inside at least a week to heal. But if she fly's out of that bedroom like a cat with a mad cow disease, I don't know what I'll do?

It always about the weather?

In checking several weather reports online daily, I admit I have become a bit obsessed with the weather. Mostly because tomorrow Isabella gets spayed. I'll have to get her there between 7:30 - 8:30. So I'll be up early in the morning making preparations. Yesterday I walked down my long driveway to retrieve my mail, check the driveway, and the steep incline that is at the beginning of the driveway. With all the off and on flurries we have been getting lately, it did not look good. When I came to the steep incline it was worse. It was all ice under about an inch and a half of the snow, what a mess. First thought was "I'll never get out of here on Thursday morning. One might wonder, who plows you out? The person who does it is a friend of a friend that only plows when a large amount of snow has accumulated, and for that he charges me very little for the year. So I try to get things done on the good days, and I don't go out on the bad days. Considering a commercial plougher would charge me anywhere from 75 to 100 dollars for this long driveway, I'm not complaining.

Yesterday a friend of my son's came up and called his friend to plow me out. Then he sanded the slippery incline. Now the weather reports are saying a chance of about an inch and a half through today and tonight. So I hope not, and if so please let it be no more then an inch.  Please, please snow go away, I've had enough for this winter.

New Ventures

Today I decided to sign up for twitter, so I signed up for tweets from animal lovers and cat lovers. It's amazing what sights pop up under the name Feline's or Cat's, which have nothing to do with real cat's. I just hope none of these nefarious sights end up on my list. This is all new to me, so it may take me awhile to get everything right.

Considering just about everyone axcept me refers to the new kitty as Isabella instead of Ezzabella. I have given up on the name of Ezzabella and changed it to Isabella. It pronounces the same, so it shouldn't confuse her.

Thursday this week is when Isabella gets spayed. She is looking very fat, so I can only pray that she does not give birth to a litter of kittens before Thursday. And I am hoping for decent weather, so I can get off this little patch of land. If not, I will have missed the clinic and their won't be another one until June.

Remembering Sweet Gentle Tabby

A few years back I took in my granddaughters cat, Tabby. She was elderly, a little slow, and a bit over weight. This poor kitty was mauled by one of their dogs, which appeared to cause her severe physiological damage. A cat that was very happy and sociable to humans and other cats, turned into a frightened cat that kept herself hidden from everyone, accept her owner. To make a long introduction short, I decided to adopt her, thinking I could bring her out of her ongoing anxieties. I also thought she would make a great companion for Zelda. What a mistake that was, and to make the situation worse I went about everything the wrong way. Perhaps if I had started with a slower process, and put Tabby in a room away from Zelda for a couple weeks it might of worked out better in the long run. I put Tabby on my bed, and when Zelda came in the room, she jumped up on the bed and attacked her. To late I realized cats can be like jealous children. Zelda probably had great concerns of losing me and her home.

Anyone could tell by her movements and her eyes that Tabby was a gentle cat. Unfortunately the attacks from Zelda did not stop, and the squabbles continued with Tabby defending herself.  Tabby's anxieties were never stemmed from fear of other cats. Because of being mauled by a dog, her fears were of dogs, and for some strange reason she chose to no longer trust humans. (accept her owner)

We were living in my sons house at the time, and he had a dog. So for about 1 1/2 months Tabby stayed upstairs. It took about 3 months for Tabby to realize the old dog was no threat to her, so she stopped hiding and started making short visits downstairs. Every-time she came down stairs, jealous Zelda would chase her back upstairs. Eventually Tabby tired of her aggression fought back, and came down stairs when ever she chose to. After about 4 months Tabby seemed settled and was cured of her dog anxieties, and she was also  friendly with people that came in my home. As the little ongoing squabbles with Zelda continued, she ferociously fought back, and finally Zelda backed off a bit, But Zelda never accepted her, and from time to time a squabble would escalate between them.

As Tabby sits on the window seat munching on some dry nib-lets. Zelda quietly sits on the stairway, cautiously watching her.

When the milder weather came I allowed tabby to go out with Zelda, always getting them in before the sun went down. I would say I gave her about 5 years of a better life.

Considering that Tabby's mother was an indoor cat, and she came from a home that cared for her mother and the kittens. I would say her start in life was far more pleasant then Zelda's or Ezzabella's. When my granddaughter and her husband adopted her they kept her as an indoor cat. When they purchased his father's home the deal was for the cat's that lived  there to stay there. So when they moved from an apartment to a house, they ended up with 2 more cats. I guess at first they had their share of squabbles, but eventually they accepted each other. So back then Tabby was an outgoing sociable cat to humans and other cats. When they no longer lived in an apartment they allowed Tabby to go out with the other cats. One thing she did, that I did not approve of, was not getting her cats in before dark. As time went by 3 of her cats disappeared. Finally she decided not to allow Tabby out at all, so she converted her back into being an indoor cat. At my home during the snow and cold weather, Tabby stayed in. And during the mild weather, she was allowed out during the day. 

When I had breast cancer, after the chemo I had a mastectomy, and after the surgery, my daughter and her children stayed with me. I was in a great deal of pain, so I was drugged up and in bed for a couple days.. Unfortunately, even after I told my daughter and her children several times "Please do not let the cats out after 5:00 pm!" When the children tried to pet Zelda, she would growl and hiss at them. So with company in the house Zelda spent most of her time hiding under my bed. Tabby welcomed the petting and the attention she was getting from the children. And in spite of my request to not let the cats out, (especially Tabby, because of her age and weight, she was no match for a predator)  But unfortunately one of them let her out, by mistake or because they felt she should be allowed to go out. The next day she was nowhere to be seen. I called and searched for her, for days, but no Tabby.

It was painful to accept the horrible fact that Tabby was more then likely the victim of a predator. To this day I miss that gentle, outgoing, loving, Kitty. So if there is a Rainbow Bridge, I'm sure she crossed it.  

Rest in peace my sweet Tabby .   

If Animals Could Talk

If Zelda could talk what might she say?

Since the cold spell we had this January, where it reached 35 below zero, I'll admit I'm not a happy camper. Reason being because mom decided to bring that wandering black cat in the house.

The first time I saw that scrawny runt I chased her away, thinking that will be the last of that vagabond. Then one evening I saw her on the back deck. She looked like she had grown a couple inches, and appeared more robust. That's when I realized mom was feeding her, so she made it an evening ritual to wander up to the back deck. To my frustration I couldn't get out to chase her away, because I was in the house. And when I came in for my supper, mom never allowed me back out until the next morning. One cold winter day mom locked me up in the back bedroom for hours. I could hear her out there talking softly to that vagabond. The moment she allowed me out of the room, I knew that stray was in the house. My nose went right to the other bedroom, but the door was closed, so to my frustration their was nothing I could do about it.

You may wonder why I feel so strongly against sharing my home with another feline. Well perhaps you'll be a little more understanding after I share some of my history with you. I would say in human years, I'm about 9 or 10. So I'm getting along in years, and I don't welcome the aggravation of another cat. The first 6 months of my life was horrible. I don't remember if I was born inside or out. I do remember being on a street, around other cat's and kitten's. There were many houses and cars constantly passing by, and none of the other cat's including my own mother seemed to care about me. So I guess one could put me in the category of alley cat. My breathing was very labored, and I was suffering from malnutrition. So the day I wandered out in front of this car I was feeling very listless and out of it. I remember staring up at this big hunk of metal on wheels, that almost ran me over. The car stopped, this woman got out, picked me up and shooed me towards the porch of this old gray house. Then she pulled her car off to the side, got out, walked over and looked at me along with about 8 other cats roaming about. I admit we were a sorry sickly looking flock of cats. She put her hands on her hips, looked towards the windows and shook her head. Then she walked over, picked me up, and got in her car. I might of been frightened by this abrupt gesture, but considering my health I had no energy to struggle. She only lived a few feet up the street, so the ride to her apartment was very short. After she got settled she gave me a bowl of milk and some left overs. Wow I thought real food, no cats to push me away?! I gobbled up every morsel. She put me on a regular diet of canned fish twice a day, and all the dry niblets I wanted. Ah life was good, no other cats to contend with, and no ugly humans to kick me out of the way. Who needs them?

One day as I was roaming about the apartment, and I saw what appeared to be a fat juicy bird sitting on the lower shelf of a book case. I thought "my gosh a bird just sitting there, I think I'll get it" I grabbed it and ran for the bedroom. Then who should I run into but the mistress of the house, and she didn't look to happy. She reached down and tried to take it away from me. As I growled I wouldn't let go, it was a tug of war between us, and I won. Once that matter was settled I ran off behind the couch to hide it. After a few chews I soon realized it was made of cloth and their was nothing tasty about it, so I decided to keep it as a toy. Every night mom and I would play fetch the birdie. When she was laying on the couch, or laying in bed watching TV, she would throw it. I would run after it and bring it back to her. After about an hour she would tire of our game. I tried to extend the game by pushing the birdie right into her hand. I think she was amazed at my intelligence, so sometimes it worked.

I was brought to the vet.and I was inoculated.  She was surprised to hear that I wasn't 3 months old, I was actually 6 months old. The vet informed her I was small because I was undernourished, and I had a respiratory problem. He prescribed some antibiotics and after the respiratory problem was cleared up I had to go back for a medical procedure (getting spayed) Which I thought was highly unnecessary. Finally after that was over we settled into sharing our 3 room apartment. I trusted no other humans, and I felt she was the only creature on this earth that cared for me. So I bonded with her and I considered her my mother. So for a time I was an inside cat. Then mom moved into an old house to take car of her son and his dog. I became accustomed to her son's presence. I don't care for dogs at all, but for some reason I trusted this one. In spite of the fact that she was a lot bigger then me, we became great buds, and we often played with each other. Unfortunately she passed away last summer.

Now for some time it has just been the 2 of us living in a smaller house, surrounded by 5 acres of field and forest. Considering I'm no longer in an apartment, by night I am an inside cat (not always happy about that) By day I get to go out and roam about. And now along comes this wayward critter sidling up next to my mom. So far she is shut off in a room, so she is not allowed to roam the house. She can't get to my food, my litter box, or sit on mom's lap. And mom does give me plenty of attention. When she's watching TV I get to sit on her lap, and I still get the usual treats But what if she's allowed out of that room, what then?!  I feel my very existence in this house will be threatened. I have spent hours looking at that door, trying to think of a way to get in there and scare her away. If I stick my nose under the gap in the door I can almost see her, so I hiss at her. Lately she has challenged me with a return hiss. So our squabbles have consisted of hissing, yowling, and biting at each others paws and nose. I don't want to share my home with her and I don't want to share my mom with her. I hate to admit this, but she frightens me, and that's why I want her gone.

If animals could talk what might they say

JOURNEY OF A WAYWARD CAT


She might say this.

What happened to me back in March 2010? Well I often have dark lingering flash backs from my unhappy kittenhood. My memory seems to be a bit blurred from those days. Perhaps it's better not to dwell on that unpleasant time. I do remember some of my survival, being on the side of a dirt road, and feeling the sensations of pain, cold and hunger. I could hear the loud sounds of cars flying by me, so I dragged myself back from the road behind some bushes to keep out of sight. After reposing myself and licking my wounds, I got up and limped on down the road a ways. I quickly came upon an old abandoned house, with a large opening under the foundation. Along side the old house was a brook. Wow I thought "shelter and water close by. this would be a great place to hunker down, now all I need is food". After checking out my new prospective shelter, from the backyard I climbed up a steep bank over grown with trees and shrubbery. When I reached the top of the bank I discovered a small gray house, which appeared to be occupied. Oh fooey I thought, I'm not alone. After stealthily crawling about the bushes observing the residence from day to day, I came to the conclusion that only 1 person and 1 cat lived there. So I thought if I keep out of site, perhaps we could share the area. So upon my daily hunting expeditions, I also kept a close watch on the residence to learn their habits.

One warm sunny spring day as I crossed the clearing around the house, I heard a shrill voice yelling "here kitty, kitty, kitty" I quickly discovered the sound was coming from an open window in the house. When I saw her in the window, I thought oh no I've been made! I broke into a bounding leap and ran for my life. After getting far enough away I stopped to catch my breath, thinking "On no an encounter with an atrocious human. And here kitty, kitty, kitty, what's that all about?" It must be what they say when they want you gone. And I'm sure she wants me gone? Why else would she yell at me with that horrible shrill voice. After that incident I decided to only approach that area in darkness. And every night since that day I began picking up a pungent aroma of food. The odor always led my nose right to her back deck. So every evening I made it a daily ritual to visit her back deck and gobble up a big plate of food. And as time went by I noticed that I was no longer a scrawny runt with thin scraggly fur. I was growing and feeling very robust and healthy. As the days grew longer, I found it difficult to wait until dark to check out the back deck. So I began checking around the bushes to sniff out the area before nightfall. If the food was there, I would run up, gobble up, and run away. It worked out well for awhile, until one day, as I approached the deck and I discovered her quietly sitting there. Well that was a shocker and a big disappointment. And to add insult to injury, when she went back in the house, she brought the food back in with her. One evening I could smell that fresh hamburg all the way down to my shelter. And I made up my mind, I'm having some of that meat! So up the bank I went. As I stealthily crept up on the deck, she sat quietly on a swing, not even looking at me. She showed no interest in me, so I crawled towards the bowl of meat. After I gobbled up every morsel I quickly crept away. After that I decided if I had to, I would go for food, while she was there. As days went by she just quietly sat there, as I quickly ate. After awhile I no longer crept up to the deck, feeling more at ease with her, I just walked up. One day after I finished eating, she moved her arms about and threw me some extra morsels of meat. As I scoffed them up, I was not even aware how close I was to her feet. I guess that was when I realized I had nothing to fear from her, and it was the beginning of a beautiful friendship. Every evening before the sun went down, I would rush up to her deck for a big bowl of meat. And after I filled my belly I would rub myself against her as she gently stroked my fur. She was the first kind human I had ever met. And so far she is the only human I trust. When she spoke to me she often used the word Ezzabella. It seemed she only used that word when referring to me. So when I heard her call Ezzabella, I would run for her deck, and there she would stand with a big bowl of food.

When the summer passed and there was a chill in the air, she invited me into her house. I thought it might be nice to live in such a grand shelter with her. But upon my concern to this other cat that lived with her, I thought not. You see I had encountered this cat out in her yard several times, and it wasn't pleasant. She was mean, territorial and she chased me away. So when I approached the residence, I always had to be on the lookout for her. How could I possibly cope with such a territorial critter?

As the days got shorter it got very cold, and along with the cold weather came the snow. Some nights it got so cold, I ached right down to my bones. Getting through the snow to her deck got more and more difficult. One very cold day when she opened her door with some food for me, my paws were so cold I kept picking them up. She put the food in her hallway, so as I reached in to eat it, I felt great relief for my frozen paws. As I began munching on some chopped steak, I was not aware that I was actually in her house. Then I heard the door shut, and when that door shut behind me, I was very confused and frightened. At first I refused to eat and I refused to move. After an hour went by, I finally gave in and followed her to another room, and that door shut as well. Okay I thought, I've been abducted by a human I thought I could trust. I looked around, and saw no presence of the ill tempered cat. My first strategy was to hide, so I ducked under the bed. I stayed there all night, and as strange and discomforting as it was to be locked up, at least it was warm. In the morning I decided to come out from under the bed to taste the nib-lets she offered. As she stroked my fur, it seemed she meant me no harm. True I was contained in a room, but it was a large warm room. I had food, water, a litter box, and windows to look out. As I gazed out the window watching the snow falling, I could hear the wind howling. I decided to curl up on the bed for a nap. As I dozed off I thought to myself "I'm warm, I have everything I need, and so far no threatening cat to cope with".

After a few days when the cold spell passed she opened the window for me. I looked at her thinking "you mean I can leave if I choose?" I jumped up at the window and saw a large box and a ramp right by the window. First thought that came to mind was to jump out, run down the ramp and escape, and I did. I quickly struggled down the bank through the deep snow, back to my underground shelter. It wasn't as cold as it was the day she lured me into her house, but it was cold enough. As I huddled down under my foundation I began to miss the soft quilt, and the warm room. She allowed me to leave, so clearly I was not a prisoner In the morning I struggled up the bank through the snow, back to the deck. At first it was very quiet, with no sign of her, and I was about ready to return to my old shelter, until she appeared by the window. She poked her head out the window, waved and called to me. I was so happy to see her, I jumped for joy, leaping through the snow towards her thinking "I'm so glad that your still here, I want to come back inside!" As I joyfully jumped back in the window, nudging her with my head, she greeted me with gentle strokes and soft words. She may of tricked me into coming in, but it all worked out for the better, as I know she meant no harm. I now consider her a keeper, and I have named her friend.

So now I have friend, and this is my journey thus far.

Will It Ever End!?

Zelda keeps creeping up to the space under the door. It would be fine if they calmly sniffed each other out. But in spite of the fact that they only have a 1&1/2 inch gap under the door, it leads to what sounds like a snarly little cat fight. At first Ezzabella stayed away from the door, but lately, after I have gotten Zelda to back away from the door, I see her little black nose, peaking through.

After doing a little research I came to the conclusion that starting out by keeping Ezzabella in a separate room is the right thing to do. In-spite of the fact that Ezzabella might be stronger, younger, and wilder, she has always been fearful of Zelda. Last summer if Ezzabella was walking through the back yard, Zelda would chase her. I don't know how this will work out in the end. I have no idea if this wayward little cat had any social experiences with other cats. All I know is  being a stray and surviving on her own for 10 months, perhaps made her very skid-dish and a bit feral.  And when I found Zelda years ago, she was one of those undernourished cats that roamed the village. Perhaps she had bad experiences with other cats, so she was never properly socialized. Zelda is jealous, territorial, and she don't want to share. She often creeps over to the door, like she is stocking her prey. And with me yelling at her to keep away. perhaps I'm causing more fear and resentment for her. Recently I let her alone, as I thought maybe I should let them sniff each other out? But within a few minutes all that outrageous snarling and yowling started, so I had to chase her away from the door. I'm counting the days to march 4th when Ezzabella is to get spayed. And now I fear she's starting to look pregnant?

As I was surfing the net yesterday I discovered a product called Feliway. It's pheromones for cats. It's supposed to calm them down and make them more accepting of each other. I'm wondering if it might work to calm these cats down. I know that in-spite of Zelda's bullying, she is really driven by fear. And Ezzabella is driven by fear and defending herself, because Zelda wants her gone.

Comfort Zone Feliway For Cats

I would appreciate opinions and comments from anyone who might of tried Feliway.

Chronicles Of Ezzabella

Ezzabella seems to be getting bolder about getting closer to the door. In this photo you can see her nose up close to the gap.

Yesterday I opened the window to observe the paw prints closer.

This time she came closer to perhaps observe the weather?

Then much to my surprise she jumped out.

She sat there for about 1 minute, staring towards the garage

Then she jumped back in. So she must feel safe and content where she is.

A Box Full Of Catnip

The Effects Of Catnip

I have been giving Ezzabella a little catnip every other day. After doing some online research I discovered that catnip can effect cats in many different ways.

I put a table spoon on a piece of cardboard and so far it does not seem to have a negative effect. She rolls in it and it gets all over her. So that leaves very little for her to eat.

Photos of Ezzabella rolling in the nip

Here are some comments I found

A domestic cat demonstrating the effects of catnip: rolling, pawing, frisking, etc.Catnip and catmints are mainly known for, and named after, the effects they have on cats, particularly domestic cats. Approximately two thirds of cats are susceptible to the effects of catnip, as the phenomenon is hereditary.

The effects of catnip seem to change from cat to cat. I have one cat who drools & rolls on the floor, I have another one who becomes very hyperactive, a third becomes aggressive, and picks fights with the other cats when he's had catnip. 

If your cat is one that likes to eat it, then you may want to watch how much your cat eats because catnip,  yet not poisonous, is a toxic plant. It's not deadly, but it can cause stomach irritation if too much is consumed. 

Giving a cat more than a tablespoon a week will make the effects of the catnip become less and less over time.

FAQ LINK   ---   Catnip-FAQ.

The Stylish Blogger Award

Along with others I was awarded this lovely BLOG AWARD, from Cheri who lives on a farm in the mountains of NC, USA.

Wild Wood Cats OF NC

 She is into alternative health care, and she cares for many stray cats.  Thank you for the award Cheri.

Here are the 7 Things about my cats. With Ezzabella being new, I have only 1 thing to post about her.

Ezzabella loves to roll in catnip, you will see it all over her with most photos I have taken of her

As for Zelda

She wakes me up in the morning by swatting her paw across my face

When she was younger she played fetch the toy. I would throw it and she would bring it back, over and over.

She is anti-social to all cats

When she hears a knock on the door, she runs and hides.

She will make herself visible only to people who own cats

If I feed her something cut up in chunks, she removes it from the bowl with her paws and then she eats it.

The Wandering Tom

Last night it was 19 below zero and this morning it's still very cold. Comments on my last blog about the tom that has often frequented my property, brought the up the thought of feline colonies. There are people that live down the road from my home that keep 2 horses, they have a small barn. Going in that direction (on a dirt road) continues on to the rural area. Perhaps they have a few barn cats?

Down at the end of my driveway once I take 2 rights, within a short distance the area becomes more urban then rural. After walking over the bridge there is a trailer park. And continuing on from there leads to an urban area. However my driveway is private with a wooded area and a large field off to the left. There are no neighbors close by. Many people have made the remark how obscure my 5 acres are, yet how conveniently close to town I am. (about a mile to our little village) Only on rare occasions have I observed roaming cats on my property.

However speaking of feline colonies, I have heard about the cats that hang about the village. There are 2 stores that I know of who have been known to feed them. One of them is the hardware store. There are some apartments on top of the hardware store, and I noticed several cats would frequent the front of the store, by the entrance that led to the upstairs apartments. Off to the side I noticed a couple dishes and a small basket with a quilt in it. So I think the lady that lives in one of the apartments up over the hardware store looks out for these wayward kitties. If they live in the village, I'm assuming they are more like ally cat's and not feral.

Yesterday I took a few shots of Zelda

Zelda relaxing on her favorite quilt

Closeup of Zelda snoozing on a cold winter day.

Wide eyed Ezzabella sitting on my bed

The tom that keeps coming back

Ezzabella seems settled and content staying inside. However I'm a bit concerned about the tom cat on the outside. Since last summer I would get an occasional visit from a calico cat. One day I approached it on my back deck. The cat was rather muscular, and by it's face it looked a little weathered and worn. It was calm and friendly, it allowed me to pat it, so I put some dry cat food down for it. Much to my surprise it refused the food. First thing I thought was this is someones pet, and it looks like an old tom. Another day it was clawing at my front screen door. With Zelda safely locked in the back room, out of curiosity I let the cat in and offered it some dry cat food. I feel if a cat is starving it's not likely to refuse any food you might offer, but once again he refused it. He had his nose up and sniffing as he strutted around the house checking every nook and cranny out. Then he returned to the door asking to go out. A few days later I viewed him sniffing around the back deck, and spraying the leg of a chair. After witnessing that performance, I concluded he was a tom, and he was not not neutered. My worst nightmare is what if his ongoing visits are in search of Ezzabella?

  His markings are similar to this, with a little less spots on the top of the head and back.

Very much like this, only his face is wider, his eyes rounder and a bit puffy. In-spite of being friendly to me, he looked like he has seen a few battles in his day.  One day last summer I opened my door to discover him standing on my front deck.  Zelda was standing on the steps looking at him as if to say "get off my steps you intruder!"  As I slowly opened the door he seemed calm, so I called Zelda in. As he watched, she carefully walked by him. When she got almost in the door, she acted like a yowling  lion. He jumped back with his ears pinned back, almost in shock, as if to say "well geeeze what's your problem?!"

Yesterday When I went through the daily ritual of opening the window to see if Ezzabella wanted to go out, she once again refused to even go near the window. There is a lot of fresh untrodden snow out there, so the first thing I noticed was paw prints on the top of the wooden box I set up so Ezzabella could come in. As I looked around I also noticed paw prints through the deep snow coming up to the window. Seems this tom would only be persistent to be with this cat if it was in heat. And if Ezzabella was in heat, wouldn't she be acting strange and insist on going outside? Other then searching for food and a suitable mate, why would this tom keep coming back? I'm wondering if cats (other then mating when in heat) form friendships with each other?  I have seen him come through my back yard, trucking through the deep snow, with only the top of his head and tail in view.  Gosh I hope Ezzabella is not pregnant?

Another stormy day in Northern New Hampshire

This morning I got out my kodak digital camera, which has been giving me problems shutting down. I know nothing about digital cameras, so possibly it's due to my own ignorance of how digital cameras work. Before it started shutting off, I did manage to get some photos.

This is my long private driveway. I'm not sure but I think it may be about a quarter of a mile to the rural road off my driveway. Then I have to walk about a quarter of a mile back in the same direction, to my mail box. Getting to the mail box is actually a lot shorter if I were to go behind my home, cross the back yard, climb down a steep bank in thick shrubbery and trees. But it's not very good traveling.

This morning I gave Ezzabella a little catnip treat.

Within the last 4 days, Ezzabella seems less aggressive in demanding attention. And she does not get so close to my feet. Zelda continues to attempt harassing her through the small space under the bedroom door.

Continuing Cat Chronicles

I'm feeling a bit better after that bout of the flu (if that's what it was) Considering the weather report, I knew I might be snowed in for awhile, I just didn't know I'd be so sick). So with Saturday being a rather calm warm pleasant day I finally got out to do some grocery shopping. Around 4:30pm it started snowing again. the weather report said it would be snow showers, very wet and heavy. In the middle of the night I awoke to the sound of thunder. Crazy New England weather, never fails to surprise us.

Through all this Ezzabella remained in my bedroom, with all her daily needs being cared for. As I have in the past given her options of exiting through the window. with all the snow piled up out there, I don't think it's anything she wanted to wanted to challenge currently. I'm wondering how many people will laugh their a_ _ off if I tell them I gave up the master bedroom for a stray cat. Seems only those who are close to me can understand my idiosyncrasy's when it comes to animals. I'm wondering about the process that will come after the vets. I'm sure that once she has been force-ably handled by strangers, poked at with needles, and shoved into a small cage, she'll be very frightened. And when she wakes up from the procedure, she'll wonder "what in gods name have they done to me?) I can only imagine how frightened and confused she will be. And what might her attitude be towards me? I can picture her staring at me with fear and contempt, perhaps thinking "I thought I could trust you, now I hate you"  :(  One person I spoke to that runs a boarding kennel, informed me "don't worry cat's really aren't that smart". Well I think cats are very intelligent creatures, so I can't say I agree with her about that.

My cat Zelda is still very concerned with Ezzabella's presence. The bedroom door has about an inch or an inch and a half of space under the door. At first Zelda kept sticking her nose at the opening space out of curiosity. It appeared that Ezzabella backed away from the door, and cautiously observed this ongoing little ritual. Within time cat hissing and growling cat sounds were heard (which I believe came from Zelda) .Even though I keep yelling at Zelda, and chasing her away from the door, like a bratty kid she kept sneaking back. To begin with I was concerned that Ezzabella would feel threatened, and perhaps display some aggressive behavior towards me. So far the only aggression she has displayed towards me is playfulness. However after so many days of Zelda sticking her hissing little nose under the door, the sounds appeared to be coming from both cats. That's when I noticed Ezzabella's nose peaking under the door. So it seems they have been asserting daily little spats under the door.

This morning when I was surfing the net, I found this product.
Aggression Formula - Pet Calm.

Aggression Formula Benefits:

* Reduces aggressive behavior
* Reduces excessive barking, biting and scratching
* Promotes normal social behavior
* Calms highly strung, jealous or stressed pets
* Keeps pets relaxed in stressful situations
* Fast-acting, easy to administer granules
* Safe for cats and dogs

I'm wondering if it might possibility calm Zelda down.

Pet Calm

Or perhaps the Valernia root I bought might work just as well?

I thought I might share this photo of my beloved Gypsy that passed away years ago. I found some cat video's online. So I turned them on and put Gypsy up at the computer, she seemed to be very much into the video.

 

Another Noreaster In The Great North Woods

Monday morning I had positive thoughts of getting a lot done. I had previously let Ezzabella out the window on Sunday night. I called her around 10:30 am and she hopped back in the window. That long window I have to keep cranking open does not work well. It hurts my back, my shoulders and my neck. So the first on my 2 Do list was to put some oil on the window crank. I put her food in the carrier, and later in the day, to give her the option of freedom, I opened the window. She went right out and ran for the garage. About 10 minutes later she was at the window wanting to come back in. So she can't be feeling to trapped in that big bedroom. Later in the afternoon as the day progressed I began feeling dizzy. Around 2:00 pm nothing settled on my stomach, and I began feeling incredibly weak. I could not stand up for more then 5 minutes at a time. I came to the conclusion that feeling the way I did, I would not be letting Ezzabella out for the night. And I would sleep in the other bedroom. I had an awful up and down night.

Tuesday morning I was just as weak and just as sick, and again I gave Ezzabella the option to go out, but she refused. So After feeding her and Zelda I laid on the couch all day. In the afternoon it started snowing and it snowed all day. By evening I was still weak, dizzy and sick, so I went to bed early. When I got up this morning I was still feeling the same, I'm not sure if I'm having a negative reaction from the medication I'm taking or if I have the flu? This has been hanging on since late Monday afternoon. Right now it's Wednesday 9:00am and it's still snowing like crazy. I have updated my blog, and now I'm going to drink some fruit juice and lay on the couch.

Dealing with aggressive behaviour

Since I allowed Ezzabella in my room I have been observing a great deal of hyper aggression from her, but fortunately it's all friendly aggressiveness.The first time I got her inside by way of the back door once, I lured her in and then shut the door and eventually got her into my bedroom. After spending a rather restless night with her closed in my bedroom, I decided to give her options to see if it would calm her down. The next day I shut Zelda in the back bedroom, left my front door opened, opened my bedroom door, and called her out. She cautiously came out, walked out the front door and meandered towards the garage. About 30 minutes later I noticed she was sitting on my back deck, so I opened the back door, and called her to see if she would come back in. She just sat there looking at me, as if to say "I'll not walk through that door again" Then I got the bright idea of setting up a little walk way to the long window in my bedroom. I found a piece of ply wood and laid it slant ways in the snow up to the window. then I took the screen out, cranked open the window, stuck my head out and called for her. She ran right to the window, walked up the plywood, and jumped back into my bedroom. So I could see she had no fear of coming back in my bedroom. I hoped that given this option of knowing she was not trapped in the house might calm her down a bit.

All online research tells me that spaying your female cat will calm her down. I have called to see when the next low priced clinic will be in my area, and so far the next close available clinic will not be available until early March. So I made an appointment. Now my next process will be to get her used to going into a carrier to eat her food. If I keep the door fastened opened, I hope she will go into this large dog carrier to eat, When the time comes I plan to quickly shut her in there the night before surgery. So the only food I'll give her from now on will be in the carrier, lets hope it works?

The night before last, when I went into bed, I opened the window, and off she went. The next morning I mixed up a capsule of Valerian root in some canned cat food, put it in the carrier and called for her. Around 10:30 am. She quickly reappeared and jumped through the window, back into the bedroom. I closed the door and left her alone until later in the day. When I returned to spend some quality time with her, she seemed less aggressive and much calmer. When I went back in the evening she seemed to be in her hyper aggressive mode again. When she's like this she is constantly by my feet, to the point of tripping me. I fear I could step on her, and if she takes it as an act of aggression from me, she's going to get defensive and bite. If she had a clean bill of health and I knew she was free of diseases, i would not fear the bite so much. I can only take about 2 careful steps, then I have to stop. As soon as I made it to the window and opened it, she quickly jumped out. I feel sort of guilty allowing her out at night, but under the circumstances I don't know how else to cope with her unpredictable behavior. I just hope she will calm down after she has been spayed.

This morning i went through the same ritual. Mix up some Valerian root with her cat food, put her food in the carrier, call for her around 10:30 and shut her in for the day.

All About Zelda

I have always viewed cats to be mysterious and intelligent. And because of their multiple colors, fur textures, eye coloring, and various body shapes I find cats to be the most beautiful creatures of all the wild and domesticated animals. I have often thought it would be nice to go to a shelter and pick out the most interesting attractive kitty. Or perhaps adopt 2 cute little kittens together. But I generally end up with the disadvantaged, frightened cat that crosses my path. That is how I came across my tricolered female cat about 9 years ago. At the time I was not living in a rural area. As I was driving up on a busy side street a very small cat with a big head and pointed ears meandered slowly in front of my car. It was the weirdest looking little cat I had ever seen. I got out of my car to look at it, and she seemed to have no fear of cars, noise or people. I later learned that she was actually listless, due to poor health. I started to bring her towards the house to alert the owners that she was going to get run over. As I approached the porch I saw about 8 cats prowling about. That's when I decided these people could care less about these cats, so I held her in my lap and drove home with her. When I got her home I realized I could feel every bone in her fragile body, and she appeared to be very malnourished. I brought her to the vets, he gave her all the necessary inoculations, wormed her and informed me she had pneumonia. He gave me some medicine and said "if she makes it then you can an make an appointment to have her spayed" I said "she can't be more then 3 months old, so I'll get back to you after 3 more months" Much to my surprise he informed me she was actually 6 months old, and she only looked like a kitten because she was malnourished. After she recuperated from pneumonia, and I got a little meat on her bones, I brought her back to be spayed. I named her Zelda, and until she gained some weight and got bigger everyone everyone thought she looked like a little alien cat. Below is representation of Zelda, at about 8 months.

As Zelda grew up, being a singular cat, she was unaccepting to most people that walked through my door. And she is very territorial and antisocial with other cats.

Reprsentation of Zelda today

                                                                 
So far it has been an ordeal keeping these 2 cats apart. Taking Ezzabella in my home would of been a lot easier if Zelda was not so territorial and Ezzabella was not so anxious and frightened inhabiting Zelda's domain. And I'm sure that Zelda feels threatened by her existence.

If Animals Could Talk

This is a belated update, a week or so ago when we had a freezing, frigid, cold spell. One night it was 25 below, and the next night it was 35 below. I have been trying to keep an eye on where my little wayward cat spent most of her time. Along with some dry cat food, I set up a basket of hay for her to sleep in, in the garage. I have seen her go in and out of the garage often, but unfortunately it does not appear that she sleeps there. By following her tracks I can see that she goes down the bank to my old homestead, which is currently in the process of demolition this summer. Now I made a small opening, so she could go into the garage that's attached to that old house, but she chooses not to. Instead her tracks go under the house. When it get's below zero, I can only imagine how cold it must be under there.

Yesterday morning I called her, and she came up the bank to my back deck holding one paw up. Then I noticed that she kept picking up both paws. She seemed to be more hungry for attention then she was for food. I had hoped this cat would come in out of the cold on her own. But after seeing how unbearable the cold was on her paws, I came to the conclusion that I should take matters into my own hands. With the door open, I sat in a kitchen chair, so it would bring me down closer to her level. Then I pulled the food dish back far enough so she was actually standing in my hallway. Once I knew I wouldn't catch her tail in the door, I quickly shut it. After the door was shut, she was spooked, not pleased, and no longer eating. My other cat Zelda was safely locked in the back bedroom.

If I had an extra room, I would put her in it, but unfortunately I don't. So my plan was to keep the stray in my bedroom, to keep the cats apart. By the way she acted I don't think she was ever in a house before. I had previously set up a litter box, food and water, and  it took about an hour to get her into my bedroom. When I finally accomplished that I shut the door and left her alone for awhile, and when I returned I found her under the bed. I thought to myself  well this is what she does, she's reclusive, she looks for food, and finds small places to crawl into, so she'll feel safe. So I'll leave her alone. When I got up in the morning I noticed that she had eaten some of the food. I looked under the bed and called her by the name (Ezzabella) That was the name she answered to through the last nine month. Much to my surprise she came right out, and she was friendly to the point of being aggressively over excited which made me a little nervous.

If only animals could talk she could tell me her story.