My cats are better than your cats!

There is nothing I wouldn't do for my mckittens. And just when I think I wouldn't love them any more than I already do, they do something to make my heart swell with awe and love for them. even the 'newest' mckitten, the 'baby' Luna (who I can't believe is almost 1 year old.) From the get-go Pooka and Cro`i had been known as the mckittens, and we had a special bond. They greet me at the door, regardless of the hour, and when I am not feeling well sense it, and seem to snuggle me and try to heal me. Even when I am agitated or annoyed, they gather around me to calm me down. And I'll never forget the time (almost 2 years ago) when Pooka didn't leave my side when I had passed out in the bathroom, guarding me until my mom found me. And leading up to that, Pooka and Cro`i, sensing I was not well wouldn't venture far from me.

                                      When we took Luna in, there was a bond because I took her in at a very young age. I knew then, and still feel that she really believes I'm her momma. I was the one who taught her to potty in the litter box, and I was the one who fed her every hour when she was only 5 weeks old. And although she isn't a snuggler unless on her terms, she does enjoy me carrying her like a baby. What cracks me up with Luna is that even at 11 months old, every so often she pops up unexpectedly with an urgent "MEOW!" like 'here I am momma....I didn't venture too far away.' And even though I know Luna thinks that I really am her mommy...I wonder if she and I have the bond that Pooka and I have. And up until last night it broke my heart to think that we didn't.

But since I had gotten sick with this stupid stomach virus...it has become clear that Luna is just as concerned about her mamma as Pooka and Cro`i. From last Thursday, any time I visited the bathroom to retch my guts out, Pooka or LUNA came in to make sure I was ok. Once I was settled back in my bed, Pooka would resume his post across the bed to watch me. Luna at the foot of the bed, and Cro`i in her spot on the side of the bed. Cro`i nestled in to my armpit and purred me to sleep, careful not to jostle me an have me bolt to the bathroom. Luna very gently would amble up to me and gently press her nose to my mouth, as though taking my temperature or giving me a kiss. She also made sure not to over nudge or skutch me.
     And all three of them made sure I got plenty of rest and stayed warm. So see, for those of you who think that cats do not care about humans, other than to be fed...you're wrong. My kitties love me for me...and take care of me. And with that I am proud to boast that my kitties are therefore better than your kitties.
    

Things to do when you're snowed in

Surprise...surprise it snowed yet again. I guess I can't be surprised being that I live in the north-east region of the country and it is the end of January. But where kids get excited at the opportunity of missing a day(s) of school and playing in the cold white stuff....I am beginning to go stir-crazy. I had (re)injured my back last year, and am no longer able to lift heavy items or shovel. So where I had once been the one to clear my driveway, now have to rely on neighbors to 'rescue' us. And although I have an SUV...and can handle driving in the snow....the slipping on ice in my boots does not really appeal to me. And where do I need to go anyway? I don't need anything such as 'toys' or groceries, or errands to do.

     There is nothing fascinating on tv to watch, and all my dvd's seem to have been watched a gazillion times, and nothing fresh to watch. I did just watch the 'A-Team' from NetFlix and it was amazing, but returned it in the mail so I can get my next dvd. The internet? Yeah nothing fun going on there either. All my sites which I follow have not been updated, and FaceBook games are getting mundane as well. And what the hell is up with Bejeweled? How come there are people scoring well in to the 400-thousands and I can't seem to break the 200-thousands? How are they cheating? Which brings me to finding ways to amuse myself in the house to keep from going stir-crazy. Yes they may seem to be just outright ridiculous...but when you live on Long Island, in the end of January and are snowed in....let's see what you can come up with to amuse yourself.

Things to do to amuse yourself when snowed in:

• Make a big pot of soup. Any flavor....cooking is fun.
• Ok now make a big pot of chili because maybe I won't feel like soup tomorrow.
• Finally put away the indoor Christmas decorations.
• Grow the catnip in the ChiaPet catnip kit mom bought for the mckittens.
• Make rice pudding...and then realize this is no longer your favorite recipe.

• 

  Not me...but this is the color.

  Change my blond streak to Manic Panic Ultra Violet color..just for shits and giggles. 
• Now panic that if I score a job interview, may not be accepted for position due to purple in my hair.
• Create a FaceBook account for my boy (my cat) Pooka. Because a friend asked me if he had an account. Why shouldn't he have an account of his own?
• Wonder what kinds of things Pooka will talk about on his wall, on FaceBook.
• Start to write about life with Pooka and wonder if people who read it will think I favor him above the other cats and dog.
• Fight my Aunt Ida for the last cup of coffee. When the hell did she become such a coffee fiend?
• Have a sleepover downstairs with Lola the dog. Ok...she's a good cuddler, but she also snores....and can be a bit of a blanket hog.
• Procrastinate on starting to write about Pooka by thinking up more things I needed to add on to my list here.

Attack of the cats.....or 'did you ever think you'd know someone who had to get rabie shots?'

     Ok, I've been gone for awhile but it's not exactly my fault. I've missed checking in and blogging. I've missed following all of you who blog too. But I had a slight bloody and painful mishap which had prevented me from being able to type, as well as having my energy zapped from me. They say the the road to hell is paved with good intentions and over the course of my life...found that to be true from time to time. However it has never rung more true or closer to home, than it had last Saturday.
     Anyone who knows me knows I love animals. Almost all kinds of animals. And my heart breaks for those whom are mistreated or homeless. My family has always rescued our pets from shelters, and my newest kitten was brought in from a feral litter at only six weeks old...and a ball of joy and love. Of course my mom cringes any time I see an animal and squeal...as she thinks and knows that I do want to love it and adopt it. But finally...with one crazy puggle and three cats, I know there is no more room in my house or my heart to give.
     This past summer, a pregnant cat took up residence in our back yard and gave birth to two kittens. I fondly nicknamed them 'the interlopers' and named each of them. The mother is a meanie, one kitten was a lovie, and the other a scardy-cat. Just before Christmas I was able to place the beautiful, nice kitten in a home...but we worried about the mamma and remaining kitten. Mind you the 'kitten' is now about eight months old. I have gotten no where with the mother cat, with her allowing me to pet her. But the kitten I have been able to pet when she is inside the shelter I've constructed for them to protect them from snow. And this is where the horror began.

     On Saturday, January 15th I decided to take the 'kitten' and put her in a carrier and turn her over to an animal rescue place with the store Petco. I had my cat carrier ready to go, inside my house, near the back door. I waited until she was in her cubby, and attempted to extract her. BIG mistake. Big. HUGE! Because this kitten went wacko! Granted I can now admit that she was scared....but at the time it was 'an attempt to kill me...the person who was feeding her.' She scratched my hands and my wrists with her nails. I got her out of the cubby and she lept from my grasp and scratched my neck and face...and FLEW into my dining room where I heard glass shatter. I went after her, not wanting her to get hurt...and found her behind a curio cabinet where once again (stupid me) grasped her and she set about BITING my left index finger viciously...to the point where blood was literally spurting from my hand (no exaggeration.) I figured that I was going to need stitches. Again she escaped my grasp and FLEW back to the family room, and hid behind the sewing machine until my mom could move it enough for her to get past and outside to freedom.
     My hand in excruciating pain, already swollen and still bleeding, I told my mom I was going to probably need stitches and off to the urgent care we went. The urgent care doctor told me we were going to need to go to the Emergency Room at the hospital as animal attacks need to be reported by law...and I would need to be started on the anti-rabies vaccine. He prescribe an oral antibiotic of augmentin, which I have to take 875mg TWICE a day, for ten days. Plus he gave me a tetanus shot. So off the the Emergency Room we go and have to go through the whole horrid details again. I had to speak to someone in the CDC department who informed me that I would indeed need the series of anti-rabies shots. Several of which would be injected IN THE BITE SITES and would be extremely painful. Also I'd need three follow-up shots on certain days.

     Contrary to popular belief...they do NOT inject the rabies shots in your stomach. You get a shot in each arm, and then into the animal bites. They DO NOT numb the area. They DO NOT knock you out for this. The needle which they use is the size of the needle for an epidoral or the amniosantesis test. It is THE WORST pain I have ever felt in my life...and trust me...I've been through some nasty injuries. I tried holding in my screams....and mom had to push my shoulder down to keep me still. Tears streamed from my eyes and the nurse was so upset to have to put me through this (the nurse was really, really great with her treatment of me.) Eight shots later, a xanex for my nerves and an ice pack with follow-up shot dates I was sent home. This past Tuesday I had my first follow-up shot which was a breeze, like getting a flu-shot in the arm. The only thing is it makes you very sleepy for a day or so. I have two more rounds to go and are then finished (thank God).
     However my problem is still not solved. The psycho cats are still in my backyard. They sit at my back door and try to coax me in to trusting them. I know they really want another taste of me. I have no assistance in having these cats removed. Apparently by NY State law, cats are free animals, so the town and pounds are not allowed to trap them and remove them. ALL the shelters are overran with strays, so even if I did catch them, they will not take them. NOW last night another cat showed up in my backyard. I'm not sure if it's a male or female...but not only is this another unwanted cat...but the two original interlopers are not neutered....so this poses the problem of a kitten explosion.
     In all my life I never thought I'd be someone to say 'Hi....my name is Rose....and I've had the rabies vaccine.' Did you ever think you'd know someone who had to get vaccinated?

Christmas Countdown Fact # 4-the kitties *must* go

Christmas Fact #4: In Britain, the Holy Days and Fasting Days Act of 1551, which has not yet been repealed, states that every citizen must attend a Christian church service on Christmas Day, and must not use any kind of vehicle to get to the service.

 I am an animal lover. There is no way that I can even try and deny the fact that I love animals. Mom has even told me that not my first, but one of my first words as a baby had been 'cat'. Growing up there have been numerous fish, hamsters, and hermit crabs in our house. We've had a red-eared slider turtle by the name of Michelangelo (named after the ninja turtle, not the artist.) We had a dog give birth to puppies, zebra finch which had a slew of babies too. Then I had the idea to get hamsters again, and see what happens if you put a male and female together........................tons of babies. We've had our share of dogs and a few cats too. And when I am 34 1/2 years old, my fur-babies consist of two awesome cats (Pooka and Cro`i), a crazy-ass puggle (Lola), and a kitten (Luna.......who actually shares the love of my life, Colin Farrell's birthday.)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

Somehow though over the summer. a stray cat got in to my back yard and gave birth to a litter of kittens on the side of my house without out knowing it. It was not until the mama cat (who I've since named Larri) came sniffing by our back door, looking for food that we knew we had an interloper. Then it was discovered that she had her babies with her. (I have named the babies Daryl and Daryll....however they've now become Lil' Daryll and Daryl P.J.) The mama cat (Larri) is a short haired tuxie and very feral. One kittie, Lil' Daryll is a gorgeous gray tabby and is a scardy cat. Daryl P.J. is a doll, long-haired, angora tuxie and a mush. I can pick her up and hold her, and love her and bring her in the house for a short visit.

However, there is 'no more room at the inn', in regards to bringing this trio of interlopers in to my house as pets. Living with my cats, the dog, and an aunt who has the beginnings of dementia takes up enough of my time and energy to take care of them (not to mention mom too.) I have called every shelter and animal rescue person you could think of and have gotten no luck or help from anyone. Long Island is so over-run with cats that no one will accept or trap strays for you. I refuse to bring them to the town shelter, as it hurts me to think of these innocent animals being euthanized. So they've been living in my back yard, and I've been giving them food and water until I can find them a nice home. Even my mother, 'Mrs. anti-pets' enjoys watching them play in the back yard....but we worry about them surviving the winter and the snows we know will come. These interlopers need a home....and I will miss them when they go.

Tonight though was the straw which broke the camel's back. Tonight my darling boy.....my son-of-sons, Pooka went out to get some night air. And when he tried to come home, the mama cat....aka Larri got in to a tiff with him, and he won't come out of my neighbors yard and come home now. NO BODY messes with MY Pooka. NO ONE! So now it's on like donkey kong. Larri (and the Daryl's) must go. Because nothing comes before my fur-babies!