I just wanna say -- the random comments thread

[Cluless]

Guess then this wasn't the "One" for you my dear, maybe bigger better is out there for you!

 

[canuk-gal]

Some days I find potty mouthed jokes and bawdy humor really really funny. Like today.

 

[missy]

I'm so sad right now...the kitty Blu is nowhere to be found

I had asked a local handyman a while back when Blu first started coming around to feed her during the work week when we are gone and for the last few weeks it has been working out well. However, this past Sunday I couldn't find the handyman (usually works across the street for a local charity) and his car wasn't around. But we had to leave for NY so I hoped for the best but all week I had a worried feeling.

We left NY very early today just so I could get here and feed Blu. Well, that was over an hour and a half ago and she has not come yet. She is used to me feeding her on weekends at (around) 6AM and 4PM and she is always there. Today I put out the wet food and dry food and water and nada. I have a bad feeling

And on top of it all after all my calling/emailing etc I finally found someone who has a friend who might be interested in adopting her as a barn cat on her farm. Which may be the best situation we can find for her because I am pretty sure she is either semi-feral or feral. But I am so so worried something happened to little Blu.

Please everyone think good thoughts and send out that amazing good luck PS dust for dear kitty Blu.
Many thanks.

ETA: YAY!!! Blu is back and eating!!!!

 

[Okie_girl]

Missy! I'm so glad to hear that Blu is back! I can imagine how worried you were. Tons of dust that the barn cat situation works out.

 

[TooPatient]

Yay Blu!!!

I hope you're able to get her into a comfortable barn life. May not be the ideal life, but far better than what she has now. She'll be safe and cared for. You are a wonderful, kind person for caring so much!

 

[missy]

Missy! I'm so glad to hear that Blu is back! I can imagine how worried you were. Tons of dust that the barn cat situation works out.

Yay Blu!!!

I hope you're able to get her into a comfortable barn life. May not be the ideal life, but far better than what she has now. She'll be safe and cared for. You are a wonderful, kind person for caring so much!

Thank you Okie and TooPatient. I am conflicted as to the best option but I think this might be it. If she was approachable and friendly I would not go this route. But there is absolutely nobody I can find who wants to adopt a feral cat.I actually did find 2 people who were willing to take a friendly cat (which was difficult to find since most people who love cats have enough) but (and I cannot blame them) no one who wanted a feral cat.

This situation (and my fingers are crossed that it works out) seems the best route. This couple own a farm up in Saratoga and a colleague of mine is friends with a friend of theirs. This friend of my colleague loves animals (has 3 cats of her own) and writes about the horse races in Saratoga part time and lives in NYC during the school year where she teaches. I spoke with her yesterday and she assures me that this couple loves animals and would provide love and shelter and food for her even though she would live in the barn.

I have to find out more details like will she be allowed to come and go as she pleases or remain locked up in the barn. I don't really know what a "barn" cat is but I can guess it is to keep mice away etc. So I do have reservations about that and all but I also know in the wild cats only last about 2-3 years on their own and that it is a hard life so I feel options are very limited. My dh and I ordered an outdoor feral cat shelter for Blu last week (it hasn't come yet) to put in our backyard but it isn't the best option because we won't even be here every weekend soon once the weather changes and I cannot rely on anyone else in the area to feed her on a daily basis. So I feel my hands are tied with what to do...

In the meantime we are going to borrow a cat trap (I don't know yet what kind of trap) from a nice young man who works at the seafood co-op near us here at the beach. But it is a big if- I have never trapped a cat and we have to get her and transport her to NY to hand over to this woman who is nice enough to take her up to Saratoga. I know trapping a feral cat is not easy especially for someone who has no clue about how to do it.

My worries- are we going to be able to trap her?
Will it be terribly traumatizing for Blu? (I think it will be )
How are we going to take Blu to NY? Can we take her with our kitties? What if she is positive for some kitty disease like FIV etc? Will it affect our kitties if she is in the car with them for a couple of hours? Should we make 2 separate trips from the beach to NY to transport her (not enough time to take her to the vet in any case as everything is closed here on the weekends and we are leaving Sunday early anyway because of the holidays- have to go to my parents house on Sunday on top of all of this)
What about the kind woman who is willing to take Blu in for a few days before taking her to Saratoga- what about her kitties well being?

Is this the right option for Blu? Should we just let her be free and fend for herself feeding her when we are here and providing the outdoor shelter hoping she will actually use it?

Ugh, my mind is in overdrive which these days is not a good place to be due to being sleep deprived on top of it all.

Animal lovers- what is the right thing to do here?

 

[Okie_girl]

Missy, this is only my opinion, so take it for what it's worth, but I *do* think your plan is the right thing to do for Blu. At the very least, you know she will have someplace dry to live, and a regular source of food. As far as taking her in the car with your kitties, I think that my vet has told me that FIV and feline leukemia are spread through saliva, so if you have them separated, you should be okay. But, could you call a vet today and confirm that? I wouldn't want to put your kitties in danger, so best to check that out if you possibly can. Same thing goes for the kind lady who will host Blu for a few days...if she can keep her in a separate room, I would think everything would be okay (of course, that may change, given the information from the vet).

I think you're doing a good thing here. As you said in your earlier post, cats left to their own devices definitely have a shorter life span. She may not be living the life of Riley in the barn, but at least she won't be totally on her own. And yes, likely the move will be traumatic, but keep telling yourself it's all for the best!

 

[TooPatient]

Missy,

Your plan is good. Blu is in a tough situation. She isn't safe now. She's lucky to have made it as well as she has but that won't last forever. I can't blame anyone for not wanting to take on the challenge of a feral cat. They are very difficult to work with and do often have disease.

There are organizations around here (volunteers) who come out and teach you how to trap a feral cat. You might see if there is anyone around to teach you.

I think Okie is correct about the FIV but I can't remember the details. Try checking with a vet to find out for sure. I'd hate to see your kitties get sick!

You might consider arranging for Blu to visit a vet once she is caught (even if it is in Saratoga) just to get a check up and make sure she is healthy. They can and should even spay her and get her current on vaccines to ensure she has the best chance at staying healthy.


It will be hard for Blu. You are trying to trap her in a cage, haul her in the car, transport her all the way to Saratoga, and take her away from the area she's become familiar with...... BUT you ARE doing the right thing. She will be much healthier and happier.


Good luck! Let us know how it goes.

 

[TooPatient]

My grandmother gave me her beautiful two strand pearl necklace some years ago. She never told me where they came from, but I remember her wearing them and using them to teach me about how to tell real pearls. It really is a beautiful necklace. I've worn it for special events and have gotten many compliments. I was upset when the very old clasp broke and never really knew what to do with them. Thanks to PS, I know how to find good jewelers so I finally took them in to get re-strung and the clasp repaired.

Turns out that the clasp is some sort of cast iron or something plated in gold so it really can't be repaired. I'm having them replace the clasp with a beautiful gold filigree thing that should look great.

The biggest shock of the day was learning that they aren't real pearls. I couldn't believe it! I've had them looked at before and everyone has told me that they are beautiful pearls. The jeweler has been doing this for 40 years and it took him 15 minutes of holding them and feeling them (plus three separate rubbing on his teeth!) before he was able to figure out that they are just beads.

Wow!
I still love them. The necklace is beautiful (I'll post pics once I get it back) and still has special memories for me. So I'll still wear it. I'm just surprised.

 

[yssie]

Missy -

I agree with PPs, your plan is definitely the best of little Blu's options! Yes, it'll be a traumatic few days, but more damaging in the long-term IMO would be her becoming co-dependent on you and your schedule unless you're willing and *able* to go the whole hog. I've never done it but it sounds quite expensive and time-consuming.

What I mean - if she's getting used to 6am and 4pm feedings at your house she's probably not scouting the area for other resources, and she'll find herself SOL when you go on vacation... if she gets used to having your outdoor shelter available and it gets buried in snow or taken over by another cat or otherwise compromised, she may not have anywhere else to go... which puts the onus on you to clean, heat, and safeguard the shelter, arrange for regular feedings when you aren't home...

If you know that there's someone in NY who *is* willing and able to do all of that already then that's the best, safest place for her

 

[missy]

Thank you Okie, TooPatient and Yssie for your feedback. I really appreciate your thoughts and that is the plan I am going to with- trap her, bring her to the person who will bring her to the farm. There are a lot of events that have to go right for this plan to be successful so I am asking for all your good thoughts and PS dust and I will keep you posted. Fingers crossed.

ETA: If we are successful in trapping her we will most likely drive with Blu to NYC as soon as we do if the woman who is willing to keep her for a few days is OK with that because after thinking about it that would be the best way to transport her. Without our 4 kitties in the car- not because of the health issues (assuming there is no risk- waiting to speak with my sister just in case)- but because driving with 5 cats in 5 cat carriers and all our other stuff heading back to NYC is just not that feasible. And then we will drive back to the beach and get our kitties and head back to NYC again.

So, hopefully it will all work out. Thanks again for the advice and support.

 

[yssie]

Thank you Okie, TooPatient and Yssie for your feedback. I really appreciate your thoughts and that is the plan I am going to with- trap her, bring her to the person who will bring her to the farm. There are a lot of events that have to go right for this plan to be successful so I am asking for all your good thoughts and PS dust and I will keep you posted. Fingers crossed.

ETA: If we are successful in trapping her we will most likely drive with Blu to NYC as soon as we do if the woman who is willing to keep her for a few days is OK with that because after thinking about it that would be the best way to transport her. Without our 4 kitties in the car- not because of the health issues (assuming there is no risk- waiting to speak with my sister just in case)- but because driving with 5 cats in 5 cat carriers and all our other stuff heading back to NYC is just not that feasible. And then we will drive back to the beach and get our kitties and head back to NYC again.

So, hopefully it will all work out. Thanks again for the advice and support.

Fingers and toes crossed for a smooth trap and trip!!

 

[Okie_girl]

Thank you Okie, TooPatient and Yssie for your feedback. I really appreciate your thoughts and that is the plan I am going to with- trap her, bring her to the person who will bring her to the farm. There are a lot of events that have to go right for this plan to be successful so I am asking for all your good thoughts and PS dust and I will keep you posted. Fingers crossed.

ETA: If we are successful in trapping her we will most likely drive with Blu to NYC as soon as we do if the woman who is willing to keep her for a few days is OK with that because after thinking about it that would be the best way to transport her. Without our 4 kitties in the car- not because of the health issues (assuming there is no risk- waiting to speak with my sister just in case)- but because driving with 5 cats in 5 cat carriers and all our other stuff heading back to NYC is just not that feasible. And then we will drive back to the beach and get our kitties and head back to NYC again.

So, hopefully it will all work out. Thanks again for the advice and support.

Fingers and toes crossed for a smooth trap and trip!!

Ditto! Hoping all goes well.

 

[missy]

Ugh, so many upsetting thoughts going on in my head right now. First off- a friend of the family's was just diagnosed with an advanced stage cervical cancer (I don't know yet what stage-my mom told me last night) . She is in her thirties and has 3 children. She has taken care of herself and has been getting pap smears on a regular basis so I don't know how this could happen. I am so upset for her and her family right now. I couldn't sleep last night just thinking of her.

And secondly, the woman who told me she had a home on the farm for Blu just emailed me (in response to my phone call yesterday afternoon re a logistics question) saying she had to speak to the couple to make sure they had the money to do spay/vaccinations etc and if they would be willing to take on a feral cat. Are you kidding me????

I fully disclosed the fact that Blu is (probably) feral and asked if that would be fine with them and she had previously said yes. And, I didn't realize they weren't totally onboard with taking her- the woman I had been speaking with made it seem as if they were ready to do this...I am speechless and so aggravated about this whole situation. It's much worse than if I had not thought she had a forever home. I had been given (false) hope which is now probably going to turn out to be nothing for Blu.

I am not even tempted to say my dh and I would pay for vaccinations and spay/neuter (still not sure if Blu is a female or male) because if someone wants to take the responsibility of a life they have to be willing to take care of these matters. If they don't have the money for vaccinations etc will they have the money to take proper care of her? Feed her/care for her and any vet bills in the future? So upset right now- what is wrong with people? Why act like something is going to happen and then backtread? I would never promise I was going to do something so major without being sure of the facts.

I really dislike flaky/thoughtless/irresponsible behavior.

 

[missy]

Great news!!!! Teresa just called me and the couple from the horse farm are OK with adopting Blu!!! They realize the work it will take and they are onboard!!! YAY!!! I really have to wait before I post my immediate feelings in the future LOL.

Teresa cannot take her till next weekend and that is fine. Only problem right now is that Blu didn't show for her 6AM feeding and I am concerned but hope she is OK. It is very windy here today and maybe she is somewhere protected from the wind and not wanting to come out right now. Please think good thoughts for Blu and thanks for listening.

 

[Enerchi]

Missy - I'm glad that all got sorted out for you and Blu!! Yippee !

So... here's what I hate: Buying my group lottery tickets, having a 2nd glass of wine (perhaps I may have sipped from a third, but I will not admit that!), making a list as to how I am going to be dividing up my winnings and what purchases will be made, dreaming about said purchases and how wonderfully generous and altruistic I am towards friends and family, checking said group lottery ticket in the morning... and getting shot down! DAMN!! Come one, lottery gods, would it kill ya to let me win $20million??? Just askin'

 

[missy]

Thank you Enerchi and LOL- I feel for you girl. That is one of my dreams too- just have to remember to play the darn lottery! I keep forgetting!

I wanted to add something as an FYI for those who did not know about how these kitty diseases are spread- I spoke with my sister and Feline Leukemia can be transmitted via air so you don't want to expose your furbabies to an animal that has not been tested. No traveling in the same car. However, FIV is only spread through saliva/blood and not airborne so much like HIV in humans that way.

 

[Okie_girl]

Thank you Enerchi and LOL- I feel for you girl. That is one of my dreams too- just have to remember to play the darn lottery! I keep forgetting!

I wanted to add something as an FYI for those who did not know about how these kitty diseases are spread- I spoke with my sister and Feline Leukemia can be transmitted via air so you don't want to expose your furbabies to an animal that has not been tested. No traveling in the same car. However, FIV is only spread through saliva/blood and not airborne so much like HIV in humans that way.

Missy, thanks for this information, I'm so glad you checked it out. I'm thrilled that it looks like it will work out with the horse farm folks. Crossing my fingers that Blu shows up and you can trap her as untraumatically as possible!

 

[princesss]

I'm writing my first cover letter. The first of many, I'm sure, but the first is always the hardest! I really just want this job hunt to be over (but it's only just begun).

 

[VRBeauty]

Monday. Bleh.


I'm glad it's almost over!

 

[Deactivated member 42515]

I wish I knew how to deal with my mom's anger management issues.... It just makes me sad.

 

[missy]

Thank you Enerchi and LOL- I feel for you girl. That is one of my dreams too- just have to remember to play the darn lottery! I keep forgetting!

I wanted to add something as an FYI for those who did not know about how these kitty diseases are spread- I spoke with my sister and Feline Leukemia can be transmitted via air so you don't want to expose your furbabies to an animal that has not been tested. No traveling in the same car. However, FIV is only spread through saliva/blood and not airborne so much like HIV in humans that way.

Missy, thanks for this information, I'm so glad you checked it out. I'm thrilled that it looks like it will work out with the horse farm folks. Crossing my fingers that Blu shows up and you can trap her as untraumatically as possible!

Thank you Okie. I am more conflicted now more than ever.
At the suggestion of an animal rescue friend I spoke with 2 feral cat initiative people one of whom thought it a bad idea to relocate Blu as these relocations are often unsuccessful and even when crated for 3-4 weeks the feral cat doesn't stay and then she will be in a strange town far far away from what she knows. I cannot tell you how stressed out I feel thinking about poor Blu and the best option for her. We already have the plan in place- to try and trap her Thurs night and Fri AM if thurs night doesn't work and then transport her to the woman in NY who will drive her to Saratoga that day.

One of the feral cat initiative women I spoke with seems to think Blu might have another caregiver during the week since we are only there on weekends but Blu always seems starving when we first get there and eats more than she usually does vs when we have been there for a day or 2 and then she eats less so I am drawing the conclusion no other person is feeding her but I cannot be 100% sure of anything.

I could be making the situation much worse.

http://www.aplnj.org/assets/pdf/Relocation.pdf

(Sorry to be using random comments thread for Blu- in hindsight I should have started a separate thread for Blu.)

 

[zoebartlett]

Dear Governor Romney,

Do you even want the job? If so, you're not acting like it. Alienating half the population is really not a good move. I thought that seemed kind of obvious.

Sincerely,

Obama Fan

 

[Dancing Fire]

Dear Governor Romney,

Do you even want the job? If so, you're not acting like it. Alienating half the population is really not a good move. I thought that seemed kind of obvious.

Sincerely,

Obama Fan

if Romney doesn't win in Nov they should just dissolve the republican party, if i ran i can beat Obama. this election reminds me of 1980 Carter vs Reagan.

middle east crisis
gas price near all time high
unemployment at over 8%
16 trillion in debt.
more people are on government assistan than ever.

 

[mimi72]

My oldest baby just turned 10 a month ago, my middle baby is turning 9 tomorrow, and my baby baby is turning 5 in a couple of weeks.

I don't want them to grow up!! How is it happening so fast?!!!

I told middle that under no circumstances is he to turn 9 tomorrow. I told him I will be very disappointed in him if he goes ahead and turns 9. He gave me that sweet sweet smile of his and went off to bed.

They're still in there talking...too excited to sleep...all 3 boys share a bedroom.

Hoping that I eke every last bit of time from them that I can...

 

[missy]

Thank you Enerchi and LOL- I feel for you girl. That is one of my dreams too- just have to remember to play the darn lottery! I keep forgetting!

I wanted to add something as an FYI for those who did not know about how these kitty diseases are spread- I spoke with my sister and Feline Leukemia can be transmitted via air so you don't want to expose your furbabies to an animal that has not been tested. No traveling in the same car. However, FIV is only spread through saliva/blood and not airborne so much like HIV in humans that way.

Missy, thanks for this information, I'm so glad you checked it out. I'm thrilled that it looks like it will work out with the horse farm folks. Crossing my fingers that Blu shows up and you can trap her as untraumatically as possible!

Thank you Okie. I am more conflicted now more than ever.
At the suggestion of an animal rescue friend I spoke with 2 feral cat initiative people one of whom thought it a bad idea to relocate Blu as these relocations are often unsuccessful and even when crated for 3-4 weeks the feral cat doesn't stay and then she will be in a strange town far far away from what she knows. I cannot tell you how stressed out I feel thinking about poor Blu and the best option for her. We already have the plan in place- to try and trap her Thurs night and Fri AM if thurs night doesn't work and then transport her to the woman in NY who will drive her to Saratoga that day.

One of the feral cat initiative women I spoke with seems to think Blu might have another caregiver during the week since we are only there on weekends but Blu always seems starving when we first get there and eats more than she usually does vs when we have been there for a day or 2 and then she eats less so I am drawing the conclusion no other person is feeding her but I cannot be 100% sure of anything.

I could be making the situation much worse.

http://www.aplnj.org/assets/pdf/Relocation.pdf

(Sorry to be using random comments thread for Blu- in hindsight I should have started a separate thread for Blu.)

OK, Blu is trapped. It was/is heartwrenching. I don't know how those feral cat rescuers do this. First she walked all around the trap trying to get to the food through the metal spaces in the back. That's when I started bawling. I was so upset and so worried. She was totally starving because I don't think anyone fed her since we were here on Sunday morning. Then she finally relented and went tentatively in and that was where I made my first mistake. I had put hard food before the wet food because I couldn't fit them both in the back of the narrow trap. So she ate the hard food for a minute or 2 and my dh said that we made a big mistake because she might not go for the wet food in the back where she had to go to set off the trap. At that moment she made a move for the wet food and bam the door closed. It was awful. She went crazy and I couldn't watch.

My dh got her and put her in the shed. I went in and she was more calm till I moved and then she went to attack through the cage. Scary. She really is different than a tame cat. She is like a wild animal. It is one of the most stressful things I have done. I know (hope and pray) that this is the right thing to be doing. Teresa spoke to the farm people again(they rescue horses for a living btw) telling them that if anything happens to this cat that I will kill them (LOL- her words not mine) and they reassured her to reassure me that they have done this before and they will make certain she doesn't escape. That she will become comfortable and be safe in her new surroundings.

Yesterday Greg and I went to Petco and bought a large dog crate for Blu for when she is acclimating to her new environment on the farm. The feral cat experts told me she would need to stay in a crate for up to 4 weeks while adapting so I wanted her to have as big a crate as possible.
So tomorrow AM early we are taking Blu in the trap (cannot take her out till she gets to the farm) and the crate and other essentials to Brooklyn Heights where this lovely woman will drive her to the horse farm to meet her new family.

Could everyone please think good thoughts and send plenty of PS dust to Blu so she makes both trips safely and survives the night tonight. I am very worried because she is so upset and in the midst of her initial shock and trying to escape cut her paw. But the cut is clotting thank goodness. I'm just so worried. PS dust much needed and appreciated!!! Thank you!

 

[yssie]

Oh missy Blu is lovely, I can see why you fell in love!

You *are* doing the right thing. Really. *Really*. It's wonderful of you and DH to care for her and make all these arrangements for her - it's her best chance for happily ever after... I'm sorry it was so hard to watch, I can imagine from your descriptions

Lots and lots and lots of dust!! I don't like sedatives but if she's overly stressed and frenzied maybe something to consider? Though it doesn't sound like dosing her yourself is an option. We've had good luck with feliway plugins, and I think they make a spray, too.

 

[Okie_girl]

Missy, I agree with Yssie that this is Blu's best chance for happily ever after. I can only imagine how stressed all of you are! Truckloads of dust that Blu calms down for the night, and even more dust that the relocation goes well. It sounds like her new family knows how to deal with a feral cat, so hopefully it'll all go well once she gets to her new home.

Bless you for caring so much about Blu!

 

[susimoo]

Sending you and Blu love and dust from across the oceans!!! You have a beautiful heart for doing this!!!

 

[missy]

Thank you Yssie, Okie and susimoo. Thank you for all your good thoughts and PS dust for Blu. Yssie,I like your suggestion but as you already guessed there is no way we could have gotten close enough to her to sedate her but I wish we could have. People who deal with this assure me that once Blu is settled at her new home she will have no memory of this traumatic event. I just want to get her to her new home safe and sound. We are leaving in a little bit to take her to the woman who will take her to her new home. All the PS dust is much appreciated.