Among Friends

[geezerette]

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@viva923 wrote:

hey all

got my 2 miler walk in this morn

it is sunny and more humid today

had some paperwork to fill out had to call the company that sent it to me-for jerry insurance ira stuff. got that all done.took over an hour on phone with a lady who helped me fill all the forms, it is all greek to me.

ok guys later.

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@viva923 

Just remember, it's the job of the people you deal with to help you through this, as much of a pain as it is.  They do have their rules and regulations to have to follow.

And in some perverse way, having to deal with those kinds of details helped me deal with my husband's passing, even though I didn't realize it at the time.

There is an end to all this at some point. ❤️

[just bee]

@geezerette 

I checked on my container plants this morning that had been doing so well and I found one that was ailing.  Why?

The cat is a conundrum.

I bet you already have a name for her in your head.

I'm reminded of Mabel.  I adopted Alex, a stray kitten, in college.  He had a bad habit of sitting in the window, making himself obvious to management.

I had the choice of ditching the cat or moving.  I moved.

Then a cat with many toes appeared.  She didn't mention she was pregnant.  That was Mabel.

I found homes for all her kittens (people were impressed that the kittens were also polydactyl).

I am not the one to ask for advice.  Living without a pet is unimaginable, but I'm determined to do it.

But when a cat with personality comes along...

She seems to have chosen you for a reason.

I wonder where her litter is.  Would she lead you to them?  Or is she waiting for them to get to the point where they can present themselves at your doorstep?

I would feed her -- she needs that, her kittens do, too.

At this point, it's wait-and-see.

[geezerette]

@just bee 

First, I've been feeding her since she first showed up.  I've even tried to give her supplemental milk since I could tell she had her kittens, but she never took much of it.  

I could follow her when she does leave, but that means going through tall grass which I'm not going to do this time of year for any reason.  Since she's still relatively clean and almost bug-free, I suspect she's had her babies in a neighbor's yard.  There are a few with several small sheds that she could have gotten under.

She did choose me, not the other way around.  Which is the biggest thing that is bothering me.  Stray cats have been coming around now that the dog is gone (took them about two days to figure that out!).  But none have approached me or followed me to the house.  She came right up and started winding herself around my legs and wanting to be stroked.  She appears to be maybe a year old or so and is very small and thin.  Because she was so clean when I first saw her I thought she was either a new drop off or was a recent acquisition of one of the neighbors.

I have been concerned that if I did keep her I might be stealing some little kid's cat.  But if she belonged to someone and they were treating her well, she wouldn't be so thin and she wouldn't want to stay here.  As long as I'm with her, she will still stay with me and forget about her kittens.  When I do watch her go, you can tell she's torn.

On the other hand, now that she's getting more used to being here, she's the one that trying to attack my cats through the windows or under the door.  (Yes, I've relented and let her in the laundry room to see what would happen.  She doesn't want to leave the house to go back in the garage, is what happened.)  I've already got two that are constantly vying for my attention and don't always get along, I don't think I can handle three doing the same.

And then there are just my circumstances now.  If I was going to stay here, I could manage it because if necessary I could keep them separated because I have the room.  But some of the places I've been looking at are very small--like 1,000 sq ft.  Two cats would be a stretch, let alone three and me and my stuff.

And then there are all the other things I don't like now: expense, responsibility, will I even outlive the two I have or be able to care for them?

So, it's a conundrum for me.  When someone close to me passes on, a cat seems to appear.  The older cat I have followed me home shortly after my husband died.  This one showed up two days after the dog died.  And she's stayed.  My sister is on her way out now.  Another sign?  Or am I just vulnerable right now and would regret taking her in after it was too late?  I have no idea.

But the thought has occurred to me that after she's weaned her little ones it wouldn't be too difficult to keep her for a few days and at least get her spayed, whether I kept her with me or not.

(And yes, I do try to keep in my mind other people have real problems!😉)

[just bee]

@geezerette 

Don't dismiss this as a non-problem.  This qualifies as a real problem.

We can't solve global issues, but it is up to us to focus on our local issues.

This is a local issue.  This affects us.

It's complicated.  It involves ecomonics, compassion, animal welfare and the uselessness of local authorities and the average pet owner.

I struggle with this every day.  I donate to animal organizations and wonder if my dollars are only contributing to the problem.

Why, when we spend billions on our pets, do we continue to have homeless animals?

I could go on, but I need to get a nap in before I trudge off to work.

Seriously.  All we can do is try to address the problems that we can actually do something about.

We can't change the world.  But we can be kind and we can share.  And we can help someone who needs our help.

And, chances are, it's going to be a major imposition.

And now I have to brush my teeth and get some sleep.

[just bee]

Just a reminder...

[Lucky Charm]

You have a heart of gold @geezerette .

It's hard to turn your back on a stray.  Believe me, I know.  I don't even like cats.  But I can't turn my back on them either.

The trap, neuter, release program is horrible.

People who abandon their cats are horrible.

I had to delete about 3 other posts about this I started because they were horrible.

It's good you're thinking it through, though.  If there is a PetSmart around, they do have groups that may take in the kittens.

I hate to say this, but a cat in a cage is better off than a cat outside.

I'm so glad I don't see strays around here, but if I did, I would find somewhere to take them and not a trap, neuter and return group.  That's animal cruelty, if you ask me.