Sagwa and Richie have pretty much recuperated from their dentals last month. I call Richie "Toofless" now. Well, not all of the time. I'm pretty sure he's feeling lots better because he's way more affectionate, crawling on us and purring and drooling.
Sagwa's back to being an asshole. Chased Mario under the bed this morning. Mario's getting fat.
Mario sleeps on a towel on Brian's side of the desk. He'll hit Brian up for attention and when Brian stops, Mario bites. Brian yells. Brian will start typing and Mario decides to sit on the keyboard. Brian yells. Mario won't move. Brian tries to move Mario and Mario bites. It's lots of fun. For me. Not Brian. Sometimes when I'm feeling big hearted I'll call Mario over to me so Brian can finish what he's typing. But I don't do that very often. I'd rather listen to Brian yell at a cat who just sits there and stares at him.
I've had Opie on metronidazole for a couple of weeks now, I'm hoping an extended course of it takes care of his diarrhea. I know it works short term. One of the articles I read online says that using it for a full course will help get rid of the problem (if it's something that metronidazole is for). So, fingers crossed. Opie's putting on a little weight now.
Jackie is slowing down, he's the only cat who hasn't been neutered, he's fourteen and matted and looks really bad. He's had runny stool for years, he has no teeth. And I know when we're able to actually touch him and hold him, it will be time to say goodbye, because he'll be on his last legs at that point. He's never lost the feralness that he had when he came to us as an older kitten. We'd never be able to medicate him, he'd rip us up. It's sad, but at least he's had a better life here than he would have out on the street. And he's got his wives and there's no competition for their affections.
(Damned Sagwa just went after Mario again, I was loading the washer and heard some growling, Mario was just sleeping in his normal spot, Sagwa was up on the desk and being a jerk, I yelled at Sagwa in the garage where I'd chased him, he talked back to me, I swear from the look in his eyes he was telling me to "bring it", don't know where he is now....asshole.)
What else, what else...
Oh, yeah, the fleas are back. Usually we have a couple of months before they're back after everyone's dosed with Advantage, but not this last time. Not even five weeks and I need to do them again. I still get the big dog size and split it up, the six pack and the vet's office slips in a couple of extra, which helps out. So, that's on the "to do" calendar. Seventy-five bucks it is now. Send donations to nuttybuddy at catler.org. Seriously. Send money. Stamp out cathouse fleas.
Hey, Sunday there was a knock at the front door, the lady across the street had this absolutely gorgeous cat in her arms "is he yours? He's been hanging around the house for weeks". I said "no, but wait a minute". I go tell Brian, he said "okay" and I told her that we'd take him. Great, awesome cat, lots of hissing and growling, real PITA new cat stuff. I kept checking Craigslist, but no new posts for a lost cat. We started calling him "Duke", Monday morning I called the vet's office and made an appointment for Tuesday morning (8:45).
click for a larger pic
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click for a larger pic
So, the first night he yowls and I end up putting him in the crate so we can sleep. Monday he was a lot better at not growling and hissing, spent time with Brian in the shop (the last three photos above this), just being cool. He didn't have a problem with the cat door, we figure he should be fine within a week's time. All settled in. The other cats were not happy, but what can you do?
So, Tuesday we opened the front door for our walk and he wanted out front. Nope, I ended up putting him on the patio (the cat door was available) so that we'd be able to go out front without him under feet. Get up to the street and I see a big neon green sign. Brian said "garage sale". On a Tuesday? He said "check it out on the way to the vet's office". I walked up to read it. I look back at him. "Lost cat" with a description of Duke. And a phone number. I call. Turns out the cat lives in the house behind the house where he was hanging around. Company let him out. (So why did the woman across the street say that he'd been at her house for "weeks"?) Whatev, he followed us to our house, came inside, got Duke (who's name is Fi (Fee)). Later that afternoon when the woman across the street got home I told her where the cat lives. And she rolled her eyes and you could tell it wasn't what she wanted to hear.
When I came back home, I asked Brian for his cell and got the phone number I'd called that morning. I called the cat's owner up and told him that if this woman got Fi again, there's a very strong chance she'd find someway else to get rid of him, not bring him to us (although we'd gladly keep him). He told me that they have four ferals who live at their garage, two domestic kitties and a rescued dog. They're animal lovers. Well, this lady ain't, even though she's got a cat of her own (that lives outside, go figure, but they do put her in the garage at night). He'd checked out our fence when he was over here, so there's a good chance he'll go that way so Fi doesn't have to stay inside.
*sigh*