I'm back to small town living. And for a small town - I don't believe I've ever seen so many strays in my life.
My car windows haven't worked since around 2007. Yet it wasn't 'til after I moved here that a cat got in it & gave birth to 2 kitties. I said I wasn't going to have anymore pets because I can't afford the deposit, shots & getting them fixed not to mention dealing w/ fleas or vet bills. So I got someone to come pick up the lil family & keep them 'til they're old enough to be adopted.
Then I found another stray. Or he/she found me. I let it in once & it peed all over my bed. So then it stayed outside. I put water & food out there for it. Next thing I know there's 10 cats expecting me to take care of them.
There's no shelter here. The nearest one won't mess w/ us. So the police caught & took 7 of these strays, including the one I didn't mind feeding, out to a friend's farm & let 'em loose.
Of the 3 left - a couple of neighbor gals took 2. And the 3rd, who looks just like my lil buddy I didn't mind feeding, picked me as her human. Mine was the kitty of the bunch. Even so, when I put food out she'd jump in the middle of it & dare the rest to do something about it.
The first time I let her in she too peed all over my bed. So although I said no more pets now I've got a litter box, food & water bowls, beds, toys, etc. But even w/ all this she's still an outdoor cat.
Growing up we had one dog & after she died we weren't allowed to have anymore pets. So I'm pretty ignorant when it comes to pets. A few weeks back I noticed something on Katie the cat's belly. I thought it was a tick getting fat on her blood. But it was a nipple. She had several. Someone said she might be prego.
A couple of weeks later I let her out when I went to bed same as usual. Next thing I know she's clawing the crap out of the screens to get back in. So I let her in & went back to bed. Next thing I know she's on top of me moving around. I looked up to cuss her out & about that time she yelped. Her baby was half way born. I moved out from under her & simply stayed next to her while she finished the job. Then we both went about cleaning up the mess.
That was Aug. 15th. She just had the one kitty. Within a day or two I noticed a flea on it. I might be able to get rid of the fleas on them & in the home but not the yard. She don't stay here. She either goes next door or to the fields behind us. Every time I let her out she'll pick up more fleas. I can't afford to treat them & the house every single month. So if she stays here she'll have to be an indoor cat. She's not liking that at all.
But then more & more of the apt is off limits to her. She's quite a destructive lil hag. Went out once & came back to find living room mini blinds almost completely trashed. We also have 2 switches here that when pulled set off an alarm alerting neighbors to either check on you &/or call the police. They have strings hanging from them in case you're on the floor & can't reach them. And cats love strings. I can't tell you how many times she's set off alarm. She usually gets to the one in the bathroom so I've been keeping door closed.
Since she had baby I've made lil beds in my bedroom for them. First a pet bed. When baby learned to get out of it we moved up to a box. When baby learned to get out of it we moved up to a laundry basket. But now it's climbing furniture so...
The switch in my bedroom is behind bookshelves. I thought I was safe to run to Muskogee w/ aunt so she could shop. Told neighbor I was going. Pulled up mini-blinds so she can't get to them. Shut bathroom door so she can't get to switch. And off we went. Next thing I know phone's ringing. It was neighbor I told I'd be gone. Alarm was going off, my car was in parking lot so they thought I was home & in need of help, so they kicked door in. Completely cracked board dead bolt slides into. Also pulled off trim & with it came a bunch of paint.
Now I've gotta figure out how to fix it. Or I can confess kitties were in here. Or I can leave it for them to fix & have it deducted from my deposit.
Between the switch & the fact the kitty's small enough to crawl under dresser & hide - cats aren't allowed in bedroom anymore.
That leaves 'em w/ a dinky living room, even dinkier dining room & small kitchen. And both the dining room & kitchen are tile so to run is to slide which is great for me, entertainment wise, but not so good for them.
Now the baby's a whole month + old. And she's into everything. I thought she was a he. And named him Castiel/Cass per my child. But I just realized he's a she. So now what? I've been calling her Squeaker because it's so true. Maybe I should stick w/ that?
Called the vet today. In a week or two mom can get shots & fixed. Then in another 4-5 mo's baby can get shots & fixed. Then there's just the deposit & fixing the door.
As far as the fleas I've learned of several home remedies. Everybody agrees w/ bathing them in Dawn. Some say add salt to the water. But I've given mom 2 baths & wasn't able to finish either one. The last one was just plain scary. So then there's a mixture of baking soda & salt rubbed into the fur. Same thing for the furniture & beds - especially if you can't vacuum it. As far as the carpets there's both pinesol mixed w/ water (50-50) sprayed on the carpets. And also spreading Borax around & leaving it sit a couple of hours before then vacuuming - keeping your pets away the entire time. I'm fixing to try the whole lot of it combined. Surely w/ all this it'll work.
My car windows haven't worked since around 2007. Yet it wasn't 'til after I moved here that a cat got in it & gave birth to 2 kitties. I said I wasn't going to have anymore pets because I can't afford the deposit, shots & getting them fixed not to mention dealing w/ fleas or vet bills. So I got someone to come pick up the lil family & keep them 'til they're old enough to be adopted.
Then I found another stray. Or he/she found me. I let it in once & it peed all over my bed. So then it stayed outside. I put water & food out there for it. Next thing I know there's 10 cats expecting me to take care of them.
There's no shelter here. The nearest one won't mess w/ us. So the police caught & took 7 of these strays, including the one I didn't mind feeding, out to a friend's farm & let 'em loose.
Of the 3 left - a couple of neighbor gals took 2. And the 3rd, who looks just like my lil buddy I didn't mind feeding, picked me as her human. Mine was the kitty of the bunch. Even so, when I put food out she'd jump in the middle of it & dare the rest to do something about it.
The first time I let her in she too peed all over my bed. So although I said no more pets now I've got a litter box, food & water bowls, beds, toys, etc. But even w/ all this she's still an outdoor cat.
Growing up we had one dog & after she died we weren't allowed to have anymore pets. So I'm pretty ignorant when it comes to pets. A few weeks back I noticed something on Katie the cat's belly. I thought it was a tick getting fat on her blood. But it was a nipple. She had several. Someone said she might be prego.
A couple of weeks later I let her out when I went to bed same as usual. Next thing I know she's clawing the crap out of the screens to get back in. So I let her in & went back to bed. Next thing I know she's on top of me moving around. I looked up to cuss her out & about that time she yelped. Her baby was half way born. I moved out from under her & simply stayed next to her while she finished the job. Then we both went about cleaning up the mess.
That was Aug. 15th. She just had the one kitty. Within a day or two I noticed a flea on it. I might be able to get rid of the fleas on them & in the home but not the yard. She don't stay here. She either goes next door or to the fields behind us. Every time I let her out she'll pick up more fleas. I can't afford to treat them & the house every single month. So if she stays here she'll have to be an indoor cat. She's not liking that at all.
But then more & more of the apt is off limits to her. She's quite a destructive lil hag. Went out once & came back to find living room mini blinds almost completely trashed. We also have 2 switches here that when pulled set off an alarm alerting neighbors to either check on you &/or call the police. They have strings hanging from them in case you're on the floor & can't reach them. And cats love strings. I can't tell you how many times she's set off alarm. She usually gets to the one in the bathroom so I've been keeping door closed.
Since she had baby I've made lil beds in my bedroom for them. First a pet bed. When baby learned to get out of it we moved up to a box. When baby learned to get out of it we moved up to a laundry basket. But now it's climbing furniture so...
The switch in my bedroom is behind bookshelves. I thought I was safe to run to Muskogee w/ aunt so she could shop. Told neighbor I was going. Pulled up mini-blinds so she can't get to them. Shut bathroom door so she can't get to switch. And off we went. Next thing I know phone's ringing. It was neighbor I told I'd be gone. Alarm was going off, my car was in parking lot so they thought I was home & in need of help, so they kicked door in. Completely cracked board dead bolt slides into. Also pulled off trim & with it came a bunch of paint.
Now I've gotta figure out how to fix it. Or I can confess kitties were in here. Or I can leave it for them to fix & have it deducted from my deposit.
Between the switch & the fact the kitty's small enough to crawl under dresser & hide - cats aren't allowed in bedroom anymore.
That leaves 'em w/ a dinky living room, even dinkier dining room & small kitchen. And both the dining room & kitchen are tile so to run is to slide which is great for me, entertainment wise, but not so good for them.
Now the baby's a whole month + old. And she's into everything. I thought she was a he. And named him Castiel/Cass per my child. But I just realized he's a she. So now what? I've been calling her Squeaker because it's so true. Maybe I should stick w/ that?
Called the vet today. In a week or two mom can get shots & fixed. Then in another 4-5 mo's baby can get shots & fixed. Then there's just the deposit & fixing the door.
As far as the fleas I've learned of several home remedies. Everybody agrees w/ bathing them in Dawn. Some say add salt to the water. But I've given mom 2 baths & wasn't able to finish either one. The last one was just plain scary. So then there's a mixture of baking soda & salt rubbed into the fur. Same thing for the furniture & beds - especially if you can't vacuum it. As far as the carpets there's both pinesol mixed w/ water (50-50) sprayed on the carpets. And also spreading Borax around & leaving it sit a couple of hours before then vacuuming - keeping your pets away the entire time. I'm fixing to try the whole lot of it combined. Surely w/ all this it'll work.