Musings on a Small Life

The neighbour just came to apologize for her two crazy dogs barking almost ceaselessly Saturday afternoon, evening and well into the night. I had put a note on her door at 10:15PM, indicating they were upset and wondering if they had run out of food and water. Turns out she was away in Ottawa and her 29-year old cousin (old enough to be responsible) was supposed to have spent the afternoon/evening with them (i.e. the dogs), but of course didn't. So while we were chatting on my front step--and I can only think it must have been terrible for her to even knock on my door, given that we're not chummy neighbours--I asked if Niko had gone to "cat heaven," because I hadn't seen him since Thursday morning. No, no, Niko's okay--he's in her basement, having 6 days of dewormer meds. *Whew*! I really was leaning to her having had him put down, but I'm so glad he's fine, and I mentally apologize for thinking that she could be that callous. Presumably I'...

It's a glorious Thanksgiving weekend here, absolutely perfect weather. I love these "soft" autumn days before the harsh cold sets in. I walked home after work yesterday, all the way for a change, and enjoyed every single moment , even carrying groceries. On cat-related topics, Derry continues to be okay, knock on wood. I was checking his blood work and comparing it to his previous ones, because his WBC count (white blood cell) was below the normal range. But previous blood tests show that he runs low normal, borderline, so I'm not too worried. I looked at Nicki's previous blood work from November 2009 and saw that his ALT was smack-dab in the middle. The upper range at my clinic's lab is "130," so I think that the vet meant his current value came back at 125 -- so not above the normal high, but close. I'm going to take him back in a couple of months and have his blood work run again. He doesn't need to make an appointment or see a vet for...

Niko got another bird today! At least he ate the head this time, so I had no doubt the poor thing was quite dead before I scooped it up into yet another plastic bag and tossed it into my garage. But I really do have to wonder how dumb the birds are. He's declawed , for heaven's sake! I guess he's just a hunter-extraordinaire. ****** Derry's vet called this afternoon. As expected, the culture and sensitivity test came back negative. So there's nothing further to be done except finish off his pain meds. Which mostly have been ending up on my hand or on the counter anyway. I'm going to ask about Cosequin (for both boys, actually) when I'm there with Nicki on Thursday morning. Derry's still peeing normally, but obviously this will be a "one day at a time" thing. I really hope he doesn't have another bout, but if he does, I'll be calling the vet pronto and we'll go from there. ****** Still lots of pics from Halifax, these were snapped...

So I got home and found that Niko, the neighbour's declawed mighty hunter, had caught another bird and left it, uneaten, on the ground by my shrub. This is what, the fourth or fifth bird now? Plus that one rodent he had for breakfast by my welcome mat one morning in the late spring or early summer, leaving the entrails for me. I debated leaving the bird for him to gnaw on at his leisure, but then realized it would attract vermin.  Off I went to fetch a plastic bag, and I scooped it up, a bit disturbed by the vibration from the bag. Gaaggh , I thought, was it still alive? But the neck looked broken. I put the bag down on the step, crossed my fingers the poor bird truly was dead, then opened up the garage door. Picked up the bag...and heard a buzzing, felt another vibration.  OMG, I freaked out! Screamed my fool head off, at the top of my lungs, and threw the bag up in the air and away from me, to have it land half way down my little driveway. Two big flies flew out of the ...

I got home to find Niko had caught himself another robin. Lots of feathers strewn about, but the robin was intact. It's now in multiple bags in my garage, awaiting garbage day. Poor Niko! All that skill and effort for naught.   Doesn't he look pleased with himself? (I snapped a pic of his kill, of course, and of him!) My Nicki, meanwhile, had a hissy fit when he saw Niko on my step through the door, and promptly turned and went for Derry, as he typically does. So he got scolded for it, even though I know it's  instinctive redirected aggression. So Derry got lots of cuddles from me, which has only pissed Nicki off more and left him jealous and sulky this evening. (And anyone who thinks cats can't be jealous and sulky obviously never has had any. LOL.) There's nothing quite like kitty drama, yes?  :-P

I remember that Peanuts cartoon, with Snoopy sitting on top of his dog house, typing that line.  :-) But it was a dark and stormy night! Holy! Catfish! We had the wildest line of storms roll through our area from about midnight till 4AM or so. Woke me up, and after I had closed all the windows (lightning just forking across the sky, endlessly), I went back to bed and wondered if I actually should be in the basement for safety. Neither cat was phased--they never are. I'm the one who freaks at these wild storms. I didn't think Toby would be around when I got up--far too wet for him to venture out. But Niko was on my step, definitely wet, poor boy, so I put food out and got a towel to dry him off. He got some scritches for a change, because he doesn't like Toby and so doesn't hang out on my step when Toby's around. However, by the time I was ready to leave for work, Toby was there--perfectly dry, I might add, so he certainly had shelter somewhere--and had eaten t...

This little "fellow" was on the blue lawn chair this evening. To spare "him" from pudgy cats (and humans), he got moved to the fence. I really have no idea which end is which, though if I had to hazard a guess, I would say its front end is the less hairy one. It would be hard to see through all that so-called "hair." :-D Still, maybe that's how caterpillars navigate? By "feeling" way? I'm sure someone knows! BTW, Toby ate a bit this morning, not much. Licked all the juice from the canned. But ate the whack of junkie treats I put down for him. Huh. He was on my step within minutes of my arrival home from work, ate 2/3 or so of a large can of stinky goodness...and all the treats I put out for him. He hung around for quite some time, meowing at me loudly (getting some catitude there), but was gone later in the evening when I stepped out, camera in hand, to take his pic. Niko was on the step instead, bawling me out for not getting rid of Tob...

I came home from work yesterday to find that Niko, the neigbhour's declawed cat, had caught a robin and had eaten its head. Yum. The body was in "his" space at the base of the evergreen shrub that's by my front step. I did take a pic, but no, I'm not going to post it. Poor thing, covered in flies. Ugh. Yours truly had to dispose of it, of course. It's currently in the garage, wrapped in three plastic grocery bags and awaiting Friday's garbage. I'm sure Niko wonders why I'm stealing his food, when he went to so much effort to catch it in the first place. I'd leave his prey if he didn't like to eat and store them around my townhouse, of course. Why can't he store his "food" at his own home? Just to clarify re: still being hypo-thyroid: I'm not sure this is the reason for all of my current issues. Some perhaps. I think it's exacerbated certain things, definitely. But I don't think it can explain a couple of other t...

So I sleep in till about 4:15AM today. Really is sleeping in for me. Get up, head for the bathroom. Nicki always comes up and follows me in, and if I'm not quick enough, starts screaming at me to hurry up. No screaming today. I head downstairs, no sign of Nicki following me, but Derry's waiting. All of a sudden, I hear the sound of thundering hooves...paws...and Nicki comes tearing downstairs and heads straight for the patio door, wanting out, now . I flip on the back light, don't see anything, figure he's caught sight of a raccoon or something else in the tree behind my fence. I feed the boys, they eat about half their food, then demand to go out back pronto . Out they go, I fix my coffee. Notice they're both still very intent, at the back the of the fence. I go to the screen and look...and hear a tiny "meow." Not a kitten meow, just a tiny meow. I start chanting, Please god, don't let it be injured or dying , even though I don't believe...

So I was up around 3:40 or so, as usual. Fed the boys and Toby as usual. Left food for Niko too, though Toby tends to eat everything in site. Then later, just before leaving for work, I opened the door to water the plants and there was Niko on my step, happily chomping away on a mole or mouse (no feathers). Right by the welcome mat. Eeeww! I closed the door in a hurry and left him to his yummy meal. When I opened the door a few minutes later, he was right there, almost smiling, having left the entrails. Accck, gross, gross, gross! I had to go out and clean up the mess, pour water on the step to wash off the blood. Gag. I'm really glad Niko's such a mighty hunter, especially considering he's minus his front claws, but I really wish he'd eat his prey on his own doorstep. And now I know why he seldom shows much interest in the canned food I put out. He prefers the real thing! No pic of anything gross, just this sunflower I saw on the way home yesterday. I couldn...

All of the feline variety, of course! I got home to find not only neighbour cat Niko on my step (he lives in his "house" on my step while he spends the springs/summer/fall outside, though he would prefer to be in my house, I think), but also Toby waiting for an early supper. Usually I see him later in the evening and put food out, but today it was a rush to get in the house, feed my boys and feed the outside boys too. Toby is on his second plate of canned food (2 cans of Fancy Feast for entree #2), while Niko is begging me to let him into my house. (Niko lives next door. Right next door.)  Toby's not sure about me and definitely not impressed with the camera. Niko still hisses and growls at Toby, who ignores him. Toby's sole focus is food, though he'll let me pat him a little bit before he takes off. Nope, not impressed with the camera...and still wary of me. Toby always looks cranky, but he seems to have a very good disposition. He certainly doesn't show...