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You think you know a lot sometimes, and then you discover that the whole world has lied to you (much like my first 47 years of life thinking I had the straightest hair in the world and then the pandemic revealing that I actually have wavy hair). See, I had this big beefy cat when I was in High School. His name was Raistlin (yes, a Dragonlance reference, and there was also a Caramon in that litter). He was a massive black tom that liked me, and only me. No one else could get near him, even with food. He was built like a tank and his head was shaped like a grapefruit. I just figured it was genetic, that some cats have meatball heads and some don't. Then these Furrals started showing up here at the cabin and we both thought Orange Boi was goofy looking as all get out with his poofy cheeks and his eyes being too close together (goofy in a cute way, but yeah, goofy). Then Daddy Cat shows up. And then I was told the truth... intact male cats have 'stud jowls'. I am seriously angry at the world for not telling me about this sooner (and aside from Raistlin, I had little exposure to fuzzy-nut boy cats as we always get our cats fixed by 6 months). If you were as unaware of this as I am, I am going to give you a few minutes to go do a Google image search on 'stud jowls' or 'tomcat cheeks' and then a few more to compose yourself because the photos are often hysterical. So anyways behold the boys below (and do not warn them that their nuts are doomed because eventually I will catch these guys...) It really does get better though. I, of course, had to announce my ignorance to the Savannah Cat community because now I need to see what a sleekly built cat like a Savannah looks with a meatball head, or better yet, I need to see a serval with tomcat cheeks. I was NOT disappointed. Sonu of Bastet Exotics shared a photo of one of her intact servals and I am just dead now. Seriously, does it get any thing better than that? (And yes, he lets her pinch those cheeks, and yes, I am jealous!) I also feel the need to throw in a photo of sweet Miss Gimpy here, to show how different her face really is from the boys. And also because she is just the most loving girl and is doing quite well after her spay!
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After cat pee, wet cat food is arguably one of the most revolting smells on the planet.
Normally dry cat food is not as bad, but let me forewarn the world that Lamb & Mackerel Ziwi Peak Dry smells exactly as if it spent a month baking in a Pennsic Portapotty and then rolled through the total skunk weed or whatever it was, that our former idiot neighbors there used to smoke. (Pennsic is a large medieval camping event for those who don't get the reference.) This stuff is BAD. If you go this road, let me recommend putting on a hazmat suit before opening the bag. You will thank me for it (unless the stink eats right through the suit and gets you anyways). Also, Malik said this is his new favorite flavor. Important news flash.... I PICKED UP ORANGE BOI. He didn’t even struggle, just went all noodle and hung there!!!!
Miss Gimpy was the "one who got away" this summer. She was pregnant at the same time as Mommy Cat and Tiny Face, but I could never find where she stashed the babies. I tried several times, unsuccessfully, to catch her and she got pregnant again at the end of the summer. And you know what? I STILL could not figure out where she stashed those babies after she had them! She would come up twice a day to eat, but she would never let me follow her back to her nest. Eventually, she started bringing the kittens onto the porch late at night to feed. I made sure that we had plenty of food out each night (despite that it brought every raccoon, opossum and skunk in the forest to the porch) so that they would keep coming back. Eventually, I tried to go out there with them. There was a little boy that as all black with white whiskers and toes who would let me touch him (or who was so hungry he just didnt care), but the two little girls (and dang does Gimpy produce some pretty girls) were exceedingly wild-shy. I made an appointment for a spay and prayed I could round up all these cats at once. Part one of this quest was actually easy. Really easy. Gimpy is quite tame really, and I discovered I can pick her up. One day when she brought them up to feed, I sat and petted the little boy and then just picked his little squeaky butt up and ran to the garage and put him in the Kitton Prison. I went right back out side and picked up Gimpy and put her in a crate that I had sitting there open and waiting to receive her. I took her right out to the garage and put her in with her baby and some food (she was honestly more interested in the food as these kittens were about 7 weeks old at this time and I think she was done with the whole notion of motherhood). I then set traps for the remaining kittens. I wont lie and say this is at all easy. I stress myself sick each time I try to trap kittens. I am worried about never catching them, and them getting lost and going hungry in the woods. I know I am doing the right thing in getting them to medical care and eventual pet homes, but there is just so. much. stress. Of course, part two was much harder. First, I caught Orange Boi. Again. That makes three times catching this goob when I am trying to get pretty much ANY other cat on the property. I also caught Tiny Face. Again, as she was spayed this summer but apparently isn't all that bright. And I almost caught a damn skunk. Because that would be lots of fun. I saw it going towards the trap and I, of course, immediately post to Facebook demanding answers on how to get the thing off the porch because I did NOT want to have to try to get it OUT of the trap later. (Note, lots of window rattling and banging and such eventually scared it, and everything else within half a mile, away.) It took several sleepless, stressful, days before I took 5 traps and shoved them in the bushes out front instead of on the porch and I, at last, caught the little girls (together in the same trap even, so kind of them). After that they all went off to Alpha Animal Hospital. Gimpy was spayed that morning and came home with me right after. Because I can handle her easily, she fared much better than the ladies this summer. She got to spend several days in the luxury pen in the garage (and she was happy to be there) and got pain meds and regular visits from me where she would purr and purr and purr.
I am very glad I was able to catch her this time. The vet told me her uterus basically fell apart when removed. Another pregnancy would absolutely have killed her. Miss Gimpy is a very sweet lady who does not deserve a fate like that, so I am thankful that we could help her now. The kittens were older than the last group, and much more skittish, but they went to a foster who could work to socialize the girls (the little boy was already a charmer). So while this whole Furral business is stressful, it also delights me to no end to know that the clowder here have a chance at a better life (no more babies AND they are vaccinated), and the little kittens will have a chance at loving homes. |
AuthorSavannah Caretaker who is honored to do the job. The Merry Rosette participates in the Amazon Associates program and a small commission is earned on qualifying purchases. This revenue goes towards helping to feed the Furrals!
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