Housecleaning

I am still waiting on the scoop from Laura about two of the three kitties that were brought in to Lollipop yesterday morning after we trapped, in the pouring rain I might add.  Oh, so, not fun.  The one I know about I harbored overnight on my porch, in a carrier.  She was a sweet little thing, although a bit feral.  One girl spayed, never to have babies, a gazillion more to go.  The hardest part of TNR for me is letting them go.  I hate to place them back in dangerous environments, which in my opinion can be from the heart of an inner city to the countryside.  Danger lurks everywhere.  But let her go I did.  I hope she observed well, and remembers well where the food is that I placed down in front of her before I opened the door and she took off like a bolt.

Anyone who really knows me knows I like a tidy, clutter-free house.  I always think, after a long time away from my house and as I am driving back, ahhh... home sweet home.  I live in the same little house I've had for a little over 20 years now.  I always thought it would be my starter, but time, and money slipped away and here I am still.  But its a very homey home.  I need everything from electrical work, new flooring, new furniture, new wall-to-wall in my converted attic bedroom, outside paint, new roof on garage and most likely house roof very soon.  But on a Saturday morning around 11, after I've spent two good solid hours of stripping beds, shaking rugs, cleaning around litter boxes, getting on my knees scrubbing the kitchen floor by hand, cleaning bathrooms, dusting, vacuuming, and doing at least two loads of laundry, I light a pumpkin spice scented candle and stand back to observe how beautiful my home looks, despite needing all of the above.  The only trick is to keep my house from smelling like cat urine!  I have two cats that have some behavior issues - they are peeing in inappropriate places.  So, I wind up washing pillows, blankets, mattress covers, etc. on a weekly basis or as it occurs.  This is my MaryJane and Boris.  Boris has FIV and kidney disfunction, Mary Jane is just a brat.  But they've both been through some major upheavals with my bringing in these three kittens - Butters, Pumpkin and Magic - and Mom Vanessa.  Not to mention all the others over the years.  The other cats have also dealt with this, but obviously MaryJane and Boris are acting out more than the others.

I tell you this because I was at Tops this past weekend in search of on sale Dad's cat food that my friend Carole had told me about, and being the second Tops store I had gone to - the first was sold out of it - the second had only two bags on the shelf - I went in search of a manager to find out if they had any in the back.  I spoke to a woman who worked there, and she went in the back with another worker and they brought me out three more bags.  It was a pretty good deal - on sale for $7.99 compared to $9.99.  As I always tell people who see the amounts of cat food I buy what I do - feed over 50 cats daily - I told this girl (in her 30s or 40s) and she told me she had just lost her cat.  She told me that the cat was spraying and ruining her furniture with its claws.  She told me she brought it to Lollipop, and that they told her because they had just gotten in a large amount of cats, that this cat would be put down.  She went on to say that this cat slept with her and cuddled on her neck at night, and that it was only one and half years old.  She acted as if she had to have the cat put to sleep because of some dreaded disease at first, and seemed miffed at Lollipop.  I wanted to punch her right in the face.  I had to hold my tongue though because she took my name and number down and told me she would call me if she found any damaged bags to sell me at a discount.  Seriously, when I walked away from her, I wanted to vomit.  I would NEVER give up my cats due to them acting out.  NEVER.  There are times I WANT to, but I still would never.  I compare myself to a mother with a human child, I am like a bear protecting cats, all cats.  Thats why I am fearless on the streets - DON'T MESS WITH MY CATS!

Picture below is of Thunder and the kittens in a now messy bedroom.  :) 

So, thats my story for today.  The sun is out, hopefully there are some full bellies out there because of me.  I know some raccoons are well fed, because I had to chase two giant ones away this morning on Third. 

"A wise person can see more from the bottom of a well than a fool can from a mountain top."