A few nights ago when the supermoon was at it’s brightest and fullest over the house, I had fallen asleep on the couch. The front door was wide open as the heat was oppressive. I love our security door which allows us this luxury. I woke to the eerie sounds of the coyotes. Generally, they stay across the road, over by the Santiam River, but intense heat, little rain in this area has driven their prey to find their forage in front yards. We had six deer in our back pasture the other evening. They were taking full advantage of my lack of caring for the pasture and mowing it down. It’s just been to hot to mow.

Brandy, who rarely barks at anything (except other dogs and chickens) exploded and I put her on a stay command and grabbed our shotgun. I stepped outside. As I opened the door, the majority of the barn cats scrambled for the house! I was so surprised to see cats who have NEVER been in the house, suddenly seeking safety. I knew something bad was going on. I didn’t turn on the porch light- there was no need- the moon provided all the lighting needed.

Looking out toward the road, I gasped. I could see glowing red eyes and three silhouettes of coyotes right at the foot of our drive! I took a deep breath, prayed, raised the gun and fired straight up into the air a warning shot. They turned and fled back across the road. I quickly went inside and praised Brandi for her alert.

She was anxious and whining, and pacing by the back door not the front door. I opened the back door to peek out fearing the coyotes were on the back of the property as well. No coyotes- but evidence of deer (lots of them) out in the back pasture when I did a careful walk-through in the morning. Thankfully, no cats were harmed during this encounter, but it sent shivers down my spine at the boldness of these coyotes who are usually so elusive and hard to see. I talked to a friend of mine who used to work for fish and wildlife and he said starvation and disease will cause coyotes to act differently then instinctively they want to. These guys were lean and mean and I suspect they will be back. We have been advised to install motion detector floodlights along the front of our property and to keep the back pastures mowed short so as not to tempt the deer. Some of the normally outside cats are still in the house with no intention at this time of wanting out. So right now, the sanctuary and the house are a bit crowded as there are minor skirmishes as cats meet unexpectedly for the first time. But that’s okay. Change is good.

Yesterday morning, I woke up at 5:00 a.m. and slipped outside to change out the litterpans. Mike was asleep and I left Brandi in the house, because to scoop 32 litterpans, well that takes time. I didn’t get back in the house until 6:30. As I turned on a small light, I heard Mike’s hospital bed vibrating. I’m thinking, what in the world? Then I hear him call out for a blanket! It was 70 in the house, probably 80 outside. I turned on the main light and his bed was just vibrating at a high rate of speed. It was strange as if it was possessed. Then my senses kicked in and I heard his teeth chattering and saw his body in just major chills. I raced for the thermometer but his teeth were chattering so hard, it only registered 97.1. I knew we were in trouble. He was coherent, but combative and I told him we were going to get in my car and go the hospital in Portland. He says “I’m not going!” I lost it- I told him either he was going to put his big boy pants on, get his shoes on and get his ass in my car OR I was going to call 911 and the ambulance would come and take him to the local hospital (which sucks when it comes to care) it was his choice. He decided Portland was a better bet!

We got there in under two hours which was a miracle because cops were everywhere. Yes, I was speeding but paying attention to the road- they admitted him for an infection in his leg. Whether it is a bone infection, they aren’t sure. His white blood cell count was extremely high- his heart rate was 110! They couldn’t get in much lower (which also indicates infection in the body). Brandi and I were at the hospital for ten hours with him. When I finally got home, I was so tired, but there was a message on my machine from a lady who wanted to adopt Mason.

I called her and we talked and she asked me to bring several kittens/cats to her home and see how it goes. Because I don’t know what my week is going to be like, I took Gump, Bentley, Chauncey and Mason with me to meet this family. I let all the cats out of the carriers in their front room and it was hilarious. Gump immediately jumped up on the condo snuggled down as if he belonged there! Ironically, he was the exact color of their design scheme in their living room. They flipped for him. I did tell them he is unpredictable and prone to attacking people with no provocation. Mason just explored- Chauncey immediately started jumping up on the counters in the kitchen have a kitty panic attack and Bentley dove under their couch you couldn’t even see the tip of his tail!

They were so interested in Gump, but he attacked all of them including me during the visit. So they decided against him. Bentley wanted nothing to do with the process and Chauncey was just beside herself looking for a place to hide. Mason stole the show. They adopted him but said that in a few weeks after Mason acclimates, they would like to adopt Gump and see if they can work with him. They were very cat savvy all of them including the young boy.

So my I-5 kitty now has a new home. My husband is in the hospital. My house is a wreck and tomorrow poor Boo gets all her remaining teeth yanked and some gum treatments to stop any future infections. Life as normal I guess- as normal as can be in my neck of the woods.