Similar to most of the United States right now, Winter has descended on the Pacific Northwest with a vengeance. We had such slamming winds in the last few days, that now, not only does my barn roof leak. But my cat enclosure roof is leaking. Last night, the rain was coming down so hard and at such a slant- in our supply closet. The leak shows not from the roof. The leak shows midway on the wall. I’m still trying to figure out how that happened? If anyone knows and can enlighten me, I would appreciate it.

This is the room where we store our cat food, cat litter, cat carriers, and other supplies that we need when we care for our kitties but the water is coming in between two boards. I believe the front board on the enclosure just got hit with so much hard rain. It just leaked between the two of them? We also have major leaks in one area that concerns me, which is by the electrical. I’m going to have to figure out how to stop the holes where the water is finding its way in.

initially the roof was extremely stout. During this recent rebuild, several of the limbs of my spirit tree when they were removing it hit the edge of the cat enclosure roof and bent it. The company responded making good on the major repairs right where the initial hit happened. But I can tell now that it completely shifted the entire roof in small degrees virtually almost all the way around the whole enclosure. Now the rain is coming in.

I am starting a New Year’s experiment right now regarding wet and dry food. For the most part now, the majority of our kitties are turning up their noses at Purina’s Natural blend. Reading the ingredients I see that this product has all five of the toxic ingredients you need to look out for. This seems to be a bit ironic to me; considering it’s supposed to be a new healthful blend.

So we decided to try other brands that contain less than five ingredients that we know now to look out for. Our first try is Merrick Grain free Hairball, we were unable to find a bigger bag than 16 pounds. We started them on it this morning, it will be interesting tonight when I go out to feed if any of it has been touched I’m finding when it comes to dry cat food, my cats are a lot smarter than I am in alerting to me  which brands I need to stay away from.

Both myself and Aspen are missing her sister. I’m not sure if it’s the absence of Laurel that has made a very remarkable change in Aspen lately. This morning we had a Xfinity service man here fixing a problem with Wi-Fi. He was here for over an hour, and I was quite surprised and pleased to find Aspen in the kitchen while he was here. I talked to her gently and snapped my fingers, and she actually came over to see me. This is highly unusual, because when they’re strangers in the house, the cats hide. She was quite content to stay by my side, the rest of the time that the gentleman was here fixing the problem. This gives me a tiny glimmer of hope, that she will eventually be able to go on and have a normal life in a home that will love her forever. I still cannot pick her up, so there is still work to do. She certainly gave me a smile this morning though.

Today is New Year’s Day. It is also Kota’s Sixth birthday, a day that enters him into the first part of his senior years. I honestly had pause these last two years that he would even make it this far. He is doing quite good. He is not on any type of drug to get him through his day. He is not excessively shedding, the seizures are gone. There is no more gulping of grass along with daily vomiting. His persistent eye infection (that they could never seem to  clear up) has disappeared. It went away virtually overnight after I took him off of all commercial canned dog food.

When it came to the seizures, it wasn’t the vet or the drugs he gave that stopped them. It was a friend of mine back East. She sent me an article from Natural Dog. The article explained  how some larger-breed dogs are extremely sensitive to exposure to electronic equipment. This exposure, the author explained can bring on seizures!

As I read the article, it was clear to me that his couch (which faced at one time the television) needed to be moved. I moved it to the other end of the living room and about a week later, his seizures just quit. They have never returned. I still do keep the television on during the day just for the noise factor  Michael was quite the talker and storyteller and after he left, the silence sometimes overwhelmed me.

Yesterday morning, when I got up. I saw Laurel. She was asleep on the couch in the cat room. Well…I thought she was asleep. When she didn’t come to the third food call in the afternoon, I went to check on her and discovered that she was gone. She had passed sometime in the night. I know this because I do 25 minutes of interactive play with all the cats right before I go to bed. She had been telling me for about a week that she wasn’t right. I was listening, I tried to get her help, but I was too late.

It’s strangely, quiet in the house now. Aspen is missing her sister. She must have discovered that her sister had gone on to a better place. I don’t see any open grieving in her. She is eating, she is drinking. But she is also trying to find me  during the day and be with me. I know from past departures, that if the resident kitties get a chance to say their own goodbyes, the grief is still here, but it’s not as devastating for them. I don’t know if Aspen was with Laurel when she passed away. (They often slept together in the night). I would bet she was close knowing this to be her last time with Laurel. Based on how she’s acting, I know she had her chance to say a final goodbye. It also will explain why at 2 AM I was awoken by Aspen, sitting out in the hallway in front of the bedroom, and she was meowing very pitifully. I got up and picked her up to comfort her. But the meowing continued. I put food out, checked the water, bowls. In retrospect, I know, she was telling me In the only way she could, that her sister was gone.

I couldn’t bury Laurel, the rain, and the mud prevented that. I have a good friend that lives up the mountain and I called her. We took a walk in the woods that are behind her house and on her property. We found a nice spot in the forest, covered Laurel with leaves and said a prayer. Essentially, we just gave her back to nature and to God. I am sure her and Michael are getting acquainted.

It is strange, how empty the house feels despite the presence of three animals and one human. But that’s the way grief works. It’s a process. A way for us to come to the realization that’s something. Precious is now missing. I believe we gave her a longer life than she would’ve had before she arrived here. At least that is my small comfort this morning.

Goodbye, Sweet Girl. I was blessed to have known you. I just wish it had been for a little bit longer.

The latest arrivals, the four black strays which were dropped off may not be showing up regularly at the food platforms. However, there are numerous mice, which were once running around the barn, who are now missing. As our weather keeps getting increasingly worse. It is common for these mice to seek shelter in the barns and the sheds. Sometimes they startle me when I go in to refill water, bowls and refresh straw beds. I haven’t seen or heard any mice since Eenie, Meenie, Miney and Moe arrived here. I do not know who is actually capturing them, but I do know that the resident outdoor ferals are not participating in the hunt.

We do occasionally see black cats back by the creek. You can see tunnels burirowed in the long grasses making paths to and from the creek to the barn. There have been early in the morning. Sounds of cats fighting. By the time I get out there everyone has vanished. Check on all the resident outdoor Ferals have shown that no one is injured in any fashion. So it is all posturing and so far bluff battles more than likely over the food. I can safely say that all is fairly quiet on the Pacific Northwest front going into the New Year-

Little by little Addie is finding her way with Aspen and Laurel. This is only during the day once it gets dark NASCAR is once again going full, throttle up and down my stairs and the hallways.

However, here is a rare moment where they are at peace with each other.

On the day before Christmas, I discovered that Laurel had actually broken through the top of my pantry. She found my unopened full bag of Epson Salts and she decided to open it for me by eating the top of the bag all the way across. She actually devoured the little strip that you pull to open the bag. Ironically, the pantry closet had been fixed with child proof lock. She couldn’t get into the cupboard door so she went and jumped up on the top and went through the ceiling.

She is eating and drinking normally and using the litter pan. I’ve given her some mineral oil to try and move things along. Tomorrow when my vet reopens, I will give them a call and see if I can schedule her for a barium study.I know that the plastic pieces will not show up on an x-ray. However, a barium study will outline all the plastic that I know that’s in her system.

I’m not sure if I mentioned this before, but I also found out that she has been eating the liner to my shower curtain. I’m really at my wits end with her as far as how to prevent her from doing more damage to her system. I’ve never quite had a kitty so persistent in chasing plastic items as their main meal. One has to wonder exactly what she suffered before she came here to live with us. She definitely is not a cat that can be adopted out  to anyone else. You really have to stay on your toes with her. Even when you think you have all bases covered, you find out you are wrong.

Another concern of mine is it seems like the only way she can sleep is when she extends her throat. She also is repeatedly yawning so many times in the day I’ve lost count. I’m hoping this upcoming test will help us to figure out how to help her to stop this unusual fixation on plastic. If we can’t figure it out, she may eat through her 9 Lives before we know it.

A Moment of Silence, for the massacre of one feathered cat toy, which was gifted to Addie from Wilco Farm Stores!

RIP (Rest In Pieces) little buddy. it looks to me like you gave it your All!

I have a confession to make. The anniversary of Michael’s passing this year, proved to be quite exhausting for me. I didn’t expect it to, some years are easier than others. This year not so much. Did avoid the public humiliation part of it where I break down in the middle of a grocery store, or some other public place. It’s been five years since he’s left. He still larger than life in my heart.

So this morning, I overslept in a major way. When I went out to the main enclosure to feed and opened the door, I didn’t check to see where Bentley was located. He will at times just scoot out the door and takeoff. But he has outside privileges, he is the only one. he will generally spend about an hour outside and then come and get me and walk with me back to the enclosure.

So I opened the door, a streak, darted between my legs, taking off into the yard, Still groggy from sleep. It took a few minutes for my brain to register that. Wait a minute that’s not Bentley. That’s PITA. And no, she was not named after the bread! Lol ever since she’s been a kitten, she has been a handful.

Both her and Twist have been playing the “War Between the Wires” for years. For whatever reason, they do not get along. That is an understatement.Twist was by the barn, waiting for me to come and feed her. When PITA jumped her! The battle was on. On icy grounds with slippers on is not ideal when it comes to moving. Thankfully, my slippers have heavy treads on them and I was able to catch up to her and break the fight up. They both split apart Twist was limping, PITA was headed to the barn.

Thirty minutes later, I finally captured PITA and carried her back to the enclosure. I thank God that I caught her fairly easily compared to the last time she escaped. She’s only been out of the enclosure two times now. The first time she ran up a tree. That was fun trying to get her down off of there. So this time she upped the ante deciding to go after her number one inemesis and get into a fight.

In that moment when she was running full-tilt at Twist and they met in mid-air in fight-she did not lose one of her lives, but I sure felt like I did. I am still shaking, but I am so grateful that I caught her as quickly as I did. Oh, the joy of Rescue! LOL!

Now all that’s left is once Twist returns hopefully in a decompressed state to see if she is injured. I certainly hope not, Twist is full feral. I have never been able to get my hands on her since she first arrived.

Merry Christmas Everyone! God just delivered my Christmas present. I am so grateful.

A few days ago during a pretty hard rain, I discovered a cardboard box sitting outside my gate. I didn’t put the box there, apprehensively as I approached it. I was praying that if there were kittens inside that they were okay. Thankfully, the box was not sealed.  The box, although sopping wet was empty.

The next morning when I was feeding, I noticed four black kitties watching the  others eat. When I slowly went towards them, they ducked under the deck. I ended up getting more food and putting it on a tray and sliding the tray underneath the deck.

I’m not sure where they came from,  or who dumped them. I stuffed the underside of the deck with enough straw to keep them warm. So what I do know is now they are safe, they are warm, they are fed. I guess you could say they are home. I am naming them, Eenie, Meenie, Miny, and Moe. Sort of unisex names until I figure out who is female and who is male in the group.

I have heard some fighting going on, so suspect one or more is a Tom. The fighting is not severe enough to interfere, just growling, a lot of warnings, but no shrieking or evidence of anybody actually going into battle.

I’ve been feeling a bit punky lately. Laurel will pick-up on it first. I think she might take her cue from Kota   He seems to know before the pain hits that it’s coming. Once he’s been over to me to offer his comfort, Laurel will show up.

Just recently, Addie will also come to share my lap. It’s quite comforting to have these two lap-warmers on me. Although petting them is out of the question for now (sometimes my fingers don’t feel as if they belong to me anymore).

I’ve already turned down one corrective surgery the doctors want to do on me. Unfortunately, this time around, I don’t have that option. I think the worst part of the whole scenario is once they do the surgery, I will be unable to do much for 6 to 8 weeks. As happy as I am to have these kitties on my lap right now, post-surgery that will not be possible. I have to figure out how I’m going to manage keeping them out of the living room, kitchen and bathroom while I recover. I suppose I will cross that bridge when I get to it. For now I will just enjoy the harmony of having these two kitties getting along on my lap.

Ms. Addie is showing every indication of a bladder infection this morning. Frequent trips to the litter box, resulting in only pea-size drops of urine. She squats so long that I was able to slide a paper towel underneath her to see if she’s passing blood, which she is not. She is not dehydrated, but she’s also not drinking that much.

I called the vet, but they are only open half day and they are slammed busy. So I have confined her. I put her on Hills Science Diet Urinary Tract both dry and wet. I also used the antibiotic they gave me at the emergency room recently. Ground it down to a fine powder, called a friend of mine, who is a crack vet tech so she could help me figure out how many piles I needed to make of this wonder drug she told me 10 and to give Addie one portion of that 10th every 12 hours.

So Addie is in the cat room, she has three bowls of water. She loves to push ice cubes across the floor so there are a couple of ice cubes in one bowl. In the other bowl because she loves ping-pong balls are two ping-pong balls floating around I also rubbed a tiny bit of table salt on her gums to make her thirsty. We will see how she goes throughout the day and tomorrow. Hopefully, the infection will clear up quickly and I won’t have to add to my already large vet debt.

Update: 8:00 p.m.- Addie just peed. I couldn’t be more pleased with the way that this is turning out. Her peeing as much as she just did, confirms my suspicion that she had a bladder infection. It must’ve really hurt for her to pee, so now that it doesn’t hurt. Hopefully she will pee more. I will keep up with the antibiotics. if she keeps peeing in larger amounts, I will also stop putting salt on her gums. I’m just so relieved I couldn’t find any open wounds on her. Sometimes she will tussle with Aspen and Laurel, so this just confirms that her infection was internal.

“Crazy Cat Woman Smothered to Death by Beloved Cat!”

Last night during another frigidly cold 20° temperature drop. Our power went out. I was sitting in my chair when it happened. I grabbed the flashlights and made the rounds, looked outside and saw that my neighbors were also dark. They had been predicting black ice, so I assumed that some of the ice must have landed on the wires and caused a problem.

I was already wearing my hoodie. It’s oversized and it’s very comfortable and warm. I grabbed a couple blankets just in case it was going to be a long time without power. I settled back in my chair, Laurel jumped on my lap. She loves to snuggle on my shoulder. She gets highly indignant if she doesn’t get her way.

I was petting her and I noticed her ears were really cold. We don’t have central heating here so she must’ve been in the back room when the lights went out. I had my hood up over my head and she climbed up on my chest, went to snuggle on my shoulder, she changed direction heading for the inside of my hood. I tried to dislodge her. She was very close to choking me. My head and her body cannot fit inside my hoodie! It’s oversize, but not that oversized!

I finally was able to get her out of it. I placed her on my lap and before I knew it here she comes again and she’s trying to crawl back into my hoodi. We had a few minutes of tussling over this before she finally understood that this wasn’t going to happen. Mom needs to breathe. These cats are so funny. Their characters are coming out and they are both a delight and a challenge. But I wouldn’t have it any other way.