concerned citizen or snitch

This morning, like every morning, I left home later than I should have if I wanted to be to work on time.  I got to the end of my street and a large company X, cube van was parked too close to the corner for me to see around to assess oncoming traffic. 

I cursed in my head...inched forward....then a bit more.....finally feeling like nothing was coming...I pulled out and continued my commute.

A quick glance sideways and I noticed a guy slumped over the steering wheel of the company cube van.

I drove on, still a little pissed off that buddy's nap had interfered in my race to get to work on time.  It was not until I was in the lineup to merge onto the dvp that I realized that perhaps buddy was slumped over the steering wheel for a reason other than a nap.

By the time I got to work it was 15-20 minutes later, I called Toronto Police,who put me through to  ambulance services, they dispatched a unit to check things out.

I will never know what the situation was....chances are that if is was a medical situation, any intervention from work was too late....perhaps if I had of stopped instead of cursing it would not have been.

But then again I may have brought undue grief upon a guy who was just catching some zzzzzs

I have a feeling this is one of those things that is going to haunt me.

Kitty

I know it will sound a bit naive to say that Kitty is an unexpected house guest, being as I set food out and provide kitty shelters for Kitty and his kin; but there you have it....I have a unexpected house guest, who for lack of a better name I am calling Kitty.

In spite of the fact that Wednesday was one of the coldest days we have had so far, when I opened the back door to put out food for the feral cats, Dude and Remington slipped out and decided they wanted an outdoor adventure.  Remington was quickly lured back indoors with the laser light but Dude was determined to be tough and endure the cold.  I shivered with the door open, laser light attempting to lure the little bugger inside...kitty was intrigued by the light and ended up following it into the kitchen and once realizing where he was hesitantly continued to track it to the other side of the room.  Once I was closer to the door that kitty was I slammed the door shut....there was about 30 seconds of panic...then quiet time under the kitchen table. Dude was allowed to continue his outdoor adventure while Remington and Kitty played with the laser light. 

Somewhat subdued Kitty had something to eat, when Dude came back inside (as he always does) everybody got a treat of wet cat food. All the cat toys came out and Remington and Dude played and chased each other while Kitty looked on and little by little joined in. Remington and Dude were an earlier litter of kittens to the same mother that had Kitty and his sibling.  Remy and Dude were born in April and the later two about July.  They are close in age and all still love to play.  Eventually Kitty went down to the basement to spend the night behind some paint cans, Remy, Dude, Sooty and I went upstairs to bed.

When I woke up on Thursday morning Dude and Sooty were in bed with me and Remington and Kitty were sleeping on the furry mat outside the bathroom door.

Kitty has settled into indoor living quiet well.  He hides most of the time in the basement but comes up for meals and a good play romp in the evening.  His sibling came to the door this morning but I could not manage to lure it in too....Kitty either didn't notice it or did not care.

There is a Neuter clinic on Wednesday and I was hopeful that I would be able to cart Kitty off to be fixed but so far he is still skittish of being handled and I don't see any reason to push it.  He is indoors and safe from the elements and there is no chance of him expanding the population as long as he is here.  I am hopeful to get him socialized and adoptable.  When he eventually is fixed he will be able to go to a forever home instead of being released back to his colony.  He is coming around little by little.

This evening he came close enough, long enough for me to stroke him, then he casually walked away.  Even without being petted he purrs loud enough to hear him from several feet away, and rolls over to show his belly.  He eventually going to to be quite the cuddlier I am sure.

When a Bunny is a Gift

Although there is no bunny in my home right now, there have been very special bunnies who have lived with me and who will live forever in my heart.
I speak of course of my beloved Mister, Lily and Stu, who wait for me with my tub of love kitty Cleopatra at the rainbow bridge.

What most people don't know is that there was another bunny many many years ago.  When I was young  my interests were more about going out with my friends and dancing than caring for a bunny.  But with that said I have always been an animal lover and anybody who has ever know me will tell you that this is true. It was with this in mind that a friend of mine gifted me with Flopsy.


Initially he was the delight of my life, but when caring for him started interfering with my fun time, when his diet requirements meant that I had to travel to special shops that were inconvenient to get to, and when I could not afford the vet bills that come with owning a bunny; the affection began to wane.

Furthermore I felt terrible, because I knew that Flopsy deserved more time and attention than I was giving him.  And I knew that he was going to eventually have to be fixed.  At that time that Vet bill would have been a serious dent in my budget.

Eventually I went back to my friend and asked them to return him to the bunny farm.  Flopsy went back to the bunny farm where I'm sure he was adopted to someone else. I am glad that I did not have to take him to a shelter which is where many animals in similar circumstances end up.



Although I claim the lifestyle and budget of a 20something girl living on her own as my excuse, still 20 plus years later I feel ashamed that I was not a good BunnyMummy to Flopsy.  In spite of my shame I truly hope that people will read this and realize that a bunny, or any pet for that matter, should never be thrust upon an owner as a gift.  It is unfair to the person and more importantly it is unfair to the animal.

Do you know the way to Mount Crumpet?

One of my favorite Holiday traditions is the Dr. Suess tale of How the Grinch Stole Christmas.  As a child the day was determined in advance via a thorough reading of little magazine TV guide.  For 30 minutes, Mom would know Peace on Earth while 5 kids ceased their arguing over what to watch.

When I got older and lived on my own I developed a degree of cynicism and wondered about the similarity in the eyes of Cindyloo Who and the Grinch and surmised that she was his illegitimate daughter...but my 20 something cynicism would evaporate when the Grinch's heart grew 3 times.

Thankfully I, like most young people got over that awful stage embraced the sweetness of the Whos and Max the dog. 

As the 2011 season begins unfolding I have been receiving messages reminding me that Christmas is a celebration of the birth of Jesus (although it not celebrated in July when historians suspect Christ was actually born but near the time when non-Christians used to celebrate the winter solstice)  and that I should not wish people Happy Holidays, or Seasons Greeting but I MUST as a christian,  albeit extremely lapsed catholic  christian,  NOT conform to political correctness.  Yadda yadda yadda, this Christ in Christmas thing has been going on for a few years now.  I go to church for weddings and funerals these days....not even the holy holidays of Christmas and Easter are enough to lure me away from a barbecue or 10 course meal. In honesty I call myself christian because none of the other boxes apply. 

On top of the responsibility of keeping Christ in Christmas I am now being reminded that due to the economic problems I must fuel the economy and forgo any issues that I might have about the commercialism of Christmas and Shop Shop Shop.  But I must shop with a patriotic conscience.  No products made in China and I must not leave the country and go (actually sneak) across the border looking for bargains in Buffalo.

Tomorrow the Santa Clause parade will run through downtown and Santa will set up in the Eaton Centre, what most people consider to be the kickoff to the Christmas season.  This year when I watch How the Grinch Stole Christmas I have a feeling I will be looking at that cave at the top of Mount Crumpet far away from all of the silliness of telling people how to keep the holiday, excuse me "Christmas" with envy. 

Whether the celebration is of a holiday, a season, or of Christmas I just wish that it could be a time for everybody to have time with loved ones and indulge in whatever brings them joy.

Happy Days are here

Although unintended;  this blog seems to have more unhappy posts than happy ones.

Well the times they are a changing my friends.  I am thrilled to say that Icarus went to his forever home yesterday evening. 

Monday evening I pulled into a copy centre, showed the girl at the counter a couple of pics to the girl and asked her to put them on a poster that said "Free to A Good Home". Unfortunately I did not bring a cable so we arranged that I would e-mail the pics and pick up the posters the next day.

I called in the morning to make sure that the e-mail was received.  The copy lady opened the e-mail while I was on the phone and made wonderful oooh and awe noises when she seen the pics.  When I went to pick up the copies at noon we chatted about our cats, and the circumstances behind Icarus coming to me. 

At the end of my work day I had made a list of pet stores, and vet offices that I was going to ask to post the posters at.  My phone rings and it is the copy lady to tell me that Icarus has been on her mind all day, and that she and her boyfriend wanted to adopt him.  I could not refrain from doing a "Yippee"

They arrived yesterday evening while kitties were having their dinner.  We chatted while kitten finished eating.  Then his new mom and dad put him into their carrier and they drove off into their future.

My friends and family had been concerned that I would miss this kitten terribly.  I have had to say goodbye to so many animals that had claimed a piece of my heart....

This goodbye was totally different.  For 30 seconds I was a bit sad.  I sat down and

Immediately my lap was filled with Remington and Dude.  They wanted pets and chin rubs and belly rubs.  They rewarded me with purs and purrrs and purrrrrrs

Of course I miss Icarus, but even more I am happy that he is in a good home....

Live well precious little kitty.

Okay it is Official

Icarus; the adorable kitten that was brought to my door several weeks ago is ready to be adopted to a forever home.

I have been dragging my heels because I have become quite smitten with him.  Remington and Dude love that he wants to be their favorite toy and I think they will miss him.  Although she would never admit it I think even Sooty will miss him.  His Icarus spirit is a joy to watch as he pounces onto a snarling Sooty and makes her walk away I have to smile.

If you or anybody you know is ready to welcome a brash but lovalbe little formerly feral kitten into their homes please contact me at donna.hicken@sympatico.ca

Icarus

In case anybody needs a reminder of their Greek mythology; Icarus was a prisoner of the King or Crete.  His father made him a pair of wings to facilitate his escape but warned him to not fly too close to the sun or the wax holding the feathers in place would melt.  Unfortunately when Icarus tried the wings he was caught up in the exuberance of flying and....you guessed it.....flew too close to the sun.  The wax melted, the feathers fell out of the wings and Icarus fell to his demise in the Icarian Sea.

On October 5 neighbors, previously unknown to me rang my doorbell.  They had found a kitten in their backyard and been told that I cared for the feral cats in the neighborhood.  The little critter could easily be cupped in my hands.  Although I felt that the creature should have been left where he had been found, the intent of these people was good.  I took him inside and offered him some food and Whiskers Cat Milk.  I was relieved to find that he ate both soft and hard food and would take the milk from saucer.  I was not going to have to bottle feed him.  I was not so thrilled to discover that he had fleas.

Immediately interested in food

Settling into "indoor life" on the back of the couch

Remington is very curious. Neither one seems intimidated by the other

immediately Sooty, Remington and Dude were given flea treatments and the kitten was given a bath in the kitchen sink. I would have given him a treatment too if it did not state on the back of the box that young kittens should not receive treatment. I have flea combs that I use for combing knots out of Sooty fur when she starts getting matted, between the bath and the comb I battled fleas for several days. Poor little thing was being eaten alive. The water turned red when I set him into it. In spite of having his life turned upside down kitten did not seem very perturbed and was eager to explore new surroundings. He again surprised me in a pleasant way when he immediately jumped into a litter box and did his business. Remington and Dude took an immediate interest in him. At times to snuggle with him and at times to treat him like a wind up toy. They would pounce on him and wrestle him to the ground till he squealed. I would break them apart only to have kitten swat the face of the other cat. I decided to let them be. Sooty is a different story. Coming within a foot of her personal space is a sure way to be growled at and if you come within swatting distance, kitten will be swatted. And yet he keeps on hopping into her range and pouncing on her tail. He has been warned and warned and warned but his exuberance cannot be curbed...thus I have taken to calling him Icarus.

Once he is old enough I will begin to look for a home to adopt him to. I am hopeful that I will find a home that has a cat that needs a companion, or at least a family who will have lots of time to play with him. In spite of the fact that he is not going to be a forever cat, me and Remington and Dude are becoming very smitten with this little fluffball....I think even Sooty is going to miss him when the time comes.