Awww, isn't she cute?

Here's one of my four cats, being goofier than normal. Jersey, a muted calico (which is her color) Selkirk Rex, (which is her breed) decided today that hanging out in my DH's bathroom sink would be a good idea.

My eldest decided to take a bunch of pictures of her, like we don't have enough cat pictures!

She went the artsy route (black & white) with this one:

And below, looking very regal:

As I said on Thankfulness Thursday, "I just love kitties!"

Here are some cat quotes for your enjoyment:

"There is, incidentally, no way of talking about cats that enables one to come off as a sane person." ~Dan Greenberg~

"It's really the cat's house - we just pay the mortgage." ~Author Unknown~

"Some people have cats and go on to lead normal lives." ~Author Unknown~

"If there were to be a universal sound depicting peace, I would surely vote for the purr." ~Barbara L. Diamond

Just Not Enough Time

It's official, summer is over. Maybe not meteorologically, but since all the schools have started, the world seems to have declared "summer is over!"

I have so much I'd like to blog about, but once I again I have over extended myself. I have things to do for our homeschool co-op, I have things to do for Girl Scouts, I have things to do for the Animal Society I work with, and I just started working for a friend cleaning offices. That is only a few hours a week, but when you really only have a few extra hours, it doesn't help. And of course I have my girls home, and they need my attention more than anything else.

I need to learn to say no. But it seems everyone else says no, and then there is no one to step up, and then nothing will get done. Who will collect donation items for the fundraiser? Who will run the product campaign for the Girl Scouts? Who will help the homeschool co-op pick the classes and organize the field trips? I suppose all these groups could get along without me, (I know they could, I don't think that highly of myself.) If no one else stepped up, they would either have to do without or come up with another plan. But if I do have a wee bit of time, and can offer a bit of help and wisdom, I feel better knowing I did my part.

I think this country survives because of it's volunteers. There are so many people doing so many things to help make the lives of others (or animals) better. I feel good about myself knowing I helped in some small way. I just wish I could add a few more hours to my day.

A volunteer is a person who can see what others cannot see; who can feel what most do not feel. Often, such gifted persons do not think of themselves as volunteers, but as citizens - citizens in the fullest sense: partners in civilization.

~George H. W. Bush~

The Poor Animals

God made all the creatures and gave them our love and our fear,To give sign, we and they are His children, one family here.

~Robert Browning~

I started a new volunteering job yesterday. I have worked with a local Humane organization, AOHS, for a few years now. I started out helping them with their annual dinner/fundraiser, and then my daughters and I volunteered to clean cages and socialize kitties that they keep at local Petsmart stores. (They are rotated in and out of the stores if they don't get adopted quickly, so they aren't in cages forever.) This organization does not have a shelter. Cats are kept in foster homes and brought to local pet stores for adoption events.

Anyway, after I had to deal with my leg issues last winter, I had to stop cleaning the cages for a while. Recently they posted that they needed someone to help answer calls for their relinquish line. This is the number people call if they have found cats or want to get rid of the ones they currently own. There's a woman who has done this by herself for quite a while, and she needed a few days off each week. So I agreed to answer the calls on Monday's and Tuesday's.

Basically all I have to do is call into the mailbox, listen to the messages, call the people back and try to offer them solutions and then log the call online. I just started this yesterday and I am already losing faith in mankind!

I have taken 14 calls in the last two days. There was a call from a woman who said her neighbor moved out 2 days ago and left their cats behind. An unfixed adult male and female, and a kitten. (Wonder why there was a kitten? (Hello, ever heard of spay and neuter?) She and some neighbors were feeding the cats, but didn't think they should be left outside. We were able to take the kitten and place it into one of our foster homes with another litter, the 2 adults will have to go to the local animal control where they may or may not get euthanized. Who moves and leaves their animals behind????? Too many people unfortunately.

Another woman had a 5 year old Purebred Angora cat. She'd had it for all it's life, but has just now decided that since it doesn't get along well with her other cats, she doesn't want it anymore. How can you just stop caring for an animal you've had for 5 years? It didn't have behavior problems, just didn't like the other cats in the house. I was able to pass her off to a breed rescue, but I feel sorry for that cat, who has to leave it's home, because the owner just grew tired of her.

There were several calls from people who were moving and didn't want to take their cats with them. Is it the cats fault that their owners had to move? I gave them suggestions of other shelters to call, suggested asking friends and relatives to take them, or even putting an ad in the paper. I begged them to not just leave their cats behind if they can't find them homes. Better to call the local animal control, then leave them defenseless and starving.

Another woman called to say she had found a cat, fixed and de-clawed, friendly, appeared to be a happy house cat. She had it in her garage. She had already called the police and other shelters to see if someone reported it missing. No one had. There was nothing wrong with this cat! Could this be another move and throw away?

I am saddened by what I learned in just the last 2 days. The other woman who answers the line did tell me this could be depressing. It isn't so much depressing as it is infuriating. Animals bond to us, they have feelings. I have taken in two strays and they are so much more appreciative of their lot than my two pampered purebreeds. It is as if they know they almost didn't have a chance and we gave them one. One of my strays was a fixed and de-clawed cat that was obviously someones at one point. I wonder if his owner moved away and decided to throw him to the wolves, so to speak. He was skin and bones when we found him, so we know he was out a while.

I want to take these people and kick them to the curb for a few days and see how they feel? Let them stay out in the rain and have to scrounge for food. How can you reach people who think animals are disposable? It's obviously not easy seeing as homeless animals are a huge problem for society. We have at least 4 shelter based rescues in our county, and our local animal control. All of them are full at this time. Hundreds of animals with no one to adopt them, and more out on the streets with no where to go. I hope I am doing my small part by helping take these calls. I did convince one woman to keep a kitten that was left behind when a man was evicted from his home. I spoke with another woman who was overwhelmed at the thought of moving to Florida and driving her cats down there. I told her how she could manage in the car, what she would have to do. I tried to persuade her to keep her cats. She at least said she'd think about it.
I'm only one person. but I'm doing my best. I'm not even hoping for everyone else to their best, but I wish they would at least agree to continue to care for the animals they brought into their homes.

If you have men who will exclude any of God's creatures from the shelter of compassion and pity, you will have men who will deal likewise with their fellow men.

~St. Francis of Assisi~

Beastie's

God made all the creatures and gave them our love and our fear,To give sign, we and they are His children, one family here.

~Robert Browning~

I have a new beastie in my yard. It's a Groundhog, aka Woodchuck, aka Whistlepig......yes Whistlepig.....who knew?

So on top of the squirrels, mice, birds, raccoons, possums, (stray cats) and the occasional skunk, we now have a Groundhog. We didn't mow our lawn for a while (we've had lots of rain in Illinois ; ) and so we had some clover growing. Groundhogs like clover. I was looking into my backyard a week or so ago, and there he was, munching on the clover in my un-mowed backyard.

Here he is....isn't he cute?

Not a great picture, we had to take it through the window because every time we opened the door he ran away. But you get the idea.

I am still amazed at how much wildlife I have around here. I live in town, just a few streets away from a major roadway. It is an established neighborhood, our house is over 50 years old. I'm happy that I can still provide a bit of an oasis to my little beastie friends. They are slowly running out of places to live. I think they've been spreading the word that my yard is the place to be.

Because the heart beats under a covering of hair, of fur, feathers, or wings, it is, for that reason, to be of no account?

~Jean Paul Richter~

I'm Turning into Elly Mae!

I feed animals. Inside ones and outside ones. I started out just feeding stray cats. Then I started feeding the birds, which of course brought the squirrels. Then we noticed that we would also occasionally have raccoons and possums (opossums?) in our yard. And of course we always smelled it when Mr. Skunk would make an appearance. We have a fence around our backyard, so we don't see too many bunnies. (I guess they don't like to dig under fences). We used to have foxes before they started doing construction in the field across the street. I liked the foxes.

Now before you think I live in the boonies, let me assure you, I live right in the middle of a fairly populous suburban town. (about 35,000 people). There is shopping and a major roadway 5 mins from me. But my subdivision is one of the oldest in our town, so these animals have had about 50 years to establish themselves.

Which brings me to yesterdays and today's happenings. We realized about a month ago that a small possum had taken up residence under our deck. We could see right through the slats (we have an old deck), there he'd (it could have been a she, but we'll refer to it as he), be all curled up, fast asleep as we went about our backyard business. I feed a stray cat that has also taken up residence on my back deck, so occasionally there will be a bowl of food on the deck, that said stray never finished. Mr. Possum would wake up and come onto the deck and eat. He was very cute, if you like that primeval look in your animals. Didn't care for the tail too much, but cute overall. This isn't our possum, just a picture to show you how cute they are.

So anyway, said possum has/had been hanging around for the past month or so. Over the weekend, I noticed he was not in his same sleeping spot under the deck. Instead of in a corner up near the house, he had moved out into the center of the deck. I could see him, he appeared to be sleeping, I thought nothing of it. Monday while outside, I realized he was in the exact same spot. I got down on all fours and really peered down through the slats at him to see if he was breathing. I didn't see movement. How well can a possum play dead? I didn't want to poke him, I was afraid he might wake up and I didn't want to be face to face with a mad possum. (Wouldn't you be mad if someone woke you by poking you with a stick?) So I just watched him a while. Looked pretty dead.

I told DH. About 10 years ago another possum decided to die under our deck. We didn't find out about him until he began to smell. So I figured we were at least ahead of the game on this one. He wasn't smelly yet. But it still wasn't a pleasant experience pulling a dead possum out from under ones deck.

By the time DH got home Monday night, we forgot about Mr. Possum. So last night we knew what we had to do. Or I knew what DH had to do. We/he had to pull up 3 deck boards just to get to where he was at. That's when we realized he was actually wedged under a lower deck support. I think he didn't realize he was a growing possum, and went and got himself stuck and died. I feel badly that he probably died of dehydration/starvation under my deck. Why didn't he scream for help?

Anyway, removal was not easy. We/DH (when I say we I mean I was there for moral support and to offer helpful advice when needed. Of course DH would tell you my advice was never needed.) Oldest DD was there with her video camera and made a movie of the entire episode. It was kind of like a tragic comedy. Maybe we'll post it to you tube.

So DH was finally able to pry poor possum out from under the support board and grabbed him by his rat like tail and flung him into an already prepped garbage can. See picture below. (Possum is barely visible dangling upside down over the garbage can).

The homeschooling mom in me came out when I realized he would be the perfect specimen for a dissection! Of course it was only for a fleeting second, because I don't think I could really do it.

May poor possum rest in peace, and may the rest of his kin not be so stupid as to think they can fit under my deck!

Today's' tale started with my oldest yelling from her bedroom that Cal (see cat story in archives for picture of Cal) had a mouse. I went running (bad leg and all) into DD's room. Said mouse is now nowhere to be seen. I decide to let the cat try to find it again, as DD's room was not exactly clean enough to go mouse hunting. About 15 mins later DD calls again. We can hear him digging in her closet. Well, her closet is full of crap! I close one side of the closet, so I know he only has one way out, and I'll see him if he tries. I slowly start taking things out of the closet. Hats, bags, clothes, comforters, books, toys, stuffed animals, an old loom, old shoes, a plastic sword (which actually came in handy. It prevented me from actually having to touch something that may have a mouse hidden in it. While I do like small rodents, I don't like to be surprised by them, kwim?) He did run around few times while I was removing stuff, but he was never in a position to throw a box over him, which was my plan.

Finally I had everything out of the closet and poor little mouse was huddled in the far corner. My youngest got me a Cheeto (did you know mice like Cheetos?) and a peanut (which we have on hand for the squirrels) which we dipped in peanut butter to make it particularly fragrant and pleasing to delicate mouse sensibilities. I placed the Cheeto and peanut butter covered peanut right in the center of the closet. Oh mice are stupid animals. After a few minutes he walked right over to the bountiful buffet we had laid before him. He didn't even notice the shoebox getting ready to come down over his head. Ah ha! I had him. Luckily DD's room was still a mess because there happened to be a clothing box just laying there from Christmas time! I ripped off a chunk to slide under the shoe box. But the shoebox and cardboard base were still too flimsy to pick up, and I was afraid Mr. Mouse would escape and there were 4 cats ready to eat him if he did. So I slid him on the floor, down the hall all the way to the front door. (That's fun to do with a bad back and leg btw). When we got the front door, I needed to get him over the threshold. I slid an old record album (Rick Springfield actually. I knew he'd come in handy again : ) under the box to make it sturdy and picked him up and put him outside. Both DD's were ready with their cameras to take his little picture as we gave him his freedom. Here he is, isn't he cute? He's a Deer Mouse.

So one dead possum and one live mouse later, I am wondering what animal will befall us next? We have had squirrels in our house, we have had birds in our house. And obviously we have had mice (this was not the first time). At least we didn't up end up with a dead possum IN our house. And I saved a mouse, I did my good deed for the day. And my karma is back in order because I didn't hear the calls of a poor, stuck possum.

~“Animals are God’s creatures. He surrounds them with his providential care. By their mere existence they bless him and give him glory. Thus men owe them kindness. We should recall the gentleness with which saints like St. Francis of Assisi or St. Philip Neri treated animals.”~

—Catechism of the Catholic Church paragraph 2416