GENERAL

Generally you don't have to give a bath to a cat. However over weight cats do need some help. They can't reach everywhere so regular brushing is a must. If the cat doesn't like brushing try not to let them get fat. Remember your in charge of the food. Your supposed to feed them according to the size they should be not the size they are. Then there are the cats that just don't groom well. If the cat stinks you may want to look into why. Older cat with bad breath, probably dental issue.
 Once you put the soap on your committed. Premixing the soap in containers that can be easily pored over the cat helps. Trying to keep the cat in the tub or sink is usually enough to work the soap in. A hose with some pressure will help in rinsing or lots of jugs filled with clean water. Rinse well! The soap can upset your cats stomach. Dry completely, specially long haired cats because they tend to mat. Brush them as they dry to also prevent matting. Mats pull on your cats skin and puts them in constant pain. DON'T cut out mats! EVER! A cats skin is flexible and can get pulled up into the mat. You think your cutting through mat and it's really the cat. They sell all kinds of brushes to help. Read the directions. Mat splitters are put under the edge of the mat and worked back and forth slicing through the mat then brushed out. Not for pulling through the mat. Your vet can help. Tell them what you need done and get their advice. Skin problems can be solved with washing but it may be something more. If you can't care for it don't have it.

ZOE

Zoe sleeps with me. I have no problems with Zoe sleeping next to me. We both get up several times during the night however. I gently move her so I can get out of bed. When Zoe gets up or returns to settle back down I'm just an object in the way and beneath her figuratively and literally. I've been awoken several times while she gets comfortable. Once I was awakened by Zoe doing circles on my head then she started padding me down. Another time she thought we both needed cleaning. Now waking up from a cat licking your arm like Zoe doesn't really bother me I just pull my arm under the covers. We have a cat at home that if I go to bed without shaving that day may wake me up by spitting on and biting my chin. Now that does bother me.

ZOE

Zoe has got to be feeling better. She is still sneezing and her eyes are a little swollen but she is going insane. Her favorite toy is my phone charger cord. Offer her a shoe lace and a plastic zip tie. No! Zoe still goes after the charger cord. She will play with other things briefly but as soon as I'm not watching she's attaching the cord. I now have another thing I have to watch for. Zoe was in my lap and noticed a cord hanging down. Before I knew what she was after Zoe had jumped up and caught the cord for the air horn. She jumped in 3 directions at once. She came down on my arms and steering wheel. Zoe then bounced off me and flew onto and off the dash flying towards the bunk. I have got to trim her nails! While Zoe calmed down I stanched the blood flow from my arms.
I have gotten several compliments about the good looking cat I have. We were at a red light and a woman picked up her chihuahua and showed it to Zoe. She didn't hiss but put out a grumble.
If it seems I have a lot to say about Zoe, it's because she is the friendliest most active cat I've ever had in the truck. Now that she's feeling better she's everywhere, Playing with everything.
I have noticed that Zoe does not like being left alone. I leave the truck and she is on my seat looking out waiting for me to return. If I get a phone call she's in my lap insisting on being pet. Zoe will shove her face into mine until I pet her. Phone call ends and she lays down.  Also Zoe does not like canned food, mine or cat food. She also may sniff but doesn't seem to want people food.

ZOE

Zoe is a total shit! She really pissed me off today. I stopped at Taco Bell for some Doredo taco supremes to go. When I got back to the truck Zoe was waiting on my seat. I put her on the dash and got situated. I took a couple bites of taco and hit the road. As I was eating, Zoe sat up and started moving her head around and bobbing. A fly had gotten into the truck. As I went to set my half eaten taco down she ran across the dash and jumped into my lap. She sent my taco flying into the door, window and floor. Before I could get a full scream out she had turned and jumped back onto the dash. Zoe almost didn't make it. She was able to save her self by using my soda pop that was in the cup holder for a little extra boost. My Mountain Dew hit the carpeting bursting open. Still driving down the road I started to clean up the mess. I took out the 2 remaining tacos and discovered they were destroyed during her mad dash for the fly. I cleaned up what I could putting it in the bag and Zoe was on the dash the whole time searching for the fly. Until she smelt sour cream. She then started pawing at the bag of taco garbage on the dash. Spreading the mess onto my dash. I finally pulled over and wiped down the door, the floor, the dash and me. The 2 remaining tacos were pulverized. I had to pinch and shovel them in, in order to eat them.
Zoe wasn't done. For dinner I bought a sandwich and a medium sized bag of chips, that way I would have some for later and a tea with screw on cap. She came over and licked the chip bag then put her front legs over the bag and sniffed my sandwich. Zoe then abruptly laid down. She crushed the crap out of my chips. You want to kill her but then she curls up in my lap and goes to sleep.

ZOE

Zoe has a new way of sitting. She was climbing over me to get to a shelf she likes to sit on, when we hit a bump. Zoe dug her nails in to catch her self and I leaned forward. She wound up on my shoulders. Now that has become her favorite spot. Zoe will climb up onto my lap then nuzzle her head up under my chin. Very cuddly! Then as I'm petting her she wedges her head behind mine and the seat and pulls herself onto my shoulders. Very uncomfortable and if I remove her she just comes back. Once she jumped from the self on to the top of the seat. Zoe would have fallen but she dug into my head to steady herself. Then plopped down forcing my head forwards and again she was on my shoulders. I can't say enough about how friendly Zoe is. Any claw marks are just her wanting to be close. Some cats can take or leave people as long as they are maintained. Zoe wants and needs people.

ZOE

Zoe is a looker! She's gotten beeped at several times. Yes, Zoe is a good looking cat but that's not why the horns. You see, she likes to sit on the passenger side of the dash and look out and down at the people next to us. They see a cat staring at them and honk! Zoe is fascinated by everything going on around the truck. She watches people in cars and on the street. blinking or flashing lights mesmerize her. Passing vehicles and birds catch her eye as well. Zoe seems to also react to music as well. If I'm searching for a station and get just noise she meows!

ZOE

Zoe is a plastic bag licker. That's all I'm going to say on the matter. There is a reason I don't mind working with the misunderstood fractious cats versus the over friendly cats like I've had lately. Sammy (friendly) and Zoe (overly friendly) are constantly wanting paid attention to. The feral cats stay away from me as much as possible in the small space we're in. I have to seek out the cats that want to kill me. It's done when I have the time. These overly friendly cats do make life interesting. Zoe climbs all over me while I'm driving. She is never more then an arms length away. She enjoys being pet and played with constantly. One person adopts this cat they better not have a job. This cat would wear out a family of four with love.

Someone really loved this cat. Zoe does all the cute cat stuff. She will sit in my lap and place her paw against my lips or cheek and give a gentle pat to get my attention. Zoe also snuggles and nuzzles her head under my chin. She likes to be held like a little baby held to your shoulder. When I leave the truck she waits for me on my seat. And she won't get off the seat or make any room for me to get back in. Zoe does not know scoot or scram. I have to pick her up and move her.

Right now we've been trucking a lot so Zoe has been trying to sleep. The roads suck so she can't get even a cat nap in. Every bump she lifts her head and lets out a "I'm not happy" meow.
Zoe is very easy to pill, just drop it in. Then why is she with me? Simple Zoe hates the shelter. Zoe wants a human, needs a human! She has abandonment issues. Zoe is the way she is with me because we are not at the shelter. Let's face it, she had someone with her all the time and the person up and left her. Next thing she knows she's in a cage, in a bank of cages. Some cats can take or leave their humans but Zoe can't get along without a personal friend.

SIAMESE KITTENS

Siamese kittens from hell. A person contacted Happy Endings shelter about some cats that a tenant had abandoned. The landlord was feeding them but didn't know what to do about them. We were told they were somewhat friendly but skittish. When I arrived I went into the bedroom where they were in and that is the hell part. The bed was soaked in pee and crap. The floor under the bed was covered in crap. They were completely feral. When I saw what they were living in I was not leaving without them. I started putting them in carriers. As soon as they knew what was happening the chase was on. I was sliding though shit as they bounced off the walls. I was told I could come back and try for any I could not get. THAT WAS NOT HAPPENING! I was leaving no cats in that! By the end I was covered in crap, scratches and bites but I had them. They never really calmed down at the shelter but they all got forever homes. For some reason people were willing to take pissed off Siamese cats. No complaints from me, if people are willing to take cats that need some work that's great!

ZOE

ZOE

Zoe is a large calico cat that has a cold. Her eyes are swollen and she is sneezing. Like most calicoes she is friendly when she wants to be. She has bitten a volunteer. It is hard to judge when a cat will strike. Some volunteers are better at judging then others. Zoe was going to bite another cat and got the volunteer instead. I was told she is nippy. Animals in shelters tend to be a little more aggressive then in a forever home. That's where I come in. I will deal with the attitude and get the cat medicated, no matter how bloody I get. I will heal and the end result is a healthy cat. Happy Endings shelter gave Zoe to me to medicate. A pill twice a day and eye ointment. So far she is a very loving cat, but then I only gave her 1 pill and eye stuff. Zoe is on the way to becoming fat so I will work on playing with her and watching her diet.

ZOE

Zoe has decided to use the wall of the truck as a scratching post. I have a scratching post for the cats. Now I have to find a way to keep Zoe from tearing up the interior of the truck.

CITGO

CITGO

Citgo was captured at, you guessed it, a Citgo truck stop in Sturtevant, WI. We fuel our trucks there and one of our drivers was told that a cat had been hanging around the truck stop. It was the middle of winter with a cold front coming in. The weather reports were calling for temperatures well below zero with wind chills reaching 30 degrees below. I was not told about the cat previously by my driver or by the Citgo employees. When I went in to pay for my fuel I was asked if I was there to get the cat? What cat? The Citgo employees were really worried about a cat and the freezing temperatures. They told me how it had been seen in the area and that people would often throw it food from the Wendy's attached to the truck stop. The cat would hide under cars and curl up next to the entrance doors to get warm. They could not let it in to the building, not knowing if it was friendly. I rushed home and got some live traps and instead of sleeping spent several hours waiting for the cat to take the bait. It turns out the cat was quite friendly and quite sick. Happy Endings shelter took the cat and nursed it back to health. The cat was so small and cute it was quickly adopted.

SAMMY

Sammy went back to Happy Endings shelter and is not thrilled. Sammy is over his cold and ready to be adopted. Some more things that happened while with Sammy. He enjoys sitting in my lap while I drive. I had to pay a toll and rolling down a window with a cat that could jump out, is always nerve racking. Sammy was pawing at the window but it looked like he was waving at the toll attendant. The man laughed and I took credit for teaching him that. Yeah! I lied, so what! When Sammy thinks it's dinner time he will crawl all over me including through the steering wheel. He will head butt my face and jump from my lap to the food dish. He will also find and bring out the string to be played with. Sammy has no problem letting me drive and play string with him as long as I don't stop playing. He also started to sit in my lap and put his paws over my left arm so he could see out while going down the road.
     Had to take him to Advanced Animal Hospital in Milwaukee, WI for an update exam and to get his thyroid levels checked. The vet does not usually let the clients hold the cat for such procedures but the alternative is to put him under. Since I can handle Sammy's screaming and know how to restrain a cat they allowed me to hold him so he didn't need tanked down. The special food he is on worked! His thyroid levels were in range so no daily medications. He likes his food so no problems as long as you give him canned food and mix in water. He will eat some dry but canned is his thing. It was great having a cat that was not out for my blood.

SAMMY

Sammy is WOW what a friendly cat. He wants to be pet constantly. If you are truly lonely and looking for a friend, then Sammy is it for you. Some cats know they are king of the castle and that is Sammy. NO OTHER ANIMALS! Sammy was pissy at Happy Endings shelter. Grumpy in the truck with Autumn, another cat. Angry at our home with other cats, even though he was kept separate from them. Sammy saw a rabbit and was instantly upset. He did not want me touching him and went and hid under the covers. A moment to calm down and he was back in my lap. He is on medicine but is not to bad to pill. He screams like a 2 year old child in melt down and refuses to open his mouth, but doesn't bite. Any cat not biting me is great.
     He is a great lap cat. What will happen to him once the meds are over? He is so angry at the shelter that he won't let anyone touch him. He screams and swats at anyone that even gets close to him. Who will give a cat that is pissed at being caged and around other cats a chance when there are so many other cats to chose from?

SAMMY

Sammy went to Advanced Animal Hospital and received several different medications. The pill will be a bitch but we'll get it one way or another. He has to go back in 2 weeks for a recheck. Advanced Animal Hospital is great with the feral cats. I can hold the cat during exams and since it's my flesh between them and the cat, they will work with me. Most vets would want them put under but some exams are better done when they're awake. It also takes a lot more time and money to put them under.

SAMMY

Sammy is not feeling good. He has turned into a dick. Sammy does not make a very good sick cat. He comes near and as soon as I try to pet him he growls and bites. I'm just glad he doesn't bite hard. I'm going to relay his medical conditions to Happy Endings medical coordinator and probably take Autumn back so I can treat and work with him.

SAMMY

Sammy is a cat I can't do anything with. I socialize cats. Sammy is social. He is the only cat that climbed into my lap and let me pet him until my arms hurt. He stayed in my lap for hours. Sammy also slept with me.  He was king of his domain and now is in a place he does not like. Sammy is a cat that does not like change and will let you know it. He is a long haired, medium sized, dark tabby and declawed. He has attacked me at Happy Endings shelter but with no claws and bites about as hard as a 4 week old kitten, it's all bluster. Sammy is very loud when he does not get his way or something is happening he doesn't like! His screaming freaks people out. He has a thyroid issue that hopefully the food he's on takes care of. Sammy is a great cat that will be a lap cat for someone again if he ever gets a chance.