SWEET PEA

Sweet Pea beat me up last night. She was sleeping by my head and I must have moved startling her and she smacked me several times with her paw. Sweet Pea is declawed so it didn't hurt. I apologized and we went back to sleep. Lesson learned if she's comfortable don't move.

SWEET PEA

Sweet Pea is back with me. She has a urinary infection. Sweet Pea is a small bundle of attitude. I think she is my favorite cat I've had in the truck so far. Sweet Pea tells you what she wants and how she wants things done. She is as sweet as her name suggests, but she can scream bloody murder if she's not getting her way. Sweet Pea is a black and white tuxedo cat fully declawed. She sleeps with me at night and comes when you call her. Sweet Pea is a dainty cat that loves gentle petting and being near people. Sweet Pea does not jump. I believe she was declawed later in life and doesn't trust her abilities to land safely. She will alway put her paws up to where she is going to jump and that's about as far as she will go.

CRICKET

Cricket has been taken to Happy Endings and from there taken to Petco in Greenfield, WI. I hope he finds his forever home soon.

CRICKET

Cricket desided to get into the shelves that are over the top of my bed. They are about 4 to 5 feet above my bed. I have them stuffed with extra bedding, clothing and a printer that I use occasionally. It probably took him several attempts but he was able to pull out enough bedding to wedge himself up there. I didn't know what he was up to until I heard the crash. I looked back to see my printer laying in pieces on the floor. Craning my neck to look up, there was Cricket looking down at me. How can cats be so guilty and look so innocent?

CRICKET

Cricket is now being treated for ear mites and has been fixed. He does use the litter box and even buries his stuff. Cricket got a bath and was great! He didn't try to bite and took it very well. Some feel cats don't need baths. Cats are very clean animals but the dirt inbeded in his fur had to be washed out. Cricket also had burs/thistles in his tail. He enjoys sitting in my lap or on the dash. He love's canned food but will under protest eat dry food. Don't have to worry about forgetting to feed him because he keeps track and will let you know. I believe he will if not watched become a fat cat.

CRICKET

Cricket was captured in our yard. We had seen the cat but waited to see if it would go home or someone would put up signs looking for the cat. After a few days of seeing the cat I believe catching and helping the cat is the right thing to do. The cat was so hungry it took no time to live trap him. He is a male brown tabby. He is not fixed and that just shows who ever had him is not worthy of having an animal. I took him with me and left him alone for a day to settle in. Cricket is a very friendly cat that has ear problems. He is going to the vet for a rabies vaccine and an exam. Then off with the, well, package. I'm sure he has peed somewhere in the truck other then the box. That's why I have plastic on my mattress and extra bedding. Once he's fixed that should take care of the wetting the bed problem. So far he likes looking out the side windows and watching me.

GENERAL

Catch, fix (spay or neuter) and release. I heard some talk about it again on the radio. Take 40 cats all 1 year in age. Give them their shots, fix them and make sure they are completely healthy. Place 20 in a house that they can't get out of and nothing can get in. Place the other 20 with tracking devices outside. Give both groups food and water. Within 5 years most if not all the outside cats will be dead. Meanwhile most if not all the inside cats will be alive and healthy. Catch, fix and release is like giving someone on death row a heart transplant. At least on death row they die quick. Cats are not rabbits. They are in the same animal group but cats can defend themselves. This allows them to sometimes get away. They don't come out of these battles unscaved. The cat may heal but often times die several painful days later. Diseases are another major killer for outside cats. Look up the facts. Most outside cats live only for a few years. Its their ability to breed that keeps outside cat populations so high.
What should be done? In my opinion and not shared by most is this. STOP feeding outside cats. The more food feral cats get the more healthier which means the more and larger litters they will have which just adds to the problem. Look at it through a sinics eyes. You feed 1 cat that within 2 years has a litter of 4, then 5, then 3, then just 2 kittens for a total of 14 cats. Then that cat dies. Meanwhile those 14 are producing kittens that will also add to the problem. So why if they breed so fast are we not over run with cats. BECAUSE THEY DIE THAT FAST! Think if that one cat had died humanely all the generations that would never had been born to suffer and die horribly.
What about leaving cats out? Totally against it. We have had several rehab-ed feral cats and they never wanted back outside. I believe you should look at your home environment. What does that cat want to escape from? Are you using a litter it likes? Is the box clean? If you have more then one cat do you have a box for each one? Some cats need 2 boxes just for themselves. Is there a place it feels safe? Are you paying attention to your cat? "Cats need to hunt", no they don't! Get some toys that can help entertain them. Animals are like children they need companionship. Pets are not accessories like jewelry. Pets need more then a home. Pets need to interact with you.