Friday, September 23, 2011

Why Do People Think ALL Cats Eat Mice?

Because I have been traveling a LOT since we started his radiation therapy, I have been sleeping more soundly. . . as has the Dude.

Months ago, I heard a sound in my uptake for the A/C and sprayed some bug killer in it and it went away. I assumed it was a bit of wildlife exploring. The Dude bravely watched - this was when the new proper meds were working, before he got flushed, before the treatment.

So I thought little of it.

On and off, I would come home to open cabinet doors that the Dude had gone exploring in.
About three weeks ago, the vent above my stove was - all I could call it was - making gnawing sounds???? I alerted the landlord, in the middle of renovating another apartment in the four-plex where I live. He (who has a father AND a sister, also fighting cancer, two properties and lives out of town) said he would be right on it.

When I came home from my second visit to mom, not only was he looking at the vent above the stove, but I heard noises from my pantry cabinets! NO, I was not going to open them so I spent the night hitting them with shoes etc.

Immediately I notified the landlord and he said his exterminator would be in touch. 24 hours later, and a very unpleasant cleaning trip, where I found droppings and a few gnawed condiment packages, I wiped anywhere that might have food and put mothballs (a friend suggested) after bleaching them down, this morning I woke to find the clean drawers with a plastic liner and NO condiment items had been GNAWED through a plastic drawer liner and a zip lock where I put my clean silver!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! UGH!!

Apparently the company had mis-written my phone number. They said MONDAY they would be out!!!

I reported to the Landlord, and braced myself for a run to the hardware store for traps! That is all they said they would do....

The landlord called back and the OWNER of the company is on the way.

I packed all my dishes and just KNOCKED the box over, losing two CORELLE saucers, some clear glass fancy plates and a couple of gift movie poster plates a friend had given me.

It is just not a great week. . . but the cat is just fine!

Upshot. A sick cat is a good policeman, but not a great executioner!

Thursday, September 22, 2011

New Personality

I was warned that there would be some changes in his "voice" which I have not seen, in his energy level etc.

I have been away helping my mom (truly a sick cat was allowing me to obsess in a very benign way until he got well. Now I have a real mother with REAL cancer) as she has results, and doctor appointment and a MOVE from the cold side of the state to the warmer one for the season. The ability to travel is the gift my cat has given me!

Upon returning from two 2-night absences in the past two weeks, all the Dude does is gripe! He has a sort of "YOU know what I want and you are NOT doing it!!" tirade. He also has a separation anxiety sort of siamesy thing that he pulls when the neighbor cat walks out of the yard. I got a serenade when I got home, but no real lovin'.

He LOOKS wide!!! I mean he literally appears to have added a lot of weight. I don't see it on the scales because I have to hold him and subtract the two weights - he jiggles too much! We need to get him in after 30 days post procedure to see what NORMAL looks like, so I will know more.

But for now, I believe I have my old aloof, terminally bored, plotter of my demise back!
dj*