Update finally

Ziggy almost got it!

Around we go

Ziggy chasing his tail

Well it's been a while. Been to sad about losing Ziggy to want to write. No matter what I tried, and Dr's tried he didn't make it. I'm not sure why he got it, maybe to many antibiotics in his life, but he got a fungus in his sinuses, and had a swelling that became quite apparent, on the bridge of his nose, before we found out what he had and started him on an antifungal, but he didn't respond, and I just think it was to far ahead of us for the meds to work. It really hurt to lose him, and up until near the end he was very good about the meds. When he said enough, I quit, and let him go in peace. Ya just get to attached when you have to bottle feed them, and they are so close to you.

Clara

Lorie Darlin

Ziggy man

The others are doing ok. The ones who got dumped are not so good. Well the boys are, I gave them to Janie, and they have a good home there. The two girls are still here, and one, Clara, is big Pregnant, and the other, Lorie Darlin, who got mastitice as soon as she got bred [at 6 mo.] is still swollen and we did get her spayed. That was a miracle, because she had a bad vaginal infection right after getting bred, so never really carried and kittens, but was producing a large amount of milk, been on almost 5 weeks of clavimox, amoxil, and is now on baytril. The miracle was that when I pray for God to clear up her infection, which was still a bad discharge on Sabbath, before she got spayed, [Wed.] because it could kill her, going into her abdomen through the tubes, but when they removed it it was clean and normal. Praise the Lord. That sure told me He was listening, and even cared about a dumped out kitten. And Thanks to Dr Hand and Dr Tipton, who did it. They were Angels to do it. She is still swollen, but the sores are better. The lack of hormones after being spayed should have taken them down quickly, but nothing has been easy with her, or cheap.
Cali is also pg, and I think little Jessy is too. Vivi had hers first of April and they just came out and greeted us and started eating Moms kitten food. She had three, but there is only two now, One grey and white boy  and one pale spotted three colored girl. Her name is Misty, and his is Clint. I'll try to get pictures. Vivi came back into heat, at about 10 days, and was bred, but don't know if she is carrying again. This bunch of interns had no interest in doing them, even tho we got Baby Blue and Drew neutered, it was a bit tramatic for Blue, not enough meds, and way to much for Drew, he was out till the next day. Both ok now and much nicer to be around. Sheba's boy, Stach, the same age needs it to, and almost tame enough to get in crate.
Black Boy[2yr old] is very shy, the brown tabbie 2yr old male is becoming a real pain, chasing the spayed girls and fighting the boys. I need to trap him and either take him to Donnie's, or fix him. Sheba has had hers this year, also, but not here. I might see her come into eat, in the daytime, she doesn't stay here, and goes back to them.
All but a couple of the dumped Toms that were coming around are not around, so don't know if they are still alive, or not. All the cats at Donnie's barn are gone, so need to find some wild ones for him. I think Pearly is gone, too. I don't know how he made it as long as he did, being three legged.

My two Bobbies are sweet as ever. Rick is just the bestest cat, I've got, and Jewel is a jewel, too. She helps me feed at night when I get in from work. Walks along the top rail of the fence to me to pet her, while I'm feeding Epic. I wish more had made it!

Andy R I P

1-14-12
Rest in peace, my beautiful long haired, proud Andy. It's not a week yet, and loosing you still hurts, but I know you don't hurt anymore.
You, who decided not to be wild like your litter-mates, and came into the house to safety, and became such a beauty, in looks and in spirit. I never knew if you were out of Buffy or Sheba, because you were weaned before they brought you home. You, who would come to meet me at night when I'd get in from work, from I'm was never sure where in the neighborhood, but here you'd come trotting down the road as soon as you heard my car, into the driveway to greet me.
I don't know where you hung out while I was gone, but you always heard the car and came to me. Several of the other cats thought you were their best friend, too, like Ashley, who is lost now without you. No one likes her like you did. She is very clingy now.
This last fall, as you got to staying home more, I should have realized your health was declining. I thought the coyotes were why, as we lost so many . I didn't really notice till your beautiful coat that you always kept so clean began to get a little rough. I should have realized when your habits changed. You, who were always so well groomed and had such pride in your long dark and beautiful hair coat. Rarely did I have to get any mats or burrs out. You got a little thin and got diarrhea, in your britches that I had to trim out. The enzymes and antibiotics worked, even though you hated them, but it did not last and with your long hair it was very hard to tell how much weight you'd lost. You were hiding from me by the last day of meds, so we quit.
You held your own for a few weeks then really declined, and had to go back to the meds, that you hated.
When should you stop trying to be Savior and leave your pet some dignity in dying? I so wish I knew the answer!
Lots of fluids helped you, but did they just prolong your misery? I think you might have recovered, but for the fact that you hid from me on the coldest night so far, and
I could not find you, hiding in the box next to the door. I looked for two hours and called and called. I was afraid the coyotes had gotten you! It was only chance that I did find you next AM, but you caught pneumonia because of it and I couldn't stop it from happening. You were to thin to stand that kind of cold, even with your long hair.
You lasted eight days, and I prayed you'd live, you were so tough, but it was not to
be.
You hated the meds, and all I did was make you miserable instead for being a comfort to you. I thought I should do every thing I knew to do for you. You were trying to tell me no more, but I would not let you hide. I should have listened.
How do you know when to let go? How do you figure it out?
Lord, I so don't want to be bad to my sick ones! I'm so sad.
Rest in peace now my Andy. The weather has finally cleared enough to get you buried.

Little Ziggy is dropping weight and is lethargic and I've started him on Doxy, but I don't know whether it'll work for him either. The little brown tabby out side that has never been well or healthy, is still to wild to catch so she is not going to make it
either.

1-21-12
The wild baby has taken it out of my hands, as I haven't seen her for two days.

And today when I got home from church, I found 4+ kittens dumped off here, hiding in my shed. They are gentle and have been handled, only about 4-5 mo old. Two three colored females and two-three tabby males with white feet. Sorry Bastards!I can't afford anymore cats to feed! Someone has dumped a bunch of big fat tom cats out in the neighborhood, too, who come in and eat if I leave anything out at night.

How can people do such a thing to little ones? A pox on them!

More missing from the fold!

Well my Zeke has disappeared. So sad to lose him and his little bro is lost without him, and very clingy, now. I know it must have been a coyote, because Jennifer came in and was looking out the window, right after I went to bed. The kitties always get out and play like crazy after I get in from work. They were out front. The next morning Jennifer went out with me as I was calling for Zeke and walked very causously out to the cactus in front and began sniffing the ground beside the cactus bed. I know that must have been where he was caught. Damn coyotes.
I had to bury Streaker, my blue-grey beauty, one of Vivi's boys, who got run over out in front of the house while I was at church two weeks ago. I miss him tearing though the house, as he never went anywhere that he didn't run. He was so funny. A very cool cat and I miss him.
Vivi's only got three left, now from both yrs.
Grey girl is going down hill, and I finally was able to get her in a cage,[She's a wild one] and started meds, but it maybe to late for her. I got two days of meds in her and then I couldn't catch her, for almost a week and now she is very weak, giving her fluids, and hope she'll get better, and not give up.
Her sister, the long haired black girl is missing now, too. Don't know if she's gone or just off tom catting, altho this is not the right time of year.
Record heat today also and still not any more than a sprinkle of rain. Bad week/month on the home front, for my pets! It is hard to write about loosing more of them.
Pictures of the boys. Baby Blue and Streaker and Ziggy, Zeke, Streaker with Mojo and Buttons on my car, Streaker, And my bestest cat in the whole world, my Rick.

From one extreme to the other.

Well, it's been a long time since I've posted. A lot's happened. This weather has been horribly hot, over 100* since June the 13th, nearly every day. 40 strait days, almost the record, and then the mid August break, for a couple of days and rain for the first time since early June. Now back to the 100's.
Spring came late and dry this year. I had a frost on May 3rd. There were fires all around here. We were almost asked to evacuate three times, and the wind turned just in time. Big thanks to all the locals and the other volunteers who battled to save us. The fires were within a mile three different times. Prayer works!
What would I do to save my cats? I had so many, how do you choose who to save! Where could I have gone with twenty+ cats, if I could have caught them? Thank the good Lord that I didn't have to choose.
There were three litters of wild babies outside and one in my house. Vivi had three more, and this time she was a little wiser and got them raised okay. Two blue tux males, Baby Blue and Streaker, and little sister Jessy, a black tux. I never could get big sister's name to stick. She is Jeniffer, and sadly she is the only one left from last years babies. Sammy and Sweet Pete and Woody are all missing, and presumed the coyotes got them.
Then someone dumped two[they looked like Pete]on me, and the female[white with gray tabby spots] had kittens about a week later, and then she got sick and just left them to starve, so I got out the bottle and started feeding them, there were three, but only two made it. They are so sweet it's amazing. They are both boys and one is Ziggy and the other is Zeke. The male, probably their dad, Patch, disappeared, at about the same time as Sammy, last mo. and Pete and Willy and Woody, just this past week. The little female got sick and had to Dr her, but she's okay now, and a very sweet cat,too.
Just about the same time my pretty yellow cat, Ember, got sick and I could not save her. She was sicker than I knew, because she was hiding a lot. Then woody started the same thing, and went downhill quick, but one of our new inturns called a friend who's a cat DR, and we got him on the right meds, and he got well, well enough to get back out and be lost. So sad to loose him and Pete and Willy, my red headed stranger.
There are plenty out side too, I did get two of the long haired black mama's kittens given away. The Tortie and a long haired dark tabby. Sheba brought hers home at least five, Graygirl had at least four, three made it, and blackgirl had six and three are left. I can only count nine lately so I'm not sure if some are gone now too. The blackboy and brntabby males are still around, too. Four of Sheba's from last year.
Old Blue is getting more crippled and of-course he won't let me touch him, so I don't know why he's hurting.
I'll try to get picture of them to post. Lots has happened and I'm thankful for God's favor with the fires.

Deep Freeze of 2011

Cold, cold, cold. That is all it's been lately. Wind chills below 0* F and temps in the single digits for four days Monday night to Sat AM below freezing. Bitter winds, too. This was as bad as I've seen it since winter of 1982. But more snow is coming Sunday and Wed. Another front comes in. This one was almost as much snow as last year.
I've lost one more cat. Looked everywhere. Probably coyotes, as during the snow in broad daylight, one was coming into the yard. I opened the door before I saw it or I'd have gotten a shot off at it. It took of and I didn't see any more tracks in the fresh snow.

Poor Dusty! He was the only one I have who wanted to cuddle. He used his claws to much to hang on, but he was so sweet. He could be a pain but totally without a mean bone in his body. I don't have any resent pictures of him, either. RIP my Dusty boy!

The kittens are all doing well. Got some good picture today after the snow thawed. Pistol Pete is doing great even tho he's had a bit of a cold.

My pipes busted behind the washer, when it thawed, so we're without water till I get it fixed. My Cats loved the thaw tho! They've been cooped up for several days!

Pistol Pete, Jessica Jane, Yosemite Sam, and Woody. Four Kittens, named after Cowboy cartoon characters! Petey with one eye, Jessy is the black tux, Woody is white, and Sammy is spotted gray tabby.

Up dates, Some good some not so good. More of the same!

Well lots has happen in my cat world. Vivi had four kittens. She was really crying with the first one and following me around, and I had to go to work. But she realized what had happened and began to clean her first one up I did dry it's nose so it could have a chance to breath. She was to exhausted to do it.

Long story short, she rested and had two more before I had to go to work, and did a good job of cleaning them. I left her in a box with newspaper to finish having them, and when I got home she'd had another one and had moved them to the box I tried to get her to stay in when she was in labor. She had four. Three boys and one girl.
It was an ordeal to keep her from playing musical boxes with them, any time one would cry, which they did often, because she wasn't milking good at first, she'd think she needed to hide them. It has been an ordeal from the start with this litter. They have all had eye ulcers and in spite of my best efforts, one ended up losing one eye. Thankfully I found Jamie and she got it done for me.She is my hero!
Little Pistol Pete as he is known, wanted to live so we gave him a chance and he is doing fine now and his other eye is cleared up and he doesn't seem to know the difference. From the two weeks old he was sick and quit nursing and I got some KMR and started him on it but he wouldn't nurse the bottle[to big] so I was eye-droppering him, to make him eat. Then he never went back to nursing even tho mom would clean him. so I had to feed him, and he would have to wait for 12 hours to eat four days a week while I was at work. I kept hoping that he'd get hungry enough to go back to mom. I think that the eye was probably hurting him then, as I look back. He would cry and not let me hold him and would walk and walk acting like a colicy child. I had to give him enamas, and pain meds and through it all he tried to live so when that eye was ruined, I knew He'd not make it without removing it. All things considered, he shouldn't have made it. He had a lot of strikes against him, including a cold. But he's trying to help me type and has caught up with the other kittens and is bright and happy, and I just picked out his last stitches. And four days after SX he weened himself and has not looked back! Praise the Lord!
He wasn't the only one with eye trouble, tho. The biggest male [Yosemity Sam, Sammy]had both eyes that I was afraid he'd lose both of his. He was almost completely blind for a while. I was useing the Triple antibiotic ointment in their eyes, but was not healing them. Jamie told me what to use and the drops began to make them heal. The little girl had one eye bad and she's cleared up now I've been calling her Jennifer, cause she looked like the sister to Button and Skeeze that disappeared. But I think I'll call her Jessy. My others are cartoon characters and Jessica Jane was Woody's sidekick in Toy story. The third little boy is Woody. LOL All are cowboy cartoon names. So it's Sammy, Petey, Jessy, and Woody. Sammy's a gray tabby tux. Woody's white with black spots. Jessy is a black tux. Petey is white with gray tabby spots, and a black nose.
So I gained four kittens, but lost all four of my black girls. Juanita, Dorthy, and Doris all disappeared, and Annita died. Sheba and her five kittens are still okay. She takes them off hunting and sometimes they were gone for a week, but they know their way home now and are here to eat usually. Old Blue is hiding in the house now that it's cold. He seems to be sore footed when he heads out if I disturb him. Still won't let me touch him, tho.
I'll try to get some pictures of them.

Up dates, Some good some not so good.

Well it's Sept and the heat is not quite as intense as it was. I've been gone on a trail ride, but the cats fared okay. I left the air conditioners on so they wouldn't suffer from the 100+ degree heat while I was gone.

I did have to put Casper to sleep, before I left, and my favorite black kitty, Anita, Annie's black one and sister to Jewel and Rascal [and CJ, who disappeared] is getting a big belly, and I hope it's not the same thing! She is the one who comes and gets in my lap at the computer, and uses her paws and sometimes claws, on my face, to get me to look at her, like there is something she really needs to tell me. It's always important that she gets my undivided attention for just a little bit and then she goes on to other things! So funny, She's the only one who does that.

All were okay when I got back, but the wild black male kitten who was getting friendly is not here lately. I've had some hard days at work and will try to count heads again. It is hard to tell them apart from a distance.

Sheba, the wild one's babies disappeared, and she was bred back, probably tom cats, so now she has 6 more, and I'm giving them and her some kitten chow to help her out. She's so thin, now. Two are blacks, two alley cat, two with white markings. There is an old part Siamese tom in the neighborhood, but none look like him, yet anyway.

Vivi is now looking pg, too. I never saw any Toms chasing her, so not sure when too expect them. Sure wished she'd been old enough to spay when we did the others! She's only nine months old, now. Darn it.

All for now. I sure need to start doing some drawings of them.