Strictly speaking, it is probably a VERY BAD IDEA for me to adopt a second cat and be responsible for the vet bills. Not on my Chapter 13 bankruptcy budget which allows me $40/month for pet care and grooming (and vet bills). But just an hour ago that is what I did. A 13 year old spayed female. An all gray short hair, superficially like a Russian Blue. 12-13 pounds? Dropped off at the pound to be put to sleep because her former owner thought she was too old. When asked to provide more information, the old owner merely stated that the cat’s name was “Misfit”. Rescued by another of those small rescue groups.

So an hour ago the cat arrived with her two foster ladies. We let her out in the second bedroom and she promptly went into hiding in the Cat Condo. We talked about diet, health, and other problems. Oh yes, her former owner had her declawed. Sigh….

So now she is in the bedroom, hiding in the condo, with food and water and litter boxes near by. I can only hope she will overcome her timidity sooner or later. I can only hope that she and Conway will at least not be hostile to one another.

And of course she needed a new name. Well, elderly female cats are called queens, and she looks vaguely like a Russian Blue. Ladies and gentlemen of RASFF, The Place, ASM, and The Eunuch Archives, please say hello to Czarina.

Congratulations Andrew!

I am sure Czarina is beautiful. I have a Russian Blue - the real thing - and they are beautiful cats. If Czarina resembles the breed at all I am sure she's a princess!

Andrew (imported) wrote: Sun Jun 22, 2003 8:24 pm Strictly speaking, it is probably a VERY BAD IDEA for me to adopt a second cat and be responsible for the vet bills. Not on my Chapter 13 bankruptcy budget which allows me $40/month for pet care and grooming (and vet bills). But just an hour ago that is what I did. A 13 year old spayed female. An all gray short hair, superficially like a Russian Blue. 12-13 pounds? Dropped off at the pound to be put to sleep because her former owner thought she was too old. When asked to provide more information, the old owner merely stated that the cat

’s name was “Misfit”

Andrew (imported) wrote: Sun Jun 22, 2003 8:24 pm . Rescued by another of those small rescue groups.

So an hour ago the cat arrived with her two foster ladies. We let her out in the second bedroom and she promptly went into hiding in the Cat Condo. We talked about diet, health, and other problems. Oh yes, her former owner had her declawed. Sigh….

So now she is in the bedroom, hiding in the condo, with food and water and litter boxes near by. I can only hope she will overcome her timidity sooner or later. I can only hope that she and Conway will at least not be hostile to one another.

And of course she needed a new name. Well, elderly female cats are called queens, and she looks vaguely like a Russian Blue. Ladies and gentlemen of RASFF, The Place, ASM, and The Eunuch Archives, please say hello to Czarina.

Andrew (imported) wrote: Sun Jun 22, 2003 8:24 pm The Eunuch Archives, please say hello to Czarina.

Andrew,

You are one of the good ones.

Imagine, putting a cat (or any other animal) down because they are too old!

I have had to put four dogs down in my lifetime, because of sickness or injuries that were paralyzing, and it is truly heart-wrenching. Take good care of Czarina, Andrew. Cats are smart; she will soon figure out that she is with a kind soul.

The cats continue to negotiate issues of territoriality. Czarina is not quite as aggressive as when she first arrived. She doesn’t hiss at Conway unless he comes very close to her, about two feet. With ten heated beds, six litter boxes, three cat trees, food and water dishes in three locations, scratching pads and poles all over the place, and a condo to choose from, actual conflicts are rare. Czarina has shown herself to be a purring machine, and greets me with tail held high and an attitude of “adore me”. In response, Conway is becoming a tad more willing to ask to be petted. This involves his forgiving me for pilling him twice daily.

Last Friday, for example, I came home to find the two cats in the two heated window sill beds in the east living room window. Czarina to the far left and Conway to the far right. Both staring at the other and trying to out-stubborn the other. Both at the same height off the floor, separated by a horizontal distance of three feet.

So every morning and night they move from one place to another for napping. Neither has shown much interest in playing with toys, not even Da Bird.

It took them about a week to settle the question of who sleeps with me and where. Conway claims the foot of the bed (and my legs), while Czarina gets the head of the bed, where she is near my head and hands. “Pet me!” Oh, and somebody asked about her eyes? Czarina’s eye are green. Her gray coat is very smooth. But I doubt if she has any purebred in her. Declaw and dump a purebred? Hard to believe.

The group who rescued Czarina from death at the pound has offered to help me pay her next vet bill, which is her annual checkup. I stopped by the vet’s office today to make the appointment, and she visits him next Monday, 7 July, at 9 AM. I get paid 4 July, so this should be affordable. I anticipate having some money left over after the Chapter 13 payment, the auto finance payment, utility and medical bills, and daily living expenses.

Meanwhile, the First National bank of Marin, out of the generosity of their hearts, sent me a Secured Visa credit card application, with a modest set up fee of $89,an annual fee of $90, and a required initial security deposit of $200. Sure. If I really had an extra $379 on hand, I’d rather spend it on something important, like a new cat condo for my bedroom, and a cat tree for the Harem.

Other then that, I seem to be doing OK. Still fighting a slowly creeping weight gain, but this is a common problem for castrates. My exercise program is now Senior Yoga on Monday morning, weight training on Tuesday evening, and Senior Aerobics on Wednesday and Friday evenings. AA is Thursday (three hours as a phone volunteer at the local Central Office), Saturday, Sunday and Monday evening. I am beginning to really appreciate and enjoy “The Eunuch Calm”.

please say hello to Czarina.Hello Czarina.

Some one once gave me a Russian Blue. Well that's what they called it. To me it just looked like a grey cat. He was a castrated tom - so we are on topic here. He built up his territory to two blocks, fought and beat up all the cats around. Not quite sure why. Guess he was just a hooligan. Stole food from other houses at night - he'd go in through open windows - and generally irritated the neighbourhood. When I heard some one complain about the"blasted grey cat that comes round" I was filled with pride for him. He was a beautiful cat and dearly loved.

In the end someone shot him. His body was dumped by my gate in a black plastic bag.

How upset can a person be. He was a super cat - with attitude.

Kortpeel

If you really want another cat check out the Vet's offices in your area. Usually they have a stray or a foundling that they try to adopt out.

Tell them what you have told us and I am sure that if you get the Vet that they will help you out.

A-1

After a typical day at work, I came home at 4PM as usual. Today I decided it was time to launder the cats’ bedding. I had neglected this chore in the wake of Pearly’s death. I was stunned to find a final gift from Pearly to Conway in The Loft, where she had done another middening on the 4 inch thick cushion. Had to clean that up first, and wash it separately. After washing, drying, and putting the cats’ bedding back on the various pads and mattresses, I had supper. I pilled Conway, who sulked and went into hiding behind my comfy chair. After that I went into my bedroom to change into my exercise outfit, and there was Czarina way up in The Loft, purring away.

I came back from exercise ( the weight training class) to find Conway back on his heated pad on the folding chair placed next to my comfy chair. Czarina, alas, was hiding in the Condo, scared by the fireworks. I live in Torrance, which bans the sale of “safe and sane” fireworks. But the apartment complex is just two blocks from Carson, which does allow the sale of “safe and sane” fireworks. So tonight they are popping all over the place, and poor Czarina refuses to come out of her hiding place. Any ideas on how to help Czarina through the next few days?

(Conway ignores the fireworks the same way he ignores the vacuum cleaner. Unflappable, is he.)

Yes, I had to work today for the money, double-time for working a holiday. I also work Saturday as a normal day, and Sunday as an overtime day. As such I am missing the big AA convention in Torrance, as well as most other activities. The extra money will be used for vet bills and, if any is left over, for a new Cat Condo for my bedroom.

This is because Czarina has been hiding under my bed, like Pearly used to do, but it may be she just wants to be in the same room as me. The older cat condo needs a thorough cleaning anyhow, even if I am not sure HOW. AKICIF? Steam Cleaning? She is only there when I am out of the apartment. Once I return, she comes out from under the bed.

The cats continue to shuffle between liter boxes and beds. I was worried about Czarina’s reaction to the fireworks tonight. Well, she is right now in the kitchen window sill heated cup, Pearly’s favorite spot. The heater of the cup is on, she seems to be cat napping, and she looks serene in spite of the racket going on outside. I guess she feels safe enough with me about two feet from her as I sit at this computer.

Conway was up in the Loft (in my bedroom aka “the slave’s quarters”) when I came home at 4 PM, snoozing away. I decided not to wake him up for his 5 PM pilling, but let him sleep on. He came down at 8:30 PM for food and water, and I scooped him up for his pilling. Right now he is quietly at rest on his catnip-infused scratching pad in the living room.

As for patriotism and all that, I did 10 years in the US Navy, 1963 – 1973. I no longer remember much about it, but they did teach me all I needed to know to be an Electronics Technician. So I got paid today, and paid rent for July, auto payment for July, and have enough to keep me going until the next paycheck, most of which goes to the Chapter 13 Trustee. All in all, doing well enough, and I hope you are also.