2-23-12

Posted on by Robyn

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Sights from around Crooked Acres.

2012-02-23 (1)
“There’s no seed block in this basket because that awful, awful woman let us run out! I wonder if there’s any seed in the feeder?”

2012-02-23 (2)
“Hey! I said no paparazzi!”

2012-02-23 (3)
House Finches, nomming.

2012-02-23 (4)
Male on the left, female on the right.

(No Cardinal pics this week!)

2012-02-23 (5)
Someone’s been rolling around in the leaves, clearly.

2012-02-23 (6)
Smug George is smug.

2012-02-23 (7)
I whip my hair back and forth/ I whip my hair back and forth/ Just whip it.

2012-02-23 (8)
Drum the pretty rooster, keeping an eye on his wimmins.

2012-02-23 (11)
I love it when the chickens run, they’re so funny.

2012-02-23 (17)
Especially the roosters.

2012-02-23 (18)
Hens hanging out in the muddy muddy mud.

2012-02-23 (19)
Angry Muppet will peck your eyes out.

2012-02-23 (20)
“What’s going on over THERE?”

2012-02-23 (22)
Rooster with the fancy feathered leggings.

2012-02-23 (23)
Better than a running chicken is a chicken who’s running whilst flapping.

2012-02-23 (21)
Pretty sure these hens are gossiping about me. The three Buff Orpingtons (yellow) and two Barred Rocks (black and white) are from our original flock, which we got almost five years ago.

2012-02-23 (10)
I love the way it always looks like ducks are smiling.

2012-02-23 (12)
I also love the purpley-blue feathers that peek out. So pretty!

2012-02-23 (13)
Ducks at the pond (but they weren’t up for a swim this time around. When things dry up out there, we’ll work on making it more inviting for them – I’m pretty sure I’ve talked Fred into duckweed, DB!)

2012-02-23 (15)
I’m oddly amused by the string of drooly-spit the one boy duck is dropping on the head of the other boy duck.

2012-02-23 (16)
Happy ducks.

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I was out running errands yesterday and stopped by Petsmart to peek in on Sally and Lucy. What’s funny is that I only intended to watch them through the glass, but one of the managers saw and recognized me, and opened the door to the cat room without my having to ask. Well then, of COURSE I was going to go in and give my girls some love. So I went in, and talked to Sally, and she was hesitant about coming to me, but the more I spoke to her, the more she meowed at me, and she finally gave in and let me pick her up and love on her. Lucy, who’s in the cage with the black cat (Bear Cub 1 or 2, but I think most of the volunteers/ adoption counselors are calling her Sissy Bear) came right over to be loved on. I petted and hugged and kissed them both for a long time (they were completely uninterested in each other, so I guess their hearts aren’t breaking over being separated), and when I put them back in their cages, they settled right down.

So in other words, they’re doing fine. Not adopted yet, but it’s still early!

2012-02-23 (24)
Before she went off to Petsmart, Sally developed a little crush on Tommy. All the girlcats eventually do.

2012-02-23 (27)
“Maybe if I just sit here and pretend to ignore him, he’ll notice me!”

2012-02-23 (28)
“He’s cuuuuuute.”

2012-02-23 (29)
“Juuuuust minding my own business, sniffing this box…”

Then she got tired of waiting and went off to take a bath so she’d be ready when Tommy came calling.

2012-02-23 (30)
::THLURRRP::

2012-02-23 (31)
::pbbllllt::

2012-02-23 (32)

2012-02-23 (33)
Eventually, she gave up on waiting for Tommy and curled up with Everett, who’s always good for a snuggle.

2012-02-23 (34)
Lucy on the scratcher.

2012-02-23 (35)
Lucy and the Ears of Slightly Annoyed.

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Emmy is doing okay. She’s lonely in there – I’m sure she’s always had other cats as company – and the sooner those kittens come along and give her something to do, the better, I think. I was in with her yesterday afternoon and Everett had followed me to the door of the room. He started howling at the door, and every time he meowed, Emmy meowed back at him (through the closed door, I should add).

I realized in the early hours of Wednesday that part of the nighttime howling might have been due to the fact that there were two mirrors on the wall at face level (face level to a cat, that is), and I’m thinking that she was seeing her reflection in the mirror and thought it was another cat. I took the mirrors out of there and left the light on, and there was a lot less howling.

I’m ready for kittens any time now, please and thank you.

2012-02-23 (9)
“Why you keep waking me up and pointing that thing at me?”

2012-02-23 (14)
“Am tryin’ to sleep, lady.”

2012-02-23 (25)
(This picture does no justice to the size of the belleh.)

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I really need to make an effort to get pictures of Joe Bob in places other than on the scratcher.

2012-02-23 (37)
“Am not moving from the scratcher. Is my favorite place to be!”

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Previously
2011: No entry.
2010: I mean, seriously – have you ever seen such happy monkeys?
2009: No entry.
2008: No entry.
2007: Smilin’ Joe.
2006: No entry.
2005: No entry.

Comments

33 thoughts on “2-23-12”

  1. Ha! Your ducks will love duckweed. It’ll be “ducknip” for them — you’ll see!

    When you first get it, they may eat it all up. So, if you want to get it established, create a box-like enclosure in an eddy with chicken wire so the ducks can’t eat the duckweed inside (make sure it has a ‘ceiling’). Eventually, the little buggers will multiply (the duckweed, that is) and the extra will float out of the enclosure to make the ducks happy. And then later there will be so much duckweed that you don’t have to worry about shortages of the stuff. Both duckweed and ducks will be hap-hap-happy!

    I’m glad to hear Emmy is less howly — that’s some annoying noise! She might be lonely, but that means she might transfer her cat affection to you and Fred (I hope). At any rate, she has clean towels, clean water and plenty of food now.

    I’m actually hoping that the kittens hold off for as long as possible so they can gain some weight and, hopefully, be healthier when they are born (I worry). The gaining weight thing goes for Emmy, too. Her face already looks fuller to me, which is a good thing in a mama-to-be!!

    Oh, and hello to Joe Bob my love!! You’re looking as dapper as usual!!

    2. Thanks for the tips, I’m going to pass them along to Fred! I can’t wait to see those ducks out there paddling around in the pond and chasing down the duckweed. 🙂

      1. Duckweed + Ducks = Tons of fun! I know because my family raised a couple of mallards when I was a sprout. We didn’t have a permanent pond, so would transfer duckweed to the pool from various nearby sources and it was always a hoot!

        It’s very similar to watching the kitties get catnip — they love it so and get very animated trying to track down every little morsel of it! I have a hard time believing Rouens won’t react the same way, especially since my grandmother’s Pekins would go wild for the stuff, too.

        Duckweed is so good that it’s made me get all nostalgic and stuff. D’ya think my landlord would let me start keeping some ducks in the basement? 😉

        I’m glad to see the pool is up! I’ll go drop a couple of dimes on some dates. Here’s hoping it’s later rather than sooner!

  2. Just a thought — when Maggie was holding out on us, you created a pool with donations going to Challenger House. If you want, maybe you can do the same thing with Emmy with money going to Michelle’s rescue to help out with the other cats taken out of that filthy house!

    1. The money from the pool last year went to spaying and neutering Maggie and all the babies, I’m thinking I’d like to do that again – I’ve been intending to get that up and running, I just need to actually DO it! 🙂

        1. Me too, thanks for the suggestion, it reminded me that I needed to get my butt in gear! 🙂

          1. You sure did get your butt into gear! I probably should stop writing comments on the internet and get some work done, myself!! 🙂

      1. I love this idea! Joe Bob on a Ferris Wheel! Joe Bob out West!! Joe Bob in Amsterdam!!

        🙂

  5. It is not uncommon for cats about to give birth to give off “smells” to male kitties as if they are in heat, in fact some actually do go into heat just before and during giving birth! The only reason I know about this is because when I was a child living in rural California, one of the in-door/out-door cats had one kitten and left it, my Mom was afraid she had deserted it until she looked outside and saw the kitty porn show. Their was Mommy Cat and about five males, well celebrating the circle of life as we say; she then came back in and had several more kittens.

    I have since read that this is an uncommon, but perfectly normal part of cat life (especially cat life without human intervention) and that not only does the er…um activity sometimes help Mommy cat with the birthing, it also can (and does as we found out) sometimes result in a new pregnancy way too soon. If you don’t catch it in time, you have to early wean the kittens; either show her new litter has enough milk or so you can spay Momma fast.

    What may be beneficial to cats in a feral colony with short life spans, is not a good idea in the tame, because the kittens just come to close together (not that people should just let their cats “breed” anymore but it does still happen).

    Anyway, my long-winded point is that Emmie may be “calling” at night and the boys may be finding that interesting. Because even if the males are altered, some of them are still…well they are males and no one has explained to them they are in working order any more.

    So, your right to keep the males apart, because sometimes while they might be fun for Mommy they are a danger to her kittens, especially if she smells in heat.

    The good news is, if this is what is happening, kittens should arrive in the next few days.

  6. I took my mama cat Tabitha to the vet today. She wasn’t a happy girl so Dr S couldn’t get a good look. But he thinks the kittens are coming sooner than I expected. I have her settled in her room now so I can watch her and Emmy both!

    1. Double the mommas, double the fun! I hope all goes well for Tabitha. Do you have photos anywhere on-line?

  7. I’ve noticed in several pic’s that Lucy appears to be a little cross-eyes. Is that just me seeing her from a weird angle?

    Otherwise, she’s the twin to my darling (Prima) Donna. Very, very fun for sleek petting.

  8. George and Gracie are Great Pyrenees, right? Petsmart’s FB link has had something recently about Great Pyrenees being able to contribute to the fight against canine cancers. Maybe by donating some blood or something? Sorry I am not up on the details maybe their website would be?

  9. Just one more comment: some time ago, I read about a feral cat who gave birth and one of the TNR volunteers involved was able to approach and even pet the wild mama cat over time. That might give you some hope about getting skitty Emmy to relax around you even after she has her kittens. The volunteers in this case were able to socialize the kittens even though the mama was feral and socializing the kittens helped the mama cat become more tame. HTH!

  10. Does Emmy looks a little less stressed in today’s photos?

    Joe Bob is such a handsome boy!!!!!!!!!

    1. I agree. I was thinking she didn’t look as wary, today, either. See, you magic is working, Robyn. 🙂

  11. Squeeeeeee!!!!!! I would quote Prissy from Gone with the Wind about my knowledge about birthing babies, but my knowledge of babies WAY exceeds birthing kittens. Now off to do considerable research about cat gestation so I can make my completely wild guesses for the baby pool… 😉

    Now off to find the perfect spot in my house to hide an expectant momma cat. Won’t be too hard, just needs to be where the other 3 cats, the dog, and the husband won’t notice…

    2. Jo Bob, Jo Bob, Jo Bob, Jo Boooob
      Im begging of you please don’t take my tin (of catnip)
      Jo Bob, Jo Bob, Jo Bob, Jo Boooob
      Please don’t take it just because you can
      Your fuzzy face is beyond compare
      With smokey locks of super soft hair
      With two toned fur and eyes of emerald green
      Your purr is like a breath of spring
      Your meow is soft like summer rain
      And I cannot compete with you, Jo Bob.

      I dream of catnip in my sleep
      There’s nothing I can do to keep
      From crying when I think it may be gone, Jo Bob

      And I can easily understand
      How you could easily take my tin
      But you don’t know what it means to me, Jo Bob

      Jo Bob, Jo Bob, Jo Bob, Jo Boooob
      Im begging of you please don’t take my tin (of catnip)
      Jo Bob, Jo Bob, Jo Bob, Jo Boooob
      Please don’t take it just because you can

      You could have your choice of treats
      But I could never subsitute it with meat
      It’s the only thing for me, Jo Bob

      I had to have this talk with you
      My happiness depends on you
      And whatever you decide to do, Jo Bob

      Jo Bob, Jo Bob, Jo Bob, Jo Boooob
      Im begging of you please don’t take my tin (of catnip)
      Jo Bob, Jo Bob, Jo Bob, Jo Boooob
      Please don’t take it even though you can
      Jo Bob, Jo Bob

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