I’m finally settling in at my computer, after what has turned out to be a pretty good day, overall.
But first, the cuteness!
It’s been a long time since I’ve been able to take a photo of Toni to post.
She is such a sausage!
After helping my brother unloading equipment yesterday, I was still in a lot of pain this morning. My daughters were sweet enough to do the morning feeding of the outside cats, so I didn’t see them until much later. That is when I spotted this surprise.
I had to slowly, carefully walk around to be able to confirm what I was seeing.
That kitten is actively nursing.
That cat is not a mama.
This is the cat that dropped her litter around the yard and abandoned them. She never nursed any newborns. Which means she shouldn’t have a milk supply.
Yet there she was, with one of the older kittens attached to a nip, and actively nursing.
Which can happen, of course, but for her to have any milk now, she would have had to be allowing at least one kitten to nurse, right after she lost her litter, and we saw zero evidence of that until today.
Very strange!
I did end up having to give the outside cats a small feed – mostly making lots of noise to lure them away from the truck, so I could leave!
I wanted to go back to the feed store to pick up more kibble, including one bag that I’d already paid for, and the lysine they ordered for me. I didn’t know when their delivery truck was supposed to arrive today. Just that it was supposed to arrive, today.
I called my mother shortly before lunch time and asked if she wanted me to do her grocery shopping for her, since I would be in town, and could do it before running my own errands. So that was my first stop.
We had started a list, but as we went over it, she remembered more. I ended up rewriting the list, partly due to her increasingly creative spelling. Even her little doodles are getting harder to identify.
She is now all stocked up, though. I’m glad I called her ahead to do this, because she has a terrible habit of waiting until she is out of lots of things before calling me to shop for her.
On this day of the week, there are social activities in her building, and those had already started when I got back with her groceries. We visited for a bit after I put it all away, but she still wanted to join the group for coffee, at least, so that worked out.
I went to the feed store but, unfortunately, their delivery hadn’t arrived yet. I spoke to the guy that ordered the lysine for me, and he couldn’t be sure when they would come in. We confirmed that they had my number, and he said he would call me.
My next stop was at the hardware store. I wasn’t expecting the clear roofing sheets to be in yet, but I asked, anyhow. When I ordered it, I knew it was past their order cut off time, but sometimes the supplier has them in stock. If so, it would arrive this week.
I guess they didn’t have it in stock, because when the cashier went to ask for me, she was told it will be 2 weeks.
Which is fine.
What they DID have in stock was hardware cloth/welded wire mesh!
I had gone through the store and never saw any, but when I was asked if I needed help and told what I was looking for, the cashier took me into a part of the store I didn’t think customers were even allowed in! I always thought it was one of their inventory storage areas.
They had quite a bit of wire mesh, and the quarter inch mesh I was looking for came in 3′ x 25′ rolls!
Unfortunately, it was well out of budget.
There was, however, 3/4″ mesh, also in 3′ x 25′ rolls – and it was almost half the price!
This size would still be small enough to keep cats or kittens from getting through. I decided to get a roll.
Thinking about it as I was driving home, I decided that the 3/4 inch mesh will be used on the cat isolation shelter I’m building. The donated catio is already enclosed in 1/2 inch mesh. I have two 5′ rolls of 1/2 inch mesh that are 3 feet wide. I had intended to have one longer piece, covering the space where I’d removed the old mesh with openings in it, plus wrapping around one side to cover a corner of damaged mesh.
The length of the opening that needs to be covered is over 5′ long, but the width is only 20 inches.
So my plan now is to cut lengths of about 24 inches, to overlap the remaining mesh on the catio. I’ll need to “sew” the pieces together with wire to make sure there are no gaps a cat, or other critter, could get through.
If I can find a piece the right size, I’m thinking of adding a center support on the back of the catio. That will give me something else to attach the mesh to, making it even stronger.
We shall see.
As for the 3/4 inch mesh, I will use that on the isolation shelter.
I have time to get these done, though. The Cat Lady confirmed with me a date for a neuter, not a spay, this month. This means we will not have to isolate a cat for a 2 week recovery period. The males just need time to recover from being under anesthetic, and they can do that in a carrier.
So that’s the plan.
For now!
By the time I was heading home, the post office had reopened for the afternoon, so I made sure to stop and get the mail – just in case my Amazon order of lysine came in early.
It did.
So we at least have lysine again! We have a bit left, but where saving it to use in eye baby’s cat soup feeding. Now I can start dosing the outside cat’s kibble again.
Once at home, I didn’t stay long. Today was our day to order in my husband’s birthday dinner from the Chinese food place. Everyone had already marked off what they wanted on the take out menu, so I just confirmed those, called the order in, then headed out.
We got enough to last us for two or three days! This is a real treat for us, so we save up and don’t go half way on it!
I must say, the drive home from picking up the food was pure torture. I was getting really hungry by then, and the food smelled soooo good! We’ve already had our celebratory dinner.
I’m just going to do my evening rounds now – and then go for seconds!
The Re-Farmer
The Re-Farmer 