Found in this morning’s trail cam images.
There were three deer in the group. The first two slipped through the fence, in between the wires. The third one decided to take a flying leap!
Bonus Critter: airborne
Critters
Daily Ginger baby update
Heeeeerrrrreee’s Ginger!
Ginger does love to roll around! He doesn’t seem to mind a bit of spilled water in the way, either. :-D He was quite happy to let me pet him, as I went in and out to feed his brothers.
Nutmeg actually let me touch him this morning, and even skritch his head a bit – but not until there was food in the bowl!
Gosh, Creamsicle Jr. looks ornery! :-D
Even their calico cousin came by for eats.
Would you call that a calico? I don’t know. I am fascinated by the fact that the patches of both grey and orange fur have tabby stripes in them.
With the high winds we had in previous days, I actually shifted the kibble house to have the back facing south, instead of being at an angle to the cat’s house. We had so much wind from the south east, it was actually blowing around the smaller kibble bowls. I had it an an angle because I wanted the space in front of the entry to the cat’s house more open, but the whole point of it is for the cats to be sheltered while they ate, and that wasn’t happening!
Ginger actually let me pick him up and cuddle with him after I fed his brothers and cousin. I even tucked him into my coat, though it wasn’t anywhere near chilly enough for it. He was a bit restless in my arms shifting about until he was curled up on my chest, with his head hanging down. It made it easier to give him head skritches, which he really, really liked.
Then he started licking my hands! He went into full grooming mode. Apparently, my fingers and wrists in particular, are very tasty. :-D
What a sweetie!
I think I spent about half an hour, cuddling with him before I had to head out again, and he was quite happy with the attention. He was also up to jumping down himself when I stood up, rather than waiting for me to put him down.
Day after tomorrow, and he’s at the vet to get the sutures removed. :-)
The Re-Farmer
Share this:
Ginger spice update
Before I update on how Ginger is doing today, I just wanted to quickly add that the fire that happened last night remained under control, and all is quiet – though there were certainly a lot of files to check out on the trail cams this morning! The fire trucks went past our driveway, lights flashing, but we heard no sirens at all at that time. We still don’t know what caught fire. The local news included stories of several grass fires, including one where a home was lost and 20 others evacuated, but these were all in the southern end of our province and nowhere near us. I hope to find out more, just to be assured that no one was hurt.
And now, back to our regularly scheduled spice boy update!
Ginger really was a bit spicy this morning! He was quite active, watching at the window, ducking under the swing bench, checking out the fresh food and water, and generally making it hard to get hold of! He finally flopped down on my feet and start rolling, and I was finally able to pick him up.
He was also eyeballing the door while I went in and out to feed the outside critters! As I headed out with kibble for the outside cats, Butterscotch dashed into the sun room. Which I was okay with. I figured a visit from his mom would not be a problem! She doesn’t like being indoors, though, so she was ready to dash back out as soon as the door was open again. :-D
It was nice and cozy in the sun room, so no tucking into the coat this morning. :-) He wouldn’t settle down, though, and I got only a brief snuggle in before he jumped down again.
Once on the floor, he couldn’t make up his mind if he wanted to keep rolling around, or to tackle the toes of my shoes! :-D
His surgical site is looking pretty good. He still has a couple of tender looking spots, but they seem to be lessening.
He’s got 2 more nights of his pain medications left, I believe, which means he’ll be out of them before he’s back at the vet to get the sutures removed. Hopefully, he will not need them anymore. He’s been remarkably tolerant in being given the medication, but we’ll be happy to not have to put him through that anymore!
Transitioning him from a room all to himself, into a house full of cats is going to be interesting.
:-)
The Re-Farmer
Share this:
Stunned
While in the dining room, I heard a familiar thumping noise from the living room window.
The distinctive sound of a bird hitting the glass. :-(
I took a look and saw Junk Pile cat wandering by, so it looked like she had startled the birds. It took a while, but I eventually saw a bird lying upside down in the snow.
I figured it was dead, but decided to check, anyhow, because if it was just unconscious, either a cat would get it, or it would freeze to death in the snow.
I’m glad I checked.
It was definitely very stunned when I picked it up, but after a few moments, it lifted its own head, so I ducked around the house, out of the blowing snow, and kept it warm in my hands.
Poor thing lost a few feathers!
After a while it start to stand up a bit more, but made no effort to leave my hands.
After a while, it got more active and looking a bit anxious. I would have preferred to keep it warm in my hands for longer, but I didn’t want to scare it too much, as that could be harmful as well.
Once it seemed like it was able to stand up and move around better, I tucked it onto the bigger bird feeder, where it would be sheltered from the wind.
Checking on it after going back inside, it was still there, with juncos and chickadees fluttering around to get the seeds. About fifteen minutes later, I checked again and could no longer see it. I am hoping it fluttered away to a nice sheltered spot to recover fully!!
Such a cute little thing. :-)
The Re-Farmer
Share this:
Ginger and the outside cats.
That title sounds like the name of a bad 80’s band. :-D
So the weather system swept in yesterday evening, and continues on today. We have had a little snow, and the temperature as I write this is still at -11C/12F, with a wind chill of -21C/-6F.
I’ve written before about the curious phenomenon of weather systems somehow missing us so often. We’ll get all sorts of forecasts for storms, etc., only for them not to hit us, or we just catch the edges of them. I’ve speculated that there is something about our geography that pushes the systems away. The systems pass to the south of us, most of the time. More rarely, they pass to the north of us.
Last night, while checking the weather radar, I could see it. There was rain passing over our region, with the colour codes denoting that it was quite heavy rain, with severe conditions in spots.
Except over us.
The rain actually formed a sort of horse shoe shape, and we were in the open space in the middle! We had had a small amount of rain, but that was it. While all around us, people were getting heavy rains, we had open skies. It was so wild to actually see that on the weather radar!
Once the rains past through, there was another system of snow that passed through during the night. We had a couple of centimeters (about an inch) by morning. What we still have now is the high winds.
Creamsicle Jr. was smart.
When I come out in the mornings and he’s in the cat’s house, he usually runs out and away. Not this morning! He stayed right were it was warm and cozy, and watched me as I refreshed the heated water bowl, just outside this window. He didn’t come out until there was kibble to be had. :-D
The other cats came running, braving the winds while I dashed into the sun room to get some kibble for them.
Junk Pile cat, who can be seen peeking around the side, had been tucked under the kibble house, on the sheet of insulation I put under there, when I first came out. I am so glad we were able to build this for the outside cats! The winds were swirling around from all directions, but at least inside the kibble house, they were sheltered while they ate!
Ginger, meanwhile, was watching them from the sun room.
He did NOT want to come to me this morning!
He looks like he’s all curled up for a nap in this photo, but in reality, he was rolling around in front of the window.
Since he wouldn’t let me pick him up for cuddles, I grabbed feed for the birds and deer to quickly take care of that.
By the time I was returning from putting the feed out, I found Creamsicle Jr. back in the cat house (you can see him licking his chops! LOL) with Junk Pile for company. Nutmeg stayed outside to run around and play in the snow. :-)
Ginger wanted to join him!!
When I came back into the sun room, he still wouldn’t let me pick him up. Eventually, my daughter was able to get him, and I gave him his morning medication, then we checked his sutures. There are still those spots that look a little raw, but they are not getting any worse.
I had to take him from my daughter in order for us to check him out, and he was content to stay in my arms, so I sat with him to cuddle for a while.
We stayed like this for a good long time before he finally had enough and went to his bed.
His warming mat was turned on, and he took full advantage of having it, and the heater bulb above!
It might be cold and blustery outside, but the sun room is warm, he’s got his own heat sources, and is doing just fine!
But he still wants to join his brothers outside sometimes! :-D
The Re-Farmer
Share this:
Ginger baby update, and getting settled in
This is how I found Ginger this morning. :-)
The warming pad has been added to his favourite spot under the heater bulb, so the Ginger baby can be warm from above and below!
When I finished putting getting food for the outside critters, he had come out, so I picked him up and sat on the swing bench with him.
He stayed like this almost the entire time, as we waited for my daughter to come in with his morning medication. He didn’t even purr, but just sat silently, only making a noise when he saw one of the outside cats go by.
He was so calm and settled that when my daughter came in with his pill, he barely even moved as she gave it to him! Then he let her cat him and cuddle him, while I went back out to finish my rounds.
His wounds are looking good overall, but there was one spot of rawness between two stitches we’ll have to keep an eye on.
Once my rounds were done, I quickly headed out to get more cat food and litter. While I was gone, the vet called to arrange removing the sutures. He’s now booked for Monday afternoon. I’m surprised they’re open on Easter Monday! I imagine they’re still doing a lot of catch up with having to refuse/delay so many treatments with the restrictions.
We’re keeping an eye on the forecasts, and it’s looking like the expected snow is going to hit us tonight, instead of tomorrow night. We’re supposed to reach 13C/55F this afternoon, then drop to -10C/14F overnight. The southern parts of the province are expected to be hit harder than we are, but we will still be getting rain, then snow, along with high winds, with blowing snow through most of tomorrow.
The gusts of high winds are already hitting us now, and some areas are under high wind alerts. We’re 8C/46F as I write this, with the wind chill supposedly putting us at 5C/41F, but it felt a lot colder while I was out in it!
Ginger, however is snug as a bug in his “isolation ward”. After his sutures are out, we should be able to introduce him to the rest of the house, and his expanded feline family!
I’m glad I was able to head out today to stock up on cat supplies. We won’t do our full city shopping trip until after Easter. Until then, we’re all settling in for what should be the gasp of winter. :-)
The Re-Farmer
Share this:
Sunday Ginger
With the days getting longer, I’ve been pushing to get my morning rounds done earlier in the day. (Not easy for this night owl!)
Ginger was a bit slow for the early start this morning!
He was all curled up in his favourite spot under the heater bulb, looking all groggy at me. :-D
I actually did get a better picture of him, but this one had a tongue blep, and I can’t resist a tongue blep picture! :-D
My husband had already topped up Ginger’s food bowl, but the outside cats had nothing left in their bowls, so they were quite happy for the earlier feeding!
When I came back to get the feed for the birds and deer, Ginger had come out of his warm spot.
He did not look at all happy about that! :-D (The wet under him is from a spill while I changed his water, and not … something else.)
He is developing a permanently angry looking expression on his face. In fact, as he gets older, he looks more and more like Rolando Moon. Big, burly and mean looking. :-D
Well, I imagine I’d be looking ticked off if I woke up one day to find part of my body missing, too! ;-)
I took advantage of the situation, picked him up and sat on the swing bench for some cuddles.
He’s not too impressed with the phone camera!
He settled right in, though, so I stayed and cuddled him until my daughter came over with his morning medication. Thankfully, I was dressed for it, this time. ;-)
Sitting at the window like this, we would sometimes see one of the outside cats go by, and that would get him all perked up. I’m not sure right now it he is wanting to go outside, or wanting the company of other cats. I did bring his sister, Cabbages, in for a visit later on. It didn’t accomplish much. Cabbages wanted to explore and, other than a few passing sniffs, ignored her brother. He wasn’t too happy, though, and hid under my husband’s walker and yelled at her if she got too close. Just a quick little meow that was almost like a barking noise! Which she ignored as she kept on going. :-D
Looking at the long range forecast, we are going to have a really nice day tomorrow, then temperatures are going to plummet as we get what will probably be our last blowout of the winter in a couple of days. Our area is supposed to get between 5-10cm of snow (about 2-4 inches). Right on the day we would normally do our big shopping trip in the city! We are still well stocked for ourselves, but will need to get more cat food and litter, so I am planning to go to the smaller city to pick those up tomorrow.
Which reminds me; PayPal has finally released the donation they’d put a hold on. Thanks to the generosity of those who helped pay for Ginger’s surgery, we don’t have to wait until after the predicted storm to stock up on cat supplies!
Ginger, meanwhile, will be safe and warm in the sun room when the weather turns. He was supposed to go back to the vet after 2 weeks to get the sutures removed, but none of us thought ahead enough to realize that fell on Easter Sunday, so we will look at bringing him in on the Tuesday after.
Share this:
A Ginger warmer!
After a very frustrating morning (which I will write about later) I was cheered by the wonderful and kind gift for Ginger that arrived in the mail today, from a very awesome friend.
It was a Ginger warmer!
It’s “Great for you provides safe warming comfort zone!”
Love it!
And it’s cover is soooo soft!
Of course, we had to bring it to Ginger, right away!
He was in what seems to be his favorite spot, draped over a bar under the heater bulb.
He had zero interest in moving out of that spot! Not even for scritches. He just lolled about, luxuriating over that bar under the blanket. It’s part of the greenhouse frame we’re using to hold the ceramic heat bulb in place.
I wonder if the bar provides some sort of relief? I recall one of the things my husband was put on during physiotherapy was a long padded bar he was supposed to keep lined up with his spine while lying on it. It did help. Considering how often we find him (meaning Ginger, not my husband) draped over it like this, I suspect it does provide some sort of comfort.
The new heat pad was set to its second lowest heat setting, for 90 minutes. We’ll keep an eye through the bathroom window to see how he responds to it. The good thing is, since the cat’s house outside is not plugged in through the sun room, we have a spare plug, and can use both this and the bulb heater at the same time.
A thought occurred to me as I was looking at his wound and, in particular, at the discoloration. It might not be a discoloration at all. His fur is starting to grow back. It’s more likely a stripe of darker orange fur!
He’s such a sweet boy. I’m so thankful that he’s doing so well.
The Re-Farmer
Share this:
Ginger bug update: not a happy camper! :-D
I visited Ginger this morning, while starting my morning rounds and before my daughter came over with his medications and the new surgical shirt.
He enjoyed the visiting part, at least! I even managed to get several usable pictures.
Doesn’t he look completely malevolent? :-D He’s actually really enjoying the scritches.
Then he started rolling around, and managed to give me a good view of both surgical sites.
I really wasn’t that interested in the one at his nethers, to be honest, but hey; it needs to be checked, too!
Is it time to groom, or time to eat? He tried to do both at the same time. :-D
When my daughter came in with the meds, I picked him up to hold him. He knew exactly what was coming, and tried hiding his face in my arm! He’s actually really good about taking them, even if he fights us off and sometimes projectile spits a pill halfway across the room. We managed to get him medicated. He seemed very offended by the whole process when we put him down.
He was even more offended when we got the surgical shirt on him.
After we finished tying it off, he scuttled over to this spot and flumped down like a sausage. Then stayed there. He was not at all happy with us!!
My daughter stayed with him while I finished my rounds, and when she left, he’d found a different spot to flump down like a sausage.
The shirt came with what looks like a feminine hygiene product to stick to the inside over the surgical site. We used it, though about half of the incision is actually higher than the neck line on the shirt. That’s not the part we’re concerned about, since it’s the lower part that gets the brunt of it when he starts rolling. The very end of the incision has a bit of a space after the sutures end, and it looked like there was the tiniest bit of blood near the wound. It was dry, but I’m more comfortable with having it covered now. Even if he isn’t!
He would probably be just fine without it, but I hope we can leave it on him for at least a few days.
Poor baby is torn between excited to see us and craving attention, and ticked off at us for making him take medications and wear clothing! :-D
The Re-Farmer
Share this:
Ginger is now in surgery
As I write this, Ginger has been dropped off at the vet, and should be in the middle of surgery to amputate his busted up arm.
He was in very good spirits this morning, though I don’t think he was too happy about being on a fast!
A spice girl, checking out the spice boy! Saffron, meet Ginger! :-)
He wasn’t too happy with all the other cats circling around him in the cage, though!
After his surgery (if all goes well, he will also be neutered), he’ll be isolated in the sun room for however long the vet says he should be kept there. We’ll take the opportunity to introduce him to some of the inside cats, since they are going to be his new family.
Right now, we are waiting for a call from the vet to let us know how things went, and to come and get him. I will update as soon as I can!
Thank you, again, to everyone who was able to help out!
The Re-Farmer
The Re-Farmer 