f*ck
we have a cat named corncakes.
first it was the bathmat. that sucked, but they're pretty easily washable, and we could remember to put them up each time after we bathed. it was while her brother gordito was really sick and after we put him down. it sucked to be all of us at the time. her peeing has ventured into other areas, especially that one time we went on vacation and the person looking after her was accompanied by a gaggle of small children (no friends of cats, they). it sucked to lose the couch, and treating the guest bed took more patience and product than i thought imaginable, but we got it under control (and bought waterproof mattress pads) and it ceased. and when we adopted the kittymen she was understandably pissed (pun unintended). they're ferocious and hyper. she's 9, comfortably senior, wanting a mellow existence.
at the new house, territory was up for grabs (she'd been well established in our old house), and there is ample room for the boys to charge her. while she's trying to use the litterbox, for instance. and one of our cats is obese so they're no longer able to free-feed, which corny was able to do her whole life. she's taken to pissing on the carpets (not pooping, never pooping). it's treatable and barely livable, mostly limited to a couple of spots. we were counting the days 'til hardwood floors, anyway. this week we had people over on tuesday so we shut the cats in our bedroom. then, as we were getting ready to sleep we discovered she'd hit dana's comforter. i don't know how many times i washed the thing, how many permutations of treatment i used, but it's clean now and usable again. we took special care this week to try different approaches to food and litterboxes, she's been loving and seemingly mellow and content. but tonight she got the bed proper (did i mention my thanks for waterproof mattress covers?), and we feel like we've hit a wall.
she's 9, she likes to pee on things, she's declawed (i know, i know), and, oh yes, she likes to chew cords (it's a wonder she's alive on that count). though she might be a happy kitty as an only cat, she's hardly adoptable. and we're hardly willing to give up the boys.
i can't blame her for her frustration, but i feel pretty helpless to do much. we clean the litterboxes twice a day. there are four of them in our house to choose from. we're going to try to put in a cat door to the front room, one of those that open only to a magnetic collar wearer. but corny's never worn a collar, so i can't imagine that will go over well. but it would give her sanctuary from the boys if she can learn to live with it, as well as access to food and her own private litterbox. we've also heard that there's some kind of kitty xanax that might be worth trying (mind, we've taken her to the vet about peeing before, it's nothing physiological going on here). we've tried the expensive pheromone therapy (called feliway--which might be worth trying again). but god, i feel so horrible. like a terrible kitty parent. and i feel awful for fearing for our couch (and bed), but there's no way we'll be leaving her unchaperoned in the main- or bed-rooms. until we put in the cat door we'll be locking her alone in our front room while we're away from home (boxes of cds and books to climb on, no furniture to damage). she's unadoptable. and we can't afford new furniture (used is out of the question unless it's been in an animal-free home).
and it's been so stressful to us, this whole thing. corny (with gordito) was dana's first cat as an adult, and my first cat ever. she's got an awesome personality--funny, smart, sweet. she snores, quiet soft trumpets. she gives awesome kisses. and despite her frustrations with the boys, she loves them (especially squeak, whom she can be see lovin' in the userpic). some people are hard to talk to about this stuff, they don't understand why we don't just put her down. time was, i was (maybe) one of them. i never grew up with pets, never really understood the unique personalities and rich relationships that are part of interacting with animals.
* * * * *
oh oh oh. in writing this, i was reminded of a friend in minneapolis with whom i'd lost contact whose older cat was a pisser and didn't get along with the others. she (the friend, not the cat) had a lovely tattoo--two cats' heads facing each other, one a regular kitty, one a cat's skull. i thought it morbid at the time, but have since come to appreciate its deeper meaning(s). anyway, in thinking about her, i opened a tab to look her up. and found out her daughter died. i've spent the last 20 minutes sobbing, looking at pictures. this life is so short (nasty and brutal at times, too). guh. i haven't words.
* * * * *
nor have i time to edit anything, as the laptop's about to run out of juice.
it's in no way remotely the same, but i sure hope we don't have to say goodbye to corny any time soon.
give your loved ones an extra squeeze today, eh? be they four-legged or less (more means they might be hard to squeeze, but love 'em just the same).
first it was the bathmat. that sucked, but they're pretty easily washable, and we could remember to put them up each time after we bathed. it was while her brother gordito was really sick and after we put him down. it sucked to be all of us at the time. her peeing has ventured into other areas, especially that one time we went on vacation and the person looking after her was accompanied by a gaggle of small children (no friends of cats, they). it sucked to lose the couch, and treating the guest bed took more patience and product than i thought imaginable, but we got it under control (and bought waterproof mattress pads) and it ceased. and when we adopted the kittymen she was understandably pissed (pun unintended). they're ferocious and hyper. she's 9, comfortably senior, wanting a mellow existence.
at the new house, territory was up for grabs (she'd been well established in our old house), and there is ample room for the boys to charge her. while she's trying to use the litterbox, for instance. and one of our cats is obese so they're no longer able to free-feed, which corny was able to do her whole life. she's taken to pissing on the carpets (not pooping, never pooping). it's treatable and barely livable, mostly limited to a couple of spots. we were counting the days 'til hardwood floors, anyway. this week we had people over on tuesday so we shut the cats in our bedroom. then, as we were getting ready to sleep we discovered she'd hit dana's comforter. i don't know how many times i washed the thing, how many permutations of treatment i used, but it's clean now and usable again. we took special care this week to try different approaches to food and litterboxes, she's been loving and seemingly mellow and content. but tonight she got the bed proper (did i mention my thanks for waterproof mattress covers?), and we feel like we've hit a wall.
she's 9, she likes to pee on things, she's declawed (i know, i know), and, oh yes, she likes to chew cords (it's a wonder she's alive on that count). though she might be a happy kitty as an only cat, she's hardly adoptable. and we're hardly willing to give up the boys.
i can't blame her for her frustration, but i feel pretty helpless to do much. we clean the litterboxes twice a day. there are four of them in our house to choose from. we're going to try to put in a cat door to the front room, one of those that open only to a magnetic collar wearer. but corny's never worn a collar, so i can't imagine that will go over well. but it would give her sanctuary from the boys if she can learn to live with it, as well as access to food and her own private litterbox. we've also heard that there's some kind of kitty xanax that might be worth trying (mind, we've taken her to the vet about peeing before, it's nothing physiological going on here). we've tried the expensive pheromone therapy (called feliway--which might be worth trying again). but god, i feel so horrible. like a terrible kitty parent. and i feel awful for fearing for our couch (and bed), but there's no way we'll be leaving her unchaperoned in the main- or bed-rooms. until we put in the cat door we'll be locking her alone in our front room while we're away from home (boxes of cds and books to climb on, no furniture to damage). she's unadoptable. and we can't afford new furniture (used is out of the question unless it's been in an animal-free home).
and it's been so stressful to us, this whole thing. corny (with gordito) was dana's first cat as an adult, and my first cat ever. she's got an awesome personality--funny, smart, sweet. she snores, quiet soft trumpets. she gives awesome kisses. and despite her frustrations with the boys, she loves them (especially squeak, whom she can be see lovin' in the userpic). some people are hard to talk to about this stuff, they don't understand why we don't just put her down. time was, i was (maybe) one of them. i never grew up with pets, never really understood the unique personalities and rich relationships that are part of interacting with animals.
* * * * *
oh oh oh. in writing this, i was reminded of a friend in minneapolis with whom i'd lost contact whose older cat was a pisser and didn't get along with the others. she (the friend, not the cat) had a lovely tattoo--two cats' heads facing each other, one a regular kitty, one a cat's skull. i thought it morbid at the time, but have since come to appreciate its deeper meaning(s). anyway, in thinking about her, i opened a tab to look her up. and found out her daughter died. i've spent the last 20 minutes sobbing, looking at pictures. this life is so short (nasty and brutal at times, too). guh. i haven't words.
* * * * *
nor have i time to edit anything, as the laptop's about to run out of juice.
it's in no way remotely the same, but i sure hope we don't have to say goodbye to corny any time soon.
give your loved ones an extra squeeze today, eh? be they four-legged or less (more means they might be hard to squeeze, but love 'em just the same).