Will They Stay and the Stray

Another non-eventful but busy work week coming to an end. I thought Spring was going to remain, but Old Man Winter remains tough and determined and is threatening us with snow flurries for the weekend.



~Toby~

 I've been waiting to hear back from the rescue about our foster boys, The Chub Brothers, Bubba and Toby. No, we've not officially adopted them and so they are still 'owned' by the rescue. I've known since they got here last June that they probably weren't going anywhere, but I just never did anything to make sure they would be staying.  Then when I wasn't asked for several months about them, along with all that was going on with Hamlet and Tanner, it just was easier to put it all on the back-burner.  But I came back onto the rescues radar a couple of weeks ago when I was asked about them, and if or when they would be put up for adoption, since that's the goal.  However we're facing a dilemma with Bubba. For one day about every 2 months or so, he'll have 2-3 grand-mal seizures. I've spoken to my vet about them, and I don't feel like it's time yet to put him on medication for them; but I know there may well be a time when the seizures will become more frequent and he will need to be. Along with Toby he is also unable to do flights of stairs. 


~Bubba~

The 'adoptability' of both dogs in my mind is in question. The Chub brothers are a bonded pair and so one cannot be adopted without the other.  Can anyone be found (beside me) willing to take on a pair of 11 year olds that can't do stairs and one that has medical issues?  Add to that the expense of nearly $100 monthly for Bubba's medication for arthritis.  Having placed dogs for about 10 years now, I have my doubts about someone being found that will fill the needs for both these boys.  Thinking ahead, I know that we can't incur the expense of both dogs.  But I have offered to adopt Toby and take on his expenses if the rescue will allow Bubba to remain in our home as a 'long term foster dog.'  Meaning that he would remain in our home for the rest of his life and all his medical expenses would be paid for by the rescue.  I felt it was a fair offer.  However I know how the rescue sometimes operates and I know that 'politics' always goes along with this type of thing (which is why I prefer to stay on the sidelines) so I guess I shouldn't be surprised that I've heard from no one. 

In other news, the 'stray cat' that I last saw in January sometime has returned.  I was so happy to see it!!  It came close to the house so this is the first time I've gotten a really good look at it.  I think that it's a pretty cat and a relatively young cat too.  And while this picture doesn't really show it, it's a little on the thin side as well.  The poor thing was eating the bird seed and stalking birds--So guess what I did?  Yes, even though I knew it would run off, I sent Carl out right away with a plate of food for it.    

Paws crossed for 'it' to find the food

and that the Chub Brothers can stay with us... 

Just Another Week

Monday thru Wednesday are busy days for me. These are the days I work and am gone from home all day.  Carl is working days as well right now and he gets home around midnight.  It leaves me to get everything done in the evenings.  But I start my days around 4:30.  First thing is to of course let the dogs out.  I always allow them to stay out as long as they want to--They enjoy barking at the darkness, their shadows, the moon, each other, and anything else that needs to be barked at!    

One day this week we had snow and ice.  Even with 'just' and inch of snow, we had a delayed start at work, which was a huge help.  It allowed me time to feed  the stray cat I told you about.  I really appreciated every one's thoughts on what to do--I decided I would just 'let it be,' with the thought that maybe it did belong to the farm that is across the road from us and was okay.  I thought that if it needed anything, I just hoped I'd be able to tell.  When I arrived home on Monday night, I caught sight of the cat coming out of the brush and going up the driveway. Carl said he had seen it also. I decided with the cold, rain and snow, I would feed it the next morning.  When I put out the food and got back to the house, I looked back and saw that the food had been promptly found and was being gobbled up by a hawk and a couple of crows.  

On Wednesday I put food out again.  When I came home last evening I stopped at the bottom of our driveway to get the plate I'd put the food on.  When I reached to pick it up, in the dark something I couldn't see that seemed about as big as a cat, brushed past me--I can only imagine what it was...I put more food out again today.  And as I write this I am watching the cat eat the food that has been left for it.  I don't know if it's the right or the wrong thing to do, but I feel like it's something I should do.  

~Stray Cat before it found the food I put out for it~

Now that I've told you a little about my week, perhaps you can understand why when I get home in the evenings, I feel like this...

~Sam~

And after everything has settled down, I just want to do this...

~Hamlet~

and more of this...

~Rudi~

I hope you've had a good week! 

 I am looking forward to the weekend and catching up on your blogs!

Just a Stray?

 I don't remember a time in my life when I didn't feel sorry for a cat or a dog that didn't have a home.  If you've felt that same way then you know how I'm feeling about a stray cat that we've had around our property the last several weeks.  I am quite sure it's feral because it runs away anytime it sees or hears me.  I feel lucky that I have been able to take a few pictures of it because it doesn't come too close to the house, but stays on the edge of the woods down by the road.  I read on someones blog that you shouldn't feed a feral cat.  But I have to admit that I couldn't not do that and I've put a bowl out for it a few times, but the meal mostly goes untouched. I am sure it's surviving on whatever it can hunt. Of course with the cold I worry about it and am wondering if I should try to trap it, (I have a small trap) or just let it be.  From what I can see, it looks healthy and who knows, maybe it does have a home or is quite content with the life it has.  What do you think?