We put Sassy to sleep today

[troopersmommy]

Hi Les! How's life with Slim? And the little ones outside? Bet y'all are busy as can be with your new family.

Trooper finally came out from under his hiding place today & allowed me to make a new kitty pad for him. I had no idea how big he'd gotten. Oh...& I'll know for sure tomorrow if he allows a closer inspection, but he might be a she.

[Les]

Hi Troopersmommy! That's great news that he/she came out; good luck with finding out if it's a boy or girl!

Slim fits in like he has lived there 10 years; he is doing great-thanks for asking! Him and Snickers are pals as we thought they would be because they are 6 months and 18 months old, respectively. The other cats are doing very well with him; not much problem. If he goes up to them and they aren't in the mood for him they'll hiss a little, and he just lays down in front of them and purrs! He's not interested in a "power struggle"-he's just so happy to be in.

We're working on getting the outside ones good homes too because they are great cats and deserve it; they're doing well, also.

Take care and good luck,

Les, Deb & the 5 "S"s

[troopersmommy]

I love it! Y'all sound like the "Walton" family of the animal kingdom. You two are so sweet to take on all those kitties right after losing Sassy. I've been worrying about my old diabetic Mr. Kitty - he was getting that bony, old, scrawny look that old kittycats get when they're on the last leg, so to speak. But I adjusted his insulin injections, 2 a day with smaller dosage rather than 1 at night. This morning he looks so much better. Whew! Troop is doing very well, and seems to like Fuzzy visits. I still can't tell boy or girl, but I'm leaning toward boy. I have to agree with my hubby John that it looks like what used to be furry little balls seem to have shrunk....

Oh, and (John doesn't know yet) it looks like I may be adding another member to our family also. A beautiful, young, and fairly friendly powder gray calico is hanging outside my office. My boss (and best friend) is terrified of cats, so she begged me to take the kitty home. I think I'll avoid telling John until after he sees how sweet he is. I should be able to hide him among the others (after I have the vet check him out). Wish me luck! I sure don't want to get a divorce after only a month of being newly married. hahahahah

[puremutt]

lol you're too funny!

[Les]

Troopersmommy, I'm glad that Mr. Kitty is doing better, and I hope that Trooper is okay; and I hope that you are still married!

Slim and the rest are doing good; Sebastian seems a little under the weather; perhaps from the "stress" of adding Slim, but he is okay.

Some of the outside cats (Slim's kin) are REALLY getting friendly and taking to us, and wanting to enter the house! We (Deb especially) are getting concerned as it is getting colder out; we are just two "softies" that want them to be okay, even though we know that their immune system is strong, and they don't feel the cold quite like we do. But we have 2 dog Igloos with blankets inside, and they do lay together to keep warm, but we still feel for them. Any suggestions on how else to protect them from the upcoming Winter? At least 2 of them (Silver and Slugger) lived through last Winter which was cold but dry here in Pennsylvania, and I know that the strays at work lived through many Winters, but any advice would be appreciated-thanks!

Hope that all are well,

Les, Deb and the 5 "indoor" "S"s and the 6 "outdoor" "S"s...

[troopersmommy]

Hi everyone. Well, the good news is I'm still married.

The bad news is I couldn't find the little calico at work the next day, so that is put on hold for now,

Mr. Kitty is doing better with the 2 insulin injections instead of 1. He's putting on weight slowly, and his fur looks much healthier. My asthma kitty "Fuzzy" is doing great, except for lots of sniffles and "sneezes". Everyone (humans and furbabies) have learned to scatter quickly when he starts to sneeze. Its not a pretty sight if you get sprayed. Let's just say that I've chosen "dark avocado green" or as we like to call it ""fuzzy snot green" paint in most of the rooms in my house. Trooper is doing tremendously well! I'm really growing quite fond of the little guy. He's getting more comfortable around me. When I feed him, he's actually coming out of his little kittycube and eating from the plate I'm holding. Yea!!!! Progress!!!

I don't know how cold it gets there outside, but here it'll drop down to 28 to 32 several days during winter. On those days, I set out plastic covered kitty litter pans that I've converted into warming beds on our front and side porches. I buy the bigger closed litter pans with the snap on lids to accomodate any size cat, just in case we have visitors. Before snapping on the lid, we place an electric heating pad set on high in between 2 terry kitchen towels with the cord and control unit out the back of the "bed", and then layer with more towels, or tshirts, or whatever you have laying around. (I usually go to the dollar store and stock up on cheap towels for bedding, cleanup, etc.) Then I cover the enclosed litter pan with a large towel draped all around leaving just a little of the opening exposed for kitties to crawl in or out. The heating pads stay plugged in to the same outlets we use for outdoor Christmas lights and I just turn them on/off at the control switch when they're not in use. Be sure to keep these beds in areas protected from rain and snow. I also set the beds on a couple of bricks to keep air circulating under and keep any water out. I bet you could probably do the same thing with the igloos. Since these beds stay outside, the high setting never gets too hot, just comfortably warm. And, the kitties LOVE them. If it's cold out mine will stay in those beds all day all night.

[troopersmommy]

Les, I had to share some good news with you. (I hope you don't mind if I copy/paste a reply I posted on my thread about Trooper.)

Good news to report on Trooper.

He all of a sudden decided not to be shy or hide anymore. Yesterday morning I went into his room to feed, water, change his bedding, etc. and there he was, waiting in the middle of the room for me. He didn't scoot away or anything. I know its silly but it brought me to tears. Then last night I went to "tuck" him in before I fell asleep (as I do all my little bears) and my little dog Cookie followed me in to "help". Before I could tell her to go back out, Trooper "flew" (scooted like he had wheels on) over to her, touched noses, and sweetly meowed. Now every time I go in to see him, she goes with me to check on her new little buddy. He adores her. I think he's finally past accepting this just as his home... I think now he really likes us. More mommy tears of joy and love.

Isn't that great? I'll probably be a blubbering fool if he ever lets me hold him. I hope all your little ones are doing well. I bet y'all are having a blast with the babies. Did you decide how to keep them warm enough? We haven't had too much cold yet, mostly wet, with warm days and cool nights.

[Les]

Troopersmommy that is GREAT NEWS! I'm glad that he is coming around, and he has made a new friend! That's great news...

We were given the okay by Peaceable Kingdom to bring some of the strays up to them 2 at a time starting next week. It will be VERY HARD to see them go, as we get attached to them, but it will give them a chance to become adopted and find a good home. The woman that helped us trap them to neuter them said "put a time limit on how long they will keep them" because she feels that if they are caged for awhile they become anti-social, and feels they would be better off outside our house. But we can't afford to feed them nor take care of them properly, even though we are doing our best for them with food, water and shelter. We hope that they will get good homes...

Keep me updated on the developments with Trooper!

[troopersmommy]

Hey Les, I've learned that if we say a prayer, think positively that they will find good homes, verbalize it..."very soon those little babies will have some really great homes with very loving families", and then BELIEVE it... it will happen. My mom taught me that when I was little and it always gets me through difficult times.

A good example is my Trooper. I'll attach a photo and you can see how great he looks. We're leaving the door open all the time now, with a gate up, so his friends can visit anytime.

Trooper is lounging in his new pup tent just inside the gate.

[Les]

Thanks for that sweet prayer; we sure hope that we are doing the "right" thing by taking them there, as we have gotten very attached to them. I hope and pray that all goes well this week.

Trooper is so, so cute! I'm sure that he will come around even more, knowing that he is being so well taken care of. What happened to him that he is paralyzed? I hope that he makes a full recovery; give him a hug from us....

[troopersmommy]

The one thing you can always use as your backup, is if you get the feeling they won't find homes you can always bring them home. Somehow things always work out, one way or the other. Never know, you could win the lottery tomorrow & if you don't play, don't worry, I do. If I win, I wouldn't hesitate to help you.

Trooper is paralyzed in his back legs & spine. Although his back legs wiggle a lot and move some, he can't stand on them. His front half is ok. He can poop & pee on puppy pads still grooms himself, eats like a piggy. He's very alert, & is becoming playful. He has no trouble getting around by sliding and scoot-dragging. I found him in the middle of the street on my way to work one day, apparently run over & left to die. He's become special to all of us & his progress is remarkable.

Oh & he said thanks for the hug.

[Les]

Thank you for the constant encouragement and good advice; I already have won the lottery when I found you sweet, caring understanding people here who have helped us through a very difficult time with Sassy and are continuing to help us with our stray kitties. And you are so sweet to have taken Trooper in, when how many other people probably just passed him on that road-God Bless you!

Rebecca, the woman that trapped and had the cats neutered, said that also; if they don't get adopted after a certain "time limit" she'd rather see them living outside our house than in a cage somewhere. But if they were in a cage at Peaceable Kingdom, they would be indoors and looked after. It is a difficult decision that Deb and I are making, but the cats welfare is the most important factor, so we are weighing it heavily.

Thanks for the support, and continued good luck with Trooper and all the other "family members"...

[troopersmommy]

Thanks Les for your sweet comments. I wish we all lived close enough to help each other out. Wouldn't it be great? Have you ever come across anyone on this site that lives in your city? I just did. And I'll tell you, just knowing there's another person like me that close, makes me feel more secure and less "helpless" in my animal saving endeavors. Even if it's just to ask advice.

I have to report that Trooper has developed the most adorable personality. John and I have become so attached to this little guy. He "smiles" all the time. He no longer hides, in fact, he loves lounging on the pillows I've arranged around his room. He still likes sleeping in his soft cubes when the temperature drops outside. My floors get really cold, but I have those interlocking foam squares as insulation, with layers of blankets beneath his little cubes and pillows. Anytime I go in his room he follows me around. He's so fast that we forget his back legs and tail are paralyzed. (Sometimes John calls him Scooter instead of Trooper and says most endearingly that we should enter him in a "drag" race, because he's sure to bring home first place.)

[critters]

I have to report that Trooper has developed the most adorable personality. John and I have become so attached to this little guy. He "smiles" all the time. He no longer hides, in fact, he loves lounging on the pillows I've arranged around his room. He still likes sleeping in his soft cubes when the temperature drops outside. My floors get really cold, but I have those interlocking foam squares as insulation, with layers of blankets beneath his little cubes and pillows. Anytime I go in his room he follows me around. He's so fast that we forget his back legs and tail are paralyzed. (Sometimes John calls him Scooter instead of Trooper and says most endearingly that we should enter him in a "drag" race, because he's sure to bring home first place.)

Aww!

[Les]

Hi folks-I haven't been around here lately so I hope that all are doing well and Happy New Year! Last night, we got 2 of our 6 outdoor cats a GOOD HOME-some very nice people (my wife actually knows the woman) who answered our "ad" on the vet's bulletin board took 2 of the black cats, Slugger and Scooter, and will give them a very good home and better life than they'd have outside, although they have it pretty good here! Deb and I know that it is for the best, but we also were kinda sad; we got very attached to them while "fostering" them, and it felt funny seeing them go, but it is for the best.

Just thought I'd say that 2 of our foster cats got "adopted". Hope all is well....