July 13th, 2010 | Author: trancejen
So I’m really trying to get over this, and not go into this move with a shitload of resentment.
Last night, Skittles peed on Jadon’s bed, which is COMPLETELY uncharacteristic for her or any of my cats. They’re all completely trained, and an incident of this sort has only happened once before, when the cats contracted worms.
So, I checked the cat’s butt, and sure enough, I could actually see the little buggers.
(I know that this is about as gross as it gets, but take a moment to think about whose blog you’re reading.)
I am calling the vet this morning to deal with that, and hopefully they will be all cleared up soon with the administration of pills. If you have a cat, you know how fun it is to give pills. I would rather run with the bulls in Pamplona.
Yesterday a friend of mine, Ang, came with her children to look at Skittles. Skittles was her good and charming self, and she purred and licked hands and feet and was delightful, and they loved her and of course want her.
If I have to give her away, Ang would be my first choice. She has four kids that would love the hell out of her and give her lots of attention, and I know she’ll take good care of her.
Still, I am going to have a long talk with my stepdad when he comes over on Saturday, face-to-face, so he can see that I’m very serious about this whole thing and how much the cat means to me.
I will go from there.
Plus, obviously the cats will all have to be treated for worms, since when one has them, they more than likely all have them.
Sigh.
In other news, I am going to be doing a little more Craigslisting and a lot more packing today. The house is starting to look pretty empty, and it’s very strange. My mom has been here on and off since 1990, and I’ve been renting here since the J-Man was born and once before that, and this place really does hold a lot of memories for me.
The wine-colored dining room I currently sit in used to be blue and yellow and hand-painted with stars (I was wobbling on a ladder while largely pregnant), filled with a crib and cheery pointed blue and yellow curtains and a quilt that my mother made herself.
The doorway I’m looking at used to hold one of those bouncy things that the J-Man used to bounce in while just laughing his fool head off.
I’ve been through roommates, lovers, jobs, medical issues galore… so many things while in this house.
I will be a little sad to leave it, I think. Even though the new house is spacious and in a much better neighborhood, I will miss this odd little house with its built-in china cabinets and strange little laundry chutes and cubby holes and French doors.
I will miss the TranceCave, painted red and decked out like a crazy-ass bordello, with its gargoyles on the bookcases and photos covering the walls.
I might even miss that Godforsaken smelly miscreant of a kid from down the street. Who knows.
It’s going to be odd to leave.
I worry about the J-Man in all this, whether he will have a tough time making friends, whether he will fit in at his new school, whether he will feel out of place, whether the kids will be “rough” now that he won’t be in a Christian school system, and all that jazz.
I’m sure he’ll adapt, because kids can be so malleable, but still I worry. It’s my job, you know.
I worry about my strict Irish Catholic stepdad and whether he’s going to be horrified by our free-wheeling ways.
I worry a lot. It’s in my nature.
Basically I’m trying to go with the flow and let this move just happen, and let the chips fall where they may, and ease the family gently into this transition.
I hope to God it works.
That’s all the news that’s fit to spit.
Happy Tuesday.
It’s safer to run with bulls at Pamplona than to give a cat a pill.
Dip pill in butter and put on back of tongue. It works for me and I have 6 cats.
I have six cats and one of them needs medication three times a day and another needs medication twice a day. I have one of those pill crusher things and I crush the pills into a fine powder and mix them with something that they find tasty. Being cats, what they find tasty is usually disgusting. One thing that is a big hit is the oil from fish oil pills – pierce the gel capsule with a pin or snip the end with some scissors and squeeze the nasty oil out into a dish and mix the crushed pill into it. A slightly less gross choice is the “gravy” stuff that Iams makes for dogs. It can be found near the dry dog food in most stores, is relatively cheap, and is thick and goopy. This is excellent as the crumbled pill mixes into it really well and my cats love it. The gravy comes in three flavors and all are big hits with the cats.
On another note, I wish you luck with your stepdad and the cat situation. Pets are part of the family and they deserve a chance to fit into a new situation. Not even allowing an adjustment or trial period is not reasonable. At the very least you should be able to keep Skittles in your own room. Put your foot down, sweetie – you deserve to keep your cat; especially if he gets to keep his cats. Fair is fair. Good luck and take care of your back with all this moving stuff. Love your blog and your tweets – you always make me smile!
Just an FYI: The worms are probably a side effect of the flea infestation you had (the fleas carry the worm larvae) so you’ll probably want to do another round of flea treatment as well. Damn fleas.
I got a Pill Popper at my vet’s. It’s a long thin plastic plunger. You put the pill in the end, open the cat’s mouth with 1 hand and zap the pill down his throat with the popper. The advantage is there’s no way the cat can bite you. And the pill usually shoots into him nicely.
I’m glad you’re talking to your step dad about Skittles. What he doesn’t seem to realize is that it’s no longer “his” house. It’s the family’s house. Good luck in your talk with him. I hope he agrees to a trial period.
I brought a new cat into a two cat household a few years back. I introduced them gradually, over two weeks or so–kept the new cat blocked off in one room. During the day, I let the new cat have the run of the house while the other two were in the cellar. At night I put up a clear plexiglass divider, so they could see each other but not get near her. After a few days I opened the divider a little so they could sniff each other. Finally I took it down completely and all was well. I can’t say that they became the best of friends, but they did co-exist quite peacefully. Sadly, all three grew old and passed on, but now I have two new ones from the shelter. Fun! (I read a tip recently to rub a towel on one cat & put the towel under the food bowl of the other cat–they’ll get used to the other cats scent and associate it with food.) Fingers crossed for you and Skittles.
Thanks to all for your advice!!