Day 163: Be careful what you wish for

My Project: 365 Creative Writing Prompts

Day 163: Be careful what you wish for

Many years ago, I asked a Ragdoll forum member if this breed of cats can ‘talk’. “Can they talk,” she replied, “The question is, do they ever shut up!”

Once I had a Ragdoll myself, a rescue we named Gabriel, I was somewhat disappointed that he was a rather quiet cat. Occasionally he would utter a meow, but on the whole Gabriel was too laid back to make a fuss about anything.

A few months after Gabriel passed away, we adopted two more rescues, Halley and Greyson. I hoped and wished that one or both would be ‘talkers’, but for months they remained tight lipped.

Overnight that changed when Greyson found his voice. For the longest time he was a quiet little kitty cat, but no more. Ever since he found out that he can produce a sound, he's been talking non-stop. He cries for food, he cries for attention, he cries when he can't find one of his toys, he cries for everything.

And he's got different kinds of cries. Food has one cry, for attention has another cry, and when he can’t find his spring or toy mouse that’s another cry still. If you were to hear his cry for attention you would agree … it can melt a stone heart. Yes, it’s that pitiful.

In case you’re wondering why he cries for food … I have no idea. Greyson, along with the others get breakfast, for during the day they have dry nibbles, and around 7:00 p.m. they get their dinner. So they never go hungry and there’s really no need to cry.

Neither is there reason to cry for attention, as Charlotte, Holly, Halley and Greyson get plenty of pets and kisses. 

The thing is, when I’m peeling potatoes, Greyson wants to see what I’m doing. If Dieter is doing dishes, he wants to inspect the works, and when the beds are being made, Greyson makes sure the wrinkles are smoothed out (every cat lover will know what I mean by that). If Greyson is kept out of the loop, he cries.

As for crying if he can’t find one of his toys … well , that’s a different story altogether. Greyson’s favorite toy is a spring. When we first adopted him, Jackie (his foster mother) send him off with a packet of 10 springs, we bought an additional packet and later on another packet. That’s 30 springs altogether and he systematically lost them all. He knocks them under chairs, under the washing machine, the fridge, a cabinet … you name it. Every now and then when we clean under the sofa we find a few of those springs, but things are a little more difficult when retrieving them from under the fridge or the washing machine, those things are heavy.

Greyson knows this, where he put his springs I mean, not that the machines are heavy, and wants us to lend him a hand in getting them back. When we tell him no, or that we can’t do it, that’s when the crying starts. So what do I do … no, I don’t move the fridge or washing machine, I’m not Wonder Woman, I go on Amazon and order new springs.

Just goes to show, I wanted a talkative cat and now that I have one ...

Day 102: Can cats talk

My Project: 365 Creative Writing Prompts

Day 102: Can cats talk

Many years ago, I considered adopting a Ragdoll and asked a friend if her Ragdolls talked. Her response was …”Do they talk? The question is, do they ever shut up!”

This pleased me immensely because while I’ve had cats all my life, all of them were quiet cats. They never said anything.

The exception was Chanel. Chanel was a mixed breed (Maine Coon with something else) and she was a rather vocal kitty. From the day we adopted her she prattled on in her little kitten voice and over the years she developed quite the vocabulary.

   

In our current cat family, there are a few talkers. Gabriel usually starts around 6:00 a.m. when it’s time for Dieter to get up. Monday to Friday his babbling is fine, endearing even, but come Saturday and Sunday when Dieter wants to sleep in, Gabriel doesn’t know it’s weekend and does his very best to get Dieter up and about. Not that he puts all that much effort into it, because when Dieter doesn’t get up Gabriel gives up and seems of the opinion … I did my best, if you going to be late you have no one but yourself to blame.

Charlotte … well, she doesn’t say much at all. If and when Charlotte says something she sounds like a sheep with a case of laryngitis.

As for Holly … yes, Holly talks. Holly is part Ragdoll, part something else and one can actually have a conversation with her. As long as you talk to her, she’ll answer.

As for our latest edition, Halley … ever since we adopted her in January, she was a very quiet kitten. Never said anything. That changed yesterday. On a wall in the living room hangs a bird ornament. 

So far this ornament was ignored, but yesterday it got switched on and we got to hear this songbird’s voice loud and clear. Halley went bananas! In an effort to get to the bird she walked up and down, jumped on the chair, jumped on the cabinet, all the while producing cute little kitten noises. It was too funny.

But speaking of Halley … let me give you an update on our little girl.

For the longest time, she was perfectly happy with a selection of balls, soft rubber balls, hard plastic balls, ping-pong balls, you name it she rolled it around. Of course, sooner or later those balls would end up under a chair and then she would put on quite the show for Dieter or me to retrieve her toy.

That is until one day we didn’t feel like lifting up the sofa again and we gave her a spring to play with. 

OMG, and did she have fun with that. She played with it for hours, literally. That first night, Gabriel, Charlotte, and Holly had long gone to bed, but Halley was still playing with her spring. Rolling it, batting it, picking it up between her teeth and carrying it around.

Now, since last night to be exact, she found something else to play with … toilet paper. Just take a look ….

             

And I give you one guess who thaught her to be this naughty ... that's right, uncle Gabriel.

Don’t forget to donate to the Toronto Cat Rescue.

Any amount will make a difference.

https://www.canadahelps.org/en/pages/toronto-cat-rescue-bowl-a-thon-9/

The rest of the story: Zoe needs a new companion

Our guest blogger today is Diane Quinn from Las Vegas.  Diane recently lost her beloved cat Zorro, and successfully introduced a new kitty.  I asked her about this experience and she was kind enough to put "pen to paper".

You last met me when our beloved cat, Zorro, died unexpectedly of a heart condition.  (See EveryCloud Can Have a Silver Lining blog post.)  I introduced you to the Poppy Foundation and explained the outstanding work they do for unhealthy and unadoptable cats.  What I later learned is that our vet, who houses the Poppy Foundation in her hospital, also takes in feline patients when their human owners can no longer keep them.

In the weeks that followed Zorro’s death, we watched as our female Ragdoll, Zoe, went through a disturbing grieving process. Her personality changed, she pulled fur patches off the back of her neck, and she hid a lot under the bed, something she had never done before. She stopped sleeping with us as well. Our normally perky diva was depressed.  Fortunately, after about two months, she seemed almost like her old self again.

I came to realize that Zoe had never been an “only” cat before, and I wondered if she would be happy without a feline companion.  Then I began to think about what would happen when we traveled.  Even though we have two caring friends who stop in and cat sit, I had deep concerns about how she would manage basically by herself for a week at a time.

After a lengthy discussion with my husband who was resistant to getting another cat, he agreed to let me call the Poppy Foundation to see if they had a mature male at least five years old that needed a home. Zoe was about to turn nine, and we didn’t want a large age gap. Turns out they had three candidates.  As we were driving to the foundation, my husband said, “You know, I’d like to have a black cat with green eyes.”  At that point, color was the least of my worries as I focused on age, a personality fit and solid house training. 

When we walked into the Poppy Foundation there sitting on a chair all by himself was a black cat with green eyes. The volunteers told us that his name was BamBam, that he was their official greeter, and that he was one of our candidates. After we met the other two worthy felines, we had to make a decision. We both agreed that charming BamBam was the best suited for our home and as Zoe’s companion. 

We came back four days later to get him after he had a physical, dental work, updated shots and was groomed.  The Poppy Foundation never allows an adoption without knowing the adopter’s background and making sure the cat is in perfect health. 

This event was almost two months ago. The first thing my husband insisted on was giving our new black kitty a “manly” name more suited for his age—Rocky! It took just a matter of days to introduce him to our home. It was obvious that he was happy to find a real home again where he didn’t have to compete for attention.  Zoe was put out at first and exerted her diva personality in mostly non-aggressive ways.  Lucky for us, Rocky’s super friendly and loving personality won her over more quickly than we could ever have expected.

Zoe and Rocky are the best of buddies. They play together, watch birds and lizards side-by-side at the screen doors, and lick and love each other frequently.  Sure, they might have a territorial disagreement on occasion, but after a little boxing match, one usually gives in without any aggression.  More important is that we can go away now without guilt knowing that they have each other for loving companionship.

In memory of Zorro

Diane Quinn is my guest blogger today. I hope that a few of you will share the blog post as Diane talks about Zorro, who recently crossed Rainbow Bridge. At the same time she draws attention to the Poppy Foundation, which deserves a lot of exposure.

Every Cloud Can Have a Silver Lining

In Conny’s last blog post, you learned of the passing of our beloved Ragdoll cat, Zorro, who succumbed to a heart condition called FHC (Feline Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy).  This silent killer is common in Ragdoll and Maine Coon cat breeds.  Quality breeders certify that their cats have been tested and do not carry the FHC gene.  Unfortunately, we adopted Zorro when he was a year old from a friend-of-a-friend who was moving, and he was a day away from being deposited at a shelter. 

One expects older pets to die, but not pets that appear to be in perfect health and in the prime of their life.  That was Zorro—so handsome, so loving, and so special.  The shock of losing him at age eight will linger along with our grief.  Our only solace is that he slipped away without pain on our sofa, in his favorite napping position and with his family nearby.

Many believe that every cloud has a silver lining.  That even in the worst of situations good can emerge to neutralize negativity.  I like to believe that is true.  Toward that end, my goal is to introduce the followers of “Under the Toronto Sun” to a worthwhile foundation that my husband and I support and where we made a donation in Zorro’s name after he died.  It’s called
The Poppy Foundation (http://poppyfoundation.org/) 

The Poppy Foundation is located at the Bonanza Cat Hospital (http://www.lvcatvet.com/) in Las Vegas.  Dr. Linda Steelman is one of those vets unable to turn away a cat in need.  Her hospital is the last stop for unadoptable kitties through the Humane Society and other cat rescue groups.  They are unadoptable because of incurable health conditions or because their injuries have left them so unattractive that no one will adopt them.

Within days after adopting Zorro when he was a year old, I took him for a checkup with Dr. Steelman.  Imagine my surprise when I walked into the hospital’s tiny waiting room and found myself surrounded by cat condo’s filled with snoozing kitties.  Then there were the dozens of others walking around wherever they pleased, even taking advantage of empty laps and head rubs wherever they could find them.  Parents of patients preferred to stand rather than take a chair away from a sleeping feline. The office volunteers often had to remove their furry helpers from the top of the printer, telephone console and sign-in sheets in order to do their jobs.

I admit that my heart skipped a beat the first time I watched three-legged cats limp by, cats with cuts resulting in ugly bald spots on their lovely fur, or who now had to view the world with only one eye.  At one time, when I asked how many cats were in residence, they admitted they had lost count but that they were well over 100. 

I’m happy to report that over a year ago, the Poppy Foundation at the hospital was able to add more space.  There is one large room now dedicated to cages for seriously ill cats (sort of an ICU) and a play area for those kitties that are able and willing. 

I can think of no better way to honor our beloved Zorro than by helping to bring attention to the well run, making a difference, Poppy Foundation.  In addition to money, they are grateful for used cat care items and food donations. 

Even though Conny had never met Zorro (it’s a long way from Toronto and Las Vegas), she came to know him almost as well as one of her own furry gang.  It’s comforting to know that a memorial to him will remain a permanent part of Conny’s “Under the Toronto Sun” blog site.

Goodbye to Zorro

About 24 hours ago, Zorro crossed Rainbow Bridge and left his family devastated.  He was only 8 years old and in perfect health. 

I never met Zorro, but I saw pictures of him and read about his daily adventures.  Okay, so he didn’t have “daily” adventures, being a Ragdoll his favorite pastime was sleeping (in all kinds of weird positions). 

But every now and then he would wake up long enough to tell an interesting story.  The most memorable being …

Zorro the Ragdoll Cat Meets a Roadrunner

My name is Zorro, and I'm a five-year-old Ragdoll breed cat. Never heard of us? You wouldn't be alone, yet we are one of the most popular breeds in the U.S. They call us the cats that are most like a dog. (Sheesh! What an insult.) So what if I do like to follow my mom around and even wait by the door until she returns. Why not? I have the time. It's not as though I'm not making an intelligent choice, unlike a stupid dog that gets all pouty just because he's been left alone for ten minutes.

Mostly, I suck up as much attention as my inflated ego can handle. Humans describe a Ragdoll's personality as laid-back, but we can be feisty, too! I'll protect my turf against any invading species. Read on and you'll see what I mean. (Disney is negotiating with my mom over the rights to my story.)

Let's start at the beginning.

My mom was in the kitchen doing whatever it is she does there that does not involve preparing my food dish. We had only been in our new home for a couple of weeks. I was starting to feel right at home and pretty much approved of the change. I loved the big glass doors where I could lay comfortably and look out over the patio while watching noisy birds gather all day in the desert willow tree fighting over sips at the hummingbird feeder.

My tummy was full and I was relaxed in my favorite belly exposed position, legs up in the air. I'm rarely very far from mom. (Don't ask me why, it's a Ragdoll 'thing.') I was dozing off when I opened one eye and saw her sneaking towards the glass doors. Humans often behave in strange and mysterious ways, so her behavior didn't seem overly odd.

It was only when I heard her pick-up the phone to call dad that I knew something was up. "Honey, guess what I saw on the patio this morning?" I heard her say. "A roadrunner! I heard a tap-tap-tap on the window, and when I glanced over, there it was looking in the window at me."

And what did Zorra do to the roadrunner?  Hop over to http://www.helium.com/items/1613988-short-story-ragdoll-cat-meets-a-roadrunner, the answer is just a click away.

Yes, Zorro was a character.  But he was also very sweet and polite.  Want to read what his mom says about him?  

Our Ragdoll breed cat, Zorro, is just the sweetest, laid-back kind of guy you would ever want to snuggle with on your bed or have sandpaper lick your hand. Typical of the breed, he loves his people family more than his Fancy Feast. (Or, at least we come in a very close second.)

His breed is often referred to as the most like a dog,' so when we adopted him at one-year of age, he did seem to lack many typical cat traits. How many cats do you know that come and greet you at the door? Or, how many cats do you know that will follow you around the house? Instead of calling him Zorro, I wonder if Rover might have suited him better.

There’s more.  Click http://www.helium.com/items/1410962-why-should-i-get-a-cat and find out.

Goodbye Zorro, you left us too soon, but I'm sure that wherever you are, you're happy