Homeless Cat -- Now Spotacus' Legacy

[Wanderlost]

On 18 Dec, a very large cat showed up at our house. It was late and cold, and he looked in the door and made it clear he wanted inside. Well, since we have two cats already and he was a stranger, we could not let him in the house. WLToo walked out and the cat ran to him, so he walked the cat into the garage and into the climate controlled room out there.

He was extremely hungry and thirsty, but in otherwise good condition and very clean. We fixed up a bed for him, set up the feeding and elimination stations, and went to bed.

Next day, we worked in the garage all day, while the big guy slept or supervised. We found him to be an intact male, no sign he's ever worn a collar, and he has a strong need to be in the general vicinity of humans. For an intact male, he's remarkably mellow - I don't think he was the alpha cat in his previous home.

Have had zero responses to the "found cat" notices around the area and online, so we'll be working with the local rescues to get him neutered and all his shots, then find him a home. We can't keep him because he's just too big for our two cats to share our small house. Alex would have another emotional meltdown, and I don't want to go through that mess again (long, ugly story).

For now, we're calling him Spot, not that he answers to it (does answer to "Kitty, Kitty"). No idea how he travels; we'll find out when we take him to the vet on Tuesday.

If anyone knows of someone who would like a large (about 15-18 pounds) cat who needs to be with people, please let me know. No cat novices, please; this cat needs someone who knows exactly how to handle an adult cat of this size, especially when he's feeling frisky.





We're at Canyon Lake, TX, so if there are any Winter Texans nearby who would like to meet him and maybe give him a home, that would be great.

[Wanderlost]

We have three yearling fawns in the meadow today, and there are a lot of signs that we're about to become the fawn nursery again. Mama Doe is allowing other pregnant does to come into "her" meadow, so I'll not be surprised to see more than just Mama Doe's newborn this year.

Moved the mineral block from the meadow to right beside the water trough. If deer are going to live in our meadow, I'd prefer they be healthy ones.

Spot's getting awfully rough with Alex, so I'm having to intervene a lot. Spot just doesn't seem to understand gentle, possibly because of his previous people being rough with him, and also because he was an unaltered tom for nearly two years. Latest was Spot jumping Alex in the litter box, requiring me to clean up cat pee all over the floor. I put the cover back on Alex' box, so he can at least pee in peace.

Then I put Spot outside, where he dashed off after a bird. A little while later, he wanted back inside (pretty windy today), and a few minutes later came over to suck up. Making him go outside, rather than him choosing to do it, seems to worry him, so I may use it as a disciplinary method to keep him off Alex. Between that and a spray bottle, he might eventually learn to not get so rough with either Alex or us. But it will be a long process. Good thing we have tile floors....

We need a less breezy day. Time to spray all around the house, to keep the scorpions and assorted other creepy crawlies from joining us inside. Until then, I'll keep my "flip flop of doom" handy.

A neighbor just killed a scorpion in her house, and another killed a rattlesnake on her porch. Interesting--we haven't seen a single snake since we moved here, and now she had one on her porch.

Only 13.5 more days before I can get back into the swimming pool. I'd be there now, except the doctor said not for the whole six weeks. I soooo want to swim.

Time to finish working. I'm editing a play and really need to finish it.

Later, y'all.

[dogcomestoo]

So sorry to hear about your health scares. I'm so glad to hear that the heart and the eye weren't serious issues.

Thanks for the updates on Alex, Spot, and your neighborhood birds, flowers, and critters.

[Wanderlost]

Sigh. I hope third time is charm. Had a scare with my left eye, where I was getting lightning flashes in the perifery, with some floaters in both eyes. So off I go to the eye doctor. Luckily, it was just normal aging. But after reading about Richard's (Dixieflyer) detached retina, I was not about to take any chances. I'd like to be done with doctors for a while...

The cats stayed inside most of today, going out only after we got home late in the afternoon. A cold front arrived, so they were not out for long. They are now sleeping in my lap or next to me.

Mama Doe came to the house for some grapes a bit past prime human dining. Another pregnant doe was with her, and managed to snag a few grapes from Mama Doe. Mama Doe doesn't look very pregnant, but the last two years, she's dropped her fawn(s) in early June and late May, so there's plenty of time for her to get much bigger. Still, I'm betting it's another single fawn, since we're not even close to being out of this drought.

We have a new critter. Seems the Rio Grande chirping frog is expanding its range and we have some. The sound is like a small bird, or like tennis shoes on a wood floor. Initially, we couldn't imagine why a bird would be chirping at night, and we were surprised to find out it's a frog. Unfortunately, I identified it because one of us squashed one just inside the garage door, and I found it this evening. Well, where there's one, there are more. They don't need water to reproduce.

Time to give the boys their nighttime treats. Later, y'all.

[Wanderlost]

More wildflowers blooming. It's not going to be the massive spread of 2010, but quite respectable.

Saw another hummingbird a few minutes ago. This one has a very, very long bill and is really tiny, so I know it's not the one I saw last week.

Not much deer sign today. They might be taking cover, as we're due for some big thunderstorms shortly, running into tomorrow. We even have a flash flood watch, not that it bothers us, but it does affect the roads we might travel.

Alex and Spot are still a big jumpy, since yesterday was Advantage Multi day. For a few days after, they get nervous if one of us picks up a cat, then the other approaches. Spot did morning patrol and is asleep on his tree. Alex is trying to get me to give him more treats and is being a bit of a pest, but if WLToo approaches when Alex is patting me on the face, Alex boogies.

Wind just came up. Time to finish securing the outdoor stuff. Later, y'all.

[Wanderlost]

Our neighbor, who ripped out junipers with a bobcat yesterday, burned the pile today, starting at 0800. It was still glowing and blowing off cinders until about 2100. Luckily, the wind is from the south, so we weren't in danger.

Since the weather has warmed, Spot is making two or three patrols per day. All must be ok, since his returns are generally leisurely strolls into the house. Alex' patrols consist of walking about the driveway and porch, then sleeping on the porch furniture until I bring him inside for the night. Both cats know that if they come inside before a certain time, they get treats, so they're pretty good about showing up well before that time.

WLToo recently helped one of our writers' group members get his book uploaded to Amazon Kindle, and tonight did it again for another member. Our little writers' group is fast becoming a group of published authors, all of quite different genres. Amazing what the internet has done to fulfill people's dreams.

Spot's still on patrol this evening, walking from room to room. He's making sure those nasty flying bugs get a good paw smack, and chittering at the barn swallows trying to sleep on the north porch wind chimes and in the nests. Poor guy's going to exhaust himself. 🙂

Mama Doe came up the slope as soon as she saw me this evening, but only ate part of the carrot. One of the green plants in our yard tasted much better. Hope she didn't destroy it, if it was one of our wildflowers. The two little yellow ones that I can't identify yet are blooming, a blue lantana is out there, and the Mexican hat is growing like mad. No bluebonnets in our neighborhood, since the deer just love to eat them, but all around us are fields of them.

Well, two cats are demanding my attention. Later, y'all.

[Wanderlost]

Woke up to a cacophony of barn swallow chitchat. Man, can those little things talk. Spot was laying next to me, while Alex was on the north porch, looking in the door and calling.

All morning a bobcat has been in use just across our north fence, some mockingbirds got into a tiff, and Spot spent some time laying on my chest and chittering at a barn swallow tail he could see. The barn swallow was sitting on one of our wind chimes.

Then the wind suddenly became very strong, ripping the pool thermometer string away. WLToo retrieved it and put on a new string, while big raindrops fell for a few minutes -- not enough to register, but nice anyway.

It's been right noisy today. I'm exhausted already -- not used to so much noise. Think Alex and I will go lay down now.

Later, y'all.

[Wanderlost]

Thanks, Gary. Doing fine now, and like WLToo, I'll keep up with the meds by alarms on both computer and cell phone.

Today was go to town day. Stopped into Petsmart to get more cat food, and I saw a big cardboard scratcher that looked like something Spot could use. Alex' scratcher is too small for him. Brought it home and the very first thing Spot did was to claw it, sniff the catnip, then pee a little on it. Then he sniffed a little more and laid down on it. Talk about claiming something as his own...

Not that it stopped Alex. Just as soon as Spot got off it and wandered away, Mr. Passive Aggressive promptly went over and thoroughly sharpened his claws on it.

Just at dark, I gathered Alex from off the north porch loveseat, then went out the south porch door to see Spot run at something. I couldn't see what it was, but it sure didn't stay around with the big guy coming at it. He was in full watch cat mode, so I got a little scratched getting him back inside for the night.

We haven't seen the deer right around the house in a few days. Just this evening, Mama Doe strolled past the house, with all three fawns pacing her on the other side of the fence. She didn't stop, just walked on by. I don't think she approved of our rosemary plants...

While we were re-potting an aloe plant, the barn swallows sat on the wire above us and complained. Loudly. Tough, they'll just have to get used to us. So glad they're here, though, since we have lotzo bugs already.

Oh, well, break's over. Back to filling out a 133 page survey... Note to self: don't accept any more similar challenges. They don't make the text big enough for older eyes. :R

Later, y'all.

[Dashonthedash]

That must have been quite a scare. Glad to hear it wasn't serious and you're recovering. Be sure to take your meds, listen to the doctors, stay away from the wine and get well soon.

[Wanderlost]

Thanks, dogcomestoo. We do love it here.

Had all my plans totally upset very early Monday morning. We're all four in bed, two humans and two cats (Spot stretched almost the entire length of the foot; Alex was up against my knees). Suddenly, my heart starts pounding as if a full bass and tenor drumline were warming up, and at least two bass drums are trying to pound me in the back. When the snares joined in, I knew it was not good. Woke up WLToo and had him open the gate, while I called our EMT friends at the fire station just a half mile away.

Agreeing that my latest parody of Barry Manilow's "New York City Rhythm" is not the best ("Heartbeat's Out of Rhythm"), the EMTs give me a long ambulance ride to the nearest big city hospital with a cardiologist on duty. A little medication, many tests, and far too many blood draws later, I'm home today. My arms are so punctured that if one more blood draw had been necessary, I've no idea where they'd have found a vein.

Various parts of me look like "Attack of the Killer Octopus", and I'm still peeling adhesive off, even after a long scrubby shower. Those glue happy people even stuck the wrist band to me with museum putty!

Atrial fibrillation diagnosis, no trigger seen from all those tests. Got some pills for it, meet up with cardiologist again in a couple weeks. Not really serious, most likely triggered by the wine we drank Sunday evening. Take Maltaq and aspirin, add a vitamin, and eat low carb diet. OK, no sweat.

I expect a slimmer me by autumn...

Spot's already slimmed to his spring/summer/fall weight. Alex doesn't do the weight gain/loss game (I'm envious).

Flying insects are numerous now. Several like to dive bomb my armpit as I sit here and type -- moths and mosquito hawks mostly. Spot's on the hunt, though, and this deadly bugkiller intends to get his bugs, even if he has to knock over the light (I've caught it each time so far).

Wow, time flies when one is catching up on things. Time to take my meds already. Later, y'all.

[dogcomestoo]

It's great to hear that you're finally feeling better. Spot and Alex sound adorable, separately and together. I love reading about the natural beauty and critters you have surrounded yourself with.

[Wanderlost]

I wore out very early last night and went to bed a couple hours early. Just as I was drifting off, Spot lay down with his head and front paws on my chest, the rest of him curled in the crook of my arm. I woke up with Alex there and Spot on his tree. Switching kitties...

Feeling much better today. We've spent most of it watching the rain and reveling in the thought that we might have a decent crop of wildflowers this year. Around the area, the bluebonnets are already blooming, our agaritas are about to burst into yellow blossoms, and one hummingbird is already nagging us about the state of the feeder--seems no matter how much we put in it, he/she thinks it needs more and stares in the window to get our attention.

We're part of the Texas hummingbird survey, so I've been trying to get a decent photo of this lone hummingbird, but nooooo, he/she is much too fast. Might need a better camera with a more substantive zoom lens.

Mama Doe and Spook just turned up at the south porch, so I tossed out a few banana peels. Spook got the big peel right out from under Mama's nose. They both like the sweets.

Spot has begun chatting to Alex, mostly greetings and "play with me" sounds. Alex isn't responding well, though, being Mr. Crankypants in his old age. He's been jumping up on stuff as a safe place, but yesterday Spot would chase him, then run past and jump up on what Alex was aiming for. It was funny to watch.

Kitty dinner time. Later, y'all.

[Wanderlost]

Last night I was alternately shivering, then sweating, and could not find a comfortable position. Decided I'd rather sweat than shiver and added a fleece blanket to my side. Shortly after that, I warmed up with Alex up against my back and Spot between my legs. Finally got some sleep. When I woke up, Spot was laying partly on my chest and partly by my side. What a sweet big guy. As long as I don't feel good, he's right there.

It's a cold, rainy day. We're happy to have the rain (ok, my sinuses are definitely not), but didn't like having to turn the heater back on.

No deer or bird sign: they're all hunkered down somewhere.

Time for a good fire, probably the last one for the season.

[Wanderlost]

Today was my first day without pain meds since the surgery. I slept a lot. The weather might have helped, too, being cloudy and humid. But Spot, Alex and I spent a good few hours sitting on the north porch, them sleeping and me reading, until a cold front arrived rather suddenly.

We had to turn the heater back on, and it's gonna be quite nippy the next couple of days. I expect both cats will argue over who sits in my lap.

The deer are still running about all nervous about something, but we honestly haven't seen or heard anything out of the ordinary. Guess it will remain a mystery to the humans.

Woke up to barn swallow conversation, and it should become quite lively in a few more days. I did miss them, even if they do make a mess on the porch -- well, that's what water hoses and pressure washers are for.

It's late, I'm still groggy, so time to turn in. Later, y'all.

[Wanderlost]

Been a bit misty today, with a thunderstorm forecast for later. I guess that could be why both cats have been spooked over pretty much everything all day. Right after noon, Spot joined me in the recliner and was stretched out all over me. The UPS truck drove up, he went on alert, and has been going from window to window, outside and back inside, on patrol ever since. He's either going to sleep really well tonight, or we're gonna have a big storm.

Saw two hummingbirds at the feeder so far. Must be the advance party, making sure we do have the feeder up.

Bought some creeping rosemary, the kind that drapes itself down rocks. We'll plant it among the rocks on one of our slopes, where it will do very nicely, and I'll have fresh rosemary for cooking year round. The deer are none too fond of it, so the plants should survive.

WLToo signed up for a local fitness center today; I'll get added when I get medical clearance to lift weights again. It will be a good reason to go into the village and interact with people, not to mention strengthen our bones and muscles. We might even start looking less like the Pillsbury doughboy by this fall.

We got a drum stool (used by trap drummers), so looking through the telescope won't involve stooping over so much. When it's not used for that, it will be a good stool for playing my hammered dulcimer.

Just heard a thud -- seems a starling smacked into the window. Gotta close the door so it can recover without becoming cat food. Later, y'all.

[Wanderlost]

Another glorious day in paradise. We have a barn swallow cleaning out one of the nests. Woo Hoo!!

Ruby throated hummingbirds were spotted on the coast on Sunday, so we have the feeder out now.

Definitely spring -- the neighbor just downhill is mowing like mad. Guess they don't like having wildflowers blooming in their acreage. We won't be mowing for a long, long time -- not until the wildflowers have dropped their seeds.

I slept in bed last night, at last. Spot laid between my feet for a short while, then moved back to his tree. He only hangs about that closely when I'm feeling bad, and now that I'm better, he's not quite so affectionate. Still a sweet guy.

Must haul the kitchen scraps out to the "compost" pile--not that a single scrap has ever been there long enough to compost.... Later, y'all.