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]

Drywallers are finishing today.  Painting should begin tomorrow (fingers crossed), then the floor installation.  Spousal Unit wants to go to the hardware store and buy a mini-split, then only pay for its installation.  Thinks he'll save money that way.  Maybe...

Meanwhile, the humidity is most definitely making itself felt.  We are not at all accustomed to this level of humid.  Good thing the highs are only in the low 80s, with a pleasant breeze; makes it tolerable until one gets back into the air conditioning.

Two adult foxes trotted across the deck and down the stairs day before yesterday.  They totally ignored Czarny, who was plastered up against the door in full fluff.  I let him in, went out to see where they'd gone, and they were in our garden, just checking it out.  We've not planted anything in a couple years, so they continued to wherever the den is.  At least we know the coyotes haven't killed our foxes.

Mom turns 99 today.  We're taking her out for BBQ this evening.  She's still all there mentally, just moves a lot slower these days.  Still, she gets around faster than Spousal Unit...

Sister retired a week ago.  She can finally help take Mom to various medical appointments, which gives me a break from so much driving.

Other than that, not much happening, thank goodness.  Y'all take care.

[Wanderlost]

Building is almost done.  Drywall, bathroom flooring and painting starting Monday, then the plumber and electrician will come back to finish installations.  Spousal Unit still hasn't looked for a mini-split installer, so he won't really be able to use the building much, given how hot it gets here, until that's done.  If he'll get moving on that part next week as well, he could have his model railroads running by mid-May (and be out of my way).

We hosted about a dozen folks here for the eclipse.  Even though we were until the totality path, we didn't get to see it.  The clouds kept moving in and out.  My cousin started playing a song with a chorus of "There it is!"  Each time the clouds parted as the moon moved toward full occlusion, we all yelled "There it is!" It got eerily dark, which was very cool (literally), but no corona was to be seen.  Oh, well, we had a great time anyway.

Czarny didn't, though.  He's decided lately that more than three people in his house are way too many.  Came running up as it got dark, but would not go inside until I walked him around the house away from all the people out on the deck.  Then he wanted his dinner, because it's dark and that's dinnertime.  He got three gooshy meals that day.

Now that the barn swallows have taken up residence on the north porch, Czarny's having bad memories of birds swooping him, so as he walks across the porch and deck, he's on the lookout for those swoopy birds.  He ay be spending more time on the south side of the house...

Actually, we're being very careful about letting him outside.  A coyote came right up onto the porch last week.  I believe it was the scout.  When it didn't find anything to eat/attack, it left.  Still, we're on the watch for more, as the developments around here are driving them out of their old territory and they're looking for a new one.

A swimming pool ladder got installed yesterday.  When the pool warms up enough for him, Spousal Unit will be able to much more easily get out of the pool.  He doesn't do so well on the big extant steps.  He's doing much better overall, but the damage to his spine still causes enough pain that he's very limited in what he can do anymore.  Next treatment will be cortizone shots.

Time to head for the pool supply.  Need more salt.  Later, y'all.

[Wanderlost]

Plumber is putting in the piping right now.  He'll be followed by the foam insulators, then the drywall.  We have the sheet linoleum for the water closet floor, and the rubber gym floor matting for the main room, but still need some Tyvex or equivalent to put down before putting in the floors.  Drywall can go up anytime after insulation.  This is going so smoothly that I'm getting paranoid...

Czarny has been under the new shed, and has looked up the steps, but will not go inside yet.  Perhaps after it's finished, maybe after the porch and ramp are built.  Meanwhile, he's staying very close to the house.  We heard the coyotes howling again two nights ago.  They set off the dogs at the local animal shelter, so it was pretty noisy for a while.

Beautiful, sunny day -- first in a while.  We've had lots of cloudy days with no rain, until we got .27" early this morning.  Still not going to break the drought, but it's lovely and green, and the bluebonnets are prolific.  Other wildflowers are just now blooming -- so beautiful when they're all in bloom.

Well, there's a cat sitting on my chair arm.  He clearly wants to go back outside.  Later, y'all.

[joebedford]

Over the years we’ve come across several strays but our 3 (now 2) cats won’t tolerate another cat. We fostered a pregnant female last year and our boys (neutered) never saw her but they knew she was in the house. They fought each other - eventually we had to isolate them. They didn’t calm down for a month after she left.

[Wanderlost]

Electricity is wired in, waiting on the plumber to give us an estimate after he looks at the sink and toilet we bought.  All this movement has Spousal Unit starting to work in the garage, as best he can, gettting stuff ready to transfer over to his "train tunnel."  I can now walk safely through the garage without being grabbed by something sharp he left by the pathway...

He's on a new medication to relax his back muscles.  Just started and it seems to be improving.  Good.  Between that and his physical therapy, he might be improving.

Czarny's outside most of the day now.  He likes to sleep on a north porch chair.  I wonder how he'll react to the eclipse gathering in April.  We'll have about 14 people here, assuming they can get through the traffic nightmare.  We'll have done all our shopping the week before, and won't leave home from Friday through Tuesday.

Time to go outside and finish clearing out the pool skimmers.  Later, y'all.

[Wanderlost]

Annnd we're back to shorts and sandals.  Today was the monthly gathering of the Old Coots Giving Advice at the farmer's market.  Lots of college students visiting, and they actually asked advice.  We were happy to help.  Also picked up some more fruits and vegetables to freeze dry.

Czarny has noticed the new building, but so far he's afraid to go inside.  It was the source of a lot of noise last week.  He'll get around to it eventually.

The building is right beside one of the deer's daily trails, and now that the noise is gone, they're carefully exploring around it.  I don't know if the raccoons and foxes have checked out the underside yet, but it's sitting on gravel over asphalt, so it's not den appropriate (thank goodness -- I also saw a skunk strolling up the driveway one evening).

Took delivery of the floor materials, then bought the light switches, electrical outlets, and lights.  We have a new in the box ceiling fan we've been carrying around with us for about a lustrum, so it's leaving the garage shelf to be installed in there.  I'm poking around all of the electrical and plumbing boxes, looking for stuff appropriate to use out there, thereby saving a bit of money and making a little more room in the garage.  Next up:  getting a plumber to plumb the water closet, then an electrician to wire the place, followed by spray foam insulation, then dry wall and paint.  I'm really hoping it will all be done by autumn, but that depends on trades availability and dependability, as Spousal Unit really can't do the work anymore.

[Wanderlost]

We went from the 80s and wearing shorts to a high of 44 today, with wind.  At least this cold snap is gone tomorrow, and we're above normal temps again.  Czarny's not happy about the cold air blowing in his ears, so he's curled up on the mat I crocheted for him and stuck on top of his chair side tower.

Meanwhile, Spousal Unit's long desired N-scale model railroad building went up.  The shell was finished yesterday, and he immediately attached his sign:

22 Twain House

Still a lot of finish work to do, but I'm already anticipating walking around in the garage without something trying to grab me.

When spring shows up again tomorrow (the bluebonnets are already in full bloom here), I'll be back to readying the pool for use.  We got a solar-powered surface skimmer that's keeping the live oak leaves from sinking to the bottom, which will go a long way toward cutting down on my pool maintenance chores.

Ah, well, break's over.  Gotta finish my short story so I can then edit all the other short stories, then publish an anthology for my writers' group.  Later, y'all.

[Wanderlost]

Czarny's better; he loves the prescription dry food; we're still figuring out which of the wet foods he likes.  Likely won't know for sure until he no longer tastes the medicine injected into the gooshy food once a day.

He's not spending much time outside these days.  Spousal Unit's 47th wedding anniversary present (mine, too, will explain later) is under construction by the copse of trees at the end of our driveway.  Czarny dashed out the south door, saw a strange pickup, growled, and dashed back inside.  He's majorly put out that a noise-generating stranger has invaded his territory.  I let him out the north door, and he's under the deck now -- likely growling each time the nail gun goes off.

Now, explanation:  Spousal Unit has been filling up the garage with model railroad modules since we moved here.  We finally saved up enough money, and he finally settled on a design, for his model train building/man cave.  Construction started yesterday.  When the shell is up, the real work begins, getting the inside finished out, a porch built in a way that a wheelchair ramp can be added in future, a water closet installed, etc.  It's sited next to one of our 30/50 amp RV hookups, so electric, water, and a sewer link is right there.

My part of the present is all his model railroad stuff will go into that building.  The amount of room that will be available in the garage and the office/library/craft room will be significant enough that I can get a sewing/yarn storage model into the office, which will get rid of many plastic storage bins, leaving more room to put a reading nook into the room and be able to easily move around in there (it's an obstacle course right now).  We just need to update the wall unit with a half-split and upgrade the lights.

Once he's cleared stuff out of the garage, we might even be able to park the vehicles inside.  What a rush!

All in all, this is a pretty darn good anniversary present to us both.

Gotta go see Millie, Tall and Short Friends' cat.  Tall Friend is in rehab again, and will be going into assisted living after.  Short Friend is visiting friends for a week, and the neighbor supposedly taking care of Millie has no clue how to care for a cat.  I think, at her age, she's also losing it - we've known Neighbor a long time, and she didn't recognize us the other day.

This aging business really sucks at times...  Later, y'all.

[Wanderlost]

For the past week, Czarny's been fighting a UTI.  We just switched meds, because the first one isn't working.  An ultrasound showed no crystals or tumors; hopefully the new medication will beat it.  Meanwhile, the urinary prescription food is great for one day, then he doesn't like it.  We're getting several flavors, in the hope that, like his normal food, a three choice variety will keep him interested.

Saw a blackheaded vulture stop by the water trough for a big drink.  First time I've seen one at the trough, even though I knew every critter that passes through/over our property makes a water stop.

Performed in a historic theater last Wednesday with the community band; it was a huge success.  Now I'm practicing with another community band, which performs on 25 Feb.  This has been a seriously busy month.  Band rehearsals on Monday and Thursday, chorale rehearsal on Tuesday, work at library on Wednesday -- small wonder Czarny's gotten kinda clingy...

Fingers are complaining, so I'll have to keep this short.  Later, y'all.

[dturm]

I'll trade weather with you!   We didn't get above ZERO yesterday and won't until Wednesday.  Our dogs are mixed in their reaction, the Golden (Winnie) loves it and wants to go out and roll in the snow.  Kaylee does go out but her tiny feet start to hurt within minutes and she's reduced to using an indoor pad if she doesn't take care of business fast enough.

I hope the Texas power infrastructure hold this year so people don't have to go through past events.  While we get temperature spells similar to this, this one is pretty severe.

[Wanderlost]

Cold snap arrived.  Hasn't gotten above freezing today, and won't until Wednesday.  Might have some ice tonight and tomorrow morning.  That will be a real dent in our ability to go anywhere.  Fortunately, no appointments until Thursday.

Czarny is an inside cat for the next few days, much to his disappointment.  We'll have to see how often he requires a human to play with him.

Local natives are in a panic again, but they so rarely encounter harsh weather like this, I can almost understand some of it.  Clearing out the meat section at H.E.B., though, implies they believe a Donner situation is imminent in three whole days of freezing weather.  I grew up in the Panhandle, where it routinely freezes, and we never did that stuff.  We knew it would all be gone in a few days.

Nephew plans to smoke a brisket tomorrow, and if the roads aren't icy and dangerous, will bring some over.  If not, well, we have a couple freezers full of food.

Finally got our freeze dryer going last week.  Dried honey crisp apples, eggs, and hamburger patties.  When this cold snap is over, and folks are no longer sucking up so much power, we'll dry sausage, potatoes, and whatever else seems like a good thing to freeze dry.  I saw freeze dried milk duds for sale at the farmer's market.  Blink...  Don't think we'll do that, but it was kinda interesting.

Well, it's suppertime for cat and humans.  Later, y'all.

[Wanderlost]

Czarny started off the New Year by shrieking in outrage at something outside, most likely one of the neighbor cats passing through our property.  By the time we got outside, Czarny was under the porch glider, muttering imprecations, and there was no sign of whatever infuriated him.  He walked me around the house, then finally came inside, where he's napping on his tower.

Lots of fireworks last night, but no fires around us, fortunately, so I went to bed about 0200, after the noise finally died down.  Today we're just lounging around, watching the deer wander past.

Hope y'all have a wonderful 2024.

[Wanderlost]

Czarny and his hoomens cordially wish y'all a very Merry Christmas.

[dturm]

Sandy has had the ablation procedure on her back 3 times over the last 5 or so years.  They help tremendously, but unfortunately don't last permanently.  The 6-12 months seemed to be the outcome for her.   Good luck to your spousal unit!!

Merry Christmas to all.

[Wanderlost]

We had a short bout of cold air, but are now back to lows in the upper 40s/lower 50s and highs in the 60s.

Spousal Unit felt good enough to try his hand at my battery-powered lawn mower.  He got a good part of the front done.  Said it was kinda like using his walker, but louder...

He'll be having a nerve ablation done first week of January.  It's supposed to stop the back pain for 6-12 months.  As good as his healing is, I expect it will be on the lower side of that timeline, but even that will be an enormous relief.

Czarny has been sticking very close to the house, strolling from one deck chair to another, or laying in the sun on the south porch.  No signs of the coyote pack lately; I hope they've moved on or been taken care of elsewhere.

This has to be a short one.  Have to finish editing late BIL's western, so SU can do any fixes before publishing it for BIL's family.

Y'all have a Merry Christmas.