Awful Artie

I just had this horrible, awful thing happen.

When did my dear, sweet Artie Bloo turn into an utter arse-hole?  I've always been able to take this dog anywhere; dog parks, hikes, over-nights with other dogs.

I am beyond upset.  I'm still shaking.

I f----g hate squirrels, I f---g hate cats who think my backyard is their highway.  I don't think training can help this situation.

Damn-damn-damn that stupid den door for not closing.  (The dogs are in the den; that's their hang-out place.)

Artie marched through the kitchen and right into the basement to help himself to the damn cat food.  Jimmy the cat (we're babysitting him) came from the second floor down to the first out of curiosity.  He was just curious, "What going on?" I was calling Artie to come upstairs from the basement and they spotted each other.   Artie whipped around and went from him.  Jimmy is pretty fast but Artie was really going for him.  This was not playing or chasing; this was I'm going to kill you.  I managed to chase him downstairs to the basement as he was going after the cat.

I am ashamed to say it but I had to wack him with my leather folder (which for some odd reason I had in my hand) to get him off the cat.  It was f-----g awful

 The cat is OK, I checked him.  But if anything had happened to him, I would have been devastated.  I also probably would have put Artie down. I just can't have a cat killer.  It's unacceptable.  I have 2 old cats.

Luckily (Thank God) nobody or any animal was hurt, but I am just absolutely shattered. .I've been trying so hard with him and it all just blew up.   He's been kind of grumpy with other dogs lately.  That stupid year of cancer and recovery has really taken its toll.

It's kind of my fault for not working harder when he and Elke were younger to integrate them with the cats.  He's 4 now so I imagine this isn't fixable.

There aren't a lot of people I can tell this to.  My all-positive trainer friends would be livid if they knew I damned near wacked Artie into next year.

I just hope the cat isn't traumatized. In his new there are dogs.  I have these horrible visions of Jimmy being super afraid of dogs now and him coming back to us for fostering.

(Insert a big string of swear words here.)   I think I need a drink and a cigarette.  This is NOT a good day to quit.  I have to calm down. I have rehearsal tonight.

Feline Sleep Aid

Nap attack with former foster Jimmy who is staying with us until Friday or Saturday.....

I feel another one coming on.....

Cats: the new/old sleep aid!

And when/where did I start looking so fkg old/fat/unattractive?  Man, does that suck.  I wish I could afford a face lift.  Self-doubt is really creeping in.  Of course, to be fair, it's a dreadful angle!  Jimmy looks good!

Rufus & Ellie: Two Crankies

The other morning, I woke up and Rufus and Ellie were laying at the end of our bed, spines touching.  I tried to get a picture of this but of course they moved.  (Naturally). When I told a friend about this, she asked, "How old is Rufus now?"

"Oh, lord," I said, "He's got to be at LEAST 10.  I think he's more like 12."  (Ellie is probably 9 or 10 herself).

"Well, they've established a relationship," my friend said.

"Yeah, it's a weird one.  Half the time, she lays, sprawled out in the sunny window and he's huddled on the stair below.  You can almost hear him thinking 'Gee, I'd like to sit in the sunny window too but she's taking up all the room.'"

My friend laughed and said, "Poor Rufus!  They remind of me two cranky folks in the senior home.  They might screw now and then and they'll eat dinner side by side but the rest of the time, they ignore each other!"

Yep, that's Rufus and Ellie all right!

Our First Cat Show

We went to our first cat show today. Very interesting! If dogs were left in cages be handled by the judge, oh, my what a crazy thing THAT would be! The owners put the cats in these judging cages and go away, although they watch, of course. The judge then takes the cat out. So your cat has to be OK with being handled by a stranger.
Saw lots of interesting cats and I was very impressed with how gentle the judges were. Trust me, they REALLY handle those cats! They pick them up, stretch them out, look at their faces, wave wand toys at them.
I also liked that lot of the judges explained what they were looking at and what they liked about that particular cat TO the audience. One judge even answered questions from the audience about what makes a good Persian. All I knew about Persians you could fit into a thimble. Now I know more!
A purebred (with papers) altered cat can go for its championship AND they have a household cat (i.e. mutt cat) division as well!
Talked to a lady who shows Tonkinese and she was very informative!
Hey, AKC and UKC, wouldn't that be cool, having people show mixed breeds or altered for their conformation championship.....? it would put put some extra coin in your pockets too!??
I saw a panda-marked persian named Jack and this spectacular silver tabby Domestic Short-hair. I got to pet a Sphinx (hairless) cat which is a trip. You think they'd be sooooooooo ugly (by their photos) but they're not. They are so soft and WARM!
The cat owners were almost always very nice and informative. There were even folks around with Ask Me buttons on!
Very interesting experience and one I'd highly recommend if you love cats.

Altered Persian bi-colored male, 7 months old named Jack. His owner just loves him! I think he has his championship already. I wish I would have gotten a really good picture of his panda face! 

Stunning silver tabby male American Shorthair. He has ALL the classic tabby markings. I didn't know there were so many....targets, bracelets, anklets, necklaces.... If you look on his forehead his markings look like an Egyptian Scarab beetle, which apparently is a really prized marking. He was a lovely cat, very sweet and totally laid back. "Yeah, I'm gorgeous. Whatever..."

Ahhhh!

Can you sat Totally Relaxed? Nobody seems to do it quite like a cat.

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A Thought

Sometimes you see stuff on Facebook and think, "I'd like to keep that and share it!"

‎"Cruelty to animals is as if man did not love God...there is something so dreadful, so satanic, in tormenting those who have never harmed us, and who cannot defend themselves, who are utterly in our power."
Cardinal John Henry Newman

A Day of Volunteering

I think I may have seen it all at my "job" yesterday. I haven't been able to go for a about a month and a half, life impeding as it sometimes does. My "job" is as a a volunteer for the Humane Society of Greater Akron. (don't ask me why the darn links aren't working.....)
http://www.summithumane.org

I hope you'll visit the links! Sorry they're not clickable!

I watch the staff bust their butts every day. I have so much admiration for them, I can't begin to tell you. They are almost always willing to talk to you and and answer questions you might have. It's an incredibly hard job. Very physically demanding. And I can't imagine the mental strain as well. I don't think they get nearly the credit or kudos they deserve.

I think every person, especially the self-entitled ones, should work (or volunteer) at a shelter AND in food service. Both are hard and humbling and I think, make you a better human being.

I gave two tours, which I really enjoy doing. I petted some cats, helped another really brave volunteer brush out mats in in a long haired cat and talked with some of the really Big Kahuna Cat volunteer-trainers. I don't usually mess with the kittens, they're adorable and all; but everyone seems to mess with kittens.

I sat in the door of the cage of a lovely Pittie girl named Tassie. She was favouring a back leg and so, of course, I didn't walk her. She has the cutest face and she's very eager and curious. So we hung for a few minutes. Just giving and getting some love!
http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/14793390

One the hardest moments was seeing one of the staff guys washing a black Lab-mix dog they had just gotten in. Poor old lady, she had sores on her legs, was missing hair and getting a bath. I helped dry her off. It bends my biscuit that someone just "neglected" to feed her. Yeah, whatever. There was a sadness in her eyes, a resignation, confusion too.

On my next visit to "work," one of my self-appointed "jobs" was to give some lap time to a white cat, Kiska. She just loves to be held and petted. She's no crazy kitten, just a lover.
http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/15349378

I hung out with a special peanut of a dog, Bitsy. She is so active, but when she finally decided to give me a lap snuggle....aaaah! She's a really cool little dog! I grew up with Yorkies, so that energy is familiar to me.
http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/17590443

I also hung out and gave belly rubs to Miss Nessie. She looks like a Vizsla with big bones! There's even a video of her at this link!!
http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/16279163

I think the biggest lessons I've learned while volunteering at the HSGA is "all that I know about dogs is that I know nothing at all!" And how much love those dogs can give: it's amazing. I had never been around any "bully" breeds before, not really. (Closest were Rottweilers.) They are really strong pullers when I walk them --- but they are also face lickers, lap sitters and big lovers. I was not breed-prejudiced before, just had had no experience with them. Some serious love there!

I'm looking forward to helping with the National Pitbull Awareness Day coming up at the HSGA on Oct. 23rd. People need to know --- it's not the BREED. It's idiot people. Like the ones who abused the black Lab mix.

I guess stupid and cruel knows no breed. What gets me is ignorance about a breed. Get ed-u-ma-cated, people!