Saturday, January 04, 2020

Hiatus 18


My sister was caring for five strays from two different litters at a former milk barn near her hobby farm. She nursed a runt back to life and sent cat videos to me and my adult daughter. We cat-proofed the live-in basement (you know, pack away delicate objects, poisonous-to-cat plants) 

I drove the 1-1/2 hours with my daughter (who uses wrist bands for motion sickness) along the winding river road and over the bluffs to the next valley. We chose the runt Miss Fluffypants and the distractable Mr. Tuxedo.
Miss Fluffypants

On the drive home, Mr. Tuxedo tried to escape his crate. My daughter threw a blanket over it to calm him. Miss Fluffypants, though quite vocal, did fine until we got on the winding river road. She threw up and she pooped. We opened our windows (mind you it's cold in Minnesota) and my daughter was nauseous. I pulled into the next scenic overlook alongside the highway. Fortunately, I had wet wipes and a clean towel. Miss Fluffypants insisted on getting out so I could thoroughly clean her crate. Fortunately, my daughter and I had worn old winter coats.


Rex (nee Mr. Tuxedo)

Mr. Tuxedo is now Rex, who dawdles over his food, is restless and easily distracted. He loves playing soccer with the bouncy ball, jumping high to chase it. Miss Fluffypants became Leonie. Until we noticed her huge paws. Her genitals looked like Rex's too. At the vets, we named her Leo. Leo gulps his wet food then rushes for Rex's dish, so I now stand guard. Leo also rumbles up the steps when we open the door because that's where the delicious wet food comes from. Otherwise, anything Rex does, Leo has to do. 
Rex and Leo!

Rex is 7 months and Leo 5 months. Once they're done with meds, the Christmas decor put away, and the upstairs poisonous-to-cats plants hidden, they'll be allowed the adventures of the rest of the house! 

--Lisa Bodenheim

7 comments:

nightsmusic said...

They're beautiful! And what a story. I'm so glad you rescued them though. Life will never be the same... ;)

On a side note, Loaner cat occasionally gets sick in her crate if I'm taking her to the vet or somewhere else. I can completely relate to the zero temps with the windows down experience. It's amazing how such a tiny thing can reek so badly! Michigan here...

Kitty said...

On the drive home, Mr. Tuxedo tried to escape his crate.

When my step-daughter was a teenager, she had an iguana which was at least 3' long and traveled in a very large wire crate. We picked up Step-D and the iguana for a week's visit with us. The crate was so large that we couldn't completely close the tailgate window on our Plymouth tank. None of us thought anything about it until people began blowing their horns at us as we were driving through Binghamton, NY ... during rush hour, no less. I looked back and saw the iguana clinging to his crate by his front claws while his body was flapping in the breeze OUTSIDE the back of the car! We had to pull over so Step-D could rescue him.

Btw, the author David Rosenfelt has written a "moving and funny account [and true] of a cross-country move from California to Maine, and the beginnings of a dog rescue foundation" in Dogtripping. I gave the book to my daughter-in-law, and she absolutely loved it. Just sayin'...

Lennon Faris said...

Oh, hello, Rex and Leo!! What handsome fellas you are! So glad you found a good home.

Linda Shantz said...

Awwww....my old barn cat was a ginger. Miss her so much! And I have a horse named Leo. He didn't have that kind of coat to hide his true self as a baby, however! Horses are easy that way, haha.

Beth Carpenter said...

What handsome guys, even if they don't travel well. Enjoy the adventures yet to come.

Claire Bobrow said...

Cute kitties you have there, Lisa. I love the ginger coloring and the fact Leo started life as Miss Fluffypants :-)

LynnRodz said...

What an adventure! I'm sure Rex and Leo are happy to have found a loving home. (I really liked their other names too, it suited them quite well...well maybe not Leo's.)