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:
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...
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'...
Oh, hello, Rex and Leo!! What handsome fellas you are! So glad you found a good home.
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.
What handsome guys, even if they don't travel well. Enjoy the adventures yet to come.
Cute kitties you have there, Lisa. I love the ginger coloring and the fact Leo started life as Miss Fluffypants :-)
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.)
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