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Cats

Wednesday Feb 7, 2018

Betty and I thought it would be fun to have an animal. A big dog, like maybe a golden retriever, we greatly enjoyed one, takes some effort -     - exercize     - the biologicals We thought maybe a kitty cat would be about     our size and energy level. After visiting the shelters in Fremont and Hayward     we were advised it was a little too early     in the season for young cats and kitties. Casting about for "private" adoption agencies, we came across "Dusty Paws", with an office in Castro Valley. http://www.dustypawsrescue.org/adoptable-pets/home-ready-cats that had a cute young cat called Figaro We filled in the adoption form and were contacted in a few hours by     Kathy Clayworth     Dusty Paws Rescue volunteer foster     510-402-8490     kball2@earthlink.net She said that she would be in Union City the next day (Thurs Feb 10, 2018)    and she could bring Figaro and littermate Hunter.    That sounded great, the two could play together.

Thursday Feb 8, 2018

Thursday 11 AM arrived, and so did Kathy, bearing cats, litter, litter box, wet food, dry food, toys, and forms. We were advised that there was a trial period of 8 to 10 days to see if we (Betty, Ed, house, cats) were a good match. Kathy took out the reluctant kitties from her carrier,     and they promptly hid under a couch. Kathy advised us that they might stay hidden for up to 2 days.

Saturday Feb 10, 2018

And they did stay hidden for two days.    Nor did they touch the canned food nor kitty litter. Saturday noon came, and Betty reported that there was urine in a throw rug in the kitchen. She wanted to move them from under the couch to her office. About then, we got the following message from Kathy "They spent the first 3 to 4 weeks with me hiding under a short set of stairs between my 2 cat rooms. I eventually put pillows and blankets under the stairs so it made it more difficult for them to hide there. I am surprised they didn't come out to eat their wet food as they love that. But, when they are real hungry, they will eat." Betty laid plastic over the carpet in her office, over which she laid the large kitchen rug. Also the food, water, litter box, and bed box were moved into her office. Time to move the reluctant cats. We finally had to turn over the couch and overstuffed chairs in the living room. Hunter dashed into the open door to Betty's prepared office, and Figaro dashed into the kitchen, up the cloth curtains, and into the little space above the kitchen cabinets. This is little improvement, so Betty got a fish net and step ladder and approached Figaro. The next thing I saw was Figaro "flying" through the air, in a long arc - then hiding under the overturned couch. She highly resisted going into the open door to Betty's office. So we returned the living room to "normal" except that Figaro was hiding under something. So we set up another litter box, water dish, food dish, and let Figaro win win as Ninja kitty. I am beginning to think we are on mission impossible with those two cats.

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Thoughts: - mission impossible ??
Maybe a small dog - some mellow breed ?
The first dog Ed had as a kid was some version of Sheltie -
but that is an energetic dog that also needs mental challanges

Then sister Reta received a Cocker Spaniel "Snooks"-
but brother Ed called the dog "Puddles" for a characteristic when she got excited :-(

Feb 26, 2018 - a 16 day pause in this report -

There has been slow progress - About 4 days after the last report we saw Figaro watching us from behind an inversion table and plants in the living room - about 5 feet from where we think she and Hunter hide - in/under a reclining chair - Cats are eating and using the kitty litter box properly. About 4 days later, Figaro watch us from the hallway, maybe 10 feet away. Now we see Figaro almost daily - from a "safe" distance. We hope Hunter is still alive, no bad smells is a hopeful sign. Another 4 days, Betty reports playing with Figaro with a toy Kathy left for us. Hey, a little later, Figaro comes by and I get to play with her. These toys are attached to string attached to a little pole about 3 feet long.

Feb 26, 2018 - Just after midnight

Yesterday Betty reported seeing Hunter - Just after midnight, in my "office", Figaro was playing with toys and wrestling with a throw-rug "as usual", and there was Hunter, in the background - in the hallway -

Aug 3, 2018 - Dear Diary

Much progress. Figaro and Hunter recognize that we are not active threats. We can't really pet Hunter, but he hangs around and now sniffs us without recoiling with fear. The litter box has been replaced with a thing that can "rock" 90 degrees to help sift big clumps, and we have settled on a more expensive kitty litter.
We have settled into this (more expensive, $0.75/pound) kitty litter.
And we have placed this cat jungle in a handy place. Note the added scratch pads and the scratch damage to one of the posts
And added several scratch pads in the hall. Note the debris around the bottom. This seven days after vacuuming up the previous mound.

And are thinking about installing this (home built) cat door into a window opening.

Sept, 2018 - Dear Diary

We put in a cat door. I regard the things as a bit of a security risk, so won't discuss it more. But, it is great - the cats now use the great outdoors, don't use the litter box any more :-)) The smell in the room is now completely gone :-)) No more toting heavy balls of poop and pee to the garbage :-)) Life is much better - The cats have an odd characteristic - It seems to me that when they want to eat, they come to me and "talk" and rub - I "talk" back to them, and go to the food dishes, the cat(s) go along and start to eat. I haven't figured a) are they offering to share ?? b) asking permission ?? c) asking for a blessing on the food ?? They only have teaspoon sized brains, but too complicated for me :-(

Oct 31, 2019

Life with cats is pleasant, but cats are not dogs, they don't seem to sense (or be as sensitive to) human emotions. Sometimes the wife wishes for a Golden Retriever such as "Lucky", our departed super dog. The stripped kitty's name is "Hunter", now called "Careful Kitty" by me (Ed) The black and white kitty is "Figaro", now called "Ninja Kitty" by me. She still leaps (flies?) into/onto "impossible" places. We have a great mystery - Where do the kitties pee and poo? We have absolutely no idea where they do these "must do" activities.