Sammie’s Tail Part 25

 

 

This went on for 1 or 2 weeks.  Then I got the trap out with stinky tuna and it only took under an hour to see her in the trap.  I had called the new vet we were taking Bettinna and they said they would take her with a rescue less expensive price.   So we took her in and she was dripping a lot of water from her gland.  I was petting her and comforting her.  The checked her out and said she must be fixed already. How do you like that, someone clipped her ear and she was already trapped, neutered and released (TNR).  I saw the clip but it was so subtle compared to how they clipped Sammie’s ear, that I thought it was maybe cut or something.

I got very upset at the vet, as since she was fixed they charged me a full physical price.  I paid, took the cat and never went back to this vet.

We were more educated now and we set up a place for her in the basement.  I never let Sammie in the basement as I was scared she would hide downstairs and not relate to us as she was a more timid shy cat.  We had a kitty condo to put the new cat Bettinna in so she would not be overwhelmed and we could spend time with her through the cage etc. 

I put on TV and she did not seem to mind it.  Sammie is scared of the TV and will slink by it as if it will do something to her or avoid the living room area all together.  So I got to watch my shows and spend most of my evenings with her socializing her, trying out toys, playing with her etc.   She seemed like such a nice cat. So loving.    The vet said she was full grown and about a year old.   I think she was younger as she did still grow.  She was the same size as Sammie and now she is bigger. 

I kept moving beds and blankets up and down so Sammie would begin to smell her.  Sammie would sniff at the basement door.  I wonder what she thought.  

After 4 days in the basement kitty condo cage at night and with us as much as possible letting her explore the one room basement area.   I know she is a climber as outside she jumped up and ate a moth. She is sharp quick and full of energy, oh my.  Compared to delicate Sammie, she was bolder and very inquisitive. Outside she climbed up a huge tree in seconds.  I was not sure what she would do.

Well I was falling in love with her and that was it, she was staying.  I was worried and scared about how Sammie and her would be. 

 

We changed vets and heard good things about North Shore Animal League and that they would not rip us off and be fair.   So we took Bettinna there for another check up.  She had infected ears.  So we struggled to hold her and clean them with the special cleaner.  It was traumatic for all of us as she would cry, scream and struggle and get mad.   This was a very good natured cat, so I thought she wasn’t normally like this.   We went to the behaviorist at North Shore and she was fantastic to may detailed questions and worrisome mother like personality.

Sammie’s Tail Part 24

It was a very bad winter a couple of years ago and we had a lot of snow.  I saw these 2 kittens in the snow and thought, oh dear, they deserve to be trapped and have a home with someone.  They were both tuxedo kittens and I am guessing about 5 months old and may be siblings that were dumped or lost their feral mother.  I called out to them as they walked by and they ran faster to get away. 

My neighbors also saw these cats.   It is funny, but at times we see a cat and then we don’t anymore. I wonder if they get a home or die from the heat or winter.  I hope they get a home.  I kept watching for these kittens and thought I could catch them, get them fixed and since they were young, find someone to adopt them.

I was told by my allergist I shouldn’t have more than 2 cats and 2 would not be a good idea.  Plus I did some research on Sammie’s Bombay breeds personality and I don’t think they care for friends.  I also watched a new TV show that observed multiple cats living in a home and to see if they are friends, and they concluded that if the cats are not related, they don’t really bond together.  Well, I still had it in my mind to try to find someone who wanted to have a new cat.  I asked my older neighbors who had an 18 year old cat if they wanted a second one.   They said no.

Now it was getting close to spring and ending March and that wicked snowy winter.  I see the same black and white tuxedo cat looking much bigger and hanging around our porch and house.  So I put out food in our back yard.   That night, the food was all gone.

Next I saw her in our backyard.  So I put out some food and watched her eat it.  I mixed wet with dry.  Now I can work on giving this cat a home and socializing her or he.   The cat had a black mask like look and reminded me of the raccoon mask on the face.   Hard to tell how big the cat is.

I borrowed a have a heart cage and put a little home out.  My husband texted a picture of the cat in the little home the next day.  Next thing, I am going to feed the cat with me sitting on the stoop and there will be no choice but to eat the food while I sit there.

This tuxedo cat was eating well and I am guessing she is a she as she is small like my Sammie.   She didn’t like to get too close.  I began to use treats to coax her with a trail closer to me.   I will call her a she and I began calling her Bettinna, a name I thought of and have no clue why, except it is a name after my grandmother and since I don’t have children, this was good to me.  If she ends up being a boy, I’ll change it.  I am guessing her age as about 10 months old or 9 months old as she looks full grown. 

 

 

I finally get to pet her slightly one day while coaxing her with the treats.   She was dripping water from the gland under her chin/neck quite a lot.   I asked people about this and no one could really give me an answer.   One person who had 4 cats said they have a cat like that.   But, now that I think of it, I don’t think so.  She was scared and nervous but could tell she wanted love.

 

 

Sammie’s Tail Part 23

We are trying different toys.   She is scared of anything with sticks to play with, or strings.  She acts scared of them.  She also does not like the television.  She constantly looks at it in fear and won’t come in the room with it on.  Her personality is coming out more and more.

We have given her some kicker toys and she loves this one in particular.  I would like to create a video of her doing it, but it is challenging.  She usually goes behind a camera or out of screen shot.  When we tried to capture her doing it, she would do it behind the camera or any time not in front.  Sigh! Frustrating!

I have a couple of quick seconds of her, but not sure if I should post on you tube and instagram.   They are by spot called hug n kick.    I have video cameras on at night to capture this.   She takes the hug n kick doll, I call it her dolly and she grabs it in her mouth and moves it to different rooms, then drops it and then sings to it.  I wonder if they are supposed to be her kittens she may have had and she is crying for them instead of what I call singing.  We try to capture her doing this and this is the best video I have of her doing it.

Every night we would go to bed, or if we went out for the day, we know she does it as they dollies are left where she dragged them.

Today, she seems to be happier and is changing and I will get to this later on why the changing.  She is adapting better to us and we to her.  She has not been singing to her dolly lately.   But not to say never.

 

Sammie’s Tail Part 22

We have now had Sammie 2 years.   I cannot believe it.  We are so much part of each other.  She still has the guest room that she uses as her place to go.  She will still leave me to go to her Daddy when he shows up.  Even when I am petting her she will leave me.  If he ignores her, she will come back.  Gee wiz.  I know cats choose one person as their person.

We changed vets as we could not afford the other one.   This one was a little less expensive.  We also have the pet insurance which I highly recommend.   We love our animals as our family, they deserve the best too.  It was the annual check up for Sammie the 2^nd one.  They will have to put her under anesthesia to clean her teeth.  I know there is a risk, but she could die from bad gingivitis and teeth and gums.  It was $200 less than the other vet.   So far so good at this vet.  She came out of it ok.  Adjusted.  They say she is a good cat.  She lets them examine her and she is pretty good.

Now I am getting smarter and more educated about having Sammie.   Since I never had this responsibility before, it is a learning experience.  

Sammie’s Tail Part 21

 

Sammie was changing slowly and she favored the guest room bed with her covered bed.  She liked me in there too when I would work on my computer.  We fed her 2 times a day and we were told she should lose some weight.   I changed to the low calorie natural balance canned food and it seemed to help. She does not play except now, she plays with little mice.   So I leave them all over the place to entice her to play with them.

On some occasions she has what we think is a hairball fit, but we now think it is respiratory because of her breed or she has asthma.  We tried hair ball gel and now she gets one hairball gel treat in the morning.

Sammie has a neat personality.   She tells us when she does not like something.  I have a few scratches to show for it.  If I pet her and she is on a bad angle (not sure if it is because of her lack of sight in the bad eye or not), she will swat at me.  She walks away and decompresses and then comes back for more.  We are definitely getting to know her more and she us.  I am getting better at missing the swats.  

She has kind times when she gently shows me her paw and/or just gently moves it like she is saying don’t as a warning but does not strike.  Don’t get me wrong, all the people at the vet, said she is a nice cat.  She sits quiet and lets them do what they want to her.

She loves to be pet for hours if we could.  Well I do pet her for long times over 30 minutes at a time easy. Now I am brushing her too.  She definitely chooses where and when to pet her and we comply.

I keep asking my husband to pick her up and get her more socialized, but he does not want to upset her.  I don’t think we should walk on egg shells.  I have begun to pet her wherever she is in the house, give her that head to tail swipe.  I am still not picking her up yet.

Vet visits are still stressful for both Sammie and I.  Overall, I love her so much and I hope she lives over 20 easily and with great health.   Don’t we all wish that.