Monday, October 22, 2007
Thursday, October 18, 2007
This is Tamsin.
The picture isn’t great because I had to take it while she hid under the bed. She is our new rescue cat and has caused us rather a lot of problems over the last month. We chose her because she was a very nervous little cat – so much so that it was very unlikely that anyone else would take her. However, the female from our first pair of kittens was very nervous as well and we are quite used to putting in the extra care they need. Incidentally, that extra care and attention has resulted in one of the friendliest cats I have ever encountered so it is worth persevering.
What we didn’t know about Tamsin was that she also appeared to be slightly photo-phobic meaning that not only did she hide from movement and noise but also would head into the deepest darkest crevice she could find; often causing herself problems when she did so.
Because of this habit we often lost track of her around the house – it would be a daily game to discover her each morning. So when, about three weeks ago, we couldn’t find her we weren’t unduly worried. Until we couldn’t find her that evening or the next morning either. Nope – she had vanished out into the night.
We were very upset about this and searched high and low for her but to no avail. We shone torches through absent neighbour’s windows and looked under every car and along the side of every road in a mile radius but no sign was found. We started to believe that she had headed for her old rescue centre where she had lived for over a year. Although we feared she might have been injured or killed we were scared of never finding out even more. Tamsin is chipped (of course!) but her collar did not yet have our address on it.
Two weeks on and our two other cats start acting strangely. We have a cursory search around the house but can’t find Tamsin anywhere and assume they have just lost a mouse or similar. However, their behaviour persisted and then we discovered that the food bowls were being licked clean whereas before there would always be a little left over.
We discovered that Tamsin and returned to one of her favourite haunts under the bed in the spare room. We were overjoyed – a great weight had been lifted. Unfortunately this was soon to change.
Tamsin had arrived from the rescue centre with a new, glittery collar on. Very fetching. However, somehow during the course of her adventures she managed to get her left foreleg through the collar, as cats often do. Because she was out and lost/trapped/scared (we’ll never know) she didn’t return home and that collar rubbed and rubbed at her. Now the cute glittery bits stick slightly over the sides of these collars and this essentially acted as a rasp against her skin. The fur, then the skin then finally the flesh was rubbed away. The poor thing must have been in excruciating pain. In addition, this awful wound had gone sceptic. We didn’t know any of this when we spotted her under the bed and I stuck my hand under to grab her and release her from the collar (which was the only problem I could spot at the time).
Poor little Tamsin was in so much pain that she bit me. Hard. Now, in her defence she did warn me with a little nip but I thought she was just nervous. The second bite went all the way to the bone and hurt like I would never have believed!
So now I am bleeding. Tamsin is bleeding. Everyone is upset and we have no idea what to do.
A quick call to the vet locates an emergency clinic open all night. I put on motorbike gauntlets, catch Tamsin and cut the collar off. We then wrap her in a towel, stuff her in a carrier and drive halfway across the Midlands to an emergency vet who we are very glad to say saved Tamsin’s life and did so professionally and calmly.
Firstly, she is now recovering well and is living in a little ICU unit in the spare room and eating tuna laced with antibiotics.
After a few antibiotics and a tetanus injection my hand returned to its normal size and colour and I can use it again!
Lessons. Get pet insurance. That little jaunt to the vet cost £322. No more sparkly collars. Ensure that any collar has an elastic section sufficient to relieve the pressure of something similar ever occurs. And never, never, never just grab at a newly returned animal, especially one hiding from you, until you have assessed their condition and if they might be injured then wear gloves. My hand throbbed for a week!
I will post some pictures of the fully recovered invalid soon.
The picture isn’t great because I had to take it while she hid under the bed. She is our new rescue cat and has caused us rather a lot of problems over the last month. We chose her because she was a very nervous little cat – so much so that it was very unlikely that anyone else would take her. However, the female from our first pair of kittens was very nervous as well and we are quite used to putting in the extra care they need. Incidentally, that extra care and attention has resulted in one of the friendliest cats I have ever encountered so it is worth persevering.
What we didn’t know about Tamsin was that she also appeared to be slightly photo-phobic meaning that not only did she hide from movement and noise but also would head into the deepest darkest crevice she could find; often causing herself problems when she did so.
Because of this habit we often lost track of her around the house – it would be a daily game to discover her each morning. So when, about three weeks ago, we couldn’t find her we weren’t unduly worried. Until we couldn’t find her that evening or the next morning either. Nope – she had vanished out into the night.
We were very upset about this and searched high and low for her but to no avail. We shone torches through absent neighbour’s windows and looked under every car and along the side of every road in a mile radius but no sign was found. We started to believe that she had headed for her old rescue centre where she had lived for over a year. Although we feared she might have been injured or killed we were scared of never finding out even more. Tamsin is chipped (of course!) but her collar did not yet have our address on it.
Two weeks on and our two other cats start acting strangely. We have a cursory search around the house but can’t find Tamsin anywhere and assume they have just lost a mouse or similar. However, their behaviour persisted and then we discovered that the food bowls were being licked clean whereas before there would always be a little left over.
We discovered that Tamsin and returned to one of her favourite haunts under the bed in the spare room. We were overjoyed – a great weight had been lifted. Unfortunately this was soon to change.
Tamsin had arrived from the rescue centre with a new, glittery collar on. Very fetching. However, somehow during the course of her adventures she managed to get her left foreleg through the collar, as cats often do. Because she was out and lost/trapped/scared (we’ll never know) she didn’t return home and that collar rubbed and rubbed at her. Now the cute glittery bits stick slightly over the sides of these collars and this essentially acted as a rasp against her skin. The fur, then the skin then finally the flesh was rubbed away. The poor thing must have been in excruciating pain. In addition, this awful wound had gone sceptic. We didn’t know any of this when we spotted her under the bed and I stuck my hand under to grab her and release her from the collar (which was the only problem I could spot at the time).
Poor little Tamsin was in so much pain that she bit me. Hard. Now, in her defence she did warn me with a little nip but I thought she was just nervous. The second bite went all the way to the bone and hurt like I would never have believed!
So now I am bleeding. Tamsin is bleeding. Everyone is upset and we have no idea what to do.
A quick call to the vet locates an emergency clinic open all night. I put on motorbike gauntlets, catch Tamsin and cut the collar off. We then wrap her in a towel, stuff her in a carrier and drive halfway across the Midlands to an emergency vet who we are very glad to say saved Tamsin’s life and did so professionally and calmly.
Firstly, she is now recovering well and is living in a little ICU unit in the spare room and eating tuna laced with antibiotics.
After a few antibiotics and a tetanus injection my hand returned to its normal size and colour and I can use it again!
Lessons. Get pet insurance. That little jaunt to the vet cost £322. No more sparkly collars. Ensure that any collar has an elastic section sufficient to relieve the pressure of something similar ever occurs. And never, never, never just grab at a newly returned animal, especially one hiding from you, until you have assessed their condition and if they might be injured then wear gloves. My hand throbbed for a week!
I will post some pictures of the fully recovered invalid soon.
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Monday, October 8, 2007
One For The Teller Really
Raise your glass and turn to your rapt audience. Ask of them, with stern visage to indicate the seriousness of the question;
"Pray tell, can you vouchsafe unto me three fish who's names both begin and end with the letter K"?
Pause for a moment as the impossibility of the questions flummoxes them before providing the answer,
"Killer Shark".
Pause
"Kwik-Save Haddock",
Pause.
"And",
Pause
"Kilmarnock".
After a moment the most sober member of your congregation will doubtless observe that Kilmarnock is not a fish.
"No",
you reply
"It's a plaice in Scotland".
and collapse laughing as everyone looks bewildered.
Ithangyou.
"Pray tell, can you vouchsafe unto me three fish who's names both begin and end with the letter K"?
Pause for a moment as the impossibility of the questions flummoxes them before providing the answer,
"Killer Shark".
Pause
"Kwik-Save Haddock",
Pause.
"And",
Pause
"Kilmarnock".
After a moment the most sober member of your congregation will doubtless observe that Kilmarnock is not a fish.
"No",
you reply
"It's a plaice in Scotland".
and collapse laughing as everyone looks bewildered.
Ithangyou.
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
A Meeting of Minds
Cats and rabbits seem to get on just fine. In the case of our female cat (Smudge) and the male rabbit (Thumper) the curiosity and fear are both on the side of the cat. Smudge is intrigued by Thumper but when he lollops towards her in great bounds she runs off and hides. As long as everyone moves slowly then you get the nose touching which is how both types of animals greet each other.
Pickle (the male cat) is rather more indifferent. He's not scared, just vaguely interested. Thumper, as you can see below, doesn't even notice the cat watching him. You can actually hear Pickle wondering if that is lunch, a weird cat or some sort of ambulatory rock. With fur.
Bluebell, being older and larger doesn't deign to notice either cat and cheerfully hops through whatever space they are occupying at the time.
Very entertaining.
Pickle (the male cat) is rather more indifferent. He's not scared, just vaguely interested. Thumper, as you can see below, doesn't even notice the cat watching him. You can actually hear Pickle wondering if that is lunch, a weird cat or some sort of ambulatory rock. With fur.
Bluebell, being older and larger doesn't deign to notice either cat and cheerfully hops through whatever space they are occupying at the time.
Very entertaining.
Saturday, September 22, 2007
More Aliens
I really don't want you to think that I'm just weird about my cats.
Nope.
I'm weird about my rabbits too!!
The gray was owned by a couple I know who unfortunately split up and couldn't look after her properly so she came to live with us. Name was changed from Lola to Bluebell. Never having lived with space to run around in before she has come on in leaps and bounds (sorry) and is now affectionate and healthy.
The black and white was a two year old neutered male when we got him from the rescue centre. By the time he had been with us a week he had turned into an 8 month old un-neutered male. Miracle or paperwork error, you decide! The un-neutered aspect mean that the name he came with "Thumper" quickly changed to "Mr. T. Humper" as he would, anything, rabbit or food bowl. Which probably explained Bluebell's slightly startled expression and nest building!
Anyway, he's been done now and they're inseparable. Point to note - rabbits MUST be spayed as soon as safely possible. Particularly female rabbits as leaving them leads to uterine cancer, all sorts of nasties and an early death.
Rabbits are one of the most abused pets in Britain. Not through deliberate action so much as neglect. If you have a rabbit go out and rub their ears and say hello, they make as affectionate pets as any other and how can you resist this look?
Nope.
I'm weird about my rabbits too!!
The gray was owned by a couple I know who unfortunately split up and couldn't look after her properly so she came to live with us. Name was changed from Lola to Bluebell. Never having lived with space to run around in before she has come on in leaps and bounds (sorry) and is now affectionate and healthy.
The black and white was a two year old neutered male when we got him from the rescue centre. By the time he had been with us a week he had turned into an 8 month old un-neutered male. Miracle or paperwork error, you decide! The un-neutered aspect mean that the name he came with "Thumper" quickly changed to "Mr. T. Humper" as he would, anything, rabbit or food bowl. Which probably explained Bluebell's slightly startled expression and nest building!
Anyway, he's been done now and they're inseparable. Point to note - rabbits MUST be spayed as soon as safely possible. Particularly female rabbits as leaving them leads to uterine cancer, all sorts of nasties and an early death.
Rabbits are one of the most abused pets in Britain. Not through deliberate action so much as neglect. If you have a rabbit go out and rub their ears and say hello, they make as affectionate pets as any other and how can you resist this look?
Thursday, September 20, 2007
First Steps Into The RSPCA
I sent my letter off to the RSPCA to request an application pack a couple of weeks ago. The very next day I discovered the Channel 5 show “RSPCA Inspector: Have You Got What It Takes” which was rather a bit of luck I felt.
Watching the program avidly I have developed some fairly ambivalent thoughts on the subject of becoming an inspector.
Firstly there is remuneration. I currently earn close to the ceiling for an Inspector with no [theoretical] limit on the increases I could gain. If I am going to cap my future earnings in such a way I better be pretty damn sure I want to do the job. I mean, I am sure I want to do it but will I feel the same if I’m moved to Hertfordshire two weeks after I find out my wife is pregnant? Suddenly “I love my job” isn’t going to count for much when the bills/mortgage are due.
This being- moved- anywhere- in- the- country thing is a concern as well. After all, there is Yorkshire, North Wales and Surrey but there are lot of fairly grotty inner city oriented areas too. On the flip side, I suspect the areas where the most good can be done are those inner city areas where a poorly looked after animal appears to be this season’s trendy accessory.
Then there is the lack of actual power the inspectors seem to have. When encountering an un-neutered dog locked outside with no food or shelter the Inspector left “an advice note”. WTF? Yeah, that’ll scare ‘em. But then again, it’s better to start the procedure in this way than to go in all guns blazing I suppose.
I really really want to get this job. I am 100% certain I can do the job and do it well; whether or not I can get past the interview is another matter entirely.
Anyway – I sent the little blue form back today registering my interest and I’ll apparently get the application pack towards the end of the year.
Let me know if you’re trying this year or thinking about it.
Watching the program avidly I have developed some fairly ambivalent thoughts on the subject of becoming an inspector.
Firstly there is remuneration. I currently earn close to the ceiling for an Inspector with no [theoretical] limit on the increases I could gain. If I am going to cap my future earnings in such a way I better be pretty damn sure I want to do the job. I mean, I am sure I want to do it but will I feel the same if I’m moved to Hertfordshire two weeks after I find out my wife is pregnant? Suddenly “I love my job” isn’t going to count for much when the bills/mortgage are due.
This being- moved- anywhere- in- the- country thing is a concern as well. After all, there is Yorkshire, North Wales and Surrey but there are lot of fairly grotty inner city oriented areas too. On the flip side, I suspect the areas where the most good can be done are those inner city areas where a poorly looked after animal appears to be this season’s trendy accessory.
Then there is the lack of actual power the inspectors seem to have. When encountering an un-neutered dog locked outside with no food or shelter the Inspector left “an advice note”. WTF? Yeah, that’ll scare ‘em. But then again, it’s better to start the procedure in this way than to go in all guns blazing I suppose.
I really really want to get this job. I am 100% certain I can do the job and do it well; whether or not I can get past the interview is another matter entirely.
Anyway – I sent the little blue form back today registering my interest and I’ll apparently get the application pack towards the end of the year.
Let me know if you’re trying this year or thinking about it.
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