Siggy's Blurbs: Siggy's Edge of Country …

Two cats of ours were months overdue on their shots (we have seven).  Of course, they are the wildest and hardest to catch.  They did have appointments.  And I could not catch them.  All of a sudden, it had become my responsibility.

And I was taunted and criticized by my other when I could not find them no less catch them and then put them in the carrier.

Today, I was reminded, again, two cats are overdue for their exam and shots.  My wife previously caught them.  Somehow, it had become my responsibility.

I refuse to be told I am less than a man because I am unsuccessful in locating them much less grabbing them and placing the squirming cat in the carrier.  This is all absurd.

She insisted I make an appointment for two at one time.  We save a little money.  I refused.  I remember my prior treatment by my wife.

I did not want to be criticized again.  We also have four dogs.  The dogs do not hide under furniture or can’t hide period!

Even my vet says it takes two to catch a cat.  This all seems very unfair and I refuse to make any further appointment for a cat until we work this out to my satisfaction.

Tags: argue, cat carrier, cats, dogs, fight, four dogs, how to catch a cat, my wife, pets, seven cats, veterinarian
Posted in animals, humor, local, marriage, money, pets, relationships, time | No Comments »

China, our more exotic looking black and white cat, likes to climb up our shower curtains for fun.  We have to keep a close eye on him when he is in the bathroom or any where near.  He has pretty sharp claws.  We don’t want him to tear up our shower curtains again.

Another thing we have to watch for is our toilet rolls and paper towels.  The cats (we have seven) love ripping into them and shredding them.  We now keep the paper towels in the cabinets.  That took care of that.  We were going through a lot of them.

Put an empty box anywhere and the cats will find them and curl up in them.  And they love (as anyone who has ever had cats has found out) to rest on your window sills.  If you leave your window open, they will find it.

This is just a few peculiarities of our cats.  It is amazing our seven get along as well as they do.  Though every once in awhile there is a cat fight although they are always brief.

It never ceases to amaze me how quickly all seven disappear when a stranger enters their midst.  Most of the time, though, you do not see them.  They all have their favorite hiding places especially when it is time to capture one for a vet visit.  Cats are always fun.

Tags: bathroom, cat fight, cats, cats are fun, cats favorite hiding places, cats love empty boxes, cats love windowsills, China, paper towels, pets, seven cats, sharp claws, shower curtain, toilet paper, veterinarian
Posted in animals, humor, local, pets, relationships, time | No Comments »

Love your pets while you still have them.  We put to sleep Slinky, one of our cats.  It was really hard.  She was this timid, really affectionate black cat I had since a kitty.

I woke up this morning and she was no longer there.  She was in heaven.  I would do any thing to see her again.  At least, she was no longer suffering.

Lynelle and I gently stroked her body as she lay on the table as the vet administered the drug that put her to sleep.

She was this innocent gentle cat that loved to hang out in the bathroom window and never got enough of our strokes.  I had taken her for granted.

I wish I had appreciated her more when she was on this earth.  I have now seven cats and four dogs.  I no longer want to take any of my pets for granted.  They are only on loan to us.  As every thing else.

Tags: affectionate, animals, bathroom window, black cat, cat, dogs, eight cats, everything is on loan to us, four dogs, God, Heaven, kitty cat, love your pets, no longer suffering, on this earth, pets, pets are on loan to us, put to sleep, seven cats, Slinky, take for granted, veterinarian
Posted in animals, beauty, death, God, health, life, local, love, pets, relationships, time, wisdom | 4 Comments »

Thank God for my pets.  Somehow I believe it is no accident my second wife also loves animals.  I never had pets growing up.  I love all of my pets.  All eight cats and all four dogs.  It is a menagerie.  And it is true I can’t go on vacation so easily but that is a small price to pay.

There is Tilla one of the pups we kept of our golden retriever (we kept two) who is a paradox extremely aggressive but timid at the same time.  For example, if you throw four scraps to our four dogs, he usually will get three if you don’t stop him.

He actually let my daughter pet him the last time she was over (that was a first).  He still runs in the other direction when my son approaches him.  And he is good with pets.

Coco is the other pup of Sweetie and extremely affectionate although she can be pretty insistent when she wants to go out.  She will sit at our feet front legs crossed sometimes–a real lady.  She gets along with everyone.

My eight cats are all different (the one unfixed female, now fixed) had two litters–one and three.  Pumpkin the only surviving cat from the first litter is one quiet, laid back cat who seems to get along with all the other seven.

The other three from the second litter of Jasmine’s are Cheyenne, China, and other whose name temporarily escapes me.  Both Cheyenne and China are long haired.  The mother is shorted (???) haired, small and dainty but able to take well care of herself.

Cheyenne is one beautiful although somewhat wild cat.  He usually does not let me pet him.  If I get too close, he gives me the eye as if to ask me “how dare you approach me?”

China is one exotically black and white colored cat who is one cool character.  He is extremely laid back and nothing seems to faze him.  I always have trouble remembering the sexes of our cats.

Cool Hand Luke a black female cat I brought into this marriage who hangs out in our bedroom and is appropriately named.  I have another completely black cat “Slinky”.

It is hard to tell the two apart although if you pet them you can tell the difference immediately.  “Slinky” is somewhat timid and extremely affectionate.

Tiger is the third cat from the second litter of Jasmine also appropriately named who sorts (???) blends in with every one.

Buttons is the other tiger looking cat who decided to adopt our family.  He showed up at our doorsteps and my wife started feeding him and when he got his shots, she let him come in.

He knew a good thing when he came in:  he did not go out for months again.  He is the newest member of our menagerie.  He does, at times, terrorize the other cats.

He also terrorized the vet and her staff during his exam:  It took them ten minutes to catch him in the exam room when he squirmed out of the grasp of the vet and three people were chasing him around the room (the vet called for backup).

He scratched the hell out of the vet in the process.  He is still a (???) somewhat wild although he has calmed somewhat after he got fixed.  That pretty much takes care of our cats.

Pax, the father of the pups, is the only pet of ours not mentioned by name.  He is the biggest and oldest dog close to an hundred pounds, an Rottweiler mix.

He suffered from bad ear infections and only at the vet where they put a muzzle on him would he allow anyone to go near to clean them.  It took me awhile before I lost my fear of him.  The veterinary helper called him a “baby.”  He is one dog I never want to get out he is one scary looking dog.

There is also Sweetie our golden retriever who is aptly named.  She will stand there forever letting you pet her.  She is one happy-go-lucky dog who always likes to have something in her mouth.  She was traumatized by her original owner who would lock her up for hours.  That is how we got her and that is the last of our menagerie.

Tags: Add new tag, big dog, Buttons, cats, Cheyenne, China, Coco, Cool Hand Luke, dogs, ear infection, eight cats, four dogs, God, golden retriever, happy-go-lucky dog, Jasmine, menagerie, my daughter, my son, my wife, Pax, pets, Pumpkin, quiet laid back cat, rottweiler mix, Slinky, Sweetie, thank God, Tiger, Tilla, veterinarian
Posted in humor, local, nature, pets, relationships, time | No Comments »

There are many characters in our house.  I will mention a few.  We have a menagerie here:  eight cats and four dogs.  And each pet has a distinct personality.  Let us start off with one of the dogs, the oldest–“Pax”.

“Pax” is a rottweiler/boxer mix.  He is one intimidating dog–almost an hundred pounds–scary as all hell.  He is really a pussy cat–all bark and no bite.  He will run out into the yard and situate himself in the furthest right hand corner and bark at his neighbor who had the audacity to walk out into his yard which is directly across the street.

“Pax” is a scaredy cat.  We have to bring him to the vet when his ears need to be cleaned out; for they muzzle him there.  He is a baby as big as he is.  It is difficult giving him antibiotics to clear up his ear infection.  We have to fool him.  Give him something he likes like bread, put a pill in one slice and then keep coming with the slices so he has to swallow one before he can eat the next.

When we were down to one dog, “Sweetie”, a female golden retriever, entered our lives.  “Pax” wanted nothing to do with her (did I mention “Pax” is a he).  It was hilarious.  No matter how many times he growled at her, she threw herself on him over and over.  Sweetie is one happy go lucky dog.

We planned to get her fixed as soon as possible; but the worst possible scenario happened and you guessed it “Pax” impregnated “Sweetie”.

The day we were supposed to be at my sister’s house in Plymouth, Sweetie had seven pups on our bed no less.  One died and we sold four and I did not have the heart to separate the last two.  So “Atilla the Hun” (“Tilla” for short) and Coco entered our lives.

I have to say “Atilla The Hun” is not vicious by by (???) means but is aggressive:  If you throw four scraps of food at the feet of our four dogs, he will get three.  I call him “Atilla The Hun” because others laugh at that name.  He is really a sweet dog although he does not realize he is all of sixty-six pounds for he will sometimes try to snuggle on our laps.

There will be more about theses two pups and you will see why “Tilla” was originally named “Atilla The Hun”. In fact he may warrant an entire blog or more to relate his antics. (to be continued)

Tags: cats, Coco, dog loves bread, dog on our laps, dogs, each pet has a distinct personality, ear cleaning, eight cats, four dogs, God, golden retriever, happy-go-lucky dog, menagerie, my sister, Pax, pets, Plymouth, rottweiler mix, seven pups, Sweetie, Tilla, veterinarian
Posted in animals, God, humor, knowledge&learning, life, local, love, pets, relationships, time | No Comments »