Clutter Be Gone!

Ian and I are trying to clear out our apartment of unwanted stuff.  We try to live by a simple rule: if you don't use it for a year, you probably don't need it.

We've lived in our apartment for 9 months and we're still not really moved.  Bare walls and clutter.  It's not a comfortable space to say the least.  Finally, that's changing.  In the coming weeks, when everything is up to snuff, I will post pictures of it.  

Update on the kitties: when they're not biting each other's faces and throats, they're getting along famously.

Capitalization

Dear McDonald's marketing executives,

If you're going to put a period at the end of a statement, please capitalize the first letter.

photos sourced from Google images

Your disgusting company is destroying the health of our nation; leave our literacy alone.

Thank you,

An overtired, concerned citizen

****

I get cranky when I've been up for 17 hours.

In other news, does anyone have any tips on keeping cats from being too rough with each other?  We're not home when it happens, but Ava's other eye is swollen now and I've seen them play fight so I know that Satchmo has a pension for biting eyeballs.  I'm concerned about any potential damage down the road, but I don't know what to do.

Kitties Galore

I went to Jezebel.com today to grab the email address that we're supposed to submit our stories to and found out that they stopped accepting stories early due to overwhelming response.  Bummer.  But, no worries, I'm going to use this opportunity to expand the story into the full version I intended.  I'll post a new draft when I reach the new ending.

Satchmo has been out in the apartment since Tuesday and both cats are doing well.  Ava seems to have caught a bit of his cold, but we're giving them both the herbs now to help.  

Here's one photo from his release day.  I'm in Whole Foods on lunch and the internet isn't being timely with the upload, so I'll post the rest of the photos and good stuff later.

Waiting

I will be so happy when we can let Satchmo out.  I can only hope that Ava will be, too.  They're cordial through the door, at least.

He had hi vet check up on Wednesday.  I took him to a holistic vet.  She was pretty rad.  He seems to have a virus (respiratory, no doubt) and he was running a fever when thy got his temp.  He's also about 2 pounds under weight.  So, it's good that he's here.  And good that he's quarantined, too, even if it makes for two lonely kitties.  The vet didn't want to put him on antibiotics unless she had to, so she made us an herbal tincture instead.  We mis it with fatty, cheap cat food and force it on him with an oral syringe.  He's pretty tolerant of the whole ordeal.  Already he seems to be eating more and sneezing a little less.  But, probably due to the wet food that we mix with the tincture, he has the runs.  The good news is that he is very good at hitting the litter box.  ...Not that you were particularly interested in that information.

The plan is to let him out on Tuesday if he continues to get better.  I'm going to call the vet first and ask her opinion, though.  Mom is coming this "weekend" to get her tattoo, so I hope she doesn't have to share the guest room.  Fingers crossed.

Ava and the Laser

It took some effort, but I finally got the video to upload to YouTube from my phone so that I could post it:

Welcome, Satchmo!

Ian and I went to OHS on Wednesday and met with "Fuzzle," one of the Animal Care Technician's favorites.  He was totally sweet and his huge head made him irresistible.  I suggest "Armstrong" because of his puffy cheeks, but Ian preferred "Satchmo," Louis Armstrong's nickname.

I put a hold on him since the shelter was closing and came back the next evening to grab him.  He ended up free because I get a discount for being a volunteer and there's a $25 dollar special on all cats over 1 year during May.  I tried to pay for him, but they wouldn't let me.

So, in two weeks when he no longer has to live in "quarantine," Ava will have a boyfriend.  Things may be rough to start, but I'm sure that they'll grow to be friends.  She needs someone to keep her company when we're not there.

   

His last nap as the OHS kitty named "Fuzzle."

Safety first.

Cheeks!

I had a video of Ava playing with the laser pointer that I bought at the shelter, but my phone failed to email it, so I'll have to record her angrily chasing it this evening and post it.  It's pretty hilarious.

Oregon Humane Society

Every Tuesday I spend at least a couple of hours volunteering at the shelter.  During the (slightly over) two hours I was there today, I showed four cats and all four were adopted.  A good day indeed.

It's on a super busy street, basically a highway.  Walking from volunteer parking to the entrance always sucks.

One of the coolest things about this shelter is that there is a teaching veterinary hospital in it.  There are giant windows where the spay and neuter surgeries happen, so you can watch.  I think that's a pretty positive thing for the general public.

Sorry about the blurry photos.  This is Shiloh.  He weighs 21 pounds and has the tiniest squeak you've ever heard for a meow.  He was adopted today by a couple who was really excited about getting him healthy.

These are called colony rooms.  6-8 cats coexist in these rooms.  Companies sponsor them and are allowed to design them as they choose:

Here's the website if you want to learn more about it.