Yesterday I was finishing up my inspections near the house, so I was able to go home straight from the restaurant. I got home early with hopes of playing Frisbee with the dogs while there was still some day light.
As I approached the house, movement caught my eye and I saw that Sidney was out and in the living room. We keep all our dogs in crates during the day while we are gone. I hurried inside anticipating piles of poop and new pee spots on the newly cleaned rug downstairs.
There was no poop, maybe some pee but I didn't look. Sidney was limping and Maynard had yet again, busted out of his crate. I chalked up Sid's limp to a little fight that might have occurred because Sid seemed fine.
Downstairs, Maynard had apparently tried to eat Sidney and Sid had attempted to escape out the window. The screen was gone again, the plant that was on the window sill was now embedded in the couch. It looked like they had knocked it over and danced on it - I guess wrestled would be more like it. Upon further scrutiny, it became apparent that Maynard really did try to eat Sidney as one leg was punctured, a foot swollen, scrapes on the head and underbelly and a nice hairless gash on the other leg.
I was horrified. This was my Sidney under attack. What if Maynard had succeeded in killing my little boy.
I have had animals hurt and while I was concerned, I have never felt actual pain and guilt at their injuries. I now know what that feels like. I can't imagine how it hurts parents to see their child get hurt.
Everyone is OK, the wounds minimal - recovery eminent. But it was scary.
Maynard is the most stubborn dog I've ever had the pleasure to know.
Sidney probably started the fight. (little dog syndrome)
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Friday, November 16, 2007
In Memory
This week we morn the loss of Wilson. He was struck by a car and died. He was a good cat. A young male with a wonderful little personality. I was there when he was born - he was a screamer - the loudest kitten of the litter. We were sure he would grow up to be mean and anti-social. We were wrong, he was one of the most loving of the bunch.
He is missed.
He is missed.
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Cat Pee
How many gallons of urine does a cat urinate in a lifetime? I wonder if anyone knows the answer to that question? I could do a study, perhaps weighing the amount of a pee ball in the litter box and could calculate the liquid amount by subtracting the total solids in each pee ball - ooh oh, I could scoop it out, weigh it, then bake the pee ball in one of those ovens in the chemistry lab at Ferrum and figure the difference in weight and determine the average amount of pee per pee ball and then determine the average amount a cat pees in a day and the average life span of a cat and WHAhLA! We can then convert grams to pounds, and then pounds to gallons.
WHY am I wondering this? Because cat urine has affected all of our lives, perhaps mine more than others... have you ever been driving to work and occasionally catch a wiff of cat pee? I have.
February 2004, Axton, VA
One morning I was in a rush to get to work. Being new and living 45minutes away, every second counts when trying to get to work on time. Dressed ready to inspect restaurants, coffee cup in hand, I grabed my purse and was out the door. Starting the car I inhale, pause, taste the air, then exhale. Is that cat pee I smell? Backing out of the drive way, Boo and Maynard barking furiously as I leave them, I smell it again. Oh god - did someone pee in the back seat? I sniff the air fiercely, big, heavy, long inhale, ssssnnnniiffff, and exhale, ahhhhh. The smell dissapears.
On my way down the road, winding through the forest and past the wildlife management area, the smell erupts again. Then dissapears just as fast. Again as I drive past the elementary school. I sniff over to the passenger seat - nothin'. Weird, where the hell is it coming from?
I arrive at work, whip into a parking space and am about to get out when, WHAM - uh, oh god - there it is again... Where the hell is it? I sniff the seats - my seat - No, the back seat - No.
Huh, I shrug and head in through the employee entrance. I slip into the kitchen to drop my lunch into the frige, spin on my heel and there it is again, but ever so faint. Oh dear.
Walking past the other's offices I try not to say hi unless they look at me - this is typical behavior in the morning for us all.
I sit down at my desk and take stock of what the morning will bring. I'm going out with John to do restaurants - where are we going? Hmm, I think he said a school cafeteria. Uh, am I smelling that piss again?
A co-worker comes into my office and sits down to talk, yet she doesn't stay long.
John pops in to make sure I am going out with him today, yep. Hey buddy, I wonder if he smells cat pee.
John leaves and the smell returns. I start sniffing again but still can't find it. So I bite the bullet and go into Amy's office, "Um, yeah, this might sound like a weird question, but uh, do you smell cat pee?"
She sits back in her chair, leaning away from me and looks at me odd, nods her head and says, "yeah. I do. I thought it was just really bad B.O. though."
Oh god - it IS me, I smell like freakin' cat piss!
Embarrassed, I trot back to my office and start smelling myself, sniff sniff sniff sniff sniff, arm - no, other arm - no, chest - no, shirt - YES! Oh god, it's my clothes!
Then I see it - my purse is hanging on a drawer knob. I snatch it up and plaster my face to the side and inhale, ssnnuufffffff - UGGH, gag, oh lord! F#!%ing CAT!
One cat - only one cat isn't neutered... yet. Sabastian.
The darn cat had backed his little butt up to my purse that was sitting on the kitchen counter and sprayed it - I mean soaked it. Then I snatched it up, throw it over my shoulder and rubbed that pee all over the side of my shirt.
So now I'm stranded at work, smelling like cat piss and am supposed to be going out telling other people that they need to clean their restaurant up!? While I smell like pee?
Yeah - so I can fully vouch for the power of Febreze - the stuff works. I re-saturated my shirt with the spray and left with John.
I returned to a scented candle burning in my office cubicle - as I had stunk up an entire end of the building!
How's that for an embarrasing day at work?
Oh, and by the way - Sabastian got neutered that Friday.
WHY am I wondering this? Because cat urine has affected all of our lives, perhaps mine more than others... have you ever been driving to work and occasionally catch a wiff of cat pee? I have.
February 2004, Axton, VA
One morning I was in a rush to get to work. Being new and living 45minutes away, every second counts when trying to get to work on time. Dressed ready to inspect restaurants, coffee cup in hand, I grabed my purse and was out the door. Starting the car I inhale, pause, taste the air, then exhale. Is that cat pee I smell? Backing out of the drive way, Boo and Maynard barking furiously as I leave them, I smell it again. Oh god - did someone pee in the back seat? I sniff the air fiercely, big, heavy, long inhale, ssssnnnniiffff, and exhale, ahhhhh. The smell dissapears.
On my way down the road, winding through the forest and past the wildlife management area, the smell erupts again. Then dissapears just as fast. Again as I drive past the elementary school. I sniff over to the passenger seat - nothin'. Weird, where the hell is it coming from?
I arrive at work, whip into a parking space and am about to get out when, WHAM - uh, oh god - there it is again... Where the hell is it? I sniff the seats - my seat - No, the back seat - No.
Huh, I shrug and head in through the employee entrance. I slip into the kitchen to drop my lunch into the frige, spin on my heel and there it is again, but ever so faint. Oh dear.
Walking past the other's offices I try not to say hi unless they look at me - this is typical behavior in the morning for us all.
I sit down at my desk and take stock of what the morning will bring. I'm going out with John to do restaurants - where are we going? Hmm, I think he said a school cafeteria. Uh, am I smelling that piss again?
A co-worker comes into my office and sits down to talk, yet she doesn't stay long.
John pops in to make sure I am going out with him today, yep. Hey buddy, I wonder if he smells cat pee.
John leaves and the smell returns. I start sniffing again but still can't find it. So I bite the bullet and go into Amy's office, "Um, yeah, this might sound like a weird question, but uh, do you smell cat pee?"
She sits back in her chair, leaning away from me and looks at me odd, nods her head and says, "yeah. I do. I thought it was just really bad B.O. though."
Oh god - it IS me, I smell like freakin' cat piss!
Embarrassed, I trot back to my office and start smelling myself, sniff sniff sniff sniff sniff, arm - no, other arm - no, chest - no, shirt - YES! Oh god, it's my clothes!
Then I see it - my purse is hanging on a drawer knob. I snatch it up and plaster my face to the side and inhale, ssnnuufffffff - UGGH, gag, oh lord! F#!%ing CAT!
One cat - only one cat isn't neutered... yet. Sabastian.
The darn cat had backed his little butt up to my purse that was sitting on the kitchen counter and sprayed it - I mean soaked it. Then I snatched it up, throw it over my shoulder and rubbed that pee all over the side of my shirt.
So now I'm stranded at work, smelling like cat piss and am supposed to be going out telling other people that they need to clean their restaurant up!? While I smell like pee?
Yeah - so I can fully vouch for the power of Febreze - the stuff works. I re-saturated my shirt with the spray and left with John.
I returned to a scented candle burning in my office cubicle - as I had stunk up an entire end of the building!
How's that for an embarrasing day at work?
Oh, and by the way - Sabastian got neutered that Friday.
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