Feathered and Furry Critters

posted by Cindy on Aug 21

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It may have been 12 years ago today but I remember it as if it were yesterday. It was without a doubt, the saddest day of my life.

To this day I can not speak of it without a lump forming in my throat. To someone who is not an animal lover I am sure the sadness can not be understood.

12 years ago today, August 20, 1996 my beloved Andrew died. We got Andrew from the Humane Society of Monroe County when he was about 5 months old. He was the cutest thing I had ever seen. He looked like a beagle but he had huge paws and very long legs. He was very clumsy. We would later learn he was a Walker Hound. He was the apple of my eye. I loved that dog more than words can ever express. He was my constant companion. I told my inner most thoughts to him as well as the events of my day.

The Humane Society adopted him out 2 times before we had the great fortune of getting him placed with us. What is it they say, the third time is the charm. The first 2 times didn’t end well. He was adopted to a young couple. Every time he would enter the room their baby would scream at the top of her lungs. The second time the guy he was adopted to got hauled off to jail and the puppy
was left in the home by himself for days until he was returned to the Humane Society.

Then he came to me. He was so happy to receive love and to give love. We were inseparable. Life was GOOD.
For 10 years we shared our life with Andrew. We also had a house full of unwanted an unloved cats and a couple of other wonderful dogs that we found along the road that people had discarded. But no love compared to the love I had for Andrew. Perhaps it was because I had no children of my own, who knows.    All I know is… I loved Andrew.

Then one Sunday morning Andrew started to cough. His cough was like a gag and it was getting worse. We headed for the animal emergency in Toledo. As we were getting close to our vets office we could see a few cars out front. My husband pounded on

the door till they let us in with our unresponsive dog. His eyes were just looking at me for help, of which I had none to offer.

The Dr. was checking this and checking that . He was asking lots of questions, but not offering any answers. Then out of the blue he said, “I do not remember Andrew being so big.” I said, “yes, I noticed on the drive  here he seems to be getting bigger.” The Dr. and the Vet Tech looked at each other as if a bolt of lightning had struck. He picked Andrew up as if his 87 pounds were nothing more than a feather.

The only thing that I knew of bloat was that cattle get it. That was all I knew on the subject of bloat. Large barrel chested dogs are susceptible to bloat but I am sure any breed can get it. Bloat is when the stomach flips and no air can escape. So my beautiful, wonderful dog Andrew was actually blowing up.

The Dr. did the best he could and made arrangements for me to take him to Michigan State University, This is where our Veterinary School is located. After hours of surgery and having his stomach stapled in place so it couldn’t move I was allowed to see him

for a few minutes. His eyes were still asking,  “why?” and “can I come home with you?” The next day he ate a little something and then died later that night.

We did all that we could but it was not good enough. Some people reading this will think how stupid!!  You did this for a DOG???

There was never a question of what should we do. The only decision we had to make was this going on MasterCard or Visa?

I will always remember this date, August 20. I hope each of you will find the love of a very special animal as I did with
my beloved Andrew. I certainly hope you have a much happier ending. Shelters everywhere need your help with not only cash but supplies and cuddlers as well as opening your hearts and your homes. Please call them and find out how you can help.

posted by Cindy on Jul 26

I share my home with many cats and dogs, all were unwanted and unloved. Abut a year and a half ago I started a quest to find a natural flea product for my zoo. The thought of having fleas with this many critters is not a happy thought.

I have found a product called Bug Check. This is a powder that you sprinkle on their food. I use this year round and increase a bit during the height of flea season. This product works great. I know I would not have liked a chemical dumped on me so the thought of putting flea stuff on my critter was not a pleasant thought.

I have all of my dogs on a lamb and rice diet because one of them has a skin allergy if I use any other kind of kibble. Even she can tolerate this Bug Check. If your tired of dumping chemicals on your pets  I urge you to check out  Bug Check, It works for me and all my critter.

posted by Cindy on May 21

What timing!!
Just in time for me to start my blog
about critters I get a baby kitten.

Now I love animals, all kinds but I must tell you it is
hard for me to come up with something cuter than a baby kitten.

This little guy is jet black with wavy fur, most likely
will be a long haired feline. I would say not even 2 weeks old.
Just barely has his eyes open. What could be cuter?
I got his little angel from the neighbors.
They have many barn cats and not a one spayed or neutered.I am guessing that the mother was trying to move
her litter and lost this one. Or something disturbed her and she sacrificed this
wee one for the safety of the others. Can you imagine being within ear shot
and hearing your baby crying for you but instinct tells you to ignore?

posted by Cindy on May 21

At least 10 years ago, perhaps more I was walking by our house in the cold dead of the Michigan winter to feed the birds. I saw out of the corner of my eye something odd in our fire pot. I dismissed what I saw but after the birds were feed my curiosity got the best of me. I had to investigate.   As I approached the fire pot what ever it was moved as if to hide from me. I knelt down and like a rocket a grey cat leaped over my shoulders to make his great escape. Since this poor creature needed shelter, I went and got straw and put it in the fire pot. The next day I could see where something had spent the night. The thought of this poor lonely cat outside in the cold of winter was very sad .   We live in the country and we get cats dropped off on a regular basis. We share our home with dogs and cats that no one wanted. We have a cat door. Some of the cats snuck in for a meal and never left.   A couple of days later a very shy and timid grey cat was peeking in our patio door window where our cat door is. I prepared a dish of food and placed it on the back porch as we watched and waited. But all that happened was the food froze in the cold night.   The next night was a blizzard but once again that shy timid grey cat appeared. He was so scared.This time I heated the food so the smell would be greater and placed it in the snow drift. he came and ate and left.   Progress!! At least I knew he had shelter and now I knew he was fed.  

 I didn’t see him for the next 2 nights and on the 3rd night he once again appeared but as I was able to glance at him ever so slightly I could see that his face was all bloody, as if he may have been hit by a car. I put antibiotics in his food and thank goodness he was so hungry and didn’t notice. We continued our nightly feeding and his face slowly cleared up.The nightly feedings went on for months, I had an outside Kitty. This was nobody’s cat. How sad it must be to be unwanted and unloved.   Spring was on its way and we were able to leave the back door open. Slowly we brought his dish closer and closer to the inside of the house, and ever so slowly this cat came in. Soon he was able to navigate the cat door so he could come and go as he pleased. We did use the live trap to take him and have him fixed.   This cat shared our house for a good 5 years before my husband was able to touch him.

Over the next 5 or so years my husband and Arnold as he became to be called shared a special bond. Every night I prepared a whole chicken so that Arnold could have a nice fresh warm chicken breast served to him by that “Special Guy” that loved him so much. We have many critters as I mentioned before but not a one to be sure loved my husband as much as Arnold. That “Special Bond”, coming from having nothing, having to scrape for everything you have everyday just to keep alive. Not having anyone to care for you or about you. And now, having someone love you so very much. Someone who feeds you chicken, just how you like it. Someone who brushes you with a certain brush till your skin tingles and someone who you can snuggle up close to every night and be there when you wake up to say, “Good Morning Arnold.”   Yes, Arnold really did find heaven when he found our home.  

Later today I am taking Arnold to be put to sleep. He has been living for years with no teeth in his head, not a one. Over the past few weeks he has been going down hill fast. He has a huge growth growing inside of him. Arnold was an older cat when he found our home so many years ago. We are thinking he is perhaps around 17 years old. He has had the life of a King since he has been with us, but life is not fun for him anymore. Arnold always loved to eat and he is not even able to do that today.   It is time, however sad it is. My husband will really miss his Buddy, they have such a special relationship. In all the time Arnold has been here with us I may have been able to touched him 5 times. The sixth time will be today when I take him to the Vets for the last time. I will hold him and let him know that he is loved  and will be missed very very much especially by his Buddy, Bill.  

Good Bye Arnold, thanks for dropping by.

posted by Cindy on May 21

Let me tell you about a little hen we use to have. Now mind you I am a cat and dog person but the neighbors had penned up chicken and one day let them go. Naturally they came to my house. We have a cat door for our many cats, and we have dogs as well. Our cats can come and go as they please through the cat door. We often get strangers that manage to come in and some never leave. But that is another story.

When you have cats you must have litter boxes. The 5 I have located through out the house all have covers on them. One is in my bedroom.
This particular little box is very rarely used. It is off in a dark corner. So imagine my surprise when I lifted the cover to scoop I find a beautiful
blue egg. My little aracana found this perfect spot to lay her eggs. Now mind you, this little girl would have had to navigate the cat door.
AND… gotten by the dogs. So the fact that she got in, looked around and found this spot is simply fascinating to me. What harm could she do?

Everyday she added to her clutch. After about 20 eggs were laid it was time to sit. In the middle of the night you could hear the litter gently being moved, she was a good mother stirring the eggs ever so often. Once a day she would sneak out of the house to eat, drink and poop, then sneak back in. Never did she make a mess. Weeks later in the middle of the night the babies started hatching I could hear the little darling peeping. I waited a day to make sure that all had hatched and then picked up the entire litter box and moved it outside to a waiting pen.

Critter really are amazing.

posted by Cindy on May 19

Welcome to My Feathered and Furry Critters blog.  I love animals, all kinds. I admit I am not real fond of the reptile kind but I would never hurt them. I think animals know when you want to help them, at least that is the way it seems to me. I have had a countless number of animals pass through my home. Those that were not able to be placed or released back into the wild are still here with me.When I was growing up we had cats, but they were outside cats. No matter how much I begged and pleaded with my mother they remained outside cats. my mother always said, “when you get a place of your own… you can have as many cats as you want.” Well guess what? I have lots of cats. I have all shapes, colors and sizes. I got some when they were old and some when they were just born. But the one thing they all had in common was no body wanted them.

I not only have cats but I have dogs also. They like the cats all have the same thing in common No one wanted them.So I have dogs and I have cats. Did I mention I live by an exotic animal breeder? This blog is about all my critters. Those that I have now, those that have been placed and those that I have lost. Some of the stories will have happy endings. Some will make you sad. The tough lesson that I have had to learn while caring for the homeless, the sick and the injured is that nature is cruel. At times nature is very very cruel.Through my caring for all my critters I have remodeled every Vets office in the county I live in. I have now settled on a really nice one, Dr DeLand right in the same small town I live in. He built a brand new office a year or so ago. I know one of the rooms was named after me.

I hope you’ll enjoy reading about the adventures of me and my critters. I look forward to sharing with you about the Feathered and Furry.
I welcome your comments.Till next time,
Cindy