One Day Blog Silence

Stray Cat Sunday

Here is Orinch, the stray cat that Maw has been feeding. Yes, she ordered the humane cat trap from the internet and it has arrived. So now she needs to schedule a hoo-haw-ectomy and set the trap. Yikes!

Yep, that really is green grass in the back yard now and the trees have leafed out. Spring has sprung in North Central Texas.




Luf, Us

Photo Hunt #4 Rare

It is rare indeed to find this many poodins snuggled together at one time here at the Forty Paws. From left to right, Dorf, G.T., Reno, Smokey, Obi, and Sally.

Termites and Fire Ants on Friday

Ok. Today we need to discuss subterranean termites. Not dry wood termites, and not the nasty Louisiana Formosan termites, but subterranean termites. These "lovely" little underground bugs have colonies of thousands, some in the millions. The male and female adults swarm during spring months when the temperature and soil moisture conditions are just right. Like NOW.

When I first moved to Texas 19 years ago, I was told there are 2 types of houses in Texas. Those with termites, and those that are going to get termites. For many years, my new home was in the latter category, only because my neighbor had a colony that would swarm from his fireplace mantel into his living room every spring. Thing was though, this guy had a guarantee program from many moons ago when they still did those guarantees and so the company kept coming back to try and rid his home of termites. Well, when the company finally succeeded, we had our first swarm coming in at the dining room window. And it happened again the next year. Well, panic ensued naturally, and we went with an environmentally friendly control system. The bait station in the ground every 5 feet or so. Trouble was, these bait stations are primo food to fire ants.

With the bait station program, the company comes out monthly year round and "monitors" the stations. If they spot termite activity in a station, then they quickly insert several more stations around that one to entice more termites to take the bait. The bait is an insect growth regulator (IGR) and the theory is that the worker termites take this bait back to the colony and feeds everyone and they eventually die out. Yeah right.

Well, one month the monitor guy knocks on my door and says to the effect, "Hey lady, you've got a fire ant problem and they are eating all the bait for the termites." The large amount of money I was paying this company didn't cover them treating for fire ants so that their termite bait wouldn't get inadvertantly eaten by fire ants. After a few years of this baiting system, I dropped the contract.

Now the thing about fire ants is that there are all kinds of products out there to deal with them. And all kinds of wives tales to deal with them and their stings. Fire ant mounds appear in your yard overnight after a good soaking rain. Some people drench their mounds with gasoline or boiling water. With either method, you'll have a huge dead patch in your lawn. Some people spread IGR, insect growth regulators over their entire yard and wait months to see if anything happens. Some people treat the mounds only, which I've discovered through trial and error only serves to move the mound to a less poisonous spot in your yard. Some people broadcast fire ant killer over their whole yard. Personally, I've found this to be the most effective way to deal with fire ants. And the whole reason is that as long as your neighbors aren't doing the same, you have chased your mounds onto their property!!!!!

For years the neighbor who gave me his termites used to broadcast fire ant killer on his yard. So I had 5 mounds of fire ants that I couldn't get rid of. Of course, I was only treating the five mounds and they were moving around my yard continuously. Over the last few years, this neighbor quit treating his yard, and I've finally gotten smart and started broadcasting fire ant killer on my whole yard. Tee hee.

Now, anyone who has been unfortunate enough to learn about fire ants the hard way doesn't soon forget these nasty creatures. I used to work in the yard in bare feet. After stepping in a fire ant mound and getting stung several times, I started wearing Tevas or flip-flops. Those aren't very effective either because really only your soles are covered, and you can still get a gazillion fire ants crawling up your legs. Now I go out in full body armor.

Fire ant bites sting like crazy when they first bite, then it turns into a white pustule within about 12 hours. Of course, you aren't supposed to drain these pustules because of the risk of infection, but dag gone it they ITCH SO BAD!!!!

Here are some pictures I pulled off the Texas A&M site.

Fire ants


Fire ant mounds in a yard


Fire ant stings on an ankle/leg


So, the whole reason I bring up this crazy subject the day after discussing Cedar Waxwings is that the same kitchen window through which I took the photos of the Cedar Waxwings last month now has swarming termites!!! Which is driving me nuts because that window is above my kitchen sink and that is where I prepare food and I get to look at these nasty little swarming bugs and now I've got the creepy crawlies and I was scratching all over last night while watching Grey's Anatomy because I kept thinking about the swarming termites and fire ants. And what do you think about all the couples having so many relationship issues in Grey's Anatomy last night? Holy cow!! But I digress.

A swarmer


So, I'm going to have to call several companies to come out and give me estimates on termite eradication. But this time I'm going with the foundation drilling or the soil trenching or something more deadly and effective. Of course, the chemicals that they treated my childhood home with some 40 years ago that were guaranteed for like 30 years and would kill termites in houses the next block over and left people sterile for the next 5 generations are no longer available. Dag nab it.

And reading up on subterranean termites, various experts say to direct water away from your foundation, remove all mulch or landscape products for a foot from your house, etc. Except that here in Texas, we have the unique problem of having clay soil because this area was once a seabed a gazillion years ago, and so homeowners must WATER THEIR FOUNDATIONS to prevent their foundations from shifting and their walls from cracking apart, which results in thousands of dollars in foundation repair, etc. So, even during the severe drought, homeowners are allowed to run soaker hoses for an hour each day to water their foundations. Yes, I really did say that.

Luf, Maw

Thursday Thirteen #7

Thirteen Things about Cedar Waxwings

Since we were so honored in receiving the Thinking Blogger Award yesterday by our dear friends Luxor and Daisy, we had to really think about today's TT. So, we decided to have a skool day and learn all about Cedar Waxwing Fev-vers!!

1. This is a Cedar Waxwing.




















2. It is the most specialized fruit eating bird in N. America.

3. They travel in flocks typically from about 30-100, but can reach 1000.

4. Here is a flock outside our kitchen window last month. If you look really closely, you can count 16 birds in the tree.















5. They were eating the berries off the Yaupon Holly tree by our kitchen window. This is what the berries look like.
















6. Cedar Waxwings have also been in our backyard eating the ornamental pears from our Aristocrat Pear tree. Here is a picture of that fruit.







7. Since they rely on ripening fruit to feed their hatchlings, they are among the last N. American birds to nest.

8. The highest concentrations of wintering Cedar Waxwings occur in central Texas in the oak-juniper savanna and in Alabama and eastern Mississippi in stands of juniper, sweet gum, and oak.

9. Their summer range is southern Canada from southeastern Alaska and northern British Columbia to central Ontario, southern Quebec, and central Newfoundland. They breed as far south as Maryland and Virginia (and in the mountains as far south as northern Georgia), across the northern United States to northern California.

10. Their summer habitat is open woodlands, fruiting trees and orchards.

11. They are 7" (18cm) long.

12. They are vulnerable to alcohol intoxication and death after eating fermented fruit.

13. The first time Maw noticed a flock of Cedar Waxwings, she was volunteering as a Research Aide at the Dallas Zoo in the Okapi Barn. Here is a picture of an Okapi. We think we'll do a TT on Okapis next week. We bet you think it's related to the Zebra, don't you?

Luf, Us

Wonderful Wednesday

We had a fabulous turnout for our Dinner Partay yesterday!!! It was so great for efurryone to come ofer to da Forty Paws and hang out with us for the day!!!

We're sorry that it rained all day and that you didn't get to experience our enclosure in all it's true glory, but since we desperately need the rain, we hope you understand.

Here's a list of all the attendees, and we really hope we didn't leave anyone out. If we did, let us know and we'll amend our list! It looks like we had a total of 260 paws here including our own 40!!!!!

Daisy & Pixie
Bombay & Bangles
Dinkerdoo/Jinx
Dragonheart
Willow & China Cat
Zippy, Sadie & Speedy
Kaze, Latte & Chase
Abby, Boo, Ping, Jinx & Gracie
Tara
Samantha & Bebe
Gemini & Chey
Mr. Hendrix
Scooby, Shaggy & Scout
Pearl C. Pritchard & Pumpy
Icon Baxter Bentley, Kitty, Katie & Chloe
Casper, Cleo, Gizmo & Patches
Caesar & Prinnie
Sammie & Miles
Oscar the Puppy Cat
Parker, Puff, Powder & Ruby
Derby
Pumpkin, Bebe, Blackie & Tiger
Lux, Ninna & Silky


In addition, we are furry honored to have been nominated by Lux and Daisy for the Thinking Blogger Award!!!! Thank you very much for nominating us! We are so excited!!!!

We in turn are tagging:

1. Derby because his Fang Shui quotes on Fridays are so thought provoking and humourous.

2. Purrchance to Dream because NTM has become a black cat magnet and is rescuing his 2nd black cat in as many months, and his blog entries are always funny or heartfelt renditions for animals and their beans in need. The graphics and pictures are always great too!

3. Dragonheart because he teaches us all about the Sphynx breed. He also has taught us about Germany, where he is from, and Canada where his bean Mom & Dad are from. And he tells us about marathon running, which is what his bean parents do for fun.

4. One of Us because we have learned so much about rats and bunnies! We didn't know that rats could detail cars! And we definitely didn't know that buns like trackball.

5. Tara because she has taught us so much about traveling to the mountain cabin, taking walks on her cul de sac in her harness, staying away from the stray cats on her cul de sac, vishus deer, cat eating coyotes, and generally how to have fun as a Meezer kitten. Oh, and she's very intelligent because she is working toward her MzD.

Should you choose to participate, please make sure you pass this list of rules to the blogs you are tagging. The participation rules are simple:

1. If, and only if, you get tagged, write a post with links to 5 blogs that make you think.
2. Link to this post so that people can easily find the exact origin of the meme.
3. Optional: Proudly display the 'Thinking Blogger Award' with a link to the post that you wrote (here is an alternative silver version if gold doesn't fit your blog). That was that! Please, remember to tag blogs with real merits, i.e. relative content, and above all - blogs that really get you thinking!

Luf, Us

Dinner Partay!!

Efurryone is inbited to a Dinner Partay at da Forty Paws! Feechurin Maw's Homemade Chikin Pot Pie!!! Dessert will be vanilla bean ice creem, spray creem in a can, strawberry yogurt an anyfing else in da frig or cupbord.

Efurryone kin chek owt da heeted cat cups, all da cat ham-micks, da owtside enclosure, all da bedz in da winders, an all da cat treez.

Dis is Maw's Homemade Chikin Pot Pie. Note: Der is a top crust an a botum crust. An deze be frum da store freezer.

Dis is a iner veeyou ov da Chikin Pot Pie.

Dis is G.T. taste testin da Chikin Pot Pie.

Dis is Sally askin G.T. wer her's wented.


Efurrybody come on ofer! Partay Tyme!!! Yeah!!!

Luf, Us

Mancat Monday

Silly Sgt. Sally Sleeping on Sunday

With all the cat beds here at Forty Paws, the cat trees, the bean furniture and bean beds, Sally has decided that newspaper lining the inside of the trackball is the best bed there is.





Pee Ess. Obi's surgery was a couple of years ago. His tail has grown back nice and floofy; although it took a very long time. He still gets bladder infections from time to time when he gets unduly stressed. Then he has to take steroids to reduce the inflammation of the bladder. The V-E-T says he is a "sensitive" cat. He also has dribble issues when he finishes using the litter box. His "faucet" has a little bit of a leak for 2 drips. Then it's done.
This surgery was expensive and poor ol' Obi had to live in an e-collar for 3 weeks so he wouldn't lick the surgery site.

Photo Hunt #3 Steps

Here we are taking steps!!! (Smokey, G.T.'s hiney, Obi, & Sally)

If you are wondering why Obi's beeyoutiful floofy tail is shaved, it's because he had a perineal urethrostomy. You can find out all about it here. This isn't for the faint of heart.

Floofy Friday

To all da poodins dat has a hankerin fur sum ov Maw's Homemade Chicken Pot Pie, weze gonna git her to fix up a boatload of it an haf u all ofer fur a dinner pardy. Compleet wid paper playtes.

Luf, Us

Fat Eric has declared Fridays as Floofy Friday. So here is Obi, the only Floofy poodin here at da Forty Paws.

Purring for Lilly Lu

We are all purring and purraying for Lilly Lu's recovery!!

Thanks to Daisy for the use of the picture!

Luf, Us

Thursday Thirteen #6

13 Bean Foods I Luf to Eat by G.T. 1. Rotisserie Chicken 2. Shredded SHARP Cheddar Cheese 3. Vanilla ice cream 4. Aerosol spray whipped cream topping 5. Milk that is waiting for Oreo cookie dunking 6. King Ranch Chicken 7. Salmon patties from Costco 8. Steak 9. Pork roast 10. Maw's homemade chicken pot pie 11. English Toffee Crunch Ice Cream Bars 12. Pork chops 13. Ranch dressing Ok, there are a lot more than 13, but I have to stop now. Luf, G.T.

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Snaggletoof

After Dorf's first set of teeth extractions for Feline Odontoclastic Resorptive Lesions, he began to exhibit signs of being a snaggletooth tiger. He lost his upper right canine during the first set of 10 extractions.

Now, after his second set of extractions where he lost 9 more teeth, his upper lip really gets stuck on his lower canine and he wears a perpetual sneer. But you've got to admit it's kind of cute....

Luf, Us

Tired Tuesday

Dorf, Obi and G.T. preventing the bed from being made.

War of the Heated Cat Beds

Now most of you know that here at the Forty Paws we have lots of beds. We have the hammocks that I make, we have 5 tall cat trees, we have conventional hooded cat beds, and we have a heated cat cup that we bought a few years ago for Bow since he is getting along in years and his joints are a bit painful and arthritic.

For months no other cat figured out that this bed was a cozy 102F. Only Bow knew its therapeutic effects. Until a couple of weeks ago. By some chance, Gatsbi discovered the heated bed. Gatsbi seeks out any heat generating source. She lies less than a foot in front of the space heater. She lies in sunspots coming in through windows. So, Gatsbi found Bow's heated cat cup and commandeered it for her own.

Not wanting to leave Bow out in the cold, we purchased a second heated cat cup. And the very day that I unpacked it and plugged it in, Jenny discovered it. Jenny NEVER slept in the first heated cat bed. NEVER. So now we have Gatsbi in one heated cat cup and Jenny in the other. And Bow left out in the cold with no heated bed.

What's a Maw to do?



Note: This is a cat model. This cat is not one of the Forty Paws.

Sally on Sunday

Photo Hunters #2 Hobby

One of our hobbies here at the Forty Paws is watching Catnip Videos. We can only do this with adult supervision though because we try to attack the talking picture box.

Floofy Friday

Note: To all you luverly poodins who offerededed yur brofurs or sisfurs yestday to com lif wid us at da Forty Paws. WE ARE FULL. There is NO VACANCY.



Fat Eric has declared Fridays as Floofy Friday. So here is Obi, the only Floofy poodin here at da Forty Paws.

Thursday Thirteen #5

Thirteen Reasons Why It's a Good Thing to Live with 10 Poodins 1. There is always another poodin to snuggle with. 2. If you break something and the beans don't see you, it's likely that another poodin is gonna get blamed for it. 3. There is always a lot of food. 4. Some other poodin is always yakkin and Maw has to clean it up. 5. There is always a poodin around to chase. 6. There is always a poodin around to wrestle with and to put the bitey on. 7. Even if the V-E-T says that one of the poodins should be on a special diet, it's highly unlikely to happen because there are too many mouths to feed and it's too confusing. 8. There is always leftover stinky goodness in somebody's bowl. 9. It's usually somebody else's turn to have to go to the V-E-T for something, delaying routine checkups and dentals for the rest of us. 10. It's pretty easy to hide for most of the day and not be missed until headcount time. 11. If you start a fight and run away from it while the other poodins finish it, you won't get blamed cause the beans won't know who started it. 12. If you have an out of litter box experience, the beans won't know who did it. 13. There is always at least one poodin on the lookout for squirrels, bunnies, fev-vers, and evil intruders which allows the rest of us to sleep in peace. Luf, Us

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Evil Intruders

This is Annie, reporting live here at the Forty Paws. I must tell our viewing audience that we are being overrun with Evil Intruders. There is the orinch cat who Maw has been feeding for several months. Maw has fattened him up to where he appears to be a nice healthy size now. But Maw saw him up close and personal on top of the fence the other day and he has all of his parts!!! So, now Maw sez that she is going to get a "humane trap" and catch the little bugger and get him fixed.

First off, I ask, is there anything "humane" about a trap? Hello? How would you feel if you were going after some nice smelling filet mignon, or perhaps a pizza and suddenly, you were enclosed in a steel cage? Would you feel as if that were humane? No, I didn't think so. You would likely call the Civil Liberties Union on your cell phone to complain as loudly as possibly before they deported your hiney off to Gitmo. But I digress.

So, now there is a black cat with a VERY FLOOFY FACE appearing at our kitchen window. This is like deja vu! LBC all over again!!! Except LBC didn't have a VERY FLOOFY FACE. And Maw took him to the V-E-T to get his parts snipped also! But at least he found a forever home. Well, we hope FBC (Floofy Black Cat) is already missing his parts, for his sake. Please!

And NOW there is also a grey tabby with white coming to the front windows!!! What do they think this is? The Kool-Aid house? Hello???? We have enough problems here without uninvited Evil Intruders appearing at all hours of the day and night to peer in OUR windows to see what we are doing.

This has been Annie, reporting live here at the Forty Paws. And now we return you to our regular broadcast.

Tuxie Tuesday

Mancat Monday

Hoppy Eastfur

For efurryone dat saw yestday's post wid G.T. in da splint, datz an ol' foto. U kin reed bowt his brokded foot heer. He not brokded no more. Maw jist uzed dat foto fer da theme "Clean" fur photo hunters. So dunt freek owt. Ok?

Luf & Hoppy Eastfur Efurrybuddy,
Us

Photo Hunters #1

Clean

G.T. found it difficult to groom his furs under that bothersome splint, but he sure gave it a good effort.

Finally Friday!!!

Thursday Thirteen #4

Thirteen Reasons I'm Glad to be Done With My Annyoul Fisikal by Bow 1. I was stuck in the PTU. 2. When we got to the V-E-T, there were stinky woofies there. 3. The V-E-T tech weighed me. 4. Efurryone giggled efurrytime I squeaked. I squeak, I do not meow. This is my trademark. 5. They did the vampire thing on my neck and stole my blood. 6. The V-E-T sed she would nefer know I was 17 if she couldn't see my eyes. She said my eyes are looking kinda old. Excuse me? 7. The V-E-T squished my tumbly. 8. The V-E-T kept trying to check my heart rate, but I was purring VERY loud. 9. Efurryone kept trying to make me squeak more so they could giggle. 10. Then they talked about Dorf's teeth extractions and his "isshues". Hey, I'm the one at the V-E-T!!! Talk about me!!! 11. Then they talked about Gatsbi and her weight loss. Again, I'm the one here!!! 12. Then they talked about the food recall. Hello? Did you guys forget me????? 13. Then they decided to try and sneak Cosequin into my tuna juice for my "arthritic walk". Hah! I'll show them! I'm not going to drink my tuna juice if they try and hide something in it. Luf, Bow

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Wacky Wednesday

Here are all four of the "Fosters" as we still call them 4 years later. From left to right, Smokey, Obi, Reno, and Sally. They were sitting together on the smallest platform in the enclosure last night waiting on the storms to move in.

We started getting them one at a time in April of 2003 to try and get them cured of their chronic diarrhea and help them with their eye problems which turned out to be Feline Herpes 1 or what used to be called Feline Rhinotracheitis Virus. They are all siblings and spent the first 9-11 months of their lives in cages in the Crazy Cat Lady's garage. They will all be 5 years old on May 5. They were born to a truly feral, not just stray, momma cat who as far as I know still lives in a wooden shed on the crazy cat lady's property.

Some of you noticed Sally's expression in yesterday's photo. Part of that is probably that she was upset with Paw for disturbing her sleep with the flashy box, and part of it is the scarring of her third eyelid in her right eye. She still doesn't like to be held, and is only just beginning to sleep with us at night when she is cold. Since we had to give her meds for several months after she came here, and I still have to wipe her eye at least every other day to get the dried black protein off, she doesn't like to be messed with too much.

We've tried to adopt them out at various stages, but Obi has way too many health problems, Reno is fairly untractable, and Sally gets horribly grumpy in a cage at PetSmart. Smokey could probably be adopted out. He is wonderful and affectionate and loves to play, but I'm no longer with that foster group. So here he is.

Tabby Tuesday

Bow's Been Tagged!!

I, Bow, was tagged by Willow for the MeMe because she has lots of white mixed in with her tabby parts too, just like me.

5 Reasons Why I Blog

1. As Top Cat of the Forty Paws, it is my responsibility to manage all press releases as pertains to the homeland territory.

2. I must ensure complete accuracy and total integrity in said press releases.

3. As befitting a Man Cat of my means and bearing, it is my duty to keep the other 36 paws toeing a straight and narrow line, and therefore it helps to publish their antics. It sometimes embarrasses them.

4. Blogging keeps my mind active and an active mind is a young mind.

5. I am, therefore I blog.