Kittens

Here's 4 of them in one pic... the only one missing is the black male, Spooky.
This is M.J. Isn't she cute? She's one of the sweetest ones. M.J. stands for Momma Cat Jr. Since she looks so much like her. OR, alternatively, M.J. can stand for Mean Julie... in remembrance of what she did to us and our other batch of kittens... and maybe even Momma Cat herself...

Here's M.J. sleeping so cutely :D
These pictures are untouched as I just uploaded from my Kodak folder... the pics there remain untouched. Any touched up photos go to my "My Pictures" folder... just so you know... because I know you wanted to know... ha ha ha

Momma Cat's Gone

Can you believe this shit??? She was here last Thursday night. I put some table scraps out for her to eat Friday morning... but, didn't see her. Which wasn't that weird... sometimes she goes off and gets some bugs or frogs or something and comes right back. ANYWAYS... I put the food out in the morning when the girls get on the bus... so, it was like 7am. I didn't go back outside until after lunch and the food was never touched. That evening, same thing... no evidence of her eating any food. No Momma Cat Saturday. No Momma Cat Sunday. No Momma Cat today. She's gone. I have no idea what happened to her.

I saw our neighbor, the husband, outside this morning and asked him if he had seen her around and he said he hadn't. I told him I saw he, or at least his car, was home pretty much all day Friday and he said he was home and only left for like 45mins that day.

I did ride my bike (with Wyatt) both Friday and Saturday down the road and never saw any signs of Momma Cat. I talked with my neighbor behind me Friday evening and she said she hadn't seen her. Our neighbor closest to the railroad tracks wouldn't have done anything to her because they like cats... plus, our cat isn't bothersome.

Okay, I just rode up and down our street again as well as the road behind our house and no Momma Cat... no evidence of her demise either. However, before getting to the railroad tracks, I heard a cat crying... sounded like a kitten though. I couldn't tell exactly where the sound came from. I did get down off the bike with Wyatt and walked next to the tracks, where the overgrowth isn't as bad... then it sounded like the cat cries came from across the bayou. No way for me to get to it if its over there... besides running down the railroad track, across the water... I feel badly for that kitten/cat... but, I don't know how to get to it.

I called the local animal shelters but they're closed today thanks to Columbus Day (garbage was picked up today!!!). I'll call back tomorrow... hopefully someone brought her in... but, I'm betting not :((

The kittens are doing okay. Of course, they weren't weaned :( Poor babies :(( They're only a month old. But, they aren't crying either. I have some formula that was sent to me free in the mail that I never used (because, of course, I breastfeed) that I'm mixing and giving to them. We bought some kitten food Saturday and they're eating it... in fact, they were growling at each other while eating! LOL

The kittens are so cute and sweet. If you pet them while they're standing there, they'll purr. They usually stop purring once you pick them up though.

Momma Cat didn't even have a chance to teach her kittens her ways :( They are cleaning themselves and each other and pooping in the dirt (not on the cement! woohoo) but, she didn't have the time to teach them how to hunt. Maybe its in their blood and instinctual.

Anyways, they seem to be coping well... I'm sure it has a lot to do with having their siblings around for comfort.

I've named them. LOL The black one is Spooky (he's the most shy one), the black/gray tabby is MJ (Momma Cat Junior), the gray one is Slater or Pewter... haven't stuck with one yet... thinking Slater. The Tortoiseshell one with white around her eyes is Bandit. And the other Tortoiseshell one... well, I told the girls they could name her... so, she's without a name as of now... oh wait, I just remembered, Calista said "Marina"... We'll see if that sticks.

Momma Cat

On September 1st, Momma cat gave birth to two kittens. One pure black one and one gray with some other colors on it. By Sept. 2nd, she had given birth to three more kittens (one black/gray tabby like herself and 2 black tourtiseshells). She still looked pregnant because normally, she's a thin cat. Sure enough, by Sept 3rd, all 6 were out of her. But, the last one was stillborn :( I'm guessing it must have been hindering the births of the previous 3 which is why it too her so long to birth all of her babies. The stillborn baby was almost an identical twin to the gray one born on the first day. And Momma Cat didn't try to get rid of it either. In fact, she cleaned it thoroughly, just like it was alive. I had left it, just in case it wasn't dead and maybe it just looked it. The next morning, it had been moved and all the other kittens were snuggled next to it. It felt warm. But, it was surely dead. I disposed of it after the girls got on the bus this morning.

I'm just surprised Momma Cat left in there. In my experience, the momma cats will even eat the dead baby... or at least, take it away from the other kittens.

Anyways, the rest of the kittens (5 of them) are doing great. They are nursing and nursing and nursing and getting fat bellies :) One of the black tourtiseshell ones was even purring this morning! I love that!

And yes, my other kittens are still gone thanks to my neighbor. I don't even want to imagine what she had done to them.

To my bitchy neighbor who will NEVER be a friend of mine again, word of advice:

DON'T FEED MY ANIMALS! DON'T LET YOUR KIDS OR HUSBAND EITHER!
Leave them alone and they won't bother you. My animals are my 'problem' not yours. I'll find homes for them in MY due time not YOURS!

Witchy Woman Update

Update on the 'anti-cat' neighbor.



Friday, after Jeremy came home from work, he went next door to talk to the husband. It was just as I had suspected, he wasn't aware of all that was going on. I didn't go with Jeremy, so I only know what Jeremy tells me about what went on there. He knocked on the door and asked her husband to come out. He did. Jeremy showed him the yellow paper (animal control warning) and asked what that was about. At some point in time, the wife walked out. She kept saying stuff like, "___ get back in the house" "Are you going to believe me or this fucking drunk" (BTW, Jeremy wasn't drunk) "You (Jeremy) need to leave now." And she proceeded to call the police. Jeremy said that he was going home but to send the police over when they got there.



He walked in our house, telling what happened. Said the wife was saying that I was lying. After a little while, we (Jeremy & myself) went outside. Not long afterwards, the husband from next door asked if he could join us. He apologized for what had happened. He also apologized for buying the cat food. Apparently, they both thought we were bad pet owners and decided to take matters in their own hand without ever asking us about what they thought we were or weren't doing.


See, we sometimes go visit my family for a week (usually, if its a week, its me and the kids, not Jeremy & when he does leave for a week, that's the only time we ask neighbors to feed our animals) or even just the weekend. Well, before we leave for the weekend, Jeremy fills Max's (our dog) food bowl (large metal container that Jeremy nailed down inside of Max's house so he can't take it out or it can't be rained on and ruined.) with food (like a 20lb bag). Max doesn't gorge himself so, when we get back, he still has food there. The only concern is the water and Jeremy has asked a few of our neighbors at different times just to make sure he has water while we're gone. Also, our other neighbors have asked us if they could feed Max their scraps which is totally fine with us. He eats anything. And for the few times that we are gone for a week at a time, Jeremy calls our neighbors to make sure Max is okay.


Now, for the cat(s). I've written about how great of a hunter Momma Cat is. She is close to being a feral cat. She brought back many different types of rodents for herself and kits to eat along with birds, snakes, frogs, etc; even when there's food out there for them. Yes, we don't buy cat food too much because we want her to stay a hunter and not get lazy. However, I'm always giving them table scraps.


So, while our neighbor was here, Jeremy asked him if he knew about the metal container inside Max's house and that he fills it full of food when we know we'll be gone. Our neighbor was dumbfounded. He had no idea. They just figured we left the animals with nothing. Which is really stupid since Max is on a leash and can't very well go find food. What kind of people they thought we were, huh? AND, if they thought this, there were ways they could have found out what we do... they could have approached us with this concern before taking matters into their own hands.


Well, that is also the reason they bought cat food and fed them at their house. BTW, they did this while Jeremy was home... me and the kids were the only ones not home for the week.


Of course, they didn't 'fess' up to any of this... this is what we got from their actions and words.


All of this could have been avoided had they NOT assumed the worse and asked us... even then, that didn't have to be a confrontation... the matter could have been brought up during conversation without us even knowing their underlying concerns. And this whole ordeal could have been totally avoided.


So, yes, they created their own problems yet we were the ones that got both animal control and the police called on. OH yeah, the police did show up next door but the husband sent them away saying that there were no problems.


The wife has yet to apologize and I don't see her doing it, ever. This was all their doing; not ours. Our cats don't go to any of our other neighbors' houses; just theirs because they were feeding them.


OH, yeah... another thing... all of the kittens are indeed gone. She said the animal control picked them up but when I spoke to that lady, she said we get 3 warnings and THEN they pick the animal(s) up... so, I'm pretty sure she got rid of the kittens via her mom or someone else they know around here since our female neighbor is so allergic to them, she wouldn't have been able to transport them.


Even after her 'threat' that she'd get rid of the kittens, she only gave us like 4 days to do anything. I wouldn't have wanted to bring them to the animal shelter... I was trying to find them homes.


You know, even if she apologizes at some point in the future (which I don't see happening), there's no way I'd be friends with her again. She's an ass and a major bitch. Yeah, I can be bitchy... but, she's got me beat hands down.


Another thing that really sucks is now her son gets on the bus with my girls. So, I have to see her twice a day during the week. I'm just ignoring like I did.


What was funny this morning, after getting her seat, Calista was looking out the window, at our neighbor, with this super mean eyes... I had to smile to myself. I just wonder if our neighbor noticed it at all. She had to have... I mean, Calista was looking at her for a long time like that. lol

Okay... further on in the day...

Calista & Ursula get off the bus, before that, I see Jude with this sad/mad face. I asked Calista if she told Jude about her mom getting rid of our cats and she said she had and she will tell everyone she can about it.

Missing Kittens

I went ride my bike around 9:30-10:00am today and the kittens were around.

I received a visit from the parish's animal control regarding our pregnant momma cat... yet, nothing about the 5 kittens on that report. I knew about the leash law in our parish, but didn't realize that meant cats too... can't say I've ever seen a cat on a leash in real life. This lady came around 2:00pm. And I hadn't been outside since riding my bike. The kittens weren't around.

My kids got off the bus at 3:18pm and still no kittens.

I suspect my neighbor, the one mentioned in my previous post, had her mom or someone else bring our kittens somewhere else.

What an ass, huh? Report me to the animal control??? I can't help but think her husband knows nothing of what she's done. He likes the cats.

I'm so glad I never opened up to her about our personal lives!!!

I love how people create their own problems and blame others!!!

Update

Biking:

I've been riding my bike 2 miles daily this week and Wyatt has been loving it. Its so nice to just ride, wind in your face, sun tanning your skin (hehe), and having that nice quietness. Wyatt just sits and looks around, barely does he make any noise while we ride. Sometimes he'll touch my back with his hand or foot :D

Along with riding, I've been doing crunches; I can already see results! Gotta love that! Makes it worth doing, ya know!

Gymnastics:

Well, that hasn't worked out. The first one ended up being way more expensive than I had thought. I went to get the information package and Ursula even stayed for a class that day. I read all the mandatory requirements, deposits, etc... I knew Jeremy would say no; and of course, he did. For the end of the year recital, they wanted $300/child!!! That didn't include costumes and accessories even! Not even tickets! Crazy, huh? Then, you had to buy the daily outfits from them which would have equalled no less than $100 for both.

So, I called the other ballet/gymnastics place and got their info packet. Jeremy had agreed to their terms; seemed a better deal but when I read it closer, they wanted both the registration and 1st month tuition at the same time. If I could have paid them a week apart, it could have worked out a little better. That, together, would have been about $300. Jeremy said no. I do understand though. This summer, our bills have been twice and three times more than normal making his raise almost nil. There was a water leak the landlord didn't fix until recently. Our water bill was almost $300 for 3 mths. Normally, it would be about $24/mth. Then, our A/C seems to never cut off even when I have the temp set for 80 degrees during the day! Our electric bill has been between $250/320/mth!!! That's frickin' high for us. We're used to it being around $150 or so. Its not like we live in a huge house... its not even 1200 sq ft! Maybe next year, we'll be able to put the girls in dance and gymnastics.

My sister, Cherie, has her girls in dance where she lives and its only $20/child/mth! OMG, we could soooo afford that!!!

The closest gymnastics place is 20 min away. I called but no one answered. Depending on the costs and time the classes take place, it could work. Next closest is in Lafayette... and sorry, that won't be happening. I will not be traveling there twice a week...

Cats:

Looks like Momma Cat is pregnant again... much to our chagrin. Her kittens are barely 4 mths old. We still have 5 out of 6 of them. My sister had taken one home. I did place an ad for the in the local Freecycle group but no one answered it; guess everyone is trying to get rid of their own cats...

Jeremy's ready to drop them off somewhere (like the race track); I'd hate for him to do that but they'd have a better chance to survive than bringing them to a shelter where they'd euthanize them in a short amount of time. I really didn't think we'd still have them by now; looking back at how her other kittens disappeared by the time they were like 3 mths old... of course, those kittens were cuter... LOL This litter has no white ones like her previous kits did.

I like Momma Cat because she a mouser & an all-around hunter. I've seen evidence of her capturing, killing, and bringing home at least 2 rabbits. I've seen bird feathers. I've seen many, many mice she's gone found in the wooded area and killed. She's a good mom too; teaches her kittens how to as well.

I'd like to keep the one male kitten. I want to keep at least one because of the mouse problem we had 4 yrs ago... don't want to have that happen again!!!

Also, I've been complained to about my kittens by a neighbor. The kittens like hanging out there and she's allergic to cats. She's actually cursed at me about it (said the "F" word); something I've never heard her do prior to this week. I was in shock. So, I really didn't say anything at the time since she hurried off after having her say. So, I haven't talked to her since. I don't need friends like that... that will confront me and then hurry off without discussing the problem like adults. I can handle confrontation but can't stand when someone will say something, esp. cursing at me, and then leave after they've had their say. That just really pisses me off.

If she's reading this... here's my advice:

STOP FEEDING MY CATS

If you wouldn't (or your dh, whoever does it) buy and feed my cats, they wouldn't hang out at your house!!!

I've NEVER told you to feed my cats; NEVER asked you nor your dh nor your kids to feed them. Even while we are away, visiting relatives for a week, never asked you to feed them... the cats can fend for themselves; they're hunters; plus, we put out a bag of food for them when we leave that they can eat from.

We have 3 other close neighbors that the cats DON'T visit. You know why they don't? BECAUSE THEY AREN'T FEEDING THEM!!! HELLO??? You've created your own problem! And if it was your husband that did it and not you, then complain to him. I didn't bring food to your house and put dishes out in front of your door and lure the cats there. Nope, not me... I didn't do that.

Okay, I've gotten that out of my system... I feel better.

My Kittens

Here's Momma Cat's latest batch of kittens. Six in all; 4 girls & 2 boys. This first pic to the left is right after she brought them home... she had them elsewhere... so, I set up a box outside and she brought them to us... they were about a week old there.

The rest of these pictures were taken within the last week. The kittens are so cute :) They have really cute faces and are very playful. Some are more friendlier than others. Some purr if you pet them :D

They're like 6 weeks old I think... :D hehe

This is one of the boy kits in these two pictures. He's a sweetie.

Thinking back, I really believe it was always seeing momma cats and their kittens nursing that made me see breastfeeding as 'normal'. We always had a plethora of cats and kittens growing up... because we lived on 10 acres of land and people would drop their animals off at our place... LOL We just fed them and took care of them while they were at our house.

This last pic of the kitty sleeping cracks me up... she was cleaning herself and fell asleep :D hehe

Weight Check & Missing Kittens

Woohoo!
I weighed myself at Jeremy's parents' house Sunday night and I'm now at 140lbs! yay! That's 5 lbs below pre-pregnancy weight. I know that still sounds like a lot... and it is... esp. for my height... but, here's a picture of me from today.

Still have some weight to lose to make myself happy.

**Please refrain from looking at the background... LOL

Yes, I realize that by saying that, it makes you look even more... LOL But, what you see behind me is part of our PC area... the side of it has been removed and its no longer crashing... guess it needed some air? Against the door is a working treadmill. And that's our sofa with clothes on it that needed to be picked up. Oh, and of course, by my feet is one of Ursula's many babies.

And yes, I have a white bra on... once you're so big, you don't get a great assortment of bras to choose from. Most are white and big enough to wear as hats.

I'm So PISSED!!!

My kittens have all disappeared.

Its like they were taken by two's.

My last two disappeared the other day.

I kept hoping that they'd return but nooooo they haven't.

And it was the white one that I wanted to keep!!!

And that little tabby, he was sooo sweet! He'd purr whenever you'd pet him! While we were gone the other weekend, Jeremy thought they were missing then but they weren't. They returned that Sunday night. That's why I keep waiting and calling them but nothing :(

These are the last pictures I had taken of them (Oct. 20th, 2006). That next day, they were gone :(( :(( :(( I'm wondering if either our landlord or his son has anything to do with this. We had plans to give them all away except for this white one. Its not like we were going to be keeping all 6 kittens along with 2 adults... we already had people that wanted them. I think someone took them. I mean, come on... 2 at a time were gone for the most part. One was killed, I know that, saw it... but, the others? There's no sign of their demise. Pisses me off. I just know that someone is behind it; intentionally taking our kittens without letting us know.