Monday, February 10, 2014

Ok, so here's one for you.  Over the years, my husband and I have apparently earned the titles of "Stray Critter Magnets."  That's why we have wound up with five dogs and five cats.  We even attracted a guinea hen that showed up in our backyard after a summer storm.  I kid you not.  We fed her, she stayed, and that's been two years ago.

Anyway, four out of our five cats were strays.  Our most recent freeloader...errrr...feline came to us by way of Hubby's workplace.  In June of 2013, the 26th to be exact, my husband called during his lunch break to tell me that a helpless, lonely, hungry black kitten had shown up in the shipping department's parking lot.  I sighed, shook my head, and told him I'd be there to check it out, knowing full well we didn't need another anything that eats or poops running around the house.  When I arrived, two little meddlesome boys in tow, I was greeted by the sight of my husband holding a skinny black kitten that obviously adored him.  Upon closer inspection, it was confirmed that Little Black Kitty was a female.  By this point, though, it wouldn't have mattered what she was--the males in my household had decided that she needed a home.  With us.  With the other five dogs and (then) four cats.  So, home she went.

Over the past seven months, Delilah (a.k.a. Itteh Bitteh) has become a beautiful, poofy-haired cat.  And she's one heck of a mouser, which comes in handy living out here in the sticks.  Now, that being said, we've been fully aware since her arrival that she needs to be spayed.  I mean, any cat or dog that is a member of the household receives the spay/neuter surgery because NONE of them need to reproduce, since reproduction inevitably leads to more eating and more pooping, so just...no.  We were hoping that Delilah's first heat cycle would hold off until the good old tax refund reached us.  We should have remembered that our luck doesn't typically run to the good.  Two nights ago, I was awakened at 02:00 by a frightful screech that originated near the foot of my bed.  Copper, our Coonhound mix that sleeps on the bed with us (ferocious guard dog that he is...*rolls eyes*), levitated a good two feet off the bed at this and hid behind me, as I had sat straight up, myself.  It turned out to be Delilah, whom I found on the floor, writing on her back in lusty glee.  Wasn't that just lovely?  It turned out to be a reeeeeeally long night.  Which then turned into two really long nights, 'cause it's difficult to sleep when a female kitty is experiencing the whole "going into heat" thing for the first time.  She wants everyone within earshot to know just how happy and, uh...willing that these newly unleashed hormones have made her.  "Everyone," not including any of the male humans in my house, however, as they have somehow managed to sleep through her exclamations of unfulfilled amour.  So "everyone" consists of me.  And, most unfortunately, I hear her loud and clear.  @#$%!  Oh...I also think it's interesting to note that she has spent the whole day thus far snoozed out on a pile of laundry.  She must be saving her energies for the moment my eyelids begin to close tonight.  @#$% and @#$% again!

I'm hoping that this, too, shall pass in a couple of more nights.  Thankfully, our four male cats were neutered long ago, so they think she's as annoying as I do at the moment.  As soon as her hormonal tide has receded, her furry tail will be carried to the vet, post haste.  As much as I love the little furball, I refuse to deal with this situation again when it can be prevented.

So there's your "moral of the story," folks:  Have your pets spayed or neutered.  It may help save your sanity.

2 comments:

  1. Hey note the time you posted this. I would take that as a good omen. Happy writing.

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  2. Oh wow, Nicki--I just noticed that! You realize I could have never gotten that to work out that way if I had actually intended for it to happen... :)

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