We have cats. 3 of them. Well, 2 ½, since one prefers our neighbor over us and just comes over occasionally for lunch and to poop in our bike shed. We got the first one 10 years ago. My husband warned me back then not to take it in. I knew he was an animal lover, but I didn't know to what extent. I should have listened.
A couple of neighbor's kids found a kitten and were holding it in a cardboard box. She was all black, with a tuft of white fur under her chin, and big eyes. Soooo cute.
A couple of neighbor's kids found a kitten and were holding it in a cardboard box. She was all black, with a tuft of white fur under her chin, and big eyes. Soooo cute.
- Hey, Sweet Papa, they caught a kitten! Come see!
- If I look at it, I'm going to have to keep it.
- Oh, come on, take a look!
Famous last words.
We kept her. And her fleas. And her death threats on my newborn son.
Then we kept her friends. And their fleas. And we paid for their shots, collars, flea medication, de-worming medication, operations, kennel charges, car carriers, airplane pet carriers (the large ones meant for dobermans, so they'd be more comfortable on the transatlantic flight), and airfare. Don't even bring up the fact that while the other two were able to go as carry-ons, Cocoa (and yes, I'm using her real name, no need to protect her identity), Cocoa hid under the jacuzzi tub and we couldn't get her out in time for the flight. We ended up buying her a separate ticket and having her fly on her own – don't even ask what it cost me, the wound is still raw.
We kept her. And her fleas. And her death threats on my newborn son.
Then we kept her friends. And their fleas. And we paid for their shots, collars, flea medication, de-worming medication, operations, kennel charges, car carriers, airplane pet carriers (the large ones meant for dobermans, so they'd be more comfortable on the transatlantic flight), and airfare. Don't even bring up the fact that while the other two were able to go as carry-ons, Cocoa (and yes, I'm using her real name, no need to protect her identity), Cocoa hid under the jacuzzi tub and we couldn't get her out in time for the flight. We ended up buying her a separate ticket and having her fly on her own – don't even ask what it cost me, the wound is still raw.
Well, this story isn't about Cocoa (she deserves a blog all to herself), it's about Baby Meow Meow (BMM for short). Or rather what she dragged in.
One afternoon, not too long ago, she came in with a mouse in her mouth. Generally she only brings in half a mouse, or dead mice, but this time it was whole, and it was still moving, well, twitching. So I managed to separate the two and got the cat away, and locked the dying mouse in the bathroom to die in peace.
I made the mistake of writing Sweet Papa an e-mail letting him know what happened. He suggested I call my friend the vet. Well, she's only technically a vet, she's really a biologist specializing in infectious diseases, but she could work as a vet if she wanted to. Like I could work as a mechanical engineer if I wanted to, but just don't ask me to fix your car. I couldn't reach her, but she told me later I should have let the cat finish the mouse off, because it's just part of the world's order or something like that.
So when Sweet Papa arrives home from work, he rushes to the bathroom to assess the damage. 4 or 5 hours after I got it away from BMM and it's still alive! Still twitching! Sweet P. immediately gets on the phone. The local vet doesn't take in field mice, but they suggest he try the animal hospital in Dachau! So he calls there, turns out it closes in about 10 minutes, but if he hurries they'll wait for him.
Am I the only sane one here?
I had to go to a meeting, and Fifi wasn't feeling well. So the older two stayed at home while Sweet Papa took Kiki and the twitching mouse to the animal hospital.
Seriously?
Well, the doctors couldn't save the mouse. But they did give it a shot to put it to sleep. They didn't charge us for it, but they talked Sweet Papa into buying flea collars for the cats to the tune of almost 100 euros. He said he was in an emotionally charged state after holding the twitching mouse in his hands, and would have agreed to anything.
And apparently he hasn't been able to catch Cocoa yet to put the flea collar on her either. Hope he's not trying to save any fleas from an untimely death.
