We are bracing for another Arctic blast tonight.
May it be the last one. I think the cheepers should be alright. They have learned to band together in true "we few, we happy few" fashion, emerging victorious from each bout of severe weather with nary a feather out of place. (Well, except for the two molters that have many feathers out of place; we cannot undo the forces of nature.)
To improve their chances, I did what a chicken loving internet writer suggested -- I baked that cornbread and handed over a big chunk of it to them. They were delighted!
Other animals are having a tougher time of it right now. This morning, Ed found a very young cat in the barn. We've seen strays before (remember Cammie? She came, stayed, then disappeared forever), but this kitty seemed different: stuck in the cold weather, probably weakened, somewhat traumatized. Ed took her in and tried to feed her...
...but she really needed a vet. She seemed terribly feeble. He speculated whether Isie boy would mind if she stayed here and again I told him that I thought he would mind. So off the puffy girl went -- the hope being that the vet could help her and that eventually, her seemingly sweet disposition would win her a home somewhere.
[Update: she does not survive. The vet finds shock, infection, significant trauma. Sigh.]
Our breakfast, which comes even before the trip to the vet, is a touch somber. It's tough to have abandoned cats appear at the farmette. Where do they come from? Who let's them go?
The sun comes out, though only for a little while.
In the afternoon, I play for a bit with little Snowdrop. She is one day short of a month today and though of course she seems to us robust and solid compared to the week after birth, still, she is so young! So in need of help!
I could just show you her dimple again -- clearly displayed in a moment of sleepy contentment...
Or her curious gaze in her wakeful hour.
But maybe I should end with her more vulnerable moment. She has those too. We all do.
May it be the last one. I think the cheepers should be alright. They have learned to band together in true "we few, we happy few" fashion, emerging victorious from each bout of severe weather with nary a feather out of place. (Well, except for the two molters that have many feathers out of place; we cannot undo the forces of nature.)
To improve their chances, I did what a chicken loving internet writer suggested -- I baked that cornbread and handed over a big chunk of it to them. They were delighted!
Other animals are having a tougher time of it right now. This morning, Ed found a very young cat in the barn. We've seen strays before (remember Cammie? She came, stayed, then disappeared forever), but this kitty seemed different: stuck in the cold weather, probably weakened, somewhat traumatized. Ed took her in and tried to feed her...
...but she really needed a vet. She seemed terribly feeble. He speculated whether Isie boy would mind if she stayed here and again I told him that I thought he would mind. So off the puffy girl went -- the hope being that the vet could help her and that eventually, her seemingly sweet disposition would win her a home somewhere.
[Update: she does not survive. The vet finds shock, infection, significant trauma. Sigh.]
Our breakfast, which comes even before the trip to the vet, is a touch somber. It's tough to have abandoned cats appear at the farmette. Where do they come from? Who let's them go?
The sun comes out, though only for a little while.
In the afternoon, I play for a bit with little Snowdrop. She is one day short of a month today and though of course she seems to us robust and solid compared to the week after birth, still, she is so young! So in need of help!
I could just show you her dimple again -- clearly displayed in a moment of sleepy contentment...
Or her curious gaze in her wakeful hour.
But maybe I should end with her more vulnerable moment. She has those too. We all do.
Thank you both for trying to help that cat/kitten...
ReplyDeleteYes. She looked very sweet, but it would be worse to leave her out where she might have frozen to death, given her health
Delete.
Your daily photos of snowdrop are treasures. And the collection would make a beautiful little book.
ReplyDeleteAgreed entirely... I'm saving many of them to my camera roll and am thinking about an app (Animoto) I can use to turn them imto a mini-video. When she's grown up, her parents can embarrass her by playing it and/or showing these pictures to her boyfriend :^)
DeleteTotally awesome! Grandmothers are so clever! :)
DeleteThe kitten, how sad. I look at my two Grandpups snoozing here beside me and wish all other creatures could have their good fortune (both adopted as rescues, one blinded and one severely anxious, scrawny and scraggly, now sleek and so happy. Though they can have their moments of freaking out, they're easily soothed, and they truly know love).
ReplyDeleteSnowdrop really does have a dimple! I love dimples, people who have them just look so friendly! It's an asset. Does Daddy, whom she so clearly resembles, have dimples as well?
Funny thing is, I never noticed (about the father)! Must look next time!
DeleteLucky, lucky grandpups! Truly the fortunate few...
Heartbreaking about the kitty. Poor little thing! People - I blame the people who don't get their cats neutered in time... but all the feral cats in the world is just heartbreaking. I read the story about the thousands and thousands of cats in China that have been rounded up and buried alive to get rid of them... it just boils my blood to think of all the animal suffering in this big world. Poor little girl kitty. At least maybe she knew at the end of her life, there were two people who cared about her - probably more than she'd ever encountered before!
ReplyDeleteThat's a nice way of seeing it, Bex. She really had our deepest concern and affection for her, however short it was...
DeleteSo many creatures with heartbeats are in peril these days - cats, dogs, and so many other animals. Slaughtered children, sex trafficking of children - complete villages eliminated. Maiming. The horror is too difficult to comprehend.
ReplyDeleteYour good hearts provided kindness for the kitty in its final hours. Bravo! And a *sad sigh*
Years ago I adopted the sweetest adult dog. Mikey was 100% blind and adorable, but six days after moving in with me, I had to have him put down because he was so sick with heartworms. The *rescue* people were obviously unethical - there's more to the story but not worth going into. My heart was shattered. The veterinarian observed that the 6 days with me had probably been the best in Mikey's life. *sigh*
My youngest has dimples. Love them dimples! The changes in Snowdrop are amazing - she's becoming more and more alert and aware.
It's a good reminder that you cannot hope to save all the creatures that come to your door. Oh, but if you had seen the gentle face of that cat!! She melted your heart.
DeleteDo dimples linger into adulthood? I had assumed they were just baby pudgy cheek stuff! :)