Sunday, June 29, 2014



Blog 06/23/14 to 06/29/14

Blog on Vacation
Relocations and In Take
Our Cats after Release
Bad Calls/Emails:   Doesn’t Like My Attitude
BMG (Bitch/Moan/Groan):  Kitty Repo
OMG (Oh My God):  “I cannot do that!”
 
Blog on Vacation:  This is the last entry until July 27th.  If you have not seen your cat listed, then he/she is still in house and will be here until I return. 

Relocations and In Take:   Placed 17 this week with intake at 7.       
2          Barn in Gunter (Poppy, Mrs. O’Hara)
3          Barn in Midlothian (Boots, Ronny, Reba)
3          Barn in Union Valley (Susie, Chloe, Daisy)
3          Barn in Royce City (Nikki, Louis, Grace)
3          Barn in Southlake (Midnight, Cali, Princess)
1          Adoption Group (Andy)
2          Bonham Rescue

Our Cats after Release:  Picked up equipment in 5 locations this week.        
1.      Fort Worth:  The family garage is the new home for Cheshire and Weldon.  I saw Weldon as he scooted under the garage door to get back to “safety”.  I was not quick enough to get a picture.  Both are doing great with the family. 
2.      Prosper:  Raindrop was placed in this garage.  She is doing great.  I put two ferals there previously that have not been seen – BUT the rabbit population is now really down…good.  Raindrop is a torti.  I met the family dog, a Bull Mastiff, on Saturday.  He and Raindrop are the same color!  WEIRD!
3.      Gunter:  Boots and Sebastian were placed in this barn.  Boots has been spotted but not Sebastian.  They are making themselves scarce but the property owner found a dead bird in a stall this week – a good thing!
4.      Whitesboro:  This big, commercial barn site is the new home for Rusty, Buddy, Shelly, Caramel, Roger, and Molly.  I did not get to see any of them but the office said they have been spotted in the evenings which is what I would expect. 
5.      Argyle:  Brittany and Moonflower are “taking care of business” in the tack room of this barn.  Moonflower would not show herself but Brittany was all about getting her picture taken. 

Bad Calls/EMAILS:  Doesn’t Like My Attitude
Received a call mid-week from a lady with 24 cats and “most” are spayed.  Sure they are!  AND, of course, she does not want them killed.  I went through the whole thing about spay/neuter and TNR but she would not listen.  I guess because I would not RUSH RIGHT OVER and remove all 24 cats, she decided she did not like my attitude and hung up on me.  (My Opinion:  That meant I no longer had to talk to her -- YES!)  Geez – people!  If you get the first ones sterilized, you do not get to 24 cats.  ALSO – this did not happen overnight and it will not be resolved overnight.  She obviously does not do rescue.   

BMG:  Kitty Repo
Remember from last week the location where the wife wanted cats but the husband did not?  WELL – I got them back but only after I texted both folks.  They would not return my calls but did respond to a text.  I think they did not want the other to know they were talking to me…???  I think this is a CONTROLLING HUSBAND scenario – she got cats BEFORE GETTING HIS APPROVAL!  I did not want our cats to be in the middle of this internal war.  I went over and retrieved them from the barn.  They were due for release on Tuesday so they would still be in the caging I set up…WRONG!  She had released them BUT they were still in a stall with the hay.  SO – like all stories, this one has two sides….controlling husband and a non-listening wife…hummmmm!  At least our cats are safe. 


OMG:  “I cannot do that!”
A lady called Operation Kindness and wanted them to take an 18-year-old cat that is peeing all over her house.  No shelter is going to take an 18-year-old cat – in fact, you don’t want one going into a shelter environment with lots of other cats and lots of potential germs. So they give her a list of phone numbers.  Anyway, just like everyone else, she will not have it euthanized because “I just cannot do that!” but she will take it to the Carrollton Animal Shelter where THEY WILL EUTHANIZE IT!   I tried to convince her to go to a vet clinic and sit with the cat while she “goes to sleep”.  “I cannot do that!”  But she can take it to the shelter and have them do it!  More and more I hate people!    

Sorry – once again I cannot get the pictures to flow from my phone.  Don’t know what is up with that. 

“Thanks” for following the Barn Cats Blog.  The Blog will return on Sunday, July 27th.      Peg

Sunday, June 22, 2014



Blog 06/16/14 to 06/22/14

Relocations and In Take
Our Cats after Release
Bad Calls/Emails:   TNR in Arlington
BMG (Bitch/Moan/Groan):  Residual Full Moon
OMG (Oh My God):  What a Week!

Relocations and In Take:   Placed 26 this week with intake at 11.       
2          Barn in Collin County (Stripes, Loretta)
2          Barn in McKinney (Routy, Squeaky)
4          Barn in Blue Ridge (Anna, Roxy, Thomas, Junior)
2          Backyard in Colleyville (Dominica, Cayman)
3          Barn in Flower Mound (Peepers, Toby, Baby Girl)
2          Barn in Bartonville (Misty, Ginny)
4          Kittens from Leonard to an adoption group
7          Bonham Rescue

Our Cats after Release:  Picked up equipment in 2 locations this week.        
1.      Fort Worth:  Gypsy, Barney, and Bobbie were placed in this barn.  I did not see the cats but the property owner is not seeing any mouse droppings and they are eating….all good! 
2.      Cedar Hill:  Mary, Martha, and Lazarus were placed in this garage/workshop with an upstairs apartment.  All three are around but mostly hiding out.  Little Lazarus was so scared when I left them there – he was shaking!  Mom and sister were just taking it all in.  It is a good place for them.  The barn owner returned the caging so I did not get to see any of them. 
 
Bad Calls/EMAILS:  TNR in Arlington
A neighbor is moving and is concerned with a group of cats that a lady (rescurer??) takes cats for TNR (Trap/Neuter/Return) then does not continue to feed them – WHAT?  Does Arlington Animal Services know about this?  He has been feeding them but after he moves….not so much.  Another weird deal! 

BMG:  Residual Full Moon
June 13th was a Friday the 13th and also a full moon.  My problems started that day….
1.      I called a barn to pick up equipment and the barn owner said one of the cats had been sick and then spent $400 on the vet care….hummmm!   Obvious Question:  “Why didn’t you call me?”  The vet did a test and said the cat was caring the bacteria for Cat Scratch Fever.  I told her that I wanted to speak to my vet…and…87% of all cats will test positive for this condition.  What would prompt a vet to check for Bartonella?  Anyway, I called her on Saturday to ask her what she wanted to do – but she never called me back either Saturday or Sunday.  Monday I called again and this time she answered the phone and after a short conversation she said to pick up the cats and take the medicine.  She had not given the cat the meds because she did not want to get Cat Scratch Fever!  I picked up the cats, caging, and the medicine.  That evening I check the label on dosage and it said to store between 44 and 77 degrees but it had been sitting out in a 90 degree barn!  OOPS!  Well guess it is a good thing she did not give the cat the medicine.  OH WELL! 
2.      Tuesday I had scheduled a 2-cat relo to a barn east of McKinney.  The lady was nice and they lived on the property.  Since they were more friendly, I I set the date of release for Saturday 6/28 – also so I can pick up equipment the next Monday, 6/30.  On Friday evening at 7:30 pm I check the phone messages for the day and there was one at 8:52 am from the husband of this lady.  He wanted to return the cats because he and his son are allergic…what?  Anyway, I called and called on Saturday and Sunday to pick up the cats but neither of them returned my calls.  Then FINALLY I decided to text them and low and behold they both answered.  SURPRISE!  So I left immediately on Sunday afternoon about 3:30 to drive there to get the cats out of the middle of this husband/wife disagreement.  OK – it even gets better – She said the cats were in a stall and they seemed to like it there…???  Should have still been in the cage for 6 more days?  Well, maybe she moved the cage into a stall…???  NOPE – the cats were loose in one of the horse stalls and luckily had not escaped or I could not have helped them if I could not have found them.  I was able to pick each up and put them back in carriers for the trip back home.  They are safe now and that family dispute can be resolved without the cats being involved.    
3.      Wednesday I received a call and email from a home owner in Irving wanting cats for her backyard.  It is an older neighborhood with many rodents.  SO – packed up the cats and headed to Irving with Neighbor Nancy.  BUT – when we got there, there was no room in the garage for the caging.  Her husband refused to move the vehicle in the garage so we were S.O.L.  His parting words were “Kiss my ___!” – nice – enjoy those rats bubba!
4.      Got a call from a lady in Greenville who I had taken kittens from several years ago.  I took the kittens and then made an appointment for the mom to be spayed at the low-cost clinic IN GREENVILLE!   She missed the appointment – missed a second appointment and a 3rd.  AND this is with Barn Cats paying for the spay!  Then, you can probably guess, she called me last June wanting me to take more kittens.  I told her “When that mom is spay, I will come get the kittens.”  That was last year – now – YES – she has more kittens.  Told her this year that I would take them only if she can get them to the Dallas area….sure….fat chance!   No action yet!  She now says that the mom is “gone”.


OMG:  What a Week! 
I am glad this one is over.  Next week could not be any worse.  I am trying to get everything organized so I can leave town in July.  It is always a struggle – email coverage, phone coverage, cat sitting schedule, pickup equipment, cat food and litter, cleaning supplies, utility payments, etc.  I am usually so tired when I get on a plane that I immediately fall asleep.   

Sorry no pictures this week.  Have lots of equipment to pick up next week – so maybe will have some pictures to share. "Thanks" for following the Barn Cats Blog.  See you next week!    Peg
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Sunday, June 15, 2014



Blog 06/09/14 to 06/15/14

Relocations and In Take
Our Cats after Release
Bad Calls/Emails:   Two People with the Same First Name
BMG (Bitch/Moan/Groan):  Why won’t people just call?
OMG (Oh My God):  I Brake for Turtles
Jimmy and Booboo
 
Relocations and In Take:   Placed 12 this week with intake at 6.       
1          Adoption Group (Teddy)
1          Adoption Group in Flower Mound from Denton
2          Garage in Fort Worth (Weldon, Cheshire)
4          Moved to New Home in Dallas
1          Garage in Prosper (Raindrop)
2          Barn in Gunter (Boots, Sebastian)
1          Bonham Rescue

Our Cats after Release:  Picked up equipment in 6 locations this week.        
1.      Prosper:  Placed Golden Eyes and Blackie in this garage.  Both cats have not showed themselves this week. 
2.      Gunter:  Froggy and Butch were put in this barn.  Butch immediately ran off…bummer!  Froggy  (Mr. Hisser) is hanging out in the hay.  The good news is that they took 2 additional cats (Boots and Sebastian).                                                                          
                                                                  
3.      Josephine:  Betty Davis and Catalina were placed here.  One is there all the time and one is coming and going….don’t know who is who because the wife was out of town. 
4.      Sachse:  Jenny and Jamie are living on the back porch in this lovely home that backs up to a golf course. 
5.      Rockwall:  Bailey, Brandon, and Brandy are still in this great barn in Rockwall.  There were workers in the barn so I did not get to see any of them. 
6.      Lewisville/Flower Mound:  Sherman is doing well in his shed-home and Sasha and Ester are GREAT.  I did not get to see any of these cats but the property owners assured me they are doing well. 
 
Bad Calls/EMAILS:  Two People with the Same First Name
A lady was bringing in two brother cats.  Her name is Arleen.  I called and called and left many messages on a 214 number for Arleen when I discovered days later that her number is an 817!  It would have helped ALOT if that 214 Arleen had called and told me that she was the WRONG ARLEEN!  Oh well – cats got here several days later when I discovered my error. 
 
BMG:  Why won’t people just call?   
This is such a funny situation.  I ask people to call and then text for updates.  Texting is OK if there are short questions/answers but when deciding about cat placement, there are many areas to discuss:  now many cats, how close is house to barn, do you live on the property…etc.etc.  SO – just call – don’t text.  OK?  


OMG:  I Brake for Turtles 
Whenever it rains, the turtles are all over the country roads.  On Wednesday traveling between Rockwall and Josephine, I passed a turtle going across the 2 land road.  I immediately turned around, put on the emergency flashers, and stopped a truck coming toward me to get the turtle to the opposite side of the road.  REMEMBER:  Put the turtle on the side of the road they are headed toward…because…if you return them to the side they came from, they will just TRY IT AGAIN! 


Jimmy and Booboo:  Booboo likes to sleep under the couch covers.  Guess he is hiding…???  Jimmy curled up on top of him.  Booboo must be nice and soft like one of those expensive bed systems.  This option is much cheaper.  Jimmy is a Katrina cat and survived the hurricane in the worst possible area – The 9th Ward.  I think he did pretty good for himself!                                                                              

"Thanks" for following the Barn Cats Blog.  See you next week -- Peg