The Headless Chipmunk

Having a large clan of cats can be problematic if you don’t have enough space.  It  can lead to stress in the cat which can lead to health issues such as bladder inflammation causing bloody urine or difficulty urinating.  It can lead to cat fights which result in bite would abscesses or inappropriate elimination in the house.  Well, we have a large clan of cats in our house and we have seen all of the above and more.  To reduce the stress in the house, we take advantage of the garage as part of their living space.  We have a two car garage that is attached to the house so it is very easy for them to move in and out at their leisure.  We often leave the door open, especially in the warmer months so they can come and go.  The great thing is that they love the garage and we don’t have to put them out there against their will.  I think it is a bit like going on vacation for them.  There are different things in there to explore, lay on, and hunt.  Ah yes, hunt.  The true ecstasy of the feline who is a carnivorous predator by heart.  It is in the genes.  Over the years, many critters have lost their little lives venturing into our garage as they weren’t warned by friends and family of the dangers that lurk under the garage door.  The bird seed was too tempting for them. 

On occasion, we have had chipmunks in the house when we left the door open between the house and the garage.   It is not a secret for long as you can hear animals scratching across the floor at a maddening pace and then find statue like felines peering under the furniture just waiting for the opportune moment.  The more hilarious part of this story is the humans trying to fetch the little creatures and move them back outside and at the same time trying to keep the cats from grabbing them and murdering them in front of us.  I’m sure it is great fun for the cats but something I do not want to witness.  We actually had a recent chipmunk adventure which fortunately resulted in a live release.  If only there were video……….Two humans trying to trap it under the chest and chase it into a bucket, it escapes…the female human screams and the cats start chasing it around the house.  Fortunately, the little guy went under another piece of furniture and this time we were successful in luring him into the bucket.  I’m fairly certain he won’t venture back into the garage.  It was probably a life changing experience for him. 

Last week, two critters did not escape from the wraths of the feline hunters in our garage.  I saw a tiny field mouse four paws to the sky one night when I went down to check on the cats.  It was the middle of the night so I didn’t want to engage in disposing of the little guy.  I expected to find him in the same spot the next morning.  Well, not so much.  All I found the next day was the tail.  I have to guess that the feline hunter was supplementing his high quality dry diet with a little fresh meat.  Gross but at least I didn’t see the blood shed.  Not two days later, I walk out to the garage to dump some trash in the bin and when I go back in……..a headless chipmunk!  Now remember I am a veterinarian used to seeing guts and all that but this was icky and I could have stepped on it!  I don’t care for little critters to start and especially dead ones with no head and organs hanging out.  I would have to have a chat with my feline predators.  First of all, the head has the least nutritional value and the most bones while the organs have the highest nutritional value.  Maybe it is the result of having no practice from living the life of a spoiled house cat and I suppose it would be like a child testing out different foods to see what tastes good and what doesn’t.  I have no problem with that as long as they don’t vomit things back up.  But my biggest message to the fierce predators is don’t leave it on the door mat because I do not want to step on it!

Cats in Toyland

As responsible pet owners, we make a concentrated effort to keep our felines in a healthy state of mind.  Being that they are house cats and don’t have run of the neighborhood, we try to keep their environment interesting and enriching.  This involves buying lots of toys and cat furniture and daily visits to the garage for chipmunk watch.  Enriching an animal’s environment is extremely important as it improves their daily life and welfare which can reduce stress.  Stress, particularly in cats, can have a significant negative impact on their health which can lead to urinary tract disease and gastrointestinal issues to name a few.  With our most recent feline addition who is a youngster, she plays non stop.  She is a bit of a bully to the others so she doesn’t have any buddies, therefore she has become quite good at entertaining herself.  Remember, I mentioned I have bought lots of toys.  I’ve never counted but I’m sure there are easily 50 or more items that include furry mice, balls with bells,  fluffy balls, crinkle balls, and the list goes on and on. 
Toy Chest  #1
But despite this never ending toy chest to choose from, she often finds something else to entertain herself.  I’m not saying she never pulls stuff out of the chest to play with, but when she does it never seems to be as interesting to her.  Her most recent “toy of choice” is drinking straws.  Yep, that’s right.  I have become a bit of a Diet Coke fan so it is not uncommon to have a fast food restaurant cup on the counter waiting to be recycled. So my counter surfing cat identified her new toy and off she went.  She flings them up in the air, carries them around, and bats them across the floor.  We have laminate floors so they really fly  across the floor and make an unusual sound when they move.   
“Tornado” Tonks and her new toy.



Drinking straws are not the only cat selected entertainment device.  Wine bottle corks, cherry tomatoes, pimento peppers, rolled up plastic bags, and milk jug rings are also popular toys for them.  Did I mention I have counter surfing cats?  I don’t know how many dried up cherry tomatoes I found under the furniture last winter!   Which brings me to the next subject…….the long lost toys under the furniture. 



Toy Chest #2



This is fun??



I am not a “Suzy Homemaker”  but I do try to make an effort and do a deep clean of the house every so often.  It doesn’t take long to have ginormous dust bunnies in the corners when you have a house full of cats.  This usually includes vacuuming under the furniture as this is a favorite dust bunny hang out.  Before I vacuum under things, I have to check for toys so I don’t choke the vacuum with mice, milk jug rings or whatever else is lost under there.  On occasion, I will see a cat, with a longing look in their eye, gazing under the furniture This a clue that it might be time to do a sweep with the yard stick.  I’m amazed at the pile that can collect under there. 



The long lost toys (and flameless candle that became a toy) under the china cabinet.



Seems that  Harry missed them.

Even thought the cats will choose their own sometimes unusual toys, I will continue be a doting owner and buy them what I think will excite them and enrich their lives.  They never cease to amaze me with their cleverness and antics.  It proves that if you have cats, you don’t have to spend a lot of money to offer them toys.  Of course, safety comes first so you have to take this into consideration if you are looking for home made toys.  Think outside the toy box, you might be surprised at what they will consider the best toy ever! 

Travel Anxiety

For me, one of the most stressful times about owning pets is leaving for vacation. I don’t worry about them being alone as they have each other to keep themselves company, but I worry about health issues especially in the older cats we have. We do not put them in a boarding kennel for a multitude of reasons. First of all, taking 6 cats in carriers all in the same car is laughable! Second, cats are generally unhappy and stressed in any environment outside their normal routine. For those reasons and others, I have always hired a pet sitter to come to the house daily to care for them and keep an eye on the house. Fortunately, my pet sitters are usually good friends so I don’t have the extra worry of having a stranger in my house. Despite this luxury, I still have anxiety.

Several years ago I had planned a trip to Florida with my brother. I had asked a friend to check on the cats and thought I had all the details in place. A word of advice, always confirm your dates with your pet sitter! When I arrived home, I was immediately worried when the paper was on the front door step as she always brought in the paper and the mail while I was gone. I got inside and the cats were unusually happy to see me. I went into the room where their food was kept and their bowls were completely empty. I had recently been to a veterinary meeting so there were bags on the floor that had bisquits and food samples all of which had been ripped open and eaten. I kept their food in a metal tin of which they somehow managed to get the lid off. They still had water since I had put an extra bowl of water down before I left. I called my pet sitter and it was obvious we hadn’t confirmed as she had other dates in mind. It was a horrible feeling knowing that their welfare was compromised and something much worse could have resulted.

Fortunately, cats are clever creatures and survivors. To this day, cats continue to amaze me with their abilities to survive in this world. There are many cat stories of survival that sometimes are beyond belief. I have seen some of those cats in practice and continue to be stunned at what they can survive. Cats deserve way more credit than people give them. For now, I need to call my pet sitter and confirm dates for my upcoming vacation. Hoping for happy, well fed cats when we return!