Friday, December 17, 2010
Charlie DustbinCat part 2
After spending about 2 hours with my colony today, I think it was Charlie that we lost in the torrential rain. Rest in peace my boy, you will live in my heart forever.
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Dead DustbinCat
16 December 2010
I actually don't even know which one of my cats died in the storms last night / this morning. I just picked up the body, wrapped it in a dustbin bag and dropped it off at the local vet. Today was meant to be Charlie's 3rd shot of antibiotics - he looked so well yesterday after 2 doses.
Feeling a bit numb not knowing who died but I have to bath to get rid of the smell of death.
I actually don't even know which one of my cats died in the storms last night / this morning. I just picked up the body, wrapped it in a dustbin bag and dropped it off at the local vet. Today was meant to be Charlie's 3rd shot of antibiotics - he looked so well yesterday after 2 doses.
Feeling a bit numb not knowing who died but I have to bath to get rid of the smell of death.
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Charlie DustbinCat
14 December 2010 was NOT my best day. Do all vet's receptionists act like they own the *bleep* practice? Treat you in a condescending manner because of t.h.e.i.r. ignorance about f.e.r.a.l. cats?
I am desperately trying to save the life of one of my feral boys, Charlie DustbinCat. I've lost 3 kitties this year. My beautiful Prince was first, then Mr Scavenger. I've been looking for Heena DustbinCat for 3 weeks and she's just missing... My whole colony is riddled with itchy flea-bites, ticks and Snuffles.
Charlie is my tamest feral and I've always had high hopes that he would take over the alpha role from Prince. But he is ill. Gravely ill. Snuffles? FIV? Who knows? I love him for his entire existence!! Unconditionally!!
Today I pulled out all the stops to "buy antibiotics" from a vet and lived to tell the tale... (Translation - survived the *bleep* receptionist's tongue to tell the tale.)
Do you know how hard it is to buy immune boosters or antibiotics for a feral colony? Keep in mind, these kitties are your "children" and you will sell. your. organs! to protect them. You've been justifying their existence to the highest of authorities for 3 years. You even have Dr Platzhund as back-up. (Get the picture?) These cats are my life!! Why would I purposely harm them? But nooooo, Ms Vet's Receptionist is in the power position... (probably still believes she owns the *bleep* practice...) Long story short, I threw a HUGE tantrum and Charlie DustbinCat is on R10/day antibiotics for 10 days. I will cook chicken every night for 10 days and I will sit with him every day to ensure he gets his 'desperately-fought-for' antibiotics for the next 9 days.
I love you my boy, Charlie DustbinCat. My prayers are that you get well and live a long and healthy life.
I am desperately trying to save the life of one of my feral boys, Charlie DustbinCat. I've lost 3 kitties this year. My beautiful Prince was first, then Mr Scavenger. I've been looking for Heena DustbinCat for 3 weeks and she's just missing... My whole colony is riddled with itchy flea-bites, ticks and Snuffles.
Charlie is my tamest feral and I've always had high hopes that he would take over the alpha role from Prince. But he is ill. Gravely ill. Snuffles? FIV? Who knows? I love him for his entire existence!! Unconditionally!!
Today I pulled out all the stops to "buy antibiotics" from a vet and lived to tell the tale... (Translation - survived the *bleep* receptionist's tongue to tell the tale.)
Do you know how hard it is to buy immune boosters or antibiotics for a feral colony? Keep in mind, these kitties are your "children" and you will sell. your. organs! to protect them. You've been justifying their existence to the highest of authorities for 3 years. You even have Dr Platzhund as back-up. (Get the picture?) These cats are my life!! Why would I purposely harm them? But nooooo, Ms Vet's Receptionist is in the power position... (probably still believes she owns the *bleep* practice...) Long story short, I threw a HUGE tantrum and Charlie DustbinCat is on R10/day antibiotics for 10 days. I will cook chicken every night for 10 days and I will sit with him every day to ensure he gets his 'desperately-fought-for' antibiotics for the next 9 days.
I love you my boy, Charlie DustbinCat. My prayers are that you get well and live a long and healthy life.
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Prince DustbinCat
Friday 2 July 2010
Prince is not well and his condition is something I've never encountered. His head is tilted to the left and he has absolutely no balance. But he is hungry. I fill my 10 feeding bowls. Prince manages to get onto the landing and tries to eat. But he keeps falling over. I sit down behind him and I hold him upright. He is so hungry he allows me to hold him. (In the 3 years that I've been feeding my DustbinCats, I've never touched Prince, let alone hold him...)
After 40 minutes and heart palpitating, I phone my life-saver vet, Adri. She explains that it could be an ear infection or something brain related and I should bring him in asap. But I don't have a carrier, trap, towel or anything! So I go home but I don't sleep.
Saturday 3 July 2010
I spend the entire day between my office park where Prince feeds from time to time, and my feeding station at Lifestyle Nurseries. I come home after dark. No sight of Prince, no sleep. Again.
Sunday 4 July 2010
I pop through to my feeding station in the morning and find Prince sleeping in an unreachable place. I throw little stones close to him but he doesn't wake, so I leave, do shopping and bump into my friend Denise whilst unloading my car and make arrangements to go back to see if we can trap my boy.
Denise and I leave my house at 4:00pm. We get to my feeding station and as we arrive, Stephen and September (his birthday is 10 May :) rush to tell me that they have my sick cat trapped under a dumpster. I go to the one end of the dumpster and Denise to the other. We swop sides numerous times. After crawling in *stinky dustbin juices* and using every long stick utensil in sight, Prince comes stumbling out from his hiding spot. I shout at Denise to come to my end while I jump to get a towel and the carrier. Denise grabs Prince, he bites her - twice, but we manage to get him into the carrier.
I phone vet no. 1 - sorry, we can't help. Denise and I go to vet no. 2 but one of the staff members tells me that there are no vets on the premises. Vet no. 3 assures me that there is no hope of either recovery or survival and she euthanises my beautiful Prince.
Denise was hurt during the trapping but has received medical attention and I wish her a speedy recovery. :)
To my beautiful boy, Prince, we've come a long way :) Some years ago, you were so wild and so shy. But you decided to trust me - and maybe even like me a little? I'm going to miss your beautiful green eyes and I'm going to struggle finding another Alpha male to fill your very large paws. May you rest in peace xxx
Prince is not well and his condition is something I've never encountered. His head is tilted to the left and he has absolutely no balance. But he is hungry. I fill my 10 feeding bowls. Prince manages to get onto the landing and tries to eat. But he keeps falling over. I sit down behind him and I hold him upright. He is so hungry he allows me to hold him. (In the 3 years that I've been feeding my DustbinCats, I've never touched Prince, let alone hold him...)
After 40 minutes and heart palpitating, I phone my life-saver vet, Adri. She explains that it could be an ear infection or something brain related and I should bring him in asap. But I don't have a carrier, trap, towel or anything! So I go home but I don't sleep.
Saturday 3 July 2010
I spend the entire day between my office park where Prince feeds from time to time, and my feeding station at Lifestyle Nurseries. I come home after dark. No sight of Prince, no sleep. Again.
Sunday 4 July 2010
I pop through to my feeding station in the morning and find Prince sleeping in an unreachable place. I throw little stones close to him but he doesn't wake, so I leave, do shopping and bump into my friend Denise whilst unloading my car and make arrangements to go back to see if we can trap my boy.
Denise and I leave my house at 4:00pm. We get to my feeding station and as we arrive, Stephen and September (his birthday is 10 May :) rush to tell me that they have my sick cat trapped under a dumpster. I go to the one end of the dumpster and Denise to the other. We swop sides numerous times. After crawling in *stinky dustbin juices* and using every long stick utensil in sight, Prince comes stumbling out from his hiding spot. I shout at Denise to come to my end while I jump to get a towel and the carrier. Denise grabs Prince, he bites her - twice, but we manage to get him into the carrier.
I phone vet no. 1 - sorry, we can't help. Denise and I go to vet no. 2 but one of the staff members tells me that there are no vets on the premises. Vet no. 3 assures me that there is no hope of either recovery or survival and she euthanises my beautiful Prince.
Denise was hurt during the trapping but has received medical attention and I wish her a speedy recovery. :)
To my beautiful boy, Prince, we've come a long way :) Some years ago, you were so wild and so shy. But you decided to trust me - and maybe even like me a little? I'm going to miss your beautiful green eyes and I'm going to struggle finding another Alpha male to fill your very large paws. May you rest in peace xxx
Sunday, May 9, 2010
More about RENEEBC
I'm a storyteller, an educator, a PR person and butler to a colony of 30-odd feral DustbinCats, mother of a tamed feral (Jemima is from my DustbinCats colony) and Gremms - the only survivor from a box of kittens left on a dumpster.
During the day, I'm kept busy looking after amazing tech (and non-tech) clients: Shuttleworth Foundation, Breadbin Interactive (Freedom Toaster), Oracle, Oracle Africa (East), Cambrient.com, Obami.com (Facebook for schools).
I believe in OPEN EVERYTHING (especially Open Educational Resources) and sharing, Innovation, Education, sterilising and feeding feral cats.
I have the most awesome life, friends and job. And I'm crazy about cats.
Oh, and I like long walks on the beach :-)
During the day, I'm kept busy looking after amazing tech (and non-tech) clients: Shuttleworth Foundation, Breadbin Interactive (Freedom Toaster), Oracle, Oracle Africa (East), Cambrient.com, Obami.com (Facebook for schools).
I believe in OPEN EVERYTHING (especially Open Educational Resources) and sharing, Innovation, Education, sterilising and feeding feral cats.
I have the most awesome life, friends and job. And I'm crazy about cats.
Oh, and I like long walks on the beach :-)
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