Free to a good home -- all 7 of 'em

Winchester

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You can have 'em all. And don't bring them back.

This morning at 2:55, we awakened to a loud crash. Jumped out of bed and ran out into the living room. Nothing out of place and the Christmas tree was still standing. OK.

Then we walked out into the kitchen. My first words: "I'm going to kill every one of the little ********." Rick's first words: "OMG, Pam."

Tabby (and yeah, it was her....I know it was) had jumped from the the litter bench to the top of the old fridge that was over by the door in the kitchen. From the top of the fridge, she then jumped to the top of the hutch.  And when she jumped back down, her back claws must have gotten caught in the runner on the hutch. That started to come off, taking my Winterberry hurricane candle with it, in addition to two other Winterberry tall candles and one small Winterberry votive candle. Everything came crashing to the floor. The runner wasn't completely off the hutch and thank god for that because the Winterberry sleigh was barely hanging on and so were my large Winterberry candles. Honestly, had the sleigh fallen and broken, that girl would have found herself at the nearest animal pound come daylight. (And I'm only half kidding.)

So there we were.....trying to sweep up glass that had shattered on the floor and, believe me, there was glass everywhere in the kitchen; the glass even flew into the living room under the tree skirt. What a mess. We got it swept up as best we could. I saw blood on the fridge, and there was a moment of panic there (thinking it was Tabby's paws), but it was Rick's thumb....got that cleaned up. Rick did a good vacuuming while I took the tree skirt and the tablecloth outside and shook them well (and remember, this is 3:00 in the morning). Then I went down to the basement, brought the Winterberry boxes up and started packing the stuff from the top of the hutch. Got that done and took it back to the basement.

The total damage wasn't too bad: the hurricane candle (which I replaced....thank you, eBay), one small votive candle, and two tall candles....all part of the Winterberry stuff. I honestly don't know how the sleigh managed to stay on the hutch; the only thing that saved it was that it's really heavy. That cannot be replaced; we've never found it anywhere since Rick bought it for me. 

In fairness, it was our fault. Our electric company is coming on Dec 19 to pick up the old fridge. It can't go into the basement because the men won't bring it back out...we would have to. it can't go outside because it has to be in working order, meaning it has to be plugged in and operating or they won't pick it up. Lowes would have just taken it with them, but they told us it would take 24 hours for the new fridge to come down to the proper temps.....I had a fridge full of stuff and didn't know where to go with it all. So we just put the old fridge over by the door.....never imagining that Tabby would use it as a way to get to the top of the hutch. So, in the long run, it's our fault. 

I'm calmed down now, but I was......well, peeved doesn't even begin to come close. Oh, and the whole time we're trying to clean up the mess, Bootser is screaming at the top of her lungs for breakfast. I'm at the end of my rope with them. All of them. You can have them. All seven of them.

And do not bring them back.
 
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cccdlx

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I've been there also with 8.  I know how you feel. 
I moved a year ago and just can't bring myself to unpack some of my boxes with precious things.  Most of my shelves are still empty and my books are still packed away.  I have a couple of paper shredders here.  I keep thinking it's time to downsize the furry herd, but I have a hard time deciding which of my babies I don't want to keep.

Right now I'm at that point with one of my dogs.  He has become an escape artist.  Totally ignores the electric wires and jumps through to get out.  When I chain him up he slips out of his collar.  Even the choker collar.  Sometimes breaking chains.  He doesn't seem to go far and he is neutered.  I'm just hoping he doesn't get a taste for chicken or rabbit. I would hate to make enemies of my new neighbors.
 

margecat

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Hey, I've got enough chaos with having 10!
 (And one's a 12-week-old kitten!)

I've resigned myself to the fact that I can't have anything really nice/expensive around the house, unless it can be put behind the glass doors of my china cabinet!  It's so bad around here that I also display the wrapped Christmas gifts in it until we open them--no way can I put them under the tree--they'd be shredded and/or peed on!

My main pet (literally!) peeve is the dining room table. Just once, I'd like to be able to display a runner/tablecloth, with a seasonal centerpiece. Loki will chew on any real or fake flowers, and all will lay on the cloth when I'm not there. They also will knock or pull everything off during the night.  One year, I had a bunch of mini-pumpkins (real ones). I went to move them to dust, and saw that Smudge had bitten them repeatedly!

I'm so sorry about your Winterberry pieces! Seriously, could you get a china cabinet, and display them there? I found mine for $80 at Habitat for Humanity a few years back--and it was a very nice one, not shabby at all. You could also look into curio cabinets.
 

denice

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Aren't kiddies wonderful, kind of like 2 year olds.  You know you love them and wouldn't part with them.  
 
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Winchester

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Yes, I do love them. Just not so much right now. 


Rick did see the sleigh on eBay, so that could have been replaced, too. 

We have no room for another cabinet in the kitchen or in the living room. The house is just too small. 
 

sivyaleah

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I don't want them either! 
  Glad to hear Ric was ok, and none of the cats got hurt, but sorry so many of your collectibles got damaged.  Lucky you were able to find replacements.  I know how difficult that can be sometimes.

When we first got Cocoa last year, we didn't even think about putting away certain items because Casper had never done any damage to our personal effects and cherished knick knacks.  But we underestimated her energy level and her desire to explore everything around her.  Let alone, she's so much younger and can still jump.  Really, really well!

I woke up one morning to find one of a pair of artisan stained glass votive holders on the floor by the fireplace.  The pair were a gift from an ex-boss, who got them up in Vermont at some expensive glass place.  One of a kind, gorgeous and completely  irreplaceable at this point, as I've had them for probably 20 years or so by now.  

Anyway, apparently Cocoa jumped from the small table by the fireplace, onto the mantle (which is a tricky jump at that) and knocked over several things in her exploration.  The candle holder, got the worst of it.  It was bent out of shape (it's made like a stained glass window, held together by lead pieces).  I tried to push it back into shape, but was so worried I'd totally break it if I tried to hard.  So I left it alone, slightly warped and put it into the china cabinet along with it's pair.  

I was not pleased.  But like you, only had myself to blame - I find it difficult to get really angry at the cats, keeping in mind they are just doing what cats do and no harm was meant.  In general, probably wasn't the best place for them anyway.  Live and learn!
 

jcat

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That's such a shame that she broke your favorite Christmas stuff. You'll probably be cleaning up shards for the next couple of days. Mogli knocked a casserole out of my hands on Thursday (that poor starving cat even has to attack hot dishes to get fed around here! ), and the contents and glass were everywhere. I spent an hour with the dust brush, broom, vacuum and steam cleaner and thought I got everything up, but repeated the procedure on Friday just to be sure. This morning I found another tiny piece of glass while vacuuming the kitchen yet again.
 

larussa

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 Pam that was a hellava disaster to wake up to.  Sorry you lost those candles but great that the sleigh was saved.  No one was seriously hurt and I know your furkids will get a lot of bad looks today.  Oh, the fun of having an animal who loves to climb and curious to boot.  I'll take BooBoo off your hands but I think I would have to kill Rick first
 

Draco

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Cats-- the reason why we can't have nice things. I am glad you found a replacement.
 

natalie_ca

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You're mad now, but it won't last long. Despite the disaster, their little faces will melt away the anger.I know I certainly can't stay mad at mine.

I'm glad you were able to replace what was broken.  However, the most important thing is that no one was physically injured (other than a cut finger). Things can be replaced, lives, not even one of 9, can be replaced.
 

betsygee

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When we first got Cocoa last year, we didn't even think about putting away certain items because Casper had never done any damage to our personal effects and cherished knick knacks.  But we underestimated her energy level and her desire to explore everything around her.  Let alone, she's so much younger and can still jump.  Really, really well!
Same here!  Skittles didn't mess with our stuff--she was such a well behaved cat, and especially in her later years of course she wasn't jumping around everywhere.  We didn't even think about needing to move things or put them away.  But when she passed and we got kittens, holy cow--it was like a cyclone went through our house every day.  Four years later, I still can't put out a vase of flowers--I don't think there is any place in the house it would be safe from our team of Curious Georges.

I, too, will pass on taking your little darlings, I've got my hands full with my seven.  
   I feel for you--getting up and 3 a.m. for any cat-related incident is no fun, and losing cherished keepsakes at the same time....yikes.  
 

kathyfromcanada

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Boy Pam, that must have been scary. I know sometimes the 4 of mine are a bit much when they are all screaming for food 

at once. Glad it wasn't too bad for you though, It could have been worse! Still I wouldn't trade them for the world. Lol.
 

MoochNNoodles

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Oh my gosh!!  The worst these 2 have knocked down at night were a few cookie sheets. Loud; but not breakable.  They did knock off a porcelain spoon rest from the counter when we were on a trip once.  When we got our china cabinet I had wanted one where it was open and could be used more like a buffet too.  We ended up with a fully enclosed one that matches our table and chairs.  I'm so glad now.  It's keeping several things beyond dishes, safe.  Little rascals!  
 

barbh

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Heard those crashes more than once caused by my 2 year old boy. Luckily I haven't unpacked my breakables from my last move 2 years ago. He does find ways to get on everything, the fridge, top shelf of the closet top of my large bookshelves that are at least 6 feet tall. He even figured how to get on top of the bifold door of the closet. He has figured how to open the closet doors, the bathroom and kitchen drawers and even the sliding screen door of the balcony. Between him and the two kittens, Sheldon who I just had to stop playing and chewing the electric cord to my Led light fixture for my angelfish tank while I am writing this post, nothing here is safe. I am actually surprised that no one has knocked any of the wine glasses or bottles of wine off my wine rack shelf. Knocking on wood that no one ever figures that one out. As destructive as they can be in their curiosity sometimes we still love those furry rascals :D
 

sillywabbit

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I love Robin, but yea, sure, I miss being able to put my nice old depression glass on the table.

But as pretty as it is, my candy dish doesn't crawl next to me at night, and wake me up by purring loudly, or have little warm paws that wrap around my fingers...

So I smash everything on my mantel, which I'd rather have empty . Well the high mantle. The low mantle was ...an education in cat physics, lol. And so far he has yet to discover the joy of kitchen heights. Pudgy cats have their benefits....!


Can you put up a high shelf or false mantle?? Really high, away from launching pads? Not a cabinet, just a high shelf?
 
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Winchester

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We're just glad that it happened when we were at home to deal with it right away. Had we been at work, I don't know if the cats would have tried to play with the large glass shards or tried to nose around the broken glass on the floor. That could have gotten really ugly quickly. As it was when I saw the blood on the fridge, I went right after Tabby....I was really worried about glass in her paws. We were relieved that it was just Rick's thumb and not a bloody paw (not that Rick's thumb isn't important, too, but, you know what I mean!).

Our Ms. Pepe used to be the little trouble-maker, but that was almost 18 years ago. And I was much younger then, too, and could handle these problems better than I do now. Back then we took things more in stride, I guess.

The kids are OK, no glass in paws, no cut paws, nothing like that. And last night, when I went to bed, Tabby came over to me. She looked at me and put her head down on my head...maybe that was her way of saying, "Mom, I'm really sorry!" She stretched out along side my body and slept there for quite a while....with me giving her little smooches from time to time. Brat.

So that is over. And I take back what I said. They're my kids. They may be brats, but they're my brats. And I'm keeping them.

My sister came in yesterday. We were sitting at the kitchen table with hot chocolate and she looked over at the hutch. When she got to the top of the hutch, her eyes got great big. She looked at me and said, "Pam? What did Tabby do? OMG, not the sleigh!" Even she knew who it was! And she wasn't even there! 
 

di and bob

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MY cats must be so much more careful then yours! LOL! Honestly, in the last 13 years my cats jump onto mantels, shelves, and dressers, weave back and forth through the figurines, and have NEVER knocked one off or broke one!
( I hope I just didn't jinx myself). They also don't like people food, so have never ate anything on the counter either. I must have perfect cats!
 

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Reminds of the time when we had BJ and Tony was just a kitten. We had a glass top dinette table in the corner of our family room. Came home from shopping one afternoon and found the glass top (42 inches) in about a million pieces all over the tile floor. Thank goodness it didn't go the other way and break the sliding glass door. Also no cats were hurt --- but it was quite a mess cleaning up all that glass. I guess the cats just jumped on the table top (which apparently wasn't balanced well) and the weight just knocked the table top off. No more glass tables for us.
 
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