A Harrowing Look for a 4th Cat

Margret · Mar 22, 2016

DC1346 said:
Hah ... yes ... I'm familiar with the theory that was propogated by a British anthrozoologist named John Bradshaw in his book, Cat Sense. This could be one explanation as to why Bob feels it's necessary to go nose to nose with me at least once a night.

-- SNIP --

You will feed the cat moist yummy food upon request even if it's 3 o'clock in the morning ... you will clean the litter box at least 12 times a day ... you will carry an abundance of Temptation brand kitty treats to dispense upon request ... and you will make sure that none of the cats ever, ever, EVER see the bottom of the dry cat food bowl ... EVER!

And if wishes were fishes, we'd never want for food ... (sigh)

Oh, is that where that came from?! I thought it was just common knowledge. It certainly explains why Jasmine tells me she wants some of that nice avocado I'm eating -- obviously I must be keeping all the good stuff for myself, right? Of course, when I actually put some on a finger for her to sniff it she says, "Eeew! You eat that stuff?! What is wrong with you?!" Definitely retarded, by feline standards.

Um, you do know that staring into your eyes is actually a dominance game for cats? I suspect Bob is trying to tell you that he's the top cat in this house, not you (never mind who it is that opens the cans).

Margret

dc1346 · Mar 22, 2016

kittens mom · Mar 22, 2016

Wonderful cat stories and cooking. I'm in heaven.

stewball · Mar 22, 2016

That was fabulous. I wanted more. I'm waiting for tomorrow for you to go to the cat shelter to meet Baku.
Keep writing.

Norachan · Mar 23, 2016

Bob is quite a character, he's got you firmly under his little furry thumb. Do you have any pictures of his bob-tail? I'm a big fan of short tailed cats. A lot of mine carry the Japanese bob-tail gene, which gives them short, curly tails.

I hope everything goes well with Buki, it would be great to see all four of them watching John Wayne movies together.

dc1346 · Mar 23, 2016

Norachan said:
This picture was taken after we moved to Arizona in 2007.

Bob.12.09.JPG

dc1346

Mar 23, 2016

This picture shows Bob with his brother, Jasper Baby. It was taken after we moved to Las Vegas in 2014.

Bob and Jasper.1st day in Vegas apt.jpg

dc1346

Mar 23, 2016

I took this picture in December of 2015. Bob woke me up at 4 AM for breakfast and after I fed him, I found that I couldn't go back to sleep. Bob had no such problems. (Sigh)

IMG_4791.JPG

dc1346

Mar 23, 2016

Norachan · Mar 23, 2016

Oh, it's a really short tail, isn't it? Japanese bob-tails are a little longer than that. This is Toby, he's got the classic short, twisted tail that we see a lot of over here.

Toby41.jpg

Norachan
Mar 23, 2016

Did Jasper baby have a short tail too? I've noticed that litters of Japanese bob-tailed cats often contain a mix of long, short and half length tails. Interesting how they all turn out a little different.

Margret · Mar 23, 2016

Norachan said:
Did Jasper baby have a short tail too? I've noticed that litters of Japanese bob-tailed cats often contain a mix of long, short and half length tails. Interesting how they all turn out a little different.

Toby is lovely. It sounds to me like the Japanese bob-tail mutation may be a recessive gene. The cat may have to get it from both parents, and since we all know that litters can have multiple fathers, well...

I wonder whether there have been any studies done on it.

Margret

margd · Mar 23, 2016

I've just discovered this delightful thread. Before I forget, I have to tell you that I thought your sign in multiple languages to not raid the food table was actually very funny and clever. I suspect the reason your coworker went ballistic is because she actually was one of the people who took food when no one was looking. Certainly sounded like a guilty conscience to me!

The point is: you were not the weird one, there.

Now to get to the cats. I love the way you describe your cats and your interactions with them. And I love the way they all joined your family. It's wonderful that a fourth member is soon to take up residence and as a black cat lover, I heartily approve! Buki is extremely handsome and has a very distinguished air about him. He's so lucky that he caught your eye.

You're really a wonderful writer. You have so much to write about and your words flow with a rhythm that just carries the reader right along. I am really looking forward to hearing about Buki's homecoming and how his new feline siblings welcome him.

BTW: about your story of the cowboy in Kashmir who yelled at the cows.... I grew up in India and one time my father actually hit a cow with his car. This particular cow was part of a herd and the herd's owner was extremely upset as you can imagine. My father maintained that this was a scam to extort money from foreigners - that the cow had been driven into his car on purpose. Whatever, my father certainly paid up in a hurry before a crowd gathered.

Again, looking forward to the next part of the story!

dc1346 · Mar 23, 2016

Norachan said:
Above is a picture of Jasper Baby with Princess Tabitha.

This picture is one of the last pictures I have of Princess Tabitha with Jasper Baby. JB passed away last year and for a while, I wasn't sure if Tabitha would still be part of our little family because I LOST her when the movers came to load the truck for the trip to Vegas.

I thought I'd be smarter with this interstate move than I have in previous years. Rather than torment the cats by keeping them in their carriers for one moment longer than absolutely necessary, I totally packed up my study, moved EVERYTHING out of the study, and put the cats in the empty room with kitty litter, cat food, and water.

I taped a sign to the door that said, "DO NOT OPEN! LOOSE CATS ARE INSIDE!"

When the movers came, I told all of the movers - PLEASE DO NOT OPEN THE DOOR TO THIS ROOM. I explained that the room had cats who were loose and that if they opened the door, they'd be letting my cats out.

I also told the men that I'm a gracious employer. I always tip GENEROUSLY and I also provide boxed lunches and water. I asked the driver and the three movers if they had any questions. They shook their heads no. I asked if they understand that the door to the study, the one marked with a sign in big red letters that read, "DO NOT OPEN! LOOSE CATS ARE INSIDE!" was clearly understood. The men nodded yes.

So what happened?

After loading up my possessions, one of the movers thought, "I'd better check inside this room to make sure that we didn't leave anything behind."

This person (and that is NOT the word I wanted to use) LET THE CATS OUT OF THE ROOM. Bob, Jasper Baby, Scraps, and Princess Tabitha were soon running loose through the house. Bob being the brave alpha cat was curious to see where all our possessions had gone but the rest of the cats were in an absolute panic ... and with all of the furnishings gone, they had no where to hide.

One of the movers apparently saw what happened and slammed the front door shut. He yelled, "THE CATS ARE LOOSE, SHUT THE DOORS!"

The driver who was at the back of the house said, "HUH?" and Tabitha ran out the door before anyone could get to it.

I was outside when this happened. When I heard the doors slam, I knew something was up and guess what ... none of the movers would fess up as to who had let the cats out ... which is too bad because the movers had otherwise done a nice job. For the first time in 25 years, I did NOT tip the movers. I didn't give them a penny.

"Do you understand what you've done?" I growled at the men. I did not yell. When I am truly angry, my already deep voice drops an octave and I speak very softly. "Was there any part of, 'Do not open the door to this room' that you did not understand?"

The men shook their heads. "We're very sorry," said one of the men. The others nodded.

Since the truck was loaded, I thanked the movers for their service but told them that I would not be tipping them. Instead of tipping them, I would be filing a written complaint with their company. The men left ... and instead of loading my car and leaving for Vegas, I spent FOUR HOURS searching for Tabitha.

In the end, I had to leave. I was expected at Human Resources the next day and I had a long 12 hour drive ahead of me.

I told my neighbors about Tabitha and left. There was nothing else I could do. I needed a job and the school year had already started in Nevada.

It was a horrible experience driving up to Las Vegas. I kept going through everything in my mind and short of loading the cats into their carriers a few hours earlier, I couldn't see what else I could have done other than to physically sit IN FRONT OF THE DOOR to keep the movers out of the empty study.

On the brighter side, Tabitha had always been my adventure kitty I got her as a kitten from the county shelter. The poor little girl had been on the red alert list because she was due to be put down in a week if no one adopted her.

When Tabitha came home with me, she was just a tiny thing. Bob, my alpha male cat, soon took her under his protective wing. The two became inseparable and Tabitha really pushed their relationship when, being a hungry little kitten, she'd eat her dinner and then have the audacity to eat some of Bob's. Bob, who would never have tolerated this behavior from another cat, accepted Tabitha's theft of his food. He'd bump Scraps from his bowl and Scraps would bump Jasper Baby from his bowl, and JB would seemingly shrug without getting upset since this is what happens when you're a junior kitty.

Here is a picture of Bob cuddling with Tabitha as a kitten.

Bob and Tabitha.5.JPG

dc1346

Mar 23, 2016

When Tabitha discovered the back yard, she was thrilled. I had a 2,000 fresh water pond in the backyard and Tabitha loved sitting on the edge of the pond. The pond was home to tiny "mosquito fish" as well as fancy finned gold fish and several koi. Tabitha seemed to enjoy watching the fish swim just below the surface of the pond ... and try though she might, she was never able to catch any of the fish.

Picture 041.jpg

dc1346

Mar 23, 2016

In time, Tabitha tired of the backyard and being an adventure kitty, she began going up and over the fence. My neighbors soon began talking to me about her. Not only was she going up and over the fence but she was aggressively hunting wild birds and after killing them, she'd eat them.

One of the neighbors showed me what she had left behind. There was a small splash of blood on the ground ... a beak a lot of feathers, and a couple of bird feet ... and nothing else.

Tabitha was apparently a consummate huntress ... so in thinking about this, I took some solace that she wouldn't starve. One of my neighbors even had a key to the house and I'd left money behind to help support Tabitha. I also left her pet carrier. Although my house was going on the market, until it sold, I thought that Tabitha would likely be returning to the house. My neighbor agreed to try and catch Tabitha if he saw her. He also agreed to put out food and water on a daily basis IN THE HOUSE since Tabitha would still have had access to the home through a pet door that opened into the back yard.

Six long months passed and occasionally I'd get a Tabitha sighting email or phone call.

"I saw her on the sidewalk, " texted a neighbor who taught at the local community college. "I stopped my car, rolled down the window and called, "HEY TABITHA' and the cat looked at me and ran away."

"Tabitha is alive and well," assured the neighbor who was replenishing the food and water." I saw her running from the house when I crossed the street to refill the food and water. SOMEONE has been eating the food. Don't worry. Tabitha looks fine."

One Saturday morning the phone rang at 5 AM! Who could possibly be calling me at 5 AM!

It was Vince, my handyman. Vince had borrowed a trap from an animal control officer and had baited it with Tabitha's favorite treats. As to why he was calling me so early, Vince had a key to my home. He had been on his way out of town to go fishing and had thought to check the house before leaving town. He sent me the picture below. This was after he had transferred to the pet carrier which the neighbor who had been feeding her had thoughtfully left in the house.

Kitty Jail.jpg

dc1346

Mar 23, 2016

I asked Vince if he had any plans for the day.

"Well ... I WAS going to go fishing. What do you have in mind?"

I asked Vince if he might consider meeting me halfway to Vegas. If we could meet north of Phoenix, he'd save me a 13 hour drive. I offered him $500 if he'd change his plans and meet me at the halfway mark.

"I reckon I could do that," said Vince.

I jumped out of bed, took a quick shower, dressed, and grabbed my cell phone on the way out the door. Poor Bobby Cat and the others didn't even get their breakfast given the rush. On the way out of Vegas, I stopped at an ATM and made a large withdrawal. Within minutes, I was on my way towards Phoenix.

True to his word, I met Vince in a motel parking lot north of Phoenix. I peered into the pet carrier that was in the back seat of his pickup. Tabitha was staring at me with wide frightened eyes. "WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN!" she seemed to be saying. "I LOOKED EVERYWHERE FOR YOU!"

True to my word, I gave Vince $500. I then gave him an additional $100.

"What's this for?" he asked.

I told him that insofar as I had wasted his Saturday, the least I could do was to pay for his gas and to buy him a meal. I apologized for not being able to join him but ....

"Yeah, I know, you have to get Tabitha pack to Vegas."

We shook hands and that was that. It was time for me to head on home.

I didn't get back to until about 2 AM what with all the rest stops and refueling. I was exhausted. Tabitha was exhausted.

I was living in an apartment complex at the time. I parked the car, took the pet carrier in hand, and walked down the sidewalk and up a flight of stairs.

The boys met me at the front door.

"WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?" demanded Bobby Cat. "We didn't get breakfast. We didn't get dinner. We didn't get our evening snacks and ... IS THAT TABITHA? And WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?" he seemed to be asking.

I popped open the door and let Tabitha out. I had been afraid that the boys wouldn't recognize her, but they crowed around her, socially licking her head. While they were greeting Tabitha, I opened a can of cat food. The sound of the popping tab brought all four cats running to the kitchen.

Despite Tabitha' obvious hunger, cat propriety still had to be observed - so Bob was fed first followed by Scraps and Jasper Baby.

After the cats ate, we all bedded down. Bob cuddled with Tabitha on the bed. Scraps and Jasper Baby (being junior status kitties) slept at the foot of the bed. I was on the other side of Tabitha.

Picture 002.jpg

dc1346

Mar 23, 2016

Tabitha seemed fine given her ordeal ... but around 4 AM ... about an hour after I had finally gone to bed, I awoke to a whimpering sound. I turned on the light to see Tabitha thrashing about in her sleep. She was clearly having a nightmare ... so I gently stroked her fur and reassured her that she was safe and that all would be well and she eventually stopped trembling and settled down.

This was not the last nightmare that Tabitha had. She had at least two more as the day wore on. Since I'm a teacher and by contract have a certain number of sick days I may take off each year, I wound up "calling off" on Sunday night. I stayed with Tabitha through Monday just to make sure she was safely settled. I also used this time to catch up on my sleep.

The lesson I learned from this experience was to never ever trust the movers. When the time came for me to move to my current location, the movers arrived to find the cats safely stored in their carriers. JB passed away last year which is why there were only three carriers in use.

Cats.Move to Laughlin.6.16.15.resized.b.jpg

dc1346

Mar 23, 2016

One of the side effects of Tabitha's six month long ordeal is that she's no longer an adventure kitty. These days, even though she still has a backyard to roam in, she no longer goes up and over the fence. I think her wandering days are over and she knows that home isn't just a physical location. Home is where her family is.

NewYork1303 · Mar 24, 2016

What a beautiful story! I am so glad that Tabitha was able to return to you.

Hope everything goes well at the shelter today.

Margret · Mar 24, 2016

Glad to hear that Tabitha now prefers to stay at home. I lost a cat to coyotes a bit over three years ago -- 13 year old, healthy, indoor-only kitty who was turned into an indoor-outdoor kitty by some house guests (who will never be invited back). And I'm very glad that you got her back okay.

I don't blame you in the least for declining to tip the movers and for lodging a complaint.

Have the nightmares stopped? Cats can have PTSD, too, and this was obviously a traumatic experience for everyone involved.

Do you ever watch Law and Order: Criminal Intent? I've thought for a long time that Vincent D'Onofrio was playing his character, Robert Goren, as if he had high-functioning Asperger's. Then I found out that, not only was he doing that deliberately, he actually has Asperger's himself, and so does his son. As has already been mentioned, we're all crazy cat people here -- next to that Asperger's is nothing. And I know exactly what you mean about people who refuse to get help. I used to have a friend with control issues -- if you were doing a job correctly but slowly (because that's what it took to do it correctly) she would grab it out of your hands so she could do it quickly but badly. I cut her a lot of slack, because she obviously needed therapy, until the day that she explained to me that she knew she needed therapy, but her parents had made her this way and she wasn't going to get therapy until they payed for it. That was the day I decided she wasn't much of a friend.

Waiting to hear how things went yesterday with the shelter and Buki.

Margret

Mamanyt1953 · Mar 24, 2016

This has become one of my very favorite threads. You write so beautifully about your cats, and the words you give them are true to a cat's nature. I'm having fun here!!!

Kat0121 · Mar 24, 2016

Mamanyt1953 said:
This has become one of my very favorite threads. You write so beautifully about your cats, and the words you give them are true to a cat's nature. I'm having fun here!!!

Same here!! . I hope that you have a safe trip and I can't wait to hear about Buki's adventures in his new forever home!

dc1346 · Mar 24, 2016

Today I finally visited Buki, an all black cat who has regretfully been a long time resident of a pet shelter that's outside Kingman, Arizona.

The tarts I made last Friday night for delivery to the shelter volunteers on Saturday did not come with me. Since fresh fruit is highly perishable, I took the tarts to my new insurance agent on Monday. Although I'll continue to work in Nevada, I'm actually moving across the Colorado River into Arizona. Since I needed insurance for the new home, I decided to save some money by bundling the coverage for my car with home owner's insurance. By doing this, I wound up saving $200 per year AND was also to upgrade my policy so that if anything happens to my vehicle, I can have the use of a rental car for no extra charge.

Tarts.1.jpg

dc1346
Mar 19, 2016

Since I felt a bit guilty about not having an edible gift for the shelter manager, I made a vegan dish last night. Pictured below clockwise from the back left: Salvadorian refried beans (which are made with kidney beans and not pinto beans as they are in the states). I used canned kidney beans WITH the liquid and boiled them until the liquid had evaporated. I then mashed them, cooled them to room temperature, mixed them with garlic powder and ground cumin and then pan fried them folding them over and over until they thickened and started to darken. Proceeding clockwise ... steamed broccoli and then mujadara which is a Lebanese rice dish that's made by mixing steamed white rice with cooked lentils and a LOT of caramelized onion. For this recipe, I used 3 cups of cooked steamed whit rice with 8 oz. of boiled (and drained) lentils and 1 1/2 pounds of sliced onions. The onions were slow cooked in a big frying pan in olive oil for about 30 minutes. I cooked them until they literally started to turn brown and then poured the onions (with olive oil) into the rice. I stirred in lentils and added garlic powder and salt to taste. To the left of the mujadara are grilled sweet potatoes which I parboiled and finished on a grill iron.

Vegan Meal.jpg

dc1346
Mar 24, 2016

I boxed two portions for Cherie, the owner and manager of the shelter. In retrospect I think this was a better choice than the tarts because the tarts were not vegan friendly. Although I didn't ask, I would be surprised if the shelter manager was not at least a vegetarian given what she does for a living.

In addition to the boxed food, I took two bags of cat food that my cats have REFUSED TO EAT. I took a 20 lb. bag of new cat food, two bags of kitty litter, an assorted case of various brands of canned cat food (that my cats have also refused to eat) and a one pound container of Temptation brand kitty treats.

The drive to Kingman was much less harrowing this time as I took Arizona 46 instead of Route 66.

Would you believe that during the 20's, the highway section that passes through Oatman (which I wrote about in my first post) was considered so harrowing and so dangerous that there were people in the local community who made a living out of driving cars along this 15 mile stretch? This section of Route 66, known as Oatman Highway, rises to 3,550 feet above sea level and is still considered one of the MOST DANGEROUS roads in the world. Anyone who wanted a local driver could pull into an off road stop at the north and south base of each section. For a modest fee, the local would drive the car along the narrow winding roads along the edge of sheer cliffs which even today still have almost nothing in the way of guard rails.

As if the road wasn't bad enough, back in the 20's, drivers of Model T vehicles had to drive their cars BACKWARDS to traverse Oatman Highway. I am told that were sections of the road that were so steep that vehicles would stall because the fuel couldn't reach the carburetor. The only solution to this was to DRIVE BACKWARDS through hairpin turns and along soaring rock faces and sheer drops.

Here is a picture I found through the National Archives. It was taken around 1913. Keep in mind that this was BEFORE this road became Route 66. Notice that it's NOT PAVED. Route 66 didn't open until 1921 so this section would not have been paved until 1919 or 1920.

Oatman Highway.jpg

dc1346
Mar 24, 2016

Instead of stressing myself out by having to drive along Route 66, I took Highway 46 into Kingman. Not only was this route fast (with a speed limit of 65 miles per hour but it was also a lot safer.

Highway 46 to Kingman.jpg

dc1346
Mar 24, 2016

I used my GPS to find Peggy Sue's Diner and then followed Cherie's directions for finding her shelter. I drove down two long stretches of nearly empty rural roads until I reached the north end of Route 66.

Route 66.Sign.jpg

dc1346
Mar 24, 2016

Most of the way to the shelter was pleasantly flat.

Route 66.jpg

dc1346
Mar 24, 2016

One mile short of the shelter, I saw rolling hills rising into the distance. My heart sank. I really didn't want to drive up the Oatman Highway because if I had misunderstood Cherie's directions, there would be NO PLACE to turn around until I reached Oatman. I'd be stuck on "the highway of death" which is apparently the colorful name used for this stretch of highway by the locals.

At the foot of the rising road, I found this tiny gas station and I was so nervous about having to drive up into hills that I wanted to use a restroom.

Last Building before Oatman Hills.jpg

dc1346
Mar 24, 2016

Take a look at the restroom. This isn't a joke. This was the actual restroom.

Restroom.jpg

dc1346
Mar 24, 2016

This restroom was perched next to a cliff and was only walled (if you could call it that) on three sides. The open end faced the cliff. Even though there was no one on the road, I had privacy issues with using this restroom. I decided to "hold it."

True to her word, the Luv for Paws shelter was just past the mile 33 marker. Since the shelter had no sign, I wasn't sure if I was at the right place.

I stopped near a big outdoor kennel filled with dogs who all started barking at me. I was not reassured by the sign on the wall. Can you read the sign. It says, "NO TRESPASSING. VIOLATORS WILL BE SHOT! SURVIVORS WILL BE SHOT AGAIN!"

Signage.jpg

dc1346
Mar 24, 2016

Before I could throw the car into reverse, I was approached by a smiling older woman who was thankfully unarmed. The woman turned out to be Cherie, the owner and shelter manager.

Cherie took me on a tour of her facility which consists of a couple of small mobile homes and a large barn like building that was subdivided into two distinct community cat areas.

For Luv of Paws.1.jpg

dc1346
Mar 24, 2016

The cat areas were centered and the surrounding walls were filled with all sorts of supplies ... bags of kitty litter, dried food, canned food, medication, and cleaning supplies etc.

Buki was in the community area on the far side away from the front of the building. He was napping on the bottom tier on a blue and white blanket. There were about 7-8 cats in each of these community areas and they were all quite clean. Dried food and water were available in abundance. A lot of the cat furniture had a homemade look to it. I really liked the "bunk beds" that were in the neighboring center. The open doors provided fresh air and sunlight and since we were up in the foothills, there was even a nice cool breeze blowing through the shelter.

For Luv of Paws.2.jpg

dc1346
Mar 24, 2016

While Cherie collected Buki, another black cat pawed in my direction. I extended a hand for the cat to sniff. The cat then began to gently lick my finger before suddenly CHOMPING ON IT. The nip was painful but the cat intended no harm otherwise he would have punctured my skin. As it was he began batting at me with a paw and I responded by batting back at him ... careful to avoid his paws. Cherie warned me to be careful because this particular cat had a bit of an "attitude."

For Luv of Paws.3.jpg

dc1346
Mar 24, 2016

Buki did not want to be woken from his nap. He mewed in protest but was comforted by Cherie. In time his muffled protests gave way to purrs and it was only when he was purring that she put him in my arms.

For Luv of Paws.4. Buki.jpg

dc1346
Mar 24, 2016

With Buki's upper paws draped over my left shoulder, I held him for about a minute while he continued to purr. I don't know if he was purring because he was happy for the attention or if he was purring because we had stressed him out. When he started pushing against my chest, I realized that it was time to let him go and I carefully returned him to his tier where he promptly ignored me, returning to his blanket for a nap.

Surprisingly enough, not all of the kitties were in the building. Cherie's office as used as an overflow for additional cats. Cats with feline AIDs were segregated in an outdoor enclosure and other cats with leukemia were also kept apart from the main population.

In addition to all of these cats was yet another outdoor enclosure that held the overflow who could not fit into the existing shelters. One of the cats I really liked was this orange cat named Uncle Billy. I liked Uncle Billy because he was very friendly. He waved his paw at me and talked incessantly. He looks a bit like my Bobby Cat but he's younger, he's larger, and he has a full tail.

Billy.jpg

dc1346
Mar 24, 2016

I was thinking about taking Uncle Billy but Cherie was quick to point out that with his personality, Uncle Billy could easily find a home. The cats she worried about were the black ones because no one in the local area seems to like black cats.

I think black cats are awesome ... and as much as I liked the talkative orange cat, I agreed to take Buki on a trial basis.

"You won't regret this," promised Cherie.

When i asked what the adoption fee was, she told me $80 but also told me that she'd waive the fee since I have been contributing gifts of food, bedding, kitty litter, toys, and money to the shelter each month since last December.

"But you could use the money, couldn't you?" I asked.

"Yessssss ..." said Cherie.

"Then take the money. It's the least I can do."

Since I am not moving until April 15th, I told Cherie that I couldn't take Buki until the last week of April at the earliest. She promised to hold on to him for me ... so we will see what happens.

Buki is a gorgeous cat and he seems to be quite dignified. Although I do like cats who talk, I was sorry to learn that several of the black cats in residence at the shelter have been there for YEARS. Other cats have come and gone but the black cats have remained ... and since Luv for Paws is a no-kill shelter, each cat who can't be adopted is taking up space that could otherwise be occupied by another abandoned cat or stray.

I like the fact that Buki was in a community cat shelter because this means that he's used to interacting with other cats. Since cats are like people in that we all have different likes and dislikes and personalities, it remains to be seen as to whether or not Buki will be able to fit into my household.

If he can ... well and good. He will have his forever home ... but if not, I will have the option of returning him.

We shall see what happens.

raina21 · Mar 24, 2016

dc1346

I just wanted to tell you that I really enjoy reading this thread. You're very well written and I do hope you take the trip to see Buki soon.

I am also autistic (also high functioning), and although I am much younger (21) I completely understand what you mean by needing to recharge.

I also understand what you mean when you say that younger autistic use the Internet to avoid real social interaction (and admittedly, it is easier for me to socialize online) but seeing as I went undiagnosed until I was 18, I was forced to socialize as a child/young adult, and as frustrating and upetting as that was at the time, I'm glad my parents made me do it because I feel like if they hadn't, my quality of life would be much worse than it is now. And I truly feel for those of us who feel as though they can't be helped (the people like you mentioned, the ones who cower in their homes/dorm rooms because of the anxiety associated with getting out and being around people). Although I do recognize that many autistic people have sensory processing problems that make being out of their controlled environment unbearable.

I myself have several sensory processing issues, but I was forced to live with the anxiety and discomfort they caused me. I can recall my parents telling me that I was being ridiculous/over sensitive about many things. They never really understood why I had such trouble in certain envirnments. Now that I have been diagnosed, they have apologized to me for never believing me about certain things.

I am hypersensitive to spicey things. Even "mild" foods like Pepperoni and black pepper still set my mouth on fire. I am also a picky eater and I can't stand foods with certain textures even if I enjoy the taste of them, if the texture is unbearable, I won't eat it.

I have awesome hearing (I can hear sounds at higher frequencies than are supposed to be audible to humans), but when I am in a loud environment like a food court or a restaurant, I can barely hear what the person across the table from me is saying because I can't tune out background noise and all the sound just blurs together. I have somewhat learned to read lips because of this.

I have several other sensory problems, but I won't bore you by writing them all down.

Getting back on topic- I also applaud you for being willing to take that stressful drive to visit Buki (even though you didn't get to in the end). I would have been too scared to drive on that narrow road (I seriously felt a little anxious just reading about that drive) and would have turned back and took an alternate route. But that's because I get severe anxiety attacks when I'm driving anyplace that I'm completely unfamiliar with (unless I've studied the route already).

And as far as your story about moving to Vegas goes- Wow! What an ordeal! I can't even imagine how awful it must have been to lose Tabitha for 6 months! I would have been utterly devastated if something like that happened to one of my cats! And you had every right to be furious with the movers for opening the door after being told multiple times not to open it, and for completely disregarding the sign on the door.

dc1346 · Mar 24, 2016

Raina21 said:
@DC1346

I just wanted to tell you that I really enjoy reading this thread. You're very well written and I do hope you take the trip to see Buki soon.

I am also autistic (also high functioning), and although I am much younger (21) I completely understand what you mean by needing to recharge.

I also understand what you mean when you say that younger autistic use the Internet to avoid real social interaction (and admittedly, it is easier for me to socialize online) but seeing as I went undiagnosed until I was 18, I was forced to socialize as a child/young adult, and as frustrating and upetting as that was at the time, I'm glad my parents made me do it because I feel like if they hadn't, my quality of life would be much worse than it is now. And I truly feel for those of us who feel as though they can't be helped (the people like you mentioned, the ones who cower in their homes/dorm rooms because of the anxiety associated with getting out and being around people). Although I do recognize that many autistic people have sensory processing problems that make being out of their controlled environment unbearable.

I myself have several sensory processing issues, but I was forced to live with the anxiety and discomfort they caused me. I can recall my parents telling me that I was being ridiculous/over sensitive about many things. They never really understood why I had such trouble in certain envirnments. Now that I have been diagnosed, they have apologized to me for never believing me about certain things.

I am hypersensitive to spicey things. Even "mild" foods like Pepperoni and black pepper still set my mouth on fire. I am also a picky eater and I can't stand foods with certain textures even if I enjoy the taste of them, if the texture is unbearable, I won't eat it.

I have awesome hearing (I can hear sounds at higher frequencies than are supposed to be audible to humans), but when I am in a loud environment like a food court or a restaurant, I can barely hear what the person across the table from me is saying because I can't tune out background noise and all the sound just blurs together. I have somewhat learned to read lips because of this.

I have several other sensory problems, but I won't bore you by writing them all down.

Getting back on topic- I also applaud you for being willing to take that stressful drive to visit Buki (even though you didn't get to in the end). I would have been too scared to drive on that narrow road (I seriously felt a little anxious just reading about that drive) and would have turned back and took an alternate route. But that's because I get severe anxiety attacks when I'm driving anyplace that I'm completely unfamiliar with (unless I've studied the route already).

And as far as your story about moving to Vegas goes- Wow! What an ordeal! I can't even imagine how awful it must have been to lose Tabitha for 6 months! I would have been utterly devastated if something like that happened to one of my cats! And you had every right to be furious with the movers for opening the door after being told multiple times not to open it, and for completely disregarding the sign on the door.

Thank you for your kind comments ... but the sad reality about Oatman highway (AKA Route 66) is that I didn't have a choice. If there had been ANYWHERE where I could have turned around, I would have ... but once you've left Oatman, you're stuck on the road with no shoulder or turn off anywhere until the road descends some 12 miles further on. The direction I was heading also kept me against the soaring rock face. If I had been able to turn around, I would have been driving along the edge of a sheer cliff.

Regarding autism, I am not hypersensitive to food which is a good thing considering my occupation. I AM hypersensitive to certain types of fabric which feel very chafing to me.

So what do you do for a living? Have you found a way to channel your autism into a career? I used my near obsessive interest in all things culinary to become a Culinary Arts teacher.

One good thing about Asperger's (at least for me) is that when I'm on the job, I'm extremely work oriented. I can go nose to grindstone working on designing new curriculum for HOURS long after a nerotypical would have called it a day. When I'm on the job, I have incredible focus, so much so that I can use my time productively and not have to spend a lot of time after school lets out recording grades and doing other paperwork.

I may use my interest in cats to eventually become a published author. Actually I already am a published author since I have published five cookbooks ... but I'm thinking about seeing if I can blend my sense of humor, my interest in the lives of my cats, and my autism into a book. I'm not sure if this would work though because the genre would be somewhat different. It wouldn't quite be a cat book and wouldn't quite be a humorous book and would not quite be a book about living with autism. I don't even have a decent working title yet. Something like, "Life Lessons Learned from Cats and Autism" doesn't sound very interesting. A good title needs to be more catchy.

Another way I could go would be to write an intermediate elementary age novel about my cats, told from the perspective of Bobby Cat. I actually began working on this a couple of years ago and have written a couple of chapters. The story reads a bit like the style of John Erickson, author of the Hank the Cowdog series.

Mamanyt1953 said:
This has become one of my very favorite threads. You write so beautifully about your cats, and the words you give them are true to a cat's nature. I'm having fun here!!!

Thank you! I am having a lot of fun as well.

raina21 · Mar 24, 2016

dc1346

DC1346 said:
So what do you do for a living? Have you found a way to channel your autism into a career? I used my near obsessive interest in all things culinary to become a Culinary Arts teacher.

I currently work at my parents' restaurant for a living (not ideal but hey, it's a job). I am going to art school (paying my own way, so it's been slow going, but at least I won't have student loans to pay off) and majoring in ceramics.

And while art is not what I would consider to be one of my obsessions/special interests, I am able to incorporate my interests into my artwork.

I am also able to go into "hyperfocus" mode, where I will spend hours and hours working on something. Many times when that happens I forget to eat or drink anything and I don't even notice I'm hungry until I look at the clock and realize that it's been 12+ hours.

My main interests/obsessions are freshwater fish, cats, and sci-fi, fantasy books/shows. Obviously I have other interests as well, but these are the main things.

Some of my latest work (ceramic and drawings):

20151201_052736.jpg

raina21
Mar 24, 2016

A drawing of my boyfriend and his dog. It's 38 inches long by 22 inches wide.

20151027_043246.jpg

raina21
Mar 24, 2016

A more illustrated style drawing of a few if my favorite fish that I have in my 125 gallon aquarium. It is 6 feet long by 3 feet wide.

20141214_182213.jpg

raina21
Mar 24, 2016

20141214_182059.jpg

raina21
Mar 24, 2016

8 cups of varying sizes that I made and hand painted the intricate designs. Each one took 3+ hours to paint.

20150401_112911.jpg

raina21
Mar 24, 2016

My first attempt at Raku firing a pot turned out very well.

DreamerRose · Mar 24, 2016

@DC1346 - I'm a fan of black cats, too, as you can see see from my avatar. That's Mingo, my friend furever. I'm so glad you connected with the shelter and have pledged Buki. You won't regret this.

I love your stories, and I know what you mean by Oatman. My son lives near Vail, CO, and I would love to drive out this summer to visit him. BUT, there's this seven-mile drop on the east side of the Rockies. It's seven miles straight down with sand runoffs and barrels at the end. I can get there, but don't know about the return. As you said, there is no way to stop and turn around.

Your recipes are delicious. Keep us posted on Buki and what you're cooking.

kitty chew · Mar 25, 2016

Hello, was just reading some of the articles in new cats on the block, and came across your drawings and ceramic work. Just wanted to tell you your art is fantastic! I love drawing, painting, and making jewellery, so i can appreciate all types of art, and the work involved. Love the black and white tea cups as well. I mainly draw in black and white. Cute kitten too. :clap:

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