Category: Animals

#Sochi Problems and Boycotts

On By Michel McDonaldIn Animals, Anti-Gay, Boycott, Bullying, Gay, Gay RightsLeave a comment

sochi

Wow!  I mean just wow.  It seems like the Olympic committee would have done a bit more research before committing the Olympics to such a horrible place.  I’m reading tweets and articles about how the water looks like beer, or very dark urine that is harmful to the skin.  Then the horrible conditions in the hotels and in the guest rooms and public bathrooms.  2 toilets in 1 stall, a sign telling people not to flush toilet paper with a little bin below, which is beyond disgusting.  There is even a picture of 2 urinals with no plumbing attached.  No light bulbs, no internet, and as soon as they sign in, they get hacked.  One hotel didn’t even have a lobby, or reception, you had to go to the hotel managers bedroom to check in.  The list literally goes on and on and on.  Yeah, I’d say they were not ready for the Olympics.

I have heard of animals being fed poison to kill them because they have such a bad stray problem.  Well, wasn’t there an issue similar to this at another Olympics, but with homeless people?  No I don’t mean killing them, but relocating them lol.  Instead of killing the strays, why not find them good homes?  What about foster homes?  I mean really?  Killing them?

Putin said that gay people would be safe, yet I’m seeing videos and articles where the gay people are beat up and arrested.  How does that make them safe?  Coca-Cola and McDonald’s are “proud” sponsors, but how can they be so proud of such a travesty?  That is why so many people are not only boycotting the Olympics, but also their “proud” sponsors.  Budweiser, thank goodness, backed out because they didn’t want any part of that.  I don’t drink, but if I ever decide to, I’ll drink Budweiser.

I am glad that I don’t have to suffer through all that mess.  I honestly don’t understand how any of the gay athletes could even step foot in that country knowing the residents are being kidnapped and murdered simply because they were born gay.  How can they think that that kind of behavior is okay and they would be safe?  They have got to take off those rose-colored glasses because that is not the way things work.  I feel sorry for anyone who suffers at the hands of the Russian police and/or security for the Olympics.

I never really cared for the Olympics and now I care even less for them.  I will definitely not be watching now or ever again.  This whole thing has put the worst taste in my mouth that will never go away.  Shame on the Olympics committee for doing this.  This whole thing is nothing but a joke.

Stray Cats

On By Michel McDonaldIn AnimalsLeave a comment

Kitty Cat

There are a lot of stray cats in our neighborhood and most of them are feral so they don’t really come up to me.  People are always wanting to feed them and when you feed them they become tame but those people don’t take responsibility for them.

There was a black cat who Darrin wanted to feed and he told me to feed him so like a dummy I went to the grocery store and bought some cat food.  Then this orange one came along and he decided that we’re his new family.  I didn’t want to feed him because I figured if I didn’t feed him then he would go away and find someone else but he didn’t.

One morning I woke up and was going to go to the back yard to change his water and put more food in there and he was inside of our patio.  It’s an enclosed patio and at first I thought Darrin put him in there but when I asked him he didn’t know what I was talking about.

The next day I went out there and he was in the patio again.  I couldn’t understand how this Houdini was getting in.  Then it hit me, he is getting up on the roof of the garage and he finds his way to the screen that is supposed to be tacked onto the wood below the gutters and he jumps down onto the floor of the patio.

Now when I go out there to put him outside he doesn’t want to go.  I have to trick him with food to get him to leave but he knows my tricks lol.

I don’t want another cat!  I had a cat for 12 years, I feel like I did my time, why should I have to spend another, goodness knows how many years, having to clean another litter box?  The problem is, I have a very weak immune system, I can’t be scooping poop and breathing it every day.  I was always sick when we had our cat Shanaynay (rest in peace) and I vowed I would never go through that again and now I feel like it’s being forced on me.

I tacked the screen back on which wasn’t very difficult to do.  I watched the cat jump onto the patio roof in our back yard and jump onto the garage roof then saw where he was getting in.  There is a ladder leaning up against the wall where he gets in so he sort of climbs down to the top of the ladder then jumps to the ground.  It’s quite hilarious how he figure that out.  But, I don’t want the other cats to get the same idea so I had to tack it down again to close that off.

This cat has learned to live with staying in our back yard all the time.  I feed him in the morning and at night and he’s very happy.  When I take the dog out at night he is out there and wants to be petted.  He and the dog are friends now which is sweet because our dog used to try to chase cats when she saw them.

I told Chips case worker about the cat and the first thing she said was “stay away from the poppy” which I already knew.

I hope he finds a new home.  It’s not that I don’t want him because he is a very sweet cat, it’s just I can’t afford him and I am allergic to cats so I really shouldn’t have him around me.  I don’t regret the 12 years that we had our cat Shanaynay because I loved her to death but I won’t do it again.  I’m happy with just having a dog lol.

Pit Boss

On By Michel McDonaldIn Animals, TVLeave a comment

I know they’ve been on for a while but I haven’t seen Pit Boss until today. Actually last night but it was after midnight so I count it as today. This morning when I woke up I turned the TV on which I don’t normally do until about 4-6pm but I turned it on and Pit Boss was on Animal Planet.

I watched a couple of episodes and I think that what they are doing is good work.

One of the episodes I watched tonight (after The Gates was over) was Ashley’s stand-up routine which didn’t look so good (thanks to editing) but once Shorty gave her some encouragement she got right back on track.

I have always said that it’s not the breeding that makes them bad dogs, it’s the beating that makes them bad dogs. Pit bulls have a horrible reputation for being vicious and violent dogs but those few bad ones don’t represent all pit bulls. They are actually very good dogs if they have been raised in a positive environment with love and attention.

The ones that are seen on tv as being vicious are only that way because it was beat into them. They had to learn to be that way to survive. It’s a survival tactic and if you had to live in the environments that these dogs had to live in you would be pretty wild too, I can guarantee you that much.

My aunt and uncle have had Rottweilers who are also known for being vicious guard attack dogs but her dog, one named Miranda (may she rest in peace) was basically a huge lap dog. When I first met her she didn’t know me from Adam (or Steve even) and she started licking my face upon seeing it. She was excited to meet me and every time I went to visit them she was jumping for joy to see my face. She even slept with me in the pull out sofa bed or air mattress that I slept on during my visit. I would wake up in the morning and there she was, sound asleep right next to me, snoring away.

See, it’s because my aunt and uncle raised them with love and attention and if you have ever met a pit bull with that same love in their hearts you will see that they have been raised by good people who know what they’re doing.

Sorry, I went from saying how much I like the show to a preaching rant about dog breeds lol. Anyway, I love the show and I’m extra thrilled to hear that Ashley is one of us. She’s a big lesbian and I love her for that. Her and her vests hehe. You go gurl, keep on keepin’ on you. And Sebastian… what a hunk lol. I will definitely watch this show from now on.

Kitty Grave Stone (Wood Actually)

On By Michel McDonaldIn Animals, PetsLeave a comment

Well I finished making it and I wanted to share it.  It was actually a lot easier than I thought it would be.  See my previous post with the template. I had this piece of wood so all I did was traced the cat, words, numbers and the paw print then started doing it.  This was one of the easiest things I have made to date.  I thought that making a Ouija Board would be so difficult but now I know different and as soon as I have that made then perhaps I can use it to talk to my Shanaynay.

Well here it is.  It needs to be stained and have the stuff to protect it from the rain and the elements and from rotting on top of the ground.  Although I may put a stake in the ground and then screw this to the stake to make it look like a cross.

Click to see it full size

shanaynay-wood-burn

Rest In Peace Kitty

On By Michel McDonaldIn Animals, PetsLeave a comment

This morning our cat Shanaynay passed away.  I don’t know the exact time but it was between 6:30am and 8am.  On Memorial Day no less.  So every Memorial Day I will remember her.  She was born some time in October 1994.  I couldn’t narrow down the exact date so I gave her October 31st for her birthday.  She passed away at age 14 1/2.

She was the best kitty anyone could ever hope for.  The day we got her I was actually in bed sleeping and I woke up and saw this little tiny kitten sitting there on the bed and the first thing that I said was awwwww.  Here are some pictures that we took of her the first month we had her.  Click the small thumbnails to open them up full size.

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When she was around 6 months old she started her howling thing because she was going into heat for the first time so we had to have her fixed.  It was so funny to hear her howl but that was the first and last time she had to go through that for the rest of her life.

Some of the memories I have of her are from when I would change the sheets on the bed, she would jump up and she would do her little dance where she would pounce sideways with her ears back and her head cocked to the side.  She also did not like her mirror reflection and she would do the same thing but to the mirror.

There was another thing that she used to do where I’d like have her face in my hand and she would kick and scratch my arm with her back feet.  It didn’t hurt as much though but she loved to play.

Over the years she calmed down and stopped wanting to play and just became a very calm kitty.  She didn’t like to have another animal in the house besides herself so we could never have any more cats or even a dog.  Then one day Darrin found a little kitten inside of a box in the middle of the street.  We took care of her and gradually let the 2 of them see each other until they were living peacefully in the same house.

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This picture was actually forced upon her, she did not like that at all lol.  I had to take the picture as fast as I possibly could.  That other kitty we never did name her but the Vet named her Baby when she passed away.

Then we got Flower last year, our Toy Chihuahua.  Shanaynay didn’t care.  The dog was a little too rambunctious for her though and she would scratch Flower when she got too playful.

Shanaynay mostly lived inside of our indoor patio.  It gave her the feeling of being outdoors while keeping her inside so she was happy.

She was diagnosed with Diabetes 2 1/2 years ago and we were told that she wouldn’t live very long if we didn’t give her insulin shots but they wanted so much money for the blood tests and then we’d have to pay for the insulin.  I think the dollar amount was like $600 the vet said for the tests.  I was ready to have her put to sleep then but Darrin said no, let’s give her a chance to die on her own.

I ended up changing her diet and instead of giving her the dry food which I believe was the Whiskas and the Friskies, I started giving her the canned Friskies and she did a 180.  She was walking on the back of her legs instead of her feet and when I switched her food she started walking normal again.  She didn’t stop drinking like a sailor and peeing a lot though but at least her legs were fine.

But I end this by saying that she was my favorite pet in the whole world and there is no other person or animal who could ever take her place.  I love you Shanaynay.  Take care of yourself wherever you are.

Edit:  Thanks to my friend Alyce for buying me the wood burning kit I have the tools to make a little grave stone (or grave wood).  Here is what it’s going to look like.

shanaynay-grave

Our Cat Is Dying

On By Michel McDonaldIn Animals, PetsLeave a comment

Our cat Shanaynay is dying.  She isn’t walking normal, in fact she is staggering and I saw her getting out of her litter box, she fell out onto her butt.  She has litter stuck to her butt and her tail and it’s already hardened and she gets mad at me when I try to help her get it off.  Her meow isn’t as pronounced as before, meaning it’s shallow.  She has to take deep breaths.  Also she is so skinny now, you can feel her bones when you touch her.  She isn’t eating at all.  I recall refilling her food bowl days ago and she has barely even touched it.

I just saw her drinking some water so at least she’s able to drink.  We can’t afford to have her put to sleep so all we can do is wait and keep an eye on her to make sure she doesn’t fall off the table (like a coffee table, she sleeps on it) or falls out of her litter box (which I moved closer to where she sleeps).

My Aunt Louise bought our cat this little thing that it’s like a tube with a hole cut on the side and it’s carpeted, you know what I mean.  Anyway, I put that next to the table where she is sleeping right now so she can use it as a step to get on and off the table.

She is a 14-year-old cat.  Well, 14 1/2.  Darrin got her when she was 8 or 9 weeks old and since we didn’t know her exact birthdate I estimated that it would’ve been some time in October so I decided that her birthday should be on Halloween 1994.  So considering that she is so old we have been expecting this to happen for quite some time.  Even though it’s been expected, it doesn’t make it easy.

Anyway, I will add to this post if she passes today.

Hook Worms

On By Michel McDonaldIn Animals, Health, PetsLeave a comment

Well we just came home from the vet at PetSmart.  Our poor defenseless toy chihuahua has hook worms in her.  Poor baby.

The bill was $235.02 YIKES!  But, I guess it’s worth it.  That wasn’t for the medicine though.  The medicine was only $14.  The rest was for all the tests and just to walk in the front door.

Apparently these hook worms live in the dirt and a dog can be walking around in the dirt or even laying in the dirt sunning themselves and the hook worms latch on to the feet and then the dog comes in the house and licks her feet and then the worm gets swallowed.  They drink the dogs blood inside of their intestines.

Here is the link for Hookworms at the Mar Vista Animal Medical Center website.  The medicine that they gave us is called Panacur.  It’s a cheap medicine but it works.

I hate knowing that my dog got this.  I’m going to have to clean out the back yard and just take Flower outside in the front yard with the harness and leash and pick up her poop with a plastic bag for now.  I don’t want her to be in the back yard by herself until I can get out there and clean it up.  I wonder if there is a spray that we can spray on the dirt that will kill all life in the dirt.

I’m also going to have to give her a bath and wipe her paws every time I bring her back inside the house so she doesn’t lick anything that she might have picked up.

Gothic Kittens

On By Michel McDonaldIn Animals, PetsLeave a comment

I saw this story in the National Enquirer magazine but looked it up and this is the text from that story from MSNBC but is from Associated Press:

WILKES-BARRE, Pa. – Humane officers said a Pennsylvania woman marketed “gothic kittens” with ear, neck and tail piercings over the Internet. Officers with the SPCA of Luzerne County removed three kittens and a cat from a home outside Wilkes-Barre.

Officer Carol Morrison said the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals raided the home on Wednesday after getting a tip that the woman was selling the pierced kittens on eBay.

“It’s unbelievable anybody would do this to kittens,” Morrison said.

Charges are likely against the homeowner, whose name was not released.

Morrison said the woman has a pet grooming business in the basement of the home.

That is such a shame that this woman would do such a thing to these poor defenseless kittens.  She was arrested and she should never be allowed to come in contact with any animals unless they are dinner.

gothic-kittengothic-kittens

Dog Fetishes

On By Michel McDonaldIn Animals, PetsLeave a comment

Can someone answer this?  Why do dogs eat cat poop?  That is the most disgusting thing in the whole world.

When we got our little Chihuahua, Flower, one of the first things she did was go for the litter box.  What?  Darrin was holding her and then came into my room and asked me to smell her breath and I said no thanks lol.  I could already tell that she must have done something bad.  Listen, whenever someone asks you to smell or taste something, it’s never a good smell or taste.  Just say no.

So, I had to put the litter box in the bathtub and make our elderly cat jump into the tub to go to the bathroom but she’s old, she craps all over the place because I think she’s losing it.  So we would still smell cat poop on the dogs breath.  I ended up having to put our cat on the patio (it’s an indoor patio, it’s the area between the garage and our house so it’s a patio).  My cat loves being out there so she’s happy, we’re happy, everyone is happy.

When it’s cold I bring her in the house and I have to lock her up in the kitchen because if I don’t the dog will go for her litter box and also the cat might crap all over the house so she has to stay in the kitchen.  I just brought her in and the dog was outside so I brought her back in too and the first thing Flower did was she went to eat some poop on the side of the litter box.  LOL Gross dog.