Another good day, with what passes for excitement in these parts. Helen carried poor Paradox off for her injection early this morning, and tried, unsuccessfully, to discuss kittens with the vet. She – the vet -- was implacably opposed for a wide range of reasons, from the diseases you (or, rather, your cat) might get from a stud selected on-line to the undesirability of selling kittens to strangers who might mistreat them, via the notion that Paradox (at five) was too old for a first litter. She has to have a second injection in three weeks’ time before she is fully covered for whatever it is. We can think about it.
Then we had a very
nice time having coffee in our neighbours’ garden, talking about Kirkmichael
with which they are also associated.
Knitting: I am
currently occupied with threading the stitches of the second Evendoon onto some
shiny ribbon – I think it was you who but me on to that, Mary Lou. It is a
slowish task which I must finish this evening. Then it will be ready to be
tried on when Helen comes for our walk tomorrow.
Wordle: I thought
it was a somewhat tricky word today, but our scores were completely ordinary.
Alexander and his son Thomas scored three; Mark and I needed four; and Ketki
five. I have started keeping a list of the answers, day by day, as we (and
others) find that it is often very hard to remember them, even the next day.
I think you should listen to your vet.
ReplyDeleteI was surprised the vet went ahead with the injection since she was so opposed to it. I don't understand this great desire to have kittens. Maybe there isn't a surplus of cats where you are but here in California there is no shortage. The few furry pets I have had, have always been spayed or neutered.
ReplyDeleteThe shelters are crammed with cats and dogs looking for homes because people brought them in lockdown and don’t want them anymore. Even more so for puppies and kittens. I think your vet gave excellent advice.
ReplyDeleteI'm all for rescuing a kitten that, otherwise, might be put to sleep
ReplyDeleteEvery place I have lived has a huge surplus of unwanted/dumped/surrendered pets of all kinds, cats, dogs, rabbits (especially after Easter), parrots etc. My daughter is currently spending all her free time volunteering with one of the organizations here trapping cats and kittens to be vetted and neutered. The ones that can be socialized go to fosters (if they can be found), rescue/adoption centers (if there is room) or returned if there is an organized feral colony group that is willing to feed and care for them. It is daunting, depressing and frustrating. Spay/neuter programs here often have low-cost days to get pets cared for and microchipped, but there are literally thousands suffering on the streets here.
ReplyDeleteI fully agree with everything everyone has said. Its irresponsible to make your cat have kittens when there are so many homeless and suffering cats and kittens on every street. Who is going to look after all of these when you can no longer do it?
ReplyDeleteThere certainly are not any homeless or suffering cats on my street, I am so sorry to hear you live in such a depressing area. And I am sure Jean, like most wise older folk, has a plan for who in her family is going to take on her two much loved cats if a time comes when she can no longer care for them herself for whatever reason.
DeleteIt is true that there is currently, in the UK, a surfeit of cats of all ages being handed in to charities. Often because people can't afford to feed them in the current climate. However it also remains true that some households would like a kitten as opposed to a rescue cat, for perfectly valid reasons.
ReplyDeleteAnd as far as selling to strangers goes, most kittens go to strangers (and actually in my part of England it is hard to get a non-pedigree kitten as most of the females are spayed) and most go to loving homes where they are very happy. I think it is sensible to consider where one thinks any possible kittens might relocate to, and to bear in mind that one does have to let them go when they are 8 weeks old (the legal minimum age now in the UK). Multiple cats in a household (as opposed to just two) needs (at a minimum) all the males neutered, multiple litter trays, a lot of litter and cat food on the bills, possible social tensions between them - and perhaps most important for older people, they constitute a real trip hazard as they dash about in the first playful couple of years.
The age factor sounds important. I had not realised Paradox was 5 - how time flies! I had to research this and it is apparently true that even cats who have had previous litters are not recommended to have further pregnancies after they reach 5. There are lots of risks of additional complications during the pregnancy and at the birth - which does also mean the risk of very large vet bills. The vet won't tell untruths, so this is going to be more likely if it is a first pregnancy in an older cat.
Jean will make her own choice when the time comes, and I am sure that if kittens appear, they will be carefully homed with reliable people.
I am looking forward to some Evendoon pictures. So glad that it is progressing well.
Oho, Jean has stirred up some strong opinions here. I'd have loved to have had kittens from our cats but we never did. Never the right time or opportunity, (and I wouldn't have wanted them from our current cats because they are, don't tell them, a bit dull) and I'm a bit sorry now. However I do fear for the knitting if the house fills up with kitten. You will need some secure lock boxes to keep it safe!
ReplyDeleteLove the image of knitting and kittens intermingled. It does sound a bit chaotic.
ReplyDeleteJean will sort it out, whatever happens.
JennyS