Nov/18/2015: I just realized I never published this on my blog. Sorry it is out of order.
///
I regret, as I sit here in my study, at 7:52 a.m. on the first day of October 2015, that I did not say first thing: "Lord, thank You for this day--an opportunity to remember Kara and count the blessings of her. Thank You for the opportunity to live a better day today because of her and I want to live well for her." As silly as it might sound, I want her to be proud of what my life becomes as I live life anew for her memory and to make sure not one day of her life with us over the last year not to be in vain.
It's interesting. I cannot believe that I am thinking along those lines now. Never mind writing it (journaling it) and sharing these thoughts out loud and with others.
However, the more I think about it... Why is it silly to live a life of blessing, where I can count a trillion because of her alone? Why is it odd to be extra attentive to count my blessings of her and because of her? Shouldn't we all have something or someone in our lives that blesses us so much that we cannot help but live a life of thanksgiving and gratitude... a life of blessing?
It does not matter who or what brings this life transformation. What matters is that it does. Living a life of gratitude and giving thanks... a life of blessing... Isn't this how we are supposed to live and why? And, what better life could we live?
And, all of this comes from a cat.
From our Kara Beara. Little Bit. Lady Kara. Baby Girl. Girlie.
All of this comes from "just a cat."
I roll my eyes. Whoever says that she was "just a cat" has no idea what they are talking about. Anyone who has owned a critter, and has invested everything possible in that companion, knows good and well Kara was not "just a cat." Only a fool would ever claim she, or any of them, are.
Kara was a companion. A loyal companion and friend at that.
Furthermore, Kara loved for the first time in her life--and she was loved.
Our cancer kitty was the biggest love bug and I could tell how much she appreciated everything we did for her. The lifelong feral cat became a loving and loved family member and she knew it. She knew how good she had it. She lived a life of thanks, where she basked in her love for us and our love for her. Her mannerisms showed this.
She was happy.
Content.
Grateful.
Kara remembered the life she had in the wild and realized how good her life was.
Isn't this the way we are supposed to live? Isn't this how we are to live a life of faith?
Kara lived a blessed life and she counted them. My husband and I will try to do the same because of her.
It's truly a blessed life we live.
This month... this year... this decade... this life... I will be purposeful about living a life of blessing because of her.
This morning I woke up and failed to give thanks for her and this new day where I can remember our Little Dove. I regret that. I will try to not do the same tomorrow. But, I realize I may mess up and fail to do so again. Therefore, once I remember, which I pray is in the morning that day, I will make sure to remember her and count as many blessings as possible. I will live that day with thanksgiving and gratitude.
Showing posts with label Critter. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Critter. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 18, 2015
Thursday, October 15, 2015
Blessings and Lessons #1 and #2: Thanksgiving and Love
Blessing and Lesson #1 Live a life of thanksgiving, not just a season
That's the first blessing I count and is the first lesson I want to mention because of Kara, our feral cancer cat.
Kara found my husband ("B") and I and we brought her into our garage for a couple of weeks while we helped her acclimate to being indoors and to us, and as we waited for her appointment with our veterinarian. It also gave her time for her meds to work to their full capacity. Then, we brought her into my study and locked her in there for a few days so she could acclimate to there and our Beatle and our orange cat.
She never looked back. She never tried to door dart and she grasped she was safe and had plenty of food and love. She was a completely different cat... almost immediately and over the last year.
Kara was feral. She had an opinionated demeanor and insisted on things going her way. Sure, this is true for any cat. But, put a cat inside permanently, after being an outdoor cat, and they are even more opinionated. Most of her behavior and attitude was out of self-defense and she slowly learned she had no threat in us or in our home.
We could tell how thoroughly grateful she was to no longer have to sleep with her head in the air and she didn't have to find food. But, she was far more grateful to be able to love and to be loved. This was how she lived with us and was how she died with us. Thankful. Loved and loving.
Kara knew where she was and came from and she lived fully a life of thanks. She could have swelled on what was. She had a horrible life until us. But, she didn't focus on that. She didn't look back. She was grateful for what she had now.
BLESSING AND LESSON #2: LOVE AND BE LOVED
Kara learned how to give unconditional love and how to receive it.
She never knew love before us. We know she was abused, for the way she cowered at first if we made fast movements and the way she always held her down to show she was contrite and humble. She also was fixed and declared. So, this shows she had another human in her life. They probably dumped her because either they didn't know how to handle a deaf cat, or because they were moving in our community that had a lot of military, or they knew she had cancer. Therefore, she didn't know the fullness of love a human could give her. Not until B and me.
Once we convinced her we were no threat and would never hit her or dump her, she thrived. And she knew love and she loved. And it was thorough and unconditional.
I cannot imagine being about ten years old and never knowing love.
It breaks my heart to think. I'm getting weepy at the thought.
Do I know what's it means to fully love and be loved? At first blush, I would say no, if you were to ask me right now. Then, I picture girlie and I smile. My heart warms. You bet I know! It's because of Kara.
I am thankful for Kara teaching me to live a life of thanks and blessing... and for teaching me how to fully love and be loved.
Tuesday, October 13, 2015
Sinan's Dream
Sinan just dreamt of Kara.
He whined in his sleep.
I woke him up.
He looked all around and sniffed for her... He then whined again as he looked right at me.
"I know, buddy... She isn't here... I miss her, too."
He whined in his sleep.
I woke him up.
He looked all around and sniffed for her... He then whined again as he looked right at me.
"I know, buddy... She isn't here... I miss her, too."
This Blog Post Series to Book Is... {Being Owned}
This blog post series {really a journaling blog} to book is for anyone who likes animals and is for anyone who has been owned by one.
I say the last part with a goofy grin. Anyone who has owned a critter knows what I'm talking about here. They worm their way into your heart, steal it away, you would do anything for them, and your life and perspective is changed because of them.
Animals make us better and this world better.
This is what I'm writing and is the reason for my writing.
Yep. My grin just won't disappear. This is just so true.
I say the last part with a goofy grin. Anyone who has owned a critter knows what I'm talking about here. They worm their way into your heart, steal it away, you would do anything for them, and your life and perspective is changed because of them.
Animals make us better and this world better.
This is what I'm writing and is the reason for my writing.
Yep. My grin just won't disappear. This is just so true.
Sunday, October 11, 2015
The Most Important Thing About Kara
What is the most important thing I need to, and want to, share about Kara? Her story? About her being in our lives?
What is the most important thing about Kara?
What is the most important thing that should be told about Kara?
She lived.
That's the answer, I think. Is anything else more important about her than that?
I just don't have think so.
What is the most important thing about Kara?
What is the most important thing that should be told about Kara?
She lived.
That's the answer, I think. Is anything else more important about her than that?
I just don't have think so.
This Blog is My Writing Notebook
There should blog is my writing notebook. It is what I'm using to write Kara's story and I will use this to journal and get my thoughts down on the page. This is where I will get it all down on the page and I hope to make my mistakes here. I also hope to make it count.
Another Memories List of Moments with Kara
Sinan and the mouse, then Kara and the mouse.
Driving across country.
Driving to Cheyenne.
Chicken.
How she not my thumb, thinking it was chicken.
The red cinnamon tint to her fur when in the sunlight.
Her black skid mark under her chin.
Her half smile marking on the side of her mouth.
In your face when begging.
Didn't play usually.
Rubberbands.
White whiskers, white eyebrows.
How when she meowed her ears went flat.
Tunnel.
Sleeping on plastic and electric things, plus my comb binding machine.
Hurt hind quarters.
Easy to get in the garage after I was concerned.
When she first saw me with a towel on my head.
How she liked my scents.
How she used to do obstacle courses to get from one piece of furniture to another.
How she caught Sinan in her box.
How she caught Sinan in her food.
How Sinan jumped in our bed on top of her when she was sleeping and she let him have it.
How she never understood Sinan wanted to play and not hurt her.
She loved to curl up on top of cardboard or corregated boxes.
How she made me take breaks when I worked and wrote.
She knew we protected her from Sinan.
Kitty crossed-paws.
How she slept on my side of the bed.
Collecting urine.
Never had to be trained with cat box.
How she was so resilient.
Driving across country.
Driving to Cheyenne.
Chicken.
How she not my thumb, thinking it was chicken.
The red cinnamon tint to her fur when in the sunlight.
Her black skid mark under her chin.
Her half smile marking on the side of her mouth.
In your face when begging.
Didn't play usually.
Rubberbands.
White whiskers, white eyebrows.
How when she meowed her ears went flat.
Tunnel.
Sleeping on plastic and electric things, plus my comb binding machine.
Hurt hind quarters.
Easy to get in the garage after I was concerned.
When she first saw me with a towel on my head.
How she liked my scents.
How she used to do obstacle courses to get from one piece of furniture to another.
How she caught Sinan in her box.
How she caught Sinan in her food.
How Sinan jumped in our bed on top of her when she was sleeping and she let him have it.
How she never understood Sinan wanted to play and not hurt her.
She loved to curl up on top of cardboard or corregated boxes.
How she made me take breaks when I worked and wrote.
She knew we protected her from Sinan.
Kitty crossed-paws.
How she slept on my side of the bed.
Collecting urine.
Never had to be trained with cat box.
How she was so resilient.
Memories List of Moments with Kara
How she would get to her feet when she saw you or when you woke her.
How she looked at us like she absolutely adored us.
How she meowed and purred quite loudly since she was deaf and couldn't hear herself.
How she had a white dot on the tip of her black tail.
Purr.
Her unique meow. Hum into meow. Crescendo.
Rapid fire pawing door with her softpaws until the door opened.
Her gait... Her belly and her feet.
Whiskers forward when rubbing her chin... and in new situations.
Belly flop.
Uneven ears.
Boxing Sinan.
Tunnel.
Didn't like her bed at first.
Sleeping on our pajama bottoms, which were sweat pants.
Bringing her into the house in slow stages.
How she almost had a tile dropped on her head and didn't hear it.
Car sickness.
She leaned to the left when Bob pet her head. Puffy cheeks.
How we thought she was a kitten at first.
Running before she's awake to get to food and trying to fall over as she tried to get her feet under her.
Little beggar.
Sleeping on my purse.
Lying on my tablet sleeves and on our bags and on my laptop.
Drinking out of my water glass.
Footsteps all over the place for her.
Lying on our chests in bed.
How Zack was with her.
Dickies cups
Tea
Sleeping on our bed.
Every morning she came I to the bathroom with me.
She loved looking out doors and windows, just to see, and not to go out.
She in our guest bedroom.
Paw in the air when sleeping.
Ears above her bed.
Thyroid medicine.
Pain meds.
Travel sickness meds.
Screaming at Sinan. And growling.
How she looked at us like she absolutely adored us.
How she meowed and purred quite loudly since she was deaf and couldn't hear herself.
How she had a white dot on the tip of her black tail.
Purr.
Her unique meow. Hum into meow. Crescendo.
Rapid fire pawing door with her softpaws until the door opened.
Her gait... Her belly and her feet.
Whiskers forward when rubbing her chin... and in new situations.
Belly flop.
Uneven ears.
Boxing Sinan.
Tunnel.
Didn't like her bed at first.
Sleeping on our pajama bottoms, which were sweat pants.
Bringing her into the house in slow stages.
How she almost had a tile dropped on her head and didn't hear it.
Car sickness.
She leaned to the left when Bob pet her head. Puffy cheeks.
How we thought she was a kitten at first.
Running before she's awake to get to food and trying to fall over as she tried to get her feet under her.
Little beggar.
Sleeping on my purse.
Lying on my tablet sleeves and on our bags and on my laptop.
Drinking out of my water glass.
Footsteps all over the place for her.
Lying on our chests in bed.
How Zack was with her.
Dickies cups
Tea
Sleeping on our bed.
Every morning she came I to the bathroom with me.
She loved looking out doors and windows, just to see, and not to go out.
She in our guest bedroom.
Paw in the air when sleeping.
Ears above her bed.
Thyroid medicine.
Pain meds.
Travel sickness meds.
Screaming at Sinan. And growling.
Critter Induced Make-You-Worried Moments
Since I last wrote in this journal, and just in the last week, we've dealt with some moments that would make us concerned on a normal day. However, with just having to put Kara to sleep, we are extra sensitive... and when I say we, I really mean me...
First, Sinan found me in my study sitting at my table journaling and he gave a huge meow. I jumped. Then, I started to chuckle as my gaze went to the floor and toward the Orange Maine Coon cat.
Sinan had his eyes held shut and he tried to open them, but was squinty instead. My chuckle stopped. "Are you okay?"
He tried to open his eyes again. He couldn't.
My heart started to pound. "What did you get into?" I asked him as I reached for a tissue I dunked in my glass of water and wiped his eyes. He didn't fight me at all, which was the next sign and told me he was feeling miserable. Usually he would try to pull away and remind me how he doesn't like humans grooming him in any way.
"Does that help?"
He was able to open his eyes a little for a moment and then did the squinting thing once again.
My heart stopped for when raced as I thought about what you did for humans under these circumstances. You wash your/their eyes in an eye cup or in any cup. How could you do that with a cat? Or a baby? I wondered and that's had me thinking.
I grabbed another tissue, drenched it with water, and wiped his eyes again. Then, I threw away the tissue and got a new one I repeated this several times. He seemed better when I finished up my wiping/washing and he headed toward our bedroom. I followed him and watched him for a few and then headed back to my study. A little while again, he found me again and meowed and we repeated the process, but with cotton balls rather than tissue.
Was he okay?
I tested my husband, a little freaked out, and we put it together that I had the laundry room door open and was in the process of doing laundry. We figured out the lent got to him when he walked in the room, and he had an allergic reaction. He was better, but I wiped his eyes a few more times, and so did my husband, before we went to bed and when we woke up the next morning, he acted fine. {Thank the Lord. Phew.}
Now, for incident number two. My mom's cat disappeared for about five hours and she let me know. Her cat did the disappear in plain sight thing and wondered why my mom was so concerned. Sigh. {Cats! Eye roll, head shake.}
Then, our almost 16 year old Beagle, Zack, has had a cough because of allergies since June. It's been getting progressively worse and led to five nights in a row of our interrupted sleep. Then, two nights ago, he coughed for about an hour straight and had us both concerned. We kept wondering if we needed to call pet urgent care, take him to CSU, or what. Not again with breathing issues. That's what led us to putting Kara to sleep. Now, it was Zack!
He calmed down, though, and a couple of hours later when the vet clinic opened, we called and got him in for an urgent care appointment. It ended up being allergies and now the three of us are on the same allergy medicine.
Three instances where critters brought concern, but it all turned out alright, thank the Lord. Phew. What blessings.
First, Sinan found me in my study sitting at my table journaling and he gave a huge meow. I jumped. Then, I started to chuckle as my gaze went to the floor and toward the Orange Maine Coon cat.
Sinan had his eyes held shut and he tried to open them, but was squinty instead. My chuckle stopped. "Are you okay?"
He tried to open his eyes again. He couldn't.
My heart started to pound. "What did you get into?" I asked him as I reached for a tissue I dunked in my glass of water and wiped his eyes. He didn't fight me at all, which was the next sign and told me he was feeling miserable. Usually he would try to pull away and remind me how he doesn't like humans grooming him in any way.
"Does that help?"
He was able to open his eyes a little for a moment and then did the squinting thing once again.
My heart stopped for when raced as I thought about what you did for humans under these circumstances. You wash your/their eyes in an eye cup or in any cup. How could you do that with a cat? Or a baby? I wondered and that's had me thinking.
I grabbed another tissue, drenched it with water, and wiped his eyes again. Then, I threw away the tissue and got a new one I repeated this several times. He seemed better when I finished up my wiping/washing and he headed toward our bedroom. I followed him and watched him for a few and then headed back to my study. A little while again, he found me again and meowed and we repeated the process, but with cotton balls rather than tissue.
Was he okay?
I tested my husband, a little freaked out, and we put it together that I had the laundry room door open and was in the process of doing laundry. We figured out the lent got to him when he walked in the room, and he had an allergic reaction. He was better, but I wiped his eyes a few more times, and so did my husband, before we went to bed and when we woke up the next morning, he acted fine. {Thank the Lord. Phew.}
Now, for incident number two. My mom's cat disappeared for about five hours and she let me know. Her cat did the disappear in plain sight thing and wondered why my mom was so concerned. Sigh. {Cats! Eye roll, head shake.}
Then, our almost 16 year old Beagle, Zack, has had a cough because of allergies since June. It's been getting progressively worse and led to five nights in a row of our interrupted sleep. Then, two nights ago, he coughed for about an hour straight and had us both concerned. We kept wondering if we needed to call pet urgent care, take him to CSU, or what. Not again with breathing issues. That's what led us to putting Kara to sleep. Now, it was Zack!
He calmed down, though, and a couple of hours later when the vet clinic opened, we called and got him in for an urgent care appointment. It ended up being allergies and now the three of us are on the same allergy medicine.
Three instances where critters brought concern, but it all turned out alright, thank the Lord. Phew. What blessings.
Thursday, October 1, 2015
No "Bambi" but Cancer Kitty is Alright
Looking back, it rather amazes me that I wasn't a major wreck every day of the last year. You see... It's a good thing we didn't have kids. If we did, I cannot handle watching the movie "Bambi" or even "Dumbo." After all, they make me too emotional. As a matter of fact, I have never watched or read "Old Yeller" or "Where the Red Fern Grows." And, don't even get me started on watching the movie "Warhorse."
When I was three years old, my parents took me to see one of the "Love Bug" movies and when Herbie got sawed in half, I became so hysterical they almost had to take me out of the theater for the scene I caused.
Thank the Lord I have never accidentally run over a critter, or you might need to tranquilize me (slight exaggeration, but not much).
So, I am not emotionally mature enough to handle tragedy with animals.
Normally.
Cancer kitty changed everything for me.
It didn't matter if I could handle it or not, for Kara, I had to. I know how animals pick up on our emotions, and I wasn't about to scare her or upset her. The last thing she ever needed was additional stress.
I was able to remain strong and determined to walk with Kara through her cancers and didn't hesitate to do so. She was worth it and even after everything, I would do it all again and again. She deserved no less and it was easy to support her. She was so special and precious, such a blessing, we were not about to let her down in any way.
I think a lot of prayer helped me stand strong with and for Kara, as I remained by her side.
When I was three years old, my parents took me to see one of the "Love Bug" movies and when Herbie got sawed in half, I became so hysterical they almost had to take me out of the theater for the scene I caused.
Thank the Lord I have never accidentally run over a critter, or you might need to tranquilize me (slight exaggeration, but not much).
So, I am not emotionally mature enough to handle tragedy with animals.
Normally.
Cancer kitty changed everything for me.
It didn't matter if I could handle it or not, for Kara, I had to. I know how animals pick up on our emotions, and I wasn't about to scare her or upset her. The last thing she ever needed was additional stress.
I was able to remain strong and determined to walk with Kara through her cancers and didn't hesitate to do so. She was worth it and even after everything, I would do it all again and again. She deserved no less and it was easy to support her. She was so special and precious, such a blessing, we were not about to let her down in any way.
I think a lot of prayer helped me stand strong with and for Kara, as I remained by her side.
Kara's Last Day on 09/26/2015
On Saturday, September 26, 2015, my husband and I woke and went to breakfast at The Egg and I. I had an omelette with avacado, grilled chicken, swiss cheese, and diced tomatoes. Then, we went to the Farmer's Market (where I tried and bought my first Asian Pear--eight of them actually along with five peaches, coffee, kettle corn, banana bread, pumpkin bread, multigrain bread, and kettle corn). From there, we headed to the house to finish working on the roof of the shed. We had to finish putting up shingles.
At one point, we went inside for a break and went upstairs to check on Kara and say hi. She had labored breathing and wheezed. It was different than what she did since Tuesday. Her wheezing and labored breathing would calm whenever I let her and prayed over her. It just wasn't that easy on Saturday.
So, we called our veterinarian, Dr. G. out in Broomfield, Colorado (a suburb of Denver and an hour and a half from where we live) to see if we should bring Kara in and Dr. G. wasn't in the office. They asked if we wanted her to be called and we said yes.
We waited.
Nothing.
I called the office and they were closed!
So, I sent her an email just in case and we called the urgent care near our home in Cheyenne... We gave them her symptoms and they said to go in to the vet on Monday. We already set up an appointment Monday for Kara to be seen for blood work to see if her thyroid medicine was working, so we were not about to see that vet. Kara was in distress and they wanted her to wait two and a half days to be seen. We will never use that vet. Never, ever.
How did they know it wasn't an emergency and that she wasn't suffering?
Kara was doing better, so we hoped Dr. G. would still call or that Kara could wait until Monday.
So, we went back to work on the shed. We got more shingles put up when the phone rang. I rushed down the ladder to my cell and it was Dr. G. She apologized for not being available. She had eye surgery that day! So, she asked us what was going on and I told her how Kara had labored breathing, wheeled off and on, wasn't eating very well, and hadn't had a bowel movement for a few days. She told me her breath was a concern and asked if we tried an urgent care in Cheyenne and we told her what happened. She was shocked and said that with Kara's breathing issues, Kara needed to be seen right away and asked how far we lived from CSU. I said an hour or so. She told me to call them and go.
So, as I did that, Bob put our stuff away outside and started preparing the car for Kara... litter box, her throw blanket off our bed for the seat, and her carrier. I grabbed her and her bed, held her like a taco in her bed and carried her to the car, which hubby was in and was waiting. I was quite thankful she didn't get upset when I picked her up, as she had the tendency to do.
I sat in back with her. Her litter box was behind Bob, she and her bed were in the middle of our backseat, and I sat to the right and pet her.
We hadn't had time to give her the anti-nausea medicine, so the poor thing jumped up and she headed a couple of steps to her box and started heaving. She hadn't had much to eat, so it was mainly foamy bile at her mouth I was able to brush off with a white towel I brought with us for such a situation.
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At one point, we went inside for a break and went upstairs to check on Kara and say hi. She had labored breathing and wheezed. It was different than what she did since Tuesday. Her wheezing and labored breathing would calm whenever I let her and prayed over her. It just wasn't that easy on Saturday.
So, we called our veterinarian, Dr. G. out in Broomfield, Colorado (a suburb of Denver and an hour and a half from where we live) to see if we should bring Kara in and Dr. G. wasn't in the office. They asked if we wanted her to be called and we said yes.
We waited.
Nothing.
I called the office and they were closed!
So, I sent her an email just in case and we called the urgent care near our home in Cheyenne... We gave them her symptoms and they said to go in to the vet on Monday. We already set up an appointment Monday for Kara to be seen for blood work to see if her thyroid medicine was working, so we were not about to see that vet. Kara was in distress and they wanted her to wait two and a half days to be seen. We will never use that vet. Never, ever.
How did they know it wasn't an emergency and that she wasn't suffering?
Kara was doing better, so we hoped Dr. G. would still call or that Kara could wait until Monday.
So, we went back to work on the shed. We got more shingles put up when the phone rang. I rushed down the ladder to my cell and it was Dr. G. She apologized for not being available. She had eye surgery that day! So, she asked us what was going on and I told her how Kara had labored breathing, wheeled off and on, wasn't eating very well, and hadn't had a bowel movement for a few days. She told me her breath was a concern and asked if we tried an urgent care in Cheyenne and we told her what happened. She was shocked and said that with Kara's breathing issues, Kara needed to be seen right away and asked how far we lived from CSU. I said an hour or so. She told me to call them and go.
So, as I did that, Bob put our stuff away outside and started preparing the car for Kara... litter box, her throw blanket off our bed for the seat, and her carrier. I grabbed her and her bed, held her like a taco in her bed and carried her to the car, which hubby was in and was waiting. I was quite thankful she didn't get upset when I picked her up, as she had the tendency to do.
I sat in back with her. Her litter box was behind Bob, she and her bed were in the middle of our backseat, and I sat to the right and pet her.
We hadn't had time to give her the anti-nausea medicine, so the poor thing jumped up and she headed a couple of steps to her box and started heaving. She hadn't had much to eat, so it was mainly foamy bile at her mouth I was able to brush off with a white towel I brought with us for such a situation.
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Adoption {09/28/2014}
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From: Stacy D.
Date: Mon, Sep 29, 2014 at 12:37 PM
Subject: Adoption
To: X
Adoption
2014-09-28 16:06:28, Sunday
My husband, B, nor I realized it at the time, but we were adopted one week ago today. A feral kitten appeared in our just opened garage and won B's heart when he found it. Then, he introduced the kitten and me. It was the most adorable and loving little one.
Monday through Wednesday, the kitten made repeat visits (probably because of the food and water we set out Sunday afternoon for the malnourished little one). Over that time, I figured out it was a girl, she was deaf, and was clawless on her front paws. Never mind how she was malnourished. There was no way she would survive on her own. She couldn't defend herself and how would she catch food? Never mind how winter is approaching. Therefore, as of her Thursday appearance, she has found a permanent home with us, but is in a temporary home in our garage as we socialize her so we can take her to the vet for a check-up and shots.
Her name is Kara (Kare-uh). It means "friend" in Turkish.
She no longer has to sleep with her head up in the air, alert for danger. As of this afternoon, she no longer pigs out immediately on the wet food we set down for her. She does not know hunger any more. Her little tummy is plump, but her sides are still hollow or concave. They are slightly filling out, but it is slow in coming. She is safe and protected and she knows it. Her life has drastically changed.
Every time B and I see her, she is more social and experiments with us to see what she can do to us and with us. She tries different ways to show affection. The kitten has several favorite sleeping places in our garage: dog/cat bed, on top of a paper bag, on the steps, and on a comfy patio chair with thick cushion.
It's truly amazing.
Kara is wild. Feral. A little beast.
Who is also the biggest lover.
By the way, it's quite interesting trying to figure out how to interact with and socialize with a deaf cat who sleeps a lot. How do you approach her? I've learned to pet her and make sure to leave my hand right there for her to smell. The second she knows it me, or B, she perks up, meows, and gets to her feet/paws. Or, is she wakes before we get to her, or if she is already awake, she meows and rushes over to us.
She has learned a whole new life in the last four days.
Kara has gone from feral and homeless to lover and home. Hungry to full. Wild to gentle. Alone to having a family (B, beagle, cat, and two turtles).
The building of a relationship between between B, Kara, and I has been a special and sacred one.
///
Written: 2014-09-29 12:38:49, Monday
B and I keep doing everything we can do to tell her, through our actions, how we are trustworthy, faithful, and loving. She's responded to every gesture we've made, except for one. She does not like to be picked up. She hisses most of the time when we do.
Consequently, we wonder if she might be bruised on the inside (from either hurting herself or soemthing/someone hurting her) or if Kara had something dramatic happen to her when she was carried. Therefore, we're slowly trying to recondition her. I started off picking her up off of the ground about half an inch and for just a couple of seconds. Now, I can hold her to about three inches off the ground and for about ten seconds. I make sure to pet her and love on her after she allows me to do so--and she gets all excited to receive my affection. Hence, it's a win-win. I jsut wish she could hear me as I tell her, "Good girl." But, I'm sure she senses it.
I wish she could tell me her story. She does in her own Kara, sweet thing, and girlie way. But, I wish she could speak to me and tell me all about it. Like, who dumped her? When? Who had her declawed? (I personally think this is inhumane. It impacts their every movement the rest of their lives. They are defenseless and cannot walk, jump, climb, like they could. It takes all of three minutes to trim their claws and is quite easy actually.)
Other questions I want to ask her: How old is she? What type of cat is she? Why doesn't she like being carried? What does she want from me/us?
I also wish I could tell her how she was loved and never had to worry about anything again. she'll always have shelter, food, water, and love. I wish I could tell her how sorry I am for whatever she experienced in her past.
Kara talks to us every single time we walk into her haven, the garage. She has the sweetest wildish meow and she tells us how excited she is to have company. She trots over to us and immediately starts to purr. Who knew that someone so small could make so much noise? What an absolute delight!
We can make fast movements and she doesn't flinch. She trust us.
I think she has a very laidback, happy-go-lucky, charming, sweet, gentle, loving, easygoing personality. She's as cool as a cucumber. It's wonderful for us--and for her. But, it makes me even more glad she adoped us because this tenderness wouldn't bode well for her in the wild. Thank God she found us--and we found her.
I cannot help but wonder the story of whoever dumped her. They clearly wanted to love her (she's fixed and declawed). Did they move? Did they figure out she was deaf and didn't know how to handle her?
How could they put her in the wild--so defenseless?
She didn't get out. If that was it, I learned last week how many times she returns, if it's a good home. Also, with how malnourished she is/was, she wasn't fed or taken care of by anyone.
I count our blessings she is so loving and has been from the second B met her. Feral cats and kittens usually aren't that way.
It also amazes me how she doesn't doordart or want to leave the garage. Nor does she try to walk away from us when we visit her in the garage. She knows she has it good where she is and likes us. (Praise God.)
B and I did not want another cat right now. (Let me stress that. We did NOT want another cat right now.) It's too soon. Five animals? That's just plain nuts. We are not a zoo or an animal sanctuary.
Yet, Kara adopted us. She is wild. Feral. But, she loves us and trust us. She had no reason to trust us or love us from the onset, but she did.
Kara is a reminder to me of my faith and how I am with God.
{Note: It's 214 p.m. as I sit in the garage on our patio chair and Kara is curled up in a tiny ball, on her paper bag, with her head down, whiskers back, sleeping. She has her guard completely down as we hang.}
The feral cat reminds me how I am wild, too. I am a sinner. I run around and try to do things on my own. I act independent.
{Kara just got up and ran to me for affection. Purred. Then, went back to sit on her bag.}
I act wild and have several deficiencies which could kill me (spiritually). The reality of my situation is I am totally dependent on God. I need Him in order to survive. I need to keep my eyes forever on Him because I cannot always hear Him.
Yes. I have a lot to learn from Kara about faith.
So, who adopted whom?
WRITE MORE
From: Stacy D.
Date: Mon, Sep 29, 2014 at 12:37 PM
Subject: Adoption
To: X
Adoption
2014-09-28 16:06:28, Sunday
My husband, B, nor I realized it at the time, but we were adopted one week ago today. A feral kitten appeared in our just opened garage and won B's heart when he found it. Then, he introduced the kitten and me. It was the most adorable and loving little one.
Monday through Wednesday, the kitten made repeat visits (probably because of the food and water we set out Sunday afternoon for the malnourished little one). Over that time, I figured out it was a girl, she was deaf, and was clawless on her front paws. Never mind how she was malnourished. There was no way she would survive on her own. She couldn't defend herself and how would she catch food? Never mind how winter is approaching. Therefore, as of her Thursday appearance, she has found a permanent home with us, but is in a temporary home in our garage as we socialize her so we can take her to the vet for a check-up and shots.
Her name is Kara (Kare-uh). It means "friend" in Turkish.
She no longer has to sleep with her head up in the air, alert for danger. As of this afternoon, she no longer pigs out immediately on the wet food we set down for her. She does not know hunger any more. Her little tummy is plump, but her sides are still hollow or concave. They are slightly filling out, but it is slow in coming. She is safe and protected and she knows it. Her life has drastically changed.
Every time B and I see her, she is more social and experiments with us to see what she can do to us and with us. She tries different ways to show affection. The kitten has several favorite sleeping places in our garage: dog/cat bed, on top of a paper bag, on the steps, and on a comfy patio chair with thick cushion.
It's truly amazing.
Kara is wild. Feral. A little beast.
Who is also the biggest lover.
By the way, it's quite interesting trying to figure out how to interact with and socialize with a deaf cat who sleeps a lot. How do you approach her? I've learned to pet her and make sure to leave my hand right there for her to smell. The second she knows it me, or B, she perks up, meows, and gets to her feet/paws. Or, is she wakes before we get to her, or if she is already awake, she meows and rushes over to us.
She has learned a whole new life in the last four days.
Kara has gone from feral and homeless to lover and home. Hungry to full. Wild to gentle. Alone to having a family (B, beagle, cat, and two turtles).
The building of a relationship between between B, Kara, and I has been a special and sacred one.
///
Written: 2014-09-29 12:38:49, Monday
B and I keep doing everything we can do to tell her, through our actions, how we are trustworthy, faithful, and loving. She's responded to every gesture we've made, except for one. She does not like to be picked up. She hisses most of the time when we do.
Consequently, we wonder if she might be bruised on the inside (from either hurting herself or soemthing/someone hurting her) or if Kara had something dramatic happen to her when she was carried. Therefore, we're slowly trying to recondition her. I started off picking her up off of the ground about half an inch and for just a couple of seconds. Now, I can hold her to about three inches off the ground and for about ten seconds. I make sure to pet her and love on her after she allows me to do so--and she gets all excited to receive my affection. Hence, it's a win-win. I jsut wish she could hear me as I tell her, "Good girl." But, I'm sure she senses it.
I wish she could tell me her story. She does in her own Kara, sweet thing, and girlie way. But, I wish she could speak to me and tell me all about it. Like, who dumped her? When? Who had her declawed? (I personally think this is inhumane. It impacts their every movement the rest of their lives. They are defenseless and cannot walk, jump, climb, like they could. It takes all of three minutes to trim their claws and is quite easy actually.)
Other questions I want to ask her: How old is she? What type of cat is she? Why doesn't she like being carried? What does she want from me/us?
I also wish I could tell her how she was loved and never had to worry about anything again. she'll always have shelter, food, water, and love. I wish I could tell her how sorry I am for whatever she experienced in her past.
Kara talks to us every single time we walk into her haven, the garage. She has the sweetest wildish meow and she tells us how excited she is to have company. She trots over to us and immediately starts to purr. Who knew that someone so small could make so much noise? What an absolute delight!
We can make fast movements and she doesn't flinch. She trust us.
I think she has a very laidback, happy-go-lucky, charming, sweet, gentle, loving, easygoing personality. She's as cool as a cucumber. It's wonderful for us--and for her. But, it makes me even more glad she adoped us because this tenderness wouldn't bode well for her in the wild. Thank God she found us--and we found her.
I cannot help but wonder the story of whoever dumped her. They clearly wanted to love her (she's fixed and declawed). Did they move? Did they figure out she was deaf and didn't know how to handle her?
How could they put her in the wild--so defenseless?
She didn't get out. If that was it, I learned last week how many times she returns, if it's a good home. Also, with how malnourished she is/was, she wasn't fed or taken care of by anyone.
I count our blessings she is so loving and has been from the second B met her. Feral cats and kittens usually aren't that way.
It also amazes me how she doesn't doordart or want to leave the garage. Nor does she try to walk away from us when we visit her in the garage. She knows she has it good where she is and likes us. (Praise God.)
B and I did not want another cat right now. (Let me stress that. We did NOT want another cat right now.) It's too soon. Five animals? That's just plain nuts. We are not a zoo or an animal sanctuary.
Yet, Kara adopted us. She is wild. Feral. But, she loves us and trust us. She had no reason to trust us or love us from the onset, but she did.
Kara is a reminder to me of my faith and how I am with God.
{Note: It's 214 p.m. as I sit in the garage on our patio chair and Kara is curled up in a tiny ball, on her paper bag, with her head down, whiskers back, sleeping. She has her guard completely down as we hang.}
The feral cat reminds me how I am wild, too. I am a sinner. I run around and try to do things on my own. I act independent.
{Kara just got up and ran to me for affection. Purred. Then, went back to sit on her bag.}
I act wild and have several deficiencies which could kill me (spiritually). The reality of my situation is I am totally dependent on God. I need Him in order to survive. I need to keep my eyes forever on Him because I cannot always hear Him.
Yes. I have a lot to learn from Kara about faith.
So, who adopted whom?
WRITE MORE
Day One: September 20, 2014, Saturday
There once was a cat. She lived in the wild and didn't know of the deep love she could get from a human being because the one she had abused her, neglected her, declawed her, and dumped her. Therefore, love wasn't even a concept she knew.
One day she found an open detached garage door in her home of the Tidewater Area of Virginia. There were two cars inside there and it was full of sights and smells. Curiosity made her explore that garage.
This is where the merging of seen lives began.
This is the tale of our journey as a family over the past year.
///
WRITE MORE
///
On Sat, Sep 20, 2014 at 3:12 PM, Stacy Duplease wrote to Mom:
We might be in trouble...
~ Stacy Duplease
Cell
http://RYPStories.blogspot.com
///
On Sep 20, 2014 6:47 PM, Mom wrote:
Who might this be?
///
///
My Email to Mom:
From: Stacy Duplease
Date: Sat, Sep 20, 2014 at 7:20 PM
Subject: Re: Trouble
To: Mom
Cat outside our garage.
Feral. Love bug.
Will let you know if we see her again.
One day she found an open detached garage door in her home of the Tidewater Area of Virginia. There were two cars inside there and it was full of sights and smells. Curiosity made her explore that garage.
This is where the merging of seen lives began.
This is the tale of our journey as a family over the past year.
///
WRITE MORE
///
On Sat, Sep 20, 2014 at 3:12 PM, Stacy Duplease wrote to Mom:
We might be in trouble...
~ Stacy Duplease
Cell
http://RYPStories.blogspot.com
///
On Sep 20, 2014 6:47 PM, Mom wrote:
Who might this be?
///
///
My Email to Mom:
From: Stacy Duplease
Date: Sat, Sep 20, 2014 at 7:20 PM
Subject: Re: Trouble
To: Mom
Cat outside our garage.
Feral. Love bug.
Will let you know if we see her again.
The Blessings of Keeping a Journal
I have kept a journal for over thirty-two years and for the last three years in particular, I've journaled a minimum of five hours a week, with some weeks being closer to forty-five hours. Hence, you might say that I am a packrat of my journaling. {Never mind how I make sure to do everything I can to get everything saved in my journaling.}
My email is a vast source of extra journal keeping material and so is my blogging. Needless to say, I have the record of Kara's life over the past year. I just need to find it and get down here in this private blog journal and from there turn it into a blog I will share publicly [and that will then be turned into a book].
Since today is the first day of NaJoWriMo {National Journal Writing Month}, I decided I needed to make sure to capture everything on the page and the best way to do that was to start at the very beginning. I glanced in my journaling and did not have nearly enough material for the first couple of weeks after Kara found us. Therefore, I turned to my blogging and my emailing at the time. I started to read through the emails this morning and started to remember things I had forgotten. Thank the Lord I use my email and blogging as a form of journaling as well; otherwise, I would have some significant gaps in Kara's story. I was also reminded how finicky the memory can be. What a reminder it is how critical it is to journal. If I hadn't done some form of journal keeping, I would have lost some incredible memories of Kara.
It rather surprised me how easy and enjoyable it was to find the material on Kara. I imagined it would be rough and I might end up sobbing because of it, but that simply was not the case. It made me grin to remember moments with Kara.
The most important thing to know about Kara is that she had personality. She was a spitfire and a lovebug, with all the shades in between. It was what made her so delightful to get to know and love. She was feral and over the last year she made the shift from wild to lover. What a delight.
The blessings of keeping a journal never cease and Kara's tale is only proof of this.
My email is a vast source of extra journal keeping material and so is my blogging. Needless to say, I have the record of Kara's life over the past year. I just need to find it and get down here in this private blog journal and from there turn it into a blog I will share publicly [and that will then be turned into a book].
Since today is the first day of NaJoWriMo {National Journal Writing Month}, I decided I needed to make sure to capture everything on the page and the best way to do that was to start at the very beginning. I glanced in my journaling and did not have nearly enough material for the first couple of weeks after Kara found us. Therefore, I turned to my blogging and my emailing at the time. I started to read through the emails this morning and started to remember things I had forgotten. Thank the Lord I use my email and blogging as a form of journaling as well; otherwise, I would have some significant gaps in Kara's story. I was also reminded how finicky the memory can be. What a reminder it is how critical it is to journal. If I hadn't done some form of journal keeping, I would have lost some incredible memories of Kara.
It rather surprised me how easy and enjoyable it was to find the material on Kara. I imagined it would be rough and I might end up sobbing because of it, but that simply was not the case. It made me grin to remember moments with Kara.
The most important thing to know about Kara is that she had personality. She was a spitfire and a lovebug, with all the shades in between. It was what made her so delightful to get to know and love. She was feral and over the last year she made the shift from wild to lover. What a delight.
The blessings of keeping a journal never cease and Kara's tale is only proof of this.
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