Your paid subscribers, on the other hand, are willing to invest our life savings for just an opportunity to look even slightly foolish. A faithful motley crew are we.
A suggestion that might have been viable before you became a super-star and are dealing with unmanageable numbers, but here it is anyway, complete with a possible solution to the numbers:
At some regular interval (once a month, quarterly?) feature a cat story, complete with photos, from one of your paid subscribers. To avoid your having to read, or even skim, however many piles, you either print them and put them in a basket or do whatever the digital equivalent is, and pull out the winner, sight unseen.
I'd suggest an option of photo essays for anyone who doesn't want to write something up.
Frankly, with cats very little is needed beyond those inscrutable, ineffably beautiful faces.
What do you think, coach? Those of us who are old enough are more than willing to look like morons in a good cause. Besides, you are bound to run out of cat stories eventually and will face this problem.
Love the stories - with cats (or dogs or horses or ducks or rabbits or?) there are always stories. Two of my cats were "found" sort of - not feral. One Pookie (my bird is named after her) was white with one blue eye, one green eye & deaf. I think I saw her the first time down the road I live on - should have picked her up then. Then one night I was at home & kept hearing a cat - went out & around the front of the trailer & there was this little skinny white cat. I tried to find an owner but thankfully, didnt - so she lived with us & my sons cat Twerpie the rest of her life. Then - getting to be a long story - one of the barn cats where I boarded my horse had kittens & I snatched one & took her home - Dolly. She lived to be 19! Just lost my only one in June. I do intend to make a trip to the Humane Society soon!!!
Sorry for the length of this comment. We all have stories.
Right now there are none over 4 - but there are 2 4 year old boys whose person died & they got surrendered to the shelter - they both appear terrified in pictures. I adopted my dog, Axel two years ago when he was 8 - he lived here with Juliette, my 13 year old (at the time) cat, who was disappointed when I brought him home, made it very clear who was boss & she did not like him! Axel was very submissive from the start - he survived 2 years with this treatment before I had Juliette put to sleep. So have hesitated (for his AND birds sake) since June. Can only imagine the look on his face & thoughts in his mind to see me walk in the door with not one but 2 cat carriers! I'm still procrastinating.
I bet if you bring them in and do as I did - start them in one room, where everyone can become aware of each other in a safe environment, that you can negotiate this. Don't just drop them in the living room and expect all to be well automatically.
Great minds!! One of my bedrooms is the "cat room" where Juliettes food & water & her box were - the door has a cat door so figured thats where I would put them/he/her when I bring them home - that way Axel wont bother them & they can feel safe. (not that he would "bother" them actually)
I would consider adding one more layer of getting acquainted. When my son needed to have Isaac at his house for several months he faced the immediate problem of his cat, Wayne, Maine, a m d let me tell you Wayne was no sweetheart He put them in their separate carriers closed but windows right up next to each sat with them talking quietly then leaving them for awhile feeling safely enclosed then gradually etc you get the idea. some time and effort but the results were spectacular
I can attest to that. The last 3 elders I adopted didn't live long after we got home M e, but they were immensely grateful for the the safe place I gave them until they crossed the Rainbow Bridge. Rewarding, and heartbreaking, at the same time.
When I was going to college for my nursing degree I was a single mom. I got a student loan and a grant but to pay tuition and support my daughter and I, I picked up some odd jobs. One was at a dairy milking cows. The farm cats became fast friends and I always found a little bit of milk left for them. I didn’t know until I worked at a dairy farm that when the cow’s milk production declines or stops for some reason they are sold for “hamburger “. I had become so attached to several of the Jerseys that would come into the stanchion, turn around and lick my face with their rough tongue. One of the Jersey’s actually let one of the barn cats lie on her back while she was being milked. It broke my heart to think of her future when her milk declined. So I decided my goal was to have some land and enough money to provide a home for retired dairy cows and cats of all ages. So far I have the cat part done. Still working on the cow part. And I know I will do it.
Good luck with your future rescue - there are quite a few places that are sanctuaries for "livestock" - cows, sheep, goats, pigs - as there should be. What happens to little male calves and to cows whose milk production drops is just wrong. Then there are the PMU farms in other countries - bred mares who provide hormone meds. whose foals go to slaughter many times. Sorry to be a downer, but we sure dont do right towards farm animals.
Your cat stories, if there are enough of them, would make a great 'kids of all ages' book. Otherwise, I'm happy to subscribe, read them on Friday and pass them along to my daughter who will, I hope, one day become a subscriber too. Enjoy the rest of the weekend.
Dave I agree about the book I had a great lot of fun a few years ago putting together a book about feral cats and the amazing woman who cares for them It could easily have been a series but i decided to circle back and rewrite text for older readers--a whole other kind of job but great fun either way TC i think you should consider it
Well this brought tears to my eyes. I have mentioned before I also rescue feral cats. I had a very similar situation where the feral mama cat I had named Jack was hit by a car. She had 5 kittens that we took care of and have since become part of our family. We have Dusty, Munchkin, Turtle, Gordon Whitefoot, and Jack (Jr). Our 9 year old Tommy Cat accepted them and tries hard to be a good dad. We still have another 9 “friendly ferals” that we had fixed, vaccinated and provide food and shelter for. They are a blessing. Your kitties are precious TC.
OMG! Molly reminds me SO of my sweet kitty, Eva! She was what we called in amsterdam, a 'lapjas' cat .. which meant both a cat of many colors and a lap cat!!! We brought her to America, and then to Woodstock. When we had to leave her with my sister for a while, she left and never returned!! I love you even more because you are a cat person!! xx's
💙 Feline Friday. Full disclosure,my four-leggeds have all been canines. Well, except for the kitty my childhood friend won in a “raffle” and delivered to our door. She knew my mom would embrace this covered in dirt child, as she did every animal we brought home. But I digressed…on my newsfeed today there was a story about the “ Demon Cat of DC”. Apparently the cat was able to do a shape shift of sorts into the size of an “elephant” and scare the crap out of…I chuckled as I imagined the possibilities.😹🙀
Your paid subscribers, on the other hand, are willing to invest our life savings for just an opportunity to look even slightly foolish. A faithful motley crew are we.
A suggestion that might have been viable before you became a super-star and are dealing with unmanageable numbers, but here it is anyway, complete with a possible solution to the numbers:
At some regular interval (once a month, quarterly?) feature a cat story, complete with photos, from one of your paid subscribers. To avoid your having to read, or even skim, however many piles, you either print them and put them in a basket or do whatever the digital equivalent is, and pull out the winner, sight unseen.
I'd suggest an option of photo essays for anyone who doesn't want to write something up.
Frankly, with cats very little is needed beyond those inscrutable, ineffably beautiful faces.
What do you think, coach? Those of us who are old enough are more than willing to look like morons in a good cause. Besides, you are bound to run out of cat stories eventually and will face this problem.
I like this idea a lot. Let me figure out how to do it.
Love the stories - with cats (or dogs or horses or ducks or rabbits or?) there are always stories. Two of my cats were "found" sort of - not feral. One Pookie (my bird is named after her) was white with one blue eye, one green eye & deaf. I think I saw her the first time down the road I live on - should have picked her up then. Then one night I was at home & kept hearing a cat - went out & around the front of the trailer & there was this little skinny white cat. I tried to find an owner but thankfully, didnt - so she lived with us & my sons cat Twerpie the rest of her life. Then - getting to be a long story - one of the barn cats where I boarded my horse had kittens & I snatched one & took her home - Dolly. She lived to be 19! Just lost my only one in June. I do intend to make a trip to the Humane Society soon!!!
Sorry for the length of this comment. We all have stories.
We do indeed. Be sure to get an older kitty - they hardly ever get out of the shelter alive.
Right now there are none over 4 - but there are 2 4 year old boys whose person died & they got surrendered to the shelter - they both appear terrified in pictures. I adopted my dog, Axel two years ago when he was 8 - he lived here with Juliette, my 13 year old (at the time) cat, who was disappointed when I brought him home, made it very clear who was boss & she did not like him! Axel was very submissive from the start - he survived 2 years with this treatment before I had Juliette put to sleep. So have hesitated (for his AND birds sake) since June. Can only imagine the look on his face & thoughts in his mind to see me walk in the door with not one but 2 cat carriers! I'm still procrastinating.
I bet if you bring them in and do as I did - start them in one room, where everyone can become aware of each other in a safe environment, that you can negotiate this. Don't just drop them in the living room and expect all to be well automatically.
Great minds!! One of my bedrooms is the "cat room" where Juliettes food & water & her box were - the door has a cat door so figured thats where I would put them/he/her when I bring them home - that way Axel wont bother them & they can feel safe. (not that he would "bother" them actually)
That will work, and they can all gradually get to know each other. Go get those scared little boys.
I would consider adding one more layer of getting acquainted. When my son needed to have Isaac at his house for several months he faced the immediate problem of his cat, Wayne, Maine, a m d let me tell you Wayne was no sweetheart He put them in their separate carriers closed but windows right up next to each sat with them talking quietly then leaving them for awhile feeling safely enclosed then gradually etc you get the idea. some time and effort but the results were spectacular
Maybe what I needed is to be pushed a little! Thanks
Worked for me
Atrocious typos not the result of a sudden brain malfunction but typing on the bloody phone
Only one of the many reasons I do NOT like to type on the bloody phones!!
I can attest to that. The last 3 elders I adopted didn't live long after we got home M e, but they were immensely grateful for the the safe place I gave them until they crossed the Rainbow Bridge. Rewarding, and heartbreaking, at the same time.
True
When I was going to college for my nursing degree I was a single mom. I got a student loan and a grant but to pay tuition and support my daughter and I, I picked up some odd jobs. One was at a dairy milking cows. The farm cats became fast friends and I always found a little bit of milk left for them. I didn’t know until I worked at a dairy farm that when the cow’s milk production declines or stops for some reason they are sold for “hamburger “. I had become so attached to several of the Jerseys that would come into the stanchion, turn around and lick my face with their rough tongue. One of the Jersey’s actually let one of the barn cats lie on her back while she was being milked. It broke my heart to think of her future when her milk declined. So I decided my goal was to have some land and enough money to provide a home for retired dairy cows and cats of all ages. So far I have the cat part done. Still working on the cow part. And I know I will do it.
Good luck with your future rescue - there are quite a few places that are sanctuaries for "livestock" - cows, sheep, goats, pigs - as there should be. What happens to little male calves and to cows whose milk production drops is just wrong. Then there are the PMU farms in other countries - bred mares who provide hormone meds. whose foals go to slaughter many times. Sorry to be a downer, but we sure dont do right towards farm animals.
Your intent is a really good one.
Your cat stories, if there are enough of them, would make a great 'kids of all ages' book. Otherwise, I'm happy to subscribe, read them on Friday and pass them along to my daughter who will, I hope, one day become a subscriber too. Enjoy the rest of the weekend.
Dave I agree about the book I had a great lot of fun a few years ago putting together a book about feral cats and the amazing woman who cares for them It could easily have been a series but i decided to circle back and rewrite text for older readers--a whole other kind of job but great fun either way TC i think you should consider it
Well this brought tears to my eyes. I have mentioned before I also rescue feral cats. I had a very similar situation where the feral mama cat I had named Jack was hit by a car. She had 5 kittens that we took care of and have since become part of our family. We have Dusty, Munchkin, Turtle, Gordon Whitefoot, and Jack (Jr). Our 9 year old Tommy Cat accepted them and tries hard to be a good dad. We still have another 9 “friendly ferals” that we had fixed, vaccinated and provide food and shelter for. They are a blessing. Your kitties are precious TC.
I love all these kitty stories.
It's going on 3pm here and all the mountain cats are starting to come
out and line up for me to come feed
feed them. All, except Smokey, who is the oldest cat here and a fine lad,
let me pet them. Luna, the bobtail
has adopted me, my porch, my property and follows my dog Sadie
around. They have reached an live
and let live agreement, as long as
Luna stays outside. The smallest
new member of my porch group is
Tippy, one of the 3 abandoned
kittens. Silver kitten is camping
out with Cheryl and Little Bit I
fear fell prey to a coyote or fox.
Thanks again TC for another
wonderful chapter in Friday's
Felines.
Kittens can also fall prey to owls and if small enough, hawks.
You're right of course and we have a horned owl here flying
the friendly night forest sky.
A good reason to get kittens inside at night. Cats are nocturnal, which makes them natural prey for an owl.
All of up here have covered decks, front and
back, with room underneath for the cats to hunker down. All the
adult cats seem to be wise to the fact of night
predators and my Sadie
raises hell if any come
close. Tippy kitten is
residing under the wheelchair ramp up to
my porch/deck, which
is open underneath for
him/her to come all the
way up under the deck.
Tippy's still too afraid to
let me too close. I'm
working on it. 😉
All the adult cats here,
TC range in age from
3 to 8 years. Bruiser,
who was the king at
15 yrs passed on last
year. None of these cats, except maybe
Luna, have ever been
inside a home. None,
until me, allowed a
human to touch them.
I'm not a threat, even
though in my chair,
I'm very different from
all the others here.😊
OMG! Molly reminds me SO of my sweet kitty, Eva! She was what we called in amsterdam, a 'lapjas' cat .. which meant both a cat of many colors and a lap cat!!! We brought her to America, and then to Woodstock. When we had to leave her with my sister for a while, she left and never returned!! I love you even more because you are a cat person!! xx's
That last picture of sunshine on Molly is purrfect. 💕 Love reading your cat stories.
I love Fabulous Feline Fridays!!!!!
TGIFF! Peace and love. Cats forever!
Aaaaahhhhhh!
What a fortunate creature you are, the recipient of the most devoted kitty love. The ultimate seal of approval…
You're a special hooman bean, Tom , I honored to be a friend, even if it's digital in nature.
💙 Feline Friday. Full disclosure,my four-leggeds have all been canines. Well, except for the kitty my childhood friend won in a “raffle” and delivered to our door. She knew my mom would embrace this covered in dirt child, as she did every animal we brought home. But I digressed…on my newsfeed today there was a story about the “ Demon Cat of DC”. Apparently the cat was able to do a shape shift of sorts into the size of an “elephant” and scare the crap out of…I chuckled as I imagined the possibilities.😹🙀
me too!