Why I Have Cats -- Photos Added

[Edwina's Secretary]

I am watching a neighbor’s animals. She takes care of the E’s when we go out of town.

Normally, it is just the little-bit-insane cattle dog named Cowboy, the assorted (15!) birds, a cat or two. The turtles are self-sufficient and she got rid of the chickens.

This time, Jumbo, the miniature Chihuahua was left at home too.

I left ten minutes early this morning. All I had to do was let the two dogs out of their crates and outside for the day. Major feeding takes place at night. I had put them into their crates last night. How hard could this be?

First mistake. I let Jumbo…no plucked Jumbo out of her nest in her crate and, despite her yapping and nipping, put her outside. Now for little-bit-insane Cowboy. Opened his crate – “outside!” He did his hysterical run….but the outside door was closed (with the little face of Jumbo peeking in…) so instead a lap around the first floor and back up stairs and into his crate. A few of these and I realized I would need to open the back door and herd him out it. Which meant Jumbo would come in. Okay….got that done. Cowboy successful outside. Jumbo in. Now Jumbo gets under a bed…yapping… snapping and barking. The first time I almost had her she “squirted” on the sleeve of my silk blouse (as I am lying on my back on the floor trying to squeeze under the bed.) She got away. I could NOT find her. How embarrassing….I am looking under every bed…in all the closets (what a nosy neighbor they will think I am!)

Up, down calling for the thing. All the while the also-little-bit-insane cat is staring at me. And I am starting to wheeze and sneeze from all the birds.

Finally found it under the dining room table. Another chase…had her cornered in the family room but could not get to her. I was so afraid of how tiny she is and fearful of grabbing her too hard or the wrong way. Back upstairs but this time I had her cornered. Threw the towel over her and outside we went.

I was on my way 25 minutes later. They will be gone all week…..

[caseysmom]

Exactly why I have had one vacation in 6 years without my dogs!!!

[pomtzu]

So much for leaving 10 minutes early...............:D :D :D

[Husky_mom]

hahaha.... sorry but I had to laugh.. picturing you lookin frenetically for Jumbo... hahahaha.....

I bet tomorrow you´ll let Cowboy out first then Jumbo...

is there a way you can carry Jumbo´s crate out... so he´s out but can get back to his crate if he wants to?... just a thought...

15 birds?!!.. wow... wonder what kind they are... hmm... ;)

[jennielynn1970]

Oh to be a fly on the wall in that house while all of that activity was going on!! :D :p

[Randi]

"All you had to do....." LOL! I can picture the scene, you coming in there gently telling them it's time to come out, and then later... you crawling around on the floor and running up an down the staircase. It will be a long week! :eek:

Cats definately are easier!

Good luck! :) :D

[Maya & Inka's mommy]

What a hilarious post :p:D!! I can almost visual it!!

I love the name for the chihuahua: JUMBO !!

LOL

[lvpets2002]

Oh to be a fly on the wall in that house while all of that activity was going on!! :D :p

:eek: WoW my thoughts to the Tee..:p Do you think you could Video Tape all of this..:D I am laughing my butt off.. :) Oh yes I too got a kick out of the small dog named Jumbo.. Due to bigg ears right..

[Alysser]

LOL!

If I was in your situation I wouldn't know whether to laugh or cry :p:D

[chocolatepuppy]

lmao! ES, that sounds like a typical day at my house!:D I have three dogs and two cats and many times I have said,
"I wish I was a cat lover only" ;)

[Pam]

Thank you for the big smiles this morning. What a mental picture I have! If your neighbors have surveillance cameras hidden in the house they will be laughing hysterically when they return I'm sure! LOL! I hope that each day things get a little easier as the pets get used to you coming and going. I too love the name Jumbo! LOL!

[lizbud]

Oh wow, how lucky can you get?:D All week huh?

[sirrahbed]

This post gave me the fits laughing!! I have the funniest visual in my head:D This spring hubby and I were staying with friends and two of the days agreed to "let the dogs in and out" while the friend went out of town. She told us all we had to do was speak sternly and authoritatively and they would come right in. Omegosh - one was also this little tiny schauzer? type dog that had our number!! This little guy, Tyson, kept both hubby and I tag teaming to get him back IN the house - having the greatest time laughing at us I am sure. We felt we had totally been manipulated by this tiny cute fellow who KNEW that we knew NOTHING about dogs:D When my friend returned, that dog kept laughing at us - I could see it in his eyes!!! Smirking at the dumb cat people!!!:D

Hope the rest of the week gives you many opportunities for more stories!!:p Wear coveralls and give yourself an extra half hour maybe?;)

[krazyaboutkatz]

LOL What a funny story.:) I hope that the rest of the week goes better.:)

This reminds of me when I used to house sit for people that my mom knew and sometimes they also had dogs. One time I also lost a dog in the house and it wouldn't come out and I think I needed to give it some medicine or brush it's teeth so I had to find it. Well I remembered that when it hears the doorbell that it loves to run to the door and bark. I rang the doorbell and sure enough it came out of hiding and ran to the front door. I was able to outsmart this little dog.;)

[Randi]

Tracy, that was a clever move!

Sara, how did it go today? You may be more succesful if you have some treats ready for them. ;)

Today, I had to go to the dentist and Fister was out. I had 15 min. to get him in. I took a can of his food (the one he gets as a treat now and again), went down and started opening it - there he came racing from the other end of the yard. Mission accomplished. :D

[Barbara]

Next time you get Don take it on video. It will be an all-time favorite on Youtube ;)

[captain]

Sara,
That had me in fits of laughter too ........
My Mum went away for a few days without her dog (very rare), and my Grandparents stayed at the house.
Well, Pugsley went out to do his business in the afternoon, and no matter what they did, he would NOT come in. He was waiting for my Mum.

Eventually, at 8pm at night, with my Gran lying on her stomach on the floor near the backdoor, and Pugsley sitting outside the back door staring in, she managed to coax him in .......... took about an hour :eek:

He did that every night .......

[gini]

Oh Sara, we are not laughing AT you - but WITH you. I can just see you running around that house like a maniac!!

It reminds me of my arrangement with my neighbor - I have three cats - open some food - clean the litter box - fresh water - DONE!!

She has several dogs, a cat, a fish - and instructions a mile long on what each one gets - which bowl it goes into - where the bowl is to be placed - and yes, you have to wait until each darling eats their breakfast.

Then the back door becomes like a turnstyle - one goes out - one comes in - it takes forever to get the job done and I am exhausted by the time I come home.

Yes, cats are definitely easier - and grateful!

[sasvermont]

I wonder why there is silence on the home front? I hope everything is ok with S & D.

Boy, did I get a laugh out of this thread!

[Edwina's Secretary]

I am now trained.

Crazy Cowboy goes out first. I open his crate and he is like a shot -- down the stairs and out the door. Then I gently pick up Jumbo and carry her outside. While she is doing her business I warm a towel in the clothes drier. As it is raining (finally!) I prepare a cave for them in the garage. Her warmed blanket goes in the dog bed. I gently place her on the blanket and tuck it around her.

In the evening Don goes with me. His job is to cuddle Jumbo who seems to like some lap time. Maggie the Cat has decided to be friendly as well. (Her sister Anya now lives with a friend of mine in La Jolla as an only pet. Anya found the automatic poop scooper and the overactivity of the household too much for her. She lives quietly with a psychologist in a condo with an ocean view. She is very happy.)

While Don toodles I feed. I admit to a little bit of fear putting my hand into the bird cages. Last time I did this gig, Bob the parrot (I think he is a parrot) got out while I had the door open. You would have LOVED the scene of me getting him back in! There are two pigeons, one parrot(?) one tiel, two budgies (I think) and nine canaries.

The pigeons, the tiel, and the canaries all have eggs. I am thinking the tiel --currently named Stud -- may need a name change.

[lvpets2002]

:eek: I am laughing my butt off again.. Yup I would say the Birds are multipling for some odd reason.. :p Your too funny == Now where the Heck is the Video of the Training Methods??:D

[Cinder & Smoke]

... the tiel, has eggs.

I am thinking the tiel --currently named Stud --
may need a name change.

There's no Mrs. Stud that may be dropping eggs when you're not there?

So just how many GodBirds are you and Curley expecting?
;)

[Edwina's Secretary]

http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg23/EdwinaandEddie/IMG_4365.jpg?t=1227900342
Five of the canaries (one is sitting on an egg in the basket)
http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg23/EdwinaandEddie/IMG_4370.jpg?t=1227900465
Bob - who bit me once
http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg23/EdwinaandEddie/IMG_4374.jpg?t=1227900513
Stud - who laid an egg
http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg23/EdwinaandEddie/IMG_4361.jpg?t=1227900558
Buddy or Bonnie
http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg23/EdwinaandEddie/IMG_4379.jpg?t=1227900608
Crazy Cowboy
http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg23/EdwinaandEddie/IMG_4368.jpg?t=1227900848
Maggie the Cat
http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg23/EdwinaandEddie/IMG_4378.jpg?t=1227900799
Jumbo...with my hand for reference!

I did not photo the pigeons...you've seen one pigeon...you've seen them all!

[pomtzu]

I am thinking the tiel --currently named Stud -- may need a name change.

I had a tiel for years named Rocky - name for Rocky Balboa - because "he" thought he was a tough little dude. After he had been with me for about 5 years - "he" started laying eggs!!! and he was an only child. I left the name the same - just changed the spelling to "Rocki"! :D

[Killearn Kitties]

What a lovely family! I'm not sure that I can believe that they could cause so much trouble. They look positively angelic ... with the possible exception of Bob.

[Husky_mom]

Stud is definately a female... she´s pearl and cinnamon.. sex-linked traits for females... and a very pretty one... just let the owners know she´s on eggs and she´ll need to increase her calcium so she won´t deplet in vane (all eggs are unfertile, no male=no babies ;))

Bob looks like a green cheek conure.. but I´m nor really sure... the canaries are lovely!! love the orange ones (reds)... and Bonnie is not a budgie... looks like a lovebird, agaporni or something but not a budgie ;)

Cowboy is very cute (and looks more like Aussie or BC than cattledog ;)).. and Jumbo!!.. Oh my.. how tiny he is... I love the name even more LOL...

[Barbara]

What a lovely family! I'm not sure that I can believe that they could cause so much trouble. They look positively angelic ... with the possible exception of Bob.

I'm completely with you- except that I think Maggie doesn't look that angelic either. How could she - being a cat.
I am really happy to be in a community who can tell me clearly that Stud looks female:p

[Taz_Zoee]

Awww, thanks for posting pictures of them. It's nice to see who has been giving you your exercise lately. :p
Cowboy is very adorable. Definitely Australian Shepherd mix (well not definitely, but I think so:)).
And I can now see why Jumbo gave you such a run for your money. He is so teeny!!! I would lose him in a flash. LOL

[jennielynn1970]

Bob looks like he has attitude to spare!! What a look on that face of his! "Get your $%*&#$@ camera outta my face lady!" is he's probably saying in bird language!

The other birds are pretty! Cowboy looks sweet, as does Jumbo, lol. Love that name for the little dude. Maggie is just gorgeous!! I love tuxies!

[Alysser]

They are all so cute!! :D Maggie is absolutely gorgeous, I love her eyes. What a pretty cat. Jumbo and Cowboy are adorable, very cool names :D I LOVE the birds ^^

[Edwina's Secretary]

Jumbo would like to set the record straight...

She is a GIRL!!!!

http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg23/EdwinaandEddie/IMG_4377.jpg?t=1227935115
:D:D:D

[k9krazee]

Lol! That's exactly why we never go on vacation. We can't leave the dogs and expect others to deal with they're crazy quirks. :o But we wouldn't have it any other way, even though life would be a heck of a lot easier without them! :p

The critters are all very cute! :D

[krazyaboutkatz]

Thanks for posting pictures of all of the critters for us.:) Jumbo sure is a tiny little girl. No wonder she's so easy to lose.:)

[Vio&Juni]

That's so funny! It seems like you mastered the situation already.

Maggie is very cute. Could you send her our way and say that she maybe got lost?

[ramanth]

What a cute family!! Hope the rest of the 'sitting' goes well and stress free. :D