Category Archives: Cats

Master of My Fate

The last two lines of the poem “Invictus” by William Henley are:

I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.
I have a copy of this poem in my house since I’m a Delta. But the last two lines are lines that everyone knows. I thought of this because Azeena has me addicted to a game called Harbor Master. The point of the game (which is played on a touchscreen device) is to guide ships in and out of the harbor safely after they have docked and unloaded their cargo. In the beginning it’s easy with few ships, but as you get further into the game, ships come at varying speeds and you need much better navigational skills. As harbor master, you’ll have a lot going on.

With cats, there’s always craziness at the house. Anyone with more than two cats will always have some story about something turned over, broken, peed on, scratched, chewed and the list goes on. But while you can’t control the cats, you can control your response. You are the master of your fate. To often we feel like we are trapped by circumstance, when we are trapped by our own inability to feel like we can act. You can’t guarantee the outcome, but you can have the choice. For example, if you don’t like your job you can quit. You might not be able to find another job, but at least you won’t be in the old one. If you are in a relationship that isn’t working out, you have the choice to leave or change your behavior. The other person may not respond the way you want them to, but you have a choice.

In fact, the only area of my life where I am NOT the captain of my fate is trying to keep Roxie out of trouble and Jean-Claude inside. Cats are animals that you can’t master. I have mastered responding to their signals for “feed me now” “play time” and “change the litterbox” so maybe they are truly the masters of my fate.

A Necessary Guest

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They say sadness often arrives before change. For some of us it can be a welcome even comforting feeling in that the grief, the denial, the hurt we buried for so long hoping for a different outcome is finally released. With sadness we are set forth in a sea of change.   Sometimes it’s  change  that’s causing  the sadness  but we  have an opportunity.  We can become courageous. Change is often for the better.  The journey to its creation is sometimes  filled with tears, misgiving, regret and then hope, clarity, insight, growth and action.

And It’s Good for Me Because??

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Roxie was sick for a time and had several prescriptions.  I or CCL would give her  the medication in her food or treats but the joke was on us as she always discovered the hidden pills and  ate them anyway.  Now she’s better and while  the vet wants her to stay on medication for a bit longer,  Roxie’s not having it.   Drama queen that she is she no longer willingly take the pills without force and much drama and hollering.  Here for pet lovers and pill givers everywhere are instructions on “How to Give A Pill to A Cat.”

How to Give a Pill to a Cat 

1.  Pick cat up and cradle it in the crook of your left arm as if
holding a baby.  Position right forefinger and thumb on either side of
cat’s mouth and gently apply pressure to cheeks while holding pill in
right hand.  As cat opens mouth, pop pill into mouth.  Allow cat to
close mouth and swallow.

2.  Retrieve pill from floor and cat from behind sofa.  Cradle cat in
left arm and repeat process.

3.  Retrieve cat from bedroom, and throw soggy pill away.

4.  Take new pill from foil wrap, cradle cat in left arm holding rear
paws tightly with left hand.  FORCE jaws open and PUSH pill to back of
mouth with right forefinger.  Hold mouth shut for a count of ten.

5.  Retrieve pill from goldfish bowl and cat from top of wardrobe.
Call spouse from yard.

6.  Kneel on floor with cat wedged firmly between knees, hold front and
rear paws, ignoring low growls emitted by cat.  Get spouse to hold
head firmly with one hand while forcing wooden ruler into mouth.  Drop
pill down ruler and rub cat’s throat vigorously.

7.  Retrieve cat from curtain rail, get another pill from foil wrap.
Make note to buy new ruler and repair curtains.  Carefully sweep
shattered figurines and vases from hearth and set to one side for
gluing later.

8.  Wrap cat in large towel and get spouse to lie on cat with head
just visible from below armpit.  Put pill in end of drinking straw,
FORCE mouth open with pencil and blow pill down drinking straw.

9.  Check label to make sure pill not harmful to humans, drink 1 beer
to take taste away.  Apply Band-Aid to spouse’s forearm and remove
blood from carpet with cold water and soap.

10.  Retrieve cat from roof of neighbor’s shed.  Get another pill.
Open another beer.  Place cat in cupboard and close door onto cat’s
neck to leave head showing.  Force mouth open with dessertspoon.
Flick pill down throat with rubber band, close cat’s mouth and hold
shut to the count of 30.

11.  Fetch screwdriver from garage and put cupboard door back on
hinges.  Drink beer.  Fetch bottle of scotch.  Pour shot, drink.
Apply cold compress to cheek and check records for date of last
tetanus shot. Apply whiskey compress to cheek to disinfect.  Toss back
another shot.

12.  Call fire department to retrieve the cat from tree across the
road.  Apologize to neighbor who crashed into fence while swerving to
avoid cat.  Take last pill from foil wrap.

13.  Tie the cat’s front paws to rear paws with twine and bind tightly
to leg of dining room table, find heavy duty pruning gloves from shed.
Push pill into mouth followed by piece of steak. BE ROUGH ABOUT IT.
Hold cat’s head vertically and pour 2 pints of water down throat to
wash pill down.

14.  Consume remainder of Scotch.  Get spouse to drive you to
emergency room, sit quietly while doctor stitches fingers and forearm
and removes pill remnants from right eye.

15.  Arrange for Humane Society to collect mutant cat and call local
pet shop to see if they have any hamsters.

How to Give A Dog A Pill:
1.  Wrap it in bacon.

Solo Act

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Roxie At Rest

Roxie is at my house. Jean Claude is with his mom, CCL. Roxie got sick again and this time the veterinarian prescribed three different types of medications for her.  In fact Roxie now has a profile at the CVS pharmacy and her name is on one of her prescriptions.    She seems to be coming around but clearly she misses her pal J.C.    She’s a little less noisy and fussy than she was when CCL brought her by the other day.   Also Roxie  has made it clear she wants her laser toy …and she is not a big fan of wet food.  Diva.

Moving Beyond Shallow Aspirations

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I found myself in a pretty deep conversation with a friend about people’s motivations, fears and  sense of self.  We are both good at promoting products, people and issues.   We agreed that a spiritual foundation is necessary for personal growth.  Now my friend and a lot of my friends have pretty fabulous lives filled with yachts, riches,  celebrities etc but they still find time for church, God and self reflection.   Roxie, the Japanese bobtail and Jean Claude, the black bombay who share residences with my daughter CCL and me, have pretty fabulous lives too.  Yet they find time for deep thought and are always ready to move to another level of understanding.