Damanged Toenail

I have to bite the bullet and stick the hot needle through my toenail to reduce the pressure. It got damaged on the ten mile hike, wearing shoes that didn't fit. Got one toe somewhat crushed over the course of the day.

So the toenail is blue and swelling. Got to heat a syringe needle and stick it through. I've done it before, when I accidentally slammed my finger in my car door when getting out. The door also locked shut on my finger. I can't remember why, but I didn't have my keys and that was awkward and embarrassing. Someone finally came along and got the door open. Quite painful.

I forget who told me that's what I would have to do, to ease the pressure of that injury, so I did it, a few times and the nail fell off eventually. It was half fascinating, I have to admit.

So anyhow, that's the story on my crushed toe. Maybe I should have worn my sandals. I have been meaning to make myself those sandals out of my old tire, but the problem arose that I have nothing that will cut through the strands of steel in the rubber. I cannot find those tin snips anywhere. I better look again, or borrow some. I know I can make some durable sandals out of that tire. Can you imagine how durable tire sandals would be? I like the thought, too, of using that old tire for something useful.

I did the deed and poked a needle through my toenail and it bled a lot and now it feels a lot better.

Been disappointed (panicked) in trying to find the seven kittens here, in need of homes, homes. They are Peko, Nemo, Starry, Machi, Echo, Fantasia and eventually, Slurpy, but she will likely have a chronic virus, like herpes, now and then.

Tabitha, the 8th kitten here, is pre-adopted out and those folks are coming back from vacation to pick her up in a couple of weeks.

I've been posting on craigslists all over Oregon and have had an ad running. I have received three responses. One was some goofball guy who refused to fill out an application, claimed he would take three and take them to some farm he owns, although he said he also owns a house in Salem, but wanted to meet me halfway between here and Salem and did not want to even give his name or describe where the kittens would be and I told him "Sorry. I don't know you from adam."

Then an Albany woman called but when I asked her to fill out an application and told her why I ask that, like to make sure, if someone is renting, they have landlord permission, she never e-mailed for the application. Sounded nice, too, but maybe their landlord actually doesn't allow pets. Don't know.

Then someone in Salem e-mailed, said she wanted to get "a bunch" of kittens for her and a friend. I just e-mail an application, because that was probably a kid, and then I don't hear back.

I've also received about 40 spam e-mails from the craigslist ad. That's right, at least 40. Makes using craigslist a pain in the buttucka!

Anyhow, it's hard but I'll keep trying. These are sweet kittens. The application is really simple, too.

Portland's Going to Get Spoofed! Portlandia, New Series on IFC

Click post title to read about a new comedy series spoofing Portland. I don't know much about the series. I did hear it features a belligerent bike messenger, a couple who spend their time putting up paper bird cut outs everywhere (and probably blame cats if they disappear), among other absurdities, exaggerating the ultra liberal make up of our fair city to the north.

In the first episode, the mayor seeks out musicians to write a theme song for the city. Hmmmmm. Good idea. Everyone needs a personal theme song, too, I think.

After all, Portland likes being called weird, abnormal and bizarre.

Let it be for all to see.

Except those without cable. Like me.

Four Big Boys Fixed Today

I was called back to the down town area, to get some cats fixed, but had been unable to connect with the very busy caretaker until last night. I caught the first three, all huge males, and I mean HUGE! A neighbor across the street in a run down apartment complex also was anxious to have help getting her male fixed, so he went along too. Big male day!

I didn't spend much time up near the clinic because they got them done very quickly. But, Wilsonville was having a festival in the park, so I sat there and ate lunch watching some local kid dance groups on the stage. They were so adorable, especially the Somoan dances. The boys did this Somaon man dance with the facial expressions and slapping themselves, which has become popular, like with football teams to intimidate the opposing team before the game. Anyhow, all the kids did a great job. It was relaxing and fun.

So I buzzed the boys up and then relaxed while they were fixed in the park. What a perfect day.

Going Nuts

Already the calls today are driving me nuts. Everyone that calls or e-mails wants me to take the cats. There's a family on Main street, said a mother and kittens came to their door last night and they want me to take them. They're tame. I said I can't, try Safehaven. I offered to get them fixed, but told her I can't in more cats. But they just want them gone.

The mayor herself asked me to help a woman in Albany. Two tame flea ridden kittens showed up at her back door. The mayor asked if I can take them but I can't. I can only get them fixed. UPDATE: I went over and flea treated the orange tabby male. He's no kitten, probably six or seven months old, super friendly and already neutered. I cleaned out his ears and wormed him, too. I didn't see the other one, but she will call me when the other one shows up. I also provided her a bag of cat food so she can feed them until some placement somewhere can be found. She's going to try Safehaven. It's a super nice cat, and that woman is really nice.

UPDATE: She said Safehaven won't take them. They told her to take them to the Humane Society in Salem, which is a very high kill shelter. Don't worry. She's not going to do that. Used to be, Linn County took their unwanteds to be killed over at Heartland. Then Heartland got wise and cut off Linn County's freeloading off Benton County. Now, looks like Marian County is the next target.

I signed off on the bengal man. I can't take all his kittens or place his adults. I can't. I can help him get the rest fixed, but he's not wanting that I don't think, because he will not make arrangements for that to happen. It causes me indigestion and sleeplessness and anxious worry, all these situations I can do nothing about. These are just a few.

Ten Mile Hike!

I got to go on a hike today, in the Jefferson Wilderness area. A ten mile hike, no less, and five of those miles were climbing up, to, eventually, the top of Grizzley Peak. On the way, we stopped at Pamelia Lake and I took a swim. Then we decided to go for the top, even though I haven't exercised for quite a long time. I made it. Coming down might have been worse, and hurt my knee more. We got back to the trailhead just as dusk was settling in. Boy, I'm really tired. It was so gorgeous.

Almost to the top of Grizzley Peak. Mt. Jefferson is across the way, peak shrouded in clouds.
My hiking partner and I at the top. Some Chicagoans took the photo.
At the top of Grizzley Peak.
Mt. Jefferson.

Well, besides my bad knee taking a beating on the trip down, my shoes didn't fit in the first place, and somehow crunched one toe so badly the toenail turned blue and probably is going to fall off. I did my best, despite lacking even shoes that fit, and had a great time.

One Cat Fixed Today

I took up one more feral torti from the Lebanon trailer park today to be fixed. She'll return home tomorrow. She's not happy.

Her mother is still there, needing fixed. The woman was supposed to trap her before I went up last night, but didn't. The people on the other side were supposed to trap the orange female or the remaining kitten, but didn't. When I arrived, they were all outside, and one of the always mad guys said, "What's that bitch doing here again?" I just picked up the trap and didn't say a word.

He's mad probably because he feels caught in a trap himself. Just guessing.

I think I'll call the manager there, ask her for help in getting the last six done. It's important to her to get them all. See, a couple years ago, Spay Inc. got a bunch fixed there, but not all of them, so it just began all over again. Didn't help that tenants brought in unfixed cats. Most of the unfixed cats I have taken in from there were not feral, but rather, owned, or tame and abandoned. Abandonment rates there are extreme.

One tenant said most of the ones they got fixed disappeared. They claim some were shot with arrows by some mean guy and some other mean guy would feed cats to his pitbulls. It's not a easy place for cats or kids or anybody.

There's one little girl who's so cool, so interested, so grown up before her time. She's already virtually the mother of her little brother, at about age seven or 8 herself. She'd tell her brother, who is maybe four, who was bugging me and following me around too much she thought "Give her a moment, give her her space..." I told her, "You, girl, you have a brain. Do not waste it. Stay in school. Become a doctor or a scientist, something. Do not waste that brain of yours. You are smarter than I am. Do you hear me?" I wouldn't leave it alone until she nodded and agreed not to waste her life. I hope she can make it.

Reply from Cal Vet

This is the pouch, although it's just taped together, not a real pouch.
How insulative do you think something this thin is? Because this is what this person, in e-mail below from Cal Vet Supply, describes as far superior to sytrofoam. Oh really. Let's do an experiment and see about that.

Packing, upon arrival. One ice pack, completely mush and melted. Vaccines and ice pack wrapped in brown paper and inside the 1/16 inch material.
Package, after it got here Friday, before I opened it.

It is difficult to comprehend the lack of customer service from this company. They talk about their superior shipping bags, and yet, the "bags" are taped together silver type reflective insulation, about 1/16 inch thick. This stuff comes in various thicknesses in huge roles you can buy by the foot at Home Depot. I get thicker sheets of it to line feral housing units. Her claims that this is far superior to the shipping methods done by other companies, that of putting them in little styrofoam ice chests with ice packs, I think are ridiculous. If they can't pack to keep them cold for Fed Ex two day air, they should not be offering that.

She also claims I could not possibly have gotten the correct temp once they arrived because I must not have used a refrigerator thermometer. Actually, that's exactly what I used. Gosh.

Well, it's interesting to read about vaccine shipping and storage worldwide, for humans. Guess it's a big problem, maintaining the cold chain, through shipping. WHO requires a cold chain monitor card in each shipment container. They have dots and if it's black, the shipping temp cold chain has not been maintained and the vaccines should not be used. Most vaccines lose potency quickly if exposed to heat or to cold, depending greatly on the type of vaccine. Again, if you use them quickly, after shipped, even if they were exposed to temperature, probably protection is ok.

Even the most stable vaccines cannot be allowed to get above 85 F for long or must be discarded, a figure I found on a WHO website, regarding other types of vaccines. Unfortunately, if these vaccines registered after 15 minutes in my place, which was at 68 degrees, at 70, I'm going to bet, sitting in a hot Fed Ex truck all day Friday, before delivery here, they were way above that. It was hot that day. Fed Ex told me their trucks are not climate controlled. It's like being shut in a metal box with the sun beating down.

It seems strange in ways, to consider all this. To think, you never really know if a vaccine is good or not, if it has been too hot or too cold, affecting it's ability to protect. I wonder if that has anything to do with why some cats get herpes, etc, even though vaccinated, while some who are vaccinated don't. Do some get "better vaccines" and so get better protected, especially when young? Just makes me wonder and wish there was a way to really know if a vaccine is still good or not. A dot that fades or something, on each vial. Color change with degradation. Something. Would that not be nice? How in the world do they measure potency anyhow, I wonder. It's very interesting stuff.

The thin silver material is used to reflect heat, like off your car windshield. It has little insulative value in itself by being dense enough to stall heat waves passing through it. The taped together package, instead of being continuous surface allows cold to escape, heat in.

Anyway, this is myth buster type puzzle. I think I'll see how long it takes the ice pack to melt just sitting out on a counter. Course I keep the house at about 70 degrees and temps inside a metal truck with outside temps unknown but likely between 90 and 100 is still an unknown to me. Then I'll put the pack taped into the insulative material just in my garage and see how long it takes to melt and what temps inside result, just as a matter of interest. I don't think they would be interested in the results. I need a temp probe on a line with remote read thermometer, to really do it right. But I have a curiosity now.

Then I'd like to repeat using the ice chest method most companies use in shipping vaccines. I would think the dense thick styrofoam would be far superior at keeping cole in. They're also air tight when taped as the edges of top and bottom meet evenly.

I've always wondered how they come up with the one ml bottle, or if half that is good enough, and why is it the same volume given the considerable differences in size, even of cats. If nothing else comes of this, if I don't get my money back, I have at least enjoyed reading a slew of papers about vaccine cold chain maintenance and importance. I have failed to find one single authority I could directly ask. I am going to guess the shipped package reached inside temps of over 80 degrees, degrading their potency, to be usable for very long, but for how long seems gray area. One site listed some vaccines that if they are exposed to heat over 75 F, have potency effective for protection only four days afterwards. I don't know how they determine that.

I love Myth Busters. They remind me of my college days. They imploy the scientific method in busting or confirming myths. I remember professors emphasizing the scientific method. I can't remember the details by now. But I think you control every factor except the one factor you are testing for, and you first create a baseline. And, the experiment must be repeatable by another source with the same outcome.

In this dilemma with the vaccines, there are two points of contention. The first is that the ice pack maintained them well within the suggested temperature range. I might be able to test that, except I can't exactly reproduce the temperatures the pack was exposed to in transit. The second point of contention is that it doesn't matter if they got hot for even two days. This is something I can't test. I can't test to see if they are still potent, and, more importantly, if two months from now, after exposure to heat in shipping, they will be any good. I have to throw that one out and go by government guidelines on the matter, that say if they are exposed to heat, their potency declines as does the time they are good.

I wonder if they teach that in college now, the scientific method. When was in college, it was everything, the methods of discovery for valid research. Every science class it was emphasized.

So, I have to fall back to "what would my vet do" and my vet says "don't use them" and what would the FDA say, and the FDA said "Don't use them" and what temperature does the vial say they should be kept at and it says between 2 and 7 degrees C. That's all I have to go by in the end. It sucks to be a consumer sometimes. Fumbling around, trying not to get screwed, not knowing who the people are you're paying, if they're honest and upright, etc.

The cal vet people turned me off with their rude responses and lack of humanity in customer service. If they're so pet friendly, why didn't they mention any concern about the rescued kittens I was vaccinating. Even just saying "I can understand you want those cute kittens to be adequately protected." Or why not just send off a copy of a paper from the government of vaccine shipping guidelines, to show they shipped as required and temperature maintenance in shipping isn't important (that's what they claim). Just makes me really skeptical. But, bottom line, I wasn't looking for a friend in a customer service rep. Scammers and con artists, after all, are the best at customer service. I just want good vaccines.

Whatever whatever.



The reply:

"Thank you for your further communication, and I need to say that this, also, is MY last communication on this subject.

First, you said we had a "recommended" shipping method of Fed Ex 2 Day Air on our website. NO, we don't recommend or push any one shipping option over another. Again, you were completely free and welcome to choose Fed Ex Next Day air, which would have gotten the package to you by 10:30 the next day. You chose the less expensive 2 Day Air.

Since you've apparently not read the policy as stated on our website, let me supply it here for you to review:

Perishable items on our website are those items that need to be kept cold during shipment, thus requiring they be sent in an insulated freezer bag with sufficient ice packs. Whenever these items are ordered, only the Fed Ex 2 Day Air / Perishable Package or Fed Ex Standard Overnight / Perishable Package options will be offered for shipping. Both of these shipping options cover up to 6 lbs. These are guaranteed shipments and as long as the 2 Day Air orders arrive in 2 business days and the Standard Overnight orders arrive within 1 business day, there are no returns, refunds or credits issued for perishable items.

THIS IS THE EXACT SAME REFUND/RETURN POLICY THAT ANY COMPANY SELLING VACCINES ON THE INTERNET FOLLOWS

Second, you keep mentioning that you used a thermometer to test the temperature of the package. Unless you used a refrigerator thermometer, which you didn't say you did, your temperature reading is totally useless. Mercury or digital thermometers for oral/rectal use don't register temperatures much less than the human body temperature 98.6 degrees. The fact that you're telling me that a regular thermometer was somehow reading 70 degrees actually proves my point - it was trying to read a temperature lower than that, but was unable to. I can only assume that the thermometer you used certainly was not equipped to measure anything in the 60 to 50 degree range or less. What happened here is that you saw a "mushy" ice pack and immediately assumed the package had to be at room temperature, then used a thermometer that backed up your assumption. Had you used a refrigerator thermometer, it would have been a different story, THAT I can guarantee.

And finally, I completely resent the fact that you are attacking the integrity of a company that has been in business for 26 years, supplying pet owners with quality products at the best prices and customer service possible. I have told you that I spoke at length with a trusted professional with Fort Dodge Animal Health years ago to find out the truth about vaccines, and you are basically calling me a liar. I have also told you that we use the silver insulated bags to ship vaccines because they have proven to be superior to styrofoam for keeping things as cold as possible for as long as possible. We have switched brands of ice packs over the years also until we found the ones we currently use, because they are the best. We charge people for a perishable shipping package so that we can be free to use those quality bags and plenty of those best ice packs so that our customers have a good experience purchasing perishable items from us. I'm truly sorry that all of our ethical and professional attitudes and efforts appear to be completely lost on you."

Three Cats Fixed Yesterday

I thought the Lebanon trailer people were really serious about catching the last orange tabby female and the last kitten of the torti today. However, interest seemed to have vanished the moment I left this morning and left them my trap. By tonight, at the other end of the park, where there are two feral calicos who needed caught, the woman there caught one but not the other. Then she revealed she has another unfixed female inside her trailer.

There are then three more adult unfixed females, two of them feral, two more kittens, one of them feral, and one adult male, turning feral because the old woman who owns him is in the hospital and likely won't be back. Six more cats. That's sad. I've already taken in 29 from there to be fixed and I want to be done with it. Six more. Beside the feral torti in my car from there, cat number 30. Bleak!

The neighbors seemed to have made their peace after the screaming match this morning. Hope so. Someone is feeding the fire by feeding the rumor mill. When I saw the man involved in the match at the mailbox, he had some misconceptions about me.

He had been told that those folks found out about the open rental through me, because, according to what he'd been told by an unnamed neighbor, I know the new renters real well because I lived next to them in a Corvallis trailer park. Can you believe that? I have suspicions on which neighbor is spreading this garbage. That's if I cared. I don't.

As for the big dispute over cars, I don't care about that anymore either, especially since the established neighbors are telling tall tales regarding me, probably to just fan the flames and get me out too, as fellow white trash along with the new renters. Whatever, man.

As for my own dispute with CA Vet Supply, no progress, just hostile e-mails from their "customer service". Customer service. Hmmm, that's like a relic from ages past. No longer exists.

Judge Judy time. Yeah, I'm seriously thinking about applying with this case for one of those judge shows. I need to find out where each is shot first, before I choose. I need a vacation, you see. And those shows pay airfare. You're damn right I'd like to spin my overheated vaccines into a much needed vacation to see Judge Judy or whichever judge show is filmed close to a beach in a nice area.

I'm just kidding around. I had sure hoped they'd just do the right thing. They arrived at room temp, for gosh sakes. But no, they take no responsibiity for that. Why? Probably because they want to keep shipping them in that way, and if people make waves on the arrival temperature problem, it's not good for business. They should resolve it then. What a nightmare. I just wanted to get some vaccines. I just wanted some vaccines. Now I have a fucking hassle and I'm out over a hundred bucks. It's just a big nightmare.

Black long hair I retrapped at the rural trailer colony, only to find she is the one I took in last, but the clinic forgot to eartip her. She's eartipped now.
Tame muted torti fixed yesterday.
The photo of the orange female kitten did not turn out. But she was spayed yesterday and returned today. The black medium hair from the rural trailer colony is one actually I took in to be fixed about a month ago, but they had somehow missed eartipping her. She got anesthesized, shaved, then eartipped finally yesterday. The other two fixed yesterday, an adult muted torti, tame, and her tame torti kitten I do have photos of.

Torti kitten, spayed yesterday, returned.
Torti kitten and her mom, the muted torti, eating food I put out by their "owners'" trailer, just after I returned them.
Torti, fixed over a month ago.
A tame but abandoned male, plus Mom of Machi's sister, also spayed, eat food I put out.
Mom of Machi's sister, near side of one trailer.

Trouble

I woke up to dogs barking. That's kind of unusual here, since the dog who lived in the house behind me, who barked day and night, left. Then there was yelling then screaming. I looked out my window because it sounded bad. It was the new renters and the older man who lives next to them, screaming face to face. The older man's wife was trying to move him back and away, putting her body in front of him and between him and the new renters. I thought there was going to be a murder. I called 911 and said "My neighbors are screaming at one another." She said they were already talking to both parties on the phone.

I have never seen that older man anything but calm before. I wonder what went on. I know the tension on the block has been high since the new people moved in, over some of the things they do, parking all over mainly, then the night stuff. But that was scary to see them face off like that. I don't know what triggered it.

I got a new couch. I bought it for almost nothing from the other neighbors, the evicted ones. It's leather and cleaned up really nice. It'd been in their garage. The cats love it. I am all nervous over those neighbors screaming match. I really thought there was going to be a murder. Guess I watch too many crime dramas.

It must be hard on both those households, living next to each other, hating the other that much. I can feel the tension clear down here. It might be all over all those cars they have to park somewhere and there's no room at the place they rent for them all. They need a bigger place with a huge parking lot or a field for their cars.

I used to know someone in Corvallis. She got this guy, a fantastic guy, to move in, because she had a huge place, including a barn/quonset thing, for all his cars and lots of space for him to work on them. He's a hobbiest and restores cars, maybe one every few years. Hows that for a way to snag a guy? I've always really liked her guy. From a distance. He's taken.

Mom of Machi is headed to her new home today, in Eugene. It will be hard on her at first, leaving her familiar surroundings and the cats she knows, up at the trailer park. But even though she's been here only a day, she has been eating and eating and eating. They don't get much up there and often it's just dry dog food. I think she'll do ok, but it will take some adjustment time.

UPDATE: I just delivered Mom of Machi and that is one nice woman. She gave me a bag of cat food to give to the trailer park people, to help them out in feeding the ones left. And she gave me some cans of cat food, which is a big huge help. She's very experienced with ferals, but Mom of Machi isn't that feral anymore. I handled her easily this morning, before taking her down, to make sure she had no earmites.

Every unowned cat who gets out of there helps the ones left get enough food, so it's a really good thing she got a home. I found out, when I returned the other three, that it was the wrong orange kitten I took to be spayed. By wrong I mean not the torti's third kitten. Can you believe that? There are tons of orange cats in there, including orange females, so I figured this had to be the right kitten, being orange and female and hanging out in front of the trailer where they are fed. Plus, the woman who feeds them ID'ed her as the third kitten. But she was not. There's another. Maybe the torti had four kittens. I don't know anymore.

So I found out the neighbor scream match was over, what else, the cars. One of the cars got parked in front of the older man's garbage can and it's garbage day, so he got mad and in their faces over it. He claims to count nine cars in and out of there, at least. I can't keep track. I have other things on my mind. I guess the renters say they're all from relatives visiting. Visiting a lot.

Parking is a problem lots of places where I've tried to trap. At one complex, there are no spaces for visitors cars and each apartment gets only one parking space allotted. I tried to park in an empty space and within 15 minutes had a note on my windshield threatening a tow job. I had to quit trying to trap there, for want of anywhere even close to park without getting towed off or vandalized because it was somebody else's space.

Same thing at a complex in Corvallis, when I delivered a cat they were adopting. Threatening note on windshield, because there is only one allotted space per tenant and no visitor spaces. I asked the couple, "How do you have company come over?" They said, "We don't."

Most of the trailer parks around that I've visited have no parking along their narrow streets, and so, when trying to trap at those trailer parks, it's quite tough and sometimes I end up parking in fields or RV storage lots or walking a real long ways with traps.

I don't doubt these new renters have a lot of young people coming and going. The traffic once they moved in has like quadroopled or more. But the parking thing, they need to double on rides or something because this tight little street can't handle so many many cars. We already got the Kinetic Car Lot down the block, run by the Mexicans, and those cars are everywhere and I have no idea what that's about. This is car city, USA, that's for sure.

Albany Schools in Trouble

From the ratings, not sure exactly what they mean, out, on No Child Left Behind, Albany Elementary schools seem to be doing ok, but all three middle schools are now on federal "watch" whatever that means and so are all three Albany high schools.

I hope they can do better. Click post title to go to the ratings. They're out for every school in the state.

Anger at Cal Vet Supply

I finally get a response. They said, while it's true the vaccines should be kept at 25 to 46 degrees, that shipping is a different matter and that they are fine to use.

I called the government agency that regulates Veterinary Biologics, as its called, and they had me look on the vial itself of one vaccine. There, it clearly stated the vaccine is to be kept at between 2 and 7 degrees C. They took the serial number and manufacturer and will get back to me if a supervisor wants to investigate it further. However, whether they do or not, as they usually only investigate licensed goods and vaccines do not require a license to sell, he told me I did the right thing, and those vaccines should not be used. I still have to find the right agency that covers shipping defective goods to file a complaint.

So cal vet contests the information on the vial itself.

I told them I want a refund. They have not responded again. I will sue them if I have to in small claims. I don't have money to waste and if they are selling vaccines, of course they need to maintain the cold chain and keep them at the temp recommended right on each vial. Or not sell them. I have kittens, the three from N. Albany, due for boosters.

If I was going to use them all immediately, I would not be concerned, because, from what I read, exposure to heat decreases their viability over time. Some vaccines will degrade when their temperature reaches 70 degrees, according to one research site I read, to ineffectiveness in about four days. If maintained at proper temp, they can be stored and be effective for years. I probably would not have used all these for at least three months.

I'm just going by what I read in research on this subject, and the temp storage on the vial itself, while the company who shipped them tells me differently. That's messed up!

Four Cats Caught

I shouldn't say "caught". I had thought I would trap the downtown situation but then the woman isn't answering her phone. Must have taken off for the day. Can't say I would blame her.

So, with appointments tomorrow, and my intended target colony caretaker missing in action, I headed to the rural trailer colony and set a trap, then off to the Lebanon trailer park. I did not catch orange tabby adult number three. I saw her though and she looks pregnant. Instead, I caught mom of Machi and the other three girls, now gone, whom this little mother had brought to me, when they were a month old.

Since a Eugene woman had said she wants to adopt Good Mom, I'm holding her in a trap until I find out for sure. If she has decided not to adopt her, I"ll take her back.

I took Machi out to show her. She eyed him then me. She growled softly, then sniffed his tail through the trap, then turned her eyes on me and locked in. I said, "You were such a good mother. You're such a good kitty." She watched me intently and kept me locked in her steady soft gaze. I repeated, "You're such a good mother. He's a fine kitten, strong and healthy and so were your girls."

She knew Machi and she understood the implication of me bringing him to show her. She understood fully. I had seen the realization overwhelm her body, when she realized it was her kitten I was holding up next to the trap beside her. She's a mother of course she knew it was him. Whether she'd want to interact with her kittens again, that's another thing.

A tenant went and fetched yet another unfixed tame torti and one of her three kittens. The other two went with the guy's girlfriend on a weekend trip. I wonder if they'll come back with her, if you get my drift.

I looked for the black kitten, that man had gotten from somebody handing them out free in Lebanon, but that couple were evicted and supposedly the black female kitten is now somewhere in Albany.

I nabbed the torti's third kitten, at least I think it's one of the three orange kittens the torti mom had. I had already trapped one of them, and KATA took him. He tested positive for Felk, so they are holding him to retest in a couple of months. Another of the three kittens was taken in by a trailer park resident. And this one I have, is supposed to be the third.

It's a girl, like almost all the orange ones there and has been tamed by the kids. I think the second kitten and the orange tabby adult female might be the only ones left to get fixed in the park, that is if this muted torti's other two kittens don't come back.

So I have the three from the trailer park to be fixed, plus already fixed Mom of Machi.

Then, I checked the trap at the rural trailer. Neighbors had promised to check it but had not. Inside it, was the already fixed black female kitten. I let her out and reset. I went back just now and found another adult medium hair black in the trap. No eartip. This one's a male. The trailer woman was home and wanted to show me two kittens she had inside, from her mother's place, where there are a ton more unfixed cats. Inside the trailer, was a well squashed flat mouse on the bare press board floor, what you could see of the floor that is. There is junk and trash everywhere. It isn't fit for living, I don't think. The woman is disabled, can't move much, and sure needs a caretaker to clean for her.

Anyhow, so at least I have four to go. The people moving out on this block didn't contain the young skinny orange tabby new show male. He's not fixed yet.

The woman on Lyons said the new orange tabby male, not the same one as over here, didn't show up this afternoon either. So those two slipped out of my hands. But at least I have four headed up, three of them girls, and the Mom of Machi, if the Eugene woman still wants to adopt her, which I hope she will. This has been kind of a drawn out thing, on recatching her for the possible adoption. At least now, it will be decided once and for all, which is good.

Strayed: How Shelters Became the Enemy of Animals

Judging Others

I engage in judging other people on this blog. Often then, I feel guilty and go back and remove the judgements. This is disingenuous.

Judging the behavior or lifestyle of another person is valid when a person's behavior or lifestyle harms other people or animals, breaks the law or causes societal damage.

Other forms of judgement are usually personal in nature. It's ok not to like everybody. It's ok not to like everything other people do. But it doesn't mean what they do or how they behave is wrong. What we each define as right and wrong is variable. The law has its own assessment of right and wrong behavior, and its regulations are written and enforced as desired by the community and culture served. These codes vary greatly, from region to region and country to country.

How boring would this world become if everyone behaved, dressed, and believed exactly the same way? How boring would this world be if every house was painted exactly the same color and every yard maintained in exactly the same manner? What if everyone dressed exactly the same? What if everyone liked the exact same band or singer?

What if everyone went to the same church? Or believed the exact same political propaganda?

What if everyone on earth read only one book?

What if it was law that everyone had to be exactly the same, look exactly the same and live exactly the same?

In some places on earth, there have been attempts to control humans that come close to this. N. Korea comes to mind.

Laws can be made to control outward human behavior. Sometimes these laws carry such heavy penalties, that people's minds become numb and the fear turns minds robotic with allegiance.

Laws regulating behavior should be, in my opinion, few. This allows people to think, progress or degrade, but by their own choice. We, in America, like to blame one man, the President, for all our countries woes. We, the people, have every ability to create change in our communities regardless of the government. That we expect government to solve our problems is a problem.

I give you the example of Linn County and its excess cats. Most counties have animal control shelters. People take their excess unwanted cats and kittens to these shelters, where, out of sight to the public's knowledge or eyes, most are killed. Cute little adorable kittens are killed! When the public has access to out of sight out of mind government subsidized killing of the results of their bad behavior, the bad behavior will continue unabated by educational programs.

However, when the results of such behavior have no easy solution, like taking unwanted cats and kittens to an animal control shelter subsidized heavily by taxpayers, where the perpetrators of the atrocity can walk away and tell themselves "all is well, they'll get homes" no change in behavior occurs.

In Linn County, no such solution currently exists and hasn't now for three years. What has been the result? The county put a small amount of money into a spay neuter fund. Albany has done so each year also. Cats are being fixed by the score, probably in far greater numbers per capita than anywhere else in the state. That's just a guess.

The overpopulation problem, with its taxpayer funded solution at county animal control shelters, mirrors the problem with much government intervention: adverse behaviors are encouraged, condoned, so the problem the solution addresses, gets worse not better.

I have strayed from my original intent with this post. Judging, when is it appropriate?

I don't know if judging others ever produces a change in adverse behaviors. I know it feels good to do so, at least for me, like a quick fix, like releasing steam built up by a fire, so there is no explosion. I vent primarily when I'm fed up with encountering too many assholes. I define assholes as people who behave in a way that affects me directly.

I.E. neighbors who seem obsessed with my yard. Like people who don't fix their pets, then call me, wanting me to solve their problem at no cost to them. Like drug and criminal activity that actually sparks fear in me for my own safety and that of my cats. Like child and animal abuse and neglect, and the latter is so common here I get new cats showing up in my yard every month. Like alcoholism because when surrounded by so many people who drink heavily it is so hard to find anyone not "owned" by alcohol, with whom I might become friends or with whom I might even otherwise converse with. You can't have a conversation with people dedicated first and foremost to drugs and alcohol. Like those who are steeped in and in love with their own inadequacies, dancing with them every waking moment, unable to see what they actually could do.

Granted, all of the above "assholes", as defined by me, are actually asshole behaviors, and do not address the individual behind the behaviors. The words of most people can be discarded as ineffective windows into their true souls. I've only discovered this in the last years of my life. Words are so experience defined and since each of our experiences are different, they are easily misinterpreted.

In short, have I judged you? Has someone else judged you? Take most judgement with a grain of salt and stiff upper lip. They're words only. Sometimes judgement statements are highly needed for a person to progress and should be heeded. In this politically correct whiny age, a person being judged or critiqued has learned to take offense immediately, even seek out a lawyer, instead of hearing what another is saying and perhaps looking inside to find truth to the judgement.

A man told me recently he was building something inside a woman's place to help her climb into bed. It was for a fiend of his wife's. While his wife kicked at his leg to shut him up, he told the woman, "Wouldn't it be a lot easier just to lose 100 pounds?" He was right to say that. Keeping our mouths shut is not always best for people.

I trapped cats for a woman who has chronic back issues. She is applying for disability. She is about 16 years younger than I am. She weighs close to 350 pounds. Her 17 year old son already had to have his gall bladder removed from drinking at least a gallon of milk a day. She has had a rough life. I asked her, because I was searching for an exercise partner, if wouldn't be healthier to just start an exercise program. Her apartment was littered in empty pizza and donut boxes. She was not willing.

I was in the system for 30 years. The system teaches you to be the least you can be, instead of helping people out of it. This is in part because of our difficulty with the concept of judging others. And yet, tough love approaches can actually help people overcome symptoms of deeper problems and create wonderful positive changes that eventually over ride the deeper issues that caused peripheral problems. This approach could have saved my future, when I entered the system damaged and young, rather than what happened--tagging me with labels, over drugging me and stuffing me away as a useless human being. It's not too late. This approach could still be implemented for many of Oregon's social problems, saving people's futures and taxpayers money.

The truth has become unspeakable.