Got Mom

 Caught mom of the little kitten who died last night, late, at the complex in Lebanon.

Another Lebanon woman, much younger than me, by about a third, got involved, and trapped one of the two kittens remaining.  The other two kittens with her are very healthy.  What happened to the one who ended up in dire straits last Saturday, who knows.

But she had two more that appear very healthy.  The young mother was showing up late at the complex to eat.   The Lebanon woman caught one kitten with a kitten trap, then  said mom was there with the other kitten and she didn't have an adult trap.   So, about 11:00 p.m., I drove over with the drop trap and caught both the mom and kitten under it within 20 minutes of arrival.   The young Lebanon woman, trying to form her own rescue and TNR group, took the kittens.

I am always thrilled when young folk get involved.   We cat trappers are by and large older ladies.   I might be one of the oldest in these parts.

I hate to admit that.  

When young people start out there are mistakes and a learning curve.  Always.  That continues through life.  It's just that way.

I try hard to not to let my OCD nature nor my old age whining about young people stop me from encouraging younger trappers with my entire being.  They are the future.  I am the past.  And the present, I should add.

She messaged me afterwards with a compliment that made me smile.   She said "you don't fuck around" and also, "that was bad ass", referring to drop trapping mom and kitten so quickly.   This turned me red with embarrassment and pride both.  What nice things to say.   I felt good.

Mom

One of the two kittens caught.  Cora, the young rescuer, has both.

Here's to young moms, human and feline and to young humane cat trappers, jumping in, to learn, to make a difference.  May your traps be filled.

Back to Lake

 I pined away Monday after finding the kitten dead early morning and finally just slept most of the day.

It usually does the trick in reducing my stress and/or sorrow.  And it did.

By yesterday, I was back on track.   I had thought about heading to Waldo Lake, before the wildfire situation up there gets even worse.   There's a be ready evacuation notice now at Crescent and Odell Lakes.  Odell is nearly across the highway, south of the turnoff to Waldo.  The Red Fire is burning to the north and west of Crescent Lake.  

The south and east banks of Waldo haven't burned yet.  The west and north sides have burned in different fires in past years.  What will we lose this year.

Instead I did cat chores then headed up to the reservoir.

It's been windy and I should have gotten there early to avoid the worst of the wind.  The lake was choppy and white capping.   I went out anyhow but I didn't go far, just to the far side of the point across from the boat ramp.  I checked the blackberries along the banks where I pick them usually to see how they're doing and they're probably ten days to two weeks from being ripe.

I found a life jacket, soggy and dirty, lapping under a log against one shore and brought it home to clean up.  I really like it and its my size.

I surfed large waves, once back to the boat ramp arm, back to the beach by the boat ramp and laid out on my mat for awhile.  The bad thing about the beach there is that people taking their dogs out on their boats let their dogs poop in that area and often do not clean up after.   So its getting a little sketchy with dog poop.

A young couple peeked around the berry vines at me, laying on the beach, then walked back up to the boat ramp and climbed down the bank beside it to go in the water.   I walked over and told them I'd be leaving after I took a short swim and they could have the beach spot.  They just smiled.

I did go back and take a swim, then headed up to get my car to load up and they moved over to the beach area.

I set my alarm and went to take a nap, once home.  Tenants at the complex where the kitten came from had seen a black female with two more kittens, coming to eat around 11:00 p.m.  This is probably mom of the kitten who died.  I planned to go over about 10:30 and set up to try to catch them. Alas, about 9:30, they texted me and said she'd already come and left.   Shoot.   I guess I'll try earlier tonight. 

 First I will take some traps to Brownsville.  Lady there got FCCO spots for the crew she and her neighbor feed about two months ago maybe and finally the spots are this Friday.  In the meantime, the mother cat had kittens and they caught the kittens, got them to a rescue near Eugene, and the mother vanished.  So there aren't as many who need caught.

Anyhow, also my nonprofit paid for two females to be fixed at a private vet clinic yesterday.

I haven't heard from the tenant up at the 7-11 colony who feeds the survivors at the apartments.  She has a trap and I asked her to trap the remaining three.  I wish she'd do it, get it done.

From the beach by the boat ramp looking out at that arm of the lake.  You can barely differentiate the point I paddle across to from Calkins, from the far side of the lake.  I call that Calkins Point.  I cross to that side and then go around that point and meander along its shoreline.  Usually I then cross the main body of the lake to Lewis Creek park or just east of it and go down that shore to the second bridge and Sunnyside and sometimes then on up the Middle Fork of the Santiam River.

Parked at Blackberry lane.

Blackberry Lane

Tinsel Moss (really Spanish Moss but I have my own names for things) on far side of Calkins Point

Thimbleberries

I know I sound like a broken record just going to the same old reservoir all the time, but where else can I go, really, that's nearby, when I have cats to care for here and nobody left alive of friends to care for them if I leave.  I could go for a night and I will, I hope, very soon. 

Heartbreak Hotel

 I checked into the heartbreak hotel this morning.

I get texts from two different residents of a Lebanon apartment complex.  Where I've been so many times, to get cats fixed, or sit for hours upon hours catching cats.   The most recent was Amber, that little torbi 8 month old, left behind pregnant when someone moved, still sporting an indentation from where she once had a collar.

She's now with a friend in Portland.  Living a good life, for a change.

When was that, a month ago?  Two months?

They'd found a single starving tiny kitten, the tenants, chased it around yesterday to catch it, in 100 degree heat.  Now it was dying, they said, come quick.

The kitten seemed in last throes, arching its back, unbelievably dehydrated and skinny.  Would it even survive the drive back home, I thought.

I was a wreck immediately.   How could you chase a compromised kitten around on a 100 degree day, I wanted to yell, but they were trying to help.

Anyhow, I gave it sub cu fluids in record time.  On the way home, I was already planning out the steps I would take the moment I pulled into my driveway, if the kitten survived to get home.

20 cc right off, then corn syrup on the gums, hand warmers in socks, to warm that little dehydrated body up.  Two hours later, 10 more cc's of sub cu fluids, plus nutrical.  Nutrical every two hours after, all day then.  Sneaking to look in the carrier, see if he was still breathing.  Cleaning his little face with a damp cloth.   

He's still alive.   If he's alive in the morning, I'll take him to the vet.   I fear a vet will just want to euthanzie him because he's so frail.   Maybe that's what is best.   Here he is when I first pulled him out of the carrier once home and had just given him fluids.  No longer back arching in last throes at least.  The second video shows him trying to walk a few minutes after getting fluids.  Fluids can work magic, at least initially.

So I let most things go today.  Up and down, up and down, see if he's still breathing, is he warm enough.  Oh brother, what is wrong with me.   There are millions of kittens in such shape out there, dying, suffering unnoticed, all because someone got a cat somewhere and never fixed that cat.  

I don't like that Biden is leaving the race this way.  If the democrats wanted him out, it should have been done before the election process started.  It was quite evident then that he was starting to get a little frail and forgetful.  Nothing like the word salad and classless lies of the other old man running however.  What must other countries think of what America has become.   What will America become? 

 Joe Biden showed class, character--even when Trump got that ear scratch from a bullet fired by a little wannabe big man.  He called him to wish him well.   And on the other hand.....the other old man running, well he has yet to show any class.   

Heartbreak Hotel, but not over politics or politicians, over a more deserving little life.

Little black kitten died at some point between 11:30 p.m. and 5:00 a.m.

Lake Day

 I set my alarm and got up early.   I decided to go to the lake today.

I left at 9:00 a.m. which is early considering all the  cat chores I have to do first.

Alas, I still did not get one of the coveted five single car spots near the boat ramp but I got one out by the road.

I felt elated to get one of those three single car spots.

The lake was a zoo.  Motor boats everywhere.  Paddle boarders, kayakers, Lewis Creek park was jammed with people.    Usually I might not like such a scene but today I loved it.

It was fun.   People from all walks of life, every age, every color, families, couples, groups, some fishing, some swimming, some motor boating or being pulled behind motor boats, jet skiers, and us kayakers and paddle boarders---all having a good day.

I just drifted along the side of the point across from Calkins, far side of it, looking at all the interesting things.   I found two fishing bobbers, with line attached.  I always clean up fishing garbage I find, because I feel for the birds that get tangled in it.  Besides, I make cat toys from those bobbers I find. 

These strings of lichen or moss look decorative and caught my attention.

There was weed growing almost everywhere under the water along the shores I paddled.  I reached down and pulled some up but it just look like grass to me.

I paddled over to a beach beyond Lewis Creek county park, got out, ate some trail mix, then laid out my straw mat and fell sound asleep very quickly.   I had my hat across my face to block the sun.  When I woke up I went for a swim.  Then I got back in my kayak and continued on down under the second bridge and on to Sunnyside.  The boat ramp was too busy for me to pull out my kayak there, so I found a branch along a steep bank and tied the kayak up to that.  Then I plunged into the water and swam to the boat ramp and walked up it.  I was looking for the former Waterloo camp hosts, to say hello.  I hadn't seen them since they were moved to Sunnyside.  It costs to go into Sunnyside.  I thought it was $7 but he said its now $9.  Yikes.   So the only affordable way to visit them is by water.

He was feeding peanuts to the squirrels, just like my brother does.  His wife has health issues.   We chatted awhile.  They're moving back home, to Kentucky, in September.   It was nice to see him.

I jumped off the boat ramp dock to swim back to my kayak.  I completely forgot I had my sunglasses and hat on.   Fortunately, they stayed put and I didn't have to dive for them.

I then got in my kayak and paddled across the middle Santiam, to start the return to Calkins boat ramp.  Sunnyside campground is on the Middle Santiam side of Foster and Calkins boat ramp is near the input of the South Santiam.  

  I saw what looked like maybe an upside down boat at the bottom.  I paddled backwards to get a better look and realized it was some kind of slime growth.   Then I realized it was also neon green and glows.  Yikes!  Looked like an alien.

The lakes are too warm, from this very hot July, and growing algae, some of it cyanotoxin.

The motor boat and jet ski wakes were huge as I struggled to paddle against the wind and through large waves and chop to get back to the boat ramp where my car was parked.

It was a workout.  I got my exercise in.

Back at Calkins, there were lots of boats trying to load or put in.  I just waited until there was an opening, to get my kayak out, loaded into the back of my car, which is easy, and came home---worn out.  

I had a great time!   

Oregon is on Fire

 There are fires all over the place now in Oregon.   

A lot of cherished spots are being closed as a result.

The  PCT is affected by a fire down near Diamond Lake (which is also near Crater Lake).   This fire has closed the PCT and many other trails.  (PCT stands for Pacific  Crest Trail).

There is a very large fire near Vale in eastern Oregon, called the Cow Creek fire.

There are a few small fires in our county, most just east of Sweet Home.   One just east of Green Peter Reservoir just closed off a large area with evac level 3 notices, but there are no homes in the evac 3 boundary area.  The sheriff just doesn't want hikers and off roaders and campers out there causing more fires and interfering with fire crews.

We may have more lightning this weekend, which might cause even more fires.

I have the three 7-11 colony kittens in my bathroom still.  I can't find any adoption groups with space for them.   Everyone is crazy full and fed up with the people who don't fix their pets and cause the problems.  It's ridiculous.

I hold them as much as I can.   Today I gave them a first 3-way vaccine each.  I usually would have done that much sooner.  Lazy, I guess.   They're wormed and flea treated.  They're also big enough to be fixed, if only I could find somewhere for that to be done that isn't deadly expensive.

So with them in my bathroom I can't go off camping.  It's really weighed me down to know I can't go.   My own fault for getting involved up there with that losing situation.   

They are starting to come out of their shells just a little.  Too bad that tenant didn't catch them when they were younger, would have been lots easier.   

These are the two boys.   Haven't even named them yet.   The black boy has a white chest spot and white on his belly.   The girl is all black except for a single white chest spot.

Anyway, hope the wildfire crews get the fires out fast.  They're usually pretty quick at it.

There's already also a cyanotoxin alert for the entirity of the North Santiam River clear up to Detroit Lake.   In 2018 this happened and Salem's water was deemed unsafe to drink as a result but since then, they built a better water treatment facility that is capable of killing off cyanotoxins (an algae).  They  don't close off recreation as a result of toxic algae, just put out alerts and people can decide whether to risk themselves and their dogs or not.   Very few waterways are ever tested.

Interesting Weather

 Yesterday was another scorcher, near 100 degrees.  

Then the power went out.    Yuk.   I guess about 2600 to 3000 customers were without power.

I was lucky to be one of them.   Just kidding.

The power going out here is not unusual sorry to say.  But it is rather uncomfortable when its as hot as it was.

I think it was about 9:00 p.m. it came back on.   It was just before total darkness and I was thinking I should either go to bed or get the lantern.

I don't really mind the power out.  Its nice and quiet.   Except the guy behind me and one house over roared up a generator.  That wasn't so nice and quiet.

There was a magnificent sunset too and the wind came up crazy.   I guess there was lightning some places, maybe here, but I did go to bed and missed it if the thunderstorm (dry) came over my place.

I had gone early up to Sweet Home to try for adults where I caught the kittens, but the adults are so trap shy and I can't get anyone to stop feeding long enough.   I gave the responsibility over to the former 7-11 manager, who lives there, but I don't think she understands or listened to me she should tie open her trap and feed in it first, to get them used to going in and out, then use a bottle and string to spring it.  I don't think she's that dedicated to it.  She could do that since she lives right there and feeds them.

The little boy rumpy manx kitten apparently has manx syndrome, no tone to his rectum, I don't know if he will survive long.  He spent the day at the vets yesterday, according to KKR, who had taken him same day I caught him.  I know he was badly impacted with stool.   So its rather imperative to stop the 3 adults there from breeding further and spreading those deadly manx genes.

I am very grateful to KKR for taking him on.  

Our weather is just not normal anymore.  We've been over 90 for a long time although today might be under that.    

Seems like its always something extreme in the summer now.

Old Starr is still hanging on, was laid out in the heat when the power was out yesterday and seemed to enjoy the add warmth in the house.

Vino, by the way, is almost over his cold, without medical intervention.  I'm happy about that one, for sure.  He's really wild.

They were all laid out yesterday, in the heat.  Fantasia up top, one of the original quirky sisters, Rogue and Cougie on the bottom.

Today is starting out cool, for a change, still not 70 degrees, and cloudy.  

More Kittens

 Friday I was at the lake all day again, although I thought it was Thursday all day.

This morning, very early, I headed to Sweet HOme, to try to catch the remaning kittens.  I had no idea how many there might be. Two were caught a couple weeks back, by a tenant.  My friend has Black Betty, the stumpy manx girl, and the tenant kept the other kitten she trapped.  This is the former 7-11 colony, whose survivors are now cared for by apartment tenants.

I arrived just after 5:00 a.m. and went to set a trap near the dumpster and kittens raced out of the fenced dumpster area across my shoes so fast I couldn't count them.

Turns out there were four.  I caught all of them in about two hours time.  Mom would not go into a trap and I spent two hours using her own kittens as bait to try to catch her. No luck.  She's only a few months older than they are.  I almost had her, at one point, when suddenly someone came out to throw something in the dumpster, then went straight to the drop trap, to see what was up with that.  I didn't even see her coming but mom did and ran back into the brush.

The kittens include another manx, like Black Betty, from same litter, now with my friends.  This one is a boy and a true rumpy manx---no tail at all.  The black and white one in the video is a boy too.

The other two are black, one boy, one girl, full tails.   But I have no good photos yet of that pair.

This is the big unfixed boy I still need to catch

And this is the mom of the six kittens, all now caught, but she needs caught and fixed.

I don't know if there are more kittens, from the other unfixed female,  who is all black.   A tenant has almost tamed her enough to get her into a carrier to go to be fixed.  We shall see.  My goal now is to catch the two black and whites, one a big male and the other the young female.  I had to give up trapping by 10:30 a.m. due to heat.  We are back in the mid to high 90's here.

I got home with the four kittens, and having had very little sleep the night before, set them up in the bathroom, checked sex on each (3 boys, 1 girl), gave each a couple drops of Advantage Multi, and went to bed for the afternoon.

Keithas Kitties stopped by late afternoon and took the little rumpy manx boy with them.  They are very familiar with manx syndrome and I felt good about handing him off, in case he has it.  

I was happy to get the kittens caught.  Breathing room I call it.  Any longer, before catching them, and they'd be tough sells to tame.   I'll get those black and white adults, soon too (I hope).

I'll be back on break tomorrow.  I just took a short vacation from my vacation.