a99kitten's Musings

Last weekend, I went outside to take care of my kitty Gypsy. She lives in a big outside kitty house with kitty trees, shelves to jump on, etc. She used to live inside with her brother Jack. Then we got Angelus. He would chase the cats but generally left them alone once they jumped up into one of the trees or out of his way. Then we got Storm. Storm’s addition to the pack turned Angelus’ wolf/pack instinct on BIG time. BIG time. They would chase the cats. So every day when I got home, I would go inside, put the cats away in our home office, and then bring the dogs in (who always went to work with me). Then at night, would bring the dogs into the bedroom and put up the puppy gates, and then let the cats out to have the run of the house at night. Then in the AM – they got put away and the dogs were out in the house as I got ready for work. Rinse/Repeat. Every day.

Then when I was out of town and husband was in charge of this schedule for a day or 2, he let the dogs in before the cats were secured. They instantly found Jack and, as husband described it, acted just like wolves and chased/tag-teamed Jack and Angelus grabbed his butt in his mouth and Storm grabbed his front end in his mouth. All the while Jack was scratching at Storm’s face and Storm did not care. This all happened in like 3 seconds and then husband picked up both dogs by the scruff of their necks and they dropped Jack who ran into the closet and likely began plotting everyone’s deaths…or at least whose stuff he was going to pee on first.

Husband told me this and I freaked. He said we needed to find the kitties a safer home. I was sad about this as I had Jack before I had husband. But they weren’t safe here and that was not fair to them. At the same time, trying to find 2 kitties a home is pretty hard. And I was not just dropping them off at a shelter. That was not an option.

In the meantime, husband drove to Fresno or some such inland hellhole and bought a cat house. No – not a whore house. An actual cat house that you build – they supply all the pieces. He brought it home and had it built in the backyard over a weekend.  We put 2 cat trees in as well as various levels of beds in there. And moved the cats out there.

It made me sad. And I still feel like a cat mom failure.   Jack died 2 years ago. This left Gypsy alone and this made me feel even worse. She really belongs inside with someone who will let her cuddle and luxuriate around the house. Maybe even in bed.

I try and visit and spend time with her every day. Sometimes it’s just to check her food and water and a quick pet. Sometimes I hang out and just pet her. Still not the same though.  She needs a new Mom.

But she has always been on Advantage. And the dogs have always been on Frontline. I have literally NEVER seen a flea inside the house or on any of my animals EVER. Not ever.

Then, last Sunday, I went outside to spend more time with Gypsy than a quick pet and food check. I swept her floor and cleaned her water fountain (we ran power down there from under the house and she has a running-water fountain.)

I usually let the dogs out in the backyard while I do this, as they like to sniff around. Especially Angelus who likes to sniff around for critter scents.  We all went inside and upstairs. I went outside to the top deck to pet Storm and saw like 10 fleas all around his face. ARGH! ARGH! I was thinking it was the beach or something weird as we had just returned from Mavericks before I went out and saw Gyspy. I took a pot of water and a brush out on the deck and brushed and picked every flea off Storm – drowning them in the water. Since he is white and half naked, this was fairly easy.

I still was thinking this was beach related and went back outside to put the freshly washed and dried blankets back into Gypsy’s beds and then I saw my pants were covered in fleas. ARGH!!!!! ARGH TIMES 100000000!!!!!

I dropped everything. I tore all of Gypsy’s beds and blankets out and threw them onto the deck.  I ran inside, ripped my clothes off and threw them all into the shower and closed the bathroom door. I changed and wrapped everything into a large towel and then started a laundry cycle of my clothes, then the dog beds in the bedroom (that I had to run by) and then rewash all of Gypsy’s stuff in hot water, double rinse and then hot dryer.

Meanwhile, went upstairs and checked the dates on the dogs Frontline and Gypsy’s Advantage. The dogs had just gotten their Frontline applied about 2 weeks ago so if any fleas bit them, they would definitely die. But Gypsy’s Advantage was due in a few days so I went ahead and did it early. Same thing – they had to bite her to die. These things aren’t repellant. They are supposed to actually work longer than a month though so there was NO reason they wouldn’t be working.

I researched stuff online as I did not want super poisonous stuff around any of them but wanted some kind of spray to use outside. White vinegar supposedly repels/kills them but otherwise, you needed to buy stuff. I used some white vinegar in the laundry but pretty sure the hot water and laundry detergent was probably fine.

I then had to brush and pick off fleas from Angelus. Angelus has 2 thick coats. He is the fluffiest beast I know.   Excellent. I was wiping a cloth with white/vinegar and water on him as well as picking the fleas off and drowning them. They were concentrated on his face and paws. Same as Storm.   I know they were poking around behind our shed while we were down there and I think the fleas have come from critters in the yard. We have a family of either raccoons or skunks living under the house. I hear them sometimes and Angelus knows there is something under the deck as he tries to dig under there if left alone in the backyard. Which is why he is not allowed.

So off I went in search of a natural flea repellant and killer. It uses peppermint oil and other oils that apparently fleas hate. Turns out Pet Club had it. As I was looking at the various products they had (a whole aisle) I overheard the worker telling 2 women about flea control. He is describing the benefits of Frontline and other topical stuff for dogs. But then he is adding how the fleas need to bite the dog to die. So you need a repellant in addition to the topical. I have never had to use this. I guess the coastside has fewer fleas because it’s never really warm enough for them to thrive. And Tahoe has no fleas. Another reason to live there.

Anyway, he says to them “the stock market has been down almost 1000 points lately. Do you know what this means? It means people lost a lot of money. Then you have people who have lost their jobs. This means they have no money. You know what they give up? Pet care. And not food – but flea control.”  I think to myself “Ok, CNBC market commentator/Pet Club guy? Really?” But Ok…he’s not wrong either.

He goes on to say we might put topical control on your pets, but others may not. And then think of all the dogs your dogs meet and play with at the beach or in the park, or the cats that go through your yard, or the wild animals that do, and all those animals could carry fleas. And the fleas will be there until they bite your pet. ARGH!

So I bought the carpet powder, the spray for the beds and the dogs and then the spray for outside.  I HATE bugs. HATE. And fleas and ticks are on the top of that list.  So I wanted to use everything I could to get rid of them. It smells a bit but the dogs didn’t seem to care when I put the spray on my hands and them rubbed in into their fur.

So then this morning, I went out and sprayed all of Gypsy’s trees and then all around her house. I get inside and see about 5 fleas on me. ARGH!!!!!!!!! Because let’s be real here – all of the animals are flea protected and I just sprayed repellant on everything so if you were a plea – where would YOU jump? ARGH!!  I freak out once again (please be aware how much I truly I HATE bugs. Hate them. In a kinda sorta completely irrational kinda way hate. I would rather a bear was in my house eating all the food in my fridge.)

So I tear all my clothes off and throw them in the washer and turn on the hot water cycle and then go change. And then realize my iPhone was in my pocket. I yell out loud NOOOOO! And run to the washer. It was full. With hot water. And I stuck my hands in the hot water searching for the phone. Found it. On the bottom of the washer. And my right hand/lower arm seem a bit scalded. Phone is done. So I need to go buy one on Monday. Driving over the hill and getting annoyed by tourist traffic to do it over the weekend will just be rubbing salt in the wound.

So the fleas have cost me $80 worth of flea products. $400+ for the new phone on Monday and a ton of stress and time. The money is an annoyance. The stock market took far, far more of my money this week. But the stress pissed me off.  And the feeling of ARGH upsets me. I will now go through another day thinking bugs are on me and mentally freaking out.

This could have been an episode of I Love Lucy. This seems like a ridiculous Lucy and Ethel kind of situation. So Happy Birthday Lucy. You wear 100 well.

And yes, fleas, and the people that might not use flea control, are the scourge of the Earth to me today. Fuckers. Obviously wild critters who just happen to get fleas can’t be blamed. And I can’t go around buying them all Frontline. THAT would be a good Lucy episode though. Or maybe more Laverne & Shirley.

Sigh. Is it too early to open a bottle of wine?