weirdest job to date

Saturday I started a new job. The people I was working for called me last year to care for their one cat, Minnie. I never saw Minnie, but I cleaned up after her and fed her for the 20 or so days her humans were away.

This year the humans added two more cats to their happy family, Bailey and Springsteen.

I show up Saturday morning to feed and clean the kitty litter box. I could not find the scooper for the kitty litter, so I had to postpone cleaning it for a day while I grabbed my extra scooper from home. (I have to remember to keep it in the car for just these occasions).
Minnie was still in hiding that first day. It is her nature to be the shy one. Both Bailey and Springsteen were out and came to greet me.

The next day (Sunday), I show up, and there are no kitties in sight. Kitties will be kitties, and are notorious for having wonderful hiding places. I was not concerned. I cleaned the kitty litter box with my scooper (I found theirs on this day!), fed the "hungry monkeys" and changed the water.

Monday morning. No cats in sight again. I can deal with that, however, the food doesn't looked touched, and the kitty litter box wasn't used at all. Hmmm. This is strange. Three cats and not one of them ate, peed or pooped? Weird! I called the humans at the number they left me, and got the voice mail. I asked them if anyone else has access to the house, becasue this is just plain weird. They did not return my call.

Tuesday morning. The food doesn't look touched, although a few morsels were on the floor near the dishes. Kitty litter box is still unused. No cats in sight. For the second day in a row, I searched the house and could not find a cat anywhere. I looked in closets, under beds, opened every door. I checked the windows and doors. There is no way that I can see where these cats could escape the house. So where the hell are they? I left another un-answered message on the humans voice mail.

Today is Wednesday, and I still have not seen a cat. But today the food was gone. All the food was gone. And the water dish was really dirty. Almost like a racoon who was dipping their food in the water before eating it. There was a box near the food dishes that had been overturned, spilling the contenets all over the floor. "Someone" was there, but "someone" had still not used the kitty litter box.

Hmmmm. Where ARE these cats? Is one part raccoon? Perhaps they are all Houdinis, hiding off in the corner and having a good laugh while they watch my hair turn whiter with worry by the day. Maybe I am just crazy, and in need of another vacation?

To Name an Angel

I fell in love yesterday at my local pet shelter. If I survive the next two days of temperatures in the 100's, with heat index reaching 115, I think will return to adopt this cute little girl. Her name, at present, is Rochelle. She was found on the shelter's doorstep in late June, so not much is known about her. They estimate her age to be ten years old.

She looks alot like a very tiny version of the best cat ever, Aunt Sue, who passed away in Feb. She even has the freckles on her nose like the Sue had.

Thinking about changing her name, since "Rochelle" hasn't been her name for long. My first idea was "Aunt Ruth," to honor both the late great Aunt Sue, and a favorite aunt of mine, that passed away several years ago. However, I am also considering "George" as a name, short for "Georgette." I have known two men in my life named George, both were extraordinary men, very special to me.

The more I think about it, the more I like "George" as a name. It's only one syllable. And Aunt Sue was one of a kind. Do we really need another "Aunt" in our lives? Not to mention I have a sister named Ruth, who might think I named it after her.

I LOVE ORANGE TABBIES, especially when they are female.

[Note: for those of you who don't know--female orange tabbies are a rare breed. in order to get an orange female, both parents need to be orange.]