OS Singlies - We Do It Our Way!

RosiePuddingPaws

Byatt so sorry to hear of the poor cat. I tend to ask for a home visit when it is time for the final vet appointment. Unfortunately the last one I got a vet I'm not keen on and it was very distressing as she hurt my cat. I was trying to avoid any stress for her but it didn't work out. For planned visits to the vet I make sure I don't get that vet. Even though it was, thankfully, not Polo, be gentle with yourself for a while as it is still upsetting.

Sorry, also, to hear about the ongoing issues with your DD. As you say, best to stand back for a while and let someone else try and sort things out.

Holiday planning is exciting but what a decision to have to make. Italy has all those beautiful places (well they look great on tv!) and wonderful food. Greece, again, looks beautiful in a different way. Nice dilemma to have though. When do you hope to go?

I need to sort my holiday (supposed to be going early September) but am not sure what to do with the cats. If it was just my original two, they are settled enough in the house that I would probably get someone in to feed them and keep an eye on them (and remove any dead visitors!). Its the two new ones I'm not sure about. They have only been here for nearly five months so I'm not sure whether it would be better to put them into a cattery for the duration. Does anyone have any thoughts on this? My family aren't cat people so they don't understand the problem, but I know many of you will.

Another hot day here again. I love these sunny days and sitting in the garden in the evening, but don't appreciate the lack of sleep as it is just so warm overnight. It was 29 degrees in the office yesterday and it is supposed to be warmer today. Have dug out my thinnest summer dress but know it will a very hot and sticky day.

RPP

LavenderBees

Hi RPP,

For cat cover, my advice would be to go with what you are comfortable with, and that is within your budget, of course.

I sympathise hugely, as all my 3 cats are at different life stages, and eating different foods, as well as the anxious one needing meds, so the cattery is the place for them, even though I look at my frail old boy, bless him, and hate the thought of disrupting him from his comfy bed. But the cattery have looked after him well for 10 years or more, so that is the place for him until...well...until...

I've had a pet sitting upset to deal with this week as my teenage pet sitter that I booked 7 months ago for my Sept holiday had her Mam contact me to say she might not be able to do it. :eek:. I've insisted they honour their commitment to me, and the teenager has confirmed today that she will be, but even so, I've felt so sick all week, and earlier this week started drafting in people like Calico to pop in on my chooks just to double check. Which is ridiculous really. I'm confident that the teenager will do a good job now she has confirmed she will turn up, so we'll muddle through this holiday, but I'm not impressed, and too panicked to think of using her again afterwards.

Byatt has found me a local pet sitter, and I've just rung her to ask her if she is willing to do a day so I can assess if I'd want to use her for future. Whilst I vowed on Sunday when this all blew up, that I'd never go away again, that's probably a tad unrealistic .

If this professional pet sitter seems as professional as her website then I plan to use her in future for the chooks. Expensive eggs, definitely, but peace of mind is worth it! The point of a holiday is to relax, not worry about how the pets are getting on hundreds of miles away.

So, am waiting for the professional to ring me back and will take it from there, but with the help of some peeps like Calico, we'll get through the already booked holiday and then know I'm sorted for future.

gotta go ...bloomin work calling

LB xx

Byatt

RPP, I will PM you

calicocat

Byatt wrote: »

RPP, I will PM you

Is Byatt going to cat sit for RPP????....yay if she is.

It's a nightmare isnt it with the stress of pets when you are away. I spent years never going away as couldn't put my last dog into kennels, and he was a bit of 'character' shall we say, so if he didn't like you nothing was going to change that. Eventually a friends daughter did it and that worked out well....she 'got' him, and they were friends.

One time I was going away for a weekend, friends were going to go to mine after work to pick him up from mine to go to their house. He loved them, loved their cats and dog....but could they get him out the house??.....he did a sit-in on the bed for 36 hrs and refused to move....growling at them etc.

I think they finally got him out. Few hours before I was returning......lol. In future, I used to take him to their house, so he didn't think he was being stolen......lol.....and then he was fine.

No way was he leaving his house without his mum knowing and being there......bless.

My cat has always been house sat by friends or neighbours , I have moved so now don't have anyone here I would majorly trust.......so so far, for me to feel ok about going away I would be drafting in the Byatt......and I already know Asbo is cool with her.


I already have plans for a treat for the girls when LB is away.....i'm going to make fruit and veg string 'kebabs' to hang from the run. ...........a mix of all sorts once I know what is ok for them to have. So far i'm thinking cabbage, corn, different melons as maisie liked the one I took last time, maybe strawbs, kiwi, and pear....etc. If they can have all that stuff.

And if the weather is ok...cut my lawn for grass for them.


Right....off to work folks.

LavenderBees

calicocat wrote: »

I already have plans for a treat for the girls when LB is away.....i'm going to make fruit and veg string 'kebabs' to hang from the run. ...........a mix of all sorts once I know what is ok for them to have. So far i'm thinking cabbage, corn, different melons as maisie liked the one I took last time, maybe strawbs, kiwi, and pear....etc. If they can have all that stuff.

And if the weather is ok...cut my lawn for grass for them.

Hmmmm... that little lot is going to cost you a small fortune and the girls really are very happy with the cheapest green leaves (whole cabbages hung), as well as corn on the cob hung up (the absolute fave :T).They like all different melons but they must be cut in half...not small pieces...that way they stay robust for all the pecking they endure. Once something becomes dirty on the floor, they aren't interested.

Strawberries - don't bother, they aren't interested at all. Grapes...likewise...have never tried them with kiwi and pears but they must be very soft or they won't be able to get at them.

I don't think "kebabs" will work, tbh, as they are so rough (the girls not the kebabs!) that I think any little pieces would fall and be trodden on, rather than eaten. What is a real treat for them is something hung that keeps them occupied and stimulated for a long time as they try to catch it when it swings around, like the cabbages/sweetcorn

You could try hanging a soft pear, but also bear in mind wasps!! So, I'd rather you stuck with stuff the wasps won't like really.:eek:

Sorry to pour cold water on the kebab idea, maybe adapt it a little and then the girls will love you for ever (as will I :rotfl:)

LB xx

P.S. Cut grass = perfect :T

Sorry - further edit - meant to mention that avocado pears are poisonous to them so...definitely not those.

RosiePuddingPaws

LB - it occurs to me that Calicocat is going to spoil your girls and then they won't be happy with the cheapest cabbage any more! I must admit I would be wanting someone to double check on them now that your "reliable" sitter has shown she may not be quite so good. Still, I have learnt something today - I didn't know avocado pears were poisonous to chooks. Not sure when that snippet of information will come in useful though!!

Still trying to decide what would be best for my tribe.

So glad it is Friday. I only have half a day at the oven, sorry office, before working at my second job in the afternoon. Unfortunately the parentals are threatening to visit this weekend. Could do without that but couldn't think of an excuse quickly enough.

RPP

calicocat

Well I have just got in from the oven....no I mean work. I have spent most of the time dripping wet and carrying a fan everywhere I go to plug in next to me.


The uncles chooks loved the fruit 'kebabs'..but thinking about it they did have and area that was stone flagged too, so it wouldn't have got muddy. They all used to be standing in a row pecking and chomping away together on the one same 'kebab', you hang them in a horizontal fashion......looked hilarious on the photos.

I'm more bothered about what is needed to be done if 'broody-bum' gets broody again and starts beating the others in.


Right, off to shop, and then later..........bed.....my lovely bed.

JustKeepSwimming_2

Byatt - what a horrible experience at the vets . I cried buckets when I had to have one of mine put down years ago (was heavily pregnant with DS & it was a very hot summer) but the vet came to my home, & I was able to have her on my lap (the cat not the vet ). Much better for all of us.

Its at holiday time that I'm glad I only have the cat-that-thinks-hes-mine - I can leave him a big bowl of biscuits & water, leave the tiny window open & let him fend for himself. If he pigs out on the biscuits then he'll have to go to one of his other homes to be fed until I get back home :rotfl:

Hope everyone is still enjoying the sunshine - I'm hoping it holds for the next 5 weeks at least. Also hoping to see some photos of the girls eating their kebabs (or whatever is rigged up for them).

Not done a lot this week, so I feel as if I've wasted some of my precious holiday, but I guess I just needed time to rest too. Still waiting for the second freecycler to turn up & collect bikes, & then I can finish the shed. Also still waiting for DD to sort her darn bedroom out - she is soooo untidy, but in that teenage way it doesn't bother her in the slightest :mad:.

We have had words about her new clothes being strewn around the floor, & she has broken her kindle by stepping on it, but again, she just isn't bothered. I'm at a bit of a loss trying to deal with her TBH - she's in that vile stage where everyone (but especially me) is an utter irrelevance to her & is treated with contempt. I've tried asking nicely, explaining why she can't do certain things, warning her that there will be consequences but nothing seems to reach her.

This is one of the times when I find being a singlie hard - if I spoke to my ex (her Dad) it would only be proof of my carp parenting skills in his eyes. None of my friends are single parents, & their way of dealing with issues it to get the other parent to sort it all out if they've failed - not really an option here. Still, I must be doing something right as she is certain she doesn't want to go & live with her Dad :rotfl:

I shall continue to recite "This too will pass" & remind myself she can't be vile forever

Have a good day y'all :T

calicocat

My friend has a 'vile-child'....well that is one of her many names, but generally the one that has stuck throughout the various stages.

She is 16 now, and a nightmare, her mum is a singlie too, and it IS ruddy hard. I have spent many an hour talking , laughing, crying, plotting, discussing how to make voodoo dolls and pinch some of her hair.........you name it....we have talked through the scenario. It eventually got to the stage where I became a bit of the good cop/bad cop all in one on a few occasions as my friend was just destroyed with it at one point and she needed someone to step in and help/ take over and refuse to accept/allow her to behave like that.

You have my sympathy.....and i'm not even a parent but can see how hard it is and just don't know how you guys do it at times...but I guess it doesn't happen over night....you grow with it.

One of the many mantras I had for her was...............wait for it...............and it isn't particularly nice but you might find it helpful or funny (my friend works in psychiatry too so we are both warped)..... ....... ... "my child is spawn of Satan. I shall not give in. My child is spawn of Satan, I shall not give in.......my child is spawn of Satan, I shall not give in...."

You keep saying this until you are on the floor laughing, or too tired so give a fig anymore.



Her daughter at one point decided 'daddy' was suddenly the better option......that lasted weeks.



Also.....sometimes, when you are a parent, it's difficult if not impossible to take that 'head' off....and put the teenager one on. As a non-parent, I was often saying to my friend....."yep but how were you at this age"...or.."thats normal, that memory must have gone at the same time as the placenta"....etc.

She is most certainly Vile however at the moment, no denying that, but I think when things get so tough, it's easy to just bundle all the hard to deal with behaviour together, and difficult to separate the bits that are not acceptable/OTT...and which bits are actually just normal and will hopefully go in time.

You will get there in the end, one way or another, it is hard slog though....so feel free to rant away on here about it to let off steam.

Byatt

My DD is caught between the terrible 2's and teenage horror, every time I think she's coming out of it, I'm hit hard across the face with a wet fish :rotfl::eek:

Support swooped in this week and the bunns are going (somewhere she can see them, I would like to see them one last time too, as they were my grand babies ), she's not happy but has not even tried to make things better. Support are also seeing me next week for my perspective. I refused to attend meeting DD (and gf) would be there, mostly because I'm so upset and angry and would probably aggravate matters, but also because she has told me to leave her alone. We've hardly spoken in 2 weeks and after 10+ calls a day usually, it's amazingly peaceful for me. Naturally I'm sad, but mostly because it's such a god awful mess, and she keeps doing the same thing over and over, I feel that enough's enough. Felt horribly ill but still being positive and not succumbed to my bed for the duration!! :T

JKS, don't underestimate the power of "The Rest"...it's never wasted. :A

I'm looking after chooks in a couple of months, so may try a kebab method if it's dry. They love raspberries and grapes and melon...I usually spend a small fortune trying out things. :cool: