Crazy Cat Lady Chapter 4 - The Aftermath

beanielou

Nor me. My best boy is 19 3/4’s and would just break the cat flap if I tried to keep him in!! 

foxgloves

I heard the cat story on Radio 4 News this morning. It seems there is some evidence that humans can transmit Covid19 to cats (& I think a couple of dogs tested positive in China?) but not that it can be transmitted the other way from cats to humans. The thinking seems to be that outside cats could be stroked & fussed by people who are infected & may bring it indoors on their fur.
We are mitigating this by allowing our cat free access to the back garden, but should he find his way around to the front, where he does tart up to passers-by, we will fetch him back round.
I do hope this news story won't lead to a surge in people kicking their cats out or dumping them at shelters..... but as there seem to be people who think virus infections are caused by phone masts, I'll not hold my breath..... 
F x

f0xh0les

How about pretending this is the summer holidays (except Fridays obviously).  I have the feeling that tutors are going to be in demand even if the schools go back before the summer break - it is still possible, the last day is 14 weeks away. 

So maybe you could put it out there that you are  'a current exam paper super-marker'  available for tutoring sessions this summer. 

Do it on your terms. Have your summer break mentally now -  did you have plans for the holidays yet? (except the holiday). 

Try and take this time to chill, I know it is hard, and anxiety inducing, and plan all that you are going to do when all this over.  Make a wish list.  Have a bbq (are bbq chicken goujons acceptable to dS?). When my smalls were properly small, I would light my tiny cauldron bbq and put frozen onion rings on it, and one burger each and a cheapo bottle of pop and they were happy as Larry because they had had a bbq. They did not care what was on it, it smelled like a bbq and there was food. They sat on camping chairs (still not got a sun lounger!) It does not have to cost a lot. Eating outside is good for you, as is caveman cooking. Plus it is a silly thing to do when you have a perfectly good kitchen inside.

PS  gloss comes off cat fur eventually, and it is traditional to paint the bathroom at Easter.  I did it 4 years running, and it makes such a huge difference to the bathroom, as does 'a soddin' great mirror' hung horizonally.  Can really make a small space feel much bigger.   1KEA are going to do such good business after all this is over.  I dream of 1KEA and I can honestly say I have been once in 4 years.  I am a pervert

f0xh0les

Our local animal rescue has reported more animals being dumped since the virus. 7 rabbits found in a cardboard box in a hedge,  guinea pigs dumped in a box on a country lane, cats,  and dogs being tied up outside too.  Not just because of the potential virus transfer,  but because people on 0 hour contracts, cash in hand workers,  and the self employed suddenly jettisoned all non-necessary mouths to feed.  In the first week of lockdown. 

apple_muncher

What gets me is that they tested a tiger when there are humans needing testing... And who knows how many animals carry it anyway, as a normal part of their existence.

DawnW

Given that feline coronaviruses exist, and there is so much debate / discrepancies re the accuracy or otherwise of the various tests that are taking place all over the world, it seems feasible that some of these positive tests for cats could be due to feline coronavirus giving a false positive result, which might explain why they don't think that cats can pass whatever it is to humans.  I read something about this somewhere, regarding the zoo tigers that were ill and tested positive I think. Having said that, there are various ailments that cats can pass to people, although that is true of course of many animals. Food for thought, anyway. I too hope that people don't decide to abandon their pets based on what is at the moment only a vague possibility.

DawnW

f0xh0les said:

Our local animal rescue has reported more animals being dumped since the virus. 7 rabbits found in a cardboard box in a hedge,  guinea pigs dumped in a box on a country lane, cats,  and dogs being tied up outside too.  Not just because of the potential virus transfer,  but because people on 0 hour contracts, cash in hand workers,  and the self employed suddenly jettisoned all non-necessary mouths to feed.  In the first week of lockdown. 

That is very sad to hear, but unfortunately not surprising

crazy_cat_lady

There was an article on our local news last night about the increase in abandoned animals at shelters. I only watched part of it because I'm soft and things like that make me cry. I wouldn't dream of binning the cats off any more than my kids - they are part of the family too. I don't know if it's me, or the area I live in, but I am far more concerned about people seeing my cats out and about and taking matters into their own hands and hurting them (or worse). Anxiety central here in CCL household at the minute. I would laugh about it if I could get my head round it but I always used to tell the kids at school that I thought the bigger threat to the human race was something biological rather than terrorism or war - so my brain clearly can consider lots of possibilities.
Anyway - I didn't go for a walk in the end. Mr next door got his lawnmower out this morning, which made me feel like crying because we all know how much I love anything to do with work in the garden. He very generously didn't stop at the end of his boundary at the front and did part of ours too - up to the drive with the car on it. I decided I would have to get our lawnmower out and nag the kids to do something. Sounds easy - except our lawnmower hasn't been out for 3 years since I started paying someone to do our garden for us. Lawnmower in the outside cupboard underneath where the bathroom floor collapsed a couple of years ago and all the debris was still in there - so I cleared that out and got the mower out and untangled it. DD got up to mow the grass and I told her to put her shoes on, which she refused to do, so I told her that her socks would go green from cut grass which then led to dd saying she was no longer volunteering for grass duty and would instead taking over hoovering duty. So I did lawn mowing. Did the back garden - then went out the front and finished off the other half of the front on the other side of the driveway. Then decided that I would pay it forward as I was on and did the other next door's front lawn (they are in their 80's so won't be doing anything outdoorsy any time soon). It took me 45 minutes including the time to get the mower in and out of the cupboard, and my watch (and heart rate and beetroot coloured face) registered that as a good workout so I've decided that I don't now need to do any walking today. Might as well stay in as much as I can.
Sat in the garden with the kids for another hour reading books and enjoying the fresh air, and then came in and promptly dozed over on the sofa (too much sun and hard work I think). I've woken up feeling a bit groggy but I'm doing ok I think - tea required and ds job is now chief tea maker so I've just shouted for him.
I don't know what to do work/school wise with the exam money. I suppose I can offer myself as a tutor if people are wanting it - I don't have any plans for anything at the moment. Who knows when we'll get back to school and how things are going to change. I am just trying to relax and enjoy spending some time with my kids where I can... not thinking about money and spending, and not panicking about things that are months away and that I cannot control. I will survive somehow - I always do. I did offer the kids a BBQ f0xh0les but it was always going to be a non starter as I'm the only one that likes a BBQ. DS looked at me like I'd thrown up on his feet. They are quite happy to continue with oven baked golden food in the short term - which is all they're getting today after that exertion in the garden, and they will be making it for themselves. I will have a shake or something. I can't sit on my bum eating for the time we're off. 
It does feel like the summer holidays - strictly speaking it is the Easter holidays so I shouldn't be worrying so much about work as I am. However, I am mostly enjoying being able to potter around, and having time to do things like hang the washing out, cut the grass, sit with my kids and just relax in the sun. Would be nicer if I could see other people as well but it has to be this way in the short term doesn't it? It was a lovely hour this afternoon, the three of us out in the garden, and three of the cats out sunbathing with us. I'm hanging onto those nice memories as much as I can for the moment.
Hope everyone else is doing ok. 

f0xh0les

I am getting ridiculous amounts of pleasure from washing being on the line and the central heating not being on!!!  I have even turned the thermostat down to 10 degrees and nobody has noticed! ha ha ha ha !  Ambient heating and free drying. 

Sounds like you had a lovely day.  Well done for being the best neighbour.  They will remember that forever.

Tescodealqueen

f0xh0les said:

I am getting ridiculous amounts of pleasure from washing being on the line and the central heating not being on!!!  I have even turned the thermostat down to 10 degrees and nobody has noticed! ha ha ha ha !  Ambient heating and free drying. 

Sounds like you had a lovely day.  Well done for being the best neighbour.  They will remember that forever.

Me too! If it's sunny or blowy i search the house for something to wash!