I wish I could plant woody’s mother’s cat, Lady, and let her grow.  Those of you who have read this blog since early last year probably remember the drama of the long care facility where Woody’s mother is embedded.  They threatened to throw her out if she didn’t control the cat.  We were prepared to take the cat to a no-kill shelter up here after I failed to find a no-kill shelter that would take Lady in New Jersey, where Lady and my mother-in-law are located.  I made arrangements for a vet visit here and a plce @ CASAS when his mother called up screaming that we were stealing her cat.

The same thing happened last summer.  Now it’s crunch time.  Woody’s mother is so far into dementia it’s hard to communicate with her.  But she has been opening her door and letting the cat out into the general population of the elderly.  Some are scared of cats.  Since she sometimes forgets to feed the cat, it heads for the dining room. They are about to kick his mother out this time for sure if the cat isn’t gone..  They will seize the cat and send it to be euthanized within a week, if we don’t act.  Danny, Woody’s youngest brother, the only one who ever cleans the litter fox every week or so, is prepared to take away Lady whether his mother objects or not and meet us in Connecticut, almost halfway.  I am trying to find a no-kill shelter to take Lady.  The cat has done nothing wrong but be a cat and doesn’t deserve to be killed.  I can’t take a middle-aged cat in with my four rescues on guard. I will pay any vet bills necessary. 

We had the little party for Stephen’s and my birthday lastSaturday and it was a real feast. Then on my actual birthday, Sunday, Woody gave me presents and we ate great leftovers from the feast the night before.  This week, Woody and I transplanted seedlings I had started of two kinds of broccoli, two kinds of red cabbage and bok choi.  I started pattypan and straight neck summer squash and purple basil on Wednesday . Dale and I went to Ocean Job Lots Wednesday and then to Marion’s pies where I bought a seafood pie and he got a chicken pot pie.  The pies were as good as touted.  I’d been hearing about Marion’s pies for years but rarely get to Chatham.

The first daffodils are in bloom along with some crocuses and of course the witch hazel that has been blooming as usual since mid February.  Birds are arriving daily.  We began to hear spring peepers last Saturday.  It went down to freezing or a bit below twice this week but it doesn’t hurt the cole crops since they’re planted fairly deep and under agricultural cloth.  Every late afternoon around 5- 5:30, we turn on a little heater in the greenhouse along with heating pads under tender seedlings only.

I may have found a solution for Lady.  Details to be worked out, if possible.  Luckily I have a relationship with four shelters.   I called them all and CASASis amenable if we get the cat and have her shots, etc, up to date, which my vet will do.  I’ll pay for that and we’ll give a donation to CASAS.  I have made about 9 phone calls already and sent as many emails trying to find a safe place for Lady, so I’m hoping this new plan works. We’re trying to coordinate withDanny for him to seize Lady and meet us off 95 in Connecticut.

I had been contribauting for years to The Last Post but was shocked to learn that the self titled retirement community for cats [mostly from elderly people who can’t keep them, like my mother-in-law] won’t accept cats who have ANY of the problems that come with old age.  So that excludes most elderly cats.  The other shelters I have a relationship with take care of cats with problems. Cats who have been on their own for a while almost always have some problem to be treated. 

I lost a crown this week and had to go to the dentist on an emergency basis this week. She fixed it for me, meeting me on her day off and fixing it.  I am grateful to her. For 24hours nothing but soft food.  Not a problem.