Another week of crap (literally)

First it's snakes.... Huge live snake in the front yard, scared me half to death. Snake skins shed by the pool. Huge, long, yuck! I had the snake guy out to treat the yard this week. Hope it works (a repellant).

Now something is defecating in my swimming pool! Jeepers. Always at night. Last night, I was up at midnight... looking outside--- nothing...(I mean no animal no nothing in the pool) and up at 5 a.m., looked out and there was the evidence... poop in the pool. So between midnight and 5 a.m. some creature out there... 

Oh geez...

Pool guy said looked like a raccoon feces... Guess they have a habit of doing this. Pooping in swimming pools.

Feel like I'm in the country, not a city, with all this wildlife taking over my yard and pool... Snakes and raccoons.... not to mention the mosquitos are out in force.

So spent the day calling around to find a "wildlife removal" company and everyone who can come out with traps told me they have to euthanise it.... and I really don't want to kill a raccoon... just want it to not use my pool as its personal toilet.

Also no way to detour it, no scents or lights or sounds or anything to keep it away.... 

Finally found someone who swore they would humanely trap and relocate... thank goodness for that. (Swore me to secrecy as I guess it's against some local ordinance). Coming next week to set traps. 

So my pool is off limits until then for me and Kona (because of high bacteria levels), but not for the raccoon! Swimming out there nightly, doing backstrokes and pooping its heart out.  Oy. And pool guy said to clean it up daily, or my pool tile might be permanently stained. So out with a brush daily I guess...

Had to get a pee sample this week from Ripley, what a pain in the butt that was... Done. Had to drive that sample way across town, had a panic attack as the traffic was horrible and nearly had an accident... But mission accomplished.

And Ripley is fighting against taking daily medication... pills twice a day. First he was eating it in cheese (loves cheese) but now is suspicious of cheese.... (Tried pill pockets, he also hates those.) Had to shove the pill down his throat tonight.  And his cyst has regrown and still waiting to see what will happen next with him. They wanted to give it 3-4 weeks and re-test...

My life seems all poop and pee again....  De ja vu

Meanwhile, my father not doing so well, up north. On palliative care...

I am so stressed out....

Quick Ripley Update

Bloodwork came back indicating Ripley has hyperthyroidism...  Whoa, didn't know cats even got that. But that makes him too unstable to undergo surgery to remove that lump on his head. So now I have to give him medication (pills), twice daily, for 4 weeks and then they will re-check to see if the medication is working.  (This is going to be a PAIN IN THE ASS! Giving him pills.. grr)

Doctor said that hyperthyroidism is fatal in older cats (Ripley is 12+) if not treated. Medication should work. Should. Work.  (!) And if it does, he will have to be on it for the rest of his life.... oy

He may also have a UTI, so I have to get a urine sample...  Another Pain in the you-know-what

And he's allergic to something as he has a rash on his crotch...

Plus a broken tooth which is infected.... which should come out.

Oh boy. Was not prepared for all this. The cat doctor did stick a needle into that lump and out came black goo....  She doesn't think it's cancerous, but should be removed as it will probably grow back. 

Damn.... No good news here on the Ripley front.

Except everyone did think he was a "handsome fellow"! And they said what I thought, that Ripley is a "Ragdoll" cat (a rare breed). Love him, all 18 pounds of him!

So it will be a trying few weeks here.... And I am an extremely stressed out cat mom.

Ripley

I've been meaning to post other things, but tomorrow Ripley has an appointment with a cat specialist, as he has a growth on his forehead....  I am worried, scared and wondering how I will get him in that cat carrier and how he will react.... 

Do have a mobile unit (Cat Hospital on wheels) coming. Still have to get him out there. 

Damn I love him. Bob loved him. Worried sick.... You can see the lump on that picture between his ears...

It's going to be a traumatic day tomorrow... Wish us the best.

Neglected Things....

 

As my book "marinates" I've been catching up on some neglected things... this week deep cleaning the house! Including washing curtains...  I'm beat.

I finally painted the trim on the porch. When the carpenters rebuilt the French doors, they (for some reason) reinstalled them and painted the trim the wrong colour...  I'm probably the only one who noticed, but it's been bugging me for awhile... 

The correct way (historically speaking) is to paint the doors and window sashes a darker colour than the trim as this makes the house look more "inviting" and draws the eye inward.

And I bought new wicker chairs as the old one's were falling apart. Feels good to have a project done.