Cloned dog

 Poor Skabby...

At the beginning of this year, he developed a hot spot while walking the Parkrun with Mum.. 

In my next post, I explain more about this debilitating condition and that he is now HEALED.

Praise God! One of the measures implemented to help him on the road to healing, was to fit him with a clone. Thank goodness Gavin, my neighbor, came across and fitted the contraption for me. I could not have done it by myself. 

Skabby adapted to wearing the clone immediately

The date was 28 January 2023.

 On 16 April 2023, I finally removed the clone.

I'm linking to Saturday Critters with Eileen, here 

To weigh or not to weigh

Good morning, dear Blogger friends. Many of you may know that I am an online Weight-Less Group Leader (which has become a form of life coaching in a big way) and I run Weigh-Less groups in town and in the Valley. 

I can hardly remember a time without my kitty, Georgie, at my side.

When  I weighed myself a week ago, he was there hands on   paws-on! 

This morning I had the scale on in my office and decided to weigh Georgie.  

And guess what? It just didn't happen! Every time I placed him on the scale, as I let go of him and aimed my camera at the LCD screen, he jumped off. 

Can you believe the CATTITUDE! 

Make me!

HERE'S WISHING YOU ALL A GREAT THURSDAY! 

Refletions by a canine photographic assistant

The image before we arrive at the dam 

My canine photographic assistant always obliges by jumping into the dam...

A hearty shake and tailwag at Mum's praising

HAPPY WEDNESDAY TO YOU ALL! 

Georgie update

 Good morning, dear Blogger friends. It's been a while since I've posted about my cats. As you know, I acquired a new kitten (by default) in June this year. 

Georgie is now a teenaged cat, growing in leaps and bounds. AND full of enery.

Yesterday as Skabby and I were in the garden, I heard a "knocking" sound on my glass door. 

Scooting up the reed curtain on my glass door

See Skabby's reflection in the window!

How come HE can be outside, and I can't? 

Georgie is still too small and FAR too adventurous to be outdoors on his own. Uh-uh.

On Friday I will take Georgie (and one of my friends, Colette's cats, Dennis) to the vet in Estcourt. As posted on this blog before, Georgie is known at this surgery. Last year I helped Colette and took Houdini for the "procedure".

I'm not sure when I will be confident enough to let Georgie out into the garden. But it will eventually happen. Let's get Friday over with first...

HAPPY MONDAY TO YOU ALL! 

The thickened plot continued

 Good morning dear Blogger friends. Georgy is in fine fettle and wreaking havoc on a daily basis. But oh so, lovable.

A week before the incident, I was in Estcourt on business and popped into the vet for worm meds for the three adult cats and Skabby. 

While chatting to the receptionists, (as you do) the door to my right opened. One of the vet's assistants walked in and I greeted him in Zulu. Then the exit door to my left opened and an elderly gentleman walked in. Elated I walked up to him and hugged him. It was my brother, Phillip who told the surprised ladies behind the counter that he thought he knew this lady. I said you've known me for 69 years. Possible stood on tiptoes as a five year old and looked into my cradle way back then!

The receptionists who know Philip well, greeted him and the lady serving me took a photo of us.

Phillip and I at the vet's surgery

A few days after Georgy's injury, I realized his eye was weepy. I popped into the vet in Winterton which is an agency of the larger business in Estcourt. The young receptionist there phoned through to Estcourt to ask a vet what ointment would be suitable for a cat as young as mine. She explained to the receptionist in Estcourt that Jo needed an eye ointment for a kitty that had been bitten by her dog. The lady on the other side of the phone asked her to find out from me if it was for Georgy. Which she did and which I affirmed. This information was passed on to the vet and he gave the name of an ointment for Georgy.

A week and some days later I was in Ladysmith at the vets rooms where Skabby is shaved and groomed twice a year. When I collected him, one of the Estcourt receptionists emerged from the rear office. She greeted me and looking at the now beautifully shaved Skabby, and asked: is this friendly dog the one who bit Georgy? 

Our area is definitely one big village!

HAPPY SATURDAY TO YOU ALL!

An update

 Dear Blogger friends. I seem to be always apologising for my lack of posting on Blogger. 

Three weeks ago as my alarm went off at 5am, Georgy (the precious new kitten) climbed onto my head . I took him and put him at my feet. I needed to snooze a little. The aunty cats were all still asleep on my bed as was Skabby, who sleeps on the floor beside my bed. Georgy climbed back onto my head and I put him in front of my still warmly curled body. He hopped off the bed and onto the dog. 

I heard the snap and felt the tension in the other cats which caused me to quickly switched on the light. Skabby was sitting up by now, looking suitably guilty. No sign of Georgy but I could hear him meowing pitifully from the other side of my bedroom. I quickly put Skabby outside and set about finding the injured kitten. I located him in the narrowest of spaces under my wardrobe. 

Cradling him while he cried piteously, I saw blood on the right side of his face. I placed him in my bathroom and closed the door. Then proceeded to get ready to take him to the vet - some 49km from my house. When I got into the bathroom,  it looked like a slaughterhouse. Georgy had been sneezing violently and shaking his head spraying blood all over the bath and surrounding tiles. 

I brought in one of my cat traveller cages, lined it with a towel and placed Georgy inside.  I phoned the emergency number at the veterinary clinic. The doctor on duty answered and had to ask several times who was calling as I could not get my mouth unclenched. When I explained what had happened, he said he'd be waiting for me at the clinic. 

I arrived around 7.45 where a few of the receptionists and two vets were standing. They all knew Skabby and commiserated with me saying they hoped the puddy cat would be ok.  The doctor dealing with my case, took me into his surgery, opened the cage and took the kitty out. His assistant held Georgy while the doctor examined the injury. He told me that the dog's teeth had missed the eye and not broken the jaw.  

While the vet fetched antibiotics and a painkiller with which to inject Georgy, the assistant let Georgy play with his hands. I asked him what gender the kitty was. To my delight, after a cursory glance, he pronounced Georgy to be a male kitty. 

The vets assistant, keeping Georgy calm after his traumatic experience

While I traveled home, several friends, whom I had told of my early morning drama, sent me voicenotes commiserating with me but reminding me that Skabby didn't mean to bite Georgy - he got a fright. I realized this as when we got home, Skabby reached up to see if Georgy was in the travel cage. 

 

This happened on a Friday. That day Georgy sleep the hours away in the sun on my bed. The whole weekend he was quiet - although he ate his juicy meat bits that evening. 

Asleep on my bed - the right cheek (visible) is where he suffered the injury - in fact showing very little damage

Later that day, Georgy sleeping with his feet resting on Mama

By Monday morning, with the resilience of youth, Georgy was his perky self again... Wreaking havoc, stealing Aunty Chappie's food and taunting Aunty Missy. 

AND snuggling up to Skabby at every opportunity.

No heart stopping story like this would be complete without showing the cause of all the commotion. 

Skabby, who never hurts a fly, let alone the household cats

However, nature being nature, I keep a strict eye and avoid any surprises between the kitties and dear Skabby.

HAPPY MONDAY TO YOU ALL! 

No excuse!

 Good morning dearest Blogger friends. I have no excuse (except work, work and more work) that I've not been on Blogger. However, here I am back again! 

In between, Skabby and I manage to take a walk on the farm. 

A newborn calf with mama

No matter the icy water, Skabby has a swim! 

Is this a good pose for your blog, Mum? 

This young lad is facing off the Sacred Ibis from a free meal!

Me and my dog watching the cows 

HAVE A WONDERFUL MONDAY!

New kid on the block

 Since losing dear Ambrose 14 months ago, I have had no desire to bring in a new cat. 

However, the sun was setting over the farm as always, on Thursday. Just the end of another perfect winter's day.

Or so I thought.

At 5.30, my neighbor, who is head of the primary school in town, drove up the farm road towards the gate. Just below the houses, she stopped as there were three kittens in the road. ** She got out of her car; two of the cats ran into the grassy paddock. The third one came up to her and jumped into her arms as she was bending down to pet it. 

With their large pack of 20 dogs, all she could do was to stop at my garden gate, phone me and ask me to come and take the kitty from her. 

When I got to the car, she was hugging it tightly. Nine loves cats but she cannot have one in her house. I said I would keep the kitty overnight and give it to my friend, Coletten on Friday. Nine drove back down the drive where she had asked her husband to see if he could catch the other two cats. 

I brought the rescue into my cottage and within half an hour, Nine knocked on my door. It was dark and the other cats had climbed under a farm trailer, so they had to abandon the search. She spent quite a while cuddling the rescued cat, already quite at home on my bed and then wished me good night. 

Of COURSE !

I DID NOT TAKE THE CAT TO COLETTE

The new kitty

72 hours later - it's firmly ensconced in my household and is here to stay.

Asleep on my shoulder

Favorite place? ON MY PILLOWS!

Lotsa toys to play with

It's a very confident little cat

I'm not sure of its gender, so it has no name yet. Nevertheless, it has settled in and taken over. 

To introduce the kitten to Skabby, I held it at his face and told him it was a baby kitty. And not to be rough. Skabby, the gentle giant, gave it a sniff and lick and accepted it as part of our family. Good boy Skabby!

The three resident felines? Uh-oh. Mama and Chappie stormed outside in a huff and have been watching proceedings from under a shrub in the garden.

Missy? Well Missy, muttering words like imposter, not acceptable, unbelievable, wrapped a small bag of kibbles and her favorite Shawn the Sheep toy, in her cuddly blanket, tied it to end of the a stick and with it over her shoulder, stalked off into thickets at the bottom of the garden. At last count, she was seen camping out on top of the cowshed roof. ##

Bloggers note(1): ** Thandi tells me that the local folk often dump unwanted cats on the side of the road. At least, these perpetrators had the forethought to dump the young cats near human habitation. 

Blogger note(2): ## While the three older cats are NOT impressed with the new kitten, they do come indoors at night. Whereas before all three slept on my bed, now Mama and Chappie find other warm spots in the house to sleep. Missy still sleeps on the end of my bed but growls (yes, growls) incessantly. 

So that is where we are at in the Hedges menagerie. 

HAVE A GREAT SUNDAY

Saturday walk and critters

 Good morning dear Blogger friends. Once again, I have been absent. But here I am back again.

Skabby and I have managed several walks here on the farm. Most times we see something different. But, always,  we see interesting things.

This mama cow warned Skabby not to come any closer - note his wariness! 

Further along, Skabby sniffed out a newborn calf sleeping in the grass

Along the road we saw this seed-loaded trailer stuck in a rut

Vick brought a tractor to pull it out

A Lab will always test the waters; the muddier the better

Skabby has imprinted the dam over the years: it's HIS dam! 

Red-knobbed coot on the dam

On the way back, we stopped to photograph the cows against the mountain peaks with snow

I'm linking to Saturday critters with Eileen here

HAPPY SATURDAY TO YOU ALL! 

Bovine wisdom

 

Lying down to avoid the chilly air

HAPPY WEDNESDAY TO YOU ALL! 

Cats doing what cats do best!

Good morning dear Blogger friends. As indicated in my previous post, the mountains are quite white with snow, making the surrounding areas cold. 

As always the cats in the Hedges household, have it made. During the night, on an electric blanketed bed. (the yoomen squished in somehow at the top) and during the day in a sun puddle. 

Nocturnal bliss 

Missy: butter wouldn't melt in her mouth when she returns from her escapades in the garden and rests on the sunny bed

And an update on Papa living with my brother, Philip in his pet hotel! 

Papa enjoying a glorious sunny winter morning

HAPPY SUNDAY TO ALL PET SLAVES OUT THERE!