anonymous may be right

[susandennis]

I have a reader who routinely tells me that I am torturing Biggie and that I am the worst cat parent on the face of the earth and that Biggie deserves so much better. The reader, of course, does not have the nerve or self respect or respect for me to identify so leaves the insulting comments only as anonymous.

I covered the foam I got at Home Depot yesterday to raise the TV, with cloth. On all sides and it was positioned so that it would be very hard for him to get to anyway. But, this morning I discovered he had gotten to it, gotten past the fabric and chewed/clawed two corners.

Yep. Not even 6 months after his last surgery, here we are again. He seems fine and was quite interested just now as I completely dismantled the whole thing and shut the foam up in the half bath. He scarfed down his treats this morning so he's still eating. I have a note into the vet to see if there is anything we can do to help prevent another surgery.

I really should not have even tried it. Hindsight. fuck.

Right this minute, he is eating his kibble with relish which is a good sign, I hope. And he hasn't tried to bite me since yesterday. This cat is going to kill me or bankrupt me or both.

I had no plans for today so that will be turned into Monitoring Biggie. Sigh.

And, I'll be moving that foam to the dumpster. Also in all the TV movement, the bedroom TV no longer turns on so I'll be fixing that. The Mariners start a four game series with Boston tonight that will be interesting and, I hope, fun (as in Mariners win).

Wyze has updated Robby's software and hardware to fix the drunken living room problem of yesterday but I haven't gotten the update yet. I'll be monitoring that as well.

What a bummer of a day so far. At least, as promised, it is cloudy and will be cooler today.


EDIT: Vet just called. We're going in at 11 for a Better Safe Than Sorry Visit

Comments

[galebird.livejournal.com]

Was it a lot he got out of it? Not a lot of debris on the ground? I feel your pain. I hope that whatever may have been ingested is able to just pass through the pipe easily. Hopefully at worst that you need to do is bring him in for an x-ray and potentially a scope. Friend recently had to have their cat endoscoped so they could remove THIRTY (30!) hair ties from her stomach.

It's an 8lbs cat!

In other words: Many of us understand what you are going through and that Biggie is a young, mischievous cat. This anonymous dingbat is exactly that — a dingbat.

[susandennis]

OMG 30 hair ties. That does make me feel a bit better :)

Not a lot of debris but also not a lot chewed off. AND it's not the pool noodle kind of foam but more the kind that you can squish with your fingers and it stays squished.

And yes, please, just poop it through. That's a great plan.

[galebird.livejournal.com]

Yeah. I had so many questions and I asked exactly 0. The feline in question has recovered after a week of being pissed off any of it happened to her. No word as to whether or not the hair ties are now under lock and key. The poodle with the whole tuna can is still my top favorite "wtf did this animal eat and survive eating" story but 30 hair ties cat is a close second.

[lenine2.livejournal.com]

Who knows what would have happened to Biggie if you hadn't taken a chance on him and Smalls? He has a great life. You have seen to that. I will hope for the best and that everything comes out in the end.

[mairi-dubh.livejournal.com]

Torturing Biggie? Very hard to understand such a statement (by them, I mean, not you repeating it to us.)

We resorted to a stack of books to get the indoor antenna raised enough that it would actually do its job.
We're okay with that, but if you a) wanted a project and b) were in the mood for some artsy-craftsy stuff, you might use, instead, two stacks of very cheap books from the Goodwill or the dollar store (where you might be certain of getting multiple copies of a given title which in turn would allow you to feel certain both stacks are exactly the same height if the stacks themselves are duplicates of each other.)
If you were then feeling further artsy-fartsy and are someone amused by this sort of thing, you might also turn a book or one of the stacks into one of those "hidden safe" thingies, just to have it and just to enjoy knowing that the secret storage compartment is there even if you don't use it.

OR, you might go back to Home Depot or Lowe's or wherever, and this time buy scrap lumber from the scrap bin (it'll have a spray paint mark[er] on it) and have it cut to the lengths you need. Screw the layers together, paint them or cover them with fabric and put your television on them.

OR, if these would be tall enough for your purpose (they are usually displayed looking like a short stack of books) there are "books"---wood, hollow, one cover is the hinged lid---available at Hobby Lobby or other craft stores (probably Michael's but I don't often go there because Hobby Lobby is closer and has lower prices); found in the section of the store which has the unfinished wood "turnings," I think they're called, such as furnishings for little doll's houses, or Christmas tree ornaments (perhaps in season), or beads, or wooden eggs (for painting or decoupaging or such.) From what I've observed, however, pre-made stacks of "books" aren't inexpensive and they have to be finished. I've seen some very cleverly done things along this line, but the folks who are into it must love it.
I've never been moved to spend the time on it that such a project needs.

My reasoning behind all of this is, that Biggie wouldn't chew wood---would he? Or cardboard and paper?
Then again he might. I have a cat who'll use his claws on anything that feels right to him and if it's in a vertical position how much more to his liking!

Can your vet recommend any sort of a deterrent, something harmless but repugnant-tasting? The only thing that comes to my mind would be hot red pepper spray or oil, which I use in the garden to discourage nibbling by rabbits, mice, squirrels and so on, but there's no guarantee that he wouldn't first get used to it, just like we can get used to those Scovill units in the capsaicin, and then actually to enjoy it.

ETA: Just recalled having seen, literally decades ago, used as either doorstop or book ends, those big cinder blocks, covered with hand-embroidered fabric. The ones in the photo looked folksy but also nice and attractive---certainly better than the naked cinder blocks.
Whether you did the hand-embroidery or painted it or left the fabric, presumably already decorative, just as it came from the store, wouldn't matter if this serves your purpose.
Or, what about paving stones, gussied up?

[sherlock999.livejournal.com]

Oh, no no no. Poor you and poor Biggie. Trust me, I understand. My Dobby, who is the spiting image of Biggie, is young and leads a vibrant life, too. For a while he was walking on the top edge of my big TV, which would wobble dangerously under him. Not a good picture. I had to have the thing mounted on the wall to avert a cat-astrophe.

Not to mention the fact that he insists on jumping from the bathroom counter on top of the one-inch wide shower door (which is 7 feet off the ground). And once there, he walks it like a tightrope. It is maddening. If he fell, he'd hit the hard bathroom floor.

Two years ago he got up there while I was taking a bath and looked so like he was going to fall to his death that I got out of the bath to get him down. And slipped..... and came to 45 minutes later standing in the middle of the floor, trying to figure out why the back of my head hurt like hell and what month it was.

I'm convinced cats are the cause of most household falls.

[sherlock999.livejournal.com]

And anyone with half a brain could tell that you love that cat and take excellent care of him. Pffift.

[hopefulspirit.livejournal.com]

Anonymous needs to find a new hobby. Shit happens. Biggie is well cared for and loved. If that wasn't the case you wouldn't be calling the vet.

[chocolate-frapp.livejournal.com]

I bet this is one of those fools who think cats should be vegan. I also think it's very chicken shitted of them to say this nonsense to you anonymously.

[dadi.livejournal.com]

Crossing fingers the foam will whoosh through Biggie like gelatine <3

[siglinde99.livejournal.com]

What a brat! Hopefully there is no lasting damage to his gut (and your bank account).

[terri gordon (from livejournal.com)]

Oh Biggie! I can empathize. We took our cat to emergency last night. A different reason, but still.
This is what i got when we had to raise our TV. We put two side by side and put dvds in the drawers. It may work for you.

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B014Q6Y28E/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[halfmoon-mollie.livejournal.com]

I see someone else suggested building what you need out of scrap lumber,if Biggie isn't going to chew or claw that. You could paint it...

As for chickenshit,does s/he not realize that not adding some kind of identifier to his/her posts adds credibility?

I'm sorry.

[susandennis]

wood building is not in my wheelhouse but, turns out, foam building needs to be out of my house entirely!!

thanks for your sympathy. i'm feeling a little optimistic and a whole lot of supported by friends :)

[adafrog.livejournal.com]

Oh man. First, how are you a bad cat mom? You're a good cat mom. Some cats eat all sorts of shit, and we don't know what it'll be next.
{{{hugs}}}

[daphnep.livejournal.com]

If reincarnation is a thing, I think I’d be wholly ok coming back for a life as Susan Dennis’s cat. Yup: comforts, treats, toys, safe outdoor freedoms, the best medical care even in light of repeated naughty behavior, and even internet fame with a daily photo feature. I mean, jeez, when I list it like that, half the humans on this planet don’t have it so good.

[adminbear.livejournal.com]

whomever the anonymous poster is, is a fool. the least thing you do is mistreat biggie. that cat has more care and love than LOTS of pets i know of. don't let 'em get to ya.

[christalin80.livejournal.com]

Any of us that have been following your adventures with Biggie and The Smalls know how much you love those cats.

Hoping for the best for Sir Mischievous!

[theirgrammy.livejournal.com]

I can’t believe someone would be so nasty to you.
Biggie has a wonderful life, with someone who loves him dearly and would do anything for him. YOU are the best pet owner. I have no use for people that are mean, nasty and cruel and then hide behind an anonymous name. 🤗

[seekerval.livejournal.com]

When I read your post, I had LOTS of things to say about your Anon Critic. By the time I finished scrolling down the previous comments (and, of course skim-reading), all I need to say to you is: "What these good folks said! True."

To Anon Critic: "Get thee hence, cowardly nincompoop!"

[zoefruitcake.livejournal.com]

I am sure Anonymous is not right about Biggie, you gave him a home when others wouldn't have and have paid for many expensive surgeries to deal with his unusual taste. I think he won the owner lottery when he moved in with you

[cinnamontoast.livejournal.com]

Your anony poster has clearly never had a pet with a personality. Cats and dogs eat things. They don't do it because you are mistreating them, quite the opposite. It's one of the ways that they explore the world. Especially confident dogs and cats.

I bestow upon your anonymous missive writer a confident, mischievous Labrador Retriever puppy, some socks and slippers and wish them luck.

I hope Biggie is cool.

P.S. Edit: I sat on a Christmas ornament hanger this morning. It was a gift left for me in my chair. It wasn't like any hangers we've ever used, so I'm pretty sure it was jammed into a hidden spot somewhere from previous owners. We've been living here since 1996.