Δαφνη Ευτυχια Αρθουρος

"it is hard to play on bad or non-fresh vegetables as they prove to be unreliable. if instrument breaks just before or during a solo for example it is often because of low quality vegetable." (From the English version of the FAQ page for The First Viennese Vegetable Orchestra)

Somehow, "You drew blood; I'm annoyed," doesn't have quite the right ticked-off sound to it if you say it in the "I'm so smitten with the cute wittle kitty" voice, does it? (Maybe I should wear a less-slippery bathrobe when I have the cat on my lap.)

Oh boy, am I gonna need my antihistamines this year.

Trying to mirror the story between here and Elbows...

I posted a "found cat" notice on the mdspca.org website, and plan to put up signs in the neighbourhood, but it's been pointed out that she's probably been abandoned. (Still, I don't feel comfortable assuming that...)

She's sweet. And I like cats (despite being allergic). But I can barely afford to feed myself lately (actually, I can't -- Mom has been helping with the bills most months), much less feed a cat, pay for routine veterinary care, and cope with vet bills if the cat gets sick or injured. But I'm soooo tempted. (She's rather vocal -- more so than I'd consider ideal -- but she has a very soft voice, so that's not a huge problem. On the other hand, her insistence that my hands are meant for petting her and Not For Typing is an issue we'll have to negotiate.)

Yesterday I tried to get her into the car to take her to the SPCA to find out whether she's got a chip. (Unlikely, unless she came here from a better neighbourhood, but I've got to check, right?) She didn't like that idea, and escaped. But I did pick up a wee tin of cat food at a 7-11 while running other errands ... and when I found myself awake around dawn this morning, I went out back to see whether she'd returned to my yard. She was a few doors away, but she heard me open my door and started crying for me. She continued crying as she circled around trying to remember how to get into my yard (finally settling on a leap I thought ill-advised (but she got away with it -- from the deck next-door to the top of the fence ... the landing looked uncomfortable). I scooped out the cat food and put out some water for her, and judging from the way she ate, she was Really Hungry, not just "I'm a cat, of course I'm hungry" hungry. I went back inside while she was still eating, and a short time later heard her crying at the door.

This afternoon, I opened the door to check on her, and she must have been waiting right _at_ the door -- I didn't even get the door all the way open before she was inside, trying to be petted. And acting hungry.

I don't want to leave her in the house overnight or while I'm out until I've got a litter box set up. And I don't want to leave her here when I'm away overnight or longer until I have a better idea what she will and won't do (and have picked up a supply of cat food). The SPCA will, of course, take care of her for a few days, but if she's really lost from around here, the distance could present an obstacle for the owner (once located). And if nobody claims her in those few days, I'm back to deciding whether to take her in myself. And I like having her around -- I've missed feline companionship. But feeding and vet bills and allergies and the fact that she'd hate being shut out of my bedroom at night... *sigh*

She's small -- small enough that I'm not quite certain whether she's a very small adult or not completely grown. But her collar isn't tight, which means either that she's stopped growing or that she hasn't been on her own all _that_ long (but long enough to get skinny).

Not looking for someone to tell me what to do, but willing to hear advice and thoughts. Mostly just wanted to share.

Uh, actually, I am looking for a little advice -- what tools do folks here like for cat-locking the keyboard on a Windows box? She's got a knack for stepping/rolling/sitting on the keyboards.

I'm gonna need to borrow a cat-carrier from someone. To take her to the SPCA at least, and to-and-from the vet if I keep her.