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Friday, August 2, 2019

Toby wishes he'd picked his home more carefully, I know

I picked up this kitten from a parking lot in Pittsburgh, eight years ago. Dr. Mike, my vet of thirty years, told me he weighed barely a pound, was four days old, and probably would not have survived a fifth day. 

All I had to offer him was kibble, reduced to mush in water, and how he fell on it! He wrapped his paws around the custard dish and demolished the contents. My sister was not home, and there were no unilateral decisions made back then, so the kitten and I waited.

"He's so cute!" my sister announced, and so he remained and I started a little blog about a little kitten. She made one further remark of note: "Another longhair!"

Back in the day I was a spinner, and routinely fell for "Can you spin my dog/cat hair into yarn?" And I could, and I did. Eventually I became allergic to cat and dog dander. I used to take antihistamines, and carry on.  Since the stroke, compounded by the TBI, that is totally off the table.

When I left home three years ago, Toby became mine in fact, punctuated by hairballs. I am too allergic to brush him, and Laura disinterested, so hairballs it was. Then I realized my boarding kennel also grooms pets.

They were not too keen on cat grooming, but I convinced them he is a first class woos, so they gave it a try. He indeed is a first class woos, and he's now down to a "short hair" hair cut, every six months.


In the event you don't read cat, 1) that is his back, and 2) those are angry ears. All he has to show for those damn bi-annual trips to Wisconsin is his magnificent tail.


See how he is grey from his arm pits down. That is a phenomena of hair cutting, or shearing.The black on his head and shoulders and tail are because the tips of the hair have never been cut. All the rest has been cut, and refracts light in a different manner than the uncut. Toby thinks there should be a test when you leave.

I had a wonderful time in Wisconsin. Tomorrow or the next day...


25 comments:

  1. I am so glad you had a wonderful time. And hope there are many more of them to come.
    I am pretty certain that Toby does realise that his life is mostly not too bad at all. Which is the best you can hope for from a cat, a apecies not noted for their gratitude.

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  2. I see the fur color difference between the photo here and the one in the right column. Toby has character no matter what length his hair is. "His angry ears"...makes me laugh!

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  3. Tell Toby that some of us think he looks mighty handsome. Maybe it will help.

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  4. Toby is a magnificent kitty hair shaved, or long. He looks really big.

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  5. So glad you are home again, safely, and I am sure Toby is too....He looks great (except for those angry ears) and will settle down soon. You saved his life. I think he knows it.

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  6. I am glad you had a good trip. Toby is okay with the hair cutting as long as it isn't hurtful otherwise he'd have bitten someone. He is a gorgeous cat.

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  7. Glad you had a wonderful and glad to see that Toby gets a hair cut. I used to own a white Turkish Angora until she died. It was a heckuva lotta work to keep the house vacuumed. White hair everywhere and I had red/green sofa back then and red rugs.

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  8. Wonderful that you enjoyed your time in Wisconsin! I'm sure Toby was glad to be back among you!

    betty

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  9. I didn't know Toby got a haircut twice a year, he probably appreciates it for the summer heat.

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  10. Toby is a very lucky cat, short, back and sides notwithstanding.

    LX

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  11. I thought you wrote "All I had to offer him was a kindle" and I was thinking well that's not much use to a starving kitten! Glad he survived.

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  12. I’ve never heard of a cat having its fur trimmed. I know nothing if cats obviously.

    Glad you had a good time.

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  13. Oh ya, I understood the ears. When our cat, Scooter, who is also a long-haired black and white, had to have the remainder of his tail amputated, they shaved his back end. It was so odd to see his bottom end coming in grey, as you said. He is a bur magnet, as he is an outdoor cat. I wonder how much he would hate getting a hair cut? -Jenn

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  14. Hari OM
    Toby darling, it's because Joanne loves you... you know that donchya??? Hugs and whiskeries, YAM-aunty xxx

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  15. I had a very large orange tabby years ago. He also went to the groomer every June for a haircut. His body language looked the same as Tobys for a day or two (don't talk to me, I don't like you right now), then all was well. Glad your trip to the frozen northlands was nice.

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  16. Yeah I do speak cat, had quite a few who were more canine than feline because of our dogs. I am delighted you had such a good time. Your posts were missed.

    XO
    WWW

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  17. glad you are home safe, glad you had a good time. my Emma would never stand for that. she does allow me to brush her as long as I don't get too vigorous or try to brush certain areas. she lets me know quick when I transgress.

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  18. Glad to hear you had a good time and got back safely. Toby was a lucky little kitten...he shouldn't complain.

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  19. Toby will soon forget his vacation wasn't as nice as yours was.

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  20. Welcome back and I am sure Toby was glad to get home also. I have thought of having my very long haired cat groomed also, but the horrible way she reacts to getting her nails trimmed tells me that I shouldn’t put a groomer thru that.

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  21. May Toby have enjoyed his fur growth and you your trip away!

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  22. Oh, It was wonderful to see you yesterday in a note on my blog. I agree with haircuts. Yes, I read cat. LOL George does too. Hope you had a truly glorious trip.

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  23. We once had a longhair that we used to get shaved because brushing the tats was beyond us.

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