Mama Took A Life

My Disciples,

Many of you have been asking how Mama Cat is doing since the Guardians built her the Mama Snuggle Shack 3000 a few weeks back. I’m happy to report that she has been doing quite well and using the MSS 3000 almost every day.

Mama cat loves the Snuggle Shack. She uses it almost every day.

Mama has been eating two or three meals a day at our house, and she has put on a little weight. She eats on the arm of the chair that has the toastinator hanging over it. That way she can immediately lay down and warm up after each meal to help with digestion.

Mama Cat has put on weight eating meals provided by the Guardians.

As thrilled as the Guardians are that they have made Mama Cat’s life slightly better, they still really wish that Mama’s guardians would keep her inside all the time. Now, her Guardians are still caught in the grips of a tragedy, and even if they weren’t it is doubtful that they could be convinced that Mama should be an indoor only cat. It seems that there are some people whose minds are very difficult to change on this subject, and there are no laws on the books to encourage them to change. But the Guardians wish for a fully contained Mama Cat increased in intensity when they came home and found that Mama had taken a life. She had brought the body of her kill back to the MSS 3000, which is now her default den.

In the foreground you can see the lifeless body of Mama’s kill. Mama is eating from her bowl in the background.

Mama didn’t want to eat the little crunchy birdie, she was just compelled to kill it. As I’ve said before, it’s in our nature. I heard the Guardian’s talking about the little birdie, and they said it is a Lincoln’s Sparrow. Apparently these little crunchy guys are moving through our area right now on migration. I guess the bird was heading north to his breeding grounds where he would have found another crunchy friend and made more crunchy offspring. Unfortunately, that won’t happen now.

Poor little guy. Even though I would have crunched him too, I still feel bad about what happened to him.

Mama cat, of course, is not to blame for this death. The Guardians know that as long as she is outside, this can and will happen. They feel a little bit helpless right now because they don’t want to re-home the beloved pet of a person that is likely dying, but they also don’t want to see wild creatures getting killed by cats on their property. For now, the best they can do is bear witness to the loss, and have Me share it with others so that they might reconsider letting their own cats roam free.

As for the poor little sparrow, the Guardians ensured that his death was not completely in vain. They placed his body along a path that they know is used nightly by the local Raccoons. The next morning, all that was left of the bird was a few feathers. The Raccoons have babies right now, so hopefully the life of this unfortunate bird went to help a momma Raccoon produce milk for her growing young. That would be one bright mark in an otherwise tragic story.

So Sayeth Otis

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Meeting Mama’s Needs Part III: Mission Accomplished

My Disciples,

When we left off yesterday, the Guardians had built a new structure that I called the Mama Snuggle Shack 3000. Mama had discovered the shack during the night, but I didn’t know whether or not she would like it. Well, Brother Oliver went out early this morning and discovered Mama sleeping underneath the Toastinator in the shack!

Brother Oliver went outside to find Mama sleeping in the snuggle shack!

Meeting Mama’s Needs Part II: The Guardians Are Up To Something

My Disciples,

When we left off yesterday, Mama had asked that I help find a way to keep her warm at night, and I was about to try to influence the Guardians to help her. Before I could do that though, the Guardians left in their car. Well, when they returned about an hour later they brought home a bunch of wood and some weird plastic. The started putting something together next to My Outdoor Domain. Mama Cat watched with interest.

Mama Cat watched as the Guardians were building something next to My Outdoor Domain.

Meeting Mama’s Needs Part I: The Request

My Disciples,

Yesterday, I was  taking a nap in My Outdoor Domain. As usual, Brother Henry was providing security. Mama Cat appeared on the cement wall next door and asked if she could speak with Me. I said, “Of course you can, Mama!” I also instructed Brother Henry to keep a sharp eye out for danger in the backyard because Mama did not have the benefit of protective wire like Brother H and I did.

Mama stopped by and asked if we could talk. I said we could, and told Brother Henry to remain vigilant.

Mama sat down and said, “Leader Otis, as you know, my guardians and I are going through a tough time over here. Your Guardians have been making sure I never go hungry, and that I get treats, brushes and lots of pets, but I am still struggling. You see, my guardians have been forgetting to leave their window open so I can get back inside the house at night. When that happens, I sleep on the red chairs next to your enclosure, but it gets kind of cold and damp. I woke up shivering this morning! Is there any way you can help me?”

Mama said that she is sometimes getting locked out at night. She gets cold when that happens. She asked if I could help.

I told Mama Cat that I felt really bad that she was getting cold. I said, “I’m so sorry Mama! That’s terrible! But did you know that there is a Toastitron 3000 right over there by the fence? The heater is always on so kitties like you can go in and get toasty!” Mama said, “I know, Leader Otis, but I hate to be enclosed in tight spaces. I just… can’t go in there… Is there anything else you can do?” I told Mama that I would start working on her problem immediately. I would do everything in My power to make sure she did not wake up cold again. Mama thanked Me and walked over to a sunny spot in which she could take a toasty nap.

I told Mama that I would do everything in My power to ensure she never woke up shivering again.

As soon as Mama left, I headed inside to begin My work. I had no idea how I would convey Mama’s message to the Guardians, but I was determined to try. Before I could make a plan though, the Guardian’s headed out the door, got in their car and left.

So Sayeth Otis

Tomorrow- Meeting Mama’s Needs Part II: The Guardians Are Up To Something

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The Latest Local Limbo Kitty Appears

My Disciples,

It seems a new Limbo kitty now lives in our neighborhood. The Guardians have noticed him for a week or two, but we were finally able to snap some photos of him yesterday.

We were finally able to get some photos of the newest Limbo kitty in the neighborhood.

The Guardians of Otis have not figured out who this new kitty lives with yet, but they are pretty sure he does have guardians. They have decided to call him “Hugo” for now.

The Guardians are calling the new Limbo kitty “Hugo”.

Like most Limbo kitties, Hugo seems to be on edge most of the time. He is constantly looking over his shoulder as if someone or something might be out to get him.

Hugo is tense, and constantly looks over his shoulder to see if there is a threat.

Sadly, he is right to feel unsafe. The world without walls is no safe place for a kitty. Hugo would likely have a longer, healthier life ahead of him if his guardians would keep him safely confined.

The world without walls is no place for a domestic kitty.

The Guardians of Otis have tried to make friends with Hugo, but so far he is very skittish. Perhaps in time they will earn his trust and find ways to keep him as safe as they are able given the circumstances. And all of us will continue to do our best to spread The Good Word in the hopes that we can convince people that no kitty should be forced to live in Limbo.

So Sayeth Otis.

 

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Safely Confined Vs. Free Roaming

My Disciples,

If you keep your kitty safely confined, you control his or her access to dangerous situations. If your kitty ends up sitting someplace for hours on end, it will probably be someplace like this:

Brother Henry sat here for hours! Just because he wanted to though…

Now, if you don’t keep your kitty safely confined,  you have absolutely no control over his or her surroundings. While a safely confined kitty may end up spending hours on the couch, a non-safely confined kitty can end up spending hours or days someplace much less safe or comfortable. Need an example? Here you go: Seattle City Light Rescues Cat from Power Pole.

Brother Henry is definitely a climber, so absent the proper boundaries he could easily become that poor power pole kitty. But the Guardians would never let that happen, so instead Brother Henry sits on comfy couches and safe cat trees.

Please give your kitties the safe boundaries they deserve. Make sure the only place they will end up sitting is someplace, warm, comfortable and protected from the dangers of the outside world.

So Sayeth Otis

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Shadows of the Past

My Disciples,

I spent some time today looking through old photos on the computer. I had planned to find a photo or two of Brother Oliver from a couple years ago. He was slightly thinner then, and I wanted to prove to him that he’s put on a few pounds, and that maybe he should slow down on the snacks. I mean, I really don’t know if that’s true. So I guess the photos were going to be My way of checking to make sure I was right. If it turned out I was wrong, I planned to figure out how to make Brother Oliver look thinner in the photo before I showed it to him. I just know that he’s been eating too many of My snacks lately and I’d like him to stop.

Anyway, before I found a good photo of Brother Oliver, I stumbled across a folder full of miscellaneous photos that I had never seen before. One of them caught My eye immediately. It was taken on September 9, 2011. Here it is:

Here is the first photo I found. Look behind the flower on the left.

It was hard to make out exactly what was going on in the photo. At first I thought it was just two cats. Then I realized the two cats were Domino and Franklin. Then I saw a third cat looking out at Me from the left side of the photo. I zoomed in for a closer look. I gasped as I made out the face.

I zoomed in for a closer look at the third cat. It was Thomas.

It was Thomas. Of course it was Thomas! That alley is where he met the Guardians! It is where they attempted to gain his trust. But I just couldn’t believe how small he had been when he was tossed out into Limbo by his former guardians. I quickly looked for additional photos, but found only one more from that day. It showed Thomas standing in between Franklin and Domino, and this really gave a good perspective on his size. Franklin was only a kitten himself, but Thomas was practically an infant!

Here is the second photo. Look how small Thomas was!

I don’t have to wonder what it must have been like for him to be out in the dangerous world at that age. As the son of two ferals, I was born into that world. What I can’t understand though is why someone took a kitty that was not born of that world, and then intentionally threw him out into it. And I’m not just talking about Thomas here, but Franklin sitting beside him as well. I get that some people think an adult cat like Domino could handle himself outside (even though I disagree), but how anyone could possibly think these tiny kittens could or should fend for themselves is beyond Me.

Obviously, it was beyond the Guardians of Otis’s comprehension as well. Franklin now lives in a loving, indoor only, forever home, and Thomas… well… you know where Thomas is.

See. Here he is. He’s bigger now, but Here he is. And here he will stay.

The only one of the three alleyway kitties whose fate remains unknown is Domino. We know that he was retrieved on the day that Thomas was left to fend for himself in a garbage pile. We know he was picked up by someone who was not his guardian, but who he obviously knew and trusted. We know that man was an older gentleman we had never seen before, who dressed nicely and drove a nice car, and who knew Domino’s name. We know he called Domino, and that Domino ran to him and jumped into the car. The door closed. The car left. That is all we know.

This is one of the last times we saw Domino.

When I think about Dom nowadays, I picture him sitting contentedly in the sun on a bright, warm day. His belly is full, his fur is groomed, and he is excitedly watching a small flock of crunchy little birds feeding in a nearby tree. He chatters, firing off his “kitty machine gun” noises at the birds, but he makes no attempt to run after them. This is not because he doesn’t want to, but rather because he can’t. You see, Dom is enjoying the sun and watching the birds through a large picture window. His days of running the alley and visiting neighbors in search of affection are over. He has new Guardians that truly see him, and love him, and they wouldn’t dream of letting him roam free.

I have no way of knowing whether or not that is true, but I wish with all of My heart that it is. And not just for Dom, but also for Beatrice, Whisper, Zephyr, Poppy, Jack, and every other Limbo kitty we have known who is no longer in the neighborhood. I think about them often and purr for their well being. They all deserved so much better than the hand they were dealt.

So Sayeth Otis

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We Have It Under Control Here

Disciples of The Leader Otis,

Brother Henry here. Don’t worry. We’re having a bit of a moment, but we have it all under control here. We got him covered.

It’s under control. Brother Oliver and I are on the job.

It seems that all the recent talk about outdoor kitties and wildlife has caused The Leader to have flashbacks about His first year of life. The time He spent alone in the wilderness was terrifying, and the memories of it haunt him to this day. He…ohhhh man… let it out buddy… let it all out Leader Otis… I got you…

Let it all out. I got you.

And it’s not just His experiences that are troubling Him. He knows other kitties are out there right now, suffering as He did. They are frightened and they don’t know where to turn for help. Some of them are so badly damaged that they are too afraid to even seek help anymore. They have fallen into the shadows and they suffer in silence. It’s alright Leader Otis, I’m here… I’m here.

I’m here Leader Otis… I’m here.

There, there, Leader Otis. It will all be OK. Yes, I do remember the 22 others.  Yes, I know that a lot of them did suffer for a long time despite all our efforts, but many of them are now in loving homes. And you know what? Even those that could not be placed in homes are no longer afraid or in pain, and those that we knew well will be forever remembered as The Patron Saints. Their stories will help guide others down the path to helping kitties in need.

Yes. I know. The pain of it all is what drove you to bring this Cult together.Yes. Marvie. Especially Marvie. Now just let it all go and try to find some peace. There you go. Nice and calm. There you go.

There you go, Leader Otis. Let it go and find some peace.

OK. I think we’re through the worst of it here. Sometimes it all just gets a little too difficult for The Leader to bear. To be honest, I’m barely holding it together myself right now. I hate to see the little guy in such a state, and I feel the weight of His burdens too. I… ahhhhhhhhh… thanks Brother O!

Man, I needed that. Thanks so much Brother Oliver!

Alright. I think we’re all pretty worn out here now so I’m taking us to Defnap 1. This is the highest level of nap readiness there is. Hopefully The Leader will feel a little better when He wakes up. In the meantime, I know He would appreciate it if you reviewed The Commandments of Otis, The Nine Deadly Sins, and the stories of The Patron Saints. And please continue to do all that you can to make sure that all kitties are happy, healthy, and safely confined.

So Says Brother Henry

 

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The Danger of Being A Safely Confined Cat

Disciples of The Leader Otis,

Brother Henry here. Leader Otis asked me to apologize to you all for not having a blog post ready to go this morning. Unfortunately, The Leader succumbed to one of the primary dangers that exist for a safely confined kitty. He… well… maybe I better just show you.

Leader Otis has succumbed to one of the primary dangers that exist for safely confined kitties.

Yes, as you can see, He was overcome by an intense bout of comfiness and contentment and He couldn’t bring himself to get up and come to the computer. Such is the hard life of the safely confined. Without untold danger around every corner, and without the need to constantly be on high alert, we poor kitties run the risk of falling into a state of perpetual bliss within our well-defined, safe boundaries. This state is further compounded by constant love, ample enrichment and good healthcare.

Not only are our lives filled with the constant danger of happiness, we live, on average, much longer than our feline brothers and sisters that are allowed to roam free! Can you imagine the kind of non-existent stress we have to deal with every day! It’s so non-terrifying that I almost shuddered just thinking about it. Wait, that wasn’t a shudder. I’m purring!

Anyway. I hope you’ll forgive The Leader for His little slip up this morning, but as you can see, His life is full of serious challenges. Such are the heavy burdens He must carry.

So Says Brother Henry

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Fire Up the Toastitrons!

My Disciples,

It’s starting to get cold outside, at least here in My neighborhood, so it’s time to pull out the Toastitron 3000′s, clean them up and turn them on. Many people send their cats outside regardless of the temperature, and a Toastitron will provide those poor kitties with much needed shelter and warmth. I know Whisper has appreciated the Toastitron in our backyard this week.

As the weather gets colder, Limbo kitties will be very happy if you provide them with a nice Toastitron 3000. Just ask Whisper!

If you do not yet have a Toastitron 3000, they are very easy to make. I even have a “Make Your Own Toastitron 3000” blog post that will guide you through it! Build one today. The Limbo kitties in your neighborhood will thank you for it!

So Sayeth Otis

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