Cats

Cat O' Cat


The Cat In and Out Song

 

The Boss said if I get inside cats here at the farm, that she is movin' in with her mom.

Spoiler

I'm sure gonna miss that gal.

 

So how many cats did you get ?

 

Chello, or me? If me, none, so far. I'm not quite brave enough, as yet, to move her stuff across (~5 meters) to her mom's farm house.

 

be warned!!!! cats at least most of them carry a nasty parasite!!!!

can't remember the name right now...

it's in their poop! and sometimes on their tongue... bites can transfer it...

change/clean the litter box at minimum every other day!!!!

it's referred to as the cat lady parasite... reduces your IQ and if ya get a large enough infection...

well... most end up committing suicide... it also makes ya love cats even more...

travels to your brain!!!!

pretty sure the last report I saw says it can also be sexually transmitted????

 

Well, rest assured, I won't be having sex with any cats!

 

Re: #5 above. I think he is referencing Toxoplasmosis. Called cat scratch fever. Dangerous to babies before they are born. Don't remember if it is dangerous to children or adults.

 

LOL ahhh... errr... IIRC some human infected with said parasite can transfer said parasite to a lover/partner... during...

that is what I meant... kinda thought that was a given??? my bad...

 

hmmm.... not sure that is correct...IIRC slightly different name... Toxoplasma_gondii

it's dangerous to everyone... even if you care for your cats certain ways or keep em outdoors and pay attention to where they poop???

explains why cat ladies manage to gather so many cats??? they love em more and more every day???

Toxoplasma gondii - Wikipedia

How common 'cat parasite' gets into human brain and influences human behavior

"Summary:
Toxoplasma is a common 'cat parasite', and has previously been in the spotlight owing to its observed effect on risk-taking and other human behaviors. To some extent, it has also been associated with mental illness. A study led by researchers in Sweden now demonstrates for the first time how the parasite enters the brain to influence its host."

Toxoplasmosis May Be Linked To 'Crazy Cat Lady' Syndrome As It Alters Brain And Behavior

Toxoplasma Gondii

Cat parasite linked to mental illness, schizophrenia

Cat poop parasite controls minds early -- and permanently, study finds - NBC News

Toxoplasmosis May Be Linked To 'Crazy Cat Lady' Syndrome As It Alters Brain And Behavior

 

While I do like cats, I wasn't really serious regarding having more on the farm, and certainly joking about the rest.

We do have a couple of feral cats around the farm. On a farm, you have to have cats, at least one or two. They keep the rodent population down.

There may be a disease that causes us to "love cats". I don't know. If there is, we were never affected by it. And, to my knowledge, I am not crazy - yet anyway. (The voices in my head agree with me, by the way.) Seriously, though, this is the first time I have ever heard of such a disease. Cat scratch fever, yes. But, this? Never. If anyone should have contracted such a disease, it would have been myself, or someone in my family.

My "love" for animals has been long ingrained in my psyche. I grew up in a home where we always - and I mean always, had animals. My sister, during our developing years, thought she wanted to be a veterinarian and was taking zoology classes. (She later became an RN instead. She traded her furry babies, for caring for human babies.) Most people thought we were starting our own farm, right in an urban subdivision. Aside from the "typical" dogs and cats in a household, she had raccoons, rabbits, skunks, turtles, mice, squirrels, just about any creature you could think of, honestly. My father even brought home a pig once. Yes, we named it "Arnold".

Don't get me wrong here. I don't value animals' lives more than (most) humans. For example, I will happily ask Chan to put a chicken in a pot that isn't earning its keep, when it isn't laying eggs. I wouldn't do that to her niece or nephews.

For me, it is a general compassion for animals. I don't tolerate the family mistreating the animals here. And, trust me, in Southeast Asia, they mistreat the hell out of them. In fact, it sickens me to see the way animals are treated in these countries. Animals have zero value here. The family look at me like I am crazy, when I feed the dog cooked beef tips, hamburger meat, etc. They don't understand the concept of keeping our dog healthier, so she will be stronger to keep feral dogs off the property. (They would feed her nothing but rice and chicken bones, if I weren't here.) And, as long as I am paying the bills around here, they will treat the animals / livestock with respect. I don't like playing the "Golden Rule" card, but I will if, and when necessary. You may know of this rule, "he who has the gold, makes the rules?"

 

Dad worked sale days at the near-by livestock sales barn. One sale day he brought home an orphaned sow piglet (unweaned). Mom dosed her with peptobismal to treat scours, bottle fed her. We kept her for five or six years. Always gave us good litters. Her name was Porkchops. Like Dolly Parton says "No amount of money....".