My plummet from sanity

cat22woman

Post   » Mon Nov 20, 2006 2:58 pm


Hi, I'm Cathi, and this is my story...

I knew I would have a farm one day – just assumed it would be when I owned my own house, not rented! :)
I’ve always loved animals, every possible kind. I would cry before I would kill a wasp or spider, and I was fascinated with snakes. This led to a very premature graying of my mother’s hair and fostered a sometimes maniacal need in me to always be surrounded by animals.
I always had rabbits, cats, dogs, etc. and even a few guinea pigs growing up. I would rescue baby squirrels, possums, birds (that “accidentally” fell from the tree :o) although my track record with them was not very good. I unfortunately grew up without the privilege of internet to look up all the available information for good pet parenting.
When I was 17, I joined the Navy and that cut short my ability to have pets. I was in for almost 10 years, and I must say, those were some of the loneliest years of my life. Just as I had a profound new respect for soft toilet paper, hot showers, and bathtubs when I got out, I also knew I would never again be without a pet of some sort. Mr. Dingles, my first adopted cat, made the trip with me back from San Diego, to start our life over, and this is where my story really begins…

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cat22woman

Post   » Mon Nov 20, 2006 3:02 pm


After moving back to Oklahoma, I was unemployed for a while, so I adopted my next cat, Precious, from the Humane Society. She had been feral for quite a while, and was in really bad shape, but she was a pureblood Himalayan, and I fell in love. The grand I spent on her vet bills the first month, was nothing compared to the love she has given me back. Anyway, this is leading to my guinea pigs at some point, I assure you!

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cat22woman

Post   » Mon Nov 20, 2006 3:04 pm


I was content with the two for a couple of years, but then it started. I blame it on Brooke, one of my best friends who happens to be the director at the Humane Society. I would go see her and somehow ended up adopting a dog, Rozz. Then, a few months later, I adopted two cats, Sylvester and Purrberry, because I couldn’t decide between them. That same weekend, she called me as an emergency foster for 5 kittens whose mother had been ran over. It was supposed to be till Monday…that was about 5 months worth of Mondays ago. To my credit, I did take a day off early, and attempt to take them back to animal control, but somehow, when Fatty started climbing up my jean leg and all of them purring, just because I was in the room, I couldn’t do it. So, Fatty, Biscuit, Asia, China and Tutti joined the herd. Then, I felt bad for Rozz being by herself most of the day, so I adopted Hoshi, such an evil, ornery little girl. Her brother, Homer, was the love of Brooke’s life,(she already has 10 dogs!) and after Homer got attacked at the shelter, I took him in too.

cat22woman

Post   » Mon Nov 20, 2006 3:13 pm


So, I’m getting close to the guinea pigs. I had been thinking about getting a rabbit, cause lord knows I didn’t have enough pets! But, once I had crossed the threshold to crazy cat lady, there was no stopping me! Add in the fact that I caught a rattlesnake on the back porch because I thought it was going to eat Sylvester, and even Brooke was calling me psycho, lol. Ahem…so one day I was at the shelter, and Mary came over from Animal control and told me I should take the rabbit home. I was like “rabbit?”, and I thought I was joking when I said I would take him. I guess I wasn’t, cause we loaded up and headed to my place. His name is Angus, and he is the reason I have the guinea pigs. So, technically, I can blame them on Mary too. :)

I got home and realized I didn't have a cage, so with it being late, I went to Wal-Mart and got a very sorry excuse for a rabbit cage. I knew that had to be temporary, so I looked online for cages I could buy.

I came across the cavycages.com website, and thought, hmmmmm, rabbits and guinea pigs get along, right? I went to a pet store (I know, I know) and obtained Elvira. It was love at first sight. In my ignorance, she and Angus lived together in a much larger, albeit way too small cage.

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cavykatie

Post   » Mon Nov 20, 2006 4:17 pm


Can't wait for more!

cat22woman

Post   » Tue Nov 21, 2006 4:05 am


I was very protective of Elvira. I had never seen a long-haired piggy, and the lady I got her from told me she was a Peruvian. Turns out she is really a Coronet, but that is not the point. I began reading articles online and found that she needed a buddy, and Angus wouldn't work.
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Off to the city to find her a friend. Still unaware of the evils of pet stores (and I had done a search on Petfinder to see if there was anything local - nothing to be had in Oklahoma at this point), I went to a vet/pet store and saw Big Mama. I loved her face, and since that was the only thing peeking out of the pigloo, I decided she would do. Since she was older, she was very cheap, and when the guy lifted up the pigloo, my eyes almost poked out of my head! She was huge! I asked if she was pregnant and he said he didn't know. I have to admit, I got very excited at this point. When you've gone over the edge of sanity, more is not a bad thing! He asked if I wanted a black guinea pig, and since she was older and cheaper too, I thought why not? So, I got Miss Piggy too.
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cat22woman

Post   » Tue Nov 21, 2006 4:11 am


I stopped at Petco (I know!) on the way home to pick up some more supplies for them, and wandered over to the guinea pig section. There was Chico Suave! The salesperson said that he'd been there for quite a while and that he was a favorite with the staff. My mind was reeling, what would I do with a boy? By himself? Being the impulsive pet shopper that I am, I thought I'd just figure it out when I got home.

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Brandilynn
Who's your Branni?

Post   » Tue Nov 21, 2006 8:06 am


Chico... Suaaaveeee.

I am enjoying your introductions!

cat22woman

Post   » Tue Nov 21, 2006 10:19 am


LOL Brandilynn, thanks! I sing that to him all the time. He likes it.

So, the story continues. Chico was kind of lonely, but he had Angus. He mounted Angus' head a few times, and I think that made him feel better. During this time I got some advice and talked to a lady who used to show them. At one point, she had over 100 guinea pigs! I told her about Elvira, and how I found it odd that she would chase the other girls around the cage and make the boy noises at them. She told me that ONLY boys make boy noises. Uh oh! So, Elvira, now Elvis, moved in with Chico.

It's amazing how most of the stories on this thread start with mis-sexed piggies, isn't it? I knew since at least Big Mama, and probably Miss Piggy were already knocked up, there wasn't too much damage. Well, as the days went on, I figured out that this "expert" on guinea pigs was so wrong. Miss Piggy started purring and strutting around too! It was especially hard to see Elvis/Elvira's parts because of her long hair and black skin, but I finally figured out (with help from the sexing pics here, thank you very much!), that Elvis was indeed Elvira again, and she was probably pregnant too at this point. I felt horrible, because she is much older, and after reading all the horrors on here about pregnancy and birth, I couldn't imagine losing my beautiful girl!

cat22woman

Post   » Sun Dec 03, 2006 11:54 pm


Sorry, It's taken so long to continue. I got caught up in Momo's story and got so fascinated that I kind of forgot about mine, hehe.

So, Elvira moved back in with the girls, and I'm not sure how or why it happened, but she never got pregnant. Maybe she was too old and had already gone through piggy menopause?

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piggiemomma5372

Post   » Thu Dec 07, 2006 12:04 pm


Is there more? Can you tell if the girl is pregnant? (I think there were two sows in your story.)

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dgarriques
Got Pigs?

Post   » Tue Jan 30, 2007 6:44 am


Updates?

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