Emmy's sick. :(

[Traci]

That link makes me cry and makes me angry at the same time.

Economy or not, there's an awful lot of cowards out there, "tying dogs to fences or posts and leaving cats in boxes at the front doors of the shelter".

I'd like to know whatever happened to personal responsibility and common decency in people. Sure, times are tough, and for some people, even more tough than others. But the way many just give up, take the coward's way out, (and some of those people have their priorities very askew anyway), never thinking about the already inundated shelters who CANNOT FIND HOMES FOR THESE POOR BABIES!

UGH!

[Traci]

Silvr, the posh kitty house is getting good use, the kitties love it.

We're also finishing up another mini-posh kitty house inside the garage (complete with another heater/ac) - since a lot of the cats around here seem to prefer getting into people's garages, I figure at least ours will be safe and warm for them (it's enclosed inside the garage, can't get anywhere else in the garage, can't get under the hood of the trucks, etc.)

Yes, I've gone insane.

[slvrwhispr]

Insane is fun!

My parents neighborhood has absolutely no stray population. There's only one gray cat that wanders around the neighborhood, and I'm quite certain he's fixed because there'd undoubtedly be kittens somewhere if he wasn't. I'm not sure which neighbor he belongs to but he just wanders the block. He's the only guy who would use such a shelter if I made one at my folks' house... but I'm sure the chipmunks, squirrels, raccoons, and possibly ducks would appreciate it.

[Traci]

HA HA HA HA!!! Well, only the raccoons are brave enough to enter, the squirrels pretty much stay on their squirrel posts with their munch boxes, and the ducks stay behind the trees (since of course there's cats around).

No stray or feral cats around your neighborhood: might be a good sign of responsible people!! The grey kitty might just be the topcat of the neighborhood, just checking out the daily happenin's

[slvrwhispr]

Hahaha. It's weird that I don't know who he belongs to. We know just about everyone in the neighborhood and I only see him every once in a while. Perhaps he's a Houdini.

But yeah, my parents live in a fairly affluent area, so people can afford to take proper care of their pets. Most cats, except for Mr. Gray, are indoors only. Dogs are properly licensed, tagged, and kept on leashes when on walks. No big epidemics of ticks or anything despite it being an area with both dense trees and lakes. It's good to know people take care of their animals.

[Tina B and crew]

I understand slver...same here. At times the memories just pop up and I'm a basket case again for a short while. I really, really, really miss her. Same with me when I read about Sienna...man that was tough.

But Lucy is keeping me occupied as is Chunk. They are both loves!

(((hugs)))

[slvrwhispr]

Every night for the last two weeks, I've had dreams about Emmy. Totally, perfectly mundane dreams where I'm going about my day and I see her. And it's gotten to the point where I'm totally, 100% aware of the fact that it's a dream, but it feels real. And everyone around me acts as they would in real life. In the dream, I ask people around me, "Do you see that cat? Brown tabby, white socks, red collar? Okay, then this is a dream."

So, at what point does this become unhealthy? :/

[Traci]

Silvr, I have a lot of dreams about cats, my cats, the outside cats, client's cats, you name it, I dream of cats. Some sad, some happy, and some just really bizarre (as many of my dreams are, I'm just weird).

And like yours, they are vivid and sometimes I know in my dream that I am dreaming. Also know the difference between vivid and lucid. If it interests you, you can "train" yourself to carry out the dream (or extend it) at those times you are jolted into reality or if sometimes you're scared you won't remember them. Or, you can train yourself to jolt right out of a dream. I can't explain how, so I'll just say google.

You could try keeping a log and jotting down your dreams, your thoughts etc upon waking, so those things are still fresh in your mind before you forget them. Later on, go back through the log and I think you'll find the answers you're looking for.

We can't control how a dream develops or our state of mind upon waking. And you are the only one who knows what goes on in your daily life that may be portrayed in your dreams, or what you're thinking about as you drift off to sleep. Stress, fear, and a whole lot of other emotions can affect how we dream, so consider that as well. If you keep a log, go through it and happen to see a particular pattern, then I think you'll know how to interpret that and how to address it. It may be a projection of things going on in your life, even your subconscious.

On the other hand, if those dreams are pleasant, try to embrace them, find some semblance of peace in them. I don't think the aspect of a pleasant dream is unhealthy at all. I also don't think that repetitive dreams are unhealthy either, it just depends on how you interpret them, and how they affect you.

You went through a lot with Emmy, and when she was taken too soon, it was painful and unbearable, that is so totally understandable. It's also understandable that recovery is difficult and lengthy, and you may not fully recover from that pain, but you will find that it becomes less intense in time.

If I were your therapist, you know I'd have to ask that silly question they all ask: "how does (the dream) make you feel?" You do not have to answer that here, but do ask yourself and think about the answer you would provide. Does that help?

[k9Karen]

I know what you mean about extending dreams, Traci. I've had a few that continued after I woke up and went back to sleep. Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately - depends on your point of view), I rarely dream, and when I do they are usually extremely vivid and downright weird. I have yet to figure out what triggers them (although Niquil-D may be a factor with some of them, but definitely not all).

I also live in a neighborhood where there are no feral cats or dogs. No one lets there dogs run loose - but one occassionally does manage to escape - especially the Shih Tsu that lives behind us - I've had to take him home more than once (he digs into our yard). My next door neighbor has an gray tabby outdoor cat that I haven't seen for awhile, so I hope he is OK. He comes over for "skritches" every now and them - he also is crazy enough to come into my fenced back yard. Foxy is not at all happy when that happens - she always chases him up the fence. Saturday, for the first time, I saw a very gorgeous black long-haired cat roaming free. I saw him/her again yesterday afternoon. I have no idea who owns that one, but he/she looks very healthy and well cared for. I do wish my neighbor and whoever owns the black cat would keep them inside.

[Traci]

I personally would like to slap along side the head those owners who think their cats are safe outdoors, roaming, etc. We have two new kittens around now, not tiny kittens, probably around 8 months old, but young nonetheless. At least they are safe here, they know where to get food, warmth, shelter, and love. I hope your two neighbor kitties are always safe.

I dream all the time, Karen, I don't know if that's a good thing or not! There are times I wake up and just say "huh".