The Dang Kitten

David went to an auction last week and bought one steer and three bred cows.  He was told the cows would calve in February/March.

One of them calved yesterday.

She literally has the number 6 spray painted on her side, meaning she is six months along.

David was headed back to auction yesterday to sell Hildy and Purple Cow Number 8.  Those poor gals were determined to be the weakest links, so off to market they went.  LD also took his lamb.

David asked if I could check on the new calf while he was away.  I took Abbie with me and Charlie stayed behind in the house with Hadley.

We found the calf, but the mama was getting anxious around Abbie, so I told Abbie to “go.”  Abbie is a good listener around the cows, so off she went.  After I checked on the cow, I noticed Abbie was nowhere to be found.  Abbie knows how to open the front door of our house, so I was worried about Abbie coming in and being near Charlie and the two gals starting up a fight again.  I texted Hadley to warn her and started back towards the house.

As I was making my way back, I could hear Hadley yelling.  We have one shock collar and it was on Abbie and since I had Abbie with me, I had the remote.  I started running and found the two gals in my bedroom in another horrific fight with Hadley desperately trying to stop it.  I started to shock Abbie, and I could tell it was working on her, but it did nothing to stop Charlie.  Anyways.  It was terrible and awful and the dogs have new minor wounds and Hadley also got bit.

According to Hadley, as soon as I texted her, she had gotten up to lock Charlie up, but Abbie opened the door.  Abbie went into our room and Charlie followed her.  Abbie likes her personal space and probably growled at Charlie and then Charlie wasn’t having it, and so brawl started.

I called David and then Hadley and I had a talk and we have decided to try one more thing before we rehome.  David thinks we need to just rehome, and he is probably right.  But we decided to purchase a second shock collar.  That was the advice I had gotten from a vet.  He said two shock collars and a shovel.

Me:  A shovel?

Vet:  A metal shovel.

Me:  What do I do with that?

Vet:  Smack them on the back.  I know it sounds awful, but it is better than one of them ending up in major surgery.

Me:  Ok.

Vet:  And get two high powered shock collars.  And if that doesn’t work, rehome.

So, Hadley and I went all about the town and found an additional shock collar.  And we are all on HIGH STRESS ALERT and kenneling one dog at a time and only letting them out when people are ready to referee, armed with a shocker.  Apparently it can take up to thirty days for the hormones to all calm down after Charlie’s spaying, so we are hopeful that time and some training will help them be friends again.

It is just plain old sad.  They were fine before.

Here was a picture of them camping with us in October:

There is no way they can be that close to each other right now.

We have gotten them to lay in the same room with a human between them.  They refuse to look each other in the eye.

Abbie and I went again to check on the cows today.  I decided to try and teach her to stay and wait for me when I was getting close to the cows.  She did well with that and listened, so we didn’t have a repeat of yesterday.

Here are some photos.  For your viewing pleasure.

That’s Unnamed Six Month Along Bred Cow.  Who was clearly farther along than six months.  Her baby is laying down to the middle/left.  I didn’t want to get too close, but I really wanted to pat its head.

Reader.  If you ever get a chance to pat a new calf on the head, I strongly encourage you to do so.

David also asked if I could keep an eye on Maisy.  We have been waiting for Maisy to calve since FEBRUARY.  But she looks pretty big.  Although, who are we kidding?  She is a cow.  She is always big. Here’s a picture of her from behind.

Thoughts?

Also.  I am thankful no one sneaks up behind me whilst I am unawares and snaps a photo of my back end.

I checked on Babs’ new heifer calf.  She is looking good and cute.  Babs was nowhere to be seen.

Looks like she got our new bull, Ep, to babysit.  Ep is not the father. Waylon was her father.  But he is currently leftover taco meat in my fridge.  Bummer.

Ep:  I shall raise her as my own.

The mama cows/calves who are going through the weaning process will just not let it go already.

Day and night, they stand at the fence and moo for each other.

It is moo-ey depressing.

(Did you see what I did there?)

Me:  David.  FOR THE LOVE.  Just let them be together.  What do you care?

David:  Taylor.  The cows are pregnant and need extra calories to put on weight for their new calves.  They cannot afford to also be losing calories while nursing calves that don’t need to be nursed anymore.

He had a point.  And that shut me right up.  I hadn’t thought about the NEW calves growing in the cow bellies.

Let the weaning process continue!

And, finally, let us discuss cats.  The cats are scoring all the points right now because they have never tried to cause severe bodily harm to each other.  And I appreciate that quality in a pet.

We have Mama and Rio, who are best friends, but really grandma and granddaughter.  For reasons unbeknownst to me, they have decided to ostracize Norma Jean Riley, who is Mama’s daughter and Rio’s mother.  They will have nothing to do with her.

It is like an episode of Jerry Springer:  Cat Edition over here.

Norma has to hang out with her one remaining kitten.  This kitten has a home, but we were asked to care for it for a few more days.  Norma and I are both over this kitten, who I refuse to name and I am too lazy to look at its privacy areas to determine the gender.

I just call it, “The Dang Kitten.”

Would you like to know what The Dang Kitten does ALL DAY?

Climbs up and down my tree.  And destroys it.

I do believe this entire post, much like all my posts, was completely about my animal friends.  Which seems normal.

I wish Taylor Today could visit Taylor of Yesteryear.

Taylor of Yesteryear:  I don’t know why I am writing in this blog.  I won’t have anything to write about once my boys are out of this crazy toddler stage.

Taylor of Today:  Don’t worry, young Taylor.  You will create your own imaginary world filled with dogs and cats and cows and all their doings and goings-on.  It will be completely normal!

Happy Wednesday.