ul

[dragonlady7]

• I spent $68 on underwear at Target.
  • It was all men's underwear.
  • Only some of it was for Z.
  
  
• Chita loves her name.
  
• Chita's full name, stolen directly from her namesake's given name, is Dolores Conchita Figueroa de Rivero.
  
• While wrestling Chita with my hand, I spotted a single flea on her belly. I couldn't catch it. I've been itchy all evening.
  
• Z's mom, champion that she is, checked out the new vet for us, bringing her own cat there for her most recent appointment. Apparently the going rate for an initial visit by a new kitten is $295 for an indoor cat, $340 for an outdoor one. This includes spaying but I don't know if it includes the boosters for her various vaccines.
  
• I am oddly reluctant, now it comes down to it, to take Chita to the vet. I know it's kinder to get her spayed before she goes into heat, I just feel guilty subjecting her to such invasive and painful surgery. But I've never had a female cat so I've never seen one go into heat, and I know fine well that it's not something I want. Still and all...
  
• Z's whole office approves of Chita's name.
  
• I made this entry in bullet points so I'd be inspired to write about something besides this damn kitten. Not working.
  
• I have begun a minor conspiracy at work, finding everyone who actually Does THings and enlisting them in my cause to actually Get Some Things Done despite the best efforts of one particular coworker who really likes to have ideas but gets all weird about actually finishing them.
  
• The best purchase I've made recently was a bottle of peach flavoring syrup from the gourmet store. One ounce of syrup in one small bottle of club soda over ice is the perfect drink. I may give up booze.
  
• Men's underwear is more comfortable than women's. Why is that? We have such delicate parts, and yet somehow always end up with really painful chafing seams right through the most delicate peachy parts of the whole works. What is wrong with us? I am cross-dressing from the bottom up henceforth.
  
• Just as I am not any good as a poet, so am I not very good at making bullet-pointed entries: I am too wordy by far.
  

And in conclusion:

Comments

[debg.livejournal.com]

this photo proves the validity of an observation of my husband's: every kitten ever born is the cutest kitten ever born.

See icon.

[dragonlady7.livejournal.com]

Awwwwww KITTEHS.

They are always cute. I don't know what it is.

Chita Rivera has the winningest personality I've ever had in a cat from the get-go. Others have matured, blossomed into wonderful funny personable cats, but she was apparently born outgoing, confident, and agreeable.

To spay or not to spay...that is the question.

[kittyc1978.livejournal.com]

We waited two years to get Abbey spayed, and she's just fine. So do what feels right for your kitty family. If she's an indoors only cat and you are vigilant about it, she won't get out and the risk of her becomming a mama are low.

Re: To spay or not to spay...that is the question.

[dragonlady7.livejournal.com]

She's just so funny and sweet now, I don't want to upset and disrupt her that much. But on the other hand, I know going through heat will change her personality as well, and I don't want to see that either. I've heard that it's best for the cat hormonally to never experience heat, but I don't know what the science behind it is.

As of now, she's a contented indoor cat, but every day she gets more adventurous, and I'm worried she'll become an escape artist. The local neighborhood cats are, I believe, neutered toms, but they do come by a lot, and the previous resident's cats used to fight with them through the screens, and occasionally accidentally let themselves out. So I'm worried she'll do that.

[that-redhead.livejournal.com]

I love her name! The kitten is pretty darn cute too ;)

[dragonlady7.livejournal.com]

Chita Rivera! The world-renowned dancer! I got her dancing last night, playing with her dingle-mouse. It was cute.

[aesc.livejournal.com]

How tiny is she?! Oh, so cute.

[dragonlady7.livejournal.com]

I haven't found out yet how old she is. She's at that perfect adolescent stage of kittenhood, where you can still hold her in your hands and she can't weigh more than two or three pounds, but her tail is long enough to wrap around her paws, and she can run and jump and climb. And fall, without hurting herself.
Her claws are just sharp enough to cause trouble, but I think she's learning when not to use them. I hope, anyway. This morning she decided my dangly earrings must be a toy I had intended for her use, and she took a few swipes at them, which were painful but didn't leave a mark...

[redstapler.livejournal.com]

She's so wee in that picture, it almost looks like a photoshop.

I wish to snuggle her.

[dragonlady7.livejournal.com]

Partly it's perspective-- she's behind me. I'm kind of lying down so she's on my back looking over my shoulder.

A minute later she decided she needed to see this blinky-light thing better so she came over my shoulder and jumped down on the keyboard, but of course Photobooth missed the actual jump and just got her blurry snout...

She is very, very snuggly.

[mother2012.livejournal.com]

I never did get our Serena spayed, mostly because I'm cheap and never found the money that I would willingly part with. She's over 10 now, and I think it's been a year since she went into heat. Or if she has, it hasn't been as obvious and annoying.

I'm for getting her spayed before she hits maturity, whenever that is; I forget. Heat is just really a drag, for both you and her. Of course, spaying *also* changes personality. For that reason, I'd put it off as long as possible. I *think* that a female becomes less playful and less likely to chase mice. I *know* that a male does.

My mother maintained that every female cat should have one litter - that she becomes a better cat - and there is a lot to be said for that argument. One of the things that I, personally, take into account is that when you adopt a cat, you become responsible for developing it as far as possible, just as you would a child. On that basis, she ought to have one litter; which is usually less than three kittens, btw (the first litter, that is). But that is still not a good thing for the general cat population.

We never did allow Serena to have a litter. She has gotten out three times in her life, once even when in heat, and never gotten pregnant. I suppose the chances are about the same as for humans (starting with 'is there a male available?').

Back with the 'cheap' thing, she's never had shots either. Simply because, why should I when she's never exposed to anything? A vet will vociferously disagree with me.

In the risk of starting a flame war...

[heebiejeebie.livejournal.com]

"letting her have a litter" is a very selfish concept. In the chances that it will "better" your cat's personality somehow (a load of crap), you are producing three or more kittens that would need homes, and those three kittens mean three more kittens at the SPCA would need to be put to sleep. YOU would be responsible for three deaths.

[heebiejeebie.livejournal.com]

you really, really, really want to get her spayed
TRUST me

my brother had a sweet kitten, but delayed getting her spayed, and she went through heat a couple times (NOT FUN) but the worst part is that her personality changed after the heat and she never went back, even after being spayed. Eventually she got so wild and mean that she had to become a farm cat. I hear that she's an excellent mouser though....