Sad and Shocked

We are sad and shocked, that our lovely cat Dodger has died suddenly, he was only five.

Hunter, fisherman, all round mischief, strong enough to drag a fat pheasant up the field, it doesn’t seem possible.

At 8pm he was in fine spirits, lying on his back, in one of his favourite places, on the hot spot of the kitchen floor, where the underfloor heating pipes converge, legs  akimbo, batting the odd swipe at Spuds ears as he walked past. A happy, healthy and content cat.

When we saw him again just after 9pm, he was very distressed and ill indeed. We rushed him through the snow and ice to the vets. Where poisoning and trauma were ruled out, it wasn’t a fever or infection either. He was given pain relief and we decided to bring him home, with a plan to take him back in the morning for blood tests and a scan.

But it was not to be, he died during the night. Given the sudden onset, the most likely cause was a blood clot.

       

Gone fishing

Bird watchers

Fair Game

During the short winter days, the birds arriving at our garden feeder bring us great pleasure.  For the last few years a regular visitor has been a pheasant,  we’d become very fond of him. 

We called him Fezzie 

Maybe Fezzie got a little too bold, complacent, let his guard drop? Or maybe he just ate too much of the hen food to be fighting fit?  You can tell where this post is heading can’t you?

Sadly, I’m afraid Fezzie is no more, we found his limp body being dragged towards the cat flap, by Dodger the cat, remember him? The butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth, cool little kitten cat?

Now, as we later discovered that Dodger had cornered and killed Fezzie in the chicken run, which is the best part of 30 yards from the house, it means that he dragged Fezzie, quite some distance uphill! But then again he always did have ideas above his station…

Share Nicely

Spud the dog and Bubble the cat,  settle down for the night.  There is no such thing as an empty box with a cats in the house.

Storm Doris has raged around us today,  I think we’ve  escaped lightly, the barn doors broke free of their bolt, but thankfully the doors and hinges survived without damage. The lane is currently blocked by a fallen tree,  but I suspect that Derbyshire County Council have far more urgent cases than our tiny lane, and we can take an alternative route,  I’m very glad not to have been traveling today, it was a bumpy ride for many.

I wrote this  post last Thursday, the 23rd of February, shortly before our telephone and Internet connection disappeared. It’s now the first of March and I’d really like them back now. Our mobile data is disappearing fast.

Technorati Tags: Storm Doris,Plusnet,rural broadband.

Mother’s little helper

Despite the cats best efforts I managed to complete my RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch this morning.

The roll call included, blackbird, wood pigeon, tree creeper, nuthatch, greenfinch, chaffinch, long tailed tits (my favourite), wren (feisty), robin, dunock, jackdaw, song thrush (so beautiful) and  goldfinch galore. Not bad for one hour.

Cat on an Ice Cold Wall

We’ve had three days of bright blue skies, what a treat. It’s been cold though. I took a turn around the field this morning, Spud the dog  and Jammy the cat came too.  Jammy  took his preferred route

along the tops of the walls,   however he was soon complaining of cold snowy  paws and wanted ‘a carry’; he can be quite demanding.

Last week we took Jammy and Dodger to the vets, to be micro chipped, for their new cat flap.  Oh my what a din they made!

Charming

I’ve been enjoying the multitude of birds coming to the feeder, something to brighten  very grey, wet,  bedraggled days.

Whilst  perhaps not enough finches to describe them as a charm,  certainly enough to lift the spirits.

When we did our recent building project, I came under pressure to cut this tree down,

‘Its in the way of the view’ they said. ‘No, it is part of the view’ I said.

 

Jammy and Dodger the cat haven’t been paying much attention to the birds, under floor heating and Spuds bed is obviously a more attractive option.

Animal Tales

 

Where would the media be without a tale or two about animals, where would this blog be come to that, Spud the dog and his adventures always seem popular.

A couple of stories have caught my eye in the last week or so. Ahaaaa! I thought,you read that first on Uphilldowndale.

 

First there were reports of peacocks fighting their own reflections, yes we’ve covered that.

 

Then there was a tractor driving sheep dog on the M74*, which caused only mayhem and not carnage, fortunately; and whilst the sheep dog featured here didn’t know about handbrakes,it did know how to ‘give it some welly’ 

 

The M74 has made it here before too.

 

Here are Spud and Dodger, its not news, because it happens on a regular basis, but it is usually entertaining.

Dodger the kitten cat,  claims ownership of Spud’s bed, Spud politely suggest he leaves.

That doesn’t work, so he tries to squeeze him out.

Nope, that’s not working, he tries pushing next.

Eventually they agree to share.

Play Ball

Spud the dog says play ball, whatever the weather

Cat and gate

This morning the trees owned the world, each twiggy canopy carrying its load in its own species specific way.

 

 

 

In Residence

Just in case you have been missing Spud the dog, here he is with Dodger the kitten cat.

The Further Adventures of Spud the Dog 26th Jan 2014

Every now and then Spud the dog, lets it be known he is in charge of his manor,  he does it in a subtle understated sort of way.

Our dear, kind neighbours (who lurk around this blog from time to time) also keep chickens, well they did, they are now, thanks Mr Fox down to a  solitary chicken and a cockerel.

The cockerel is handsome and quite passive as cockerels go; but he is obviously missing having a full flock at his beck and call, so he and his lady pop over the lane to visit our girls.

Now Spud never, it seemed to us, pays a second glance to our chickens, he doesn’t chase or bother them what so ever. If they get in the way when he is chasing a ball he simply leaps straight over them. However Spud obviously does know what belongs and what doesn’t on his patch. Meeting the cockerel making advances on ‘his girls’ he politely but firmly showed him the gate. Here is Spud flushing him out from behind the oil tank.

I love that classic Springer posture, paw in the air, ready to spring.

Spud also has a bit of a deal running on gravy bone  dog biscuits, that we keep in a pot on the kitchen work top out of Spuds reach. The cats however can and do reach them, fishing them out with their paws. They then take them down on to the floor to eat, they are allowed a third, then Spud, alerted by the distinctive sound of biscuit on pot, shows up and firmly takes the remaining two thirds for himself.  My biscuit thank you.

 

Here is Jammy, in a different pot a plant pot.

 

I long for the weather to stop raining and to get out and about with the camera. Sigh.