08 December, 2016

Brrrr....

This is the time of year when I get especially concerned about Sweetie and Patty O'Malley.  Since I cannot coax them up The Stairway to Heaven and inside the house, this means they are living outside while the first frigid airmass of the season sweeps in.  I am glued to the weather reports, see below...

Copy and pasted from weather.com
 ...and I make up my own temperature graph, and update it every day.
2016 Temperature Graph for home
At some point, I drew an imaginary line in the sand...or snow...in my mind, that above 20 degrees F (-6.7 C) means the cats are okay.  They have a warming pad, windbreaks over the doors, lots of fresh straw, and each other to curl up with.  Yet you know that I will be worried and fretting until March regardless.  And the temps are most definitely dropping below my magic line next week.  I've harbored the thought of grabbing them and forcing them inside, but it's really just to ease my mind. No, it's not perfect, and no, the cats aren't 100% in comfort with frozen water bowls and ice wherever they walk.  And yet, they've lived through two of the coldest winters in Michigan (2013-14 & 2014-2015), and yes, they have food, fresh water and shelter.

You can tell that I am a city kid, right?




10 comments:

  1. We fully understand your worry, and know you have provided as much shelter and warmth as you can. Pekka was living wild in a Finnish winter when he got trapped and taken to the animal shelter and that winter the temperatures were -20°C. He found shelter in barns and somehow had enough food. We wish that the Stairway to Heaven could be climbed, one day maybe it will...... But in the meantime we know you will serve them well!

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  2. guys....that yur mom N dad HAZ de stairway ther izza pluz....eye hope two that they uze it; eye lived life on de streetz N noe thanx...noe mor....we still see community catz out N a bout N we ask R awesum pal St Francis ta keep watch 24/7....we iz prette sure heez tired oh heerin uz ask...but....

    ♥♥♥ butter lover boomer o cat

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  3. We worry about Chip and Slim too. They have a pretty comfy area to stay in with lots of straw and warming mats, but still...it's cold!

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  4. We know how much you want them safe and warm, but grabbing them is definitely not a good thing. Occasionally I try to convince mine that something is nice, but they just run when I do that.

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  5. It is definitely cold now, for humans and animals alike. Sending everyone hugs of warmth.

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  6. Think about if they didn't have you--then they'd be in trouble! We really hope they venture up the stairs, but if not, they have a wonderful shelter.

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  7. I would worry too. But you've done so much for them and like you said, they made it through those two cold winters. Sending WARM hugs their way.

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  8. They are lucky you have done so much to help, so many other kitties are not so lucky. I can understand why you worry though.

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  9. Patty and Sweetie are very lucky to have you. It's no doubt they have lived through the coldest winters because of all your care and help. xoxo

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Mee-row!
Thanks for your comments; we LURV them! Purrr....