I can’t stop worrying about the animals

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:FWIW we have a really old cat who lives in an unheated outbuilding because inside the main house the other cats terrorize her to the point where she will find a hiding spot and poop and pee in place there and it takes me an age to search the house and find out where she has ended up. Last time it was in a crawlspace that was once supposed to “hide” the flat screen TV before we just more or less kept it out permanently. Absolute nightmare to clean back out.

I went in there this morning to feed and water her and it’s like she’s grown whole new levels of fur. She looks janky but if it’s keeping her warm then OK.

Why don't you provide her with one of those insulated outdoor pet huts in the outbuilding? I believe you can even buy them on Amazon. Or, below is a linkg with ones you can buy, as well as easy DIY options. This would probably go a long way for her. The poor thing.

https://www.alleycat.org/resources/feral-cat-shelter-options-gallery/?utm_source=google_cpc&utm_medium=ad_grant&utm_campaign=aca_cpa&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=18715802556&gbraid=0AAAAAD41gx0FPk5I_RVDnhKWrMVUIVWbv&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIoY7I8eLMkgMVJmpHAR2ygwzsEAAYASAAEgKxFvD_BwE

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:FWIW we have a really old cat who lives in an unheated outbuilding because inside the main house the other cats terrorize her to the point where she will find a hiding spot and poop and pee in place there and it takes me an age to search the house and find out where she has ended up. Last time it was in a crawlspace that was once supposed to “hide” the flat screen TV before we just more or less kept it out permanently. Absolute nightmare to clean back out.

I went in there this morning to feed and water her and it’s like she’s grown whole new levels of fur. She looks janky but if it’s keeping her warm then OK.

Why don't you provide her with one of those insulated outdoor pet huts in the outbuilding? I believe you can even buy them on Amazon. Or, below is a linkg with ones you can buy, as well as easy DIY options. This would probably go a long way for her. The poor thing.

https://www.alleycat.org/resources/feral-cat-shelter-options-gallery/?utm_source=google_cpc&utm_medium=ad_grant&utm_campaign=aca_cpa&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=18715802556&gbraid=0AAAAAD41gx0FPk5I_RVDnhKWrMVUIVWbv&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIoY7I8eLMkgMVJmpHAR2ygwzsEAAYASAAEgKxFvD_BwE

Not all cats like using these, by the way. Some will just avoid them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:FWIW we have a really old cat who lives in an unheated outbuilding because inside the main house the other cats terrorize her to the point where she will find a hiding spot and poop and pee in place there and it takes me an age to search the house and find out where she has ended up. Last time it was in a crawlspace that was once supposed to “hide” the flat screen TV before we just more or less kept it out permanently. Absolute nightmare to clean back out.

I went in there this morning to feed and water her and it’s like she’s grown whole new levels of fur. She looks janky but if it’s keeping her warm then OK.

Why don't you provide her with one of those insulated outdoor pet huts in the outbuilding? I believe you can even buy them on Amazon. Or, below is a linkg with ones you can buy, as well as easy DIY options. This would probably go a long way for her. The poor thing.

https://www.alleycat.org/resources/feral-cat-shelter-options-gallery/?utm_source=google_cpc&utm_medium=ad_grant&utm_campaign=aca_cpa&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=18715802556&gbraid=0AAAAAD41gx0FPk5I_RVDnhKWrMVUIVWbv&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIoY7I8eLMkgMVJmpHAR2ygwzsEAAYASAAEgKxFvD_BwE

Not all cats like using these, by the way. Some will just avoid them.

That's true, but can't hurt to try. Especially since she is willing to be an indoor cat if it weren't for getting bullied by the others.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Animals are built for outdoor weather.

One morning last week, after very cold night, I was at Rio Shopping Center (Gaithersburg) which has a lake. Workers were picking up dead Canadian Geese and there were at least 20 of them (with pieces of ice still stuck). Some of them got stuck on the ice (body temp melts and freezes) and died overnight. It was a sad sight.

I don't meant to sound cruel, but Canada geese don't belong here. They used to live in Canada in the summer, and fly south in the winter. At some point they decided to settle in DC, to take advantage of the golf courses and manicured lawns. So they stay here all year round. Kind of like politicians who come from the rest of the country to Washington to "clean up the mess," and then, after a few years, they don't return. They discover that feeding at the public trough is not such a bad deal.

+1 Canada Geese are vermin like the Norway rats. Good riddance.

Good riddance for sure. They should not be protected under the Migratory bird treaty act. They are vermin and aren't migrating like they should be.

[Anonymous]

As others have said, it's not the cold, it's the food frozen under the ice. Lots of things are starving right now. Out in Loudoun, I saw a coyote standing on the shoulder of the road in the middle of the day, digging into a roadkill deer carcass. Normally they're too shy and reclusive to be out in public like that, but this thing needed the groceries.

Looking forward to the warmer temps and increased melting this week.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Animals are built for outdoor weather.

Yes this. Foraging and finding food is their sole purpose. They are built to survive in a lot of extremes. Deaths in nature aren't always great and they can certainly be painful. But if a deer dies, the body will not be wasted. That deer will feed many other animals who are hungry in the winter. So a death can be a blessing in many ways.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As others have said, it's not the cold, it's the food frozen under the ice. Lots of things are starving right now. Out in Loudoun, I saw a coyote standing on the shoulder of the road in the middle of the day, digging into a roadkill deer carcass. Normally they're too shy and reclusive to be out in public like that, but this thing needed the groceries.

Looking forward to the warmer temps and increased melting this week.

And yet, we do not have a coyote shortage. And neither do areas with MUCH worse weather than we have. Coyotes live in North Dakota. You think they can't handle the DC suburbs being cold for a few weeks?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you really want to do something, The best thing you can do is feed the birds. Apparently the suet cakes are better for birds this time of year. You can also set out fresh water.

Arlington has a ban on feeding wild birds.

[Anonymous]

Some crazy lady in our neighborhood posted a rant about it being illegal to feed animals.

Suck it. We're filling our bird feeders and if the deer or squirrels or possums nibble on what falls down, that's fine with us.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Some crazy lady in our neighborhood posted a rant about it being illegal to feed animals.

Suck it. We're filling our bird feeders and if the deer or squirrels or possums nibble on what falls down, that's fine with us.

I’m not crazy and IT IS YOU WHO IS BREAKING THE LAW!!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some crazy lady in our neighborhood posted a rant about it being illegal to feed animals.

Suck it. We're filling our bird feeders and if the deer or squirrels or possums nibble on what falls down, that's fine with us.

I’m not crazy and IT IS YOU WHO IS BREAKING THE LAW!!!

Are you the Arlington person? Why do you assume I live in Arlington, you nut.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you really want to do something, The best thing you can do is feed the birds. Apparently the suet cakes are better for birds this time of year. You can also set out fresh water.

Arlington has a ban on feeding wild birds.

This has to be a joke. It’s illegal to have a bird feeder for sing birds??

[Anonymous]

I looked this up. It is not illegal to feed birds in Arlington.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you really want to do something, The best thing you can do is feed the birds. Apparently the suet cakes are better for birds this time of year. You can also set out fresh water.

Arlington has a ban on feeding wild birds.

This has to be a joke. It’s illegal to have a bird feeder for sing birds??

I live in Arlington. It's illegal to feed wildlife like deer and foxes, but not birds. Jeez.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s a problem. I’m worried sick about the wildlife, livestock and the cats and dogs that don’t get to live inside in this very long-lasting frigid weather. Is anyone else? I can’t stop worrying.

You might need some medication to take the edge off. Your PCP can absolutely help!!