Kat-a-tude

Swirling around the yard gobbling up so many flying insects, to me, the dragonflies are always welcome site.  I could sit and watch them forever...so fast, so agile, so hungry and so beautiful!

However, I di learn many years ago that they can bite.  Did you know that?

I was part of a guided walk in the woods at a state park and as we made our way around the small pond, we stopped to learn about the native plants.

One of the men on the walk suddenly lifted his hand announcing he had a dragonfly on his finger.  Of course, we all tuned to focus on him and shortly after, he jerked up his hand and it flew off as he exclaimed, "It bit me."

It was then that our tour guide, a gentleman I met when we first moved back to CT and that I am still friends with to this day, informed us that yes, they can bite into human flesh.  Totally okay with me as they always land in and around my gardens or near the stone walls.

However, this post isn't about insects....it's about another beast that belongs to me.....Katniss Everdeen.  

That's what I call her when she's good.  Most of the time, however, I refer to her as Katniss, the "b".

She taunts Livy like crazy because she knows she's got the "upper hand" so to speak.  With 22 toes, she can rip the you know what out of anyone or anything.  

So to all you cat lovers out there, tell me how do you trim your cat's nails?

Do you bring your cat to a VET? a Groomer?  or do you cut them yourself?  Do you hire someone to come to your home?  I did that once, but it didn't work out.  The woman was only able to clip two paws so that was the end of that relationship.  And she charged me full price to boot!  Moving on...

I caught Katniss nearly 6 years ago.  She was a feral kitten...one of five and the ONLY one who survived.  Her mom was caught in a have-a-heart trap and brought to a local place for TNR.

Although allergic to cats, I could not give her up right for the day I caught her.

For years, I would ask the President to pick her up, hold her and I would trim away.  And it worked...until about a week ago.

He was holding her and she was not happy...at all.  She began clawing at the Pres' arm and once I saw that I told him to just let her go.  He's on blood thinners so of course, he was bleeding like crazy.  I told him to wash his arm with soap and water before bandaging.  He healed fine and with no signs of "cat scratch fever", I devised yet another approach.  When I say she was going bananas, I mean she had a real "Kat-a-tude".  

So the other day, Katniss was lying on the sofa.  My cotton throw was behind her.  I sat next to her, covered her back and back back legs with the throw and held her back end down with my arm as the other hand (middle finger and thumb) held her "scruff".  Quickly I asked the Pres to get the scissors and trim her front paws.  We'd gotten her rears at the last attempt.  It was done without a fuss.

So I'm thinking that perhaps she's more comfortable with ME holding her down rather than the Pres.  We'll see when it's trim time again.




seeing, saying, sharing...

Kat-a-Tude






Comments

Ginny Hartzler said…
You did some quick thinking! We adore cats, and Katniss is gorgeous. So glad that you now know this trick and hopefully it will continue to work! NO, I had no IDEA the dragonflies bite!!

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