Sick Kitties

I have several kittens with runny eyes. Took the worst one to the New Berlin vet tonight. This is another vet who I wanted to try. I have so many critters I thought it would be a good idea to have two vet clinics working for me. He is a few miles closer than the other one (gas and time factors in his favor). A teacher friend, Jeff Weinell, recommended him to me. Jeff said this guy takes care of the elephants at the Syracuse zoo. I figured he could handle my crew. I guess that's why he made the remark that this virus is deadly to exotic cats, and would kill a tiger. Dr. ? seems very nice. Yes, I still don't know his name. I know, I know I spent 10 minutes with the guy and still don't know his name. I didn't see it anywhere and she stamped my check with the clinic name. My little kitty has a feline herpes virus which is very common around here right now. All the big cats are fine and beautiful, but three or four kittens are having eye problems. I have been treating them with medicine I got from the other vet but I wanted a second opinion. He said the secondary infections can kill the kittens but I have saved them from that with the meds I have been giving them. I have five days off (yes!) and will be able to doctor their eyes properly. It's still cold here. Finn and Knut took off during our walk - very scary to me because the killers are around. There is a "hunting camp" up on our ridge which I didn't know about when I bought the place. I don't like it, and have never seen the "hunter." I see a light throught the trees and imagine him creeping around the ridge with his gun. Last night Tanner ran a big buck out of the trees, across my hill and onto Jan's land. I expected shots to ring out any second, but he made it to the creek. I wouldn't want to be a deer around here right now. Work was awful, trying to ignore all the sickening hunting stories. I just try to hang out with my teacher friends - the ones who don't hunt - and hope they keep the kids too busy to tell stories. There are kids who are sensitive to animal rights in my school, even growing up in this macho hunter culture, but the hunters have the biggest loudest mouths. We watched a documentary on turkey processing at the Butterball plant in Arkansas. Well, guess what? No turkey for us this Thanksgiving. Yes, finally I will put my money where my mouth is. When I say anything about hunting, people always say do you eat meat? Now I can say no! Matt doesn't mind, he says he's ready. I guess I should start shopping for a good pair of sneakers, huh? I carry cloth handbags anyway, and I can use my own wool without worrying how the sheep were cared for. I don't want to throw away my own sweaters or shoes, but won't buy more unless they are pleather. I read that Joachim Phoenix refused to play Johnny Cash in Walk the Line unless they got him pleather cowboy boots. Cool! The school teachers buffet always has a terrific assortment of veggies and fruits along with salad fixins. I will have to find my Moosewood Cookbooks, stashed away in the tractor shed. My PETA magazine always has good recipes, too. It's the dairy thing I will have more trouble with. I have tried soy milk and hate it unless it's chocolate. I will try again...and sleep a lot better at night.