The Three Amigos... Sage, Dixie & Wingnut!!!
- Thread starter Coastal Redneck
- Start date
OLD CT
Well-Known Member
Hey Sidewinder, I am really sorry to hear that. 
The first thing that came to my mind is this....You might want to re think letting the cats roam outdoors for now. You may very well have a ''scumbag neighbor'' that puts out antifreeze in a dish for cats and other wildlife to drink. Just some food for thought from your old buddy, OLD CT..
The first thing that came to my mind is this....You might want to re think letting the cats roam outdoors for now. You may very well have a ''scumbag neighbor'' that puts out antifreeze in a dish for cats and other wildlife to drink. Just some food for thought from your old buddy, OLD CT..
cjpayne
Well-Known Member
I know how ya feel SW. It sucks loosing a beloved pet. I remember, as a kid, bawling my brains out over my dog. I guess that's why I really don't have pets anymore.
I'm with OC on this one. A sign of antifreeze consumption is convulsions. It tastes sweet, especially to dogs, but I've never heard of cats liking it. Someone may have spilled some nearby changing a hose out.
I'm with OC on this one. A sign of antifreeze consumption is convulsions. It tastes sweet, especially to dogs, but I've never heard of cats liking it. Someone may have spilled some nearby changing a hose out.
Coastal Redneck
120cc
Well, Boyz, I took my sweet little Jingle Belle out to the forest yesterday, found a decent gravesite and dug the hole, then lovingly laid her to rest... couldn't bear to photograph little Jingles lying in the hole, I wanted her to go with dignity and honor, so I just gently filled in the hole and covered it with some nearby rocks. I took some pics of her final resting site, as a means of closure here... I think I found a good spot for her, near a stunted oak, a Ponderosa Pine, and some third (hopefully flowering) shrub. As little Jingle Belle returns to the soil, those plants will draw nutrients from her poor little body. Damn, I still miss her so much, she was a real sweetheart... the other cats are still making the adjustment to her absence, I might have to find another playmate for Crackhead, he has been looking around for his buddy Jingles but the poor girl is gone.
OLD CT, I don't think anybody deliberately poisoned her, half my neighbors are absentee owners and the other half all have animals of one sort or another. I honestly think little Jingles may have come across a toxic plant, something like deadly nightshade... if that stuff will kill livestock, I reckon it will do for a cat. I saw Jingle Belle chewing on some grass in the yard the other day, maybe she just went further afield and chewed on the wrong plant. She definitely had symptoms of poisoning, with her eyes dilated wide and the other stuff going on, I was going to look into the cause of her death but it all seemed so pointless the following morning (yesterday), so I simply decided to take her home to the forest she loved so much. Would've buried her here in my yard, but my broken heart couldn't bear the constant daily reminder of her loss, 10-4?
Anyway, here are some pics of little Jingle Belle's final resting place... I chose a spot off the beaten path, a spur road led to a dirt cul-de-sac with a stone fire ring in the center, so I parked on the SE side of that cul-de-sac and walked 40-50 yards into the forest. Saw the stunted oak and a Ponderosa Pine that looked as if it could use a boost, so that's where I dug the hole. The forest slopes gently away from the gravesite, the very same kind of forest that Jingles loved so much... perhaps her spirit will roam among the trees whenever she feels the need. The fire ring is far enough away for her grave to not be disturbed, but close enough for Jingle Belle to have company when the boys show up to hunt or party. I suppose I'll ride by the site when I buy my quad, maybe get off and walk over to say hello... poor little Jingles, such a waste of a sweet and beautiful young life. Guess I should be thankful for the year of joy & pleasure she gave me.
OLD CT, I don't think anybody deliberately poisoned her, half my neighbors are absentee owners and the other half all have animals of one sort or another. I honestly think little Jingles may have come across a toxic plant, something like deadly nightshade... if that stuff will kill livestock, I reckon it will do for a cat. I saw Jingle Belle chewing on some grass in the yard the other day, maybe she just went further afield and chewed on the wrong plant. She definitely had symptoms of poisoning, with her eyes dilated wide and the other stuff going on, I was going to look into the cause of her death but it all seemed so pointless the following morning (yesterday), so I simply decided to take her home to the forest she loved so much. Would've buried her here in my yard, but my broken heart couldn't bear the constant daily reminder of her loss, 10-4?
Anyway, here are some pics of little Jingle Belle's final resting place... I chose a spot off the beaten path, a spur road led to a dirt cul-de-sac with a stone fire ring in the center, so I parked on the SE side of that cul-de-sac and walked 40-50 yards into the forest. Saw the stunted oak and a Ponderosa Pine that looked as if it could use a boost, so that's where I dug the hole. The forest slopes gently away from the gravesite, the very same kind of forest that Jingles loved so much... perhaps her spirit will roam among the trees whenever she feels the need. The fire ring is far enough away for her grave to not be disturbed, but close enough for Jingle Belle to have company when the boys show up to hunt or party. I suppose I'll ride by the site when I buy my quad, maybe get off and walk over to say hello... poor little Jingles, such a waste of a sweet and beautiful young life. Guess I should be thankful for the year of joy & pleasure she gave me.
Coastal Redneck
120cc
Here are a few more pics of the area, and a shot of the Camry, that offroad vehicle extraordinaire... meh, it did the job of transporting Jingle Belle to her final resting place, so no complaints. You can see the little golden-leaved oak in the distance behind the car, in the lower right center of the pic. Two other shots show the stone fire ring in the cul-de-sac, that's where the boys show up to hunt or party. Well, let me post these last pics, then I have to move forward with my life... maybe check Craigslist for another rescue kitteh to keep Crackhead company as a playmate. Poor little guy has been sitting on the windowsill as I type this, looking out and wondering where little Jingle Belle went. R.I.P., JINGLE BELLE, I'M GONNA MISS YA, DARLIN'... HOPE YA REST PEACEFULLY IN THE FOREST, MY SWEET LITTLE BABY GIRL.
Coastal Redneck
120cc
Alright, Boyz, I'm still dealing with the heartbreak, but I'm gonna post a few links to stories I wrote in the past, tales of nautical adventure which were wild enough to match the spirit of little Jingle Belle... she was such an outdoor adventurer she would've loved going to the islands, where wildlife abounded and birds were plentiful, LOL. Meh, here are the links to the stories of the islands, read them in order as they were written, CHEERS!!! 
https://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/tales-adventure/2011/mar/04/laserium/
https://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/tales-adventure/2011/may/01/isla-norte/
https://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/tales-adventure/2011/aug/15/laser-island-voyager/
Hey, DR, here are a couple of funny trucking-related stories for ya, AYE???
https://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/tales-adventure/2011/mar/26/internet-rambo/
https://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/tales-adventure/2011/apr/02/the-blue-angels-of-truck-driving/
https://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/tales-adventure/2011/oct/12/the-300-gnat/
HOPE Y'ALL ENJOY MY STORIES, IT'S OKAY IF YA DON'T, LOL...
https://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/tales-adventure/2011/mar/04/laserium/
https://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/tales-adventure/2011/may/01/isla-norte/
https://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/tales-adventure/2011/aug/15/laser-island-voyager/
Hey, DR, here are a couple of funny trucking-related stories for ya, AYE???
https://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/tales-adventure/2011/mar/26/internet-rambo/
https://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/tales-adventure/2011/apr/02/the-blue-angels-of-truck-driving/
https://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/tales-adventure/2011/oct/12/the-300-gnat/
HOPE Y'ALL ENJOY MY STORIES, IT'S OKAY IF YA DON'T, LOL...
Coastal Redneck
120cc
Oh, hell, I just realized that DR is a moderator at another website, LOL... and here's a tip for avid readers, if ya click on the line that says "Tales of Adventure" in the upper left corner of every story in that electronic rag, you can access a heap of stories written by yours truly, stories of sailing, rock climbing, trashing around in big rigs, etc., etc. MEH, I STILL LUV YA, LOL.
Coastal Redneck
120cc
Hmm, looks like the link to "INTERNET RAMBO!!!" is kaput, that's a hilarious piece of writing. No worries, here's a substitute link to another tale from the road:
https://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/tales-adventure/2011/oct/13/a-classic-footrace/
The only real difference between these stories and the stories in my book, apart from the cheesy ads and whatnot, is that the stories in my book have photos incorporated into the text, many of them the actual photos taken at the time of the original adventure or event. Again, if you click that little "Tales of Adventure" line just above and to the left of each story title, you can access a couple pages of stories, just click the blue button at the bottom of the page to flip back and forth. There are some links below the stories, not all of them are mine so no tellin' what ya might get. The skateboarding saga is a classic tale, I received $1,000 from the Reader for that story 25 years ago... they even asked me to write a glossary for the story, since there was so much slang and skate lingo. The glossary appeared in a separate block in the paper, check out the definition for "face-plant"---that one's hilarious. Back in the day, one could get away with a lot in the way of writing, now there are too many PC @#!&s in the literary marketplace, which is why I've had trouble finding a good indie publisher to accept my finished electronic manuscript, unique photos and all. Self-publishing outfits are a scam, they take your immaculate electronic manuscript and "convert" it, which means they f#% it up, then they want to charge ya $1,000 to "make it right." PFFFFFFT, no thanks. My writing has to stand on its own, I don't pay anyone to publish it, they pay me or I simply shotgun the stories out on the Internet, so they live forever, AYE???
ALRIGHT, BOYZ, GOT THINGS TO DO TODAY, SURE IS QUIET AROUND HERE WITH JINGLE BELLE GONE... I DON'T QUITE UNDERSTAND THAT, BECAUSE SHE WAS SO SHY AND RESERVED, NEVER MAKING MUCH NOISE AT ALL. POOR LITTLE GIRL, I MISS HER TERRIBLY...
https://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/tales-adventure/2011/oct/13/a-classic-footrace/
The only real difference between these stories and the stories in my book, apart from the cheesy ads and whatnot, is that the stories in my book have photos incorporated into the text, many of them the actual photos taken at the time of the original adventure or event. Again, if you click that little "Tales of Adventure" line just above and to the left of each story title, you can access a couple pages of stories, just click the blue button at the bottom of the page to flip back and forth. There are some links below the stories, not all of them are mine so no tellin' what ya might get. The skateboarding saga is a classic tale, I received $1,000 from the Reader for that story 25 years ago... they even asked me to write a glossary for the story, since there was so much slang and skate lingo. The glossary appeared in a separate block in the paper, check out the definition for "face-plant"---that one's hilarious. Back in the day, one could get away with a lot in the way of writing, now there are too many PC @#!&s in the literary marketplace, which is why I've had trouble finding a good indie publisher to accept my finished electronic manuscript, unique photos and all. Self-publishing outfits are a scam, they take your immaculate electronic manuscript and "convert" it, which means they f#% it up, then they want to charge ya $1,000 to "make it right." PFFFFFFT, no thanks. My writing has to stand on its own, I don't pay anyone to publish it, they pay me or I simply shotgun the stories out on the Internet, so they live forever, AYE???
ALRIGHT, BOYZ, GOT THINGS TO DO TODAY, SURE IS QUIET AROUND HERE WITH JINGLE BELLE GONE... I DON'T QUITE UNDERSTAND THAT, BECAUSE SHE WAS SO SHY AND RESERVED, NEVER MAKING MUCH NOISE AT ALL. POOR LITTLE GIRL, I MISS HER TERRIBLY...
Last edited by a moderator:
Enginedoctor
Well-Known Member
Sorry for your loss. Blue and I offer our condolences...
Coastal Redneck
120cc
Thanks, EngineDoctor, Blue looks like a cool cat. As a cat lover myself, it was so sad to watch little Jingle Belle suffer... I tried to do everything I could for her, but I didn't know the cause of her affliction or poisoning. Had I known how it would all end, I would've shortened her life and saved her the pain & misery, but for a time there I thought she might pull through, ya know? But the poison was tricky: when Jingle Belle settled down a bit and seemed to breathe easier, that was when the vile poison was taking a firmer grip on my poor little cat. Then the convulsions came, horrible to watch knowing there was nothing I could do... they only lasted a couple minutes, by that time she was pretty far gone and seemed totally out of it, like the poison had shut down her brain and central nervous system. I just hope she didn't feel much pain during the last few moments... that nasty crap was so powerful it literally paralyzed her. Damn, it was heartbreaking to see her go that way, and she fought so hard at the outset to stay alive... such a wicked waste of all that youth and vitality, to have her life cut short in such a terrible way. It was a tough ordeal, and now she's gone... I don't ever want to go through that again, and I say that as a hand who has already seen too much death as it is. All the more reason to live life to the fullest while we can, 10-4? I believe I've cheated Death a few times in the past, but like a good poker player he always wins in the end.
Some potentially good news: a gal in Linden (right nearby) has a young female black cat she is trying to rehome, roughly the same age as Crackhead, who now has no playmate... the gal is going to bring the cat over on Saturday, to see whether the kitteh will fit in here. I'm sure Crackhead will be okay with her, he's jonesing for company as it is, poor little guy used to chase Jingles all over the house & yard, and vice versa. The big question is whether Sage will take to the new kitteh... this little girl is quite shy, according to her current owner, so I'm hoping Sage goes easy on her. It sure would be nice to find a new playmate for Crackhead, he was rocketing around the house this morning on his own, but I know that's not the same as having a young and vigorous companion. With luck, everything will go well, Sage usually does better with kittens rather than strange adult cats, but this newcomer might just be young enough to fit in without too much hassle. Sage can be very aggressive with adult cats, especially males, but he seems to do better with females, I guess they don't seem as threatening, aye? I'm really hoping he accepts this new kitteh as a housemate, that would be cool and Crackhead would be really happy. Maybe the fact that this new kitteh is black (like Jingle Belle) will help, sure would be nice for Crackhead to have a playmate again. One final observation here: Jingles was black and she died on MLK Day, which struck me as a bizarre coincidence... I realize that there are only so many days in the calendar year, but what are the odds???
WELL, TIME TO HANDLE SOME TASKS HERE AT THE OL' HACIENDA, GOT SOME DECENT PROSPECTS LINED UP AS ROOMMATES, THE CURRENT DUDE IS GREAT BUT HE'S LEAVING ON THE 30TH, THAT'S WHEN ESCROW CLOSES ON THE HOUSE HE BOUGHT FOR HIS FAMILY. CAN'T FAULT A HAND FOR WANTING HIS OWN PLACE, AT LEAST I HELPED HIM FOR AWHILE, 10-4???
Some potentially good news: a gal in Linden (right nearby) has a young female black cat she is trying to rehome, roughly the same age as Crackhead, who now has no playmate... the gal is going to bring the cat over on Saturday, to see whether the kitteh will fit in here. I'm sure Crackhead will be okay with her, he's jonesing for company as it is, poor little guy used to chase Jingles all over the house & yard, and vice versa. The big question is whether Sage will take to the new kitteh... this little girl is quite shy, according to her current owner, so I'm hoping Sage goes easy on her. It sure would be nice to find a new playmate for Crackhead, he was rocketing around the house this morning on his own, but I know that's not the same as having a young and vigorous companion. With luck, everything will go well, Sage usually does better with kittens rather than strange adult cats, but this newcomer might just be young enough to fit in without too much hassle. Sage can be very aggressive with adult cats, especially males, but he seems to do better with females, I guess they don't seem as threatening, aye? I'm really hoping he accepts this new kitteh as a housemate, that would be cool and Crackhead would be really happy. Maybe the fact that this new kitteh is black (like Jingle Belle) will help, sure would be nice for Crackhead to have a playmate again. One final observation here: Jingles was black and she died on MLK Day, which struck me as a bizarre coincidence... I realize that there are only so many days in the calendar year, but what are the odds???
WELL, TIME TO HANDLE SOME TASKS HERE AT THE OL' HACIENDA, GOT SOME DECENT PROSPECTS LINED UP AS ROOMMATES, THE CURRENT DUDE IS GREAT BUT HE'S LEAVING ON THE 30TH, THAT'S WHEN ESCROW CLOSES ON THE HOUSE HE BOUGHT FOR HIS FAMILY. CAN'T FAULT A HAND FOR WANTING HIS OWN PLACE, AT LEAST I HELPED HIM FOR AWHILE, 10-4???
Coastal Redneck
120cc
Birdbaths weren't frozen this morning, but I reckon they will be tomorrow when this new front moves into the White Mountains. We're supposed to get some much-needed rain & snow out of this system, but it will also bring much colder temps... I'll have a fire in the wood stove tonight, just in case the temp really plummets tomorrow morning, when this front is due to arrive. Otherwise, a quiet morning here... I miss little Jingle Belle drinking from the sink and the birdbaths.
Coastal Redneck
120cc
Well, I looked into the various causes of death in cats, and I even watched a few short videos to see whether any of the poor animals exhibited signs & symptoms like those Jingle Belle had during her ordeal. I think I can safely cross off rat poison, antifreeze, and the brown recluse spider as the culprit in the death of little Jingles... the signs & symptoms for those sort of deaths are somewhat different from what I witnessed. Two more likely scenarios are death from toxic plant poisoning, and death by catching & eating a bird with agricultural chemicals, poison, or pesticide in its system. Little Jingle Belle was quite the huntress in the forest, so that second scenario is possible, but I'm still leaning toward the toxic plant scenario. Rat poison or consumption of a poisoned rat seems unlikely, for the reason I mentioned earlier.
Whatever the poison was, it was powerful... she might only have consumed a little bit, but it was powerful enough to eventually kill her. And she died with her eyes wide open, the pupils dilated so wide that her eyes were in fact black. I read that certain lilies are highly toxic, and we have lilies up here, several varieties including some in my yard. Guess I should dig up those damned things and get rid of them, so I don't go through this again... that's the main reason why I looked up the info, to see whether I could learn anything which might help save another cat in the future. I'm sure there are other toxic plants up here as well, but obviously I can only go through my own garden to weed out any potential killers... Jingle Belle ranged pretty far around the 'hood, and of course she may have caught and eaten a bird with some sort of poison in its system. This info won't help her much now, but it might help the other kittehs.
Whatever the poison was, it was powerful... she might only have consumed a little bit, but it was powerful enough to eventually kill her. And she died with her eyes wide open, the pupils dilated so wide that her eyes were in fact black. I read that certain lilies are highly toxic, and we have lilies up here, several varieties including some in my yard. Guess I should dig up those damned things and get rid of them, so I don't go through this again... that's the main reason why I looked up the info, to see whether I could learn anything which might help save another cat in the future. I'm sure there are other toxic plants up here as well, but obviously I can only go through my own garden to weed out any potential killers... Jingle Belle ranged pretty far around the 'hood, and of course she may have caught and eaten a bird with some sort of poison in its system. This info won't help her much now, but it might help the other kittehs.
Coastal Redneck
120cc
Y'all see that beautiful crescent moon tonight? It was awesome here... a new moon, a new beginning, but I still miss Jingle Belle.