Death, Barf, and Stool

Now, I know you all are still here after reading that post title. Can't wait to hear this one, right? After my extended absence, due to our laptop having gone caput (and Ron's miraculous recovery of our hard drive by putting it overnight in the freezer [yes!] ), I'm back.

Our male cat, Jake, has been on a killing spree.

He may look cute and innocent, but underneath the facade is a rampaging tiger ready to chomp down on his next victim. Last week, Jesse found him in the house with a little mouse. It was already dead, of course. She took it outside to the "Tree of Death". This is the spot that she takes all of his victims. Later on that day.............one of my daycare parents comes to pick up her daughter and lets me know that the cat has left a present on the front step. Oh joy. It is the same poor mouse. He apparently has discovered the final resting place of these poor critters.

A few days later I was outside with the daycare children at my feet (literally). We had been giving the baby dolls a bath the day before so I was putting everything back into the rubbermaid container. I went to lift up the overturned "bathtub" and was mightily surprised when I came face to face with a chipmunk. Yes, he was dead. But at least he looked peaceful. I have no idea how he made it underneath there or how he died. I don't think the cat was to blame for this one. I quickly covered him back up and left him in peace. It may or may not have also been because I hate to deal with dead things. Ron gracefully stepped up to the plate this time when he got home. Poor little guy.

Today, as I'm waiting for my first daycare child to arrive, I hear a blood curdling scream coming from outside. Apparently as mom and child were walking up to the front door they discovered not one, but two poor little dead chipmunks. Mom had let out the chilling scream to try to stop her daughter who was quickly approaching the deceased guys. You know with rabies and all. I proceeded to wash her hands really well as Mom didn't know if the little one had actually touched the chippy or not.

Onto the barf. Our other cat (the bipolar one), Abby, has been throwing up off and on lately. I had made an appointment with the vet to see if there was anything wrong. She has only be doing this maybe once every few days so we're not really concerned. But concerned nonetheless. The lady at the vet's office says that if we could collect and bring in a stool sample it would be extremely helpful in determining what's going on with her. Do you know how hard it is to collect stool from an indoor/outdoor cat? We don't keep a litter box for them as they have the freedom to go outside anytime they please. Even if we were to lock her inside and MAKE her go in a box, how do we determine that it's her poo and not Jake's? Do we have to lock him outside until she does the dirty deed? Of course, if we lock him outside you know he'll take out his anger on the chipmunks.

So for now at least, I've cancelled the appointment until we figure out a plan of action. Plus, she doesn't really seem to be acting sick. (yes, she's up-to-date on all of her vaccines so I guess we'll just wait it out and see)