And then there was Mama Carlos.

Normally I like to have a little laugh with my blogs but on a scale of 1-10   ((10 being Jim Carrey funny and 0 being a funeral)) this is probably a 3. Still, it's necessary to introduce you to the whole mob so that later you understand who I'm referring to so just bear with me...


We never had any intentions of getting a second cat. This is the honest truth. (Stop laughing!)
Then I heard about Carlos.
Carlos is a 4 year old Himalayan cat who was kept in the cat equivalent of a puppy mill. For his 3 years of life in this horrible place he was kept in a basement filled with cats-all in pet carriers. For THREE YEARS! (sorry, blood starts to boil when I think about it!)
When he was found he was in bad bad shape. His fur was so matted that his tail was actually stuck to his back legs and he couldn't walk properly. He sort of walked like his bum was stuck to the ground. A lady had gone to rescue another cat at this place and wanted to save all of them but Carlos was in the worst shape so she had to get him out of there.  She is an angel.
But she couldn't keep him, so she listed him on craigslist where I read his story.  She'd already taken him straight to the vet for help and had him fixed so that he was never put in the same situation again.  I called her and told her we could offer him a loving home and so we did.
This is how he looked when we first got him.

Poor little guy! Looking at it now I can still see how his posture isn't right and he can't even straighten his legs! What horrible people! I sure hope they get their comeuppance.

Carlos is the sweetest guy! When I first brought him home he would start purring the minute anyone just walked in the room by him! He purrs loud but in the past year we've only EVER heard him meow twice. EVER.  And that includes the times he was accidentally stepped on when he got under our feet.

But the thing that makes Carlos so great is his mothering instinct.  That's right! I said it. He is a good mama.  Since we brought Carlos home we've introduced many many other creatures to the farm and Carlos always thinks he's their mama.We got more chickens and he adored them!

He'd sit and watch them for ages

but never harm them. 

Then when we put 

them away for the night 

he would sleep 

on top of their cage!

Then we got more ducks(I have a problem, I know!) and once again Mama Carlos stepped in to take care of them.  If we went over to the ducks to take them out of their cage and let them run free for a while Carlos ALWAYS came running to make sure his babies were looked after.  And you know what- neither the ducks or the chickens ever seemed to mind!


Then my cousin Jim ((waves at Jim)) had a little kitten that he was VERY allergic to and had to get rid of.  He mentioned something about the Humane Society and I stepped in! He could live here with the outside cats. We did NOT want any more inside cats! So I called cousin Jim and said he could consider his kitten adopted! Kitten's name was Cheech so when he moved here he was called 'Cousin Cheech'. Cheech was just a kitten so guess who stepped in to be his mama!


He's a sweet little(big) guy now. A bit nosey, but aren't they all? :) 

Now the smells aren't nearly as calming as they were at Cousin Jim's house. In fact they are stimulating and quite intriguing! Cheech likes to watch the outside animals from inside but when he goes out the door he bolts! He's our biggest chicken! And he's such a baby that he won't come up to the door to come back in either. He meows from a safe distance until one of us goes and picks him up and carries him past all the 'weirdo's' aka chickens and ducks.  Also he wasn't that impressed when we wouldn't let him drink coffee like his other daddy let him.  I think Nikki has convinced Cheech that he is ALSO a 'people' and thus should be entitled to such things as a cuppa joe and clothing. 

Here he is trying to wear Scott's work boots. When I asked him what he was doing (yeah yeah, it gets lonely here alone all day every day!) he just played it cool like he was supposed to be wearing boots and he did it all the time. He eventually came out of the boots and went and drank half my coffee while I put the boots in the cupboard. 
What a guy! :)

 

So there you have it. Mama Carlos and Cousin Cheech. We've covered me, Scott, Brandon, Ducks, Chickens, Steve the Squirrel, Nikki, Carlos and Cheech.  Next-Got Goat? =D Cause I do!