Going Out of Business

When I started this blog I had in my care two dogs, two fish, two rats, and two cats. The blogs namesake came from the menagerie that I was feeding, training, and using as tools in my classroom. I really love animals, and I've been sad to see each pair leave to find new homes and caregivers.
If you ask any person who knows me, they'll tell about not only my affinity for animals, but for felines in particular. I borderline crazy cat lady in my adoration for cats, in fact, had I not met Jeff, I feel that I may have been an excellent candidate for curlers, a walker, and a fuzzy pink robe someday.

With that being said, Jeff is quite the opposite. He puts up with the cats, sure, but in reality is incredibly allergic to just about everything about him. When I'm not shoving claritin down his throat, I'm listening to him hack up fur balls or scratch his eyes nearly out of his head. I've considered the situation ever since I first met him ( I clearly liked him a lot more than he liked me right off the bat), and knew that it was always going to be a possibility that I may have to find new homes for the two fiesty felines I call my own.

So he were we stand today: One siamese kitty boy, and one fancy tuxedo cat in need of tender rehoming. I'm really not comfortable dropping them off at the shelter because neither of them are kittens anymore, so would you be so kind as to help me start scouting for loving homes for these to? They go great together, but will survive just fine split up. Here's a little information that might help you and I in looking for great matches:

Skippy is a fantastic cat. He's just over a year old, beautiful, and smart. He loves anybody and everyone that will pet him, and is always in need of more love than anyone could hope to give him in one day. He's going to do great in a home with kids or someone who may be home a lot. I personally think he'd do fine with a dog, but I think he'd have to be exposed to them as a puppy.

Milo is an older cat. He's soft and quirky, and really likes to do his own thing. He loves to be petted on his own terms, but doesn't care to be picked up. He's a pretty low maintenance  cat, and really just wants to go about his business with occasional cuddle time and love from whomever he's around. He has a hard time adjusting to new animals and kids, but he eventually comes around to at least tolerating the other party. He's never bitten anyone, and only scratches really when he's trying to jump away. I'd suggest him going to someone with a quieter lifestyle and older to adult kids and people.


I really hate to see these two go, but I'd rather see Jeff be able to breathe comfortably in his own living space. Please help me out in finding these two sweet things find a new family!


THANK YOU!

Aloha, For Now....

As those who know me are well aware, I was pink slipped from my current position. This year has been a whirlwind of turbulance, but has been a fantastic learning experience all the same. With the uncertainty of my next move, I made the executive decision that the rats could no longer stay with me ( I had a hunch that they wouldn't mix well with the cats).  I found a woman willing to take them, and the children decided to write her a letter so that she would know how to take care of them:

Dear Ms. Blythe,


Thank you for offering to take care of the rats from now on. We would like to tell you some information that we think will be helpful to you in order to take care of our rats.

First, their names are Petra and Piper. Petra is a hooded rat, and looks just like the picture of the rat you sent! Petra can be shy, and takes a while to get used to people. It took a long time for her to come out of her shell and hang out while we were in the classroom. Piper is a sandy blond color with a pink nose. Piper is a playful rat, and if you ever leave the cage door open, she is the first to try to get out and explore the world.

These two rats LOVE to eat fresh fruits and vegetables! They also eat lots of different kinds of seeds and grains that are mixed together in their rat food. Their favorite foods include strawberry yogurt treats, carrots, star fruit, grapes, and apples. They will eat, but don’t like broccoli and celery as much as other vegetables.

There are a few helpful hints that we feel as a class may help you when you take care of these rats. They can get a little stinky, and Ms. Dickinson has to give them baths every so often. They aren’t crazy about it, and they tend to try to get away and squeak. They always smell better afterwards though. Also, don’t forget to clean out the cage! They make a big mess, and it gets smelly if you forget! They don’t bite people, but be careful, if you stick your finger into the cage, they might forget that it’s a finger and mistake it for a snack! Ouch!

We hope you take very good care of the rats, and would love to get an email seeing how they are doing some day.

Good luck,

Ms. Dickinson’s Class