The Ratzenberg
January 25, 2011 by Milana Vinokur
Filed under •-Headline, Healthy Pets
Winters in Toronto, Ontario like to keep us guessing. Sometimes temperatures are mild and there is hardly any snow. Sometimes the cold is so bitter that you literally can not breathe and the snow-falls are so heavy that they completely bury our cars and houses.
Few years back we had one of those cold, snowy winters. One day I wanted to go shopping but because of the extremely cold weather my car would not start, so I decided to stay warm at home and leave shopping until another day. On the way out of my car I noticed that the rubber cover around my shift-stick had tiny thin slashes all around it. “Very strange” – I thought. “I wonder if the cold made the rubber crack?”.
Not giving it much thought I went back inside the house and soon forgot about the puncture marks on my shift-stick cover. The following day I was stranded in my house because of a severe snow blizzard which lasted for 3 days, burying my car under 6 feet of snow. I could not leave the house or get inside my car, so I hibernated. On the fifth day I finally was able to dig my car out from under an igloo that formed around it.
As I got in I immediately noticed a piece of bread laying on the driver’s seat. “Hmmm” – I thought. “I don’t remember eating bread in the car last time I used it”. As my eyes moved towards the shift-stick I froze in amazement. The rubber around it was shredded to pieces and there was a big hole gaping right in the center. As I looked closer I realized that there was a trail of bread crumbs all the way from my seat to the hole. I sat there for a few moments wrestling with my thoughts, trying to figure out what that might have meant. Finally I realized that my car was visited by a field rat. There are quite a few of them in the field around my house. You see a lot of them in the summer, but they never got this close to the house before. One must have gotten trapped under my car in all that snow and figured out a way to get inside to get warmed up.
Being Hypoglycemic I often keep some bread, chocolate or cookies in the car in case I need to eat something quick. Because I am involved in rescuing animals I also carry in the car some dry dog and cat food. My little visitor must have smelled it, got in and thought he was in Heaven with all that food available to him for over 4 days. One might have considered the intrusion rude, however, this was obviously a very polite rat. He did not take ALL of my food. He generously and graciously left me a piece of bread on my driver’s seat as a sign of gratitude.
When I brought my car to my mechanic he could not believe what happened. He told me that in all his years working as a mechanic this was the first time he had to work on a car that was chewed up by a rat. Over the next few weeks, while trying to search for a replacement part for my car, he had to endure bursts of uncontrollable laughter from his suppliers and other mechanics as he tried to explain to them what happened. During this time the Rat, whom I have now affectionately named the Ratzenberg, has visited my car during the night on regular basis, always finding something else to eat, but ALWAYS leaving me some food on the passenger seat as a sign of gratitude. He never dirtied the car and never damaged anything else. He would just have a meal and than leave, after gathering enough food to bring home to his hungry family. I realized that I was actually looking forward each day to finding out if he has visited during the night or not.
I must confess, I was secretly happy that it was taking such a long time to find a replacement part and I was quite dissappointed when my mechanic finally called me to say that the part had arrived and I could bring my car in. No more holes in a rubber casing meant no more visits from the Ratzenberg, and there was an entire Ratzenberg family who’s survival depended on this daily “shopping” in my car.
I called my mechanic and said: “You know Jai, I’ve been thinking… If I replace this part now, the rats would only chew through it again! Do you mind if we wait until the weather is nice and than change it?” I heard a heartfelt laughter on the other end and after a few moments Jai’s voice replied: “Of course I don’t mind! After all, what would the Ratzenberg do if he could not feed his family. We will wait until spring”. And so we did…
Once the snow melted and the nice weather set in, the new rubber casing was replaced and the visits from the Ratzenberg stopped. Never again did he try to get in. He never again damaged the rubber around the shift stick or any other part of my car. And although I have never actually seen him, I have grown quite fond of him and I knew he understood what I did for him. I know there is a whole family of Ratzenbergs out there grateful that there was this “crazy” woman who shared her car and her food with them, who allowed their husband/father “shop” in her car and feed them during a rough winter.
Yes, many may think I am weird, but it warms my heart knowing that a family didn’t have to starve during a hard, long winter… even if it was a family of Rats! Wishing you well Ratzenberg, where ever you may be!
In memory of a great person and a wonderful mechanic, Jai Ram of Jattan Auto, 6505 Kingston Road, Unit 6, Scarborough, Ontario.
SAYING GOOD BUY: A BITTER SWEET JOURNEY
November 29, 2010 by Milana Vinokur
Filed under •-Headline, Healthy Pets
The day was cool and somber as we drove to Uxbridge, Ontario. Dark clouds hang in a pale blue sky; long stretches of grayish-black fields, littered with rounded golden bails of hay, scattered along each side of the road; trees stood colorless, motionless and naked, like some tired weary hitchhikers trying to catch a lift anywhere away from here. Occasionally, the monotony would be broken up by a vision of a birch tree looking strikingly white against the blue sky, gray fields and lifeless trees. Dark, naked and somber like my mood, Nature still had an ability to look beautiful. As I stared out of the car window, recent events were replaying themselves over and over in my mind.
Today was Sunday, November 28, 2o1o, 11am, and we were on our way to say good buy to two of our beloved family members who were about to be cremated in a private ceremony. We were about to send Snow, a 16.5 yrs old white male cat, and Kissa, a 17 yrs old female calico cat, on their final journey. Both of them were rescued by us within weeks from each other and enriched and brightened our lives for over 15 years. They were joined by a third rescue cat, Leo. The three of them bonded and became known as The Three Musketeers. They became important members of our family and a big part of our lives.
Leo, Snow and Kissa enjoyed a long, happy life and had uniquely different and interesting personalities. They taught us the importance of “just chilling”, looking at things upside down to get a different perspective on life, never taking “no” for an answer, never letting the closed door stop you from going where ever you wanted to go, and so much more. But the most important thing we learned from The Three Musketeers is how to love each other unconditionally.
We would love to keep our pets with us forever, but the old age eventually catches up with them and there comes a time when we need to let go. Over the past months we started noticing changes in our friends. After all 15+ for a cat is a Geriatric Age, equivalent to 85+ in human years. Although Leo remained a tough old bird, Snow and Kissa started to quickly fade away. Once a cat this old starts showing signs of aging, it seems to accelerate very quickly. Within a week their condition deteriorated. Snow was going quickly. Kissa seemed to be determined to keep taking care of him regardless of how she felt herself.
On Wednesday, November 17, 2010, at 1:11pm, Snow has made a decision to cross over The Rainbow Bridge. Kissa, missing her life-long friend too much, decided to follow him 3 days later, and went quietly in her sleep at 4:11am Saturday, November 20th.
In the past we have always chosen to provide a private cremation for all our pets and rescue animals that shared and enriched our lives so much. We felt this was how we needed to honor them for bringing us so much joy. However, up until about a year ago we were not aware of any other cremation option than those available through veterinary clinics, ranging around $200-250 per pet. A little over a year ago we met an amazing couple, Nancy and Colin Graham of Thistledown Pet Memorial & Columbarium. They run a private Pet Cremation Services for just a little more than what is charged through Vet Clinics. The benefit of doing cremation through them is that you can actually see your pets being handled with respect and dignity, you can be there through the entire process and you can take as much or as little participation as you need in order to have closure.
The most significant difference is that when you leave, you feel at peace and the healing of grieving process begins almost immediately, in that moment. We dealt with Nancy and Colin last year when our beloved Minuette passed away and we were very pleased with the service. We have decided to once again come back to them with our precious Snow and Kissa.
Present financial situation presented some difficulties and having two pets pass away so close to each other was a little more than what our budget would allow. Some friends recommended setting up a ChipIn and posting it on Facebook and Craigslist. They said people sometimes liked to help out with costs by making donations. I felt a little uncomfortable with an idea of asking people for money. In 20+ years of running a private rescue, I have never once asked anyone for any financial help and funded it entirely from my own paychecks. However, present times are tough for all and sometimes desperate times call for desperate measures. In my grief I decided to take my friend’s advice and set up a ChipIn account. I posted it first on Facebook. To my surprise I had 9 people make a donation within 3 days, $150 in total. I was speechless with gratitude.
Still starry-eyed I decided to post it on Craigslist. This was probably one of the worst mistake I have ever made. Within hours of my post going up, some vicious, slanderous counter-posts started popping up, accusing me of being a scammer, ridiculing my decisions in how we chose to say good buy to our life-long companions, spewing all sort of horrid accusations, and even going as far as flagging my post and getting it removed from Craigslist. In the moment of grief, devastation and vulnerability, when one would expect to see some compassion and understanding from his/her fellow humans beings, I instead encountered malice, discrimination and ill-will. I could not believe how eager people were to condemn someone without even as much as taking two minutes of their time to look at our ChipIn info, or visit Thistledown website, or even just email me for details or clarification. They acted strictly out of assumption and self-righteousness. Needless to say I will never ask for help or post anything on Craigslist again.
Still feeling raw from my experience I arrived today with my son to say our final good buy to Snow and Kissa. It is here, during this touching final ceremony, when my faith in human kindness was renewed. After hearing my story, the owners of Thistledown Pet Memorial not only decided to give us an almost $200 discount on their services, but they assured me that even though the cremation was performed today and I can take my lovely Snow and Kissa home with me, I should not worry about money. I can make payment arrangements with them at a later date. These peopled opened their doors for us on their day off. Kissa and Snow were the only two souls being sent off today and I can’t imagine having this happen in a more appropriate place. There is still some human kindness left in the world.
And so, with my hopes once again renewed, I now take this chance of opening myself up to my reader’s mercy. I ask that you please visit our ChipIn site, and if you feel in any way at all compelled to help us with Cremation costs than we would be eternally grateful. However, if all you choose to do is send us your love and good thoughts for Snow and Kissa, we will be grateful for that too.
http://pawzforthought.chipin.com/snow-and-kissas-cremation-and-memorial-service
With all our deepest love and respect,
Pawz For Thought Animal Rescue & Sanctuary
http://www.pawzforthought.com/
Please visit Thistledown Pet Memorial website for more info on their amazing services.
http://www.thistledown.info/index.htm
A GIFT: Kitty Story.
November 9, 2010 by Milana Vinokur
Filed under •-Headline, Healthy Pets
The first time I saw Kitty it my heart broke. On one of particularly cold winter days, out of the corner of my eye I caught a glimpse of a thin, black and white, short haired female cat hiding in the bushes. She was curled up in a ball, her face, nose and ears were covered in scratches and bite marks and from the tip of her nose and her chin were hanging tiny icicles.
Acting on an impulse I moved forward, wanting to sweep her into my arms and carry her home to warmth and safety. But Kitty was a Feral cat, petrified of humans. At a first sign of my approach she took off faster than a wind.
I noticed her again several times around the building, always around the same time. Few people mentioned seeing her in the area, doing rounds of buildings and houses where people would leave out some food. I started doing so as well, in the hopes that may be one day Kitty will get used to me enough to let me touch her. This continued for 8 years. Kitty would show up all beat up, eat while I watch, but would not allow me to come close. Sometimes she would disappear for a while, than reappear again. Finally, after exhausting all other options, I asked an acquaintance who worked for a Wildlife Rescue to bring a live trap. I couldn’t stand seeing her suffering like this any longer. She was a very timid cat and it was obvious that she was a target for other cats, wildlife and may be even people in the neighbourhood.
After a long, patient wait we were successful at capturing Kitty and releasing her inside my house. She lived with me for 7 years, but the memories of past abuse and the fear of people and other cats has never left her. She never interacted with her cat cohabitants. She would just hide somewhere under a bed or in a small corner, and would only come out to eat, drink and use the litter box. She never meowed and I suspected that her vocal cords might have been damaged by living outside in the extreme cold. She would never allow me to pick her up, or even pet her. She would just run for the cover.
I told her I understood and respected her wishes. To hold her was my need, not hers, and I was OK not having my need met as long as I knew that she is at least safe and taken care of. She had roof over her head, food in her dish, warmth on cold winter days, and my love, even though I could never truly show her the extent of it.
I always said to her: “Kitty. I wish you would purr just once so that I may know that you understand that I mean you no harm!” But there was never a purr, or even a meow.
On the seventh year of living with us, Kitty got sick. She was too weak to run away from me and I was finally able to hold her in my arms and take her to a vet. For the next two months Kitty was being handled daily as I was looking after her, giving her medicine, force feeding her. She stopped trying to run away and was allowing me to care for her, but she was always on guard. Her condition worsened and now I had her in my bed so that I can always keep an eye on her. Finally, at the last vet visit a very difficult decision was made to assist her with her crossing over. When it came to putting animals down, I have always struggled greatly making that decision on their behalf. But it was obvious that Kitty was suffering and I had to be strong for her. I asked the vet if I could bring her home to say good buy. We made an appointment to come back the next afternoon for the procedure.
As I sat on my bed that evening crying and petting her little head, I told her that I understood that she needed to go and she had my permission to do so; that I would be OK and if she was tired she did not have to hang on for my sake. I thanked her for sharing her life with me and trusting me and told her how difficult it was for me to make this decision to put her down, and how I wish I didn’t have to go through with it. I told her that I hoped she understood that she was loved, and that I wished I could hear her purr just once, so that I would know that she understood what I tried to do for her and that she enjoyed her life with me.
Somewhere in the middle of all this I fell asleep. At 4am I heard a faint meow. I lifted my head to see Kitty looking straight into my eyes. “It’s time!” the words echoed in my mind. I took her in my arms and started stroking her fur. Her big green eyes were looking straight at me when suddenly I felt a chill run down my spine. Kitty was purring! Kitty was thanking me for everything I have done for her and telling me she loved me!
As tears came streaming from my eyes, Kitty’s purr quietly faded away, her big green eyes slowly closed and she quietly drifted away into a peaceful forever sleep, dreaming of rainbows and green meadow fields, filled with flowers and butterflies.
I sat there holding her for several hours. I thanked her for sparing me from having to go through with a difficult decision of putting her down. I thanked her for coming into my life and teaching me so much. I thanked her for finally letting me know that she understood what I tried to do for her and letting me know she loved me. But most of all I thanked her for granting me a gift of seeing that dying does not have to be violent, painful and sad. It could be peaceful and serene, and saying good buy to the one you love can leave you feeling content and at peace with yourself.
NATURE’S ART: Flower and Spider
November 6, 2010 by Milana Vinokur
Filed under •-Headline, Photography
Mother Nature is a talented artist and an experienced designer. If we take time to look around we will see delicate tapestry, richness of color, design perfection and deep beauty even in things that would normally go unnoticed.
Take a closer look at what we normally consider a weed, and discover a beautiful, perfectly designed flower, like an expensive, hand-painted gown, with delicate purple lace, finished off by a living pin of black and yellow spider. All created for our enjoyment.
By allowing ourselves a wonderful gift of seeing this beauty, we feed our spirit and enlighten our soul.
MiViDa Photography By Milana Vinokur
http://www.mivida.me
A CAT IN THE VENTILATION SHAFT
August 17, 2010 by Milana Vinokur
Filed under •-Feature, Healthy Pets
Cats are funny creatures. Each one has their own personality and their own quirks. Some are super friendly and cuddly, while others are aloof and independent. Some are brave and outgoing, while others are very timid and shy.
Lady is a stunning female, Maine Coon. Although she has been with us since birth and has never been exposed to any danger or abuse, she has been extremely timid and shy all her life. She is very scared of people, gets easily spooked by loud noises, or sudden movement and is always looking for a small place to hide. In addition, she hardly ever meows, so when she is hiding, she is very hard to find, unless you know all her hiding places.
Several years ago we moved to a new home. Moves are usually traumatic to pets, so I decided that, instead of letting them run around the house and getting into all sorts of dangerous places, I would put them in one of the upstairs bedrooms while I pet-proofed my house. This seemed like a good idea, and for most of our pets it was. The room had four walls, laminated flooring, no places to crawl into and few pieces of furniture to sit on, or hide under, so all in all it seemed like a safe space for all.
This was a newer house, with the air/heating vents built into the floor and beautiful wooden covers on top of the vents to prevent anything from falling in. The covers were quite heavy… heavy enough for me to have to lift them with both hands… so I never for a second thought that they could be moved or opened by a cat.
I made several trips in and out of the room bringing things in, and everything seemed OK. All cats were settling in nicely. Lady found a spot under a chair and seemed content. We settled in for the night.
In the morning I opened the door to the room and came in carrying a package that made some noise. In a split second, right in front of my very eyes, Lady leaped into the air and ran across the room in a panic. As she ran over the air vent guard, her little nail got into a tiny crack and the cover went flying out of the vent, exposing an opening in the floor. I screamed as I dropped the package to the floor and leaped to catch Lady before she dove in, but I was not fast enough. In a matter of seconds Lady disappeared into a hole.
In a panic I called the fire department, who advised me to call the police, who advised me to call animal control, who advised me to call the ventilation/heating repair man. All said, there was nothing I could do except a) wait for her to make it down to a place I could open and reach in to get her or b) start breaking down walls… The bedroom was on the second floor of the house… She could be ANYWHERE in the house… This was a long weekend!
For three days I walked around the house knocking on walls, calling out her name and listening to hear if Lady would make any sound. Finally, when I was almost about to lose my mind, I heard some scratching sounds in the aluminum vent above the closet in the basement. She made it all the way from the second floor bedroom to the basement, wandering the vent shafts.
I cut a piece out of the bottom of the aluminum shaft, big enough for me to peak in, shine a flash light and grab her if necessary. When I looked in, I saw two glowing eyes staring back at me. However, no matter how much I called her, no matter what I tempted her with, Lady refused to budge. It seemed like she was actually happy being there. She finally found a perfect hiding place!
I left some food and water on the floor of the closet and shut the door, hoping that during the night the hunger would overcome her fear and she would jump down to eat. In the morning the food was gone and Lady was back in the vent shaft. I have no idea how she managed that! It took another two days and many different brainstorming ideas for my son, a friend and I, to lure her out of that space. We finally managed to do so by cutting out another hole located behind her and placing a nozzle of a vacuum cleaner in there to make a scary noise, while my friend stood with his hands stuck in the original opening I made earlier to catch her as she ran away from the noise. After several attempts we were able to coax her out. She was so scared that she was in shock and desperately fought back. Both my friend and I were covered in blood from her bites and scratches, but Lady seemed to be perfectly fine.
After falling down from the second floor of the house, all the way to the basement and wandering ventilation shafts for over five days, Lady seemed to be in perfect health and not any worse for the wear. I, on the other hand, did not sleep or eat, lost weight, cried my eyes out and was a nervous wreck for the five days she was in there. In addition I had bites and scratches all over my hands, arms and shoulders.
This was a very good lesson for me. From now on, each new house we enter, all the covers of ventilation vents get immediately fastened to the floor with screws. No more cat hunting in ventilation shafts for me!
