Cruise Ship Nightmares

Posted on March 16, 2013March 16, 2013 by Dusty Roads

I am counting my lucky stars these days. Joe and I had a great cruise on The Carnival Imagination but Carnival is being plagued with bad news stories these days.

The string of bad luck started January 13, 2012 with the sinking of the Costa Concordia, one of the worse passenger ship disasters since the sinking of the Titanic.

At the time I wasn’t aware that Carnival Cruise Lines was the parent company for the Costa Concordia not that it would have made any difference to me when I accepted the free cruise from my time share.

Blissfully unaware of any issues at Carnival we looked forward to our mini cruise. We joked about the ships that had engine fires or became disease riddled. Stories like that were always popping up in the news. But when you consider the number of ships that are plying the seas it stands to reason that there will be a mishap now and then.

Our cruise was wonderful. In spite of less than perfect weather it was relaxing and pleasant. So it was with some surprise that I listened the horrendous reports about the Carnival Ship Triumph which became stranded in the Gulf of Mexico not far from where we had been. It was a mini cruise that followed one of the itineraries I had the option to choose. We went out of Florida, not Texas. A different choice and we could have been on that ill-fated ship. Still I felt it was just a “fluke”. Now I am beginning to wonder.

Carnival and Royal Caribbean are the largest cruise lines according to industry statistics with Carnival cornering approximately 21 % of the total cruise market worldwide with a fleet of 23 ships.

But back to the string of bad luck. Costa Concordia is by far the worse with an actual sinking and loss of life.

Then we have Triumph that drifted in the Gulf of Mexico . Passengers reported over flowing toilets, sewage in the halls, cold and spoiling food before they were towed to port.

Following the Triumph in quick succession we had the Elation…

Then , Dream

and now Legend!

Carnival Elation had to be escorted by tugboat because of a malfunction in its steering system.

Carnival Dream lost power and toilets stopped working . Even though they were in port at the time no one was allowed to get off the vessel.

Carnival Legend was on the last leg of a seven-day cruise through the Caribbean when technical problems affected its sailing speed.

It’s been reported (but I haven’t been able to verify) that in a months time 3 other Carnival Ships have reported problems.

Carnival announced this week that it is conducting a “comprehensive review” of all of its ships. Until things improve I think I’ll stay away from Carnival Cruises.

I’ll be heading off on another cruise in May, north to Alaska. I’m looking forward to seeing the glaciers and wildlife of our 49th state but we won’t be cruising with Carnival. This trip is on the Princess Cruise Line. I haven’t heard anything bad about them lately. 🙂

The Saga of a Stray Cat ~ The Final Chapter

Posted on March 15, 2013March 15, 2013 by Dusty Roads

So the cat, now known as “Buddy”, is back with me. I think you knew this was coming. Maybe it was meant to be. I really don’t go looking for cats, they just find me.

The vet couldn’t find anything wrong with Buddy’s head or skin. It wasn’t red or inflamed. There was no sign of scratches. She tested him for ring-worm…negative. It looked like someone waxed the spot on his head. She wondered if there were children in the home that might have stuck a sticky candy or gum or a lolly pop on his head and then pulled it off. It was a mystery.

All jokes about Rogain and Hair Club for Cats aside, we really had no idea what caused the sudden hair loss.

With Buddy’s return there was no need for a re-introduction. The three cats gave greeting sniffs then scattered to do whatever cat things they were doing before I brought Buddy back.

I remember my threat to call him “Boomer” but he seems to respond to Buddy so Buddy it is.

His hair is growing back quickly. Right now it looks like a bad comb over. Buddy always comes running when he hears the hair dryer. By putting it on low I can use it to blow his hair aside to check his skin. So far so good.

Another co-worker came forward and offered to take him but I told her he’d been bounced around enough. I hope she will adopt another needy kitty. Buddy seems to have settled in here with me. He’s found his Forever Home.

He is a handsome fellow, isn’t he?

The Saga of a Stray Cat~ Chapter 4

Posted on March 14, 2013March 14, 2013 by Dusty Roads

By the time Tuesday rolled around the still nameless stray had settled into a routine with the other two cats. I was slowly adjusting to having a cat underfoot every minute but it was time to break up this fine domestic scene and take Tippy to his new home. I can see why fostering a homeless animal can be hard. It’s impossible not to get attached and then you have to give them up.

It was the right thing to do. Three cats in a one bedroom apartment was a bit crowded and I was concerned about the expense. People think cats are cheap to own and at one time they were. But in today’s economy, not so much. They need health checks annually along with vacinations and then there’s the general every day maintenance of kitty litter , food and treats. Food used to be very inexpensive but now it’s hard to find canned food for under $.60/ can. With 3 cats I was going through 4 cans a day. Moose had a huge appetite. So although I was sorry to see him go I was relieved.

I dropped him off with his accumulated “stuff” . I gave the new owner his rabies tag and vet records, patted him on the head one last time and prepared to leave. His new owner was thinking of calling him Mr. Tux…cute. I like that. He was busy exploring his new digs as I went out the door.

Back at work that Thursday I checked in on how “Mr. Tux was making out. I was assured it was a good match and that everyone was happy. I joked that if he came back to me again I was going to name him “Boomerang”, Boomer for short, or Re-Run. I joked because I really thought this time the re-homing would stick.

It didn’t. He lasted less time at this home than he did at his first one. On Sunday I got a call to come get him because his hair was falling out. Not shedding, he was getting bald!? His new owner was sure he was sick but I had my doubts. My vet had checked him out and I trust her. She ran all the blood tests and since he was boarded over night they even got a stool sample and checked it for parasites. All came back negative. There had to be something else going on.

I couldn’t go right away because I was at work until 8PM so I promised to come by on Monday. When I got there Mr. Tux’s things were all packed up by the door for me and sure enough , he had a bald spot!

I said “Hey Buddy, What’s up with you?” and he came running! That was the first time he had responded to anything I’d called him! I picked him up and was rewarded with little “Kitty Kisses” on my ear. I guess he did miss me.

Back in the car went his things. I called the vet and off we went to get his head examined. Literally! Depending on the result it was likely that he was baaaaack!

The Saga of a Stray Cat~ Chapter 3

Posted on March 13, 2013March 13, 2013 by Dusty Roads

I wish I’d had another day off to supervise the trio but first thing in the morning I had to go to work. I was pleased to see that all 3 cats had survived the night with no blood-shed. The cats were still wary of each other so I placed the breakfast food bowls in 3 different places. While they were eating I headed into the bathroom for my morning shower.

Imagine my surprise when I went to step out of the shower only to have all 3 cats sitting there waiting! My bathroom is tiny! But at least they were all together with no evil looks or sounds.

With my heart in my throat I headed off to work. It would be about 12 hours before I’d get back. A lot can happen in 12 hours.

While at work I was telling my co workers about the new addition. He didn’t seem to like the name Mittens or Tippy so I’d tried 007 (his coat is a tuxedo pattern), James Bond, Moose (because he’s so big and he’s clumsy), Bulwinkle (to go with Rocky) but so far nothing seemed to stick. My most recent attempt was “Puss” short for “Puss in Boots” because of the effect his plaintive little meow had seemed to have on the other cats as well as me.

One of the girls really perked up as I was telling my story and asked if I really wanted to keep him.

I told her I’d consider letting him go to a good home. She immediately called her mother who had been looking for a cat. Her mother jumped at the chance to give an adult cat at home. The only drawback was that I couldn’t take him over until Monday or Tuesday of the next week. This was only Thursday.

Meanwhile at home the bonding was continuing.

As I drove home I had mixed feelings. I really don’t want or need a 3rd cat. Especially one the vet estimates is only 5 years old. At the same time he was fitting in pretty quickly with my other two. I was not sure what I’d find when I got home. The closer I got the more my imagination ran wild and not with good scenarios.

Finally …Home…I unlocked my front door and 3 streaks of fur came flying out. Previously only Rocky ran out. It was a game for him. He’d run out and I’d go pick him up and carry him back but tonight all 3 came flying out, even Smokey! The “Puss”ran down the stairs to the laundry room, Rocky headed for the front entrance and Smokey got to the stairs and froze not sure where to go or who to follow!

I snagged Smokey first and tossed him back through the doorway.

Rocky was next and I closed the door.

Then at the bottom of the stairs I saw Tippy/ Puss/ Mittens waiting as if to say “Are you coming to get me?” What have I gotten myself into!!!

Dinner time was anti-climatic after that homecoming. Rocky and Tippy wound around my legs while I opened cans of food. Smokey kept his distance so I let Rocky and Tippy eat side by side and set Smokey’s food bowl a little apart. After dinner they each came over for head rubs and pets before taking up their “spots”, Tippy at the top of the cat tree, Rocky under his heat lamp and Smokey on the couch next to me.

It was like Tippy had been here forever.

The Saga of a Stray Cat~ Chapter 2

Posted on March 12, 2013March 12, 2013 by Dusty Roads

If you’ve been following my blog here you’ve seen my cruise ship adventures and my escapades in the Everglades so you know the plight of the black and white stray was not “top of mind” for me. But occasionally I did wonder how he was settling in.

Once I got back home and unpacked I reached out to my friend for an update. She said she and Mittens were doing fine regaling me with the way he sat next to her or at her feet or helped her type on her keyboard. That she hadn’t yet taken him in for a check up was my only concern. It was time for life to begin to get back to normal… for another week.

Just about a week later, out of the blue I got an urgent message from my friend that she couldn’t keep “Mittens” any longer. I was shocked. The reports had been so positive! She had discovered she was very allergic to him.

We met up half way between her place and mine and I transferred Mr. Mittens and all his stuff to my car. In the approximately 3 weeks my friend had been a cat mother Mittens had accumulated a cat bed, a scratching post, a scratching mat, a covered litter box, cat food, grooming brushes, catnip and so on. Clearly Mittens would have been one spoiled kitty if he has stayed there. My car was full!

But Mr. La Chat was not going home with me…not yet…he needed a clean bill of health before I could let him mingle with my “boys” so off to the vet we went. He was confirmed as a “He”, a neutered male, and was disease and parisite free. He was good to go home to meet his new family.

But first I had to figure out how to do a slow introduction. I boarded him overnight while I searched for a training crate to keep him in until I could get everyone accustomed to each other. I was determined to avoid the cat fights I’d had when Smokey was introduced to Little Joe.

My dog owner friends came through with a large kennel. So now as well as cat trees and scratching posts I had a huge dog crate in my living room. I was beginning to feel like I belonged on that TV program about the hoarders or Buried Alive or whatever it’s called.

The vet gave Mittens , now known as Tippy (for the white tip on his tail) a clean bill of health so home we went and into the crate. Tippy could peek out and Rocky and Smokey could peek in. They could hiss and sniff but they couldn’t hurt each other.

Tippy is a big cat almost 2 lbs heavier than either Rocky or Smokey but he has this tiny, little meow. It is such a sad sounding meow. After a little while in the crate that plaintive sound began . Shortly after that the hissing stopped. Everyone just sat staring at each other.

After about 4 hours of this I couldn’t take it any more. It was my lunchtime so I opened a can of tuna and drained the fish flavored water off into 3 cat bowls. I let Tippy out and put all 3 bowls in a row. Success! What self-respecting cat can resist tuna fish! The first hurdle was over.

I let Tippy stay out for the rest of the afternoon with close supervision. Smokey liked to walk by Tippy and hiss his displeasure. Tippy would jump like he was startled but there was no fight. Rocky was more accepting finding he had a playmate in this big stranger. I let all of them mingle when I went to bed. I figured if they started fighting it would be hard not to hear them.