Animal Shelters – Valerie's Voice

I never have given much thought to farm animals before I started feeding the amazing creatures at the farm where I help out about once a month. Often when I help out at this local farm, I tag along with their primary caretaker so I can keep current on the method to remember which animal gets what, and how much. Then, when the caretaker wants time away, I am solely responsible to feed the animals and get it right.

Farm quilt from the National Quilt Museum. January 2022

I agreed to help out this week long before I knew it would be so cold outside. I started worrying about how the animals survive during these days of frigid, subzero temperatures. I didn’t realize how much I have let these animals into my heart and care a lot about their welfare.

My favorites…the two horses, in May 2023. I didn’t take any photos of the animals on the frigid day in January.

I looked up how horses survive and I learned that horses grow a “new, longer hair coat. These winter hairs stand up, trapping tiny air pockets between them. The effect is like that of a thick, down-filled comforter with tremendous insulating quality.”*

Then I looked up how donkeys survive in the cold temps and it said donkeys should have a suitable shelter, a structure of at least three sides, and it should be free from draughts, and be waterproof.*

One of the two goats. I have a hard time telling them apart.
Photo from March 2022.

Finally, I looked up goats. For goats, they need a winter shelter that is dry and waterproof and out of the wind. Inside this shelter, the goats will stay warm even during the coldest weather.*

And that is how it played out the day I went to feed the animals on my own. The temperature managed to crawl to one degree above zero, but the windchill was 19 degrees below zero. Gary drove me out to the farm and provided a warming station (the truck) for me to tuck into between chores.

When we arrived I got out of our truck and was greeted by the farm dog, a cute little guy. He ran up to welcome me, and I gave him lots of pats and rubs, and he in turn gave me lots of excited tail wags.

Then I looked in on the cats and they were safely tucked inside an out building…I added food to their bowls and checked their water. I made sure the cat door was locked for the night.

Best buddies, and brothers. Photo taken July 2023.

When I arrived at the horse and donkey pens, sure enough, the horses were standing outside waiting for their dinner, and “the boys” (two donkeys who are brothers) were staying warm in their three-sided shelter. I petted them all, talked to them while parceling out their hay, and checked to make sure their water hadn’t frozen over.

At the goat pen, the two goats were also waiting for me in their shelter. I filled their food dishes and quickly placed them apart from each other before getting in the middle of the two hungry goats.

Last, but not least, the chickens were in the chicken coop, waiting for supper.

I really enjoy this little gig…I have always loved animals, but never had the chance to be around many farm animals. I’m grateful for this opportunity to care for them and to get to know them by name, and even talk with them!

*source of info: Wikipedia

P.S. I understand that this is fun for me because I do it occasionally. I pray for the caretaker who feeds and cares for the animals morning and evening, day in and day out, and on hot, sunny days and gray, subzero days!

The writing assignment: Write about a time you had to put an animal to sleep…

Over the years I’ve lived with four cats.

One, I had as a child. He was a stray cat that our family took in. We called him Chief, until she had babies, then we renamed her Chief-asina, after the popular cat movie at the time (in the early 1960’s) Thomasina. I think she eventually ran away. I thought I saw her sitting in a neighbor’s window down the block once. But for some reason we didn’t pursue her.

The other three cats were a part of our lives when our two boys were young. The first cat was a black and white shorthair male. We named him Mittens. He was a cute black and white kitten with white paws. We bought him at an animal shelter. On the way home we asked the boys what we should name him. Mittens was chosen. After we got Mittens settled in his new home we sat down for dinner. When we were done eating our youngest said, “May I please be excused? I want to go pet Gloves!”

Although, Mittens was a well-groomed cat, he would not use the litter box. We tried all kinds of tricks and suggestions, short of bringing him to a cat psychiatrist (one of the suggestions). The animal shelter did not want him back either, so we had no choice but to put him to sleep. That was a hard decision, and one not made lightly. I do not remember how we told our boys.

Our second cat was a calico cat…a lovely mixture of gray and white and tan. We named him Cocoa. He did use the litter box, but he didn’t like to be inside. We wanted an indoor cat. Every time the door opened Cocoa flew through the air to get outside. This was a constant problem.

One day I was going to run some errands. As I backed the car out of the garage, I ran over something I thought was a toy. Little did I know Cocoa was out there, under the car, and I had run over him. It was traumatic. Gary was out of the country on business, but fortunately our neighbor came over and helped us dig a hole and bury our naughty, but loved, kitty in the back garden.

Our third, and last, cat was an orange, female tabby cat. I had heard orange female cats were usually gentle and calm, so back to the animal shelter we went. We found one there and brought her home. We named her Caramel Corn. She was a beautiful cat…the color of caramel corn. She was a good cat: she used the litter box, she liked being in the house…she didn’t even try to get out of the house when the doors were open.

She loved to sit among people. I would pull up a stool at the kitchen table where Caramel Corn would perch contently and listen in on our conversations around the table, no matter who was visiting. In the mornings she would jump on my lap to snuggle while I had my morning coffee and devotions, and we’d rock in the rocking chair. She was a wonderful kitty-cat that we had for twelve years. I missed her when she died.

I like stuffed animals and years ago I bought a stuffed caramel colored kitty to add to a few pillows on our bed, as a reminder of Caramel Corn.

In the meantime, we found out our son was allergic to cats so we could not invest in another cat. But that’s OK. We had a delightful one for a long time, and it would be hard to find another one like our beloved Caramel Corn.

Tag: Animal Shelters

Farm Animals

The Tale of Four Cats