I don’t have a witty title today
I have some basic stuff to discuss and I’m not sure how to tie it all together with a shiny bow so we’re going random today.
Infested with mosquitoes
For the last week or so the mosquitoes in Motown have been a tour de force. I don’t know if this is the last hurrah of summer or if it’s a combined insect effort to resurrect the West Nile virus but it’s getting really annoying.
We did pretty well this summer regarding mosquito bites. They were few and far between and that suited me just fine.
But I have at least 20 bites now whereas I had possibly two at any given time from May until last week. What the hell mosquitoes~!~? I command thee — be gone.
I will admit that I have a better action plan for my kids and myself when suffering from itchy bites. When I was a kid the twins who lived around the corner taught me the following coping method. And I’ve used it for probably 35 years.
They instructed me to press my finger nail into the center of the bite twice to create a criss cross pattern. I suppose the pain of creating that indentation was suppose to stop the itch. It doesn’t work very well, but I’ve done that until last year. Last year is when I started using Lidex, a heavy duty prescription cream used for my eczema, to stop the itch.
And that stuff stops the itch in its tracks. So I’ve been using it on my kids. Until my pediatrician told me not to use it on them. Instead I use an over the counter hydrocortisone cream which works just as well. But I still use Lidex for myself.
I like to metaphorically blast the itch with an uzi rather than with a slap to the face.
Outdoor cats vs. outdoor dogs
I know I said I wasn’t going to tie these things together, but I just thought of this. Do cats and dogs get mosquito bites and if so, do they itch? Lin, does my boyfriend Hobbes get mosquito bites?
Back to the point. I know many people who have outdoor cats. These would be the cats that have a human they come home to each night but who traipse about the neighborhood smelling the flowers, shitting in the neighbor’s mulch and chasing birds. When I see a cat sauntering down the street I note it and move on. I like cats.
Very rarely, thank the sweet baby Jesus, do I see a dog on its own roaming the neighborhood.
Now don’t mistake what I’m saying. I do have a few neighbors who have big dogs that are released out the front door to run about the street while the owner stands on the porch. In those instances I feel a huge spurt of anxiety as I am terrified of large dogs. However, I know
the
owner is
a house away
and that
he’ll call the
ambulance when his dog
mauls me.
I have never seen a dog of any sort casually strolling through the neighborhood without a corresponding human.
If I did see that it would freak me out. I would not note it and move on. I would note it and commence the panic attack while I ran to the safety of my house or car.
So why are there no outdoor dogs that come and go as they please? Is it a basic personality difference between the two animals? Are cats just smaller and less offensive?
Are cats smarter in that they can find their way back home? Are dogs more aggressive toward humans? I find it odd is all I’m saying. I would not, however, go so far as to say it is unfair and biased against dogs.
The current societal norms work just fine for me.
My dad is a real dick
I cannot explain the drama concisely because there’s just too much. You’re going to have to trust me on this one. But because he is such a jackass in the vein of The Cat Came Back* I am absolutely furious with him.
I am so livid that I cannot help myself from publicly declaring he’s a dick.
*LJ I know this song is going to get stuck in your head a third time because of me. I finally Googled the lyrics and they’re crazy and macabre but they fully illustrate his behavior.
And it really is a catchy tune.
I know about the bug bites – I think CJ brought home some ticks with him from camping and they decided I was dinner (then again as I was bitten over night I was probably a midnight feast) That was about 2 weeks ago – they were getting better and had scabbed over – then they flared up really bad – I mean so that my ankle is more swollen than it was the last time I sprained my ankle it’s that bad :(
Went to the walk in clinic at the local docs because my GP is on holiday. He got a little flappy and called a nurse for a second opinion – I have Lymes Disease!!! YAY! so now I’m on antibiotics that make me feel yucky – it was better being itchy and swollen than this :(
Anyhoo so I know the feeling lol.
Oh my word, Hannah. That’s terrible that you have Lyme Disease!
I hope you have a speedy recovery. I’m thankful that I’ve never been bitten by a tick and I hope I can continue to say that for the next long while.
I second the well wishes. Praise the Lord you caught it early.
CG, we do the ‘X’ thing on our mosquito bites, and whether it is a psychological cure or not, it seems to make those who itch here feel better. Grandma Bev did it for Joe, so he’s convinced it works. I think it does–but you may have to re-apply the X every so often.
Both Hobbes and Grace go out when we are home. Grace disappeared for 8 days a few years back (I think she was locked in someone’s shed or something) and is now terrified to leave the parameters of our yard. Hobbes goes 1 house in either direction because from there, there are dogs to stop him. Hobbes does come in to go pee and poo–silly cat. I’ve got the dirty litter box to prove it. Grace goes in OUR mulch–I have mounds to clean up each week. So, Mrs. Klop (crabby neighbor 3 doors down), unless you’ve got DNA proof–it isn’t necessarily Grace who is in your mulch–there are other cats in the hood, pally.
Cats and dogs DO get mosquito bites–but only on the parts where the fur is thin and skin is easily accessed. Grace comes in with little swollen bites on her ears and ear area mostly. Sometimes her face. Yes, she scratches them, but I don’t think it bothers them as much as humans.
And oh, in case you are wondering–she does have a belly button too–it’s just a flat little bald spot. No inny or outy. Hobbes does too–I didn’t mean to exclude him here.
And here’s the rant–I do not like dogs running loose. Dear Dog owners: I don’t like dogs to approach me in the pet store, at the vet, while I’m sledding, at the school when the kids are let out, or in public places. I do not love your dog, please don’t force him upon me. I do not think he’s “cute”, nor do I want him to sniff me. If I want to see your dog, I will come over and ask permission to see him.
The difference between cats and dogs is that dogs are people oriented and will approach you on their own. Cats could give a rat’s bottom about humans and will do anything to avoid you. Dog owners generally think we all love their dog. Cat owners typically warn people before they come over that we have cats (just in case someone is allergic). I do not ask you to hold my cat, pet my cat, nor do I take my cat everywhere with me. And my cat doesn’t like anyone anyway, so she will not approach you.
I’m done now, thank you. :)
Now that’s a comprehensive answer Lin. Thank you.
And I’ll sign your petition to the dog owners of the world. Amen sister.
Also, I have to tell you how excited I am that I just realized I can (and you better believe I DID) set that picture of Hobbes as my wallpaper. I love that boy.
I think y’all summed it up. I grew up in a neighborhood where everyone’s dogs roamed around, and then my neighbor accused my dog of killing one of his prized fighting cocks and poisoned my dog. And then a neighbor’s dog killed our 18 year old cat and my mom shot that dog but it was okay because it had heartworms. Times have changed, neighborhoods have changed and very few people have any exposure to animals so leash laws are enforced. Be a lot more afraid of a racoon than a dog.
Damnation, Liz. It sounds like a countrified ghetto over there ala the Crips and the Bloods.
Truth be told, I don’t care much for any sort of animal walking along my sidewalk — possum, dog, or lion.
Funny enough, it was the exact opposite. Everyone was really nice when it came to helping each other out. Like a tree fell over our driveway and the neighbor with the fighting cocks came over with his boys and chopped the whole tree up and stacked it up so we’d have firewood for the winter.
In 93, when we had the blizzard, we had some neighbors stay with us for a few days because we still had heat and their little girl was sick.
Everyone combined resources. It just doesn’t happen anymore.
That is odd, Liz, that the relationship experienced such extremes. I guess those folks don’t hold grudges.
That’s actually refreshing.
Dogs don’t run loose because most places have laws against it. It’s not that they are more aggressive (good dogs are NOT aggressive, anyway… badly trained/untrained dogs only slightly more so… dogs really only show aggression if they’ve been trained to it or you show undue fear), but it is likely because they would be more disruptive. (As far as I know, some places also have laws about outdoor cats, due to the killing of neighborhood fowl.) Dogs ARE usually bigger, love to dig, and generally don’t have the sense they were born with. (See “Up” … “SQUIRREL!” … *cue massive catastrophe*)
I can’t believe you neighbors let their dogs out the FRONT door. Don’t they have fenced in yards? Besides, that means their dogs do their doggy business all over other people’s lawns!
I always scratch around bug bites. Though, as my apartment building has been fighting bed bugs, I have learned to love hydrocortisone.
Sorry your dad is a dick. My family is going through some bad stuff, too, and I’m convinced it is the fault of my betch of an aunt and my well-meaning but drunk of an uncle.
What an elegant way to say that, Rebecca.
“…it is likely because (dogs) would be more disruptive.”
And I was going to go on about the neighbors letting the dogs out the front but I thought maybe I was being uptight. WTF people~?!~ Exactly! Ya have a fenced in backyard because you have a mutt. Let it shit in your own backyard.
Thanks for your potential help in this matter, neighbor.
AUUGHHH! Your BUILDING is fighting BED BUGS?! (Falls on the floor convulsing.) I’m back now. Man that sucks.
Extended family can be a real betch, can’t it? Right back at ya — sorry to hear you also have turmoil hanging around.
I am up at this ungodly hour because we have moved all of our furniture, rugs, wall hangings, and possessions away from walls. We live in a studio. It’s like a clown car in here.
(Shudders) You should get at least two months of rent for dealing with that. They better be paying for the exterminator.
They are paying for the exterminator, right?
Yes, but they aren’t taking any rent off.
Long story. Not pretty. I’ve thrown fits.
(shivers)
Want your minions to rough him up a bit? Just say the word and release the hounds!
Mosquitoes are my nemesis. What’s worse is that I’m allergic to the bug sprays such as Off. If I use those my skin looks like I have a bunch of mosquito bites!
Love outdoor cats. I like watching them stalk things too. I wish I could have a cat.
Also love “The Cat Came Back”. Thanks for the full lyrics.
YES!
That’s affirmative, sw. I’ll create the diversion and you can commence with the smackdown. How ’bout next Wednesday at 3?
I love the way cats stalk too! That’s one of the most entertaining aspects of cats. I love how they wiggle in the back right before they pounce. Don’t know if they’re getting solid footing with the back legs or what, but it’s quite amusing.
Trevor is covered with bites almost all the time. The boy must attract bugs.
So sorry to Hannah about Lyme’s Disease. Yuck. No fun.
Have you seen the animated cartoon with “The Cat Came Back”? My little boys love watching it and yes, the tune sticks in our head for a week. Here’s the link if you want to watch it: http://www.metacafe.com/watch/27652/the_cat_came_back/
Love how struggling writer is ready to rough your father up a bit. You know your peeps are all in your corner, wishing we could rid you of the nuisance and headache. He is clawing at your curtains like that cat, isn’t he! Praying for some peace in the midst of your turmoil.
Yeah, yeah Wendy! That’s the same cartoon I watched at YouTube. I love that!
I showed Emily yesterday and she kept asking, “Where’s the kitty?” I told her, “Hang on, it’s comin’ back.”
Yes, you folks are in my corner and I am thankful for that. I know I’ve only given a small snippet but it really is frustrating and too voluminous to get into. Thanks for your prayers, I can use them.
i used to do the same thing with my mosquito bites, i think i liked the design more than anything.
the kid asked me the same question this morning. why no roaming dogs. i said because dogs are dumb. they will do whatever you say: come here boy. uh okay sure. whaddya want?
now tell a cat to come here and they will ask: why? from a distance. in fact, they’ll send a dog over to find out what we want. cats also run away from people, dogs run up to people and then try to bite them.
we have dog catchers because dogs are dumb and can be caught. there are no cat catchers. they can’t be caught and are no harm to people.
i’m sorry dog owners. i’m not referring to your dog.
your title made me laugh. about your dad. google will love it!
The design was fun, wasn’t it? I think I like your kid, Natural.
Did you ever see “Meet the Parents” with Ben Stiller and Robert De Niro?
De Niro: “You see, Greg, when you yell at a dog, his tail will go between his legs and cover his genitals, his ears will go down. A dog is very easy to break, but cats make you work for their affection.
“They don’t sell out the way dogs do.”
Stiller: “Huh.”
It should be interesting to see what sort of Google hits come up because of that line in there.
Our misquitos have flared up, too. I have two corresponding bites on my ankles. I scratch around the bites and the rub them really fast. On a related note, my dogs keep licking my ankles after I apply the hydrocortisone. Yes, they get bites, no it doesn’t bother them much and neither do the related diseases. Thanks for reminding me to put the flea meds on my dogs, btw.
I disagree with Natural. If you touch a stray cat, it’s probably going to be a helluva lot more aggressive than a stray dog. Cats are not naturally people oriented and no one gets dog scratch fever. They are hunters and naturally more aggressive. I’ve had many more cat inflicted injuries, but I’ve not been bitten by either…but I’ve been around them all my life. I do agree cats are very intelligent and very difficult to catch. I have a great story about petsitting and the cat not coming out from under the owner’s Ferrari.
If it makes you feel better, my dad’s always a real dick. Seriously. Both of them actually.
Yuck (grimaces)! Your dogs lick your ankles? Because they like the taste of the hydrocortisone?
Man, you gotta write about the cat and the Ferrari. And it really does make me feel better knowing both of your dads are dicks.
My dogs like to lick my feet and hands generally, I think cream just makes them curious.
I’ll work on the Ferrari post, I’m afraid it may be one of those stories better told in person.
Glad my shitty father figures could make you feel a little better.
I’m sorry Liz, but just thinking about the feel of that sandpapery tongue on my ankle is freaking me out.
Dogs aren’t all the sandpapery, not like cats. Have you ever been licked by a dog?
How did you deal with all the bodily fluids when baby #1 came? I hate spitup.
IMO, leash laws, lack of serious training by owners and owner’s fear of harm to their dog as well as harm caused by their dog have led to the decrease of free roaming dogs. Well socialized and trained dogs are not all that dangerous to humans unless they feel threatened, are defending their territory or “possessions” or pick up on someone’s intense fear of them. The dogs that present the biggest danger to humans are the ones with very little human interaction. A pit bull raised from birth by knowlegable and caring dog owners is going to be far less dangerous than some other much smaller dog that isn’t comfortable around humans and that is very territorial.
Sorry about your dad. Like SW said, your posse has your back.
Or the dogs abused by humans. Those poor dogs are pretty much SOL.
@Buf I will always be at a huge disadvantage around dogs since they truly do pick up on my intense fear of them. It’s just an automatic reaction. I try not to run because a dog can outrun me.
So I stand still with my arms held tight against me chest with my fists balled under my chin. I guess I’m subconsciously trying to protect my internal organs.
@Liz I haven’t heard the phrase SOL in forever!
CG, you should work on that reaction with someone. Maybe even with a small, friendly, old (read: slow) dog. If you can calm down a little and relax, the dogs won’t react so badly to you… you don’t have to like them (I will love them to bits for you), just be more comfortable, so you can help the girls relax around them.
Most dogs are just like rambunctious 2 year olds. :D
That is totally true. My dogs have the intelligence of toddlers. They understand rules and certain words and tinkle when they get really excited and get really ticked when their routine is broken.
@Rebecca That would probably be an excellent topic for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. If you can believe this, my kids actually like dogs and I have to remind them to approach slowly and allow the dog to sniff their hands.
But as you would imagine almost all of those dogs are on leashes.
@Liz That’s so funny how a dog has the mentality of a toddler. Since I never had a dog that comes as a surprise to me, but I can see how that would be true.
My dogs aren’t exactly worthy of being seeing-eye dogs.
(chuckles) But I’m sure they have their own unique qualities.
Hola Cardio
I will try to tackle this one random issue at a time. Let me see my worst bout with mosquitos was when I went to St. John. OMFG (that f stands for frigging not the other f word) I came home bitten and sunburnt beyond belief. Nothing I did worked, I think those island ’squitos have more deadly itch power. I tried all the tricks of the trade even the X mark didn’t work. I suffered in pain until they went away. Not sure how that helps you but if felt good to share.
Now on to the poochies. I am a dog lover and a cat tolerator. Yes yes I know I have two obnoxious cats, Benson and Stabler respectfully but I care for them in the same way they care for me, indifferently. I don’t think the cats would care one bit if I was here or not as long as the food and water bowl are full.
In general dogs are social creatures which explains why they aren’t allowed to roam freely as Lin noted they will wander up to strangers just looking for some attention. (also leash laws) Cats are arrogant wallflowers more concerned with their own comings and goings. Ok I am being a bit cruel but for some reason this morning Benson took a swipe at me from the staircase so felines aren’t on my fave pet list.
Ah the father…or as I like to call him the Man Wander Married. He is too a Dick, note the capital D.
Side note: that song is frigging fantawesomeness!!! I am humming it to myself right now.
Benson and Stabler…Love it!
@Faith You know I’m going to try to pay attention to how long it takes for my mosquito bites to disappear and how long it takes for the bite itself to recede. I think for me when it starts to flatten out and turn a darker red it stops itching.
I love the idea of the cats and you mutually tolerating each other. Inside your own house.
Capital D noted and appreciated.
I have to say I’ve been listening to it over and over. I actually enjoy it and it hasn’t gotten stuck in my head. Yet.
Me, too! I mean the Benson & Stabler thing. (Sorry I’m spamming, CG!)
You can spam Rebecca; I like your spam!
St. John’s Francis Beach has the worst biting bugs on earth. They are like no-seeums and they are brutal if you are near the brush/trees. The only escape is the ocean – which isn’t a bad place to hang.
(smacks at an imaginary swarm of no-see-ums) Had to Google that Bumbles, since I’ve never heard of those.
AUUGHHH!
You, me & DG (Diary of a mad housewife) are all suffering the insufferable skeeters.
I hate them. I hate them with a passion.
Since I live in the boondocks, seeing a dog walk around without a leash or a human is not uncommon. My grandmother’s dog actually walks to my mother’s house and sits under her tree until she (the dog) feels like going home again, LOL. She has to crawl under a fence to get away, but she has perfected it.
Cats R Evil. And I’m allergic.
No comment about dickish fathers…
I do wonder if body chemistry contributes to attracting mosquitoes. They seem to enjoy me and my middle kid.
I love that! Your grandma’s dog visits your mom for a while and then goes home! That truly is fantawesomeness as Faith would say.
According to the latest research, they do! I read it on Yahoo! News somewhere, so I’m fairly sure a good google search should nab it.
Which explains why I get eaten alive and the fiance is barely touched.
I KNEW it! Effin’ mosquitoes.
I’ve never seen ‘The Cat Came Back’ before. Looks kind of like Roadrunner and Wiley Coyote. Lol!
I’ve blogged about Drummer Boy/aka Metallica-head’s penchant for letting his dog loose. The damn dog would chase my son home when he got off the school bus.
I was calling the county anti-cruelty number almost daily for awhile. After he got a handful of citations (and I believe the threat of confiscation) we actually haven’t seen the dog run loose much anymore. A couple of times, but only once, where we were able to grab a photo.
I have the email address for anti-cruelty and won’t hesitate to email photos if the dog gets loose again.
That’s exactly what it’s like! You nailed that.
That’s so crazy that your neighbor would let his dog run free after all of those citations and complaints. Some people just suck.
Pets do get bitten by mosquitoes and that is how they can get heartworm. But you can’t spray them with the repellent people use because the chemicals are pretty bad for them. You have to use special stuff like Frontline from the vet.
I always make the star on my bites – works for like 2 seconds – unless you just continue to dig your nail into your skin to the point that you end up clawing the bite apart completely. That stops the bite but causes other issues!
I always thought Frontline was for fleas and assumed fleas were like the canine/feline version of intense mosquitoes. Once again I learn a new fact here in the Lounge.
The mosquitoes have been going gangbusters here ALL summer. Hold on. I can’t type for the scratching. When our niece was here, the last night we played Trouble and I sat with the hydrocortisone cream, swiping itchies throughout the whole game.
Whatever happened to Campho-Phenique? Do you remember that stuff? I was covered in it every summer for YEARS.
I hate that you’re afraid of big dogs. Can I interest you in a sweetheart of a big-ass dog that you can run with and feel safe with? He’ll kill anything that bothers you. Or even scares you.
Only farm dogs should be outside dogs. Or if you spend a LOT of time outdoors. Otherwise, why do you have the dog?
And I’m sorry your dad is being a dick. My dad has been playing that card recently, too. Except I think he’s a little ashamed of himself about it. Too bad he never learns from his embarrassment to just NOT do it again.
Oh the good old pink layer of Campho-Phenique! Yes I remember that. I think we had one bottle growing up and it was used sparingly. I have no idea why that was. My parents were really into rubbing alcohol which, as you probably know, hurts like a fucking bitch on an open wound.
No hydrogen peroxide for my family, straight alcohol. I can totally bring up the feeling of alcohol on a skinned knee. And it hurt. Like. A. BITCH!
Surprisingly those same twins seemed to use Campho-Phenique alot.
Hmm, I’m gonna get back to you on the running dog.
Gotta say, it’s comforting to hear your dad is actually feeling some shame about that. Mine doesn’t take any responsibility for his actions. Everyone else is the one with the problem. Interesting way to live life, eh?
No H2O2 at my Granny’s house either. She claimed rubbing alcohol kept you from scarring.
WHAT?! Kept you from scarring? I’d gladly take any scar out there to avoid rubbing alcohol. As you’re well aware.