beth, I'm glad that you could and did go, and that you gave hugs on our behalf.

Yeah, I've trained Frankie not to eat their food, but the other is just too strong a lure, it seems.

He is definitely helping me, too, though I can also use any real or imagined neglect as yet another cudgel on my self-worth. More the former than the latter, thankfully.

And Steph, hang in there. I'm glad you found something that works for you and I wish it didn't have the negative side effects. You know, I've never tried Zoloft, hmm...

Yeah, I've trained Frankie not to eat their food, but the other is just too strong a lure, it seems.

Don't give up claiming the box as 'ar belong to you.' Who knows, it might sink in eventually.

More the former than the latter, thankfully.

beth, I'm glad that you could and did go, and that you gave hugs on our behalf.

This. Thank you. I've been thinking of -t all day with a heavy heart.

(Except when it's feeding time -- it is SO HARD for me to feed them right now. Not because I have a problem feeding the pets; just because everything feels impossible right now.)

I get that. The reality is, it's a task that takes 5-10 minutes, and isn't really all that strenuous. But the inner reality can make it so huge. The animals become so... they feel so demanding. And that makes it harder.

I feed the upstairs cats. They bug me if I don't but it's something I have never not done.

I HAVE put off the litter box for too long. But I feel too bad to let it go too long. And I am pretty particular with things smelling okay.

Dishes, eh. I can let those go too long, even with the dishwasher. It makes a difference, though.

I am much more do-y living with D. and that's a good thing, because I can tell, even with my depression stuff that's going on, that it's still a bit better. At least I'm more proactive than I was.

I HAVE put off the litter box for too long. But I feel too bad to let it go too long. And I am pretty particular with things smelling okay.

I've been taking care of a friend's cat over the holiday weekend. Bartleby has been aMAZing, as the friend cat is of the devil...and the little guy has stayed on his spot, no matter how long it has taken me to do my duty and how overt the cat has been in taunting him.

Cleaning the cat box is not generally requested when the stay away is short, but I can't help myself. The idea of it building up makes me feel bad for the creature, no matter how eeeeveeal she may be. This time? No scoopy thing. How does one have a cat without a scoopy thing?

Now, I'm not stranger to picking up petfluent, but picking through the litter with a plastic bag made me a bit ill. And not being able to pick up the moist bits gave me physical pain. I'm going to complain. Even if you don't expect me to clean the box, you MUST have a scoopy thing!

Don't get me wrong; I *always* feed the pets at the designated feeding time. If Tim is home, I've been asking him to do it lately, but on the days I get home from work before him, I just feed the pets. Because Andi is totally right; it takes very, very little time and effort. It just *feels* harder right now.

They can't come up with an alternate meal plan if I don't feed them (they would order pizza if they could only dial the phone), and I'm always aware of that. I can easily not cook dinner for myself and let The Boy fend for himself, but the pets -- they get fed no matter what.

Still -- dear god, it's hard right now.

I have no scoopies thing. I despise clumping act litter. We have three boxes for 4 cats, and one's an outside cat. I clean the upstairs box, D. does the downstairs, and we have a bin that's outside for garbage pickup, so dirty litter goes outside till trash day.

I have tried clumping litter and crystals, but I hate it and won't scoop it. I'd rather just dump and baking soda, wash it with hot water and orange cleaner , and replace the boxes once a year.

I don't mind washing it, but I hate scooping it. It's the smell.

Well, I wanted to bring a funny story from yesterday, but I'm overwhelmed with shame and bits of shock after this: [link]

I mostly love my country, but I'm starting seriously to think that maybe living in a place with less empty signifier of what humanity is and means isn't such a bad idea.

Jesus Christ, Navy.

And in much brighter news: remember the linguistic argument about the difference between fetish and kink? [link]