The Cat Encounter in Spanish Fork, Utah... (Disaster # 2 of 9 on our Summer Vacation, July 7th through the 23rd, 2012)
"All Bruce wanted to do was pump gas!".
We'd spent the day on the road between Winnemucca, NV and Spanish
Fork including crossing the Great Salt Lake. It was fairly late
when we pulled in; after lacing the town, we ended up boondocking
at the end of a dead end road near a grocery store. After getting
settled down, we heard what sounded like a kitten yowling in the
brush & tall grass behind and to the side of us. I got out and
walked around, curious to see if I could find the source. No luck.
We hit the sack, then the next morning, got up and heard it again!
After getting breakfast and prepped to roll out, we started up and
drove across the parking lot (about a block) to a gas station.
Upon shutting down the engine, guess what? Loud yowl.
All I wanted to do was pump the gas.
I didn't want to have to deal with a critter in the underpinnings
of the motorhome. Nancy and I looked at each other, I hopped out,
and ran the credit card, and started the gas. The station had an
attendent, so I headed over and chatted a bit with him regarding
the yowl. He was curious, so the three of us started looking.
We lifted the hood, then underneath, and couldn't located the
source of the noise. I finally pulled the console and doghouse.
I was a bit agitated... "All I wanted to do was pump the gas"
Searching the engine compartment from inside the MH, I spotted
a gray & white tuxedo kitten, about 7 weeks old up under the intake
plenum on top of the intake manifold on the V10. Without thinking
this through, I reached in the passage, and gently got ahold of
the back legs and tail of the kitten. I started to pull him out,
and about half way, he hissed. Not thinking, I gently pulled him
out.. and when his head was clear, he turned his head and looked
at me... and quicker than a heartbeat, bit hard on my left thumb,
piercing the nail, and putting two holes in the pad. My reaction
was to grab his neck with my right hand, whereup he nailed the
tip of my right index finger, brusing the nail and putting two
more holes in the pad... then proceeded to shred my knuckle on
the same finger. I let go.
I was really agitated... "All I wanted to do was pump the gas"
By now, my hands were bleeding, and the kitten was free... only
to run under the chair in the motorhome.
I left him there, and went back for paper towels and hydrogen
peroxide for my hands. Thinking (finally), I put the dog house
cover back over the engine, got out and finshed the gas. Then
back on the search for the kitten, I was able to get him to
move... whereupon he ran under the drivers seat.
I was really agitated... "All I wanted to do was pump the gas"
Grabbing a towel (which is what I should have done in the first
place), I reached in and removed him from under the seat.. and
down he went, out the drivers door, and on to the concrete.
He ran behind some gas station cabinets, whereupon a lady that
had stopped for gas had become interested in the goings-on in
and around the MH. She wanted to adopt that poor kitten, so
she walked up to it, reached down to pick it up (silly lady),
and it ran off across the parking lot right into the street.
A car braked for it... and nearly got rear ended by another
vehicle. Apparently the kitten made it across the street and
ran inside a car wash, which was the last we saw of it.
We thanked the attendent for his help, and chatted a bit, then
got in and drove away. We stopped a couple miles up the road
so I could doctor on my hands a bit more, and calm down, 'cause
I was really agitated...
"All I wanted to do was pump the gas".
'00 Four Winds 26Q Class C (Ford E350 V10)
Previously: '96 Kit Sportsmaster 212f fifth wheel coupled to our trusty '93 GMC Sierra K2500
Before that: '91 SunLite poptop truck camper
and the first: a Wildernest flip-top canopy.
Please, laugh with us! We are still laughing about it, and as painful as it was at the time, it's has been a great memory of the trip. (One that we prefer NOT to repeat)
We had a cat hitch a rie on the A arm of the TBird. When we got to the store we heard it and saw it poke it's head out the wheel opening. We adopted it. It was long hair white cat. Terrific mouser We found a new offering just about every morning.
Had another one of several that get dropped off here. It was solid black. It disappeared. I passed my wife on the way to the store.
I saw what appeared to be a black hankerchef fly off the axle of the Dualie in my mirror. I kind of knew what it was and stopped and looked for it. Didn't find it. When wife got home I told here. She went back and found the little thing piled in dirt etc on the edge of the bridge. That cat turned out to be a terrific personality. He liked to flex his claws in and out whenever he was handled. He was muscle bound. He chased several large dogs away over the course of time.
Someone ran over him like they did the white cat. We live on what was a dead end road and one car a day was unusual.
Got some now but none that hitched a ride.
Oh did have two get into my car at seprate times. I left the window open. half way home discovered them. Apparently they wanted a place to have liters. Opened the door and away they went.
Cat bites are #2 on the dangerous bite list (Human is #1) as many of the bacteria that live more or less harmlessly in a cat are very nasty in humans, You need to see a doctor and do it now.
Back Before Internet I hung on Fido Net.. one cat owner, down in Texas, got scratched and bit by his cat (on the foot/ankle) when he broke up a genuine feline type cat fight.
He washed it and bandaged it and forgot it till it started hurting.
Dang near lost his leg.
One of the 'young ladies' on the Echo (As it's called on Fidonet) from Michigan went down to nurse him back to health (Successfully) She's now his wife.
So you see, Cat bites can affect you for the rest of your life.
Nothin adds excitment like something that is none of your business
Kenwood TS-2000 housed in a 2005 Damon Intruder 377
Offline
....Who cares.I have my TH AND my toys 
.
