Tough morning. One of our cats got into varnish or something outside overnight and was covered in it from fur to skin, entire body. Vet’s office said call animal poison control, but they charge a consultation fee of over $50, and we don’t have money to burn.

I tried to wash the cat with Dawn and water, then used vegetable oil because I think whatever she had on her was oil based. Barely got anything off after over 20 minutes of trying, and she got away (did this outside obviously). But then I was covered in the stuff, clothes soaked, brownish oily stuff all over my body and hair and feeling sick from the fumes. Just threw away the clothes and shoes, got inside, showered and bathed forever. Had to use olive oil and lemon juice to get the stuff out of my hair and am clawed and bitten up all over by the cat.

I don’t know. She may yet die from poisoning. There was no way I could get all that stuff off her. We will keep her outside and feed her if she returns. H said maybe once it dries we can cut/shave the hair should the cat live. At any rate, by the time I got to her this morning, she had to have been in that stuff for awhile and probably licked herself all over. If she dies of poisoning, I was probably too late, and with that stuff covering her (a black cat so I could not really see it except where things like bits of grass clung to her) and down to the skin, it was beyond my abilities to clean. I still feel bad about it though and like I should have been able to do more

Drained after all that. Plus, I tripped over another one of our cats while carrying out a bucket of warm water so the bath wouldn’t be freezing. Fell on concrete, scraped both hands, both knees, elbows too. I am scraped, bruised, clawed, bitten and hurting (though yes, at least the cat had her shots). Had a tetanus shot around 7 years ago, so I guess I am okay there. Aren’t those things supposed to last for 10 years?

No school today for my daughter. Luckily, she was more concerned about me being okay from being covered in whatever that stuff was than the cat and seemed sad but understanding when I told her the cat might die of poisoning. But she just said, “I’m glad you’re OK, Mommy.” several times. She’s been very sweet today. Normally, she behaves well, but she is a pre-teen, so I have to accept it’s not always easy to parent her.