Scratching and scratching

Patty, at rest between scratching his ears with his hind foot

See how he's worn off the fur on his ears?

Can you see the white stuff in Sweetie's fur?

Diatomaceous earth on Patty's back

Patty's been scratching at his ears.  I have dosed him with Revolution, but he was still scratching hard.  I do NOT find any fleas on him, but the veterinarian who checked him over earlier this year said he probably has an allergy to flea bites.  As a good measure, I rubbed a very small portion of diatomaceous earth into his fur, and even managed to get some on Sweetie too, before she could dance away.

Diatomaceous earth looks like flour, but it has remarkable drying abilities. Bugs that come in contact with it will dry up and die.  I've put it in their food, and sprinkle very small amounts in the corners of The Cat Hotel.  I do NOT want them (or me!) breathing the stuff in, so I rub it into their fur so there would be no dust.  Now Sweetie has big 'ol white handprints on her black furs, and Patty's bright golds and browns are a bit grey.  We had just had a rain shower, and both of them were damp from running through the wet grass when I came out to visit with them.  Seemed a good time to powder them!

If you are considering the use of human food grade diatomaceous earth, please read up on it first!  Yes, many holistic websites will extol the wonders of it's effectiveness, but it's dangerous because of it's drying abilities, so inhaling it or rubbing it into eyes, nose, etc. is a HAZARD! The small bag that I purchased of the stuff has lasted me for years, because we use only tiny amounts.

Now, it's rained here for 1-1/2 days, so I'll bet both Sweetie and Patty have managed to wash themselves free of the stuff.  And it's cold!  Such crazy weather around here...

Sweetie's Toe Rings

Reclining Sweetie

Close-up of her anklet

Sweetie today!

See her toe rings?

Remember, back when I told you about Sweetie's anklet here?  Today I snapped a photo of her, and you can see her toe rings!  Sweetie really dislikes having her photo taken, but I was relentless as I clicked so many photos of Patty O'Malley (for a later post), that Sweetie grew bored with the whole thing and just sat there and watched.  That's when I casually aimed the camera (read: phone!) in her direction.  The close up still doesn't do her toe rings justice, but at least you get the picture...pun intended!

Almost asleep...then!

Yay, it's snoozetime...

Just about asleep...

What!?!  The garbage truck is here!

I'm awake now!

Both Chuck and Angel were purring softly, their eyes mostly closed...then WHOA! The garbage truck came down the street! Reminds me of the movie "Up!, when the dog yells, "squirrel!"...

Windy

Wish I could snap a photo of how the sound of the wind blowing around millions (zillions!) of maple tree samaras (propeller seeds) makes both Angel and Chucky get moon eyes!  The seeds are spinning and rustling and crackling everywhere, and with the windows open (yay!), the wind gusts and noises are a bit much for the kitties.  The samaras pelt the side of the house, and the windows, and they are stuck in the edges of everything outside: the gutters, the sidewalk, even getting stuck on the cars parked in the driveway.  They stick to our shoes, drop into pant cuffs, and end up everywhere.

Windshield

Driveway

Patty, sitting on my foot and samaras!
That cat!

Patty and Sweetie don't seem to care, even when the propellers propel themselves right into their food bowls!  And with the samaras, there is some sort of tree goo that has plopped little bits of sticky resin on the deck, upon which I sit to hang out with Patty and Sweetie.  I've had some stick in my hair, on the seat of my jeans, and of course both cats have some in their fur. Spring has sprung!

Nap Sites

In the bed, on the sideboard

On the piano bench, in front of the door, while using my old winter hat for a pillow

In the bay window, behind the curtains

Chucky changes napping sites with the seasons.  Surprisingly, he goes into the cold bay window during the Winter, and sleeps in the sun during Summer.  Often, the hubby and I have to make a complete search of the house, to find Chucky's newest napping locale.  You'd think it would be easy to find a long, black cat, but he often evades our searches, and then just shows up in a place we had previously looking in.  Maybe he has a cloak of invisibility, or can simply disappear.  I've asked him, but he's not telling!

Unflattering

Geez, could you take some more UNFLATTERING photos of me?!?  Huh?!?

How embarrassing...

The 5.5 oz Diet

5.5 ounces...

6 ounces...

5.5 ounces...

6 ounces!

The cat food we feed all the cats has changed their cans!  Went from 6 ounces, to 5.5 ounces.  We now have a mix of older 6 ounce cans and the newer 5.5 oz. ones.  I split one can of food in the AM for Chuck and Angel, and one can is split for Patty and Sweetie outside.  In the PM, it's the same thing.  But now, both sets of cats are on a diet!  One half an ounce less of food each day, unless I'm using an old 6 oz. can.  Oh the humanity...erm, it's a CAT-astrophy!  Poor Chuck KNOWS he's getting less, and he sings the song of his people whenever he can, especially when he's snooping 'round the kitchen.  So far, the hubby and I have not cracked under the strain, and woefully doled out MORE food.  All four cats are a bit rounder than they should (see Patty's photo below), so this new diet is a good thing...right?

Fatty Patty, for sure!
But he's so dang cute...

Happy Victoria Day to all Canadians!  I grew up watching professional hockey on Channel 9 Windsor (did you know Canada is actually SOUTH of Metro Detroit?), and will always be grateful for the kindness shown on 9/11 when Canada and Mexico took in airplane travelers who could not land in the U.S. of A.  Thank You!

I DO have cat-food-can-opener elbow!

When I last wrote about my sore elbow, here, I promised to get to the doc to have it checked out.

Well, he tells me it's called 'golfer's elbow', and cranking open cat food cans could surely be the reason for the injury!

Medial Epicondyle to you too, buster!

I am certainly not a golfer, so that's out.  The doc gave me a list of exercises to do, plus the best use of a bag of frozen peas or corn kernels; put it on my sore elbow!  I am to avoid strenuous things that make my elbow hurt (like, duh!).  Funny thing is, at the office, I have to pull open doors to move around the facility, and pulling the doors open KILLS my elbow!  Doc says go slow, take your time, and use good posture. Harrumph...

But the kitties must eat, so I continue to use my left hand to pop those cans open.  Thanks to Katnip Lounge and Tails From The Foster Kittens for suggestions on can-opener devices.   Oh, and the chiropractor doc has found a few spinal areas that need work too; kids, take it from me, treat your back NICELY when you are young, otherwise it will come back to haunt you later on...believe me when I say this!

Gratuitous photo of Sweetie hiding in the garden...
has nothing to do with today's post, but she's a cutie!

Furring and Purring

Chucky, on the piano bench in the morning sun

Angel, tucked up on her favorite napping sweater

The hubby coined a new phrase this morning, as he petted Chucky who was purring like mad.

Furring and Purring

I like this!  Apparently, the human is enjoying the feel of the cat's fur and the rumble of the purr, while kitty is all blissed out because he's laying there!

Furring and Purring...yep, that sums it up nicely, doesn't it?

Fun Saturday!

C'mon Marco...smile!

Lulu

Reggie

They are mirror twins!

Shelby

Sophie

These are the kitties up for adoption with Paws For The Cause Feral Cat Rescue at the local PetSmart adoption enclosure, and I got to play with them on Saturday!  The sisters Shelby and Sophie played together, and Marco enjoyed the feather toy best of all.  Both Lulu and Reggie seemed to want to nap more than play, but it was still hard for me to put them back and close the door to leave.  Marco, especially, pulled at my heart strings because he's downright gorgeous (peach, mocha and grey fur, with blue-green eyes!), and he just did NOT want me to go.  No fear, dear Marco...Laura and Matt and team are working hard to find you your furrever home!

Sweetie's Anklet

Casual Sweetie

Sweetie has a bit of white fur that circles her back leg, as if she's wearing an anklet or bracelet.  She also has the same on one toe on her front foot, which looks like a ring!  Some day, I hope to get a photo of that front foot of Sweetie's, but although she's come a long way in the 'trusting humans' department, having a camera up close and personal is still not an option!

She is a sweetie, our little Sweetie!

Troy is up for Adoption!

How Troy looked when we found him

Troy (and companion) after his matted fur was shaved off

Troy Today!

Lookee!  Troy, the dog rescued from our office parking lot, is up for adoption!  Isn't he a cutie?  What a world of difference from that matted and frightened boy, to shaved almost bare...and now he's cute and adorable.  Check out details at A ReJOYceful Rescue, and scroll to April 30.  He'll get adopted soon, I'll bet!  Yay!  Read here and here for my previous posts about the Lost Dog in Troy.

NOT a Cat Whisperer

A couple of weeks ago at the office, I saw a cat streak across the parking lot.  I followed as best I could, and saw the cat dive into the hole under a pile of branches; maybe an old groundhog burrow. Later, a co-worker said she'd seen kittens playing in the same area!  So, off I went to the store to buy a few cans of food, and I put some on a paper plate...with a bowl of water next to it...and I stepped away.

Actually, I hid behind a tree, and waited.  After a few minutes, two tiny kittens peeked out from that hole!  I barely saw their sweet faces, when I stepped on a dry leaf, and they disappeared again.  Later, as I left for the day, I noticed the food was eaten.  It rained the following day, but I tried to find the cat family again after that.

This was the closest I could get to the feral mama!  See her in the middle of the photo?  When I put out food again, it sat there all day and no one ate it.  I haven't seen any kitties in a week, although co-workers claim that they have.  But no kittens hanging out near that hole under the branches.

Some Cat Whisperer I am!  I scare 'em away!  Can only hope mama and babies show up again, so I can figure out a way to TNR the family.  There are many office buildings, an airstrip, a multi-acre park AND tons of wild areas nearby, so she's found an excellent locale to hide her babies in.  And I have no problem with that; I would simply like to end the cycle of kittens for her.  My guess is the kittens were about four or five weeks old...and cute as the dickens.

By the way, you all know that it's kitten season, right?  All those intact male cats and un-spayed females cause a virtual explosion of baby cats right now.  Your favorite animal rescue is buried under kittens, or will be very, very soon!  Help out, and donate some kitten food or your time, or adopt an older cat to help make way for the onslaught.  We all need some furry love!  Thank You!

Lazin' on a sunny afternoon....

Patty O'Malley and Sweetie took advantage of the warm temps and diffused sunlight to enjoy naps yesterday afternoon.  I did not DARE step outside, otherwise they would have both run to me and I'd have missed the opportunity to get the photos, so ignore our back door glass which hasn't been washed yet.  After all, it went from Winter to Summer in a minute!  Isn't that just fantastic?  I hear there are storms coming, and we need the rain, so it's all good.  

P.S. Congratulations to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge on the birth of their daughter this weekend!  I'm hoping for Victoria as the child's name...for no reason except it's MY NAME!  You may call me Queenie.  UPDATE: The baby is named Charlotte Elizabeth Diana, to be called Her Royal Highness Princess Charlotte of Cambridge.  

P.S.S. Go visit Georgia at Mickey's Musings; she's not feeling well, so let's send many purrs and wishes for Georgia to regain her appetite! Hang in there, Georgia!