Angel: Good!

"Mom, I want to go home!"

Just a quick note from Angel's holistic veterinarian visit yesterday: she's good!  She drooled A TON, which is something she's not done before. Angel is in good shape, if a tad round, and I've got a couple of bottles of vitamins to crush and mix into her food.

Surprisingly, there were no hisses and floofy suits when Angel and I were home again, so the nice herb and calming oil air scent that clung to us did not anger Chuck...(or The Hubby, ha ha!)  Angel does need a teeth cleaning, so that's on the list next.

More details about the holistic experience soon; there is a lot for me to think about.  I was so nervous! Lucky for me, my friend (who recommended the vet) unexpectedly showed up just when we had arrived, so it was fantastic to talk to her and catch up on all things animal and human.  Thanks, BG!

Wednesday Why

Why? Oh Why?

Do I tend to find wet and awful 'presents' from the kitties

while in my stocking feet?

Some cat...see picture below but I won't name names...

apparently has been losing her lunch

in the early morning hours.

Enough for a veterinarian visit this Thursday afternoon...

Shhh...be very quiet and don't say a word!

"WHATTT!!!  Oh, heck NO!!!"

Yes, my little flower...

You and I are visiting a holistic veterinarian recommended HIGHLY by 

cat friends.

Honestly, you are past due for a check-up, my black-and-white-and-pink cutie!

Office Addition: Quint's Art!

Yay!  Not only do I have cat photos in cute frames in my office, now I have Quint's art hanging right where I can stare at it while sitting at my desk.

Check out more of Quint's artwork at Colehaus Cats!  I am very excited to have this!

Experiment Results

Nope, a bottle of salt water left in the feral cats's water bucket did NOT keep it from freezing.  In fact, I think it froze even faster!

The Hubby wants to try multiple salt water-filled bottles, but I'm done with this experiment.  We are fortunate to have warmer temperatures for awhile, and the water bucket will stay unfrozen all on it's own.  I feel really badly for the folks who've gotten hammered by the big snowfall, and yet we are experiencing sunshine and little precipitation.  So, my anxiety about The 'O' Cats is on a low boil for now.

Patty O'Malley wants petting!

Blurry Sweetie, enjoying her food

Patty and Sweetie are so much more active when there is no cold wind blowing and there is no ice or snow under their paws.  I love to sit on the deck, petting Patty with one hand, and Sweetie with the other!  That is, until Patty realizes he does not have my full attention, and he chases Sweetie away. That's when I stand up and walk away, in an attempt to show Patty that there is enough of me to go around, but he hasn't figured it out yet. Fortunately, Sweetie does not hold this behavior against me; she always comes back to me the next time I'm outside.

Formerly Found Friday: Adopted!

Just rescued from the street!

Playful baby!

Sweet lil tuxedo

The kitten that I picked up from a busy street in September 2015, has gone to her furrever home!  She has a cat brother who is just a few months older, and a human who is over the moon with her two new fur babies.  I hope to get updates someday.

Super huge gratitude to my friend who fostered this 3-week old baby within hours of the rescue; she recognized immediately that the baby needed milk and mothering, to get her strong and growing. Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!

Oops...splash!

Trying to keep water liquid for The 'O' Cats in wintertime is almost impossible.  I use a 6-pack cooler, which is deep, and fill it with a full gallon of water.  The idea is; deep means slow to freeze.

But, it's Michigan, and the bucket starts icing over fairly quickly some days. I've also tried sprinkling in a tiny amount of sugar, under the scientific principle that the sugar crystals seem to retard to formation of ice.  It works, but in the really deep cold, nothing works.

Until now!  Well, I've only tried this since this morning, but I read at Lope for Hope about a trick they use for horses.  Fill a big bucket with water, and then float a few water bottles filled with salt water.

The Hubby gamely filled a small water bottle for me, and I stopped at the water bucket before leaving for the office.  The water bottle went in...then WHOOPS!

Keys and salt-water filled bottle, in the bucket

Yep, my keys went into the water too.  

Fished out

Patty O'Malley doesn't care!

Thank goodness my coat pocket was filled with paper towels (always handy to towel off a wet cat, a wet bowl, or wet feeding station)...or keys.  

Notice my X-Files key chain fob; I've been a die-hard fan of that TV show since the very first episode in 2003, and am delighted they have brought it back for a special 6-episode mini-series, starting this Sunday, January 24! People have even asked me why we did not name our cats Mulder or Scully...but that's an easy explanation; he is a Chucky, and sweet Angel is perfectly named.

Therein lies a tail...

Chuck eats with his tail straight out

Angel tucks her tail in

Angel and Chuck have shared our home for over eleven years.  So why have I never before noticed that Chuck eats with his long tail stuck out, while Angel curls hers around?  Chuck is a long cat, and with his tail length added in, that's quite a piece of real estate!  Angel is smaller than her brother, and obviously likes to eat all tucked up.  She is compact.  Maybe there is some sort of yin yang thing going on between the two of them.

Book Review: The Power of Meow

Author: David Michie

Publisher Hay House Inc Publication Date 6/15/15 ISBN 9781401946241

The third of the 'Dalai Lama's Cat' novels, opens with poor H.H.C. (His Highness's Cat) discovering that she has fleas!  Once the critters have been eradicated, the cat continues to suffer stress because she can still feel the creepy and itchy feeling all over her body, which she calls Post Traumatic Flea Disorder.  As her new journey begins, she learns how to find peace in her mind by remaining in the present, and refusing to dwell in the past.  The cat, along with a cast of characters that surround the Dalai Lama and the town nearby, find meditation, yoga, and some past life recollections allow them to quiet anxiety.  The author, David Michie, touches on how reducing every day stress through quiet contemplation has been scientifically shown to help a body heal itself, plus the possibility of longer life.

H.H.C. is a delightful narrator, telling the stories of the people and animals around her, as each one travels through life and learning lessons along the way

“Pain is inevitable,” the Dalai Lama continued. “Suffering is optional. We will all have to endure trauma and challenges. What matters is how we move forward afterward. Do we keep carrying the trauma and its causes in our mind? Or can we find a way to let go of them, to end our own suffering?”

Another delightful book, as have been the first two novels.  Pick up a copy at your local library (that's how I did it!), and spend a few hours enjoying...and learning...of the possibilities of quieting one's mind...with a delightful kitty as your guide!

Mancat Monday

Look at those gorgeous green eyes!

It is so very cold outside, hence my weird-looking hoodie.  This time of January is traditionally the coldest of the year, and also when my fret-o-meter pegs off the chart due to my concern for Patty and Sweetie, as they live in a box on our deck.  The water bucket freezes quickly, and wet food is a distant dream.  I sat and tried to think up some way to get them inside, if they won't come up the stairway to the second floor.  I envision an old RV sitting in the backyard, or a new heavily insulated shed, with electricity and running water!  Or even some sort of hallway, leading the cats into some other part of the house on the first floor, without the inside heat being sucked out.  Dreaming, dreaming...

But...Patty takes the weather in stride, and even Sweetie ventures out for a scritch and a bite to eat. And don't mind my outfit; just a way to stay outside as long as possible with The 'O' Cats without freezing my tookas off! Fashion goes out the window when a) it's really cold, and b) lovin' on some kitties.  Although I look pretty scary in that thing; the neighbors may be wondering...

Hunting

Me: "What were you hunting, Patty O'Malley?"
Patty: "I'm not telling."
Me: "Well, I see your tracks, so were you successful?"
Patty: "I'm not telling!"
Me: "Okay, Patty Oh, you big ol' round cat!  Since you aren't eating from your breakfast bowl, I'm thinking you scored something..."
Patty: "Mama, don't leave for work...stay here and cuddle with me"...(puts on his best sweet face)
Me: "Oh, if I could I would, Patty my love!  I promise lots of lovin' when I'm home over the weekend!"
Patty: "Meow!"

P.S. There was no evidence that any critter was injured!  It almost looks like he was just dancing in the snow.  Gosh, I love that cat!

A Frisson of Worry

Patty O'Malley, garden gnome

It snowed several inches last night.  This morning, while still in pajamas, I suited up with boots, scarf and coat, and shoveled quick paths from the front door to Patty and Sweetie's feeding station in the backyard, and cleared the deck so their paws touch as little snow as possible between The Cat Hotel and breakfast noms.  (The Hubby does the rest of the shoveling as soon as I'm out of the way).

Usually, no matter what I'm doing outside, Patty comes to visit me.  He dances at my feet, head bonks me when he can, and he meows and calls to me to stop whatever it is I'm doing and pet him!

This morning, however...nothing.  No sign of Patty while I shoveled. Sweetie often waits until I'm finished with broom or snow shovel before venturing out, but as I've said, Patty gets in the middle of my work.  So, after my shoveling was done, and no Patty, I went back inside to eat breakfast, feed Angel and Chuck, and dress for the office.

But where was Patty?  The two sides of my mind started talking to each other: "Patty ran away!  He's tired of not being invited inside the front door, and he left!  Or maybe he got in a fight, and he's hurt somewhere..."  The other side retorts: "Oh, come on!  That boy is just waiting for his kibble, and he doesn't want to give up his toasty bed yet...take it easy, he'll show up!"

Trying to keep a level head, I ventured out once more with kibble and fresh water.  I walked up the shoveled path along driveway...no sign of cats.  My heart thumped a beat.  A few more steps...and voila!  Patty meowing from the cleared deck, waiting for his food, with Sweetie pulling up the rear. WHEW!!!

He got such a big hug and snuggle!  Sweetie too was loved upon, and a little bird told me just this morning that Sweetie gave The Hubby a big ol' head bump last night when he brought out dinner, because I was delayed getting home.  Love is in the air, even if the air is cold and snowy; sometimes, you just have to wait for it.

And not listen to half of your brain...

Office Cat Collection

Yep, my photo collection at the office keeps growing!  (Except for a kid photo of The Hubby, in the center.)  I also pin cat images to my board, and my favorite is from FatCatArt entitled "Leonardo da Vinci, Mona Lisa, True Version".  So even when I am away from my furr babies, I continue to enjoy their fuzzy faces!

Let's Play, Chucky!

The trick is to get the long piece of fabric under the corrugated cardboard scratching bed, so Chucky can attack as the end peeks out the other side. The bed usually ends up being pushed across the floor! Ellen, see your crocheted toy in the corner of the photos?

Ahhh...then Brrrr!!!

Patty and Sweetie, snacking on Saturday

Saturday was a rare treat!  Warm temps in January!  Maybe too warm, because Patty O'Malley was scratching and scratching, so I dosed him with flea-die-flea stuff.

Then, the cold front moved in on Sunday.  First we had freezing rain and ice, then the wind blew and the snow fell.  The temperatures plummeted too.

The above photo was taken while on my way to work this morning.  The high today was 18F.  

BRRRRRRR!!!!!

P.S. Please take a moment and leave a comment at 15 and Meowing; Stinky left this earth while her people loved on her this morning.

Happiness is...

...finding a baby picture of Angel in my old book!

Napping Preferences

My winter coat carefully covering
Chuck as he sleeps on the chair underneath

The rocking chair, with blanket and The Hubby's
warm jacket...AND the heater vent,
for Chuck's nappy pleasure

Chuck prefers to hide away when it's nap time.  I throw blankets, shirts and coats over chairs, rockers and baskets for him.  The Hubby doesn't always like the 'tents' so much; sometimes making our occasional cat count is hampered by all the tents!  I, however, respond to what the cat wants, and Chuck mostly likes to hide.  Angel, on the other hand, prefers to sleep in the open.

The hot air register runs under the floor; Angel
is taking advantage of the warm wood!

Angel sleeps on top of the tent

Excuse the rough photos; not enough light in the evenings!

Mind The Gap

""Mind the gap" is an audible or visual warning phrase issued to rail passengers in the UK (and elsewhere) to take caution while crossing the horizontal, and in some cases vertical, spatial gap between the train door and the station platform." - Wikipedia

However, the gap I have been struggling with, is the gap between where I want the 'O' cats to be, and how they are right now.  I fret and worry, especially now that the temps have dropped into the single digits overnight. But...Patty just does not want to come in.  At least not yet.  And Sweetie does not appear to want to try to climb up.  

This may take a lot of time.  We are fortunate to have an area of the house that is closed off, and is now 100% devoted to tempting them inside.  And in the meantime, they have food, water and warm shelter.  If a flake of snow falls on that deck, I'm out there with my broom so their paws don't have to touch snow or ice.  So, I need to MIND THE GAP and look at the positives here!  Sure, it may take time to coax my cat friends inside.  Stuff worth waiting for is WORTH IT, right?  So, relax, Grasshopper...step over that gap and live in the NOW, not the 'what should be' or 'if things were perfect'. Was I put on this earth to be a cat whisperer from Day 1, or to learn and grow into cat love with each minute?  I am thinking the later...

MIND THE GAP...but the gap does not exist...take a step, and another and life will reveal itself if you let it.

GonaCon™ Contraceptive Study

News!

The Alliance for Contraception in Cats & Dogs is sponsoring a study, which began in November 2015, to evaluate GonaCon™ in female cats.  Read more about the three-year study here. 

Some day, the ACCD will have a safe vaccine that will render cats sterile, so instead of TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return) for feral cats, it may be Trap-give 'em a shot-Release, instead of anesthesia, surgery, etc!  Could revolutionize our cat world, and it may be on the horizon.  

Fascinating news!

For no reason at all, I include
this photo of Angel snacking on popcorn

Nappy...er, um...Happy New Year!

Nice stink eye, Chucky!

Yep, Angel and Chuck pretty much slept through the New Year's festivities. Here's Chucky, sleeping on my coat.

"You are interrupting my beauty sleep!"

"But, sleepy or not, I look fabulous!"

Angel's favorite winter napping spot, is upstairs (away from everybody); a cat bed on a chair, covered with an old bathrobe.

"Nom...nom...NOM!"

Sweetie and Patty enjoyed a feast of homemade roast turkey, as a New Year's celebration.  They had tuna on Christmas!

A dusting of snow

Paws prints on the deck

We have had some snow, and some cold temps...but it's January, after all!

Happy, Nappy New Year, everyone!