Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
We went to my mother's house for the traditional meal and gathering. As expected, the cats, who stayed home, were quite indignant that we were gone for so long. Not that they missed us, really, but we were overdue to feed them. How dare we miss dinner time?
My mom, also an animal lover, decided that the best use for the turkey pickings after the feast was done, was to give the cats their Thanksgiving. She spent the time to pick the turkey clean to the bone, tearing the larger pieces into smaller ones, and mixing it with the remaining pan drippings. She packaged it all for us to bring back to the cats.
Of course, the moment we stepped through the door to our own house, the cats were yelling. It didn't last long, however, once I scooped about a cup full of the "Kitty Thanksgiving" mixture onto their empty plate.
Our cats eat canned and dry cat food daily. This special treat was definitely appreciated! Thanks, Mom!
Showing posts with label cat. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cat. Show all posts
Friday, November 25, 2011
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Clea LOVES Catnip
Clea was acting quite schizophrenic yesterday. She was bouncing all over the place, and could not seem to be content anywhere. When I went outside, I discovered why.
In cleaning up the yard in preparation for winter, the cage that usually covers the catnip patch had been temporarily moved. Clea had found it. Clea started digging at the roots of one of the catnip plants. Clea had taken ownership of that plant. She couldn't seem to figure out if she should be guarding her plant, or running away and hiding from everyone and everything. She was hungry enough to go into her food dish, but so worried she couldn't take more than a couple of bites before hurrying back to her plant.
She appeared to be a cat in the throes of a panic attack. She didn't want to leave her catnip plant. She would wrap her entire body around it, chewing on the stalk. Then she would bolt up and take off across the yard at full speed. In the house, out of the house, back to her catnip plant. This went on all day.
It's any wonder that, when nightfall came, she was exhausted.
In cleaning up the yard in preparation for winter, the cage that usually covers the catnip patch had been temporarily moved. Clea had found it. Clea started digging at the roots of one of the catnip plants. Clea had taken ownership of that plant. She couldn't seem to figure out if she should be guarding her plant, or running away and hiding from everyone and everything. She was hungry enough to go into her food dish, but so worried she couldn't take more than a couple of bites before hurrying back to her plant.
She appeared to be a cat in the throes of a panic attack. She didn't want to leave her catnip plant. She would wrap her entire body around it, chewing on the stalk. Then she would bolt up and take off across the yard at full speed. In the house, out of the house, back to her catnip plant. This went on all day.
It's any wonder that, when nightfall came, she was exhausted.
Monday, August 29, 2011
Meet The Players III - Haggred
Haggred is another shelter adoptee. At 27 pounds, this 7 year old Siberian can lay his head on my shoulder while his tail flicks around my knees.
A very independent guy, he was the terror of the shelter. He figured out how to open latches and doors, and every evening would let all the cats in the shelter out to roam the building. You can imagine the destruction that caused, especially in the offices! The staff would leave in the evening with everything as it should be, only to return the next morning to find shelves and desktops cleared and cats everywhere!!
He was found as a stray by a woman who tried to keep him inside. When he constantly fought with her other cat, she decided to bring him to the shelter. We adopted him 3 months later. His first few days here he layed low, watching the household from under beds and couches. After a week, when he seemed comfortable, I let him outside for the first time. He immediately ran up a tree!
He didn't want to come in. The evening routine at our house is to call each of the cats individually from the back door and let them in before bed. I called Haggred every night. It wasn't until the 4th night that I went to call the cats, and there he was sitting on the back porch waiting. A little bit of a scare, but I understand this guy needs to be allowed his independence.
A very independent guy, he was the terror of the shelter. He figured out how to open latches and doors, and every evening would let all the cats in the shelter out to roam the building. You can imagine the destruction that caused, especially in the offices! The staff would leave in the evening with everything as it should be, only to return the next morning to find shelves and desktops cleared and cats everywhere!!
He was found as a stray by a woman who tried to keep him inside. When he constantly fought with her other cat, she decided to bring him to the shelter. We adopted him 3 months later. His first few days here he layed low, watching the household from under beds and couches. After a week, when he seemed comfortable, I let him outside for the first time. He immediately ran up a tree!
He didn't want to come in. The evening routine at our house is to call each of the cats individually from the back door and let them in before bed. I called Haggred every night. It wasn't until the 4th night that I went to call the cats, and there he was sitting on the back porch waiting. A little bit of a scare, but I understand this guy needs to be allowed his independence.
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Meet the Players Part 2 - Sidewinder
Yes, a Sidewinder is a type of snake. This female Maine Coon earned this name due to her constant sideways walk when she was a kitten. She still does it from time to time.
Sidewinder was adopted from a woman who raised Maine Coons whose cats had 3 litters within 2 weeks. We brought her home with a second kitten, Ricky, a male runt of a different litter. These two we called "the twins" as they were ALWAYS doing everything together!
Ricky grew in size and ego until he was a hefty 20+ pounds and looked like a small bear when he wanted to. He would stop the little traffic we have on our dirt road to take a look inside the vehicles by simply rising up on his hind legs! Unfortunately, he didn't realize that he could not be seen by the drill truck driver, and when the property across the street sold and was developed, he was hit and lost his life.
Sidewinder continues on in her own very independent manner. She doesn't have a lot of interaction with the other cats as is her choice. She has adopted my youngest daughter instead and has become "Nanny Sidewinder". She will come out looking for my daughter every night at bedtime. If we are sitting on the couch watching television, Sidewinder will either pace back and forth behind my daughter, or sit on her lap flicking her tail right in my daughter's face. Sidewinder will NOT be ignored. She will follow my daughter into bed, and stay with her until she falls asleep.
In the morning, Sidewinder's job is to wake my daughter up. She is very persistent, and has devised several ways to get my daughter out of bed. Of course, Sidewinder has an ulterior motive in this: Once off to school, my daughter's bed is all Sidewinder's all day. Just ask her.
Sidewinder was adopted from a woman who raised Maine Coons whose cats had 3 litters within 2 weeks. We brought her home with a second kitten, Ricky, a male runt of a different litter. These two we called "the twins" as they were ALWAYS doing everything together!
Ricky grew in size and ego until he was a hefty 20+ pounds and looked like a small bear when he wanted to. He would stop the little traffic we have on our dirt road to take a look inside the vehicles by simply rising up on his hind legs! Unfortunately, he didn't realize that he could not be seen by the drill truck driver, and when the property across the street sold and was developed, he was hit and lost his life.
Sidewinder continues on in her own very independent manner. She doesn't have a lot of interaction with the other cats as is her choice. She has adopted my youngest daughter instead and has become "Nanny Sidewinder". She will come out looking for my daughter every night at bedtime. If we are sitting on the couch watching television, Sidewinder will either pace back and forth behind my daughter, or sit on her lap flicking her tail right in my daughter's face. Sidewinder will NOT be ignored. She will follow my daughter into bed, and stay with her until she falls asleep.
In the morning, Sidewinder's job is to wake my daughter up. She is very persistent, and has devised several ways to get my daughter out of bed. Of course, Sidewinder has an ulterior motive in this: Once off to school, my daughter's bed is all Sidewinder's all day. Just ask her.
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Meet the Players Part 1 - Tasha
Currently our house is the desired home of 4 cats: Tasha, Sidewinder, Haggred, and Clea.
Tasha
At age 14, Tasha, a Siamese cross, is by far the oldest and has been our friend the longest. Fifteen years ago I had asked the local shelter to contact me if any Siamese came in. At the time, I had recently lost another long time Siamese friend who came to me from a shelter. I wanted to continue the tradition I had started.
Anyway, the shelter called a few weeks later to tell me they had rescued 3 Siamese kittens, whom I could go see at the animal hospital. The police had checked out an apartment that had an odd smell, where they found a deceased man and the kittens - 2 male, 1 female. I brought my then 6 year old daughter with me that same day to go see them.
The 2 males were fat and sleepy, lounging together in their cage. They showed absolutely no interest in anyone or anything. The female, known to the staff as "Yukon 3", was in a separate area as she was severely malnourished and dehydrated. She wouldn't be ready for adoption for at least 2 weeks. I asked to see her anyway. When we were about 3 feet away from her cage, she crouched down in her litter box as far as she could go and hissed, spat, and growled with everything she had. I smiled and said I would take her. My daughter looked up at me with big, wide eyes and asked, "You want THAT one? Are you sure?" "Of course," I responded, "She's the one that needs us the most."
For the first year and a half after bringing her home, she was known as the "ghost cat". I renamed her Tasha once I got her home, and only ever saw her around midnight when I got home from work and she was venturing out to eat her food. Yet I was the only one in a family of four that ever saw her. She finally let me touch her at about the 4 month mark.
All that changed when we moved. By the time we had her two years, she was confident and talkative. She has stayed with us, through good times and bad. Now she is older and sleeps more than anything else, but she is still in charge. Just ask her.
Tasha
At age 14, Tasha, a Siamese cross, is by far the oldest and has been our friend the longest. Fifteen years ago I had asked the local shelter to contact me if any Siamese came in. At the time, I had recently lost another long time Siamese friend who came to me from a shelter. I wanted to continue the tradition I had started.
Anyway, the shelter called a few weeks later to tell me they had rescued 3 Siamese kittens, whom I could go see at the animal hospital. The police had checked out an apartment that had an odd smell, where they found a deceased man and the kittens - 2 male, 1 female. I brought my then 6 year old daughter with me that same day to go see them.
The 2 males were fat and sleepy, lounging together in their cage. They showed absolutely no interest in anyone or anything. The female, known to the staff as "Yukon 3", was in a separate area as she was severely malnourished and dehydrated. She wouldn't be ready for adoption for at least 2 weeks. I asked to see her anyway. When we were about 3 feet away from her cage, she crouched down in her litter box as far as she could go and hissed, spat, and growled with everything she had. I smiled and said I would take her. My daughter looked up at me with big, wide eyes and asked, "You want THAT one? Are you sure?" "Of course," I responded, "She's the one that needs us the most."
For the first year and a half after bringing her home, she was known as the "ghost cat". I renamed her Tasha once I got her home, and only ever saw her around midnight when I got home from work and she was venturing out to eat her food. Yet I was the only one in a family of four that ever saw her. She finally let me touch her at about the 4 month mark.
All that changed when we moved. By the time we had her two years, she was confident and talkative. She has stayed with us, through good times and bad. Now she is older and sleeps more than anything else, but she is still in charge. Just ask her.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)