Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Little B (or Bster)



Bster appeared in our yard one Autumn. A shadow at the edge of the darkness. I'm not sure where he came from, but he became fast friends with Half Tail. Today they are inseparable. When she had to come inside because of an injury, he came too.

Saturday, September 5, 2009

Half Tail



Half Tail came to our screen door not long after we moved into our current house. A tiny little kitten, she curiously peered into the kitchen. When I went to the door to greet her, she scooted off the porch. About four months later, she appeared on the porch again. One cold February day, she wound herself around my legs and I noticed she was missing something. Her tail. Only part of it remained. Her hind end looked like something tried to take a bite out of her. I did what I could first aid wise. She was more interested in my scratching her head than acknowledging her misfortune.

She has always been a very loving, upbeat cat. Friendly and caring. She's mothered 3 litters and fostered more than a few strays. Always keeping such a great attitude. You could never feel sorry for this cat.

That's why one warm December afternoon, my heart nearly broke. I awoke from a nap with the need to go outside. I hurriedly put on my shoes and rushed out the door. I didn't think about why or where I was going. Long story short, I found Half Tail in bad shape, shot by someone in our neighborhood. During the next few months, she taught us much about perserverance and patience, all the while keeping her incredible attitude.

Sunday, August 30, 2009

Spazzy Bear




Son of Babba. Major Goofball. Does not "meow" - he's "rawrs" like a bear...

Saturday, August 29, 2009

Zoomer





Zoomer is the daughter of Babba. Just as opinionated though not nearly as dramatic. In fact, she doesn't say much at all. You have to listen closely to hear her.

She loves veggies and fruits - corn, tomatoes, limes, grapes, green peppers, cukes, melon, avocado, apples - you name it. The kitchen is her domain.

Thursday, August 20, 2009

The Bop (or Babba)




The first of our crew, she is the mother of two of our goobers. Supreme Drama Queen and Uber Opinionated.

The Goobers

I don’t have any kids, so I don’t presume to know what it’s like. I do have 6 very opinionated cats. Each with their own distinct personality - and demands. Right now, they are whining for breakfast.

I’d like to think they prepare me for kids, if I ever have any. I know, all of you with kids want to whop me over the head right now. How could cats ever compare to children? At this point, it’s my best guess.

We feed them twice a day. We make their food. We brush their teeth. We break up fights and broker deals. We punish and reward. We provide companionship.

And they return the favor. They are alarm clocks and bed warmers. Couch potato companions and workout wannabees. They hang out in the kitchen begging for food, constantly asking – When’s dinner? They wake me in the middle of the night when they’re not feeling well or a storm frightens them.

This week, I will introduce you to all of them. Well, you’ve already met the Moke. I’ll probably revisit him and his antics.

Sunday, August 2, 2009

The Moke




His name is Moke or Mokerson or Moke Moke. Well, those aren’t really his names. More like call signs, tag lines, depending on our moods and his behavior. Moke is one of our six cats and the loudest, most annoying, territorial, rambunctious, intelligent, and exacerbating. Fortunately for him, he’s playful, cute, and likes to snuggle in bed. He sleeps beside me most nights, hogging the pillow. If he sees I’m awake in the middle of the night, he’ll give me a soft mew and a light nudge with his head. Melts my heart and resolve. But before long, he’ll be patrolling the perimeter, harassing and goading the other cats, meowing at the top of his lungs for breakfast.

Moke wandered on to our porch about 7 years ago, sleeping in a pizza box for two weeks while we got to know him and decided to add him to our family. The vet warned us we’d have our hands full. Moke has an extra thumb on one paw, which means it’s easier for him to open cabinet doors to dig in the trash can. Or pry open plastic containers. He is constantly on the move, prowling his territory. Mewing to go outside. Climbing on forbidden countertops. Licking dishes in the sink. Pushing pots filled with food off the stove.

He’s lucky he found us.

I don’t know if anyone else would have the patience…

Edited 8/08/09 to add...

And he's at it again tonight. Trying to pry the lid off a plastic container. Because he wants some WATERMELON!

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Clumping Cat Litter or Should I say Quick Drying Cement?

I’ve thought about going back to the old fashioned litter you have to dump every day or so, and I’ve tried the pine stuff. My cats didn’t like it, and most of you know what it’s like when your feline friend doesn’t want to use its box. So, I don’t experiment very often. But days when I scoop the concrete blocks from my little creatures of habit who only seem to do their business in the corners, I wish for something better.


Here are a few things we’ve done to improve our litter box situation :


We added more boxes to prevent ambushes and for convenience.

We took off the roofs for better air flow.

We switched to fragrance free litter for their health and ours.

We changed to 25 gallon plastic tubs rather than a standard litter box.

We put towels on the floor under the boxes to cut down on litter being tracked throughout the house.

We buy high quality, low-dust, clumping litter. Our next move will be a switch from clay.

We scoop every day - sometimes twice.

Most of all, we keep our sense of humor...



...and pray for patience.

Sunday, July 19, 2009

What I learned this week...

Nature’s Miracle is excellent for tackling those tough cat pee issues – if you can handle the fragrance. Until it dries, it’s like being dowsed in fabric softner. I might try the all natural version with orange oil next time; though something tells me it won’t work nearly as well since it has no enzymatic agent.


Oh, I also learned large plastic totes (20+ gallons) make great litter boxes.

Saturday, July 18, 2009

To pee or not to pee...

That is my problem. Well, it's not MY problem. One of my cats has started spraying. He doesn't do it all the time. Seems to be when he's anxious or over-excited. I love this cat dearly. We've been working on this issue, and every time I think we've got it licked - I catch him peeing all over the shower curtain.

I have to be more diligent with the Feliway. Which seems to work for the most part. Though sometimes, it almost seems to excite him more. In the end, I need to pay more attention to his triggers. And avoid them.