Happy Cats

Life and Loss

 Babba, Zoomer and Spaz

 It’s been a tough summer here.  We lost Babba in June and then Spaz mid-August.  

 

Babba

Spaz

We were still in college when we found Babba at a local shelter.  Little did we know, she was pregnant. Not quite two months later, we helped her deliver kittens.  Greyman, Zoomer and Spaz.  Greyman went to live with friends many years ago.  I pray his life has been a good one.  Spaz lived with my brother for a few years before returning to us.  And Zoomer has been with us for the long haul.  

There’s so much history in this little girl. 

The Outsiders

Buddy

Little Girl

Blackie

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                   






                                                                                                                                 

Hungry Kitty

Window Moke

The other evening, as I finished up some yard work, I heard a familiar meow.  My brain didn’t place it for a second or two.  I stepped off the porch to turn on the water. As I’m doing this, I think, He’s not supposed to be out here.  I look down, and sure enough, there’s Moke at my feet.  It’s also about this time I noticed the screen on the ground. 

Moke fell or jumped from a two story window. 

Part of me thought he busted out.  It was a daring jail break hashed out over many afternoons of sitting in the window watching the birds, squirrels and chipmunks merrily cavorting.  Nope, he couldn’t take it any longer…

Then the Rational me kicked the Creative me in the pants.  Moke probably just leaned on the screen a little too hard and Whoosh!  Down he fell.

Either way, the damage has been done. 

Oh, don’t worry, he’s fine, and the screen popped back in despite being bent. 

Here’s the kicker: Now Moke knows he can escape by pushing on that screen – or any screen for that matter.  

 Yippee   :-)

Happy 2012 from Bster and the rest of the gang! :-)

Squirt

This is my new ally my battle of wills with the Poke (aka Smokey).

Don’t worry – It’s only water.

The Evolution of a Name

How many names do you have for your pet? I bet you’d be surprised if you made a list.






I’ll use Smokey as an example. (Because I know how much you all love the little shi- I mean goofball.  ) His original name was Cry Baby Slim. When he first joined our family, he was skinny and would not shut up. The skinny part isn’t true anymore, but he still won’t shut up!

Here’s a quick list of his nicknames:


Mocha-chunka-latte
Mocha-chunk
Chocolate Moke
Moke
Poke
Poke Poke
P Poke Train
Poke-a-Moke
Chunka-Moke
Mokerson
Mocus Pocus


Each name represents a different frame of mind/attitude and/or behavior, and sometimes one name can have different meanings depending on the way it’s said. It’s kinda like using a child’s middle name when they’re misbehaving, except Smokey’s name gets shorter when he’s driving us nuts.

Wanted: Sanity

I love Smokey. There are some days, though, that I’d love to throw his whiny little butt outside. Maybe dropkick is the right word.


He’s noisy. If you need a 4am wake-up, he’s your cat. He meows to go outside and when he’s hungry – which is 99% of the time. He also lets you know he’s up to something bad with this odd high pitched chatter. Basically the only time he’s quiet is when he’s eating or sleeping.

He’s too smart for his own good. He can open cupboard doors with ease and remove the lids from plastic containers.

He’s a menace. He knocks things off countertops just to get your attention. He also likes to pick fights with his housemates or drop a stinky turd in the nearest litter box, just to let you know he’s unhappy about something.

He’s a thief. He will eat just about anything. Everything is fair game to him. Watermelon, tomatoes, cantaloupe, green peppers, oatmeal, nuts. He’ll even chew on a lemon rind. You can’t leave anything where he can get it. There are baby locks on the cupboard where we store the garbage so he can’t get into it.

He’s the enforcer. He patrols our house, keeping the other cats in line. Sometimes, I think he feels he’s following my orders.


Smokey is lucky he’s a snuggly bug. He sleeps with me some nights, throws his little body against me with a sigh. Melts my heart every time.

In the jungle with the Bster... This is the enclosure we built so the cats can go outside without the worry of them running off. Bster loves to spend hours outside keeping watch over his kingdom.

Looking Ahead

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.

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.

Spazzy Bear

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

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.