Porch kitties

We live in an apartment on the second floor, with a nice big porch overlooking trees and other pretty greenery. Lewis and Ebony are the least-adventurous, most clumsy cats I've ever had, which does have its advantages. The main one being that they are not climbers or risk-takers. So, I can let them on the porch without worrying about them jumping off, even if they see a squirrel or a bird!

I really like fresh air so I usually open the porch door during the mornings before it gets hot. We keep our thermostat on the high side - usually around 80 - so I try to leave the door open until the A/C turns on. Fortunately, it hasn't been quite as humid this summer so most days I'm able to have the door open a few hours.

Lewis and Ebony love going out on the porch. Lewis has now learned a new trick: if he goes to the door and starts crying, I will open the door for him and he can hang out on the porch. Now that he's discovered this power, he loves to wield it. He also especially likes to use it when I'd rather the door be closed - as in, during the heat of the day when the westward sun is shining full-on. I think he just likes making me do things.

The days I miss

I fed the cats their dinner today. They looked at me, looked at the food, and walked away. Sigh.

I miss the old days. I miss the days when they would cry for their food. I miss the days when I'd put the food in the bowls and they'd gobble it up hungrily. I miss the days when the bowls would pretty much be cleaned out right after I fed them.

I would totally take two fat cats over their current issues - whatever those issues are.

We currently feed them each 1/8 cup of Natural Balance dry kibble food in the mornings. In the evenings, we give them 1/8 cup of the same. We also give them each 1/8 can each of Chicken Soup for the Cat Lover's Soul canned food.

Ebony loves the wet food. She gobbles it up then hovers around Lewis. Lewis eats about half and then starts pawing at it as if he's trying to bury it. He actually makes quite the mess, tipping over his dry food and water bowls all at the same time. He won't stop until we manually remove the plate of wet food from him. (He doesn't respond to loud noises or when we call his name, or even if we toss things in his direction.)

I feel like we give them so little food, but they don't finish it. We have never free-fed them, so they shouldn't be used to coming back for it later. We were hoping that the wet food would encourage Lewis to eat more, but it doesn't seem to be working.

We tried getting a new container that was air-tight to keep the food fresh longer. We buy 6 lb bags, so it's not like we buy a really big bag and keep it forever. The guy at the pet shop asked if we lived in manufactured homes or kept the food in a garage, but we don't - we keep it in our apartment living room.

Like I said, I miss the days when feeding them wasn't a hassle. I miss just putting food out and having them eat it. I miss not having to monitor them to make sure Ebony doesn't steal Lewis' food and that Lewis doesn't tip over all his bowls.

Sigh.

Rubber band-it

A month or so ago, a group of friends threw a baby shower for me and our expectant little one who should be making her appearance in just a few weeks. One of the gifts was a beautifully done diaper cake. When I went to take it apart, I realized that each diaper had been rolled and held together with a rubber band, and the "layers" were secured with bigger rubber bands.

I took off all the rubber bands and put them in a pencil holder on a bookshelf where I keep all my office supplies. Since it was on the bookcase, I didn't think much about cat-proofing.

Lewis, you see, LOVES rubber bands. He likes to consume them, then regurgitate them later because - well, rubber bands are not meant to be eaten by little kitties. He does this with normal office-y rubber bands, and also the kind that you wear in your hair.

Today when we got home we found rubber bands all over the floor. Apparently Lewis had discovered the stash. I'm still slightly confused about that one, as it was in a bookcase where he didn't have easy access. It was as if he knew the rubber bands were there and went for them - like they were candy or cat treats.

We picked up all the ones on the floor and we buried them deep in the bookcase so he can't get to them now. I rolled the smaller rubber bands into a rubber band ball and I'll stick that in the junk drawer in the kitchen. I don't know what it is that makes him always want to eat it! Maybe there's a certain taste that appeals to him. I hope this means the end of the hacked-up surprises we find or we're going to have to find some dental discounts!

Lost dog is a hero

I thought this was a cool story.

Lost Dog Saves Man With Down Syndrome From Nearly Fatal Seizure

Recently, a woman named Yolanda in Florida had a neighbor give her a dog he had found. The neighbor asked Yolanda to care for the dog while they looked for his owner. Yolanda agreed, and they put up fliers and posted ads on Craigslist trying to find the owner. (By the way, Craigslist is a great place to post ads if you either find or lose a pet. It's also a great place to buy or sell things, anywhere from sofas to Mp3 players to kitchen sinks.) Yolanda had two sons, including one with Down Syndrome named Christian, who both warmed up to the dog.

Four days passed and no one had contacted her about the dog. However, the dog knew how to guarantee himself a home:

Christian retreated to his room to watch a Barney video. The dog dozed beside him.

Yolanda had just stepped onto her porch to water the plants when the dog flung himself into the screen door, barking madly.

As she opened the door, the dog sprinted across the living room, into the boys' room.

Yolanda screamed. Christian was slumped over, his body writhing in a seizure, blood streaming from his nose and mouth.

The dog ran to the boy, still yelping. But as soon as Yolanda bent to cradle her son, the dog went silent.

"If he hadn't come to get me," Yolanda told Stacey later, "the neurologist said Christian would have choked on his own blood and died."

The next day the dog's owner called the number he'd seen on the flier. He came to pick up the dog, but upon hearing the story about how the dog saved Christian's life, he offered for Yolanda to keep the dog. So overall a happy ending. :-)

Wagon kitty

My friend Beth over at The Natural Mommy took this picture and sent it to me. I thought it was a fabulous photograph! I hope you enjoy it too.

Comic

(Click to see bigger)

From the strip Pickles by Brian Crane

Talking beagle

You know me, I am all about those beagles. Especially beagle puppies. Here is a particularly cute puppy, though I'm sure in a few months that cute little howl won't be so cute or little anymore! :-)

Gotta love kitties

So, story for today about Lewis and Ebony.

A while ago I got a diaper changing pad for the baby that I set on the bathroom counter (without taking it out of the plastic wrap that it came in). One day I had hurriedly threw one of my cloth diapers on top before leaving to go somewhere. Some time later, I noticed it was slightly yellowish. I wasn’t sure what this meant until my mom came to visit, gave it a sniff, and said that it definitely smelled of cat urine. (For some reason, I could identify an unusual smell but I couldn't place it as cat urine.) I was happy that it all came out in the wash and I can’t even tell which of my 13 cloth diapers has already been used. :-) I guess those things were *made* to be peed on. Just, not by cats.

Anyways, a few days ago I lifted up the changing pad to take the plastic wrap off it when I realized that the cat pee had gotten underneath... and had sat there for probably about a month. Sooo... even though it’s a counter top, it reeks. And it’s slightly stained. :-/ My husband washed it really well and we have kept the counter clear of any items including the receipt printer in an attempt to air it out. (Thank goodness that the changing pad is not damaged whatsoever! I'm glad I left that plastic wrap on.) I have been spraying Nature's Miracle on it every day, and that combined with airing out the area seem to be helping. Thank goodness!

Kitties. Gotta love 'em. :-)