Category Archives: cats

17

Sgt Stripes: The Male Purrspective

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Hi folks, it’s Sergeant Stripes!  Last week, you all heard a very interesting story from my new housemate Onyx.  I’m here now to offer my purrspective.  Let me begin by saying I’m very flattered, but I really was just trying to be nice to both my new housemates.  I’m not madly in love with anyone. 

For starters, Onyx stole my room.  Mom explained that it’s because she’s a poor kitty with no place else to go, so we have to be nice, but I used to have four bedrooms, and now I’m down to two, maybe three.  It depends on whether you count the one Mom shares with me, since I also have to share it with Gypsy now.  And don’t get me wrong, she’s a nice kitty… when she’s not hissing and swiping at me for getting too close to her.  I think she might still be holding how we met against me.  

I didn’t mean to scare anyone, I just really like playing pounce.  And Onyx and Gypsy were playing along too, because their eyes got really huge and they tried to run away, just like they were actually prey!  Or, uh, that’s what I thought.  Mom told me they were actually scared I was trying to eat them.  Like I would forget the most important house rule (No eating family members.).  Um, again.  [Editor’s Note: This is something of a recurring problem for Sarge.  Poor George still has nightmares. Sometimes he has trouble editing the pictures.]  

But anyway, that’s why I was trying to make up for it by being extra nice to the two new kitties!  Because even if I’m not entirely sure why they have to get my bedrooms (And my litter box.  And my humans.  And my kibble!), I know we need to be good hosts.  So I started spending more time with both of the new arrivals.  I didn’t think Onyx would take it the way she did, especially after she got so mad when I tried to share her food (that’s why I stopped spending time with her).  I didn’t mean to hurt anyone’s feelings.  

That’s why I’ve decided that Onyx and Gypsy should both be allowed to spend  as much time as they want with me!  I’m bigger than both of them, so if they want to, they can both cuddle with me at the same time.  I’m not sure about romance just yet, but I do want to make friends.  Right now, nobody wants to play pounce with me.  And Gypsy doesn’t always share my cool Christmas blankie with me.  But I figure we can all be friends, we just got off on the wrong paw.  

Mom says that they were more territorial because they didn’t have four bedrooms where they came from.  Actually, Gypsy didn’t even have one.  So I guess I get why I have to share.  I can’t even really use all four bedrooms at once, so it’s not that big a deal.  Although I wouldn’t have minded a housewarming vole.  I figure if I’m extra nice and we all get along, then they won’t mind sharing with me, and I can get my beds back.  Even if I don’t, two beds isn’t really a bad deal for two new playmates!  

And Gypsy can be a really fun playmate.  Even when we’re not playing pounce, we do have a lot of common interests, like shredding toilet paper.  She found a roll that the humans left out, and it was just like when I first got here–they still haven’t gotten all the shreds picked up!  She also has really good taste in kibble.  She also likes wet food though, which I think is kind of weird.  But it does mean that I get treats while she gets her wet food!  

Onyx has been tougher to get close to.  She got really hung up over when I shared her treats.  It wasn’t my fault she didn’t get any, she was just too slow!  …I guess I should say sorry about that one.  I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings Onyx, and I agree that creamy dairy treats, fluffy blankets, and jingly balls are the best.  I hope you’ll come out and play with us soon, and you can bat around my jingly silvervine ball!  It’s awesome.  Then all three of us could hang out, and that would be awesome, too.  

23

Onyx: A Love Story Gone Wrong

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Hello! 

It’s everyone’s favorite black cat, Onyx. And I have awful news! If you didn’t know, my human moved herself, both mini humans, and Angel, Gypsy, and myself in with her mom (AKA my editor) and her brother (AKA my purrsonal chef). And while we sadly were split from Thunder, we got to make friends with all of the northern kitties! One of whom is Sgt Stripes (although my human calls him Big Kitty). When we moved in, I was scared because the big human my person lived with was loud and mean. So when I met Sgt Stripes, I was not very nice (he wanted to play “Pounce”. As in, all 14 pounds of him pounced on all 6 pounds of me. I thought he was hunting me. I was terrified). So I hissed and hid under the bed from him (turns out, he can fit under the bed). And then the mini blonde human started feeding him MY treats. And MY kibble. It was awful! But still, he decided I was his uptown cat. And he was in love with me. 

So here I am, getting all of this attention, some snuggles, love, and it’s great! (Or, at least, when Stripes wasn’t stealing my food, it was great.) And I’m thinking I could get used to this, I’m not ready to get married or share my sunspot, but yeah, Sgt Stripes is cool and I’ll keep him around. When out of nowhere, Gypsy moves upstairs (where Sarge and I were coexisting). Now, Gypsy and I have a history. She forced me into a corner and was terrorizing me when she moved in with us. So I’m not her biggest fan. But apparently, Angel was eating all of her food downstairs, so she had to come upstairs to rehabilitate, as she looked starved. I was not happy. But Gypsy mostly stayed in my editor’s room, so I figured I could make it work. I could stay in my human’s room or the bathroom and ignore Gypsy. 

Apparently before all of the uptown cats moved in, Sgt Stripes reigned supreme over the whole upstairs, including our editor’s room. So Gypsy (at about 3 pounds) forced him out. But then he kept hearing from the humans that “he could sit on her and crush her” and “he shouldn’t let her force him out of his spot”. So Sgt Stripes gradually started sitting with Gypsy. First in the room, then on the bed with her. And before long, he was courting her! 

To Sgt Stripe’s credit, at first he tried to stay with me while remaining cordial with Gypsy. But with me, it’s either all or nothing. So then he tried to be friends. But I don’t do friends. I tried that with Thunder, and she moved away. My human says I have antisocial purrsonality disorder, but I disagree. I just know my worth. So then, Sarge started totally ignoring me for Gypsy! I couldn’t believe it! I’m the prettier, smarter, better of the two. But I guess we all have to make our own mistakes. 

And to top this off, he dumped me right before Valentine’s Day, and he’s still eating my treats and kibble! Everyone knows that my favorite treats are the Temptations creamy dairy or the beef. So instead of eating his favorite, backyard BBQ or lobster, Sarge steals my one joy in life. He also tries to steal my human on her work from home days! Even when she gets up in the morning, he runs right up to her, wanting jaw and tummy rubs. And Gypsy keeps trying to demand food from my human! They have no respect what-so-ever. And it’s not like they would starve for either food or attention. My editor and chef can take care of them, probably better than my human can! 

So now I’m left broken hearted, with no friends and no cats to hang out with, all because Gypsy had to come upstairs and ruin everything. It’s hard to blame Sgt Stripes; he’s a big, adorable, loveable goofball. And while he is responsible for his own actions, I’m sure he was taken back by my beauty (and the tastiness of my treats! It’ll take a while for me to forgive him for that one). 

Now, my human had said that this was my fault, but we all know that’s not true. I was so betrayed. My boyfriend left me for my arch-rival! All because I hissed and hid from him (but let’s be real, he was terrifying when he played Pounce. I feared for my life)! Everyone says he’s the sweetest cat ever and would never hurt a fly, but if he’s capable of stealing my kibble, who knows what else he was capable of! 

And that concludes my horrible, awful, truly terrible love tale. Take it from me, relationships are just not worth it. Instead of a companion, get yourself some creamy dairy treats, a fluffy blanket, and a jingly ball to bat around. You can’t go wrong with that! To Gypsy and Sgt Stripes, I hope you’re both happy, but that I get the best sunspots. And to all of my readers, have a wonderful Valentine’s Day, and don’t forget to adore all black cats you come across!

We want to thank everyone for the beautiful words and thoughts you’ve been sending us regarding Kommando Kitty. And especially Ingrid Rickmar for the beautiful badge at the upper right and Ms. Ellen for the wonderful card.

78

We Miss You Kommando Kitty

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Snoops here. I have some very sad news. Wednesday night, Kommando Kitty unexpectedly went over the Rainbow Bridge. She was fine the night before, cuddling with Mom. But when Mom went to get her for breakfast, she was gone. She was eleven years old and seemed to be in good health.

I remember when she moved in. She tried to jump in the window, but missed and ended up in the window well. A utility worker got her out, but then she did the same thing again. I had just been separated from my kittens at the shelter a few weeks earlier, and she was only four weeks old. I adopted her and taught her how to be a cat.

She didn’t learn everything. She never learned how to jump. And she couldn’t hiss. When she was little, she could pass between the balusters on the staircase upstairs. When she got older, she never understood why she couldn’t keep doing it. But she was the sweetest cat anyone had every met.

I was “Dad’s” cat, and she was “Mom’s” cat. Mom’s pretty devastated right now. After Dad died (exactly five years before Kommando), the three of us sat on the sofa every night when Mom couldn’t sleep. One of us on each side of her. So I just it’s just Mom and me now.

She really didn’t take to Sgt Stripes or the new cats. She was afraid they were going to eat her. I needed to protect her. She was my little buddy.

We’re all going to miss her a lot.

14

Scritch, Scritch, Scritch – It’s Dry Skin Season

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If you are like us and live in the Northern Hemisphere, it’s winter. And in addition to being cold, winter is full of dry air. Also, the same process that keeps us warm usually dries out the air. As a result, a lot of us are scratching. And scratching is not good for us, It irritates our skin and can lead to infection.

How Do You Know You Have Dry Skin?

  • Skin flakes on your fur (your human may say you look like you have dandruff)
  • Bald spots (if the scratching gets out of hand and you pull out some fur)
  • Scabs or scaly spots
  • Constant need to groom and/or scratch
  • Itching

How to Bathe Your Cat in 5 Easy Steps - Allivet Pet Care Blog

What Can You Do?

  • Hot Towel – Soak a towel in hot water. Squeeze it out thoroughly and wrap yourself in it. (We think you’re going to need your human to help with this one. Actually, a human helper would be useful for most of these.) Five minutes wrapped up will soothe the irritation and refresh the dry kin.
  • Oatmeal Bath – Not gonna lie. This one sounds awful to us. But it’s all over Mr. Google, so apparently it works. Have your human use a food processor to break down the oats, then mix them with water. How much water you depends on whether you want a paste for one or two spots or a full immersion bath. The oatmeal needs to stay in contact with the skin for at least ten minutes.
  • Coconut Oil – One way to use coconut oil is to spread it on your skin. If you’d prefer, you can add one teaspoon of coconut oil in your food daily. This remedy is contingent on you not hating the taste of coconut oil. It is full of antioxidants. Also keep in mind that coconut oil is a natural laxative.

The 10 Best Cat Brushes of 2024, Tested and Reviewed

  • Brushing – Hopefully, you are being brushed regularly. Brushing is an excellent way to spread the oil from your skin through your fur and keep you glossy and gorgeous. If you are starting your brushing program in the midst of dry skin, be gentle. Brushing may further irritate sensitive skin if done too aggressively.
  • Eat Wet Food – If all you are eating is kibble, you may not have enough moisture in your diet for optimal skin health. Fun fact: Tasty little mousies are 70-80% moisture; kibble is only 10% moisture. Look for foods that have lots of protein.
  • Talk to your human about using a humidifier. They may need to add extra moisture to the air to keep you skin glowing. Remember – A healthy cat is a happy cat.

Tips for Keeping Your Cat Relaxed - NYC Pet

  • CBD-Rich Hemp Oils – Don’t worry, this part of the hemp plant won’t make you high. But some cats swear by its effectiveness in treating dry, itchy skin. It also has the added benefits of being an anti-inflammatory, appetite stimulant, energy stimulant, and pain/anxiety reliever. Some of these products haven’t been around for an extremely long time, so make sure you’re getting the real thing without too many additives.
  • Lower Stress – The more humans study stress, the worse stress sounds. Stress can lead to our skin becoming itchy and dry (doubly bad in this dry season). Impress on your humans the need to keep your lives stress-free.
  • Address Allergies – If you have allergies year round, it is probably not the dry air. Your human should look at the food you’re eating (your vet can help with that). Or if you were fine until until your human stated using a new cleaning product, that may be the problem. Ask your human to avoid fragrances and harsh chemicals when they clean. Our sense of smell is 40x stronger than theiirs, so they might not even really they’re making the place stink Besides, we’re closer to the floor where a lot of the cleaning takes place.

Itchy Cat? Here's Why Your Cat's Scratching So Much | BeChewy

One Final Note

If the scratching doesn’t go away with the cold weather, it may be related to something a little more serious. The following conditions can all cause dry, itchy skin:

  • Parasites like fleas, mites, and ringworm
  • Fungal and bacterial infections
  • Hyperthyroidism
  • Diabetes

How to Keep Your Cat Safe and Warm in Winter - Hastings Veterinary Hospital

We are wishing you all a happy, non-itchy rest of the season. We’re off to Amazon to find humidifiers for cats. There are a lot of choices, so Mom might have to buy several.

Pictures courtesy of Google Images.

20

Sgt Stripes: Reporting from Sick Bay

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Sgt Stripes here. We want to thank you all ‘s for your well wishes to our humans. Our human brother and sister are doing much better. Mom seems to have gotten the worst of it. She even went to the doctor yesterday (that’s like a vet for humans). They gave her three kinds of medicine. She is still coughing a lot, but we are hoping that annoying habit will end shortly.

The ladies and I have been sharing nurse duties. Upstairs, I have been assisted by one of our newcomers. Not Onyx. She remains aloof and stand-offish. My aide is named Gypsy. She is a beautiful dilute calico. Snoops and Kommando have been handling the downstairs duties. We make sure that she is never cold or lonely. We also still let her feed us so she doesn’t feel useless. (She’s not doing much else.)

We know that none of our readers would ever question whether a cat knows that their human is sick. But there are apparently humans out there who think that we are all aloof, unfeeling balls of fur. In case you ever run across one of them, you can tell them the following about how cats know when their humans are sick.

Smell Cat GIFs | Tenor

Humans smell weird when they’re sick – There are chemical changes that take place when humans get sick. They only have about 5 million smell sensors, so they can’t tell a lot of the time. We kitties have about 200 million smell sensors. We know when something’s not right. In fact, studies have shown that cats can detect high blood sugar and cancer through smell.

Lolcats - dinner - LOL at Funny Cat Memes - Funny cat pictures with words on them - lol | cat memes | funny cats | funny cat pictures with words on

Humans act weird when they’re sick – We know your normal behaviors. And we notice when you’re acting different. We love our routines, and when you’re sick, you mess up our routines. (Like our breakfast was 2 hours late today.) Humans lay around a lot when they’re sick. We can tell when you hurt, and we want to help you. We spend our lives around our humans. We want them to be in top shape for us.

Why Is My Cat So Needy? - 7 Reasons Explained | Cute cat memes, Cat memes, Funny cats

Cats exhibit some common behaviors when their humans don’t feel well.

We get clingy – Obviously, all cats are different. Some cats are more cuddly than others under any circumstance. But, generally speaking, cats want to cuddle with their sick human. This is particularly true if the humans has a fever. We cats love to be warm. We’ve been working in shifts. Snoops and Kommando sit on Mom downstairs. Gypsy and I lay with her upstairs. Sometimes, I’ll let Gypsy handle the bed while I take the cat tree, but it’s usually the three of us together.

Separation Anxiety - Lolcats - lol | cat memes | funny cats | funny cat pictures with words on them | funny pictures | lol cat memes | lol cats

We get anxious – If the human is sick enough that they can’t fully care for kitty, the cat can feel anxious and get frightened. Mom’s not that sick, so we don’t have that issue. However, we do find the extended coughing spells very annoying.

Cute Cat licking : r/aww

We lick – If we think our human is stressed or upset, we may try to help by licking them.  It de-stresses us, and we want to help.

Lolcats - medical - LOL at Funny Cat Memes - Funny cat pictures with words on them - lol | cat memes | funny cats | funny cat pictures with words on

Mom says that she used to have a cat that she called her “get-well kitty.” Critter always knew when someone was sick and would stay with them until they felt better. Apparently none of us are quite that good, but she says that I’m the closest she’s seen. Hopefully, it’ll only be a couple more days. This is exhausting.

Pictures courtesy of Google Images.

34

Happy New Year!

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Greetings fellow felines. We hope you are all well. Our humans are ALL sick (some kind of really nasty virus). We had to beg to get any kind of post out today. Mom is our typist, so she made us pick an easy topic. We wanted to talk about our plans for the new year, but she said we couldn’t do anything with the little humans who have moved in.

When Mom was little, she would spend New Year’s Eve with her grandma from Scotland. Grandma had some strongly held opinions about what needed to be done to bring luck in the new year. There was a lot of cleaning and candle-burning to get rid of the bad luck from the previous year. We decided to see if we could find any countries that linked luck to kitties. Here’s what we found:

England

If a black cat crosses your path from left to right, it’s good luck. If a black cat crosses your path from right to left (or walks away from you), it’s bad luck. If a woman receives a black cat on her wedding day, the marriage will be prosperous. Newlyweds with a black cat will have a loving, happy marriage. However, if an unmarried woman steps on a cat’s tail, she will not get married that year.

Why is My Cat Constantly Sneezing? | Heart + Paw

France

In the south of France feeding black cats and treating them well will bring good luck. The rest of the country considers them unlucky. If you cross a stream with a cat in your arms, it is an omen of death for a loved one. If a cat sneezes near a bride on her wedding day, it will be a loving and prosperous marriage.

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India

In the ancient Hindu religion, cats were the symbol of childbirth and fertility. Grey cats are believed to be especially lucky. Black cats are lucky, and you should welcome them into your home. If a cat meows as a person leaves the house, it is an omen of danger for that person. If a cat washes its ear three times, an unexpected guest is coming. If you are setting out on an adventure and see a cat on your left side, you will have good luck. If a cat follows you out of your house, you can expect financial gain in the near future.

Why Do Cats Hate Water? 5 Reasons & Tips for Bath Time

Indonesia

If you pour water over a cat, it will rain.

Premium AI Image | Black cat walking on the street at night

Ireland

There is a belief that kittens born in May are particularly troublesome; they may even bring snakes into the house. Killing a cat can bring you 17 years of bad luck. If you see a black cat cross your path in the moonlight, it is a omen of an epidemic-related death.

How to Incorporate Your Cat in Your Wedding – CatGenie

Italy

If you hear an Italian cat sneeze, it’s good luck. But if it sneezes three times, you’ll get a cold.  If a bride hears a cat sneeze on her wedding day, she will have a good marriage. However, black cats are considered bad luck in parts of Italy.

cat washing face | kuro | Flickr

Japan

In Japan, cats are considered lucky. In particular, black cats are lucky. Owning a black cat increases your chances of romantic success. Black cats also guard homes against evil. An additional belief is that if a cat grooms its face, you will have unexpected visitors. (No word on whether that’s lucky or not.)

Speaking "Cat" - Morris Animal Inn

Netherlands

The Dutch believe that cats are gossips. If you have a private conversation with a cat in the room, they will tell all of your secrets. There is no record of how far they will spread the news.

Fun Facts About Russian Blue Cats | ASPCA® Pet Health Insurance

Russia. 

Russians consider Russian Blue cats to be particularly lucky. When you enter a new home, you should let the cat go in first. If the cat doesn’t want to enter, it’s a sign of bad luck. Black cats are considered bad luck. If a black cat crosses your path, move to the other side of the street or spit over your shoulder three times to ward off evil spirits.

Black Cat With Fangs Looks Just Like Dracula - ABC News

Southern Europe

If a cat jumps across a person’s grave, they will live again as a vampire.

Fluffy white cat, large, blue eyes, walking down road towards camera

United States

If a cat sits on someone’s grave, their soul is possessed by the Devil. However, if two cats are fighting over a grave, an angel and demon are fighting over the soul. If you see a white cat on the road during the day, or dream of one, it’s good luck. But seeing a white cat at night is unlucky. If you see a one-eyed cat, spit on your thumb and palm it in your hand. If you make a wish, it will come true. If a Pennsylvania Dutch woman wants to get married, she should feed a cat from her shoe.

We wish you nothing but good luck in the coming year!

Happy New Year Cat Images - Free Download on Freepik

Pictures courtesy of Google Images.

24

Kommando Kitty: Proud to be Piebald

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Greetings. Kommando Kitty here. It seems like Sgt Stripes has been running the blog lately. First he took over the upstairs, now he’s getting pushy on here. Mom said I could have a week to talk about whatever I wanted to. At first, I thought about just running a bunch of pictures to show everyone how cute I am. But you guys already know that. Then I was going to talk about how stressed out I am with our new living arrangements. But you guys already know that too.

I’ve decided that I will talk a little bit about my most obvious trait: my gorgeous white-and-grey coat. Mom once said that I was colored like a type of cow, a Holstein-Friesian. I was really offended; she really hurt my feelings. Then I discovered that other people call us cow cats too. Or Moo Cats, which is even worse. (Some people think cows are cute; humans are weird.) Apparently, I am officially a piebald. Piebalds are white cats that have spots of any other color, even tabby. Or, technically, cats of other colors with white spots. Tuxedo cats are officially piebalds. Everyone thinks they’re elegant, so I guess that’s better than being a cow cat.

There’s an actual science associated with bicolor cats. It happens when a cat inherits a piece of a “white spotting gene.” The actual piece of the gene with the coding is called an allele. Alleles can be either dominate or recessive on the gene. If a kitty has two dominant white spotting alleles, they will be more than half white. If a kitty receives one dominant and one recessive white spotting alleles, they will have a more even mix of white and some darker color.

The coat patterns are divided into a scale:

  • Less than 40% white – low-grade
  • 40-60% white – medium-grade
  • More than 60% white – high-grade

That means that I’m a high-grade kitty. (But I already knew that.) The Cat Fanciers have a bicolor rating system: 1 has no white and 10 is all white. White spotting generally starts on the chest or belly, then moves to the front paws, sides, and finally to the legs and face.

There are several common patterns of piebald cats

Tuxedo – predominantly black with white tummy, chest, pay, and sometimes chin and/or nose

Cow – predominantly white with black spots on the torso

Van – predominantly white with black on the head and tail only

Mask-and-Mantle – black back, shoulders, and head; white underside

Cap-and Saddle –  predominantly white; black on the top of the head and on the lower back, near the tail

Locket – black with a small white patch on the chest or tummy

A few other random facts:

  • Cats that look like me are also called harlequins or magpies.
  • More of us are short-haired than long-haired for some reason.
  • Our coloring helps us hunt in areas that have patches of light and shadows
  • Because there are so many kitties with these types of markings, some humans think we’re “common” and want a more unusual-looking pet when they go to shelters.
  • We are generally mixed breeds which means that we will usually enjoy a long, healthy life

I couldn’t find any famous cats that are piebald who aren’t tuxedo cats, which was a little disappointing. But I still feel better knowing I have so many piebald buddies out there.

26

A Day in the Life of Sgt Stripes

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Hello! Sgt. Stripes here! I’ve been hard at work lately. My human sister, Blondie, has been working from home. And I’ve been getting to help her! Even better, I’ve also been able to attend therapy with her (she has anxiety and depression. She’d never make it as a cat). She made my formal title “Tummy Time Therapist with Office Management Requirements”. And it’s hard work! I’m going to share a typical day in the life in the workforce. 

6:30AM: 

This is when Blondie (and the mini humans) wake up. She gets them dressed and off to the day shelter, where they play and do art. Blondie calls it a daycare. But Snoops says it’s more like a shelter. I get to sleep through this, since I don’t do cars. Or mini humans. 

7:45AM: 

Blondie returns home. She gets our laptop out, and makes sure that it and our work cell are charged. She also gets her notepad ready. This is usually when I do my big kitty stretch and prepare myself for another strenuous day. 

8:00AM: 

Time to start work! We start by logging onto her email, her Teams (a Skype descendant), and her scheduling tool. I usually get to send a message to a few of her coworkers. Today alone, I said hello to the group chat (all 20 people!), the checkout person, and the echocardiogram coordinator, along with one of the medical assistants. Everyone loves my welcome messages! 

8:10AM:

Once we say good morning to our team, we review our email. Blondie makes a lot of phone calls, but won’t start until 9. So I get to help send out letters to patients who didn’t show up for their appointments, schedule urgent add on surgeries, and review our load for the day. I’ve discovered this is best done by sitting on the keyboard of the laptop. That way I’m warm, and am close enough to the screen to see. 

9:00AM: 

Now I get to start helping with phone calls! Usually the morning calls go to patients who need a presurgical workup. I don’t actually talk to these people (it sounds pretty depressing, honestly). But I definitely do my part. I sit with one paw on Blondie while she types, and I make sure to sit on the phone cord. You know, in case the phone tries to escape or something. These calls usually take most of the morning. 

12:00PM: 

Lunch break! Usually Blondie goes downstairs and gets tea and a sandwich, but I get to chow down on kibble (or cereal. She eats cereal and we share sometimes). I’m hoping my employee of the year luncheon features vole. I really like vole, But after I eat, I usually use the facilities, stop by the scratching post, and get a nap in. 

1:00PM: 

Back to work! The afternoon is usually a little more interesting. We usually start by calling patients that need pacemakers or ablations. I really, really like this part. We have to email them a surgical packet, and I’m really good at adding attachments or screenshots. I discovered if you push a bunch of random keys all at once, the computer will do fun things! Blondie gets a little weird about this, though. I start on the computer, but usually end up on her chest. At least I still get to supervise. 

3:00PM: 

If Blondie has therapy, this is usually when it happens. I like to sit up by her head and meow at her therapist. He needs to know who the really important one is. Although they just talk a lot, which is boring. So I usually use this time to get some tummy rubs. Or jaw rubs. Or both. I just really love rubs. 

4:00PM: 

Therapy is over (finally). Unfortunately, that means my tummy and jaw rub session slows down, as well. But we get to start scheduling my favorite things: MRIs! These are really fun, because I can make the appointment move by laying on her mousepad. I also really like to interact with these patients. I’ll headbonk the phone, purr into the speaker, and rub the phone so Blondie drops it. These patients are usually more fun than our surgical ones. One time, I scheduled the MRI in the totally wrong year. But I don’t feel bad. It’s a complex system, and I’m still learning it. 

5:00PM: 

The day is over! Man, these days are exhausting. I usually try to persuade Blondie to stay and nap. She never does though. She has to go get the mini humans from the day shelter. So I help her put her items up (I love batting at the phone cord!) and then I usually protect her work case. It’s a really comfy spot to nap. 

After work is over, I only have 15 hours to eat, bathe, play, groom, and relax. It’s quite stressful somedays! But I know my hard work is paying off! Although I think I’m going to request a pay raise and a really nice bonus this Christmas. Maybe some vole ice cream, and silvervine cereal. Hopefully your work days are just as productive! 

20

Cats v Toddler Noise Pollution

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Greetings fellow felines. Snoops and Kommando Kitty here. We’re here with an update to our living situation. As you may know, our human sister moved back home a couple of months ago with her miniature humans. They are two and three years old. We are slowly adjusting to the new situation. We have both returned to the main floor, although we are doing our best to avoid the small creatures.

Kommando: It’s gotten a lot better since they started going to the human shelter during the day some days.

Snoops: I think the humans call it a daycare.

Kommando: I guess that explains why they come home every night.

Snoops: Yeah. That was pretty disappointing the first couple of times it happened.

Kommando: At least we get to eat in peace now.

Snoops: At long as we’re done before they get home. That blonde one still eats our food if we leave it down.

Kommando: Yeah. I don’t get it. We won’t eat the wet stuff after a few hours, but he doesn’t seem to have a problem with it.

Snoops: Even the salmon which isn’t that great when it’s fresh.

Sgt Stripes: Hi ladies. That sounds pretty rough. By the time they come upstairs, it’s bedtime. So I only see them for a few minutes. Of course, every morning they wake me up. Apparently they don’t like getting ready for that daycare thing.

Snoops: Do they scream and yell?

Sgt Stripes: Pretty much every morning.

Snoops: That’s the worst.

Kommando: I dunno. They’re really loud sometimes when they’re not screaming too.

Snoops: You know, cats have really sensitive hearing.

Kommando: That’s what makes us such excellent hunters.

Snoops: Our ears are really cool. The outer ear consists of the ear flap and canal. We can rotate our ears independently to hear sounds coming from different directions. Then we have the middle ear that’s full of small auditory bones and the eardrum. The inner ear has the cochlea and semicircular canals of fluid that help us maintain our amazing balance.

Kommando: And our ears are ultra cute too.

Sgt Stripes: I found a list of seven kinds of sounds cats hate on Mr. Google. Let’s see how our new housemates compare to the list. The first one is hissing.

Kommando: Ooh, yeah. I hate it when Snoops hisses at me.

Snoops: I only do that when you’re annoying.

Kommando: Well, the kids are super annoying, but they don’t hiss.

Snoops: I guess we don’t annoy or scare them.

Sgt Stripes: The second sound we don’t like is banging. It says that we don’t like pots and pans banging or doors slamming.

Snoops: That one is a major issue. Those kids are always banging things around in the kitchen.

Kommando: And our food dishes! Mom got us those nice stainless steel dishes, and they’re all over the house.

Sgt Stripes: How traumatic!

Snoops: It is. We have to talk to Mom about it.

Sgt Stripes: The next thing on the list is high-frequency sounds, like the ones that come from computer screens and television remotes.

Snoops: They have tablets that are pretty annoying. Although they don’t use them all that much.

Kommando: No, but I really dislike Peppa Pig. She is super annoying.

Sgt Stripes: Apparently we also dislike balloons popping. Do they do that?

Kommando: No. I don’t think that’s a problem.

Sgt Stripes: I don’t think the next two are really an issue either. Some of us don’t like thunderstorms or fireworks either.

Snoops: I don’t think those are a problem.

Kommando: You sleep through almost anything.

Snoops: You’re just a scairdy-cat.

Kommando: I wish I knew how to hiss at you.

Sgt Stripes: I think the last one is a problem. It says that cats don’t like loud yelling or arguments. It says that the sounds coming from young children can be very stressful to kitties. We don’t like it when our humans are stressed out.

Kommando: The little humans are stressing us out!

Snoops: So what are we supposed to do?

Sgt Stripes: It says we’re supposed to find a  quiet place where we can calm down.

Kommando: I have a better idea. Let’s find a quiet place to put them.

Snoops: Let’s think about this.

18

World Toilet Day: Let’s Talk Litter

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Seven Steps to Toilet Training Your Cat | Hartz

Greetings everyone! We learned that tomorrow, November 19, is World Toilet Day. The United Nations is highlighting the sanitation crisis in much of the world. We really don’t know (or care) about humans and toilets, but it did getting us thinking about kitty waste.

Sand Cat Debuts at Smithsonian's ...

In the wild, cats usually try to find soft or sandy soil for their toilet. It allows for easy burial. Outdoor kitties use their paws in a backwards, sweeping motion to bury their leavings. A litter box tries to replicate this experience. Humans usually refer to litter boxes as a cat things, but other animals use them too. Rabbits, ferrets, miniature pigs, and small dogs have all been litter-trained. The difference is is that we cats generally do it instinctively. (The humans won’t say it, but we’re smarter.)

Lolcats - litter box - LOL at Funny Cat Memes - Funny cat pictures with words on them - lol | cat memes | funny cats | funny cat pictures with words

Humans like litter boxes because they contain our waste. We like litter boxes because we are generally clean animals and like to be able to cover up our waste. A clean litter box helps us be happy, healthy members of the family.

Lolcats - litter box - LOL at Funny Cat Memes - Funny cat pictures with words on them - lol | cat memes | funny cats | funny cat pictures with words

There are a wide variety of litters. Generally speaking, we kitties prefer unscented, low-dust varieties. We have sensitive noses that are easily offended by strong smells (unless it’s mackerel). We need two to three inches to allow for proper burial. And it should be scooped daily. The most common type of litter is clay-based. They also make silica-based litter. Silica is dangerous if you eat it. (Although we do not recommend eating any type of litter.) Other alternatives are wood chips, wheat, sawdust, grains, corncobs, and newspapers.  Some of it clumps for easier removal. We recommend you work with your human to find what’s best for you.

Where to Put a Litter Box: 6 Essential Considerations - Bob Vila

There are LOTS of litter boxes to choose from. Around here, you can spend anywhere from five dollars to several hundred dollars, depending on how fancy it is. The simplest ones are just a tray that your human fills with litter.  It should be big enough so you can comfortably get in it to do your business. You don’t want your tail hanging out the end. You also need to make sure the sides aren’t too high to enter and exit comfortably. Here are your choices:

Open Litter Box – These are the traditional litter trays. They are usually the least expensive, so they are a great choice if you need multiple boxes. Some kitties like them because they can keep an eye on what’s going on around them.
Whisker Litter-Robot 3 Connect Wi-Fi-Enabled Covered Automatic Self-Cleaning Cat Litter Box Beige LR3C-1000 - Best Buy
Covered Litter Box – Basically a tray with a lid. The lid helps keep the odors down, but it’s harder to clean. A good option for the more private cat.
Self-Cleaning Litter Box – These boxes have a raking mechanism that sifts through the litter and collects the waste into a tray. Your human just needs to dump the tray. But they make noise, and some kitties don’t like that.
Designer Catbox Cat Litter Box Enclosure, Hidden, Dog-Proof Pet Furniture with Cover, Elegant, Covered, Odor Contained for Large Cats, Cat Litter Box ...

Designer Litter Box – These are made for the discerning cat. They look like high-end furniture and match the rest of your human’s decor. Needless to say, they may be a little pricey. But you’re worth it.

Where to put the cat litter box?
Sifting Pan Litter Box –  One box with a grate on the bottom sits inside a slightly larger pan. Your human lifts the first box, shakes it a little, and lets the unused litter filter through the holes in the grate. Then they dump the dirty litter. We have a couple of these. Our humans like them better than the plain trays.
Disposable Litter Box – Every day, your human just throws everything away. The best ones are made of biodegradable materials that will disintegrate along with the waste.
FIRST RULE OF LITTER BOX CLUB - Lolcats - lol | cat memes | funny cats | funny cat pictures with words on them | funny pictures | lol cat memes | lol cats
Finally, make sure that your human has enough litter boxes for you and your furry siblings. There should be at least one litter box on every floor of a house. Additionally, each kitty should have their own litter box with a spare. Generally speaking, litter boxes should not be in sight of each other. (Note – we have two in one room and it really doesn’t bother us. But that’s just us.)
Cat laughing : r/cats

We will leave you with a couple of jokes:

A cat gives birth in a public park and is fined $50 for littering.

Why did the mother cat pick up her kittens? She didn’t want to litter

What do you call books written for cats? Kitty litter-ature

What do you call a cat that can’t use the litter box? Ill-litter-ate

Pet Releaf

Pictures courtesy of Google Images.