DIY Catcare

Spring is here!

2010-03-18T22:55:00.005-04:00

Just some pictures today of the kitties out and about on the balcony!

"Mom! We want to come out!!"

"I know I'm going to find something in the dirt, I just have to keep digging!"

"Sigggghh, stupid brother."
"What a day, time to rub all my shedding fur on mom's pillow"

"Can't wait to explore tomorrow!"

All Grown Up!

2010-03-15T00:32:00.009-04:00

It's unbelievable how fast time flies by. Just under a year ago we picked Hendrix up at the pet store and brought him home. He was so small that when he would lie beside Steph's feet it looked like he was next to a giant!

Now he's taller, bigger, faster and stronger than Joplin. Unfortunately, he also has entered what I'm going to call his early teens because all he wants to do is box with Joplin. And all Joplin wants to do is lick him! She's in love. It's almost like Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy...that or I really need to get out of the house hahaha

Spring is almost here and I've cleaned off the balcony and brought the patio furniture back out. It's still a bit chilly during the day but I brought Joplin out for a bit to enjoy nature. Hendrix came outside for the first time EVER and was terrified, poor little guy. It look about 30min but eventually he was sniffing at the dirt and dead plants. Now we're supposed to get a week of rain, but that ok. As long as the snow is OVER!!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-02-24T21:45:00.003-05:00

Back at it!

2010-02-22T00:17:00.003-05:00

Well it's been a while, but I'm back to the blog! Between exams, Christmas, New Years and the beginning of my last semester of university I've been neglecting the blog. On top of all this I caught one heck of a cold which lasted just over 2 weeks (the worst two weeks EVER).

As for whats new here, honestly its nothing much. I work and go to school and play with the cats and cook. I have been reading blogs but I have alot of catching up to do. I've been having fun watching the Olympics and watching Canada's first goal on home soil! And then that awful showing tonight in hockey ( I'm sure all my American friends are happy though!).

I also have been skating on the Rideau canal here in Ottawa, just about the coolest thing about this city. I love skating late at night when all the tourists have packed it in and only us die-hards are out. Its so tranquil and beautiful. There's nothing I love more than hearing my skates cutting into ice in the bitter cold.

Pic from: http://www.pictureitdowntown.ca/en/gallery/view/62

I also just got back from a great mini-trip to Montreal with Stephane. I love that city, if you haven't been there already I encourage you to go. Amazing atmosphere, amazing food, amazing people and 100% bilingual. You just have to go!

I have another big week of school ahead of me but I will catch up as soon as possible!

Here's some pictures just for fun!

An Award!

2010-01-13T12:04:00.006-05:00

Joplin, Hendrix and I are pleased to accept out 2nd award! Thank you so much to our amazing blog friend One's Cat Nip for giving us such an honor. As for the procedure...

1. Each Superior Scribbler (SS) must pass the Award on to 5 deserving blogger friends
See below
2. Each SS must link the author and name of the blog from whom he/she received the award.
Done

3. Each SS must display the award on his/her blog and link to the post which explains the award.
Done

4. Each SS is asked to visit the post which explains the award and add his/her name to the Mr. Linky List.
Done

5. Each SS must post these rules on his/her blog.
Done

As for who to award this with:

1. Poppy Q, I can't get enough of that cute face and love reading her notes about life in New Zealand

2. Ozark Mountain Cats, another blog I love reading!

These are the only 2 people I can see who haven;t received this yet, so if you have not let me know and I'll be happy to award you!

Thanks again to One's Cat Nip, it's always nice to know that someone loves what you write!

There are two Tobys!

2010-01-11T12:34:00.002-05:00

I was sitting having my breakfast this morning and put the peanuts out for Toby, as usual, and all of a sudden his twin comes to join him in the feast! I wasn't able to get a picture because just when I was going to grab the camera a GIANT raven came and perched on the balcony railing. Now I know that you're think it must have been a crow, but I can guarantee you is was a raven!

I have decided to name the second squirrel Holly (sticking with the Office theme) , and the raven Edgar (because I spent the rest of the day with the phrase "never more" stuck in my head). I guess I'm going to have to get more peanuts and maybe some bird food too!

Hope you had a good weekend!!

Toby the Squirrel!

2010-01-09T22:34:00.003-05:00

I'm usually able to leave my garbage out on the balcony in the winter but the other day I noticed that the bags had been chewed! I decided to have a mini steak-out and did all my blogging on Friday morning in front of the balcony door. Around noon a little squirrel came hopping along and was shivering in the snow sniffing around for food. Well this broke my heart and I immediately went out to buy a big bag of peanuts. Now he comes every morning while I have my coffee and we have breakfast together.

I caught him on camera yesterday morning. Sorry about the quality, I'm shooting through the screen.

I was thinking maybe to leave a little box and blankets out on the balcony for him because I think he's just dug a trench for himself in the snow on the balcony. I don't know if he'll last the winter living in the snow.

I've decided to same him Toby. Just seems like a Toby hahaha.

Here's a video as well, I got a little carried away so its just a tad long :D

Wordless Wednesday

2010-01-06T23:06:00.004-05:00

Review: Catit Freash and Clear Small Drinking Fountain

2010-01-05T18:14:00.005-05:00

So for Christmas my Mom and my Dad bought me this drinking fountain for the cats. I actually had read only so-so reviews about this particular one so I asked for a different one but I'm very happy with the way it turned out!

Setup
Very easy, a few quick snaps and its done.

Use
Very easy as well! Simply fill it up (by pouring directly into the bowl) until the red indicator reaches the top and plug it in

Pros

A great way to make sure your cat's water is always clean and fresh
Keeps bacteria out
Very quiet (I had previously read that it was supposed to be loud but I can barely hear it right now sitting beside it)
No more re-filling the water bowl every morning
Cat's love the running water

Cons

Mine seems to only pour out of one side, not all the way around. There is a good chance that this is because my apartment leans and not due to the device itself
Filters do need to be changed couple months or so

Over all I give this 4 out of 5 stars!

Christmas, New Years and Catching up!

2010-01-04T11:25:00.007-05:00

Hello all my friends!!! I've missed blogging SO much, but December was crazy with Christmas shopping and papers and then visiting my parents in their new home and a whole bunch of visitors and then New Years. Now things are starting to calm down but I'll start at the beginning...

Late December once all my exams and my last paper was handed in it wasn't only me who was exhausted but the kitties too! Many naps were had by all for quite a few days until all our sleep was caught up.

Then I decided to do some kitty photo shoots to test out the new camera, here are a few of the best:

Since Steph and I both still spend Christmas with our families we decided to have an early "faux" Christmas together on the 21st. We were woken up bright and early by the cats who were excited to eat out of their new bowls that we got for them. Then they opened their stockings which were FILLED with treats and jingly balls which filled up the hallway.

Then they got to open their present which is a cube with windows on all sides and hanging mice on the inside, the cats went crazy for it! Hendrix most of all, he spent all day attacking the box.

On the 23rd I went to my parent's new place just outside of downtown Toronto in the Greek area. What a fantastic place! It's been a blast discovering the new area with my Mom and Dad, and it's so close to downtown all we had to do is hop on the subway. The only unfortunate thing is that Joplin and Hendrix had to stay at home but they had their favorite kitty-sitter, MC, taking care of them!

My sister and her boyfriend arrived along with their adorable dog Lucy, she's not even a year old but she's HUGE and just such a loving, caring dog. She decided that she was going to sit and guard the turkey as it was cooking.

Christmas morning was a lot of fun, especially because for the first time my Papa spent it with us. Lots of unwrapping and cleaning later we started up the turkey dinner which was delicious and then there was the inevitable "turkey coma." The next few days were filled with shopping and watching lots of hockey.

On the 30th Steph and I made our annual trek down to Queen St. W. to shop around and to have Korean BBQ...for those of you who have never had this it is AMAZING! The idea is that they give you thinly sliced seasoned raw beef, chicken, pork, and sometimes fish and other meat like ox tongue and squid (I pass on these two) and you have a small grill in front of you to cook the meat yourself. I know this sounds kind of silly since usually you go to a restaurant so you don't have to cook but it's really a blast, and cheap! Not to mention the spiced veggies and legumes are delicious!
Finally we come to New Years which was an absolute blast! The whole family and all the boyfriend's and girlfriends were there. The bar was busy but not crowded and they had great food. To be honest that's all I can remember hahaha. I had a bad headache the next morning but it was all worth it!

On New Years day we had an early celebration of my brother's 20th (yikes!) birthday at the Keg, which was delicious.

Then on the 2nd we drove to Montreal to spend a day with my grandparents which was nice but I was anxious to get home. It was so nice to walk through the door yesterday and just relax with the kitties. So today I have my last day of relaxation before the term starts, and I plan on spending it drinking coffee and reading blogs :D

I've missed you all!!

HELP!!

2010-01-04T11:16:00.001-05:00

Ho everyone I have a bunch of new posts but it won't let me publish any of them! It keeps saying that I have a META tag that I can't use :S Does anyone know how to fix this???? thanks!!!

Dwight is here!

2009-12-16T14:20:00.002-05:00

Just in time for Christmas we have received our adopted VSquillion, Dwight!

So here's a little bit about him:

His hobbies are: beet growing, Battlestar Galactica, paper sales, and bobble heads.

We very happy to welcome him to our blog :D

Back at it post #2- Christmas Time!

2009-12-14T10:03:00.005-05:00

It's Christmas time! My favorite time of the year, and not its not for the presents (however I do love getting people presents) but rather for the good cheer that everyone seems to have and all the time I get to spend with my family, put up a tree and decorate the house in the tackiest of fashions!

The decorations came first and they were nice but I had to take a break in all my studying so that Steph and I could go get a tree!

I'm not sure it I ever said this before but Steph and I have no car so we carried that tree all the way home from the grocery store...and by us I mean mostly him hehe since I'm and foot and a half shorter than he is it was very awkward for us both to carry, so I simple watched over.

So we got it back to the house and he put it in our "got it off the street in august" tree holder, then had to go off to band practice. Tree decorating is my thing so I started with the lights and as I got to the top the tree started to tilt. I was very confused and came down off the chair just in time to catch it before it smashed into the wall. At this point what I should have done is left it leaning on the wall until Steph came home and could help me fix it, but being the stubborn person I am and not having all that much time to decorate I decided that I could fix it on my own.

Now I'm not sure if any of you have tried this but trying to center and balance a tree at the base of it is quite a task! After about 30 minutes of this I was EXHAUSTED and when that tree started to tip yet again and all I had to hold onto was the base, well it was coming down whether I liked it or not! And it did come down, right on top of me....now this did not hurt at all! It just pinned me in between the sofa, the floor and the sofa chair. My arms were so tired from trying to hold the tree up that I couldn't even lift the tree off me for 45min...yes for 45min I was stuck under the tree, softly crying, with my cats purring beside me, and the Christmas music playing in the background lol.

Anyway after a while a shimmied out from underneath it and went to bed, covered from head to toe in pine needles, until Steph came home.

Once he did all was well and now the tree looks amazing! I have to say its the most perfect tree I've ever had! The cats have been very good with it, Joplin seems like she's a tree pro and just sleeps under it all the time, Hendrix wanted to climb it at first but now he just watched the lights.

So that's the story of my Christmas tree '09

P.S: We have the TACKIEST LED Christmas light ever! It changes from blue to green to pink!

Back at it Post #1- My first award!!!

2009-12-13T21:50:00.005-05:00

So I'm back at it as of today and I have a bunch of stuff to catch up on here in the blogging world! But first and foremost I'm very excited because I got my VERY FIRST AWARD from one of my first friends here in the blogging world, One's Cat Nip :D

I'm so happy that people are enjoying my blog and I feel very lucky to have met all of you! I can say honestly that it is a comfort and joy to read all your blogs :D

So here we go:

Copy and paste the Kreativ Blogger picture onto your blog. Check
Thank the person who gave you the award and post a link to their blog. Check
Write 7 things about yourself we do not know. Check
Choose 7 other bloggers to award. Yikes everyone has one!
Links to those 7 other bloggers. ......
Notify your 7 bloggers......

7 Things about me you don't know! I'm going to do this about me because well I've basically told you everything about my cats haha

1. I LOVE the theater! My favorites at this point has to be Wicked (seen it twice), Les Miserables (seen it three times), and Fiddler on the Roof (this may be a little bit premature since in going to see it on the 29th but I know its going to be amazing!). Steph always catches me belting out Broadway tunes in the shower hahaha

2. I have recently realized that I am my mother, I have all her little habits and ticks as well as her ridiculous attention to detail and her care and habit of worrying like crazy about those she loves. In high school we would always be at each others throats because were both stubborn. Its funny to think back to those times now that we get along so well.

3. I'm a huge hockey fan and also a player, nothing makes me feel more alive than getting onto a cold hockey rink or the canal in the dead of winter and skating my heart out

4. I am a Christmas elf...seriously not only am I just grazing 5' tall but I LOVE Christmas time! I start listening to Christmas music in November and the Decorations go up on Dec 1st. I can't explain how much I love the hustle and bustle of the season, everyone just seems to be the spirit of the season. But the best part of all is going to my parents place and spending time with my family.

5. I dressed up as an umpa lumpa for Halloween in grade 12, one of my best costumes ever!

6. I am a huge fan of The Office, I really can't get enough of that show, if you've never seen it you have to give it a chance!

7. Last but not least...in my first year of university right before my very fist exam I dropped my I.D down a grate and go the entire student federation to come and help me get it out!

As for passing this along to 7 other bloggers all of you seem to have it already so I'll just say like the others if you haven't gotten this already please award yourself!!

So again thank you so much One's Cat Nip!

Exam time :S

2009-12-02T23:42:00.005-05:00

So I'm going to not be posting for about a week and a half from now because I'm right in the thick of exam period(the last fall exam period of my bio undergrad!). It will be difficult to resist reading all your news and updates, but I'll have something to look forward to once I'm done!! Just a couple of things before I go:

1. Thank you so much to all of you that gave me advice about Hendrix's acne, its starting to clear up a bit and I think that it was from his new obsession with the toilet. He's always rubbing against it ( the seat is plastic) and believe it or not he's actually getting right in there with his face, so we've started closing to door to the bathroom at all times.

2. I was soooo happy to read that Thomas O'Toole from The Paw Relations has returned home after quite the adventure abroad!! I'm sure his whole family is overwhelmed to have him back!

3. I recently read The Holistic Cat: A Complete Guide to Wellness for a Healthier, Happier Cat by Jennifer A. Coscia. It was a VERY interesting and informative read. I don't agree with all of her methods but its definitely a great starting place for someone who like to treat from home. Not only that but she and her cat rescue will really tug at your heatstrings!

4. And lastly I bought a cat tree a while back, but the cats aren't really very interested in it other than for scratching. They don't sit or lay on it at all and I think its because the material is not very comfortable. It feels like thick burlap, which obviously is ideal for their scratching needs but I feel like its not being used to its full potential. I was wondering if anyone had any ideas to make it a little more conducive to relaxing?

Hendrix has acne!

2009-12-01T10:17:00.004-05:00

Poor little Hendrix apparently is getting into those "high school" days because I've figured out he has feline acne. I noticed the other day that he had an odd patch of dirt under his chin and thought it was from throwing up his food but when I tried to wash it off it really wasn't too easy. I started to get panicky wonder if this was what fleas looked like?? So I scanned both his and Joplin's entire bodies (not very fun at all with squirmy ones) and I didn't see anything anywhere else. So what else could I do but google it? After alot of research of pictures and descriptions I'm sure of what it is and I'm wanting to be proactive about this, so I've:

thrown out the plastic food bowl that we have, now using only stainless steel
going to buy Benzyl Peroxy Shampoo in about 10min
going to wash his chin 2x daily
going to also get a filtered water bowl (I know this is a little extreme but Steph and I are in exam period so time is of the essence)

If anyone has any experience with this is would LOVE some advice!

When will it stop?

2009-11-30T00:34:00.003-05:00

My mom called me tonight with some terrifying news. Some of you may have heard about the atrocities at the Toronto humane society in the news, unfortunately being a student I can`t afford cable or newspaper so I only heard about this tonight.

I`ve read the articles and seen the pictures so before clicking on the link please understand that it is very disturbing.Here is the link.

At this moment my cats are sleeping beside me, cuddled right up next to each other (which btw is rather odd for them) and sleeping safely and soundly. I am so grateful that I was able to adopt and take care if them, and yet at the same time I am heart broken for all of the animals who have had to endure this kind of cruelty. The maddening part is that this cruelty came from a society that was supposed to be protecting them. I donate to the Ottawa Humane Society and I have no idea if the two are connected but I can say that I will find out soon. For those of you who read a recent post you`ll know that my mother was looking to adapt a cat, living in Toronto she was most likely going to go to the THS, now she wants to adopt as soon as possible so that she can at least take one cat out of that kind of hell.

How can it be so easy for people to see this kind of treatment and turn a blind eye? Was there not one volunteer to speak up for these animals? Not one person who's stomach turned at the sight of animals in pain?

When will people begin to see animals as living things. We are animals, we are mammals we are mothers and fathers and we have instincts. While we have the capacity for higher brain power that does not mean the life of an animal is worthless. I know of so many instances where a pet has been a huge impact on many peoples lives, just as much as another human being.

I sit here wanting to wish this away. But all I can do hug and hold my two wonderful cats that have brought so much joy to my life in such a short period of time and hope beyond hope that there are people in the Toronto area who are willing to take those poor animals into forever homes.

I'd like to also say that I understand the large demand on a place with so many animals like the Toronto humane society. I know for a fact that they have something like 400 cats up for adoption. I know that there are also awful pet owners who will drop their pets there in the middle of the night in the depths of winter to freeze until an employee finds them in the morning, but the entire point of a place like the THS is that once an animal has dealt with such cruelty that they are brought into an environment that is safe and loving. There should not be an entire centre in downtown but rather an outpost for a much larger facility on a much larger property ( I know for a fact that only 40min outside of the city there are such properties).

That's all I can really write, it was mostly venting so I apologize if this is disjointed but I felt it needed to be said and now the sadness of it all has really taken over and I think I'll just go to bed and keep my cats close tonight.

Please gives all you pets and extra big hug and kiss today.

Easy Like Sunday

2009-11-29T18:56:00.004-05:00

Kitty Christmas Gifts?

2009-11-29T14:00:00.002-05:00

So I've been wondering what I should get Joplin and Hendrix for Christmas, and I haven't been able to come up with anything other than a bed for Joplin (Hendrix like sleeping in Steph's guitar bag for some reason).

I'd like to get something that would be good for while were out of the house, I feel bad when we're both gone for the day and they don't have anyone to entertain them!

Some questions for you!

2009-11-28T14:14:00.003-05:00

So I'm back to blogging! I'm so sorry it's been so long but things get busy and deadlines pop out of no where. I'm very sorry for not visiting any blogs at all, I'll be catching up today and tomorrow.

But for now I have a few questions:

1. Adopting a Cat or a Kitten ?
As many of you read recently in my blog my mom's bunny past away from complications with anesthesia during a surgery. Now that she has had some time to think she starting to talk about adopting a cat. We've been talking and wondering what would be best, an older cat or a kitten. I personally think and older cat would be better not only because they're would not be too too much training but there are so many older cats that need homes. She agreed but also wondered would a cat not become attached like a kitten would? I explained that with Joplin when we adopted her we were like her saviors, taking her out of the cage and bringing her home. With Hendrix he has never known anything but a good home so he is not quite as clingy as Joplin is (however he is still only 6months old). Also my mom would like a cat that has been de-clawed, she and my father have ALL leather furniture, however she does not want to adopt and then de-claw because of her bad experience with Shiny bunny. So I'm asking all of you what you think? Here is all the info in point form:

cat or kitten?
which one would be more attached?
adopt a de-clawed cat or de-claw after?

Now I know that this all can depend from cat to cat but I'm looking for a general idea

2. Hendrix is gorging!
So Hendrix is gorging himself and then throwing up. This happens every once in a while and I'm a little worried. He has his morning wet food (1/4 of a can) and then begins to chomp away at the dry food. I don't want to take away the dry food because Joplin is used to being able to graze and I cannot figure out a place where Joplin can get to but not Hendrix, again please help!!

Thanks to all of you, I've missed blogging!

NEW POST TONIGHT!

2009-11-27T13:56:00.001-05:00

NEW POST TONIGHT, SORRY ITS BEEN SO LONG!!!

Another lazy Sunday- back at it tomorrow!

2009-11-15T23:13:00.007-05:00

So I know its been a while since my last post but it has been a very very busy week. Here's some pics from over the week!

MC Monday #1

2009-11-09T21:57:00.002-05:00

Ok my first MC Monday!! (Finally) These are always gonna be short but sweet so here we go:

Cat tower: an amazing help for introducing a new cat!

This was MC's advice to me when Joplin was having trouble dealing with Hendrix. Not only that but she was finding ANY way possible to be higher up than him, which meant that there was many a time I caught her in places that she shouldn't be i.e: shelves, kitchen table, potato bin, toilet seat (this always was followed by her inevitably falling in and making a wet mess everywhere)

After we got a cat tower all of our "hierarchy" issues disappeared and it even cured our scratching issue because they LOVE the scratching post at the bottom of it.

Joplin's Birthday!

2009-11-05T20:35:00.026-05:00

So today Joplin turned 5! Such a big girl, and yet still a baby. I remember when we first got her she was really tiny and underfed, her coat was rough and dull, and she wasn't very social. Now just two years later on her birthday she's a nice weight with a beautiful coat and best of all shes snugly, social and loving. I can't imagine life without her. Here's some before and after of Joppy:

She was not impressed that I slept in a bit delaying breakfast but I think I made it up to her with her prezzies. They are both fun and practical!
\

We started with a special dinner which was extra stinky. Hendrix loved hid kitten dinner but Joplin barely touched hers, it was too much like the food I tried to get her to eat when she was sick.

So back to her regular Friskies (the only wet food she'll touch). Now she's happy!

First up is a brand new cat nip toy which is always a hit. We called him Mr. Fishy.

Both of them love Mr. Fishy.

Next up, cat grass! Inspired by Chuchu's Blog I have also decided to try growing my own from seed!

A not quite as fun thing for Joplin but something I've got to learn is nail cutting. It went pretty well except it was hard to make the cats sit and stay, gotta figure that one out.

Something that I've been looking to get ever since I saw it in One's Cat Nip is the Litter Locker Plus. Apparently this is supposed to be great for apartments and condos, which is exactly my situation. I'll write more about it once I've used it for a while.

Another non-present present was the Pine Litter. I have heard sooo many great things, especially from MC about this type of litter that I'm going to give it a try and see how well it can reduce the odor.

A last little note: Hendrix is now a little mountain goat hehe

Oh and I've gone picture crazy because I got a new camera for my birthday a couple days early :D

We will miss you Shiny bunny

2009-11-02T23:59:00.004-05:00

Two years ago my sister and brother bought my mom a bunny for Christmas, at the time it was only my sister who was still living at home but she had a full time job and was rarely there. The bunny was to help my mom cope with missing her own "bunnies" who had moved away.

She loved the bunny so much and socialized him, litter trained him and taught him not to spay. She named him Shiny and he learned to come when called and would often hop around the house when she came home and let him out. Then he would settle in her lap to be pet and fall asleep.

A couple of days ago he went in for a routine procedure and unfortunately didn't recover. A one in a million chance.

I called to see how my mom was doing and she burst into tears. I have seen and heard my mom cry from happiness but never sadness and this shook me to the core. I began to cry as well, I was so upset that I wasn't able to do anything to make things better as she always had when I was a girl. So I did what I could and hopped on a train to come visit her. Thank goodness my sister was here when Shiny passed away, she was here for the most difficult part. Now I'm trying to keep her mind off of it.

Its amazing what an effect the loss of a pet can have on us. Amy from House of Cats lost her oldest cat Floyd recently as well, she had had him since 1996. I can't even imagine how painful this time must be for her. But as I told my mom, things happen for a reason and now they are in a better place.

To my mom and to Amy, things will get better and your pets were lucky to have you as mothers, whether it was for a short or long time.

Lazy Friday Pictures

2009-10-30T20:51:00.004-04:00

A BED FINALLY!

2009-10-29T23:34:00.004-04:00

I've gotten used to the student life. The money issues, the food issues, the party issues, but for about 3 years I've been sleeping on a mattress on the floor. Today Steph and I got our fabulous wooden bed custom made and stained in Ontario from this great store in Ottawa called "New Mornings Futons and Furniture."

Steph slaved away to set it up (such a great boyfriend), but the end result was worth it!

Its gorgeous and it feels totally different to sleep at an elevation! Hendrix was liking it too hehe.

Indroducing a Kitten

2009-10-28T11:41:00.005-04:00

Oh how I underestimated how much of a hassle it would be to introduce a new kitten into our home! I must say that adopting Hendrix was very unplanned. Looking back I know now that this was not the way to go. We should have been much more prepared by researching ways to make things easier on Joplin, as well as a step by step explanation of how to properly introduce the two of them. In reality we stopped by our favorite pet store Pet Circus for some treats, and we found 3 adorable kittens. Hendrix was the oldest of them, the women working told us that they had not been able to find him a home and that it might be because he was poly dactyl. We stood there for a while and pet him through the cage, we were enamored with him. Then Steph made the first move, he asked if we could pick him up. They opened the cage and I picked him up and instantly fell asleep in my arms, and that was it. We payed for him and brought him home.

What we did:

Got Hendrix in the door and instantly let him run around everywhere.
Made separate litter and food areas but did not separate living areas
Allowed Hendrix to start taking over the entire house, Joplin's only area was the bathroom basket

Joplin was miserable at this point, she wouldn't come near us and she hissed and batted at Hendrix whenever he was in the same room.

Hendrix on the other hand chased Joplin all the time and was quickly realizing how easy it was to be the alpha-cat

Of course this had to change and so I turned to MC for help. She explained that putting in the effort at first will really pay off in the end. At this point it had only been 3 days since we brought Hendrix home.

How we fixed it:

We separated the cats. Wow was this a hassle! I should mention that the only door in the apartment is the bathroom door. So we had to fashion one out of a mirror and miscellaneous musical instruments
Kept them separate for a full 2 days
On day 3 let Hendrix out for a run for 30 min in the apartment, did this twice a day for 3 days
On day 6 let him out for the whole day while we were home so that we could watch but kept him in the bedroom at night, did this for 2 days
On day 8 let him out the whole day alone with Joplin, stayed out that night as well

After this Joplin started to really warm up to him and now they're inseparable. The best part is that Hendrix has adopted alot of Joplins good mannerisms.

My Cat Guru!

2009-10-27T22:09:00.001-04:00

I suppose everyone has that one person that they tuned, or turn, to in times of kitty need. For me it is my boss and good friend MC.

MC has 5 cats, one boyfriend, one giant cat tower, and one beautiful house. She's an amazing owner who has a vast knowledge of both home-remedies and vet info is such a wonderful help!

Some of the best tips that I've gotten from here in the past:

Wet food and dry food must be separated!
Pine pellets are the best litter possible, also the cheapest
Hard work at the beginning of introducing a new cat will pay off in the end

Its hard to explain how amazing she has been, so I think I'm going to dub Mondays as "MC Mondays"

Fatty Liver Disease (aka Feline Hepatic Lipidosis)

2009-10-26T16:15:00.000-04:00

It was about 6 months ago that Joplin got Fatty Live Disease (FLD). When I noticed such a huge change in her mannerisms I took her to the vet. Now, I am a biology student and I believe in science and modern medicine. I assumed that taking an animal to the vet meant that you were taking them to someone who was in it for the love of animals, NOT to guilt financially strapped university students into paying hug sums of money for unnecessary care. This was not the case at the Glebe Pet Hospital. I am unsure whether or not I can give names so I'm not going to mention any but I will say that it was a women and that she was awful.

I thought going in that all Joplin had was a hairball that she couldn't pass. The vet was gentle with her examination, did a thorough job, then turned to me and said that she was really sure that she had FLD. I asked what could be done and she told me the following:
1. That she needed multiple tests that needed to be done
2. That she needed to be checked into their "hospital"
3. That it was going to cost upwards of $1500
4. That she only had a 50% chance of living even with the treatment
5. That if it was her cat SHE would do everything she could to help it get better.
6. That she would most likely die if I tried to take care of her at home

As I'm sure you can guess I ended up in tears assuming that my cat was going to die because there was no way I could afford such a large sum of money. I had the tests done to make sure ( it was all I could afford and it cost $170) and I took Joplin home.

I was inconsolable and told Steph what the vet had said. I took her word as absolute truth. Steph, being the wonderful man that he is, flew into action searching for hours on the web to check stats, home remedies and symptoms. As it turns out FLD is pretty common among cats and that THERE IS HOME TREATMENT THAT CAN BE VERY SUCCESSFUL IF CAUGHT EARLY ENOUGH, 90% successful in fact.

Using all of this information we created our own at home remedy. I've put all the info below to help anyone who is going through the same thing. One thing I will say is that this remedy requires quite a bit of time and persistence, but obviously it is worth it in the end.

FATTY LIVER TREATMENT AT HOME

Joplin's Symptoms in Order of Appearance

Didn't finish normal amount of food in the morning
Increasing lethargy
Wouldn't come greet us
Completely avoided us
Noticed yellowing of ears, eye membrane, and skin just in from of ear. (This can also be seen in gums)

Now I would suggest seeing a vet if you are not 100% sure, you can go for a simple check-up and move forward from there. I'm not "anti-vet" I was just really upset about how I was treated, and how she tried to take advantage of me. I should also mention that she did call once to check up on Joplin once I had told her that we were doing the home-remedy thing. She had never had a person try this before, but it really doesn't excuse her poor (for lack of a better word) bed-side manner.

Causes?

I believe that Joplin getting into the garbage was the main cause of this. Also I was starting to pack for a move, which couldn't have helped.

Its possible that by eating some rotten meat out of the garbage can she developed pancreatitis or even simple some sort of stomach issue that caused her to stop eating.

By way of evolution the domestication of cats causes them to be unable to convert fats back into energy. So when a cat stops eating their liver works overtime trying to convert fats to keep them alive and begins to fail in a sense. (This is a very general idea of what is happening)

Food Preparation *

1 can of Wellness Brand cat food- this one is great because it is a pate which is very fine and so it will not get stuck in the syringe, also is very high quality
2.5 cat vitamins
1/4 cup warm water

Crush vitamins and mix together with cat food and warm water.

I used a wide mouth syringe that the dentist will usually give to someone when they have their wisdom teeth removed.

I separated the mix into 6 servings and served them in 2h intervals throughout the day: 8am, 10am, 12pm, 2pm, 4pm, 6pm.

Make sure to warm up the food to body temperature at each feeding. Cold or hot food with cause them to throw up.

Force Feeding

I found that putting Joplin into a pillow case from the neck down was the best way to do this since she is not declawed and I needed to keep her still. Also I put her on the kitchen counter. The diagram above helps to show how to hold the cat. Wrap your arm around them holding their body still and their legs down. Now, slide that same arm upwards once you're ready to feed. Now your arm should be fully wrapped around and your hand free, use that hand to hold their head and chin up and in place.

The best place to insert the syringe is right behind the canine , if you push very slightly there with the tip then they well open their mouth. With the mouth open squeeze a very small amount onto the back of their tongue, DO NOT PUT IN TOO MUCH AS THEY WILL CHOKE AND THROW IT UP. Let them swallow this and then repeat until full syringe is done, or until you have completed the portion.

Now this is simply what worked for me, it all depends on your cat and their temperament. If you absolutely cannot calm them down then you might have to work directly with a vet, however the first time is the hardest so give it a few tries.

After the feeding is done, clean them up a little bit and sit and pet them for a while to calm them down.

For each day as of Day 2 I'd try and coax them to eat their first portion by themselves. If they eat the full portion then try with the 2nd portion etc etc...

Joplin was eating on her own by Day 7!

I will warn people that this is a VERY messing job and you will smell like cat food for that whole time, but it gets easier each feeding.

Now I am no expert, vet or anything like that but this system worked well for me twice. If you have any questions please email me :)

* This was the correct amount for my cat who is quite small, these proportions may need to be changed depending on how much your cat eats a day.

Picture 1 taken from:
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_maBfo7TdlMA/SX0a0Rt1WMI/AAAAAAAABCw/0OKdoxXSmuc/s400/cat_teeth.jpg

Picture 2 taken from:
yikes can't find the pic, but I got it from google!

Joplin, Hendrix, Steph, and I

2009-10-26T15:22:00.000-04:00

So where to start? Maybe with my motivations:

I have been a pet owner for about a year and a half now, so I'm pretty new at the whole game and I've found along the way that sometimes it is very difficult to get the information that your looking for. People tend to be vague and unsure which doesn't help at all. So I've decided to pass along my findings and hopefully get even more information for others

The Cats:

Joplin:

I adopted her from the Ottawa Humane Society in August 2008. She is now almost 5 years old (Birthday- Nov 4th), and surprisingly small at only ~5lbs for an adult cat. She a domestic short hair with tortoise shell pattern, her colors are gray orange and white.
She is an extremely loving cat who like attention at almost all times. She was a shock for me because I was always under the illusion that cats were slightly anti-social, but Joplin totally erased that for me. She slept with me every night, greeted me at the door and sat beside me while I worked at my desk. At the time I was living with 2 roommates who were just in much in love with Joplin as I was.
Her only oddity was that she would meow for no reason at all. We thought at first it was because she was hungry, which turned out to be wrong. To this day were not sure why she does it, maybe as a way to mark her territory.

Hendrix:

Stephane adopted him early this September from a rescue mission in Smith Falls which uses our favorite pet store Pet Circus for adoptions . He is just over 5 months old (Birthday- May 14th). He is a black and white domestic short hair, who also happens to be poly dactyl!
He is also just as loving as Joplin and will often sleep right between Steph and I. He has a massive store of energy and will often run from one end of the apartment to the other back and forth many many times. Because he has an extra "finger" on each paw he is able to climb door ways and apparently will also be able to open the fridge, cupboards etc... which I'm sure will be super fun.

The Boyfriend:
Stephane (or Steph) and I have been together 2 years. He is a wonderful and supportive person and as much as he may not like to admit it, he is just as enamoured with the cats as I am.