Lots of Cat-sitting Ahead & Cat-Tip for the Day=^..^=Find a Good Vet & Stay Calm

I have a wonderful Veterinarian, Dr. Ann McEwan at the Carleton Place Vet Clinic. I trust her totally with my kitties health issues and I love the fact that she is also a Holistic Veterinarian for the last few years. She has been caring for my cats for over 20 years and always says to me before I leave, "whatever you are doing Deb, don't change it" and then she gives me her funny grin. She says my Ginny is one of the oldest cats she has ever known and talks about her often. I will always take my cats to Ann whether we live in CP or not. I trust her, she is very personable and she loves my cats. She is also the BEST with my dog, Kane. She is the full package. That is my tip today.....find a Vet you trust and can easily talk to.

My cat-sitting log book is filled up for May. I can't wait to start as I have many new clients and they are all gorgeous, funny little cats. You will be 'blown-away' by how beautiful some of these felines are and I will be posting pictures galore of them.

I have a grand-baby arriving this month. Sometimes I think about this and I can hardly breath (hee-hee) Too much excitement. I am so happy I have a good camera because I plan to 'work it' to no end in the next 30 days.

Wishing you all a great Friday.

2nd Post today - Vet check

I am just back from seeing my WONDERFUL vet with Maggie & Cali. Maggie for a re-check and Cali because she had some 'stool issues'. Anyway, good report on both. Maggie is eating well and is now on a new 'remedy' for her upper-respiratory and Cali needs to have a lube job so she doesn't struggle in the litter-box. I will get her on a hairball solution (Femalt) and see how she is in a few days. She goes out into the garden often and goodness knows what she eats (I don't even want to think about it). She has survived her outdoor snacks for 17 years so there is no changing her now. So, I am feeling better about kitty health in my house and I really would love a break from having to visit the clinic for awhile. Now, heading out for the walk I have to have everyday with the pup for his sanity and my dress-size. :)

Homes Needed for Pretty Kittens & Cat-tip For The Day=^..^=Staying on top of the Cleaning in a Multi-Cat Household.

First off, lets talk about staying one step ahead of these little fur-balls. I have owned a multi-cat home for 25 years so I know what is needed to keep things livable. The #1 tool in this house is the vacuum cleaner. I am constantly upgrading too. Be sure to get one with attachments for the stairs and corners. You will need that. Near the litter-boxes I keep a hand dust-pan and broom. That helps keep the floor around that area clean. I also have a regular sized broom close by. I only use organic cleaners when washing up after the cats. I am afraid of the chemicals in most cleaners so look for the organic cleaners for their areas. To keep the litter-boxes smelling clean I add baking soda to the litter. The cats don't mind it and it absorbs the odour. I also scoop many times a day because I work from home and can do that. There are many good hair-removers for your furniture and also a glove that you can wear to remove the hair. I have it all.

You have to LOVE cats to live with the extra housework. My best advice is to stay on top of it every day. "Hey......is that a dog hair I see?"

Homes are needed for many kittens that have been fostered in a home in Carleton Place. This little girl is healthy, friendly and silly as silly gets.

Sierra loves her chin scratched.....for hours if possible.

"Hey, where did the scratcher go?"

"HEEEEEELP. I just heard my tummy gurgle" & Cat-tip For The Day=^..^=Move more, Eat less

I don't care what I read on this subject, I have come to learn that the only way a cat can lose weight is to eat less and move more. Does that sound familiar? If Hugo had to get back into his spring and summer coat just like I have to face the moment of truth with my summer clothes, he would find there is no room to breath. The plan for him and I is to eat lighter and add more steps to the day. I will hit the pavement and he will get to be a lunatic with the cat-dancer. We will go slow with this for fear he goes through the floor-boards. Baby-steps...........

"HEY DEB, ARE YOU IN THE KITCHEN?"

Copy-cat the cat

This photo was sent to me via the internet so I wanted to share it with all the cat-lovers. Check out the little boys hands. So sweet!

Coffee with Friends and then Back To Business Today. Cat-tip For The Day=^..^= Play Aggression.

Great friends, Bobbie, Martha and moi. This pic was taken last winter but heck!...we look the same. :)

Woke up to snow everywhere this morning. Of course, it didn't stay. The day has been rather dreary but still ok for meeting friends for coffee and a hike with the dog. I was able to catch up on some baking for the dog biscuit business today and tomorrow is a delivery day. Balderson Village Cheese is one of our best clients so we will be heading up there again. I love that town and I never get out of there without spending some money. Here is Maggie keeping me company in the kitchen. She finds the whole process rather boring. She is sleeping so much now and I am keeping a very close eye on her health.

Play Aggression - often it is possible to see a change in your cat's behavior that will signal to you that the play session is getting out of control. The first sign may be intense movement of the tail from side to side. The ears may go back and the pupils, the dark part of the eye may become larger. At this point it is best to end the play session before the cat becomes too agitated. If you have a cat that likes to hide behind a door and attack when you walk by, you can toss a small toy to divert the cat to an appropriate play object.

Sunny or not..I'm Vacuuming. Cat-tip For The Day =^..^= Cat finds new use for your Flowerpots

I'll start with a cat-tip today. Do you sometimes notice paw-prints in your large flower pots? Or worse, maybe kitty is using the pot instead of the litter-box. There is something you can try to stop this behaviour. First off, be sure that the litter-box is clean. No cat will use a box that is dirty and stinky. If they happen to come across dirt in a pot and it smells like mother-earth they are going to be very attracted to it. If the box is kept clean but kitty continues to play in the pots, you can cover the soil in the pots with decorative rocks. Aluminum foil in the pots will also work but does not look quite as nice. This will discourage kitty from bothering your plants.

A few things had to be done around the house today before a certain little dog could have his much anticipated hike. It is another gorgeous day in Carleton Place and the sun is warm. I pulled out the 'MONSTER' vroooooom.....vrooooooom and for the millionth time, vacuumed the main floor. This is a Bissell and it has special attachments for pet hair. WOO HOO!!

Everyone flies in every direction when this appears. It isn't really that loud but they grab their tails and run for the hills.

We had another nice hike to the park where the flowers are blooming everywhere.

When we returned, all the kitties were back where they started out before the vacuum appeared.
This one was upstairs all morning and never got out of bed. He was here when I left, and he was here when I returned. Sound familiar?

It always helps to take a walk....

It's a beautiful day here in Carleton Place, 40 minutes west of Ottawa, Ontario. On my walk, I stopped at the park to people watch and ponder on what to do with my situation with Maggie. Dr. Ann has told me to continue on with the remedy and expect a lot of clearing of her head. She is sneezing, a little congested and her eyes and nose are runny. It isn't easy to watch but I will follow the advise and give it a few days. Thank you everyone for your nice and helpful comments yesterday about Maggie. I have listened to your advise and have discussed it all with Ann. Thank you, thank you.

I had two tulips growing where I had not planted them. I think the squirrels did some re-arranging at the front of our house. Anyway, they are now on my dining-room table. The flowers...not the squirrels.

hugs, Deb

You Cat-lovers better sit down for this - you may get weak in the knees :)

I'm sorry for the fuzziness in this picture above but he wouldn't stop moving. I still wanted to get his little face out there just in case someone falls in love with him. He is not quite old enough to be adopted. 4 more weeks for him.

Hey, look what I can do.

Thank you all for your nice comments regarding Maggie. I have great faith in my Vet and hope with all my heart that Maggie responds to one of Dr. Ann's remedies. I know we have a rocky road ahead because of Maggie's age. She will be 18 this June.

I walked to my cat-sitting clients today because the weather was warm & sunny here. I stopped in to visit a lady who fosters for our local pound. She is a cat-lover and opens her home and her heart to the homeless cats. We live in a rural area where cats are dumped often. They are never spayed and invariably are pregnant when picked up by Animal Control. The kennel holds comfortably (I use that word loosely) 25 cats but at this time of the year and right up to next Fall it will be over-crowded and it will be filled with kittens also. Many adoptions are made there but not enough. This is where wonderful people like Shelly make the difference. She has two moms and 8 kittens at her home that she takes care of and socializes and then will adopt them out from there. I happened to have my camera so I took a few pics.

Good Thoughts needed for Maggie

My little Maggie is not well these days. I have a wonderful vet who is helping me through this hard time with Maggie's health. She has chronic upper-respiratory problems and the medication seems to have done all it can do. We are now trying some holistic methods and hoping that it turns her health around. Please send out good thoughts for Maggie.

I Hear Ya Pups, Treats are Comin' + Cat-tip for the Day =^..^= Grooming Tools

There is never any shortage of help in my kitchen when I am baking dog biscuits. Sierra is such a trooper. What would I do without her? She will keep working while Kane and I take a break and go for a hike. I know she really likes dogs or she wouldn't be left alone in the kitchen for a second. Let me tell ya!

The last two days have been very busy with baking for Pampered Pups Pastries. Now that the nicer weather is here the orders are coming in fast and furious. More people out shopping and more dogs need treats. It is not easy spending the day inside baking when the sun is shining outside but Kane and I always take a long break mid-day and go for a hike. And since I'm in the kitchen anyways, might as well bake a treat or two for myself.

After the treats have been baked and cooled, they are bagged up in these little white bags and labelled as we have many different flavours. Then we add some ribbon, a business card and of course our 'Made in Canada' sticker. Orders are boxed up & then delivered by yours truly. It is really a one- man job with a little help from family. Lots of deliveries are made on my way to visit a cat that I am cat-sitting. Thinking of the environment and saving gas. Hope you enjoyed Earth Day and went somewhere special. Me.....I was baking.

PLEASE DON'T LITTER - SPAY & NEUTER

If you want the perfect coat on your cat here are a few tools you will need.

1. Soft-bristle brush (brush at least twice a week)

2.Metal comb - the largest one you can find. This will loosen mats.

3.Flea-comb - this will help extract fleas while combing.

4.Dry shampoo- no water required.

A grooming mit is also very handy to help with the up-keep of your cat's coat.

Cat-Tip for the Day =^..^= actually more like your cat's tips for the day.

Do you ever look over at that little self-absorbed but very comical creature and think, "If I could just have one day that I could be as worry-free and self-indulged as my cat." Here's what my cat's teach me about day-to-day life. Pounce on Possibilities..... Would it not be great to never worry about failure. Always land on your feet..... What is the best way to learn but to fail, pick yourself up and start again. Stretch Often..... get off your keester and go for a walk. Enjoy the Nightlife.....Pick up the phone, call a friend and go out for a fun time. Delight in the Simple Joys of a Long Nap.....When you are tired, rest. Create your purr-fect day.....Start your day with an optimistic view. Be Frisky.....I'll leave that one with you.

My Daughter, Allie at the Algonquin College Art Show.

Our daughter, Allie shows off some of her work at the Algonquin College Art Show in Ottawa, Ont. Lots of amazing art and wonderful, creative students to meet.

Allie is shown here with our Patches (1987 - 2004) dancing on our front lawn. She has grown to become an advocate for animal rights and is a vegetarian. She has 2 cats of her own. We are very proud of this girl. HAPPY EARTH DAY!

Cat Tip for the Day =^..^= SPAY YOUR CAT

PLEASE SPAY OR NEUTER YOUR CAT. KITTEN SEASON IS FAST APPROACHING AND ALL THE SHELTERS AND RESCUES WILL BE FILLED TO THE RAFTERS WITH CATS AND KITTENS TO FIND LOVING HOMES FOR. WE DO NOT NEED MORE CATS. BE RESPONSIBLE!

Wordless Wednesday

"Put Me Down, City-girl!"

I'm not sure what this cat is thinking but I guess the eyes tell it all. He was running around at a farm that I visited years back and I just picked him up for the photo. I had no idea that the expression on the cat's face would be so funny. Barn cats do not appreciate photo-shoots.

I Know- it's not Pretty (But it works)

Here is the culprit.
Cat Tip for the Day =^..^= In-appropriate Scratching & I THINK I Found the Answer

We all love our cats ***BUT*** sometimes they do naughty things. Sierra is the worst for scratching inappropriately. I have purchased many different scratch posts over the years but she prefers our door-frames. We have the wide, wooden frames as our house is quite ancient. So after banging our heads on these frames enough times, I brought into the house a REAL TREE. This tree stands about 7 ft. and is safely tucked into a corner on the main floor. I know, Better Homes and Gardens would gag but what am I to do? This tree is the ticket. The door-frames have been totally ignored and this tree is rapidly disintegrating before our eyes. They all LOVE it. Once this tree is totally used up I will get another one. Some day we have to sell this old house and who wants to buy a house with no door-frames? I am still waiting to see one of these old seniors climb to the top but then that would take energy and why do that when one can sleep. ^..^

Bedroom Painted, The Start of a New Week & Some Just Aren't Ready. Cat-owner Tip of the Day =^..^= Preparing your Cat-sitter.

This is one of those slanted ceiling walls that are really hard to decorate. The beige is the ceiling.

Look at the little foot - this is why I can't remove them from the bed.

PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE HIRING A CAT-SITTER

Here are a few tips to prepare your cat-sitter to care for your precious cats while you are away.

Before you leave though, have your cat-sitter visit to meet your cats & pick up the key. It is at this time that you should discuss any personality issues about the cat and any medications that need to be administered. These tips will help you to feel more comfortable while you are away.

1. Be sure to leave your phone #'s (including your cell phone), your vet's # & an emergency #.

2. Have all the cat's food in one place along with a can-opener and dishes. This includes treats.

3. Have a scoop next to the litterbox. Be sure there is extra litter if you will be away for quite awhile.

4. Leave your cat's carrier in a place where it is easy to get access to in case the cat needs to go to the vet while you are away.

5. Close all doors to rooms that you do not want the cat to be in.

6. Leave cleaning products out for your cat-sitter in case of accidents. Be sure it is out of cat's reach.

7. Let your sitter know if anyone else will be in your home while you are away.

8. This is most important - BE SURE YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH THIS PERSON THAT WILL BE CARING FOR YOUR CATS. IF YOU HAVE ANY DOUBTS, FIND SOMEONE ELSE.

OH Simba- You make me laugh! Cat Tip for the Day =^..^= Remove your Shoes before Entering.

Here is the ever-charming Simba who delighted me all weekend with his antics. After enduring tooth-removal only a month ago and having to put up with a new diet and feeding regime, he still was as crazy and entertaining as usual. Oh, I do love this guy. His buddies are both short-haired black cats, one (Albert) who is quite friendly but hard to photograph because he moves too fast and the other (Midnight) who is very shy and peeks from under the dining-room table to watch my every move. Meanwhile, Simba prances around and enjoys every second of my visits. "Yes, Simba I do see your gums. Oh yes, you still do look ferocious and as handsome as ever."

By Sunday night I am dog-tired (did I say that?) so I have a very short and to the point tip for the day. ALWAYS remove your shoes the second you enter a home where cats reside. When welcoming you, a cat likes to circle and shimmy around your feet and if you are not careful you just may step on that very sensitive tail. Now, that would be a CATASTROPHE, right Simba? Right!

This post is for my blogging friend, Ginger Jasper. I want to show you how much my Charity looked like you, GJ. This was the best little travelling cat in Canada. She loved to go camping and travel out west to British Columbia from Ottawa, Ontario. We did this a few times in her 19 years with us. When I married, Charity & I were a package-deal. Gary had never lived with a cat but he soon learned all about them in this 8 lb. ball of lightening. I say that tongue-in-cheek because she didn't move too quick or too often but she was the BEST on road-trips. Is she not the cutest?Banff, Alberta
Celebrating her 10th birthday at Johnston's Canyon, B.C. Gawd! I was silly. She didn't care.Look at her paws, GJ. Just like yours.
She really could pull off the bored look. She also used to chew on these 1970'ish glasses.Here we are at Lake Louise in the Fall. Wasn't she pretty in the sunlight?

Hope you got a kick out of seeing her, GJ. When I look at you all the wonderful memories of this sweet cat come back. Charity 1974-1993

Lily turns 15

8 years ago I adopted this vision in white from a hard life. My Vet told me she would be approximately 7 years old at the time. She was starving and all her teeth had to be removed from lack of nutrition and infection in her gums. Within a week, she was off baby food and eating with the rest of them. I can't tell you how much I love this little cat. She has brought me so much love and joy over the last 8 years. She is like a little duckling...follows me around and loves to be close. I feel very fortunate that she found me.

Cat tip for the Day =^..^= Feeding a Senior Cat

I live with 5 senior cats and I mean 'Senior'. They are 15, 17, 18, 21, & 23 years old. Most of these cats were rescued. I find that my cats do well on a mixture of dry & soft food. I feed them Eagle Pack Adult Dry mixed with Iams Low-Calorie dry and many different holistic soft foods. They get quite a variety of foods and seem happy with that. What I have done to make feeding time easier for them is to raise the bowls for them. You can purchase the raised feeders but just putting a bowl on top of an upside down bowl will also work. It is easier on their backs and spines and I find they eat more this way. I have one, Sierra who is overweight so I watch her carefully but other than that they are all getting thinner as they age. Funny how that works for them and yet we humans seem to have the opposite problem. *sigh*

I Have Smudge Fever.

"Now that I have your attention"

This week has been fun with Smudgie. She is a kitten in an adult cat body. I can't tell you how many times she rolled off the chairs acting nutty. My last visit will be tomorrow and I will miss her for awhile. She will be glad to have her person home though 'cause this girl likes to have a bed-buddy. Tonight we spent some time chasing around with one of my home-made cat toys. Then...the attack. Then.....roll off the chair. Silly Smudge!

Kneading to Read & A Cat-Tip for the Day

Cat-Tip for the Day =^..^= Be Sure Kitty Drinks Water.

This is something I have found works to help kitties drink enough water throughout the day. If you find that the water bowl next to the food dish never gets touched, I suggest you add one or two more bowls of water in different areas of the house. I have 2 bowls on each floor for 6 cats and it seems to work well. My grand-kitty Hugo while visiting was known to not drink very much water from bowls so I let him get his water from the bathroom sink. He also will drink a little from a bowl that is sitting by itself somewhere where he least expects it. He acts like he just found something that the others don't know about and claims it as his. Very cute.

I know of cat-sitting clients that leave a glass of water on a counter or bed-table for their cat and when I visit I notice that is where the cat has been drinking from, not the bowl next to the food. Cats in the wild do not have their water next to their food. They eat and then walk to the watering hole. Maybe there is something to that with these little 'geniuses'.

I am off to visit Smudge and today I start with a family of three; two black & 1 Abby. Good weekend ahead. Hope you have a great day.

..Koko had jumped down from the desk and was walking from the room with that particular, stiff-legged gait that denoted supercilious disapproval. He paused in the doorway only long enough to switch his tail contemptuously - twice - before completing his haughty exit. "I guess I offended him," Qwilleran said to Yum-Yum,"He's temperamental, but we have to make allowances for genius, don't we?"

Smudgie approved of being read to so much that when I stopped she whacked me. "Calico's are a breed all to themselves" *grin*