Catching up & Cat-tip-for-the-day=^..^=Saving the furniture

I had time to meet a friend for lunch today. I hadn't seen her for exactly 5 months. How do I know for sure it was five months? Because the last time we sat and enjoyed lunch & some exchanging of recipes was the day that I tore up to the Almonte hospital following the lunch-date to see if my first grand-child had entered the world yet. That was some exciting day.
I enjoy chatting with Barb because she is one of the only women I know who still loves to cook EVERY DAY. She talks about the recipes she has tried lately, the latest kitchen gadget she loves, her addiction to buying cook-books & all the organic produce she can now buy from some local farmer. Her garden, outside her kitchen window, is amazing. She grows, harvests, cooks, cans & bottles everything. When you enter her kitchen you are overtaken by this feeling of familiarity; like you are in your grandmother's kitchen. It is so lively, colourful, friendly & there is such hominess to it. I love her kitchen. 

She always ends our visit with, "Stop in anytime for a tea.......now I mean it, anytime" and you know she means it. Before I left she handed me a can of salmon for Kane. "Wolves eat salmon so I am sure Kane will love it". Well, he does love salmon and he likes to think of himself as a wolf and he enjoyed his dinner tonight. "Thanks, Barb"...love from Kane.

Cat-tip-for-the-day=^..^=Saving your furniture 
Cats scratch objects for 2 distinct reasons; to sharpen front claws by removing loose scales and fragments of skin, and to leave a visible mark which will be noted by other cats. Some surfaces tend to be repeatedly scratched and smell signals from the footpads provide semi-permanent marks of possession. The longer an object or piece of furniture has been used by the cat as a scratching post the more difficult it becomes to provide  a substitute. If you are starting with a kitten, introduce it to a scratching post immediately. Hold the kitten
near the post and position the paws appropriately. It will soon learn what to do and most likely use the post from then on.
Owners who want to redirect their cat's scratching of furniture or draperies should first offer an alternative material close to the existing scratching area. Soft, raw pine-wood is often a favorite but some cats prefer a cloth covered wood. When you introduce the post, cover or remove the items that have been inappropriately scratched.  If that is not possible, cat-repellent or a strong-scented polish on the scratched area may avert the cat.

Personally, I have added fire-wood to the area where my cats spend most of their time. It is left on the floor lying flat so when the cats scratch it, it stays still and does not rock. The cats enjoy tearing away at the real wood just like they would love to scratch a real tree outdoors.

Another helpful hint for scratching is to keep your cat's nails trimmed at all times. Tomorrow I will post some tips on nail-trimming.

hugs, Deb