Pallas Cats at the Prospect Park Zoo

After coming across this video there is no doubt that The Pallas Cat can have some weight issues. There's no way these are nine pounders. Someone needs to run up and down with a feather on a stick for these two lovelies. I would love to volunteer.

Well, we say goodbye to the summer weather and welcome the cooler, Fall-like temperatures now. I am so looking forward to Autumn with it's cool breezes and bursts of colour. I am thinking of apple pies, pumpkin muffins & hot soups to be made. I expect we will still have some warm weather but the hot, humid air will now leave.
"Welcome September".

hugs, Deb

Muffins in the cookie jar

"Oh, oh...

the wheels are turning."

Actuallly, she's just watching me bake. I'm so fascinating. I obviously bore Sierra to tears.

I discovered a delicious tea this week that I found at my local health food store.

Pomegranate Echinacea Tea

It is so delicious.

 I buy both bagged and loose tea from this shop http://www.granary.ca/ as they have a wonderful variety to choose from.
So, I made a pot and will enjoy a cup while I solve the problems of the world with my dining-room company, Annie.

And to have with  tea, I baked some whole wheat, blueberry banana muffins and they fill my cookie jar today.

1 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup wheat germ
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 ripe bananas
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup frozen or fresh blueberries

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a bowl, whisk together flours, wheat germ, baking soda and salt.
In a large bowl beat butter and sugars with a mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs.
In another bowl, mash bananas with a fork (3/4 cup) stir in milk and vanilla.
With a mixer, alternately add flour mixture and banana mixture to butter mixture. Fold in blueberries.

Divide mixture among muffin cups. Bake for 25 minutes.

 These are made with large, fresh blueberries, bananas, organic free-range eggs, wheat germ, brown sugar and butter. Now it doesn't get much better than that. I doubled the recipe to freeze some for my daughter who is expecting her first baby very soon. VERY soon. She'll enjoy these when she can take a little break. A break? *wink*

Labour Day weekend is upon us and I will be busy once again with cat-sitting for three days. We are to have a wet weekend, but from all the fireworks I heard tonight as people were testing them out,  I doubt that will stop any celebrations.

I'm with the dog...spare me.

"Happy Weekend, everyone".

Hugs, Deb

Pallas Cat

The Pallas Cat is found in Central Asia. It is the same size as a full-grown domestic cat. It weighs around 9 pounds as an adult.

Pretty cool, huh!

I wonder how one of these guys would get along with our Audrey? I think she'd be put in her place fast. "Should I go get one, Audrey?"

"AUDREY!...really."

Pfffffft

                                                                                 

Let's slim down kitty

Audrey didn't think you should live another minute without seeing the little painter's splash of white she wears on her bib.

                                                   "There you go, folks. Carry on."


I have a link that anyone who is owned by a tubby cat may want to read. It is written by the well-known cat behaviourist, Pam Johnson-Bennett. It is full of great information and will help guide you to initiate a healthy diet for your indoor cat. Please read...
http://www.catbehaviorassociates.com/overweight-cats-its-an-epidemic/

Cat-sitting has wound down now to one house as people return to get families ready for back-to-school preparations.
It could not have happened sooner as I am today down for the count. Flu, I think. Anyhoo, as Audrey says...Carry on.
hugs, Deb

ginger envy

"Nice try, Audrey."

She's a little jealous of all the gingers.

"And you're right."

I think she meant

GRAY's/GREY's ROCK

hugs, Deb

                                 
            

                      

Gingers, gingers everywhere

Today seemed like a day off with only three houses to visit.
I wanted to show off these two shy little rascals. This is Flash & Quincy.

                                       Adorable...me thinks.
These two gingers were so afraid of people when they first arrived at their new home that it was touch and go for awhile whether they were at all adoptable.  But, they have come around nicely and become quite the pair. They are now two adored family members. Oh yes.....and they love their cat-sitter. :-)

But my day wasn't finished with being entertained by the ever-so-adorable ginger cat. A walk about town gave me the pleasure of meeting these two beauties.

and provided me with a Cat-in-window photo for you today.

Such a friendly one who came to say "Hello".

If any of my followers have gingers you know how special they are.

A bit of trivia..

Male Dominance

An interesting fact about ginger or orange cats is that, in most cases, they are males. As a result of genetics, according to Dr. Arnold Plotnick of catchannel.com, the ratio of male to female gingers is 80-20. Morris, the famous Nine Lives cat food mascot, was a typical male ginger cat and most, though not all, gingers encountered in homes, on the street, in shops and in pet shelters will turn out to be male.

 When I returned home I mentioned to Audrey that I had seen so many lovely gingers today. She gave me the tail-raise and stomped off.

hugs, Deb

Adding veggies to your dog's diet

http://www.daniellemackinnon.com/dogs/dogscanteat/ has put together a list of foods that can be harmful to dogs. I began years ago to cook for our dog when we first adopted him from a shelter. He was under-weight, nervous and  had allergies.  I found a good dog food to start him on but I felt he needed extra nutrition.  I also questioned a lot of ingredients in most dog food. I read two books on cooking for your dog and  began by introducing a new food item each week. I then waited to see how his system coped with it. I made sure he had a protein (meat) (40%) , rice or barley (30%) and a vegetable (30%). As he got a little older,  I  added a multi-vitamin from our vet and glucosamine to his meals. Our Kane has eaten vegetables since he was young but they are always cooked and in small amts.  I add steamed green beans and carrots often to his meals and he seems to digest them without a problem. He does fine with small amounts of broccoli (he likes it) but it is one that can cause issues.in most dogs.  Sweet potatoes are his favorite and adds fibre to his diet. BUT not all dogs do well with any vegetables. A reader of my blog sent me the above link to pass on to you all before you consider adding human food to your dog's diet. Check with your vet before home-cooking for your dog, also.

If you do add veggies to your dogs' diet please check the above site for information on some of the harmful ones to stay away from.

This is one of my favorite photos of our Kane. He was 5 in this photo and I think I was 25.
 hahahahahaha
 ....sorry.*grin*.  He loved his ball and carried it everywhere. He is 13 now and although he is doing well, he does not have the energy to chase a ball like the old days so carrying a stick around will do.

This is National Dog Day so celebrate your dog.

Kane

T U R K E YS

In our neck of the woods it is not uncommon to see wild turkeys walking about.

Here is a family...mom, dad  and many babes crossing the road ahead of me.

They are very interesting to watch but could do with some beauty sleep.

Yah, I know. Still, I can't stop looking at them.

Audrey wants to show you what she has been up to. I told her to keep herself busy last week while I was away cat-sitting so she taught herself to spell.

That's right; she spells.  I have no doubt there will be some obscene notes left around the house.

                                                        "Better mind your P's & Q's, turkey-lover."

A U D R E Y

Some of last week's kitty-clients

A sweet, mysterious beauty.

Bagheera

Shy but certainly coming around nicely

Flash

OK - I can't say enough about this guy. I think this photo says it all.

Billy

New kitty-client & a big help in the kitchen

Lionel

& his vibrant, vivacious side-kick

Carlie

I had many conversation with this wise one.

                                     Toby

                                                                 And the dashing duo

                         Mittens & Midnight
                  & I'll end this post with another Mysterious Black Beauty

                                   Ebony
                                                    who wears her heart on her belly.
I'll have more to show you. Drop by again.

hugs, Deb 

Saying "Hello"

Jeepers Jamie, she's cute when she sleeps. Gets me every-time.

But, don't tell her I said that. I'll never live it down.

THIS is the proper way to introduce yourself to a cat. In my business I have to enter an empty home and try to bond quickly with the unsuspecting stay-at-home feline. Many do not need any thought to the introduction. They are just happy for company. Some do need me to take my time and let them meet me first in the proper fashion. Before the owners leave I always set up an introduction time to meet the owners and the cat. The cat, if shy, might be brave because the owner is standing near but it can be a different story once I actually start caring for the cat. I find this one step of introducing myself again very slowly and speaking with a calm, quiet voice helps the skittish feline.

                                                

Once the cat has had a chance to take in your scent and hear your soft voice, they can relax and begin to enjoy their new company.
Cats are the most patient animals (ever watch one stalk their prey?)so we should return the respect and take that extra bit of time to make them feel safe.

Can it really be the end of the week? Where did this month go?
Well, I am pretty much finished the Autumn rush on cat-care. Just in time, I might add, as my home needs attention, MY cats need attention and it's time to get ready for a new addition to arrive soon. My daughter, Jess, is due to have her first child in 2 weeks and I want to start cooking and baking for their freezer. That is one thing I can do that I know will be appreciated very much. I need to do something to calm the old nerves, anyway.

Have a great weekend. I'm putting together a post of all my kitty-clients this week 'cause they are all spectacular.

hugs,  (anxious and nervous) Deb

JOY

The thunder was all around as I took some extra time to enjoy a coffee or two before heading out to my hungry cats. The rain will shorten my day today as there will be no need to give a drink to clients' potted plants that greet me as I drive up their driveways. Most plants are starting to look like they are on their way out now anyway. I'm thinking its' soon time to decorate the front porch at home with colourful mums.

I have two timid cats today to start care for along with all my happy, friendly ones.
                                                                     Shy and Adorable

 I love to work with the shy ones because when I do see some progress I feel good for both them and myself. It's a challenge but a great joy in the end.

I filled a cookie tin today  (don't you just love cookie tins?) with my chocolate chip walnut cookies.

 This would be a good day to take some time out of the day and enjoy some tea and a treat. My blue and white cup and saucer is called Countryside and it is one of my favorite patterns.

I have collected a few of them now and they mix in well with my other blue and white.

The cats are just lumps today. Not a movement from any of them.

Here's your cat-tip-for-day today.

Do not leave a bread basket out on the table on a rainy day unless you don't mind a sleepy cat to find it.

In all honesty, this is now a cat lounger. The real bread basket is safely tucked away. ;-)

Hope you are seeing some sun today and lots of *JOY*.

hugs, Deb

A good tired

         Some people have cats and yet go on to lead normal lives. ;-)













                                             "Well, I never..."
                             The ever-so entertaining Audrey

The busiest week of August is coming to a close.  Most of my kitty-clients this week have required two visits daily for one reason or another which, of course, makes the day very long. Some are on medication and some just need more attention along with their meals divided up throughout the day. I have seen many regular kitty-clients and a few new ones. It's been exhausting but a lot of fun. I end the day with a long walk with Kane just to wind down and enjoy the cool evening breeze. He has a real skip in his step these days after a bath, a nail trim and testing out a new dog food that he loves. Kane does not eat dry dog food as I cook for him but I do give him a little canned once in awhile and the Wellness Chicken and Sweet Potato is a real hit. Because I cook for him he will eat every vegetable presented to him except for mushrooms which he will spit right in your eye. That's right, he will eat his broccoli. :-b

The sun has been shining every day this week but we are now expecting rain. Annie took full advantage of her daily sun-puddles.

 I do need a cat-nap.

hugs, Deb

Cat-in-window & Cat tip of the day.

                                                           My grand-kitty Ruby
Yes, she is one of Annie's kittens. They will soon be 2 years old.
(Annie and her 3 kittens were fostered in our home for our local animal shelter)

"Thanks for the cat-in-window photo, Ruby-doo."


Cat-tip-of-the-day =^..^= Proper litter

I have been over to visit the kittens again  which reminded me that there is something very important you must know if you have just adopted one. Kittens start to use the litter-box at about 4 weeks of age. It is all the rage now to use clumping litter for a cat but you must never use clumping litter with kittens. Use the regular litter that can be bought in any pet-store. Clumping litter has clay in it and kittens tend to play in and digest some of the litter when you are not there to supervise. Clumping litter, once in their stomach, turns into cement.
PLEASE NEVER USE THIS TYPE OF LITTER WITH KITTENS. It can be fatal.

hugs, Deb

Dinner's cookin' but I'm done.

While I prepared a vegetarian lasagna for dinner, Annie sat in her wicker house, in the kitchen, watching the birds outside flit from tree to tree. She knows that I have to have feline company while I cook or I find the whole process a drudgery. With them to entertain me,  it's a much more pleasant experience.

My day was filled with cat-care this morning, babysitting grand-kids in the afternoon and cat-care again tonight. Needlesstosay, dinner is a little later than usual and the only thing done is me.

Riley spent much of her time on her back porch today playing in water on her kid table.
 It was a hot day and we shared a popscicle while Brad enjoyed a banana.

He would eat a banana before anything else, it seems.

"Hey, where did my banana go?"

Is there anything sweeter than a three year old girl that wants to share her treat with her nana? I think not.

We are back to almost +30 temps again but only for a day or two more. There is rain and cooler weather on its' way. I think I am done with summer now. I love the Fall weather and having a tease of it last week reminded me of that. Well, back to dinner preparations or we'll never eat.

"You're no Martha Stewart."

hugs, Deb

Unsuspecting prey.

Cats love boxes. That's a given.

And when you bring a box into the house that can hold multiple cats and leave it on the floor for Saturday night entertainment (theirs, not mine. Oh, who am I kidding?) it can keep them occupied for awhile.
I had to keep the lights low as requested by Audrey.She does her best work in the dark.

                                                                        Annie & Sierra
Sierra & Annie played on top while the audacious one slid inside only to reach up through the hole in the top to grab her unsuspecting prey. "Oh mighty ferocious one, your size and your roar leaves them frozen in terror. Please have mercy on them."

                                                                              Audrey
                                                               "Hey, stop looking at me."

 Oh, oh...looks like the lioness will be challenged.

And where is Kane while all this excitement is going on? In  lala...land, where else?

It's Susan's birthday today from http://readymadecosmos.blogspot.ca/

"Happy Birthday, Sue."

hugs, Deb