hugs, Deb
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Monday, January 3, 2011
More Smudge.....less grain
Just sitting on the floor lovin' up Smudge. She is a gorgeous, vibrant Calico.
She is a darling!
I spent some time at our local pet store today reading labels, again.
I am changing our cats food to as close to grain-free as I can get my 5 cats to eat. Performatrin Chicken formula Indoor Cat food is now the #1 canned food in our house. Less dry - more canned.
They are so busy right now that they don't know there is a change-a-comin'.
Top 5 Ingredients are Chicken, Chicken broth, Chicken liver, Rice flour & Beet pulp. It also has oregano, parsley, rosemary & sage. That's funny, that's just what I put in our spaghetti sauce tonight. I've decided to go grain-free to get them back to what cats would naturally eat in the wild. So many cat foods have fillers of corn & grain and so little meat. This brand is mostly meat and vitamins. I'll give it a whirl and let you know how they do. I want to see less tummy upset and shiny coats.
Cats in windows.....missed out on three today.
Heading out tomorrow with camera in hand.
hugs, Deb
"She loves me, she loves me not"
I think that I know quite a bit about cats because I spend a good part of the day with them. I live with them and my work is caring for them. My bookshelves have cat books on them, I buy Cat Fancy Magazine when the mood hits and I took a Cat Behaviour course years back. I have to know something. Why is it then that I always meet a cat that throws me? I guess it is true that cats don't want us to figure them out completely so there is always one in the mix that tries to out-smart you. Like Josephine, for instance.
Oh, she's a beauty and when you see her you just want to dive down and swoop her up. Let me tell ya, that's a NO...NO. You have to give her time and she might let you pet her. OK....I know that and that's what I do. I give her time. So, we got past that and now I have been offered her gorgeous head to pat. *pat...pat...pat..swipe.."ouch...geez..s///@#!#@888". OK! So now I don't pat her I just talk to her. Oh, she likes that. Purrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
and she stays while I rock her world with canned food and some catnip. Now I feel that we have understood each other and all is calm. I stay awhile and visit and then she turns and walks upstairs. Off I go. Next visit...she is hiding on me. I find her and lay on the floor and we have a big conversation. She's under the bed and I am on my tummy with my head under the bed. She loves my voice and comes out and does the "prt...prt...prt" sound. I don't pet her and just talk. Now she is following me and we are getting along. She lets me pet her on the head and she plays with me with a ball. Tonight, I am the 'cats pajamas' I give her a treat and she is a happy girl. I fill her dish with the finest of foods, fresh water and pat her again."Bye, Josephine. See you tomorrow" She rolls at my feet.
Next visit, "Joe, where are you?" She's at the top of the stairs and she looks mad. "Hi, Josephine, do you want some breakfast?" No response except for a look of disgust. "OK, come on down and I'll feed you."
Down she comes and she saunters into the dining area. There she falls down and rolls. Funny though, she still has a look of disgust on her face. I notice things! I sit on the floor and roll her a ball and she ignores it. She stands up and comes closer and falls down at my feet. She's purring. "Is this a trick? I know you are trying hard to accept me. I think you are doing a great job and I really want to be your friend." Her tail is steady, her ears are up and her eyes are calm. Her face softens and I think she smiles at me. She is so beautiful and I just want to try again. "Come here, sweetie.. I go in for a tiny pat....swipe!!!!! "AGHHHH.....damn it!"
So tonight I am reading about cats again.
hugs, Deb
Oh, she's a beauty and when you see her you just want to dive down and swoop her up. Let me tell ya, that's a NO...NO. You have to give her time and she might let you pet her. OK....I know that and that's what I do. I give her time. So, we got past that and now I have been offered her gorgeous head to pat. *pat...pat...pat..swipe.."ouch...geez..s///@#!#@888". OK! So now I don't pat her I just talk to her. Oh, she likes that. Purrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
and she stays while I rock her world with canned food and some catnip. Now I feel that we have understood each other and all is calm. I stay awhile and visit and then she turns and walks upstairs. Off I go. Next visit...she is hiding on me. I find her and lay on the floor and we have a big conversation. She's under the bed and I am on my tummy with my head under the bed. She loves my voice and comes out and does the "prt...prt...prt" sound. I don't pet her and just talk. Now she is following me and we are getting along. She lets me pet her on the head and she plays with me with a ball. Tonight, I am the 'cats pajamas' I give her a treat and she is a happy girl. I fill her dish with the finest of foods, fresh water and pat her again."Bye, Josephine. See you tomorrow" She rolls at my feet.
Next visit, "Joe, where are you?" She's at the top of the stairs and she looks mad. "Hi, Josephine, do you want some breakfast?" No response except for a look of disgust. "OK, come on down and I'll feed you."
Down she comes and she saunters into the dining area. There she falls down and rolls. Funny though, she still has a look of disgust on her face. I notice things! I sit on the floor and roll her a ball and she ignores it. She stands up and comes closer and falls down at my feet. She's purring. "Is this a trick? I know you are trying hard to accept me. I think you are doing a great job and I really want to be your friend." Her tail is steady, her ears are up and her eyes are calm. Her face softens and I think she smiles at me. She is so beautiful and I just want to try again. "Come here, sweetie.. I go in for a tiny pat....swipe!!!!! "AGHHHH.....damn it!"
Tomorrow I research 'grain-free' food for cats. Drop by!
Sunday, January 2, 2011
A drive-thru diner for the birds & squirrels
The little tree went to bed with the decorations but the big tree found a home next to our shed to feed the birds and squirrels for the duration of the winter. I started this a couple of years ago and it works great. They get fed and have some shelter and I and my old senior cats get to watch the show. You wouldn't think they would come this close to the house but when they are hungry, they do. Better than TV. Right now the weather is warmer than usual and we have almost NO snow. Very unusual! Here's what today looked like one year ago.
Tomorrow I'll pick up some seeds and nuts and suet and make some little hangy doo-dads to tie to the tree. You can actually have fun with this.
My house already feels bigger without the Christmas decor. Now on to finish some projects. First, finish painting the kitchen and then empty out the dining-room to paint the floor. I love painted floors in old homes and this one is ancient.There is no end to giving your house a face-lift.
Off to kitty-sit and then drop in to our local pub (The St. James Gate) for the best fish & chips on this planet.
hugs, Deb
"Sure I'm tired but "God, that was fun!!"
Bagheera
Snow & Missy
Simba
Lola..Rosie..Bud..Albert..Otis..Max & Puff
R
Marvin & Tootsie
Josephine
Willow & Bali
Emmi & Didi
Rosie
Smudge
...taking care of all these kitties over Christmas. I'd say I saw more beauty in one week than if I had died and gone to heaven.
Hope to see them again soon.
hugs, Deb
Saturday, January 1, 2011
I can be bribed. (by a cat)
It's never easy to leave Bali. Even when I CAN get my coat and walk out the door she runs after me and promises me the moon (well, at least a fuzzy mouse) if I'll stay. She lives with 2 other cats but I'm more fun, I guess. We played ball on the stairs 'til I was pooped.
I gave her a "Happy New Year" kiss and a promise I would see her tomorrow. "Now, give me my coat, Bali. "You owe me and I like cat-nip. OK! Cat-nip it is."
I am so ready to start the new year of In-home Cat Care. I have many new clients since last year and hopefully will add more as the year progresses. I feel I am 'home' now with my business and will never look back. I am now 16 years providing cat-sitting for Carleton Place and surrounding areas. Up until this year it was 'part-time' along with my dog-biscuit business. Now it is full-time and I plan to be busy. Looking forward to a fun year.
If anyone would like to start an in-home cat-sitting business in your area, please contact me and I will help you get started. Cats prefer to be left at home when their owners travel and to have a loving sitter drop in to meet their needs each day is all these cats require. They don't want to sit in a cage at a kennel if there is any other alternative and this is the answer. It's fun, every day is different and you get to meet and cuddle many lovely, friendly cats that you would never have the opportunity to meet otherwise. If you have ever had the thought to start your own business here is a great idea for you cat-lovers. Go on......make this the year.
hugs, Deb =^..^=
I gave her a "Happy New Year" kiss and a promise I would see her tomorrow. "Now, give me my coat, Bali. "You owe me and I like cat-nip. OK! Cat-nip it is."
I am so ready to start the new year of In-home Cat Care. I have many new clients since last year and hopefully will add more as the year progresses. I feel I am 'home' now with my business and will never look back. I am now 16 years providing cat-sitting for Carleton Place and surrounding areas. Up until this year it was 'part-time' along with my dog-biscuit business. Now it is full-time and I plan to be busy. Looking forward to a fun year.
If anyone would like to start an in-home cat-sitting business in your area, please contact me and I will help you get started. Cats prefer to be left at home when their owners travel and to have a loving sitter drop in to meet their needs each day is all these cats require. They don't want to sit in a cage at a kennel if there is any other alternative and this is the answer. It's fun, every day is different and you get to meet and cuddle many lovely, friendly cats that you would never have the opportunity to meet otherwise. If you have ever had the thought to start your own business here is a great idea for you cat-lovers. Go on......make this the year.
hugs, Deb =^..^=
The Best New Year
I came upon a beautiful white cat outside tonight.
Just as I was leaving one of my client's homes, there it was sitting next to my car on a quiet street looking very much at home in its neighborhood. We had a little chat, I got a few pats in and told it to head home because it was dark and it should be inside. I was not TOO worried for it as it is one of those streets in our town where you see cats out and lying on porches, sidewalks and sometimes fences in the daytime and the evenings. Last summer I spent many a day photographing cats in windows. This is one of the streets that I always found beautiful subjects.
So the Christmas season is over and the New Year begins.I always feel the same way every year at this time. Fat & Tired. So it's back to 2 power walks a day and no more sweets. I bet you still have some turkey lying around, dont'cha?
Now get out there and start the Best New Year you have ever had. All the Best to you.
2011...I am READY for you!
hugs, Deb
So the Christmas season is over and the New Year begins.I always feel the same way every year at this time. Fat & Tired. So it's back to 2 power walks a day and no more sweets. I bet you still have some turkey lying around, dont'cha?
2011...I am READY for you!
hugs, Deb
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