kickin' up dust

Well, life carries on whether you are sore or not. And yes, this hurts but it could have been much worse.  I am on medication and taking it as easy as I can just before an explosion of relatives and friends arrive. I still have a house of cats to care for besides my own but again...I am getting  help. Kane will be walked but not by me this week. (I'll miss that the most)

Wedding preparations are all done and now the partying begins. Wedding is Saturday, June 11 in Perth, Ont. If the weather co-operates it will be in the Stewart Park in Perth.

The 'boys' were off to Montreal Saturday for a bachelor party for John. They took the train. John has many good friends and they grew up together in our small town of Carleton Place (population around 10,000). I love all these guys. They are just the best bunch of buddies. They were soccer players and still play. They had a great time as I would never have imagined otherwise. Here is one photo from the night. Great looking bunch, these guys. The groom-to-be is third from the left in black.

                                              'Kickin' up dust in Montreal, Quebec.'

Thank you for all your nice comments and best wishes. You are so nice and thoughtful and I really love that.
Btw....Gary is feeding the ferals for me this week. You should see the length of the to-do list I have given him. Good thing he has a sense of humour. :-)

hugs, Deb

Oh for crying out loud....

The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry. (Steinbeck's of Mice & Men)
I didn't plan this; I planned to tie up loose ends all week and be in proper form for the wedding this Saturday. Instead, I am just back from the hospital with a fractured rib. Ahhhhh, yes!

Saturday evening whilst walking my dog I turned a corner and a dog that was sitting on it's lawn charged at Kane. The dog was tied (I couldn't see that) so Kane is fine. I, on the other hand, freaked, pulled Kane back, went over on my ankle, fell on the pavement and along with a cut up finger, cracked my rib. I walked 6 blocks home practically unable to breathe (from fright most likely).Anyway, to make a long and boring story a little shorter, I was up all night with pain and now I am home with meds to take the edge off.  Well, isn't this a fine kettle of fish? They tell me at the hospital I shall be just fine by the wedding but now I think I should have got that in writing.

Please have good thoughts for me because I already fear wearing high-heels and now that I am lop-sided I expect to look like a drunken' sailor being escorted to my seat.

Lily is beside herself.  See...

She figures I will make a great sleeping spot for the next 48 hours.
I will take the cue from Lil and rest up as best I can. I've already handed Gary a to-do list for today. Poor guy!

Wish me luck!
Hugs, Deb

Baby steps with Emma

"Hi Emma" I'm here to pamper you."
Her little pushed-in persian-type face became motionless and she stopped in her tracks. I took my time and gave her room to adjust to my entrance. I was armed with moist food, treats & a heart busting with love for this cat. I just went about getting her dish ready, humming and no eye-contact. She hid for a minute but she was very interested. Rattling the treat bag brought her closer. Then, I saw her behind my leg. I slowly picked her up and placed her on her familiar spot for her injection. I waited, she never moved so I placed a few treats in front of her and did the dirty deed. She never flinched. It didn't go as planned but then Emma is a cat and cats are unpredictable at the best of times. So....I expect the next few days to go smoothly with this gal.

It is a gorgeous day here and the sun has been out all day. The porch on Emma's house is  exploding with flowers with hanging baskets welcoming you as you approach.

 It's like a house in a children's fairy-tale. What could be better while cat-sitting than walking through the garden of paradise when you first arrive. So, so pretty.

This little one came in off the street, pregnant and hungry. Another lucky one.

There are 4 cats in this house so I will be sure to tell you all about them but right now I am focusing on little shy Emma who may not be so shy after-all.
hugs, Deb

Feline Friday - Start your own cat-sitting business

Just Cats In-home Cat-sitting Service is a service provided by myself for people who do not want their cats to go to a boarding kennel. I GO TO THE CAT. 

There is no place like home when it comes to the cat because not only are we special to our kitty but so is all their favorite stuff such as their beds, window-sills, toys, chairs & the owner's bed if they are so allowed to snooze there. 

Cats are not pack animals and prefer not to be placed where there are many unfamiliar animals & scents. Some cats will actually be so stressed that they will refuse to eat at the kennel which can become a very serious situation. If they are left at home, the familiarity of everything keeps them relaxed and comfortable.

Some of my blogging friends have asked if I take the cats in to my home but I do not do that because I already have cats & a dog and it would not be as easy for the cat to adjust. The whole idea of my service is to keep the cat at home and less-stressed. Most cats will have 1 or 2 daily visits which include play-time. meals prepared, litter box cleaned, brushing and grooming & lots of bonding time. I recommend that the owner leave a radio on, a light where the cat spends most of it's time and a familiar piece of clothing from the owner for the cat to cuddle up on.

If someone would like to start an in-home (client's home) cat-sitting service in their area, I would be happy to give you information that will help you get started. I think it would be great to have someone offer this in all cities so that cats can benefit from it and be much happier while their owners travel. If you love cats and would like to try a new business I recommend this highly. I have been providing cat care for 15 years.

If you've been thinking of it then JUST DO IT.   You Will Love It!

hugs, Deb

a gorgeous day in our little town

Well, here it is June already. This month my son marries and  my husband retires. Should be some interesting changes going on around here. Big changes.

I'll be filling my cat-bag with fresh nip and lots of toys for the busy weekend ahead.

Two of my favorite tabbies.....Buddy & Chase

I mentioned the little diabetic cat in my last post that is shy. She really is very shy so when I met her yesterday she hid behind the couch. Oh dear!
This, of course is a BIG concern. How do you give insulin 2x a day to a cat that hides? So after dinner tonight I headed back over to their home to be there when the owner fed and medicated her. I just wanted her to get used to me before they left for their trip  First she was shy again and then she let me pet her. I got her to come to me with some treats and I sat on the floor so I was level to her and spoke very quietly. She liked that. She let me massage her back and she happily took the treats from me. The plan was for her to be in a particular place when having her insulin injected but now I think we will just let her come to me and get comfy on the floor and then I can administer the insulin. That's the plan. I'll keep you posted on how I do.

The wind has really picked up here. Tree branches are down everywhere. I worry about the little birds in these trees. I actually think we have a nest of birds in our tree in the yard. How stupid is this bird when I have 3 cats lying on the deck half the day. She doesn't know that they are old and slow and too lazy to even care.

I love seeing the geese on our walks now.

This cat makes me laugh. This is the look she gives Kane every time we walk by.

I wanted to show you one of my favorite pictures of my buddy, Kane. I love this one with all 4 off the ground.

Hope you had a great day.
Hugs, Deb

Keep kitty hydrated this summer

"Good Morning" from 'ol blue eyes

I have appointments today and keys to pick up for the weekend work. I call it work but really I just have a lot of fun with other people's cats. Not a bad job.

It is so stinkin' hot here this week but at least today there is a breeze. When I can't walk Kane in the day I say it's too hot.

I have to walk him early and then again before bed in the summer. Collie's hate the heat. I haven't seen the feral cats for awhile. Only one was there last night when I brought the food. He looked hungry and let me get a little closer than normal. I put down some water for him, too.  I can imagine they are very thirsty. I only go every second night now. They need to know how to hunt and the food I leave will keep them strong and they'll hunt better. Did you know that a well-fed barn cat catches more mice than one that is not fed? It is because they take their time while hunting and make less mistakes because they are not starving. So, feed your barn cats, please.

I had a really nice visit with Bonnie this morning who I have known for years. Gosh, she's such a great lady. She has a funny husband, 5 rescued kitties, runs the food bank, gardens like a mad-woman and makes me laugh. I can't wait to show you her gardens in a later post . This is Wilson. He spent the whole time I visited up on his too-small-for-his-butt cat bed while flirting with me.  Isn't he handsome. Jenny is in the background. She's a real sweet little pastel calico.

Cat-tip-for-the-day=^..^=keeping kitty hydrated.
When the heat is on as it has been lately, a nice thing to do for kitty is to add ice cubes to the water bowl It not only keeps the water cool throughout the day and will have kitty drinking more, but it can be endless fun for your cat to bob at the cubes. Sure, you'll get water on the floor but it makes for some fun photos. The fun of water fountains will provide another great incentive to drink more. Moist food given 2x a day is a great way to get more water into your cat. You can also add more water to the moist food to make a bit of a gravy. It is really important to keep your cat hydrated throughout the summer.

Have a great one!
hugs, Deb

Cat Ruins Video