Cat Shop

I haven’t had much time to post lately, since my free time’s pretty much spent with Alexa – telling her how brave she is and how much I love her (at least the second one’s actually true!). I took her to the vet to have her leg checked today and they said everything looked fine, but she has to leave the splint and bandaging on for about 5 more weeks.

She was a total she devil on the way to the vet. I had her in a cardboard carrier (I have no idea where our good one disappeared to. I suspect Svenn burned it.), and she began shredding it with her teeth on the way! By the time I carried her into the vet’s office, part of her little angry face was all the way through one of the holes.

Everyone in the office got a huge kick out of it. Of course, they didn’t have to ride back home with her!

She’s been sleeping since we got home – only getting up to eat and drink once. I guess she wore herself out. I think I should probably put a pot of coffee on, it looks like we’ll be up all night – arranging/rearranging her toys, dishing out salmon treats, giving her pink brush a workout, etc. Then she’ll curl up on her pink baby blanket and sleep like an angel.

Problem is, it wasn’t a halo on her head this morning!

I thought you’d get a kick out of the picture above. It came to me in an e-mail today. When I brought the hellcat home, I got into my e-mail and very much needed the smile this picture produced!

Click it for a larger view. Priceless.

Alexa

I’m writing these words on paper as I lie on our remarkably cold and unforgiving marble kitchen floor next to Alexa’s extra large training kennel. No, she hasn’t been a “bad girl,” she’s a hurt girl.

She’s in this cage to heal and protect herself from hurting herself any further and I’ll go to the computer to type this in as soon as my baby goes back to sleep.

Our little girl broke one of her back legs in two places Sunday when she tried to jump up on an ironing board. It gave way, toppled over on top of her and fell on one of her little legs.

Thankfully I found a veterinarian who said she’d meet us at the animal clinic. Why DO these things always happen on Sunday’s?

Alexa had to stay overnight at the animal hospital which, of course, meant that between the time I left her and 4:00 the next day when we were able to pick her up, I cried several rivers of tears. Geez, mothers. Everything was so different without her in the house. She’s always my constant companion and I found myself missing her terribly. When I made coffee, she wasn’t under my feet wanting to play, when I took my bath, she wasn’t on her nearby rug, when my husband checked his e-mail, she wasn’t on the table beside his computer demanding his attention (which she always gets!), when I checked mine, she wasn’t on the desk in front of me.. Basically, she wasn’t anywhere she was supposed to be.

And it was so quiet – I missed (and miss) her little meow. She’s a talker, which is why I love the picture of her above so much. It captures the true Alexa… talking!

She has a splint on her little hurt leg and it’s wrapped in special bright blue medical bandages all the way up her hip – creating a blue peg leg for a cat who isn’t a very happy little girl right now.

One of the workers at this animal clinic told Alexa she was “a gorgeous kitty.” I thought, “Yeah…that’s not going to help. She already knows that.” She’s very vain about her looks. Very.

It’s killing me, overtime, to see her so uncomfortable and miserable. I want to cry every time she meows in pain or frustration. Fortunately, she’s on pain medication so these meows have almost gone away – except when the little hard headed diva tries to move around in her cage in awkward directions.

I want to cry every time I see her so uncomfortable, but like most moms, I do a good job of staying brave when my baby’s watching. It’s when I’m away from her that the tears come.

I slept most of the night on the floor by her cage. I woke up several times and she was looking at me – making sure I was still there. I fell asleep with one of my hands inside her cage and woke up with her little face lying on it.

Comfortable? No Way. 35 minutes of No Way comfortable! – But I wasn’t about to disturb my baby.

Almost 20 minutes ago (around 8:00 am), Prissy and I were trying to do some laundry (my little 20 year old girl has always loved laundry time – even now that she’s lost her sight, she knows what the sounds of the dryer and washer mean and she comes running fast walking slowly). When Alexa woke up and saw that I wasn’t beside her cage, she “called” me to see if I wouldn’t mind dropping everything to lie beside her while she went back to sleep.

Like I said at the first of this post, I’m writing this as I’m lying next to Alexa’s cage…

She’s sleeping now – and hopefully healing godspeed.

If your pet is, at this moment, healthy and unbroken – say a prayer of thanks. And while you have God on the line, I’d really appreciate a prayer for our Alexa’s healing. The fastest, most pain free healing God can send. Filled with plenty of sleep. So far, it’s the only time she’s comfortable.

Thanks and, oh yeah, hug your pets!

Our beautiful Bo in a Straw House I’m sure you’ve heard of the highly popular online resource called Real Age, where you can find out what your “real” age is. The information is priceless – not only is it enlightening, it’s potentially life-saving.

I got an e-mail a few days ago about Cat Age, a website to determine the “real age” of your cat. It’s all pretty subjective, of course, because no expert (no matter how highly skilled or educated they are) can give a 100 percent diagnosis online, without actually seeing your cat in person.

However, the information is, again, priceless and has the potential to save lives. I consider myself pretty knowledgable when it comes to my little feline babies, but there were quite a few things I found out that were new to me. I was able to see what I’m doing right as well as what I could have done differently.

Apparently, spaying your cat is a great reason – for more than just the obvious. It’s actually healthy for your cat and can protect her from certain potential problems. That’s an area that caused Prissy to score a little bit higher than other cats in her category. However, given the fact that she’s 20 years old, I’m still feeling pretty good about her care.

Did you know that spaying your cat minimizes the risk of breast cancer and uterine infections? Alexa has been spayed (because she spent the months year of her life outdoors, until she got a taste of the good life), but Prissy has been a house cat since she was a kitten – so we just never saw the need.

Something else I learned – the teeth-cleaning treats we give our cats are good for treats serve a useful purpose. They help protect against periodental disease, which can ultimately affect various organs of the body and nervous system.

My cat’s ages were also positively affected because they live in a smoke-free environment. We know that smoke (even secondhand) is bad for humans, but sometimes we forget that it’s bad for our cats and dogs as well.

It’s a very fascinating survey and you get your cat’s diagnosis immediately – I highly recommend Cat Age!

Two Tier Cat House - Cradle & Tunnel -Country Blue
Every cat in my family wants one of these. It’s the Two Tier Cat House – Cradle & Tunnel -Country Blue

Not only is it gorgeous (which I approve of for apearance’s sake), but it’d give the adventurous streak in any cat a real workout.

From the website:
Perfect for play or for a nap – this Two Level cat house features a cradle and a tunnel. This cat furniture is great for single or multiple cats. Your cat can snooze in cradle, or frolic through the tunnel. Not only is this a terrific cat lounger, it also is a scratching post. A solid pine pole is wrapped in all-natural sisal rope, which provides an outlet for busy paws. Available in nine colors – Cream, Tan, Brown, Red, Navy Blue, Country Blue, Green, Gray, and Hunter Green. With such a range of colors, you’re sure to find one for even your most finicky of felines. And remember – not only do cats love having their own area, but a good scratching post will deter your cat from scratching your furniture! This item ships directly from the manufacturer. Product usually arrives in 14-21 business days, depending on destination, including order processing and shipping.

My 4 are sold!

***P.S. For those of you following Miss Prissy’s health – she’s still kicking! As you know, she lost her sight earlier this year, but she gets around remarkably well (for an antique baby). I keep her safe and secure in a private area all her own when we’re sleeping or away from home. Alexa (who is much, much, much younger than Prissy’s 20 years) still doesn’t “get” that Prissy doesn’t play. In fact, Alexa wouldn’t think twice about stalking her and rolling her.

Can’t let that happen, given the weight difference, Alexa would crush poor little Prissy.

As a matter of fact, Prissy’s pacing right now which pretty much means she’s ready for supper. Stat!

Kittens




Kittens Poster

Buy at AllPosters.com

All-in-One Kitty Care Center - for Litterbox, Feeding & Play

In a word – WOW! This is one spectacular piece of work. The All-in-One Kitty Care Center – for Litterbox, Feeding & Play would make any cat happy to be alive. While it’d be ideal for cat lovers who have limited space, I think it’d perfect for those who have limitless space as well.

From the website:

The All-in-One Kitty Care Center offers everything your cat could ever need in one stylish piece of cat furniture! This unit features a litter cabinet on the lowest level, play area at the center, feeding station and two large 18 x 18 sleeping trays at the top! There are plenty of scratching areas too-four altogether with options for adding more! Many customers are seeking an elevated feeding station to keep their cat’s food safe from dogs and other pets. Apartment dwellers will love this all in one unit as a real space saver. Paw prints and a hanging catnip toy accentuate this piece. Measures 74″ tall x 25″ wide x 25″ deep.

THe Litter Box Area: The Litter Cabinet features a full extension slide out drawer that can hold 100 lbs of cat litter. The litter pan area is 20 3/4 ” x 14 1/2 ” with 17 1/2 ” headroom that can fit even the largest cats. All exposed wood is completely sealed with polyurethane to make clean up quick, easy and sanitary.

Click through the link below to learn about the other options, the cost, and how you can personalize the center for your own special baby.


All-in-One Kitty Care Center – for Litterbox, Feeding & Play

Sign: Cat I was thinking (literally, just yesterday) about how Bo and Svenn live life on the edge. We have a long driveway and they love nothing more than to hang out in it. What’s worse, they’ll dash out in front of cars without giving it a second thought. For those of us who live here, we know to watch out for them at all times. In the evening, we have raccoons, possums, and rabbits to watch out for as well as these two little daredevils. When Alexa was an outside cat, she was the same way.

I always get a little scared when someone new comes up our drive – I hold my breath, hoping one of my fast and furry sons doesn’t dash out to say “Hello.”

I came across this aluminum sign a few minutes ago and would love for my husband to buy a few and hang them prominently at the end of our drive. It’s gorgeous and could very well save daredevil cats who think cars are as harmless as catnip.

From the website:

Our Cat crossing sign will look great outdoors or indoors. Made from rust resistant aluminum, this durable and weather resistant Cat sign is both functional and fun. Easy to install with the predrilled hole, each cat sign is ready for easy mounting to your post, wall, deck, fence, etc. Each Cat crossing sign measures approximately 12 x 12 inches.

Read more about the Cat Crossing Sign
clicking the link.

Shirts: Cat - Cool Cat
If you’re a cool cat (and I know you are), why not let the rest of the world know?

Animal Den’s tees are extremely popular and for good reason – they’re well made and totally fun. This one’s one of my favorites. Its’ the Cool Cat tee and costs next to nothing.

From the website:
Nothing beats the look and versatility of our popular Cat shirts. Perfect for those casual days, these comfy Cat shirts are sure to be a big hit with friends and family. Printed on the front, the Cat shirt design measures approximately 12 x 12 inches. For prices & styles, click in the box below called Style. Shirts are premium weight, durable and guaranteed.

OMG, I love this tee!

Cat and Mouse


Cat and Mouse Art Print

Buy at AllPosters.com

Love, love, love it!

Cat DVD for Cats

Just when Alexa and I thought we had seen everything, we’re surfing along the web looking at cat toys and just look what we came across: A Cat DVD for Cats
! I’m not even lying, she raised her eyebrows. I’m pretty sure she’ll be wanting Santa to bring her one this Christmas.

The DVD has this to say for itself:
Over 3 hours of digital video footage to entertain your cats or dogs. Squirrels, goldfish, mice, birds, laser pointers and much more!

What a great idea! When Prissy’s eyes did more than just look beautiful, she’d love to “watch” tv. She’d sit on the couch all evening and watch whatever happened to be on. Her favorite shows were NASCAR races and Disney or NICKELODEON shows. I guess she loved the brightness and the voices of the children.

As for NASCAR, she just liked to cheer on her favorite drivers, Tony Stewart, Michael Waltrip and Ryan Newman. She wasn’t much of a Jeff Gordon fan. She wouldn’t speak for days when he won.

Check out the Cat DVD for Cats by clicking the link. I think it’d make a lot of dogs and cats feel like 14 year olds at a Miley Cyrus concert.

Prissy loves her, too.