Travelin' Cat

Above, Sierra relaxing on my bed. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Along with friend Mitch Geriminsky and myself, my cat Sierra was also on the Wyoming-South Dakota trip with us.

She mainly stayed under my seat while driving, but would come out whenever we were at camp.

Above, Sierra at one of her favorite spots in the motorhome. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

At nearly ten years old (she'll hit that milestone next month), she has done a lot of RV travel with me over the years. The first trip for Sierra was in 2016 to Yosemite National Park.  

Essential RV Documents

Above, Sierra during a trip to Yosemite National Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Since I most often travel in my RV with my cat Sierra, I keep her veterinary records in the motorhome just in case they are needed.

That, and other essential documents, should be kept in the RV just in case something should occur and they are needed.

That is the topic of an article in Do It Yourself RV.

They begin with:

When you’re gearing up for an RV trip, packing lists usually focus on gear, gadgets, and groceries. But what about the paperwork? Whether you’re a weekend traveler or a full-time RVer, having the right RV documents on hand can make your life easier on the road.

From registration and insurance to pet records and medical information, keeping everything organized ensures you’re ready for anything—without the last-minute scramble. Let’s go over the essential RV documents you should always carry and the best ways to store them securely.

To read more, go here. 

The Cats of Hemingway Home

Above, two of the Hemingway Home cats. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

During the cruise to Havana, Cuba, our ship stopped at Key West, Florida for the day.

While there, I went to the Shipwreck Museum, a cigar shop, a outdoor patio bar and Hemingway Home.

At Hemingway Home, I saw several descendants of author Ernest Hemingway's cats. Some of the cats have six toes. They wandered around the property and mingles with visitors. There's also a cat cemetery on the property.

Garden & Gun has posted an article on the cats.

It begins with:

When the Hemingway Home first opened its foliage-framed gates to the public sixty years ago, visitors got to enter the preserved Key West oasis that inspired one of America’s literary heroes. Today, the property looks much as it did when Ernest Hemingway lived there in the 1930s: typewriters are strewn about desks, vibrant mustard-colored art deco tiles line bathrooms, and of course, dozens upon dozens of six-toed cats roam. “We have fifty-nine cats at the moment, and about half of them have extra toes,” says Alexa Morgan, the director of public relations at the Hemingway Home and Museum. 

To read more, go here.

Today Is National Cat Day

Above, Sierra Claire Vaquer. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

At my house, everyday is National Cat Day. 

But officially, today is National Cat Day.

From Wikipedia:

National Cat Day is celebrated in various countries. In some areas it is an awareness day to raise public awareness of cat adoption. 

The National Cat Day website states that the holiday was first celebrated in 2005 "to help galvanize the public to recognize the number of cats that need to be rescued each year and also to encourage cat lovers to celebrate the cat(s) in their life for the unconditional love and companionship they bestow upon us."

I adopted my cat Sierra from the Hawthorne, California animal shelter in 2015. 

Sierra For Trump

While watching last night's Trump rally in Las Vegas, Nevada last night and awaiting his arrival, I decided to have some fun with my cat Sierra.

I got out a 2020 Trump campaign button and put it on her and took some photos. They are in reference to alleged pet-eating migrants in Springfield, Ohio that have raised havoc in the town.

Here's one of the photos I took:

By the way, it's Caturday today!

Eric Swalwell's Meltdown Over Photo

This is funny.

Rep. Eric Swalwell had a bit of a meltdown during a congressional hearing over a AI photo of former President Donald Trump with a duck and a cat.

According to the Western Journal:

Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell of California appeared to lose it at a Congressional hearing Tuesday over a comical image of former President Donald Trump protecting a cat and a duck.

The GOP House Judiciary Committee shared the computer-generated image on social media platform X with the caption, “Protect our ducks and kittens in Ohio.”

The picture is in reference to an unsubstantiated account from a Springfield, Ohio, resident given at a recent city commission meeting that Haitian migrants are killing and eating ducks from public parks.

Here's the photo:

 

Swalwell is known for his affair with Chinese spy Fang Fang.

To read more, go here.

By the way, here's a story of Haitians with captured geese in Ohio.

Snow: Here We Go Again

Above, a very light dusting, so far. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

My cat Sierra woke up a few minutes ago and she wanted me to go with her into the kitchen so she can eat. I also poured myself some coffee.

While there, I looked out the window and saw that we are getting some snow showers.  

I don't know how long they will last, but, hopefully, they will end before our Tuesday morning gathering at the Flying J.

According to the National Weather Service, the forecast for Jamestown today is as follows:

Today

Snow showers likely before 4pm, then a chance of rain and snow showers between 4pm and 5pm, then a chance of snow showers after 5pm. Some thunder is also possible. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 42. West wind 10 to 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. Total daytime snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.

Tonight

A slight chance of snow showers, mixing with rain after 7pm, then gradually ending. Some thunder is also possible. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 22. West wind 10 to 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

Preventing Cat Scratches On RV Furniture

Above, Sierra at Goulding's Lodge Campground in 2016. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

My cat Sierra is a well-traveled pet. She has been traveling with me in the motorhome since she was only a few months old.

Early on, I had to train her from scratching her claws on the RV cushions and other things. I got her a special scratcher that she uses and have placed small covers over the cushions. Now that she's eight, she travels with no scratching issues for me to be concerned about.

Traveling with cats and their claws is the topic of an article in Do It Yourself RV.

They begin with:

We all love our pets, but they can sometimes be a handful, especially when it comes to cats and their natural urge to scratch. While it might not seem serious at first, cats scratching furniture and carpets can cause significant damage over time, and this is particularly concerning in RVs.

To tackle this issue head-on, I’ve put together some effective tips and strategies. These will not only cater to your cat’s natural behaviors but also protect your RV’s chairs, sofas, and carpets, ensuring they stay in good condition.

To read more, go here. 

It Can Snow All It Wants... Now

Above, Sierra's "Caturday" photo for today. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The oncoming storm (tomorrow morning) can snow all it wants as I have plenty of food for myself and Sierra, along with the outdoor stray cats.

Friends were shopping at Walmart in Gallup today and brought me a bag of Iams cat food. I had to resort to Iams dog food for the outdoor cats, which was all the Flying J had. Surprisingly, they wolfed up the food. Beggars can't be choosers. I gave the remainder of the dog food to Larry Lucier for his dog.

So, we're all set here! 

7 Tips For Camping With A Cat

Above, Sierra in the motorhome at Yosemite National Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The first camping trip in the motorhome for my cat Sierra was when she was about 8 months old. We went to Yosemite National Park. She took to it fine.

The only thing she did was howl for about 30 minutes after putting her inside. After that, nothing. She has the freedom to wander around. Usually, she just naps in my bed while we're driving.

She came along during my three-week trip to Metropolis, Illinois in November 2016. She was over year old by then and had been on several trips previously.

RV Travel has posted an article (with video) with seven tips for camping with a cat. 

They begin it with:

In the video below, we join Ashley, aka The Tennessee Wanderer, for some handy tips about camping with a cat. Ashley and her cat, Rupert, (and a dog too) travel in a tiny restored fiberglass U-Haul trailer. If she can make camping with a cat work in that tiny space, I think anyone can. In the video, she shares some things that worked for her and some that didn’t.

 To read more and view the video, go here.

Last Night's Mini-Hunt

Last night, as I was getting ready for bed, I heard what was either a cat fight or an attack on a cat by a coyote. I tend to think the latter as I only heard one cat. It sounded pretty close.

I decided to go out and check. The sound seemed to come from Barking Spider Acre, so I headed there with my Ruger P95 9mm pistol and a flashlight.

I went there but didn't see anything out of the ordinary. It was pitch dark outside with a fine display of stars in the sky. Fortunately, it was about 41° outside, so I didn't get too cold.

The episode reminded me of the "great coyote hunt" of five years ago with my neighbors James and Scott. We went out several times behind my property and set up on the utility road. The only coyote sighting was on the first try and James managed to get off a shot but missed.

It was a fun activity anyway.

 

Above, James and yours truly five years ago during our "great coyote hunt."

Eight Years With Sierra

Yesterday marked eight years since I adopted Sierra from the Hawthorne (California) SPCA shelter.

It was my daughter who spotted a Facebook photo of her (she was named Claire) by the shelter and passed it one to me. After some deliberation, I went down there and adopted her. I didn't like "Claire" for her name, so I named her Sierra Claire.

My cat Siren passed away in September and I debated whether or not to get another cat at my age. But I like having a cat running around the house. I am glad that I did. 

It has been eight great years.

Above, the first meeting and adoption at the Hawthorne shelter.

Where Is D.K.?

Above, D.K. sunning herself. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It has been about five or six days since I last saw D.K. (Dee Kay or Deck Kitty), the daughter of P.K.(Porch Kitty).

Usually, she comes around to eat at my front porch several times a day, but I haven't seen her and the food has been almost untouched, except for when a yellow tiger car (I call Big Guy) and a black cat shows up. I think the black cat was from a litter of D.K.'s of last year.

D.K. is four years old, feral and was from the first litter that P.K. had when I moved here. P.K. disappeared about three years ago. 

I hope she's all right.  

The Great Blizzard of 2023

A few minutes ago, I took a look outside of the front door.

This is what I saw. The kitties will have soggy food when it thaws out.

It's about 2-3" now. More snow is on the way!

A Break From Snows Next Week

Above, snow still on the ground three days ago. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Yesterday, I had to go into Gallup after our Jamestown group's coffee/breakfast gathering at Denny's at the Flying J. I had to pick up my prescriptions and do some grocery shopping.

After picking up my meds, I stopped at Tractor Supply to get a 16 lb. bag of cat food. D.K. and her kittens have been eating like horses and fast depleting the bag of cat food I already had. For some reason, Tractor Supply had a lot of shoppers and long lines at the cashier. All shopping carts there were in use. There were also a lot of people at the Safeway market a couple of blocks away. It was a good thing I got the cat food at Tractor Supply, Safeway was out of 16 lbs. bags of cat food. 

Maybe people were holed up at home during the recent snows and depleted their supplies and it was a nice enough day (it was in the 40s) to go out and shop. 

From what the National Weather Service posted (below), it looks like we are getting a week-long break from snowstorms. It will be sunny and in the 40s for the most part this coming week. 

Today

Sunny, with a high near 42. Southwest wind 10 to 20 mph.

Tonight

Mostly clear, with a low around 19. Southwest wind around 15 mph.

Monday

Mostly sunny, with a high near 38. Southwest wind 10 to 15 mph.

Monday Night

Partly cloudy, with a low around 19. South wind 5 to 10 mph.

Tuesday

Mostly sunny, with a high near 40. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph becoming west in the afternoon.

Tuesday Night

Partly cloudy, with a low around 17.

Wednesday

Mostly sunny, with a high near 39.

Wednesday Night

Partly cloudy, with a low around 16.

Thursday

Mostly sunny, with a high near 40.

Thursday Night

Mostly clear, with a low around 16.

Friday

Mostly sunny, with a high near 46.

Friday Night

Partly cloudy, with a low around 22.

Saturday

Mostly sunny, with a high near 45.

70° Today

Since today is Caturday, here's a photo of Sierra in the RV this morning.

Today in Lake Havasu City was be a pleasant one, temperature-wise. It'll sure beat the cold back home in Jamestown, New Mexico.

From the National Weather Service:

Today

Sunny, with a high near 70. North northwest wind 7 to 17 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph.

Tonight

Mostly clear, with a low around 51. North wind 8 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.

Christmas Day

Sunny, with a high near 71. North wind 7 to 9 mph.

Kitten Pix

If there's any of you regular readers of this blog who wonder how well D.K.'s latest batch of kittens are doing, here's a couple of photos of the family having lunch today.

 

Sunny Week Ahead

Above, D.K.'s latest batch of kittens showed up on the porch yesterday. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It looks like it will be a sunny week in the Gallup/Jamestown area of New Mexico during Thanksgiving week.

No precipitation is in the National Weather Service forecast for the upcoming week. The temperatures during the day will be in the 40s with the possibility of some 50 degree temperatures in the weekend. The nights will see temperatures in the teens and 20s.

The forecast:

Today

Sunny, with a high near 43. Southeast wind 5 to 10 mph becoming north in the afternoon.

Tonight

Mostly clear, with a low around 13. East wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.

Monday

Sunny, with a high near 48. Calm wind becoming north around 5 mph in the afternoon.

Monday Night

Increasing clouds, with a low around 13. East wind around 5 mph becoming south after midnight.

Tuesday

Partly sunny, with a high near 49. Calm wind becoming north around 5 mph in the afternoon.

Tuesday Night

Mostly cloudy, with a low around 16.

Wednesday

Sunny, with a high near 49.

Wednesday Night

Mostly clear, with a low around 20.

Thanksgiving Day

Sunny, with a high near 47.

Thursday Night

Mostly clear, with a low around 20.

Friday

Sunny, with a high near 51.

Friday Night

Mostly clear, with a low around 23.

Saturday

Sunny, with a high near 55.

Early Caturday Pictures

Since I'll be in L.A. this weekend and I don't know if I'll be able to post some cat photos for Caturday (or even remember), here's some photos of Sierra in the den taken yesterday.

 

Best Cat Travel Aid

Above, Sierra in the motorhome at Yosemite National Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

My cat Sierra is a seasoned RV traveler. She has traveled with me in the motorhome since she was a few months old. She's been to more states than many people have. 

Still, the first half hour is the only time she wails. Then she settles in and sleeps most of the time. 

Some cats need travel aids and Fox31 Denver has an article on making kitty's trip experience a less stressful one. 

They begin with:

Which cat travel aid is best?

Next to traveling with kids, there are few things more exhausting than going on a trip with your cat. There are a few tools that can make the journey (somewhat) tolerable for your cat and slightly less stressful for you. Consider yourself lucky if your cat doesn’t wail for the first hour and then spends the next two hours trying to break free. Its comfort and safety are vital, and the Sherpa Original Deluxe Cat Carrier Bag is an excellent choice for that.

To read the full article, go here.