I Got Inna Small Space Too!

IZA: I got so jealous about Ayla fittin unner the cabinets.

So I tried it too. My head can fit in, but my tummy dint. So I hadda push an Push ann PUSH an squirm real hard!!!

But I finally got myself in there. YAY!

Why? Cause I batted my new sweet gum ball toy in there an hadda get it back out. It wassnt easy getting back out either! I hadda really squish myself ta do it. Ayla just slides right in an out...



But I did it!!!

An Im gonna go pounce Ayla fer bein so slim an all slinky...

The New Scratching Pad

THE BIG THING: I don't want to disassemble it, so I hope these photos help in the explanations below.







The Cardboard Scratchin Pad...

1. Build a small frame of 1" x 2" wood. Mine is 12" long sides and 8" long ends. The corners are just butt glued and a single screw in each corner. The size isn't critical, but make the frame first.

2. Use the frame to cut a piece of corrugated cardboard the same outside size (use the wood frame as a template).

3. Use the frame to cut a piece of plywood the same outside size.

4. Cut 2" corrugated cardboard strips the lenth of the long inside dimension of the wood frame. Mine takes 22 strips to fit tightly, but it will vary depending of the cardboard. This will keep the top of the cardboard strips a little higher than the wood frame.

5. Pack the cardboard strips into the wood frame as tight as you can. Then, with a hand on the cardboard strips, lift the wood frame up a little (like a 1/4").

6. Turn it over and cover the bottoms of the cardboard strips with yellow glue (like Elmers). Spread it smooth (a extra piece of cardboard is good for that). Note that the wood frame is NOT covered with glue.

7. Turn the whole thing right side up and set it on the cardboard base. Leave it overnight. The cardboard strips are now ONLY glued to the cardboard base.

8. The next day, push the wood frame down to the cardboard base. Turn the whole thing bottom side up and screw the plywood bottom to the wood frame.

9. Here's the cool part. You now have a refillable corrugated cardboard holder. The cardboard strips are only glued to the cardboard bottom and the plywood holds the carboard bottom to the wood frame.

7. To refill it when the cats claw the cardboard strips to pieces (which I am guessing will take at least 6 months), all you have to do is unscrew the plywood base, slide the wood frame off and go back to step 4!

8. Since mine is on a wood floor, I glued rubber mesh shelf liner to the cardboard bottom. That makes it not slide around. Double sided carpet tape would work well too. Don't cover the screws though, or you won't be able to remove the plywood easily.

I'll be glad to add any details I left out if there are questions...

Somethin Unner The Cabinets!

LC and IZA:

LC: There is somethin unner the cabinets making noise. I went an checked, but decided not find out what it was. It might be a snake...



IZA: I decided ta find out what it was. I peered in.



I stuck my paws in.



I even hit somethin what hit back when I tried ta crawl in!



Wow, it was Ayla!



That little space is only 3" high! I could barely get my head anna paw in there, for sure not my body. All my whiskers were sayin "NONONONONO".

SPAM?

AYLA: I learns the difference between SPAM and "spam"...



Wait, thats the same werd TBT uses fer unwanted posts and email...

Thanks Ann...

Dry Crunchies Taste-Off

Reported by The Big Thing: Well, here is our 1st report about the great Meow Mix, Authority, and Addiction dry crunchies Taste-Test.

The 1st day, They ate mostly Addiction, the Authority, then Meow Mix. Which is what I would guess based on the meat in the foods.



The 2nd day. The Addiction bowl is almost empty, the Meow Mix bowls half empty, the Authority bowl almost untouched. It seems that variety and familiarity counts for something. They seem to prefer the Addiction crunchies, but also eat some of the Meow Mix and Authority.



The 3rd day. Meow Mix won today. Followed by Authority and Addiction.

The 4th day. Addiction was most popular today. Meow Mix was a definite 2nd and Aurthority in 3rd place.



The 5th day. Addiction came in 1st again. But Authority was the clear 2nd choice with hardly any Meow Mix chosen. There is no real pattern showing up.



The 6th day. Authority was the choice today. Addiction came in 2nd (barely). Meow Mix was not eaten much at all.




I'm not sure what to make of the variation of choice. Addiction was the choice 4 of the 6 days, so it was definitely preferred. But there was one day each where the cats preferred Meow Mix or Authority. The positioning on the bowls does not seem to have any effect. I have frequently seen the cats sniffing at each bowl before eating and none of them seem to have any strong preference. I mean, they choose, but not the same one consistently.

Next week, I will offer only one kind each day and weigh it to see how much is eaten.

After that, I will try each one for a full week and see if it affects their poops. Iza especially has a problem with pudding poops (sorry, but that is a problem she has) and I am looking for a pattern of foods that will help on that.

After the dry crunchies test, I will be experimenting with the canned foods. I have some preliminary data that suggests her problem is simply quantity, but it may be the types of canned foods too. Iza may handle fishy foods well, but not poultry (or vice versa) and I need to figure that out as well.

And beyond their preferences of dry crunchies, health matters as well. It seems to me that Addiction is healthier for them. If they WILL eat it, it seems better for them than Meow Mix and even Authority (the best food I can find in pet stores according to lack of some wheat glutens and stuff at a reasonable price).

WIDEBODY!

IZA: Im embarrased ta admit it, but what can I say. Im a fat Kitty. I eat annything whenever I get a chance. An the vet guy cant find a reason...




How fat am I?

Ayla casually jumps ta the top of a chair an I hafta plan to jump ta the seat of one.

I cant climb more than 4 feet up a tree.

When I jump down from a chair, The Big Thing can tell from another room. When Ayla jumps down from one next ta him, he cant tell!

I weighed 9.5 pounds yesserday; Ayla is a year older an weighs only 5.25 pounds.

And Im on a DIET!!!

Lovin The Scratchin Pad!

AYLA and IZA: We are jus going nuts ofer the cardboard scratchin pad The Big Thing made. We go on it like twelveteen times a day.

Jus showin some pictures...

Silly Kitties

LC: I saw the funniest Ayla/Iza wrasslin today! Sorry, it was WAY too fast ta take a picture...

But they was chasin each offer aroun in the Guest Room, an came chargin inta the bedroom. Well, Iza came first and spun around unner a shirt hangin from a chair. At the same time, Ayla went up onna bed ta pounce Iza from above, where she THOUGHT Iza was gonna be further inna room. They both completely lost track of each offer!!! MOL!

I watched them both. Iza was still facin the door peerin unner the shirt ta ambush Ayla, an Ayla was way behind her, but dint know where Iza was. Ayla was peerin down unner the bed an paw-tappin ta see if she could find Iza.

I was laffin so hard my head nearly esploded... If they been mousies, Ida caught them both.

Earth Day 2009

Tomorrow is Earth Day.



We are gonna try ta be out on the Earth as much of April 22nd as we can. Ta breathe the air, ta examine the growin things, ta drink natural water, even ta give our poops an pees back ta the ground!

The Big Thing is gonna cut down on energy use. Watching the birds and squirrels instead of watching TV, usin hand tools instead of power tools, scoopin rainwater from the creek ta water veggie seedlings, etc. He was gonna not take a morning shower, but we talked him outta THAT! He does a lotta things that are Earth-friendly already, so he doesn't hafta smell bad all day ta prove it, ya know?

Actally, we are gonna make this a kinna poll. Should the Big Thing skip the THURSDAY morning shower (its sorta too late for Earth Day morning)? You tell us and he has agreed ta abide by the vote...

Nappin

AYLA and IZA: Yeah we do nap near. Here's proof.




Not real offen though! One of us hasta be really deep asleep an not notice the other come up... Otherwise it becomes an ear-lick, then ear bite, then wrasslin time.

Wrasslin Fun...

AYLA AND IZA: Oh wow, we had sucha great wrasslin time!






We nefer acktally hurt each ofer of course...

Addiction Foods

We received our bag of Addiction Vishus Deer flavored dry crunchies yesserday, an The Big Thing opened it. He gave a small handful ta each of us ta see if we were innerested in it. We were.



Some background. We been eatin canned food fer breakfast (Fancy Foods) an dinner (Friskies), with the never-endin crunchies container fer snacks. Mostly Meow Mix cause we like the varied flavors of it. Then last month, TBT bought Authority crunchies cause it had more meat stuff. We like that better, so he been mixin the 2 ta get us used ta it (dont want no tummy troubles).

Meow Mix



Authority





So now we got Addiction Foods ta try. Well, The Big Thing has set up a esperiment. First, he is gonna mix equal parts of Meow Mix, Authority, an Addiction Foods together so we get used to all. Then he is gonna take away the never-endin crunchy container and put out bowls of each of the 3 crunchies. We're not sure we like that container goin away, but we dont get ta vote about that. Each bowl will haf one type, about a 1/4 cup of each. He will watch ta see which bowl gets emptied quickest, 2nd, an last. He will move the bowls around (one of us [unnamed but her initials are "LC" MOL] has a preference fer the left side of the row of bowls). He will record the results.

Cool... This should be innerestin. Meow Mix is cheap, Authority was the best "most meat, least cereal" crunchy TBT could find locally, and Addiction says it is mostly meats. So we're gonna see if we can tell.

There are some good ways ta tell. LC doesnt eat much dry these days, she cant taste as well as she useta. But she likes Hills Science Diet as a treat though an she ate the Addiction Food like a treat. Ayla doesn't eat much crunchies cause she likes stinkey goodness more than crunchies. But she ate some Addiction too. Iza eats annything, but she does have some slight dry stuff preferences (tends toward the cheap stuff).

So a chart will be made to see which bowls empty quickest each day and each night, which of us seem to be at the bowls (and which crunchies), and if it affects our poops. Sorry if that last item is a bit indelicate, but it does matter to TBT cause he says it reflects our health. Beins are weerd.

We will give it 2 weeks, will try to report after the 1st week and then after the 2nd week!

It will be innerestin ta see how this comes out!

Which do you all think we will like the best?

2009 Yoga Contest

AYLA: Abby Normal and Stygia held a Yoga Contest an the results were announced taday. I was surprised and thrilled ta see I was a co-winner (along wif Freya an Siena)! I am very honored. Thank you SO much, Abby and Stygia...



LC just stuck a paw in her mouth an made gagging noises when I tole her about it. She is just SO JEALOUS of my flexibility. An she always tries ta distract me when Im practicin, but it doesnt werk.

I was amazed at all the other great kitty yoga poses. That was some talented competition! We here are also very happy that Abby and Stygia allowed a yoga picture of Skeeter ta be included, efen though he has gone over The Bridge. LC promises ta tell him about it someday when she gets a chance.

I went outside later an almost bopped a squirrel! More about that another time. Whatta great day...

Jokes

From All of Us:

1. Three small dogs walked into a bar. The cat was smart enough ta duck...

2. A dog walked into an office an told the doctor he needed glasses. The doctor said, "You sure do, I'm a dentist"!

3. Two dogs were eating a roadkill clown. One said to the other "Does this taste funny to you"?


HA-HA-HA

We just crack ourselfs up sometimes...

Wordless Wednesday

Good Nappin Place

IZA: I gotta good place ta nap. Im pretty safe from pounces...




UPDATE: We passed 40,000 visitors today. So cool! Thank you, one and all. When we started bloggin, we sure nefer dreamed so many kitties would visit... It is wunnerful an we are amazed!

An Awardie

IZA: Last few days ago I got an awesome award from my friend Cory. Thank you so much Cory!

The rules for accepting this award are simple:

1. You hafta give 5 reasons why you think life is grand.

2. You hafta pass the award on to 5 more blogs.

OK...

First I am thrilled ta get an awardie! My own first.

Second, I wanna pass it along ta new kitties I havent met yet. That just seems neat an speshul!



MY LIFE IS GRAND! FIVE REASONS WHY!

1. I have a forever home.

2. I get all the food I can eat and they are GOOD foods.

3. I spend The Big Thing’s lunch time on his noospaper while he is tryin ta read it. Great fun. An he efen scritches me while I am onit!

4. I sleep next ta TBT all night, AND I get scritchies when I wake him up! He is very kind about that.

5. I love ta follow TBT all around the yard. He plays wif me an tosses me stuff ta chase. Mostly inna house, but sometimes he pulles a toy outta his pocket OUTSIDE. So cool!

6. I love ta sit on TBT feets so he cant move. He doesnt love that so much, but I do!

Is that “five” yet? Countin toesies ta check... Yeah, thats five.

So here are the kitties I am sendin it ta:



Amelia

Jack

Raja

Baby Patches

Gatuli

A Gone Neighbor Kitty

THE BIG THING: I noticed a neighbor digging up the soil around his driveway and figured he was planting something, so I went over to ask about it. It turned out he was widening the end of his driveway with concrete.

But since I was there I asked about his cat Petey. Petey is a very friendly cat. He always comes over for scritches when I am working in the front yard. I hadn't seen him for a couple of months. Well it was Winter, and I wasn't working in the front yard much.

He said Petey developed a lung fluid problem and had to be "let go" 2 weeks before Christmas, December 10th. Wow, December 10th was the same day I had to help Skeeter over The Bridge! That was a hard day for cats all over. And 2 in adjacent houses...

Petey had a hard start in life. He was hit by a car as a kitten and came home with his head all messed up. It was terrible but I'll spare you the details. I'll just say it took some good vet work to make him look "right" again. In spite of that, he preferred to stay outdoors most of the time. But I noticed he always looked both ways very carefully before crossing the street.

The guy wasn't the cat person, the woman was. I will have to let her know about this sad coincidence the next time I see her... She buried Petey the same way I buried Skeeter. In his favorite spot, with a small marker.

I miss Skeeter, of course. But I miss Petey, too. I'm glad I gave Petey lots of good attention the last time I saw him in late November while cleaning up the yard for the Winter...

Memories are everywhere...

Groomin...

AYLA: Sometimes, ya just gotta spend some time getting the furs back in place, ya know?




And there is nothin like a pile of warm socks ta do yer groomin in...

Four Months Gone...

LC and AYLA: It has been 4 months since Skeeter went over The Bridge... We unnerstand that it had ta happen and all, but we still miss him bunches.

It just seems quiet without him. He wasnt efer a noisey cat, and he dint lord it over us or annything, its just that he was kinna the Central figure of the house. More than The Big Thing, if ya unnerstand... The Big Thing runs the place an all, but Skeeter was the Cat-In-Charge.

He taught us both howta hunt mousies and birdies, for example. An he would stop a fight with a catcall or even a sharp look. He allus made sure ta taste the evening meal first so we knew it was OK ta eat. An when we were done eatin, he would go back and lick the bowls clean so The Big Thing wouldnt put out less next time.

This is a picture of "Skeeter's Spot" 4 months ago. Its the spot where Skeeter spended his last time outside the day before goin over The Bridge. The Big Thing used a Fancy Stone to mark the spot until he made something more special. The plants on either side are big ones wif pretty flowers. The Big Thing says they will live many years.

We were glad to see the nice permanent marker today. It has his name onit in brass letters and is made of wood that doesnt rot. The kitty statoo is made of aluminum. It looks real nice...




LC: There are actually 3 of those nice big flowers in a row, so the other spot between them is reserved fer me when I go over The Bridge. Dont worry, I dont plan ta use it fer a while, but it is good ta know it is there.