Cat sand

Ok, time to blog again. It's been a while, but hey, never too late to make a comeback!

I am old fashioned. Yes, it is time to admit it. I like being able to pay with cash, I like talking to people in real life, I like to communicate seeing the other person, I like to know that the person behind the counter, the desk or similar is a person who looks me in the eye.

Unfortunately, that is the way we are moving away from. Nowadays, everything is digital. When I walk to my nearby store to buy food I see people walking on the street looking at the telephone, if they are not driving one of those e-bike monsters or whatever they are called. Nobody looks around, and nobody realizes that we live at the most trafficked road with 56,000 vehicles per day. Haha, miss it and you'll be as flat as a pancake.

Despite what I said, once a year I buy cat sand online. I am against buying things online but sorry, I cannot carry 14 kg bags of sand and I don't have a car. Yesterday I was rudely awaken at 9.30 (yeah ok, don't judge me, I was in bed at 4), and I started my day with carrying 140 kg of cat sand into my basement. I don't understand why they are putting two bags of sand into one carton, 28 kg. The bags are already in plastic with a handle. But at least this time they delivered all five cartons at the same time. Last time it was delivered over three days, one carton here, one carton there. Logistics, people, logistics!

So yes, I'm sorry I pollute the environment by buying cat sand once a year, but considering all the weekly packages I bring into our house for the neighbours every week I figure I'm pretty good after all saving the environment for all of you who have been inconsiderate enough to bring more children into the world.

Now, I have read about all the hate that people get online, and in my previous 10 years of blogging I only got one hate-comment. Gimme more if you're so inclined, and I'll answer.

Cat story IV

So there I was, with half my arm in plaster, some considerable pain and totally confused over the day’s events. Since then I’ve been back twice for check-ups and after the first day I refused the plaster and was only having a bandage. I also decided day two to have a tetanus shot (which I refused the first day). Somehow I thought I had a lifelong protection, but after using google I realized it was wise to have another go.

I had to take antibiotics for a week and my thumb is not 100%, still a bit swollen and not totally mobile, but it’s getting better every day. And my cats are fine J.

The culprit!

Cat story III

After my tall cat was safely back (and acted like nothing happened) I realized that my thumb was twice the size it normally is and I had a red stripe moving from my wrist up my arm. My friend who lent me the cage and apparently is much wiser than I when it comes to cat wounds, told me to go straight to the hospital. And this time I decided to listen to her. Normally I don’t go running to the doctor unless absolutely necessary.

At the ER they took it much more seriously than I did. I was rushed in there, they applied iodine, gave me an antibiotics drip, a shot to numb the thumb (rhymes!), took a biopsy, gave me a plaster and I don’t know what. I guess I was in a bit of a shock and complained over the fuss they were making.

Then a really authoritative doctor came into the room and said “it’s voluntary to be here, you can leave at any time, but you should know you could lose your hand”. Oops. I then decided it was a good time to shut up. It is seldom that happens!

Cat story II

So two days later I was preparing the cage again. My friend who was to transport her to the vet arrived a little early, and I hadn’t put the cat in there yet. She’s very shy and hides every time somebody comes into the flat, even though that particular friend comes every week. So I grabbed her from under the duvet where she was hiding and I am not sure if it was because she saw my friend or the cage, but she totally panicked. She was fighting for her life.

I would estimate it to have lasted about 20 seconds, and I managed to get her into the cage but afterwards I found six claws and a bit of a tooth on the floor. And I had about 20 bite marks and scratches on my hand, both arms and one leg. Poor darling. I was shaking so much I decided to stay home.

By the time she got back about six hours later it turned out that she didn’t need the operation at all, the bad tooth had come out in the struggle with me in the morning! So why she had to stay at the vets for six hours I still don’t know.

Cat story I

Some weeks ago I decided to take my two cats to the vet for a check-up. They have been healthy for the six years that have passed since they were castrated. It was due to the fact that I had watched too many tv-programs about vets, and they always look into the mouths of the animals they are treating. I never did, which made me feel like a bad person.

So then I did and I could see that the little one had a bad tooth in the corner of the mouth, but since the kitties have never been apart I decided to take the big one too. She’s not actually big, she’s just taller. And it’s funny, the little one weighs 4.45 kg’s and the “big” one 4.5 kg’s. 50 grams apart.

I borrowed a cage from a friend (last time they were small enough to fit into one) and surprised them both. That went fine apart from the miaowing during transportation that nearly broke my heart.

So off we went to see the same vet as six years ago. That went ok, they are used to handle all sorts of smaller pets, so even though my cats are extremely shy (especially the big one) they managed it.

The little one had such a bad tooth (oh deary me, what a bad cat-owner I am!) that it came out almost immediately when the vet fiddled about in her mouth. However, the taller cat got an appointment two days later. One of her teeth had grown abnormally long and had an infection going so she was scheduled to have it out. That’s when the problems began.

Kitties have grown

Yesterday my cats were five years old! And with the years they have become more and more like me. This is exactly how I stretch in the morning.

Helpful?

My cats are really helpful. Yesterday when I was preparing for my night guests I made up the bed, and made it look pretty I thought, while shooing one of the cats away. She wasn't as helpful as she thought as I had just rolled the bed free from cat hair.

Five minutes later it looked like this, with the other cat rolled into the sheet. Hmmm.

My beloved cats

Not even the cats like the heat, but they do enjoy my cool granite floor.

And they do like each other, like when the wee one licks the other. It is important with hygiene.

Rain detector

I seem to have my very own rain detector in the house. Whenever it is about to rain (much too seldom this summer if you ask me), my little cat hides behind the washing machine. She's not allowed, since it's a bit difficult to hoover behind it, but she detects upcoming rain much earlier than I do, so I cannot stop her. And closed doors don't work in this home.

Just found her there, and cannot wait for some rain. Will cool it down for the night I hope.

Another shelf please

Yup. As I thought, my friend has to build another one. It's not on for one to sit and explore comfortably, while the other one seemingly sits effortlessly but on 1.5 cm of glass.

I love them equally, and look forward to see them both having an outpost, keeping an eye on the 'hood.

Hairy monster explores

A friend of mine has built a shelf as an attachment to the balcony, which I thought was very clever. My idea, his execution.

However, my cats are extremely skeptical to new things in and around the apartment, and it takes one of them forever to adopt novelties. The other one is more curious, and today she took a first look.

They have grown!

4 years ago: http://zurilife.blogspot.ch/2011/06/cats-are-home.html and now I cannot think of a life without my little hairy monsters.

Cat missing again

Oh dear, here I was sitting peacefully blogging when I realized that my longlegged beautiful cat was no where to be seen. She's usually around me in daytime. Went around and looked at all the usual hiding places, but to no avail.

Looked down at the terrace beneath and couldn't see her anywhere. Mind you, it's pretty wild down there. Another search, and then on to the balcony again and I called her. Now a miserable miaow was heard. Oh dear. My heart started to race and my adreline started pumping.

Of course the neighbours weren't home, so I went around and got in from the other side through the bushes and of course she didn't immediately come to me. She was so frightened the poor thing. I had to force my way through a fence and grab her like her Mum used to do, in the neck.

I didn't see it happen, but my guess is that some flying object passed by and she tried to catch it. I don't think any of them would jump deliberately. If they would, they would do it more often than every second year or so.

Ah well, happy end and she's now vigorously cleaning away all the strange smells from the wildlife out there. And the other one slept through it all.

The princess and the pea

My cats are lovely, as any cat owner would say, but let's not forget that they are predators. Instinct. So the other morning I woke up, thinking my bed was uncomfortable, moving around a bit, and finding a blue ball. I was laying on it.

This particular blue ball was a gift from the monster kid next door, and the cats absolutely adore it. Actually, I think one of them would be a world class football player, should cats be allowed to compete.

However, I am grateful that I get to wake up on top of a blue ball, as supposed to a half-dead mouse or a bird with one wing.

Sometimes it's the little things in life.

Claw

Haha, I should know better than to think that my reflexes are better than the cats. Considering they are in their prime, and well, I guess I'm not.

Yesterday I was playing with one of them, throwing things and making swift movements against her, and guess what happened. She beat me.

A sharp claw, aided by all the cat trees and stuff I bought them just in order for them to do just that, hit me like a knife. Blood spurting and a decision to never do that again.

Mind you, my cats would never hurt me, they are sweet and soft and lovely, so it was my own fault. Much as when I show a horse what to do, and he/she doesn't understand, because I didn't do it the right way.

Goes to show, you have never learned enough. Correction, I haven't learned enough yet.

Life from above

In my bedroom I have wardrobes. This is no revelation, but since I have in-door cats I constantly think of ways to entertain them. And as most people know, cats love to look at life from above.

Today a friend of mine brought a gift. Which is funny, since I only mentioned it to him a few days ago, but he's an animal-lover so had spent time to create a ladder.

My cats have as of yet not seen the new addition, but I guess tonight will be a night of discovery. What won't I do for my furry ones?

One working, two being lazy

The first time I stepped on my new spin bike, I had two spectators watching with very round cautious eyes, like "what the heck is she doing now?". Nice with a little bit of support I thought.

Just being on the bike right now for my evening half hour, I was seeing one of the felines lying in the hangmat, all four paws in the air. Is life fair?

I'm thinking, I'm working my butt off for you (literally), I feed you, I cuddle you, I do everything for you. And what do you do? Sleep and couldn't care less. Hmmm.

Cat trick

The other night I was tired and wanted to go to bed. Every night I make sure the cats are in, close the balcony door and that's it. But this night I couldn't find the little one. I looked everywhere. Under the beds, behind the washing machine (yes, I know, she's not allowed there), behind the curtains, everywhere I know they usually hide, couldn't find her anywhere.

So I decided to not be the curling mama, and let her be outside for the night. After all, last time she survived all right.

But I couldn't let it go, so just before going to bed I decided to open the balcony door in my bedroom and in a gentle voice say "Zina, come home, everything is forgotten". Then I realized two shadows behind me. Hey, two shadows?

Yes, there they were. Both of them.

Little buggers. They like to play with me.

Love

I know some of you might think that my life circles around my cats, and you'd probably be right, but I cannot help thinking this pic is too cute. It's like love. Looking at each other with affection.

But if you knew my cats, you'd know that they are actually watching each other, ready to make a move, pick a fight whenever.

Still, they love the new cat tree and they do love each other, even though they fight sometimes. Just like people.

Gourmet

My cats are really spoiled. And not by me, if that's what you thought. When they were little I bought cheapo food for them which they enjoyed (well, except for the first time when I was nervous and got talked into buying a 50-francs bag of dry food, which would according to the salesperson be crucial for the survival of my kittens).

But then one time a friend of mine visited bringing not myrrh, gold and frankincense, but Gourmet. The cat-food brand. They loved it! Every morning they were ever so friendly, stroking around my legs in the kitchen, and miaowing. I melted and kept on buying it. Mind you, it has to be the mousse one, not the other kind.

Lately, getting tired of my cats having more expensive food than me, I have tried several other brands. To bloody no avail. They ignore it. Ok, so they lick off the sauce on top, but leave the rest for the dog that comes visiting now and then. The dog loves it, but then again, dogs eat anything.

Yesterday I decided for the heavy artillery. Normally they would always have dry food, but yesterday I didn't fill the bowl up. I decided that it was the cheapo wet food or nothing.

They sniffed it, and didn't eat at all. This afternoon I folded and went to buy Gourmet again. The mousse stuff.

And again I enjoyed the miaowing around my legs, but felt like a loser. Four round cat eyes are making me mellow. Darn!

And damn that friend who introduced Gourmet to my cats!