Tag: Anabel

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Grooming My Fluffy Kitties

An Ode to Hairballs

Oh, fluffy kitties you are so nice

Your fur coat would keep you warm in ice

But since we live in more temperate climes

You’re always shedding all the time

What do you think?  Am I the next William Carlos Williams?  No?  I didn’t think so either.

But I am a good cat mommy who brushes her little treasures *almost* every day.  At least every other day.  That has got to be acceptable.  It is enough to keep them from developing matts on their fluffy behinds (a lesson I learned the hard way) so I feel like I am doing a good enough job.

In addition to their regular brushings with the slicker brush, they get attacked with the FURminator once a week (as per the official FURminator instructions).  Now you would think that since they are getting brushed out pretty often, their weekly FURminator sessions would not be a big deal.  I would think so.

And then here is what I wound up with after this weekend’s groom-a-thon:

  • From Sally
  • From Anabel

Yikes, right?

I probably could have gotten more but official FURminator instructions are very explicit about not over grooming with the tool because it could cause skin irritation.

Now, in spite of all of this brushing, someone (Sally, I’m looking at you) still gets hairballs!  Don’t think that I didn’t want to take a picture of the latest one to share with you, but Mr. Man assures me that hairballs are gross and no one wants to see that.

Their favorite grooming implement are the gloves with the silicon nubbles on them.  Anabel will actually come up to me when I bust these guys out.  They are nice to work with because you can grab the cat with one hand and groom with the other.  You can also get all sorts of places that are tricky with a brush.  She really just wants her chin scratched, but she doesn’t mind when I get after her tummy and her arm pits as much as she does with the brush.

I suppose all this grooming is the price that one must pay to have happy, fluffy kitties around.  It is a small price to pay.  I can’t say that I do a very good job, judging by the state of my furniture but at least this is one of those things that just doing it is almost good enough. Boy, I’ll tell you what though, they sure do feel and look nice once we’re done.

The kitties always groom themselves

They do not think they need my help

But when a hairball I find

We all know it’s brushing time
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Anabel is a Work of Art Too!

paintings of Anabel and of Sally Gellis

Last week I received another delightful surprise in the mail from Chewy.com.  This time it was a portrait of Anabel!  Now she is a work of art too.  They really understand sibling rivalry at Chewy.com don’t they?

I had forwarded them the link to the post about Sally’s painting.  The nice gal who responded read all the way to the end and forwarded the photo of Anabel at the bottom of the post to what I can only assume is their pet painter stable.

A different artist from the one who did Sally’s portrait painted Anabel. I love the different interpretation, don’t you?

paintings of Anabel and of Sally Gellis

I don’t have paintings of Emma or Clementine, just some nice photographs in silver frames.  Once I did find a greeting card with the image of a gorgeous cat who looked just like Clementine, so I framed it and put it out as art.

Since I have that bad habit of thinking that since one of something is good, more would be better, I started thinking that I should create a whole cat-art gallery wall.  I could come up with different ways to have portraits of Anabel and Sally made every year…it could be a whole thing.  Fortunately, I don’t have much wall space, so such an ambitious undertaking is not particularly feasible.

I think that I will stick to appreciating what I have and continuing to use this blog to revel in the adorableness of my sweet kittens.  It’s more fun to share after all.

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Cat Bag

There are few things that Anabel and Sally like as much as a bag.  They actually prefer a shopping or gift bag to a box any day.  And no, the bag does not have to be empty to qualify as an excellent cat bag.

The most appealing cat bags come with a bit of tissue paper to shred, but the bag itself is always the true prize.

A friend recently brought me something in a brown, craft-paper bag with bunches of tissue fluffed on top.  Sally was so excited by his new bag that he couldn’t be bothered for me to remove the gift before he started in on his cat bag.  You see, it isn’t just about getting inside the bag, but pouncing on top of the bag and attacking the edges are also great ways to utilize a new cat bag according to Sally.

We were getting ready to head out, but Sally was enjoying himself so much that I couldn’t bear to take his new bag away.  I also didn’t dare leave him along with it; I could just imagine him getting one of the handles caught around his neck.  Not because I thought that he would hurt himself (it’s a paper bag, it’s going to tear), but because that is the sort of thing that Mr. Man would bust my chops for until his dying breath.  So, I tore the handles off and left Sally to enjoy his kitty-proofed cat bag.

Another time, another dear friend presented me with another craft-paper bag full of kitsch signature.  Again, I had to battle Sally to remove the items from the bag before he inserted himself into it.  A bit later, I came across this scene:

Why is Anabel staring at the bag?  What is that sticking out?  Oh, a Sally tail!  Aren’t they cute?

About ten minutes later, there is a commotion.  When I go to investigate, I find this:

Sally is pouncing ON the bag in which a different cat tail is sticking out the end of.

I see.

Sally is going to need a lesson on sharing his cat bag.  

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Neighborhood Watch Cats

Now, we’ve all heard of guard dogs, they are usually a Doberman, or a German Shepard, or some other large-ish dog with a ferocious bark and a suspicion of strangers.  Around these parts we have another kind of security animal, neighborhood watch cats.  These are cats with the time and inclination to spend hours and hours every day looking at the window and the initiative to alert someone to unusual occurrences.

Anabel and Sally at their post

Anabel and Sally are proud (albeit unofficial) members of our (unofficial) neighborhood watch.  Although they don’t let their responsibilities as neighborhood watch cats interfere with their napping schedule, they do spend a substantial amount of their daily awake time monitoring the neighborhood from various locations throughout the house.

They have been active unofficial neighborhood watch cats since they were little kittens

When school was in session, mornings and afternoons were key watch times.  Anabel and Sally liked to do their part to make sure that all of the little children get dropped-off and picked-up from school safely.

Recently, I have caught Anabel yelling at the local blue jays to get off our lawn.  She also likes to watch out to make sure that our neighbor gets home safely from walking her dog in the evenings.  Sally’s post tends to be the front or back door.  He is very concerned about my sun exposure and does his best to make sure that I don’t spend too much time outside if he can help it.

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Another vet visit

You guys, I have a confession to make: sometimes I take the kittens for a vet visit even though there isn’t anything wrong with them. It sounds worse than it is.  You see, when they were little baby kittens, the vet talked me into the “kitten package” that included all of their vaccinations, getting fixed, microchips, and unlimited vet visits and nail trims for a year.

You already know that I am a firm believer in nail trims, and it is something that I do at home, otherwise we would probably have been going to the vet every two weeks.  But every few months, I like to take them in to be weighed and talk to the vet about their diet, etc.  I like putting them in the car and taking them somewhere close by and since they aren’t getting shots or other procedures every time they go (and are so easy-going in the first place), they don’t freak out.

Sally napping in his cat carrier

When we get into the exam room, the kittens get weighed and then I let them wander around.  This time I was cracking up because as Anabel was exploring, Sally was trying to hide himself in the corner.  Poor guy!  At one point he even crawled under a bookshelf.  Now, he never behaves like that at home and nothing bad ever happened in the exam room anyway (they get taken in the back for shots) so I just thought it was funny that this big guy who acts all BMOC at home, was trying to hard to hide.  So, I scooped him up and held him in my lap while the doc examined Anabel.

This time, because we are transitioning from kitten food to cat food, I wanted to talk to the vet about what and how much we feed them.  Here is what the vet told me: a normal, full-grown, female cat should weigh between 8-10 pounds (Anabel is just under 9 pounds); a full-grown, male cat should weigh between 10-12 pounds (Sally weighed in at 10 pounds, 12 ounces).  I mean, I already knew that my kittens are perfect, but it is always nice to get quantifiable confirmation of such things.

Of course, the vet did have to find something to pick on me about.  Their nails were trimmed, they were a good weight, they are nice and well-behaved…he was going to have to really make an effort to come up with something.  He broke out a flea comb to see if he could find any evidence of fleas (he didn’t, we have the really good flea medicine that we get at there and I use it).  He sure did get a comb-full of fur though.  Busted!  I have been trying to brush these guys ever-other day, but the day before their appointment, Anabel was not in the mood for a brushing.  So, now under doctor’s orders, they are one a daily brushing schedule.

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Sally Snuggles

Yesterday, I had been in-and-out of the house all day.  The kittens (oh, excuse me, now they are cats) had followed me around all morning. We had a little bit of kitten snuggle time and we even had a very productive session with the brush. But eventually they settled in for their mid-day naps and I went about my puttering.

Around five-thirty, I sat down in the front room.  I was going to catch up on Instagram, then come in here and do some writing.  Sally had other plans for me.  He hopped up on the chair, climbed into my lap and settled in for some snuggles and tummy rubs.  Now, this is unusual.  Yes, he is a sweetie who likes his belly rubbed and he will let me pick him up and hold him like a baby, but he doesn’t really ever seek me out for cuddle time.

So, I flipped on the TV and enjoyed having an armful of purring pussycat.  Two hours later (yes, TWO HOURS!) I was starting to get hungry.    It was way past his dinner time and even Anabel had emerged from her don’t bother me spot looking for something to eat.  But I couldn’t get up. I didn’t want to break whatever magic spell got me such a substantial kitty cuddle session.

Eventually he did wake up and let me escape (so that I could give them their dinner).  It was almost eight o’clock.

Even though I didn’t get any writing done, it sure was a good way for me to spend some time.  I may try to only watch TV while I have snuggling kitties on my lap, that way there is some redeeming aspect to my trashy reality-show obsession.

Now if I can only get Anabel to sit with me…

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Happy Birthday Anabel and Sally!

When I adopted Anabel and Sally last June, I was told that they were seven weeks old. That meant they would have been born on Cinco de Mayo.  Works for me!  That is an easy-to-remember date and there is already motivation to celebrate.  So, this past weekend, we celebrated the kitten’s first birthday. Happy birthday Anabel and Sally!

Now apparently calculating cat years isn’t quite as straightforward as dog years.  It is said that the first two years of a cat’s life are equal to 25 people years, then every year after that is around 4 people years.  They certainly do mature quickly because their kitten making equipment was just about ready to go by the time that they were fixed, and they were not-quite even five months old then.

  • Anabel, 7 weeks old

According to this online calculator (don’t you love the internet, it really does have everything), the kittens are the equivalent of 15 in people years.

Fortunately, they don’t behave like teenagers.  But Mr. Man and I have noticed that they are acting much more like cats than kittens over the past few weeks.  Sometimes Sally can’t be bothered to run to greet whoever is at the door or monitor our showers because he is too busy napping or looking out the window.

They are still sweet little loves though; thank goodness they didn’t develop big cattitudes as they grew up!

I feel a sense of relief that we managed to keep these precious, little, baby kittens so sweet and loving.   That we didn’t turn them into aloof, difficult cats. They are healthy and comfortable and nice to be around, and they bring immeasurable happiness to my and Mr. Man’s lives.  Cinco de Mayo may well be my favorite day to celebrate from now on.

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Anabel is a Daddy’s Girl

Recently, Mr. Man went off on a dirt adventure for a few days and left me at home all alone with the kittens.  Which is really no big deal, it is a lot like every day except including nighttime.

But Anabel was not happy about it at all.

She spent all day every day sitting in his desk chair.  She barely got up to eat and after, would go right straight back to her spot.  She didn’t want me to pet her or pick her up.  She didn’t even want to play, and Anabel always loves to play.

At night, I usually go to bed first, then Sally, then Anabel, then Mr. Man.  When he was away, Sally would come to bed with me like normal, but Anabel would just spend all night in Mr. Man’s chair. I had no idea that she was such a daddy’s girl.

Finally, on the evening of day three, she came out to the living room and hung out with me for a little bit (maybe 30 minutes) then back to her vigil.  The next morning, she seemed to be getting over it finally.  Either that or she knew that he was coming home that day.  She followed me around a bit and talked to me and let me brush her.  I was relieved that she was starting to act normal again.

That night, I went to be, Sally came to bed, then Anabel came to bed and eventually Mr. Man did too.  But what I really want to know is: if she only is going to come to bed when he’s home, why doesn’t she sleep on his side of the bed?

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Kitten Day Dreams

After I wrote about the kittens’ nighttime sleeping routine, I began cataloguing where they sleep during the day, the locations of kitten day dreams. 

Even though they have the run of the house, there are around a half-dozen places where they are most likely to be found during daytime naps.  This simplifies kitten inventory.  Yes, I will go around the house at least once a day making sure that I can locate both kittens. Even if all of the windows are closed and no one has gone outside.  Do I think they have gotten out?  No, not really.  They are very good about waiting at the door but not trying to get out.  But one of them has accidentally gotten stuck in my closet at least once and the thought of having to clean up what could happen if a kitten is trapped in there for too long gives me nightmares.

They still really like the front room which was the kitten nursery when they first came home.  That room gets a lot of sun and is always warmer during the day; I like hanging out in there too.  There are a bunch of nice little kitten-sized nap spots that they will rotate through over the course of a day.  One of Anabel’s favorites is a basket full of blankets.

I keep their travel crate open on the floor next to my desk.  When they very first came home, they would go back in there to sleep, it was their safe place.  The vet encouraged me to leave it out and open for them; if there is an emergency of some sort, it will be easily accessible, and they will be used to it.  Anabel doesn’t really use it anymore, but after I have been sitting at my desk for a bit, Sally will head in there and sack out for the day.

Sally also has a wicker chair that is HIS chair.  Anabel likes to sleep on Mr. Man’s desk chair.  Once, he was gone for three days and she barely moved.

There is also a sort-of perch that Mr. Man created for them that consists of a crate, covered with a towel, on top of an end table.  This is a favorite place for both of them, it is usually just a matter of who claims it first.

I like that I rarely find them hiding out under furniture.  Occasionally Anabel will go hide out under the futon.  Unlike Emma, whose default was under the bed, that is the last resort place to look for Anabel.

When I used to work at the dining table, they would keep my company by taking their naps in there.  They both had their designated chairs and after they took a lap across the table to inspect my materials, they would retire to their designated chairs.

I have yet to catch either of them napping in the living room.

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Cat Scratchers

As any cat caretaker knows, giving kitty somewhere to scratch is not only important for the cat’s happiness, but for the survival of one’s people furniture.  Finding the right cat scratcher however, is not as straightforward as it seems like it should be.

Traditional cat scratchers are generally rather monstrous, unattractive, and expensive.  And it is not uncommon for cats to completely ignore these monstrosities.  I feel like I should invest in one because it would give my little furry loves a fun place to climb and nap and scratch, but they are just so awful.

These days, there is a whole other category of chic cat scratchers that are generally minimalist and not covered in shag carpeting.  Unfortunately, these are also usually even more expensive, and I can’t seem to bring myself to rationalize the splurge.

Fortunately, there is another style of cat scratchers that I find satisfactory functionally as well as budgetarily – the cardboard cat scratcher.

When these first started coming out, they were usually just a flat rectangle of bias-cut cardboard.  These days, there seem to be all sorts of new shapes and larger sizes available at my favorite discount home furnishings store.  I must not be the only fan.

Most importantly, Anabel and Sally are also fans of the cardboard cat scratcher.  We have quite an assortment and at least one of them will use at least one every day.

I saw a tutorial online about how to make your own cardboard cat scratcher.  It involved cuttings many, many strips of cardboard, then gluing them together.  Sort of like making your own butcher block.  And much like making your own butcher block, although it is not particularly complicated and would be extremely budget friendly, I still have no interest in attempting it.