Time to go into Mom Stealth Mode...

One of the challenges of this house is determining which pet is doing what it's not supposed to be doing in the house. If you only have one pet that would be easy, but when you live in a multi-pet household like we do, at times I have seriously considered video surveillance equipment. Recent true story example, I baked a cake, I frosted it, we enjoyed several pieces of it. It was left out on the stove, the next morning I discovered part of the frosting was clearly licked off. Yes, someone should have covered the cake, but cats don't typically do that, the only time we had a previous problem was with pumpkin pies, when just before guests arrived I discovered each pie had some of the middle missing with a paw print in each one...What did I do? Sliced the pie, throwing out each cat tasted part...

:-)

Fire the dogs...

Every day there is mail and UPS delivery, like clockwork as soon as the mail person approaches the door, my two little dogs go crazy. As soon as they hear the UPS truck even begin to come down the street, whether it stops at our house or not, they start barking like crazy. The neighbors come home? Barking...Someone walks down our sidewalk, with or without a dog? Barking...When we come home from anywhere? Barking...Yet last night when my one daughter came home I wasn't even aware she was home because neither dog barked. This made me wonder if their purpose as home alarm systems was a complete failure. So, I tested them out today...I discovered that for some reason when they hear the sound of the key in the lock they don't bark.

Now if I could only break them of barking at the mail person...

Why is it that products I like disappear?

I don't know what it is but every time I find some type of a product that I like, it ends up being discontinued either by the business making it or being carried by my closest stores. Take Iams Natural cat food as an example, it is the only cat food that doesn't make one of my cats get sick. I don't understand why, I've tried other similar formulations of cat food but for some reason only that particular kind of cat food works for him. It was the same thing with my older cat Axle who recently passed away at age 18, he could only eat that brand as well. Now, the local grocery store that I shop at quit carrying it. Which means I have to either drive quite a few miles to the nearest pet food store or plan my pet food purchases better to be able to order the food online from a pet supplies store.

My husband's solution being the non-cat lover of the family is to get rid of that particular cat - which is not a possibility since I've had him for 8 years.

:-)

Ever wonder about wrinkles?

I had a friend once who was really into Sharpei's, she had two of them, so whenever I hear anyone talk about wrinkles in any shape or form from the best wrinkle creams to complaining about wrinkles in their clothing, I automatically visualize her one puppy...who was one of the most wrinkled ones I'd ever seen, similar to the image of the puppies shared here. I realize since I am approaching 50 I should be more concerned about wrinkles, but I don't think I'll ever have to worry about being that wrinkled to the point where I don't smile when I hear them mentioned...

:-)

Tuxedo or Jellicle cats...

The amusing things people believe when it comes to one particular kind of cat caught my attention, in part because my home is experiencing a cat war because of a tuxedo cat. First most of the cats people call "tuxedo cats" are not really so, to be a true tuxedo cat, the cat has to have a solid black coat with white fur on the paws, belly, chest and throat. In other words, it has to look like the cat is actually wearing a tuxedo.

Fans of these cats have made some outrageous statements, such as tuxedo cats are 200% more intelligent than other cats and that the google search term for tuxedo cats is slightly less than Paris Hilton. I've had many cats, the variations of their intellectual ability has never appeared to have been a factor...if anything my Siamese cats appeared to be smarter than the others, or at least more crafty...

These black and white cats are also called by some to be Jellicle Cats, based on the book Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats, written by T. S. Eliot, which of course inspired the musical "Cats."

Our tuxedo cat is named "Yoko" and some of you will remember how I ended up with her living here in disharmony with my other cats. Yes, this is the cat that my ex-husband bought for my youngest without my consent and left in a taped up box on my porch because he moved into an apartment that didn't take cats and couldn't be responsible enough to either a) find a home for the cat or b) rent someplace that allowed cats. Perhaps because she was used to being an only cat or perhaps just because she's so much younger than my other cats (who range in age from 8 to 18), she picks on them, to the point three of them are afraid to use the litter boxes in the basement because she was lying in wait for them and then attacking them when they tried to use it. This has caused a great deal of hassle, and discussion which resulted in creating a Yoko free zone, which is unfortunately my bedroom. At least until we move into the house we are renovating that won't be done for months, but perhaps then since the house is twice as big as the one we have now, either there will be more peace or a bigger area for her to be territorial over...

Padded coffee tables?

It was time to start moving things around in the living room now that my grand-daughter is not only crawling but pulling herself up on anything that is around her. I have this fear of this age and coffee tables after so many years of bloody lips, and bumps related to coffee table encounters. When my older four were all little I thought about some type of a padded coffee table to try to diminish the head/table mishaps.

Our one older cat seems to remember what comes next after a baby starts to crawl, now that he's seen the coffee table temporarily moved out? He's looking for a new hiding location to save him from invasions of the baby kind...I'm shocked he hasn't swatted at her yet, but I'm sure it's only a matter of time.

The many uses of cell phones...

Some of you will remember over a year ago when I complained that my one daughter's dog who by default has become our dog, destroyed my favorite watch. I've yet to find one that I am happy with. I tried a few but? What can I say, I'm picky about watches. Yet I do still need to know what time it is, especially when I am away from my computer, it dawned on me this past weekend that my cell phone had basically become my own personal pocket watch as when someone would ask me what time it was? I'd open the cell phone to see...So, until I find the perfect blue watch with a cloth band with velcro that has the right illumination for me to see at night when my glasses are off?

Enter the cell phone...

Of cats and cat trees...

Once upon a time my cats were younger and they were a much friskier bunch, running here, running there and climbing anything that they could possibly climb. I started looking at cat trees and bought them this huge multi-storied cat tree that had a house on the top section of it. The carpet was sculptured to look like grass and they spent many an hour playing "king of the mountain" with the house on top.

As they got older, it became less of an interesting thing for them, and it was used less and less and just became this big "thing" in my living room corner. So, I donated it to someone I knew was fostering kittens for a local animal shelter. We often think about donating baby items or other things that our children outgrow, but if you've outgrown that animal crate or any other large animal item like a cat tree, before you throw it out? Think about seeing if any of the local animal organizations might be able to use it.

Love your fishes...

It can be hard to have cats and fish if you don't pay attention to which kind of fish tanks are the best ones to have or where the fish tanks are going to be placed. We've had the cats try to kill our fish on more than one occasion, even successfully knocking over an aquarium one time. Amazingly the fish still lived.

I personally prefer acrylic aquariums since even with a sturdy lid there is always the chance in this household that something will happen and a smaller tank especially will be knocked over. The acrylic is also lighter which makes cleaning easier. I also have discovered that acrylic aquariums come in interesting shapes like a hexagon style or a cylinder that really adds to your room decor. Some of the designs they have a Fish Tanks Direct are almost pieces of art work with the way they are created. You don't have to have a huge fish tank, some of their desktop ones are pretty awesome looking.

Tired of the dog and the window...

Right now I have two couches in my living room but I'm tired of the one dog using the couch as a way to look out the window then constantly bark when people walk by our house. This leads me to the belief that a recliner and a chair would be a better option than the two couches, since placement wise it would be possible to make the windows not be accessible to the dog...Or I could buy a shock collar...Or a muzzle...

Dog is man's best friend but what about me?

Right now we have two dogs, and I'll be the first one to admit that I still have not gotten over the death of my dog, Draco, a Manchester Terrier. When one of my daughter's had to move back home and with her came Ekoh, the female Manchester Terrier that came from the same breeder as Draco it was hard at first. It made me miss him all the more and Ekoh is not Draco, she's not a bad dog but she does not have his personality.

I've tried to be a huge advocate of dog crates, when my other daughter's now ex-boyfriend decided to buy her a puppy for Christmas without bothering to ask us if that was okay, our other dog, Quilla, a terrier mix started out being crate trained, until wayward family members gave in and were not consistent with keeping her in a crate.

This does not mean I am anti-dog, but the same as with the myriad of cats we have, none of them are ones that I personally selected, yet as the "mom", I'm the one who cares for them when they are sick or when other people don't remember to let them out, I'm the one on doggy doo doo clean up detail. Which is why I encourage people that if they are going to adopt a pet, to consider one from one of the many Humane Societies out there, that while a puppy is great there are so many animals out there that need someone like me that will take them in and care for them...

They want another dog...I say two is enough...

Currently we have two dogs in our household, one is the one many of you have seen pictured here before, Quilla, who is a shih tzu/terrier mix and Ekoh who is a manchester terrier who did live with me as a puppy and now that the daughter that owned her moved back home is again living with us. I have nothing against bigger dogs, and I can oohh and ahhh with the best of them when it comes to looking at boxer photos. I don't know many who would not want a boxer puppy, especially after looking at how cute Cali Cross is.

It's not as if I'm a person who would ever be mean to dogs or be like Michael Vick and not know the first thing about dog responsibilities. Nor am I like our current president when it comes to abdicating responsibility. That is part of the issue though, is I know very well who will end up with the additional responsibility despite all of the promises. Me. When it comes to the physical work aspect of dogs even the liberal members of my family are like Michael Vick and the President, minus the death of animals and problems in our society, but they are slick fast speaking promiser's of walks and housebreaking and other things that unfortunately for them? I'm not buying and thankfully this house is not a democracy...

Well they do breed like...rabbits...

First let me clearly state it is wrong to dump domestic pets anywhere, including rabbits, but it's also understandable how quickly a situation can get out of control and the majority of time the humane societies out there will not help you. Hence, reports of situations like this Bunny dumping mystery should not surprise anyone who has ever tried to request assistance from a local humane society. Bottom line is of course people should be responsible for their pets, and rabbits do breed quickly. We as a society need to do a better job when it comes to reproduction issues of pets and to make sure we aren't adding to the problem...

Sally Jenkins nails it...

All of the thoughts I've had on the issue of Michael Vick and dog fighting are covered in a well seasoned piece by Sally Jenkins in today's Washington Post in an article entitled, The Gall Of It All. While I understand those who state that we should feel more outrage over people being treated inhumanely, I do feel outrage over that. I feel outrage every time I realize that we as a nation do not value the lives of others as much as we do American lives. Those of us who are carnivores do eat animals that have been killed, but we have taken steps to try to ensure that even while considered a food source animals do not suffer needlessly nor be tortured.

Dog fighting is not for food, it's not a matter of kill or be killed, it's done for sport, the death can not rationalized and while it could be said Americans don't shed the same tears over the death of a chicken or a farm animal the reality is many Americans own dogs as pets. Is there a bit of hypocrisy in this? Of course, there is a certain amount of hypocrisy in all of us. Yet, as Sally Jenkins points out, the outrage at Vick is not misplaced.

On cats and cars...

When I think about cats and cars I can't help but flash back to the official "cat moving day" of a little over a year ago. The only hardy soul brave enough to help me was my oldest daughter, Emily. Two pet carriers - five cats which equaled two trips of cat moving with one cat that could be held on my lap while driving.

First three go somewhat smoothly except for the sound decibel factor. Pudgy who is the one cat who was not in a carrier was evidently trying to signal help from drivers of other cars. I believe she was trying to communicate that she was being catnapped against her will, however, none of the other drivers seemed to care with the exception of a few who pointed and laughed. That did not seem to amuse her. The other two in carriers, Tangerine and Liono screamed the whole way. I'm not sure what they thought I was doing with them but it was obviously not pleasant from their reaction.

In what felt like a several hundred mile trip we finally arrive. The dog is ecstatic, her cats are here! The cats are not pleased to see the dog. All three head immediately head for the basement, which none of these three have ever seen before. This seems to interest them, well except for Liono he decides to hide under the love seat.

Next round two, the two cats who I thought would be the worst. Axle who is almost 17 and has moved many times and Samson who normally freaks out like a wild caged animal when you try to put him in a carrier. As I am warning Emily to be careful, Samson walks into the carrier. Personally I think he was trying to make me look bad. He barely meows on the ride over. Axle lets us know he is not thrilled with the idea of moving again. Just as we pull up a major thunderstorm starts. All of the cats start freaking out and Liono runs upstairs and discovers there is not a vent cover in the bathroom yet. He dives for the vent, thankfully he was too fat to fall thru the ductwork so I was able to yank him out. Liono is again hiding under the love seat. Samson has discovered the bird feeder that Miguel put on the deck rail just a short time before Tangerine did. Jocking for window positioning has begun. Samson won.

Every time the cats see things go into boxes...I know they fear moving again...