New Litter

Bob here,

Chewy sent us a new litter to try. I just finished switching out the old litter in one of our boxes to try it out, so I decided I would give you a preliminary report. It's Frisco scoopable cat litter and so far my biggest complaint is that it comes in a plastic bag instead of a box or a plastic container which would make it easier to store. I solved that issue for myself by emptying the bag into a old TidyCats bucket. So far I like the litter, it is fragrance free and 99% dust free. Also they claim on the bag that it is low tracking. I'll let Sid do a follow up post tomorrow and add any personal observations then.

New Treat

Chewy sent us a new treat to try. It's VitalCat Ahi Tuna by VitaEssentials. Munchkin and Cosette didn't like it at all and Ashlyn and I thought it was OK, but not great. We give this one 4 paws up.

Sharing My Toys

Yesterday I was playing with a big green spring toy and Merlin decided he wanted to play with it too, so I let him have it and Bob told me I was a good boy for sharing. Later Bob brought it back to me and again told me what a good boy I was.

*smile*

Guinevere's Stash

Yesterday Monika went to put on her shoes which she had left by our front door. She found one, but the other was nowhere to be found. Bob finally found it under the bed in their bed room. Guinevere, who has a habit of stealing toys and hiding them under the bed had added it to her collection. Bob says he wishes he could have watched her, because the shoe is as big as she is and she dragged it about 30 feet.

More New Food

Chewy sent us another food to try.  This is nulo freestyle and though it says it is ADULT TRIM the kibble is tiny and looks more like it is supposed to be for kittens.  Bob let us all try some as a treat and Cosette and I decided right away that we did not like it, but Ashlyn loved it and Munchkin thought it was OK too.  That gives it about 7 paws up.

New Food

Chewy sent us another new food to try. It's put out by Stella and Chewy's and the one they sent had salmon and chicken. This food is a little different because Bob had to put it in a bowl with some water and leave it for a minute to let it absorb the water before he gave it to us.  Obsidian was the first to try it and he thought it was OK, but he didn't go crazy for it. Then Munchkin tried it and she ate about 3/4 of what was left in the bowl. She probably would have finished it, but she had just finished eating kibble right before Bob put the bowl down. Cosette didn't show any interest at all, but Ashlyn surprised everyone by coming down from her tree and finishing it. That gives it 10 out of 16 paws up.

From Bob: The cats seem to like this for the most part, but it says right on the front of the bag that it contains salmon and chicken bone which generally puts a food on the don't buy list for me.

New Food

Ashlyn here,

Chewy sent us another food to try. It's from Evanger's and it has Pheasant and Whitefish flavors.  Bob tried giving some to all of us to try, but the only ones that liked it were Sandy and me. I liked it so much, I went around and ate everyone else's after they left it. That gives it eight paws up.

Meet Jackie & Her Kittens

Hi, I'm Jackie. I used to live outside Bob and Monika's apartment and I was always trying to move in, but they would not let me. I was kind of OK with this though because they put a bin on their patio for me to relax and get out of bad weather in. Then I had kittens, and I kept them in the bin so they were safe and one day Bob picked me up and brought me inside. I got all frantic because I thought he was taking me from my babies, but about a minute later Monika walked in with them and put them all on the blanket they had laid out for us. I immediately started purring then and Bob let me down to check on them.

Here are my babies;

This is Arthur. He is the biggest of the three.

This is Guinevere. She is my only girl from this litter and she is very sweet.

This is Merlin. He is a little more nervous than his siblings and he cries when he is being cuddled. Bob says he doesn't cry as much as when we first came in though.

And here is a picture of me and my kittens with the milk bar open as Monika likes to call it.

New Food

Munchkin here,

Chewy sent Bob some new food for us to try, but I liked it so much I claimed it all as mine. It's from Tiki Cats and it is called Aloha Friends. There are 4 kinds and they are all yummy. I give them a great 4 paws up, and I am sure they would get more paws up if I shared them.

Who Needs An Alarm When You Have a Cat?

Saw this on line and had to share,

Alamy

The Paw Bop maneuver is a very effective way to wake up humans.

Many humans believe that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and it appears that many cats agree. Why else would they unabashedly go to such lengths to wake us up early, if not to encourage us to begin preparing their morning meal? And, let's face it: We all know that cats make the best alarm clocks.

If your cat is an early riser who clearly wants you to be one, as well, you’re not alone. Here's our humorous take on some of the more popular strategies cats use to keep us from sleeping in. Do any of these tongue-in-cheek examples sound familiar? 

The Head Nuzzle

The head nuzzle is a highly manipulative move because it can also masquerade as a cat showing affection. Cats know their humans crave feline loving. In this wake-up strategy, the cat gently pushes his head against the human’s face and purrs loudly. There are several variations on this theme: The cat can push his head against the human’s neck and nose, as well. The key here is the cat’s seemingly affectionate purring, which makes it hard for the human to be upset that she's been roused from sleep. Who can resist a nuzzling, purring cat? No one we know!  

The Chest Meow

This wake-up strategy is direct and to the point. The cat stands on the human’s chest, making himself as heavy as  possible (how do they do that?) and meows incessantly until the human awakes. Cats use this when they believe they are close to starving to death (even though those of us who can tell time know better) and there is no time to be cute or pussyfoot around. 

The Stare

Thinkstock 

Nothing says "good morning" like waking up to a cat's superintense stare.

This move is much more subtle than the Chest Meow tactic. Cats use this when they have a bit of time, aren’t feeling super energetic or simply want to exercise their mind control skills. In this strategy, the cat sits on the human’s chest in a meatloaf-like position and stares at the humanwhile she sleeps. This requires patience and trust in the process. It will work, however, and deliver the added benefit of creeping out the human just a bit, as she wonders just how long the cat has been sitting there staring at her. 

The Face Tickle

The Face Tickle comes in many varieties and is one of the most effective strategies available to the feline kind. There is no way a human can sleep through the Face Tickle. This tactic involves the cat sticking his face into the human’s face, ears or neck and breathing hot cat breath on the human, while brushing his whiskers against the sleeping human’s face. Some cats add a wet nose tap or snuffle, if the results aren’t happening fast enough for her liking. This strategy is also sometimes called “Morning Invasion of Personal Space.”

The Paw Bop

Some cats prefer basic, no-frills strategies that simply involve a cat paw and a human face. Pawing at a human face is a highly effective move and can also be quite fun for the cat. Bopping the human directly on her nose is a particularly entertaining component and may indeed make the human laugh, as well, thus rendering her defenseless against the Paw Bop. 

Cats are highly intelligent creatures in many ways and getting us to say bonjour to breakfast a little earlier than we’d like is one of them. Remember, there is no snooze button on a cat who wants breakfast!

But, never fear, dear sleep deprived humans! If your favorite feline's antics are truly bothersome, there are ways to help prevent your cat from waking you up, including, yes, simply shutting the bedroom door.