Road Trip with the Cats

My cats have never really been great travelers... especially old Cally and Bear.  They cry so much, even on the 5-minute drive to the veterinarian.  So when I decided that I would be taking Bear and Bourbon to my parents' house for the holidays (9 days is a long time for us to have someone watch them!) we knew we needed a different strategy.
Since Bear & Bourbon are buddies, we thought it might be best to put them in a big, comfy carrier together.  The cat carrier we mainly use is quite big for one cat (the Sleepypod) but our second carrier from their kitten days is too small.  We ended up purchasing a Nature's Miracle dog crate (I believe the 26" one) and a super comfy dog bed to place in the bottom.  The crate can collapse flat when we are done with it.

I liked how they could see out of the screens and have plenty of room to move around.  We left the crate out in the living room, and Bourbon took quite a lot of naps in it.  I also spritzed it with a cat-calming spray before the trip.  We loaded both kitties into the carrier and strapped it in with seatbelts.  We were able to carry both cats (under 10 lbs. each) and the crate up and down stairs no issue.

Bear cried for a few miles, but then both of them because SUPER well-behaved.  They lay side-by-side in the crate, moving from time to time, and watched me through the screens.  Lots of kitty naps!  It was the smoothest road trip with cats I've ever taken; the 4.5 hours went fine for them!  When we arrived at my parents', both cats used the litter box within 15 minutes of being let out of the crate, and everything has been smooth since.

The kitties at their grandparents' house

Mom and Dad secretly love their grandcats, I'd say!  LOL.  They're better behaved than their kitten days.  I'm really glad I took the chance and had them ride together for this trip, because I believe separately they would have been more anxious.  They enjoyed exploring a new (and much bigger!) space.
P.S.  One lesson learned, when your normally quiet kitty starts mewing consistently, he has to go potty.  Just saying.  Listen up, fur parents!

Meow! Hi from Bear & Bourbon

I haven't blogged about the cats since APRIL, but if you follow me on Instagram you know they're an everyday part of our lives!  Here are a few snaps of what they've been up to.
Bourbon can officially get on the kitchen counters now...

A photo posted by aubreyland325 (@aubreyland325) on Aug 8, 2014 at 5:22am PDT

They also knocked all my pajamas out of the dresser while I was on a business trip and Dan snapped this adorable photo...

A photo posted by aubreyland325 (@aubreyland325) on Sep 9, 2014 at 5:43pm PDT

They still seem to get along (though we have had some marking incidents where they are fighting over Dan) and we catch them bathing each other.  Brothers!

A video posted by aubreyland325 (@aubreyland325) on Sep 9, 2014 at 5:11pm PDT

Bourbon continues to pose for adorable photos...

A photo posted by aubreyland325 (@aubreyland325) on Sep 9, 2014 at 6:16pm PDT

But Bear's eyes still get me every time!

A photo posted by aubreyland325 (@aubreyland325) on Sep 9, 2014 at 6:47pm PDT

The boys recently went to the vet, and despite Bear *looking* bigger than Bourbon, Bourbon actually outweighs him now!  Fluffy fur really does make you look bigger, eh?
Disqus allows you to comment with photos, so feel free to share some pics of your fluffy babies!

Catching up with Bear & Bourbon

If you're wondering how the kitties Bear and Bourbon are doing, the answer is they're loving life!  In case you aren't following on Instagram, here are some of the latest snapshots of our babies.  They wrestle everyday and love that they can explore the porch as the weather gets warmer.

Bear & Bourbon

You guys, Bear and Bourbon really love each other!  Not a day goes by that they aren't wrestling and playing.  Until recently, I never caught them snuggling, but just the other night I found Bear cleaning Bourbon.  MY HEART MELTED.  I can't believe we didn't get him a buddy earlier.  We're a happy family of four now!

Meet Bourbon!

We have a new kitten!  I know, it must seem like I have a zillion cats.  But I swear, people, I now officially have TWO.  We lost dear Barley and Cally last year, leaving Bear all by his lonesome.  While we thought initially that he might be an "only child" type of cat, his boundless energy and friskiness made us reconsider a new addition.

Bourbon's kitten photo, he was rescued around Christmas and called "Jolly"

We went back to Friends of Cheatham County, the same foster rescue where we got Bear. I highly recommend them to anyone in the Nashville area.  You see, over the weekend when we adopted Bourbon, we initially started out with a different kitten, one that just wasn't a good match for Bear.  The little one was the most loving people-cat I'd ever met, but she didn't like Bear at all, and I had a bit of an ordeal.  (I also personally found it very heartbreaking that I couldn't adopt ALL the kittens!)  Kathy, Bear's foster mother who lives very close by, brought over another kitten that we'd met at the adoption day, and he was PERFECT.  She knew how important it was to find the best fit for cats and people.  We had all three cats for an entire day, trying to see how Bear did with them.  Despite people saying it takes a week for cats to get acquainted, Bear and Bourbon were friends from the first sniff.

I feel like we really lucked out.  Bear loved meeting both new cats and immediately wanted to play with them.  Bourbon, 15 weeks old (about 8 months younger than Bear) was immediately up for the challenge.  Within the first hour, they were sharing the cat tree.  Within 24 hours, they were wrestling and playing happily.  Within 48 hours, they were cuddling on top of me while I slept.

We couldn't have asked for a better match!  I love that Bear and Bourbon can grow up together, and that Bear is no longer alone all day.  I've already noticed that he is less restless and destructive now that he has an outlet for his energy.  I get plenty of love from them both.

One thing about Bourbon... he's such a little baby that he likes to suckle your clothes!  He leaves little wet spots on my PJs.  I don't really mind it, though we think he may grow out of it.  He likes to curl up in your lap, and he sleeps by our heads!

We're a two-cat household once again.  It was surprisingly emotional for me to go through this process.  We adopted Bear when I still had my old girl Cally...  Bourbon is the first new cat since that tough loss for me.  I was a nervous, anxious wreck over the adoption process, but I'm already feeling so much better about it.  We love little Bourbon!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

from our little family to you!

Card Design: Minted
Photos: Him + Honey (minus the picture of Bear!)

Boyz n the Hoodies

I just HAD to post these photos (they're all over my Instagram and FB), because Dan wanted to get Bear a black hoodie for Christmas so they can match.  I love these two so much!

Coastermatic: Instagram into Coasters!

I'd been thinking about getting some new coasters, as the old ones I have are just ancient and not my style.  Then, KISMET!  Coastermatic reached out to me to see if I would review their service, which turns your Instagram photos into custom stone coasters.  You know what that means, right?

Coasters of Bear.  Bear on Coasters.  Adorable kitty cat goodness almost too cute to rest your drink on.  Swoon.  Sorry not sorry.

I was really impressed by Coastermatic.  The turnaround time was super fast; I had my coasters within days.  In addition, the quality of the stone was better than my older stone coasters (rom Bed Bath & Beyond) and the padding on the bottom was great.

They're also super absorbent!  When your glass sweats (which is why you're using coaster) these soak up the water like magic!  I don't know where it goes!  Maybe the Coaster Bears are thirsty...

When Duke got home, he was super excited to see our new coasters.  Bear even checked them out for a bit, but decided he was upset he received no royalties for the use of his likeness.  (I later bribed him with treats.)

There are so many options with these coasters... you could create your own graphic design, split up a panoramic photo across them, even put funny faces on them to make your guests laugh as the put their drinks down.  You can see by my photos on Instagram that these turned out just like the original images.

But the best part?  One of YOU lucky readers has a chance to win your own customized set!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I received a free set of coasters to review this service.  I also received a set to provide as a giveaway to my readers as part of this feature.

Bear vs. Toilet Paper

Bear vs. Toilet Paper... spoiler alert, Bear always wins.

Randomly, Bear decided that destroying toilet paper was a really fun thing to do. We moved the toilet paper rolls on top of the toilet, thinking the move might deter him, but no dice. Then we put the TP in the nearest cabinet, so we could still reach it but keep it away from him. Inconvenient to us... but saved paper.

Well, now we're the weirdos who not only have a cat tree, but keep their toilet paper in tupperware.  It was a very cheap alternative to the decorative TP covers I was able to find online (apparently these went out of style a while back) and they are totally Bear-proof.  He has battled these boxes hardcore and never won.


So yeah, life with a kitten who has entered the "terrible twos" of cathood is interesting.  His play aggression is more prominent and he's more destructive... both things we're trying to work on.  My hope is that in a year or so he mellows out a bit, since he is so young.

Bear's Cat Tree

You guys, I caved.  I love my feline friends, but I always said I would never allow one of those hideous cat trees into my home.  Well, Bear has hit his terrible toddler age: jumping on everything, destroying things when he's bored, needing more play... driving us insane.

In a fit of frustration, I used my Amazon Prime perk to order one of those insane trees for like $80, and it promptly arrived within two days.  We chose the Armarkat 57-inch Cat Tree.

Bear's First Day with the Tree

Duke put it together quickly and easily, as I watched in sad defeat.  We were both worried Bear would ignore the thing entirely.

Well, Bear loves it!  When he's not next to me on the sofa, I often catch him climbing and playing and snoozing in his tree.  He has picked the second highest platform as his favorite.  It's placed near the sliding glass doors for our porch, so he see outside.

Never say never, you guys.  Bear needs something he can climb and destroy.  I'm hoping this is his victim, and that I can get over the eyesore in my apartment...  Sigh.

If I could afford it (and they had better reviews) I might splurge on a fancier, more elegant model like the Lotus Cat Tower, but I can't justify spending so much on a freaking cat tree.  No.  Everyone already thinks I'm a crazy cat lady.  Argh.

Refined Feline Lotus Cat Tower, $370

Checking in with Bear

Oh, Bear.  What ever will I do with this little monster?

This face...

Duke and I were traveling separately and had to leave Bear on his own for the first time.  We had his foster mama come visit, but the one night he was alone/unsupervised he apparently got very bored.  I came home to find he had learned to climb on top of the fridge, tore into and ate TWO FULL PACKAGES OF TREATS, and had destroyed a couple of toys and a little bit of carpet.  Sigh.

Exhibit A

Exhibit B

The next time I had to travel, we took him to his foster mama's house to stay, almost like a kitty day care.  He got to sniff some of the other kittens, and for a while we seriously thought about getting him a companion.  But in the end we realized he just needs attention and can't be left alone too long at such a young age.  He is so happy being the baby.

A new development is Bear started to paw at our faces to wake us up.  He usually waits until the morning, but he is very careful not to use claws.  It's kind of like a gentle pat when he does it, and it never fails to make me laugh.

I think my favorite thing is how he always meets us at the door, chirping!  I also love when he lets himself get super comfy and cuddly, rolling onto his back like a little furry baby.  He's our happy little man.  Can't believe he's over 7 months old now.

My favorite photo of the moment, on my lap!

Guest Blogging at Bergie & Nef

Hey there!

My cousin Suzy lives in NYC with her pets (a doxie mix and cat, respectively) and chronicles their lives over at her blog, Bergie & Nef!  It's a great place for animal-lovers residing in small spaces to share tricks of the trade and funny stories about being pet parents.  I also love her posts about pet-friendly excursions in the Northeast with the pup too.

Nef & Bergie

I'm going to be guest posting over there about life with Bear in our apartment, so be sure to check it out!  Crazy cat ladies and puppy lovers unite!

Check out my first post, all about Bear's favorite toys for self-play while I'm at work!

Insta-Bear!

Baby Bear, lately...

This photo makes me lose it!  :)

Growing Up Bear

I just realized I haven't posted an update on our baby Bear in a long time!  Truthfully, I was in mourning for a while over the loss of sweet old Cally, but having a rambunctious, growing kitten has been crazy.

Look how big he is getting!

Bear is growing like a weed.  He's strong and active... I swear he just puts on muscle.  I've been feeding him Nutro Natural Choice Kitten, but dry kibble just isn't his favorite.  Since he's so big, I'm tempted to switch him to Royal Canin's Maine Coon food before he's a year old.

Bear always hops into my suitcase.

But really all Bear wants is his nightly can of Sheba cat food, which he devours with such gusto that it looks like his plate is clean.  Seriously, Duke and I have to ask each other if he's been fed, because the evidence is gone.  His photo was even featured on the Sheba brand's Facebook page! :)  Bear also loves Temptations cat treats, which we give him as a reward... but he head-butts the bag to make you spill out extras if he can.  Naughty.

Doesn't he look full grown now?  He loves his scratcher.

He also continues to play fetch, getting smarter each time... he now will bring the ball into bed or onto the sofa to convince you to play!  Bear also finally found a scratcher he likes, a flat bed corrugate type.  That said, we still catch him scratching the carpet at times.  The solution has been to Febreze the area where he scratches, since the scent throws him off from wanting to scratch there again.

It's been challenging for me to have my first cat with claws.  Sweet Cally was altered before we rescued her, so now I have the scratch marks all over me to prove this is my first clawed kitty.  Bear doesn't mean to scratch 99% of the time; I'm just collateral damage.  Last night Duke and I successfully clipped his front claws in one sitting (this is a big deal, guys) and he has a grooming appointment for claw trim and hygiene trim (butt fur!) in June.

Bear also has separation anxiety at times... he wakes me up by making loud mischief every morning, and when I was gone for a long trip and came back he was standoff-ish.  But we're learning to grow together, and I think it's getting better.  We haven't done as much harness/leash training as I'd like, and I'm worried he's getting too old.  We'll see how that goes!

Cally, A Farewell to My Girl

On Thursday, I got home around lunchtime from a business trip.  Exhausted, I settled into bed for a nap and snuggled with my old girl, Cally.  We had a good purr and cuddle, but I noticed that she wasn't trying to steal the chicken from my Moe's burrito.  Coupled with an accident she had on Sunday, and vet visit on Monday, I was concerned.

Then, suddenly, my old girl was having trouble walking.  She limped to her "safe place", the bath tub, and refused to move.  I put towels in the tub, and tried to give her water with a plastic syringe.

As I tried to figure out what to do, Bear, who never goes into the tub, jumped in.  I was worried he would disturb Cally, but instead he sat almost like a guard dog over her.  Even he knew something was going on.

I decided to take my girl to the emergency vet.  In the end, there was nothing we could do.  I had to say goodbye to my friend of over 16 years, the first furry love of my life.  In her last moments, she gave no indication that she knew I was there.  I wanted so badly to connect to her.  As motionless as she was, I gave her a familiar scratch under her chin, and saw her arch her neck just slightly, like she was enjoying that.  I knew then she was still in there, and that she knew I was with her in the end.

My heart aches.  Even though I've been mentally preparing to lose Cally for years, in the end it all seemed to happen so fast.  It was so tough to go home without her, even though Bear was there to meet me at the door.

I think Cally waited for me to come home.  We had such a good last day together...  I lived more years of my life with Cally than without.  She was my everpresent buddy, and I was her person.  She was a good cat, and I can count on one hand the number of accidents she had.  My girl.

Even as the years progressed and the vet bills got higher, her diet more expensive and prescriptive, her breath and grooming falling by the wayside... I loved her.  She was a part of my heart.  And no matter how many cats come into my life, none of them can ever hold a candle to my girl.  Because this beautiful, green-eyed, talkative tortie was my match.

In older,  chubbier days...

She slept in the cutest positions.

She got in my face a lot to let me know her thoughts.

I loved my girl!

She was so beautiful.

This video reminds me of my love.  Rest in sweet peace, and I know you'll be with me all the time in my heart.

Introducing Bear!

Duke and I were debating a new kitten after we lost little Barley.  But I really liked our cat rescue, Friends of Cheatham County, because they are able to save kitties from animal control.  They had a litter of tiny kittens that I went to visit, knowing they'd be ready in about a month or so.

But then I saw this little (okay, big) Maine Coon mix kitten and fell hard.  He latched on to me immediately!  My friend LC has a cat that looks like an adult version of this guy.  I know Maine Coons get to be very large, and they're very involved pets; kind of the dog of cats!  Duke loves Maine Coons.  So when this baby started loving on me and following me around, I just had to take him home!  I couldn't leave without him.

When I got home, I let Cally sniff him through the carrier.  No real reaction.  So I turned kitty loose!  They sniff each other and peacefully coexist.  Duke is ecstatic; he has a cat to roughhouse with.

We decided to name this big baby Bear.  He's rough and tumble, and we tried a zillion other names but they didn't stick.  (A few favorites: Elvis, Duke, Tobias, and Homer.)  I felt like he needed a big name, since he's only 4 months and going to get bigger and bigger!

His full name is WolfBear LionShark.  Because it's a badass name.  But I call him Bear, Baby Bear, Buddy Bear.  Duke is not pleased with these baby nicknames, but I like them!

Bear likes to play with toys a lot, and he is super affectionate.  He also plays fetch!  We had a toy ball Cally never used that he fetched over and over on the first night.  I want to teach him how to shake too.

We are very happy and excited about our new baby cat.

The only thing that I'm having trouble with is that he loves to use his claws on the carpet; I've spent a bunch on different scratchers, but one has yet to stick.  For now, I'm using some Febreze on the spots he scratches to keep him from coming back, and thus far it's working.  We shall see if I can find something good to occupy him!

Life with a Senior Cat

Life with a senior cat is never dull.  There's always something going on!  I'm no expert, but somehow I've managed to keep Cally going for 16+ years now... here is what I've learned by trial and error, with some help from amazing veterinarians.

Behavior
Cally was a shy cat when we first got her, but as she's aged she is more social.  She definitely has a tortie attitude, and is very talkative.  Sometimes, though, she cries like she is a bit lost.  The minute I call out to her (sometimes a couple of attempts later, since her hearing isn't as great) she seems to calm down.  The vet confirmed she's probably having some "senior moments".  Also, Cally does pee more than she used to as a young cat (though never outside her box!), which is something you should always keep an eye on; it could be info your vet needs to keep track of.  But she still jumps up on the bed, dances around asking for treats, and enjoys her cat water fountain.

Grooming
Cally has had some issues grooming for the past year or so.  I actually had her bathed and shaved because I couldn't get her matted fur brushed out close to her skin!  She didn't smell great either.  I was snipping little dreadlocks all the time, even when I brushed.  The shaving was great for a fresh start, and now she gets the Furminator to keep her coat nice and shiny.  I don't plan on doing that to the poor girl again, but I've learned that her chest and belly are the first place those mattes start to appear.  Gotta help her out!

Health
Cally's weight loss in her golden years had me very concerned.  She was diagnosed with a hyperthyroid last year, so she's on medication for that.  Her oral care has both me and the vet worried; while Feline Greenies helps some with her horrid breath, she needs some dental work.  My previous vets wouldn't do it because of her age (you need anesthesia) but my current vet feels if we can get her healthy (thyroid/kidneys) enough he might consider it if it's needed and less high-risk.  We shall see.

Cally gets a checkup every 6 months now.  When she was younger, she honestly probably only saw a vet every 4-5 years, usually when something was wrong.  Now that she's a senior and her situation is more precarious, I take her twice a year as recommended by the vet.  It's not cheap, but she gets bloodwork and urinalysis done to make sure everything is working as it should.  (If you're concerned about costs, you can get an Optimum Wellness plan at your local Banfield veterinarian, which for your monthly fee includes these checkups.  I love my vet, so I'm sticking with him, but this is a great option to reduce the vet costs of taking care of your old ones!)

I've given Cally hyperthyroid medicine in both liquid (with a tiny syringe) and pill form.  The pill form is the easiest to deal with.  She likes chicken Pill Pockets, but sometimes she doesn't want to eat those right away.  So my surefire method is to shove the pill into a little piece of cooked chicken, which she gulps down happily.  Great way to get her meds consistently.

Diet
Since Cally is taking thyroid medication, the vet wants to make sure her kidneys don't deteriorate as a result. So I've switched her to Royal Canin's renal diet for cats, a dry food she has access to all the time.  I have to buy it at the vet or Petsmart, but she seems to have no trouble with its palatability.  I purchased the wet food as well, because I give her a small can of wet food in the evening, but since this food doesn't come in a variety of flavors I may rotate it in and out of her diet so she doesn't boycott it.  (Cally prefers that her wet food be as diverse as possible!)  And yes, wet cat food is smelly.  But I learned that this smell that repulses us is present to attract the cat!  So long as I can get Cally to keep eating, the better I feel she's doing in maintaining her weight and health.

Do you have a senior cat?  What have you learned about senior care?

Glazing Pottery at Brushfire

I've done pottery glazing at a couple of social events before.  It's a fun, relaxing way to spend a couple of hours!  I recently went to Brushfire in Nashville, as part of a team-building event for work.

Brushfire in Nashville

I can't even tell you how long it took me to choose a piece to glaze!  I thought about doing something seasonal, but I bounced back and forth forever.  Guess I should have had a plan beforehand.

Glaze!

I decided to do a giant plate for Cally.  She's such a messy eater, I figured it would be something good to put under her bowl, instead of the normal towels I used.  It would definitely be more easily washable!

Before

Isn't it interesting how the glaze changes after you fire it?  I tried to make it look like her.

After

Maybe I'll head back to make something for myself next time!