Four Crazy Cats

Wordless Wednesday

2012-02-01T06:30:00.000-05:00

Tail, Toes and Tongue Tuesday

2012-01-31T09:02:00.000-05:00

Tail

Toes (you may need to biggify to see those coffee bean toes sticking out from his balding leg)

Tongue...that grass is tasty!

The End

Mancats Recycle - a video

2012-01-30T08:38:00.001-05:00

Devon and his brothers were able to go out and enjoy the beautiful weather we were having this weekend. Devon has discovered a new love...recycling, or at least the recycling can! Enjoy...we've always said, Devon is the craziest of them all!

Wordless Wednesday

2012-01-25T08:43:00.000-05:00

Two on Tuesday

2012-01-24T08:52:00.002-05:00

Devon and Smokey have taken over the chair! Do you see another pair of black cats in the background?

Mancats wear collars

2012-01-23T09:07:00.000-05:00

Some of the mancats in the house are now wearing collars. Smokey started wearing his special collar in October...

It took him a while to get the hang of it...his collar has a magnet on the front, and it opens the door into the cage where his special food is kept.

Smokey needs to gain weight, but a certain orange boy in the house does not! This was the only way we could guarantee that Tanner could not get inside to eat the higher calorie food.

It took Smokey about a month to really get the hang of the door...now he goes in and out like a champ! We still need to help him remember to eat several times a day...but if you take him to the room, he goes right on in. Smokey now weighs 9 pounds. He had lost down to 8.4 in December, so we are pleased with his progress. We did have to start him back on his anti-anxiety meds too...Smokey is a worrier, and stresses over things internally. This has helped him to not worry, and just enjoy life. He is very laid back now, and we can see the true Smokey personality!

Some of you with older cats may be experiencing this same problem...weight loss, forgetting to eat, not wanting dry food, etc...With Smokey, we simply take him to the cage several times a day to help him remember to eat. We serve high calorie canned food (AD, Authority, ProPlan, etc...). Dry food is more calorie dense, but he isn't loving on that right now, so we grind it to a powder and add it to the canned food, with some extra water. There is also a bowl a dry in the cage, so if he wants it, it is there.

In early December we used a couple of appetite stimulants on him, and they helped him to remember that he was hungry and should eat. Since going back on the anti-anxiety meds, we haven't had to use the appetite stimulants...so we are thankful.

Tanner is wearing a special collar of a different kind...his is a Calming Collar. It contains pheromones and I hope it will help him not be so nervous. I put it on last night, and he is doing well. It was a big heavy at first, but once he got used to it, he was a snuggle bug. This morning, he went over to Pirate and bopped him, and simply walked away...while I don't condone bullying, this is an improvement. Normally, Tanner would bop Pirate, and then get all nervous and squeal like Pirate was attacking him! So if this collar helps him to feel brave then that is great! I want my boys to feel comfortable at home, and I hope this will help Tanner.

Has anyone else tried the Calming Collar? Have you seen a difference, or felt like it was helping?

Devon is just laughing at everyone else because he doesn't have to wear a collar!

Thursday in the Garden

2012-01-19T06:30:00.000-05:00

Today, Tanner will show us around the garden...we have had a few nice days and the boys have been able to get outside for short bits...highly supervised of course.

Tanner beside the pole for some of the bird feeders...poor sad hydrangea is looking rough this winter...it will perk up when then weather turns warm. Even the grass has turned brown...

Tanner beside another bird feeder pole, and another dried up, dead looking plant...hoping this one will come back in the spring too.

At least one plant is still living...Tanner was very excited about this...fresh Nip! It is important to keep it well pruned...Tanner demonstrates his technique for you all...Watch and learn!

Wordless Wednesday

2012-01-18T06:30:00.000-05:00

Tummy Tuesday

2012-01-17T09:17:00.001-05:00

Devon and his brothers enjoyed having a long weekend with mom home. We had scrapbookers over on Friday night and all day Saturday, but the boys still got lots of attention! Sunday and Monday were snuggle days. The boys even braved the cold on Monday for a bit of outdoor time...it was a great weekend!

Tokyo

2012-01-14T06:30:00.000-05:00

We arrived back in Tokyo on Christmas day. We were staying in the Asakusa area. There is a famous temple here called Sensoji. Once Christmas was over, the city quickly started transforming decorations for the New Year...

Marketplace at Asakusa, decorated for the New Year. A lot of shops started having shorter hours, or not being open at all. In a way that was nice, because it reduced the number of people walking around...

We met this friendly fella at Sensoji...he was enjoying the pets! I was surprised by the lack of cat sitings this trip. I suppose they were hiding out due to the cold weather.

The three of us (I am in the black coat/brown pants) at Sensoji...one of the many New Year decorations...notice all the Sake barrels in the background. They will open these and serve people at midnight!

Yuzu was in season while we were there, and we loved all the yuzu products, such as cakes, drinks, bath salts, etc...It is a citrus, and can be rather strong in flavor. A cross between a lemon and an orange.

Vending machines are everywhere in Japan...you are never at a loss for something to drink or eat. The nice thing about them is they serve hot and cold bottled drinks. A hot tea while walking around on a cold day hits the spot!

The main gate heading towards Sensoji...This temple will be packed on New Years Eve...since our hotel was close by, we opted to move to another part of town on the 30th to avoid the crowds and noise. We moved to an area of town called Shinjuku.

The new sky tree in Asakusa...it will be taller than the Tokyo Tower when finished. I believe it will open in either March or April of this year.

Hachiko the dog that waited for his master at the train station...The statue is in Shibuya. Shibuya is the home of the busiest Starbucks in the world!!

This is another area of Tokyo called Ikebukuro...it is a lively area and we spent our last day here. The New Year decorations were still up, and most folks were off work, so it was rather busy.

At the Tokyo Hands store, there is a pet store on the top floor. In this particular one, you can also pay to go in and play with the kitties. We did not do that, as we would be home the next day to see our own kitties. This mascot came out though and we played a game with him for a prize. I bought several toys for the boys in this store...some have been a big hit, others a flop, but that's ok :)

Well, we hope you have enjoyed this quick tour of Japan...the boys will be posting next week :)

Sapporo

2012-01-13T06:30:00.000-05:00

We arrived in Sapporo on December 22nd and were immediately hit with a snow storm. It wasn't a big one for the people of Sapporo, but for those of us from North Carolina, it was a big deal! We had fun and were thankful the city didn't shut down like our town would have!

We have now met up with another lady and her son as well...here are my two original travel mates, and the son of our other friend enjoying the snow. We walked over to the convenience store to grab some snacks after lunch.

A common site at intersections was these containers with packets of a salt mixture. If you felt the sidewalk was slick, you could use some to help keep it safe for everyone. What a neat idea!

The next day, we went to the site of the Winter Olympics in 1972...the ski jump! It was very cool to see, and I was shocked at how tall the jump was! I don't know why one day you'd wake up and decide to jump!

Another view...there is a chair lift going up the left hand side...the wind was blowing pretty strong, so it was not working...

We waited in the museum/cafe/gift shop for a while to see if the wind would die down enough for it to run, but it did not. We enjoyed yummy soft cream though. Hokkaido is known for dairy, and their soft cream is delicious!

We took the bus back down the mountain and found a shrine. This is a Shinto shrine, and the others we've seen thus far have been Buddhist. I am not sure the true differences, and other than not seeing a statue of a Buddha, I could not tell a difference.

Of course they have the cute lanterns that I love so much...it was neat to see them in the snow. You may need to biggify, but the trees in the background are braced up...many in the town were like this, so we figured it was to protect against the weight of the snow over the winter. Some of you in the northern climates may see similar things in your area, but this was new to us.

The actual shrine...there was a wedding party about to come out, hence the photographer.

Lunch the next day, and we tried the melon soda...it is quite green and quite delicious!

Venturing around Sapporo more...the clocktower is a recommended site...it was smaller than I was expecting.

For Christmas, the tradition is to eat KFC, sushi, and strawberry shortcake...here are some Christmas cakes for sale...

The last day in Sapporo, Christmas Day, we went to Odori park, and went up in the tv tower. This picture shows the park from the tower. At night it is all lit up with pretty lights! Right now, due to the earthquake and tsunami, the country is conserving energy where they can, so the illumination area is only about half the size and density from previous years, according to the taxi driver. This is talso the area where the snow festival will take place in February.

We flew back to Tokyo this day, so that's where we'll be tomorrow...

Kyoto

2012-01-12T09:39:00.000-05:00

After spending the morning in Kobe, we grabbed a Bento box, ate lunch on the train and headed to Kyoto...the ride was about 1 hour.

Once in Kyoto, we headed off to one of our favorite temples, Kiyomizu-deru. You need to take the city bus to the area, and then walk a ways to get to the temple. Thankfully, there are plenty of things to see along the way...like this old gate. I love the mix of old and new that you find in Japan.

Before you get to the temple, there is a huge hill to climb...the Japanese were smart, and put shops and restaurants all along this hill...we stopped often for a rest and snack! This gate is the first thing you see when you make it up the hill...it is a welcomed site!

Smaller buildings around the main temple...I love the roof lines and the small lanterns...

There are quite a few buildings and structures that make up this temple...this building holds a bell...

In the background you can see that part of the temple is under construction. They cover things completely to do renovations...The color of the buildings is called Vermillion. It is supposed to ward off evil spirits in the night.

Handwashing is an important step at temples...neat ornate fountains are stationed at the entrance to the more important buildings. Be warned though...the water is VERY COLD!!

Another lantern...and you can see the construction in the background...

Beautiful blooming trees...

This temple is built on the side of a hill...the structure is amazing...the color is a bit weird because the sun was setting...

You walk down the other side of the hill and find these fountains...they are for drinking and luck. Each stream is for something different, like good grades, health, wealth, etc...We bought a cup to use to drink from, and decided to try them all :) Extra luck can't be bad, now can it?

Continuing our journey to the front of the temple, and trying to find those shops we passed on the way up...I turned around and saw part of the pagoda extending above the trees...so pretty.

This temple, and some shopping are all we did in Kyoto this time...we were only there a few hours. After dinner, we boarded the train and headed back to our hotel in Osaka. The next day, we had an early flight to Sapporo, so that's where we'll be tomorrow...stay tuned!

Osaka, Nara and Kobe

2012-01-11T06:30:00.000-05:00

The next day, we took the Shinkansen (Bullet Train) to Osaka. We had a pass and could use the trains as much as we wanted for 7 days. On the way to Osaka, we passed Mount Fuji.

Mount Fuji from the train windows...the weather cooperated with us! We arrived in Osaka, and checked into the hotel. Then it was off to the town of Nara...

In Nara, we fed the deer...they are friendly and sacred animals here. We all enjoyed feeding them...except when they would bite you because you weren't fast enough handing out the crackers!!

Todaiji Temple is one of the largest wooden structures in the world. It was neat to see, and we enjoyed touring around inside. We were fortunate that very few people were there, so we could take our time.

Inside the temple is a large Buddha statue...

They were starting a renovation project and needed funding...you could purchase a roof tile for 1000yen (about $10) and paint a message on it...this is my tile.

After Nara, we went back to Osaka and found dinner. This noodle shop is just awesome!! It is in an area of town called Namba, and we loved it!

The next morning we went to Kobe to visit a cat store we had found on the previous trip to Japan in 2008. We were excited it was still there...once again, we stimulated the economy :)

Waiting outside until the cat store opened, we enjoyed these pretty gardens...I was surprised at some of the flowers that were still blooming. Many that would have long stopped for the winter back home, were still going strong. The weather seemed just as cold as back home, so I don't know what the difference would be.

Tomorrow we'll visit Kyoto...we hope you are enjoying these photos.

Kamakura and Yokohama

2012-01-10T06:30:00.000-05:00

On our first free day, we did a day trip to Kamakura, and then stopped at Yokohama for dinner.

Here are the two ladies I traveled with at the Big Buddha statue in Kamakura at the Kotokuin Temple. This statue was constructed in 1252. It was fun to walk around and look at the various gardens and buildings.

I love these cute laterns...they come in all shapes and sizes.

I enjoy walking around the temple areas...sometimes I find the smaller outbuildings to be more interesting than the main structure...

Walking back to the train, we saw this neat shop/house with a cool blue roof!

This cat store made us all very happy...we stimulated the economy in there!

We stopped at Yokohama for dinner. Their Chinatown is known for steamed buns...we ate several types and they were divine!

Tomorrow we head to Osaka, Nara and Kyoto...

Stay tuned...

Mancats are Tired

2012-01-09T08:45:00.001-05:00

The mancats are worn out after having mom gone for so long...we think we'll let her blog this week about her trip. We hope you enjoy the pictures of Japan.

The first day we were in the country, we attended an event called Jump Festa. It is a big anime event, promoting new releases and what I would consider a customer appreciation event. It was fun. We knew several voice actors from the convention we work with in Raleigh, and they helped us get special staff badges. This was really nice because the line to get into the event was at least a three hour wait! We walked right in with our badges and started our day. There are many anime with cats in them, so I focused on those...this little red kitty was having a good time!

This grey kitty was a bit disgruntled about appearing with so many people...he tried to be a good sport though...

This stuffed kitty caught our eye...you could pre-order him, but they do not ship to the US...we were out of luck! We are going to try and find a way to order him though...he is too cute!

Here's a closer shot.

Tomorrow we'll have some actual scenery, as we visited Kamakura and Yokohama...enjoy!

Secret Paws

2012-01-04T16:21:00.000-05:00

Our Secret Paws package arrived while mom was in Japan. We bugged her the minute she arrived home to open it...she caved in and we opened it yesterday! We were all excited to see who sent our gift to us...it was Laila and Minchie!!

Tanner was most excited about the nip nanner! He loved to lick it all over...

The fevver balls were a hit too...they really fly across the room!

Devon loved the nip nanner too when he got a turn...

Cousin Sophie loved the treats and the mice...

Tanner took a nap with his fevver ball...

Devon tried to squeeze into the box...he was too big.

Smokey chowed down on the treats...Beachside Crunch is his favorite!

Hey, I'm all out over here...I need some more please...

I'll get in this box if it's the last thing I do...

Thanks Laila and Minchie...we love all our gifts!!

Christmas Garden

2011-12-15T09:13:00.001-05:00

This is the tree in the living room...where we all spend most of our time. Our Chalet is tucked next to it, and we love to lay on the presents underneath the tree. Some of the packages are quite squishy, like a blanket or something...

This is the tree in the study...Smokey's tent is behind here...he enjoys laying in the forest.

In the Christmas Garden, you'll find many animals...like this orange cat...looks a bit like Tanner!

Black cats...this one is round on the bottom, sort of like Devon.

Crabs...our mom loves blue crabs and can't get enough of them when she's at the coast!

Pretty red birds...

Even some birds wearing sweaters!

A long skinny black cat...this could be Smokey

Tanner's weight loss inspiration...a skinny orange cat :) Maybe we'll attach him to the cabinet in front of his food bowls for the new year!

And finally a peacock showing off her feathers in green, blue and purple...

We hope you enjoyed a look at the Christmas Garden this year...

Wordless Wednesday

2011-12-14T08:28:00.000-05:00

Two on Tuesday

2011-12-13T08:45:00.000-05:00

The first two shots are Devon and Smokey...Auntie put this blanket in the bed that stays on the ottoman, and the boys loved it! Smokey was in it, and when he left, Devon took over. Devon enjoys being covered up, so Auntie laid some blanket over him. Smokey went over and laid on top of Devon!

Smokey is not one to go and lay with someone else...so this was a special moment! I am not sure he realized Devon was there :)

Devon is like, get off me man!

Tanner was enjoying the action and a nice snuggle with mom. Mom is trying to get in extra snuggles this week because on Friday, she leaves for Japan for 18 days...returning on January 3rd. We may not be blogging much during that time, unless she can get some stuff scheduled.

Mancats love Christmas

2011-12-12T08:45:00.000-05:00

The mancats have been busy over the last few weekends helping get the house and yard decorated for Christmas. It is less than two weeks away now!

This is the black tree, used for Halloween this year, and moved into the dining room and decorated for Christmas! Nothing like a good multipurpose tree! Mom thought she was clever putting the snowman hat on the top! You may need to biggify to see it better. We decided to mainly use color our ornaments on this tree...Purple for Smokey, Blue for Devon, Green for Tanner and Red for Mojo. Mom loves to buy sets of ornaments in our colors and is ultra happy when she can find one for each of us...see below.

Smokey

Tanner

^Angel^ Mojo

Devon

Here's our family ornament for 2011...mom got it at the beach this year...we love fish!

We have two other trees too, normal green ones...mom forgot to take a picture of them, but we'll try to get her working tonight :)

Foto Flashback

2011-12-09T08:31:00.001-05:00

Devon is the craziest of the boys...he also enjoys wearing clothes at times, especially a pretty scarf. I had this small tree skirt for a tiny tree for my office, and wondered what it would look like on him.

Devon looks so pretty in his fancy collar!

Great job modeling the tree skirt Devon...you look very festive!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-12-07T06:30:00.000-05:00

Toes on Tuesday

2011-12-06T08:51:00.001-05:00

Tanner and Auntie show off their toes...

Thursday in the Garden

2011-12-01T06:30:00.000-05:00

Today we are back in the garden...this time at mom and Auntie's family home...enjoy!

::Meowwww::

Thanksgiving day was beautiful in the foothills of North Carolina. The ground was covered in leaves and pecans! Auntie is driving the tractor over to one of the trees to give it a good shake.

Before the shaking begins though, the leaves need to be raked and the pecans on the ground already picked up. Mom and Aunties parents, L and M, are working hard...

This is one of their dogs...Samson. He is a treeing feist.

L is shaking the tree now...you would not believe how many pecans fell off! They were everywhere!

In the end, we had 5, 5 gallon buckets full of pecans....and more trees to collect from. Thankfully the sun was going down, so we didn't have to pick up any more :)

Here's Auntie raking more leaves...

L is picking them up to put on the truck...he's going to take them to the blueberry bushes as compost.

Just a cute shot of a calf with it's mom...aaaawwwww.

Check out more fantastic gardens over at Jonsie's place.

Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T06:30:00.000-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving to all our US friends today. We hope you are enjoying your turkey day feast!

We are thankful for fresh water...many people and kitties around the world struggle to find clean drinking water.

We are thankful for window whiffies...

We are thankful for fresh nip...we would be thankful for dried nip too, but mom doesn't have a picture :)

We are thankful for a brother that "has our back"

We are thankful for comfy sleeping spots...this is what we'll be doing while mom is gone to her parents house for the day. We will be dreaming about the leftovers she had better bring to us :)

We are also thankful for friends and family, and wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving.

What are you thankfor for today?

Wordless Wednesday

2011-11-23T08:40:00.001-05:00

Tummy Tuesday

2011-11-22T06:30:00.000-05:00

This is the dead kitten pose by Devon. He lays like this and whimpers until you notice him. We usually make some joke about him stinking before the trash is taken off :) He loves it!

Fevvers Friday

2011-11-18T06:30:00.000-05:00

We are so excited to see the Eastern Bluebirds at the bird feeders again. They have returned in full force, and we hope that Auntie will buy some mealworms for them because that is their favorite food!

Flat boys with an owl at the NC State Fair...

A pelican on a channel marker down in Galveston Texas...mom spent the other weekend down there visiting a friend. (You may need to biggify to see him better.)

Well, there you have it folks...Fevvers on Friday!

Tanner Update

2011-11-17T06:30:00.000-05:00

Thanks to everyone for the purrs for Plavix...Tanner has been on this for a whole week now, and no adverse reactions have been noted!!! YAY for Tanner!

He is now a walking pharmacy though, as we take two pills morning and night.

Morning time we get 1/2 of an Atenolol, and a whole Enalipril.
Evening time we get 1/4 of the Plavix, and 1/2 of an Atenolol.

Tanner is a great at taking pills, and usually doesn't give any trouble. We have been doing his heart meds in varying doses now for 7 years. He was diagnosed at age two with HCM. I hate that any of my boys have a medical condition, but I am thankful that it is Tanner because he is so laid back with taking his medicine! I think it would be much worse, if I was having to struggle with him daily to medicate.

Our next heart recheck will be in June of 2012 at the NC State Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Cardiology Clinic. I feel so blessed to live close to this wonderful facility.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-11-16T06:30:00.000-05:00

Two on Tuesday

2011-11-15T08:42:00.001-05:00

Me and my shadow!

Smokey was able to go out, strictly supervised of course, for a few minutes last weekend. The weather was beautiful, and I wanted to use the light to get some photos of him. He was more interested in eating the grass, but that's ok too. I know he had a great time!

Mancats are Clean Cats

2011-11-14T09:25:00.001-05:00

Captured this video the other morning...Tanner was washing Devon's head...such sweet boys. When I watched later, I realized that I also caught Smokey in the chair washing. Mancats are certainly clean!

Tanner Update

2011-11-10T11:20:00.000-05:00

Many of you already know that Tanner has a heart condition called HCM. When he was at the vet school last June, it was determined that he is at an increased risk for blood clots. Therefore we decided to try him on an aspirin therapy, for prevention. We tried taking 1/4 of an 81 mg pill every three days...Tanner could not tolerate this medication. Severe vomiting occured each time we tried to start. We tried about three times, in case there was something else going on with his stomach at the time. Each trial produced the same results.

After speaking with his cardiologists and his regular vet, we have decided to try him on Plavix. This drug is relatively expensive, but I hope he can tolerate it. He will take 1/4 of a pill each day. I have a months worth at the house, and we will be starting tonight.

I would like to ask for some purrs that he can tolerate this drug, as there aren't any other options for prevention for him.

On another note, he has lost almost a pound of weight! We are very excited about this, and continue to work on his diet for more loss.

Almost Wordless Wednesday

2011-11-09T08:41:00.000-05:00

Window views with Smokey, Devon, Tanner, Cousin Pirate and Cousin Sophie!

These photos were all from a few years ago...just felt like remembering my boy Mojo today. He loved to go outside, but could go very little due to his allergies issues. During his last couple of weeks of life, we were having some really good days, health wise for him and weather, so we let him enjoy the fresh air and the outdoors. (Supervised of course) This is the look of pure bliss on his face!

Trio on Tuesday

2011-11-08T06:30:00.000-05:00

Devon, along with Cousins Pirate and Sophie, enjoy some window whiffies! It's turning a bit cooler now, but we like to sit in the windows on the weekends...

Dona Nobis Pacem

2011-11-04T06:30:00.000-05:00

Peace in our household looks like this...

Mom watching 'fun' tv with us because there is nothing else on to take her attention.
No squealing or staring contest
Everyone getting all the canned food they want because we are all sharing nicely
Wishing all the creatures of the world had things as good as we did, warm house, full bellies, soft bed, and most of all love

Here's to peace throughout the world...

~Four Crazy Cats

Wordless Wednesday

2011-11-02T08:36:00.002-05:00

Happy Halloween

2011-10-31T07:42:00.002-05:00

Happy Halloween from the Four Crazy Cats!

Devon has dressed up like a bat...

Tanner is a frog...

Smokey is going as a black cat this year!

Are you dressing up? Do you get many trick or treaters at your house? We hate the ringy bell, so mom keeps the light off and doesn't hand out candy.

Happy Gotcha Day Devon

2011-10-27T07:47:00.000-05:00

Devon, it was 10 years ago today that you came to live with us. It was an exciting time, having a new kitten in the house. We all loved your crazy antics and playful attitude toward life, all, except Smokey that is. He was not too thrilled with a new little brother. It was hard for me in that first week to know what to do. I wanted to snuggle you to pieces, but didn't want to upset Smokey. I actually debated about whether to keep you...

I am so glad that I made the choice to stick it out and make it work. You still love Smokey, and he is better about hanging with you. We have figured out how to share lap time and the bed and all is still right in the world.

10 things I love about you on your 10th Gotcha Day

10) You are still as crazy as ever
9) You love to push the envelope on rule breaking
8) Watching tv with you at night, with you on a pillow touching me with your paws
7) Your loud purr when you are excited about something
6) The crazy way you try to jump, but don't actually get your legs off the ground
5) The friendship between you and Tanner
4) The crazy poses you get into when sleeping
3) The 'dead kitten' pose and whimper if no one notices, or comments
2) Your predictable routines throughout the day

and the number one reason is...

1) you are mine!!

Happy Gotcha Day to my crazy middle boy!!

Terror on Tuesday

2011-10-25T08:05:00.000-05:00

Mom and Auntie and their dad visited Salem, Massachusetts while on vacation. The flats were excited and made an appearance...

This village is very popular during Halloween time and it was crazy busy. Mom loved all the decorations and came away with a few new black cat displays for her collection.

The flats thought they were dress as witches to see what would happen...luckily no one was burned at the stake this day! (Historical note: no one was burned in Salem, they were all hanged or pressed to death. The burnings took place in Europe)

Auntie, Flat Cousin Pirate, Aunties Dad and a real Pirate pose for pictures...Cousin Pirate loved that this Pirate had a peg leg too!

This house was all decked out for the holiday...biggify to see better details.

Are your homes and towns getting ready for Halloween?

Tock Tober

2011-10-20T12:49:00.002-05:00

Devon shows off his dancing tocks!

Tanner is not going to be out done, also gives us dancing tocks!

Does this window make my tocks look big?

Wordless Wednesday

2011-10-12T06:30:00.000-05:00

Mancat Monday

2011-10-10T08:02:00.001-05:00

Mancats enjoyed window whiffies this weekend! The weather has cooled off and the humidity is very low, so we took advantage of nice weather. Not to worry, Smokey took a couple of antihistamines and did just fine. His allergens are very low this time of year.

We hope you all were able to get some fresh air this weekend too!

Noteworthy Archive Award

2011-10-07T06:30:00.000-05:00

We were given the Noteworthy Archive Blog award by Chancy the Gardener. Thank you!!

This is a wonderful reminder that many blogs have jewels of information tucked away in their archive vault. I know I have enjoyed reading the archives of several bloggers...it's great to learn more about them and see what kind of adventures they have been on. So, next time you visit a new or favorite blog, check out their archives...you never know what you may find.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-10-05T07:34:00.002-05:00

Two Helpers Tuesday

2011-10-04T07:41:00.001-05:00

We decorated for Halloween the other week, and many noticed the Halloween tree in an earlier post. More pictures of it to come. The boys were big helpers as always and we couldn't have done it without them!

Smokey letting us know that there are things in this box that need to come out still...Thanks Smokey!

Devon is sorting the tissue paper, making sure nothing was left unwrapped...Thanks Devon!!

How have you helped your beans lately?

Visitor in the Garden

2011-09-29T08:46:00.000-05:00

We interupt our regularly scheduled gardening blog to ask you all to send purrs to our friend Derry at Fuzzy Tails. He is spending the day at the vet and would appreciate calming and healing purrs sent his way.

Now back to the regular program...

::meowwww::

Today we bring you a visitor in the garden.

This little fella has been visiting our yard all summer. He loves the sunflower seeds we have out for the birds, and can just about clean out the feeders each night. Auntie is calling him a pig, but we believe he is a raccoon!

Have you had any special visitors to your garden this year?

For more fabulous gardens check out the Society of Feline Gardeners at Master Jonesie's place.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-09-28T07:30:00.000-05:00

Mancat Monday

2011-09-26T10:13:00.001-05:00

Tanner demonstrates how sturdy the Chalet is...he loves to lay on top of it...great view from up here. This is perfect for snoopervising and bopping brothers when they walk by.

Adopt a Less Adoptable Pet

2011-09-23T07:56:00.001-05:00

Petfinder.com has designated the week of September 17-25 as “Adopt a Less Adoptable Pet Week,” a week to spotlight those pets that’re most often overlooked in shelters. When we fostered we were given many black kittens, and typically they took longer to adopt out that other colors did. This is an unfortunate delima for these sweet babies, as anyone who has adopted a black cat will attest that they are the best!

To be quite honest, I'm not sure who these kittens are anymore...but look at those sweet faces!

This is Cole and Caleb...brothers. They were adopted separately and into loving homes. They were super sweet bottle raised kittens that we had. One thing I remember about these boys, is that they liked their bottles really warm...if it was the least bit chilled, or room temperature even, they would not drink it!

This is Velcro...he is another bottle raised boy we had...and just as sweet as he could be. He had an identical brother named, Xavier, and they were well bonded, and needed to be adopted together. This created more problems because now we needed someone to take TWO black cats! It took these boys almost a year to find their forever home...they were lucky to be a group where time wasn't a factor. Not all black cats have this luxury.

Here's another shot of Velcro...he would nurse on your fingers!

I have found a group in Boston Massachusets that understands the plight of the black cat, and have founded Black Cat Rescue. It is important to get the word out about these remarkable animals, so consider going black the next time you adopt. Here are some more reasons why...

10.You'll save $$ on their Halloween costumes.
9. You can always find them in the snow.
8. Holding a black cat is very slimming.
7. Black cats will match any decor.
6. A lint brush isn't required for a black-tie affair.
5. When you love a black cat, luck is on your side.
4. Black cats are like onyx, a beautiful gem.
3. Hey, they don't care what color you are!
2. Love knows no color.

And the number one reason to adopt a black cat...

1. They are the least likely to be adopted.

Thursday in the Garden

2011-09-22T06:30:00.000-05:00

Today, we are back at the farm stand we found in Minnesota. Donna had many chickens roaming around and we wanted to share them with you all...

This is Big Red. He is a beautiful rooster and he knows it. He strutted around for us and wanted his picture taken. The ladies that worked at the farm stand, said the girl chickens didn't much care for him, or his attitude.

This rooster is the favorite. He isn't very attractive, but he has a good personality. The girls have plucked him, but he didn't seem to mind.

Here is a mom with her babies...the ladies that worked there brought out some fresh corn so we could watch the chickens eat, and so the babies would come out.

This chicken was a bit crazy sitting on this chair!

We can read more about Donna and her farm here.

You can also visit more wonderful cat gardeners at Jonesie's place.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-09-21T06:30:00.000-05:00

Trio on Tuesday

2011-09-20T11:16:00.000-05:00

Devon, Cousin Sophie and Tanner all watch the birds in the back yard...

Meow Like a Pirate - AARRRRRHH!

2011-09-19T07:40:00.001-05:00

Today, September 19th, in the year of our Lord two thousand and eleven, we be commanded to Meow Like a Pirate! We sail the high seas in search of gold doubloons and pieces of eight.

Shiver me Timbers, they be returning with fantastic spoils and plenty of grog...

Ham, or Big Slab of salt pig be on the menu...

Lobster or Roach of the sea

niptinis and grog for the swashbucklers....

Milk and bubble teas for the buccaneers-in-training...

Fresh spoils of the seas too...

Be nay ne'er shy and commence ye-selves to partying...All ye scurvy dogs!

Happy Birthday Devon

2011-09-14T06:30:00.000-05:00

Devon still at his foster mom's house...just a few weeks old...looking like the Bat Cat!

Devon at our house...he had been there a few days...I think he has settled in just fine!

Devon now looking very regal...happy double digit's to my special boy!

Mancats get a dental

2011-09-12T07:41:00.000-05:00

This is an older picture of Smokey, but it shows how we spent most of our weekend. Smokey went on Thursday to have his teeth cleaned. We were also concerned about one of the teeth, and thought it would need to be pulled. Thankfully, all teeth were good, once the tartar was removed! He was wiped out from his day at the vet, and I was willing to oblige with snuggles as often as needed.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-09-07T08:02:00.000-05:00

Wordless Wednesday

2011-08-31T07:44:00.002-05:00

Mancats Sing

2011-08-29T07:27:00.002-05:00

On Friday morning, Smokey, Tanner and Cousin Pirate all had annual vet appointments. They were packed up while Auntie was home to help me, and therefore had to wait about 20 minutes before being loaded in the car. Tanner and Pirate calmed down quickly, and just sat and waited. Smokey, not fond of being closed up, sang his heart out trying to get free.
Tanner is in the big blue carrier, Smokey is in the green at the bottom of the photo, and Pirate is in green at the top.

I was so thankful to be able to catch some of Smokey's singing...he has the cutest voice. It's almost like it never changed from being a kitten, and is still quite high. Enjoy!

Thursday in a Garden

2011-08-25T08:53:00.004-05:00

This week, we are letting mom show you some pictures from her recent trip to Minnesota. She, Auntie and a friend spent a week just driving around and seeing what they could find. This was a fun place for them, and we'll let mom tell you about it now...
Thank you boys for letting me take over today, and again I'm really sorry for not even getting the 'flats' out of the bag while on vacation! This roadside farm stand and homestead were a wonderful find for us. We passed by and turned around to go back...we are so glad we did!

The owner of this place is a lady named Donna. She is in her seventys and is a spry and spunky lady! Owning a farm had always been a dream of hers, and she is making is happen!

We walked around the yard and loved all the bright flowers we found...these purple ones are just gorgeous!

I don't know what these are called, but they are unique with a lovely color...

This is the house Donna lives in...There are fields with soy beans planted this year, next year they will be corn. There are chickens and a large vegetable garden too...I'll post more about this lovely place next week! Stay tuned...

To see more gardens, check out the Society of Feline Gardeners.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-08-24T10:42:00.000-05:00

Tails on Tuesday

2011-08-23T09:16:00.003-05:00

Devon loves to puff himself up! Here is an example of his bottle-brush tail...he's just been running around the house like a mad man! Devon is a nut!

Contest and Commentathon are over

2011-08-22T07:32:00.003-05:00

Thanks to everyone who participated in the contest and commentathon.

The winners of the contest are ...... drum roll please...

USA - Meowmeowmans

International - Old Kitty

Please email the mom at ( scanipe1 at nc dot rr dot com ) with your address, so she can get your prizes in the mail.

We had 17 comments total, so the mom will dontate 20 green papers to SAS for their mom Judi.

A Contest and Commentathon

2011-08-16T07:28:00.007-05:00

Cascades e-Boutique launched a new line of cat houses last month. Some of you saw the Tee-Pee on Catsparella's site, and entered to win. Well, we are running a contest as well, and you can choose to win either the Chalet or the Teepee. We selected the Chalet for our home and the boys love it!
Smokey was excited when it arrived...he is waiting for me to open the box. The instructions are clearly printed on the packaging...

Devon, Cousin Sophie and Tanner all watch, as I try to assemble the chalet...

Hurry up will you?

Devon is making sure I am following the steps correctly...There were quite a few steps, but it was easy to follow...
Still working...the chalet is quite large!
Finshed!! Sophie has already gone in to check it out...Devon is inspecting the outside...
Devon heads in...what fun!
Tanner takes a turn, so even large kitties can enjoy the chalet.

If you would like to win a chalet or a teepee, please leave a comment below. This will be for US viewers...However, if you live in another country, please feel free to enter, and the Four Crazy Cats will send you a gift package as well!

In the comments, please note where you live...comments accepted until August 21st at midnight, EST. Mom will select the winners on the 22nd.

Also...Mom will donate $0.50 for each comment to Sammy, Andy and Shelly's mom. In case you haven't heard, they are having a difficult and uncertain time, and this may help ease their stress a bit.(One comment per household please)

Ok great...let's get started!

Mancats and the Snake

2011-08-15T10:52:00.002-05:00

Tanner loves playing with the fuzzy snake. It is great fun trying to shove it under a door!

World Cat Day

2011-08-08T07:30:00.004-05:00

Today is World Cat Day...of course we believe everyday should be cat day!

Our mom has always been a cat lover, but Smokey was her first cat as an adult. He was rescued from an ad in the newspaper. He was so tiny and mom loved him before she ever met him! Smokey has blossomed into a super snuggly, sweet boy, and we all know he is mom's favorite :)

Devon came along next...mom had caught the 'black cat bug' and wanted another one. Devon is a lover boy and although not as snuggly as Smokey, he loves to be near mom regardless of what she is doing. He keep her on her toes with his crazy antics and diva attitude. How could you not love a boy like Devon?

Tanner was third and is the baby of the group. He is close buddies with Devon, and mom always claims how happy that makes her that her boys have a friend. Tanner loves alone playtime with mom too, especially with her feet and a string toy. Tanner is on the sensitive side and wears his emotions on his sleeve...Tanner is a momma's boy.

Mojo brought such joy and heartache into our lives. Mom loved being his health care provider, advocate, friend, and snuggle buddy. Mom hated that he was so sick and wanted him to just 'be a cat' for a while. She loved this boy, and he loved life. Mojo showed us all that life is good, no matter what. He will always hold a special place in mom's heart. Fly High Superman!

Mom here: Cats make the world a better place, at least my world. I love all my boys equally (even if they think Smokey is the fave!) They have brought me such pleasure with their craziness, zest for life, friendship and love. Here's to World Cat Day...may everyone be so blessed as to be owned by a cat!

House Trashing Party

2011-08-05T07:30:00.003-05:00

Welcome to our first ever House Trashing Party!! We are so excited that you came...let's get to trashing...We have lots of good things to eat and drink, so we'll have energy enough to do a proper trashing job!

We have lobster...nom nom

Fish...our personal favorite

Ham - a crowd favorite!

Hamburgers...our mom would be so jealous!

This lovely Nemo cake...we hope it tastes as good as it looks!

You can't have cake without ice cream...Tanner will love the chocolate sauce!

Drinks to wash it all down...

And some more lively drinks to get the party started! Trash on everyone!

Almost Wordless Wednesday

2011-08-03T07:30:00.001-05:00

The Flats are packed and ready to go with mom and Auntie on their annual summer trip to Minnesota. Our flat selves are tagging along to keep them out of trouble!
The house is ready for the pet sitter...is the pet sitter ready for us? Can someone say House Trashing Party!! Come on by Friday August 5th for a par-tay! Invite your friends...the more the merrier!

Trio on Tuesday

2011-08-02T07:30:00.001-05:00

Devon, Tanner and Smokey hanging out in the den waiting to play...

Mancat Monday

2011-08-01T07:30:00.000-05:00

Today's Mancat Monday is brought to you by Cousin Pirate...he is 8 years old.

Cousin Pirate has an obsession with the curtains in the den. He loves to get behind them and chase his tail!

Do you like to hide behind the curtains in your house?

Wordless Wednesday

2011-07-27T07:30:00.002-05:00

Two on Tuesday

2011-07-26T07:30:00.000-05:00

Devon and Tanner love to help you eat meals...they are waiting on a scrap of something to be offered to them. This picture was a bit late, because earlier, Tanner had his arm around Devon...so cute! I had hoped to catch the moment, but by the time I got back with the camera, he had stopped. Anyway, they are the most handsome dinner dates ever!

Friday Funny

2011-07-22T08:27:00.002-05:00

For those of us enduring this ridiculous heat wave...here's a bit of humor for you today...Enoy!

Thursday in the Garden

2011-07-21T07:37:00.006-05:00

:: 3 paw taps ::

Today in the garden we will be looking at my favorite flowers the gerbera daisy.
We have several in our garden out front...Aunties favorite color is the pink...they are very vibrant and add a nice pop of color in the flower bed.
We both like the yellow ones too...we have a lot of purple and yellow flowers in our garden...

This year, our neighbor gave us one of my favorite colors...an orange one! I love the brightness and the earthiness of this color.

Well, that's our garden...please check out more fabulous flowers at the Society of Feline Gardeners.

PS - We spotted our bird visitor from last week again this morning. We will be on the lookout and hunt once again to try and catch him.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-07-20T07:34:00.001-05:00

Toes and Tummy Tuesday

2011-07-19T07:28:00.002-05:00

Love those stiff chicken legs Tanner! I don't think Smokey is appreciating the 'show' he is getting!

Tanner loves the nekofly...he is crazy rolling around on the floor. We call him our roly poly!

Mancats Get Even

2011-07-18T08:08:00.004-05:00

Mr Puddy had a challenge to us kitties to show how we pay back our humans...well, it isn't pretty, but Tanner and Devon are a double threat.

If they don't feel things are going their way, let's say dinner was a few minutes late, playtime ended too soon, mom spent too much time watching tv, and not enough time talking to, playing with, brushing, snuggling, etc...then she will come into her bathroom to find this...

Devon has piddle in the corner...the brown blobs are Tanners :)

Now, it is fair to say that Devon thought he was doing the right thing...he was in the box when he left his surprise...he just chooses not to squat!

It isn't pretty, but the boys know what they want, and like to keep the mom guessing...what will she find today in the bathroom? Let this be a warning to you all...

A Visitor in the Garden

2011-07-14T07:46:00.004-05:00

::3 paw taps::

Today in our garden post, we wanted to show you the visitor we had last Sunday. Mom and Auntie were eating lunch, of course we were helping, and they noticed this on the bird feeders outside...
He is a Quaker Parrot. (They learned this later on) We knew immediately what type of fevver it was, but enjoyed watching them try to figure it out.
He sat and ate for a long time. Mom and Auntie decided they should try and catch him, because he is not native, and someone may have lost him. A trip to the Lowes and a phone call to Petsmart later and they were ready to try...
They sat outside and waited...he came back time and time again, but they were too slow. Beans are not as well equipped for catching fevvers are us cats...they would not let us out though!
They tried for about three hours, with no luck. He finally stopped coming by the feeders...
They are still on the lookout for the magnificant creature...and hope to get him one day soon. What sort of interesting visitors have you had lately?

For more great garden posts, visit Jonesie and the Society of Feline Gardeners.

Mom here: We called the vets in the area, checked craigslist, called the wildlife rescue, shelter, etc...to see if anyone had reported a lost bird. No one had. There's no telling how long he has been out, or where he could have come from. I still hope we can snag him...and then find him a nice home.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-07-13T10:33:00.000-05:00

Purrs Requested

2011-07-12T12:19:00.003-05:00

This is our friend's cat Kotaro. He is 10 years old, and was recently diagnosed with cancer, type unspecified. He is going downhill pretty quickly, and we know the power of the purr, so we are asking for healing purrs for him today.

Thank you all for supporting Kotaro and his family today by purring. We will keep you posted on his progress.

Bloggy Award

2011-07-08T06:30:00.000-05:00

Thanks to the cats at Bengal Cat Domination, we were given this sweet award! Tanner is eyeing that cake and wondering if he'll get a taste...he has a major sweet tooth!

Now with receiving this award, I am requested to write 7 unknown facts about me (actually us, 3 kittys here) and also give the award to 15 other bloggers.

1) Smokey is becoming very demanding in his senior years. He sits and waits in the living room for his food to be brought to him. Of course we oblige and take him something.

2) Smokey opens the closets in the kitten and guest room everyday.

3) Devon can jump from the counter to the top of the kitchen cabinets, but he can not get down. Someone has to go and rescue him! Luckily, he doesn't do this often.

4) Devon will move into your spot if you get out of bed in the night!

5) Tanner caught and ate a fly that was in the house the other day. I was very impressed, and of course did not have the camera handy.

6) Tanner will sit in the kitchen while you are vacuuming the floor...he doesn't mind when the wand attachment 'gets' him.

7) All the boys want to thank Derry and Nicki for showing us the wonder of the snake. Mom got us some this past weekend, and we all love the snake!

Now, we would like to pass this award on to any blogging friend that hasn't had it yet...please take it and post. You are all awesome!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-07-06T07:19:00.002-05:00

International Box Day

2011-06-30T06:30:00.000-05:00

Today the Four Crazy Cats celebrate International Box Day...what a great day in the life of a cat, because really, who doesn't love a good box?

Tanner loves to sit in boxes with paper in them...

Devon is curious about this box, and comes over to check it out...

Devon has claimed this box for himself...sans brother.

Boxes can be fun turned on their side too...

Boxes that are too small can be fun...

Decorated boxes are loads of fun too, especially when they are sitting in a chair!

BIG boxes are great for sharing with your brother...

Here's a video of Devon sitting in a box, shredding paper. Multi-tasking never looked more enjoyable!

The fun is never ending when a box is around! Happy International Box day everyone!

Mancat Monday

2011-06-27T10:24:00.002-05:00

Mancats, especially Tanner, love to be covered up...
Tanner has always loved to be covered with clothes from the dryer. In our townhouse, the laundry was upstairs in a hall closet, and so we could sit in the hallway and fold clothes. Tanner would always come around to help, so he could be covered with the warmness.

In the house now, the laundry is in a separate room, and so we have to take warm clothes to Tanner. He loves to help fold clothes and be covered.

Do your mancats like this too?

Frenemies

2011-06-24T11:00:00.003-05:00

Tanner and Pirate are what I would call Frenemies. They seem to love to antagonize each other on a daily basis. They have a routine now...so I think they secretly enjoy tormenting the other one.

Example One:
Pirate gets brushed in the mornings by Auntie. Tanner and I play in the hallway, or in the kitten room. Tanner blocks the door, so Pirate can't get out of Aunties Room. Pirate then lays on the stairs, so Tanner can't get by. Tanner runs by anyway, and Pirate chases. Both boys get called down. Every morning!

Example Two:
Pirate goes into the litter box. Tanner comes over and blocks the door. Pirate runs by, Tanner chases, both boys get called down.

I think they secretly like one another, but they are picking on each other all the time it seems.

Do you have frenemies at your house? How do you handle it?

Wordless Wednesday

2011-06-22T06:30:00.000-05:00

Two on Tuesday

2011-06-21T10:32:00.001-05:00

Devon and Tanner checking out their new ESS toy...everyone loves this new toy, and scratch on it often!

Mancats love Catnip

2011-06-20T10:32:00.001-05:00

Devon and his brothers all love a good catnip toy...Devon was trying to be slick about his and not let us see what he was doing. I was sitting on the couch and continued to hear this raspy noise...turned around and Devon was licking his new toy, with his back to me. I still see what you are doing crazy kitten!

Thursday in the Garden

2011-06-16T06:30:00.000-05:00

Today in the Garden, we want to show you some of the pretty blooms we have at the moment...
For more wonderful gardens, visit Jonesie and the Society of Feline Gardeners.
This picture doesn't have any blooms, but do you see all the baby catnip that is growing? We can't wait for it to get bigger...we'll have to host a nip fest!

In the front yard, we still have some pansies, and the peony is getting ready to bloom. You can also see some of the Gerbera's in the background.

I am not sure what this flower is, but I love it's bright yellow color!

This is a bloom on the butterfly bush in the back yard...the birds love these plants.

More pansies still going strong in the back, along with a sunflowerzilla! We hope ours will do as well as Raymond and Busby's did last year!

This is a neat pot that Auntie made...we think she did a good job, and would love to be out there chewing on that grass!

Two on Tuesday

2011-06-14T06:30:00.000-05:00

Devon and Smokey (in cube) wondering why I am on the ground with them! The world certainly looks different from this level!

Mancat Monday

2011-06-13T07:25:00.005-05:00

Hey Brother, do you want to come and play with me?
Tanner asks to play with his toys by sitting next to them...
Well, I can wait a while longer if you're not ready right now...

Thursday in the Garden

2011-06-09T06:30:00.001-05:00

Today we are focusing on our vegetable garden...it's been a while since mom went out to take pictures, but everything is growing nicely. Auntie picked a grape tomato the other day for them to share. We'll turn it over to mom now to tell you about the garden, since we aren't allowed outside to inspect, we have to take her word for it...

Here is a shot of our garden plot...it isn't large, but it holds enough for us!

The heirloom tomato has a large fellow growing...doesn't look too pretty, but should taste lovely in another week or so when it ripens. We can hardly wait to have a good tomato sandwich!

One of the bell peppers...we planted a red and a yellow bell this year. Both have a pepper growing and we hope they will change colors soon!

Here are all the tomato plants...we have a grape, heirloom, and two better boy plants. We should be set for tomatoes!

The squash and zucchini plants are full of blooms...nothing better than fresh veggies!

Check out more wonderful gardens at Jonesie's page.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-06-08T06:30:00.002-05:00

Tails on Tuesday

2011-06-07T10:05:00.002-05:00

Whose tail is it today?
Heading into the red cube...

Inspecting the purple cube...

It's Smokey!! He has been a frisky kitten lately, and I've loving it! He has taken to sitting in the cubes too, so I was happy to get a shot of him in both cubes.

Mancats are tired

2011-06-06T07:35:00.002-05:00

For Memorial Day weekend, I was gone almost the entire time...helping a friend at a convention in town. The boys and I took this past weekend to catch up on some much needed sleep! Not having mom at home makes mancats tired!
Smokey found a good spot in the guest room!
Tanner loves the purple puff!
Devon snuggled in a snuggie on the couch!

We hope you all had a restful weekend as well...

Thankful Thursday

2011-06-02T07:31:00.004-05:00

We are thankful for many people today, who have helped to make this card possible. Thanks to Wendy at the LOLSpot for finding his picture on our blog and posting it. The people at Cheezburger saw it and decided it was card worthy.

It was an on again-off again project for them, so we have been waiting and wondering if it would actually happen and now we have confirmation that it will indeed be a card. We received our sample pack the other day and are thrilled with the results! The Christmas Cards will be in stores that carry the line starting late summer/early fall.
Here is a link where you can find out if they will be near you :) Madison Park Group, Cheezburger Network.

I also want to thank Daisy and Sparkle for the advice they gave about whether we should or should not give the photo rights to this company. I'm glad we did it!

There is a byline on the back that says Thx to: Tanner, photo by Suzanne Canipe. They did not want to put the blog address on the card, which is fine with us. We are so happy Tanner's name is mentioned!

If I have left anyone off that helped make this a reality, please accept my apologies and my thanks here!

Almost Wordless Wednesday

2011-05-25T07:34:00.002-05:00

Update on Tanner...his blood pressure is just fine. They did multiple readings throughout the morning and while he was on the high side of normal, she felt this was just due to stress. No med change.

Many of you may remember that the vet school was recommending an anticoagulant for Tanner. After some deliberating and researching and discussing with his primary vet, we have decided to start an aspirin therapy on him. He will be getting a half of an 81mg baby aspirin every three days. We all felt this was the safest route to take at the moment, realizing that there are stronger options still available if needed.

Thank you all for your concerns and purrs for Tanner...he is a good boy and I want to see him around for many years to come!

Mancats Love to Clean

2011-05-23T07:54:00.006-05:00

This weekend we spent a lot of time at home cleaning. It was a great weekend for it, and the mancats helped out. We were recently given a bottle of @SeaYu Clean+Green Natural Pet Stain + Odor Removers to try out. We were given the Furniture Refresher. It took us a while to figure out a good place to use it, because our cat beds are simply washed in the washing machine, and the slip covers on the couch are washed periodically too. So what would be a good area to use this product? I asked the mancats...and the answer was unanimous. They all said this area near their favorite cat tree needed to be cleaned. Someone, who shall remain nameless, pees in this area on occasion. While most of the liquid hits the carpet, some will get on the curtain. We thought we would try the furniture refresher on the curtain, as it is a difficult area to clean.
I sprayed the curtain, and went ahead and did the floor as well...Let it dry and was impressed with how well the residual odor that was left by our other cleaning agent was removed. The area was fresh and clean smelling. The little bit of stain on the curtain was removed too. We were happy to not have to take down the curtains to wash them!!

Smokey gives the Clean+Green products two lasers on!

If you haven't tried these products, I recommend them. You can visit their website here, and see how the products work, and the many varieties that are available.

Tanner Tails

2011-05-20T10:18:00.003-05:00

Today Tanner is off to the vet again to get his blood pressure checked. He was not pleased this morning to be shoved in the PTU again! This time he is going to see his regular vet instead of the cardiology group at the vet school.
Here he is sitting the car, trying to alert the neighborhood that he is being taken away...you should have heard him! I tried to video him singing, but he stopped when he saw the camera, typical.

Sitting in our room at the vet...he is hooked up to the blood pressure machine...notice the blue cuff around his tail? This machine was a bit alarming, as it kept beeping at him...that's enough to get anyone's blood pressure up!

Close up of the cuff on his tail...

Now they are trying it on a front arm...he is holding on for dear life! He turns into a super snuggly boy at the vets office! I'll take hugs anyway I can get them from my boys :)

The only reading they were able to get was on the high side, so he is spending the morning with them. I will go and rescue him in a couple of hours!

I hope his blood pressure isn't high enough to require a change to our medications, but we will do what needs to be done to keep the boy healthy. I also have a 'diet' plan I am going to discuss with his vet today too. I found some great information at the Pet Obesity Prevention page, but I want to run these ideas past his vet just to make sure we are on the right track.

We hope everyone has a great weekend.

Thursday in the Garden

2011-05-19T07:26:00.002-05:00

Today we are in the garden...the boys still aren't allowed out because of allergies, but they have given me permission to show you around.
You can see other beautiful gardens at Jonesie's place...

In the bed near the intersection we have Day Lilies that are blooming now, blanket flowers and some purple things. We are trying to get this bed established so we don't have much work each season in it...

These pretty purple flowers are very wild looking and we love them!

Here is our visitor...Auntie found him when she was tying back the daffodil stems...do you see him?

Here is a better shot...do you see him now? It's a toad! He was gone later in the week when I went back out to look for him...I hope we will see him again though.

Well there you have it...our garden tour with a visitor.