My favorite thing to do on a Caturday, is follow the Can Opener around getting extra snuggles and treats.
It’s Caturday! Time to do your (cat) thing!
Cats love Caturday. Unless their humans leave them alone all day, or they have a bazillion creatures running around tearing the house apart, throwing things, screaming and shredding the drapes – (before you get the chance), or putting their grubby little fingers in the cat food, and dumping out your water. That might stress a cat out – just a little.
When a cat has to deal with things like that, they might show some signs of being a little hissed off. They might misbehave a little bit- or just plain lose it altogether…
And especially if there are little critters running around in the house with their playmates, your cat might get slightly exhausted from all the chaos and just drop into a coma…
But if they don’t drop into a coma or lose their minds, they may decide to spend some time problem solving…
Or use their Caturdays to settle a score…
Whatever you humans have planned for your Caturday, better make sure your cat is happy too!
Did you know that the largest hairball ever removed from a cat was 1.9 inches bigger than a Major League Baseball? Neither did I- But I can tell you I wouldn’t have wanted to see that baseball after they used it to measure the size of that hairball!
Quit scaring me, Twilight!
It sounds awful, but it’s true – (my guess was it was a mountain lion or something)- but still…
All cats get hairballs, and few people realize that rabbits and cattle can actually get them too! They are not only miserable, but they can cause serious problems for your cats.
Hairballs form because when cats groom themselves (which is all the time)- tiny little barbs on their tongues catch loose hair which they then swallow, and it winds up in their stomachs causing a lot of discomfort. (A cat’s tongue isn’t like those self-cleaning cat brushes, you know).
Now, certain cats are more susceptible- like Persians and Maine Coons- and usually the hair passes out safely without issue. But long-haired cats like these have them more often because their coats are longer and denser. Also, did you know cats are more prone to hairballs in the spring and summer? This is because cats are working hard to regulate their body temperature.
If your cat gets a hairball they can’t pass, it can result in a blockage that can threaten your cat’s life.
Signs to watch out for:
Coughing and hacking
Swallowing and licking their lips
Refusing to eat or take treats
Refusing to drink water
Refusing to groom
Prevention:
Spend time with your cats and pay attention to their normal habits – be alert to any changes in their appetite or grooming patterns. If you see anything that makes you suspect something isn’t right, don’t hesitate to call your vet. Keep your cat as comfortable as you can until you can get it help and keep noise and activity to a minimum as much as possible.
Brushing your cat is the best way to prevent hairballs- this is not only soothing to your cat, but increases circulation, relieves any itchiness, and at the same time removes loose hair before it reaches their tummy.
Stress can also be a cause of hairballs at times, since chewing and over grooming are things cats do when they feel stress- sort of like humans biting their nails. To help prevent hairballs because of stress over-grooming, set aside a little time each day to involve your cat in an activity they love.
There are also hairball preventing paw gels, supplements, and hairball formula cat foods for a little extra insurance. Here are a few examples we like:
Check these out to prevent the problem before it starts! And keep your eyes on your fur-babies’ normal habits so you’ll know right away if something is off.
It’s been a while since you’ve had some Twilight therapy-
What’s more therapeutic than cats?
There’s a reason we cats have taken over the internet (and the world)! We are adorable, cute, funny, full of purr-sonality, great for insomnia, great for stress relief, great exterminators (delicious!), and we not only can be trained, but we actually train our humans! Yep, that’s right.
But, did I also mention that we’re loving and sweet and cute?? Here’s adorable little me being cute…
Taking over the desk chair to force my Can Opener away from the computer (demanding playtime).
Wiped out after playing kitty golf with the Can Opener last night.
Here I am not only being cute but being sweet- grooming Sushi to console her after the Can Opener put medicine in her eyes. (Also helping her secretly plot revenge).
Oops- caught in the act! Hey, at least I didn’t pounce on her afterwards – (THIS time)! 😹
Okay, I guess Sushi is cute too- that is if you’re into crazy cats …
I think Sushi gets a little too excited about her grooming…Sometimes she gets a little- well, STRESSED.
Okay human, I can sit up by myself now. How about that coffee?
I don’t like Mondays. They make me get up.
I hate it when the Can Opener wakes me up on Mondays for no reason at all except that she thinks I’m cute. Of all the nerve! If it’s not that little Albino Flea swatting me on the head to make me play, it’s the Can Opener saying, “Come on, Sushi- It’s time to groom you!”
What the flea! I’m a CAT – I can groom myself- well, okay, except for my belly and my lower parts that I can’t really reach myself because I’m so beautifully upholstered… and that spot at the base of my tail that I can’t quite reach…but still. Those two are seriously disrupting my normal 18 hour a day sleep pattern. I’m going to disrupt something of theirs, too. Right after I get some coffee- extra cream, hold the coffee.
While I’m waiting for my coffee, I think I’d better read some comics so I can forget how irritated I am at those two lower life forms.
I feel better now. Unfortunately, it’s still Monday.
The Can Opener says it’s National Pet Parents’ Day. Never heard of it- what exactly does that mean?.
Here’s What it’s all about
Lately my Can Opener has become fascinated by searching for (mostly) unknown holidays. I always thought she was a little strange, but hey, I’m just the cat. Anyway, she found about about this holiday on NationalToday.com.
That’s where she found out that people first started domesticating pets around 10,000 B.C. (How’d they know? I’ve never met anybody that old- not even the Can Opener)!! What makes it even more interesting, is that the first domesticated animals weren’t cats- (they apparently weren’t real smart back then)- they were WOLVES!
People discovered that wolf cubs separated from their moms could be good companions and that started the whole thing about keeping and breeding pets. People are so weird.
But I guess that’s not so bad, because they also discovered how pawsome we cats are and started (trying to) domesticate us! And some people revered us as being spiritual – why the Ancient Egyptians even worshipped us cats!
What?? Nobody worships ME!! THAT’S NOT FAIR!
SHUSH, SUSHI! I’M ON A ROLL!
Anyway, in the Victorian Era (13th century)- keeping pets became a status symbol as rich lords started bringing their dogs hunting, and rich ladies had dogs lounging on their laps as they spent their days in luxury lounging with books. It wasn’t until the late 1800’s that everybody else started keeping pets. (I’ll bet this was because they found out how good we cats are at taking care of those annoying rodents).
Anyway, now over 67% of U.S. Households have at least one pet- (and the exceptionally smart ones make sure there’s at least one cat too- according to me) MOL! 😹
This is an important day to remember- because pets (not just cats- *human made me say that*)- but pets in general are great companions for their humans, and help them with loneliness, depression, disabilites, and therapy!
And Veterinary Pet Insurance companies wanted to acknowledge responsible pet parents and their furry children.
How to celebrate National Pet Parent’s Day?
1.) Give them some extra pets and snuggles-
2.) Buy them a new collar and post their picture on social media
3.) Buy them their favorite treats or a new toy (or two, or three)
4.) Take your doggie to a dog park or schedule a playtime with his doggie-buddy!
5.) Start an Instagram account for them and make them a celebrity pet!
Whatever you do, just make sure you make it a special day of bonding with your pets!
Twilight can’t play with my wand toy, Mom. She can go catch a mouse. It’s MY Caturday, and I’ll pout if I want to.
How are you spending your Caturday?
I spent the first part of my Caturday keeping the Can Opener company while she had her coffee and prayer time. Now I’m trying to play with my favorite wand toy (with colorful bows on it)- and Twilight keeps trying to snag it. I swatted the fleas right off the little brat and told her to go catch a mouse or something, then I decided to park on it so she can’t pick it up and drag it away.
I think the Can Opener was shocked. That’s okay- that just means she’s fully awake now and Twilight knows not to mess with me. Now she’ll probably go dig up a flowerbed someplace.
While the Can Opener is outside enjoying the sunshine, I want to ask how your Caturday is going? I know some of you cats may be lonely and bored (which is a great excuse to nap)-
The attack of the sunbeam
Birthday parties were designed to torment cats
Or maybe you’re stuck in a house full of those tiny little noise-makers trying to be good and not scratch them to ribbons…
Or, maybe your sniffing the air looking for a neighborhood barbeque to inspect… (let me know if you find one- with GPS coordinates, please)… or
Why isn’t anyone grilling over here yet?
By the way human, don’t forget to order the pizza and leave the door open for me…
Maybe you’re making dinner plans for later… I’ll be right over to help you with that Door Dash. Happy Caturday!
Make the rain STOP!! There’s birds out there that need caught!
This rain really cramps my style!
It has been raining all. day. long! I tried to be a patient kitty, just watching the raindrops incessantly falling from my perch on top of the Can Opener’s desk- but after counting over 156,700,439 (and a half) raindrops, I finally gave up and decided to pick a “fight” with the Can Opener’s toes. Unfortunately, she never sits still long enough for that to be effective, so I have to look for another victim…. and here she is- all cozy on the couch, covered up with the Can Opener’s robe…
Thanks for my new robe, Human. You’re not allowed to use it anymore.
So, like any other cat in its right (bored) mind, I crept up to the couch, right up to the spot where Sushi’s tail was hanging (uncovered) over the edge of the couch, and gave her a quick, SWAT! (FOUR times in rapid succession).
Unfortunately, neither Sushi or the Can Opener had a sense of humor about it, and Sushi got mad and actually MOVED! Wow. Never thought I’d see that happen.
So finally, (probably just to save my life)- the Can Opener finally stopped messing around in the kitchen, got her 13th cup of coffee, and that dang phone of hers, and sat down and played with me in the rug.
It went something like this… (with Sushi glaring at me for daring to wake her up)….
After I went psycho for twenty minutes (Mom said I made Sheba look sweet and calm)- I was finally tired enough to eat a boatload of fancy feast and half a bag of treats. But again, the Human spoiled my day by saying “no- you don’t need that many treats.” I said I did. She said I didn’t.
I think we argued. She won, this time. But not for long…
I knew something was up as soon as she got out the laptop bag. I told Sushi, but Sushi thought I was crazy. But now she knows. Once again, after a purrfectly pawsome morning of cuddles and treats, right when we thought we had it made for the day, The Can Opener packed up and left for the Critters’ house.
This time because the Critters’ parents were going to be gone and instead of staying here, they were concerned about leaving our cousins, Serafina and Abby alone (after having started them on a wet food only diet). They didn’t want to have to leave them with dry food only and no one to give them their wet food.
I told them I could take care of the food- I can eat it all myself then they don’t have to worry about it- but she went anyway.
Sushi thought she would be back in a few hours. Now it was my turn to tell her she’s crazy. But she still didn’t believe me until 9:00 when bedtime came around and the Can Opener wasn’t here to groom her and tuck her in. The lights didn’t get dimmed, the toys remained laying paralyzed in the floor, and the treats didn’t walk out and pour themselves into our mouths.
In case you haven’t guessed it yet, WE’RE PROTESTING!
AND THEN we heard the door open and got all excited until we noticed it wasn’t the Can Opener!
What did you do with our Can Opener! Bring her BACK!
Oh- it’s just you.
We were not happy. She had a couple of friends stopping by several times a day to make sure we were okay, and to let me out – but I didn’t go out because it rained the whole time! And I was afraid nobody would be here to let me in if I did go out. Of course, Sushi’s big fear was not being fed- as if missing a meal or two or fifteen wouldn’t hurt her.
Then we both realized the obvious- THE WHOLE THING WAS PLANNED!
And if that’s not bad enough- here’s the reason…. our spoiled cousins –
Her Royal Fleabag, Princess Abby
Serafina parked in front of the refrigerator in case the Can Opener forgot where they put it.
Of course, we were fed (but we’re not telling the Can Opener that), and her sister and her friend took really good care of us, and even gave Sushi her medicine and snuggles- but we don’t care, because it wasn’t OUR CAN OPENER! She did not fill out an application for our approval first, so therefore, there will be consequences….
Have you ever wondered what your cat thinks when you kiss it? Its thoughts could range anywhere from “OH YAY! FINALLY!” to “Oh great, here we go again,” Or even, “kiss me and I’ll shred your face, idiot!”
Every cat is different, but personally I like only an occasional kiss – not one of those weird human kiss assaults where they go bonkers until you’re gasping from air (or from their bad breath)!
Maybe you should watch this video I found to educate my Can Opener. And while you’re at it, learn how to interpret your cat’s body language too! It just may save your life one day!
How to Train your Humans 