Tag: cats

It’s Zaturday – Lonely Kitties!

Posted on by Carol J. Post

It’s Zaturday, the day we (Ziggy and Zorro) take over Mommy’s blog!

Ziggy here. Zorro and I were sad kitties last week. Mommy and Daddy left us! They went to Florida and didn’t take us with them! They were gone a really long time—almost a week! We missed them, but Aunt Kim took really good care of us. We got to hang out with Grandma a whole bunch, too. We also had each other to snuggle with.

Zorro and I like going for car rides. When Daddy’s driving, we both get in Mommy’s lap. It’s a little crowded, because she usually has her computer there, too. When Mommy’s driving, she only lets one of us lie in her lap. Zorro always beats me to it. He curls up there and doesn’t move until Mommy stops for gas.

When Mommy and Daddy first got back, Zorro pouted for a whole day. Mommy couldn’t get him to purr no matter what she did. But he finally got over it and forgave them for leaving him. One thing that helped was that the day after they got back, Daddy went to the store and bought a bunch of meat. Then they made a batch of fresh cat food. Mommy and Daddy make really good kitty food. We like it better than the food that comes out of cans. Zorro even stands up for it.

We think we have good parents, even though they do sometimes leave us. But Mommy promised they wouldn’t leave us again until June. We’re not sure when June is, but we’re hoping its reeeeaally far away. Do you think if we try really hard, we can get them to cancel their trip?

It’s Zaturday – We’re back!

Posted on by Carol J. Post

It’s Zaturday, the day that we (Ziggy and Zorro) take over Mommy’s blog.

Zorro here. I know it’s been a really long time since Ziggy and I have been on here, but whew, have we been busy! Well, I guess it’s Mommy and Daddy who have been busy. First, something happened to Daddy. Mommy said he had shoulder surgery. Ziggy and I don’t know what that means, but he came home with this great big thing on his arm and had to wear it for a long time. Ziggy and I were scared of it at first, but we got used to it. Soon we were back to snuggling with him.

Cat in boxThen we all moved from Florida to North Carolina. Ziggy and I like car rides, so we didn’t mind that at all. What was really fun, though, was when Mommy started unpacking. Every time she emptied a box, Ziggy and I got in! Boxes are the most fun thing in the world! Well, catnip toys are pretty fun, too.

Lately, though, Mommy and Daddy have been making lots of noise, and we don’t like that. Even Aunt Kim is getting involved. Mommy says they’re remodeling. While Mommy and Aunt Kim put a new floor in, Ziggy and I hung out on our catio.

For a while, there was white stuff all over the ground, and it was really cold. When I wanted to get warmed up, I just came in and curled up in Grandma’s lap. Grandma has a soft, warm lap, because she wears a thick, fuzzy robe.

Now the room where everybody was working is all finished. Ziggy and I are glad. We like to hang out in there and look out the front window…

…or play on the new floor.

Mommy says she’s not done with the remodeling, though. Next, she’s going to tear up the hall bathroom. That sounds like a noisy job, too, so Ziggy and I are hoping she’ll change her mind. Think we might be able to convince her to play with us instead?

7 Ways You Can Keep Your Pets Healthy and Safe this Winter

Posted on by Carol J. Post

By guest blogger, Ryan Goodchild of A Pupper’s Love

Photo by ModCatShop on Unsplash

Now that the cold weather has arrived, you need to make sure your pet has the essentials to stay healthy and happy all season long. Not sure where to start? Then check out these top health and safety tips for taking care of your furkids.

Find Allergy Relief for Your Pets

Itchy pets may be suffering from allergies. Pet allergies are pretty common for cats and dogs, and can be the result of dust, pollen or even certain foods. All of the scratching can lead to hair loss and infections, so schedule a checkup for your pets if you suspect environmental or food allergies. You can also try switching your kitty to an allergen-free food to see if that helps with symptoms.

Address Your Pet’s Behavior Issues

Winter weather can mean more indoor gatherings with family and friends. If you plan on bringing your pets along you should make sure they have at least some basic manners. This can also be helpful if you want to sip your favorite fall lattes on local dog-friendly patios. If you need help with training your dog, consider reaching out to a local, qualified trainer for a consultation.

Be Aware of Signs of Pain in Your Pet

Colder weather can make your pet extra achy. Arthritis is another common health concern that tends to come in during colder seasons, and aches and pains can be particularly common for senior pets. Lifestyle changes can reduce pain and inflammation for your pet, including keeping your pet active and investing in quality beds.

Pain from inflammation, nausea and vomiting from cats with sensitive stomachs is another thing to look out for. In this case, switch your kitty over to food that is specially produced for such ailments. Ingredients in sensitive stomach cat food — such as prebiotics, highly digestible ingredients, and fatty acids like fish oil — are geared towards soothing cats’ digestive systems.

Make Sure Your Pets are Microchipped

It’s always a good idea to microchip your pet. If your pet gets away from you during a hike, a walk, or a holiday vacation, having a microchip will increase the chances of being reunited with you. This is a relatively simple and inexpensive procedure that can be priceless when it comes to protecting your furry family members.

Protect Your Pet’s Paws and Nose

You know how your lips and hands can get dry and chapped during the winter? Well, the same thing can happen to your pet’s paws and nose. If you notice dry skin or cracks on their skin, consider mixing up a protective balm. You can also add a layer of balm to help safeguard your dog’s paws against salt and other chemicals used to prevent ice on sidewalks.

Protect Your Pet From Holiday Hazards

Finally, before you enjoy any holiday celebrations with your pets, you should be aware of some of the most common holiday pet hazards. Human food may be the first thing that comes to mind, and keeping fatty meats, herbs and other risky treats away from your pets can be crucial for keeping them healthy. But holiday decor, including poinsettias, mistletoe and tinsel, can also present poisoning and choking hazards.

Ensuring a safe and healthy season for your pets is all about preparation and planning. So even if the temperatures are still hot and sticky in your area, start making appointments and stocking up on supplies as soon as possible. Then you can rest assured that your pets are healthy enough to enjoy all the fall fun ahead.

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Thank you, Ryan, for all the great info. For inspiring stories about man’s best friend, check out Ryan’s website, A Pupper’s Love. For more pet safety tips How To Keep Pets Safe at Home by LA Homes offers advice for every room of the house.

It’s Zaturday – Merry Christmas!

Posted on by Carol J. Post

It’s Zaturday, the day we (Ziggy and Zorro) take over Mommy’s blog!

Ziggy here. Yesterday was Christmas! Christmas must be a really special day, because Mommy and Daddy did lots of cool stuff for us. The day before, they brought us to North Carolina to spend time with Aunt Kim and Grandma. We love North Carolina because we get to hang out in our catio and watch the squirrels and birds. This time, though, Mommy wouldn’t let us go out there. She said it’s too cold. I don’t know how cold it is, but there’s white stuff everywhere! The bird feeder is covered, and the stuff’s even on our bar where we like to sit.

On Christmas morning, Mommy gave us a treat of turkey baby food. It was soooo yummy! Zorro even stood up for it.

Then Mommy and Daddy gave us presents! We knew something was going on, because earlier, Mommy sat down on the floor with rolls of paper and a plastic bag with stuff in it. When I checked out what she was doing, I smelled catnip! Zorro and I both go crazy over catnip. Mommy finally had to take everything into the bedroom and close the door, because she said she couldn’t get the presents wrapped with me getting into everything.

Finally it came time to open them. Boy, was that fun! Mommy had to help us tear the paper. She said she put too much tape on it.

The first presents were furry mousies. I got a white one and Zorro got a brown one. The best part was that they were catnip mousies!

Mommy had to finally take them away from us to get us interested in the other presents. The next one had balls for us to play with. Some were fluffy and others had bells inside.

The last presents were bigger. I got a bird and Zorro got a pineapple, both full of catnip!

After opening our presents and playing with them for a while, we were totally worn out. So Zorro took a nap with Grandma…

and I curled up on the dining room chair.

Zorro and I think this was the best Christmas ever!

It’s Zaturday – Kitty Acrobats!

Posted on by Carol J. Post

It’s Zaturday, the day we (Ziggy and Zorro) take over Mommy’s blog!

Zorro here. Did you know that a cat can right itself from a fall in less than one second? Pretty amazing, huh? Here’s how we do it. Our backs are super flexible. We bend in the middle so our front half rotates different from our back half. Then we tuck our front legs and extend our back legs, so we can rotate our front half. Then we tuck our back legs and extend our front legs and that lets us rotate our back half. Some cats can do these three steps once and they’re right side up. Others have to do them two or three times. But we go through these steps lightning fast. Since we have the ability to right ourselves, we usually land uninjured. But not always. Cats can still break bones or even die in extreme falls.

A couple of weeks ago, when Mommy and Daddy were sick, I was lying beside Mommy’s feet, and all the sudden, I fell out of bed. Mommy heard a thud, so she doesn’t think I landed on my feet. I’m not sure, because it happened so fast. One second I was sound asleep, and the next I was on the floor. Mommy jumped up to make sure I was okay. I just laid there for a minute, until Mommy made me get up so she could watch me walk. Of course, I was fine. (Mommy worries too much.)

If I ever fall again, I hope it’s falling out of bed. That’s not very far, and the carpet is really soft. I love to climb, and some places I get wouldn’t be good places to fall from. Like the top of the curio cabinet in Florida, especially since the floor is tile instead of carpet.

Or up high in the catio in North Carolina:

Or on top of the upper cabinets in Grandma’s kitchen.

Ziggy doesn’t have to worry about falling, at least not from anything high. He usually doesn’t go any higher than the dining room chair or the back of the couch. He’s kind of a scaredy-cat that way. Mommy says I’m too much of a dare devil and that I make her really nervous when I jump up on high things. I don’t like to make Mommy nervous, but it’s so much fun to look down on everything from my high perch. I think I’ll keep doing it.

It’s Zaturday – The Sick House!

Posted on by Carol J. Post

It’s Zaturday, the day we (Ziggy and Zorro) take over Mommy’s blog.

Zorro here. Mommy and Daddy are sick. Ziggy and I have never seen them sick before, so we feel really sorry for them. We’re trying our best to comfort them. When Mommy lies down on the couch, we keep her company.

They’re spending a lot of time in bed, too. I thought Daddy’s feet might be cold under the covers, so I stretched out against them.

I like to get under the blankets with Mommy and Daddy, too. I’m sure that really helps to keep them warm. A lot of times I curl up against Mommy’s tummy. She says my purring helps her go to sleep. Here, I’m snuggled up between them under the covers.

Mommy said they got the sickness from the office where Mommy sometimes goes to work. Since that place made her and Daddy sick, I’m hoping that means that Mommy won’t go back there anymore. I like her writing job much better than the other one, because when she’s writing, she stays home and I get to hang out with her all day.

Mommy doesn’t know whether kitties can catch COVID, so she and Daddy are being extra careful. When they made our kitty food this week, they wore masks. They’re trying hard to not breathe on us, and Mommy won’t let me lick her face, either. That part’s not fun, because I love to give Mommy kisses on her nose.

Ziggy and I are sorry that Mommy and Daddy feel bad, and we hope they feel better soon. But it’s been nice having them home.

It’s Zaturday – Happy Thanksgiving!

Posted on by Carol J. Post

It’s Zaturday, the day we (Ziggy and Zorro) take over Mommy’s blog!

Ziggy here. Mommy said that this week was Thanksgiving. Zorro isn’t sure that he likes Thanksgiving, because Mommy and Daddy left us alone for several hours. Mommy says Thanksgiving is a time for people to think about all the things they’re thankful for.

Zorro and I have a bunch of stuff to be thankful for too. We’re thankful for a nice soft bed to sleep in.

We’re thankful for the yummy kitty food they make for us. (The other day, Mommy turned her back, and Zorro snuck up there and stole some right out of the bowl. He’s usually a good kitty, but he said he couldn’t resist fresh, homemade kitty food.)

We’re thankful that we have two fun places to stay. In Florida, Daddy’s always there, and it’s fun having him around.  There are lots of big windows we can look out. (Mommy calls them sliding glass doors.)   Our cat condo is there, too.

In North Carolina, we get to see Grandma and Aunt Kim. We have our catio there, too. We both love sitting out there and watching the birds and squirrels. But Mommy said it’s wintertime now and it might be too cold for us to use our catio when we go back at Christmastime. I think I’ll be able to handle it, though, because I have a lot of fur. See how fluffy I am?

Zorro gets cold easier than I do, so when it’s cold, he usually stays inside and snuggles under a blanket.

I’m also thankful that I have a buddy like Zorro. He’s so much fun. We chase each other all over the house. He’s also great to snuggle with.

Cats cuddling

We’re thankful for the sunshine and our toys and a bunch of other stuff. But most of all, we’re thankful for a Mommy and Daddy who love us.

It’s Zaturday – Natural-Born Hunters

Posted on by Carol J. Post

It’s Zaturday, the day we (Ziggy and Zorro) take over Mommy’s blog.

Zorro here. Cats are natural-born hunters. Even if our humans feed us really well, we can’t resist trying to catch little animals when we have the chance.

Photo by Lukas Jirovsky from FreeImages

Ziggy and I don’t get much opportunity to hunt since we’re indoor kitties, but we still have that instinct. There are lots of lizards in Florida, and they’re always hanging out on the windows or right outside the sliding glass doors. The first time Ziggy saw a lizard on the window, he almost gave himself a concussion. I think the lizard was smarter than Ziggy, because he at least knew we couldn’t go through the glass.

In North Carolina, sometimes little mice get into the house. That’s when we really go crazy. They’re round and fluffy and run really fast, which makes them so much fun to play with. But they’re a little bit too fast. I’ve only been able to catch one, and Ziggy hasn’t caught any. I’ve caught several moths, though. They don’t have much taste, but I eat them anyway. I’ll even climb the walls of the catio to catch anything that flies in.

When cats bring home their prey, humans think that we’re bringing them presents. But that’s not true. We’re trying to teach them how to hunt so they can fend for themselves. We sometimes catch lizards and mice for Mommy, but she hasn’t gotten the hang of how to hunt yet. Any time we do catch something, like when I caught that mouse, Mommy takes it away from us so she can “rescue” it and put it back outside.

We have a bird feeder outside our catio in North Carolina. Last month, we were in the catio and a bird flew in. Ziggy caught it and it started making a bunch of noise. The next thing we knew, Mommy came flying out there screaming like the house was on fire. I didn’t know what was wrong with her. Ziggy ran back into the house through the cat door, and Mommy chased him, still screaming. (She’s too big to fit through the cat door, so she had to go the long way around.)

Mommy finally tackled Ziggy in Grandma’s living room and got the bird away from him. Then Mommy and Aunt Kim put the bird in a little box and took it outside. A little while later, Aunt Kim said the bird had flown away, and Mommy was really happy. That’s totally not the way it’s supposed to be done. We’re trying hard to teach Mommy how to hunt, but she just doesn’t seem to be getting it.

I guess we’ll just have to keep working at it.

It’s Zaturday – Freedom!

Posted on by Carol J. Post

It’s Zaturday, the day we (Ziggy and Zorro) take over Mommy’s blog.

Ziggy here. Look what Mommy and Aunt Kim built for us! I wasn’t sure what it was at first. I looked at it, then looked at Mommy.

What am I supposed to do this this?

Then she told me it’s a pet door. Learning to use it was kind of tricky, but I mastered it pretty fast. Okay, so Mommy had to push me through it once or twice before I got the hang of it. But once I figured out that the little door moved so easily, I was hooked. I went out…

And came back in…

And went back out…

Zorro didn’t want anything to do with it at first. Mommy had to hold the door open for him. He’s using it on his own now, but he’s still not sure about it. He goes in and out reeeeally slow.

This is the only way in. I’ve got to do it.
Hmm. I pushed the door with my nose and it moved. A good sign!
Yay! Halfway there!
I’m in! No, wait. My tail is still out.

Zorro and I are so happy with our new pet door. Now we’re free to go between the house and our catio any time we want. Thank you, Mommy and Aunt Kim!

It’s Zaturday – Special Kitty Food!

Posted on by Carol J. Post

It’s Zaturday, the day we (Ziggy and Zorro) take over Mommy’s blog.

Zorro here. Mommy and Aunt Kim did something really special for us. They made us some cat food. I mean, look at all this good stuff they ground up—chicken breasts, roast and liver.

They made it in Aunt Kim’s kitchen. Since we stay on Grandma’s side of the house, we couldn’t see them. But we could hear them, so we knew something was going on. We waited and waited and waited.

Finally, Mommy came over with a big bowl of fresh ground chicken with liver and a tiny bit of vegetables. Oh, man, it smelled so good. I couldn’t wait for her to put some in our dishes and put them down on the floor. I even stood up for it.

For the next few minutes, all you could hear was smacking. Ziggy eats faster than I do, but he’s a pretty polite kitty. Instead of chasing me away from my dish so he can eat the rest of my dinner, he stands there and stares at me. It was a little weird at first, but now I’m used to it. I usually leave him a few scraps to clean up.

Grandma was worried about us eating raw meat, but Mommy said it’s healthy for cats, because that’s how we eat in the wild. When we catch mice, we don’t cook them before we eat them. Besides, before Mommy and Aunt Kim grind up the meat, they put it in boiling water for a couple of minutes to kill any bad stuff. They’re also going to get vitamins to put in our food, so that we’re getting everything we need.

We think Mommy and Aunt Kim must love us and our cousins a lot to spend all that time making us yummy kitty food.