My human has finally found a hobby that is purr-fectly suitable for me too - Aquaponics!
If you haven't heard about it, it is the marriage of aquaculture and hydroponics. They fish fertilize the plants and that plants filter the water for the fish. It's all kept in a closed loop system and just devine for cats, especially if they grow catnip in the top grow bed portion!
My human has started this aquaponics diy project and is starting to gather all the tanks and hoses for it. Naturally, I would like it to have a clear tank or at least one with a clear top so that I can see my little pretties as they swim around. I love to swat at the glass on the fish tank, and I figure the aquaponics tank should be no different.
It would really make me purr if I could access the fish through the top of the tank - nothing like being able to stick my claw in and spear a good meal any time I want!
Wednesday, September 05, 2012
Sunday, September 02, 2012
It's Just Outside The Window and I Can't Get At It
So, I'm napping quietly and I open one of my baby blues and peer out and I see this baby bird! It's preening and chirping. Sitting there nice as pie, unaware that I am watching.
Of course, it doesn't matter that I am watching because the window is closed and I can't get to him! So I sit here twitching my tail and smacking my lips.. .Oh if only I could open the window.
Monday, August 20, 2012
Dogs Are So Silly
Living with a dog has shown me how much better it is to be a cat. There are many differences that make it so. Take the daily routine for example. Mine looks something like this:
Wake up
Stretch
Check bowl for food
Eat (if there is food)
Sleep
Bother human for brushing and petting
Sleep
Check bowl for food
etc...
Notice how there is no exercise involved. Unless you consider stretching and walking to the food bowl exercise. The truth is I require very little and I abhor any type of formal exercise. I’ll get mine at night chasing bugs or mice... thank you very much.
The dog, on the other hand, requires a daily walk. Yes, every day, my human must leash up the beast and take it for a walk. Doesn’t matter if it is raining, snowing or what have you. Ughh...
That’s why I wasn’t really surprised to hear her talking about getting a dog treadmill. I saw her looking online and I almost hissed out loud when I realized that they actually make treadmills designed specifically for dogs. Yep.
The creature actually gets on the contraption and walks ... but doesn’t get anywhere! See how stupid they are? They will happily get up on the treadmill and put one leg in front of the other and never even leave the room. You wouldn’t catch a cat doing that in a million years!
Sunday, August 19, 2012
I Love Drinking From The Faucet
Today I'd like to Purrr about one of my favorite things to do which really drives my human crazy. I love to drink from the faucet!
It doesn't matter if it's the bathroom faucet or the kitchen faucet - either one will do. In fact, I'm always lurking around and have my ears tuned in to listen for the sounds of the faucet being turned on. When I hear it, I run to the source, leap on the counter or vanity and stick my mouth right under.
Ahhhh the taste of fresh moving water - nothing beats it!
It can be rather disturbing when people come over though. If they go into the guest bath and wash their hands, I'll shoot out from some unknown place and leap up, often scaring the bejesus out of them because I sneak up on them silently.
Sometimes I sit at the bathroom door and cry for my human… she's so nice - a lot of times she will turn on the water in there just so I can play in it and drink it. Meooowww.
It doesn't matter if it's the bathroom faucet or the kitchen faucet - either one will do. In fact, I'm always lurking around and have my ears tuned in to listen for the sounds of the faucet being turned on. When I hear it, I run to the source, leap on the counter or vanity and stick my mouth right under.
Ahhhh the taste of fresh moving water - nothing beats it!
It can be rather disturbing when people come over though. If they go into the guest bath and wash their hands, I'll shoot out from some unknown place and leap up, often scaring the bejesus out of them because I sneak up on them silently.
Sometimes I sit at the bathroom door and cry for my human… she's so nice - a lot of times she will turn on the water in there just so I can play in it and drink it. Meooowww.
Monday, August 06, 2012
Kitty Hair Loss
Meeooowww…. Kitty, O'Claw here. I have a disturbing observation. Today, while my human was brushing my silken hair, I noticed that my fur seems to be thinning a bit in spots. I was aghast! My silken fur is my crowning glory, one of my finest features, aside from my ice blue eyes, of course.
Anyway, I had my human do a little research and it turns out that there are many reasons a kitty can lose her hair.
Some are not very common, so I won't bore you with them. One is demodectic mange which sounds awful and not something a pampered queen like me would have. Another, hypotrichosis happens in kittens, so that's not the problem with me. And, of course, ringworm causes your fur to fall out in a circular pattern, but you can rest assured that I wouldn't have anything as vile as that.
Other causes are easily treated such as food allergies, fleas and mites.
Some of the reasons for hair loss happen to humans too. Like hypothyroidism which is when your thyroid gets kind of whacked out and makes to much (or too little) thyroid hormone. Yes, cats can get that too. It can cause your hair to pull out easily.
Another is psychogenic alopecia. Now, you might recognize alopecia as something that happens to humans and causes hair loss. Psychogenic alopcia in cats is a little different as it results from compulsive grooming and usually presents itself as thinning hair on the tummy or in a stripe down the back.
When humans get thinning hair, they can go to the doctor and get some meds, or try one of the many hair loss shampoos, but what do cats do?
Treatments vary and depend on the cause. Sometimes a medicine might do. If its caused by parasites like fleas or mites, then you must rid your pet of those (shame on you for letting your cat get them in the first place!) and if it is a thyroid problem then there is medicine your cat can take.
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Tips For Beagle Training
Beagles can be great pets! They are fun, playful, cute and intelligent. They are also stubborn which can make training your beagle a little bit of a challenge. Here are some tips to help make beagle dog training easier:
1. Establish yourself as the Alpha dog. It is imperative that you establish yourself as the alpha dog as soon as you get your beagle home. Beagles can be very dominant so if you fail to do this, your dog will think he is the Alpha dog and won't obey your commands.
2. Be Consistent. Make sure that you have training sessions every day and be consistent in your commands. Don't make the sessions too long though - 15 or 25 minutes should do it. You want to be sure you capture your pets attention for the entire session and that he does not get bored.
3. Teach one command at a time. Teach your dog one command at a time and focus on that command until he does it perfectly. Most people like to start with the "sit" command because this is the basis for many other commands. Teach this command in each session until he knows it like the back of his hand, then move on to another command. At the end of each training session, always go through your beagles repertoire of commands that he knows.
4. Provide positive reinforcement. When your dog performs a command as expected be sure to praise him lavishly! Giving him a little of his favorite treat at this time an help too!
5. Correct bad behavior. You want to let your beagle know that certain bad behaviors are unacceptable but you must never punish or hit your dog. A sharp "No!" when you see your dog about to do the undesired behavior is all that is needed. Hitting your dog or other types of punishment will not work and will only serve to make your dog fearful.
Training a beagle can be challenging, but since this breed is very intelligent they can learn many commands. Patience, persistence and consistently will pay off in the end when you have a perfectly behaved pet.
1. Establish yourself as the Alpha dog. It is imperative that you establish yourself as the alpha dog as soon as you get your beagle home. Beagles can be very dominant so if you fail to do this, your dog will think he is the Alpha dog and won't obey your commands.
2. Be Consistent. Make sure that you have training sessions every day and be consistent in your commands. Don't make the sessions too long though - 15 or 25 minutes should do it. You want to be sure you capture your pets attention for the entire session and that he does not get bored.
3. Teach one command at a time. Teach your dog one command at a time and focus on that command until he does it perfectly. Most people like to start with the "sit" command because this is the basis for many other commands. Teach this command in each session until he knows it like the back of his hand, then move on to another command. At the end of each training session, always go through your beagles repertoire of commands that he knows.
4. Provide positive reinforcement. When your dog performs a command as expected be sure to praise him lavishly! Giving him a little of his favorite treat at this time an help too!
5. Correct bad behavior. You want to let your beagle know that certain bad behaviors are unacceptable but you must never punish or hit your dog. A sharp "No!" when you see your dog about to do the undesired behavior is all that is needed. Hitting your dog or other types of punishment will not work and will only serve to make your dog fearful.
Training a beagle can be challenging, but since this breed is very intelligent they can learn many commands. Patience, persistence and consistently will pay off in the end when you have a perfectly behaved pet.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Picking A Pink Dog Bed
Because of our busy schedules, and if your dog is like mine, they will end up spending a large portion of their day just laying around and need a comfortable place to wait for your return. Dogs, like their owners, have an appreciation for comfort and today the choice of beds for dogs are not only functional, but decorative and downright fun as well!
As you start your quest for the the perfect bed for your dog do you know what you want to be looking for?
Your pet's needs must come first in priority. Is your dog a large dog or a tiny dog? Is your dog dealing with any sort of medical conditions? How old are they? Puppies may prefer a round bed as they like to curl into a ball when they sleep.
However, a bigger or older dog might go for a rectangle-shaped bed that will give them the option of really stretching out when they relax. No matter what shape you need to consider, they all can be super cozy and very comfortable.
You'll have plenty of other considerations when choosing the right pet bed for your pal besides their comfort. First, your dog is going to have an area that is their own. Because it becomes THEIR space, they will most likely choose to sleep there instead of on the couch or YOUR bed. As a result, your home might accrue less pet waste, like dander and fur.
When you are looking for a bed for your dog, you also want to find a bed that compliments your home and your dog's personality, because the bed will be placed in main area in the house so that your pet will still feel like it is a part of your family.
So, what kind of dog bed did I purchase for my Pom? Well, a pink dog bed, of course!
As you start your quest for the the perfect bed for your dog do you know what you want to be looking for?
Your pet's needs must come first in priority. Is your dog a large dog or a tiny dog? Is your dog dealing with any sort of medical conditions? How old are they? Puppies may prefer a round bed as they like to curl into a ball when they sleep.
However, a bigger or older dog might go for a rectangle-shaped bed that will give them the option of really stretching out when they relax. No matter what shape you need to consider, they all can be super cozy and very comfortable.
You'll have plenty of other considerations when choosing the right pet bed for your pal besides their comfort. First, your dog is going to have an area that is their own. Because it becomes THEIR space, they will most likely choose to sleep there instead of on the couch or YOUR bed. As a result, your home might accrue less pet waste, like dander and fur.
When you are looking for a bed for your dog, you also want to find a bed that compliments your home and your dog's personality, because the bed will be placed in main area in the house so that your pet will still feel like it is a part of your family.
So, what kind of dog bed did I purchase for my Pom? Well, a pink dog bed, of course!
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