That picture of Spitz with attitude looks like it’s the cover of his new album; Kitten-tude Wherein he and his back up group, the Tude-a-rudes, sing such kitten anthems as “Shut Up, Stoopy Human,” “Go’way, It’s My Naptime,” “Die Camera, Die,” and “Ceiling Fan, Turn, Turn, Turn!”
That cracked me up, Andrea!
I was going for a kind of ’70s feel, but I’m not sure I got there. I should have just photoshopped them into a yellow Beetle!
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How is the lone wolf (pup) doing? All the kitties got someone to play with. I don’t think chickens count as play mates but I could be mistaken. 😉
George is doing just fine. If he misses Gracie, he doesn’t show it. He’s getting some extra attention these days – but most of the time he’s either going around the back forty to make sure all is secure or sleeping near the coop. He’s such a good boy.
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I know this probably isn’t the best post to comment this on, but I need some assistance…
I have 3 cats (Bella, Ash, and Rose) who’ve all been with me for a while, and an older Shih-Tsu Poodle dog named Zippy. Almost two weeks ago, my grandmother and I decided to foster a younger (2-3 year old) Pitbull mix who’s name is also Bella. She’s highly interested in the 3 cats, but they seem to be terrified of her. I can’t figure out how to get them used to her and to feel comfortable around her, and I’m not sure what to do… I was hoping someone would be able to make some suggestions on what to do?? I want to hopefully add her to our family permanently because she’s a major sweetheart, but if the cats can’t coexist with her like she wants to coexist with them, we can’t keep her, because the cats have been here longer and take precedence and I could never re-home them
Connie: make sure the cats have places to observe the dog that the dog can’t get to. Cat trees, shelves, a table, gated off areas, etc.. The cats need to gain self confidence around the dog as well, so always side with the cats whenever there is an altercation even if you think the cats ‘started it’ If cats act like prey the dogs will treat them like prey..
GD: I concur. Also, do NOT leave them alone unsupervised until there is 100% trust. You don’t want to come home to a hurt cat – or worse.
I don’t really have any experience introducing dogs and cats, but I think the advice that Connie and GD gave is spot-on. How about it, y’all? Got advice? Please share!
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How often do you reheat the socks, Robyn, and where did you hear about them?
I usually reheat them at feeding time (1 minute each in the microwave), but will occasionally pop in during the afternoon for a quick warm-up. I’ve heard about them in the past from various places, but never actually tried it myself. When Susan dropped them off with me, she mentioned that they really liked the rice sock she’d put in there with them, so I gave it a try and it was an instant hit!
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Umm, do we need to mail you all of our mateless socks so that you can add one more to the tub so poor little Petra and Combo don’t have to share a sock?
and
Only two warm rice socks for three kittens?
Y’all just hush up. If those kittens are sooooo miserable in their little two-sock world, they can just GET THEMSELVES JOBS AND BUY THEIR OWN THIRD SOCK.
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A conversation sometime in the future when the BeeBees get their forever homes; “Does he always lay on your feet like that after he eats?” “No, just if I’m wearing socks.” “Weird, I wonder why?”
I have to say – Combo TOTALLY fell asleep on my feet last night!!!
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“Lady, show the innernets that I gots a foot!”
“Did they like it???”
Pattypan likes to live dangerously.
There was a wasp outside the window, and Torres couldn’t stop staring at it.
Zuke and the Sultry Eyes o’ Lurve.
We were settling in for naptime when Fred came in to change his shirt. He went into the closet and closed the door, and the kittens were utterly befuddled, all “Where he GOOOOO?”
Calabash cracks me up every single day.
“Somethin’ not right here, lady. I don’t know what it is, but I’ll figure it out eventually, and then I think you gonna be in trouble.”
Stefan came to visit, and the kittens stared at him. There was no floofing, though.
Pattypan, staring at Stefan and trying to decide if her floof suit was needed (it was not).
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Skinny Pete, 100% over my shenanigans.
Also 100% over the bottle’s shenanigans, apparently.
Oh good lord, the pouty, whiny attitude on this one.
Clearly the BeeBees have reached their attitudinous stage. “Yeah, I made her bleed, and I AIN’T SORRY.” (Combo)
Kittens, recharging. That’s Combo in the back, Badger in the middle, and Skinny Pete trying to snooze off her last meal.
Skinny Pete keeps a suspicious eye on me.
Check out that BELLY.
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Does this boy have the most gorgeous eyes, or what?
Dennis has declared himself the cat in charge of waking me every morning. He comes in around 6, jumps up next to me, stands there for a moment and ::FLOOMP:: falls down against me with his entire weight (which is a slender 8 pounds). Then he lays there and purrs until I get out of bed. LOVE that boy.
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Previously
2014: Von reacts to the Paw o’ Doom with an awful lot of drama.
2013: Sights from around Crooked Acres.
2012: Toesday.
2011: No entry.
2010: No entry.
2009: Good LORD, the smell.
2008: No entry.
2007: Crazy Eyes say, “I am a fearsome creature.
2006: The black Momma cat we first saw about a month ago was back Friday night. (NOTE: This is Maxi!)
2005: No entry.
The Eyes of Lurve and the Ears of Bat! That boy has EARS!
Well, that’s just the best alarm clock in the world!
Given that my alarm clock usually goes off around 4:30 and is a 14 pound bruiser jumping on my belly and meowing loudly in my ear (he gets fed at 5)….yes it is.
One of mine is 14 lbs, also. Oh the joy of him stepping on my boob or bladder….
I love, love, LOVE the fact that you and Fred decided to keep Dennis. The post where you announced that he “found his people” is my all-time favorite. Also thanks for the update on George – I have been wondering how he was doing.
I agree. I remember that post making me cry.
Skinny Pete needs to be renamed “Chubby Belly Pete”! 🙂
We found a cat while camping and brought the poor thing home. We had 4 dogs, which she found fairly intimidating. We put a baby gate up in front of my son’s bedroom door and made his room her “safe place.” She would come out occasionally, but she was pretty happy to hang out in there. It worked out well!
As far as the pitbull and the cats: we went through something similar when we brought our adult golden/lab mix home from the shelter. With shelter dogs, you never know what you get, and in her case, she was VERY interested in all our cats and would run up to them, causing them to run, which aroused her prey drive, which just made things worse.
I solved this by treating Delia like a puppy. She was either confined in a crate or tethered to me at all times until she learned the rules of the house. I chose the crate because it kept the cats out of her area, but still allowed them approach her safely to sniff and investigate.
While tethered to me, if Delia showed too much interest in chasing cats (tugging on the tether), depending on the level of that interest, she was told either “NO!” or “GENTLY!”. If she became too rough – i.e. poking too hard – we walked away. If she was appropriate in her interaction, she was allowed to stay.
Eventually, she calmed down around the cats enough to be trusted. And they calmed down around her. All is well, and we even have one of the older cats who likes to “rub up on” her. She is completely puzzled by this! It’s very cute to see. And the kittens we’ve adopted since then! Oh my! One of them adopted her and she is REALLY confused by that!
Excellent approach!
Bottle Baby! Have you seen this?
https://youtu.be/IQJag-aBt6A
Dennis has awesome people !!!!!!
I would buy that Kitten-Tude record.
You do know those kittens HAVE a job, right? it is to be cute and provide blog fodder.. the least you could do is give them an overabundance of socks.. and make it pink http://orig13.deviantart.net/ce8a/f/2006/322/2/f/mutts_by_xevilxpenguinxninjax.jpg
You can let Ambercup know that I did indeed see her foot & like it very much.
(That 2-picture scene/caption was so perfect I’m still giggling about it).
introducing the dog – baby gates work wonders. you didn’t say how long you had in her yet, but given time the cats should eventually realize that she isn’t a threat. work on her recall as well – make sure she will come back to you no matter what to stop her if she tries to chase.
love the record cover 🙂
Unless you are right there keeping an eye on the situation, a baby gate will not hold back a determined pit bull.
Truth
I have first hand knowledge regarding pit bulls, cats and small dogs. My first pit bull came home as a rescued adult when I had two cats. He wanted to kill them at first. I made sure he was always under my control and would verbally correct him when he looked at those cats in an “I want to eat you” way. Eventually he learned to accept that they were part of the family and he could even sleep on the bed with them. The cats became more confident around him eventually, but the dog’s respect was solidified when one of my cats “beat up” the dog. After that he was super cautious and respectful of them and they were all living together peacefully, though any neighborhood cat was fair game. The instincts of a pit bull are hard wired and if something sets them off, they can kill a cat or a small dog in a heartbeat. NEVER EVER leave them alone together. If nobody is home, separate the pit bull from the small dog and the cats every single time. Tragic things can happen. I currently have a pit bull and a toy poodle. The poodle bosses the pit bull around even though she is tiny, and the pit bull respects this. They are great together. However, one time a neighbor’s noisy lawn mower got Lola, my pit bull, overly agitated and she redirected at the poodle. Had I not been there, she could easily be dead. With all this being said, I am a huge pit bull advocate and fan. They are my dog of choice because of their goofy sense of humor, their love for people, and their good nature. You must understand what they can be capable of and take precautions when you are not home. Then it will be a wonderful happy ending!!!
Two thumbs up!
Wait a minute – how exactly is a purring Dennis a motivation to get OUT of bed?
Oh my gosh, I can’t believe it took me all day to get here to comment! LOVE THE ALBUM! LOL! It’s even better than I imagined! Awesome!
Also, see! I knew you’d make sock monsters, lol!
Um…Skinny Pete’s belleh ain’t so skinny….
Oh, and my Sidney wakes me up each morning with the same sort of flop…but on my face..and he weighs 14 lbs. I think my nose may have been broken a few times…..