Introducing Betty White

[daftcat75]

I’m sweating beneath a cat. But Betty has been looking forward to this moment all night. And all I can think is, “her overnight feeder is probably still on the kitchen counter.” I can’t sleep until I bring it out to her feeding area.

My Rawz rabbit cans from Incredible Pets finally came today after a lazy driver didn’t do his job on Saturday. A couple of very warm 2025 cans arrived. I could have saved myself time and trouble with a phone call. But sometimes I like to take a gamble.

 

[tarasgirl06]

I’m sweating beneath a cat. But Betty has been looking forward to this moment all night. And all I can think is, “her overnight feeder is probably still on the kitchen counter.” I can’t sleep until I bring it out to her feeding area.

My Rawz rabbit cans from Incredible Pets finally came today after a lazy driver didn’t do his job on Saturday. A couple of very warm 2025 cans arrived. I could have saved myself time and trouble with a phone call. But sometimes I like to take a gamble.

Yeah. Just when it's really needed, we can't use it. Down here we have a NO OUTSIDE WATERING order in place from yesterday through the 20th. When it's been over 100F here for days and will be that,or close to, for ??? We're not even supposed to water using pails or whatever. There's a big water main they need to repair. My plants are very important to me, especially my fruit crops. So I'm just praying they survive this.
We're on rolling blackout watch down here. So far, so good. Praying that doesn't happen. I need to work.
Agree 100% on Betty's diet/Rx and glad her doctor seems to be amenable.
Yeah, breathing is taking a gamble these days. We never know where our food has been before it gets to us. But there ARE reefer trucks. They should use them for all food that needs it.

 

[daftcat75]

It’s disappointing how quickly the rooms heat back up after The Beast (my portable AC unit) has been put to sleep. I watched the office temp drop as low as 78 (as measured by a Dyson sensor) only to rise back up to 84 in just a few short hours. Overnight! I’m running the AC in the office now so that hopefully I’ll retain some cool over the rest of the morning. I will move the Beast back to the front room because it’s too big to leave next to the desk. But I’m not sure I’ll run it except maybe a couple hours in the late afternoon (maybe 3 to 5–yes, I’ll run a little into the Flex Alert time) so that the front room will be tolerable for dinner and a ballgame.

I’ve been slowly growing Betty’s portions to see where she maxes out and if she’ll remain fuller for longer. Her medicine meals, the ones she usually finishes in front of me after she’s taken her pills have grown from 32 to 38 grams. This seems to be her current max as she leaves a few grams remainder. I’m okay with that. It gives her a snack for later. A three bite snack. But it also feels less insulting to fluff a few grams instead of a morsel or two and set that back out in her regular spot. She ate a whole portion from her overnight feeder last night. That certainly made up for the afternoon snack she skipped earlier. We get about 80 feedable grams out of the ID cans. If she can get up to 40 gram servings, that would be perfect. This also gives us some headroom for her eating to taper, if it does, on the reduced pred dose starting next week.

 

[tarasgirl06]

It’s disappointing how quickly the rooms heat back up after The Beast (my portable AC unit) has been put to sleep. I watched the office temp drop as low as 78 (as measured by a Dyson sensor) only to rise back up to 84 in just a few short hours. Overnight! I’m running the AC in the office now so that hopefully I’ll retain some cool over the rest of the morning. I will move the Beast back to the front room because it’s too big to leave next to the desk. But I’m not sure I’ll run it except maybe a couple hours in the late afternoon (maybe 3 to 5–yes, I’ll run a little into the Flex Alert time) so that the front room will be tolerable for dinner and a ballgame.

I’ve been slowly growing Betty’s portions to see where she maxes out and if she’ll remain fuller for longer. Her medicine meals, the ones she usually finishes in front of me after she’s taken her pills have grown from 32 to 38 grams. This seems to be her current max as she leaves a few grams remainder. I’m okay with that. It gives her a snack for later. A three bite snack. But it also feels less insulting to fluff a few grams instead of a morsel or two and set that back out in her regular spot. She ate a whole portion from her overnight feeder last night. That certainly made up for the afternoon snack she skipped earlier. We get about 80 feedable grams out of the ID cans. If she can get up to 40 gram servings, that would be perfect. This also gives us some headroom for her eating to taper, if it does, on the reduced pred dose starting next week.

Betty's progress is sounding very good!
What's really pleasant is cooking. I try to eat deli stuff and cold sandwiches most of the summer, and I love them. But I have to cook vegetables and I don't want to nuke them. Ditto grilled cheese if I decide on that.
I turn the AC off at 11 now and when I walk into the kitchen at 7:15 or so in the morning, the thermometer in there always says 29=85. Able to sleep with the ceiling fan; feel bad for my roomies who only have a table fan. But we get through somehow. I try to cut down as much as possible on power use during peak hours but I do have to work. And I do have to clean. Today is cleaning day. That's nice, too, in this heat. Even with the AC. And same here on it not staying "cool" (80F) for long. The AC runs a LOT. And still, we sweat.

 

[daftcat75]

This look is,
“I’m concerned you spend entirely too much time on that phone…”

“Seriously! More attentions or I’m leaving.”



She’s in the office now.

I’m sure it’s more to do with how hot this room is vs not getting enough pets.

 

[doomsdave]

Yeah. Just when it's really needed, we can't use it. Down here we have a NO OUTSIDE WATERING order in place from yesterday through the 20th. When it's been over 100F here for days and will be that,or close to, for ??? We're not even supposed to water using pails or whatever. There's a big water main they need to repair. My plants are very important to me, especially my fruit crops. So I'm just praying they survive this.
We're on rolling blackout watch down here. So far, so good. Praying that doesn't happen. I need to work.
Agree 100% on Betty's diet/Rx and glad her doctor seems to be amenable.
Yeah, breathing is taking a gamble these days. We never know where our food has been before it gets to us. But there ARE reefer trucks. They should use them for all food that needs it.

Shoot

Sorry to hear

 

[tarasgirl06]

Thanking you, doomsdave .
daftcat75 Listen to Betty. OBEY Betty. As a dear friend of mine used to say, "It's NEVER too hot to have a cat on your lap!"

 

[doomsdave]

Thanking you, doomsdave .
daftcat75 Listen to Betty. OBEY Betty. As a dear friend of mine used to say, "It's NEVER too hot to have a cat on your lap!"

…… oh but it can come close like lately!

And they’re a lot less inclined to sit on you as it gets hotter.

 

[doomsdave]

Yeah. Just when it's really needed, we can't use it. Down here we have a NO OUTSIDE WATERING order in place from yesterday through the 20th. When it's been over 100F here for days and will be that,or close to, for ??? We're not even supposed to water using pails or whatever. There's a big water main they need to repair. My plants are very important to me, especially my fruit crops. So I'm just praying they survive this.
We're on rolling blackout watch down here. So far, so good. Praying that doesn't happen. I need to work.
Agree 100% on Betty's diet/Rx and glad her doctor seems to be amenable.
Yeah, breathing is taking a gamble these days. We never know where our food has been before it gets to us. But there ARE reefer trucks. They should use them for all food that needs it.

To elaborate a bit, that really sucks! I've read about how you guys get your water from the CO river, and the pipe that gets it to you needs to be fixed. RIGHT NOW.

We're under reduced water orders here in OC, though that's a far far cry from what you guys are enduring. I'm cutting way way back on water myself, and it's a lot more doable for many crops than you might think, though, if you're raising "Irish Fish" (as an Irishwoman called them) you might have to adjust more than you'd like.

What plants are you particularly worried about?

 

[tarasgirl06]

To elaborate a bit, that really sucks! I've read about how you guys get your water from the CO river, and the pipe that gets it to you needs to be fixed. RIGHT NOW.

We're under reduced water orders here in OC, though that's a far far cry from what you guys are enduring. I'm cutting way way back on water myself, and it's a lot more doable for many crops than you might think, though, if you're raising "Irish Fish" (as an Irishwoman called them) you might have to adjust more than you'd like.

What plants are you particularly worried about?

All of them. But my fruits are grapefruit, oranges, nectarines (not fruiting this year) and pineapple guavas. I have good crops on these three and I will be heartbroken if I lose them! Good news MAY be on the way but I don't want to say more.

 

[doomsdave]

All of them. But my fruits are grapefruit, oranges, nectarines (not fruiting this year) and pineapple guavas. I have good crops on these three and I will be heartbroken if I lose them! Good news MAY be on the way but I don't want to say more.

Okay, gotcha.

Let us know how they are when the water goes back on, might be able to help. I used to manage a garden shop, and I'm still a gardening addict.

 

[tarasgirl06]

Okay, gotcha.

Let us know how they are when the water goes back on, might be able to help. I used to manage a garden shop, and I'm still a gardening addict.

Thanking you so much. In "normal" times we have been on 2x weekly watering for years due to the drought.

 

[daftcat75]

Betty has been less inclined to sit in my lap lately. And she’s also been less inclined to sleep in her usual sleeping spots (blankets and poof.) She spends a lot of the time in the office now which is slightly cooler than the other room. I am running an ice cube over her. Not only does it help her feel cooler now, but when it evaporates, that should also help her feel cooler.

 

[doomsdave]

Betty has been less inclined to sit in my lap lately. And she’s also been less inclined to sleep in her usual sleeping spots (blankets and poof.) She spends a lot of the time in the office now which is slightly cooler than the other room. I am running an ice cube over her. Not only does it help her feel cooler now, but when it evaporates, that should also help her feel cooler.

Dang, sounds hot where you are. Are you in California too?

 

[daftcat75]

Dang, sounds hot where you are. Are you in California too?

San Jose. It’s been in the 100’s all week. No AC except the portable beast which is only helpful as long as it’s running. The room heats back up within an hour of turning it off making it only marginally useful. Especially when PG&E tells me not to run it when I need it most. Afternoon sun starts heating up the place around 4 and outside not cooling off enough to open deck door until after 9 making those 4-9 Flex Alert hours some of the hottest indoor hours all day.

 

[daftcat75]

So odd that she’s been giving me the hungry lips for the last hour. And when I decide to serve lunch early, she gave it a few bites and saved most of it for later. We have time and pred on our side. I’m not worried about her not finishing lunch. Even in this heat. I just find it odd that it seemed like she was hungrier. I guess she knows by now that the quicker she finishes her lunch the longer she has to go without food until dinner. Since she doesn’t seem at all interested in the fountains and the extra water dish I put out for her, I’m offering her her lunch earlier in the heat and also offering her more daytime food in the feeder. She can nibble her water intake for the day.

 

[tarasgirl06]

So odd that she’s been giving me the hungry lips for the last hour. And when I decide to serve lunch early, she gave it a few bites and saved most of it for later. We have time and pred on our side. I’m not worried about her not finishing lunch. Even in this heat. I just find it odd that it seemed like she was hungrier. I guess she knows by now that the quicker she finishes her lunch the longer she has to go without food until dinner. Since she doesn’t seem at all interested in the fountains and the extra water dish I put out for her, I’m offering her her lunch earlier in the heat and also offering her more daytime food in the feeder. She can nibble her water intake for the day.

She probably knows she's physically in need of sustenance, but when she gets it, the "It's HOT! I don't feel like it!" takes over. That's how it is for me, anyway. I just stirred up Elvis' brunch and offered it twice. "MEH. I'm not eating THAT."
The ice cube is a great idea! I put them in the water bowls, too, when it's hot.
Had to to grocery shopping this morning (it was already in the 90sF outside) and when I got back and walked in the house, it felt stifling. The AC came on soon after but since I have it set to 80F, it's never cool. It's very cloudy and humid here, too, so it's like a sauna. And I now have a nice, big, HOT cat on my lap.

 

[daftcat75]

Betty hates the Beast. (The AC unit.) How do I know? I set it to a one hour timer. The second it shut off, she got up to finish her lunch. The feeder popped while she was eating lunch. I could run the AC for at least another hour before she’ll return to the feeder. But since I’m not in that room and it just ran, I see little use in running it again. Maybe the 3 to 4 pm hour before the Flex Alert kicks in.

Cat overboard once more.


And of course, since I got down to her level and got up in her face, she got up to my level and got into my face. Bonk! Now she’s laying in my arms lap (space between my arms while laying on my stomach and propped up on them) while I type this up.

 

[daftcat75]

Arms lap. Not an easy picture to take without disturbing the Betty.

 

[tarasgirl06]

Arms lap. Not an easy picture to take without disturbing the Betty.
View attachment 431160

Betty: "Dad. DAD. ICE CUBE. PLEASE."