Introducing Betty White

[tarasgirl06]

I've seen Betty finish the feeder before. I think the reason she doesn't finish it now is that she doesn't need to. By the time I booked her calories this morning, she had 180 yesterday even leaving half the overnight feeder. I mean, honestly, if this was really a whisker stress thing, she's not above eating with her paws. I'll take her to an Ethiopian restaurant sometime. She'll fit right in.

1. Spices are not good for cats.
2. That wasn't random. Nothing is, really. There's enough of that in my life that I've come to know and accept this as gospel.
3. No, I didn't automatically assume that because I know how fast stuff happens and how fraught the moment is when it does. If he doesn't get caught and made to pay up, may that happen to him somewhere else, sometime, and may it cause him to examine his (tiny, shrivelled) conscience. *And hopefully, his depleted stores of filthy lucre.* Hit-and-run is a very personal issue to me as my uncle was hit-and-runned, and killed -- years before I was born, but he was by all accounts a really brave and good kid and it would have been great to have him in my life as my uncle. Oh well.

 

[daftcat75]

Sorry to hear about your uncle. May his memory be a blessing.

Merlot (Merl), the tabby kitten here, was struck and killed by a hit and run driver. Hit and run drivers are the worst! Merl was the sweetest kitten. I don't remember which summer it happened. But I'm thinking he had at least a year in that home and it was the next summer that I moved in for good (for a few years anyway and not just a summer boarder) that he was struck. Cabbie (Cabernet) and him were very close. I don't remember Cabbie being all that adventurous to begin with. But after that, she never went further than the porch despite having an open back door 24/7. When she moved in with me in my apartment, when her former guardian had to give her up for a "no pets" apartment with his fiancee, I would have to beg her (Cabbie, not the fiancee) to join me on the balcony. I could leave the front door open when I unloaded the car. These were good kitties, the both of them!

 

[tarasgirl06]

Sorry to hear about your uncle. May his memory be a blessing.

Merlot (Merl), the tabby kitten here, was struck and killed by a hit and run driver. Hit and run drivers are the worst! Merl was the sweetest kitten. I don't remember which summer it happened. But I'm thinking he had at least a year in that home and it was the next summer that I moved in for good (for a few years anyway and not just a summer boarder) that he was struck. Cabbie (Cabernet) and him were very close. I don't remember Cabbie being all that adventurous to begin with. But after that, she never went further than the porch despite having an open back door 24/7. When she moved in with me in my apartment, when her former guardian had to give her up for a "no pets" apartment with his fiancee, I would have to beg her (Cabbie, not the fiancee) to join me on the balcony. I could leave the front door open when I unloaded the car. These were good kitties, the both of them!
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Thank you, and I am so sorry for your loss. Yeah, it's an issue that's very much a trigger for me. My best friend was also HBC and killed, though the underage drunk driver did apparently stop and own up to it (not sure). My friend was 19 and engaged.

 

[daftcat75]

I thought it would be harder and take longer than this to get a picture of her in the tunnel.


Krista was a tree cat. It would seem Betty is a confirmed cave cat.

 

[tarasgirl06]

I thought it would be harder and take longer than this to get a picture of her in the tunnel.
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Krista was a tree cat. It would seem Betty is a confirmed cave cat.

Beautiful Royal Blue for Ms. Betty! She's kind of a Renaissance Woman -- yachting, tunnelling, tree climbing...

 

[artiemom]

Artie loved his tunnel:


Geoffrey used to bash his plastic parachute material tunnel, around the room. He would bash it, jump on it so much that it had holes from his claws on it. I had to get a new one, in reserve!!!
Now, he stopped. I have it folded up.

 

[tarasgirl06]

Artie loved his tunnel:
View attachment 433548View attachment 433549

Geoffrey used to bash his plastic parachute material tunnel, around the room. He would bash it, jump on it so much that it had holes from his claws on it. I had to get a new one, in reserve!!!
Now, he stopped. I have it folded up.

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What great pix! I especially love the bottom one, of Geoffrey in his green tunnel. He looks very contented and calm. *And the green color is so complimentary to his russet handsomeness!*

 

[daftcat75]

Found another shot of Merl. (Merlot.) Merl lived before digital cameras and phone cameras. My only shots of him are those I have from original photographs. Merl's dad, my friend, is a hobbyist photographer. That's why we have the artsy fartsy black and white shot here. I'm sure the white negative space at the bottom is a book or a box. Because none of us had laptops back then.

 

[tarasgirl06]

Found another shot of Merl. (Merlot.) Merl lived before digital cameras and phone cameras. My only shots of him are those I have from original photographs. Merl's dad, my friend, is a hobbyist photographer. That's why we have the artsy fartsy black and white shot here. I'm sure the white negative space at the bottom is a book or a box. Because none of us had laptops back then.
View attachment 433568

What a cutie boy! I like "Merl" for a name.
I've got boxes of 35mm and even before that from family albums, going back generations. And I like to edit some of my phone photos--B/W and different filters--when I have that rarest of all commodities, TIME.

 

[daftcat75]

What a cutie boy! I like "Merl" for a name.
I've got boxes of 35mm and even before that from family albums, going back generations. And I like to edit some of my phone photos--B/W and different filters--when I have that rarest of all commodities, TIME.

My friend and his girlfriend at the time (not the fiancee later) were/are wine aficionados. We had Cabernet and Merlot as indoor kitties. We were later adopted that summer by an outdoor kitty we named Chardonnay. Well, that was probably telling. We tried to make her an indoor kitty and that just didn't work out. I believe they say you shouldn't mix white and red wines. We weren't entirely certain she wasn't someone else's cat anyway. One day she simply stopped coming around. Then about two or three years later she came around for one night. That was the last we saw of her. So perhaps it was like an OC/Buddy case where she got out for awhile. Found her way back home. And then got out for one night years later.

I took my car down to the mechanic this morning to get the oil changed and see about the cat converter. I was going to do that last week. I would like to do that before the mornings get too much colder, and thus before I turn my car over to the body shop for however long that takes. Last time they were super quick about it. But there wasn't the same supply chain issues last time. Who knows? I told my mechanic that anything that looks like it could have been caused by the accident (e.g. alignment), leave it for the body shop and her insurance to pick up the bill.

I altered my morning routine. So of course when I was dressed and nearly ready to go and looking for Betty, "oh. under the bookcase. Don't worry, Betty! We're not going to the vet this morning. I'll be back soon." She was sleeping in her corner cloud when I returned. Breakfast plate cleaned.

 

[tarasgirl06]

My friend and his girlfriend at the time (not the fiancee later) were/are wine aficionados. We had Cabernet and Merlot as indoor kitties. We were later adopted that summer by an outdoor kitty we named Chardonnay. Well, that was probably telling. We tried to make her an indoor kitty and that just didn't work out. I believe they say you shouldn't mix white and red wines. We weren't entirely certain she wasn't someone else's cat anyway. One day she simply stopped coming around. Then about two or three years later she came around for one night. That was the last we saw of her. So perhaps it was like an OC/Buddy case where she got out for awhile. Found her way back home. And then got out for one night years later.

I took my car down to the mechanic this morning to get the oil changed and see about the cat converter. I was going to do that last week. I would like to do that before the mornings get too much colder, and thus before I turn my car over to the body shop for however long that takes. Last time they were super quick about it. But there wasn't the same supply chain issues last time. Who knows? I told my mechanic that anything that looks like it could have been caused by the accident (e.g. alignment), leave it for the body shop and her insurance to pick up the bill.

I altered my morning routine. So of course when I was dressed and nearly ready to go and looking for Betty, "oh. under the bookcase. Don't worry, Betty! We're not going to the vet this morning. I'll be back soon." She was sleeping in her corner cloud when I returned. Breakfast plate cleaned.

Great UPdate on Ms. Betty! *A girl has a purrfect right to nap on a Tuesday morning.*
Hoping you get good news all the way around on your car.
Cats will reappear without notice. There was a little white kitten/cat who visited us in the middle of the night some time back. Well, that cat revisited us not long ago, again in the middle of the night. I don't hold with letting cats out, so I always hope the guardian(s) get educated and keep him/her in. But at the same time, Elvis and I are excited when this cat visits us. I have no idea the gender/age/home. It's almost etheral when this happens.

 

[daftcat75]

Wow! We’re getting back to Hoover mode.


That’s nearly the whole plate in first pass. I’m going to guess that’s a five gram remainder. She also finished her lunch by 2 or 2:30 today. That was when she was starting it the other week. Clearly the s boulardii is agreeing with her. Her poops have become smaller with a better odor too. Can’t wait to see the next report. I’m going to wait until next paycheck and bundle the test with her next bottle of poop pills.

 

[tarasgirl06]

Wow! We’re getting back to Hoover mode.
View attachment 433658

That’s nearly the whole plate in first pass. I’m going to guess that’s a five gram remainder. She also finished her lunch by 2 or 2:30 today. That was when she was starting it the other week. Clearly the s boulardii is agreeing with her. Her poops have become smaller with a better odor too. Can’t wait to see the next report. I’m going to wait until next paycheck and bundle the test with her next bottle of poop pills.

Another excellent UPdate! Keep up the great work, you two!

 

[daftcat75]

I thought maybe we had a dud can this morning. She sniffed, gave it the tiniest lick, and walked away. So I dumped it and opened a new can. She’s a better judge than me. But when she snubbed the second can, well, that won’t do. I put a morsel on the carpet and she took it right up. So I fed her half the plate in a few carpet morsels. Hopefully whatever this morning fussiness was about, she’ll have it worked out before lunch.

Otherwise she’s been doing great. Cleaning plates and taking names.

 

[Margot Lane]

I had a genius idea at 3 in the morning: why not invent a cat can quartered into at least 4 lids? That way you don’t lose as much food. It could be called “Snubbies! For the truly finicky cat.”

 

[Margot Lane]

….I mean, it could be in eighths, but that would make for tiny lids.

 

[daftcat75]

….I mean, it could be in eighths, but that would make for tiny lids.

Sheba already does this with halves. If I could get Betty to eat Sheba…

 

[tarasgirl06]

Genius idea, Margot Lane and yeah, daftcat75 -- if only! *Your CAT is weird. Of course we love her. But she's even finickier (yes, that's a word. I just made it.) than most cats. And that's saying volumes. Or cans. LOTS and LOTS of cans.*

 

[daftcat75]

I’m pleased to report that whatever this morning’s fussiness was, she finished her breakfast by 10am. On my way into the office at 9:30, I grabbed a handful of mixed nuts and a glass of iced tea for when the coffee runs out. The kitchen activity woke her up and when she realized I wasn’t going to give her anything, she sat there anyway—just outside the kitchen. I went into the office and figured there was a 50/50 chance she’d stop by the plate on her way back to her floof. About five minutes later, she shows up in the office licking her lips in more of a “I’m hungry” rather than “I just ate” way.

Did you see your breakfast remainder? Did you finish?

Only half believing her, I check the camera.

Oh you did finish! Good for you! Come get some after-meal fuss.

She usually has an “everything hurts” Eeyore mope to her walk. But when she sees me pivot to her in that, “I’m going to fuss you up!” way, well, that is the closest to a spring in her step.

I’m hoping we can try something for her joints soon. For now, I need to figure out how long my car is going to take. I don’t want to book appointments I can’t take her to. And I don’t want to rent a car because 1) no pets and 2) the rental car benefit is insufficient—especially since the inflation and supply chain bull. I don’t want to incur an added expense to use a benefit I largely don’t need. But it does put all my plans back a week or two. I’m going to see if I can pick up a couple more cases of food today.

 

[tarasgirl06]

I’m pleased to report that whatever this morning’s fussiness was, she finished her breakfast by 10am. On my way into the office at 9:30, I grabbed a handful of mixed nuts and a glass of iced tea for when the coffee runs out. The kitchen activity woke her up and when she realized I wasn’t going to give her anything, she sat there anyway—just outside the kitchen. I went into the office and figured there was a 50/50 chance she’d stop by the plate on her way back to her floof. About five minutes later, she shows up in the office licking her lips in more of a “I’m hungry” rather than “I just ate” way.

Did you see your breakfast remainder? Did you finish?

Only half believing her, I check the camera.

Oh you did finish! Good for you! Come get some after-meal fuss.

She usually has an “everything hurts” Eeyore mope to her walk. But when she sees me pivot to her in that, “I’m going to fuss you up!” way, well, that is the closest to a spring in her step.

I’m hoping we can try something for her joints soon. For now, I need to figure out how long my car is going to take. I don’t want to book appointments I can’t take her to. And I don’t want to rent a car because 1) no pets and 2) the rental car benefit is insufficient—especially since the inflation and supply chain bull. I don’t want to incur an added expense to use a benefit I largely don’t need. But it does put all my plans back a week or two. I’m going to see if I can pick up a couple more cases of food today.

*Cats.*
Yeah. Good planning.