Remembering Krista

bear

TCS Member
Alpha Cat
Joined
Feb 19, 2005
Messages
395
Purraise
815
Location
South Coast of California
Last edited:

tarasgirl06

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Sep 19, 2006
Messages
24,708
Purraise
64,894
Location
Glendale, CATifornia

daftcat75

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Sep 7, 2018
Messages
12,642
Purraise
25,128
You have been very creative for Krista.
Have you ever seen an older photo book called "The Cat's House" where a home in California was modified for the cats?
The Cats' House: Walker, Bob, Walker, Robert: 9780740778612: Amazon.com: Book

My link broke, see if this one takes to more images.
the cat's house - Google Search
Cat Dad Goals!

I rent. That limits some things. I can't do a catio. I can't tunnel through the walls like a proper cat house should.

I'm resisting the urge to preserve things the way Krista liked them just because that's the way *she* liked them. I don't want to make my home into a Krista museum. I want there to be plenty of space for the next cat to be her own quirky little individual. As and when that happens, I'll let her guide me into space enrichment. Buddy/OC, a friendly neighborhood stray, didn't need Krista's stairway to the kitchen counters and avoided them altogether at first. The tree by the big window was always Krista's favorite. But maybe next cat will prefer the one in the office.
 

tarasgirl06

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Sep 19, 2006
Messages
24,708
Purraise
64,894
Location
Glendale, CATifornia
Cat Dad Goals!

I rent. That limits some things. I can't do a catio. I can't tunnel through the walls like a proper cat house should.

I'm resisting the urge to preserve things the way Krista liked them just because that's the way *she* liked them. I don't want to make my home into a Krista museum. I want there to be plenty of space for the next cat to be her own quirky little individual. As and when that happens, I'll let her guide me into space enrichment. Buddy/OC, a friendly neighborhood stray, didn't need Krista's stairway to the kitchen counters and avoided them altogether at first. The tree by the big window was always Krista's favorite. But maybe next cat will prefer the one in the office.
The best PURRspective, I'd say. Because yes, each cat is an individual!
 

daftcat75

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Sep 7, 2018
Messages
12,642
Purraise
25,128
Last year I wrote Krista a letter after she passed. I haven't read it since. This morning I tore it out of my journal and sealed it in an envelope and ran that through the shredder. I looked over my shoulder to larger than life Krista cutout supervising this, and said, "This is not to take away any love. But this is from a moment I never want to revisit. I'm sure it has lots of love and gratitude that will always remain in my heart. But I know it also has guilt and regret and misery that don't need to be preserved." I also took the morning off to drive to Santa Cruz for breakfast. It's been years (years even before the pandemic) that I felt like I could be off the care clock long enough for a Santa Cruz trip.
 

tarasgirl06

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Sep 19, 2006
Messages
24,708
Purraise
64,894
Location
Glendale, CATifornia
Last year I wrote Krista a letter after she passed. I haven't read it since. This morning I tore it out of my journal and sealed it in an envelope and ran that through the shredder. I looked over my shoulder to larger than life Krista cutout supervising this, and said, "This is not to take away any love. But this is from a moment I never want to revisit. I'm sure it has lots of love and gratitude that will always remain in my heart. But I know it also has guilt and regret and misery that don't need to be preserved." I also took the morning off to drive to Santa Cruz for breakfast. It's been years (years even before the pandemic) that I felt like I could be off the care clock long enough for a Santa Cruz trip.
We have a thing where we write a message and then flush it. I could think of what you've done as sending the message up to her. It's to HER, and she knows your thoughts. The good thoughts will be carried up. The others? will fade away. We all feel very strong feelings right at the time of a loss. Some of them may be negative, or not thoughts we keep feeling as time goes on and our perspective changes. Surely they don't need to be kept.
I hope breakfast was really good. I'm sure someone was watching (maybe very interestedly! depending on what you had) with approval.
 

daftcat75

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Sep 7, 2018
Messages
12,642
Purraise
25,128
We have a thing where we write a message and then flush it. I could think of what you've done as sending the message up to her. It's to HER, and she knows your thoughts. The good thoughts will be carried up. The others? will fade away. We all feel very strong feelings right at the time of a loss. Some of them may be negative, or not thoughts we keep feeling as time goes on and our perspective changes. Surely they don't need to be kept.
I hope breakfast was really good. I'm sure someone was watching (maybe very interestedly! depending on what you had) with approval.
Tofu scramble. With onions and garlic. Her interest in it is irrelevant.

Krista never knew Santa Cruz. I moved from Santa Cruz to San Jose a year before Krista. Cabbie was my Santa Cruz cat. She also rode with me from Santa Cruz to San Jose, meowing the whole time. She was not as calm a passenger as Krista. Then again, I never pumped Cabbie with fish flakes or played her cat rock. Cabbie also didn't travel as much as Krista did. If Krista had pockets, she might have checked out with half a dozen hotel keys. I'm not sure she enjoyed the trips. But she always enjoyed the destinations if it included a hotel fridge to summit. 😹 😻
IMG_3262.JPG

No, I don't think she would have approved of my breakfast. She would have looked at it with judgement and then probably demanded an appropriate plate for her own.
IMG_3259.JPG
 

tarasgirl06

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Sep 19, 2006
Messages
24,708
Purraise
64,894
Location
Glendale, CATifornia
Tofu scramble. With onions and garlic. Her interest in it is irrelevant.

Krista never knew Santa Cruz. I moved from Santa Cruz to San Jose a year before Krista. Cabbie was my Santa Cruz cat. She also rode with me from Santa Cruz to San Jose, meowing the whole time. She was not as calm a passenger as Krista. Then again, I never pumped Cabbie with fish flakes or played her cat rock. Cabbie also didn't travel as much as Krista did. If Krista had pockets, she might have checked out with half a dozen hotel keys. I'm not sure she enjoyed the trips. But she always enjoyed the destinations if it included a hotel fridge to summit. 😹 😻
View attachment 391407

No, I don't think she would have approved of my breakfast. She would have looked at it with judgement and then probably demanded an appropriate plate for her own.
View attachment 391406
Yeah, and it wouldn't have been good for her anyway. *THAT meal looks really nice, though*
Most cats would probably prefer not to travel but yeah, some love it. I can imagine Krista keeping those keys in her side pockets. *As in, "That'd be as much use as a cat having side pockets":crackup:
The only overnight/motel trip I ever took with a cat was when my ex and I drove Tim over to Best Friends in Utah. He had this big carrier called a -- wait for it -- FURRARI (and of course it was red. What else?) that was big enough for a small litter box and little bed, and had food and water bowls that clamped onto the front grille. We let him out in the room. He took it all in stride. He seemed to enjoy the trip and the scenery very much. From Best Friends he was adopted by a wonderful woman from B.C. who is still a dear friend, though Tim has probably met Krista by now.
 

daftcat75

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Sep 7, 2018
Messages
12,642
Purraise
25,128
Yeah, and it wouldn't have been good for her anyway. *THAT meal looks really nice, though*
Most cats would probably prefer not to travel but yeah, some love it. I can imagine Krista keeping those keys in her side pockets. *As in, "That'd be as much use as a cat having side pockets":crackup:
The only overnight/motel trip I ever took with a cat was when my ex and I drove Tim over to Best Friends in Utah. He had this big carrier called a -- wait for it -- FURRARI (and of course it was red. What else?) that was big enough for a small litter box and little bed, and had food and water bowls that clamped onto the front grille. We let him out in the room. He took it all in stride. He seemed to enjoy the trip and the scenery very much. From Best Friends he was adopted by a wonderful woman from B.C. who is still a dear friend, though Tim has probably met Krista by now.
That meal pictured above was horrendous. It was half a day old Panda because they didn't have enough business on Christmas Eve to keep bringing out fresh food. 🤦‍♂️ I was lucky there was a burger place nearby that was open somewhat late that night (until 9 pm.) I ate the cod burger and fries there because I knew that would be more popular with Krista.

Krista has probably already hissed at Tim by now. She loved people. But other animals were another story. I'm hoping there's a stand-in human caregiver to watch over Krista until we meet again. Because she would be a real pisser in a cat park. 😾🤦‍♂️
 

tarasgirl06

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Sep 19, 2006
Messages
24,708
Purraise
64,894
Location
Glendale, CATifornia
That meal pictured above was horrendous. It was half a day old Panda because they didn't have enough business on Christmas Eve to keep bringing out fresh food. 🤦‍♂️ I was lucky there was a burger place nearby that was open somewhat late that night (until 9 pm.) I ate the cod burger and fries there because I knew that would be more popular with Krista.

Krista has probably already hissed at Tim by now. She loved people. But other animals were another story. I'm hoping there's a stand-in human caregiver to watch over Krista until we meet again. Because she would be a real pisser in a cat park. 😾🤦‍♂️
Tim is taking it all in stride, I'm sure. He's an all-white, golden-eyed, very good-natured guy who became a therapy cat and visited assisted-living homes up in Canada. He sat on Santa Claus' lap and had his picture taken. He was quite a sweet guy.
Oh, Panda. I took my folks out to the Panda Inn or whatever it's called for my dad's birthday -- or was it my mom's? -- one year. It was okay, if bland. The Panda Express was a different story. Tried it once. Just to say I did. The cod burger sounds much better. For Krista, at least?:happycat:
Oh, yeah, my parents are up there and if no one else is snorgling her, they would be.
 

Beholder

TCS Member
Alpha Cat
Joined
Jan 10, 2021
Messages
515
Purraise
701
You have been very creative for Krista.
Have you ever seen an older photo book called "The Cat's House" where a home in California was modified for the cats?
The Cats' House: Walker, Bob, Walker, Robert: 9780740778612: Amazon.com: Book

My link broke, see if this one takes to more images.
the cat's house - Google Search
That is so cool! If I ever have my own home one day I definitely plan to deck it out. Maybe with a little less....color....though lol.

Cat Dad Goals!

I rent. That limits some things. I can't do a catio. I can't tunnel through the walls like a proper cat house should.

I'm resisting the urge to preserve things the way Krista liked them just because that's the way *she* liked them. I don't want to make my home into a Krista museum. I want there to be plenty of space for the next cat to be her own quirky little individual. As and when that happens, I'll let her guide me into space enrichment. Buddy/OC, a friendly neighborhood stray, didn't need Krista's stairway to the kitchen counters and avoided them altogether at first. The tree by the big window was always Krista's favorite. But maybe next cat will prefer the one in the office.
I got lucky with one of the last apartments I lived in. While it was against our lease, they didn't enforce many rules and we made a sort-of catio. Basically we staple gunned chicken-wire all over the third floor patio and then reinforced it with screws and fishing line. One of our rather rude neighbors (a hoarder that we had reported multiple times because the stairwell would get blocked by trash) called animal control saying the cats were unsafe, all the while they were keeping a chicken in their apt. :disappointed:. Luckily animal control was on our side and said they saw no harm after investigating how stable we made it. I'm sad our current complex has no patios.

Here are a some pictures I have, as well as one of the hoard below us.

IMG-0603.jpg
IMG-4363.JPG
IMG-3845.JPG
IMG-4361.JPG
 
Last edited:

daftcat75

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Sep 7, 2018
Messages
12,642
Purraise
25,128
That is so cool! If I ever have my own home one day I definitely plan to deck it out. Maybe with a little less....color....though lol.



I got lucky with one of the last apartments I lived in. While it was against our lease, they didn't enforce many rules and we made a sort-of catio. Basically we staple gunned chicken-wire all over the third floor patio and then reinforced it with screws. One of our rather rude neighbors (a hoarder that we had reported multiple times because the stairwell would get blocked by trash) called animal control saying the cats were unsafe, all the while they were keeping a chicken in their apt. :disappointed:. Luckily animal control was on our side and said they saw no harm after investigating how stable we made it. I'm sad our current complex has no patios.

Here are a some pictures I have, as well as one of the hoard below us.

View attachment 391414View attachment 391416View attachment 391417View attachment 391418
I asked my property manager once if I could enclose my patio for the cat and was told no. I put a bookcase on the balcony one day and came back to a three day notice to remove it or get evicted. 🙀 There is a whole lot of rules about what can and cannot be kept on the balcony. It basically amounts to preferring appearance for future residents over allowing current residents to enjoy our own little outdoor spaces. Worse is that the decks above me are boards with gaps rather than a solid platform. Any beer they spill on their deck is coming down onto my deck furniture. I have been planning on rigging up a stealth awning to fix this--something that wouldn't be noticeable to the all important future residents who might be touring on any given day. But I have other things to spend my money on. Like the new desk chair that hurts to use. 🤦‍♂️ 😹
 

Beholder

TCS Member
Alpha Cat
Joined
Jan 10, 2021
Messages
515
Purraise
701
I asked my property manager once if I could enclose my patio for the cat and was told no. I put a bookcase on the balcony one day and came back to a three day notice to remove it or get evicted. 🙀 There is a whole lot of rules about what can and cannot be kept on the balcony. It basically amounts to preferring appearance for future residents over allowing current residents to enjoy our own little outdoor spaces. Worse is that the decks above me are boards with gaps rather than a solid platform. Any beer they spill on their deck is coming down onto my deck furniture. I have been planning on rigging up a stealth awning to fix this--something that wouldn't be noticeable to the all important future residents who might be touring on any given day. But I have other things to spend my money on. Like the new desk chair that hurts to use. 🤦‍♂️ 😹
Wow!! You got a vacate or quit notice for that?! I wonder if it has anything to do with being tenured on rent. Can they raise it substantially if they replace old tenants with new ones? I know in some areas like New York it's a common practice to make places uninhabitable with noises or pests for long term renters so that they can convince them to leave and avoid rent caps.

I totally feel you about the balcony above you. When I lived downstairs in Ventura the same thing happened. Actually, it wasn't just liquids but things like glitter and dryer softeners too. All my poor plants died because of whatever chemicals were coming down. They had a big tarp and whenever it would rain they would shake it out, resulting in an avalanche of water on us. Additionally, every time they swept they would just sweep their trash onto our porch. After that and many other issues (running children and my terrible misophonia) I decided we would never live downstairs again.

I wonder if you could get away with some putty and just stuff it far enough inside the cracks that your landlord wouldn't notice.
 

daftcat75

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Sep 7, 2018
Messages
12,642
Purraise
25,128
Wow!! You got a vacate or quit notice for that?! I wonder if it has anything to do with being tenured on rent. Can they raise it substantially if they replace old tenants with new ones? I know in some areas like New York it's a common practice to make places uninhabitable with noises or pests for long term renters so that they can convince them to leave and avoid rent caps.

I totally feel you about the balcony above you. When I lived downstairs in Ventura the same thing happened. Actually, it wasn't just liquids but things like glitter and dryer softeners too. All my poor plants died because of whatever chemicals were coming down. They had a big tarp and whenever it would rain they would shake it out, resulting in an avalanche of water on us. Additionally, every time they swept they would just sweep their trash onto our porch. After that and many other issues (running children and my terrible misophonia) I decided we would never live downstairs again.

I wonder if you could get away with some putty and just stuff it far enough inside the cracks that your landlord wouldn't notice.
The spaces are too large for putty. Well, it's an interesting idea that I might look at the next time I go out to the deck for laundry. The washer and dryer are in laundry closets on the decks. I was actually thinking about rigging up a tarp with each edge secured into a dowel. The default position would be something just shy of flat allowing any runoff to pour into the tiniest strip of garden I have that's too small and unusable for gardening. But I'll rig it so the dowel can be adjusted to a lower setting increasing the angle of runoff but still barely coming below the sight line of the top of my deck. But it involves a trip to Home Depot and I just don't want to leave my bubble these days. I didn't like people before the pandemic. I like them a lot less now that half of them believes their personal freedom is more important than giving half a duck about the rest of us. It is the dumbest hill to die on and that's the battle they've dug in for. 🤦‍♂️ 😾
 

Beholder

TCS Member
Alpha Cat
Joined
Jan 10, 2021
Messages
515
Purraise
701
The spaces are too large for putty. Well, it's an interesting idea that I might look at the next time I go out to the deck for laundry. The washer and dryer are in laundry closets on the decks. I was actually thinking about rigging up a tarp with each edge secured into a dowel. The default position would be something just shy of flat allowing any runoff to pour into the tiniest strip of garden I have that's too small and unusable for gardening. But I'll rig it so the dowel can be adjusted to a lower setting increasing the angle of runoff but still barely coming below the sight line of the top of my deck. But it involves a trip to Home Depot and I just don't want to leave my bubble these days. I didn't like people before the pandemic. I like them a lot less now that half of them believes their personal freedom is more important than giving half a duck about the rest of us. It is the dumbest hill to die on and that's the battle they've dug in for. 🤦‍♂️ 😾
That's a good idea. You can always get it shipped from Home Depot as well. I actually just placed an order for some N95's from Home Depot and Lowe's (Amazon has a lot of fakes) for both covid and the wildfires. Idk if it's acceptable for the general public to buy them now but I saw them and took the opportunity. Sadly, I also did that with some concert tickets to see Green Day and Weezer in LA before everything started getting bad again. Now I have to resell them or cut my losses. :bawling2:

Oh and I understand the people hate 100%. That's why I have three cats and no close friends. Oh well.
 

tarasgirl06

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Sep 19, 2006
Messages
24,708
Purraise
64,894
Location
Glendale, CATifornia
Wow, definitely among friends here! Misophonia? Oh yeah. Bigtime. And people? Well, I like kind, compassionate, gentle, preferably intelligent but not exclusively, and aspy if possible, people. The rest I'm very wary of. Anyone who loves cats is a friend. Anyone else? Not so much.
I do all of my shopping online except for groceries *and I've done plenty of that, too.*
About the drippy balcony, daftcat75 daftcat75 -- I was thinking that if you could get a sheet of clear acrylic or something like that, and glue it to your ceiling/their balcony floor, no one would be the wiser. Of course the beer would pool up on their end, but it shouldn't be your problem, right?
B Beholder that is a great idea! and your cats look very happy sunning themselves on the ledges.
Though The Cats' House is probably the first such cat palace featured in books and on worldwide media, there are quite a few other similar catted houses now. Jackson Galaxy and Kate Benjamin's book CATIFICATION features quite a few, large, small and in-between, and all price ranges are covered. Kate also has catioshowcase.com with more. Our former catio and barn compound were featured in one installment but it is no longer on the site, unfortunately.
 

daftcat75

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Sep 7, 2018
Messages
12,642
Purraise
25,128
Time marches on and I still have August pictures to share. I don’t think I started this daily review until September or October last year.

August 13, 2019:
(I have quite a few from this day in 2018 and 2019 that I’ll save for days I have none.)

Looks like I brought home an angry poop cat. Snarling and growling and basically not willing to accept any cleaning help from me. So I locked her in the bathroom with food and a camera. A satisfying meal always culminates in a good grooming session.
870455E5-F67F-4A41-A2B3-AC26C31B63BB.jpeg D0A6E099-9B09-49B5-8949-69D558009348.jpeg 62A5809C-5AF7-433C-B425-420A6FCAFE97.jpeg
 
Last edited:

tarasgirl06

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Sep 19, 2006
Messages
24,708
Purraise
64,894
Location
Glendale, CATifornia
Time marches on and I still have August pictures to share. I don’t think I started this daily review until September or October last year.

August 13, 2019:
(I have quite a few from this day in 2018 and 2019 that I’ll save for days I have none.)

Looks like I brought home an angry poop cat. Snarling and growling and basically not willing to accept any cleaning help from me. So I locked her in the bathroom with food and a camera. A satisfying meal always culminates in a good grooming session.
View attachment 391494View attachment 391495View attachment 391496
I don't know that I've ever seen an "angry poop cat" but if this one is anyone to go by, they are quite adorable! Do they come in different colorations?
 

daftcat75

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Sep 7, 2018
Messages
12,642
Purraise
25,128
I don't know that I've ever seen an "angry poop cat" but if this one is anyone to go by, they are quite adorable! Do they come in different colorations?
Some animals will void their bowels before battle as part of the flight or fight response. I used to say, "Krista did her business to show she meant business." It was often the transfer from cage to carrier that this would occur. It was often at this time that I also heard her swearing like a sailor and probably taking a few skin souvenirs from unlucky techs. I don't know exactly what happened each time. It just became this thing with her that there was a 50/50 chance I was going to be offered a carrier full of cat and poop (and the bill, of course.) Gee thanks!

Yes, poop cats come in other colorations besides monochromatic.
IMG_3427.JPG
(January 15, 2020)

It also became a thing for me to keep a cardboard carrier and a trash bag in the trunk for vet visits. If she pooped her carrier on the transfer, then I'd dump the angry poop cat into the box and the carrier in the trash bag. Sometimes I washed it. Sometimes I just bought a new one on Chewy. The carrier, that is. 😹 The cat was unloaded into the bathroom with a meal and a camera and left to sort it out on her own. I believe we both preferred it that way. 😹 😻
 
Top