Grandcat having extended 'sleepover'!

meritaten

daily report coming up! Hope I am not boring all you pet owners - but I know son will be reading this thread each evening!

I dunno if Barney spent the night on the the bed - I woke to hear DIL knocking the door to drop off GS! I didn't pass him on the landing as I flew downstairs! 6.45 is NOT my fave wake up time!

ok, usual sandcastle in litter tray! I think he raided the bag as well cos I swear I didn't put that much litter in the tray! it was twice as high as previous one!
GS is now a Barney devotee. we spent most of the morning 'playing' with Barney! apart from a short break to make cakes and paper planes. Barney tried to escape upstairs but GS just went up and lay down with him!

we had a game of hide and seek and when it was Barneys turn he hid at the side of the sofa! I swear that cat understands everything you say! lol.

GS insists on calling Barney 'she' though!

another sandcastle this afternoon and it did nothing to stop the smell wafting downstairs!!!!!!!!!!!! I later found out that he cant eat fish and I had been giving him Salmon Dreamies! (bought chicken ones now!) and some beef sticks for a treat for him. and I just noticed that virtually every good quality tray meal has ruddy fish in it! he doesn't seem to enjoy his food very much at the moment, and son has given permission for me to change it if there is something Barney likes better.

I need to cut his claws - he is sticking to the carpet! and my leggings and my cardi!
he does NOT like playing beauty parlours! he sulked upstairs for an hour after our 5 min grooming session. had to bribe him with more dreamies.

meritaten

ok - today we had a quiet day!
played beauty parlours and bribing him works well! he will tolerate a bit more brushing if he thinks he will get a treat!
cut his claws too! they weren't that long but were curling under a lot. hopefully now he wont suddenly find himself 'velcro'ed' in place!

I gave him a tin of 'hi-life' duck pate for his supper last night (all I could find up the local shop that didn't have fish in it!), and he seems to have enjoyed that and it hasn't upset his tummy. (I was thinking of making some toast and joining him - it looks and smells scrummy!)

He slept on the end of the bed last night - and had a nice lie in until he heard me put his breakfast in his bowl! then it was 'Thunk Thunk Thunk' down the stairs - lol - he isn't light on his feet! his jumping onto the sofa back is a bit 'hit and miss' too!
GS coming for sleepover soon - I think Barney is the attraction as he doesn't normally ask for one! he likes his OWN bed does GS.

Atrix you are going to have to show me how to get the pics off the memory card and onto the computer - its a different set up to the one I was used to and I am flummoxed!

meritaten

I forgot to say about the beef sticks - roflmao - it was like a cartoon! offer Barney the beef stick and he politely takes it and ..............two seconds later its gone! the stick disappears into his mouth - I think he swallows them whole!
I gave GS one to give Barney - GS thought it hysterically funny!
his tummy seems fine today - so Ive risked a tray of Aldis chicken meal..............he ate half but has been coming back for more now and again. will remove any remainder before bedtime. I am trying to bear in mind that his tummy may have shrunk a bit - he certainly isn't eating the recommended amount of dry food - but the treats are going down well!

Barney seems to like GS. for a very active 5 yr old GS has treated Barney with great respect. no picking him up, just gentle strokes. and they played 'cars' earlier - Barney seemed to enjoy chasing after the fast car!!! didn't know what to do with it when he caught it though!

I think I know now why he is leaving half his food! he cant get at it! He is very flat faced (with a chin like bruce forsyth) and he was leaving the food around the bowl. he cant ruddy get at it! the bowl is too deep! I will swap it for a flat plate and see if that helps!

meritaten

Busy day today!
Barney ran into GSs room as soon as I opened the door this morning, settled down at his feet, purring loudly and woke him up! GS got straight up and came downstairs with Barney on his heels! they both had breakfast.
Barney didn't eat much even though he seemed to find the plate easier to eat from.
just sat in front of the cupboard where I keep the 'treats'. nooooo - he has to earn them!

Barney seemed to really like playing with GS - he genuinely likes kids. he just doesn't like being picked up or squished! he played nicely with GS off and on all morning!

still having a bit of a problem with food though - runny Pooh this morning! so that food is out!
went back to town and picked up one of every type of tray or small tin food I could find..............I know the hi life one is ok so lets see what suits him (the price is immaterial). and more toys (thank you poundland).

he loved the cat teaser toy from poundland and was mildly interested in the cat balls from Wilkies.
his human sis is having a sleepover tonight - he was delighted to see her but squeeked when she picked him up! he really doesn't like it!
he played with her and she tried out all his toys. he loved the jingly cat balls - he chased her round the house with the cat teaser.........lol. he liked the ping pong balls when she bounced them for him but his favourite was..............the foam ball gun I actually bought for GS! he is so fast he can catch them when fired from the gun!!!!!!!!!!
supper was her leftover chicken thigh - he liked that! ate it all!

beauty parlour - in the couple of hours between grandkids we managed to have a good brushing - I haven't touched his tummy yet - and he tolerated it much better! only took a few treats. he let me feel his tummy and though it doesn't look great it isn't that matted. and he had a nice grooming session of his own!

I put his harness on and after much bribery we went outside. he plonked himself under the willow tree and refused to move! didn't like hearing the magpies tho - so we went inside. outdoors is so obviously strange to him, I must be really careful he cant get out by himself.

I have also found that when he wants your attention he will climb up behind you and smack you 'upside the head'! rofl!

iammumtoone

Aww he sounds like such a lovely cat. You are making me broody for another one now. I did have three but now sadly just the one, I said I wouldn't get anymore but you are making me think about it

How is your OH getting on with him, is he started to enjoy having him in the house?

The thing with trying new cat foods in you have to give him time to get used to it so his tummy might be upset for a few days but then settle down. I'd stick to one for a couple of days at a time and if its no better, then change and try another.

joansgirl

Meritaten, your patience is commendable. Be very, very careful with the harness though. I left my moggie with my mil and she put a harness and lead on him and he wriggled out and got away. I won't go into details but we never got him back. I was heartbroken and so was mil. As for the eating, my last cat would leave all his food and only eat treats. But he didn't lose weight then. Does he drink ok?

arbroath_lass

Loving your updates on Barney, Meritaten! Keep them coming :j.

meritaten

ohhh Thanks - I didn't think anyone was reading the thread apart from son!

Okay todays news update!

GD slept over last night (Barneys human sis) and he was delighted to see her. he spent part of the night on the bed at her feet but part of it on the landing.

Also had GS come in early this morning for me to mind 'til his mum gets home from work (Sat is unusual for me to mind him, but his dad had to work too). Barney chirped happily when GS came in!

Kids had breakfast, cat ignored his! the kids played with Barney for a good hour until he got tired and hid upstairs! so they made fairy cakes with me! then they watched a film on tv and Barney joined them for that!

lunch - GS had been picked up by mum and we had returned GD to her home so it was Son, OH and Me! men had lamb burgers and Barney was given a plate of leftover chicken..............which was also ignored. OK............perhaps he either isn't hungry or doesn't want the same meal twice in two days (OH is like that!). or possibly he would have preferred a lamb burger? he is far too well-mannered to come near while humans are eating but I did note he was sniffing the air while I was cooking them like a Bisto kid!

Thankfully contents of the 'sandcastle' perfectly normal!

Beauty parlour visit taking longer - and he was limited to 5 treats (recommended amount 20 - 30 daily - so he has about 15 in hand). he does love those treats............!

OH seems to like him - he has taken to 'chatting' to the cat in passing and allows Barney lapsitting priviledges! Never known him do that before with our cats! not that Barney often takes him up on it. He prefers to stretch out on the back of the sofa behind us (probably so he can easily stretch out a paw and 'whup' us, if he feels we have forgotten he is there.lol

I am careful with harness - I realise that a determined cat can easily slide out of one. and remain at Barneys side constantly. we had a little session with it earlier - he seems to think you walk two yards then plonk down and play Sphinx! bit boring for me - but, I want him to get used to it and realise on fine days we can explore my tiny garden! he only just got off the decking last time!

jjj1980

Meritaten, How wonderful reading your posts!

My elderly cat passed away a couple of months ago and I miss her like crazy, despite her having lived with my mum for the past few years due to her being too elderly to cope with my young daughter.

I spotted in your posts that Barney ignored the chicken you gave him but it's worth persisting as I've always found it recommended by the vets if the cat has a sensitive tum. Also, the Feliway diffusers can be brilliant for stressed cats. You are doing the right thing letting him just find his way/place. He sounds like he is settling nicely.

The food issue could be a sense of smell issue with his face being the shape it is. Try him with some Cat milk, seems to have perked oyr cats up in the past.

After my mum saying it was too sad losing Sammie initially, she got a 10 week old kitten about 3 weeks ago and although the man has scratched her new leather chairs, she loves him to bits. Says she feels Sammie would approve in that she always had a nice comfy home so only right that another cat gets the same comfort.

meritaten

I always think back to the advice given by a good dietician when my son was diagnosed with various allergies! plain roast or boiled chicken or lamb is easily tolerated, avoid 'additives'! and salt! and milk products should be avoided at all costs!