Grandcat having extended 'sleepover'!

his_missus

meritaten wrote: »

OH had the day off today so we went over to PAH to do a 'Barney shop'. I try to get something different for him to try each month and he gets a new toy. we also popped into poundstretcher and had a wander round pet hut. They had a type of Flea Spot On I hadn't seen before. its by Armitage and it doesn't use the chemicals, it uses essential oils. I have tried all the conventional spot ons (without much success), and for the last month or so have relied on johnsons flea tablets. so I am giving these a go - not expensive at under £2 a treatment. will report on how they are doing! I did the first one this evening and it doesn't smell at all unpleasant. and Barnes has accepted it really well - all the others have had him frantically scratching, but he doesn't seem bothered at all - now if they actually WORK..............I will be ecstatic!

Let us know if it does work. Mine all had a flea tablet yesterday and I resprayed the house. I'm hoping the spray I used last time on the carpets is still effective though as usually when we get fleas they bite Hubby. I had him walking around barefoot yesterday and no bites so fingers crossed:D

meritaten wrote: »

Which one was it? its the 'Seriously Good' chicken variety from PAH.

Mine didn't really like the Seriously good chicken, mind you, they prefer fishy flavours anyway. They do like "Purely" Salmon. Scrappy, with his expensive tastes, is into James Wellbeloved Tuna (I think) dry food - it smells really fishy when you open the bag!

meritaten

Thanks his missus, but Atrix told me not to give him fish as it gives him 'the runs'.

normal poo today so this new dry food probably agrees with him. He picked out all the new food and left the old one in his bowl today - so he really likes it. I can give what's left of the old to Atrix as that is what his cats eat. been a bit busy today - the grandgirls came down as it was the twins birthday (10 today!) and we all went out for a meal this evening - just got back in.
this afternoon I had GS2 for his mum to go to the hairdressers. so apart from groom and treats, Barnes hasn't had much of my attention.

he is curled up on his cushions on the settee with OH. every now and then he squeeks and OH murmers something to him.

got GS2 at silly oclock in the morning so its an early night for me - lol but not quite yet!

meritaten

GS day today - Barnes had breakfast at same time and headed upstairs to finish sleep. could have joined him, jeez I felt tired!
Still, GS was good as gold today (for a change) and he spent a bit of time playing on computer, some watching TV then he wanted to learn how to do the rubber band bracelets all the kids are making. I had a kit here for the grandkids so taught him a simple one. then when his mum came in showed her how to do the next step up one.
Dam thing is addictive to do - I need to buy myself a new kit now as GS took mine home - and the little gizmo I made as the rubber bands were hurting my fingers!
it was time for Barnes to have Tapeworm tabs - I carefully crushed them, split a treat stick and hid the powder inside - he spat it out! so I chopped the stick up and hid it in a pouch of Sheba - he tasted it and ignored it. my last ditch effort was to mix in another pouch of gourmet perle - he has ignored that too! he must be hungry now!
I will leave it down for now and if he hasn't eaten it by bedtime I will admit defeat and resort to the oldfashioned method of opening his gob and dropping it down his throat!

meritaten

I must have early onset Alzhiemers! I meant to tell you all about Barnes last night. I told you we had been out for a nice meal with the family to celebrate Grandtwins birthday. well, we went out at about the time I pop up to local shop for fresh bread etc. but, we were gone about two and half hours and it usually only takes about twenty minutes. Peeed Barnes off big time - his supper was late! I had forgotten to do it before we went. I gave him his supper on our return and he settled down with OH to watch tv. I went up to bed and got all warm and cosy, and expected Barnes to join me........ten minutes later he came in the bedroom and jumped on my bed. started kneading the bed as usual and I went to put my arm round him for a cuddle - and he turned around - I stroked his back and he started muttering angrily, lol. He sounded just like OH in a moody, so I laughed. Oh dear, he jumped off the bed and thumped downstairs and spent most of the night down there. when I woke up he was on the windowsill (where he naps the day away).

meritaten

had to go out this morning so Barnes had his breakfast and I doubt he missed me! he usually naps all morning.
came back with Atrix, much to Barnes delight! Atrix had a nice cuddle with Barnes. Barnes then had his groom and treats and lunch and headed off upstairs for a nice nap - and reversed his decision when he heard me opening French doors and going outside! Can that cat run fast! I had only taken two steps outside when he shot past me!!!!!!!!lol. so we had 'outside time' again today.
OH was home early from work as he has to work overnight tonight. so he planted some tubers and bulbs in pots for me - closely supervised by Barnes! after about the third pot he decided OH wasn't doing anything 'fun', and wandered off to stick his head in his box plant. he chased some insects round the decking, sized up the wall and fence again.........I only had to say 'Barney no', and he gave me a wide eyed look of total innocence and sauntered off to lay on a bag of compost.
he was highly suspicious of his treat stick and sniffed it and licked it until he had assured himself I hadn't hidden any 'nasties' in it.

his_missus

I nearly had a mutiny on my hands last night! I bought a 48 box of pouches last week in case Scrappy went back to Grandma's and had left it in the van. Hubby had to empty the van yesterday and left the large, purple box in full view in the living room. I fed the cats their usual tin of food, shared between them and all looked at me as if to say, "Ahem! pouches please!" Scrappy and Tikka even started rubbing up against the box

48 pouches between the 4 of them wouldn't even last a week. Have decided as a treat they can share 2 pouches for supper. They seem content with this for now and I have hidden the box under the stairs...just in case they're smart enough to open pouches.

They're worse than kids sometimes, aren't they?

meritaten

sounds a good idea his missus. They get a nice treat and you can dole it out at your wish!
Funny how they can tell THIER food from ours isn't it? I cant believe it, but, they its like they can smell it from hermetically sealed foil pouches, but Barnes seems to know one from another too! and will indicate which box of pouches he wants his supper from!
I need to clip his claws - OH going nuts as Barnes is scratching the carpet.
its been a bit overcast today and rained a little - just enough to dampen the ground and make going outside a 'no-no' for most of the day - though we did manage ten minutes outside around tea time when all of a sudden the clouds cleared and the sun came out - hit 17 degrees in those few minutes! Barnes seemed relieved to be out, he wandered round the boundary and rejected the compost bags (they were still a bit wet) to lie on. he didn't lie down at all - ground too damp.
Barnes took an interest in an area under the decking...........last year there was a fieldmouse who had made her home under there - I wonder if she is back? hope not - Barnes may be a 'housecat' but his predatory instinct is still there - judging by the enthusiasm whith which he 'hunts' bees butterflies etc.
just got one of the grandgirls for a sleepover tonight. She has been fighting with her twin and needed 'respite' care. lol. she adores Barnes so he has had a lot of attention and 'treats'.

his_missus

I'm sure mine recognise the purpleness of Whiskas. I sometimes open their drawer and let them "choose" and they always sniff the Whiskas cans over any only brands.
Scrappy is in a major sulk. He's run out of his fave biscuits. I've ordered some online, as it was cheaper, and it's been delivered to my mum. He'll have to wait until tomorrow when she comes over for tea.
On a positive note, he's been here for 2 weeks now and doesn't seem to be overgrooming. He's still on the ovarid but I've reduced his dose from half tablet to a quarter. We've seen that cat about again but, as mum is bringing the dog tomorrow, I'm hoping he'll see Tommo and keep a wide berth for a week or two.

meritaten

glad Scrappy seems to be improving!
Barnes is eyeing me warily this evening - I lost my temper a bit and shouted at the grandgirls! a side of me he hasn't seen before!
K's sisters joined her today for another sleepover and they totally trashed my upstairs! every dam room looked like a bomb had hit it! I yelled at them about 'respecting other peoples possessions etc'! 3 very contrite grandgirls then set about putting things to rights (which included scrubbing toothpaste off the landing carpet!).
but poor Barnes didn't know where to put himself...........he hid downstairs in the end and keeps coming to check if I am going 'nutsoid' again! he avoids my hand for strokes - I must have really freaked him out!

Lifeforms

Well Tribbles has been quite good since I came back. Back a couple of weeks now. He's only tried to bite me once, but I think he missed and heard his smacking lips. Asked him if he was going to, and he looked at me and then headbutted my hand. Cats. they are just damn sneaky!

Took him to the vet a week last friday, to get his yearly vaccinations, and found out he has a heart murmur. The vet said he was probably of main coon descent due to his big size at the start when she first saw him. But she wasn't overly worried about his heart. Said to watch him, make sure he's eating fine, and peeing ok and bring him back if any issues. He only really goes to vet once a year for his jags, so prolly will take him back in 6 months time assuming things go ok, to get him checked out again.

Food. We're back to being a pain. He has this habit of fixating on one brand, one or two flavours for weeks, then randomly he'll just go off it the next day, and we spend a week finding something new that he'll eat. Luckily mum gave me a reduced box of Purina ONE for him to munch on and he's been happy with that. Great! I'll go buy some off amazon... not a hope, no zooplus, no ebay, nothing.
Looks like the stuff he's been eating has been discontinued. *sigh* so I ran out of the box, and have been trawling the local shops, no go. I did find a "new" box of Purina ONE online, which looks the same, cept in gravy and costs the same for 8 pouches now, instead of 12. Great!! I can try that instead!

This lead to a 4 hr bus journey there and back to my nearest "big" town with a P@H, and giant tesco/asda. Nothing in the P@H, or Tescos, so I resorted to grabbing two unknown branded boxes randomly off the shelf to try him with at P@H. Managed to stick my head in Asda quickly before my bus back to discover they had the old 12 pack jelly versions. Win! Grabbed two boxes, and ran (well toddled really) to catch my bus.

Going back on Monday to return the other cat food and clear the asda shelves. The things we do for cats. I feel bad now if I can't find him something to eat, and keep poking him to make sure he's still breathing as well! My poor tribbles (who is perfectly well, and happy to be fair!)

It was like all his Christmases came early when he was delivered back, straight at me, straight on me, shedding/drooling all over me just to make sure I knew I was his mummy, and tucked up next to me in bed stealing my breath and heat.


(sorry, bad picture, was taken by laptop camera as we were watching TV in the dark)

Really missed having a cat actually. Resorted to hunting out the neighbouring cats when I spotted them for a quick fuss ^_^ Really don't think I could live with out cats now. Even my mums two went nuts when I went back to visit them after I came back. Sophie was all over me (rescued moggy) whilst the Bengal deigned to allow me to scratch her chin and head with my nails :rotfl: which is rare affection!