Grandcat having extended 'sleepover'!

meritaten

just came back to tell you that OH came in from work and before he had the front door fully open, Barnes thumped off the windowsill and thundered down the stairs and was sitting waiting when OH came through the inside door! OH is now eating his supper while watching TV and Barnes is purring contentedly by the side of him (on his cushion pile) while they watch TV)! I really think Barnes missed him!

meritaten

and after more 'googling' I find that almost 90% of my plants are toxic to cats! now what? do I clear ALL plants from the garden? only grow them in hanging baskets? (like the famous Gardens of Babylon?). I know that Barnes is unused to being outdoors - but he seems to have a liking for vegetation. he was chewing daffodil leaves the other day but stopped when I shouted 'Barney NO'!
I am desperate for help here - I watch Barnes when he is in the garden but I CANT watch him every second!
and by toxic do the sites mean highly poisonous or just might give him a bad tummy? they don't really say on first googling and it takes a lot of googling to find out!
Barnes seems fine and its over 12 hours since he snacked on my hosta! so I assume that he would have thrown up or had the 'squits' if the plant had affected him.
jeez - I never had this problem with previous cats!

scaredy_cat

try spraying them with a lemon oil or orange oil - a few drops in water in a spray bottle - shake and spray.

meritaten

Thanks scaredy-cat! I was thinking vinegar or pepper. but not sure how it would affect the plants! I will try that. when I have gone over town and got lemon oil.

scaredy_cat

some peel might do the same though - you could put a few drop of oil on it when it dries out.

meritaten

Thanks for the advice scaredy-cat! but when he went out today he completely ignored the vegetation (apart from the box plant, but he ALWAYS sticks his head in that! made a hole in it, lol)
it was damp again this morning but that didn't put him off. he so enjoys just being outdoors! bless him, he was sitting on the patio table staring indoors at me and cat-smiling at me. then looking hopefully up at next-doors bedroom window for his ladylove.
he did come in and have his lunch and G&T. but it was straight back out again for a nap under the willow. then he chased an insect indoors (I missed seeing what it was) and he must have decided to go on bedroom windowsill for a while. I shut the French doors as it wasn't all that warm and a short while later Barnes came tearing downstairs, across the dining room and only just noticed in time that the door was shut! He skidded on his bum across the living room.rofl.
Oh got called out to work about half hour after he got home and poor Barnes been deprived of his TV buddy AGAIN tonight - until just now. he is sat on the cushions waiting for OH to get off his work computer and come and watch TV with him!

oldestgnome

http://www.moggies.co.uk/nontoxix.html great list of cat friendly plants and a link to those that are not or see below for some ideas to keep Barnes loving his new outside world


http://www.yourcat.co.uk/Neighbourhood-Cat-Campaign/create-a-cat-friendly-garden.html

meritaten

Thanks oldestgnome!
Barnes seems to want to explore outside in 'moonlight'. no way! I cant watch him in garden AND be on here! and frankly, he is out most of the day now! he is sitting behind curtains staring out and 'squeeking'! its the weirdest sound, sort of, 'eek, eeeek' then 'eeeeeeeeeek!' I did once hear a Siamese cat make this sound, but I don't think I have ever heard it from another breed. I may be wrong - I don't know every cat in the country!
Does anyone elses cat make weird sounds? have a particular sound you just 'know' is his and his alone?

MrsAtobe

I can't comment about cats, Meri, but our welsh springer (aka the Moose) makes a brrrr sound, which means either play with me, or I want to play with you. Honestly, I have never met a dog with such a vocal range. He's got numerous different barks, whines and other noises, that other dog owners are astounded by him! My alarm clock is now him, looking at me fro t he other side of the bed and making a short hmm noise. Better than an artificial beep beep beep noise any day! When I respond , he'll jump up and we have snuggles for a short while before we both get up.

meritaten

weather back to NORMAL here - been raining all day! Barnes desperately wanted to go out, but when I opened door he realised it wasn't an illusion - it really WAS raining and it was wet rain too - so he declined to go outside. and then gave me 'The Glare'!
jeez!!!!!!!!!!! not up to me Barnes - I prefer it warm and sunny too! so he got a couple of extra play sessions. don't think it made up for it, but it was the best I could do.

for a treat he had a tin of Applaws chicken with pumpkin for his lunch..........my word, he licked EVERY scrap from the plate! normally he leaves a morsel. so for his supper he had a gourmet perle turkey and lamb and I defrosted a couple of prawns and arranged them artfully on top ............(not really, I had a few prawns left over from my lunch and gave them to him for a treat, but if HE wants to think I did them specially for him, lol, its gonna help my house cred isn't it?)

mrs Atobe, I had an English Springer, meg, and she was fairly quiet, but if she did decide to bark it sounded like a huge mastiff or something! talk about deep and loud!
my OH used to have a Labrador when we were courting - and he used to make this weird Rowf Rowf sound when he wanted your attention. and he did a good impression of Scooby Doo too! mainly when he was busting for a 'P' and wanted out!