Cats and the Toilet Paper Roll

If your cat is anything like Sweetie the Cat, I’m sure you’ve discovered that nothing is safe from destruction, including the roll of toilet paper.    Sometimes I have to wonder if they know what drives us nuts.  But the truth of the matter is that the roll of toilet paper moves.  If you grab it, it turns and the paper comes falling down all over the place.  Fun for them, not so much for us.  So how do you get them to stop?

Keeping the bathroom door closed is one way, but let’s face it, not likely to stay closed.  Old habits are hard to break.  Another way is to hang the paper under instead of over.  The paper will be harder to get at if it’s hanging closer to the wall.  But then again, not impossible, and let’s face it, cats do like a challenge.  The only other thing I can think of is to buy a cover for your toilet paper.  Yes, it’s gotten to that.  You can find such covers in various catalogs that sell unusual things.  You might even buy something like that in a home improvement center.

Good luck.

Turbo Tax revisited

After Spending over a week doing my taxes with Turbo Tax, I finally gave up.  I just didn’t trust the outcome of my taxes.  Most of the problem is because I couldn’t understand some of the questions asked and in order to find out what they’re talking about, I would get charged an additional $19.95.

I have friends who use Turbo Tax and they like it, but then again, they have simple returns, I don’t.  I decided to have my taxes done by a professional.  Good thing too, because the return was wrong. 

Turbo Tax should never ask people to pay for questions, especially since you have to pay for the product.  That should all be included.  So, instead of me saving money by doing my taxes myself, I spent $135.00 more then I should have because Turbo Tax was useless to me.

Lesson learned for next year.

Photos

Since I lost all my photos when my hard drive blew up, I haven’t been putting that many photos on my website.  But over the last few weeks I’ve taken some that I thought I would share.

This is Sweetie the Cat (left) and Frankie the Cat (right) during one of there getting along periods.  It doesn’t last that long and I’m always suprised when I see it. 

This is Cassie the Cat (left) and Frankie the Cat (right).  They beling to my parents.  Cassie was a stray that my mother brought into the house years ago.  Frankie was adopted at a local animal shelter as a kitten. 

This is Sweetie the Cat in one of her weird possitions, that cats like to be in.  Any time I leave cloths on the bed, she has to be on top of it.  In this case, a jacket.

Mugsy the Dog in the cat tent.  He doesn’t really fit in it, but for some reason, he likes to take naps inside.  He’s 15 years old, soon to be 16, and he’s a little confussed some times.  Hey, the cat’s don’t mind, so no big deal.

I was trying to take a picture of the cat toys to post in my shop Crazy About Catnip.  Frankie had other ideas.

Lassie Come Home

We all know the stories from the Lassie TV Show, where Lassie travels across country to eventually find his way home, but did you know that cat’s are capable of the same thing?

Cats are territorial.  They feel the most comfortable where they live.  Sometimes people have trouble when they move, because their cats don’t see the new home as theirs, and they will climb mountains just to get back to the old house.  Cats have been know to run away, weeks later to be found where they use to live.  Now this doesn’t mean they prefer the home to the person.  Not at all.  If they had their way, they would have both the old home and the person.

There are a lot of things wrong with a new home to a cat.  It doesn’t smell right, and things are different.  When you move, the best way to get your cat to deal with it, is keep you little one in one room with the litter box and food.  When your cat seems comfortable, increase the territory by adding another room.  eventually, your cat will be happy in the new home, and not try to run away to your old home.

Now don’t get me wrong.  Not all cats try to get back to the old homestead, but remember if you’re moving, this is going to be a traumatic experience for your cat.  Try to make it as easy a possible for him.

History of St. Augustine, Part 2

Where last we left off with the history of St. Augustine, Florida had become the 27th state of the Union.  From 1875 to 1887, the fort was used to house the Indians that were exiled from the Southwest and Great Plains.  It was during this time that the government changed it’s Federal Indian Policies to include education for the indians.

Also during this period, in the winter of 1883-84, Henry Flagler came to visit St. Augustine.  The co-founder of Standard Oil was so impressed with the city that he changed the architecture and economy of the city by building the Hotel Ponce de Leon, Hotel Alcazar, the Memorial Church and more.

This is the city you see today.  Not only are there a great deal of historical places to see and visit, but there is also 43 miles of white sand beaches.  It is estimated that over three million visitors come to saint Augustine each year.  You should come and visit too.  There’s fun for everyone.

Is Catnip Good For Your Cat

Sure, why not. 

Yes it’s true that most cats get high on the stuff, but it doesn’t do your cat any harm.  There’s nothing wrong with your cat getting a buzz on the stuff.  He’s not driving, or going to work.  He’s pretty much sleeping, eating, and using the litter box. 

Just make sure that catnip is the only thing you give your cat for a buzz.  People think it’s fun to give them a taste of alcohol, or pot.  That’s not cool, and it can kill your cat.

Dixie the Cat

Every once in a while you hear sad stories about how cruel people can be towards animals.  Where it’s hard to believe that these things can really happen, the truth of the matter is they can and do.  Last week, my mother’s friend Linda, told us about a black kitten she found and the horror of what happened to the little girl.  The good news is, in this case, the story has a happy ending.

Last week Linda had gone to Winne Dixie to pick up a few things.  When she came out of the store, she heard a faint meow from the dumpster.  She went over and discovered a single black kitten, a few months old.  She managed to get the kitten out of the dumpster, just as one of the employees was coming over with some food.  The employee told Linda that the kitten had been there for a few days.  Although she’d been taken out of the dumpster several times, the kitten would retreat back into it.  The employee had been sneaking food to her, but didn’t know what else to do.

Linda picked the kitten up, and put her into her car.  It appeared that the little girl was hurt, but she wasn’t sure.  The next stop was the vet.  To her horror, the vet had confirmed that the kitten had been shot with a bee bee gun, and the bee bee was stuck in her head.  The kitten was too young to remove the bee bee, and the vet suggested that when she gets older, maybe in another year or two, the bee bee could be removed.

Linda took the kitten home, and named her Dixie, after where she discovered her.  She now has a new home where she can get healthy, and be safe.  In another year or so, Linda will have the bee bee removed if it’s safe to do so.  Right now, though, Dixie is on antibiotics to prevent infection.  Linda, has gone back to the dumpster to see if there are other cats or kittens there, but hasn’t been able to find any.  It’s sad to think of what could have happened to Dixie’s family.  With luck, they’re all okay.

If you discover cruelty towards animals, please report.  These people who don’t care about the value of life, should be punished. 

As for Dixie, she’s doing just fine now.

Cats and Household Plants

Okay folks, I received a question from one of the readers.  It pertains to her cat eating the household plants, but not the plants outside.    So why does he do that?  He’s probably bored.

When her cat is outside, there are plenty of things to see and do.  Outdoors can be a very stimulating thing.  Birds to watch, bugs flying by, maybe another cat, or dog for that matter.  But inside there is less activity going on.   Oh sure, the house can be filled with cat toys, but he’s played with them all already.   So here he is, looking around, and hey, those aren’t the same flowers from last week, are they.  Let’s take a look.

There are a few ways you can get your cat to stop eating the plants.  All have to do with making them distasteful to them.  You can spray your plants and flowers with things your cat doesn’t like.  Bitter Apple spray can be found in some pet stores.  Cats hate the way it taste.  You could also coat your plants with vinegar, or Tabasco sauce.  Another way to keep your cat from the plants is the old tried and true squirt bottle.  If you use this method, make sure your cat doesn’t see you squirt him.  Let him think there’s some invisible guardian of the plants, this way he wont eat the plants when you’re not home.

This questions was asked by isobelandcat.wordpress.com.  She has a great picture of her cat in action.  You should check it out.

That Glowing Eye Thing With Cats

Have you ever spotted a cat at night, and all you can see are those glowing eyes.  Kind of freaky.  So why do they glow?  A lot has to do with the reasons they can see good at night.  Although they can’t see in total darkness, they can see very good with the slightest amount of light available. 

The glow is due to the reflection off the tapetum lucidum, which are special cells behind the retina.  The tapetum lucidum’s job is to catch the light that didn’t enter the retina and reflect it back in so that your cat can see in the slightest amount of light available.  This is why a cat can see in light conditions that are over five time less bright than what we require in order to see.

In addition, your cat’s cornea is larger than ours, and his pupils can dilate three times the size of our.  Put all this together and you have one hell of a light show at night.

Interview at Marineland

The other day, while I was doing my job search, I came across a job posting for seasonal employment at Marineland.  It’s part time, and I’m sure it’s paying minimum wages, but hey it’s a job, and it sounded like fun.  So I sent in my resume and a cover letter, and waited to see if I would get a call.

Sure enough, two days later, I got the call.  I was told that I was over qualified, so why would I want the job?  I explained how I had been unemployed for a year and a half, and it sounded like fun.  Still sceptical, she agreed to interview me.  Through out the interview she kept mentioning how it was only seasonal, it didn’t pay that well, and it would only be a few hours a week. 

This is just another example of how people hold your prior experience against you.  I was in the banking industry for 23 years, never worked in a theme park, or with dolphins, yet I’m considered over qualified.  That doesn’t mean I’m not going to get the job.  I did the best I possible could on the interview to assure her that the pay was fine, and all that.  I guess I’ll find out next week.