Tatiana (Tanya) (Tat the Cat)!!

So those people not check the dates on that stuff Jeane?

Guess the schmice will show up when they show up Jim. Otherwise Santa Paws will have to send a few more for Christmas...........

Hah - Tat has a good selection of mousies - the two (minus one for NOW) from fiffur Lori, the four from her "Aunty Mary" (a close friend who is trying to knit the mousie just right - right size, solid feel so I can throw it a good distance, proper place for Tat to grasp the "body" ) - two remaining from the store-bought mousies. All are kept in the refrig with catnip flavoring - Tat REALLY raises heck every time I open the refrig - she WANTS to PLAY!!!!! Caddy Jim

Mousies are FUN - Chases, carrying them back, holding and "scraping" the "bodies", then getting caddy to throw them again!!

Bijoux puts his head in the fridge and lays his chin on top of the baggie of fresh catnip and purrs......seems he shares a love of catnip with Tat. Does she like fresh catnip?

Tat, try a STRING, STRINGS are awesome.

Tat's talks - To answer some questions here on the forum - I've never tried FRESH CATNIP! - caddy only has dried nip. Does the fresh stuff work "wonders" on us cats? Second question - I have wrestled with some "string" - caddy has a length of clothesline - about 2 feet long - I do play with it, but REALLY, c'mon kitties, MOUSIES are the BEST!!!

Tat

Oh yes, fresh catnip has such an alluring smell, much better than dried...........Bij

Of course, you can only get it in the summertime. We were lucky, my sis' garden managed to grow a wild industrial-strength catnip plant this year. We're harvesting what we can and either drying it or freezing some for winter. Bij eats it like a salad, then goes nuts. hehehehehehe

Hi Tat. Sounds like you are doing great. Meowmy says that catnip is an herb and that the dried will
be stronger than the fresh. She says when herbs are dried they become stronger. She also says that
after a while they will not be as strong anymore. Tell your Caddy to buy dried nip at least twice a year.
I like the fresh, as long as it is the small leaves. The big leaves have a bitter taste to me. Tonio

yeahya got to get the stuff that doen't have the stems and things in it;) its hard to pick those tiny little leaves but they are the best:)

Caddy Jim's tales - OK, it's Monday morning, time for some updates. I've "solved" the problem with Tat's nails - at least the front paws - she was NOT going to let me trim her claws NO WAY was I going to hold her, and pet her, and TRIM......!!!!! However, if I wrap her up in a big towel, I can get the front paws trimmed and then I calm her down with some tartar control treat - Whisker Lickins or Greenies (she REALLY likes those!!!! ) - back paws? ah well - OK, next item - the "retriever exercise" - Tat's doing well even with the new flooring - laminate - in the foyer - I wish I had a movie camera - it's really funny how Tat's back paws skid crazelly for a few moments before she gets it "in gear" in her chase after the mousie! Final item - I do have to mention the Tat has a small problem - "love" bites!! On occasion, when I'm "rubbin' her tummy", she will bite my hand - not agressively, just a "clamp" on my wrist - BUT if I'm not careful - she bites a little HARDER - I remember seeing a similar item elsewhere in the forum - should I try to stop it? or immediately stop until she's thinking about something else? or just realize that these "love" bites are her way to say "I just wanted to say I love you!"

Caddy Jim

In my experience, a cat's invitation to "rub my tummy" is almost invariably a trick. They don't want tummy rubs; they want to grab your hand, teeth and claws included. My cat Jerry really wants a belly rub, and can be trusted. With the others, I don't fall for it.

Same with Bijoux, you can only safely rub his belly if he's still standing up.........laying down? Forgetaboutit, you're gonna get bit and clawed.

Tonio doesn't love bite, He BITES!!!, what I do is stop whatever I'm doing, gives him a chance to settle
down. Sometimes I have to walk away from and go sit somewhere else till whatever has riled has settled down. I would
definetly be careful on the tummy rubs.

does she kick when she bites? the Rescue Kitties think i'm playing 'rat' if i do that and they go after me not only with teeth but kangaroo back leg kicks!
whenever any of the kitties bite (usually its Nobe!..and she can gnaw!)or latches out with a claw paw (as opposed to a soft paw;) )i just hold my hand still. if they don't stop i'll take my loose hand and unclamp their jaws. but usually just holding still and not even saying anything makes them stop.

The way you're describing the bite, it sounds more like a warning than anything else. Really, though, all she's doing is dispaying normal cat behaviour. Most kitties are overly sensitive when it comes to bellies

Kits are not dogs or alligators. Rubbing their tummies will NOT make them bliss out. It will tell them you are willing to play the death game. If your cat is kind enough to give you fair warning that the death battle is imminent by giving you a gentle bite, heed it. Go very still, wait for the cat to relax, then gently, slowly, extract your hand. If you continue rubbing in any way, you have accepted the challenge and must accept your wounds as your own choice.

So speaks The Weezer.

I would listen to Weezer, the voice of someone who has learned the hard
way.

Tat's tales - Boy, my caddy tries SO hard, but he JUST DOESN'T KNOW, does he? Weezer and Tonio, you guys have hit the nail on the head with a SLEDGEHAMMER! Caddy, there are AREAS that you, as a male, CANNOT TOUCH on a female (or male) kitty You just can't rub me ANYWHERE without paying the consequences When your hand is DOWN THERE, expect me to "love bite" - just a warning! Keep going, and my BITE will get HARDER!

I do love you, caddy but just don't try to RUB ME THE WRONG WAY! Tat

I back you all 100%. There are just places that kitties hold sacred!

Petie

Whenever Jack attempts to bite me during a loving session, I stop. Sometimes I will walk away and other times I will stay near him without petting him.

If Bij tries to bite I just withdraw completely until he calms down.

Yes, I heed my Beans' warning too...since there once was a time when she was my foster kitty & I touched her in a "wrongaccordingtoher" place and was hospitalized!

Seriously, Arni? Hospitalized?? I've gone through several bouts of antibiotics after Weezer attacks, but it's never been that bad!

Just a quick update - here in SNJ we also had the earthquake down in Virginia (see another part of the forum) - a few people in the area said that their dogs reacted, I can say that Tat slept through it all!

Caddy Jim

Why spoil a good nap?

We vaguely felt it here, and it disturbed Bij's nap. He raised his head, looked around, then went back to sleep.