A couple of updates... Tigers and STINKY!!

Looking at the last batch of pics, I loved the one with her mouth open, and so I thought I'd enlarge it a little. click for an even biger version - I love the way her bottom lip pulls down - looks a bit like a big cat's mouth. (Hey, if all her kittens look like lions, I can imagine she looks like a tiger!)
















Her wee problem is still ongoing. One suggestion was to put some citronella oil down as cats HATE the smell. Just for the record, humans HATE the smell too.

I've never used citronella before, and not wanting to waste time not putting enough down, I put two saucer-fulls down, thinking that should do it?

About 20 seconds later, Freya and I both had to evacuate the house to the upstairs because the smell was too foul! I pleaded and begged Freya to go down and put the saucers outside, but she said cats don't like citronella, so I would have to do it.

Down I went, to try and reduce the smell - emptying one saucer into the other, I took the foul-smelling concotion outside, and emptied it on the lawn. I'll let you know if it burned a hole in the lawn in a few days!...

Oh, and Vax carpet cleaners are dead cool, but they take quite a lot of fuss to set up. And they don't clean the underlay through the carpet very well either. I've found it's probably better to cut out the piece of wet underlay, and rinse it in the shower.

The Wanderer!

So.... Freya went outside to explore the garden today!

She seems pretty fine on the harness, as long as we weren't too bossy with it - at first, every time we gave a little tug on it, she'd sort of fall over backwards and lie down, but she soon got over that.

She had a good walk around the garden, pretty much jumped out of her skin every time either of us trod on a leaf or a twig, and after a pretty leisurely stroll around sniffing everything, and chewing some other things, she walked back indoors of her own accord!










Looks like a ROAR, but actually more of a nibble












on a mission!











*Just* like a ballerina. or something.












Jungle cat!












Yuk!
Licky-licky, to get rid of the nasty harness smell!

Correction on cat psychology.

You know I said that Cats don't wee where they eat?

Well. some very naughty cats do. ok?
Yesterday, we had a wee-free day, and then this morning, she blew it. Pretty much straight after breakfast, (in wee corner) she went.

Maybe she's pleased how easy I've made it for her? Maybe she's secretly a bloke cat, and just LOVES the idea of having a toilet right next to her breakfast bowl? I've considered it might be convenient myself in the past...

Anyway, I don't have any idea what to do at the moment, so I'll have a think. (After cleaning it up of course) but those wet/dry vacs are looking mighty good at the moment too.

Oh dear... she gone and dun it again!

Well, on Sunday, we were out for the afternoon, and when we came back, after a short while, Anna noticed her skulking around under the desk again, and yep, she'd had a wee in the same spot again.

My instant guess is it's a psychological issue, rather than a physical/medical one, but we'll see. It seems that both times she's done it, we've been out for 5+ hours, and she's had a wee pretty soon after we've come home.

I'd read something years ago about feeding a cat where it's weeing, as they never do bodily functions where they eat. Seems plausible, so for now at least, she's geting fed next to her wee-spot, and we've been about 18 hours with out an issue! :-) Do you think that proves anything? :-)

Stinky cat! (Hope she's ok!)

This afternoon, we came home about 16:00 after being out since breakfast, and after about 20 mins, Freya went to the back of the desk in my office and had a wee on the carpet.

IT STINKS!!!! Much worse than her litter tray has ever smelt. It' was an ammonia sort of smell, so I'm pretty sure it's wee.

She's never had an accident before, and this morning, I scooped the solids out of her litter tray and topped it off with fresh litter as usual.

It's just strange why she didn't use the litter tray, and there's been no other strange behaviour...

ahh well, fingers crossed it's nothing....

Freyas favourite toy.

You know those really expensive cat toys you can buy?

Of course you do. We've all gone out and bought a lovely fancy toy for our cats, whilst secretly being perfectly aware that it's more for our benefit than the cats?

And as usual the more expensive the toy, the less they're interested?

And the cheaper and naffer the toy is... you know whats coming :-) Watch the video....

RSPCA Open Day!

What a fantastic day to have a garden party! Blistering hot sun, and more cats to look at than you can shake a feather toy at!

We felt quite the celebrities, almost everyone there was full of praise for the "Beautiful Bengals" and quote of the year goes to Leslie - "We hadn't seen any Bengals before, and it was quite a shock - they were jumping around in their cages like the place was full of monkeys!"

It still makes me smile to think of a cattery full of Bengals! I can't imagine what it must have been like!

Anyway, here's some pics of the day:
(Click to see bigger)













The carpark








The place where it all happens!













A pretty busy day, don't you think?












A proud mother...

















Poor, poor Jake, who only has three legs, and looked soooo in need of extra hugs!














Top cat!









This dignified old boy was found as a stray, and brought in - and is going to be adopted by the couple who found him! yay!

He really touched us though, as he just looked really quite old and haggard, but just had a bit of class about him.... like an ex-show cat or something :-) I'm afraid I can't remember his name...

Freyas collar

So, we're building up to the day when we try Freya with the outside - maybe on a harness - and step one is wearing a collar - I've also heard about a gadget called loc8tor and that'll need a collar thing too, so she needs to learn to wear one.

Of course, she doesn't seem to enjoy having a collar on, although I think it's the little metal disc that really bugs her.

We then tried to put on the front part of a harness I'd bought her - the collar bit, and she was absolutely fine with it! no problem at all! So feeling brave, I put on the whole harness on, and again, no problem!

So maybe it's just that metal disk where her phone number's supposed to go that's the problem.

I really must persevere though with it, as I've got some great film ideas that need the loc8tor thingy, so I must try again sometime, and hope she gets used to it given time.

Also, my local pet shops have the most boring selection of collars - great if you only want thick solid leather ones with flowers on or something like that?

Anyone know somewhere with a big selection of collars?

noisy girl!

So here's the promised video of little miss Freya missing her mum, even though her Dad's standing next to her.

Does it sound like anyone else's Bengal?

It's still good for entertainment though - as soon as she hears he video, she goes mad looking to see where the meow is coming from


!

Doing anything this Saturday 10th?

RSPCA Ashford is having an open day, and celebrating their 60th Anniversary around 11AM.

http://www.rspca-ashforddistrict.org.uk/rspca-ee/index.php/events_page/

We'll be going, um....., as in Freya's Staff will be going - Little Miss Freya has politely declined to visit that place, but she sends her warmest purrs and regards to Leslie and all the other staff there! :-)

Hope to meet someone there, and if not, we'll take pics!!

Mummy's Girl

As soon as I come through the door from being out, Freya loves me so much she just about manages to wake up, in excitement with Dad coming home.

Of course, it's a different story when Anna puts her key in the door - Freya jumps up, and runs to the hall to greet her!

When Anna goes home, within about 10 minutes Freya starts calling or meowing really loudly - it's also unusual, as she's not calling to me, but to nobody in particular. it only lasts a few minutes, but for a moment, it sounds like she's in pain or something!

I've been trying to edit some video, but as soon as Freya hears herself yowling, she goes mad, running around the house like a crazything, looking to see where the meowing is coming from!

I'll post the video when I can... :-)