False Advertising

Newton: We have a new tunnel, and it has strings! I’m sure the humans will cut those off as soon as they notice, so I had better enjoy them while I can.

orange tabby cat plays with string on fish tunnel

Newton: Besides the strings, I was pretty excited when the tunnel showed up, because it has fish in it. It has fish on the outside, so that must mean there are fish in it, right? But this is the only fish I can find.

orange tabby cat inside fish tunnel

Newton: Yes, this is still the right tunnel. Fish on the outside.

orange tabby cat looks out of tish tunnel

Newton: Now I know how the humans feel when they complain about cat food that is called something else but has fish ingredients. I have the opposite problem with my tunnel. There are fish on the outside, but it is just false advertising.

orange tabby cat exits fish tunnel

Ashton’s Good News – Bad News Day

It was time for Ashton’s wellness visit to the vet, and she got some good news, and some bad news.

Ashton: Any trip to the vet that interrupts my beauty sleep is bad news!

one-eyed brown tabby cat peeks out of carrier at vet

The Good News

Ashton has a very friendly relationship with food. Any and all food. So it wasn’t surprising that her previous vet visit identified that she needed to work on losing a little bit of weight.

This vet visit, her first to our all-cat vet, she weighed in right where she should be.

Ashton's vet results April 2017 - ideal weight

Ashton: Did you read that? I’m ideal, so we don’t need to be here. Let’s go!

one-eyed brown tabby cat at vet

Visiting an all-cat clinic made a big difference in her level of fear during the visit. She will always be a fearful cat, but it was nice to see her less frightened. She was even willing to sit out in the open when no one held her there. She did keep a tight hold on the edge of the table, just in case.

one-eyed brown tabby cat holds edge of table

The Bad News

In addition to the great news about her weight loss, Ashton got some not-so-great news, too.

Ashton results -- Needs Dental

With a tooth needing removal, Ashton has go back to the vet again next week.

Ashton: Hey, you don’t make an ideal cat go back to the vet! That’s not right!

one-eyed brown tabby cat meows at vet

We’ll talk a little more about cat teeth soon, but for now, let’s give Ashton a little time to absorb this news.

Ashton: Are you sure there’s not another cat named Ashton here who needs dental work and there’s a mix-up? This can’t be happening…

One-eyed brown tabby cat at Bay Hill Cat Hospital

Face Off at the Catnip Corral

Pierre: The catnip toy is mine, and you can’t have it.

Newton: That’s what you think. What do you think is going to happen during the 18 hours a day while you’re sleeping?

Pierre: I’ll sleep on top of it, if I have to.

orange tabby cat and gray tabby cat face off

Newton: You mean like this?

Ashton: Hey, guys.

orange tabby cat and gray tabby cat face off as one-eyed brown tabby cat walks in

Ashton: * SNIFF * * SNIFF *

Pierre: So don’t get any ideas about my catnip toy, okay?

Newton: Umm, Pierre…

orange tabby cat and gray tabby cat face off

Pierre: Don’t try that distraction thing. I know your tricks, Newton. * POUNCE *

Newton: Hey!

orange tabby cat wrestles with gray tabby cat while one-eyed brown tabby cat looks on

Newton: Back OFF, Pierre.

Ashton: Nice move, Newt.

orange tabby cat kicks gray tabby cat

Newton: You didn’t have to do that, Pierre.

orange tabby cat and gray tabby cat face off with one-eyed brown tabby cat in background

Ashton: Don’t mind me, guys, I think I’d better get out of here.

orange tabby cat and gray tabby cat face off with one-eyed brown tabby cat in background

Newton: You should take her example and go, too. Leave me the catnip toy.

orange tabby cat and gray tabby cat face off with one-eyed brown tabby cat in background

Pierre: Didn’t anyone tell you that being a close talker is rude?

orange tabby cat and gray tabby cat face off

Newton: All the better to smack you if you don’t leave.

Pierre: I think I hear Ashton calling. See you later!

gray tabby cat flees orange tabby cat

Hanging Out With the Cousins

Our grandpeep was released from hospital recently, so the head peep has been hanging out with cousins Earl and Shep a lot.

She discovered that cousin Earl’s favorite napping place is a ghostly head.

Cousin Earl: Why do humans get wierded about about this? I love my bed!

buff tabby cat in ghost bed

While cousin Shep prefers his open-topped bed perched high on top of the cat tree.

brown tabby cat

The kitchen window is Cousin Earl’s favorite place to watch keep an eye out for lizards.

Cousin Earl: That lizard thinks he’s sneaky hiding behind the blinds, but I see him!

buff tabby cat looks out kitchen window

He also watches for his girlfriend, the next door neighbor’s cat. She invades his garden and sends his lizards scattering.

calico cat

Cousin Shep: Is she out there again? Leave our lizards alone!

brown tabby cat

Cousin Shep hunts lizards in every window of the house, and he will enthusiastically knock down anything nearby if it is in the way of lizard-chasing.

tabby cat chasing lizards in the window