As a pet sitter, I am introduced to many different types of dogs and cats.  Some are big, little, furry yet each one entirely different.  I enjoy each one and marvel in their different personalities.  They make me laugh and when they move away or cross the rainbow bridge, they make me cry.

But every now and then a pet comes into my life and finds a special place in my heart.   Sometimes it is immediate and other times it takes a while.  The latest one is Daisy.  She is a Chihuahua who has been rescued and given a forever home with two other dogs, Isabel & Buster.  Each visit I make sure each dog receives some one-on-one special attention.  When it is Daisy’s turn, she snuggles up on my chest and lays her head against my face.  The first time she did this, she captured my heart.

So here’s to Prada, Jack, Fred, Otto and Icarus all have moved away and all pets of my heart.   I think of you fondly and miss you.

A couple of weeks ago, I had noticed that Baby’s eye was tearing up a bit.  Not an uncommon event and I was keeping a watch on it.  As Binkers was sitting on her Daddy’s lap Monday night; I noticed her right eye did not look right.  Upon further inspection I could see that her lower eye lid was slightly slit.  The eye looked okay, no weeping or blood or visible scratch.  However, first thing the next morning off we went to the vet with Baby riding shotgun in her Barbie carrier.  Yep, Barbie pink!  (Several years ago one of the pet shops had “Barbie” accessories for dogs and cats.  I had purchased two for our girls much to Kevin’s dismay. ) We automatically thought that Binker’s kitten, Spirit had scratched her which turned out to be correct.  Spirit turned 8 month old October 25^th and attempts to get Binker to play.  She usually jumps on her back demanding a kitty back ride or tackles her.  This is accompanied by Binker’s screams and cat curses to the kitten.  Which of course, the kitten ignores and thinks that yes, Binker is playing with me. 

Dr. Fuller examined her thoroughly and her eye itself was not scratched nor did he need to do surgery on the slit.  He prescribed some antibiotic eye drops for us to administer.   He also said to keep it refrigerated as we may need it again with Spirit.   While there, I had him run blood work on her as she had lost 1.9 pounds in a little over a year.  All is fine; except normal aging as she is 12 years old.  We are extremely fortunate to have such a knowledgeable and compassionate veterinarian.  I have known Dr. Fuller for years and trust him explicitly with the care of my cats.  So important to have a vet you can trust. 

I can tell Binkers is aging a bit; she was much more comfortable with Dr. Fuller.  She doesn’t play or run like she used to (unless Spirit is after her).  She does get more exercise with Spirit as Spirit thinks she is a Border cat and tends to “herd” Binks. 

Pets are so amazing and our cats fascinate me with their antics.  At times you can read their body language and can predict their next move.  I cannot imagine life without cats. 

Have you hugged your pet today?

Here we are already the end of June and our little kitten has been with us over two months now and is growing like a weed.  Her name is Spirit Rose Ritchie-Keck.   I did not want to get another cat that was a silver-tipped tabby as that was what our beloved Appi was and I didn’t want comparison’s and thought it would be too easy to do that.   Of course, what did we get?  Yep, a silver-tipped tabby.  We stationed her in the smaller of the two bathrooms with her food, water, cat litter, blankets and of course toys during the introduction phase to our Baby Binkers.  On the second day I opened the bathroom to find a ball sitting in her water dish.  I have had many cats during my lifetime and the only cat who would put the ball in the water was our Appi.  When I spied the ball I looked at Kevin and said, “Look!  It’s like its Appi’s spirit telling us its okay. “ So Spirit she is and Kevin came up with her middle name of Rose. 

Like all of our pets, they have many nicknames.  Baby’s name is Binki Blue Ritchie-Keck and has nicknames of Baby, Binkers, Binker Blue, Nooper, naughty girl Keck and good girl Ritchie kitty to name a few.  So far Spirit has No No, naughty girl Keck kitty, little Juannelle (I resent that!), Noopi and Stop That.

Spirit had several littermates and was residing with about 12 older cats so she wasn’t at all scared of Baby.  Unfortunately, Baby wasn’t enamored with her at all.  Spirit frequently gets Baby in a headlock and bites and scratches trying to engage Baby in play.  Baby just hisses, tries to escape and occasionally will give Spirit a real good smack to stop her.  We do see progress, just today Baby was in bed with me cuddling under the blanket and Spirit located her and was actually washing Baby nicely.  They also lay close together at times.   Baby also introduced Spirit to how nice the basket of warm clothes fresh from the dryer is. 

If one gets a kitten or a puppy one has to be prepared for the “baby” stage and realize that to them EVERYTHING is a toy.  Electric cords, decorative items and rugs can all be dangerous.  Having enough toys and removing them from the source of danger and playing with them in a different location usually helps distract them from what they were doing.  

Catnip or catmint is an herb and is part of the mint family.  Each cat reacts to catnip differently.  Some get playful, others get lovable, some relax and a small percentage doesn’t react at all.  Kittens are normally not affected.  Interestingly, Siamese cats are more affected by mint than catnip.

Baby loves her catnip which we grow on our balcony of our loft.  It was planted in the summer of 2010 and actually survived the winter.  The pots were moved right next to the building and it prevented them from freezing.  Catnip has helped her relax and is very helpful since she hasn’t exactly embraced her new kitten yet!  Baby will eat the fresh leaves as well as dried catnip.  I found instructions online (author unknown) for drying some catnip and will try doing it. 

·         Wait until the plant is at least five inches tall. Make sure an insecticide has not been used on the plant. 

·         Then, taking scissors gently cut the plant at the base so you have long stalks of catnip. Be aware that you will want to cut more than you think you need, because the plant is going to dry up and it will turn out to be less than it was originally.

·         Once you have all the stalks you need, secure the catnip together with either yarn or heavy thread.

·         Find a dark area (the linen closet is always the best, but any closet will do). Keep in mind that the plant must be hanging upside down and the door must be closed most of the time for the herbs to dry properly. Also, the catnip will lose potency if exposed to light.

·         Stick a tack to the inside of the door, and tie your catnip around it. Keep it closed and let the drying begin!

·         Within four to eight weeks (or more depending on how dry your house is, how little sunlight you expose the herbs to etc.) you will have completely dry catnip! Enjoy the smell and watch your cats go wild for the favorite treat!

·         Keep in mind that if you plant this outside; you may have some feline friends from the neighborhood frequenting your yard!

Wow!  We have been searching for a female kitten since January and finally found one!   We adopted this little girl April 21^st from Momakat Rescue*.   She was born on February 25th.  One forgets how curious the little kittens are and how powerful their “meower” can be!

We now are in the process of getting Baby Binkers acclimated to the little one.    The little one (yet unnamed) has 3 siblings and lived with 12 other cats at Momakat Rescue so another cat is no big deal to her.  It is interesting as Baby Binkers is acting totally different from our others; which is not surprising.   We also have to name this one.  Right now Baby Binkers is voting for Nastycat or Bigmouth Bratcat; but we are hoping to change her mind with a prettier name.  We have introduced many kittens into our household over the years and it is usually the little ones that hiss at the big ones.    

*Momakat Rescue is a great organization; their calling is to trap, neuter and return feral cats and find homes for kittens and cats.  Check out their website at www.momakat.org.    Tina and Sean Fitzpatrick are obviously dedicated cat lovers and do a wonderful service for our feline friends.

 The internet is a great tool, information at our fingertips.  There are many ways to introduce a kitten but they are basically the same concept.  Introducing a kitten to an older cat is a process and I listed some tips that I received online (author unknown). 

The personality of your older pet:  Even if your older dog or cat has lived peacefully with other animals in the house, there is no guarantee that he will welcome a new kitten with joy, or even tolerance!

Some benign older animals will readily accept any pet brought into the home. Usually, however, even the calmest dog or cat will be concerned at the appearance of a new kitten. When you bring a new kitten into the home, your older dog or cat will need lots of extra attention. He needs to know that you still love him and that the newcomer is not a threat to his position in your household.

Your new kitten:  When you first bring your new kitten home, it is important to isolate her. Choose a room in neutral territory (not where your older pet likes to sleep). This will give you time to reassure the older pet, and will also protect the youngster from possible aggression.

A place for kitty:  Equip the kitten's room with a bed, scratching post, litter pan, food and water dishes, and toys. Put the kitten in the room and let her explore a bit while you are still with her. Then leave her alone for a short time so she can become comfortable in the new surroundings. At first, the kitten may hide. Try to coax her out to comfort her. Don't try to push too fast, though. She will gradually become less timid with you.

First introduction:  Animals get to know each other by smell. Your older pet will spend a lot of time sniffing at the bottom of the door to kitty's room. The kitten will do the same on the other side. After a day or two, you should be able to determine the older pet's reaction to the kitten. A dog anxious to meet the kitten will scratch at the door and wag his tail, while a cat will purr and generally act curious or friendly. However, if your dog growls or barks at the door and your cat hisses and seems upset, it would be best to wait a few more days before attempting further interaction.

Take it slowly!  When your older pet seems ready, introduce the pets by opening the door just wide enough so they can see and smell each other. Be certain that you stand close by to supervise. Depending on their reactions, gradually open the door wider for short periods of time until they become adjusted to looking at each other without becoming upset. This procedure may take several days, but it is usually successful.

The first time the two pets meet face to face should be short and, hopefully, calm. If the older pet is a dog, proper restraint, such as a leash will prevent him from chasing and scaring the kitten. Don't force the issue. Let the animals go as close, or stay as far away, as they want. Repeat short introductions as often as necessary, until the animals are able to stay comfortably in the same room, with supervision. Don't expect instant friendship - that takes time.

Making a place for everyone:  Your older pet needs to be reassured that the newcomer will not take over his territory. If he has a favorite sleeping place, don't let the kitten sleep there. Provide the youngster with her own toys.

Animals are often possessive of their food and feeding dishes. Ideally, since the kitten should be eating her own kitten food, have her feeding dishes in a different room or area as long as possible. Monitor mealtimes to prevent either animal from pushing the other away from its plate. Since kitten food is best for her first 12 months, it may be a good idea to continue feeding your kitten in a closed room for awhile.

Although a premium quality food formulated for All Life Stages will provide complete and balanced nutrition for both animals, if your adult cat tends to be overweight, he does not need the extra calories that a kitten food provides. In fact, if your cat is already eating a diet intended for weight loss or weight control, the kitten will not receive all the extra nutrition she requires for her growing body if they are sharing food bowls. It is best to feed the pets the food formulated for their specific life stage.

Litter Tray:  Two or more cats in a household often do share a litter tray, but many adult cats do not appreciate sharing with a kitten, at least until they are better adjusted. Providing two litter trays should help prevent your adult cat from starting to soil in inappropriate areas as an act of rebellion.

Friends, Friendly Enemies or Foes?   It may take a year or more for your older pet and the kitten to become totally comfortable with each other. They may never become friends, but simply learn to tolerate each other. Even if they remain stand-offish, most pets appreciate another warm body in the house when their owners are not there. But usually over time, the majority of pets find a workable relationship, even if they are not best friends!

Before you bring a kitten home: 

• Have the kitten examined by your veterinarian to be sure that she is healthy and free of parasites.

• Make certain that all your pets' vaccinations are current.

• Aggression is diminished if both animals are neutered or spayed (the kitten at an appropriate age).

After you bring a kitten home:

• Isolate the kitten when you first bring her home.

• Introduce the adult and kitten gradually.

• Protect the older pet's "territory" and rights.

• Provide separate food dishes, water bowls, toys, and litter trays.