We are REALLY sorry we’ve been away for so long, and the reason is entirely DADDYCAT’s FAULT.

Maybe we should be a bit more gentle and respectful, but hey why bother? He loves us so much he’d never punish us whatever we did!

Anyway he’s entirely to blame, and just wanted a break [...]]]> Dearest Furrends,

We are REALLY sorry we’ve been away for so long, and the reason is entirely DADDYCAT’s FAULT.

Maybe we should be a bit more gentle and respectful, but hey why bother? He loves us so much he’d never punish us whatever we did!

Anyway he’s entirely to blame, and just wanted a break from blogging for a short while, and then the break got longer and longer, and then finally, our dear friend  Val commented and kicked Daddycat’s butt to get back to blogging for us!

So much has happened since our last post before Christmas. Nothing bad, so don’t be afraid!!

This was going to be our Christmas picture, but guess what… nothing happened!

Teego has FLUTD

Teego has finally been diagnosed with FLUTD, after quite a long and troublesome diagnosis, from the best vet in the world, Jesse!

Teego kept squatting and straining to go, and occasionally passing blood and initially we thought it was a blocked urinary tract, so that meant a visit to the emergency vet, who said he’s not blocked, as his bladder is empty.

So the next day, JesseVet tried to get a sample and couldn’t because his bladder was again emtpy! He suspected FLUTD, but it’s hard to diagnose conclusively, and the best way is to rule out everything else. So he did a blood test, and a crystals in the urine test too, and Teego passed both of those tests, so then JesseVet gave him a variety of treatments, (My memory is fuzzy about the exact order of these, so if it sounds wrong, blame me, not JesseVet) Including a steroid shot, Cystaid capsules, Some exerimental Vetergesic drops administered under the tongue (kind of morphine for cats?) and Teego started to improve.

JesseVet also thought that stress from Chatzi may be an issue, so he prescribed Zylkene (not zyklene as we kept calling it) to both Freya and Teego! We’re not certain that it had any effect, but we trust JesseVet, and we do as we’re told.

So now Freya and Teego are both off their medicines, and eating a new food that we buy from the Vet, that’s kind of unbranded cat biscuits, but more on that later.

Chatzi still terrorizes Freya, but we keep catching them snuggled up too, so maybe things are looking up!

He’s a great snuggler, so no-one can stay mad at him for long!

So, next time, I’ll tell you about Teego the Great Mouse Hunter of Orpington!!!

Last week, Mommacat noticed that Teego was weeing in an unusual place, not in the Litter Tray. Fortunately, as a result of this, she noticed there was some blood in his wee. An easy way to check this, is to press some white kitchen towel into it, and you’ll see what colour it is!

The picture's not so good, but it was more red than yellow.

Daddycat was away on business, so she couldn’t ask him, (not that he’d know!) so she called our friend Barbara from Silversmoke Abyssinians, even though it was very late at night, and dear Barbara said “anything like that, go straight to the emergency vet. If it’s a blockage, it can be life threatening within hours!”

Mommacat didn’t need to be told twice – She took Teego to the 24h Emergency Vet, 30 minutes drive away, and they gave him an examination. Their conclusion was that it wasn’t a blockage, and gave him a strong painkiller, and told us to go to our vets first thing in the morning.

In the morning, the vet gave him an antibiotic, and prescribed some Cystaid capsules that we could sprinkle over his food.

Mr Teego was too wise and wouldn’t eat any food with pills in it, so they had to be smart!

Unlike Mr Teego, who completely fell for the ruse, and eats his medicine every time!

HANG ON!…. We don’t get any Tuna!

On the other hand, maybe we don’t want Tuna like that – Teego went to see our Favourite Vet today, Jesse, and HE TRIED TO STEAL TEEGOS WEE-WEE!!! (He wants to have a look if theres any crystals in there.) He got a nice assistant to hold Teego down, while they put the needle in. To be honest, Teego was very brave, and didn’t struggle much once it started, but look at his ears!

Unfortunatley, Teego’s bladder was empty, so he has to go back to see Jesse again tomorrow morning, first thing, when his bladder is full, and do it all again!

It’s a good job we like Jesse isn’t it?

I’m guessing that her [...]]]> We had an unexpected treat a while ago! We have a friend who is a famous Chef – Chef Annie from Annie’s Supper Club. I guess she was cooking something chickeny, and although she didn’t offer to share any with us, she did come round with a tub of CHICKEN LIVERS!!!

I’m guessing that her guests didn’t get any lovley chicken livers, and just got the leftovers like the breast and leg! hah! They have no idea!

I think Daddycat must have been a little under the weather here, as he kept gagging while preparing our delicious treat!

Yummy Chicken Livers all for US!!! Notice how bright red they were – I guess that’s what you get when they’re so fresh?

Teego doesn’t seem very interested though in his delicious livers. Maybe he didn’t want to get his light coloured furs all messy and red or something…

So we were more than happy to help Mr Teego out, and eat his livers for him.

Honestly, we don’t understand humans, all they kept saying while we were scoffing was “bleurgh! That’s gross” and “yuck, how could they?”

They simply have no taste!

So…. It’s fairly common knowledge that with domestic cat body language, you can tell a lot from the position of the tail. If it’s straight upright or upright with a hook on [...]]]> (Some of you will already have seen a draft of this article, as last Friday, I hit publish instead of draft! Clumsy paws!)

So…. It’s fairly common knowledge that with domestic cat body language, you can tell a lot from the position of the tail. If it’s straight upright or upright with a hook on the tip, it shows a happy and confident cat.

Well, I read something interesting about us Bengals the other day, and it got me thinking. (The Bengal cat is a cross breed between an Asian Leopard Cat, and a domestic cat.)

Apparently, a characteristic of a Bengal cat is that instead of holding their tail bolt upright like a domestic cat, their tail hangs low, as a link back from their wild cat ancestry!

Now, I hadn’t heard that before, so we took some pictures to see, and I think it might be true! I’d be very interested to hear about other opinions from our Bengal friends too! Do your tails hang low as well?

Chatzi has a low tail

My tail also hangs low like a wild cat!

My tail usually has this curve to it

Teego's tail is typically upright, and you can see my tail in the foreground too!

Of course, this isn’t a scientific study, and while we were photographing these pictures, sometimes, Chatzi’s tail did go straight up, although my tail never goes higher than in the last picture, and always has that curve to it!

Has anyone else heard about this apparent Bengal trait?

I’m not sure if this is real or been photoshopped, but we have some shocking photographs to show you.

A couple of days ago, there was some ham being handed out in the kitchen, and it seems that Freya and Chatzi both sat on the bin to receive yummy ham for [...]]]> Hi everyone! Teego here…..

I’m not sure if this is real or been photoshopped, but we have some shocking photographs to show you.

A couple of days ago, there was some ham being handed out in the kitchen, and it seems that Freya and Chatzi both sat on the bin to receive yummy ham for a number of seconds!

Of course, shortly after, there was some hissing, and some spitting, and some VERY poor potty language, (all from Freya, I’m sorry to say!) But we have photographic eveidence of the two existing peacefully together for a few seconds!

Of course I wouldn’t want to be unfair and suggest that Freya is unfairly mean to Chatzi. He does look like the picture of good manners in the last photo, even giving Freya a loving lick, but in reality, Freya and Chatzi still have to sort of relationship that you might call hunter/prey, rather than loving brother/sister.

He looks about the same size as Freya here, and he probably is, and he’s still eating 4 meals a day. (That’s twice as much as us two mature kitties!)

Chatzi is a very boisterous kitten still, and we’re hoping, Please God, that one day he’ll calm down and let us sleep unhunted for a change!

It got us thinking about our eyeliner too.

Of course, I wear it with pride, and it looks great on me.

Chatzi, being a Modern, Metrosexual Mancat also wears it, and I have to say, it [...]]]> Last week, our Bengal friends at Pet Meadow made a post about Bengal cats and their eyeliner.

It got us thinking about our eyeliner too.

Of course, I wear it with pride, and it looks great on me.

Chatzi, being a Modern, Metrosexual Mancat also wears it, and I have to say, it looks good on him too…

Teego doesn’t wear it, and instead goes for the “I’m feeling a little sad, Do you think you could possibly spare me a teeny 10 seconds of snuggles, pweeease??” kinda look.

So you lovingly pick him up, and he rips your skin from your bones trying to get away! Haha! he tricked you again!

to see part 1

to see part 2

 to see part 3

The last thing to do was to make some catio furniture, of walkways and ramps and a rope tower, and to fit the CAT FLAP!

It’s quite a big job to put a cat flap in an 11 inch brick [...]]]> Hooray! It’s finished!!!

to see part 1

to see part 2

 to see part 3

The last thing to do was to make some catio furniture, of walkways and ramps and a rope tower, and to fit the CAT FLAP!

It’s quite a big job to put a cat flap in an 11 inch brick wall, but fortunately, we were lucky enough to have a friend, Trevorcat, who came over to fit it for us! Wasn’t that nice of him?

So here are the pictures!

First, he marked out where the hole needed to go

Then cut through from the outside - That's a noisy thing called an SDS drill.

The cut through from the inside... This was really dusty!

WE SEE DAYLIGHT!!!!

Time to reward Trevorcat for all his work by allowing him to fuss us a little.

Teego comes over to allow him a stroke too. He likes Teego a lot, because Teego can do the "Sad eyes" trick.

Some more scritches for Chatzi before.....

Get back to work, and we're FINISHED!!!!

Even Teego manages to fit his considerable floof through the catflap!

Chatzi explores the walkways fearlessley!

And finally, I come out to bravely explore. All of us figured out the catflap after a couple of trys.

to see part 2

 to see part 4

Chatzi is first to explore and seems happy and confident. And noisy.

Teego is next, but much more subdued. He's only been outside once in his life!

I hope Chatzi learns not to hook his claws into the wire [...]]]>

to see part 1

to see part 2

 to see part 4

Chatzi is first to explore and seems happy and confident. And noisy.

Teego is next, but much more subdued. He's only been outside once in his life!

I hope Chatzi learns not to hook his claws into the wire mesh

Now the other two have checked that it's safe, Freya comes in to give the catio a once-over.

Apparently, someone called "Huffle Mawson" told Chatzi that it's ok and great fun to chew leaves in the garden.

This is a supposedly "artistic" photograph. We look gorgeous either way. Artistic or not.

The behaviour of the three cats is very different. Chatzi was straight in, and very confidently exploring everywhere.

Teego was quite nervous and with us sat down in there, was almost clingy, weaving in and out of our legs, although indoors, he’s the most aloof and least touchy of the three.

Freya walked in, fairly confidently, went to the far corner, and jumped straight up and climbed the mesh to the top, in two bounds! Chatzi copied her about 10 seconds later!

After this, about 10 minutes later, we noticed Freya doing a lot of pacing along the far two sections. I know this is a problem with Zoo Animals, but should we be concerned so soon? I’m inclined not to worry unless that’s all she does every time she goes out there.

Anyway, all that’s left now, is to knock a catflap in the wall so they can come and go as they please, as it’s a bit of a fuss ferrying them one by one from the house to the Catio!

]]> http://www.freyacat.co.uk/2011/08/finished-building-the-catio.html/feed 23 http://www.freyacat.co.uk/2011/06/freya-loves-chatzi.html http://www.freyacat.co.uk/2011/06/freya-loves-chatzi.html#comments Sat, 18 Jun 2011 21:54:06 +0000 Freya http://www.freyacat.co.uk/?p=1720 Chatzi here,

Look! Freya was asleep, and I very quietly snuck up on her, and snuggled up without waking her up!

I went to sleep, and she got such a surprise when she woke up! She thought she’d been at the catnip, and made up with me or something!

As she was [...]]]> Chatzi here,

BUSTED!!

Look! Freya was asleep, and I very quietly snuck up on her, and snuggled up without waking her up!

I went to sleep, and she got such a surprise when she woke up! She thought she’d been at the catnip, and made up with me or something!

As she was walking away, I nipped her back leg to make sure the remembered how much fun I was to have around!

My dear big Brother Teego looks after me very well. I often pick on him, but he play fights back, and never hisses or screams at me, (like big sister Freya does), and he licks me clean when I need a cuddle.

It’s the irresistibly Sweet Blog Award!

We have to mention 7 random facts about us, and then pass it on, so because there’s 4 of us including Daddycat, we’re all going to share it!

I remember we’ve done something like this [...]]]> My friend Robyn from my favourite Blog, Love and Hisses gave me an award!

It’s the irresistibly Sweet Blog Award!

We have to mention 7 random facts about us, and then pass it on, so because there’s 4 of us including Daddycat, we’re all going to share it!

I remember we’ve done something like this before, but we’re going to just answer it again and see if any of the answers are the same…

1. Daddycat’s first cat, Scampie was a Black Feral cat, who had a reputation for being a little er… “feisty”.  She was only like this with other people, and very rarely scratched Daddycat. She was fine as long as you understood cat body language. You’d be totally safe stroking her, as long as she was ignoring you. As soon as she started to take an interest in your hand, if you didn’t stop what you were doing, you’d probably get a nip or a whap. She loved to snuggle up with Daddycat when he fell asleep on the sofa, and she learned the word “kiss”, and would stand on her back legs to give him a kiss on command!

2. Teego is the worlds most cuddleable kittie. He has the softest fur, and it’s deep and luxurious and soft. To bury your face in his side is the nearest thing to heaven on earth.

He has the absolute cutest face, and recently has mastered the “I’m feeling so sad and unloved” look, and carries it off to perfection. This enhances his “most cuddleable” status immesurably.

In fact, there’s only one single problem with Mr Teego.

HE HATES TO BE CUDDLED OR HELD OR STROKED!
Daddycat is a world famous cat wrestler, and he can sometimes manage a 3 second cuddle on a good day! The subsequent hospital visit is worth every stitch and injection.

3. Little Miss Freya is the queen of the house. She gets to sleep wherever she wants, and has a beautiful nature. She’s a terrible scaredycat though, and has a thing about being picked up.

She loves to be held, and stroked and generally pampered, but she has a mental block about the picking up bit! If you don’t approach her right, she’ll scuttle away and hide under the nearest table so you can’t pick her up!

It only happens when she’s walking or standing too. If she’s lying down, she’s more than happy to be picked up!

4. Little Master Chatzi is…. he’s a….. well, I mean…how can I put this…. he’s so…..well, let me put it this way. It’s a good job he’s so GORGEOUS!!!

He’s everything a kitten should be. x10. and he’s fearless and stubborn on top of that too. I guess Bengals have a reputation for a reason! He’s still jumping on top of the kitchen counter, and every time, without fail, I will shout GET DOWN twice, and then push him off. You’d think he’d learn after two weeks, that I say it once, twice, and then he goes down regardless of what he wants to do! But no, he’s not bothered, and he’ll push back when I try to get him off!

We tried a water spray, but of course, Bengals LIKE water!

It’s a good job we absolutely adore him!…

5. You know how Teego hates any sort of affection? Well, that’s except early in the morning… Around 6AM, he’ll sometimes wake Daddycat up with cheek-rubs! And he’s insatiable, it’s not just one, it’s non stop for about 10 minutes! It doesn’t come with a cuddle, but the cheek-rubs are so gentle, they’ll melt your heart, even if it is 3 hours before wakeup time!

6. Daddycat’s other business (apart from making films) is repairing computers. And do you know, he’ll exploit any opportunity to improve his company’s web search ranking! so, if you need any computer help or support on your computer in the Orpington or Petts Wood or Chislehurst Area, visit madcomputer.co.uk! Of course, it goes without saying, Kittie bloggers get everything for free!

7. We all have nicknames -

Freya’s are: Little Miss Freya, Freyzi-Fru, Sweetie-girl, Fruzie-woozie.

Teego’s are Mr Teego, T-boy, Slinky Malinky, NO BOY!, Mr Snuggly (wishful thinking)

Chatzi’s are Mr Chatzi, Shoutzi, STOP THAT!, GET DOWN!, NO BOY!, Mr Muscles, Hunky boy.

Well that was a lot of fun! So now we have to nominate some others…

These bloggers are the really special people that we’d like to nominate to pass the award onto.

The Cat Blogosphere

Cat Lady Diary

Huffle Mawson, Explorer Cat

I Have Cat

Mr Puddy

Loki the Cat