The Litter Saga Continues...

As I relax with a cup of tea, and an Odie burrowed in a blanket beside me, I'm googling cat litter boxes. Ahhhhh, my favourite pastime. 


I'm very happy to report that the automatic cat litter box I previously posted about actually works! I followed other's advice and used a cooking spray (canola oil to be exact) on the bottom, and didn't put too much litter in. The trouble with this otherwise amazing machine is that it doesn't have a lid. This means that litter goes everywhere. Also, we made the mistake of buying scented litter, which we normally don't do. Now the litter box is always clean, but we can smell the litter. I found a LitterMaid "Kitty Kabana Cover" for it, but I can still see litter escaping with it. 

Photo: Petco

Now I'm on the hunt for something that I can turn into litter box furniture. Didn't know that litter box furniture existed? Well let me enlighten you. Litter box furniture is basically just furniture that you can fit a litter box in, with a hole somewhere so your cat can get inside. 

Some are cute, and practical:

Photo: catsplay.com

Photo: catsplay.com

Some are crazy insane:

Photo: catsplay.com

I'm planning on going the more practical route. I really love the white one from catsplay, but our space will only work with one that opens from the top for cleaning. I'm a seasoned thrift store shopper, so I'm hoping i'll come across something that will work perfectly. Can't wait!


Drinking: Tetley Decaffeinated Earl Grey Tea. Classic.

H2O

You may have noticed that I'm addicted to buying my pets things. Usually they are things that are necessary, sometimes they're not. Recently, we decided to buy a communal water dish for all the pets. We have a small ottoman that we put the cat's food and water on so Odie can't get it, and Odie's dishes are on the floor. The ottoman also doubles as an unfortunate scratching post, and we'll likely have to find a solution to that in the future, because it's a hideous clawed mess. When we first brought Odie home, we bought her porcelin food and water dishes and thought it would be funny to have them engraved with "food" and "water" in spanish (so she could read it).

Water

The problem is that the dish isn't very deep, and the cats don't just stick to their own water dish. Odie lets us know by whining when it's empty, but if no one is home, then she's out of luck. The food dish is perfect, because chihuahuas don't eat that much. Since the new water dish would be for all three animals, I thought it would be nice to get one with a fountain and filter. I picked up a Petmate Fresh Flow fountain, and I was really impressed with it at first. After about an hour, it sucked. It started making crazy sounds, and Odie was extremely cautious when approaching it. For awhile, she sat a meter away from it and whined. When I would unplug it and plug it back in and wiggle everything inside, it would return to normal. After a couple more hours, it was the crazy sounds again. I followed all the troubleshooting instructions, but it continued. Back it went. I've read some really great reviews of it online, but I didn't feel like getting another one and possibly have to return it too.


Instead of the fancy fountain, I bought a plain jane waterer, and it's great. No, the water isn't flowing, but it does the job. I found it at walmart, in the cat section (all of the ones in the dog section were huge). It's not very pretty, and isn't engraved, but we don't have to worry about anyone going without water. We might upgrade to something different and non-plastic in the future, but this'll do for now.

Movin' On Up!

Litter boxes are a touchy subject in our household. I love our cats, but I hate litter boxes. Why? Because they're disgusting. Not only do they smell (unless you scoop a lot), but they're also hazardous to your health. Okay, it's not the box that's bad for you, but what's deposited into the box. Yes, I know that the risk is minimal, but if you're immune system is compromised in any way, you have no business being around a cat's business.


Did you know that up to 90% of cats are exposed to toxoplasma in their lives? That's how they get toxoplasmosis, and most mammals and birds can get it from them. If you get toxoplasmosis when you're pregnant, you baby has a very high chance of developing birth defects. I was just reading that information on the CDC's website, when I saw a link a page about "cat scratch disease". My God, these are vile creatures. Soooo, my immune system is just fine and I'm not pregnant. I just dislike cleaning the litter box.


When we had rats, the deal was that I would be the cage cleaner, and Mike would take care of the litter box. We share the bathroom responsibilities of Odie. Well, now our rats have sadly lived out their short rat lives, and are no more. Enter our new LitterMaid automatic self-cleaning litter box! I'm very excited. It has sensors that detect your cat doing its thing, and then 10 minutes after it does a sweep and puts the waste into a container. I decided to read some reviews before we went to purchase it today, and there's a huge mix of positives and negatives out there. After finding some "tricks" to help it do its job, we decided it would be worth it to try it out. We bought ours at Walmart for $99.

Odie and Loki "helping" me put it together

So we've only had it filled with litter for about an hour, so I'm in no position to be writing a review. However, before even using it, I can tell you one of the disadvantages. You have to use clumping litter, which makes sense considering how the mechanism works. So if you like using newspaper/wood pellets, or anything else earth-friendly, this litter box isn't for you. I'm not sure if swheat scoop (a natural wheat clumping litter) would work or not. Also, the receptacle that collects all the waste is plastic, and you're meant to throw this out and replace it when it's full. The box comes with 8 of these, and 8 carbon filters you stick to the inside of the receptacle lid. I'm considering just emptying the container out, and reusing it. They're obviously a health hazard and not recyclable once they're used. This doesn't bug me as much as litter boxes do in general though, so we're okay.

The LitterMaid all set up, next to the conveniently placed outlet.

So when I first turned it on, it was exciting! Haha. Seriously! It turned on and did a sweep, and my mind was blown. I really really really hope that it works! If I do just empty the receptacle and reuse it, I will empty it into our handy LitterLocker. You open the top and scoop the litter in, and then close the top and pull the grey handle out, and it deposits it into a plastic bag in the bottom. Voila!

I thought this was cool until I found a self-cleaning litter box.

Toffee Cookies!

This is a recipe that I found on food.com, and decided to try the other night. I've been skor-ing it up recently. Skor ice cream, Dairy Queen skor blizzards, skor chocolate bars, skor blondie squares, you name it. Although these cookies pale in comparison to a skor blizzard, they're something you can make in your house and they don't contain a week's worth of calories.


Ingredients
2 1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, softened (I used unsalted, country churned butter)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar (I used golden)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 package skor english toffee bits (you can find these next to the chocolate chips in the baking aisle)


Directions
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a medium bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, and salt.
3. In a large mixer bowl, beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla until well blended.
4. Add eggs and blend thoroughly.
5. Gradually add flour mixture, beating well. (Now is a good time for your significant other to taste the batter, before you "ruin" it with the toffee bits.)
6. Stir in toffee bits.
7. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto a lightly greased cookie sheet. (I just discovered that parchment paper existed, and I used that instead)
8. Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until lightly browned. (You know... I don't know if my oven is a rebel, but nothing I bake ever cooks in the time listed. If your oven is also a rebel, set a timer for 14 minutes, and then watch for the top to slightly brown.)
9. Cool slightly, remove from the cookie sheet. (I removed them right away, because this recipe supposedly makes 48 cookies, and I have one cookie sheet.)
10. Cool completely. (Always avoid putting a burning hot cookie straight from the oven into your mouth.)

Skor-licious!

Life Savers!

People have died trying to save their dogs from drowning. Wow, what a depressing way to begin a post. But seriously. It's surprising how many articles there are online of dog owners not even thinking before they jump in to save their buddies. It happens a lot. I know without a doubt that if that situation presented itself, I would jump right in too. Instead of killing yourself, why not buy your dog (probably not a bad idea for yourself either) a life jacket? It's true that some dogs just "know" what to do when you put them in the water, and some breeds are considered natural swimmers. However, depending on the situation, your dogs swimming ability might be irrelevant.

I thought you loved me?!

As you can see, Odie is modeling her Outward Hound life jacket. I love how the belly band is thick, and it has a handle on the top, but the reason I chose this one over some other brands is that it has an extra floating pad under her chin. I think it's safe to say that chihuahuas aren't on the top 10 list of natural swimmers. Odie would rather lay on the beach and sun tan while she watches you swim, thank you very much.

Trying to escape from a bath in the sink.

Ahhhhh... this is better.

I read a story about a man and his dog walking on a pier and the dog just jumped into the water and was swept out to sea really quickly. I don't think I need to worry about Odie voluntarily jumping into any body of water anytime soon. That isn't to say that she hasn't had any swimming experience...

That was Odie's first experience in the ocean, narrated by my dad. I'm really glad we bought her that life jacket. There was another little girl chihuahua on that beach when we were there, and she was also sporting a life jacket. She was liking the water more than Odie was though. Oh well. Anyway, we got a lot of use out of the jacket this summer during a boating trip.

Going to the shore for a dog break

During our travels, I talked to a lot of people about dog life vests and am glad to report that even people with big, water loving dogs have bought them just because you never know what's going to happen.

Identification

One of the biggest worries of any dog owner is the possibility that your best friend could slip out the door or wander too far from you and never be seen again. Unfortuantely, we've experienced this with Odie when she was a puppy. The door was left open just a little bit while hockey equipment was being brought inside, and no one noticed her trying to slip out. I wasn't home at the time, and Mike ran around our neighbourhood in a panic, asking anyone he saw if they had seen our tiny girl. He was starting to fear the worst when he turned a corner and saw one of our neighbours holding her. The neighbour had seen Odie on walks and knew she belonged to someone that lived close so she grabbed her. Thank you neighbour! Typically, she's not a "bolter", but that day she decided to give it a shot. Ever since then, the door has been deemed a dangerous area of our home. We've since taken some precautions. 


1. Dog Gates
These have been super helpful in house training her as well, but the best part is that we don't have to worry about someone accidently leaving the door open a second too long.

No, she doesn't jump over that.

We wanted something that we could easily step over. An added bonus is that it barely phases the cats to jump over, and it gives them an area of refuge from the little monster. I couldn't find anything like these anywhere, so I just decided to make them myself, which was incredibly easy. All it took was three of the grid storage panels from one of those storage cubes you can buy, like this one, and attached them together with zip -ties.  I found the panels at a thrift store, and I think it cost me about $5. 


2. ID Tag
When at home, she doesn't wear a collar. We're too worried about it getting snagged on something when we're not around. However, when she's out and about with us in public or on vacation, she wears an ID tag. We bought our cats those tags that you customize and have made by a machine in the store (pointless since they don't wear collars either), and they're not super lightweight. We decided to go with the Lola tag, by Dawgtown.

Odie's Lola Tag

This tag is perfect for little dogs. It's super light, and doesn't make a lot of noise. Name on the front, number on the back. It's perfect. 


3. Microchip
When she was spayed, we opted to also have a microchip implanted. They're totally safe, and are supposed to be painless when inserted. If your pet is lost, the only permanent ID it can have is a microchip. When found, the person can take it to a vet clinic, animal control centre, or the SPCA to have the chip scanned. They also can tattoo their ear, to identify that they have a chip (something we chose not to do). 

Odie Post-Op: Spayed and Microchipped

We don't plan on ever losing her again. 


Drinking: Lipton Orange Blossom Hibiscus Infusion Tea
I bought this tea because it sounds like it would be good. It smells like a mix of flowers and an old boating goods store. It tastes like perfume.  

The Animal Post

My love of animals started when I was a little girl. I think my first ever pet was probably a black gerbil named Teddy. When someone's pet passes away, they might not want to get another pet for awhile because they feel they could never replace the one they lost. Not me. I probably had about 20 gerbils after that little guy... and they were all named Teddy, and I'm pretty sure they were all black too. Whenever they died, I would bury them under my huge playground in the backyard--Teddy Cemetery. 

The other day, me and Mike were having a debate about whether Playmobil or Lego is a better toy for kids. Okay, maybe the "for kids" part isn't entirely honest. While this conversation was taking place at my parent's house, I was googling like mad and sorting my Playmobil into their proper sets. They are now all safe and sound in zip lock bags, and labelled with their set numbers. NERD. Anyway, growing up, my mom had a preschool and I had way more Lego than Playmobil. The only thing I did with the Lego was make mazes for my gerbils. As far as I'm concerned, that settles the debate. 

Playmobil! 

Besides gerbils, in my pet career, I've "owned": hamsters, rats, turtles, hermit crabs, 4 dogs, 4 cats, freshwater and saltwater creatures, a rabbit, and a cockatiel. The craziest animal I've welcomed into my home is probably "Snappy", the pistol shrimp. For those who aren't familiar with this little firecracker of a crustacean, it's insane. Bad ass shrimp. I also had an orange spotted goby, which was Snappy's symbiotic buddy. Ocean creatures blow my mind. 

As of right now, we share our home with two cats (Lance & Loki), and our dog (Odessa). 

The two trouble-makers. 

I LOVE MY DOG! Don't get me wrong, the cats are great. I'm just more of a dog person. I'm incredibly allergic to most animals (birds and reptiles being the pet exceptions). That's one of the reasons we chose a chihuahua--I'm even more allergic to dogs. Before we got Odie, when I would visit with other people's dogs, I would give them the allergy test. My friend Lauren loves telling this story. If the dog was a breed that I would consider owning (pretty much all of them), I would rub my face on them and try to get them to lick me. HAHA! Just typing that is making me see how incredibly weird that is. It usually didn't go very well. I think the worst was a rottweiler/pit bull cross I was petsitting. Long story short: my friend Heather had a cheewa at the time, and he passed the allergy test. I'm not sure if they're actually considered a hypoallergenic breed, or if it's just because there's less dog. Doesn't matter. Odie sleeps on my bed, and I don't break out in hives and want to rip my eyes out.

My girl Odie.

Why do I even have pets if I'm so allergic? I can't help myself. I can't imagine a pet-less life, even if it would mean I wouldn't have asthma. I remember when I was interviewing for a position at the wildlife park in town, and they asked me if I had any allergies. I lied and told them I was allergic to dust. I worked there for over three years, and I just used an inhaler and prescription nose spray. 

Loving a goat baby!

I don't eat animals, and I haven't for quite a few years. Partly because of a health issue, partly because I don't need to. Some people really don't do well on a meat free diet, but i've never felt better. Confession: I recently went to Disneyland and for the first time in who knows how long (I'm guessing more than five years), I went crazy and willingly ate meat. Crab cakes and a smoked turkey leg to be exact. That turkey leg was AMAZING. I felt like I couldn't do it when I grabbed it and felt the bone, but once I dug in, the smoky goodness immediately erased my trepidation. There's a reason this shirt exists. Is there a name for people who eat no meat, except for turkey legs when visiting Disneyland only? No? 

This is for every thanksgiving that I ate tofurkey. 

One of my favourite photos i've ever taken. Wise turkey.