Sparkle the Designer Cat's Blog, page 357

Valentine Selfies

While I was doing the Valentine’s Day photo shoot you saw yesterday, I took some selfies. Do you want to see them? Of course you do — otherwise you wouldn’t be here!

Look at this crazy shot I got while setting the timer! Those lights above my head are from some hanging lamp fixture in the living room that my human hates and wants to replace. Anyhow, onto the selfies.

Uh-oh, this one’s no good. I cut off my ears!

I snapped this one too soon, before I could adopt a proper facial expression.

Here’s a closer one — it’s not perfect, but it’ll do for this week!

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My 2016 calendars are here!

Caturday Posing Day

My human and I were playing around with a Valentine’s Day themed set and I got to try out a couple of new outfits.

Actually, this isn’t new at all — my human found it buried in a hidden box somewhere. I don’t think anybody ever wore it. Until now!

These hoodies never seem to look quite right on me. It is cute, though!

Did you notice the pocket on the back? I’m not sure what I’d put in there. Certainly not any extra treats… I’d just eat those!

My human brought home this cute little frock just the other day.

Do you know how some dresses just make you want to do all sorts of fun poses? This dress is like that!

The really sweet part of this dress is that it has a little keyhole opening with a heart rhinestone on the back! I tried to pose so you could see it, but I wasn’t too successful. Maybe some of you will get to see it in person someday!

I hope you enjoyed seeing some of my modeling session! I had lots of fun — you can’t totally tell how much fun, though, because my human photoshopped out all the treat crumbs!
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My 2016 calendars are here!

Palm Springs Flashback and Flash Forward Friday

I’m on my way to Palm Springs for a one day cat show on Saturday! It’s a really quick trip because my human wants to be home for Valentine’s Day. I like Palm Springs lots, so I’m bummed I only get to spend one night at the hotel. Can you believe this is my fourth trip there?

Things didn’t start out too well with my first trip, back in March, 2015. Something happened to get my tail all greasy and I had to get a tail bath! Fortunately it looked much better after the washing and I did not embarrass myself at the show.

My second trip, in June, was a special one — it was the regional awards show and I got eleventh best Premier (Altered) cat in the southwest region! Isn’t it cool how the ribbon matched the decor of the fancy hotel we stayed in? I don’t know if I’ll get a regional award this year, since I didn’t show as much in CFA this season.

The last time I was there was in October, and although I got finals, and ribbons, that’s deceiving because for half of them, I was second best Somali to another cat named Zuri. It was a small enough show where they were able to give us both finals. In a bigger show, I wouldn’t have placed at all in those rings. I will be competing with Zuri again at this show, so I am crossing my paws that I come home with something! But this show has something even better and more fun going on than just the judging…

Recognize this little guy? That’s my half-brother Chilly competing as a kitten at that show, and he’ll be at the upcoming show too — and he’s having a Grand party! He is starting to do really well now as an adult cat, and if you recall he got his Grand title in San Diego. This is the first chance his breeder has had to throw a Grand party on his behalf. Usually, with these parties, the human brings a cake or cupcakes and sometimes food and beverages… but the cat who earned the title usually doesn’t get to have any of that stuff. But don’t worry, I am bringing Chilly a little Grand gift because he earned it!
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My 2016 calendars are here!

Toothy Thursday

I have something very serious to discuss with you today — feline dental health! As most of you know, February is Pet Dental Health Month, and I bet a few of you out there are a bit lax about making sure your kitties’ teeth are in good shape! Maybe even more than a few of you. But the truth is that the healthier your cats’ teeth and gums are, the healthier they will be overall. The inflammation caused by poor dental health can lead to kidney, heart or liver disease. That’s true for both kitties and humans!

Because we cats can’t perform our own dental routines, it is up to you humans to help. Ideally you should check our gums every couple of weeks, if not more frequently. Check for gum redness (inflammation) around the teeth, see if there are any sores on the gums, and check for tartar on the teeth. Also check your cat’s breath. Admittedly, we don’t have the sweetest breath in the world, but if it gets worse than normal cat breath, there could be something going on in there. And when you check, you should pull our lips back all the way so you can see our molars, not just the fangs, like my human is doing here. Although I am very cooperative, she had trouble doing it and taking the photo at the same time.

You should also brush your cat’s teeth. Most vets recommend this be done at least twice a week, and if you and your cat can handle it, daily. Cat toothbrushes often come as a set with toothpaste at the pet store — or you can use a human baby toothbrush. You can also use a piece of gauze wrapped around your finger — but if you try that, be careful you don’t accidentally get bit! When it comes to toothpaste, only ever use toothpaste specifically for cats. Human toothpaste can be toxic for kitties. Besides, cat toothpaste comes in better flavors than human toothpaste, like poultry or beef.

I think teeth brushing time is treat time! Actually, we kitties are not supposed to lick the toothpaste off the brush. We are supposed to let our humans brush our teeth with it. The small size of the toothbrush helps humans reach to those important back molars, and also get those tiny little teeth in front.

I admit, not every cat is like me and will accept toothbrushing easily! But if you persist and make it a routine, many cats will surprise you and allow you to do it eventually. It’s best if you start your cat on a dental routine from kittenhood, but anytime is a good time to start. There are other dental health enhancers you can use too, like additives to drinking water, dental treats, or buying chunks of raw meat or chicken hearts for your cats to chew on (I love the latter, and the fact that it exercises my gums and helps keep my teeth clean is a plus). But none of these replace tooth brushing, just the same way, chewing on apples and using mouthwash doesn’t replace tooth brushing for humans!

I hope you humans take my words to heart and pay closer attention to your cats’ dental health! It will save you money in the long run, because a cat with a healthy mouth won’t need as many teeth cleaning procedures at the vet, and will be healthier overall.
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My 2016 calendars are here!

Just When I Thought It Was Safe to Return Home…

I want to announce the winner to my Valentine Giftaway, but I would like to do it alone!

Well, so much for that.

Maybe if I tell her there is somebody in the kitchen cooking ahi tuna, she’ll leave.

I can’t believe she bought it! You’d think she’d notice the lack of smell.

Okay, I’m ready now! The winner of my Valentine Giftaway is…

Cassie B.!

Congratulations, Cassie! Everything you see here is already on its way to you. Meawhile, I have several giveaways planned for the next few weeks! I will announce the first one next week — and it’s a really good one — so make sure to keep an eye out!
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My 2016 calendars are here!

Binga Strikes Again

I think this needs no introduction… or commentary…

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My 2016 calendars are here!

The Great Litter Box Cover Controversy – and Poll!

Okay, so it’s not that great of a controversy, but when I posted that I don’t recommend covered litter boxes on Facebook yesterday after posing with one during my trip to PetCo, everybody seemed to have an opinion! Most commenters were like me, and didn’t think they were a good idea for kitties while others said they used them without any problems.

The truth is, we kitties here are pretty easy going about our litter boxes, and if my human brought home one with a cover, we would probably use it without complaint. But she prefers to use the uncovered type, in spite of some kitties’ (yes, plural) penchant for litter flinging because she has heard it is more pleasant for most cats. Here’s why:

Putting a cover on a litter box locks the smell inside, making it extra stinky for any cat who uses it. My human hates using outhouses and port-a-potties, and she figures we don’t like it either.
In a multi-cat household with hostile members, a covered litter box makes it too easy to ambush a cat that is being picked on. Lots of disputes happen around litter boxes, and for good reason — the paw that rules the litter box is the paw that’s in charge.
Because humans don’t have to look at how dirty the litter box is getting, it often makes them a little lax about scooping and changing litter. Also, scooping is more trouble — they either have to squat and reach in with the scoop, or remove the litter box cover. It’s an extra step — and we know how humans hate extra steps!
The litter inside the litter box stays damp longer because it can’t air dry. Ew!
Most covered litter boxes are too small for most cats. That litter box I’m looking at in the store? It’s even a bit small for little 7 lb. me. We need more room to relieve ourselves than you humans might think, and if you have a cat that’s 15 or so pounds, a covered litter box, even many large ones, may be difficult for them to use.
Asthmatic cats may have issues with a covered litter box because it encloses the litter dust, which is bad for a weak or compromised respiratory system.

Those are the covered litter box cons — so what are the pros of a covered litter box? Most of them are for the human’s benefit.

The cover keeps the litter in, instead of having it flung all around the box. Except, of course, for those cats who fling the litter out of the box’s doorway.
Yes, there is less smell for humans, if not for cats.
If you have dogs or kids, a covered litter box at least makes it more difficult for them to play with the litter. Unless the dog is small, or the kid is extra curious.
There are more attractive looking hooded litter boxes than unhooded.
Some cats do prefer the privacy of an enclosed litter box. Just like some humans, some cats are pee-shy.

The truth is, though, as long as you keep the litter box clean, and your cat is happy with it, it doesn’t matter all that much whether or not it is covered. When it comes to cats and humans, it is more “whatever works,” than following any preconceived standard. It’s when something isn’t working that things must be examined more closely.

Now for the poll! I want to know: who uses uncovered litter boxes? And who uses litter boxes with a cover? Take my poll below (it’s multiple choice in case you use more than one type), and feel free to discuss it in the comments!

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

Note: In case you are wondering, the set up you see in my bathroom is in case one of us misses the litter box — the bigger box catches the mess and makes it easier to clean up. Plus Binga likes to perch on the litter box edge, so the two litter box system still gives her somewhere to perch. It is also harder to fling the litter around (trust me, we’ve tried!).
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My 2016 calendars are here!

Double Trouble Selfie

You are probably wondering why I look perturbed for this week’s Sunday Selfie.

It’s because I have company this week… which means this is going to be harder than usual. So let’s move the scratcher around so that the light is better and get started.

Already, somekitty thinks she should do things her way.

Ahem… the camera is the other way!

Let’s try to get this right. We only need one. She’s done this before, you’d think it wouldn’t be that hard.

Oh, nevermind!

You’re just getting me for today’s selfie, and that’s it.

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My 2016 calendars are here!

Taxing Caturday

Yes, it is 2016 and my human is still preparing her income tax paperwork by hand! She did meet with a Quickbooks consultant this time last year… but then she got really sick with shingles and forgot everything she was taught. We’ve been busy so she hasn’t had a chance to meet with the consultant again, so there I was this week, sitting in the middle of a bunch of paperwork from 2015.

It took her the better part of a couple of days to go through all of the receipts and such from 2015 — because in spite of her good intentions, she never does it monthly — and record everything.

Oh, and we had help, although I’m not sure how helpful she was.

Now that everything is recorded, she needs to sit down with her calculator and Excel spreadsheets and get the documents to her tax preparer. That is what we are busy doing this weekend! Which is a bummer because I really wanted to go to the pet store.
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My 2016 calendars are here!

Forgotten Outtakes

I just realized that I had left a whole bunch of outtakes buried away, and I know you would like to see them… so here they are!

If I were my human, I think I’d be scared if Binga made a face like that at me!

Here she looks like a crazed dancing bear.

My human is trying to bribe me with a treat so I will do a selfie for her… but I’m not buying.

I was rolling around on the rug and my human was trying to get some photos of me looking cute. She was successful, but not before getting several like this one, where I look like a crumpled heap.

Don’t you hate it when the photographer catches you with your eyes shut? Me too.

Binga was trying so hard to grab the treat my human was holding that her arm completely disappeared!

And yes, that is a treat crumb on my foot.

Aren’t you glad I resurrected these?
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My 2016 calendars are here!