Mesh

Old men and cats

Bon Bon rests her precious butt in the most unusual locations at home. It is only during one day that I realise that those locations capture the most delightful breeze, even when it is a stuffy day.

And similarly, you will notice that those old men who gather around the void decks, will actually have the best seats as that is the area which is the breeziest.

So old men are similar to cats? :)

This has got to be the cutest kitten video on Youtube!

I like the black one. No. I think I'll take all 4.

The cat who ruled my roost

I read this article on The Sunday Times, 21 Jun 09. It is an article about a cat's life, reprinted from the Los Angeles Times. I quite enjoyed reading it, the charmed life of this cat which had probably enriched the life of the author and his family. There is no doubt the cat was loved by the family and memories of it will forever be etched in the family's memories.

By Jerry Zezima

“Connecticut – No man who has a cat can ever claim to be king of his castle. No man who has a wife and children can ever make that claim, either, but that’s another story.

I found this out in 1989, when my wife, Sue, and I moved with our young daughters, Katie and Lauren, from an apartment to a condominium in Stamford, Connecticut.

The girls, who longed for a “real pet”, had grown tired of goldfish whose life expectancy was approximately as long as the Super Bowl half-time show.

They wanted something that could return their affection, that had some semblance of intelligence, that would respond to their every command. True, they already had me. Bu they wanted more; they wanted a cat.

So, on an overcast Saturday, we went to the Humane Society and saw lots of cats of every conceivable make and model. Asking not one child but two children, ages nine and seven, to pick out the pet of their dream borders on cruelty, not necessarily to the children, who would gladly devote their lives to such an endeavour, or to the cat, but most definitely to the parents.

Ultimately, the decision was in my hands. Or, more accurately, on my feet. That’s because one little kitten, a black-and-white cutie of almost unimaginable softness, climbed out of her box, scampered over to me and began to rub up against my size 11 sneakers. When I picked her up, she snuggled against my cotton shirt and purred contentedly.

It would be years before she showed me such affection again.

Of course, I wouldn’t have known that. But it was late, the girls were hopelessly confused and I was hooked, so I announced: “This is the one.”

Katie named her Ramona, after Ramona Quimby, the title character in a series of books by children’s author Beverly Cleary. It was a monumental misnomer: Ramona, the fictional eight-year-old girl, was charming, lively and smart; Ramona, the real-life eight-week-old cat, was grumpy, boring and stupid.

But the girls were happy. Sue and I were, too, because, for all her mental deficiencies, Ramona quickly learnt how to use the litter box. I like to think she followed my example because, of course, O already was house-broken.

Ramona’s cushy lifestyle as a pampered princess who rarely deigned to associate with commoners ended in 1995 with the arrival of the newest member of the family, a puppy named Lizzie.

Sensing competition, Ramona finally began warming up to us.

Her miraculous transformation into an affectionate sweetheart continued in 1998, when we moved to Long Island, New York, and got another cat, Kitty, who then had her own kitties, Bernice and Henry, all of whom ignored Ramona, who was only too happy to reciprocate and focus her attention on us.

Just before her Sweet 16th birthday party, Ramona began emitting a series of loud, strange, agonizing cries that sounded a lot like me when I get out of bed in the morning. Sue didn’t help matters when she shook her head sadly and said, “It’s her time.”

I rushed to Jefferson Animal Hospital with Ramona, who sat calmly as Dr Jeff Rose checked her teeth and, at the other end, took her temperature. Then he listened to her heart and began feeling her stomach. “Have you watched her when she uses the litter box?” he asked.

“I don’t make a habit of it,” I replied. “Why?”

“Because,” Dr Rose announced, “she’s constipated.”

“You mean I worried myself sick over this stupid animal, thinking she was at death’s door, and the only thing wrong with her is that she can’t have a bowel movement?” I asked incredulously.

“I’m afraid so,” said Dr Rose.

The bill: US$165.10. The prescription: a stool softener.

Our first “real pet” enjoyed good health for four more years, until about three weeks ago, just a few days before the end. She was two months shy of her 20th birthday.

For two decade, Ramona had us all wrapped around her little paw.

She lived on her own terms and was loved unconditionally.

I guess she was pretty smart after all.”

Climbing apparatus

The old cat tree is starting to show its age. The sisal rope is frayed and the top layer is a little wobbly as Chang Chang insisted on laying there for naps despite his heavy body being a strain.

We have been looking around for a good, value-for-money cat tree/gym/condo but the variety in Pet Lovers Centre is not that appealing. Some US sites have pretty good cat trees and the prices are reasonable too. However, shipping is going to cost a bomb at $9/kg and these trees can be as heavy as 50kg when packed.

There are some China companies which manufacture such trees but you need to have a minimum order of 100.

We are looking for sturdy cat trees at least 1.5m in height, with layers of platforms for play, hiding, and sleeping. Will travel around Singapore to assess and purchase. Does anyone have any good recommendation?

A very nice story

Everyone should read this. It brought tears to my eyes when I finished the last sentence. If I ever live in a landed property, I'll probably have a dog like Stoner.

It's a new year

It is the start of a new year again.

2007 had been rather good for the kxbc gang. There had been no major fights. No cat was sick or unwell and in the later part of the year, even Chang Chang the botak cat started to grow fur around his bald flanks, legs and stomach.

Two stray kittens found a loving home with my colleague. Though they were rather weak when they were 1 to 2 months old, they are now a pair of relatively healthy teenage cats waiting for neutering and spaying.

Moving forward, I hope 2008 will continue to be kind to the kxbc gang. Kim Kim is now older and less agile as she approaches her 8th birthday this April. She had gained quite some weight in 2007 and hopefully, she can lose approximately 500g so as to ensure she lives to a ripe old healthy age for at least another decade.

Xin Xin had just turned 6 and she is still in her prime, playing and seeking attention so very often. She is the least of our worries, at least healthwise.

Bon Bon needs to gain some weight. She is just too kaypoh and playful for a coming-to-6-year-old cat. Her metabolism burns up whatever she consumes. The only consolation is she will never have an overweight issue.

Chang Chang, the botak boy, is growing his fur back after a 2-year spell of on-off itchiness. He is on SD z/d low allergen formula and gets 1/4 teaspoon of wheatgerm oil daily. This oily supplement has really worked wonders for him. His fur moulding period is now much faster. Hopefully, he will have a full coat of fur by mid 2008.

The little golden ingot, Yuan Yuan, is our little bundle of joy. At just 3 years old, she still has the boundless energy and innocence of a kitten. Like Xin Xin, she has no health issues known to us and hopefully, she will continue that way and still be around with us until the time I collect my CPF.

I had thought of adding a 6th cat in Nov when I chanced upon a kitten in my camp during reservist. However, given that we barely have enough time for the kxbc gang, I had decided not to bring her back. The kxbc gang will therefore remain at 5 for the next 10 years or so.

2008 should be a good year for the gang. I don't foresee any major change to their environment. I don't foresee any major health issue. No major change to the household. That should be good for the gang.

May 2008 be a good year for you too.

咸鱼

Bon Bon:

For the last few days, there was a "咸鱼" lying under my block. I'm quite allergic to fish as you know but since it is only salted fish, I don't really mind it.

But what gets on my catty nerves is that their family and relatives play VERY LOUDLY from 8pm to 11pm Teochew opera and Hokkien songs. I mean, the "咸鱼" cannot really hear, right? If it can't hear, what's the point of playing loud music for a few hours everyday? It disturbs the whole neighbourhood. I can't hear Chang Chang creeping up from behind me. And Teochew opera and Hokkien songs aren't on Cat's World Top 40.

If they have to play music, why can't it be The Pussy Cat Dolls























and The Atomic Kittens?

Hey, maybe the "salted fish" can use this? This will help, won't it?

I have a personal website???

Xin Xin:

You know, I was surfing the web and found that actually I have a lot of fans. They have even created a website using my name. I am sure you will find my beautiful pictures there.

www.xin.sg

Btw, Daddy found this LTA survey on whether we can be taken for rides on the MRT (currently cannot). I want to go for train rides so say yes please. Can?

My 5 Cs

The property market is booming. The stock market is doing well though there is a little correction these few days. You see new cars appearing on the roads, hear of friends of friends making a small windfall either trading or through the sale of a property.

And then there is this newspaper report which talks about Singaporeans not putting the 5 Cs, i.e., cash, credit card, condominium, car and country club membership, at their top of their priority list anymore. Friends, health and family are more important. Yada yada yada...

I think this is totally wrong. I still want my 5 Cs. But muahahaha (drum row please), I have already achieved my 5 Cs. They are my 5 Cats.

Kim Kim

Xin Xin

Bon Bon

Chang Chang &

Yuan Yuan

My 5 Cs. All safe and sound at home. But I wouldn't mind a little more cash though.

What if…?

If your cat is a vehicle? What will he/she be?

Kim Kim, being the big fat cat she is, will be a Landrover. Though not the prettiest or the cutest of the lot, she is very dependable (and huge), like a Landrover, and takes charge of the other kitties when we are not around.

Xin Xin, being a lean mean racing machine, will be a street racing motor bike. She zooms in and out of rooms without ever breaking her stride.


Bon Bon, our pretty girl, will be a VW Beetle. She’s just cute and fun to be around with. You just want to cuddle her everytime you see her, just like you would like to take the Beetle out for a drive every chance you get.

Chang Chang will be a mountain scrambler. Though he looks the skinniest and frailest, he is actually the strongest and the only one which can take on Kim Kim in any fight. He’s lazy and lounges around most of the time, but his spurts of powerful sprints are second only to Xin Xin.

And lastly, cutest Yuan Yuan will be the Toyota Yaris (must be the orange one). When she crouches down, she looks exactly like the Yaris with a big head and a big backside. Very cute looking and does not run too fast. In our family, the Yaris has been renamed the Yuan-mobile.

If your cat is a vehicle? What will he/she be?

Thoughts after the cat show

Before this cat show, I had only been to 1 cat show at the Singapore Convention Centre many years ago. I saw cats stuck in cages for hours, mostly frightened and stressed by the number of people surrounding their cages, and also their proud owners beside them.

I remember there was this huge fat cat (a DSH weighing maybe 10kg or more) in that cat show which drew so much attention due to its girth. And its owner was so proud of the attention. Hey, Mr/Ms Cat Owner, do the cat a favour and reduce its diet so that it can slim down. I'm sure you don't want it to suffer illnesses resulting from obesity in the future (add on to my to-do list, make sure that chubby Kim Kim loses 450g from her 5.45kg frame within a year from now and maintain it at 5kg).

Anyway, back to the cat show. And the highlight of the whole show was actually my lunch at the make shift hawker centre opposite The Malay Village. Sinful deep fried chicken thigh (smashed by a mallet) with fragrant rice. I think it was called "Ayam cannot remember cannot remember" (this is purely to tempt/di xiao ksn). Well, the chicken was very good and very good it had to be because I queued 30 min for the chicken.

And this cat show was no different from the last I attended. Cats stuffed into small cages, frigthened and stressed, with their proud owners beside them. I did not realise that there are so many people keeping pedigree cats in Singapore. I am not against buying pedigree cats (my Bon Bon is supposedly pedigree BSH as well but adopted) but do they also have DSH at home? I am not sure about that but I only saw less than 5 DSH at the cat show. I remember these DSH being as beautiful as the pedigrees.

The cats are judged on I think, their look and bone structure based on the some cat fancier club guidelines. Why is there no judging based on say, ability to catch a mousie (hunting skill), smashing a lizard off the wall (test jumping ability), manja display(tripping a human by twirling itself between his/her legs when he/she is walking), loudest purring cat? I know there are dog agility contests held worldwide but why are there no cat ability contests?

Harsh Reality?

A forumer in another forum posted a question over the weekend asking if a kitten will leave scratch marks on her new laminated flooring as she (I assume so) is considering adopting one. I don't know what came over me but I spent the next half hour replying her (during office hours, haha).

Am I too harsh with my reply? and may have in the meanwhile, scared away a potential adopter who may have given a kitten a good home?

My main concern then was that the cat/kitten will be dumped when the novelty of having a cat dies off, the adopter did not research enough or the adopter did not go through the whole thought process of having to care for an animal. I do not want another cat/kitten to suffer the stress of being adopted and then dumped again in another year or so.

Mrs kxbc thinks my reply is too blunt though the content may be more or less correct. On hindsight, I think so too. Maybe I was really too harsh and direct. Maybe I was just being myself and wanted her to know the seriousness of having a pet.

The question posed by her:
"hihi all cat lovers.. i'm new to this forum and would like to know some things abt adopting a kitten..

first of all, if i do not have a car, is it still ok to adopt a cat? is taxi uncle ok with a cat in a cage cos sometimes we might need to bring him/her to the vet..

second, my house will be laminated flooring with normal classic doors for the bedroom.. will there be prominent scratch marks on these?"

I cut and paste my reply to her below:
"Nothing wrong having a pet cat without a car. Lots of us don't drive.

Done so many times taking public transport with a secured carrier. Bus drivers and taxi drivers have so far not made any noise except for some taxis which will not take pets, even in carriers. If you are booking a cab, remember to tell the operator that you have a cat in a carrier. Also remember never to put your cat + carrier in the boot, no matter what the taxi drivers says. The cat is in your care so would you put your charge in the boot? Take another cab and tell the driver he will not earn your money.

Pets are not allowed to be taken onto the MRT so take note.

When you have a cat, there are definitely going to be scratch marks here and there, on the parquet floor, on the sofa etc when the cat runs and makes a turning. My cats do not scratch the sofa but when they start playing on the sofa, their claws may unintentionally leave some marks on it. But it's fine by me. Sofas and floors can be replaced but not my cats.

And there is going to be cat fur around the house too even with daily grooming and some litter tracking here and there.

If you are one of those who want a spic and span house with gleaming new furniture and without scratches, pets such as dogs and cats will not be for you.

Cats may throw up their food every now and then if for example they eat too fast or if the food does not agree with them, esp if new food is introduced. Laminate, parquet, marble and granite flooring cannot withstanding wet patches for an extended period of time as they are porous. And if they throw up while you are not home, the vomit may already have sunk into the flooring by the time you are back home from work in the evening, leaving at best an irremovable stain or at worst, a popped up laminate.

It is true that cats make good pets and owning one or a few give immense joy. But there are a lot more things to consider before adoption eg:

1. is everyone in the household agreeable to having a cat?

2. will you not abandon the cat later on, esp when you get pregnant and are pressurised by family members to dump it?

3. do you have the extra cash to send the cat for annual vaccination, check ups (vet visits can be expensive especially when they reach old age)?

4. are you willing to mesh up your windows so that your cat will not jump out accidentally and fall to its death esp if you are living in high rise apts? Meshing up your windows will definitely spoil the look of your house unless you invest some money/thought into design and materials.

5. are you prepared to love and take care of the cat till it reaches old age?

6. do you have the time to play and interact with your cat for at least an hour every day?

7. are you willing to let your cat roam all over the house when you are not home? Keeping your cat in a cage is mistreatment.

8. cats are curious animals and they will explore every nook and cranny of your home and in doing so, they may smash some ornaments you place on shelves. Are you willing to reduce your various displays? Are you willing to forgive your cat if it accidentally breaks some precious item in your home?

9. are you prepared to live with your furniture accidentally scratched or scratched before you can fully train the cat to scratch at the appropriate places?

10. will you be the sole provider of food and love for the cat?

11. are you prepared to neuter/spay the cat when it reaches sexual maturity?

There are so many questions to be answered and these are not the only ones I have highlighted. I have not trying to scare you but you will have to consider the above and more, esp if you are a first time owner.

The advantages of having a pet cat outweigh the disadvantages. But can you live with the disadvantages? Best you speak to friends who have pet cats and chat with them first. Read up on cat onwership. There are lots of reference books in the library, especially Orchard Library (under Pets). You can also get some info from CWS http://www.catwelfare.org/ and see if you can speak to a volunteer.

I am not trying to scare you or anything but it seems that there are lots more things to consider before bringing a cat back home."

If you feel that my reply is too harsh, I will have to tone it down a little next time so as not to scare away potential adopters.

Melly Clistmas!

The kxbc gang of 5 wishes all cats and their peeps

Li-jer-bit

Chang Chang says:

Daddy brought out the smelly green things and that ugly black pair of shoes again last week. He seems very happy that he will be missing work for one week. He kept mentioning this word "li-jer-bit" but I have no idea what he is talking about at all.

For the past 2 days, he has been waking up extra early in the morning, sometimes even earlier than the 5 of us. Then he will put on that green green thing and the black shoes before he disappear. And then reappear again in the evening wet and smelly. Really yucky smell. No one wants to go for a pat except for her filial Xin Xin. I think she probably has a blocked nose and can't smell that horrible wet stench.

I don't know how long more I can put up with that terrible smell coming from him before I give him a little bite and tell him he needs a bath.

Work work work

Have been so caught up with work that I have no mood to blog at all. And we have been spending so little time at home that the 5 monsters are always hungry for whatever attention we can give them.

But hey, 5 more days of work and deadlines to rush before we get our first break this year. We will be off for a holiday for a week or two to the Islands of Cats. Cats cats cats.....so many cats.....wowee.....

My camera will be working non stop. :) I hope to capture their mood, their habitat, their various expressions. But I know it will never turn out as good as this cat picture book I have found in the library. It's called "Cats in the sun" and there is another called "Kittens in the sun". Both books are by the same photgrapher. And he is truly amazing. I think he spent a few months on the islands to capture those fantastic pictures. I'll be very comforted if my photos turn up half as good.

The bad thing about going for a holiday is leaving the 5 monsters at home. Mother-in-law will be here daily for an hour or so to feed them and clear their litter box. Hopefully, she will be able to give them that companionship they crave for.

Well, the airtickets have been booked. Our backpacks are cleaned. We are cleared to go. To the Islands of the cats!!!!!!

We speak different languages

Kim Kim says:

Daddy has some overseas friends who are coming over to our place to stay this week. And these friends are thinking maybe their kitties can come along too. Wowwee, the 5 of us + Daddy & Mummy were so excited we were going to have visitors. So Daddy & Mummy cleaned the house, bought lots of food (but none for us *sulks*) and even planted a few pots of cat grass for our kitty friends. And they even bought new litter boxes and extra scratching posts for them. I made Xin Xin, Bon Bon, Chang Chang and Yuan Yuan clean our old toys so that we can show our kitty friends a good time.

But just last week, Daddy's friends said that their kitties do not like to use litter boxes even though they know that litter boxes should be the place our shit should be buried. They even asked if their kitties could use our new sofa as a scratching post.

Hey, we are not even allowed to scratch the sofa! And of course you kitties can't! Rules are rules. It applies to us and all visitor kitties. Daddy and Mummy made it clear to us and them that they had bought the scratching posts for us so that we can sharpen our claws and the sofa is for sitting and lounging, not for scratching. There was a couple of time XX and CC scratched the sofa and Daddy gave them solitary confinement in the cage for half an hour. Now everyone knows the scratching post is where we scratch. We don't want the sofa spoiled too as we know Daddy & Mummy worked very hard and saved a few years before they could afford this new sofa. Plus, I like to lounge on the sofa during the day and YY & BB like to play on it every night.

And about shitting all over the house???? What is wrong with these kitties? There are litter boxes in the bedroom and in the living room and they want to shit all over the house? Isn't it very unhygenic? We want our place clean so that we can roll around all over the floor, playing chase when we feel like it. Imagine stepping into a pile of shit when I am chasing XX. I don't know what these kitties and Daddy's friends are thinking. Do they shit all over their own homes?

Daddy's friends are complaining about these ridiculous rules. But I like what Daddy told them. We welcome you into our house and we will be gracious hosts but don't push your luck on our house rules. We have them so that the 5 of us + Daddy & Mummy can have a good life.

Is my Engrish no gooded?

Misty is this adorable cat which had spent her kittenhood in the void deck with her sister and brother. The trio was generally wary of strangers except towards this Lady Feeder and us. LF would be feeding them almost daily and we would try to supplement if she was late or absent. When Misty’s sister and brother disappeared mysteriously last year, LF scooped up Misty and kept her as a house pet. That was really good news for Misty as she would now be free from cat haters and psycho nuts who would abuse defenseless animals.

Then there was this Saturday morning a couple of months later when the Wife spotted Misty wandering in the carpark again when she was staring out of our place. We rushed down, picked her up and promptly sent her back to LF’s place. When I advised LF that she should fence up her main gate and windows to prevent Misty from escaping, she replied that would impede the wind flowing into her home. We told her those meshes from DIY shops would help and hoped that she would do something about it.

And last week, we saw Misty sitting in the car park again. When we sent her back to LF’s home, we found the main gate and windows not meshed up again. Is my Engrish no gooded? Cannot understand what I am saying? LF, mesh up your main gate and windows please!!!!

Chow time

Thank you for the great company this afternoon. It was nice to put a face to the blog.

T.C.S.S #4 – Silent passing of another kitten

It was a sad afternoon for me today. I received news that another motherless neonatal kitten had succumbed despite its own desperate attempts to survive and the valiant efforts of a kind Samaritan and his spouse.

I was surfing the Clubsnap forum late Sunday night when I saw a plea for help. The kind souls, ie, David and his spouse, had rescued a 4-day old kitten after seeing another cat killed its sibling and the mother cat not in sight. With no experience in raising neonatal kittens, he had sent an online plea for help.

Deep in my heart, I knew the kitten would have a fierce battle ahead just to keep alive. Without its natural mother, its chances had dropped dramatically even with the best human intervention and support. Somehow, we just cannot replace the mother cat.

The little one was a survivor and showed signs of recovery after a trip to the vet. But those who had brought up motherless neonatal kittens would know that sometimes for no reason, they will just start to fade. And it started to fade today before it breathed its last at around 5pm today.

To tell you that I was not affected would be a lie. Although I do not know David or his wife or the fact that I have not seen the kitten physically, I felt very sad at its passing.

It reminded me of Duan Duan who had passed on at 2am under our watch. I remember my wife crying while holding its lifeless body, still warm and soon stiff from rigor mortis. She told me she had been singing to her and asking her to release herself from the pain while she took her last breath. I remember creating a small paper box to hold her body while her sibling, Chang Chang, was crying loudly in his box. I’m not sure if he knew his sister had made a move first and if he was already pinning for her. Maybe it was because she knew that we were greenhorns then and that 2 kittens would be too many for us to handle and had thus sacrificed her life to ensure that her little brother will survive with 100% attention from us.

I am not sure what the reason is but I choose to believe that she knew what she was doing and had made the right choice. Little boy Chang Chang had grown up well and I am sure she would like it that way too.

The Wife and I were discussing this issue yesterday and she said that if we find another neonatal kitten/s again, she will make sure that she will work harder and not let another one pass on under our watch.

Throughout this episode, it made me realize how important it is for us to be prepared. I was fumbling to locate useful online information I had made use of when we had Chang Chang and Duan Duan. So here are these useful links again from Jeri Dopp and here.

And to David and his wife, thank you for giving this kitten badly needed love, care and attention during its short life on Earth. The kitten thanks you.