Catnip

I was accompanying a friend of mine to PJ for some matters. We stopped for ACE hardware as I had been looking for catnip seeds. I was told that it could be found in ACE hardware, but I failed to spot any in ACE hardware Midvalley or IKANO. Gladly it was available in PJ.

• RM3.50 x 3 = RM10.50

I don't have the time for planting yet. So this is to be continued...

Catshow in Kuantan..

I had come to learn that there would be a cat show held in Kuantan Parade on the 22nd Nov 2008. I dunno where I've been living in, that I never knew we even HAVE cat shows here in Malaysia. Duuhhh!! Because of the new found information, I was determined to be there.

There will be another cat show on the 14th of December 2008, somewhere in Subang and then on the 21st December 2008 somewhere in Shah Alam. I won't be in town on the 14th, and 21st December is just too far away. So, Kuantan Parade we go.

This was my favorite.

It was my first time seeing such an event, I didn't get lots of pics as I didn't think it was allowed. We had fun, and it is such an interesting event to participate in, after all I do have cats at home. Of course, they are just typical cats which can be found anywhere on the streets, but it wouldn't hurt to just bring them along, put them in a cage while I look around. So maybe I'd give it a thought for next time.

a feathery toy

Went to Petsmore @ Queens Park to survey around for prices of cages and carrier. Couldn't resist myself from buying something for RM7.90....here goes...

And yes they both like it.

Food

As I've mentioned somewhere earlier, I've bought NutriEdge to alternate their food. After some further readings, I've decided to change their regular food. That means apart from NutriEdge, I need another brand to alternate with (remember? they won't eat the same thing over and over again). So, I decided on Orijen. Went to Petsmore at Carrefour Kepong. and I didn't find Orijen, instead found Innova EVO. Bought 1 kg for RM29.00. That is not cheap!! I sure hope, these premium food helps in cutting down vet expenses.

Four days have passed, and I guess my cats are just smart or spoiled? They probably have learned that Innova EVO tastes better, so now they refuse to eat NutriEdge. It is somehow proven, they refuse to eat, and if 1 bowl is filled with NutriEdge and another filled with Innova EVO, they'd push each other over the bowl filled with Innova EVO and neglect the other. *sigh* NutriEdge is better than what they had been eating before...but why??? I guess only they know...To its worst end..I mixed both kibbles in their bowl...Only to be surprised as I observed, they would chew on NutriEdge and spit it out!!! They'd only swallow in Innova EVO.

To prove their point......

So another search I go, to finding another alternative for them. I found this group of nice, caring people, who feed their cats on Blackwood, and they can get supplies of the food for a good price... I hoped so hard to join them (It's good for my pocket), but most importantly I hope so much both Bulan and Bintang would accept Blackwood...Please Bulan, Please Bintang....I'm already giving you Innova alternately...Please eat on Blackwood also, k.....For a start, I bought 500gm of Blackwood for kitten from PetSafari for RM12.90.

FURminator

I came to learn that they should be groomed everyday. So I got this piece of tool as soon as I found out about it. Purchased from PetSafari Ikano, RM26.90.

I knew nothing on grooming a pet, so I thought it won't hurt to just give it a try.

This is the product of the tool's first trial on both Bulan n Bintang. They are not used to being groomed so I had to chase them around for this...

The thing is, once I got this much fur off them, I can hug them and not so much fur on me anymore! Of course, in the effort of getting this end-product, they won't miss to biting the tool. Here is another piece of tool which I had gotten earlier, didn't use it much, 'cause they both didn't like it, but I guess from not on, they'd just have to learn to like it..It's for the good of them!!

I got this from Carrefour, Midvalley, don't even know if it's the right tool to use on cats!

A stressful week it is..

their condition after being vaccinated..
Bulan:
It's unusual for him to stay still. It's either he sleeps or he runs around all over. But this time, he stayed quiet and passive, I think he's had enough sleep but didn't have the energy to run around, he didn't even have the energy to walk to get a drink. It saddened me seeing him in such a condition, at least he was still willing to take a drink when I bring water to him.

Bintang:She appeared to be weaker than ever. She continuously slept, without eating or drinking anything, even when I brought water in front her, she'd push me away and then move away from me, facing the wall!!! I guess, she got irritated by me for forcing her to drink.

They both were not eating or drinking, I was warned of that for the first 3 days, but after the fourth, fifth, sixth day? It is indeed, worrying. Didn't know what to do, but the least I could do was to make sure they take in some water. Towards the end of the week, I tried giving them wetfood, Bintang refused to eat at all, Bulan ate but later vomitted. He vomitted twice, for 2 consecutive days. I learned that cats would most like to eat on steamed chicken. So I gave it a try, they initially still refused to eat. So we somehow forced them to eat, and I suppose they eventually learned that steamed chicken is tasty!! Yay!! Now, they're eating..No more worrying, no more crying for me!


picky eaters they are...
The thing about Bulan and Bintang is that they can't be fed the same thing for more than two times. I was giving them Friskies, Whiskas and Science Plan alternatively. They'd refuse to eat their food if it was the third time I had given them the same thing over and over again. So as of this week, I ran out of Friskies and Science Plan, so for a few consecutive days, I'd given them only Whiskas. There goes theory 1 for refusing to eat. So I bought Friskies. Didn't work. I found some bits of information that if they were feeding on Whiskas or Friskies, I should ensure that they drink plenty of water, I can't be sure of that, so decided to change to other brands. I had no idea how I'm suppose to choose 1. So went to petshops, they had a variety, I had no idea how to choose...So I just took any randomly...I took 1 kg of NutriEdge RM26.00. Afterwards, went to another pet shop. Hey, I found Smart Heart for kittens, never have seen it before and it's cheap RM15.00 for 1.5 kg, so brought that home, with 5L of Bengy litter sand RM11.00. Theory 2, is that, loss of appetite is probably a reaction after being vaccinated. So before I gave them NutriEdge or Smart Heart, I had learned that steamed chicken worked. So will stick with that, until they're much better. This part of the story is to be continued.....

the thoughts of spaying/neutering...
As for the spaying/neutering....It had been a lot of searching and reading for me, to simplify...They will both be spayed/neutered by the end of December 2008. So what I'm concerned with now is on their post-operative care. I will need cages to confine them separately, another carrier for after the operation, and another litter box to put into the cage, and I'd like to be home all day long for at least a week to care for them.

Hair Dryer??

Call me nuts if you wish. I'll still be on the go once I find useful information. Someone had said that it is suggestible to use a hair dryer on cats rather than let them dry out in the sun. Bulan and Bintang are not allowed outside at all. After a bath, wipe them off with a towel, cuddle up and sleep together till they're nearly dry. They'll go off on their own to dry themselves once they are not as cold anymore. But a hair dryer?? never thought of that, cause even I don't have and don't use a hair dryer. But now I know so here it is....@ RM24.90 from Carrefour.

Unfortunately, I need to struggle hard to get them dried with this. They're not use to the sound of it. Bintang being scared, turn her back towards the dryer so I can blow the back of her with ease. Bulan being the brave one, would start a fight with the dryer, I'd cover the head so he can't see the dryer, I'm sure he likes the warmth, he'd stay quiet letting me dry his whole body, unless the towel drop and his eyes catch the sight of the dryer then he would start his fight.

1st vaccination

I've been thinking of whether or not to get them spayed/neutered. From what I've read, they need to be vaccinated twice, before being spayed/neutered. So whatever the decision is, they need to be vaccinated. So today (4th November 2008) was their first visit to the vet.

• temperature check
• weighed. Bulan: 3.0 kg, Bintang: 2.7 kg
• vaccinated
• Drontal: deworm
• contraceptives for Bintang
• multivitamins?
• RM75.00
  
• next vet visit 25 November 2008

We haven't really decided on spaying/neutering, but once I mentioned it, they immediately said yes and put Bintang on contraceptives. Hmmm... It was meant to be a question, and I wanted to ask the pros and cons...*sigh* =) but as of this moment, it is decided =).