My favorite Cat Dads!

What can I say about "cat dads"? Well, speaking as someone who has been fortunate enough to have had the opportunity to share my life with a cat dad for the last 26 years, I personally believe that they are absolutely and without a doubt THE BEST! In fact, I have been blessed to know quite a few cat dads and I find them to be among the most amazing men whom I have ever met. 

And so, I decided to ask a few cat dads that I know what they liked the most about being a cat dad and what they loved the most about cats. Here's what they had to say ...

Jon and Friends

Jon and "Reginald".

"I believe these questions deserve an answer that is not over-simplified or glossed in a broad interpretation in lieu of an answer. So I will do my best to be as succinct as possible and give the reader an honest and accurate answer. Which means going back to the beginning. I grew up in a home full of pets. Dogs, lizards, a turtle named Gizmo and hamsters were all part of my youth. I was also raised by outdoorsmen. Hunting and fishing were common and I to this day still very much enjoy both. I was blessed to have been raised in a family that loved their animals, and respected all animals. I think that’s important to note and plays a significant part in the overall answer. A lot of people get the outdoorsman’s perspective wrong in my humble opinion. Most of the hunting and fishing community I know have the utmost respect and regard for animals and a lot of times have a deeper appreciation for those creatures than most people who have never studied them. That being said I was raised that all animals were worth our attention and respect, whether they were in our care or were a means to provide sustenance through ethical means of hunting or fishing.

And while my life has been a vast cornucopia of critters, cats had never been a big part of it. Not until I was an adult. I never really had any interaction with the trusty feline companions as a youth so I suppose I never really gave them much thought. That’s not to say I harbored malice or dislike for cats, I had more of a live and let live kind of approach to their existence.

Moose’s story has been WELL documented so we can skip that portion of the conversation, but what hasn’t been told is my story of him. Renee brought Moose home from a foster family and the initial introductions to the kids and us went smoothly enough as did the naming process of Mr. Tons o’ fun. But after that came the whole “what do you do with a cat?” time. Which as it turns out was ok because as we were trying to figure out how to care for this rotund cantankerous guy, he was trying to figure out what to do with his newly adopted people. We grew together. Learning about each other and what our annoyances and likes were. We are still learning about each other to this very day. Moose has always had a personality. He showed up with it! Initially (not having any experience with cats) I thought that was something special to him. I still viewed all other cats as well…just cats. Then Reggie came along and I was gifted the opportunity to get to know him. Different cat, different personality. Fast forward to little grey cat, the stray Renee saved on Easter morning. Three cats, three different and distinct personalities. All perfect for themselves and the people they find. So I guess the answer to what I love most about cats is that they have taught me, still continue to teach me and I will be forever thankful to be allowed to be their student and look forward to learning more about their personalities and about each ones individuality." ~ Jon

Jon and "Moose Virginia".

"Little Dude"

(Photos courtesy of Renee and Jon James)

Jim and Hammy

"The things that I like the best about living with a cat is no mice, my cat likes coming to me for attention, my cat mellows me out. What I like the least is he (Hammy) has to sleep on me all the time and he paws at my face when I try to sleep because he wants attention. I call Hammy an "Abby Tabby" since he has Tabby cat markings, loves water, and has Abyssinian traits." ~ Jim

(Photos courtesy of Robin and Jim Raber)

Brett and "The Boys" 

"I have always had an affinity for cats ever since I was a kid. There is very little that I do not like about being a cat dad and living with cats. I have respect for all of them regardless of their disposition. Cats seem to naturally come to me and I love that about them." ~ Brett

Brett with "Butterscotch" (top of pic) and "Sir Leo"

With "Merlin" when he was a kitten.

Brett and our beloved "Midnight"

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 Cat dads know ...

Cat dads know that when their kitty starts to purr, all is right with the world. It’s like an instant mood-booster and stress-reliever.

Cat dads know that sometimes cats can be aloof or independent, but that doesn’t change how much we adore them. Even when they are being stubborn or ignoring us completely, we still find ourselves loving them just the same."

Cats choose us; we don’t own them.

Time spent with cats is never wasted.

There’s nothing quite like the feeling of a contented cat curling up on your lap and purring away. It’s a simple pleasure that makes life infinitely better.

A cat can purr its way out of anything.

Cats have it all – admiration, an endless sleep, and company only when they want it.

I would like to express my sincere appreciation to my friends Jon James, Jim Raber, and my hubby, Brett for being a part of this post. Your personal contributions were very much appreciated! MANY THANKS!

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The Story of Reginald: Another Inspiring True Story by Renee James

Towards the end of summer last year, I periodically spotted this light orange colored cat. After seeing him a few times, I posted on Facebook asking if anyone knew who he belonged to. No answers. I started putting food out. That's when I quickly learned that there was more than one cat out there. The weather was about to get cold, so I ordered an insulated cat box from Amazon. I checked with all my neighbors to make sure they were okay with me putting a cat house out. One neighbor was not just okay with it, but she was equally excited! She knew exactly the cat I was talking about. This was the start of what would become my daily entertainment.

Every night, I'd go put food out, sit on my porch and watch from afar. It was FREEZING outside, so I'd bundle up and text my neighbor the play by play on which cat was out and doing what. The most frequently spotted cat was the light orange cat and he was aptly named "Tan Cat" for research purposes, of course. In the mornings, my neighbor and I would go place piles of kibble in places we thought the cats might be living. We'd go back at night to find the kibble gone and no cats in sight. A few times, we put on our snow boots and followed their paw prints. We still never found where they lived. The neighbor spotted a tiny gray kitten - and since we couldn't get the cats to use the insulated house, we decided it was time to set a trap. The weather man said there was something called a "Siberian Express" coming. My neighbor phoned a friend who regularly traps and rescues cats. She delivered us a kitten trap and we eagerly set the trap and crossed our fingers.

We took turns checking the trap every 20 minutes or so to make sure it didn't get trapped and freeze to death. A few nights passed and we were successful! We trapped the kitten! We attempted to transfer him from trap to carrier, but unfortunately he was smarter and faster than us. He got out and ran out my front door. We took our chances and set the trap again. One night I got out of work to a text from my neighbor saying indeed there was a cat in the trap, but it wasn't the gray kitten. It was a "fluffy orange cat"! The fluffy boy was kept in the trap in her warm basement until the next morning when I drove him to the local vet to get him scanned for a microchip. He didn't have one. This time, I let the professionals transfer him to a carrier. My neighbor posted on Facebook to see if he belonged to anyone, He now happily resides in New Jersey with my niece. His name is Cheese.

Time to set the trap again and try to recapture the gray kitten. About a week later, we caught him again. This time, we didn't screw it up! He lived in the neighbor's toasty basement until he found a forever home. His name is Mowgli. Now, it was time to trap the big cats. My husband and I went to Rural King and purchased larger traps. Time to set the trap. "Tan Cat" was my primary target for capture - he was the one I saw every single day. I set the trap with some wet food. Tan Cat came over and investigated but wouldn't take the bait. The next couple of weeks I tried everything I could think of. I moved the trap, I tried other food, I even buried the trap with field grass to camouflage it. I heated up gravy and trailed it in. I made a tuna trail ... tried it all! 

I gave up on trying to trap him, but I wouldn't give up on caring for him. I continued putting food out every day. I had to feed him from about 20 yards away and if I blinked too loud he ran. The days turned into weeks and the weeks turned into months. I attempted to slowly move his food bowl closer to my house; however, that was a hard "no" from him - he didn't trust anything different. As the weather started to warm up, I eventually began sitting about 10 feet away from his bowl with my back to him. Over weeks time, I'd get a little closer and a little closer. He started doing funny things. He'd walk away from me and roll around then chirp at me. He finally acknowledged my existence!! 

He started to get close to me and would stick around after he ate to play with sticks or scratch a tree. Then he began following me every night when I'd walk up to the cornfield with my flashlight to look around. He'd follow me making funny meows and sometimes he'd even lead the way! Eventually, he came over into our yard and around July he rubbed up against my legs for the first time. In August, I was allowed to pet him! Now he sits on my porch with me and climbs on my lap. 

After spending at least an hour a day with him (usually more) for months, it finally paid off! I've got a new companion.

Oh, and he is no longer "Tan Cat" - he is Reginald Von Vegetable! And he no longer plays with sticks and rocks because he has REAL toys! 

Cool Cats: Guest Interview with Renee and Moose

 

Greetings, friends! The following featured interview is a follow-up to a previous post titled, "Meet Moose, The Cat Who Converted Me: An inspiring True Story by Renee James". 

And so without further adieu, let's begin!

😻😻😻😻😻😻😻😻😻😻😻😻😻😻😻😻😻

Question: First of all, could you please give us an update on Moose's medical progress since your last post?

Renee: Moose was at the vet the other day for his annual exam. His glucose and thyroid levels were PERFECT. He remains in remission from diabetes and still does not require insulin. About a month ago, his thyroid medication was switched from pills to a compounded liquid for more accurate dosing. It seems to have really worked. Unfortunately, he has pancreatitis now. I haven't gotten to speak to his doctor as she got sick and I believe is out of the office (because she NEVER leaves me hang otherwise). He may need to switch to a hypoallergenic diet but I'm waiting to hear back from her.

Question: What have you and Moose been up to these days?

Renee: Moose has been up to nothing but chaos and sass recently. The norm.

Question: Did you ever believe in your wildest imagination that you would be so endeared to a cat?

Renee: No. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I'd have a cat as a best friend. Never. I didn't know they had personalities.... but here I am, with Mr. personality himself. I quickly became a servant to his every demand. I'm a woman working in a men's state prison.... I don't get bossed around or told what to do...until Moose waddled into my life. He's in charge. And I accept it.

Question: What are Moose's favorite things?

Renee: .Moose's favorite things are food and naps. Emphasis on the food. All food. Any food. He recently discovered he LOVES steamed sugar snap peas.

Question: Does he follow you around the house?

Renee: Yes he follows me around. He's my trusty sidekick. Or maybe I'm the sidekick? He always has to know what I'm doing.

Question: Who would you say that Moose "favors" more between his cat parents/guardians - you or your husband, or does he treat you both equally?

Renee: I would say Moose favors me but he does love both of us. He's generally a ladies man. He treats us fairly equally.... we both get different attention at different times. Moose attacks Jon every night around 4am for food. He lets me sleep. The other 23hrs a day he hangs out with mama. But dad IS allowed to pick him up, hold him, squeeze him, and kiss him.

Question: Have you ever considered adopting a feline brother or sister for Moose?

Renee: I often think about adopting another cat. I get torn between thinking the companionship would do him well, but he also loves the spoiled life of an only child. He enjoys being the center of attention. We live in a one bedroom, loft style apartment so there's no doors anywhere except the bathroom...which Moose can open. With that, I don't know how to safely introduce another cat as I have nowhere to isolate them..

Question: What are some more of Moose's interesting habits and/or idiosyncrasies?

Renee: His most interesting habit is probably that he HAS to jump inside the refrigerator EVERY time it opens. He needs to do an inventory..

Question: Does Moose like to take walks with you?

Renee: Moose likes to take walks. I put his harness on and away we go. We don't really go anywhere, we just sniff around the yard for the "good grass". Everything is a hunt for food. Occasionally we go to the playground across the street and he enjoys sitting up high on the sliding board and scanning the area. One time he peed in the mulch.

Question: Would you say that Moose is shy with people he does not know or is he outgoing?

Renee: Moose is not shy at all. He loves people. He loves new people because he pretends we don't feed him and tries to guilt them into feeding him. Moose even had a birthday party for his 10th and he shook every last person down for food. Unfortunately... on Thanksgiving we had a guest that I didn't particularly care for, and apparently neither did Moose and now he's decided he hates men (except my husband and step son). He has been around 3 other men since, and he hissed at and bit all 3. One was my brother who he already knows. He didn't hide in fear, he willingly approached them just to hiss and bite. His vet was consulted and advised that for now, all male guests not make eye contact with him or engage him. Give him his space. (BTW the person he didn't like had absolutely no physical contact with him and positively didn't physically harm him).... it's a long story for another day.

Question: Is Moose a tree dweller or a bush dweller?

Renee: Moose is a bush dweller. Far too lazy to climb.

Question: What is the funniest thing that Moose ever did?

Renee: Funniest thing he ever did??? Gosh that's tough. Probably when I couldn't find him and when I did... he was INSIDE the trash can. Another favorite was his $450 poop because he held his poo in protest while we were on vacation and got himself so stopped up the vet had to manually remove it. I'm convinced he did it on purpose. One time he ripped open every single packet of oatmeal and scattered them across the kitchen floor. Or... when I had to put baby locks on the cabinets so he knocked absolutely everything off the counter, including the coffee pot because he was pissed.

Question: What is the scariest thing that Moose has ever done?

Renee: Scariest thing he ever did was experience diabetic ketoacidosis. He very suddenly was vomiting and pooping at the same time and just screaming in pain. Absolutely whaling with pain. We rushed him to the emergency vet at 1am. His blood sugar was over 500. I bawled the whole way there. I've never been so scared.

Question: Is Moose a snuggler?

Renee: Yes Moose snuggles in his own way. He sleeps above my head. We share my pillow. Sometimes I wake up and we're nose to nose. He loves sitting in my lap in the kitchen, but only in the kitchen.

A special "THANK YOU" to Renee and Jon for sharing such an important part of their life with us - MOOSE VIRGINIA!

Feline for Thought Friday: To my cat ...

 

Magnificent Moose!!

Once donned (given the foster name of) "Big Ben", Moose was adopted by a friend of mine who has since transformed and changed his life in such an amazing way! 

If you recall my post, "Meet Moose, The Cat Who Converted Me: An inspiring true story by Renee James", my friend Renee described her incredible story of her cat, Moose, with whom she never thought she would share her life with and now could never imagine a life without him. If you haven't already, please read that post before you continue. Here is an update on Moose ...

Moose gasping in disbelief after I told him the news...

HIS VET SAID NO MORE INSULIN!!!!!! Moose is in remission from diabetes!!! This is no guarantee, but his current blood glucose numbers show no need for insulin right now!

Moose 2yrs ago when we adopted him vs Moose now. A journey of love (yes, he hates it, but he'll be hateful and healthy at least).

Moose's progress - two years ago ...

And now ...

My friend Renee is quite correct, whether dealing with a cat's glucose levels or their weight loss - monitoring is very touchy. Their levels are UP and DOWN  a lot which is why we  need to keep a close eye on their daily progress.  

A huge THANK YOU, RENEE for allowing me to share Moose's journey!

Feline for Thought Friday