When I was growing up, we only had Rags, so I wasn’t aware of how cats played together until my parents got Caymus and Murphy.  It was hysterical to watch them play and sometimes I wondered if they were fighting because I hadn’t seen dogs play like that – of course, I was raised with German Shepherds and not small dogs, so I don’t know if small dogs end up rolling around with one another like cats do or not.

Charlie and Trigg play often and when they were at my parents’ house for 2 weeks last year when I had found a stray and needed to find him a home, my dad would report how funny Trigg and Charlie were when they played.  Charlie is very vocal and Trigg is always giving Charlie the arched side view to appear very large, although he weighs 3 lbs. lighter than Charlie.  Curious to know if this is common Ragdoll cat behavior.

Check out these Radgoll cat videos below that I snapped – the first video was taken on January 20, 2011 and the second one on March 14, 2011 – please note that in the second one – I have a lot of containers in my basement – doing a little selling on eBay right now and trying to stay organized.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

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The Three Toed Eastern Turtle

About two weeks ago, I was out in my backyard with Charlie and Trigg – letting them run around before I started my day.  Our routine is usually that I get home from yoga, make my breakfast (which is usually a vitamin shake) and then got Harney & Sons Hot Cinammon Spice Tea (best freakin’ tea on the planet) and then we go outside for about 45 minutes.

I won’t leave the cats alone out there, so I usually bring my iPhone to go through my morning emails.

I noticed that the neighbor’s dog was really interested in something in the back corner of the yard – the neighbor’s dog can run along the back side of my fence.  Maddie, the dog, is a sweet one, so I knew she’d allow me to check out what she was into.

Turned out to be a turtle!  I actually thought it was a tortoise for about 10 days because I have never ever seen a native turtle in my yard or in the city – in the 31 years that I have lived in Kansas City.  So I took some photos of it and then took a video and posted it on YouTube to see if anyone knew what she was.  Here’s the video:

Click here to view the embedded video.

The Three Toed Eastern Turtle

Sorry for all the giggling in the video – but Trigg is hilarious when it comes to things that are foreign to him.

If you look at photos before you read content, like I do, then you already know that I figured out it was not a tortoise, but a turtle!  I contacted Lakeside Nature Centerin Kansas City (a facility close to the Zoo) and asked for their help in identifying this little girl.  Here’s what Rick Kupronis, a volunteer at Lakeside Nature Center reported:

“Normally box turtles have a fairly domed shell and wrists that move on their legs (as opposed to a true tort that basically walks around like an elephant). In this part of the country we have 3 toed and ornate box turtles. Ornate’s have a very neat shell with black and yellow markings and their skin coloring in males is normally a yellow/green color and are found more in the open grasslands and prairies. 3toed are a little more drab on their shell coloration although young ones can have some markings that look like ornates. They have more reds and oranges found on them and are often found more in woodlands. Usually they have 3 toes on their rear legs. Males are much prettier in both species. Be careful when doing internet searches to find out what it is because often times box turtles are mislabeled in pictures. If you stick with a state website (either Missouri Department of Conservation or Kansas Parks and Wildlife) you should be good. Box turtles have a very limited home range so moving them isn’t always the best option for them. They spend their whole life in an area about the size of a football field or two (~2-3 acres) and they seem to know the area very well. I would suggest leaving the little guy alone for a few days and if your still worried about him making it we can give you some options for overwintering it. ”

The Three Toed Eastern Turtle - Last Week

Then after he saw the photos, he said, “That is a middle aged 3-toed box turtle. She is probably around 10-15 years old. You can tell she is a female by the lack of coloration in her eyes and her rather large size. You can tell the age because in turtles grow kind of like rings in the center trees. They develop rings in the top of their shell as they grow. In really old animals these wear off over time and they are completely smooth. Box turtles take about 7 years to reach maturity (and she certainly is full grown!). More then likely she was just out basking for a little while on a nice day. With the weather only getting into the low 70′s in the day you probably won’t see her out again until around April or May of next year.”

I haven’t seen her since last week.  I am assuming she is hibernating for winter now.  The photo to the left is the last one I took.  I am really hoping she is still in my yard and that I have the pleasure of seeing her again!  I love turtles!

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Post tags: Charlie, Trigg, Turtle

Rags Swimming

When I was in my early 20s, my parents moved into a house and put in a pool.  I had always been curious if Rags could swim like the dogs.  But I never had the opportunity to put him in anything – so I never tried it.  Until! my parents got a pool.

Rags was an awesome sport – he would try anything once – and sometimes twice if I asked him to!

When my mom got Murphy and Caymus – we decided to put them in the pool around 1 year old to see if they could swim too!  Sure enough – they swam – just like Rags!

Trigg Swimming

I knew I would give swimming a try with Charlie and Trigg too.  Charlie already went once, as you might have read  – but August 12, was Trigg’s first swimming experience and he did a wonderful job!  If you follow us on Facebook, then you probably already saw the photos!

Ragdoll Cats Swimming Videos!

Caymus, a 6-year Old Seal Mitted Ragdoll Cat from Bluegrass Rags, Swimming

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Trigg, an almost 1-year Old Blue Lynx Mitted Ragdoll Cat from Soulmate Ragdolls, Swimming

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Charlie, a 1-year Old Seal Mitted Ragdoll With An Hourglass Blaze From Soulmate Ragdolls, Swimming

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Does your Ragdoll cat swim?  Please submit your story so we can share it with our readers!

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Now Grain Free Adult Cat Formula

You might have read our post about receiving all the great cat food from Now and Go Natural - both made by Petcurean. 

This week we are doing a review on the Now! Grain Free Adult Cat Food. 

Thanks to Petcurean for sending us food to try! 

Both Trigg and Charlie liked the food and continue to eat it when it is served to them.  

Unfortunately, without more than 3 months of a supply worth, I don’t really know the health benefits of this nor do I know how their coat reacts, etc.  So our review is really based on how the cats like it and if they eat it.  Also, it is important to me that the food is Grain Free – which it is. 

I am not a huge fan of dry food, however, so I do prefer Petcurean’s GO Natural wet food for cats instead. 

Trigg Eating Now Grain Free Adult Cat Formula

The Now! Grain Free Adult Cat Food is only 31% protein whereas their GO Natural dry food is 50% protein.  Here’s the breakdown of the guaranteed analysis: 

• Crude Protein (min) 31%   
• Crude Fat (min) 18%
• Crude Fiber (max) 3%
• Moisture (max) 10%
• Ash (max) 6.5% *Omega 6 Fatty Acids  (min) 2.8% *Omega 3 Fatty Acids (min) 0.55%
• Magnesium (max) 0.09%

It’s available in 1 lb, 3lb & 10lb bags. 

This food is great when compared to the likes of cat foods you find in the grocery stores – and even a lot that you’d find on the shelves at Petco and Petsmart – however, I do think Petcurean’s Go Natural is a better formula – we will be doing the product review for that kibble in a few weeks. 

Here’s a video I captured of Trigg and Charlie enjoying the Now Grain Free Adult Cat Food: 

Click here to view the embedded video.

You can buy this food online through Only Natural Pet -Petcurean Now! Adult Dry Cat Food 10 lbs or Petcurean Now! Adult Dry Cat Food 3 lbs

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Post tags: Adult Cat Formula, Cat Food, Now Grain Free Adult Cat Food

Prince William at 8.5 Months Old

Angelic Dolls' Prince William

You might have read my post a few days ago about my Aunt Nicky’s new kitty, Prince William!  He is from Angelic Ragdolls in Sweden!  As you can tell he is a Blue Mitted Ragdoll with an hourglass blaze!

Prince William Drinking Water from the Faucet at 8.5 Months Old

He’s totally wonderful, as I knew he would be.  He is very sweet – very smart and very down to earth, if you can say that about a cat!  He just fit right in and it seemed like he had always lived at my Aunt’s.  He wasn’t bothered by much and he had only been there for 2 hours – and had already traveled for 2 days before that!  I couldn’t believe how well adjusted he was!

What a treat!  Thank you Bella at Angelic Ragdolls for blessing my aunt with such a wonderful gift!

Aunt Nicky and Prince William

Prince William

Prince William

Prince William

Prince William's Paw

Videos of Prince William

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Post tags: Blue Mitted Ragdoll, Prince William

Caymus on the Brawny Cat Big Baby

Andrew over at Brawny Cat was kind enough to send Trigg, Charlie, Caymus and Murphy a Brawny Cat Big Baby for us to try out – part of their Scratch ‘n Slumber Comfort Lounge series.

It arrived just in time for our trip down to the Lake of the Ozarks for the Fourth of July.

My entire family goes down there, including all the animals – so I had Caymus, Murphy, Trigg and Charlie all there to product test the Big Baby.  The Big Baby arrived on Wednesday before we left on Thursday for the Lake.  You might have seen our blog post about opening the Big Baby.

Trigg on the Big Baby

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE THE BIG BABY!  THIS IS MY FAVORITE PRODUCT REVIEW OF A BED/SCRATCHER YET!!  I am going to buy one for my brother’s cat and for Caymus – as this Big Baby has come back to Kansas City to stay with Charlie and Trigg in my home.

Why I LOVE The Brawny Cat’s Big Baby:

• It’s a bed, it’s a scratcher, it’s a groomer! – that’s right, all the cats groomed themselves on it, they all slept on it and they all scratched on it!
• There’s room enough for two – but plenty for one.  Charlie and Trigg rarely if ever are able to scratch at the same time, but because of the size of it, they were able to scratch at the same time.
  

  Trigg on the Big Baby

• It smells good!  The bed is made of Cedar – so it smells great right out of the box
• The corrugated cardboard is high quality, which means it will be long lasting!
• The cats loved to put their face on the rounded raised part – for sleeping.
• Murphy enjoyed rubbing his face all over the Cedar sides
• The corrugated cardboard part is replaceable.
• The corrugated cardboard part is reversible, and the shelf below the padlet is there to collect
  fallen catnip and cardboard scratching flakes,
  plus it is a place to keep the catnip tin and/or toys and stuff.
• Each handcrafted cedar platform has been signed by the craftsman that created it.

Big Baby Detail

Besides the Yeowww! Catnip Toys, this is the first product that I have loved so much that I want to run out and get more for other kitties that I love.  I highly recommend this product.

Thank you again to Andrew for letting us test out the Big Baby!

Big Baby Detail

Oh and if you are interested in ordering one, you can do so directly from Brawny Cat’s website.

The Scratch ‘n Slumber Comfort Lounge is available in three sizes.

• The B’Tweener is 26.5″ wide by 16.5″ deep – $147
• The Big Baby Jr. is 22.5″ wide by 23.5″ deep – $157
• The Big Baby is 26.5″ wide and 23.5″ deep – $165
• Refill padlets sell for $39 - $49

Here are some videos I captured of the Brawny Cat Big Baby:

Click here to view the embedded video.

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Post tags: big baby, brawny cat, Brawny Cat Big Baby, cat scratcher

Charlie and Stella & Chewy's Carnivore Kisses

We received a container of Stella & Chewy’s Carnivore Kisses, 100% Wild Alaskan Salmon Treats to try out.

They are freeze dried 100% Wild Alaskan Salmon Treats and some of the best cat treats that you will come across. They are the cat fish treats made of pure, natural wild alaskan salmon.

They come in a 1.65 oz. container and the only ingredient is salmon.

Stella & Chewy’s Carnivore Kisses:

• Crude Protein: 70% minimum
• Crude Fiber: 0.5% maximum
• Crude Fat: 10% minimum
• Moisture: 5% maximum

Stella & Chewy's Carnivore Kisses

These are some stinky treats!  But that’s a good thing since cats are highly attracted to potent smells. Older kitties, in particular, love potent smells and will be more inclined to take a treat if it has a more powerful smell

If your kitty has not tried a freeze dried treat before, he or she will find the texture unusual and might not be as inclined to eat it right away. Sometimes they end up playing with the treat for awhile, putting their teeth into (it sort of has the light fluffy feeling of styrofoam) and batting it around until they bite through the treat and eat it. They usually will eat the second, third and fourth one a little more quickly.

These treats are marketed towards small dogs, but, obviously are okay for kitties as well.  That’s the great thing about these treats – if you own both cats and dogs, you can certainly buy one treat for both pets!

We loved these treats and totally recommend them.  They are a little pricey at almost $7 an ounce, so maybe they would be more ideal as a gift or a treat for a special holiday, rather than a treat on a regular basis.

Charlie & Trigg, Ragdoll Kittens, Testing Out Stella & Chewy’s Carnivore Kisses Wild Alaskan Salmon Treats

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Charlie & Trigg, Ragdoll Kittens, Getting More Stella & Chewy’s Carnivore Kisses Wild Alaskan Salmon Treats After The Bite Not Collar Experience

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Murphy, A 5-Year Old Ragdoll Cat, Try Stella And Chewy’s Carnivore Kisses

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Caymus, A 5-Year Old Ragdoll Cat, Try Stella And Chewy’s Carnivore Kisses

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Have you tried Stella & Chewy’s Carnivore Kisses, 100% Wild Alaskan Salmon Treats on your kitty or pup?  If so, we wanna hear what they thought!  Please leave a comment below!

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Post tags: 100% Wild Alaskan Salmon Treats, perfectly natural gourmet cat treats, Stella & Chewy's Carnivore Kisses, the best cat treats, using cat treats

Teddy ©2010 Diane Arnaout

Teddy came to be a part of my life after a long Ragdoll search that began in November 2009. I decided I wanted a cat and was initially drawn to the color point pattern and personality of Himalayan cats, but all of the breeders in my area only had the flat faced, Persian type Himalayans. While watching Cats 101 on the Animal Planet, I saw a Ragdoll for the first time and fell in love! Their unique personalities and manageable bunny fur coat drew me in! So I started my search in my area of North Carolina.

Teddy ©2010 Diane Arnaout

My favorite Ragdoll patterns are seal mitted and seal bicolors, so that’s what I was looking for. Unfortunately, no breeders that I spoke to had kittens at the time, but one very caring breeder offered to help me find one in another state. Her name is Annalisa Long of Magical Ragdolls (www.magicalragdolls.com), and she really has been a mentor in teaching me how to own a cat (this is my first cat!). She was getting a kitten from Raquel Elizondo of TexRenRags (www.texrenrags.com) in South Texas, and asked if she had any other kittens for a pet owner. Raquel had one special little boy left – Teddy, a seal bicolor boy. He was named this by Raquel’s daughters because he looks like a squishy teddy bear. Raquel asked me if I’d like for them to call him something else, but I love his name! Here is his baby picture:

Teddy Arnaout

So I began the wait for Teddy to arrive. Raquel sent me pictures every week (lots of them!) and told me funny things he was doing at the house. He was a favorite of one of her daughters so he has a special place in their hearts. Raquel has always been very good about answering all my questions and she kept me updated through the whole process. He was finally old enough to come to my state the last week of January, but of course, there had to be a MAJOR snow storm the day he was supposed to fly in! He and his half sister (for Annalisa) finally were able to fly in to NC in the same crate together 3 days later, and I was so happy! Raquel sent a huge packet of goodies and food for him as well as his pedigrees and medical records. He adjusted so fast that I couldn’t believe it. He’s been perfect about his litter box and eating right from the start as well. I’ve had Teddy for 1.5 months now and it’s been nothing but fun. He’s a great cat that loves people. In fact, when I had a dinner party for 15 people, he flopped over and asked everyone for belly rubs. He’s truly a Ragdoll since he sleeps in stretched out positions and follows us from room to room. I hope to get him a brother soon so that he will have a playmate and not be lonely at home when I’m at work. We recently made the trip back to Texas to see my family, and he made it on the plane ride with no problems at all.

Teddy ©2010 Diane Arnaout

I’m SO proud of him – he’s a fantastic cat. He is very loving and sleeps right next to my head every night. As far as products and foods, I recommend lots of scratching posts with sisal rope and Wellness Cat Food. We took Teddy to his scratching post the day we got him and he actually runs to it now when he wants to scratch because it’s his favorite. It’s saved our couch and the trouble of putting “soft paws” on him. I really like Wellness food for him because its grain free and he devours it. He eats the kitten food version and is free fed Wellness kitten dry food. Please visit my YouTube page to see a lot of his videos! Most of the pictures taken here are by my photographer sister, Diane.  If you’d like to see more of her pictures, please visit dianesfotos.blogspot.com.

Teddy ©2010 Diane Arnaout

And I’d like to thank the owner of this website, Jenny Dean, for talking to me endlessly about Ragdolls when my obsession started back in November and for sharing her lovely pics of of Rags, Caymus, Murphy, Charlie, and Trigg!

Videos of Teddy

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Post tags: floppycats.com, Jenny Dean, ragdoll kitten, seal bicolor ragdoll, teddy

Rags on Way To Petco Feb 2009

I used to take Rags to Petco a lot.  I then decided one time, it would be fun to take Caymus.  Now, I know everyone knows that Caymus is my favorite living Ragdoll, but he’s not everyone’s favorite.  My family members that prefer dogs, are not fans of Caymus.  Caymus would really do best with an older person, who moves slower and moves slowly with him.  He is simply a gentle giant and doesn’t care for a lot of activity.

So, I have tried to increase his confidence level.  His confidence is night and day compared to when my mom first got him, but there is still a long way to go.  He is 5, and I am doubtful his confidence will change much in the coming years – as I don’t have all the time in the world to dedicate to him (unless, of course, I can work on this website all the time!).

So I thought I’d share these videos with you of our trip to Petco today.  Enjoy.

Caymus Goes To Petco!

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Getting Ready To Leave!

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In A Cat Tree!

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Caymus After Petco At My House!  Caymus is a 5-year Old Ragdoll Cat

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Post tags: Caymus, petco, Ragdoll Cat, Rags

BiteNot Collars and Literature

The folks over at BiteNot Collars were kind enough to send us some of their BiteNot Collars to try.

The BiteNot Collar is an excellent alternative to the traditional e-collar (the cone one) that is given to animals after surgery or to keep them from itching hot spots, so that the area will heal.

Unlike the traditional e-collars (Elizabethan collars), Bite Not Collars stay on cats because of their patented harness strap. BiteNot collars protect wounds and sutures and are recommended for cats that chronically tear out their hair. They will even protect a urinary catheter on a cat.

Charlie and The BiteNot Collar

So, let’s be frank.  Charlie and Trigg hated the BiteNot Collars.  But the point of them is to protect their wound or stitches, so that they heal more quickly and without infection (because of bacteria from their mouth, etc.), so they really do their job.

If Charlie or Trigg has surgery and needed to be kept from licking their stitches, BiteNot collars would be my first choice if they  had to wear a collar.  My mom’s dog, Tucker, has had to wear an e-collar and it really is dangerous and disasterous in your home!

BiteNot Collar and Trigg

If you have ever had an animal wear one of those e-collars, you know how dangerous they can be to your woodwork, your furniture, etc. because they are constantly running into things and cannot see where they are going.  That ends up becoming dangerous for your pet as well as your belongings.  The Bite Not Collar eliminates that.  They are still uncomfortable for your animal, as the e-collars are, but they aren’t horrible. 

Charlie and The BiteNot Collar - he isn't too bothered by it!

They are made of quality material, and are easily velcroed around your cat’s neck.  Then you wrap the strap around their rib cage and then buckle it back up.  That way they stay on!  So simple to put on, and there is plenty of padding for your kitty friend.  They are very well constructed and you can easily adjust the collar to work for your kitty.  They sell them in 2 sizes for cats – for cats under 10 lbs. and for cats over 10 lbs.  They are 2.5″ and 3″ in width, respectively.  They just remind you that the collar should fit from the top of the shoulder from behind the ears.  The collars are machine washable, and of course, can be used again and again.

BiteNot Collar and Trigg

BiteNot Collars are sold online, sold through vets or sometimes can even be rented through your vet!

We give BiteNot collars an A- because they solve a problem that has exisited for years and are less harmful to your kitty and their surroundings because they don’t extend past their bodies, like an e-collar does!  However, they get an A- and not an A+ because not only do the cats not care for them, but also it makes their neck inmobile, which makes me wonder if it will strain their neck in any way.  Especially, if they are under stress from the inmobility. 

I am going to donate the BiteNot collars to a local Emergency Vet in Mission, KS, close to my home.  When I asked the doctor that did the surgery on Rags, if they wanted him, he replied, “Our dermatologist probably uses them the most but we obviously use them from time to time in surgery.”  So I thought that was pretty interesting from a dermatological perspective.

How To Put On The BiteNot Collar

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You can watch videos of Charlie and Trigg wearing them below.

Trigg, a 6-month Old Ragdoll Kitten, Wearing The Bite Not Collar

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Charlie, a 7-month Old Ragdoll Kitten, Wearing The Bite Not Collar

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Caymus, a 5-year Old Ragdoll Cat, Displays The BiteNot Collar For Cats Over 10 lbs.

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Post tags: Bite Not Collars, bitenot, e-collars for cats