Eight Cats&Counting: Diary of a Premature Cat Lady

Hello! I'm an early onset cat lady! =^-^= Start scrolling to find out why!

[acrazycatladydream]

Siblings and Cats can mathematically work out the exact plan that will cause the most inconvenience.

[acrazycatladydream]

Apologizes! 🐱

Sorry to I've been so bad at updates!

I have a huge application I've been working on and to motivate myself, I haven't been on any social sites or gaming until it's turned in.

However! I had a kitty weigh-in day today so I thought you would all might be interested (even if you haven't met some of them yet). Their weights can give you an idea of their sizes😊

When I turn in my application this week, I'll give you two kitty profiles this upcoming weekend to make up for posting so slow the past several weeks.

Kitty Weights as of 2/12/18

Belladonna: 9.6 lbs

Bilbo: 13.2 lbs

Pippin: 7.8 lbs

Bagheera: 11.4 lbs

Sailboat: 12 lbs

Ouija: 8.8 lbs

Sally: 7.8 lbs

Taz:

(I will update the last kitty as soon as she comes out for food😁)

Thank you for sticking with me!!! Stay tuned!!!

[uneventfulness]

[acrazycatladydream]

Name: Bilbo Breed: DSH Features: tuffed ears, small white spot on his chest, and one white back toe. Best Friend: Pippin Favorite toy: feathers Favorite activity: begging for a taste of whatever the humans are eating. Background: Bilbo is one of Belladonna's babies! When she lead me to him, he was the little black ball of fluff that came bounding out to greet me and all I could hear in my head was, "I'm going on an adventure!!!" From that point on this sweet, timid boy had my heart. As he grew, the vets couldn't believe he was from the same litter as his sister (who you will meet next week!) because of how much bigger he was. He never once hissed or lashed out at me as I tamed him, but he did run and hide a lot. As he became calmer, he enjoyed being petted and played with, but he still was always very aware of every little thing I did. Once his sister was reunited with the family, he was able to leave his shell a little more and his personality became much more apparent! Current Life: Bilbo is a gentle giant and he is still growing! His paws and legs are massive! Although loud noises and sudden moves still set him on edge, he is such a lover. His favorite thing is to curl up behind the knees of anyone who lays down. It was only about a month ago that I finally got him to purr! And it was so quiet I almost missed it! He gets overwhelmed by too many people, but loves one on one attention and follows me everywhere. He isn't super playful and has a mature air to him, but feathers and moths still make him go crazy. He will do almost anything for a treat and is currently learning how to sit for them first. I can't wait to continue watching as Bilbo grows and adapts to the world around him!

[acrazycatladydream]

I was out of town this weekend and didn't have time to write a new cat profile, so instead, here is a picture of Bagheera being adorable!^-^

[acrazycatladydream]

Name: Belladonna (AKA: Mama)  Breed: DSH Features: solid black coat with yellow eyes  Best Friend: herself.  Favorite toy: a teabag full of catnip  Favorite activity: following the humans just on the edge of their vision.

Background: Belladonna was this little black cat I had been seeing around my house for about a year. Every time I saw her, I’d have a mini panic attack Bagheera had somehow gotten out, but then I’d realize she was way too small. I tried multiple times to get closer to her with no success. One day this past early spring, she was sitting by the side of my house staring at me. I grabbed some kitty food and fed her as much as she could eat before she ran off. She was so skinny it broke my heart. Slowly over the next month I earned her trust by feeding her at the same time and spot behind my house every night. Finally, I set a live catch trap and with a little Alaska salmon in it, and voila! Kitty caught! But that was when I discovered she had kittens somewhere. So I let her go and continued feeding her. I searched all around my house for her kittens and even borrowed a friends dog to walk with me. Two weeks later, I set up a vet visit and caught Belladonna again. Other than still being on the skinny side, she was healthy. I got her shots and asked the vet about her kittens. All she could tell me is that they were still very young, and that Belladonna has had kittens in the past. As I let her go that evening, I just opened the door and let her walk out. I was so frustrated that I still hadn’t found her kittens or been able to track her. After tossing my coat down, I turned to shut the door. But there she sat just outside of it staring at me as if to say, “Well come on. Let’s go.” Immediately I followed her. She started walking and stopped every so often to look back at me. She lead me to a jet ski trailer that was still covered from the winter. She looked over her shoulder at me as if to say, “Are you watching?” And then jumped up where a little black kitten came bounding out from under the tarp to greet her. I dropped to my knees and started crying I was so happy I’d finally found them. I woke up early the next morning and found the owner so I could remove the tarp. Me and three friends caught her kitten and I chased her down. (long story short, I tackled her under a bush. She was NOT happy with me.) After talking to the owner, I found out he had found her other baby a week earlier and had turned it over to animal control. Another week and many persistent phone calls later, her second baby was returned to me so she could continue to nurse. Mama and babies were finally all reunited as well as being healthy and happy! (Baby profiles will be coming soon!)

Current Life: Belladonna is now finally a healthy weight and is enjoying being an indoor kitty! Although she is very afraid of men and only let’s me pet her and pick her up. During the day, belladonna curls up under the piano, at the top of the stairs, or on the computer desk behind the printer. She feels safest in these spots, and they allow her to watch the house. She has finally started to learn how to play, thanks to Bagheera bringing toys to her. If she ever gets overwhelmed, you can count on Bagheera licking her face until she lets me pick her up and move her to a quieter location. She still has a long way to go socially, but trust with wild kitties like her take a long time to build. And the progress she has already made was worth the wait^-^

[acrazycatladydream]

Name: Bagheera Breed: suspected Bombay heritage Features: solid black coat and one eye Best Friend: Me Favorite Toy: a small mouse Favorite Game: fetch

Background: Bagheera was rescued from a horders house with about 50 other cats. Over half of the ones rescued didn’t survive. His eye got infected when he was fighting for food so it had to be removed. Unfortunarly the vet missed some of the infection, so he had to have surgery a second time to finish cleaning it out. When I adopted Bagheera, he was five months old and had just been declared clean of infection for three weeks. The first couple weeks with this sweet boy were a mix of amazement at what he had been through and helping him recover. He had terrible depth perception and was constantly falling or running into things.

Current Life: Bagheera is now turning 5 years old! He loves sleeping under the blankets with his head tucked under my chin and is extreamly protective of me. If I dare to shut the bathroom door before he follows me in, he sticks his paw under it for me to hold (just in case I need him) while giving me a piece of his mind. When I do let him in, he jumps onto the counter to bite at the heater cord until I plug it in, so he can sprawl infront of it. My mom’s dogs are nervous around him because he doesn’t hesitate to attack if they get too close to me. He also has a sweet tooth and a taste for the finer things in life, leading him to get into quite a bit of trouble. Because of this, he has learned how to open a variety of containers, which is the bane of my existence. He learned this habit because he had to scavenge for food as a baby in order to survive. When I leave the house, he will follow me to the door and sit there crying until I return. On long trips, I will take him with me because he loves car rides! His favorite place in the car is across my shoulders so he can be my co-pilot. To this day, this mighty hunter has a little trouble hunting flies that get in his blind spot, but overall, is a happy and healthy mini-panther.

[acrazycatladydream]

Q&A for Frequent Asks

(This list is always being updated. If I get asked a question three or more times, it will be added here! Please read through them before asking any questions! Don't be afraid to ask for clarification on anything, but questions that have already been asked/are similar to any on this list will be referred back to here.)

Is this blog only about cats? Well, mostly. Otherwise I wouldn't be a crazy cat lady;-) But at points other animals will slip in and make an appearance, as they shape who my cats are and their daily lives.

Are you a cat expert? Oh hell no. I may know a lot about them, at least more than the average person, but I'm no cat professional! I love learning about them, and if I ever find an interesting cat fact, I'll post it with a link to wherever I found it.

Do you breed cats? NO! I think there are too many kitties out there who need a home to even think about breeding them. That being said, I don't look down on professional cat breeders because if it wasn't for them, we wouldn't have many of the astoundingly beautiful breeds there are today. I DO disapprove of kitten farms though.

Do you own a certain breed and/or breeds? Like I've stated before, my kitties all find me so I don't ever go looking for purebreeds. They are all mostly classic Domestic Short/Long Hairs with wide range of coloring. The only one I suspect of being a certain breed is Bagheera, but sadly unless I go to an expert, I won't know for sure. (I suspect he is a Bombay Cat, or at least has a parent/grandparent that was one.) But I'll cover that in his profile^-^

What kind of interactions are okay? I'd love to hear about your cats too! Send me pictures/stories (these will be private between you and me) or cat facts! Feel free to ask questions about my kitties too! Nothing will flatter them more than being in the spot light. If you do have any questions on cat behavior, products I use, etc., I will answer them to the best of MY knowledge and experience. If and when I find better, I will adjust the material accordingly.

Can you provide answers cat health issues? Unfortunately, no. I am not a vet, so any and all health issues should be taken up with a trusted vet.

How/why do you have so many cats? Throughout my posts, I hope you all will be able to see how I ended up here. And why I wouldn't have it any other way^-^ so please stay tuned and you will have your answer.

How do you care for them all? Lots of love, training, enough room, and litter boxes. And scratching posts. So, so many scratching posts.

Doesn't your house stink? Actually no^-^ and no, I haven't just gotten use to the smell. I can promise you this because my Grandmother (who is quick to point out any dust, smell, or clutter) has no idea how many cats are in the house, and never notices the litter boxes when she visits. I have strategically placed litter boxes that I clean every other, if not every, day. It's also a matter of finding a certain litter and litter box that works best for your household. Your cats diet also has a large part as to how stinky they are. Along with that, it helps big time having two cats that are toilet trained! (I'm still not sure to this day how I accomplished that...)

Do you spend a lot on cat food? Well, obviously more than someone with one or two cats, but not as much as you'd think. I'm not going to lay out my expenses for you, but my cats eat in the morning and evening. I don't just leave food out for them to chow down on. They all have a certain amount they get for each meal. If you don't do this, I highly suggest talking to your vet and figuring out how much to give your kitty each meal. Very few cats can be left with food out constantly, not counting kittens. Not only does feeding my cats twice a day keep them at a healthy weight, but it also helps my wallet out because they don't go through their food as fast as they would if I just left it out.

Is their hair everywhere? Honey, I live on a farm. Hair is a part of life here! But there are certain cat toys and brushes that can help with hair control. All of which I have. If you have an open floor plan, a Rumba can help out big time too.

Why cats? Why not dogs? Don't get me wrong, I love dogs too. But cats really are just drawn to me more and I to them. I personally don't own any dogs, but several of my family members do and I love them! Someday I'd love to have my own dog, but I don't go out looking to adopt animals. When one comes to me someday, it will find a forever home.^-^ Until then, it's cat city up in here!

[acrazycatladydream]

Hello!

My name is Ciara, I just turned 24, and as you most likely already know; I am a crazy cat lady. Or at least a crazy cat lady in the making. Now, I can already hear you, “But dear, you are young. Why on earth would you think such a thing?” Well, from the simple fact that I currently have eight cats. Before you get into a fluster about how many cats that is, allow me explain. TECHNICALLY, four of them belong to my mother, and three were a package deal, but we will get to that later. Never once have I gone out looking to adopt a cat. They have all found me, and being cats who do as they please, I had little to no choice in the matter. Even so, I love them all dearly, and as my family points out regularly, I seem to have gained their an unwavering favoritism in return. Thus, making all of them in everyone’s opinion: mine.

I’m not a spinster by any means, nor do I intend to make this blog about me. What I do intend is to allow you glimpses into what is like to be living with eight of the sweetest, most loving, and at points ridiculous, cats. However to start, you have to understand a little of who I am. But as promised, after this, this blog won’t be about me.

As I previously stated, I’ve just turned 24. I’ve graduated from college with a bachelors degree this past spring (2017) and for the summer, moved home to my parents with my four current cats so that I could travel, help out with our farm, and most of all; see my family who I’d been missing for the past five years. My family has always been known to take in misfit animals. You could say it’s our calling. From dogs tossed out on the road by our house, to peacocks left behind, to blind calfs, we welcomed them all.

So why cats? Well, because they find me. Not just my family in general, but me. In time I will introduce you to them all, and perhaps even the ones I have found and found homes for as well. (However they each deserve their own post so stay tuned for them!) Trust me when I say that if I kept every cat that came my way, I’d have an army. But some cats and people are just ment to be together, and I’m of a firm belief that cats decide where and with who they are suppose to be.

Anyway, when I moved home, my four cats became eight cats. Two outdoor, six indoor. Believe me when I say this is generally not the conversation starter I go with. The house I am currently in is large enough though that it never really hits me just how many cats follow me around throughout the day until they are congregated in one room.

I’ve thought about starting a blog since high school, but I was never sure about what. The ones I did try to start, never felt enjoyable. Tonight I was sitting with my mom, and my main cat (he is the most dependent on me, officially the first cat under my name, as well as the first animal who decided to own me while I lived alone in college). She was watching us and said, “He has such a big personality and striking features. You take so many pictures of him and he brings you so much joy, maybe you should find a way to share it.” So here I am. All of my cats have large personalities and even larger hearts, but he is the reason I am starting this blog. His name is Bagheera and he will be the first I introduce to you in the future!

So what now? I’ll be posting once a week, every weekend, and will try to fill your every cat need.

Why should you stick around? Simple. Because cats.

Even if you are a dog person, there are many cats that act like a dog and even more dogs that act like cats. Don’t believe me? Google dogs on a cat tower. I also have two cats that play fetch better than any dog my parents have owned. Plus, I’m going to allow you to read about and look at them through a screen, so what’s the harm?

As I start this blog, I am excited to share whatever I can with you of my life, trials, successes, and meows that go hand in hand with these loving creatures. And I hope you come appreciate them as much as I do.

So welcome, one and all, to my Crazy Cat Lady’s Dream. I hope you enjoy your stay!

Love,

A Crazy Cat Lady in the making: Ciara =^.^=