My cat hates me.

There's no other explanation for it. She just hates me. Why else would I be cleaning smooshy cat poo from my shower at 5am this morning? And I must love her, or I would have kicked her right in her tush when she pranced in front of me while I was filling the garden and proceeded to poo (butt turned towards me, so she was sure there was no mistaking what she was up to).

She looks cute, but she's evil.

In fact, she's so evil she wouldn't she wouldn't let me get a good picture of her, to prove her cuteness.

can you spot the kitty?

She's like a freaking teenager.

My cat poops in the shower.

You may remember the litter training issues we had with kitty. We thought it was all under control. Her litter box is in our downstairs bathroom and occasionally, if we didn't scoop her box everyday, she would go in the shower. Her box was changed yesterday, but she went twice in the shower and again, just now. After I spent the whole day cleaning and mopping and doing laundry and scrubbing showers.

She went and pooped in the freaking shower.

AND I found kitty pee by the wine rack again while I was mopping.
Nothings changed. Same box, same location, same litter. Scooped every day for picky kitty. And she repays me by pooping in the shower again.

At least she's nice enough to try and cover it.

Only there's no litter in the shower, so she really just scratches it all around and makes it worse.

Grrrr.

Happy December!

We awoke to our first real snow of the season this morning!

Breaking our 9 month (record!) streak of no snow. It wasn't much when you're used to getting feet at a time, but it sure was pretty flurrying down as the sun came up


I've been collecting lots and lots of Christmas decorating and gifting and baking inspirations over on A Ribbon at a Time



And . . .




kitty used the litterbox this morning!

Happy, indeed.

Weeks Review

We had a pretty busy week. We didn't host Thanksgiving this year, though I would have loved to - we went to my parents for dinner, then to the in-laws for dessert. It was nice, but I was exhausted by the time we got home. Probably all the food, and nothing to do with all the wine.

We went to Phish in Syracuse (first Syracuse show in 15 years, and a hometown one for us!) on the 22nd and to first night Albany on the 28th. We didn't have tickets to second night, which was fine, even though the set list looked amazing. I work loooong days on Sundays and I'm getting a little to old to pull in those long nights now :)

Syracuse

  Albany

We also drove home on the 28th, getting in at about 3am. I like my bed. My husband is a good man for driving us home at midnight. It was nice to be able to wake up at home and still hit up the market on Saturday.


Kitty is adjusting well, we all love her. Except for one huge problem. She refuses to use her litterbox.

* caution, potty talk ahead*

She goes on the tile by the woodstove, the corner of the bathroom, on the tile behind our wine rack and once in our bedroom on the hardwoods behind the bike.

She’s staying to tile as far as I can tell - but it’s getting seriously old.


A few days ago there were two pee spots on the tile by the woodstove, so I cleaned it up and then seconds later she went to both those spots, whined and then slid between the wood holder and the basket of newspapers, I pulled the papers out and she was pooping.

So I took the poop and her and put her in the litterbox in the bathroom. Shut the door and went upstairs to take a shower, I came to let her out a half hour later - she had peed in the shower. Her litterbox was right.there. !!

On Thursday we were gone for about 10 hours. I put her in the mudroom with her box and food a blanket and some toys. I really, really hate confining her to the bathroom or mudroom, but I'm not sure what else to do. We got home and there was no poop or pee anywhere. Not in her box and not on the floor. Less than 5 minutes later she had pooped in the corner of the bathroom by the shower. She’s gone there probably 5 times now.

She’s also going behind our wine rack in the corner of the kitchen. I’ve found she doesn’t usually go back after I wipe down a spot with clorox. So last night I got more clorox wipes and cleaned those corners.

I even went and got her a second box 2 days ago. I was using tidy cat and it was scented and the granules were kinda big, but it's what the previous owners used so that's what I had started with too. You know, so I'd avoid litter problems. So I got arm and hammer unscented and it’s a finer texture. I have an open small sided box in the downstairs bathroom and I also got her a box with deeper sides and a dome lid and have moved the wine rack and put that in the corner of the kitchen. She has TWO litterboxes in different locations that she frequently goes in.

This morning there was poop in the downstairs shower.

I don’t know what else to do. I’ve changed her litter. I’ve gotten her a new box. We put her in there with the poop every time we clean it up. I’ve only found pee twice which worries me. I’ve tried keeping her in a room so she can’t just go anywhere in the house and she freaking held it. For HOURS.

Today, The Husband found piles of poop behind our computer.

I'm lost. I don't know what else to do, what else to try. We love the kitty, even The Husband, who hates (says he) cats, really likes her. But we can't keep doing this. It's been two weeks and I'm out of ideas.

So. That's been our adventures in kitty raising so far.

We're making progress on Christmas gifts, I've got a bunch of stuff to share, hopefully later this week. I did get the kids pajama pants and pillowcases done. They are so, so easy to make, but I hope to post a quick little tutorial later this week anyway.

We started pulling out the decorations and I've been listening to tons of Christmas music already.

My six year old was insisting the other day that there is no Santa. His "whole school" told him last year. I'm so not ready to give this up yet :(

Hope your holiday week was wonderful!

The newest member of the family

I've never been a fan of pets. We had a cat and dog growing up, but I was honestly never that attached. The dogs my parents own now annoy me to no end. I mean, cats and dogs and other pets are usually cute and all - but I've just never been a fan. Never had a desire to have a pet.

But for some unexplainable reason I really pushed to have this kitten come live with us:

The Husband says he hates cats (though cat's love him. If there is a cat anywhere around, it will find it's way to The Husbands lap) He's a dog person. I definitely do not want a dog. At least with cats you can still go out for a weekend if you need to. Dogs are more like kids. I'd rather just have more kids.

But since I'm rapidly approaching 30, and there are no babies in sight in my near future, I really needed this cat. I can't explain it. I'm sure there will be people who will tell me that's the wrong reason to get an animal or something, or that I should have gone to a shelter to get one, but I don't care. :P

Our friends cat escaped from their house and came home a few weeks later pregnant. We jokingly called dibs on any kittens - the kids have been aching for a pet for years and we always told them when we got a house we could get one. I'm not ready for the work and responsibility of a dog. Maybe in a few years. If we want to go away for a weekend we have lots of people who would love to watch the kids. I don't think they would be quite as willing to dog sit. So, a cat just works for us right now. Even The Husband is warming up to her.

And it helps fill this stronger by the day maternal ache I've had lately.

Kitty is still unnamed though. We've had her since Sunday afternoon. Our friends boys had named her Max. Which I liked until my kids started calling her Maxi. All I can think about is Maxi pads. I can't take it.

I had a list of names, like 20 of them that The Husband says are all dogs names. Like Lucy or Bella or I don't even remember now. He added Jim to the list. I keep vetoing it but he keeps calling her Jim. The kids call her Maxi and I call her Kitty. I think we're going to give her personality disorder. We're having a family meeting to at least narrow it down to two or three tonight - then we'll work it out over the weekend.

For not being a pet person, this kitten has already fit right inside my heart. She's the first thing thing I look for in the morning and when I get home from work. Even The Husband Who Hates Cats naps with her and brings her upstairs when we go to bed. She's managed to soften him right up too :)

I've been looking into some homemade cat food and treats and toys. Any suggestions?