Is It OK to Keep My Cat Outdoors?
Dear Most Esteemed and Knowledgeable Kitties: Can I put my new adopted kitten (from a shelter) in an outdoor kennel? It will be very spacious and roomy, it will have a cathouse that will protect against extreme hot or cold temperatures, it will have food, water, toys, and the kitten will recieve lots of attention. I may also take it out for walks to let it get more exercise. I cannot bring the kitten inside the house due to severe... Read More
How Often Should I Feed A 6-Week-Old Kitten?
Dear Most Esteemed and Knowledgeable Kitties: I have just adopted an abandoned kitten from work. She is now 4 weeks old and I am bottle feeding her. I bring her to work every day but I can’t keep bringing her, so I wanted to know when it’s safe to leave her home. When she’s 6 weeks old, will I be able to leave her alone for 9 to 10 hours a day, 5 days a week, with a bowl of food, water, toys, scratch mat and litter... Read More
Dahlia Tells All: A Hole in My Tummy!
I thought getting spayed was bad enough, but I had no idea what was in store for me next! It wasn’t Siouxsie or Thomas’s fault. They were actually very nice to me — once they got over the fact that I smelled like the vet. Thomas groomed my ears and snuggled next to me, and even Siouxsie consoled me. “I know what it’s like, sweetie,” she told me. “Don’t worry, the pain will get better in... Read More
Dahlia Tells All: So That’s What A Spade Is!
When Mama returned home after work, I was still trying to wrap my brain around this whole heaters and spades thing. We all jumped up and ran to greet Mama at the door, and as usual she gave us all greetings and loving petties as soon as she put her bags down. But something weird happened when Mama reached down to stroke my back: Before I even knew what was happening, my tummy was on the floor, my back legs were in the air, and my tail... Read More
Dahlia Tells All: Fangs Giving and Crisp Mouse
That first snowfall was really exciting and fun for me! I spent lots of time on the cat condo looking out the window and watching the flakes fall out of the sky and dance in the wind. And then the next one came pretty quickly after that. In fact, this snow business became a pretty regular phenomenon. Thomas explained to me that this was winter, and that it was always cold and snowy in the winter. But he told me there was something really... Read More
Dahlia Tells All: Strange Stuff from the Sky
As the days continued to get colder, Thomas and I kept snuggling together as our undercoats grew in and finally started to protect us from the increasing chill in the air. Even though Siouxsie never snuggled with us, she kept herself warm in her own way: when she napped, she burrowed under the covers of Mama’s bed and curled herself up on a nice, warm, soft pillow. This made her a lot nicer because her hips hurt less when she was... Read More
Dahlia Tells All: Exploring the Farm
I know that in the last installment of my story, I went into a realm that’s a bit strange and possibly disconcerting for many humans. Honestly, those things are just an ordinary part of life for us cats. But regardless of all that, I was still a kitten and I still wanted to play and run and bat Siouxsie and Thomas’s tails. I spent many days staring out the window watching all the amazing things happening in the yard and wondering... Read More
