In my last post, I reported that I started an indoor herb garden but had to put the catnip plant outside because it wasn’t safe inside with three cats. Well, it turns out that outside is no better. This is what I saw when I got in my car to go to work yesterday morning.
I was concerned that the feral cat might get it but I was not sure if the cat was even still around, as I hadn’t seen her, or him, in quite a while. I guess now I know.
When my wife asked what I wanted for Christmas, I didn’t know. I eventually gave her two choices: a plant stand with a grow light or a vintage medium-format film camera. She bought the camera. But the story doesn’t end here. My stepson, who is quite the amature horticulturist, discovered I was interested in growing plants inside and sent me a top-of-the-line grow light for Christmas.
After Christmas, I ordered the plant stand because I couldn’t let that light just sit there in the box. It arrived a few days ago and I assemble it on Saturday. The day before, I picked up three planters and three plants at Home Depot. I wanted to get more but they only had three planters in stock that were the size I wanted and that did not cost an arm and a leg. A also purchased potting soil as well as three plants: basil, mint, and catnip.
After assembling the plant stand and connecting the light, I put my herbs on the top shelf. As soon as I did that I sat in the living room and texted my stepson, Nick. I asked him how long I should leave the light on and at what intensity.
When I finished typing I looked through the door and saw Chris stretched as far as he could reach. He had one paw on the catnip plant and it was starting to tip over. “Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!” I yelled, as I quickly made my way out to the Florida room. Chris let go but now Frankie and Floki were interested in what was going on.
I decided to put the catnip on the ground so they wouldn’t knock it over.
After a little while, I put the catnip plant outside. I also put a bungee cord around the other plants.
Sunday I found more planters and I bought more plants to put in them. So far I have sweet basil, sweet mint, speramint, thyme, rosemary, cherry tomatoes, strawberries, and no catnip.
I can only hope now that the remaining plants are not so interesting. I also hope that the feral cat I see sometimes doesn’t destroy the catnip that I put outside.
This photo is from 10 years ago today on June 10, 2010. Chris was good at opening cabinets and finding where we hid the catnip.
I remember changing the location several times and he always found it.
I want to first thank everyone who wished me well during my Covid adventure. My wife and I are fine now and I went back to work yesterday.
While I was out sick, Frankie hounded me to take him outside. I finally gave in and took him out on Sunday. It is amazing how loud he is until that door opens and then not a peep.
Once we got outside, he first had to inspect Rose’s car.
We then walked around the neighborhood, stopping at every plant that smelled interesting.
When it was Chris’s turn to go outside he did his usual happy roll.
It didn’t take him long after that to find the catnip plant that I am growing.
Now that he knows it is there he will probably make a beeline for it next time he goes outside.
Since Chris had eight teeth pulled, I have been thinking about ways I could help keep our cats’ teeth clean. The vet says dry food is good for that which makes me question my choice of vets. I think dry food cleans a cat’s teeth as well as a cookie cleans a human’s teeth.
I could try to brush their teeth but that would cause trauma and be a nightmare beyond belief. Floki, especially, would be impossible considering we can’t even trim his nails.
Bones are natures teeth cleaner for cats but, even though I feed them raw cat food, I don’t give them bones. I’ve recently started including a few ground chicken wings with bones (the wingettes are all my food grinder can handle) but they need the entire bone to help their teeth. Chris barely eats his wet food the way it is, I can’t see him or any of our boys eating the entire chicken wing, although Frankie might attempt it.
I recently came across Solredo Silver Vine Chew Sticks that claim to clean cat’s teeth among other health benefits. On Amazon they are labeled as “Matatabi Cat Catnip Sticks.” I assume Matatabi is another word for Silver Vine but Catnip is probably wrong since they are Silver Vine sticks.
They arrived last week and I took three out of the resealable package and gave them to our boys with mixed results. They were interested at first but it didn’t last. Frankie even started playing with his Kitty Kick Styx. It seemed holding the sticks was much more effective after the initial interest subsided. Unfortunately, holding them is not realistic. Perhaps they should sell a device that holds them ten inches off the ground.
Has anyone tried these? What do you think?
My wife ordered new Kitty Kick Styx for our boys for Christmas to replace their old ones. They arrived when we were away in St. Augustine for a long weekend. The neighbor, who was watching our cats, brought the mail inside. She noticed Chris tearing up the package so she put it in the hall closet. She then noticed that Frankie was attacking the rest of the mail, which probably had a catnip smell, so she put that in a kitchen drawer.
When we returned, the neighbor came by to tell us where our mail was. When we retrieved the package from the closet, Chris immediately started trying to get into it. We then felt like saving it for Christmas would not work so they all got an early present.
Frankie went absolutely crazy with his Kitty Kick Styx.Â
Chris was a little more subdued but not much.
Floki was cautious but he eventually warmed up to it.
Has anyone tried these? What did your cat(s) think?
My post last week talked about how Chris can still be bad despite his age and weight and about him getting up in the cabinet to eat the flavor packet that came with the NomNomNow food. Now that the flavor packet is gone he is still getting up in the cabinet.
I think he was looking for it but when he realized it was no longer there he spied the container of catnip.
Naturally, as a punishment, I gave him some catnip.
This morning I went out for a bit and returned to find the catnip on the counter. I guess he struggled to get it open and then gave up without even trying to hide what he had done.
Perhaps Chris should be nicknamed “The Spoiler” for his ability to spoil a good time, especially if it is Frankie having a good time. Check out the video below of Frankie having fun with a catnip mouse.
You may also remember a similar incident a few years ago.
Recently we had  catnip party and, as happens sometimes at parties, things got a bit out of hand.
A couple of weeks ago I got an email from Ellen of the blog 15 and Meowing. She said we won the prize in their Halloween giveaway, The prizes were supposed to be a catnip mat, a catnip ghost, a magnet and a button skull but when I asked that she send the prize to Chris’s old shelter, Sav-R-Cats, in Surfside Beach, South Carolina, Ellen decided to make more catnip toys, 20 in all, so the cats at the shelter could enjoy them. Isn’t she wonderful?
I got the following pictures from Shirley, the shelter manager at Sav-R-Cats, and it looks like the prizes were a hit.
I’m grateful to Ellen and her crew and happy that these homeless cats have something to brighten their days a little. I know that they are well taken care of there, but I still hope all will find a loving home soon.
Bad Cat Chris 