Gus on the prowl

 So this summer Chad and I bought a house in Kansas.  Our plan was to invest money in rental properties so we can have a hope of retiring someday.  The house was great, sound, but it hadn't been loved in a long time and it needed a lot of work.  Since I'm free in the summer, it was decided I would do or supervise the work.  I didn't want to leave the cats alone, but I didn't think I could handle both since the travel was long.  Georgy isn't a cat that has a lot of patience.  She's still a kitten, she's wild and I didn't think she could be confined under an airplane seat with her brother for very long.  

Gus on Daddy's desk before his big adventure

The trip is a 45 minute plane ride from Barrow to Anchorage.  Then a 3-4 hour trip from Anchorage to Seattle, then another 3-4 hour trip from Seattle to Kansas City.  From Kansas City its a 2 hour car ride to Franklin, KS.  All of this plus layovers and other stops.  It takes a very patient cat.  Ragdolls are known for their laid back personalities, and Gus, although young, is very accepting of most things I do with him. 

The first leg was easy, it wasn't that long, and he just chilled.  While I was in the airports during layovers, I put his harness on him and let him out of his carrier to wander.  I packed a traveling litter box.  Basically, a low rectangular rubbermaid with litter that fit in my backpack.  If the airport had a pet area, I took it there and put him on his leash.  If I wasn't by one, I just went into the handicapped stall and did it there.  He didn't go while we traveled.  I'm sure he was too stressed.  

Gus in his carrier with leash

During the 2 longer flights, he got a little agitated.  He likes to sit up sometimes, and he can't under the airplane seats.  I dragged his carrier out so he wasn't under the seat during flight times.  I put his carrier on my lap a couple of times, and stuck my hand in to pet him if he started to meow.  Mostly his meows are quiet, so not a problem for other travelers.  I did let him poke his head out once or twice to look around.  He really did travel well.  

Gus under seat

Gus getting pets on plane

When we got to KC, we stopped to visit with Chad's sister (she picked us up) and to get Chad's truck which is at his sister's house.  When we left, I just let him loose.  I've traveled like that before with other cats.  Well, I shouldn't have done that.  He wedged himself in the back corner so far, I couldn't get him out.  In fact, I don't think he could get himself out.  I had to hurt him a little to pull him out, and I felt awful!  

We had to stay in a hotel for a week, because the house didn't have water or a working bathroom, and it was unbelievably filthy. At first, all the hotel noise bothered Gus and he was afraid, but he got over it fast, and loved being alone with me!  He was a snuggly beast!  It took forever to clean up all the long white hair when it was time to leave!  

Yeoww! banana

 I haven't blogged for awhile.  Not because Gus has failed to be cute, he is the cutest, but I spend almost 8 hours a day looking at a computer screen, and it's killing my eyes!  My new 400 dollar glasses with the computer anti-glare help a bit, but I leave them at work, so blogging at home has been challenging!  I'll post a bit about my and Gus's summer adventure to Kansas, but for now I'm going to share my ongoing adventures about Gus and his catnip banana that I've been amusing myself with on Facebook (instead of blogging).  

First off, Jenny at Floppycats.com (she's the largest Ragdoll blogger on the interwebs), always pushes this Yeoww! catnip banana.  She says her cats love it, blah, blah, blah.  I'm always willing to try something new, since the cats get bored easily.  So I bought one.  I couldn't even get the box open and they were both attacking it.  I got the banana out, and in one day, it was destroyed.  The following are the adventures of the banana to date....

Facebook posts....

Ok I'm upset. Got my first Yeoww! banana today after hearing everyone's rave reviews. It didn't last a night and it's dead.  Killed.

More in the Yeoww! banana chronicles.  After my initial repair, the duct tape held off shenanigans for a few days. Then the poor banana corpse was violated once again. Here it is screaming in pain, even in death.

The banana was repaired again, its guts scattered to the four winds. Gus couldn't allow it to remain in the banana hospital, but immediately retrieved it for future mauling.  Poor banana has fewer guts now and less to give, but it holds on strong to its waning life. Hold tough banana, hold tough.

He looks so peaceful, sleeping in the background while the banana screams in pain and rage.  The ravager and the ravaged.

This morning the Yeoww! banana was once again attacked.  Its bandages ripped away from its tender flesh,  its lifeblood pouring out.  When will the banana get peace? It's sickly yellow flesh bears new rents, and its screams are harsh.  Yet the destroyer cares not. Oh, banana your cries are heard!

The Yeoww! banana tried to flee its constant abuse by  sliding under the door to freedom.  Although it is half of its original self, it still couldn't make the fit and was torn back with savage delight-- tearing its new color coordinated bandages away and exposing its wounds to the enemy.  Ah, the horror!

The Yeoww! banana has hidden itself away in a dry and dusty corner. It is hoping that the reinforcements that have been sent for arrive soon. Little does it know that danger lurks above.

The Yeoww! banana has struggled hard to go unnoticed.  He is thin and worn enough to slip under doors; he has climbed trees and attempted to blend in with the locals, all to no avail. Reinforcements have failed to arrive in a timely fashion.  Will he survive? He doesn't know. His wounds itch under the bandages and he thinks that maybe the horrific gashes in his flesh are healing, but he has to stay on the run to avoid the predators so he can't check.  Keep running, banana! Nooooo! What has happened!

*The following images are not intended for children. They feature extreme banana abuse.* The Yeoww! banana has not had the strength to drag itself away from its aggressor.  Its flesh was ripped open anew, and its hope has begun to fade as reinforcements are delayed yet again.  Even if it is healing under the bandages, its new wounds are grievous.  It wishes its will to live were less, because its pain and suffering are constant. The latest attack was horrendous and it cries to the banana gods nightly.  Oh let this trial pass!

The Yeoww! banana struggled through, broken and battered until reinforcements finally arrived.  His heart soared with joy knowing his brothers in arms would stand with him against the enemy. United they could conquer.  Suddenly,  Yeoww! 2 disappeared. He returned limping and broken --full of puncture wounds all over his delicate banana skin.  Trembling, Yeoww! 3, watched attempting to avoid the fate that lurks. Will the bananas conquer?

Oberon

Jenny at floppycats.com asked about ragamuffins and I thought of my boy, Obie.  Ragamuffins were developed from Ragdolls because some people wanted the characteristics, only with a wider range of color.  Ragdolls can only be in the following colors and color combos: blue, chocolate, lilac, red and cream. Point colors may be solid, lynx (including tortie-lynx); and parti-colored (or tortie). All Ragdolls are pointed, but points are partially overlaid with white in the Mitted and Bicolor.  Almost all Ragdolls have blue eyes. Ragamuffins do as well, but other eye colors are allowed.  

I got Oberon in 1997.  My precious Kitty had died (just a regular old domestic short-haired silver tabby).  She had been my constant companion for 13 years and I was devastated. I didn’t plan on getting another cat.  I didn’t want one and I wasn’t ready for one. Anyway, my sister thought I needed one and she brought me this absolutely itty bitty kitty in a plastic jewelry bag.  

He was so tiny, I thought he was a stuffed kitty.  Only he moved. He was an adorable black and white “tuxedo” type cat with huge green eyes. I thought he looked too young to be away from his mum, but my sister said he was 10 weeks.  I now know that he was 4 weeks at best. I didn’t feed him from a bottle, but he was always clingy to me and he had this comfort habit of sucking on my earlobe when he fell asleep at night. I think he was deeply psychologically damaged. This may be why he had some of the behaviors that he had that seem uncharacteristic of the breed.  

Not Oberon.  Just a pic of an Obie like cat from the internet. All photos of him are before I had a phone with a digital camera, so they are analog and in storage.

He grew to be an average of around 24 lbs., so that itty bitty kitty only lasted for a minute.  Physically, he had the large breed characteristics similar to the Ragdoll. He had the shorter nosed, triangular face, long hair, large paws, and sturdy build (long bodied, thick sturdy legs, and long expressive tail).  He had the silky hair that didn’t really mat unless you let it go a very long time. He had a little fatty stomach patch, but he wasn’t ever really what I’d call fat. He was a very large, muscular cat.

Another Obie like cat from interwebs

Just like a ragdoll, he would go limp and I could carry him like a baby.  He also liked to sprawl like my ragdoll and he’d let me carry him around for as long as I could take it!  One thing that was very particular about him, that seems different from my ragdoll and may or may not be breed specific is that he was a very expressive ‘tail talker.’ Gus, my ragdoll, has a very full lovely tail that seems a little short for his size, but he is not expressive with his tail at all.  He generally holds it straight out like a fox. Obie, my ragamuffin, had a long, luxurious tail that he liked to hold vertically, and you could tell his every thought by his tail.  

Both of my cats were and are very subtle about getting your attention. Neither was loud or frequent meowers, but they would get your attention even if they have to talk at you.  Obie would brush you lightly with his whiskers. Gus will cuddle you. Both cats seemed to know when you were upset or sick and comfort you with their bodies.  

The difference in personalities may have been, as I said above, because of Obie’s being separated from his momma way too young.  Oberon was very protective of me. He was wary of others and even though he liked people and would check them out and allow them to pick him up, he wouldn’t seek out other people for his comfort.  Only me. He was also more aggressive than my ragdoll.  

Gus accepts everyone equally no matter your age, sex, or species.  He adored his sister when he got her, he took to the dog, he loves people and is curious about anyone who comes to visit.  Obie was very bossy with any other creatures. I dogsat a colleague's teacup Yorkie for a week, and he was a yappy little monster.  Obie put up with it for a few days. Then the dog took it too far and was yapping at Obie, who outweighed him by 20 pounds. Obie smacked that dog (no claws) and rolled him down the hallway 4 feet.  Then he lifted his tail with a flick and jumped up in the window. The dog had nothing to say after that. 

teacup yorkie from interwebs

I had 2 other cats at the same time as Obie, who came after him.  He tolerated them, but he was never really super friendly with them.  Gus took to his 2 years younger sister almost immediately and they became good friends.  Obie hissed at anyone that he thought was taking me away from him. He hated my sister and my mother and hissed at them. It was weird.  He tolerated my husband. Gus could care less.  

Anyway, that was long and I don’t know if it’s helpful, but that’s my recollection of the differences between the two breeds as I experienced it.  

More Georgy

I took Georgy back to the vet today.  I don't know if she is going to make it.  She seems alert and happy, but the diarrhea won't stop.  Even the vet is baffled.  She mentioned 4 or 5 possibilities 1 of which is common and fatal.  She's there having blood work, fecal work ups and fluids.  Please say a prayer for her!

Here are some cute pics.  My nephew came to visit from KC, and his hat was laying on the floor with his stuff.  It attracted a little mite!

Every photo, she's partway through the hole in the back of the hat above the adjustment strap.  It was so cute.  Then she fell asleep curled up in the cap.  I didn't get that shot, but I think Chad did. 

Even though I said she was homely in my other posts, her personality is adorable.  She is sweet, loving, and really cute.  I didn't want to get attached, until I knew she was going to make it or not, but it's too late.  I'm attached. 

Oh, and Gus?  He doesn't know what to do or think.  We don't really let him play with her anymore, she seems too fragile.  He isn't sure what to do. 

Georgy Girl

As mentioned in my last post, Georgy is fitting into the household well.  (I changed the spelling from last time because I call her Georgy girl like the song, and that's how it's spelled in the song!) However, she isn't thriving physically.  She has had the bad runs and isn't gaining weight.  She is so bony, it's sad.  I took her to the vet last week and they gave me an additive for her food to help slow down the runs, wormed her again, and took a fecal sample.  It was sad.  She screamed so loudly I could hear her in the lobby and she was way in the back.

I took her back today and she has lost half an ounce.  When you only weigh 2.3 pounds, half an ounce is huge.  I don't know what to do. She eats.  She eats a lot, but everything seems to be pooping out of her.  Also, she is growing taller, fast.  I hope she survives.  

Now, off the sad note, Georgy loves to sleep in Gus's tree.  He sort of outgrew laying on the shelves even though he still likes to play on it.  She has tons of room on each shelf.  

Georgy getting ready to nap on tree.

She loves her brother and follows him around and does everything he does.  

eating Gus's food

hanging with brother

sleeping with brother on the ottoman

Next to Gus, she is a tiny delicate little thing.  But she is tough. When Gus gets too rough, she hisses, growls and swats at him, and that seems to be enough to make him back off.  All 2 pounds against his 13.  

She is a jumper and even though she is itty bitty, she jumps up in the cat tree, on the couch, on our bed which is 28 inches from the floor and on the counter.  If she can't quite make it, she sticks like velcro and pulls herself up.  It's adorable.  

She'll be a good sister for Gus even though they are a missed matched set.  She can tell him what to do, and he'll adore her.  Hopefully, she'll gain weight and pull through--her little spirit seems strong!