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?