13 posts tagged “gizmo”
Remember Gizmo as he was ...
We had him buzzed for the summer. Poor kitteh doesn't like the heat. However, I asked for between 1/4 and 1/2 inch left. Does it look that long to you? Nyerhe.
Note: I found out that soft fur like Gizmo's is nearly impossible to clip to a specific length, so buzzing it all off is the best they can do. That's okay, I didn't mind anyway, I just think he looks hilarious this way. Shhhh! Don't tell him!
Oh, the shame.
Note the lunch-lady arm flab:
He's on a strict high-protien, ultra-low carb, grain-free diet. He needs to get down to 20ish pounds. We're both doing the South Beach thing until we get it right. Amen.
Yah. He takes showers. Every day, if he can. He followed into the bathroom from the start, and sometimes jumped into the tub when it was dry and empty. Then he'd jump into it after I'd had a shower and it was wet and the faucet was drippy. He liked to lick the drippy spout. So the next time he was in the tub when it was dry, I turned on the tap just a dribble. Well. He liked it. A lot. He likes to let the water pour over his head. He drinks it up. He washes his paws. He gets his tummy all soggy. Nice to be a real Maine Coon, huh?
Have you ever seen such contentment and self-assurity? assuredness? such confidence, even?
Everyone knows this (especially the nichenicks at Cats in Bags). Put an empty paper grocery bag on the floor, and soon it will contain a cat. (Also works for shopping bags.) I believe scientolologenisists* refer to this phenomenon as an example Spontaneous Generation. Anyhoo. Cats, bags, hours of contentment for all involved.
But what do we do when our cat is significantly larger than our bags? No, we can't use plastic lawn bags, as those could cause suffocation. Boxes? They do not supply the irresistible crumpling sound of paper bags. It must be a bag. And it must be a significantly larger bag.
It's a bag designed for leaves and grass clippings, made of the same kind of brown paper used in grocery bags. But it's BIG! The ones I found were 2-ply composting bags from Wal•Mart and measure 16" x 12" x 35"! If you can't find them in a garden center, home improvement-, grocery- or huge-bargain-store near you, you can get similar ones here.
I bring home the bags and open one up on the living room floor. Just in case he doesn't go for it right away, I toss some of his toys in and around the bag, including his favorite, a section of nylon knee-high stocking filled with catnip and tied on either end. This is Giz with his catnip knee-high:
And what inevitably follows.
*scientolologenisists are the people who say stuff that sounds awfully official and scientific but nobody bothers to check their credentials or facts. I made this word up and I'm keeping it. :)
Well, you can hear him now!
Would ya look at that? A cat food formulated specifically for the breed of cat for which I care! And it only costs twice as much as the food I usually purchase!
Of course, I got it. And of course, Gizmo loves it. He ate a stray kibble that fell out of the bag when I opened it, snapped it up almost before it hit the ground! It has large-sized kibbles, so it takes him longer to eat and he has to really crunch it up. We'll see what his litter box looks like over the next couple of days to see if we'll stick with this food.
Giz has his first vet appointment since he's been with me on Saturday. I have so many questions for the doc, like how the heck can I groom this beast and keep his claws trimmed? Why does he drag his ass across the floor like an ill-behaved dog? How can I make sure he's getting enough exercise and the right kind/amount of food?
Oh, and he's getting microchipped, just in case he bolts some day. Which is unlikely, as he seems to have always been an indoor cat and none too enthused about the out-of-doors. The harness and leash time on the patio just didn't prove the enjoyable romp I expected.
From his usual gargoyle perch, Giz defends the fortress from the terrible Feather Toy Beast.
(No, he doesn't fit between the bars, and besides, there were two of us
under the railing there to catch him if he fell, even if we'd end up
getting scratched.)
Gizmo again. This time, on my bed, making biscuits. Assume he is purring loudly whilst doing this.
