Blissful E » cat http://blissfule.me parenting peacefully since 2006 Thu, 09 Sep 2010 08:55:26 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 baby gate http://blissfule.me/index.php/2010/07/baby-gate/ http://blissfule.me/index.php/2010/07/baby-gate/#comments Fri, 02 Jul 2010 08:24:15 +0000 blissfule http://blissfule.me/?p=7234
Vi demonstrates our latest piece of safety equipment
 
After three-and-a-half years of gate-free parenting, it was the confluence of Lex getting his litter box back and Vi's increased mobility that forced our hand.
 
We bought a baby gate to let Nikki, Michael (with Nikki's help), and Lex have access to toileting facilities while keeping Vi safely out of the fray.
 
Once the warmer weather returns, we'll take what we've learned about cat toilet training and restart with Lex. We hope to have him using the flush toilet full time before next winter.]]>
Vi demonstrates our latest piece of safety equipment
 
After three-and-a-half years of gate-free parenting, it was the confluence of Lex getting his litter box back and Vi's increased mobility that forced our hand.
 
We bought a baby gate to let Nikki, Michael (with Nikki's help), and Lex have access to toileting facilities while keeping Vi safely out of the fray.
 
Once the warmer weather returns, we'll take what we've learned about cat toilet training and restart with Lex. We hope to have him using the flush toilet full time before next winter.]]> http://blissfule.me/index.php/2010/07/baby-gate/feed/ 6 purrfect perch http://blissfule.me/index.php/2010/05/purrfect-perch/ http://blissfule.me/index.php/2010/05/purrfect-perch/#comments Mon, 03 May 2010 06:48:25 +0000 blissfule http://blissfule.me/?p=6700  
 
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]]> http://blissfule.me/index.php/2010/05/purrfect-perch/feed/ 1 neighbourhood cat http://blissfule.me/index.php/2010/03/neighbourhood-cat/ http://blissfule.me/index.php/2010/03/neighbourhood-cat/#comments Wed, 17 Mar 2010 07:44:40 +0000 blissfule http://blissfule.me/?p=6123  
 
 
She must enjoy the excitement!]]>  
 
 
She must enjoy the excitement!]]> http://blissfule.me/index.php/2010/03/neighbourhood-cat/feed/ 3 toilet training Lex http://blissfule.me/index.php/2010/01/toilet-training-lex/ http://blissfule.me/index.php/2010/01/toilet-training-lex/#comments Thu, 28 Jan 2010 07:17:21 +0000 blissfule http://blissfule.me/?p=5534  
 
While that solution did work, it wasn't ideal. Wouldn't it be better to get rid of the litter?
 
How wonderful, I thought, to say goodbye to litter crumbs, to flush rather than scoop, and - most of all - to reclaim the floor space Lex's huge litter box occupied in our otherwise marvelous bathroom.
 
 
Fortunately we're not the first people to dream of training a cat to use the human toilet. Aston Lau has even written a book about it, The Toilet Trained Cat.
 
 
By following the clear instructions in Aston's book, we have made some progress, and the huge litter box is gone. We now have a smaller litter pan duct taped to the toilet seat. Lex has peed in it, but we're waiting for him to poo in it as well.
 
 
After he passes that test, we'll give him a few more days to get used to hopping up there to do his business before we move him to stage two, which involves getting rid of the litter box and moving to a roasting pan embedded between the toilet seat and the basin.
 
 
You may wonder where we humans are using the toilet while we have various contraptions duct taped to our loo. Fortunately, we have a dunny outside as part of our shed.
 
We hope to have Lex fully trained and to be litter free before the first autumn rain!]]>  
 
While that solution did work, it wasn't ideal. Wouldn't it be better to get rid of the litter?
 
How wonderful, I thought, to say goodbye to litter crumbs, to flush rather than scoop, and - most of all - to reclaim the floor space Lex's huge litter box occupied in our otherwise marvelous bathroom.
 
 
Fortunately we're not the first people to dream of training a cat to use the human toilet. Aston Lau has even written a book about it, The Toilet Trained Cat.
 
 
By following the clear instructions in Aston's book, we have made some progress, and the huge litter box is gone. We now have a smaller litter pan duct taped to the toilet seat. Lex has peed in it, but we're waiting for him to poo in it as well.
 
 
After he passes that test, we'll give him a few more days to get used to hopping up there to do his business before we move him to stage two, which involves getting rid of the litter box and moving to a roasting pan embedded between the toilet seat and the basin.
 
 
You may wonder where we humans are using the toilet while we have various contraptions duct taped to our loo. Fortunately, we have a dunny outside as part of our shed.
 
We hope to have Lex fully trained and to be litter free before the first autumn rain!]]> http://blissfule.me/index.php/2010/01/toilet-training-lex/feed/ 3 sunbeams http://blissfule.me/index.php/2010/01/sunbeams/ http://blissfule.me/index.php/2010/01/sunbeams/#comments Mon, 25 Jan 2010 06:59:38 +0000 blissfule http://blissfule.me/?p=5457  
 
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]]> http://blissfule.me/index.php/2010/01/sunbeams/feed/ 5 the enforcer http://blissfule.me/index.php/2007/07/the-enforcer/ http://blissfule.me/index.php/2007/07/the-enforcer/#comments Mon, 09 Jul 2007 11:21:00 +0000 blissfule http://www.xanga.com/blissful_e//2007/07/09/
Training two kittens and a ten-month-old child about the finer points of domestic life à la E is a stretching experience. Sharing is good. Swiping is bad. Food on the table or counter is for humans. Food on the floor, even in bowls, is strictly cats-only. I have only one lap (until it disappears) and Nikki gets first dibs.
Speaking of my precious daughter, here are a few pictures of Nikki in the adorable outfit sent to us by Zach and his wife Laura, rightfully known as the Domestic Goddess . Welcome to the blogosphere, lovely Laura!



For the first few days I thought I would never sit down again without being overrun. Then I realised the cats feel the same way when Nikki is in the room. We all move around, a lot.

Nikki giggles more, and she roams farther and wider. She craves my company less when there are kittens to chase. Life is less peaceful, less predictable, but more interactive and interesting. It is a good arrangement.

I think I can keep my moniker, blissful. But I'm going to need to refill this water gun.

]]>
Training two kittens and a ten-month-old child about the finer points of domestic life à la E is a stretching experience. Sharing is good. Swiping is bad. Food on the table or counter is for humans. Food on the floor, even in bowls, is strictly cats-only. I have only one lap (until it disappears) and Nikki gets first dibs.
Speaking of my precious daughter, here are a few pictures of Nikki in the adorable outfit sent to us by Zach and his wife Laura, rightfully known as the Domestic Goddess . Welcome to the blogosphere, lovely Laura!



For the first few days I thought I would never sit down again without being overrun. Then I realised the cats feel the same way when Nikki is in the room. We all move around, a lot.

Nikki giggles more, and she roams farther and wider. She craves my company less when there are kittens to chase. Life is less peaceful, less predictable, but more interactive and interesting. It is a good arrangement.

I think I can keep my moniker, blissful. But I'm going to need to refill this water gun.

]]> http://blissfule.me/index.php/2007/07/the-enforcer/feed/ 4 a gift of kittens http://blissfule.me/index.php/2007/07/a-gift-of-kittens/ http://blissfule.me/index.php/2007/07/a-gift-of-kittens/#comments Fri, 06 Jul 2007 02:57:00 +0000 blissfule http://www.xanga.com/blissful_e//2007/07/06/
IMG_5923 IMG_5927

Freckles is an orange and white tabby, and Greta is white with black blotches, a black tail, and black hearts behind her front paws. They are Egyptian cats, with short hair and very friendly. Each of them purrs up a storm, and they also are calm and confident around Nikki, with her pointy finger and sometimes gentle, other times grabbing hands.


 
Nikki loves to watch the cats play together and to get involved in their play time. I think that these frisky kittens might mean that I will at last be able to count on a consistent mostly-distraction-free quiet time each morning while Nikki is busy with her furry friends. Kittens - the gift that keeps on giving!]]>
IMG_5923 IMG_5927

Freckles is an orange and white tabby, and Greta is white with black blotches, a black tail, and black hearts behind her front paws. They are Egyptian cats, with short hair and very friendly. Each of them purrs up a storm, and they also are calm and confident around Nikki, with her pointy finger and sometimes gentle, other times grabbing hands.


 
Nikki loves to watch the cats play together and to get involved in their play time. I think that these frisky kittens might mean that I will at last be able to count on a consistent mostly-distraction-free quiet time each morning while Nikki is busy with her furry friends. Kittens - the gift that keeps on giving!]]> http://blissfule.me/index.php/2007/07/a-gift-of-kittens/feed/ 1