I plan to recap the Blogathon this week. For now, time to catch some ZZZs. My pets are experts at this. They slept all through the Blogathon, and most of today, too.

Each photo is from an earlier (pre-Blogathon) post – click on the photo to take you back to the original story…

Barnie in la la la land

Quincy knows how to catch some zzzzz

Sophie says - yes, this will do nicely!

Argos will make do

Greta, the master sleeper

See you on the upside!

Goodnight from the gang

Post from: About Vet Med - Pet and vet facts, news and fun stuff

Hour 1: Sleepathon! Time for some ZZZs

Meet the pets and prize alert

I started this blog a few months after I joined Twitter. I didn’t need another blog – I have my bead blog and there’s always lots to do at about.com. But this was just going to be a place to “expand” on topics discussed on Twitter and basically be a launch pad to what was going on at about.com.

But… as it often goes with blogging, you find your voice as time goes on.

The main voice that needed a place was Barnie. My sweet silent kitty I found in my barn in the spring of 2009. He was about 7 months old, completely matted, skinny and … silent. He can’t meow. Which somehow makes his expressions even cuter. He is kind of an “old soul” cat. He is playful and mischievous, but has a sense of wisdom too. He reminds me of my Great Cat Herman.

Barnie then:

Barnie being harassed by the geese.

Barnie now:

Such a good boy.

Next up, Sophie

Oh Sophie. She is everyone’s best friend. We adopted her from the shelter in 2002.

Sophie circa 2002 (6 mo old)

My sweet Sophie is a happy goofball

Then we have Argos the Greyhound

I am about due to write his one-year-post-adoption update. Time flies! We adopted him from a local Greyhound rescue group in December 2009. He was huge – very tall. But thin. Yeah… yeah… Greyhounds are thin. But he was thin even for a Greyhound. His papers said 80 pounds, but hmmm. I took him to the clinic and we weighed in at a paltry 67 pounds. Poor baby!

Over this past year he has blossomed – his weight is now 80 pounds, and he is personality plus! Seeing him learn what toys are, how to play, and gaining that self confidence has been the most rewarding part of his adoption.

Just after being adopted

Best friend buddies

Next up, Greta (and memories of Herman)
Sweet Greta. She came in the clinic over 18 years ago on Halloween, run over. She took most of the hit in her face – broken nose, broken teeth, and scratched up. We tried to find her a home after she recovered, but no takers. I had just adopted Herman (also brought in the clinic, run over, just 3 months prior). Things weren’t working out – young Herman was terrorizing Lucy (the siameseX in the header image), and my house was upside down. Adopting another cat might be asking for it. Or maybe it might work….? So Greta came home with me.

Greta and Herman instantly bonded and were buddies for life. They ignored Lucy. Everyone was happy. Sixteen years later, Herman suffered from kidney failure and hyperthyroidism. Greta pulled away from Herman in those last few months. Did she know? I don’t know, but we were all heartbroken at his passing. Greta lives on. She is very slow and sleeps most of her days.

Greta doing what she does best

Herman

Let’s not forget… Quincy!

The newest member of the cast, Quincy arrived in June. He was a gift. It was a planned gift (we knew in advance), but not planned… if you know what I mean. Quincy came to us via the family of a very dear friend who has been dealt a difficult hand. We love him! He literally makes us Laugh Out Loud everyday. In between the “no! Quincy!” training sessions.

Prize alert

I realize that I need to add Quincy to the header image (top of the blog). He hasn’t made an appearance yet! I will be doing that sometime during this blogathon. The first person to notice when he appears and comment here, on this post, will win a bead. Check out the beads here. Winner picks the bead.

No rush… I haven’t even located the header graphic file to update it yet!

Meet the chickens and geese later on in this blogathon!

Post from: About Vet Med - Pet and vet facts, news and fun stuff

Hour 1: Meet the Crew

Diligently trying to pull out his IV catheter.

Post from: About Vet Med - Pet and vet facts, news and fun stuff

Oh Quincy!

First Argos.
He has actually shown the least interest, especially if it is nap time.

Next Sophie.
She is always the referee/nanny/babysitter. Remember when Barnie joined us?

So intense. Checking out the new guy.

Next, Greta
She has been a little cranky. I would say it is because she is 19 years old, but she has pretty much been this way her whole life. But we love her anyway.

And finally, Barnie!
The playmate he has been searching for. Maybe…?

So the new guy – still kind of nameless, but considering Quincy or Pete – is pretty cute. Warning… Cute overload:

Post from: About Vet Med - Pet and vet facts, news and fun stuff

New Kid in Town

Previously, this was as close as Barnie and Greta have “cuddled”

Several months ago:

Big Barnie and petite old Greta "bonding" in the same cat space.

A few weeks ago:

Barnie and Greta sharing their space.

Now this…

Greta and Barnie snuggled on a Cat Mat

They are touching! What’s up?

Details coming in the next few days…

Post from: About Vet Med - Pet and vet facts, news and fun stuff

What’s up with this?

Lucky me – Michael’s had Lion Brand “Thick and Quick” wool blend on sale. It is 20% wool, 80% acrylic – great for easy washing – in an olive color called Cilantro. Normally $6.49, marked down (clearance, actually) to $1.99. This was the only color on sale – hmmmm!? – maybe it doesn’t sell well or people don’t like it, but I would have selected it above all of the other colors. So… not sure what that says about me, but I was happy about that.

Here is the finished mat and the Cat Mat recipients. I have written down the “pattern” below for any knitters out there.

The Cat Mat on the back of the couch, Greta's perch

Greta on her Cat Mat (that IS her happy look)

Window version of the Cat Mat, modeled by Barnie

Barnie figures this is a good deal

Make your own Cat Mat
I used just a few yards over 1 skein (to make the last 5 rows, ~10 yards) of Lion Brand Wool Ease “Thick and Quick” using size 15 (29″) circular needles. I would recommend casting on fewer stitches and it should be a one-skein project. I plan to make more of these and will try that out. For now, here is what I did to make this Cat Mat.

I am not a pattern-writer, but here goes.

1. Cast on 54 stitches. I used a Long Tail cast on.
2. Garter stitch (knit each row) for 5 rows.
3. Garter stitch first 5 stitches, then stockinette stitch (knit one row, purl the next row), then garter stitch last 5 stitches.
   *Note: garter stitch = always knit the first and last 5 stitches to give you the garter stitch side borders
4. Continue step #3 until the Cat Mat is as ‘tall’ as you want it, then finish off with 5 purl rows.

Finished size: 22″ x 14″ (unblocked) and 2.5 stitches per inch

That’s it!

For my next Cat Mat
I purchased some 14″ size 15 straight needles for the next go-round. That will make the ‘short’ edge of the Cat Mat, and the stockinette stitch will go length-wise. Just to try a different way (and an excuse to buy another pair of needles).

Post from: About Vet Med - Pet and vet facts, news and fun stuff

The Cat Mat

Sleep, sleep, sleep. The pets have fun, too. They… go for walks, play in the yard, go for hikes, chase stuff (and each other) and enjoy meal time excitement. But mostly, they lounge around, living the easy life.

They also swap sleeping places. Never fighting or aggressive, but definitely on the “first come, first sleep” basis. Here is a typical day in the life of lounging pets. Here are more “typical days” of sleeping pets.

Nothing is more "typical" than a Greyhound loving life on the couch.

Unless we find this...

This causes trouble for Argos, who must find other accommodations.

This IS a very nice dog bed, by the way...

Deaf 19 year old Greta minds her own business. She sleeps very soundly in her Princess Bed.

Unless we find this...

Barnie insists he is comfy (and fits) in Greta's Princess Bed.

I have recently taken up the sport of knitting, and am obsessed! But … I don’t like to just make random things. Schtuff to fill up your house. Nope. I am all about functional art. In this case, I decided that I would make Barnie his very own Cat Mat for napping coziness.

My “in my head” pattern turned out a little too big for his window perch, so I thought it would make a great back-of-the-couch cozy for Greta. This is “her” spot nearly all of the time, when she isn’t in the Princess Bed. I worked until late at night and left the Cat Mat project on the back of the couch, where I was figuring out how wide I want to make it.

Cat Mat in progress, laying on the back of the couch to measure size.

Greta approves of the Cat-Mat-in-progress.

You can see where this is going here.

My sweet Sophie is happy wherever she lays her head!

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Sleeping Arrangements

This is as close to snuggling as almost-19-year-old Greta and young Mr Barnie get.

Barnie and Greta sharing their space.

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Sunny Window Cat Mosaic

Post from: About Vet Med - Pet and vet facts, news and fun stuff

What I’d rather be doing

Sophie likes Barnie well enough.

Barnie really, really missed Sophie when we were at the coast this summer. Here he is “snuggling” with his favorite canine upon her return. (This pose was not set up!)

Barnie says... Oh how I love my Sophie.

Barnie tolerates his senior cat companions. He is respectful to the “old ladies,” his housemates, Greta (17) and Ruby (15 or 16). Most of the time.

Here he is sharing a cat space bubble with Greta. Is it just me, or does he look giganourmous?!

Big Barnie and petite old Greta "bonding" in the same cat space.

Post from: About Vet Med - Pet and vet facts, news and fun stuff

Barnie and a couple of his pet peeps