Artichoke is 7!

I am a bad fur-mom... I missed Artichoke's unofficial 7th birthday!
But don't worry, she got her kitty treats and gets lots of daily loving!

To celebrate, here are some pictures of when she was a kitten.  After I brought her home she got a flee bath!

She still likes to get into drawers!

Love this kitty!

-ELH

Mixed Nuts - furry addition

If you haven't figured it out by now, I love cats!  I have always had a cat growing up and now have 2 of my own!

So this edition of Mixed Nuts includes iphone pictures of kitties and Molly!

Sharing the top perch on their cat tree.  Like Arti's Christmas bow.

Arti likes sleeping on Molly's bed.

Parent's cat - Germi

Parent's other cat - Galli Girl - they both don't like getting their pictures taken, so sorry for the blurriness!

Enjoying the sun in wine boxes!

 

This is how Arti helps fold the warm laundry!

Molly wonders why her Christmas bow is so small? I ran out of ribbon!?!

What animal pictures are on your phone?
Enjoy!
ELH

Kitty play time

While I was doing my Nike Training Club, Arti decided she need to do her own workout. She pushed my running shoes and an empty shoe box around the living room. It was hilarious watching her push the box back and forth with her head. I wasn't able to get the flip camera out fast enough, but I was able to get these lovely before and after shots!

Before -

After -

As my thesis says, "Arti who makes me laugh!"
I just love that cat!

Enjoy!
ELH

Parrchoke

Artichoke, pretending she is a parrot!

My name is not standard. In fact if you google just my first name, you won't find many hits.
My parents got creative and named me after a Star Trek character. They made the spelling and pronunciation up! When GAH and I first started dating he would refer to me as The Girl because his friends could not get my name right!

So I believe that babies should have some what standard names with minimal spelling creativity. Chatey is not Katie!
I do believe that animals should have extremely creative names!
My parents first cat was Kitty. The first kittens we got were Misty (he was a boy) and Benny (he was supposed to be Jenny but my parents didn't like the idea of girl name for a boy cat! But they were okay with Misty!?!) Our second kitties were Hershey and Flower.
I love Cats and Gus, Theater Cat is my favorite.
"Gus is the Cat at the Theatre Door
His name as I ought to have told you before
Is really Asparagus, but that's such a fuss
To pronounce that we usually call him
Just Gus"

I named my first cat Asparagus! I thought it was fitting to name my girl tailless cat, Gus!

Fast forward 5 years and my research group's Scientist found out that their cat was having kittens. His wife played on my emotions and convinced me that Gussy needed a friend!
I picked the black kitty (she has a tall). Her name had been decided from a grocery store ad listing Asparagus and Artichokes on sale!
Asparagus (Gussy) and Artichoke (Arti or Chokie or Chokes) are my fur-babies.
If GAH lets me get another kitty, their name will be Apricot!

Enjoy!
-ELH

PS - GAH named his dog Molly - one of the top female dog names. B-O-R-I-N-G!!

Sick Kitty

Artichoke (AKA - Chokie or Arti) is my 4year old adventurous tailed cat! (Gus - is my other 9 year old Manx)

Arti likes to get into things - she likes to drink the shower water; she dips her paws in the water bowl after using the litter box - sanitary reasons??; she loves kitty treats and will do tricks to get one; she loves to eat and play; she likes to eat rubber things - Lance Armstrong bracelets will be eaten in a matter of minutes!; she likes to look outside but runs away when you open the door; she runs to the door when I come home; she is up and at the food bowl as soon as I am up; she likes to sleep under the blankets; she is terrified of the vacuum cleaner; she likes to lick paper especially with fresh ink; and I just love this kitty.

A few weeks ago I came home to a lovely hairball - eww! I have dealt with Gussy's before so I didn't think much of it. Both cats eat Hairball prevention cat food and get the nasty malt-like toothpaste prevention stuff to limit the amount of hairballs I have to clean up. I knew it was Arti's hairball because there was a rubber band in the hairball, I mentioned she likes to eat rubber stuff?!

I cleaned it up and didn't think much about it.

I guess the hairball and some other toxin (the Vet thinks she licked something bad or ate something unsettling) cause Arti to get sick. She was vomiting clear liquids and not eating for a few days.

I took her to the vet and they kept her overnight (I did miss my kitty, but Gussy had a ball being an only-child for the night!). She got IV fluids (she is sporting cute shaved arms - the latest in Kitty Fashion!) and her blood work came back normal - thank-goodness she didn't have serious disease. We have special bland Rx cat food that both cats will be enjoying for the next month!

The apartment has been kitty proofed and she is not allowed to lick the bathtub water and paper!

-Enjoy!

ELT