Pet Blogging

I am beginning to really understand why people like Apples.

They are easy.

I plugged in my old Sony camera, and iPhotos popped up. I picked the pictures on the camera I wanted to import, and it imported them. I then edited them slightly in photoshop, and I was done. No screaming. No chest pains. No spending 45 minutes downloading drivers so it would recognize my camera. Just plug it in, and it works. At any rate, some pictures of Tunch:

At any rate, this is so easy, expect more pictures of Tunch.

Tunch BloggingPost + Comments (48)

Not sure how much I am going to be blogging this weekend, so I thought I would leave you with this, which was mailed in from one of our readers:

I think it is time to resurrect Friday catblogging here.

Weekend Open ThreadPost + Comments (84)

Tunch has finally adjusted (and by adjusted, I mean that he has not attacked my feet in two weeks and is eating his food and has stopped skulking around the house bitching at me 20 hours a day) to the switch from Science Diet Lite to Felidae, and I have to say that I really like the results so far:

1.) He appears to have already lost a little weight, and the switch took place just a little bit ago.

2.) His bowel movements are smaller. Why is this important, those who do not own cats might ask? Because he shits in a box in my house.

3.) His fur seems healthier. I brush him every morning (and when it is really hot, I brush him at night, too), and his hair seems smoother and silkier and just, in general, healthier.

4.) He seems less sluggish and more active, and I have noticed his nose is moister and pinker, FWIW.

In general, he seems friskier, more active, happier, and healthier, and these are observations after just a few weeks.

Tunch UpdatePost + Comments (30)

I am switching cat food, moving from Science Diet Lite to Felidae, and Tunch is driving me crazy.

I tried the whole weaning him slowly by mixing the two, and he picked around the Felidae and ate the SDL. Now, I am giving him nothing but Felidae, and he is driving me crazy. He walks around the apartment meowing and shooting me angry glares.

At what point do I just give up and try a different cat food? Is there a chance he just does not like the change, or is it possible that he really does not like the taste/texture of Felidae? How do I judge?

Help. My cat is driving me insane.

Switching Cat FoodPost + Comments (78)

What follows is my sister’s goodbye email about Irie. Sure, most people only get one obit here at Balloon Juice, but Irie was good enough that he gets two (not to mention I wonder aboutthe concept of heaven for people, but there is no question there is a heaven for pets).

Irie Cole 1992 — 2006 (October 20th, 4:35PM)

Friday we made the hardest decision of our lives, and let Irie gently pass away.

While his mind and appetite were still fairly sharp, Irie had slowly lost the use of his back legs and it had become apparent to everyone (except maybe me at times) that he was no longer thoroughly enjoying his life, and was putting up a brave front to the pain he was experiencing on a daily basis. He had to be assisted to go to the bathrooom, and I had relegated myself to carrying him from room to room, for food, water, .etc. While I would have done this for as long as I had to, it was becoming more and more difficult to see such a vivacious and active dog slowly deteriorate this way. I had to come to terms with what was best for him (and it was not lying around all day, unable to walk, so I could enjoy the pleasure of his company for a few hours a day).

I am completely heartbroken, but I know that in time I will feel better that we made the best possible decision for him, and it was only out of complete love and respect for this little dog I have adored for 15 years, that we did so.

Thank you too all of you who loved Irie and to those who merely tolerated him.

As one of my brother’s friends said- “he’s gone to where the rabbits run slow and straight”. I like to think of him that way. Up there with all of his buddies who left before him, eating pork barbeque, rolling in nastiness and chasing deer and rabbits.

I leave you with a few Irie-isms-

Favorite Food- Plain double Cheeseburgers from McDonalds.
Favorite Trick- “Speak” – I rue the Day Chris taught him this one…
Favorite Treats- Beggin’ strips, well, and pretty much anything else.
Favorite Disgusting habit- Rolling in dead animals until they were embedded so badly in his collar that I had to throw it away.
Favorite Annoying Habit- Barking his head off at campgrounds, the river or any place he felt the urge.
Greatest Talent- Sniffing out any animal within a two mile radius and proceeding to chase it.
Favorite Pastime- Running away for hours on end chasing deer and making his mother sick with worry.

The thing I will miss most- cuddling with him. Despite his bad little beagle habits, he was the most gentle dog I have ever known. Babies and children could pull his ears, tail, and “pet” him more firmly than they should, and Irie would calmly and patiently sit until they were finished. I guess most dogs and cats could sense his “sensitive” side because he was always the first one to be picked on in a group of dogs and the last one to fight back. He was ornery, but he was a loveable, wonderful dog, and I will miss his terribly for the rest of my life. I am forever grateful for having the privilege of his company for as long as I did.

Irie- a strong powerful positive feeling. Means everything is alright. Expression of feeling great and cool and also a greeting used instead of “good day”.

I can’t even imagine how much she misses that guy, but I can say this- if E.B. White had met Irie, Charlotte’s web would have read ‘Some Dog.’

End of an EraPost + Comments (11)

Tim informed me that he is off to a 4 day convention/getaway, so it is up to me to hold down the fort and provide the Friday entertainment. I know nothing about beer other than that I would rather be drinking a martini/wine/scotch, so beerblogging is out. Thus, our only option is to present pictures of fat cats.

I give you Dante, in all his glory:

And you thought the only fat cats were in Washington.

Friday CatBloggingPost + Comments (26)