Ragdoll "parents" -- this thread''s for you! Brag and post photos here!

[omieluv]

Date: 3/16/2009 11:38:07 PM
Author: BigDiamonds
My gosh, I am so far behind!

Omie is stunning as always! Diva is just the perfect word.

I just love all our Raggie PS babies...it''s so fun to get updates on everyone!

Here are a couple new pictures of Coltrane from the other day. My mom sent him a teddy bear for Valentines Day, and she rolled it in catnip so he would definitely like it!

OMG, I love Coltrane! He has gotten so big and beautiful

I remember his kitten pictures, so frigging adorable. So sweet of your mom to send the teddy bear and it looks like he has been enjoying it thus far. Speaking of catnip, Omie likes to eat raw dried catnip...weird kitty.

 

[omieluv]

Date: 3/17/2009 11:12:37 AM
Author: AmberGretchen
Awww...they are so endearing when they snuggle, aren''t they? And I love how they all have their own rituals around it - my three each have their own time that they get with mommy or daddy, that''s just theirs without the other two kitties. I can totally imagine Miss Omie the diva blissed out and purring and snuggly

I am glad your three get alone time with mommy or daddy, so cute how they make the rounds! Omie, will only tuck me in for the night. It is funny, she will jump on the bed on my BF''s side, walk over him and plop on me. When she is finished, she will walk over him and leave. Daddy feels left out. However, that is the price he pays for wanting me to pass on her at the shelter. After reading her description, he felt she would be a PITA and wanted me to pass. Funny thing was, after I read her description, I thought she would be perfect for me...hehe

 

[AmberGretchen]

Date: 3/17/2009 4:31:40 PM
Author: omieluv

Date: 3/17/2009 11:12:37 AM

Author: AmberGretchen

Awww...they are so endearing when they snuggle, aren''t they? And I love how they all have their own rituals around it - my three each have their own time that they get with mommy or daddy, that''s just theirs without the other two kitties. I can totally imagine Miss Omie the diva blissed out and purring and snuggly

I am glad your three get alone time with mommy or daddy, so cute how they make the rounds! Omie, will only tuck me in for the night. It is funny, she will jump on the bed on my BF''s side, walk over him and plop on me. When she is finished, she will walk over him and leave. Daddy feels left out. However, that is the price he pays for wanting me to pass on her at the shelter. After reading her description, he felt she would be a PITA and wanted me to pass. Funny thing was, after I read her description, I thought she would be perfect for me...hehe

Haha - Omie just sounds like such a hoot. My DH used to get annoyed that our "princess" (my calico, Gretchen) preferred me to him, and that she wasn''t as affectionate with him. I kept telling him that with divas/high strung kitties, you need to be really patient and gentle. So he''s been trying it recently, and I''m happy to report that DH and Princess have been doing a lot more bonding

 

[FireGoddess]

Date: 3/16/2009 11:39:43 PM
Author: BigDiamonds
And then after he tuckered himself out with all that posing and licking, he buried his face in his paws for an afternoon nap.

OMG I could lose myself in that fur.

 

[BigDiamonds]

Thanks everyone! We''re so obsessed with little Coltrane, it''s a little creepy.

He''s just so cute!!!

 

[Lynn B]

LOVE the new pictures of Coltrane, BD!!! He is soooooo beautiful!

Look at his beautiful fur, and that ruff!!! How much does he weigh now?

And yes, I can FULLY understand being "obsessed" with the little furry beasts, that''s for sure!!!

I''ll be the first to admit that (my perfect) Boo can do no wrong!!!

 

[Miranda]

I''ve missed so much! Look at all of these gorgeous kitties! I love them all!

Here''s a pic of Mr. Leo!

 

[Lynn B]

OH MIRANDA!!! Look at Leo now!!! He is so HANDSOME!

When I looked at that picture, the first word that came to my mind was "regal"! He looks soooooo... well, REGAL!

 

[Miranda]

Date: 4/5/2009 12:06:48 AM
Author: Lynn B
OH MIRANDA!!! Look at Leo now!!! He is so HANDSOME!

When I looked at that picture, the first word that came to my mind was ''regal''! He looks soooooo... well, REGAL!

Believe me, Lynn - he thinks he is royalty!

 

[BigDiamonds]

Beautiful pic of Leo!

His eyes are so striking.

Lynn, Coltrane is a pipsqueak at just over 10 pounds. I don''t think he''s ever going to be very big. It''s kind of a bummer since that''s one of the main reasons I wanted a ragdoll, but we love him so much it doesn''t even matter!

 

[Lynn B]

Date: 4/5/2009 12:20:45 AM
Author: BigDiamonds

...Lynn, Coltrane is a pipsqueak at just over 10 pounds. I don''t think he''s ever going to be very big. It''s kind of a bummer since that''s one of the main reasons I wanted a ragdoll, but we love him so much it doesn''t even matter!

BD, how old is Coltrane now? Boo was 10-11 pounds at age one, and STAYED THAT WAY till he was almost 2! I thought that was IT and he was long *done*! But now he''s a little over 2 years old and weighs 12 - 12.5 pounds.

Remember that Raggies continue to grow till age three or FOUR! Coltrane (or Boo) will probably never be 25 pound cats (and who''d want that pouncing on your head or chest in the middle of the night anyway??!

Haha!) but they may both surprise us yet.

But honestly, I wouldn''t care WHAT SIZE Boo ended up, but I really, really like 12 pounds! It''s JUUUUUUUUUUUUUST right!!!

 

[BigDiamonds]

Date: 4/5/2009 12:33:33 AM
Author: Lynn B

Date: 4/5/2009 12:20:45 AM
Author: BigDiamonds

...Lynn, Coltrane is a pipsqueak at just over 10 pounds. I don''t think he''s ever going to be very big. It''s kind of a bummer since that''s one of the main reasons I wanted a ragdoll, but we love him so much it doesn''t even matter!

BD, how old is Coltrane now? Boo was 10-11 pounds at age one, and STAYED THAT WAY till he was almost 2! I thought that was IT and he was long *done*! But now he''s a little over 2 years old and weighs 12 - 12.5 pounds.

Remember that Raggies continue to grow till age three or FOUR! Coltrane (or Boo) will probably never be 25 pound cats (and who''d want that pouncing on your head or chest in the middle of the night anyway??!

Haha!) but they may both surprise us yet.

But honestly, I wouldn''t care WHAT SIZE Boo ended up, but I really, really like 12 pounds! It''s JUUUUUUUUUUUUUST right!!!

He turned 1 at the end of September...so 1 1/2? He was at the vet for his checkup in January and he was 10 and change. I know he''ll fill out a little more, but I''ve lost hope that he''ll be 15+. It''s okay though, he''s healthy and so sweet, I can''t really fault him for being a little guy. FI and I are small too (I''m 5''2" and he''s 5''6"), so it''s kind of right in a way.

I agree that there are advantages to the smaller size. I can still carry him around under my arm, which is nice when I''m going upstairs at night with my hands full, and when he runs into my legs walking down the stairs he doesn''t usually knock me over. Things like that are definitely nice.

BTW Lynn, have you tried Weruva yet? Coltrane is so obsessed with it. He sits in the kitchen and whines for it around dinner time, and he''s a proud member of the Clean Plate Club every single night. I thought he liked the Wellness, but I had no idea how excited he could be.

 

[Lynn B]

BD,
No, I haven''t tried the Weruva yet. I have a bit of a diet quandary with Sir Boo. The problem is that he has a somewhat sensitive gut and wet food really gives him diarrhea. I keep trying, because I am committed to eventually switching him over to a 99% wet diet -- but it''s sloooooooooow going! And he''s also VERY picky about his wet food, and I found a couple flavors of Wellness that he likes, so I bought a case of each. At the rate we are going, we won''t be needing more till 2010! BUT, I have absolutely taken your recommendation to heart, and when it is time to buy more, I do fully intend on trying it.

Does Coltrane have any GI sensitivity issues at all?

 

[AmberGretchen]

OMG new Leo pic - look at how GORGEOUS he is

Seriously Miranda, every time you post new Leo pics I think of how much I would LOVE to have a flame point someday - he is just so impossibly beautiful

Lynn - my most recent wet food discovery (we''re now doing 50/50 wet and dry with our kitties) is Nature''s Variety Instinct wet food. They make a good frozen raw food too, but that seemed like a lot of trouble and concern about sanitary issues. But the wet food has AWESOME ingredients, and our kitties love it, and it seems to agree with everyone''s tummy - Ollie has a sensitive tummy too, so we have to be careful about that. Anyway, I dunno if you''ve tried it, but it might be worth a shot. Comes in different "flavors" by the type of protein in it (Chicken, lamb, beef, rabbit, duck, etc...) - so far the chicken and lamb seem to be favorites. But that might be good for Boo''s sensitive tummy, to only give him one protein source at a time - I''ve heard of kitties and doggies having issues with specific protein sources, often chicken or beef, and switching to a food with a different one can help.

 

[Lynn B]

Hey AG, thanks for the food advice. I looked it up; it looks great.

Can you tell me a little more about Ollie's GI issues, please? Does he have a tendency toward soft stools/diarrhea?

(And does he get a MESSY poo-butt big time and cry LOUDLY for help to get cleaned up, all the while stepping in it and tracking it all through the house???!!

) Gosh, did I just say all of that out loud?!!

But you can see why I am ***sloooooooooooow and easy*** about changing food, OY!!!

 

[AmberGretchen]

Date: 4/6/2009 5:03:14 PM
Author: Lynn B
Hey AG, thanks for the food advice. I looked it up; it looks great.


Can you tell me a little more about Ollie''s GI issues, please? Does he have a tendency toward soft stools/diarrhea?


(And does he get a MESSY poo-butt big time and cry LOUDLY for help to get cleaned up, all the while stepping in it and tracking it all through the house???!!

) Gosh, did I just say all of that out loud?!!

But you can see why I am ***sloooooooooooow and easy*** about changing food, OY!!!

Lynn - not anymore, but he used to. Also, if he gets something that doesn''t agree with him (or even if it does), his poos are TOXIC - literally the whole floor of the apartment the box is on will stink overwhelmingly

He used to get the messy poo butt and we''d have to wash him off in the sink - he HATED it. As he''s gotten older, he''s now MUCH better at cleaning himself - I can''t remember the last time he was messy. I think the cleaning abilities should get better with age.

 

[BigDiamonds]

Oh poo-butts are awful! Coltrane got himself all messy and then accidentally got it on the wall in the hallway. He just sat there and stared at it and whined until FI went to investigate and cleaned it up. Like "DAD!!! There''s poo...on the walll!!!" They''re so funny!

Lynn, Coltrane is pretty good with the tummy issues. We had some trouble with him early when we were switching him away from the lower quality foods, but now he''s just fine. He even has a more diverse palate than I thought - I was convinced that he only liked fish, but now I''ve discovered that he loves everything!

 

[Lynn B]

Well, since cat people are not necessarily KITCHEN people

, some of you might not otherwise catch my kitchen thread... which is as much about BOO as it is our recent remodel! Enjoy!

KITCHEN THREAD

Here''s one little *teaser* photo!

 

[AmberGretchen]

Date: 4/8/2009 5:03:54 PM
Author: Lynn B
Well, since cat people are not necessarily KITCHEN people

, some of you might not otherwise catch my kitchen thread... which is as much about BOO as it is our recent remodel! Enjoy!


KITCHEN THREAD


Here''s one little *teaser* photo!

DEFINITELY worth checking out - so many ADORABLE Boo pictures

And Lynn''s new kitchen is gorgeous!!

 

[Lynn B]

Date: 4/8/2009 5:08:08 PM
Author: AmberGretchen

Date: 4/8/2009 5:03:54 PM

Author: Lynn B

Well, since cat people are not necessarily KITCHEN people

, some of you might not otherwise catch my kitchen thread... which is as much about BOO as it is our recent remodel! Enjoy!



KITCHEN THREAD



Here''s one little *teaser* photo!

DEFINITELY worth checking out - so many ADORABLE Boo pictures

And Lynn''s new kitchen is gorgeous!!

Awwwwwwwww, AG, *THANKS!*

 

[BigDiamonds]

Lynn, great kitchen AND great pix of Boo! Seriously, the ktichen looks awesome...don''t think I would have the energy for all that. I''ll have to buy mine already done!

So I have to share this from my own kitchen. It was just too cute! Some of the Weruva flavors have chunks of vegetables in them, and Coltrane HATES it. Especially the peas. So I when I came home the other night and found his bowl licked clean except for all of the peas and carrots pushed to one side, I just cracked up!

But what was even better was that when I got all stern and said, "Coltrane, go eat your vegetables!", he DID!!!

 

[AmberGretchen]

OMG BD - TOO CUTE!! I love that he went back to eat them when you told him too - LOL!!

 

[Lynn B]

Ohmyword, that''s HILARIOUS!!! Just like a little kid! I can''t believe he actually went back and ATE THEM, though, when you told him to!!! What a HOOT!

My sister''s moggies are funny like that, too. She feeds them a mix of dry foods (like we do Boo) and they don''t like the Innova, and they painstakingly pick EVERY SINGLE ONE OUT and toss it aside!!! It''s such a scream! I told her, "You need to quit buying that, they AIN''T EATING IT!!!"

 

[AmberGretchen]

Awww...Lynn, your sister''s kitties sound so funny - isn''t it funny how finicky they can be?! Actually, though, our vet said sometimes that means you are feeding them too much - I know once we put ours on a diet, they started eating absolutely everything we put in front of them

 

[Lynn B]

Date: 4/9/2009 10:11:49 PM
Author: AmberGretchen
Awww...Lynn, your sister''s kitties sound so funny - isn''t it funny how finicky they can be?! Actually, though, our vet said sometimes that means you are feeding them too much - I know once we put ours on a diet, they started eating absolutely everything we put in front of them

Wow, that''s interesting, AG. How do you know if they are being overfed, though?

And here''s a new picture of Boo, just taken a few days ago...

*LOVE him*!!!

 

[BigDiamonds]

Date: 4/9/2009 11:09:29 PM
Author: Lynn B

Date: 4/9/2009 10:11:49 PM
Author: AmberGretchen
Awww...Lynn, your sister''s kitties sound so funny - isn''t it funny how finicky they can be?! Actually, though, our vet said sometimes that means you are feeding them too much - I know once we put ours on a diet, they started eating absolutely everything we put in front of them

Wow, that''s interesting, AG. How do you know if they are being overfed, though?

And here''s a new picture of Boo, just taken a few days ago...

*LOVE him*!!!

Such a handsome boy!! LOOOOVE

those eyes against that dark fur...makes me want one!

 

[AmberGretchen]

I LOVE Mr. BOO!!!!

I really have to get some more recent pics of Mr. Ollie up here - I feel like I''ve been lax lately

Lynn - I think my vet said its more of a concern if they are at all overweight (there are all kinds of guidelines you can find by searching online for how to tell). Ideally, she prefers them to be a little more lean, but that''s tougher with spayed/neutered house cats. She said if they aren''t overweight its probably not a huge concern, but if they are, they should be hungry at mealtimes, they should be fed on a schedule (we do twice a day), and they should finish all of their food, generally speaking, pretty quickly.

 

[Lynn B]

Date: 4/10/2009 11:47:27 PM
Author: AmberGretchen

Lynn - I think my vet said its more of a concern if they are at all overweight (there are all kinds of guidelines you can find by searching online for how to tell). Ideally, she prefers them to be a little more lean, but that''s tougher with spayed/neutered house cats. She said if they aren''t overweight its probably not a huge concern, but if they are, they should be hungry at mealtimes, they should be fed on a schedule (we do twice a day), and they should finish all of their food, generally speaking, pretty quickly.

Thanks, AG... that''s a great point. Right now, any way, Boo is fine... I think he''s actually quite lean and he doesn''t overeat. DD''s kitty, Buster, OTOH, we think has an eating disorder!!! (Can cats have an eating disorder???!) He will eat ANYTHING in SIGHT and he IS overweight. But she has him on a "diet" and is doing just what you talked about in your post. The only problem is when he comes to visit, (which is OFTEN!) -- we have to put Boo''s food up, and that doesn''t seem fair to Boo, who will just lightly graze throughout the day!!!

Any suggestions??!!

 

[AmberGretchen]

Date: 4/11/2009 6:26:29 PM
Author: Lynn B

Date: 4/10/2009 11:47:27 PM

Author: AmberGretchen


Lynn - I think my vet said its more of a concern if they are at all overweight (there are all kinds of guidelines you can find by searching online for how to tell). Ideally, she prefers them to be a little more lean, but that''s tougher with spayed/neutered house cats. She said if they aren''t overweight its probably not a huge concern, but if they are, they should be hungry at mealtimes, they should be fed on a schedule (we do twice a day), and they should finish all of their food, generally speaking, pretty quickly.

Thanks, AG... that''s a great point. Right now, any way, Boo is fine... I think he''s actually quite lean and he doesn''t overeat. DD''s kitty, Buster, OTOH, we think has an eating disorder!!! (Can cats have an eating disorder???!) He will eat ANYTHING in SIGHT and he IS overweight. But she has him on a ''diet'' and is doing just what you talked about in your post. The only problem is when he comes to visit, (which is OFTEN!) -- we have to put Boo''s food up, and that doesn''t seem fair to Boo, who will just lightly graze throughout the day!!!


Any suggestions??!!

Lynn, I wouldn''t worry about taking the food up. My vet actually really thinks its better to have your kitty on a feeding schedule regardless of weight. She says its just better on their system - they thrive on routines, and if Mr. Boo is having tummy troubles, having him on a schedule could help with that. We feed twice a day, morning and evening, and ours do really well with that. Ollie is not overweight at all, but his sisters were, a bit, at their last yearly checkup so we are trying to get that under control before it becomes a serious problem for either of them. I''d rather have them a bit lean than the other way around (now if only I could get DH to feed me like that so I could be a little bit lean...

)

Also, the wet food goes bad pretty quickly once you set it out, so that''s another good reason to not leave the food out all the time. It might take Mr. Boo a couple of weeks to adjust to a schedule, but I think it would probably be better for him (at least as per my vet, who I really trust - they specialize in cats only so they seem to really know what they are doing).

 

[Lynn B]

Haha, HILARIOUS story!!!

My sweet little 86 year old mother stopped by my house today with a friend. While they were there, Boo walked into the kitchen, and my mother coos, "Oh! There''s Boo!" Then to her friend (also age 86), she says, "Isn''t he something? He''s a purebred CALICO!"

(FWIW, I didn''t say a word, just smiled sweetly!!!

)