The sun is shining brightly, and the Herd is enjoying the warmth in the newly covered catio. 

After happily slaving myself in the kitchen all day on Thanksgiving, I am feeling refreshed and relaxed. I am glad to have taken some time for myself to rest and recharge. All that cooking and prepping was relaxing, but it was also refreshing. My human family joined in the festivities, and we all enjoyed a delicious meal. It really pays off to have plenty of leftovers to make.

I cooked the whole bag of wild rice, which I used the leftovers to make a wild rice quiche with leeks, spinach and walnuts. I also used a whole bag of potatoes which I mashed with garlic. I saved a portion for Turkey Shepherd’s Pie with leftover dressing and green beans. It’s a great way to start a few days of R&R staycation. It was satisfying and I was enjoying my staycation to the fullest.

For about two weeks prior to Thanksgiving, I wear my purple jumpsuit almost every day. I wear it when I plan on working on a project or two. It is a great thing to wear. The jumpsuit side pockets are big enough to carry a tape measure and a handful of screws. I stuff my phone and pencils into the chest pockets. It is a lifesaver to have my knees on its knee pads every time I get on the floor. The jumpsuit is also very comfortable and allows me to move around easily. I love wearing it when I am working on projects around the house. It is the perfect outfit for any DIY enthusiast. 

The Herd sensed what I was going to do when I pulled on the jumpsuit. It may not be the perfect outfit from a cat’s perspective. They probably dreaded the chaos in the house. Wood materials were strewn around the dining room and the living room. There’s the cacophony of the nail gun shooting, drilling, and sawing. The Herd knew that this meant that they would have to find new places to sleep and hide. 

I was grateful for the Herd’s patience as I worked hard to winterize their catio. I decided to invest in a cover for the catio, which was a bit of a splurge. It was a tedious task to set up the cover for the first time, but I’m glad I did it. The Herd will be able to enjoy the catio all winter long, and I’ll be sure to post pictures of it on the website soon. A covered catio is buying time before the Herd goes into hibernation mode. It’s giving us space while I work on the projects in the house. 

Home Resource is a great place to find good quality or recycled materials at a fraction of the cost of other stores. I have found many good sized pieces of plywood and other items there that have been perfect for my catification projects. It is much easier to load up a few smaller pieces of plywood than it is to try to transport a large 4 x 8 foot sheet, and the price is much better too. In addition to the cost savings, Home Resource is also a great place to find unique and interesting items that you might not be able to find elsewhere. 

I do not have a workshop or garage to work on or store the materials, so I decided to get going in my purple jumpsuit and consume all the found materials for the projects. The weather conditions were a major factor in determining when I could work on my project. I preferred to work outside when the weather was calm and not too cold, as it was easier and less messy. However, I would often have to bring the miter saw into the basement when it was too windy or wet. This was inconvenient, as it took up more space and I had to do more cleaning up the dust.

In the meantime, it is not easy to do all that I need to do on a regular basis. The DIY projects are often time-consuming and messy, and they also led to unintentional fasting since there was no time to cook breakfast or dinner. I often found myself working all day to finish a project, and then I would be too tired to cook. I would end up eating a quick snack or skipping meals altogether. It can be easy to get caught up doing a project or two and forget to take care of myself. This was not sustainable in the long run, so I had to find a way to manage my time more effectively to feed and care for the Herd. 

Catification is a challenging project that requires careful consideration of many factors. Shelves must be wide enough for cats to comfortably sit on, sturdy enough to support their weight, and solid enough to not wobble or tip over. They must also be safe, with no sharp edges or protruding nails that could injure the cats. Finally, they must be easy to clean, as cats are known to shed fur and track in dirt.

Milo Hemingway is a cat who is not fond of chaos. He gets bored easily and eats more kibble. He is not interested in going outside in the cold or even inside the warmer catio. I had to do more to entertain and to encourage him to exercise more than any other cat. Milo may be the best candidate for a puzzle feeder, he will do anything for a treat.

It is likely that he has a mentality of being afraid of not finding something to eat. He was found as a stray kitten. He may have had to fight for food and shelter, and this has led to him developing a strong sense of survival. He may be a bully at times because he is trying to protect himself and his food. He gives hard head butts to other cats as a way of asserting his dominance. Every morning, Milo and Harvey have a wrestling match while I am prepping breakfast. Milo also has some weird quirks, such as never trying to fight with the cats and not finishing his meals. He loves kibble and prefers it to wet food. I have found that if I bury some kibble in the wet food, he will finish his meal.

Below is the video of Milo Hemingway after a catnip sniff ‘n rub.

I hope that Hemingway will eventually understand that he is in a safe and loving home and will mellow out. He is an affectionate cat who needs to be mentally stimulated and entertained more to prevent boredom-related weight gain. I must confess that I have called him Milo in a stern voice when he needs to stop stealing the other cats’ food. I call him Hemingway when he is being good.

Ernest Hemingway, a well-known cat lover, once said that “a cat has absolute emotional honesty.” This is true, as researchers have found that cats display 276 different facial expressions. This is much more than I realized! Cats are certainly more articulate and affectionate than previously thought.

In addition to their facial expressions, cats also communicate through a variety of other vocalizations, including purring, meowing, and trilling. They also use their body language to communicate, such as by blinking slowly, rubbing against people, and kneading with their paws.

Cats are complex and intelligent creatures, and they deserve to be treated with respect. They are not just furry companions; they are also individuals with their own unique personalities.

As Thanksgiving approached, I was eagerly anticipating the turkey and all the delectable side dishes. I was particularly looking forward to savoring the white wine in my Tumbler. I was delighted to have completed some projects, which would give me time to relax and enjoy the holiday season. I planned to spend the winter observing the cats and them exploring their new surroundings. I was excited to see how they would adjust to their new home and to see what new adventures they would have.

I am grateful for having the Herd here. They surely keep me occupied and entertained. They are always up to something, whether it’s playing with their toys, chasing each other around the house, or just cuddling up on my lap. They provide me with unconditional love and companionship, and I can’t imagine my life without them.