Post Vacation and Catch up.

Hello!  If your wondering why I haven’t posted recently (well not allot of people read this) – I was on vacation.  And to be safe I didn’t post a bit before that.   I just caught up with the trip and am now going to post everything and back date stuff.  I’m starting with May 10^th, so if  you haven’t read that yet, I’m suggesting to start there and catch up.  (It’s quite long.)  :)  

One thing I totally messed up on.. I took my two youngest kitties to a cat show in April.  There is supposed to be a lonnnnnnnnnnnnnnng post all about that.   I had posted the story to a message board, and planned to copy it into my blog and back date it to the correct date.   BUT the board was changing providers, they could no longer afford to pay for v bulletin.   They just took it down this weekend and put up the next board- a free board.   They moved some threads (by copy/pasting them)  but not all.  I copied many of my important posts into a word document – but forgot all about that one!  And the board is down now – so the post is presumably lost and now I can’t go back and get it.  I don’t know if I can recall all that happened.  I may have pre-wrote it down somewhere – I’ll have to look. 

In the meantime – the basics – I attended the show on the 14^th and 15^th.  There were 10 “rings” and my cats were in the household division, which means , it’s just judges choice, no standards.  I had a friend helping me as this was the first time I’ve done this.   My cats did so-so at first, but Jay (Orange classic tabby) really started to relax – as Onyx (his sister- she’s black) got more shy.   On the second to last ring, Onyx briefly escaped when she kicked the Judge in the midsection, but still placed 3^rd!  The highest she did the whole show.   The last ring we almost missed because they called it when we were in the previous one.  To my utter shock  Jay received 2^nd place!   Onyx had been beating him for most of the show, and in fact he was getting between 6^th and 9^th place.  So this was a mega surprise.   It was the highest he did, and I was thrilled.   I have their ribbons from this show, but if I do it again, I’ll turn back in all but the top ribbons so they can re-use them.   I’m going to put together (if I ever have time) a collage of ribbons and pictures. 

Here is a quick run down of what has happened since I got back from vacation. 

Sunday the 20^th:  After the red eye back I unpacked a bit, made sure everyone was fine and then went to my anime club.  I had about 3 hours sleep in the last 30 hours or so and because of that I did fall asleep briefly during one of the shows.   I was so out of it that when I made a sandwich for dinner, I put mayo on the bread, put the cheese on and put mustard on the cheese… but forgot to add the meat!  I didn’t realize until I had eaten about 1/4^th of the sandwich. 

Monday the 21^st:  I took this day off, slept in and puttered around the house.  Had the basement carpet cleaned and spent most of the morning (after I woke up at 11!) and early afternoon moving stuff around so most of the area could be cleaned. 

Tue-Fri:   Back to the grind, caught up with stuff at work and problem solved a few things.  I can’t believe it’s close to month end already – it was just the beginning of the month when I left for vacation!  I was late two days in a row – horrible – I could get in serious trouble for that – even if I work over to make up for it.    I feel better now so I’m going to strive to be early from now on.  (we have flex time and can be there anywhere from 6:30 to 8:30.  I tend to get there at 8:30 because I am not a morning person.)    

Sat-Sun the 26^th and 27^th – Catch up days.   Tried to edit this and do my budget.  Sunday I went shopping for plants with my mom – a late mother’s day outing.  We do this every year – my gift to her is some of her flowers/veggies.   This year I paid for everything and will figure out how much is a gift, and take the rest off the money I owe my parents for the trip. 

Monday the 28^th – Memorial day.  I spent the day chilling with kitties, and mega gardening.  I don’t see it as just another day off, but I admit I don’t really do anything special with it either other then a general remembrance.   My dad came over and cut my lawn.  My lawn looks awful.  Lots of brown spots.  He says it looks better then the last time he saw it.  I just need to water – lots.  Luckily I don’t have much lawn – and if I have my way next year I’ll have even less.   I plan to expand my rose garden for one, and I’m not sure exactly what I want to do with the strip of lawn on the side.  

Then my dad helped me put together a futon I bought.  It’s just a twin.   I’ve got it downstairs.  It currently is being used as a couch – but I wanted something to be used for a guest room.   My co-worker and friend retired in January and she’s supposed to be spending the summer in Colorado and plans on staying with friends periodically (when she’s not in her cabin)  I haven’t heard from her in a month though so I’m going to email her.  Dad only had to take something off and move it once.  The instructions were horrible and he’s just glad he didn’t put the whole thing together wrong. 

Oh and if I didn’t mention it before – my roof was done right before I left on vacation.  It was even inspected by the city already.  But apparently the roofing company is behind getting this info to the insurance company.  The insurance company said it was their responsibility and they had not heard anything yet.  I left a message with the roofing rep. but never heard back.  Oh well, if they want more then 2k for the roof they will contact my insurance.  I did get the 200 I spent on the fence repair back though.   The insurance was willing to tack it on with the roof claim for general wind damage.  

Ok it’s getting dark – I need to turn off the water in the last area I’m watering,  unload the dishwasher, scoop the cat boxes and do general stuff before turning in.   And of course totally updating my blog with everything I wrote!

-- and here it is 10:30 and I'm done updating.  Time to crash. 

Cat Show

So last month I went to a cat show.   I should have blogged about it then, but hey I’m not used to blogging yet.  (Though I don’t know if I’ll ever be used to going in same day.)  Anyway this was Sunday, February 19.    I had found out about the show earlier in the week.   I was googling info on showing household pets and ran across the information.

So I decided to go to see what it was like and if anyone could help me kinda re-socialize my two newest kitties so I could show them. (I’ve always wanted to try.) 

It was interesting.  Now I knew pedigreed cats had to be shown in a ring… but I honestly thought that since household pets wouldn’t have a “standard” that they would just be left in their cage/crate and judged on color.  Nope – you have to bring them to a ring as well. 

I met with someone I had contacted prior to the show and he introduced me to a couple who have shown their household pets for years.  They actually had one household and one pedigree (a Sphinx) cat with them.  About five minutes after meeting and talking with them, the guy announces that *I’m* going to show his cat!  I’m like “uh… what?”

So he had me carry his kitty up to the showing area.   You put the cat in the cage with the cat’s assigned number on it.   Then go to the seating area and wait while the judge goes around and checks each cat.   The Judge takes out each cat and examines them on a raised platform.   They play with the cat, pet the cat and generally examine the cat for health and cleanliness.   – Yes you have to bathe the cats a few days before the show! 

Normally in these shows, the top 10 win a prize.  In this case there were exactly 10 household pets – so each one got a ribbon and were announced right away.   I think 10^th through 6^th place got a paper ribbon and a cat toy.   1 through 5^th got a “rosette” type purple material ribbon.  

What would have happened if there were more than 10 in the category is that the top 10 would have been called back later to be judged.    There still could be a cut off of call backs – For example if there are 11 or 12 they may do the whole thing without a call back.    I think there were 12 or so cages.   Now if there were enough cats that they would not have enough cages, then they would be called up in groups and then the top 10 called back. 

The place the cats stay while waiting to be called up to the various “rings” is called the benching area.   You cannot keep your cats in a carrior.  The show provides cages for them.   Most of the cages are double, so if you enter one cat you either have to pay for the double, or your cat will be set up on one side of the cage, and another’s cat will be set up on the other side.   There is a dividor between the two, and it’s a good idea to have extra cloth to pin up so the cats cannot see eachother.  

You need to have something called “show curtains” , this can be as simple as a blanket or sheet.   The cage should be covered back, top and two sides.   You also need something for the floor (which is open) so the cats are not on a hard table.    You can cover the inside of the cage as well.  

A lot of people there bought their own soft side “cage”  which appear (to me) to be oversize carriers – but these are approved for showing.  They are about the same size as cages (which vary from show to show, but a double would be 44x22)  and don’t need curtains because they are already covered. 

You can also buy an extra area for grooming, as you will need to do that periodically throughout the show.    It’s not necessary though, you can use a chair or your stacked carriers…  I think I’m going to get the grooming area.  

           

Since I went to the show, I’ve been trying to set up situations to help Onyx and Jay (the new guys)  deal with lots of people.   When they were in the shelter they were surrounded by other cats and had constant contact with people.   However, after a few months with me- the hermit – they are developing shyness around others.   I want to try to fix that so I don’t have a cat try to escape at the show.   And hey – this may not work out.  I want to at least try.  

First, it was suggested I go to petsmart.   I lined up a time with a groomer, so I can see if others will be able to hold my cats without them going nuts.    I did that, and both were held by the groomer, but there were two dogs being groomed and I think that’s why they were nervous.  It’s hard to tell.   I don’t know if I can find a time to go there without any dogs around.   Onyx ate some canned cat food but Jay didn’t want any.  

Onyx was also a bit easier to deal with when I had a handyman over.  Ironically, Jay is the one I wanted to show – because of his coloring.   But it looks like so far that Onyx is more relaxed around others. 

 I will continue to work with them and we will see. :)