My Precious Cody, You've Been Gone Two Years

(the above photo is before the blog was Cat Chat With Caren and Cody!)

 My precious Cody, (Codester, Codalicious, Jelly Belly), my precious boy. You left us two years ago today. A life ended much too soon.

Though it's been two years, the pain is still as raw.

Life has changed in those two years; we have a new woofie named Levi and another kitty named Roary. I know you see Roary from your urn on the cat tree and probably are wondering what all of the ruckus is around you. While he loves the cat tree, he doesn't "live" in it as you did every day. You loved nothing more than relaxing in your most favorite tree.

As you see from your perch, Levi is much wilder than your beloved brother, Dakota. To think I thought you and Dakota were wild, I didn't have a clue what the future would bring.

Cody, we had a bond, a bond that was deep in our hearts from the day I first found you at Petsmart and you crawled up my chest and never let go.

You still haven't let go of my heart and I will never, ever let you go.

If I allow myself to relive the horrible day you left, my tears and pain are as raw as the day it happened. I am choosing to think of wonderful memories of you.

I miss how every night you sat on the armrest of the couch next to me. I miss how you begged for your beloved chicken.

 I miss your quirky mouth and oh so handsome face. I miss holding you, cuddling you, I miss you so much that now the tears are coming again.

While life may have changed since you left us precious Cody, one thing is constant. My love for you is as deep (even deeper), than it ever was. I will never, ever stop loving you and I will never, ever stop missing you.

You can rest assured that you still have my heart, and you always will.

Love, Mom

Happy Father's Day to our Pawsome Dad!!!

 ROARY: So, I hear that today is a special holiday!

LEVI: What holiday would that be? National Giant Sheltie Day?

ROARY: No "All looks and no brains", today is a day where everyone is supposed to honor their Fathers or the Father figures in their lives. It is a day to be grateful for all that Fathers/Father figures do and for their love and guidance.

LEVI: but my Father lives in Ohio. His name is Rambo. That's a really cool name isn't it?

ROARY: that's your BIRTH Father you furry fluff head, and no one cares who your birth father is! Definitely not ME!  You have your other Father that you LIVE with! Who do you think feeds you and picks up your poop and puts up with your bulldozer, manic and foolish actions? Certainly NOT Mom and I. Since I'm older than you, I will go first.

"Dear Dad, I thank you for coming  to meet me at Petsmart two days before I was adopted, if it wasn't for you I wouldn't be living with you, Mom and Levi. (Wait, the more I think about that, maybe I shouldn't be thanking you, living with Levi isn't the best you know). Also, you have to learn to give ME more attention. I'm older, better behaved and less aggravating, if I do say so myself! I am the one who LOVES to sit and cuddle with you!!  I  love you Dad, never forget that! Love, Roary"

LEVI: That was just great (NOT!!) now it's MY TURN!!

"Dear Dad, thanks for allowing me to jump like a kangaroo all over you, thank you for taking me on 5000 walks a day, (most of which I choose to just stand and let the wind blow my luxurious mane). Thank you for tolerating my incredibly deep and loud barking. Thank you for the seemingly never-ending supply of treats that you give me on a regular basis, (for pretty much doing NOTHING but sitting when I'm told to). Thank you for putting up with me when I lose my mind when I see the neighbors. Thank you for thinking that I am DEFINITELY YOUR FAVORITE! You have good taste! Sending Love, bites, barks and LOTS OF JUMPING, your FAVORITE, Levi."

ROARY: Well, I may not agree with a word of what you wrote in your greeting, but I think we can BOTH agree that we have the BEST DAD EVER!!! Thanks for all that you do, and all you put up with! Love from BOTH OF US!!

Roary and Levi

Happy Father's Day to all of

 you great Dads out here!!!!!! 

How to make sure your cat enjoys the apartment life: Guest Post By Carson Sperry

If you are a lifelong friend of the feline race and a proud cat parent currently living in an apartment, you know that your cat needs its space. Your cat doesn’t care if you’re in a 400-square foot studio in San Diego or a massive industrial loft in downtown Detroit. All your cat knows is that it needs space, and it needs to be able to explore, interact with and enjoy its surroundings on its own terms. 

 

So, the question becomes, what can you do to ensure the happiness of your cat in your apartment? The good and bad news is that there is no one single answer for this question. Yes, a silver bullet solution would be great. However, cats, like people, have their own personalities, their own likes and dislikes and their own opinions about what makes an apartment a home. 

 

Some of the most popular methods for making sure your cat loves your apartment as much as you do are as follows:

• Think Vertically - Cats love to explore their surroundings but they also want to experience their domain from a higher vantage point. Providing your cat with ways to “gain the higher ground”, so to speak, in your apartment will allow it to feel more comfortable and in control at home. 
• Provide Entertainment - Your cat wants to hunt; it wants to play, and it wants to stimulate its natural instincts. Make sure your cat has plenty of toys to play with and be sure to take the time to play with them whenever you have the chance as this is a bonding experience for you and your cat that is second to none.
• Show Love - Just like people, cats want to feel loved. Yes, even the standoffish ones that are seemingly allergic to humans. The key is to figure out how your cat wants to be loved and meet them halfway. 
  
  
  

These suggestions are not the end-all-be-all of proper cat care practices. But they are a good place to start if you think your cat is not enjoying your apartment as much as you are. If you are in the market for a few more tips and tricks to make sure your cat loves your home, check out this article on Rent.com with suggestions from over 20 experts in the feline field.

Happy 2nd Birthday to our Roary!!!!

 It is so hard to believe that today is our little Roary's 2nd birthday!!!!!

Roary was super excited when a box from Chewy arrived (Chewy knows nothing about this post and I received NOTHING for mentioning their name), he had a feeling that there were prezzies in it for him! He was right!

Oh my look at what Roary found!!!! A brand new wand toy that came with FOUR attachments!! He couldn't wait to begin playing.

Roary is a funny little guy. He is the only kitty I have ever known that is NOT in love with catnip toys or any tiny cat toys (other than the bouncy springs they make for kitties).

Roary's favorite things to play with are wand toys and he LOVES scratchers. Scratchers of any type immediately capture his attention. So what was his other gift? You guessed it! A brand spanking new scratcher!!

I am thrilled that he loves it so much!!!

Roary is our little Marshmallow Professor. He is super independent and smart. Cuddly (but sadly, mostly with his Dad), but he saves his "chattiness" for me. I am the one he "talks" to, (he's probably cursing me out lol).

He is definitely a "Daddy's Boy", he loves me, but in his own way. That was (and still is) a major adjustment for me since both Angels Bobo and Cody were completely obsessed with me and always in close proximity. Roary just shows his love in his own way and I respect that.

We all love our Marshmallow Professor and we wish him the HAPPIEST OF BIRTHDAYS!!!!