Friday, April 06, 2007
The Cat Whisperer and The Cat In The Window
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[click on picture for full screen photo]As I previously posted, we have been keeping Karen's cat, Amber.
Amber is the nicest and sweetest cat you can imagine. However she was very old and very set in her ways. [I didn't say spoiled, did I?] At our house that doesn't work.
Mrs. Jim and I have behavior expected of everyone, guests, family, visiting family and friends, and lastly, pets.
I was joking yesterday about being a strict disciplinarian but Amber has adapted to Jim's house rules very nicely. Mostly by kindness, never harshness of hollering or swatting.**
Here are few behavior changes already.
1. Amber would always wake Karen and/or Billy up at 5:00 am for her breakfast.
-->Here, without even telling her, she figured on her own, that this is retirement living here. Breakfast is after Jim's meds around eight in the morning.
2. Amber always slept in bed with Karen and Billy. They couldn't keep her out.
-->We fixed that. I put her a bed besides Adi's, both beside our bed in the bedroom. Amber sleeps there. Period.***
3. You had to rattle a can by opening it noisely to attrack Amber's attention. Then maybe she would come eat. Generally, though, she came because she was hungry.
-->Now I have trained her to come when I call her. No fooling around, just get up and come.
4. At bedtime the kids really didn't know where Amber would start out, they just knew she ended up in bed with them.
-->Now, at bedtime, I call Amber to the bedroom and tell her to get into her bed. No fuss, she just goes.
5. At home, Amber would waste a lot of her food. She would get a can in the morning, what was left in the evening would be thrown out and she got a new can.
-->Here, I give her most of a can, call her, she comes, and eats. She eats all of it. Once in a while not, so I mix that in with fresh food. I told her about all the poor kids who were starving in China and that our house is helping them.
6. Again, Amber was used to going where she wanted. Even on the table or cupboard. Once Karen found her on the refrigerator.
-->Amber is a fast learner. She very quickly learned that we don't get up on the table at Jim's house. Not on the cupboards or stove either.
7. That window is open in the daylight hours for Amber to see out. Billy and Karen had a window to see out their window into their back yard also.
-->But Amber has another bed in the kitchen on a chair right next to the window. That bed has turned out to be her home away from home. We just about always know where she is at.
Those are enough for now. She has conquerred the major rules at our house. A little refinement may still be coming, but again I say she adapted very nicely.
All the pet discipline here is done in a loving, but very firm manner. Just like we raised the kids.
The notes:
** On raising the grandkids, I always requested my kiddos to stop for ice cream when the kids got cranky in public. None of that making a scene and the like. Ice cream calms.
The key here is to do it before the kid realizes it is his/her cranky behavior that triggers the treat. If that doesn't happen he/she would be throwing tantrums just to get ice cream.
*** The first night she did try our bed but I reminded her that she had her own bed. First I crowded her out of our bed. Then I told her to get in her own bed while I was gently placing her there. From then on she has minded like a Marine recruit.
Karen and Billy let Adi in bed with them too. Good thing they have a kingsize bed, for sure ours wouldn't hold all four of us.
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Labels: Amber, Cats, Grandchildren, Jim Does
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Aw Grampa Jim...What a meanie you are and yet as I read down the list of the new regiment that you have Karen's kid on,,, I am thinking to myself that THAT Shopper could use some of this too!!
Do you know that a couple of days ago Bernie weighed that cat and that butterball is 20 pounds!!
Maybe we should just send him over to Uncle Jim!!
He wouold fix him up...he surely would!!!
Oh what a looker that Amber is though ,eh Grampa Jim? Just SO cute!!
By the way Grampa Jim...If that Karen's cat steps out of line, just ground her from watching her kitty videos that's all..Does the trick everytime!!
I KNOW because when she was visiting over here, she gave Adi a good pinch, so we had not other alternative but to ground her from watching "Deal Or No Deal" which she had taken quite a fancy to!...
No more pinching after THAT!
Poor Adi!!...........Give her a hug from me...From Terry
Do you know that a couple of days ago Bernie weighed that cat and that butterball is 20 pounds!!
Maybe we should just send him over to Uncle Jim!!
He wouold fix him up...he surely would!!!
Oh what a looker that Amber is though ,eh Grampa Jim? Just SO cute!!
By the way Grampa Jim...If that Karen's cat steps out of line, just ground her from watching her kitty videos that's all..Does the trick everytime!!
I KNOW because when she was visiting over here, she gave Adi a good pinch, so we had not other alternative but to ground her from watching "Deal Or No Deal" which she had taken quite a fancy to!...
No more pinching after THAT!
Poor Adi!!...........Give her a hug from me...From Terry
You did good keeping them until they could be sent back home, Terry. Thanks.
Karen and Billy really didn't have other choices in that 5:00 am waking up thing as they had to feed her a lot and then leave her to go to work.
She couldn't get more food until they came home.
Those things made her more demanding in nature for getting fed.
Adi isn't being neglected here either. They co-exist, both get about equal attention.
..
Amber's TV has gone retirement too. Good Morning America, Regis and Kelly, Family Feud, Dave Letterman, and news at noon, five, and ten. Sometimes Seinfeld and Fraiser and Millionaire late while Jim Blogs.
..
Karen and Billy really didn't have other choices in that 5:00 am waking up thing as they had to feed her a lot and then leave her to go to work.
She couldn't get more food until they came home.
Those things made her more demanding in nature for getting fed.
Adi isn't being neglected here either. They co-exist, both get about equal attention.
..
Amber's TV has gone retirement too. Good Morning America, Regis and Kelly, Family Feud, Dave Letterman, and news at noon, five, and ten. Sometimes Seinfeld and Fraiser and Millionaire late while Jim Blogs.
..
That Amber sure does look pretty in the window! Dad, you have done a great job training Amber. My, we are awful parents to truly spoil her! Maybe that was the plan... send her to your house and they will train her! :-)
As far as the grandchildren, Bailey immediately sees mom now (10 AM or anytime in the morning/day) and says, "Mimi is here, I can have ice cream now!" I am assuming that is so she doesn't get fussy later, huh?
As far as the grandchildren, Bailey immediately sees mom now (10 AM or anytime in the morning/day) and says, "Mimi is here, I can have ice cream now!" I am assuming that is so she doesn't get fussy later, huh?
# posted by 
: Fri Apr 06, 10:51:00 AM 2007
: Fri Apr 06, 10:51:00 AM 2007
Hi Karen -- It was advice meant to begin at the age when they were in strollers or body carriers.
But the idea is still good for any kid before he/she gets really fussy.
Ice cream gets us all into the happy mood. Even me (and you!).
..
But the idea is still good for any kid before he/she gets really fussy.
Ice cream gets us all into the happy mood. Even me (and you!).
..
See what happens at 5 AM when I write a comment Karen?...Bad..bad spelling!!....
Grampa Jim...How come you don't let Amber and Adi watch "Deal Or No Deal"?
That host is a home grown Canadian boy!!!
Amber really got a kick out of his bald head and actually had a crush on the guy!.....From Terry
Grampa Jim...How come you don't let Amber and Adi watch "Deal Or No Deal"?
That host is a home grown Canadian boy!!!
Amber really got a kick out of his bald head and actually had a crush on the guy!.....From Terry
She is a pretty cat and seems you are doing well with her!! Glad she has a nice view to look out at.
Your blog today on Adi was really neat. I do have to kid you about #7, however. Notice the word with which that sentence ends...at!
Once a midwesterner, always a midwesterner! Just kidding, but I
know you kid me about ending my sentences with prepositions! Lois
Once a midwesterner, always a midwesterner! Just kidding, but I
know you kid me about ending my sentences with prepositions! Lois
# posted by : Fri Apr 06, 04:45:00 PM 2007
: Fri Apr 06, 04:45:00 PM 2007
Terry, I don't watch Deal or No Deal. For sure Adi can't. It moves faster than a soap opera and I don't want to watch it intently enough to keep up.
We do watch The Amazing Race on Sunday nights but most of the time Amber is taking her pre-bedtime nap.
Karen, spoiling doesn hurt, it just didn't fit our routine here. Amber is such a nice cat and she fits in like this was her permanent home now.
Rachel, she also has a window here in the bedroom by the computer. It gets sun too, she really likes that. The other looks out on a porch.
Lois, I went back and put that 'at' in for a little something extra. I thought of you when I did it.
..
We do watch The Amazing Race on Sunday nights but most of the time Amber is taking her pre-bedtime nap.
Karen, spoiling doesn hurt, it just didn't fit our routine here. Amber is such a nice cat and she fits in like this was her permanent home now.
Rachel, she also has a window here in the bedroom by the computer. It gets sun too, she really likes that. The other looks out on a porch.
Lois, I went back and put that 'at' in for a little something extra. I thought of you when I did it.
..
Impressive training sessions!
WTG ^5
Yanno we are all going to send our pets to your house for training now.
Huggles
WTG ^5
Yanno we are all going to send our pets to your house for training now.
Huggles
# posted by : Sat Apr 07, 10:35:00 PM 2007
: Sat Apr 07, 10:35:00 PM 2007
Can I send you my dog to train? I rescued a lost Boston terrier, but now I can't get rid of her. Spouse (whose creed is, remember, "No animals in the house--animals are nasty") sabatoges my every effort. I gave the dog away today and called Spouse, who is out of town.
"Go get my dog back," Spouse sputtered. It didn't make sense, because, after a week of her living in our house, I decided yesterday Spouse should take and blow up pictures of her for me to post where I found her. And we're going out of the country Friday. I guess too much time had passed (one day?).
"Go get my dog back," Spouse sputtered. It didn't make sense, because, after a week of her living in our house, I decided yesterday Spouse should take and blow up pictures of her for me to post where I found her. And we're going out of the country Friday. I guess too much time had passed (one day?).
# posted by : Mon Apr 09, 08:15:00 PM 2007
: Mon Apr 09, 08:15:00 PM 2007
Ha ha! Thanks for ur interesting trick. Ur orange cat looks very cute!
I will usually smile and "meow" at cats when i see them. Ha ha ha.
I will usually smile and "meow" at cats when i see them. Ha ha ha.
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