I think Sir is beautiful. What a lovely coat he has. I could enjoy brushing him for hours. My cats love long brushes does he?
I enjoyed reading about your classes. I always have something holding me back on classes, mostly money but I also care for someone who is mostly homebound and I have some health problems the last couple years.
I guess it is really difficult when it is not your own home that the wee darling is about to wreck. I clip Bluebells claws down each week with nail clippers but she is still a wrecker. I have taken to sprinkling wild bird seed and wet bread outside the front windows where she sits and surveys the scenery for part of the day while I am at work. She loves watching the birds, and it is some entertainment for her and hopefully leaves less time for destructive play.
Good idea! And the birds think it’s for them! We had a car for a short while and she would spend hours in Julianne’s bedroom window staring at the shananigans at our neighbor’s bird feeder. I think there were as many squirrels as birds in it.
Well, we don’t yet have a brush for Sir. Demos but he will get one soon. I got my overage yesterday. Unfortunately it wasn’t as much as we expected. I still have to go get my books because I’m sick of borrowing and photocopying already! Here are my classes:
Education praticum: half the class we go to a middle school and half a high school. Throughout I’ll be wrting lesson plans, demoing them to our class, and then taking them to the middle school or high school to do them in a team or alone.
Methods: Basically I’m going to learn how to teach reading and writing in this class.
Teaching texts: Basically, I’m going to learn about how to teach students to read and write in other media such as powerpoints, websights, basically anything other than normal papers.
Queer Lit/Gender Theory: My last lit class. it’s an elective and we are learning about Contemporary American Queer Lit and Gender Theory. I’ll post more about this later when I have time. I have to be at class in a half an hour! It’s very very interesting!
So far I like my classes, the first one counts as two because it’s a 2hour class five days a week so I am going full time. lol
I’ll give you all more details later, gotta get some breakfast, clean Sir. Demos’ litter box, and wake the bf!
Please Please don’t declaw your cat. It is so cruel and unnecessary. Here’s a couple of sites to read about it and the alternatives:
Declawing is controversial, but personally I think ear and tail cropping in the name of vanity is worse. People usually declaw as a last resort and IMO it’s a much nicer thing to do to a cat then yell, throw things, hit and otherwise try to scare the cat away from what is just a natural response. And yes, I know what they do when they declaw.
I suggest you try other options first. Keeping nails trimmed, trying cat posts, tape that you stick to furniture where they scratch, etc. Just don’t terrify him, it doesn’t work and that causes more emotional issues than declawing. If all else fails and you find that nothing works then go for it. However, please remember that a cat that is declawed cannot defend itself so the [I]MUST[/I] be kept indoors religiously.
And finally, … I have a declawed cat and she’s perfectly fine. She’s never had any emotional or physical issues from the procedure. She still reaches up and “buffs her paws” as we call it, instead of scratching. :teehee: My daughter’s cat however didn’t need to have it done. Keeping the nails trimmed and having a couple scratching posts seemed to work with her.
Okay, off my soapbox…
Added to my previous post…in the category of ‘try these first’ -
There are tons of scratching post type things, maybe your cat would like something different. Also having a couple of them in different rooms is a good idea, too.
http://www.petsmart.com/family/index.jsp?categoryId=2858562&f=Taxonomy%2FPET%2F2858562&fbc=1&fbn=Taxonomy|Furniture+%26+Scratchers
http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2752872
They didn’t have this when my cat was young, but cats hate having stuff stuck to their paws so I can see this working.
http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2755192
i have five (yes, FIVE) indoor cats… how i keep them from scratching is as soon as i see them go to do it, i squirt them with cold water i keep in my squirt bottle. it’s now to the point with two of them that as soon as they see me get the bottle, they knock it off and run the other way.
One though i’m considering getting declawed… you can’t walk by her without her reaching out and scratching you. i’m tired of my son in tears because he’s at the height she gets his face.
I just don’t think everyone has all the information. I think a lot of people just think “Oh, I’ll get my cat declawed so it doesn’t scratch my furniture.” rather than trying out the alternatives first.
One of my dad’s cats had to get declawed because he kept scratching my face when I was little. The cat hated me and would jump out at me and it was dangerous.
I’m not saying it’s not an option, but everyone has to remember it’s surgery that can be avoided in some circumstances, and I think that certain alternatives should be taken before you take such extreme measures.
Sorry for the rant Duessa, I didn’t mean to hijack your blog thread, I just wanted to make sure you knew the info about declawing.
Hi! Delurking on your blog thread… :teehee:
Re: the declawing, just another 2c…
If you are likely to get it done, then I say go for it when they are young. Older, especially older FAT cats have a lot more complications than kittens. Also if you can find a vet that uses a laser, I think they are less painful. And make sure they send home narcotic pain meds.
I don’t personally declaw cats, but some of my colleagues do, and we do everything we can to make sure they are comfortable. Ours are done with a laser, front paws only, and they all get a Fentanyl patch for pain control. We keep them in the hospital 2 full days to make sure they are comfortable.
I’m not a huge fan of the procedure, but we make it as benign as possible and think about the fact that this is a beloved pet that is likely to be kept inside (we HOPE!) and will live a much, much longer life than an outdoor cat.
Sir is very cute. :mrgreen:
yes, he is indoor and always will be. I really really DON’T want to declaw him but it isn’t our carpet and I’m not the only one in the house to make the decision. In fact it will likely end up being, declaw or get rid of him. I don’t want to send him back because he was doing very poorly there and I love him so he might end up getting it done when he gets fixed. There really isn’t much I can do. DBF doesn’t want to spend a bunch of money on things that may or may not work. I can’t control that because it is his money, I don’t work.
On another note,
Sir. Demos is doing very well. He loves his yarn ball toy and waits at the door for someone to come home. He is very playful and loving.
Classes:
Practicum- so far this class has been really easy going but it is about to pick up tomorrow. I will spend approx. half the class working in a middle school and the other half in a highschool team teaching, trying out lessons plans, assisting teachers, and observing. I will be writing plans and doing a lot of real teacher work.
Queer Lit/ Gender Theory- This class so far is interesting. I’m learning about what the theories actually are. Here is a summary. Gender theory says that a LONG time ago we decided that certain traits (hunting, strength, courage) are male traits and their opposits are female. the theory says this is outdated because we no longer need to hunt to survive. Queer theory says that Queer is anything that doesn’t fit with Society’s NORMAL and the degree of Queerness is difficult if not impossible to define or lable. While it strives to say that most anything can seem queer, it also leads to the idea that nothing really is Queer, just varying shades of humanity. So far I’m reading a Lesbian Mystery/love story. “The Price of Salt” It’s interesting so far.
English 412: Language and literacy in multi media- this class is about teaching reading in more than just printed text but also visual mediums like the web, pictures, lots of things! We are all reading an extra book selected from a list of books the class made. I’m reading “The book theif”
English 395: Second Methods class- the continuation of my “how to teach in an English classroom” lol, so far very interesting but not much to describe. We are thinking about how we want to set up rooms, what we are most comfortable in, etc.
Ther does not seem to be any rhyme nor reason as to why some cats scratch the furniture and some dont. My previous cat Spider never touched the furniture and only ever used the posts provided, but Bluebell has been a little devil. I keep a squirty bottle of water nearby, but I am sure she thinks it is all part of a game called" lets see how many scratches I can get in and how quickly I can run away when she reaches for the water squirter" She is worse when I am on the phone or something. Toddler attention seeking???
no, he does it when he is playful and we ARE paying him attention. he definately doesn’t lack for attention. My friends come over just to play with him! Unfortunately, he grabs at the carpet and the furniture every time we play and when he wants to play and we aren’t playing. ugh!
Maybe he’ll grow out of that scratching when he gets a bit older.
No matter how much attention they get, they always want more.
When our cat wants to tell us he needs food etc, he get’s onto forbidden furniture, sit’s on paper, eats paper, stands on your lap and looks straight at you, etc until the penny drops.
Trimming the nails can do wonders which is why I suggested it. All it costs is the cost of the trimmers and the time to have someone show you how to use it properly so it doesn’t hurt the kitty. They often hate it, but if you start when they are young it helps. My daughter’s cat has been fine as long as her nails are trimmed regularly.
I’m glad it’s you in school and not me. 
:teehee:
Well, I’m trying to commit to a christmas list of gifts to make so here it goes
Lil Bro hat- Done! and Armwarmers- first try was a bust! the yarn got something on it and it got messed up so I was frogging and the stuff was like fused together! I don’t even know WHAT to do.
Chris- a hat with skulls and cross bones
Raymond- a hat with a Horde symbol on it
Amber- I don’t know WHAT yet but I have a beautiful bulky blue yarn that looks like it is just for her. I only have two little balls though. : (
Neil- no clue! what can you knit for a chef/brewer/wow player/ chemist that isn’t a dishrag! He loves those but I need something new!
Nila- two towels and as many dishrags as I can get out of this HUGE ball of cotten.
Mom- no clue. She has armwarmers out of a yarn that I can easily get more and an earwarmer. I guess maybe a scarf? that would take so LONG though as the yarn is WW.
Dad- LOL, I probably won’t ever find anything for him. He likes golf but doesn’t have clubs and never goes. He is a truck driver.
Grandma- a spa set and some socks! My FIRST pair! I’ll need help with that!
I think that is all the people I need to knit for. lol, I hope at least. I might make something for a teacher or two as they are being wonderfully helpful already. Any ideas beyond washcloths because the one doesn’t seem to be a cleaner. lol I know! Bookmarks! I don’t have thread though : (
Ok, get thread and make bookmarks for EVERYONE! We are all readers.
OMG, that is a ton of stuff and my courseload is VERY heavy and my house looks like a slob lives in it, well, one slob, one knitter/student, and one cat. lol
also a list of to learns:
how to clip kitty nails
how to live without this site
how to live without Ravelry
How to knit in my sleep, the shower, while I type, and while I read.
My stepdaughter’s name is Nila! You don’t hear it too often. 
Looks like you need more hours in your day and more days in your week, etc… :teehee:
My Dad’s a truck driver, too. It’s his second (mid life crisis) career. When I was growing up, he was a CPA. Big change… I think a hat would be a good gift as it can get cold outside securing their loads and whatnot. Esp. if they’re bald like my Dad. :teehee:
Well, I know it’s been a WHILE, but I think you will forgive me if you jsut glance up a bit at my course load! I’m actually puttng off quite a bit of reading to post because, well, I fell asleep today on the couch after school with Sir. Demos cuddled up beside me and didn’t get up until almost 8pm! rofl. Now I’ll be up pretty late so I’m not too worried.
I finished my Brother armwarmers! I’ll be posting them on the christmas KAL thread because they requested the pics first! It was a learning experience so I’m happy. I had to take apart the hand end of the first one because I’m TERRIBLE at Bo and always do it too tight AND I didn’t do it in ribbing so it was WAY too tight for me and my bro has bigger hands than I do. lol I had burried my ends and everything!
So with the hat and armwarmers behind me I have added DPN’s and hats in the round to my learned list. Wait, I haven’t written a list down here! lol Ok, here goes my want to learn list
socks- toe up and reverse.
fair isle
mittens/gloves
lace
blocking
wandering cables
graph reading
sweaters!
entrelac
double knitting
how to unwind a hank! (I made a terrible mess of one that is STILL in a mess by my chair!)
I think that is everything I haven’t gotten to yet!
I have this beauty of a yarn, one hank, that I need something to do with. I believe it is ww and so pretty. It’s a verigated. You know what, I don’t have time to put the pics up so I’ll post that in a few days when I don’t have so much reading to do! Sorry, I’ll get to it and the warmers and hat and everything else soon!
We are spending our whole weekend helping DBF’s parents move. His mom just twisted her ankle so she probably won’t be doing much. ugh, I don’t want to but at the same time I’m so glad that they specifically asked for me to come!
Anyway, Queer lit and my ed classes reading call! I must get through them! ugh!
Next project: dish towels, dish clothes until I finish the HUGE ball of cotton my BF’s mom gave me. She wants like two towel sized ones and the rest in clothes. She said it’s her christmas present from me! ROFL
The project I want to do: a cowl or shrug for me. I probably will be waiting until after christmas though as I KNOW I’ll be getting beautiful yarn or gift cards!
(If I could link sound files you would hear a funeral march)
My computer died.
All Education majors are REQUIRED to have a lap top
I"m broke.
You won’t be seeing me for sometime now. Not unless someone comes up with a credit card and says “here, go buy yourself a computer”
I’ll try to check in from time to time on my bf’s comp but it’s his, I feel bad enough kicking him off it for homework.
BYE