Wednesday, March 21, 2007
@ 5:49 PM ---> Tuesday, March 20, 2007
I finally had Chaz neutered at the vet today (that gives me a 2 week window to stud him if any cat out there is interested in spreading his good looks before the "well" dries up). Poor cat, he was still dazed and woozy from the anesthesia they gave him as his back legs were all weak and stuff making him stumble a bit as he tried to follow me around the room. That said he'll now be spending most of his time sleeping and just hanging around the house with his testosterone level slowly going down he'll have no interest in making out with the ladies now.
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Saw this ad in one of the cat adoption forums I'm reading right now (I started in the rat forums graduating to the cats' side after a couple of months). His name is George (aka Georgie) and he's one of the closest looking cat I've come across so far that looks like my Chaz. The owner giving him up for adoption describes him as thus:
He was adopted a little after a month the ad was posted.
Georgie's a gorgeous brown mackeral domestic longhair kitty. He is about 5 years old and is neutered. He is very affectionate and loves to be pet and belly-rubbed. He's really sweet and was a "Momma's boy" growing up. He has the biggest, most beautiful yellow/green eyes and this really hurts me that I have to "give him up..." He is an indoor and outdoor cat. Please, if you can give him a good home, I would be so grateful. I am asking $25 to ensure he is well looked after and taken care of.No mention of him being a Muffin, probably because of the lack of papers but the description fits Chaz to a "T" except for the age and the color of the eyes, of course. He's real chubby too.
He was adopted a little after a month the ad was posted.
Friday, March 09, 2007
He did spray after he sprayed my bed last night effectively claiming it for his own. I know he sprayed instead of doing his business outside his litter box because from experience the smell of cat urine is stronger and muskier while the overpowering smell that fills my room at the moment has this sickly-sweet after smell to it. Ugh. I hating the smell of cat musk. Besides he goes to his litter box to do his business and this was the first time he did this. So I'm getting him snipped first thing this weekend before this becomes a habit.
Thursday, March 08, 2007
The awesome visuals of that movie we watched last night is extremely hard to forget. That said, here are some videos showing some interviews and other behind the scenes stuff I discovered in YouTube. Skip this stuff though if you haven't yet seen the movie:
300 Live Journal 1
300 Live Journal 2
300 Live Journal 3
300 Live Journal 4
300 Live Journal 1
300 Live Journal 2
300 Live Journal 3
300 Live Journal 4
Wednesday, March 07, 2007
Should I or shouldn't I? Those are the things that occupy my mind right now as I'm constantly deliberating whether I should get Chaz neutered or not. There's the possibility of him spraying (the feline equivalent of a dog marking his territory) but so far he hasn't done anything like that. He knows how to use his litter box and so far, so good. If I do get him neutered there is the possibility of getting him fat faster (a side effect of neutering). I want him to reach more than 15 lbs. so I can have a big and heavy hairy pet to lie around my room waiting for me to feed him. I got the idea when I remembered seeing the pictures of Hercules, the 20 lb. dog food filching fat cat over the net earlier this year:
I'm already calling him "Fat Cat" and talking him into being pleasingly plump. Ok, I'll probably get a lot of notes here telling me about the dangers of diabetes in cats. I'll just get him to that stage where he's fat but not terribly obese. Just enough for me to get my arms to circle around that cat. By the way, I tried searching for big Herc on YouTube and I don't know if this is that Herc but it's just as chubby:
* Pictures series culled from here and here.
I'm already calling him "Fat Cat" and talking him into being pleasingly plump. Ok, I'll probably get a lot of notes here telling me about the dangers of diabetes in cats. I'll just get him to that stage where he's fat but not terribly obese. Just enough for me to get my arms to circle around that cat. By the way, I tried searching for big Herc on YouTube and I don't know if this is that Herc but it's just as chubby:
* Pictures series culled from here and here.
Friday, March 02, 2007
I've been wondering about the pedigree of the huge tomcat I told you about yesterday, the supposed RagaMuffin I saw and reserved in Cartimar. I was trying to see if I got the real thing so I took pictures of the big guy and posted my question on three separate cat boards waiting for the opinions of other cat people. But since it was fairly new breed (consistently bred in 1994, accepted as an experimental breed in 2001, and officially recognized as one in 2003) not a lot of people ventured a guess. They did however post a lot of praises for his looks and offered some gestures of blessing for his welfare. Who can blame them, right? Heck, not even a lot of people know a lot about the Ragdoll persian, the more popular close cousin of this breed. Then I got this answer from srstephanie , the Administrator of the RagaMuffins Message Board:
Hi Heffer (is that your name?)So that settles it. It's not as painful as I thought it would be and who cares if this isn't a RagaMuffin? I don't. He's still a big, big cat with fluffy fur, a sweet disposition and he's mine, ALL MINE!!
As you have learned in your research, RagaMuffins are still a new breed (since 1994) and there are no known breeders in the Philippines. There just aren't that many RagaMuffins in existance, relatively speaking, and I would think the chances of one turning up in the Philippines would be very slim. And, even here in North America where the majority of Muffins are, without pedigree papers from a breeder, there is no way to know for sure if a cat is a RagaMuffin. A RagaMuffin must have at least one parent who is a registered RagaMuffin and the other parent may be another registered RagaMuffin or a Ragdoll or Siberian (Persians were permitted but are not any longer as of this year). Because RagaMuffins have no "extremes" ... e.g. flat face, no tail, curled ears, etc that are specific characteristics that define a breed, without pedigree papers, it is impossible to know or confirm if any individual cat may be a Muffin. And, given that there are no known RagaMuffins in the Philippines, the chances of him being a Muffin becomes even slighter.
But, having said that, there are many "Domestic Longhairs" (i.e. non-pedigree cats) who are very similar to RagaMuffins with many of the features and personality characteristics of Muffins. My own cat, Macrina, is a Domestic Longhair that I got from the local SPCA shelter. She is a bit of a loner, but she has the easy-going laid-back characteristic of a Muffin and looks a lot like a Muffin. The RagaMuffin breeders have made Macrina an "honorary Muffin" and your cat can be one, too. Ultimately, as I'm sure you agree, what is important is not the pedigree or breed but the loving personality of each cat. And it sounds like this one has that loving, gentle personality and would make a wonderful pet.
By the way, whether or not he is a Muffin, you are very welcome on this board and we would love to have you continue to participate and let us know how things turn out ... and if you get him, please share lots more pictures. As I mentioned, I don't own a pedigree Muffin, either ... yet, I am an Administrator of the board. I'm the Secretary of RAG (the RagaMuffin Associated Group ... the Parent club of the RagaMuffin breed) and I work closely with all the breeders, including the remaining Founding Breeders, who also post on this board. It is a "family" atmosphere here and we welcome all cat lovers.
Boo!
Thursday, March 01, 2007
I'm getting a cat after almost six years of not having one. But this marks the first time I'll be getting a purebred feline. I saw this one while I was going around Cartimar in Pasay City (one of my present stomping grounds) looking for something new. I've been reading a lot about dog breeds and if you've been following this blog some years back you'd remember me writing about wanting to get a German Shepherd Dog or a Basset Hound (I later narrowed my choice to a GSD). This desire was supplanted later by the uprise in local Yuppie circles' trend of owning a laptop. I looked forward to getting one at the end of last year as a sort of Christmas gift to myself but come October my brother's PC conked out and I was forced to scrounge around for a quick replacement before the new newspaper comic strip deadlines could run me over. To cut the story short, I got a cheap deal with a 17" LCD monitor with the help of my parents. Then during the third week of November I acquired a pair of these really endearing small dogs-cat-monkey rodents, or what's popularly called rats.
Enter a new year and I'm getting my sights back to owning a purebred dog. Not that I'm in a hurry though, we still have two loveable mutts here and my mom would kill me if I added two more. It was a choice between a Siberian Husky and a GSD, a Husky and a Japanese Akita, a Husky and a Chow-chow, a Husky and another Husky, or a Husky and a Lab Retriever. There have been some thoughts about getting a Saint Bernard or a Great Dane but their might be some problems with the food budget. Besides not everyone will agree with me about getting these giants unless we want the neighbors and tenants to avoid our property altogether (imagine trying to explain to these people with utmost futility that these dogs are some of the most harmless breeds ever). Right now I'm leaning toward the Husky/Lab combo. I haven't decided whether to get a Yellow or a Chocolate Lab though. But like I said before I'm willing to wait that out till everything clears out. That doesn't mean I can't own a rare cat breed, right?
I saw this one the other day and I was so intrigued by the tabby patterns on this one (I'm quite familiar with Persian colors and markings but this was really different) and the fact that the kid manning the store told me that this hulking cat was only 11 months old, extremely docile, and an indoor cat only made me want it more. I was actually almost sold on the idea of owning a pair of Sugar Gliders, a baby monkey, a Cloud Rat, or a Palm Civet (Musang) by some unscrupulous pet shop clerks who were all too willing to get me one for the right price when I saw this. I quickly shot the deals on the exotic animals off my mind on the way home. A Persian cat seemingly mated with a feral? Was this legit? Even so I had to find out if this a new breed. After searching through different sites offering information about Persians in the CFA website, I automatically clicked the next name on the list and encountered this description:
That nailed it. I went back yesterday armed with questions designed to strike me a good bargain with the store owner. I asked him for his last price after interrogating him and insisting that since he hasn't got any pedigree papers to show then at least chop off a substantial amount off his asking price. He asked me how much and I gave him a number 40% cheaper than what he was saying. He probably saw my determination, or desperation, and gave his nod. Wow. I was all smiles when I got home, I don't know if anyone noticed I was a lot chipper than usual. I made a down payment earlier today effectively boxing out other would-be buyers interested in him. Hehe.
Not that this is confirmed by experts and breeders in cat forums to be a 'muffin' (yet) but if you do read the breed standard here and compare it with the pictures below you'd agree with me it's not all wishful thinking and maybe I really did strike a homerun with this one:
One thing's for certain though, whether this guy's a 'muffin' or not, he's still a beauty and I'm really happy to have him home by next week. I haven't yet settled on any particular name but I'm leaning closer to "Mark Gilroy Smythe"* or "Carl Graham Smythe," and "Suggs" or "Chaz" for short. Should I include a regal title like "Lord" or "Duke"? What do you think?
* I know "Gilroy" does seem a bit off but take a gander on what's behind it: 'From an Irish surname, either Mac Giolla Ruaidh, which means "son of the red-haired servant", or Mac Giolla Rí, which means "son of the king's servant".' The second description's got a real good score on what I believe in. Feh. I'm still thinking about it anyway.
Enter a new year and I'm getting my sights back to owning a purebred dog. Not that I'm in a hurry though, we still have two loveable mutts here and my mom would kill me if I added two more. It was a choice between a Siberian Husky and a GSD, a Husky and a Japanese Akita, a Husky and a Chow-chow, a Husky and another Husky, or a Husky and a Lab Retriever. There have been some thoughts about getting a Saint Bernard or a Great Dane but their might be some problems with the food budget. Besides not everyone will agree with me about getting these giants unless we want the neighbors and tenants to avoid our property altogether (imagine trying to explain to these people with utmost futility that these dogs are some of the most harmless breeds ever). Right now I'm leaning toward the Husky/Lab combo. I haven't decided whether to get a Yellow or a Chocolate Lab though. But like I said before I'm willing to wait that out till everything clears out. That doesn't mean I can't own a rare cat breed, right?
I saw this one the other day and I was so intrigued by the tabby patterns on this one (I'm quite familiar with Persian colors and markings but this was really different) and the fact that the kid manning the store told me that this hulking cat was only 11 months old, extremely docile, and an indoor cat only made me want it more. I was actually almost sold on the idea of owning a pair of Sugar Gliders, a baby monkey, a Cloud Rat, or a Palm Civet (Musang) by some unscrupulous pet shop clerks who were all too willing to get me one for the right price when I saw this. I quickly shot the deals on the exotic animals off my mind on the way home. A Persian cat seemingly mated with a feral? Was this legit? Even so I had to find out if this a new breed. After searching through different sites offering information about Persians in the CFA website, I automatically clicked the next name on the list and encountered this description:
When you first see a RagaMuffin from a distance - you will find yourself in awe. There lies a gorgeous, massive cat with large expressive eyes that are just begging for you to come closer. You will not believe its sumptuous color, its soft coat or the substantial size of its body.This was the closest description ever for the cat I've seen earlier. I "googled" the name and came upon descriptions that seemed to confirm my suspicions. Then I saw the same tabby patterns on one of the cats here. The more I read about the breed the more convinced I was that this was what I think it is. Then I came across this picture from the Ultimate Rags Cattery that had almost the same design as the one I saw earlier:
RagaMuffins come in all coat colors and patterns, with the pointed and pointed with white colors being registered by CFA but not shown. These are striking cats whether the color is blue, brown tabby with white, tortoiseshell or mink. The coat is medium-long, yet the RagaMuffin is a low maintenance cat. Although the coat is thick and plush, it does not readily mat or clump and is easy to care for.
RagaMuffins are classically large cats, with females averaging between ten and fifteen pounds. Males often weigh between fifteen and twenty pounds. Each is heavily boned, with a tendency toward a fatty pad on the lower abdomen. They are fully mature at approximately four years of age and have a long life expectancy. As a general rule, RagaMuffins are strong and healthy with no known genetic health problems within the breed.
A RagaMuffin's personality is one of extreme sweetness, with traits of those similar to an endearing lap dog. Each one of these cats thrives on attention and it is not unusual for any one of them to greet you at the door, follow you from room-to-room and become your faithful companion. They make wonderful family pets, with so much affection to give everyone in the family, including your other pets.
That nailed it. I went back yesterday armed with questions designed to strike me a good bargain with the store owner. I asked him for his last price after interrogating him and insisting that since he hasn't got any pedigree papers to show then at least chop off a substantial amount off his asking price. He asked me how much and I gave him a number 40% cheaper than what he was saying. He probably saw my determination, or desperation, and gave his nod. Wow. I was all smiles when I got home, I don't know if anyone noticed I was a lot chipper than usual. I made a down payment earlier today effectively boxing out other would-be buyers interested in him. Hehe.
Not that this is confirmed by experts and breeders in cat forums to be a 'muffin' (yet) but if you do read the breed standard here and compare it with the pictures below you'd agree with me it's not all wishful thinking and maybe I really did strike a homerun with this one:
One thing's for certain though, whether this guy's a 'muffin' or not, he's still a beauty and I'm really happy to have him home by next week. I haven't yet settled on any particular name but I'm leaning closer to "Mark Gilroy Smythe"* or "Carl Graham Smythe," and "Suggs" or "Chaz" for short. Should I include a regal title like "Lord" or "Duke"? What do you think?
* I know "Gilroy" does seem a bit off but take a gander on what's behind it: 'From an Irish surname, either Mac Giolla Ruaidh, which means "son of the red-haired servant", or Mac Giolla Rí, which means "son of the king's servant".' The second description's got a real good score on what I believe in. Feh. I'm still thinking about it anyway.
