A Little Nervous

[foreverhis]

Happy Thursday everyone.  Today was the first day in weeks that we had sun  and we even had it all day.  We usually have a nice spring before "June gloom" on the coast.  Not this year.  We went right from torrential rains to damp marine layer (with or without wind).

My Cosi girl has grown so much in the past 3 months.  I learned that Bengals and Bengal mixes aren't full grown until at least 18 months (she'll be 18 months in July) and usually continue a bit of growth up until 2 years.  She had gotten up to 11.4 lb, nearly 2 lb too heavy for the size she was, but now the vet says a good weight for her is between 10 and 10.2 lb with a little "wiggle" room.  I have had her on a strict diet routine based on calories for her age, size, activity, and that she's spayed.  It can be reduced up to 25%, but I went with 15% because she's very food motivated and extremely active most days.  She's down to 11 lb over 8 weeks, which is fine.  She gets the absolute best quality food (yay for Grocery Outlet) in measured portions--and she knows exactly when it's meal or snack time.

Her looks are fully Bengal now with back legs significantly longer than front legs (unlike most domestic breeds who have equal legs front and back), thick and incredibly soft pelt-like coat, very distinct paw "knuckles," wide and rounded ears, large primordial abdominal pouch, head seeming a little small for body size, and of course, the color and markings of the black-brown tabby-pattern Bengal line.  Another thing I learned is that Bengals have very dense (heavy) bones and muscles, which is why the vet said there's a little wiggle room in her weight and I should go by the body condition charts as well.  And oh yeah, she's got the attitude!  She is strong and confident and stubborn and smart.  She's in charge and don't dare tell her otherwise!

She's very creative in her playing.  Our daughter sent her a play cube as a welcome to the family gift.  At first, I had to put it away because she was exploring it with her mouth too much.  Several weeks ago, I tried again and she is loving it.  It's got openings on three sides.  She loves to have one on top, one on the side, and the last one on the bottom.  She can "bloop" in from the top, fly in from the side, and uses the bottom one to use her front legs to hunt blindly for her mousies, which she puts around the outside edges.  It's hysterical and looks like a cartoon while she does it.  I laugh and laugh and join in the play times with her. I'm waiting for replacement parts for the cool cat trees I ordered because there was shipping damage on the originals.  Can't wait to see how she reacts to having climbing structures and not just the recliners for height.

We're still working on some behaviors, specifically the Bengal communication bite.  I had to switch my "disciplinary tactics" because the single clap with firm "no" was scaring her.  I now use the "hiss and ignore," which is what mama cats do.  Small hiss, turn my back, and walk away for a few minutes.  She's also learned the words, "no biting" when I can see her "thinking" about it and she's pulled back, changing tactics, several times.  We'll get there.  We've only had one instance in the past week.

She's got a lot of trauma to get over being abandoned and then being in the shelter.  Plus thanks to her previous owners I had to spend 3 months convincing her that I was not going to spray her in the face every time I picked up any sort of spray bottle and that raising my arm to block her from jumping on the counter didn't mean I was going to hit her.  It hurts my heart knowing she wasn't treated right as a kitten through her first 10 months, then 2 months total in shelters where they treated her like a queen, but where she was overwhelmed and confused.  There are also things about which she is very confident.  She knows she's home, she knows she's loved, she knows that she has friends, and she knows that even when I am frustrated with her, I love her.  She's gotten quite bold in the mornings with the early sunrise, but she's not rude.  She still cuddles and snugs next to me, but wants to get going on the day.  That's fine because she's also got me going upstairs and settling down earlier.  It works out.

Here are some recent pictures.  You can see how she's grown and how engaged she is with life.

 

[foreverhis]

And here are a few more pictures because...just because.

 

[foreverhis]

And finally for today, an example of Cosi's "I'm in charge around here!" behavior.

Several weeks ago, Raleigh's dad and I had started the visual introductions.  The two had been hearing and smelling each other for 3+ months, including sharing a blanket back and forth to fully integrate scents.  We jury rigged a "screen" on the stairs.  Cosi and I were at the landing; Raleigh and her dad at the bottom.  Raleigh was completely unfazed (she's always lived with cats); Cosi was curious.  Things were going well, so we had decided to move the screen down and have Cosi just a few stairs up from the bottom.

Well, that wasn't good enough for Miss Cosi.  One night I had given Raleigh her dinner and she was chilling on the sofa while I took Cosi's dinner up to her.  Typically, I open the door with her dinner dish down low so she can smell and see it.  And that's normally enough to distract her from anything else.  Not that night.  She was absolutely determined to meet Raleigh face to face.  Faster than I could react, she scooted around my legs and flew around and down the stairs.  I hastily put down her dish and went after her calling, "Cosi, no."  (Yeah, like that was going to stop her.)

By the time I got downstairs, quickly but holding the railing like a good girl, the two were a few feet apart looking at each other.  No hissing or growling, no aggression, nothing.  They turned and looked at me as if to say, "Jeez, human.  Calm down!  We're fine."  I let them stay together for a few minutes, watching carefully.  Cosi's only "annoyance" seemed to be that Raleigh was on her own blanket, but in Cosi's spot on the sofa.  It's the same spot all pets claim as rightfully theirs.  After that, I carried Cosi back upstairs and settled her with her dinner.  Then I texted Raleigh's parents to let them know that our furry girls took it upon themselves to let us know things are okay between them.  We humans breathed a sigh of relief knowing that these girls will be fine together.  That was very important because I am Raleigh's Dogmother and she will come live with me and Cosi if anything ever happens.  It's a small chance, of course, but now we know that they'd be okay.

What an adventure this girl has been and continues to be.

[KayC]

9 hours ago, foreverhis said:

We went right from torrential rains to damp marine layer (with or without wind).

We went from shoveling snow in the 20s to 90s! That was last month. Temps vary from 70s to 90s now, cooler at night.

I still haven't let Panther have free reign with Kodie, don't want any eyes out! But they greet each other under my supervision and Kodie on a leash, or through the fence (something stronger than chicken wire but not sure what it's called).  They truly love each other. 
I bought Kodie a new toy while he was having surgery. He wasn't up to playing, even though he loves new toys! Yesterday marked a week and he played with it. He loves it!

Glad you are enjoying your girl.

[foreverhis]

Kay, what a relief to know that Kodie is recovering and playing again. It’s always such a stressful thing when our companions have to go through surgeries or medical treatments. They can’t “tell” us in words how they feel, so we have to rely on symptoms and behaviors. Playing with a new toy is a huge step forward (even if Kodie is fighting having to wear “the cone”).

Fun side note. I now know three dogs with the same name, but different spellings: Kodie, Kody, and Cody. (The other two are a mini Aussie and some sort of Sheltie mix.) 😅

[KayC]

He hasn't fought me at all on putting the cone on, he's been an amazing trooper! But I know how he feels about it, it's very limiting. He keeps running into my legs with it! I'll be glad when it's off. One more week of this...

How funny! The vet spelled his name wrong in all of his records. I've corrected them several times, I hope I don't have to fight this the rest of his life! 

[foreverhis]

2 hours ago, KayC said:

He hasn't fought me at all on putting the cone on, he's been an amazing trooper!

Oh that's good to hear.  It kind of sounded as if he was working it off or at least, trying to. 

It's funny how you talk about him having to find just the right spot to do his business.  Raleigh is like that.  She'll sniff out a spot I know is a "favorite," but then continue on and I'll ask, "Not feeling that one today? Okay, let's keep going."  There are definitely days during lousy weather when I'll say, "Just poo already so we can go back for play time and treats."  And she's the only female dog I've ever known who does the sniff--bit of pee to mark territory--move on.  Her peeing "style" is unusual to say the least.  She sometimes does the girl squat, but just as often does a half squat-half leg raise, curled partial squat, or full on leg raise like a boy.  Her parents surmise that the rest of her litter or other dogs she might have lived with her first 2 years were all boys so she never learned that girls are "supposed to" pee in the low squat all at once. 

[KayC]

She sounds just like a male dog! Kodie can pee 1/2 tsp. on every spot on the street, I swear!

He got his cone off first night but hasn't since. He's accepted it really well, I'm amazed, it's like he thinks it's just something he has to do now.  But then he continually amazes me, how well behaved he is (except the pulling) and how he minds. He's come off his leash 2-3 times this week and just waits for me to hook him back up!  Arlie would have been gone in a flash! Skye (first granddoggy that lived with me 3 1/2 years) would have been mugshot and paw printed in the next county, seriously!  Kodie likes dragging me through bushes and briars.  Today he didn't do too bad, I'm amazed.

[foreverhis]

2 minutes ago, KayC said:

Kodie can pee 1/2 tsp. on every spot on the street, I swear!

Yes!  By the time we're close to the end of our walk when she's stopped for the 40th time, I'll say, "You really think you have any pee left?"  Sure enough, she'll squeeze out one little drop before looking at me like, "Okay, let's go." 

The first time I walked her and she started in on the routine, I was stunned.  I've never seen a female do that ever.

[Gail 8588]

@foreverhis

Love all the photos of Cosi and the stories of her accomplishments. 

Love the Raleigh and Kodie stories too. 

I have had a cat since my sweet 15 yr old  beagle died, but I am not really a cat person.  She is an attentive  companion, very affectionate, for a cat. 

She was raised with 2 dogs and I'm not sure she knows she is a cat.

I don't play with her like I should, but she seems fond of me. 

I keep cropping this photo down in size to try to get it to post.  You may only get to see one eye and an ear.🙂

[foreverhis]

Gail, she's a beauty.  And yes, I can see her whole face and ears.😉

[Roxeanne]

12 hours ago, Gail 8588 said:

She is an attentive  companion, very affectionate, for a cat. 

Bellissima Gail! 

It's a gift you have her by your side, they love us in their special way😸

[KayC]

Thank you for sharing that, Gail, and we can all relate having to crop a picture!  But we can see her fine and you did a good job. I'm horrible at photography, which I regret after losing a pet. 

I gave Kodie a bath last night (exempting head/eye) and he was such a trooper.  I'm really loving this guy, he has a million good qualities and just one bad one...pulling on a leash. He was over that until I had to hang up his Halti, can't use it since his eye operation!  It results in me being pulled into briars/bushes.  Have started removing his cone first thing in the morning and last thing at night so he can pee/poop in the yard.  He loves running around free of encumbrances (me).  He's always patient while my fumbling non-working hands try to get his cone back on his head, tied to his collar, and clips in place.

[foreverhis]

I finally managed to capture Cosi playing "Blind Cat and the Three Mice."  She's added yet another layer to playing with her cube:  Solid side on top; I put a mousie on it; Cosi "bops" it to make it fly; I retrieve; repeat.

Kay, I'm so glad you have Kodie.  What a treasure.

[KayC]

I can't quite tell what the picture is, a toy, not sure what she does with it. Kodie is loving the "bear" toy I got him, it squeaks, he isn't able to make it squeak but loves when I stomp on it and it does!

[foreverhis]

Kay, that’s her tan mousie with her paw reaching from underneath the cube to “search” for it. Her head and body are inside the cube.  When she feels a mousie, she grabs it and then swoops it under and into the cube with her. Once inside, she attacks it with vigor before bopping it out one of the openings to go on the hunt again. The cube is a ripstop nylon on a wire frame. It’s lightweight so she can literally roll around the room in it.

That is so funny how Kodie has figured out how to make his bear squeak. They’re so resourceful in thinking things through.

[KayC]

He can't make it squeak, he's too lightweight (unless you call him getting ME to do it)!

 

[foreverhis]

3 hours ago, KayC said:

He can't make it squeak, he's too lightweight (unless you call him getting ME to do it)!

 

Well, exactly. He figured out that when you stomp on it, it squeaks. Therefore, if he can convince you to do it, he wins (so to speak).

[foreverhis]

Just for fun, a few pictures of Cosi using her play cube to give everyone a better idea of how it works.  I bought a "back up" ($10) to have on hand for the day when she ultimately kills this one.

 

[Gail 8588]

That's really cute.

[KayC]

Now I can tell what you mean by "cube!!  She is cute and fun!

[foreverhis]

Her play cube has been a Godsend (well, technically a daughtersend, but still...).  She's really smart, very active, and needs her brain engaged.  Watching her puzzle out different ways to play with it, add her mousies, toss her leather butterfly chew toy inside, roll around the floor with it, etc. has been fun for both of us.  I think it's really helped her settle into the "yes" and "no" activities that I've been teaching her, like "no" to scratching the furniture, but "yes" to scratching her post, special rug, and floor scratcher.  She's not bored, so she doesn't act out as much.  And she's so darn entertaining!

[KayC]

I love your posts about Cosi, I come here like dessert after dinner! I wish I'd had a cube for my cats!   Wish I knew if Panther would play with one. He chooses to use my wood patio and ramp posts to scratch his claws on instead of the cat scratchers I have on the patio. Hoping this place outlasts him, he's drooling so I know he's old but not sure how old, he's still active.  Have gotten him to lose a bit of weight, but he's still pretty darn big!

[Roxeanne]

That old big cat has  a great fun on your patio Kay!!!

[KayC]

He has totally taken over the place! I won't let him inside though, he's a night owl and I can imagine the damage he'd do!  I can tell from how he treats the outside. But he sure loves it here!

[foreverhis]

Hi everyone.  I haven't been posting lately, but have been coming to read almost every day.

I thought I'd start posting again with a few pictures of my Cosi girl.  Funny story (at least to me):  I was making couscous one evening and she was prowling the kitchen hoping it would magically turn into salmon.  I looked at her and said, "It's couscous, my crazy little Cos-cos." so now that's a nickname I use when she's being silly, which is often.

The vet says she's finally fully grown.  Yay!  Bengals grow until 18 month and up to 2 years.  Through determination (and trying to ignore the pleading eyes and little "more please" meows), she's lost the extra pound she had packed on and is in perfect health at her ideal weight of 11 lb.  She's the largest cat I've ever been owned by; the others ranged from 7 lb to 9 lb. 

Her pelt-like fur is longer, very fine, thick, and silky.  I recently discovered she has a coveted Bengal trait:  Glitter fur.  That's when the tip or the length of their fur is translucent so that it refracts sunlight like a prism.  Really beautiful.  Cosi is glitter tipped.

She's got a long body, long back legs, and dense muscles, yet somehow she's just as stealthy as any other cat, except when she wants to make her presence known.

Here are some Cosi moments from recent weeks.

 

 

[KayC]

She is so beautiful!  Panther also lost weight this winter but I'd still estimate him around 20 lbs.  My others were 7-9 lbs.  King George a little more.  
 

[foreverhis]

Yikes, Kay, that’s a big cat! A friend had a Maine Coon mix who topped out at 23 lb! An absolute sweetheart, but quite a lot of cat.

Cosi really is a beauty. Smart, feisty, stubborn, silly, and loving. She makes her desires known. She’s taken to waking me around 5:30 or 6 by playing with my hair and bathing my forehead. She knows if I wake up, my bladder will chime in with its needs. Then I bring her a tiny kibble snack to tide her over. She will go potty, have her mini snack, and come back to bed, kissing my free arm before snuggling back down on John’s pillow so we can finish our sleep and get up between 7:30 and 8:30, depending on the day.

Seeing her cuddled up next to me so content makes it all worthwhile.

[KayC]

She totally is!

[foreverhis]

Hello all.  I thought I'd give a little Cosi update.

My girl has blossomed so much.  She has become ever more confident, friendly, and loving.  We've settled into our routines, which include playing with the rainbow ribbon wand a dear friend gave her right after I adopted her.  It belonged to my friend's cat who we lost going on 2 years ago now.  My girl loves it and absolutely must have a few minutes of play time with it every morning.  Woe to the cat mom who doesn't leave enough time for that!  I've very nearly been late to my Sunday early morning Zoom yoga class more than once.  Fortunately, our instructor is Raleigh's mom, so she gets it.

Among our friends, Cosi has chosen a select few to be the inner circle of her "pride."  One of those is the friend who gave her the rainbow ribbon, as well as several other items that belonged to her own sweet girl.  Her girl was an absolute love and claimed me as a friend the moment she met me.  I recently asked this friend, who is very dear to me, if she would consider being Cosi's Catmother.  She agreed immediately, even though she is in her 70s and had sworn not to take on the responsibility of another cat when her girl died.  Cosi absolutely adores her and the feeling is mutual.  I'm redoing my will to include a bequest with money so my friend wouldn't have to worry and Cosi would never want for anything. 

I had originally planned to ask Raleigh's parents, who I know would say yes, but I realized it wouldn't be fair to them or to Cosi.  She and Raleigh get along just fine, but they also have two "foster fail" cats they adopted as kittens going on 2 years ago.  Plus they are now allowed to foster kittens again, so they've usually got one or two, along with their girls and wonderful Raleigh.  I know Cosi would be fine with their cats because she was very friendly with other cats in the community room at the shelter, but the transition would be so hard on her and my friends that it made more sense to ask her very favorite "auntie."  It warms my heart to watch them together.

One of the items our friend brought early on was a berber cat scratcher that is supposed to hang on a door handle.  Both her girl and Cosi think that's dumb and prefer it on the floor.  I did have to cut off the braided hanging rope so Little Miss Mouthy wouldn't try to eat it. 

Most nights, we're settled in bed together and that's that.  She snuggles on John's pillow, holds my arm, and sleeps.  She's almost always awake before I am, so she gets up, goes potty, maybe plays with a mousie, and then comes back to bed or hops up to one of her perches until it's time to get up.  But some nights she just has to get out extra nocturnal energy. 

I took three of the pictures below at about 1 am when I woke up to the sounds of a crazy cat attacking her berber scratcher as if her life depended on it.  The other two pictures are from times we were relaxing together on the sofa when she made it clear that, "No, mom, you may not get up.  You will stay by me."  Of course, I obeyed, sat down again, and rationalized that she is more important than chores, gardening, or just about anything.

ETA:  I forgot to mention that Cosi is back on a weight loss plan.  It seems she has a slightly sluggish metabolism.  When she reached her ideal weight, the vet said to go ahead and put her on maintenance calories for her age, size, activity level, and being spayed.  Even though she's very active, in less than 3 months, she regained most of what she lost.  We're working on finding a happy medium that will keep her healthy, so her total now is midway between the weight loss level and the standard maintenance calories.  I've reduced her counted treats and her two daily snacks by a total of 35-40 calories per day and we'll see how she does over the next 3 months.  She's adjusting well this time because her two main meals are exactly the same, so she doesn't bug me for more food all day.  But even at 1 lb over her ideal weight, she's still the most beautiful girl in the world to me.

[KayC]

Aww, I'm glad you posted pictures!.  Kodie and Panther are both eating more!  They didn't tell me his weight at the vet 1 1/2 weeks ago, hoping he's not gaining.  Panther is eating more as he needs the energy to survive the winter.  It'll come off in the Spring/Summer.

[foreverhis]

One year ago today, I drove a winding mountain road in the rain to meet a girl I was pretty certain was not the one for me.  As we know, Miss Cosi had other plans.  Today is both her adoption anniversary and her designated birthday, 2 years old now.  She's enriched my life immeasurably and I like to think I'm giving her the best life she could possibly imagine.

January 2, 2023

January 2, 2024

What a difference a year makes.💗

[foreverhis]

As a follow up, Cosi's favorite auntie and I assembled, set, and secured her new upstairs cat tree.  That part of Cosiland is officially complete.  It took her nearly a day to understand that it's all for her.  With my encouragement, she finally let herself explore and is absolutely loving it.

 

[KayC]

15 hours ago, foreverhis said:

She's enriched my life immeasurably and I like to think I'm giving her the best life she could possibly imagine.

Looks like you're doing it!

[Boggled]

foreverhis, your post with the "before" and "after" photos from Jan. 2 actually made me laugh out loud.  What a difference in expression!  still laughing.

oh, and your cat tree looks really wonderful.   

[foreverhis]

4 hours ago, Boggled said:

What a difference in expression!  still laughing.

Definitely! She was waifish and not full grown at a year. Even after more than a month at the excellent shelter, she was underweight with a very soft, but kind of thin coat.

Until she met me and decided, “Mine!” she had been a bit confused and reticent, hiding in her blanket nest, overlooked and rather overwhelmed. Who can blame her? She’d clearly been somewhat neglected and then left behind with the garbage by those horrible renters.

It took 2 months, plus me going on a long-planned 4 day trip and actually returning, for her to fully understand that she was home forever. It took at least that long for her to understand that I would never physically “punish” her.

Now she knows she is in charge, secure in her cat self. She has friends and her chosen inner circle pride. She’s mostly outgoing except for meeting new men.  She adores Raleigh’s dad though.

As a Bengal or Bengal mix, she didn’t stop growing until she was more than 18 months old. Her coat is thick, longer, and so fine and soft. Her muscles are strong and developed. She’s got long back legs and a long, sturdy body. And she most definitely has the attitude to match!

[KayC]

I love what you've done for Cosi!

[Boggled]

5 hours ago, foreverhis said:

She was waifish and not full grown at a year.

I can see that in your "before" photo, along with anxiety!  ...  And then in the "after" photo, a VERY "secure," contented, slightly bored, no-anxiety being!   😄