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DIY POWDER ROOM FOR YOUR CAT

November 19, 2021 | 7 Comments

EVERYONE NEEDS PRIVACY

And quite frankly, I don’t want a huge-a** litter box to be the first thing guests see when they enter my home.

Facebook Marketplace is THE go-to place for shopping these days.

For all the things you never knew you needed

as my husband says.

That is where I found the solid wood cabinet to create Ricky’s fancy ‘half bath.’ It met all criteria: big enough for a big cat’s box, a drawer for people stuff, and a drawer for pet stuff, as well as cupboard space for larger items and plastic bags for tending said cat box.

It came with a top section that I subsequently donated online. Who knew so many people would be interested in the top half of a hutch!?

We sanded it down, primed it, and painted it ‘Empire State’ grey. My husband cut out a hole at the end of the cabinet for Ricky to access his box and added a shelf for our older kitty not to have so far to jump after lounging on his ‘rooftop lookout.’

It didn’t take any time for Ricky to discover and make use of his box.

How’s that for a thank you!?

Because Ricky’s box is covered, I didn’t bother to staple a plastic sheet to the cabinet surrounding the box. If you decide to create such a cabinet and use an uncovered tray, you may wish to consider the plastic to keep dust from covering items in other parts of the cabinet.

If you have cats and dogs, and your cat isn’t good at asking to go into the room where his box is located, you may also consider attaching a microchip cat flap. This way, the dogs have no choice but to respect the cat’s privacy.

CATS ONLY – NO DOGS ALLOWED

We hope you enjoyed this tutorial; please comment and let us know how you hide your litter.

 

 

Categories: DECOR & DIY Tagged: Cat, DIY, Litter Box

ISABELLA – AN UPDATE

August 10, 2018 | 16 Comments

Isabella is finally able to relax and be happy

Isabella is in surgery today.

Those of you who read the introductory post will no doubt think I’m referring to surgery for her hips.

A second opinion was sought. I provided video footage of Miss Isabella in action, and additional professionals shared their feedback, concluding it best not to proceed with the hip surgery as it might aggravate the condition further.

I have spent a great deal of time working with Isabella these past months. She is quite chatty and has come out of her shell. Isabella appears happy, albeit a bit stiff.

Isabella sounds like an elephant running around her room at night, playing with her toys!

We have Isabella on an extra-strength joint formula supplement which seems to help overcome discomfort due to her arthritis. I’m happy to have her off medication. Especially, Metacam, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) used for pain management.

Metacam (meloxicam) inhibits the enzyme cyclooxygenase which is necessary for the body’s inflammatory reaction. Lower levels of this enzyme means the tissues are less swollen, creating less pressure on delicate nerve endings, therefore causing less pain.

Extended use of Metacam in cats has been associated with acute renal failure and death!

Isabella is having dental surgery, today. In addition to the fractured hips, initial x-rays indicated a broken tooth. After completing the additional assessment and determining we would not be going ahead with the hip surgery, I booked her appointment for the  dental work. I’m sure she will feel much better no longer having toothache.

As you can see, Isabella has undergone a major transformation from the terrified little calico I introduced you to months ago into a beautiful and sweet little cat. Although not a lap-cat, Isabella enjoys fusses on her terms.

Once recovered from dental surgery, we will start to look for a suitable, forever home for Isabella. This will be a home with no dogs (she is not a fan of my three), and at least one other friendly cat. Isabella adores our Ricky. He played an important role in her rehabilitation – demonstrating kitty confidence, and trust in humans. Isabella needs a person, or people, who understand that it will take time and patience to earn Isabella’s trust and that will make the effort to help her overcome her fears and uncertainties.

A heartfelt THANK YOU to all who donated to Isabella’s cause. We raised enough money to cover the cost of her dental surgery and contribute to her supplements.

Thank you Georgina Feral Cat Committee for giving Isabella a second chance.

Foster Mom,

 

 

 

 

 

Categories: ADOPTABLES, RESCUE GROUPS & SHELTERS Tagged: Cat, Forever Home, Rescue

CAT INSPIRED PLATE WALL

July 27, 2018 | 35 Comments

DOG HOUSE DECOR – CAT PLATE WALL

Hang plates on a wall?  Why?

Ricky’s Wall

That’s what I used to wonder.  Until inspired by my work of art by the ‘Crazy Plate Lady.’

“My business is adding personality to peoples homes. When you bring a smile to someone’s face, before they even get to the table, that’s what it’s all about.” – The Crazy Plate Lady

Notice the little red angel on Jacqueline’s shoulder? Or is he the devil? Meow!

I wanted our newly renovated farmhouse to be a ‘modern farmhouse.’ Yesteryear charm mixed with modern colours and patterns.

Canines primarily run my house; toys and dog beds are scattered throughout. I figured why not give Ricky a whole feature wall of his own?

It took months for me to figure out how and where to display my Ricky plate in the new house.  The layout is relatively open-concept, and I wanted a cohesive blend with all the other displays of art in the area: colour, shapes, materials, style, etc.

Colour Theory

Most of the time I go by instinct when it comes to picking accent pieces and colours.  If I like it and it makes my house feel homey, I’m good. I have chosen décor themes for rooms based on the smallest accent piece instead of the other-way-around.  Backwards?  Perhaps.

Sometimes my choices make sense without me having to put much thought into it.  I love when that happens, and I can pretend I knew what the heck I was doing.

My favourite colour is not one of the three primary colours: red, blue, or yellow.  I love the many different shades of turquoise, teal, and sea-foam blue (secondary or tertiary colours). LOVE these blues. You’ll see reflections of this throughout my little nest.

On the colour chart, blue is complementary to orange. Therefore, I figured ginger kitty with blonde highlights would work well with my choice of turquoise and cornmeal yellow plates. The connection between colours only occurred to me as I started laying plates next to each other.

Plate walls are a great, inexpensive way to create an artistic display within your home. I love the look of monochromatic themes but chose to mix some colour in with more traditional, vintage pieces for my arrangement.

This ain’t your Granny’s plate wall!

Two of the plates did, in fact, belong to my Grandmother. I stole the small, shapely, yellow plate and the round, off-white plate from my mother’s cupboard. The remainder of my collection came from local thrift stores, Homesense, and the grocery store (President’s Choice – Everyday Essentials).

LOVE the blues.

If you’re struggling to figure out the look you want, check online for plenty of ideas.  I recommend not being in a rush to create your display. It might be more of a challenge and take longer to match an online design. You will have to find similar plates, colours, and patterns. Coming up with my vision was a test of patience for me but ultimately, worth the wait. I’m thrilled with how my arrangement turned out.

Part of the fun of this project was finding the perfect pieces to tie into my theme. It was a treasure hunt!

Now that you have your concept and plates, it’s time to attach them to the wall.

But first, you might want to trace them out on kraft paper. I picked up several rolls at Dollarama.

  1. Measure the wall area where your display will be featured. If it’s not going to be wall to wall, be sure to mark the area where the template will sit.
  2. Create a template of that space out of kraft paper.
  3. Decide on the layout design of plates and trace around them on the kraft paper. If you’re using similar sizes and shapes, you might want to write a description on your plate outline to note any differences.  Especially if you’re not completing this project in one go. Now, where was I…………..
  4. Wash and dry plates thoroughly, removing any scratches. See below.
  5. Attach your hooks to the backs of your plates according to the direction you will display them on the wall. Yup, that was nearly an Ooops! Glue takes plenty of time to dry. See below.
  6. Measure the distance from the top of your plate to the ‘nail’ area of the plate hanger and mark this on your template.
  7. Tape your template to the wall and insert nails or fixings appropriate to wall type. See below.
  8. Remove the template carefully. You may still need to refer to this as a reminder of which plates go where.
  9. Hang your plates and admire!

Removing scratches

I’m all for ‘charm’ but some of the dark scratches across my light, vintage plates was not the look I was going for.  This was easily remedied by using a gentle yet mildly abrasive cleanser.  I only had liquid Vim which turned out to be abrasive enough.  You could also use Comet, Bar Keeper’s Friend, or good old Baking Soda. Since Vim was in liquid form already, I was good to go.  If you choose one of the other options, you’ll need to add some water to make it into a paste. Then rub the solution into the scratches with a cloth or scrub sponge to remove them.

Hooks

I recommend these hooks – they are durable, easy to use, can be purchased in packs of four or more, and can also be easily modified if your plates are different sizes. I was happy to go larger and take comfort in knowing that Ricky wasn’t going anywhere.  I tried a different brand initially – impatient me didn’t want to wait for these fabulous fixers to arrive.  That ended in a casualty.  Thankfully, I tested the subpar sticky device on an easily replaceable plate. Something to keep in mind.

Disclosure: This blog post contains affiliate and referral links. I may earn a small commission if you use these links to make a purchase. I use these funds to feed my cats. Thanks for the cat food.

Once the plates are clean and dry, decide how you will adhere your hooks on the backs of your plates. Take into consideration any exaggerated rims and ridges.  Directions provided by this company include a workaround for such instances.  Using some water on your fingertips, work the glue into goo and let it sit for a few minutes to become tacky before attaching disc to your plate. Once disc is applied, you don’t have much time to adjust.

Leave to glue to set entirely before attaching them to the wall.

Waiting patiently…..

SIMILAR TO A PHOTO FRAME, MAKE SURE YOU KNOW IF YOUR PLATE WILL BE HORIZONTAL OR LANDSCAPE!

My husband was not so thrilled when I told him my idea for this area of the kitchen.  After all, this brick wall was more than a century old.  No pressure (gulp). This is why I suggest using a template. Special screws were used to fix the plate hooks to the brick wall as standard picture hook nails would not do the trick.

Like it? Please Pin it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I love walking through my kitchen door and seeing Ricky on the wall.

 

Check out more of Jacqueline’s work on Instagram!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Categories: DECOR & DIY Tagged: Art, Cat, Decor, Farmhouse, Plate-wall

ISABELLA WANTS TO LIVE!

March 7, 2018 | 24 Comments

WE NEED YOUR HELP!

Dear Animal Lovers,

We are reaching out for your help. Beautiful, five-year-old Isabella is in desperate need of surgery! The cost of surgery will cost between $2500 – $3000. Donations required (and much appreciated). Please help us save her life!

Isa

It was during her spay operation the Vet discovered the trauma to Isabella’s hind end. Usually, during spay surgery, the team will straighten an animal’s legs, allowing them greater access to carry out the procedure. They could not bend or stretch either of Isabella’s back legs – at all.

X-rays were performed, and the extent of her injuries was discovered; both hips were badly broken. The orthopedic surgeon determined that surgery was required for her to have a good quality of life.

At this time, the veterinarian has prescribed medication which, cannot be used long-term as it will cause other issues including organ failure.

Isabella needs surgery, and we need your support to make that happen!

Georgina Feral Cat Committee is an organization that focuses on TNR efforts to reduce the overpopulation of feral cats in the community. The organization fosters, rehomes, and provides medical care for cats, and their kittens that are born before they have had the opportunity to spay or neuter the adult cats in feral colonies.

Overpopulation is a concern in most communities. These efforts require human resources and significant funds to make a difference. Although this case is outside their usual practice, Georgina Feral Cat Committee did not want to see Isabella euthanized, believing that ‘All Lives Matter.’

We just had to try to help her and cannot use funds that have been earmarked and raised for TNR efforts (Trap, Neuter, and Return)

There is a solution, but it costs money. Please donate today – every little will make a difference to Isabella and the feral cats being cared for by this organization.

We believe that, at one point, Isabella was a beloved family pet that found her way outside and was hit by a car. The trauma to her hind end is severe and will require significant surgery on both hips. As a result of the injury, and despite the option of having surgery, Isabella has arthritis which will require long-term medical treatment.

When I first met Isabella at the animal shelter where she had been residing for more than four months, she was so utterly terrified, and, as we now know, in such pain, I was unable to open her cage without having her hiss and lash out and scratch me. Thankfully, Georgina Feral Cat Committee saw the determination demonstrated by this little cat and agreed to request the shelter sign her over to their care.

Isabella wants to live!

During the three weeks that Isabella has been in my care, I have seen a significant improvement in her disposition. Her eyes look at me softly, and she is relaxed and comfortable. Initially, Isabella would not come out of her hide-a-box for treats, but clearly, she enjoyed them as they were all gone when I next visited. It didn’t take long until Isabella would come right out for her treats and would remain out of hiding to eat her meals (full meals when at first, she barely ate).

Isabella has found her little voice and can be quite chatty. I see hope in her eyes and hear the gratitude in her voice. Isabella’s personality is starting to show. She is a cheeky madam, tapping my fingertips as if to say ‘you can drop those right there, thank you.’ I can’t wait to see what other traits she shares with us in the near future.

I will continue to work with Isabella over the next few weeks. However, even though Isabella is finally receiving medical treatment for the pain, this isn’t a long-term solution as she cannot be treated with strong pain medication for the rest of her life.

It is clear that, with pain management, love and patience, she is starting to trust again. I can’t wait to see how much her personality shines once she has had the necessary surgery to relieve her from extensive pain.

Your support will give Isabella the opportunity to enjoy a good life. Please help her to get the surgery she needs to be able to thrive in a loving home.

Isabella is a fighter, and we believe she deserves to be comfortable and experience love, again. She deserves a chance! Please, help us help Isabella. Donate today!

Email transfer or PayPal payments accepted by Georgina Feral Cat Committee email address is georginaferals@gmail.com.

TAX RECEIPTS ARE AVAILABLE if donations are sent by email transfer to paws@pawsofgeorgina.com. Cheques also accepted by PAWS OF GEORGINA  . Full name and address required. Please state that donation is for Isabella.

Thank you,
Georgina Feral Cat Committee
& Foster Mom,

 

 

 

Be sure to check back for updates on Isabella – or sign up for free notifications!

 

 

Categories: ADOPTABLES, RESCUE GROUPS & SHELTERS Tagged: Animal-welfare, Cat, Rescue, Save-a-life, Shelt

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