Tuesday, July 8, 2014

Gremlin Update

In five days Gremlin turns five months old and he has gone from this little dude...


To this slightly bigger dude...


I'm actually sitting at my blank screen wondering where to start. There is so much to say about gremlin but I'm super tempted to just write "he's awesome" knowing the line doesn't really do him justice but perhaps prevents me looking like a weirdo who loves her cat way too much. 

Oh heck I love my cat way too much :p


Ben has gone back to work, two and half weeks down, less than 4 to go. He's been doing this work away business for a few years and I've adapted pretty well but I have to say this time has been so much easier. My cold winter bed has the delightful new addition of purring cat who curls up close to my head and falls asleep. He sleeps as long as I sleep too (which is often super long) unless something wakes him and then he bites my toes and harasses me. Maybe in another six years that won't be so cute.
 
Before Ben left we tried to do as much leash walking as possible + baths and car trips. He is 100% okay with cars, 50% okay with the walking and 15% okay with baths.






Luckily gremlin will eat anything so the treat system seems to work for us. I'll admit I haven't been doing the baths or walking since Ben has been gone, I feel like it's a two man job (bathing might even be a three main job) and I wuss out. We bought gremlin a backpack for when we go on trips that are a bit too crazy to expect a cat to walk. It came with a drawstring closure which although marketed as a pet backpack obviously wasn't too well designed so I sewed in heavy duty velcro and sealed it good (or so I thought).

Lesson for the day - cats can open Velcro (next step a zip!)

Does anyone have any hints and tips for me? I know the walking could definitely be better, Gremlin seems to dictate where we go or meows so we'll pick him up and carry him - which I'm a sucker and do. I'll definitely take on some words of wisdom if anyone has them :)

In short Gremlin is awesome - I actually feel sad for all the time we spent sans cat, I'd also happily adopt another cat as well :) 

Too much?

23 comments:

  1. Ah i love this! I have two cats, neither of whom are walkers or bathers or happy car passengers, so you're doing well!

    I would love to see a photo of little gremlin in his backpack. The image in my head is making my heart melt

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    1. aww - well that's good to know, I know we're probably expecting a little too much from him as well :P
      Once I get a zip sewn in - I'll definitely take a snap, again he doesn't love the backpack but I think at the moment it's on par with the leash - so maybe if we alternate between walking, being held and him traveling in the backpack he'll feel like he has options - maybe!

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  2. Gremlin really does sound awesome! I used to have a cat in Singapore, her name was Smokie and she was super cool and would catch bats and leave them lying in my room to show off (Lovely - not!)

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    1. yikes!! I think I would crazy freak out if Gremlin did that. So far he hasn't brought me anything which I'm not sure is a good or bad thing yet :P

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  3. He is one gorgeous cat. One with stong personality as well :)

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  4. he's a handsome fella! and a smart one! piri can't open velcro! :)

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    1. maybe necessity forced him to acquire the skill quickly aka "I want out!" :P

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  5. What a pretty little boy. Cats make everything better.

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  6. He's even got a teenage face now!! Ummm have you tried making a cat carry bag ala Moonrise Kingdom?? So cute but probs not realllllyyy practical...hmmm x em

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    1. Having the one from moonrise kingdom would be beyond amazing!! Unfortunately my searches for cat bags resulted in pretty boring ones and then I had to think about the practical application - so ended up with a super boring backpack. If my DIY skills were amazing I might even give the basket a go but just having a quick google of the bag it looks pretty intense especially that little window panel on front!

      I always think movies would totally cash in if they made some of their props mainstream - that's a whole lot of money not being made people!

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  7. aw so cute! Gremlin is way better behaved then my cat- she doesn't even like to be picked up! (although she's getting slightly better with old age). Also I was reading the moonrise kingdom comment above and I completely agree with you- I wish Wes Anderson would make a design brand or something :-P

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    1. Aww your cat is finally giving in to the love!! he he he. He definitely needs to make a design brand - people would go crazy!! Well I'd definitely buy the cat bag anyway :)

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  8. Life without cats is sad ahahah, i would kill myseld aaaha
    i don't think the bathing situation with cats is necessary: they are the usually super clean and take very good care of their personal hygiene!
    I don't know any cat that walks on a leash and goes anywhere so for me everything you are telling me here is awesome and somewhat mythical ahahah <3
    Gremlin is really really beautiful!

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    1. lol - yeah I don't think bathing is necessary either. I think our thought process was, to do all the things cats hate when he is little so if we ever have to do them when he was older he would be okay with them. I'm beginning to think though he will never be okay with the bath! He did get his fur covered in something sticky the other day but I don't think a bath would of helped - actually he let me (not so gently) brush it all out - hurrah!

      Thanks for the reassurance - I'll go back to being lazy and wait till Ben is home again :)

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  9. Awww how can anyone not become a crazy cat person with that little handsome fella!! :) We have never tried to walk with Juno (although it would be awesome indeed) because she is so scared of everything that even walking a short part of the hallway of our building is a big adventure for her. Ranma's (Juno's readhead cousin) parents tried to buy a leash but she keeps on stubbornly laying down every time they try, so they lately have given up because it was more dragging a kitty than walking her ;) Oh! and I understand you completely, I wouldn't dare to bath Juno by myself :) we like at least to do it once a year, she is very clean but her shampoo reminds me so much of baby Juno that I think I do it more for myself than to clean her (oops :P)

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    1. That shampoo story is soooo sweet! We have this herbal shampoo for Gremlin that smell like turkish delight so after he his bathed I just want to smell him (slightly weird!) he he he. I had a dog growing up that would just flop down on the lead so we ended up just carrying him for most of our walks. I guess at the end of the day animals are mostly just going to do what they want to do!

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  10. why oh why do you bath your cat??? otherwise I don't think you can love a cat too much. that's just impossible :)

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  11. I am totally a cat person too! Gremlin looks adorable that I wanna steal him :P

    Katrina Sophia Blog

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