Strolling Sunday: Heimdall's Star Wars Adventure!

Heimdall writes:

I went on a grand adventure today!  Yes, I am wearing a Yoda hat with ears in that picture.  I'll explain why!

Mommy needed to go to the store to get litter for both our boxes, plus she'd gotten an e-mail from Petco that the new Star Wars toys, collars, and dress-up things were on the shelves.  They were giving away the Yoda hat to anyone who bought something from the Star Wars collection today, and Mommy thought it would look cute for us for dress-up.  I won't wear clothes, but I do like collars, harnesses, and hats!

Mommy knew I needed a new harness, because the blue mesh ones my sister and I got when we were kittens are too small for us now.  Mommy took it out to take the leash off, and I immediately begged for it.  I remembered what it was, and wanted to wear it to go into the garage or wherever I was allowed, because I knew I was allowed unusual places with the harness!  Mommy tried it on me for a laugh, and I looked very disappointed that it didn't fit anymore.  She said I could wear Tabby's harness until we got to the store and got me fitted for my new one.

I didn't like Tabby's harness.  I'm used to my walking jacket, and Tabby's harness is a loop one.  Not the same feel at all.  I wore it, but under protest.  I bit it first, then Mommy said the first loop went over my head.  I agreed to try it, so she put it on me.  I kept wanting to bite it as she was fastening it, because it looks like a giant string to me.  Another reason to get a walking jacket one!

Finally, I was harnessed.  Mommy put me into the carrier bag and I figured out how to lie down in it.  Once again, I've grown so much since I was last in it that I had to get used to it again.  Then I was put in the stroller and off we went to the bus stop!

I didn't like the bus.  I kept on squeaking to Mommy about it, but she wouldn't let me out to sit in her lap like I wanted.  Luckily, I speak softly, so I didn't disturb the other bus riders or the driver.  Everyone on the bus said what a good rider I was, and Mommy thought I was, too.  This was my first time riding the bus!  I got used to most of it after this first ride, though, and did well on the way back.

Once we were off the bus, Mommy let me out again to ride in the stroller.  I do this at home, so I knew how to sit while Mommy pushed me.  I commented on everything!  Cars, grass, trees, a big parking lot, people, wow!!!!!

Hey, there's a sidewalk!  Mommy, can I get out and rest for a few minutes?  It's hot out here, and that looks like a nice spot to relax.

Mommy let me rest here for a bit and petted me while we talked about all the things happening around us.  There were people walking in and out of a store, cars parking and leaving, and a bike going by, as well as big strollers called shopping carts.  It all was very overwhelming!

Yes, I'm giving Mommy the stink-eye!  She put three harnesses on me!  At one point, I ran away from her into the dog beds on the bottom shelf by the harnesses and she had to crawl in and get me.  I was a good boy and only ran into that shelf, instead of running anywhere else in Petco.  So many people, smells, and things happening!  Mommy said I did very well for my first time out, though.  She was quite impressed with me.  I only ran away twice:  once in the dog beds and once in the litter bags while we were getting litter.  A saleslady helped get me out and thought I was doing very well for my first time out, too.  Another customer had a dog and that's what scared me by the litter.  It was a big golden retriever, and I'd never seen a big dog up close before!  It was very good and sat when its person told it to, though.

A good Yoda do I make!

This was while we were waiting for the bus to take us back home.  I got to sit by Mommy on the bench.  I liked the ears and didn't try to taste them like I had with the string harness.  See my handsome new, green harness that matches the ears?

 Any day that ends with catnip mice is ok with me!

Yep, it's a stormtrooper mouse!

Wordy Wednesday: Missy had surgery and Heimdall took a stroller ride!

Missy writes:

When I became part of this household, my purrents took me to the vet to have them search for a spay scar.  The vet couldn't find one.  In the two years since then, I've exhibited most of the signs of an intact female, so my purrents scheduled a spay for me.  They brought me in Monday night, because our vet is a 24-hour clinic.  The vet called when I was under anesthesia and being shaved, because I did have a very small scar that could have been a spay scar.  The vet gave my purrents two options.  1.  No incision, do vaccinations, and pick me up after I'd recovered from the anesthesia.  2.  Make the incision and check if my organs were there, do vaccinations, and pick me up after I'd recovered from the anesthesia.  I know some of you may think this was the wrong decision, but my purrents agreed that they would do option #2 because of my behaviors.

The incision was made, and I had, indeed, already been spayed.  I woke up later on to a bunny in my cage.  Not a real one, MOL!  A fuzzy stuffed animal bunny that had my purrents' smells on it!  The clinic gives them to patients who have to stay for a while, and has the patients' families hug and hold the stuffed animal so the smell transfers.  Then we have something nice and familiar to wake up to when we're recovering!

Daddy came and picked me up after I'd recovered, eaten something, gotten checked, and had my pain medicine.  I got to take the fuzzy bunny home with me, and Freya loves it!  Everyone has been checking on me during the day, taking turns being close to me.  I was up on the table at one point, and Freya hopped up to touch noses with me.  I wasn't sure what she was doing, but she sat down and made friendly noises.  Mommy went to pet both of us so that I felt more comfy.  Later on, Heimdall did the same thing after Freya hopped down.  When I was waiting in line to eat, Heimdall sat by me, then ate from the other plate when I ate.  It's nice to know that I'm so loved!

Heimdall writes:

I took a stroller ride!  I love riding in the stroller inside the house, and always hop in it for a ride after Tabby gets home from her visits.  That's always been inside the house, though.  I've only once gone outside in the stroller, and I got so scared that Mommy brought me right back inside.  That was a couple years ago, though.

Mommy's been taking walks every day, going a few blocks down the street and back.  Today she decided to take me with her in the stroller!  She brought it out and I hopped in.  Then she zipped it up, which I wasn't expecting but that was ok with me.  When she took me outside, I chirped at her, but she reassured me and explained we were going to walk down the street and then back home.  I tried to get out of the stroller until we passed the house next door.  A butterfly flew by then, so I got excited about what I was seeing!  Wings!  I didn't know wings were out here!  I also didn't know the cars and trucks stayed on their path, called a road.  I saw, heard, and felt a train go by as well!

When we got back inside, my purrents praised me and gave me lots of pets.  I'm so proud I got to go outside in the stroller for a walk!  Mommy says she might take me out again in a few days!  I've been even more alert for the rest of the day, so she knows that I'm happy with my adventure.

PhotoHunt: Go!

This is how Tabby goes:  in her stroller!

 

Sometimes she likes to look where she's going.

 

Other times she likes to use her own four paws to go, but always on harness & leash.

Are you a photohunter?

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy (belated) Valentine's Day from the PDX pride!

Tabby says:

I went on a special Valentine's Day stroll today. Mommy and I left the house and said hi to SpongeBob, who was on the front porch. He sniffed me in the stroller and then rolled over for tummy rubs on the sidewalk. Mommy took me on the bus to Petco and had my picture taken. After about 10 different tries, most of which I was trying to get the cameraman to pet me instead of taking my picture, we finally got one that worked.


Then, I walked around the whole store, spending most of my time in the dog food aisle. A lady kept following us, asking all kinds of questions about me and my leash-walking and training. She also pet me quite a bit, and then her daughter pet me also. She joked around with Mommy that I must be some kind of a new breed of animal, a "cat-dog" or "dog-cat"! Here's a video of me walking around the store.



When it was time to go, I growled at Mommy because I wanted to stay. I love being out so much that I never want to leave when it's time! She said we had to go, and put me back in the carrier. We went to the store where we get my outfits, and they had the St. Patrick's clothes already, so we got a dress for me. Mommy's going to go back later today to bring them one of my Valentine's cards; she forgot to bring it with us.

We took the bus back home. Here's a picture of the bus at the mall.


When we got back to the house, our neighbors were just leaving, so I hopped out of the stroller to say hi to them. Then they started their truck and drove away. I got really scared and jumped and tried to run, but Mommy had my leash so I didn't get far. I crouched down and looked at the truck going away, swishing my tail. Then I walked up to the house and patiently waited for Mommy to open the door, and in I went.