Little Things Count

Stanley has been keeping me busy lately with agility classes, tricks, manners, and plenty of walks. Last week was the final class of this agility session, and we celebrated with agility games. The basic rules were simple and a little chaotic: race around the obstacles any way you want within a set time, but hit certain required obstacles along the way for points.

Some weeks, I can’t even take Stan off leash because the smells on the course and the other dogs around the room are just too much for his little brain. Other times, he locks in with me and we have a great run. Last week was one of those great nights. I was a little overwhelmed trying to plan a path that would both rack up points and play to his strengths, but Stanley absolutely rose to the occasion. He stayed with me, followed my cues, and even ran the weave poles. Tunnel, A‑frame, jumps, tire jump – he did it all, off leash and focused. I was so proud of him, and I really feel like all the focus training we’ve been doing is finally starting to pay off.

As thrilled as I am about his big “game night” success, I’m realizing how much the tiny, everyday moments matter just as much. The other day I came home, let him out of his crate, did the usual potty break, and then hit a wall. I just didn’t feel great and really needed a nap. Of course, as soon as I lay down, Stanley decided it was playtime. He bounced on the bed, nipped at my hands, and dug at the blankets while I silently begged the universe for twenty minutes of quiet.

I gave him a gentle pat and told him I needed to rest. A minute later, he hopped off the bed. I figured he’d found something else to get into, but instead he came back carrying a chew toy. He settled in next to me, happily chewed for a few minutes, and then curled up against me and fell asleep. Self‑soothing, respecting my need for a break, and still taking care of his own.

That tiny moment felt just as big as his perfect off‑leash agility run. It’s easy to celebrate the flashy stuff – the tunnels, the weave poles, the game nights – but the little choices he’s starting to make on his own are what really show me how far he’s come. I love this little dog so much, and I’m trying to remember that in training and in life, the little things really do count!

Bean and Stan Napping

Bean also had a big day recently with a dental cleaning, and I’m so relieved that all went well. The vet did end up removing one tooth; the root was pretty badly damaged, so they think he must have injured it at some point and that it was probably causing him pain. He got injections of antibiotics and pain medication while he was there, which meant no meds for me to juggle at home – such a gift. He came home a little sleepy but comfortable, and I’m grateful we caught the problem and that he should be feeling so much better now. Hoping for a break from large vet bills for a bit!

Bean’s tooth for the curious:

Cat Teeth and Dog Agility


Some weeks around here feel like a very on‑brand mix of “cat teeth drama” and “tiny dog running full speed at an A‑frame.” This has definitely been one of those weeks.

Puck’s Teeth: From Drool to Dental
A few weeks ago, we noticed that Puck was drooling a little bit and being extra pesty, and at first I couldn’t figure out what he was trying to tell us. Puck is very good at letting us know when something is wrong, so the “clingy, rub‑his-face-on-us” behavior got my attention pretty quickly. Years ago, when he had urinary tract issues, he literally led us to the litter box, sat in it, and howled until we realized he needed help, so when he starts acting off, I pay attention.

This time, the clue was his breath. Once we noticed how bad it smelled, it was off to the vet. The verdict: some bad teeth that needed to go. Puck went in for a dental cleaning, had four teeth removed, and came home groggy but quickly went back to being his opinionated, snuggly self.

The not‑so‑fun part? Cat dentals are expensive these days, especially once extractions are involved. The good part is that almost immediately after he recovered from anesthesia, he seemed more comfortable. I suspect his mouth had been bothering him longer than he let on.

Bean’s Turn (Because of Course)
Just when I thought we were through the worst of the cat dental adventures, Bean had his checkup. Overall, both cats looked good, but Bean has one bad tooth and some tartar, and our vet recommended a dental for him as well.

 Part of me wishes there were a magical way to do cat teeth without anesthesia, because that’s where so much of the cost comes from, but for now, that’s just part of responsible cat care. Two cat dentals in one season is not my favorite budgeting challenge, but I keep reminding myself that mouth pain is miserable and cats are very good at hiding it.

Between Puck’s extractions and Bean’s upcoming dental, I’m more motivated than ever to stay on top of brushing and home care to stretch out the time between future professional cleanings.

Why Cat Teeth Matter (Even When They Pretend They’re Fine)
If you’ve ever had a toothache, you know how all‑consuming it can be. Cats, of course, don’t tell us they hurt; they keep eating, keep grooming, and maybe just get a little quieter or clingier. With both Puck and Bean, the signs were subtle: drooling, bad breath, and small changes in behavior rather than dramatic symptoms.

Now that I’ve watched Puck bounce back from his dental, I’m convinced that cat teeth are one of those “pay now or pay more (and in pain) later” situations. I’d rather spend the money proactively than find out years from now that they’ve been living with sore mouths.

So that’s the cat side of things: one kitty with fewer teeth but a better quality of life, and another waiting his turn.



Meanwhile, in Dog Agility Land…
While the cats handle their dental journeys, Stanley and I are busy in a very different department: agility.

I went to my first agility club meeting last week. I assumed it was just for humans, so I left Stan at home… and then watched several people walk in with their dogs like it was the most normal thing in the world. Even without him there, it was a great experience. Everyone was incredibly friendly and welcoming, and I left feeling like I joined at exactly the right time.

Our club’s big trial is coming up in May, and I’ll be volunteering so I can see what everything looks like from the inside. I’m excited (and a little nervous) to get a feel for how a full trial day runs, what the energy is like, and how dogs handle being around all those sights, sounds, and smells.

In June, the club will have a booth at a fundraising event for the SPCA where I take classes. There’s going to be a small agility course and demos. I don’t think I’ll be ready for an official demo yet, but I’ve already been told I can volunteer at the booth and run the course at an unofficial time so Stan can try it out with people and distractions around. That feels like the perfect low‑pressure way to dip our toes (and paws) into the “real world” of agility.

Getting Ready: Travel Crate and Focus Work
If we ever do compete, Stanley will need to be comfortable hanging out in a travel crate while we wait for our runs. That means I need to stop just thinking about a crate and actually get one, and then do the slow, patient work of making it a happy place. Stanley loves his crate at home, so it is just a matter of getting him used to a travel crate.

 I found a used portable travel crate, on Facebook Marketplace. I wasn’t going to buy one right now, but it was less than half the price of new, and it had only been used for a couple of weeks.  I just got it, so now I’ll start introducing it at home with all the good stuff: comfy bedding, chews, and short, positive sessions so it becomes his little safe den instead of “the boring place I sit when mom disappears.”

Class-wise, Stan is still doing weekly agility and having a blast. Two weeks ago we had a rough night—he was super distracted and not listening at all. I’ve been working hard on “with me,” “watch me,” and “touch” (hand targeting) to help him stay engaged when the world gets interesting. He’s brave about obstacles; the real work right now is focus and teamwork.

Mr. Puck


Last class, we worked on the teeter, which he’s only done once before. He ran right up like it was no big deal. He’s solid on the tunnel, the A‑frame, and the other equipment. It’s the in‑between pieces—staying with me, reading my cues, and remembering that zoomies are not always on the lesson plan—that we’re working through.

Now that the weather is nicer, I’ve been setting up jumps and weave poles on the back porch and practicing outside. It’s not as distracting as class, but it’s a big step up from our quiet living room. Birds, neighborhood noises, and random smells make great “practice distractions.”

Playdates, Practice, and a House Full of Projects
Because Stan has a lot of energy (and feelings), I’ve also started trying to line up playdates with other small dogs. We had one playdate last week with a dog from his rescue network. It went pretty well, though I suspect Stan may be a little on the “too enthusiastic” side for her. We’re going to try again next week and see how they do with a second meeting.

We also met an adorable little dog at the dog park that he absolutely loved playing with. I was supposed to meet her again last week, but the weather didn’t cooperate. I’m planning to try the same time again this week and see if we run into them. Note to self: next time, just exchange numbers instead of trusting my luck!

So that’s life here at the moment: one cat recovering from dental extractions, another waiting for his own date with the toothbrush and scaler, a tiny dog learning that teeters are fun and focus is hard, and me trying to keep everyone’s teeth, brains, and bodies busy and healthy.

Soon, Hector has her six month check up, so I’ll be sure to update after that.

If you’ve dealt with cat dentals or have tips for improving Stanley’s focus, I’d love to hear them in the comments.

The Cat Burrito That Changed Everything 🌯😸 (Or: How I Trimmed Puck’s Nails Solo!)

Happy Valentine’s Day! Stan celebrated the day with a Starbucks Pup Cup! On the way home, with the windows open, I remembered why it has been a long time since he’s had one!

 

Remember how I mentioned Puck has extra claws on each front foot? Well, let me tell you about the battle that nail trimming has been in this house.

For years — and I mean years — it’s been a two-person job. One person restrains Puck, the other attempts to trim. And somehow, no matter how careful we are, we end up needing bandaids. For us, not him. Those extra claws are his secret weapons, and he is NOT a fan of having them touched.

So when I saw this Cat Grooming Wrap on Amazon, I added it to Puck’s Christmas list. Best. Decision. Ever.

 

The Solo Nail Trim Victory 🏆

This morning I trimmed Puck’s nails. All by myself.

Do you understand what a HUGE win this is? Let me say it again: I trimmed all of Puck’s nails — including those evil extra claws he hates having messed with — completely alone.

He purred through most of it.

I know. I’m as shocked as you are.

How It Works (AKA: The Magic Burrito)

The wrap is super soft, but here’s the magic: it sticks to itself using some kind of gentle grip material. No velcro, no buckles, nothing harsh. You literally wrap your cat up like a little burrito, and they feel secure.

Here’s what I did:

  • Wrapped Puck up snugly (think baby swaddle, but cat-sized)
  • Pulled out one paw at a time as I needed it
  • Trimmed the nails on that paw
  • Tucked the paw back in and moved to the next one

Did Puck love every second? No. He hissed a couple of times when I got to those extra claws — he’s made it clear throughout his life that those are off-limits in his opinion. But he stayed calm, he purred for most of the process, and most importantly: nobody bled.

That’s a win in my book.

Why I Wish I’d Bought This Years Ago

I’ve spent literal years thinking nail trims just HAD to be a wrestling match. I thought that’s just how it was with difficult cats. Turns out, sometimes the answer is simpler than you think.

The wrap makes Puck feel secure rather than restrained. There’s a difference. It’s soft enough that he’s comfortable, but snug enough that he can’t flail around or scratch me to pieces while I’m trying to work.

For anyone else dealing with a cat who acts like nail trimming is the end of the world — or in Puck’s case, a cat with bonus murder mittens — I cannot recommend this enough. It’s under $10. It’s washable. It takes up almost no space.

I now consider this a cat essential. Right up there with food bowls and litter boxes.

The Bottom Line

If you have a cat that’s difficult to handle for grooming — whether it’s nails, brushing, or even giving medication — this wrap is worth every penny. It’s gentle but effective, and it might just save you from needing a second person (and a first aid kit).

You can find it here on Amazon. They have different sizes, so check which one fits your cat’s weight.

Opinion: Sometimes the best pet products are the simple ones. Not every solution needs to be high-tech or expensive. Sometimes you just need a well-designed burrito wrap and a little patience.

Martin Finally Discovered the Catlink Open-X (And the Couch is Safe!) 🎉

 

Mr. Bean

Remember when I mentioned my son set up that new Catlink Open-X litter box a few weeks ago? The one I won from Catlink? Well, let me tell you about the stubbornness of cats and the sweet victory of patience.

For the first couple of weeks, Martin completely ignored it. I mean, totally pretended it didn’t exist. This beautiful open-top automatic litter box just sat there, looking all fancy and unused, while Martin continued his… let’s call them “questionable” bathroom choices.

But here’s the interesting part: after weeks of ignoring his new option, Martin finally decided to give it a try. And now? He’s claimed it as his box. The open-top design is apparently more his style.

Stanley – Dreaming By the Fire

Meanwhile, his sister Martha is perfectly happy with the old closed automatic box. So now my son has two automatic boxes and two cats who’ve worked out their own little territory arrangement. Honestly? I’m not mad about it.

The best news? Since Martin started using the Catlink Open-X, he’s stopped peeing on the couch. Do you hear that? That’s the sound of one very relieved household. No more enzyme cleaner. No more surprise laundry days. Just a cat using an actual litter box like he’s supposed to.

Now, it’s not perfect. The Open-X doesn’t always clean as thoroughly as we’d like — sometimes it leaves a little behind. But my son discovered you can adjust it to the “soft stool” setting, and that seems to be helping quite a bit. A little tweaking here and there is totally worth it for a pee-free couch.

Bean and Stanley – Becoming Buds!

In Other Pet News…

Puck is doing really well after his dental! He’s adjusting to having his teeth brushed a couple of times a week — which is definitely a learning curve for both of us. I’m working on a full dental care routine for all the pets, and I’ll post more details about that soon.

Stanley just started a new agility class and is learning weave poles! Watching him figure them out has been so fun. More on his progress coming soon.

Also, I’ve been using AI to help me with Stanley’s VERY picky eating, and the new system is working! More about that soon as well.

Opinion: Sometimes you just have to let cats be cats. And sometimes that means having two litter boxes even if you thought one fancy automatic one would do the job. Martin taught us patience, and in return, the couch is safe. I’ll call that a win.

A Scary Saturday Night (and a Very Good Outcome)


Saturday night was not how I planned to spend the weekend.


Earlier that morning, I gave Stanley his Sentinel heartworm pill — one that had originally been prescribed for our old dog, Cali. I had checked with our vet ahead of time and was told there was no reason to throw the medication away as long as it wasn’t expired and Stanley had reached the appropriate weight range. I believed he had.


At first, everything seemed fine. But by dinnertime, Stanley wouldn’t eat and was unusually quiet. A couple of hours later, when we got home after being out, it was clear something was very wrong.


He barely got up to greet us. I carried him upstairs and noticed he was wobbly, shaky, and clearly off balance. He was holding his ears strangely, staring at the couch but unable or unwilling to jump up. He wandered aimlessly, almost like he was drunk or disoriented, and still refused food.


My son and I did some quick research, and everything pointed to the same answer: vet immediately. Thankfully, I had just gotten pet insurance — and off to the emergency vet we went.


The ER Visit


Stanley was taken back right away. After an exam, we waited for about an hour while he sat wrapped in a blanket on my lap, unusually calm and quiet — too out of it to even be nervous.

Waiting for the Vet


When the vet came in, she told us his vitals were all normal. She asked detailed questions about what he might have gotten into, and the only unusual thing we could identify was the heartworm pill.

Waiting Patiently


She walked us through our options:

Hospitalize him overnight with monitoring and bloodwork, or assume a medication reaction and treat him with subcutaneous fluids and an anti-nausea medication, then send him home if I was comfortable monitoring him.


Given that his vitals were stable and I could be with him all night, we chose treatment and brought him home. I didn’t want to leave him.


The Aftermath


Stanley slept curled up against me all night. I barely slept — waking up often to check on him — but he rested peacefully. The next morning, he was still quiet, but he did eat breakfast.


By Sunday night, he was acting like himself again: playful, alert, and eating normally.


I checked in with our regular vet and also contacted the heartworm medication manufacturer to report what happened. What makes this especially confusing is that the medication he reacted to did not contain the additional dewormer — that ingredient is actually in the medication he’s taken before without any issues. At this point, I’ve thrown out the remaining pills and won’t be using them again while we figure out the best path forward.


For now, I’m keeping a close eye on him and plan to take him to agility class tonight — with zero pressure. If he’s not feeling it, we’ll leave. Simple as that.

Stanley does seem to be a sensitive little guy; he’s had a moderate vaccine reaction in the past as well. I’m hopeful this was a one-time issue and that we were simply lucky. Planning to work with my vet to make sure we find a safe path forward.

Grateful for Pet Insurance

I’m really thankful for pet insurance in moments like this. I have a free plan through Nibbles, which I got when I signed up for their credit card, and it made the decision to go to the emergency vet feel a little less stressful.

Of course I would have taken Stanley no matter what, but removing the immediate financial pressure helped. I used the card to pay for the visit, and the next morning I received an email asking if I wanted to submit a claim — they automatically recognized the charge as a vet hospital. All I have to do is reply with the reason for the visit and they handle the rest.

I opted to include office visits in my coverage, so the cost should be covered or applied toward my deductible. I’m also reaching out to the heartworm medication manufacturer, since they sometimes reimburse expenses related to drug reactions.

Opinion: I’ve never used pet insurance before, but after seeing a friend go through spending a huge amount of money for leg surgery for her dog, I thought I would try it with Stanley. Pet insurance doesn’t change your decision to seek care — it just makes an already stressful situation easier to manage.


In Other (Much Lighter) News…


My son set up the new open-top litter box yesterday — the one I won from Catlink. It’s the Scooper Open-X. It looks like a great design! He wanted to try it first since he’s had ongoing litter box issues with Martin. I really like the look of it and I’m hopeful the open design will be appealing to Martin.

Photo by Lucas Hamilton


He said setup was very easy, and while it’s larger than a standard litter box, it doesn’t take up an unreasonable amount of space compared to other automatic options. I’ll share more once we see how Martin feels about it.


Sometimes pet ownership is routines and progress… and sometimes it’s terrifying curveballs. I’m incredibly grateful that Stanley seems to be okay — and that we listened to our instincts when something felt wrong. Have you had a scary moment with your pet? Share in the comments….

 

New Year, Same Pets (With Big Plans) 🎉🐾


I hope Santa was good to all the pets!

As we roll into 2026, I’ve been thinking about what the new year might look like for our pets — not in a “new year, new you” way, but more of a small tweaks, steady progress kind of way.


Stanley’s 2026 Goals 🐶
Stanley has a busy year ahead. The plan includes: More classes, starting with agility next week,  Ongoing general manners and obedience work,  More nose work, which he truly loves
And maybe — eventually — working toward his Canine Good Citizen.


While I do consider him housebroken at this point, there’s still one thing I’d really like to solve: the occasional pooping in his crate. Switching from blankets to crate pads (on a trainer’s advice) has helped, but we’re not all the way there yet.


I’m also toying with the idea of giving him an indoor potty option. I know how much he absolutely hates the cold, and winter isn’t doing either of us any favors. TBD.


Cats: A New Litter Box Experiment 🐱
The cats are doing well overall. My son is currently testing out a new open-top automatic litter box I won from Catlink — and I’m very curious to see how this goes.


The real question: will Martin (our occasional couch offender) prefer the open-top setup and have fewer “accidents”? Fingers crossed. If he approves, it could be a game changer.

Hector D. Byrd: Still Unwrapping 🎁🦜
Hector D. Byrd is doing just fine. She’s still slowly opening one of her Christmas presents — very on brand for her. New things take time, and she likes to move at her own pace. Honestly, same.

Present in the background… Waiting.


That’s where we’re starting 2026: plans in place, expectations realistic, and everyone mostly doing okay.


I’d love to know —
Do you set goals or plans for your pets in the new year, or do you just let things unfold?

Here’s to another year of learning, adjusting, and doing the best we can for the animals who run our lives. 🐾✨





Stanley’s Progress, Playtime, and the Elusive “Down” Command


🐾 Stanley Update: Loving Life and Learning Slowly
Stanley is doing great — he’s such a little love! His perfect day includes running wild playing fetch, and then curling up in someone’s lap like the world’s tiniest weighted blanket. He spent a few hours with my daughter and her partner last night while I was out, and he loved it. After zooming around their living room, he curled up on the couch like he owned the place.

Outside “Potty Pen”


🚪 Potty Progress: Outside Only!
Potty training is still a work in progress, but we’re moving in the right direction. I’ve officially taken away his indoor potty pads — it’s outdoor-only from here on out. He’s starting to understand what he’s supposed to do outside, but… he gets distracted. Easily.

Sometimes it’s a two-round process:

Take him out, let him sniff and explore.
Bring him back in.
Wait for him to start sniffing inside.
Back out we go.
It’s time-consuming, but I think it’s finally starting to click.

Post Playgroup – Exhausted Stanley!


🐶 Playgroup and Puppy Energy
Stanley loves his weekly dog playgroup. I do wish there was another puppy in the mix — the other dogs are lovely, but none of them match his endless energy. He’ll play with one until they get tired, then bounce over to the next. It’s actually been great for him socially — he’s learning to read dog body language and back off when someone’s had enough. Big win!

🎓 Training Class Challenges
Training class has been… okay. It’s focused a lot on helping excitable adolescent dogs calm down, which is useful, but I was hoping for more basics like sit, stay, etc.

The biggest challenge? Lay down. Stanley doesn’t do it. At all. I’ve tried luring with treats, but he’s so tiny that he just stretches his neck instead of lowering his body. I’ve also tried waiting and rewarding the behavior when he does it naturally — but the only time he really lays down is in someone’s lap or locked in his crate.


I’m going to email the trainer and see if she has other ideas. It’s tough to teach “relax on your mat” when he doesn’t actually lay down on the floor. If you have tips, please send them my way!

That said, he’s doing great with:

Coming when called
Sit
Touch
Leave it
“OK” release cue
And he’s becoming an excellent walker — he walked over a mile each way to and from our favorite local restaurant last weekend!

🏃‍♂️ Agility on the Horizon?
I’m thinking about signing him up for a beginner agility class. With how much he loves running, jumping, and weaving through furniture, I think he’d have a blast. Plus, I suspect it would help him burn off some of that teenage dog energy in a positive way.

🐉 The Rest of the Crew
While Stanley may be hogging the spotlight, the rest of the pets are doing well:

Beauty Bath


The Dragon (our bearded dragon) just had a beautiful full-body shed and a nice bath. Her tail is the only bit left to finish up.


Hector the Parrot is thriving in her usual way — shredding every bit of cardboard she can find.

Martin on top, Puck under him, and Martha on the Side


Our two cats are adjusting to being blocked from the finished basement for the summer (our allergy-friendly zone for my daughter’s fiancé). They’re coping just fine, though they do linger dramatically outside the basement door.
Our son’s cats are still visiting frequently. We thought his male cat was the one peeing on the couch, but surprise! He just caught the female in the act. She’s headed to the vet Monday — fingers crossed it’s something treatable and we can put the mystery peeing to rest once and for all.

Puck


🐕 Back to Class Tomorrow!
We’re back at training class in the morning — wish us luck! And seriously, if anyone out there has advice on how to teach a tiny dog to lay down, I’m all ears. Drop your tips in the comments!

Updates and a Vet Visit

Bean

The house is quiet. I was trying hard to fight the grief, but realized it was a losing battle. I’m giving it its time and place. Cali will always be missed.

My cats had their yearly checkups today and I almost cancelled. I wasn’t sure I was ready to go back to the vet’s office, but I did and it was hard but fine. The staff is so wonderful and caring.

Bean didn’t want to stay on the scale for the vet, but he did like hiding out behind it. Poor little Puck was very shy. He stayed in his carrier until we had to take him out for his exam and then he scurried right back in.

Both cats got clean bills of health, Yay! Their vaccines were updated, and they were checked over. Puck may need his teeth cleaned at some point in the near future, but he is good for now.

Puck’s recovering from his traumatic car ride and vet visit in his cozy crate!

 

The Dragon enjoyed a sink bath yesterday. Usually she swims around for a bit and then tries to get out of the sink, but she spent a good 20 minutes in there yesterday, and still didn’t want to come out, so I had to just take her out and go do something else. I’ll give her a chance for another bath in a couple of days.

Hector is doing well. She’s such a great comfort. She’s always there to whistle and keep me company.

I’m starting to think about another dog. Part of me was thinking that maybe I wouldn’t get another dog ever, that I’d free myself up to travel, but the truth is I hate not having a dog. I had to walk to the neighbor’s to return a piece of mail that was accidentally delivered to us the other day, and it was so awful to me to go for a walk without a dog. I miss all of it, yes the snuggles, but I even miss taking care of a dog, playing with a dog,  the feeding, grooming, putting her out, all of it. I’m not in a rush. I want to make sure I find the right new friend, but I think with some patience, the right rescue will find its way to me. For now, I’ve got kitty, parrot, and dragon friends to keep me busy!

 

 

Settling In

Our son and his cat were home for the weekend. I love the way he sits on the stairs!

Bean absolutely can’t resist a box!

Foster bird is settling in. He is so different than Hector! Interesting to get used to! K is a toothpick making machine! He had a short wood perch on his door that he literally destroyed down to nothing in about 10 minutes. Hector loves to destroy cardboard, this guy is a wood destroyer.

Hector has had a rope perch in her cage for years. I take it out and wash it every so often, but she doesn’t bite or chew it. Today K decided to “work” on his rope perch, and managed to completely chew through it so that it doesn’t attach to the side of the cage anymore. I got two new perches for his door today. He’s already working his way through the first one. Thankfully they are pretty thick, so it is taking him a little time.

If you look at K’s foot, you’ll see he is holding one of his wood chips. He likes to shred wood and then use the bits to scratch himself, so cute!

Thankfully we only got woken up at 5AM to a screaming parrot the first morning that we had him. Since then I’ve been covering him at night, and he doesn’t scream or even talk until I uncover him the next day.

I’d been told he doesn’t prefer men, and that is so true. He seems petrified. He doesn’t want my husband or son anywhere near him and often darts back into his cage if they come over to say Hello. I’ve got my husband feeding him his favorite Nutriberi treats, and that seems to be helping. He’s trying new foods, and enjoying all his toys!

He and Hector still don’t seem all that interested in each other. I did watch Hector climb to the end of her cage today and check out K, but there still wasn’t much interest. I picked Hector up so she could get a better view, but she was more curious about what treats I might have for her, than she was about the other bird.

K likes to dance! I turned on some music the other day and he started flapping his wings and bobbing his head. Dance Party!  So far Levitating by Dua Lipa seems to be his favorite, major head bobs!

“Hi Baby” is his favorite phrase. He has also started Meowing, and I’m pretty sure I heard him say “Pucky” over the weekend. He says “Hi” and “Hey.” He’s a super busy guy. Can’t wait  to see what games he comes up with next!

 

Foster and Logan Update

I’m worried about my kitty. Logan had bloodwork done earlier this week because of her starting on Bexacat. Her blood sugar was remarkably better after just three days on this med, but there were some other numbers the vet was a little concerned about. For now we are continuing the med and doing more blood work on Monday. Logan isn’t eating very well since she started the medication, so I’m a bit concerned about that. We will find out more on Monday or Tuesday.

Foster dog Skye is really a dream foster. This puppy is so good! She loves to go on walks, but can also calmly chill. She is content as long as she is by my side. She’s currently sleeping in her little pen right next to me.

 

Unfortunately, there is something about this dog that is totally freaking out my cats. The cats have not ventured far from the underneath of my bed since she got here. She hasn’t chased them or barked at them, but there is something about her that has them really shaken up. I was hoping that they would come around, but it has been several days with no change. I’m looking for a new foster for Skye, or I’ll have to take her back to the shelter tonight. Sunday, I’ll take her to an adoption event, hopefully her new forever family will be looking for her there.

The good news is that other than the cats, fostering has been a great experience. She’s been super easy to take care of, and even my husband is willing to try fostering again. My cats aren’t usually wary of dogs. My Dad’s dogs come over pretty regularly and they don’t care, so I’m hoping fostering might be more successful in the future.