This is the look Cinco gave me when I told him that Manna had just licked that giant mousie before him. “Cooties!” He said, ” Now I’m going to have cooties! Yuck!”
Tag Archives: Manna
I’m Seeing Giant Mousies! (Follow-Up Friday)
On Wednesday, we published our very first Niptoon and the response was amazing! Cinco and Manna were overwhelmed with all of the compliments that they received. They are pretty sure that they want to do another one soon and probably once per month (or more) after that! Yay for Niptoons!
The Photobomber
Creating the first Niptoon took a pretty long photo shoot (52 photos). After all of the editing was done and the post was published, it turned out there was a photobomer in the Niptoon – and everyone was asking about him!
That’s right! Do not adjust your monitors! You really are seeing a giant mousie in this photo with Manna. Isn’t he cute? There were several requests for more information about Cinco and Manna’s giant mousie, so we thought we’d share with everyone!
All the Juicy Details
We purchased the giant mousie at a local thrift store several months ago. It was barely used and we thought that Cinco and Manna would love it; We were right! This has become one of their favorite toys. The actual name of this toy is the Scratch, Rattle, and Roll by a company called Four Paws. It can be found for sale on Amazon for $19.99 + shipping.
Features
Official photo from Four Paws
- It is made of a durable carpet-like material.
- It is weighted on the bottom (belly side) with a material that feels like sand. The total weight is about 2 pounds (.9 kg).
- Most of the mouse’s back is a catnip-infused scratcher.
- The ears make a great crinkle noise when they are touched.
- The end of the tail has bells enclosed inside.
- Elastic cord under the mouse’s nose for hanging on a door or wall.
Quality
This mouse does seem to be a durable and appropriate cat toy. The sand-like substance seems to be locked away under a few layers of the material so that it won’t easily be scratched out of the toy. The seams in the material are well-sown; The eyes, ears, nose, elastic cord, and tail all seem to be firmly attached. There are no small parts for the cat to choke on, however, there are 2 small tags on one side that could be removed. The mouse is plush, but firm, and has no parts that could cut or stab the cat.
Cinco & Manna’s Assessment
Cinco giving the mouse a lick.
When we first brought this mousie home, we hung it on a door knob to see if Cinco and Manna would prefer it there. Both Cinco and Manna were curious about the mousie, but seemed a little confused as to what they were supposed to do with it. As soon as we took it off the doorknob and put it on the floor, the fun began. Cinco and Manna were immediately drawn to the catnip scratcher. Of course, we add our own catnip to it all the time just to keep things fresh and fun.
Manna attacking the mouse’s tail.
The cats each have their favorite things about their mousie. Cinco loves to lick and bite the scratcher. Manna loves to grab onto the mouse and wrestle with it. They both love when we use the elastic to slowly drag the mouse along the floor so they can attack the tail. They also enjoy the sound of the crinkling ears, but they haven’t figured out how to play with those themselves yet (we’re working on it 🙂 ). Whenever Dave or I crinkle the mouse’s ears, Cinco and Manna come running! This has been a great toy for us to use to interact with the cats. The cats also play with it independently and cuddle it as well.
Cinco and Manna inspecting the mouse together.
Note: Playful Kitty was not compensated for reviewing this product. We just happen to like it and thought everyone would like to know a little more!
Thankful Thursday: Who Rescued Who?
When I think back on the day that I adopted Cinco, the day I adopted Manna, or even the day I adopted Obi Wan (OTRB), I am filled with joy. It might seem a little silly, but the presence of my cats in my life makes me a better person. They are more than just a “luxury item” (as I was once told they were) to me. They fill a purpose in my life and my family. Today, I would like to take a little bit of time to share with all of you how my cats make me thankful every day.
The “Gotcha Days”
Obi Wan
Obi Wan was the first cat that Dave and I ever got together. He was only the second cat I’d ever had (the first was a cat belonging to my sister actually). While Dave and I were looking to find the perfect cat for our lives, a friend called and asked if we would like to take in a 1-year-old cat that someone had to give up. I don’t remember exactly why they were giving him up. We said yes without a moment’s hesitation and picked him up right away.
It was love at first sight. Obi Wan was the perfect addition to our little family. He was outgoing, funny, friendly, and fairly well behaved. I will save most of this story for a later time, but Obi Wan turned out to have a condition that caused constant bladder infections (at least that is how the vet explained it). His bladder ruptured and he had to be put down less than a year after we had adopted him. I was completely devastated over the loss and blamed myself a lot.
Cinco
A month after Obi Wan’s passing I began praying about finding a new cat. Now, God has a sense of humor; if you ask for a sign, He might just give it to you. I had just started a new job at a school and I almost ran into a bulletin board that one of the classes had put up (literally). When I looked at the board it had cut outs of cats all over it and it said “Adopt A Cat” with logos from the Humane Society and a little bar showing how much money the class had raised for the Humane Society. That was all I needed to see.
Dave and I went to an adoption event being held at a local Petco. It was crazy busy in there! We really wanted a female kitten (figuring it would be less likely to have the same bladder troubles as Obi Wan). The only kitten they had left was this shy little striped tabby and we just had to have him even though he was a male. After practically being put through the inquisition to adopt him, we took Cinco home. As soon as I let him out of the carrier, he climbed into my lap and purred. Eight years later, my lap is still his favorite place to be.
Manna
A little over a year after we got Cinco, my Dad called me and told me that I had to come by his trailer and see what he had found on his porch. When I got there, my dad showed me this tiny little female kitten with big blue buggy eyes, sparse fur, and barely any tail. She had a great big personality despite her size and wanted nothing but love.
My dad sort of collected cats at the time, allowing any that were in the neighborhood into his trailer. He already had a mother cat living in his trailer that had just had a litter of kittens (they were living under his sink). He had tried to put this new kitten with them, but the mother rejected her. Since that strategy didn’t work, my Dad had been trying to feed this little kitten adult cat food and some other odd things and he didn’t understand why she wouldn’t eat. I knew exactly what she needed.
I took a risk (we didn’t know if she had any diseases) and offered to bring her into my family. We named her Manna right away because God provided food for the Israelites called Manna and He was going to feed her too (there are other reasons too). One of my happiest memories is holding her on the car ride home.
10 Reasons I’m Thankful
I am thankful for the way that Cinco and Manna cuddle me while I sleep. Their warmth and purring helps me sleep peacefully.- I am thankful for all of the inspiration that my cats have provided to me. It flows out in all of my artistic ventures and especially in this blog.
- I am thankful for the time I got to spend with Obi Wan. Though it was painful, I don’t regret it at all. Pain is temporary, but love is forever. I am a better kitty-mommy because of my experience with him.
- I am thankful for Cinco’s constant attention. He never leaves my side. It feels so good to have someone love me as much as he does. Who cares what anyone else thinks? 😉
- I am thankful for Manna’s playful spirit. She is the most fun kitty in the whole wide world – she tell you all about it too.
- I am thankful for happy paws 🙂 Some of you may call it a kitty massage or kneading.
- I am thankful for their antics when they are on cat nip. They give me such a hearty laugh that it makes me cry sometimes.
- I am thankful for the times that they approach me to cuddle. You know you are loved when the cat chooses to cuddle you.
- I am thankful that Cinco and Manna have been very healthy. We have only ever had 1 trip to the vet due to an illness between both of them.
- I am thankful that Cinco and Manna do not have any notable behavior problems. Every now and then they scratch things a little bit, get into little tussles, or eat something they shouldn’t, but that is a far cry from what I would consider a behavior problem.
This week Playful Kitty has decided to join PepsiSmartDog for their Thankful Thursday Blog Hop.
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Wordless Wednesday: A Niptoon “It’s In the Bag”
Playful Kitty Niptoons Presents:
It’s in the Bag
And the saga continues…..:)
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Exploring the Creative Kitty
One thing there hasn’t been a lot of on Playful Kitty is creative writing. Why not? I’ve been asking myself that same question. It is sort of amazing to me that I do so much creative writing (and other creative work) and it really hasn’t been displayed here at all. It‘s time to pull out the stops and get a few creative things going on here (cat themed creativity of course 😉 )!
First, one quick sneak peek announcement!
Before we get started here with all of my creative goings on, Manna wanted me to let all of you in on something. She enjoyed writing her songs for Christmas (and sharing them with you) so much that she is in the process of writing some new non-Christmas songs. You may now wait in eager anticipation 🙂
The 6- Word Story
Let’s start this creativity thing with something simple. Rumor has it that author Earnest Hemingway was once bet that he couldn’t write a story in 6 words. He took the challenge and won. His amazing story was “For sale. Baby shoes. Never worn.” The following are a few 6-word stories about cats written by me. I hope that you enjoy them!
Feel free to share your 6-word stories! They don’t need to have photos. I added that part 🙂
Funny Cat Picture: “I Swear I Didn’t Do It”
Cinco says that Manna got into the the left over nip from his birthday party on Wednesday. Manna swears that she didn’t get into the nip. I’m not sure I believe her. This just doesn’t seem to be a natural body position for a cat that has not been on the nip. What do you think?
A Friday Feline Funny
Is C.A.T.S For you?
You may already be using prescription medications to help with your depression, loneliness, and feeling that something is missing in your life, but managing heartache with prescription C.A.T.S works a little differently. C.A.T.S can be used for relief of your symptoms every day and should be used according to your doctor’s and veterinarian’s instructions.
C.A.T.S Can Help
The suspended release formula of C.A.T. S. can leave you with a joyful feeling for an average of 12-17 years.
C.A.T.S when cuddled daily can give you much needed companionship.
Are you ready to start enjoying your life?
Call your local animal shelter and talk about getting C.A.T.S. Free trial cuddles may be available.
Exciting News!
For those not wanting to lean down for a full prescription dose, C.A.T.S is now available on the counter!
Important Safety Info about C.A.T.S
Prescription C.A.T.S has been known to cause addiction. Individuals prescribed a lower dose version of C.A.T.S, known as C.A.T., have quickly developed the need for the larger dose, C.A.T.S., in clinical studies. As the addiction progresses, individuals feel the need to increase their dosage of C.A.T.S. Call your doctor if your dosage exceeds 4 C.A.T.S. You may have developed a serious condition known as Crazy Cat Lady/Man Syndrome.
C.A.T.S are not for everyone. Do not get C.A.T.S. if you:
- Are prone to abusing or neglecting animals.
- Value things more than living creatures.
- Are planning to move to a place that does not allow C.A.T.S.
- Anyone in your home is allergic to C.A.T.S.
- Do not plan to keep using C.A.T.S until the whole prescription has run out.
Before Getting C.A.T.S talk to your animal adoption provider about:
- How well C.A.T.S will go with the other animals or children in your household.
- How to care for C.A.T.S.
- Whether it would be best for you to start with C.A.T or C.A.T.S.
The most common side effects of C.A.T.S include:
Fur on clothing and furniture.- A sensation of something warm and furry pressing on your body while you sit or lay down.
- Unraveled toilet paper rolls.
- Disappearance of food items left out on counters.
- Claw marks on furniture.
- Lack of privacy in the bathroom.
- The appearance of dead rodents on your bed in the morning.
- A feeling that you can not get up or reposition yourself in avoidance of inconveniencing C.A.T.S. – even if you have to go to the bathroom.
Talking in funny voices to C.A.T.S.- Having your fingers or toes bitten while you sleep.
- Sudden presence of a furry alarm clock.
- Reduction of space for you on your couch or bed.
- Hearing “singing” at 3 AM.
- Vomit and hairballs on the furniture and carpet. Occasionally someone will step or sit in this.
- The feeling that you no longer run your household.
- The inability to remain angry when you see that face.
Other Safety Information
Bathe C.A.T.S with caution. In clinical studies, many people who attempted to bathe C.A.T.S were left looking as if they had had a run in with Freddy Kruger. The scars did eventually heal.
How to Take C.A.T.S
C.A.T.S should be taken with plenty of love. Daily doses of petting, playing, feeding, watering, and treat giving. Occasionally you will need to scoop some poop. Keep C.A.T.S in a warm, dry area away from any people or animals that may eat them.
C.A.T.S’ discrete packaging
(Manna at 3 weeks old)
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Wordless Wednesday – Cinco’s Birthday
Guess who is turning 8!!!! My big kitty – Cinco. Since he is a rescue, we aren’t actually sure what day his birthday really is, but we estimate it to be some time in January. Today seems like a great day to celebrate for him, don’t you think? We have made so many wonderful memories from the day we first adopted him until now. It is a tremendous blessing to have had Cinco in our lives for 8 whole years 🙂 (Sorry I’m so bad at this whole “wordless” thing!)
Not long after we adopted Cinco in April of 2006
Cinco getting ready to celebrate his 8th birthday January 2014
We will be celebrating with him all day! Manna has already jump started the festivities by playing with Cinco in one of their favorite games – bat each other from hidden positions on a chair.
Manna on top of the chair, Cinco underneath. A very fun game indeed.
One day we’ll get a better kitchen table, but for now, we don’t really eat on it anyway. Manna had a couple of other great suggestions for the party too. She might just be on to something 🙂 She told me that we had to bring out Cinco’s favorite treats, then she told me that Cinco said what he really wants for his birthday is a paper bag and a cardboard box to play with. We might just be able to make that one happen! Manna is really good with gifts.
Manna suggesting some of Cinco’s favorite treats for our celebration.
Manna suggesting some really great gifts for Cinco.
Time to go celebrate with the birthday boy! Happy Birthday Cinco!!!!
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Taking the Pet Blogger Challenge
Playful Kitty has decided to take the Pet Blogger Challenge! This is a blog hop to celebrate the blogging successes of pet bloggers in 2013. Even though Playful Kitty is fairly new, we have plenty of successes to talk about. A big thank you to the gracious hosts of The Pet Blogger Challenge 2014 – Go Pet Friendly and Will My Dog Hate Me. Stop by and give them some purrs and headbonks for hosting such a great blog hop!
1. How long have you been blogging? Please tell us why you started blogging, and, for anyone stopping by for the first time, give us a quick description of what your blog is about.
I (Robin) have been blogging on and off for a few years. I had another blog called Life According to Robin which was sort of like a strange public diary for me and had a strong spiritual aspect to it. The blog is still up, but I haven’t touched it in a long time.
Playful Kitty was just started in September 2013 (right before my birthday). I started it in response to a few people who told me that I should try to earn a few dollars through affiliate programs, but quickly became way more than that. Animals (and in particular my cats) are a real passion for me. I have always wanted to a niche where I could help animals. Playful Kitty has become a great venue for educating people about cats and pet ownership and promoting adoption.
Playful Kitty is about everything that has to do with cats. It is an exploration of cats and how they have affected human culture. My cats, Cinco and Manna, show up in many of my posts. A few of my favorite topics include Cats in History, Cats in Art, Famous Cats, and Cat Breeds. Every Saturday I post a Playful Kitty puzzle (they have been word search puzzles mostly but this may change) and every Sunday I post a Funny Cat Picture.
2. Name one thing about your blog, or one blogging goal that you accomplished during 2013, that made you most proud.
Oooh…just one thing? Considering Playful Kitty is only 4 months old, I feel that I’ve accomplished a lot of things. I suppose I am most proud that I have been able to get to a point where I post something everyday. That aspect has been pretty consistent since October.
3. When you look at the post you wrote for last year’s Pet Blogger Challenge, or just think back over the past year, what about blogging has changed the most for you?
I was not a part of last year’s challenge. The part about blogging that has changed most for me is that I am blogging regularly.
4. What lessons have you learned this year – from other blogs, or through your own experience – that could help us all with our own sites?
If you could ask the pet blogging community for help with one challenge you’re having with your blog, what would it be?
One lesson that I have learned (and which surprised me quite a bit) is that people like to see my personality in my blog. Even though I’m an odd ball, people actually enjoy “hearing my voice” – reading about me and my experiences. Another lesson is to stay organized. Something that people have told me they appreciate about my site is how easy it is to find things. I make sure to categorize everything.
There are so many questions! Please feel free to give me constructive criticism on anything about Playful Kitty. I promise not to think you’re mean. One of my big goals (I assume a lot of people have this goal) is to increase readership. What are the best ways to use social media to promote your blog?
5. What have you found to be the best ways to bring more traffic to your blog, other than by writing great content?
The biggest thing I’ve found to bring in more traffic is to visit and interact with other blogs. Pet bloggers tend to be really awesome about visiting your blog if you’ve visited theirs. The other thing that I think is really helpful is having as many presences on the web as you can handle (Facebook, Twitter, Bloglovin’, Networked Blogs, etc). People want to follow you with the tools that they already use rather than having to sign up for something new.
6. How much time to do you spend publicizing your blog, and do you think you should spend more or less in the coming year?
I try to fit in a couple hours per week of publicizing my blog. I think I need to spend more time on publicizing.
7. How do you gauge whether or not what you’re writing is appealing to your audience?
How do you know when it’s time to let go of a feature or theme that you’ve been writing about for a while?
Cinco being intrigued
For the most part I look at the amount of “likes” and comments that the article gets. The comments tend to get a little more weight because I figure that some people may like the post without even reading it just as a friendly gesture to me. If people are actually reading the whole article and commenting on it, then it was pretty interesting. I also use the ratio of visitors to page views. I would think that the more pages the average visitor looked at that day, the more likely they were interested in whatever they saw first. If neither of those options works, I ask people whose option I trust (like my husband) if the post was any good.
Considering how new Playful Kitty is, I haven’t had to let go of anything yet. I guess that I would let go of something when I felt that the readers were no longer engaging with it.
8. When you’re visiting other blogs, what inspires you to comment on a post rather than just reading and moving on?
I comment almost every time I visit another blog. I am most inspired to comment on a post when it is something that I can really relate to; when I feel like I’m having a conversation with the author. I love to be able to say “I’ve had that experience too!” Things that cause me to just move on are: material that I find offensive, non-original material, and posts that are difficult to read either by layout or poor language skills.
9. Do you do product reviews and/or giveaways?
If so, what do you find works best, and what doesn’t work at all?
If not, is this something you’d like to do more of? What hurdle is getting in your way?
I’m glad you asked! I am working on my very first product review as we speak. This is a first for both me and the brand. Any advice? I would love to do do more product reviews and start doing giveaways. These are all things that are in the works for Playful Kitty.
There are a few hurdles that I’m working to jump over. One is that Playful Kitty is still hosted by wordpress.com and therefore I can’t use any javascript for things like rafflecopter. Another is that I’m still trying to learn how to get involved with pet brands and the best ways to obtain products to give away.
10. When writer’s block strikes and you’re feeling dog-tired, how do you recharge?
Manna’s Wig It Up Wednesday Makeover
I have a few techniques for when I’m stuck:
- Read through other pet blogs and see if anything strikes a chord with me.
- If I have time, I take a break from my writing and do something else for a while to clear my head.
- When all else fails – just write anything. Anything at all. If I’m sick or tired, I might just post a cute photo or a youtube video about cats with a little explanation of why I like it.
- I use a lot of free writing and free association. Sounds weird, but it works.
- Eating. Yes, I’m one of those people that will work so long and so hard that she forgets to eat. Turns out a full stomach is much easier to think on.
- Naps. If there is time for a nap, that almost always does the trick. Turns out that not only do I need to eat, I need to sleep too.
11. Have you ever taken a break from your blog? How did that go?
Have you ever thought about quitting your blog altogether? What makes you stay?
I haven’t taken any breaks from Playful Kitty yet. I’m always thinking of new ideas for the site and cooking up new posts. The best days for Playful Kitty are still to come! The more I blog, the more I love it. I think I will be doing this for a long time.
12. What goals do you have for your blog in 2014?
Playful Kitty is still so new that there a ton of goals to hit! I am a very ambitious person.
- Moving over to self-hosting and securing a domain name.
- Increasing readership and followers (still working on a feasible specific number to attach to this goal)
- Learn how to best use social media to promote Playful Kitty.
- Spend more time reading and interacting with other blogs. I spend A LOT of time writing articles and I run out of time to visit as many blogs as I would like.
- Start doing product reviews and giveaways.
- Get plugged in with pet brands.
- Join the Cat Writer’s Association
- Join BlogPaws Professional Bloggers group (I am already a part of the community).
- Continue to add creative elements to Playful Kitty to give it a unique style.
Cinco yelling at an image of himself on the computer screen.
Thank you for stopping by!
Please make sure to check out the other blogs in the hop. There is a lot of great information! Just click on the Pet Blogger Challenge logo below.
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Funny Cat Picture: Manna Impersonates Jack Nicholson
Cinco and Manna had a great game of charades during their New Year’s Eve pawty. A couple of those photos were featured on our New Year’s Day post. Here is another one where Manna did her impression of Jack Nicholson (there is a photo for comparison below). Manna is pretty good at this stuff 😉 If you are not familiar with Jack Nicholson, he is a very famous actor in the USA who has been in LOTS of movies and won many awards.
Manna’s impression of Jack Nicholson
Jack Nicholson “The Shining”
Photo courtesy of listal.com
Playful Kitty 