So let's just jump right in, shall we?
1)Cutest picture of your cat(s):
This shameless selfie of Roland and I was taken last year on Halloween, when I dressed up like a cat for probably the third time in my adult career (partly because Chipotle was giving free burrito bowls to anyone in costume and partly because I'm five). Roland tends to hate when I take his photo, and he especially hates selfies, but for some reason, I was able to get him to happily pose with me here--most likely because I smelled like steak. Anywho, I love this picture to death...it's my phone and laptop wallpaper, and I even have a copy sitting in our living room, in a frame that reads "I <3 My Cat."
The very first night we got Hermione home, we kept her in my craft room before fully introducing her to Ro. After feeding her, we shut the door and left her in the room to get acquainted with the sights and smells. I waited about thirty minutes, and when I went in to check on her this was what I found. She had jumped on my sewing table, bread-boxed my jewelry display case, and started napping. She was just loving life, purring hard as ever up there. Of course I had loved her instantly, but in this moment, I knew we had gotten our perfect second cat. Just as weird as the rest of us...
2)Special kitty characteristics
Both of my cats are Maine Coon mixes, but in Roland, it really shows in his size and stature. He's a super big boy, and not even overweight, just a big old dude! He weighs close to 20 pounds and is taller/longer than a lot of smaller and medium-sized dogs that I've seen.
As for Hermione, she has these adorable little wisps of fur that curl around her ears. They make her look so dainty and, in my mind, kind of like a wizard cat, which is highly appropriate considering her name. These tufts of fur in her ears are apparently also a common trait in Maine Coons, but I swear hers have a legit personality!
And both of them have what I call "dipped feet," where their limbs are two-toned. Roland has white on all four paws (on the tips of his front paws, and the entire backs of both legs), while the rest of him is brown, and Hermione has white legs while the majority of her is gray. She also has one gray round spot on her back left leg. Oh, and both cats have white chests. Their interesting coloring is one of my favorite things about both of my cats.
3)Describe the sounds your cats make
A few days after we brought Roland home, he started making noises that I had only heard in pigeons up to that point. I did some Googling and found that Maine Coons commonly trill and/or chirp, the sound resembling birds more than other cats. Both my babies trill like crazy, especially when they are happy to see us or want attention (from us or each other!), and Roland most definitely chirps away like a bird sometimes. And yes, my cats meow, too...but their trills are soooooooo much more frequent, and I've grown so used to all the trilling, I couldn't imagine ever having a cat that doesn't do it!
4)Nicknames
Our household nicknames for Roland include Ro, Ro-Ro, Bubba, Boogey, and Boogaloo. Hermione also goes by Miney, NeNe, Neenes, or Neener. Or, of course, the standard "Guuud gurrrrrrrrrrrl......guuud boooooooooooooy" affirmations when we're all in a big snug session together.
5)Confessions
My anxiety sometimes makes me a legitimately crazy cat mom. I constantly wonder whether my cats have mental illness. I worry that they will figure out ways to sneak out of the house. When I clean their litter boxes, I damn near break out magnifying glasses to make sure they have extremely healthy poops. This is venturing into TMI and is much more telling of my crazy ass than anything about my cats, but hey, we're talking confessions here! For the record, I realize that I am cuckoo bananas and that believing one's cat has actual clinical depression is absurd, but when I'm in high-anxiety mode, *anything* is possible, and not in a good way!
6)Tips for crazy cat ladies
Invest in some good brushes. Everyone has been raving over the Furminator de-shedding brush on social media, and as the owner of medium-hair cats with super thick fur, I was extremely curious to see what all the hype is about. After snagging our own de-shedding brush, I have to say, it is hands down one of our best pet care purrchases. It not only gets into their undercoat and removes fur that most brushes don't reach, but also removes mats almost instantly. Our cats' fur looks so much healthier, and they even look happier because they're so much lighter. The amount of fur that we are able to brush out every single day makes me feel awful for every day we didn't have this amazing brush! Oh, and if you don't want to dish out $42+ on the Furminator, Oster's ShedZilla works just as well (I now own one, so I'm not just saying that!) and is less than half the price. Now, in terms of lifespan, I'm sure the Furminator probably wins, but I haven't gotten enough evidence to prove one way or the other. Either way, get a de-shedding brush, whether you have a long or short-haired cat. You won't be sorry!
...I hope you enjoyed the Crazy Cat Lady Tag! I know I did! Stay tuned for lots of exciting updates in the next several weeks...I have more vlogs planned, behind-the-scenes of my winter line, and so much more! Until next time, have a lovely Caturday and a beautiful first weekend of autumn!
Xo*
Jess
