In honor of Halloween, I decided to bust out my lack of vlogging skills and film my first video for this blog! Hopefully this is something you guys all enjoy, and I promise I will work on more/better written and video content to share here.
Without further ado, here is my Halloween treat to you...
http://youtu.be/6NPj9sJvRLs
Xo*
Jess
Friday, October 31, 2014
Wednesday, October 29, 2014
Cat lady holiday
Hey everyone, there's not much going on, BUT apparently today is National Cat Day. And while I think it's silly that there are millions of random holidays that we never knew existed until social media and memes took over, I can certainly get down with a day that's dedicated solely to celebrating our favorite four-footed creatures!
So yeah...Happy National Cat Day!!! Give your kitty an extra hug or special treat to show them how cool you think they are
Xo*
Jess
Saturday, October 25, 2014
Top 5 Things you Need to Know about Cats
Many of you may be surprised to know that I wasn't always a crazy cat lady. In fact, I was raised in a household that strongly disliked cats all the way up to the day that we adopted our first Himalayan. And that didn't happen until I was 22 years old!
That being said, there are certain misunderstandings I think people have about the feline species, misunderstandings that I even believed until I became the cat lover I am today.
Hopefully today's post will shed some light on feline behavior for any of you who haven't had any kitties as pets, or anyone who claims to be "anti-cat." By all means, I don't expect everyone to share my love for the little buggers...that's not the point of this post. But I do want to clear up some common misunderstandings. Now that I've spent years of time researching my kitty friends, I want to try and set the record straight about what I find to be the Top 5 Things to Know about Cats. Let's get this party started...
#1 Cats are not dogs!
I've noticed that many "anti-cat" people claim to be so because cats don't react to humans the way dogs do. They don't greet everyone with a wagging tail or bark at the mailman. They don't necessarily act loyal 1000% percent of the time the way dogs do. They don't react to bones or play with the same toys as dogs. Why? Because they're NOT DOGS. This doesn't make any one species better than the other, it just makes them different. It cracks me up how many people allow themselves to be disappointed in cats simply because they don't behave like another species of animal. Variety is the spice of life, and this applies to pets also! Embrace the life spice, people!
#2 Cats can be and are affectionate!
One of the main arguments against cats, especially by self-proclaimed pro-dog/anti-cat people, is that cats aren't affectionate. Dogs are pretty well-known for being creatures of loyalty, which I think adds to the misgiving that cats are the polar opposite of that--unloyal, disinterested buttholes. On the contrary, while they might not always be attached to their owners' hip, cats have so many ways of showing love. I think the difference between cats and other animals is that you really have to earn a cat's affection. You have to let a cat scope you out from afar, sniff you out a bit, and see what you're all about before you can expect them to take any type of interest in you. Once you've earned a cat's trust and love, you will see that their affection knows no bounds. I've NEVER had a pet (or even a human) snuggle me as long and hard as Roland does when I get home from a long day at work. Does he want to snuggle 24/7? Absolutely not. Does he act like a jerk? Sometimes. But the many parts of his personality make me love him even more--cats are as temperamental as human beings, and we put up with humans all the time. Plus, cats are much cuter than people during a good old-fashioned temper tantrum.
#3 Cats are headstrong
This is one of the biggest lessons I've learned with Roland. When it comes to discipline, it is important to remember how stubborn cats can be. If they want to do something, they're pretty much going to do it. Yelling, spanking, or reacting in any way unfortunately tends to be null and void in the face of a cat. I have found with Roland that the best way to get him to stop being bad is NOT to react. When he was smaller, he had a tendency to attack our feet and keep us up all night, every night because he wanted to play and be crazy. I tried to yell at him, swat his little behind, and throw him out of the bed to get him to understand that I wasn't having it. This did nothing but fire him up even more. I felt like my cat was trying to sabotage me on purpose. Finally, I decided to ignore him completely. It was so hard at first, but once I just let him get the little bit of energy out of his system, it was like he got over it almost immediately. Since then, I have found that by ignoring him completely when he is behaving badly, he quits the behavior pretty quickly when he realizes that it won't get my attention.
Also, don't forget that cats are strong-willed because of their curious nature--they need to know, see, and smell everything within their territory. By denying them this right, they will want it even more, so you might as well just let them fulfill all their sensory needs. Nine times out of ten, kitty's interest in said unwanted behavior will wane almost immediately once they give it an uninterrupted whirl.
#4 Cats love routine, and you will too!
Another thing I've found to help with any small behavior issues with my cat is creating a routine. We all wake up as a household at the same time every day. We feed Roland at the same time, the same number of times, each day. We even play with him for a scheduled amount of time each day. I have noticed that the routine we have created has helped immensely when it comes to behavior and energy management! Cats are natural hunters, so it is important to schedule their day around hunting (ie PLAYING), eating, and resting. If not, you will no doubt see unexpected spikes in your kitty's energy, whether you are ready for them or not!
#5 Declawing your cat is THE WORST! (This is related more to cat owners than the cats themselves, but hear me out)
I recently read about a medical circumstance that made de-clawing in a cat necessary, but that is such an exception! Unfortunately, most people don't realize that de-clawing is not only unnecessary, but in almost all cases, downright inhumane. It is literally the equivalent of cutting off a person's fingers at the knuckle. It has the potential to cause a number of medical conditions that can affect your cat's quality of life. Not to mention, providing a scratching post, utilizing specific toys, regulating playtime, and products like nail caps, are all ways to overcome the issue of cat scratching without resorting to de-clawing. There is an amazing documentary on Netflix called The Paw Project. The Paw Project describes in depth the implications of de-clawing your cat and discusses the influence of culture and business/money-making on the practice itself. In order to not get preachy and annoying, I will leave you with the trailer for this film and highly suggest that you watch it.
Not everyone will agree with the things I just wrote about, but that's okay. If I can help at least one reader understand a bit more about my favorite furry friends, then it was worth it.
Xo*
Jess
That being said, there are certain misunderstandings I think people have about the feline species, misunderstandings that I even believed until I became the cat lover I am today.
Hopefully today's post will shed some light on feline behavior for any of you who haven't had any kitties as pets, or anyone who claims to be "anti-cat." By all means, I don't expect everyone to share my love for the little buggers...that's not the point of this post. But I do want to clear up some common misunderstandings. Now that I've spent years of time researching my kitty friends, I want to try and set the record straight about what I find to be the Top 5 Things to Know about Cats. Let's get this party started...
#1 Cats are not dogs!
I've noticed that many "anti-cat" people claim to be so because cats don't react to humans the way dogs do. They don't greet everyone with a wagging tail or bark at the mailman. They don't necessarily act loyal 1000% percent of the time the way dogs do. They don't react to bones or play with the same toys as dogs. Why? Because they're NOT DOGS. This doesn't make any one species better than the other, it just makes them different. It cracks me up how many people allow themselves to be disappointed in cats simply because they don't behave like another species of animal. Variety is the spice of life, and this applies to pets also! Embrace the life spice, people!
#2 Cats can be and are affectionate!
One of the main arguments against cats, especially by self-proclaimed pro-dog/anti-cat people, is that cats aren't affectionate. Dogs are pretty well-known for being creatures of loyalty, which I think adds to the misgiving that cats are the polar opposite of that--unloyal, disinterested buttholes. On the contrary, while they might not always be attached to their owners' hip, cats have so many ways of showing love. I think the difference between cats and other animals is that you really have to earn a cat's affection. You have to let a cat scope you out from afar, sniff you out a bit, and see what you're all about before you can expect them to take any type of interest in you. Once you've earned a cat's trust and love, you will see that their affection knows no bounds. I've NEVER had a pet (or even a human) snuggle me as long and hard as Roland does when I get home from a long day at work. Does he want to snuggle 24/7? Absolutely not. Does he act like a jerk? Sometimes. But the many parts of his personality make me love him even more--cats are as temperamental as human beings, and we put up with humans all the time. Plus, cats are much cuter than people during a good old-fashioned temper tantrum.
#3 Cats are headstrong
This is one of the biggest lessons I've learned with Roland. When it comes to discipline, it is important to remember how stubborn cats can be. If they want to do something, they're pretty much going to do it. Yelling, spanking, or reacting in any way unfortunately tends to be null and void in the face of a cat. I have found with Roland that the best way to get him to stop being bad is NOT to react. When he was smaller, he had a tendency to attack our feet and keep us up all night, every night because he wanted to play and be crazy. I tried to yell at him, swat his little behind, and throw him out of the bed to get him to understand that I wasn't having it. This did nothing but fire him up even more. I felt like my cat was trying to sabotage me on purpose. Finally, I decided to ignore him completely. It was so hard at first, but once I just let him get the little bit of energy out of his system, it was like he got over it almost immediately. Since then, I have found that by ignoring him completely when he is behaving badly, he quits the behavior pretty quickly when he realizes that it won't get my attention.
Also, don't forget that cats are strong-willed because of their curious nature--they need to know, see, and smell everything within their territory. By denying them this right, they will want it even more, so you might as well just let them fulfill all their sensory needs. Nine times out of ten, kitty's interest in said unwanted behavior will wane almost immediately once they give it an uninterrupted whirl.
#4 Cats love routine, and you will too!
Another thing I've found to help with any small behavior issues with my cat is creating a routine. We all wake up as a household at the same time every day. We feed Roland at the same time, the same number of times, each day. We even play with him for a scheduled amount of time each day. I have noticed that the routine we have created has helped immensely when it comes to behavior and energy management! Cats are natural hunters, so it is important to schedule their day around hunting (ie PLAYING), eating, and resting. If not, you will no doubt see unexpected spikes in your kitty's energy, whether you are ready for them or not!
#5 Declawing your cat is THE WORST! (This is related more to cat owners than the cats themselves, but hear me out)
I recently read about a medical circumstance that made de-clawing in a cat necessary, but that is such an exception! Unfortunately, most people don't realize that de-clawing is not only unnecessary, but in almost all cases, downright inhumane. It is literally the equivalent of cutting off a person's fingers at the knuckle. It has the potential to cause a number of medical conditions that can affect your cat's quality of life. Not to mention, providing a scratching post, utilizing specific toys, regulating playtime, and products like nail caps, are all ways to overcome the issue of cat scratching without resorting to de-clawing. There is an amazing documentary on Netflix called The Paw Project. The Paw Project describes in depth the implications of de-clawing your cat and discusses the influence of culture and business/money-making on the practice itself. In order to not get preachy and annoying, I will leave you with the trailer for this film and highly suggest that you watch it.
Not everyone will agree with the things I just wrote about, but that's okay. If I can help at least one reader understand a bit more about my favorite furry friends, then it was worth it.
Xo*
Jess
Tuesday, October 21, 2014
Kitty necklace sample
Greetings, my friends!
I had an entirely different post ready for tonight's blog, but I ended up using the sewing machine this afternoon to make jewelry, entirely on a whim, and ended up super happy with how my first piece turned out. So instead of my planned post, I decided to share photos of the kitty necklace I made.
I've been experimenting with a bunch of designs, but this necklace is the first piece I've actually completed. It's very "rough" if you will, but I'm completely in love with the general gist of it. The final product fully matches the mental picture I had initially, and I can't wait to make more and perfect the technical aspect of making fabric jewelry pieces.
Without further ado, here are a few photos of my necklace.
To make this necklace, I upcycled an old skirt and some vintage beads I had lying around. In Lady and the Cat's eventual jewelry line, each piece will incorporate different upcycled materials, so expect more unique designs like this one--as in, no two items will be the same! Every cat-inspired design will be 100% one-of-a-kind!
Later this week, I will be posting the original blog I had edited for today. I was just too excited with how my necklace turned out to not post some photos first!!! What do you guys think of my this completed design? I'd love to hear what you think, so feel free to leave a comment below or shoot me a line on Instagram @j_kittenberg !
Until next time, thanks for reading and have an exquisite Tuesday night!
Xo*
Jess
Tuesday, October 14, 2014
Roland the Rescue Cat
When we hear the phrase "rescue" in relation to somebody's pet, the rescue usually pertains to the pet--whether the pet was previously abandoned, abused, or some other horrible scenario. In our case, our rescue pet is so because he rescued us.
Let me explain.
My husband and I recently quit drinking alcohol. Our consumption was to a level that scared me for longer than I'd like to admit, so quitting was simply not an option after a certain point. Not surprisingly, our lives did a complete 180 very quickly once we cut alcohol out of our lives. We had money, made long-needed home improvements, felt healthier, started working full-time again...literally everything changed for the better.
It wasn't until this turnaround that I finally understood how my alcohol consumption affected every aspect of my life. And so, while I was proud of my sobriety, I also felt depressed realizing that I have wasted so much time bumming around hammered when I could have been moving forward faster. There was also a sense of resentment that my husband and I can't drink like other people. I didn't know if I could ever get over these issues and the anxiety that came along with them.
Enter Roland, the coolest Maine Coon mix alive. I had been waiting for a long time to finally get a cat with my husband, basically since we first started dating. Rightly so, Matt would always say pets needed to wait until we had our shit together. Well, that didn't come even remotely close to happening until we had been sober for awhile. This past spring, we finally decided to start looking for a cat, and as if fated, a longtime friend of mine let me know she had a litter of kittens she was giving away. Within a few weeks, I had gone to visit the kittens and Roland literally walked into the carrier and fell fast asleep. I didn't pick him, he picked me.
Suddenly all of the negativity stuffed inside of me floated away. It didn't matter in the slightest. All of the struggling we went through became so worth it in the face of our adorable kitten. I immediately went into mom mode when I adopted the coolest cat ever. I understood that had I gotten him five months earlier, I wouldn't have even been able to afford cat food, much less vet expenses. I couldn't have been adult enough to do anything right for him if I were still a hot mess. Being sober made it possible, falling ridiculously in love with Roland sealed the fact that being a functioning adult is not an option. So thank you, Roland for rescuing me from future hot mess prospects.
My husband fell in love immediately, too, and I can see the change in him now that he's Roland's dad. He is a million times happier, and even seems more confident in himself and his sobriety--Roland has given Matt a reason to be his favorite version of himself. For that, Roland is a giant hero rescuer. He helped bring out the very best parts of my husband, the parts that I fell so in love with years ago.
Roland rescued my sense of home and family. Growing up with divorced parents, I would say I was definitely luckier than most kids in broken home situations. But even so, I never felt like I had a real home. I never ate at just one dinner table, or had one bedroom, or even just one address. From the time I was 7 until I was in my mid-twenties, I rarely spent even a week sleeping under the same roof. Even when I moved out of my parents' homes, I never felt I had a home of my own.
When Matthew and I bought our current place, I was so excited to create my OWN concept of home and by extension, my own concept of family. While we began to do this from the very beginning of our marriage, it took Roland's presence to truly make our house feel like a home. He greets us at the door when we get home, follows us everywhere, trills for attention, and snuggles with us every morning and night. When he loves on me, my heart of course melts, but not like it does when I see the love between Roland and Matt. They are truly best friends and they're both so cool, it just makes me feel so lucky to be a wife and cat mom to these two. We are a unit and this house is our habitat. I couldn't imagine my life any other way. I finally have my perfect home and perfect family, all under one tin roof.
I admit that the cheddar ratio in this post was quite high, but I really wanted to write a post that would begin to explain just why I'm so obsessed with my cat.
He rescued us, he deserves credit where it's due.
Oh, and Roland also rescues us from spiders. He likes to snack on them. So that's pretty cool, too.
Xo*
Jess
Saturday, October 4, 2014
Cat lady crushes
Hey, everyone!!!
PS...Seriously though, go follow @kittenxlady on IG. I dare you to peruse her page and NOT get the warm and fuzzies!!!!
I've received so many cat-related links, ideas, and photos from my loved ones lately. I'm stoked that sharing this blog, pictures of Roland, and the progress of Lady and the Cat has prompted people to send all the cat things my way!!!
Needless to say, my knowledge of all things feline keeps expanding, and as it does, I'm noticing that I'm definitely not alone in my kitty cat obsession. In fact, there are tons of celebrities and well-known people who share the love of cats. I decided to highlight just a few of these people in a picture post, because they make me smile super hard.
So, without further ado...
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