Category Archives: Our Cats
Mythos + Rini vs $3.99 Fish (plus sleeping cats photos)
Deb bought a $3.99 fish for her kids at work, where the fish stayed at our house for the night. So we let Mythos and Rini to see the fish. Unfortunately, the fish was too stressful and it died the next morning. Fortunately, Petsmart is nice enough to exchange for another one.
Mythos started to walk properly again after laser therapy
We visited the family doctor of Mythos today after visiting the emergency last night. Dr. DeRose said it could be a torn liagment or inflammation of the ligament on his leg, he dismissed all the emergency clinic’s medicine, prescribed something better and work faster. Then he took Mythos for “Laser Therapy” treatment (see video below). Suprisingly, Mythos is now more comfortable putting his leg down, flat on the ground and tried to walk with it, rather than lifting the leg up and put all the weight and balance on the left side of his body and legs. He walked a bit more tonight. Awesome! Dr. DeRose at Cachet Village Animal Hospital rocks!!
Mythos was on the scale as you can see, he is growing bigger with weight 4.82 kg = 10.62 lb. See video of laser therapy:
To see what happened to Mythos last night, see Mythos has his leg broken?
Mythos has his leg broken?
After we came back from work today, we noticed that Mythos got some problems with his right rear leg while he was walking. At around 8pm, our vet was closed already. Without any choice, we took him to the emergency hospital. Here is the X-Ray photos, the vet said there was no obvious signs of broken bones (that’s good news), so we have to wait for 48 hours to see if situation gets improved after Mythos takes some pain killer. Man…. this costs $450 CAD with tax.
For safety reason, Mythos has to be in the cage for a while. However, after 12 hours, he still couldn’t walk properly as you see in the video. Maybe it takes time to heal? I think we need another trip to the vet. Sigh…
DIY Cat Gate v3.0 Completed
If you have read my previous posting on FAIL v1.0, v1.1 and v1.2 DIY Cat Gate projects, you will understand why I need to build a Cat Gate v3.0.
Design Feature: 6 foot tall pet safe screen gate with door, removable windows, frame is attached to the railing by using cable ties, there is not even a single nail or screw to the floor or on the railing.
Materials: All materials are from Home Depot. (1) Pet safe screen, very expensive around $35 CAD for only 6 feet but they are really tough with fabric reinforced. I tested it and have been using it in previous projects, they are really claw safe. (2) Frame – Light weight Pine 1″x2″ in 6′ and 8′. (3) Cedar 3/4″x”3/4 for windows frame. (4) Other hardware including angle brackets, hinges, handles, magnetic lock, etc.
DIY Details (See photos below): Building the frame is relatively easy, the whole structure is connected by angle brackets with #6 x 3/4 screws. For door hinges reinforcement, I glued 2 pines together as it takes a lot of weight and torque. The windows screen is secured by same brackets with different size of screws #6 x 5/8, then stapled the pet screen onto it. To make it look better, I ironed the black veneer edging on top of the edge of the screen. This is just to hide the ugly staples. As mentioned in the design feature, I cable tied the whole structure to the existing railing (3 cable ties were used).
Next, I start building the door frame, and my wife asked me a question “Why is there a diagonal bracing on the door? It’s ugly”. Very good question, but this has to be done regardless of the look, it is for preventing the door from sagging. Even the “professional” guy I hired to built my fence, he didn’t do this. After 2 years, the fence door sagged so badly I had to buy a sag gate kit (metal cable) to fix it. Sigh…
For easy access and to comply fire code, I just use magnetic lock and fortunately Cats do not have enough power to open the door. Now, the project was almost done, but I was facing one last challenge, the removable windows were not secured. How can I make them secured? Okay, one more trip to Home Depot and found the “Mirror Clips”, well I had to cut the end to make it flat and it was working perfectly.
Total Time Taken + Cost: One weekend and $200 CAD – there was no planning at all, not even sketch or mockup. All brainstorming was done while walking in Home Depot (Yes, that’s my style).
As you can see, Mythos and Rini are now behind the gate v3.0, and they are much safer staying upstairs.
DIY Cat Gate Failed
DIY Cat Gate was a successful project for Rini originally, it was fine for 1.5 years. See the improvement from v1.0 to v1.2:
- DIY Custom Cat Gate Project
- Cat Gate Project v1.1 Upgrade (with magnetic lock)
- Cat Gate v1.2 – acrylic upgrade
After we have the 2nd cat, Mythos who is a crazy kitten, this little daredevil is not afraid of height or get his legs broken. He is so energetic and never stops running, playing and jumping. The Cat Gate project is defeated by Mythos captured on video. See below:
Update: The ultimate solution was to build a version 3.0. See this post:
Since this 6 feet gate was built, Mythos and Rini were properly confined upstairs without risking their lives downstairs.
Mythos shitted outside the box
Whenever the litter box is not clean enough (4.5 lb crystals only lasts for 10 days for 2 cats), Mythos is PISSED and he will choose to “Shit outside the box”. This was an example of Mythos’ poop, well the good thing is: Poop is solid, meaning it’s good healthy shit.
Cat Gate v1.2 – acrylic upgrade
If you have read my Cat Gate version 1.0 and 1.1, you got some basic idea. Now with our 2nd cat Mythos getting so bigger and becoming so energetic, even the pet safe window screen is not good enough. So, I decided to upgrade to acrylic. (Only did one for now, when I have time I will do the other one)
Using the original frame, I replaced the fibric screening with acrylic. Again, Goop is the best glue ever, it even bonds to acrylic!
Organic Cat Grass from St. Lawrence Market
We don’t go to St. Lawrence Market very often, today Deb and I went there for a walk. Since Mythos never had cat grass before, we decided to buy one for our 2 lovely cats. They haven’t raised the price, it is still $3.50 CAD.
It was last year since we bought cat grass from St. Lawrence market, see my archive blog: Rini meets organic cat grass
Mythos destroyed Dior
Mythos was obviously too bored, he decided to destroy Deb’s sunglasses case, it’s pretty badly damaged. Mythos got too much energy!
Pre/Post-neuter surgery of Mythos + Rini B00
A new Animal Hospital just opened in our neighborhood “Cachet Village Animal Hospital”, we met with the vet Dr.DeRose a month piror to the surgery, also for rabies shot.
Mythos went through a new technology called “Laser Surgery”, as Dr.DeRose said Mythos had no swelling, no stitches and no pain!! He could run and jump on the SAME day after the surgery. That is just amazing, I wish Rini went through the same. As you can see, the right leg was shaved, I guess this is how they usually injected anastatic onto Mythos.
Dr. DeRose did a very good job on micro chip implant, unlike Unionville Animal Hospital, there was no hair lost on the neck at all! Cachet Village Animal Hospital – Strongly recommended.
(The photos are mixed with Mythos and Rini, go figure out which one is Mythos)