Aby-a-Day – Day 243 of 365

Jacoby loves it when we wash the sheets and make the bed. He comes running from wherever he is in the house to “help.”

He was apparently sleeping when we started to make the bed on Sunday. He’s not quite awake in this photo.

He woke up pretty quickly, however.

Attacked by the duvet cover!

He breaks free from the cover’s flowery clutches!

He remains on guard for a second attack. The cover seems to have called in the duvet for reinforcement.

But Jacoby fiercely battles it into submission as well.

Without Jake’s eternal vigilance, it’d be curtains for the free world!

Getting the word out

As a relatively new blogger, I’m still figuring out ways to tell people about my blog. One thing I have done, however, is gotten cards to advertise it. I give them to people who meet Jake when we’re out and about.

Zazzle makes awesome mini-cards, and they frequently offer discounts.

The cards are also two-sided, which I love because I don’t have to sacrifice art for text. The “skinny” size (1″ x 3″) also make wonderful bookmarks.

Another marketing tool I’ve invested in is a Daily Abyssinian rubber stamp from Stamp Out Online (who also has shops on Etsy and eBay). Lisa worked with me to get the perfect font, and her stock Abyssinian design couldn’t look more like Jacoby if I’d drawn it myself!

Not sure how exactly I’m going to use this stamp…but it was too awesome not to have!

Aby-a-Day – Day 242 of 365

I’m currently reading the Warriors books by Erin Hunter, and I have to say, they’re awesome books. Drama, romance, intrigue, war, murder, loyalty, mysticism, bravery, and yes, even comedy abound in these books, which are about the lives of feral cats living in a forest. The only thing wrong with them, as far as I’m concerned, is a flagrant disregard for feline genetics and too many blue-eyed cats…

…although Jacoby thinks the cover art of the book I’m currently reading could feature a more handsome cat!

Aby-a-Day – Day 241 of 365

As a friend once said, Abyssinians aren’t “holding” cats – they’re “petting” cats. And that’s true. Just Google “Abyssinian,” “Lap” and “Cat” and pretty much every link you get will tell you that Abys are not lap cats.

But what the websites and books don’t tell you is…they are head cats.

It’s true. I haven’t been feeling well this weekend, so I laid down to read and take a nap yesterday.

Jacoby came with me, and laid down on my head.

If that isn’t love…then I guess it’s a good thing he’s cute.

I took these with the front camera on my iPhone 4, which is much lower resolution than the “main” camera on the back…but even though it doesn’t take great photos, it still has its uses

Evil!Jake as LOLcat

I shared that last photo of Jacoby from yesterday’s post with the diabolical minds over at Cat Macros and was rewarded with a couple of great LOLcats starring Jake:

This one, by Tenorvox…

…and this one, by Kittana.

It’s fun to see what other people see in my photos.

Aby-a-Day – Day 240 of 365

I don’t know why it is, but cats are just so adorably cute when they use their paws to wash their faces.

Abys are no exception to this, as Angel and Jacoby prove.

Although, with Jake, you have to wonder what’s behind the cuteness façade…

Aby-a-Day – Day 239 of 365

We have six dining room chairs in our living room waiting for the table to be brought out of storage. They are gathered in a corner, and over time have had blankets and cat beds arranged on them in a way that pleases the feline members of the family.

It gets a lot of use, especially on sunny afternoons.

I’m not sure what about it the cats love, but I have a feeling that they’re going to be sad when we bring in the table.

Some more than others. Angel really loves the chair fort.

Aby-a-Day – Day 238 of 365

Angel had a hard first year (bad cattery situation, being taken to the pound, having an eye infection, having her eye removed and a prosthesis put in, her body rejecting the prosthesis, and being bullied by resident cats in her foster home), and she still bears the emotional scars of that on her psyche…but she’s still an Abyssinian. And as an Aby, she gets very passionate and determined when it comes to certain things. Things like affection.

She had jumped up on the sofa to give my husband some guerrilla loving, with machine gun purring and full-contact headbutts…when I started snapping photos with my iPhone (the only camera I had within reach, so apologies for the quality).

Having caught her attention, I was clearly doomed…a helpless victim to this mighty predator’s ferocious and unrelenting kneading attack.

This was accompanied with high-volume purring and some slightly slobbery nuzzling. Angel does nothing halfway.

Aby-a-Day – Day 237 of 365

Gloucester was quite a bit chillier than Boston was last Saturday. The thermometer said it was in the low 70’s, but it was grey and misty and there was a substantial breeze blowing off the ocean, so it felt a lot colder. By the end of the day, Jacoby was shivering, even in his enclosed stroller.

Abyssinians don’t have the best thermal integrity, and had we known it was going to feel so much cooler than it actually was, we’d have brought one of Jake’s sweaters. As it was, my husband took off his outer T-shirt and wrapped it around Jake to keep him warmer while we waited for the train back to the city.

There’s one thing about Abys that I’ve noticed: they aren’t too proud to accept warmth, no matter how silly it makes them look. They are the only cats I’ve had who will wear sweaters and coats without a fuss; I think they realize a hit to their dignity is worth being nice and toasty.

Aby-a-Day – Day 236 of 365

Jacoby really loves the new stroller. We’ve had it for three weekends now, and gone on adventures in it every chance we’ve had. I think he likes how much higher up off the ground he is when he’s in it.

Still not high enough to look through the tourist binoculars, though.

He still got to see the ocean…at least the bit that got close to the promenade.

I don’t think he’s ever seen water that loud before!

Aby-a-Day – Day 235 of 365

In Gloucester, we walked along Main Street for a while. It’s really cool, and there are a lot of interesting little shops. We stopped at one store that had cute carved wooden cats and gorgeous handmade furniture.

Jacoby struck a pose next to a genuine ship’s wheel while my husband asked about good places to eat nearby.

Aby-a-Day – Day 234 of 365

As I posted yesterday, we took Jacoby on a day trip to Gloucester. Here he is, paying his respects to the famous Man at the Wheel statue.

Aby-a-Day – Day 233 of 365

We went to Gloucester on the Commuter Rail yesterday for a day trip, and we took Jacoby with us.

my husband took this photo of Jake on the train with his new iPhone. The camera on these things is 5 megapixels! That’s better than my first two digital cameras!

Aby-a-Day – Day 232 of 365

An unexpected side benefit of Jacoby’s new stroller is that it makes a surprisingly good car seat.

He’s up high and has a great vantage to look out all the windows, which he likes. He hates when he can’t see what’s going on.

He’s also quite the backseat driver! “Hey, Dad! Wasn’t that our turn back there?”

Hereditary Conditions Known in Abyssinians

I found this list at Dr. Addie’s FIP and Coronavirus website (an incredibly useful site, by the way). It’s a very handy list of the diseases that Abys are genetically more likely to get as a breed:

Corneal Sequestrum

Familial Amyloidosis (A distant cousin of Gun-Hee and Jake’s died from this)

Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP) (predisposition to development of) (I can vouch for this)

Gingivitis (hyperplastic, early onset) (As I posted yesterday…!)

Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA) and Retinal Dystrophy (Angel’s eye wasn’t lost to this, but it’s a reason we’re watching her remaining eye so closely)

Progressive Rod/Cone Degeneration and Rod/Cone Dysplasia

Pyruvate Kinase Deficiency

Aortic Thromboembolism

Other conditions prevalent in Abys the list doesn’t include are:

Patella Luxation

Hip Dysplasia

Hypothyroidism

Ceruminous Otitis Externa (I’ve had earwax problems with Gun-Hee, Angel and Jake, so I agree with this one!)

Obviously, any cat can get these diseases, and not every Aby will get all these diseases. But one of the advantages to owning a purebred cat (or dog) is knowing what you may have to deal with. For example, when Jake is an elder, he’ll probably need thyroid meds, but he may not have arthritis. It’s a “better the devil you know” sort of deal, but at least there’s a good idea of what you may encounter.

Aby-a-Day – Day 231 of 365

Veterinarians are always telling us we should brush our pets’ teeth, but how many of us actually manage to do it on anything like a regular basis? Not trying to make you all feel guilty, but I actually do brush Jacoby’s teeth nearly every day.

Why do I brush his teeth, and none of the other cats’ teeth? Basically…because he lets me. He doesn’t like it, but he doesn’t fight me, scream, squrim, pummel or push me away with strong arms and dull but still scratchy claws.

I started getting him used to the brush and the toothpaste as a young kitten. We alternate between C.E.T. Poultry Flavour (for him, because he likes chicken) and C.E.T. Vanilla Mint (for me, because I like the smell) and he seems to like the taste of those; at least, he licks the toothbrush when I’m done.

I use a toddler toothbrush from the Korean market to brush with because it’s got a tiny brush head, it’s super soft, it’s got a nice grip and it’s made for a parent to brush their child’s teeth with. It’s also got cute little cartoon sea creatures on it, but that’s beside the point.

The point is, he tolerates it, and the vet can tell that his teeth are being brushed when she looks in his mouth. I’m glad because Abys as a breed have a genetic predisposition to gingivits.

He actually holds pretty still while I’m brushing…although, he will try to hide from me when he knows it’s toothbrush time.

He’s trying to lick the toothbrush before we’re even done!

I even give those tiny teeth in front a little brushing!

I wish I could do the other cats…and believe me, I have tried – I can’t even get near them with a toothbrush without my husband’s help. Kylie screams blue murder and twists like a tornado, the usually gentle Tessie growls and bites, and Angel…well, Angel is the only cat I ever saw a need to put into a kitty straightjacket, and even then she ripped out the zipper and escaped! Angel may have a divine name…but don’t make her angry. You wouldn’t like her when she’s angry. She does everything but turn green.

Other People’s Abys – Another Epic Photo by Peter Hasselbom

I know, I know…I’m a Peter Hasselbom fangirl to the max. What can I say? The man is a mythic legend when it comes to capturing Abyssinians with a camera.

Check out this recent photo of Nike showing her kittens how to do the Godzilla:

I’m not worthy.

Aby-a-Day – Day 230 of 365

Jacoby’s been grabbing the spotlight a lot lately, because of all the outings and the ramping up for his therapy cat evaluation next month, and because he’s kind of a ham, let’s face it.

So here’s Angel, sleeping super cutely on the cat tree.

Other People’s Abys – All Aboard!

This is just so typically Abyssinian (and particulary boy Abyssinian!) I just had to share it with you.

Nysidra’s Aby CJ loves boxes: CJ loves boxes, Misty, not at all.

He needs to shelter in them, so I made him a roof. He waited patiently inside till I was done. He’s waiting on me to take him on a train ride through the house.

I just hope Jake doesn’t see this…it’s bad enough he likes me to “zoom zoom” him really fast in his stroller!

Aby-a-Day – Day 229 of 365

After standing in line for such a good chunk of my Saturday afternoon to get an iPhone 4, we couldn’t wait to try its most awesome new feature: Facetime.

It’s pretty cool. As long as you have a WiFi connection and the person on the other end is also on an iPhone 4, you can see each other, or you can show each other what you can see. I can see it coming in super handy when one of us is travelling and the other is at home, because one of the first things the person who’s not home will ask is, “how are the kitties?”

We may never need to ask that question again.

Oh hai thar!

I’m on ur iPhone, smudgin’ ur touchscreen.