Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Raw Chocolate, Goody Gumdrops & No Ratlets

Yes, that's right. NO RATLETS!

*Cough* Cat believes that Zuko may have some trouble with his little swimmers....In other words, he may have low sperm count because MARI IS NOT PREGNANT. Zuko is an older gent, you know. Try 83 in human years!! He's going to be 3 years old in December...

In fact, the anticipated day came, and while Cat was cleaning out the cage, what does she see?? Zuko chasing after Mari for some fun mating action! And, boy, was she having NONE of it! Mind you, his courting behavior could use a tad tweaking. He'd just grab her and start that thrusting action without noticing if everything was---uh---placed correctly. She turned around and BALKED at him. Cat never heard such high chirps coming from a rat before! Unfortunately, clueless, Zuko looked down and began to groom his private part, as if to say, "Ok, dear, better luck next time."  OH ZUKO! 83 years old and you're still full of panache!

Monster Fingers
Speaking of which, Zuko has been his usual self, bugging after Cat to appease his sweet cravings. With all the smells in the kitchen (just look at those goody drops, called Monster fingers) Zuko and Mari have been enjoying many a- Halloween treat. Think they look creepy? Daddy thought so! He made a face but was delighted with the taste! Pumpkin cookies and raw chocolate webs have also been on the treat menu and Cat is hoping to attempt a bobbin' for apples recipe.


RAW Chocolate Spider Web Candy

In fact, Cat has been working on her website, Katz Qzine as of late. Soon, she will be offering raw and vegan classes in the Montreal area, as well as life coaching/psychotherapy and even raw and vegan e-books (some will be free!). Cat has been in the veggy movement of things for over 8 years now and has over 10 years working in the field of mental health & disability. If you would like to be informed of the launch of Katz Qzine, please write to katzqzine@gmail.com. The website should be up and running by the end of October (latest early November). Cat is also available for freelance writing in raw, vegan, health or psychology. Email for details.

Well, the good news about Mari not being pregnant is that she can now go on a much needed diet! The other day, the two of them were having a "move-out-of-my-way" kind of fight. They were both wedged in the door of the dining room, each one with food in their mouths and each one wanting to eat by themselves in the box. Mari just had enough, puffed herself up to three times her size, and shoved poor Zuko right over!! Cat laughed, oh how she laughed!! She scooped Zuko up and told him that justice has been served for all the times he had pounced on his brother Millefeuille and been mean to him. Beaten up by a female, Zuks! remember that!!

Ah, but Zuks is alright. He doesn't have any hard feelings. In fact, although he's gotten tired of Mari stealing his food (even right from him!), he's come up with other strategies to be nice to her, like eating by himself, finding a good hideout in the kitchen where he can eat alone, and even (nicely) pushing her aside to give her a message to leave him alone. Then, too, today Cat caught him grooming her, and so often they snuggle together in the same bedroom. AH, rattie love?! Cat estimated that at 1.5 years old, Mari is around 40 about in human years...and it may be even less (say 1 year, putting her more at 30)...Sleeping around with Zuks, it's like being with her grandpa!! No wonder she's a-bound with energy while Zuks sleeps his days away!

Yes, Cat has noticed that Zuko has gotten les agile and is less mobile. He tends to rest more and he hasn't climbed the barrier to the living room in ages. He's also very careful when he goes into the recycling bin, and Cat has noticed that she has to keep a watchful eye on him when he goes onto her shoulder. Just last week, he bounded down from her shoulder onto the floor, thinking he was still his old, springy self. What happened? He sprained his foot and seemed stunned by the shock of gravity on his older body. Cat, naturally, nurtured him tons of love.
"You'll always be my special little guy," Cat told him.
 As for Mari, she LOVES to zip around the kitchen, and she climbs the living room barrier at least 10 times a day. Cat brings both of them into the bathroom when she takes a shower. She has found them kind of stuffy, as of late...Hm, perhaps too many raw treats!! Dr. Daddy advised no more nuts for a while, and Cat has been giving them plenty of raw veggies and seaweed and even a little bit of cooked brown rice. Mari was nipping at Cat's finger and checking for food in Cat's mouth just last night, definitely signs indicating she's feelin' the new lighter diet!! All in time for Xmas, Mari ;)                                                                                 
Flower Power Salad
 For now, beautiful salads made of veggies and edible flowers will have to suffice!! Autumn is a time for harvesting the bounty after the summer, and Cat has been growing some baby tomatoes, herbs and edible flowers on her balcony! Just the other day, Mari ate herself---no, not literally. She ate some Marigold flowers. They have a peppery taste and their orange hues are just perfect for Halloween. 

Stay tuned for more news and adventures with the REAL RAW RATTIES & the REAL RAW RATTIE FAMILY.

Thursday, October 7, 2010

PRINCE CHARMING & SWEET PRINCESS MARI

What can Cat say about these two beautiful little creatures??

For starters, Zuko is SUCH a gentleman/rattie! Here's proof:
Who Me, a GentleRattie?!
  • He'll let  Mari steal food from him (unless it's something really good, like a cookie, then he wants his own!). 
  • He has helped her to step down-> one time, Cat hadn't yet put in the ladders in the cage after cleaning it and Mari wanted to come down to the first level. It's a bit of a jump down and what with her being pregnant, she didn't want to risk it. So, Zuko used his body as if it was a ladder and she put her paw on him to help herself get down. OH, ZUKO, HOW SWEET!
  • Just tonight, Cat waved a paper in front of their room and Zuko used a paw to keep Mari from springing out of her cage to check it out. What a protector!! 
I got TONS of E_N_E_R_G_Y!
Princess Mari, of course, is such an adventuress!! She teases him, snuggles with him and checks out what adventures he's up to. Lately, Zuks has become such a grandpa, sleeping away the hours and hiding under the warm sleeping bag. Not so Mari! She abounds with energy!! She's scaled the barrier between the kitchen and living room many a-time, considering it a puzzle to be solved, despite Cat's attempts at rearranging the barrier. She's run all over the apartment, sniffed the shoes on the stairs, checked out the workout/office room, the living room and solarium. She's hidden and played tag with Zuko in the bathroom, hiding behind the broom. She's scaled the kitchen cart on which Cat had placed some kiwis AND managed to snag and eat HALF a kiwi to herself! The little minx threw down the kiwi and brought it to her cage!! She's a pregnant mama and boy will she need all that energy when the ratlets come!!
Speaking of which, it has been 21 days and the ratlets should be on their way anytime soon now. Cat will prepare an aquarium so that Mari can be alone to nurse them....Let's see how Zuko responds when his brood arrives!! 
Mari with Cat is just amazing. She always comes when Cat calls to her. She's groomed Cat's face and hair, and just tonight, she stayed on Cat's shoulder while Cat stroked her soft and ultra-silky fur, kissing Cat on the cheek. AH, MARI, YOU'RE SUCH A SWEETIE!
More pics will be forthcoming when the ratlets arrive (maybe even a video???). Stay tuned!

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

PRINCESS MARIGOLD: New Addition to the Real Raw Rattie Family

Hello! Meet Marigold! She's the new raw rattie in town! She came to join Cat last Thursday...
Mari: Bounding with Energy!
Cat was at work and the man there said he was going to take her to the pet store. What?! She had been living with another female rattie, who passed away, and the family felt that they weren't paying much attention to her. So, it was a trip to the pet store---and possible euthanization as Marigold is over a year old (and who'd want to adopt such an "old" rattie anyway?).
Step in the heroine: ta-da: Cat came to save the day and rescue the fair lady rattie.
"Sure, I'll take her home with me," Cat told the family.
The man gave her a box and she punched some holes in it. On the bus ride home, Cat frequently made sure to check up on the silent missy, offering her finger, at times, as a means of comfort that she was right there if she needed it.
And what a missy indeed! What a flirt!!
Cat figured there might be some action, heck, even some trouble, when boy met girl, or male rattie met female rattie.
Marigold was in heat! Zuko was trying to catch her all night, but this one, she's got energy, boy!
Mari (her nickname, pronounced Maw-ree), would hunker down, wiggling her little tush and ears. She'd wait and then, when Zuko approached and was quite close, she'd bound away! Zuko never seemed to tire of trying to catch her, but it seemed clear that she had the advantage. Running all over the kitchen, it was apparent that she was the jogging queen. Zuks, he remains the rock climber!
Zuko, in the end, actually seemed to be winding down...or was it that he was trying a new approach? Mari was flirting boldly with him; he'd be trying to find where she'd gone and hid herself, and she would pop over to see him, almost rubbing noses with him as if to say, "Here I am!"
Zuko became quieter, almost stopped chasing her, in fact. He appeared to be...waiting.
Cat got tired of watching the ratties run around in the kitchen and went to watch a movie with Daddy. They both heard squeaks and squeals...Later, Cat found the mucous plug in Mari, indicating that Mari was no longer as pure as when she first arrived.
WOW! So much action happened in one night! The REAL RAW RATTIE family got a new addition, Zuko had a hot and steamy date, AND a long-term girlfriend that he knocked up in the first night. THAT'S RIGHT FOLKS, MARI IS PREGNANT!
Well, that last part might be tweaked a bit as Cat researched that ratties can have lots and lots and LOTS of babies...and it wouldn't be fair to be putting multiple pregnancies on Mari, especially with her age.
Indeed, female ratties go into heat every 5 days. They can have multiple litters and the number of babies, or ratlets, can be between 6-15, possibly even up to 24!!
Cat isn't sure what plan of action to take after the ratlets are born: she may neuter Zuko or else she will have to keep Zuko and Mari in separate cages. The latter seems a might unfair; a bit of an understatement as Zuko was having a royal fit. Cat had separated Mari and Zuko for the night, not wanting to hear all the mating noises (ratties can mate up 100 times in 24 hours!!). Zuko, being Zuko of course, was having none of it! He eventually settled down, but only after: throwing over his water dish, overturning his litter box, dismantling the staircase and biting the cage wires. Ah, Zuko!
The next day, Cat washed the cages and put them together. Zuko was also put out because he LOVES his BIG HOME INTACT. He loves having TWO rooms for himself and climbing up to where his room is located, right under the penthouse floor. Now, of course, he's been sharing his quarters with Princess Mari. She's all female, all right!!! She's already made attempts at re-decorating the place, removing what she purports is too many papers in the bedroom and (just today) displacing the contents of the litter box (stinky already?!).
Mari and Zuko have ceased to mate, but Zuko still chases her around, playing and teasing her. She has tons of energy, loves to jog and even bounded up onto the kitchen/living room barrier! Zuko and Mari play in the long plumber's tubes, hide behind the kitchen cart- Mari is even small enough to squeeze behind the wall and the home cage! Like Zuko, she loves to climb the cage and check the view from on top....They certainly seem like a match made in heaven!... Let's see what happens when the kiddies arrive and what kind of parents they are going to be!! That should be in 2 1/2 weeks! Stay posted on events until then!
Ps. Cat is doing a JUICE FAST!
PPS. Better and MORE pics of Princess Mari & Prince Zuko (and the RAW RATTIE TRAIN) coming soon!

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

No Ordinary Moments

Ah, Zuko...What can Cat possibly write about you this time? Actually, LOTS! There is always something happening here with the REAL RAW RATTIE FAMILY!
Take last night. Alter ego Zuko was laid aside as Chev, for the first time EVER, lay sprawled on Cat's forearm while Cat petted him with her other hand. He just stayed there for what seemed like a long time, letting Cat stroke him.
"You don't have Mille to groom you anymore, do you?" Cat empathized with Chev at the loss of his brother.
Cat continued to coddle Chev, then started to get tired as 10 minutes had passed and she was standing in this rather awkward position. There just happened to be a chair a few feet away and as she slowly and carefully sat herself down, that was Zuko's trigger to come to life! That ended Cat's pet therapy session and Chev's caregiver grooming service.
Today, Cat felt, as she has many times in the past, that Zuko was just like a beautiful little pup. He paddled into the bathroom and jumped into the garbage to munch on goodies & treats as if Halloween happened every day. He made his perusal of the apartment, checking the odors of the shoes on the stairs and in the closet, skirted around the living room where he found it rather dull as Daddy was off at work, and then darted back into the kitchen where he found a cozy spot in the old sleeping bag Cat had thrown down and curled into a ball to take a much needed nap. Later in the day, he followed Cat around, digging in the plants on the balcony as Cat did the laundry (Oooh, not that parsely was not up his alley!), hiding behind the kitchen cart where it was warmer than outside (fall has arrived, Zuko!), and supervising Cat as she cleaned the home cage to make sure it was clean AND had some cozy new papers for his room AND had the food that he had hidden in the dining room. Of course, he stayed on Cat's shoulder for a bit as she did some chores around the house, then, tired of his adventures, he slipped back into the sleeping bag and cozied up in its warmth.
"Oh, Zuko, don't tell me you're becoming a grandpa now!" Cat complained teasingly.
No response.
When Cat checked, he was curled up in a ball. He opened one eye slightly as if to say, "What? What do you want?" then closed it back as Cat crept away.
Night, night, Chev/Zuko!

Saturday, September 11, 2010

GREEN JUICE FOR ZUKO: Ratties LOVE GREEN JUICE

Yep, it's true! Cat came home tonight after working late and began to make herself a green juice. Zuko, quiet all day in the home cage while Daddy enjoyed his day off reading and researching, perked up quick when Cat came home.
"Let me out of here!" he seemed to say."I'm STARVING!"
Cat gave him a few mac nuts to appease him, followed by a piece of apple from the local organic farm. Yet soon enough, he was bounding after her, tugging on her pant leg to be let up and supervise what she was up to.
She put him on her shoulder and he climbed onto her arm. She was squeezing juice out of a cotton bag that was hanging from the cupboard knob and into a bowl. She started to laugh; Zuko began to lick the juice that was dripping out of the bag!! She didn't think rats liked green juice!!
Yes, in fact, they DO!
Zuko jumped off her arm and onto the counter. He saw the cap to the water bottle that Cat had forgotten to replace and threw it onto the floor. UH OH, Zuko was already getting into TROUBLE and it hadn't even been 10 minutes!! How time flies in rattie time!
Zuko came straight up to the bowl and started lapping up the green juice.
Cat laughed. "I guess it must be good, Zuks, because I haven't even tried it yet," she told him. He continued to drink the juice and then, Zuko being Zuko, went to go see what other fun objects he could explore while on the counter.
Here's the simple recipe to a great juice, rattie approved!
Simple Apple 'n' Orange Juice
  • 1/2 head of lettuce
  • 4 apples (Jersey Mac, Lobo & Paula Red), cored
  • 1 orange, peeled & seeded
  • 1-2 cups of spring water
Put all ingredients in a a high speed blender, like the Vitamix, and pour into a nut mylk bag. Hang the bag from the kitchen cupboard knob, and let gravity do the work for a while as the juice drips down. Then, squeeze out the remaining juice. Makes around 1 liter. 
There is an option, here! You can add 1-2 tbsp of chia seed to the juice. Chia seed is hydrating and it swells in liquid. It's great for people who have digestion problems as it soothes the intestines and provides fiber. It also contains all the essential amino acids, not to mention being high in calcium, anti-oxidants and Omega-3.
After his juice feast, Zuko found himself having a shower with Cat! He wasn't too pleased to be having a bath;even though Cat made sure the water spray was gentle on him by shielding him with her body, he still didn't care for the "waterfall" spray, not now and not any day!
When Cat came out, he came to see her. Usually he protested when she would towel him off; this time, he was asking for it! She took a towel and dried him off. Then, he wanted OUT of the bathroom. He waited rather patiently, and as soon as they returned to the kitchen, he let it be known that in no uncertain times had he forgotten that he ALWAYS got a treat after a bath!!
Ah, Zuko, you're such a character, but a clever and intelligent one to boot!!
He appreciated the soaked sunflower seeds, shoving more than he could handle into his mouth.
"Pig!" Cat name-called.
Caught, Mister! You're in TROUBLE, Zuko!
He finished his meal with a twig of clover, a dandelion leaf, a piece of lettuce and a few soaked pumpkin seeds. Lately, his diet has been HIGH raw, at about 90-95%. He loves his nuts, seeds and avocado! Coconut oil is sometimes a real treat, as well, but he keeps himself in shape with all the exercise he rigorously puts himself through EVERY DAY: hopping into & fishing in the recycling bin, rock climbing up the barrier that divides the kitchen & the living room, running around in the living room & even sometimes doing a few stairs (hey, those shoes are a wonderful odoriferous adventure!)...Of course, can't forget to mention the MANY occasions he rock climbs into the laundry hamper...that's one of the best adventures of all!! Well, OK, climbing into the refrigerator to check what goodies are in there may come in as a narrow close second.
A Sleeping Delicate Flower (Chevrefeuille/Honeysuckle)
 Yep, after a nice full belly and some aerobic activity, you'd think Zuko would take a nap...Sometimes he does, but that usually happens after the lunch meal. Nope, he's gotta do his laps and rituals, and that recycling bin has some new treats in there, he can smell them! Hm, is that a scampering noise Cat hears on the counter? No...maybe a kind of slapping noise, like the one that Zuko makes when he climbs the kitchen cart and uses the wire attached to the portable, electric range to pull himself the last leg up onto the counter...No, all seems quiet...TOO quiet...Time for Cat to check up and see what Zuko is up to!
Stay alert for more recipes and adventures with Chev/Zuko and the REAL RAW RATTIE FAMILY!

Monday, September 6, 2010

A LITTLE EARLY FOR HALLOWEEN, ZUKO!

Zuko had a mini adventure when Cat put Zuko on her shoulder and went to post a letter. He was happy to be getting outside again, but unfortunately it was quite cool and Zuko protested! He hid between Cat's arm and body, trying to warm himself.
"What are you going to do in the winter time?" Cat laughed.
Perhaps Zuko will get some winter digs?? Nah, he'd just shred them within a few short minutes after putting them on!
Speaking of shredding, Zuko had a fun new way of getting into TROUBLE this evening. He hid in the bathroom and when Cat entered, what did she find? The toilet paper had been wrapped around the toilet and the trail ended somewhere under the washing machine! OH ZUKO!
Cat laughed. It was too amusing to get mad at Zuko. But it his antic was a little bit early for Halloween!
Cat took up the toilet paper that Zuko had unraveled and balled it up. She threw it behind the washing machine and heard little munching noises.
ZUKO!!! Eating toilet paper after the feast he ate, with the cooked potatoes and the raw macadamia nuts, not to mention a small piece of gluten-free cake from Daddy's birthday party?! Sheesh!!
ZUKO, you are truly one of a kind!

Thursday, September 2, 2010

Zuko's BIG Day

It all started last week, when Cat took Zuko out for a jaunt. She wanted to take a little walk to get in some exercise. A light bulb flashed above her head.
"I know," she said. "I'll take Zuko!"
So Cat put Zuko on her shoulder and brought a bag with her in case Zuko was too scared to face the REAL WORLD.
Zuko sat on Cat's shoulder as she walked down the end of their street and turned right onto another street. His eyes were bulging as he took in all of the sights and sounds of urban life: cars passing by, streetlights aglow, crickets singing, and the smell of summer flowers in the air.
Zuko scrambled from Cat's right shoulder to her left shoulder, trying to get in different angles or perhaps for a more comfortable position. He didn't like it when she walked too fast; it was too bumpy!
But then when they came to the park, he wanted to be let down. Cat was afraid. He was such a little guy compared to squirrels and cats and dogs. She didn't want anything happening to him.
She put him in the sandbox and hovered close by. He didn't care for and instead when running onto the grass, sniffing around trees like a miniature dog. In fact, that's exactly what Cat thought: that he was just like a mini MINI dog!
She scooped him up and put him on the slide. He was too chicken and climbed down the stairs. So she took him again and went on the slide with him. Whoa! What a ride!!
He went on another slide all by himself and then Cat and Zuko went on one final slide ride together.
Cat picked Zuko up and put him on her shoulder. She continued to walk down the street, this time turning onto a busier street.
Zuko, however, having loved the freedom of running on the grass, kept wanting to be let down.
After several attempts, Cat held him in her hands close to her stomach. He waited patiently enough, but when they got to another big park, he ran happily around on the cool grass.
Daddy was coming home from work, so Cat told Zuko that it was time to go back. She walked quickly at times and Zuko protested. She offered him the bag she had brought, but he wanted nothing to do with it. So she held him in both hands on her chest, close to her heart, and he seemed to feel comforted by the gesture. Zuko had one more big run in the first park he had played in, and then Cat and Zuko returned home.
When Zuko got home, he was played out! It was Zuko's BIG DAY and he wanted to rest!!
Of course, Zuko being Zuko, he rested for not even half an hour before bounding out of his cage and making a bee-line for TROUBLE in the bathroom. Oh, ZUKO!! You're incorrigible!! But you're so LOVABLE!

Thursday, August 26, 2010

ODE TO MILLEFEUILLE

Sweet Millefeuille
On Sunday morning, August 22, Daddy came out of the shower and found Millefeuille lying on his side. Cat was sleeping and Daddy came to wake her up, to inform her that Mille had indeed passed away. Cat was a bit sad, but she knew Mille had not been well for 3 months. He had been on antibiotics and was weak, with some days being better than others. Cat was happy that Mille was a in better place called Rattie Heaven.


Mille had lived a great gourmet life. He had eaten plenty of raw and vegan food. He had had great adventures in the REAL RAW RATTIE FAMILY'S first apartment, climbing the kitchen cart for food scraps and fishing around in the bathroom, especially the garbage! When the REAL RAW RATTIE FAMILY moved to their next home, Mille and his brother Chev would have a great time as they had a HUGE space to free range outside their home cage. Cat would leave their door open, and Mille and Chev would climb on top of the TV cart, leave their territorial markings everywhere and hide and play in the recycling bin. In fact, back in the good old young days, Cat would make club houses made of cardboard boxes, and Mille and Chev would hide and play amongst the levels.
In those days, Mille was a real bugger! He was a sneaky fellow, stealing Chev's food and hiding it for later! There were many days when Mille and Chev even played a game out of it and would steal food from each other and hide it in their hiding spot!! Cat even got long plumber tubes so the Mille and Chev could hide in them and they would connect to great places, like from the home cage to the recycling bin.
Just Cuddlin' Together, Mille & Chev
In those days, Mille would also get into T-R-O-U-B-L-E. He would bite on the baseboards close to the doors that led to to the closet and the living room. In fact, at the least opportunity Mille and Chev would bolt for the big wide space where Cat and Daddy hung out in the living room, and there Mille would try to chew up the TV wires. Both boys had several field days when Cat forgot to close the closet door and had a great hoot digging holes in the items they found on the floor. Chev would climb up the clothes hanging in there and make it to the top shelf, where he would leave his signature rattie chew marks in Cat's personal belongings.
Mille was never that great at climbing, but when Cat decided that the home cage would fare better in the kitchen area, neither REAL RAW RATTIE complained. Indeed, it was a delight to have so many wonderful odors around! Cat moved the recycling bin under the kitchen island, and Mille came full swing into his days as the builder architect. He would take pieces of paper and plastic bags and stuff his room and Chev's room, too, to the brim. Chev would get mad at all this mess and unfortunately Mille didn't take it too well. That was when he started spending his time hiding in plastic bags and tissue boxes in the recycling bin. He was tired of Chev always playing rough with him. He was a peaceful kind of guy, and chilling and cuddling with Cat were some of his favorite activities.
Move Over, Zuko, I'm Coming to Join You!
His other favorite activity was eating! Chev was always so busy running and bouncing around that Mille would eat his portion and Chev's. Unfortunately, that meant that- raw, vegan or not- Mille ended up gaining weight. Exercise was not his strong suit and he refused to listen to Cat's chidings and advice on going on going on a diet, eating slowly or getting in some running. No, he would walk around--and come out of his home cage to see what was for dinner! Eventually, Cat started piling on the fruits and especially veggies, and Mille was not too happy about that. Nor was he happy when Cat imposed a restricted diet and even a few times, a one day fast. In fact, although he seemed to bound with energy and be highly affectionate, even happy!, after these occasions, he would always return to his old behaviors of stealing food and eating too much.
Then, one day, Cat noticed that Mille seemed to be spending a LOT of time either in his home cage or the recycling bin. In time, Mille seemed to prefer just being alone in his room. The mycoplasma  had realy declared war on Mille and began to stop eating. He subsequently lost a lot of weight, and his health continued to decline. For the last 3 months of his life, he ate almost a 100% raw diet. He had changed to eating his food slowly; he would savor his food, especially his favorite---fruit! He also still liked to cuddle with Cat, sometimes just hiding his head in the crook of arm and side, earning him the nickname the Ostrich Cuddler, and sometimes just being on her shoulder and hiding in her hair.
WE LOVE YOU, MILLEFEUILLE!!!
Since his departure, Chev has been a bit more quiet, still his usual self, but quieter...no one to talk to or groom or cuddle with at night...Cat has been calling him grandpa lately as he too is getting older. He seems to be showing signs of mycoplasma as Cat found red porphyrin stains on the inside of his box...Oh, Zuko, not you too!!
Cat and Chev miss You, Millefeuille, but know that you are happy and will meet with you one day...We love you, Millefeuille!

Friday, August 20, 2010

MILD ZUKO ADVENTURES-HOW DISAPPOINTING!

TODAY WITH THE REAL RAW RATTIES


Cat came home after work to find Mille not doing so well. He had a clicking noise in his breathing. He immediately came onto Cat`s shoulder and just stayed there for a while, hiding behind her hair. Then he went back in his box, refusing to eat. It seems Daddy is going to have to intervene with some naturopathic 'medicine...'


Chev was his usual Zuko self, as always! He came bounding out of his home cage, circling Cat`s feet until she gave him a piece of apple. He finished that bit quickly, hiding in the shadows under one of the kitchen cabinets. Then he was back for more! Cat prepared a simple supper of sprouted buckwheaties, soaked sunflower and pumpkin seeds, a few grains of bee pollen, a few chichers (roasted chickpeas) and some kale for greens. Wouldn't you know, Zuko started taking everything out of his bowl and hiding it behind the kitchen cart, leaving a trail of food from his home cage to the cart! That is, until Cat intervened; oops, her hand closed the door and Zuko ate the rest of his bowl inside in the dining area of his home cage. Ah, Zuko!!


Last night's good laugh (after the blog was posted): Zuko climbed the kitchen cart and crept quietly onto the counter. Cat had heard a noise and went to investigate.

"Zuko?" Cat queried.

No answer. Then Cat spotted a tail peeking out from behind the Ziploc bag that Cat had washed and left to dry on the counter.

"Are you playing hide and seek again, Zuk-boy?" Cat asked.

While she made herself a tisane, she left Zuko to explore the counter area, supervised.
He crept onto the dish rack where the dishes were drying and saw a small, round plastic ring that belonged to the steamer (that had steamed his hot potatoes that he had hurriedly shoved in his mouth and flung up his arms in seeming protest!). This time, being Zuko of course, he couldn`t go over or around the circle piece, no, he had to go IN the circle piece. The next thing you knew, Zuko had this circle ring half-way down his body and started to try and escape his predicament! Oh, how Cat laughed!! SILLY ZUKO!! Cat slid the ring off his body and offered the ring back to him.

"How about another round?" she teased.

Zuko took his paws and pushed it away, writhing his body, and seemingly shaking his head as if to say, "No way!"

Cat laughed again. Silly Zuko!!

No silliness tonight! Perhaps he learned his lesson...?

Nah, he'll be back to some trick or other tomorrow!

For tonight, his adventures have been mild:
  • stealing a tissue from the bathroom garbage (Yuck, Zuko!), and then biting a few pieces from the clean one Cat gave him
  • climbing the laundry hampers (climb one- DOH! closed with a lid, climb down the other one- DOH! empty! Foiled again!!)
  • grooming himself behind the washing machine while Cat quickly showered (good job, you took a pointer, Zuko!)
  • gnawing at the almond milk container to get a few drops of that sweet nectar
  • and, as usual, attempting to climb the barrier dividing the kitchen and the living room, upon hearing Daddy doing his tai chi 
That`s it for now, folks! THE REAL RAW RATTIES are off to bed and so too will Cat and Andy be soon. Night Night!

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Another Day in the Real Raw Rattie Family

Cat was gone all day at work and when she returned, Zuko was rabid! No, not really! But he wad biting the cage wires of his home with his teeth: "Let me OUT OF HERE!" his action was saying!!

Cat let him out and he followed her around. He could smell the sweet potatoes cooking and he wanted FOOD!! Cat gave him a piece of walnut, some lettuce, sprouted buckwheat and a few pumpkin and sunflower seeds. He grabbed the walnut and ran to eat it behind the kitchen cart. Cat had left his bowl in his home and he checked it out but quickly came back. He wanted the sweet potato! Cat mashed it up, adding in some Himalayan sea salt and Udo's 369 oil, and then gave him some. It was still a little hot and when he refused to follow his instincts (he should've felt the heat in his paws when he took the food) and put it in his mouth. His paws flung up: "Too hot! Too hot!" Cat laughed; silly, Zuko! You're too quick and impatient, just wait and it'll cool down soon!

Cat tried to offer some agave to Mille, but he forcefully pushed it away. Daddy noticed the other day that Mille seems to have strong emotions. He's going through a hard time, the poor Pumpkin-boy. Cat caught him later stealing some of Zuko's sweet potato- a no-no food for Mille.Cat tried take it away, but it was too late. He had eaten it already. Cat separated Mille in his home cage and left Zuko to play outside. Mille had a great supper of Sweet Superfood Cereal: buckwheaties with almond milk and mesquite,yacon, lucuma, maca, and alkaline whey (Daddy, Mr. Naturopath,says this whey is alkaline and does not cause acidity in the blood).

And so, as another evening passes by, Cat wonders how the night will find the REAL RAW RATTIES: a lazin' about, "Garfield" Mille, enjoying another night of fresh air by the patio door... Zuko, busy investigating and ripping and tearing some box or other in the recycling bin...and Cat and Daddy, both tired after a long day, snuggling together and watching a movie... and counting how many times Zuko climbs the barrier to come and explore the big world in the living room, say hello to Cat and Daddy (and maybe even have the chance to sneak into the bathroom and steal and tissue out of the garbage!!). OH ZUKO! No,those computer wires do NOT need holes in them! Nor do the books in the office!!...

Another day passes by in the lives of the REAL RAW RATTIE FAMILY...

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

The Apple & The Angel in Cat's Eye & Heart

While both REAL RAW RATTIES were zonked by yesterday`s heat, today was a lot better temperature-wise. Millefeuille came out and ate some pumpkin seeds while Chev ran away to eat his almond behind the kitchen cart. Of course, Chev came bounding back and was trying to eat all of Mille`s food. Cat scolded him twice, but he chose to burn his last chance and spent some time in 'time out' by himself in the cage. Mille lazed about, hiding in an old sleeping bag and then laying out in the front of the patio door to feel the nice breeze coming in.

During the evening, the boys were cooped up while Daddy washed the floors, then their cage got a good cleaning (much to Mille's annoyance!). Mille's health has been up and down; some days are better than others. Cat has been giving Mille Batryl every day and Daddy gave him some agave syrup to give him some energy. Since his decline in health, he has lost a lot of weight...Cat always knows when he his real self when he follows her around, looking for food and then gobbling it up!

Cat was actually telling Chev how fat he has gotten, compared to Millefeuille. What a role reversal! Cat found that when she left the old sleeping bag in the kitchen, that Chev would just snuggle in the far end near the zipper and not bother to do any exercise. On the times when she's taken it out, the ol' Zuk boy makes his reappearance--- like this night! Daddy left the sleeping bag elsewhere and wouldn't you know, Zuko was climbing the barrier between the kitchen and the living room!Then Cat and Daddy heard this *CLANG* noise and when Cat checked,it was Zuko on the counter! He had knocked over the sink stopper into the sink and was hoping to make a beeline for the leftover rice in the pot! When Cat put him on the floor, he made a second attempt to climb the kitchen cart, but didn't make it; he fell down! No worries, Cat and Daddy then heard him rattling things around in the recycling bin! Ah, Zuk, you're the apple of Cat's eye...and Mille, you're the angel in Cat's heart...

Sunday, August 15, 2010

FUN RAW RATTIE FACTS

Chevrefeuille:

* Nicknames: Chev, Zuko, Zuk, Stinky
* Notable for: Left ear has a tear in it from one of his many escapades. Scales barriers, rock climbs the kitchen cart, and forages in the recycling bin on a daily basis. Highly physical. Usually has dirty paws--doesn't worry too much about personal hygiene. Likes to rule the roost
* Positive attributes: Highly intelligent-loves to supervise and see what's happening
* Negative attributes: Alter Ego Prince Zuko means he likes to boss and dominate Mille. Loves attention! Loves to be first
* Fave foods: Adores his greens & fat! Broccoli and leafy greens like lettuce and kale as well as coconut oil/butter, olives and avocado
* Ayurvedic type: Pita-vata
* Element: Fire

Millefeuille:

* Nicknames: Mille, Pumpkin, Angel
* Notable for:
Mr. Architect: Loves to make nests in his two houses. Cat caught him many a-time taking small pieces of paper and plastic bags from the recycling bin. Cat did an experiment one day where she put back all the papers from the cage into the recycling bin, and when her back was turned, sure enough, Mille went back to remake the nest. When Cat tried scolding him about using bags, he seemed hurt and also angry. He ignored her and wouldn't come to see her for a few days afterward. Then Cat got an idea; she tore up papers from the weekly flyers that came in the mail. At first, Mille was in nest heaven! Then, one day, Cat put papers all over the cage. Now it appears Mille is on strike. Cat thinks he's fed up of having to re-make his nest every 2-3 days when the cage (and his room) gets a cleaning.
Mr. Ostrich Cuddler: Mille loves to sit on Cat's lap, and hide his head between the crook of her arm and torso, while he is petted. He will stay there for 10 minutes, or until Chev decides he wants attention, too!
* Positive attributes: Likes to be clean. Ensures Chev gets his daily dose of grooming, whether he needs it or not. Very gentle
* Negative attributes: Tends to be afraid and nervous. Dislikes loud noises and bright lights. Can be sneaky: One time, Cat forgot to close the cage door and Mille decided it was time for an adventure, solo. Cat & Daddy came home to find holes in the blanket on the bed, and Daddy's jeans were ruined.
* Fave foods: Loves his sweets and fat! Sweet fruits like bananas, apples and grapes as well as soaked sunflower & pumpkin seeds.
* Ayurvedic type: Kapha-vata
* Element: Water

WHO ARE THE REAL RAW RATTIES?


MILLEFEUILLE ON TOP OF THE WORLD
The real raw ratties are Cat's two little furry creatures, Millefeuille and Chevrefeuille. They are both males and pretty much RAW!
    Millefeuille (or Mille for short) was so-named after a French pastry, which is a triple-layered confection of fluffy pastry, cream in the middle and a thick, hard sugary coating on top. He's a natural gourmet and loves his food. He's always been rather chubby, not owing to the fact that his other favorite activity besides eating is sleeping. He's a quiet, submissive kind of guy, but he can be sneaky, like when he's stealing his brother's food when he's not looking! He's also a great inventor, builder and environmentalist; he's always popping into the recycling bin to reuse paper and plastic bags to make different kinds of nests in his cage (much to the annoyance of his brother, Chevrefeuille, when the building is in progress, but he benefits from the finished product!). He's also a very clean guy, frequently grooming, but he believes he can do it himself; he's really not into water (and bathing), even watching Cat doing dishes makes him fidgety and he'll only stay on her shoulder a handful of breaths before he has to bail out.

IN YOUR FACE, ZUKO!
Chevrefeuille is French for honeysuckle, a flower. That name really belies what Chev is all about! He's a beautiful flower when he's sleeping, but he more aptly fits his nick name Prince Zuko (Zuk or Zuko), named after the Prince Zuko in the animation series Avatar who was constantly discovering new frontiers on his journey of self-discovery. That would be Zuko, constantly trying to climb the barrier that exists between his cage in the kitchen (the free range area) and the living room (the big free world, where the bathroom harbors some really nice baskets with clothes that seemingly need to be redesigned with holes for aeration). In his younger days, he used to rock climb Cat all the way up from feet to head, but then he took a pointer from Mille and now tugs on the bottom of her pants to be let up. He enjoys running along big pipe tubes, especially to see where he comes out when they are turned around or placed in different locations, pouncing on Mille to assure that he is the big KING brother, being tickled on his belly, supervising all of Cat's activities while on her shoulder, and anything that involves getting in t-r-o-u-b-l-e: like attempting to steal food on the kitchen island or ripping up the garbage bag because just maybe the lid will pop open and expose some tasty treasures within!