I sat down to do Christmas cards. Though I’m not in the Christmas spirit – yet! – I’ve received several cards from family and friends.
“I better just do it,” I told myself.
Andy joined me, interested in what I was doing. Seeing him lick his lips, I should have guessed what really interested him.
He tried to play “kool”, but…
…his naughty kitty self kicked in and he grabbed and ran off with the envelope with the Christmas cards.
I barely caught him before he took it to some inaccessible spot, where he could chew and swallow – $2000 surgery time – the plastic at leisure.
It’s called “pica”. Pathological reasons for this behavior have been eliminated, and it seems curiosity is Andy’s interest in plastic. I have to watch him closely and hide and/or put such objects of interest where he doesn’t have access to them.
Those are kitty chew marks on the spot near my finger. Bad kitty! And so close to Christmas!
In the distraction caused by Andy, I managed to seal three cards before I could address them, a mishap I discovered too late to determine which had personal messages or not.
Three wasted cards and envelopes later, I realized some people wouldn’t get cards this year because Andy is a little poophead! (Well, it’s my fault, too. I know how much Andy wants to chew plastic!)
If you are one of those who didn’t get a card from me this year, here it is.
Ho! Ho! Ho!
=(^+^)=
This is a perfect time to educate those unfamiliar with pica in cats. Click on the link for a thorough explanation:
Why Does My Cat Eat Plastic (Reasons & Prevention) (petsitters.org)
The intended card is beautiful. So is Mr Andy, no matter what trouble he causes!
Thank you for the link to pica; Barmalei chews ziploc bags and other plastic wrapping, but only those that contain food or traces of it. Now that I have almost entirely switched to silicon reusables, he has to make do with raw veggie wrapping, until I process the contents.
Happy Holidays!
It is never wracking keeping this away from Andy. Yesterday, I relieved him of a pill I accidentally dropped and never could locate. Sensipar is not for kitties!
Now, Now..He just wants to help!
LOL! He made a tedious ritual exciting; I guarantee!
I hope Santa is still good to you after that Andy. 🙂
Andy is such a sweet kitty, Santa gives him lots of leeway! “Well, kitty boys will be kitty boys,” Santa says.
Kitties ! Can’t live with ’em, can’t live without ’em.
LOL! How very true!
Thank you for this beautiful card, dear Doug, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you both, Love, and Hugs, nia
Yes, perhaps 2022 will be a happy year than 2021! Best wishes for your family and you in the New Year!
That is a good link, Doug, thanks for sharing! I am also late with cards this year, and hope to get them done and off by tomorrow.
I think I still have a few left to do. It seems like there always are a few people who are later than me getting cards out!
I am one of those. 🙂
Just came in from digging 300 feet of shallow trench for direct bury Cat 7 Ethernet cable, and other 100 feet to go for Christmas morning. I had to stop and eat. Off to the feed store to get insulation for the field water risers. Snow and temperatures in the teens on the way.
I’m a slacker compared with that! I came home from dialysis, had an eggnog with lunch, felt tired (as I always do after dialysis), so took a nap. When I woke up 11 hours later, I thought, “That was potent ‘nog!”
I had no idea this is a problem for cats, Im glad that you safeguard Andy so well, Doug!
Yes, many cats are attracted to crinkly materials. Andy is notorious for trying to ingest plastic. It’s like having a toddler in the house!
Sounds a little like Snoops’ obsession with tape
Oh no! Exactly! Best wishes for keeping Snoops tape-free. It’s really worrisome when a kitty can’t be trusted around plastic or, in Andy’s case, candy wrappers.
https://pacificparatrooper.files.wordpress.com/2021/12/christmas-kitty.webp
Too much! Thanks for a hearty guffaw this evening, GP! Best wishes to you and yours in 2022!
I sincerely wish you the very same, Doug!
Thanks for the good wishes, Doug. I managed to spoil a couple this year.
What really upsets me is how much money goes down the toilet when I mess one up! Worse yet is when I buy just enough cards for the anticipated mailing and the spoiled card means I have to buy replacements.
I think a cat-chewed Christmas card is just the thing.
It was Andy’s intent!
Perhaps Andy wanted you write his name on the cards, Doug . I did not know a cat loved chewing plastic !
In friendship
Michel
Yes, it is common enough, and has the potential of becoming a matter for surgery.
Been there, done that with Xenia’s brother Frankie…not pleasant nor cheap.
Ouch! The reality is you have to do it, cost be damned, eh?
Incidentally, I enjoy your posts, though I confess must have missed them in the Reader. Regardless, I took a quick run through this evening, and it is well worth the look! Charming, sir!
I guess swallowing that plastic Andy could cause a bowel obstruction?
Yes, and pet surgery is costly!
we are not in the mood either… it came to early this year ;O)))) phenny ate my pen and ruined the box with the cards… maybe they have some grinch genes?
Or they pickup on their human’s “bah humbuggery” and act out in naughty ways?
Oh Andy! Do you know any other cat people who could receive the imperfect cards and who would see the funny side?
The cards were ok, just the plastic envelop they came in suffered Andy’s “toothies”
Merry Christmas, Doug and Andy! And a really, truly Happy 2022!
Thank you, Hangaku Gozen! Likewise, to you!