Do cats suffer from SAD?

Sofie and friend.

Sofie and Lily.

Sofie and Chuckie.

Marquette (L) and Tacumwah.

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I guess there was a discussion at the library recently about whether animals suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) like humans. I don't think we do. It isn't like we cats here on Blossom Ridge have to go out in this weather. We just spend more time napping is all. Mommy hasn't seen any change in any of the 7 of us non-humans in the house.

Today we have some photos from Miss Stephanie. The top photo is Sofie, and she is actually lying on heat. I will be more delicate here than Mommy would be and just say that Sofie had an issue after her recent surgery that required her needing to lie on heat. Miss Stephanie's husband, Jason, was able to rig up that cat in the photo with Sofie to contain the heat so that Sofie could lie on it and get the heat she needed. Way to go, Jason! I wonder if my mommies would have been that ingenious??

The second photo is Sofie and Lily doing what we cats love - watching and playing in tap water. (Tacumwah is really big into that.) Lily is really black! You almost can't make her out in the photo!

The last photo is Sofie and Chuckie. Chuckie is HUSKY like me! (See earlier blog about Husky and Plus Size.)

Here is some really good news! Mommies were at the cottage last weekend and there is this really HUGE window on the main level with a southern exposure, and mommies have agreed to have the builder put an extra wide ledge on that window. All three of us will fit on that ledge without touching! Maybe I can even get Mommy to put a pad or something on the ledge. And the ledge isn't off the floor very high either. Mommy and I will be updating the Farm blog today and you can see how great a wide ledge would be for us. The ledge we have here in The Fort is 7" wide and we are putting in a request with Mommy Bonnie, our architectural designer, for nothing less than 6".

Mommies are trying to figure out what furniture will go on what level of the cottage and which animals will go where. There has been a lot to consider, like age of pets and health conditions, ease of entry and exit into the cottage. And, let's face it, the two major issues are convenience in letting the dogs out to potty and the safety of General. Right now it appears that the dogs will be contained in the basement which has the double glass doors and three other windows. There will be no stairs for the two older dogs, Millie and Little Bear, to climb, so there will be easy access to the outdoors where they can potty in the back yard and not leave their calling cards in the front yard.

Mommy Bonnie wants General on the front porch but Mommy wants her in the basement near a window with the dogs. She has been with the dogs for years now, but Mommy Bonnie feels that if General were on the front porch, she could interact more with her and Mommy. But then we cats would not be allowed on the front porch. That would leave the rest of the main floor (including that HUGE picture window) and the loft for us cats. These arrangements will most likely change again before we move in. Mommy says they will evolve as the pet population changes, whatever that means.

Mommy is going to read today and maybe watch a History Channel video she brought home from the library. She is going to sign up for a wine and food pairing class soon too, and she is looking forward to that. The class pairs 5 wines (a slightly sweet, low alcohol German Riesling; an unoaked New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc; an oaked Aussie or California Chardonnay; an unoaked Califronia, Oregon or New Zealand Pinot Noir; and a Califonia, Chilean or Argentine Cabernet Sauvignon) with the 5 (yes, FIVE) tastes of sweet, salty, sour, bitter and UMAMI. More on that at another time.

~There is no such thing as a FREE kitten!~