Ratty's Cat House

09/12/2025

I don't know how Spunky puts up with me...

The vet gave me a gel that acts like an appetite stimulant which I have to rub into Spunky's ear every day. He puts up with it even though it causes his ear to get red and sore.

Because of the soreness, I clean the ear with a damp cloth the following day. If I don't, the ear gets all scabby and really starts to hurt him. It seems Spunky likes it at first when I just have the damp cloth sitting inside his ear (to loosen the old medication), but likes it less when I finally start rubbing the old medicine away.

I've lately started to notice his eye boogers, and have been cleaning them off for him. Ratty doesn't mind this, but Spunky gets a bit freaked out when I do it.

And now I have to give Spunky 2 daily doses of Lactulose syrup, because his p**ps are hard and he's straining. I just started this today. I thought it was going to be a pain in the butt, but it seems like he enjoys the taste. Maybe one day I'll put the dose in a bowl to see if he licks it up.

But anyway, all of this irritating poking and prodding that I have to do every day -- I'm surprised he still puts up with me. Still runs over to me for hugs and kisses. Still way more openly affectionate than Ratty.

Makes me wonder if Spunky realizes that all this irritating crap I'm doing to him is for his well-being. Like maybe he enjoys the outcome, but hates the actual process? Like a kid who's upset that he had to clean his room, but later secretly enjoys having a clean room?

'Cause that's the way Spunky acts. Coming to me after the fact for hugs and kisses. Makes it seem like he's thanking me.

I hope that's the case.

I hope it's not him pleading with me to stop. Like, "hey, I'll be good! Don't do that again, okay? If I'm good will you stop putting the cream in my ears and stop trying to poke my eyes out and stop making me drink that sticky syrup stuff? I thought you liked me!"

06/12/2025

Another routine vet visit. Both cats have been on prescription food for a while now. Ratty for his Kidney Disease and Spunky to prevent crystals from forming in his bladder.

Today was a very rare day in that I was able to get the cats in their carriers with basically no effort. No running around the apartment. No trying to pry them out of their hiding spaces.

I usually have a tough time with this. Spunky is pretty easy-going, but Ratty acts like I am Jack the Ripper out to kill him. So I usually start the procedure about a half-hour before I need to leave for the vet appointment.

Only trouble with them being so cooperative is that now I had 30 minutes to kill before we had to leave. So I left them in the bedroom and checked out a few things on the computer.

When it came time to leave, I got up from my chair only to find Ratty laying down in the middle of the living room, just chillin'.

"He's an escape artist!"

But for some odd reason, Ratty allowed me to pick him up and take him back to the bedroom. He squirmed like hell as we approached the carrier (his is the fabric carrier), but I was able to get him inside.

It looked like he was able to unzip the top zipper. How the hell could he do that?!? Upon closer inspection, he didn't. What he did was to flip the carrier onto it's side and then just physically push the flap until the zipper gave way. Like an overweight person bursting their zipper when their pants get too tight.

Fortunately, once they get outside, both cats are too frightened to try and escape. Once away from the apartment, they DON'T want to leave their carriers.

Other than that, a pretty routine vet visit. Other than the addition of some Lactulose syrup to help loosen Spunky's stools. Vet said he might have to take that for the rest of his life. Same with the Mirataz. Might need that for the rest of his life as well (it's the only way I can keep his weight up with the medicated food and all)...

20/11/2025

No, it is NOT true that my cat Ratty is on the Epstein list!

Ratty's vet is Dr Bernstein, and yeah, Ratty was naughty during his first visit, so he might be on the vet's naughty list, but that's something totally different!

Not sure who has been starting these rumors, but I've been getting nonstop calls from all the news outlets, and it's getting crazy.

Actually, I think my other cat, Spunky, may have started these rumors. Some sort of territorial game they're playing...

08/10/2025

Yay! Spunky lives!

I was getting worried about Spunky's health, so took them to the vet today after work (they were able to fit me in on short notice).

Urine test showed no trace of any struvite crystals. Great news. He'll remain on his prescription diet for the rest of his life (maybe 150 years more), but otherwise his health is okay.

I took them to a new vet. Both cats are 14 years old, and will most likely be having more frequent checkups. I was happy with my previous vet, but they are 10 miles away, and the traffic is horrible getting there and back. This new vet is just 2 miles down the road -- an easy drive. I also think this new vet will be cheaper. My previous vet seemed a bit upscale.

This new vet seemed really nice. I think/hope I'll like it here.

Ratty is also now on prescription food for his kidney disease. The 3rd video below (where I accidentally call him 'Spunky') shows Ratty happily gobbling it down. He is NOT a picky eater, so I foresee no problems with him eating this new "low protein" diet.

My main concern is with Spunky. Although he *is* eating his prescription food, he doesn't care for it, and he has been losing a couple of ounces each month so far. He is barely over 9 pounds right now -- the thinnest he's been in the 4 years he's been with me. Just last year, Spunky weighed nearly 12 pounds!

Anyway. I see the vet again in 2 months. I feel a lot better now. Spunky's health has been causing me a lot of stress this year...

BTW, I wasn't planning on posting the video of Ratty eating. Filming it was a last minute decision. I added some water to his food and wanted to see if he was drinking it or flicking it out. If I knew I was going to post it, I would have put my phone on a tripod and set it up nicer...

02/10/2025

11/09/2025

DANNY: Hi. This post is an open apology to my cat, Ratty; henceforth known as Ratty the Wonder Cat. With the open knowledge of upcoming public shaming, I shamefully admit that this morning, I rushed out the door of our home in order to hurry over to LabCorp by opening time to avoid the crowds.

RATTY THE WONDER CAT: Now get to the bad part, buddy.

DANNY: Yes. In doing so, I forgot to...

RATTY THE WONDER CAT: NO! You didn't forget, dammit!

DANNY: I'm sorry. In doing so, and knowing that I would be home again fairly soon...

RATTY THE WONDER CAT: Hey! We had a deal! Now stick to the script and stop improvising!

DANNY: Okay, okay. In doing so, I made the conscious decision not to give my cats breakfast before I left. Again, knowing that I would be back home in an hour or so.

RATTY THE WONDER CAT: That is NOT part of the approved script!

DANNY: I know. I just want to explain my thought process. My side of the story.

RATTY THE WONDER CAT: We spent hours negotiating this! Read the damn script, or we will punish you!

DANNY: Fine. Where did I leave off? Oh yes. I made the decision not to give my cats breakfast, and to ignore their whines in my...

RATTY THE WONDER CAT: And pleas.

DANNY: And to ignore their whines and pleas in my typical vicious manner.

RATTY THE WONDER CAT: That's better.

DANNY: It makes me look like a monster.

RATTY THE WONDER CAT: Well, aren't you?

DANNY: It's my day off today. I usually sleep-in until like 9am on my days off. So really you both had your breakfast at the same time as normal.

RATTY THE WONDER CAT: That is not the point. Breakfast for the cats is to happen first thing in the morning. Before anything else.

DANNY: Not really. I usually p**p and take a shower first thing.

RATTY THE WONDER CAT: Yes, we've been meaning to discuss that.

DANNY: I always feed you guys before I feed myself.

RATTY THE WONDER CAT: But you feed yourself throughout the day! We get 2 meals and you eat around 40!

DANNY: I do not eat 40 meals! And those are snacks.

RATTY THE WONDER CAT: Well give US snacks!

DANNY: I can't. The vet wants you to lose weight.

RATTY THE WONDER CAT: Don't say that on here! He's kidding, folks. I do NOT have a weight issue.

DANNY: Are we done here?

RATTY THE WONDER CAT: Almost. You just have this last paragraph.

DANNY: Right where you drooled on the paper?

RATTY THE WONDER CAT: Yes.

DANNY: Why are you drooling?

RATTY THE WONDER CAT: All that talk about food. Can't help it.

DANNY: Okay, to continue. In order to make amends, I promise never to do this again. Also, I promise to leave the TV on all day when I am not home, and it is to be constantly left on the Animal Planet channel, until such time as something scary is being shown, or when the next new episode of "Only Murders in the Building" comes out.

RATTY THE WONDER CAT: You like the stupidest shows.

DANNY: Says the cat who insists on watching "8 Out of 10 Cats" every day. And then gets angry that no actual cats were shown.

RATTY THE WONDER CAT: Turn it on now. They have to show some eventually.

SPUNKY THE CAT: Can't we watch "Sesame Street"?

RATTY THE WONDER CAT: Grow up, Spunky. Big Bird isn't real...

SPUNKY THE CAT: But what is reality, actually?

DANNY: Okay, we're done. I'm hitting the "post" button...

14/08/2025

How can one little cat have so much fur...

27/03/2025

Just an update on Ratty. Nothing funny or even interesting about this video. I just wake him up from his nap to remind him that he's a good boy...

Ratty's popcorn box used to lay directly atop the power center for my computers. But I changed it.

His Mom was real gentle with the box when she used it, but Ratty sometimes jumps into it from the nearby cat tree. And I was just imagining that one day he would cause it to break open and cause it to explode or maybe get himself electrocuted.

So I bought a cheap metal stand (meant for computer monitors) for his popcorn box to sit on. Now there won't be an explosion.

27/03/2025

Nothing really funny or exciting about this video. Just wanted to post updates on my cats. Here's Spunky relaxing after last night's dinner. He's a little distracted by Ratty (to the side of the bed) finishing-off his food.

I thought Spunky looked extra-cute with his front paws tucked-in like this. Was gonna take a photo, but hit the video button instead and just went with it...

05/11/2024

Ratty calls the race early. Though I think he just wants to pry me away from the TV and fix him some food...

22/10/2024

Bought a rug for my living room last June. Since the flooring is dark brown, I thought I'd get a brown rug to match.

Never occurred to me that my cats' hairballs would be IMPOSSIBLE to detect on that dark brown rug.

Luckily I never stepped in one with my bare feet. Only 2 or 3 times while wearing shoes. But that was enough to make a change.

New white rug arrived the other day. Stands out like a sore thumb, but that's okay. I know the hairballs will stick out like a sore thumb as well. And that's what's important.

Seen here is Ratty, attempting to claim the rug as his personal territory by rubbing his scent all over it. Eventually it will smell like Resolve carpet cleaner, but I don't have the heart to tell him...

03/10/2024

Waiting to be poked and prodded. Fun.