11/14 Mocha OTJ & an OT question!

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PeterDevonMocha

PeterDevonMocha

Member Since 2009
Hi guys ..

Thought I would do another condo update on Mocha .. all is well with her, she's enjoying the last little bit of sunshine afternoons we are having around here .. rolling around and taking in all her solar energy, so she can get through the cold winter months ahead of us!

Because it's getting colder at night, she's taking up sleeping next to me again under the covers .. wouldn't be so bad but she stay's up much, much later then momma and wants under the covers around 4 a.m. :shock: And if momma doesn't open the covers right away, she get's a nice slap to the head with her furry paws :lol: It's routine for her to go in and out three or four times before she finally settles in for the night and in the morning, I'm greeted with the pain that comes from an arm that's been asleep half the night! That cat rules the house and she knows it ...

For the most part when I test mocha she's hanging out in the 50's :mrgreen: She's still really good about testing which I'm thankful for ...

Two weeks from today Peter and I are driving down to Florida, to visit his parents in their new home .. I'm super anxious about leaving my girl's for such a long time (approx one week) My mom will be here daily to feed them and at night my SIL will do the feedings .. I keep telling myself they will be fine but I won't really believe that until I'm back home with them and can see for myself!

Other then that, there isn't much to report .. same ol' same ol' in this house :-D
 
Re: 11/14 Mocha OTJ

Fantastic report for Miss Mocha!! It's great to hear she is doing so well. I love the under the cover story!! And I assume she still gets her beauties every day!

I can imagine it would be hard to be away. At least you know they are safe. I hope you and Peter have a wonderful and safe trip! Hugs....I miss you!
 
Re: 11/14 Mocha OTJ

Hi Devon and Peter,
Such a nice report on Mocha. She is doing great. Rusty gets up a couple of times a night, too (to eat his nighttime food), but hops back on the bed and snuggles into "his" spot. Aren't they something?!

Have a good trip to Florida and try not to worry about Mocha and Twix. They have each other and they will be well cared for. They will be happy to see you when you get back.

Enjoy your day. Keep warm!

Ella & Rusty
 
Re: 11/14 Mocha OTJ

Good Morning Devon

I love those nice WCR's for Mocha. :mrgreen:
You know that she and Twix will have a ball, while you an Peter are gone. Look at all the trouble they can get in. For Mocha, if you forget to empty it, she can have a trash can of her own Q-Tips :lol:
You know your mom and SIL will take good care of them.
You can call them every day, and leave a message on your answering machine, for them to hear your voice. :-D
Don't laugh, I call my DD's dog, and he actually listens. :lol:
 
Re: 11/14 Mocha OTJ

Hi guys! Great to hear a good update on Mocha! I appreciate your visits to our condo! You deserve a trip and don't worry your furbabies will be fine! It is much more stressful for us than them! Sounds like you have great support for feedings! Take care and so happy things are good in Mocha Land!
 
Re: 11/14 Mocha OTJ

Wonderful to see such a great WCR for mocha. And it's so nice to be able to post to your condo for a change. Thanks ofr all the continued visits throughout LL.

Have a great trip, your babies will be in good hands. A trip away together! WOW!!
 
Re: 11/14 Mocha OTJ

Thanks everyone, for visiting! Yes, we are looking forward to the trip away .. it will be a long drive, but I'm to chicken to fly :lol: I am sure our girls will be ok, but you know how it is .. I worry when I run to town :oops:
 
Re: 11/14 Mocha OTJ

Good morning, Devon -

A trip to Florida sounds wonderful, but I know you'll miss your girls. I'm sure you already know how fortunate you are to have TWO people helping take care of them. Have a great trip and do try not to worry about the girls too much - oh, the reunion you have to look forward to!!

What a great report - same ol' same ol' is FABULOUS!!!

BIG HUG -

Libby (& Hershey, too!)
 
Re: 11/14 Mocha OTJ

Hi guys! so glad to hear Mocha is doing so good :-D Gives Hoot and I hope! Have a great trip to Florida. We are in Florida and the weather is beautiful now. Actually I kinda like it a little cooler so I can have a fire in the fireplace, but I'm not complaining ;-) We also wanted to thank you guys so much for cheering Hoot on thru his trial!! It really means alot to us ♥ Have a safe trip and all the babies will be just fine. They will be in good hands! Have a great day! :smile:
 
Re: 11/14 Mocha OTJ

When we travel, we tell the kitties how many darks we will be gone, as in "we'll be gone for 7 darks, that's one for each paddy paw, each ear and your tail." Then they yawn and go take a nap. :lol: :lol: Mocha and Twix will be fine while you're gone, especially with such excellent care. Thanks for the update, Devon!
Liz
 
Re: 11/14 Mocha OTJ

HI,

That's a cute story about how you must open the covers or get slapped. These cats want what they want and when they want it.
have a great trip to FL. It's perfect down here, i'm sure you'll have a wonderful time.
I like what Anne said, tell them how many darks until you get back.
take good care, travel safe
mary and oliver
 
Re: 11/14 Mocha OTJ

Hi Devon, what a nice report on Mocha, She is Maggie's mentor! :-D I love the under the covers story, what a sweetheart and the boss! Thanks for all your visits and encouragement to Maggie's condo. The Florida trip sounds awesome, and I know you will worry, but they will be fine and you can check on them every day with a phone call.
 
Re: 11/14 Mocha OTJ

Devon, Great report, glad Mocha continues to do well. The undercover kitty routine is all too familiar, Jasper does the same thing and if I dont wake and lift the cover fast enough for his highness, he head butts my forehead until service is rendered. These cats sure know who is boss and its not us :lol: . Have a great trip to Florida, hope you get nice weather the whole time.
 
Re: 11/14 Mocha OTJ

It's good to hear Mocha is doing so well. It's hard not to worry about our furbabies. I'm sure Mocha will be fine while you're on your trip. Hope you have a good trip.
 
Re: 11/14 Mocha OTJ

Lovely report on Mocha - what sweet, spunky girl! I hear ya about worrying when you leave. I'm sure you'll have a wonderful time, but will be glad to be back home with your girls!!
 
Re: 11/14 Mocha OTJ

Such a great report on Mocha.....so funny that she has her winter spot....so nice of you to accomodate her Highness! Hope you guys have a nice vacation....don't forget to leave a couple of tee shirts with your scents in strategic places....

I think it's harder on US when we leave them. They are happy as long as they get their meals on time and their needs are met. It doesn them good to miss thier regular "staff" once in awhile....LOL.. At least, that's what I tell myself!! :lol:
 
Re: 11/14 Mocha OTJ

Wow - it's great you put up a condo for Mocha since I never get to visit you guys! Thanks for stopping by our condo so often - it's great to see you there. It sounds like Mocha is doing good - I've learned a lot looking at Mocha's spreadsheet. Impressive. I tell Leo he has to take a note from it.

It stinks to leave the babies - I hate it, and think I am a terrible mom, but then I have to tell myself, they SLEEP so much of the time! They will be fine - they have dedicated caregivers it sounds like. My brother's cat is intrigued by the fax machine. My mom would send them faxes to keep the cat amused. Too bad you don't have some silly thing like that. It made me laugh.

Have a great trip and hope you have wonderful warm weather!!!
 
Re: 11/14 Mocha OTJ

I too, love the slap in the head part of the story.
Guess I'm lucky mine doesn't do that. I just get the love bites on the chin when she wants scritches.
Love hearing lasting otj stories.

I'm envious that you have family to help. Maybe they actually get to see the kitties come running out for food.
Since Mocha likes under the covers, you could try what I've done . I'll tent the sheet/blanket over pillows so my cat can get under there
on her own.
Just a boring week for them without you but lots of naps for them. Sounds like they should be fine.
Enjoy your time away...
 
Re: 11/14 Mocha OTJ

Hi Devon... Love the under the covers story, and the slap to the head, oh my! So funny. Glad that Mocha is doing so well :smile:

Have a wonderful trip to Florida... Your babies will be fine, and well taken care of... But I know it is hard to not worry. Try to enjoy yourself anyway :smile:

Kathie
 
Re: 11/14 Mocha OTJ

Thanks everyone, for the reassuring words and for stopping by .. I know my girls will be ok .. it's just that I'm usually here with them 24/7 so it's hard to be away for long periods of time .. But you are right, my mom knows how much I love these cat's and she's sat for them before so she knows the routine .. same with my SIL .. of course, I've told them REPEATEDLY how important it is for them to stay out of each others foods :lol: :lol: I think they've gotten the point, but it still makes me worry .. you know cats, they can be sneaky :o
 
Re: 11/14 Mocha OTJ

Hi Devon, and Peter

I always love to read the status updates of all our old timers. It is great that things are good on Mocha's world, normal. :-D Love the under the covers... that is cool, maybe not the hour of it all, but still cool. I know the girls will be fine while you are gone. I know too I'd be the same as you, should I be gone for any length of time. Sounds like they will be well cared for. You be good kitties!

And thanks Devon for continuously visiting all of us here in LL. It is so appreciated!
 
Sorry guys, I know it is an "off topic" question and I just posted the same one in the health forum, but I thought the more eyes, the better!

We live in a manufactured home, and have discovered that we have mice living under our home which makes me shudder, but anyways, we have set traps both in and out of the house, and nothing is happening .. We are dealing with VERY smart mice here .. but I have read online that Oil of Peppermint is a deterrent for mice and have thought about making a spray and spraying it heavily under and around the outside of our home. Then I read online that this can be toxic to cats .. it doesn't say, but I would imagine they mean if ingested, not necessarily just through smell, right? Thanks guys! Oh, and if anyone has any ideas on how to get rid of super-intelligent mice, please let us know!!
 
I was thinking what you need is a cat ! :lol: :lol: :lol:


I have an outdoor one you could borrow, he's eaten every living creature within an acre of my house.
If only.... :lol:
he really needs a home.
 
We did put peanut butter in the traps .. we have two traps in the house, catch and release types, but they remain empty .. under the house we have four individual traps with peanut butter set up, and then two traps that can catch up to 4 mice each with peanut butter in them .. Not one has been touched .. And I haven't seen any "evidence" of them in the house, but boy oh boy does mocha ever run to the heat ducts every ten minutes .. our best guess is she can smell them .. they don't seem to bother twix .. We just have no idea what to do .. We called an exterminator and he said they could put traps under the house for $200.00, with poison in them .. well number one, I would never want to endanger our cats with mice that have poison in them, if they were to get in the house, and two, I don't want them stinking up under the house either!

I'm just hoping the Oil of Peppermint does the job, and that it is not harmful to the cats, just by smell ..
 
I think the traps will work in time. Everything take patience. :roll:
I don't know if you mean the plastic kind with catch and release. We always have great success with the old fashion wood/metal one
but it kills them.
If you don't kill them, they find a place to nest and have babies.


maybe you can find some smellier cheese . I'd experiment.

We get an influx every year since we live near the forest when it turns cold. The outdoor cat catches them immediately for us now.
 
Carla, thanks for the links, but the first one did not work and the second one didn't say anything in particular about the oil of peppermint? Do I have to search for it on there?
 
Rusty would LOVE to take care of your mouse problem. But he only plays with them. You need Leo! Maybe Tracy will lend him to you.

Perhaps try mothballs?

We had a family of mice living in our oven one summer, years ago. It was a hot summer, so Edward didn't bake bread. The first cool weather of the fall, he decided to bake . . . The mice all got out OK, but their nest was in the side chambers of the oven and almost impossible to get to. After that we trapped them in the Havaheart trap and took them to a vacant lot and released them. We trapped 18 mice!! (But Edward thinks we kept trapping the same ones over and over again, because they came "home"!)

Good luck!!

Ella & Rusty
 
Ok, well now I'm freaking out .. I KNOW 100% the cats did NOT get into the oil, I put the oil on cottonballs, then wrapped them up in tulle, tied with a bow, dropped down into the vets, and tied the ribbon onto the metal grate, so I could pull it back out when needed .. The cats are not acting at all different, just like always .. But, the fumes ARE in the house .. but, for the last week I've been burning candles that smell of peppermint, though it is not "true" peppermint like this oil is ..

Ella, you are right, I do need leo!!! Tracy, the plane ride is on us :lol:

Ella, do you have any info on the trap you used?
 
Sorry about the links. I will fix them. I hate doing links. See my previous post.

ETA: Peperrmint Oil is harmful if inhaled over a period of time. Don't panic.
 
carla, the fumes have been in the house from the candle for about a week now, and today I used the oil of peppermint for about 9 hours or so .. is that long enough to cause damage to them? I have them in a ziplock bag in the garbage now ..

Ella, thanks so much for the links!
 
From the articles I read that doesn't sound like it is a problem. I don't know if the candle is the same thing. The articles talked about the oil. Is the candle just peppermint scented? I think they will be fine.

ETA: I know oils are not good for cats to inhale because I have researched lavendar oil in the past. I was going to try it at one time, but decided it wasn't worth the potential danger to my cats. Inhaling the oils over an extended period of time causes the problems with cats.
 
Yes, the candle is just scented peppermint .. the oil of peppermint came from the health food store .. the guy there said he uses it as well, for mice, and has four dogs and two cats, and that is why he does not want toxic stuff, but he must not know this info either ..
 
It sounds like the candle isn't a problem. Since the oil was in the vents, your cats may not have even inhaled any. Maybe you should share this information with the guy at the health food store. A lot of people use oils and don't think about how they affect pets.
 
That's true, maybe I will let him know .. the ingredients on the bottle say 100% peppermint oil .. Not sure if that makes a difference? I'm reading a lot about "essential" oils, are they they same as what I used? It keeps saying essential oils are not good for cats ..
 
From what I've read peppermint oil is an essential oil. Essential oils covers all the different types of oils, like the lavendar oil I researched in the past.
 
How about one of those plug-in ultrasonic rodent deterrent things? Humans and non-rodent pets aren't affected by the ultrasonic noise.
 
Sigh .. we have one of those as well .. darn thing cost us nearly 25.00 and doesn't seem to be doing anything, other then working as a night light ohmygod_smile
 
Devon

I wouldn't use any oils at all that are scented. I don't even burn candles because different odors can be toxic to cats.
 
Devon, a couple of thoughts on catching the mice. In the live trap, put some shredded up kleenex along with the peanut butter. It looks like a cosy place to nest and comes with food! My cousin's ex used to live trap mice for his PhD research and they would sometimes start with the traps not armed, but with just food and kleenex so the mice would get used to the place, then they'd arm it. My DC said they'd sometimes find whole families in the traps.

A second thought, but this won't work if the smell will get into the house. This from a animal control person - put rags with ammonia in a plastic container with holes. So the smell can get out, but nothing can get in. Put these near the entrances or anywhere you want critters to get out. This is supposed to work for skunks/racoons, might work for mice too.

Great update on Mocha BTW. My civie Theo is getting to like under the covers and I hope he doesn't take lessons from Mocha. :lol:
 
Thanks you guys .. this weekend peter is going under the house to figure out what is going on .. Marje, I never knew candles could be toxic to cats!
 
I should qualify that, Devon. You are usually ok with beeswax or soy candles as they do not emit benzene, toluene, lead, etc. but stay away from things like the plug in candles, even expensive scented candles, etc.

I do like candles burning when we have guests for dinner so I buy soy candles and be sure I put them where the cats can't get to them.
 
ohh ok, we almost always use Soy candles, because I like that they burn clean in the house .. Thanks for the heads up though!!
 
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