Starting the day with an early morning bird walk is a great clue that Spring is here. The warblers know what season it is.

My goal is to get through an over-busy week without eating over it. I have an evening event for five of the next six nights. That's way beyond my normal social schedule.

Bill, that's a busy week.

I have a niggly week ahead of me which could involve too much hanging around. I've decided to concentrate on completing as many tasks as possible when I can. And when I have to hang around? I'll take a book or go for a walk.

My week has no special plans. Our weather is cooler than usual and the wind is blowing hard. I hope that calms down.

I'm debating what to do with my cat. He hasn't come out of his room on his own for days. He's being attacked by Waffles (she's also attacking Louie, but Louie doesn't seem to mind it--he just shrugs it off and goes about his day). I took him outside yesterday as that is a real treat for him and that seemed to perk him up for a little bit. I've resorted to locking him out of my bathroom because he's been peeing in DH's sink instead of using the litter box that is right outside my bedroom. He's not eating much, either. We think he got all bent out of shape while I was babysitting DD's cats. He's always gotten along fine with them, but them plus Waffles seems to have caused a problem. At first I coddled him, but after a couple of weeks of slowly weaning off the special treatment, he doesn't seem to have improved. I'm hoping that Thursday helps. That's the day my housekeepers come and that's the day all the cats gather under my bed for the duration of the cleaning. That's where he's been hanging out all day and night--coming out only when we're getting ready for bed because that's when he comes in to be brushed. At least he's still doing that.

Allison You might want to take Ringo to the vet and get him checked. Sometimes added stress can bring on an ailment that was lurking. Waffles moving up in the hierarchy is certainly a contributing factor. Any way to keep them separate but allow Ringo contact with Louie?

Dagmar

Louie goes in during the day and keeps Ringo company. Waffles, for the most part, stays away from him. But there are run-ins from time to time.

I agree, I need to take him in.

That is a crazy busy week, Bill! I wouldn't do well food wise with that many social events!

I like your plan, Birchie, of taking a walk or grabbing a book-- sounds good!

Allison-- my dd's cat gets very stressed sometimes (due to weather or other disruptions to his norm). He has developed urinary issues as a result which have been both behavioral and medical, so it does sound like a vet visit would be a good idea. She also uses catnip with him to chill him out. There are also pheromone collars and room plug ins that might help. I hope he feels better! Poor baby!

My pets seemed to enjoy the new pet sitter. We fixed our bed up for her but she chose to sleep downstairs on the couch with the dogs (not sure why-- maybe she didn't want to sleep in our bed) so I'm sure the dogs loved that!

We had a great time in Napa, evidenced by my weight being up 4.4 pounds from Friday. I knew this would be the case, so I'll just plod along and get it off. Just wish it came off as quickly as it went on.

We have lots of scheduling stress in the next several months to figure out. Hoping dd's home closing goes as scheduled, and then we are trying to plan everything else around that-- there is a good amount of work to do to the house before she moves in-- dh plans on going to help, younger dd may go when she finishes the semester, I may go in June when I finish school... not sure when dd will move from the apartment to the house, but sometime in June.... Dh has lots of international travel to book all around these things, so we are just trying to figure out the logistics of it all.... And if we are all gone at the same time, will the pet sitter be available?? Hope it all goes smoothly! We are just thankful that the home she is buying wasn't flooded in Houston, but much of Houston is still shut down with flooding, so we realize it may be difficult to get workers lined up, parts bought, etc. Dd is back at work for the first time after they were closed all of last week-- they weren't sure how today was going to go as they didn't know if bus drivers could get to school, if food services could make it, etc.

I did get the pheromone collar and he's been wearing it for a week or so. I can't tell that it has helped much. I give him catnip, which he loves. I tried giving him Rescue Remedy, but that makes him throw up (I understand it is very bitter). I'm going to investigate other things today while I wait to take him to the vet. Perhaps pheromone room diffusers. I think I've seen those.

Rescue Remedy should not be given straight. It is supposed to be a few drops in about 3 ounces of water. You could put some in his water dish.

It's better to not put rescue remedy or other supplements in the drinking water, if it is the only source of water available for him. You do not want him to avoid drinking altogether if he is turned off by the scent or taste. Frankly, I've yet to hear from a client that RR was genuinely helpful to a cat. Feliway diffusers, on the other hand, can be helpful. Be sure that he is still eating - concern for fatty liver syndrome in this type of situation.

Allison - sorry about the stress for Ringo. I have no good suggestions like the others, just .

I went to the doctor on Friday for the cellulitis on my arm, as it had swollen up and gotten hugely painful and itchy, and was spreading quickly. They gave me a big dose of steroids and some antibiotics. On the plus side, it is clearing up nicely, along with another scratch and some acne. On the down, I haven't been able to sleep more than an hour at a time since Friday night, and last night it took hours to fall asleep. After getting up at 5am with the boy on 2 hours of sleep on top of 3 hours of sleep Saturday night I decided to come home after drop off and rest, then work from home this afternoon. Only two more days after today, I'll be glad when they are done.

Birchie - I used the beer traps for a bit. The slugs seemed to very much enjoy the skunked bottles of my brother's home brew. I used the collars that Becky suggested last year, that helped some.

I'm behind the ball on my garden. My beds have to be rebuilt before I can plant, and I haven't gotten the stuff. I have the soil delivering to fill them on Thursday but have yet to build them. I've been crazy busy and the weekends we've either had DSS and tons of plans, or I've been so tired I didn't do much more than walk to the kitchen and back. Got to get moving before I miss the window.

That's so familiar.

JZJ, Rescue Remedy when diluted correctly has no smell or taste. The same it is true of any flower essence. We used it with our cat Oscar in his water dish and he never avoided drinking water because of it.

JayEll, about 10% of my clients who used it in their cats' water have told me they thought it was causing the cat to avoid the water dish. That's why I said that. Cats have 80-100 million olfactory receptors compared to our 5 million, and are neophobic to boot, so it's possible that they witnessed true aversion rather than a coincidental decline in drinking. Especially with a male cat, it's just not worth the risk for something with so little evidence of effectiveness in cats.

I have tried the Rescue Remedy in the water. Ringo wasn't drinking enough water to begin with, and the RR made him turn away from the water dish completely. They say you can put a drop on a treat or on his food but I find it easier to put a drop on his paw gel and then wipe the paw gel on his foot.

I just bought a Feliway diffuser and a spray bottle of Feliway (and ordered extra diffusers from Amazon). Keep your fingers crossed that this calms everyone down!