The Punchkin Chronicles
First off, pardon my disappearance! As you may notice, we are live from a whole new website, one that is kinda like my baby since I’ve spent so much time on it over the last month. I decided it is well past time to have my website be indexed by Google, so I’ve been working on this one. I’ll still be posting, likely twice a month, and sharing updates on my Instagram @SincerelySharon___ but this is a work in progress that I am super proud of.
Speaking of being gone for a month, my roommate in Chicago got a kitty cat! His name is Ziggy & he has completely taken over our lives. He’s so cuddly, naughty, and special - what else could you expect from a cat named Ziggy? That’s his shelter name but when you take a look at him (and you ALL should take a look immediately on my Instagram), you can see why we didn’t change it. And I will say “we”, because even if he’s Jessica’s cat, I’m basically his foster parent.
This really didn’t need to be a column, especially my first one on the new site, but it just is: the top ten cutest things Ziggy does, coupled with a few tips for caring after the adorable felines who’ve stolen your heart.
1.) Made me look forward to Mornings - that is now cuddle time, and I set up alarm an extra 20 minutes early just to force Ziggy to be cuddly after not seeing him all night
2.) Get the Cat Zoomies - Ziggys pretty docile with the exception of 12 and 8am, which is when the apartment becomes a war zone and Ziggy will run around shamelessly!
3.) Be a Kid at Heart- Ziggy may be four but he is a beast on the inside. No scratchies or bities, but he will go weak at the knees for a chin scratch, always
4.) Accompany you everywhere - A blessing and a curse since you can’t ever go to the bathroom without him plopping up on top of you, but god do cats love us! Jess was in Canada this weekend and I swear there were a few hours he just sat on her bed and cried.
5.) “[My boy only] breaks his favorite toys”- I don’t know if Ziggys love language is destroying cat toys, but his favorite pastime is taking one of his play feathers and munching on it until even the feather is whimpering.
6.) Enjoy his CatTV- Did you know there is TV for cats? Ziggy loves himself an episode of mice, fish, and birds on screen and has even been known to jump at the screen!
7.) “Treat” himself - Another one that can sometimes be a curse, like when Ziggy ripped open a bag of treats while Jess & I were sleeping, but is typically just adorable. Jess has been trying to train him but I’m convinced he’ll do anything to get himself a treat so not sure if he’s learning anything😂
8.) Be a ~radio~ rebel - Ziggy is adorable, and even moreso when he is just a tiny bit mischievous. There’s so few rules in our apartment that Ziggy sometimes takes advantage, finding the popcorn kernels and hair ties lying around or going into one of the two spots he can’t access and scurrying away when he notices us looking.
9.) Make every spot his own - For an entity that doesn’t even pay rent, Ziggy sure has a voice in our apartment! Whether he’s lounging on Jessica’s box of stuff, leaping to the top of my closet, or sitting idly under the armchair, we definitely don’t own the place. Ziggy is large and in charge!
10.) Just be himself- I know every cat is so cuddly cute, but Ziggy is just special. At the vet and when our friends meet him, everyone says he’s the prettiest boy, and they couldn’t be more right. He’s every color and every personality and as I fly to France right now, I promise I’m missing him.
A few tips from a non-cat owner whose thinks she’s some expert on cats:
Be slow with introducing the cat to new spaces, even if they meow about it
Learn the “ways of petting” (is your cat a belly rub cat or a Ziggy?)
Use the Genie litter disposal system. It’s amazing and linked here
Try Greenies treats from Chewy to make your cat go crazy
Start cats off with the food and litter they are used to from their shelter! Will make the adjustment easier
Delectables are god-level. Use them sparingly and wisely, like a great tool for clipping nails or injecting medicine
When needing to go in the cat carrier, do not hold it horizontally, vertically all the way and zip it quick!
Don’t feel pressured to sleep with kitty. If they’re anything like Zig Zag, they’ll meow and meow about it, but they’ll also be incredibly hard to sleep with and beauty sleep is important!
Have a readily available “hairball” blanket, especially with a long haired. We learned the hard way, trust us
Cats love popcorn? Try to be careful of things cats might inhale and watch their behavior around puzzle pieces, hair ties, and food they can’t eat
Don’t do puzzles on surfaces cats can reach, just trust me on this one
Get a furminator brush, linked here
Dare to love on cats as much as they’ll love on you!
That’s it for this weeks entry, but I will post once I am back from France! Sending love in the form of cat treats this week!
Sincerely,
Sharon