cat wisdom 101 chinese year of the rat
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Spring Fever Cures in Chinese Year of the Rat For Cats

March 8, 2020 / 34 Comments
If you love cats, sharing makes us purrrr :-)

It’s been a long winter and most cats, at the least the ones who cooped up inside are getting squirrelly. If you haven’t seen our tips for Kitty Cabin Fever, it’s been updated and may help your cats. The original Cabin Fever post has adorable pics too.

Are your cats feeling more restless or are they sleeping more?

Sorry for being MIA. Consider this a little catch-up.

We’ve had almost no snow and milder temps but I fell ill a couple of weeks after Clyde died making the winter miserable. My flu turned into bronchitis and I’m finally feeling normal after one month. With the Corona virus scare, I happily self-quarantined anyway. On warmer sunny days, I lounge outside and every time I open the door, I expect Clyde to be there waiting.

sundial icy branches door open

Odin is still missing Clyde and Domino. There is a restless energy that I can’t blame on cabin fever since he goes outside every day rain or shine. He did the same thing after his pals Merlin and Gris Gris died. We all grieve in different ways and his way is to pace back and forth, hunting invisible critters and sleeping in a dozen different locations in rotation. In colder weather, he begs to go out for five minutes at a time but he expects someone to let him in and out again and again. Thankfully, I don’t mind indulging him

cat looking at bear trees on a hill

We’ve all enjoyed cocooning with a cozy fire and binging on Netflix. Odin is transfixed by the action in the sublime Babylon Berlin series.

hourglass by fireplace livingroom

Ages ago the lovely people from Cat Cave Co send us a felted wool cat cave. What better way to feel cozy during the winter. Nou Nou vanished inside and would not come out. She’s normally nervous and felt snug and safe inside. But I began to worry when she WOULD NOT COME OUT day or night except to eat. Just as suddenly, she came out and wouldn’t go back in again. Her behavior remains a mystery. Most cats love cozy places to hide and wooly cat caves are ideal.

Nou Nou has zero interest to venture outdoors but all need enrichment. This is her favorite in the winter. The luxurious feline version of breakfast in bed.

cat watching bird tv on computer in bed

Odin expressed interest in the cat cave for a few minutes but prefers sleeping with me or high up in his aerie perch atop an armoire.

It’s the Chinese Year of the Rat but Odin isn’t impressed. He would love to catch a rat but has only caught a couple of small mice.

chinese year of rat with cat

Is your cat a Rat? In Chinese astrology, 2008 was the last time it was the year of the Rat. So if your cat is 12 years old, they are probably a rat. Their personality is smart, resourceful and considered lucky!

And I can’t end without a cute March calendar from long ago (with a modern twist ;-)).

Spring is around the corner and I can’t wait. How about you?

Much love,

Layla, Odin, Nou Nou and Angel cats.

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34 Comments

  • Gail Bond

    March 17, 2020 at 3:43 PM Reply

    My Mum and I are really glad you’re feeling much better, I agree with Nou Nou much cosier to watch the wildlife inside. Love Hamish 🐾 🐾

  • Mickey's Musings

    March 9, 2020 at 6:16 PM Reply

    We are happy to hear you are feeling better.Being sick in Winter is not fun.
    We have very changeable weather just before Spring where it’s cold one day and warm the next.
    Spring itself can be iffy as well. We are happy to be indoor cats and that means consistent weather 😉
    Purrs,Georgia and Julie

  • Skeeter and Izzy

    March 9, 2020 at 3:28 PM Reply

    We are so glad you are feeling better! Pending Spring hasn’t brought much change to our cats but the time change sure fracks everyone up including me!
    Day 2 and I am all messed up LOL.
    We do so long for the 70-75 degree low humidity, low wind kind of weather that we consider to be Spring!
    Luvs to you and Hubby and Nou Nou and Odin.
    Keep on the healthy train…..choo choo
    Luvs
    Skeeter and Izzy and the Feral Gang and the Angels >^..^^..^<~

    • Layla

      March 9, 2020 at 3:41 PM Reply

      Thank you 💜 The felted wool caves can be washed on cold setting but no dryer or they will shrink. Think of it as a wool sweater.

  • Eastside Cats

    March 9, 2020 at 9:46 AM Reply

    Bronchitis can really kick one’s butt! Glad you are past that now.
    I was born in the year of the Rat, but so far, 2020 has been rather dismal, but hoping for an uptick in optimism with the arrival of Spring!

    • Layla

      March 9, 2020 at 10:52 AM Reply

      In Chinese astrology, every sign has better and worse months of that year. I hope your good months are coming up soon!

  • Memories of Eric and Flynn

    March 9, 2020 at 8:00 AM Reply

    I am glad you are feeling better now. I have been quite ill since the New Year with gallstone attacks every 2 weeks and the last one being only 3 days after the previous one, but feeling a bit better this week. They didn’t want to operate as it could accelerate the cancer, but now it is so inflamed they have no choice and I am on the urgent list. I still have no idea when it will be, but it has to go!
    The weather has been so bad, mild temperatures but continuous torrential rain with widespread flooding. Spring needs to come to cheer everyone up!

    • Layla

      March 9, 2020 at 3:47 PM Reply

      Oh I’m so sorry to hear your health news. Surgery always sucks but in this case, it may have a positive outcome. Sending lots of purrs💜

  • Erin the Cat

    March 9, 2020 at 7:02 AM Reply

    We’ve been down with a bug for months now. But we’ve had rain and warmer weather for yonks so I guess the bugs are proliferating. Thank goodness you all survived yours and heading into spring. We are hoping to also, but who knows these days!
    Love the pictures this post, and those old cat ones are always very good fun to see, no matter the occasion or time of year!
    Purrs
    ERin

  • speedyrabbit

    March 9, 2020 at 2:33 AM Reply

    We’re glad you’re feeling better now.I’ve had a head cold for the last 5 day….more irritating than anything else with sneezing fits and a blocked snotty nose..great fun not!We’ve had pc problems with hubby breaking it and now all newly rebuilt so that is good.We haven’t been out much because all we seem to get is rain ,wind and more rain so I decorated the bathroom.I’m desperate to get out now,out in the open spaces for a long walk up on the moors but we still have yet more rain and its so water logged up there its impossible to walk through so we wait for better weather.The Hedgehogs in the garden are getting antsy too they want to get on with mating and doing the things they do but are being held back by the weather so they stay put and rely on our hedgehog dinner to get them through.The one in the shed who was poorly is looking to get ready for release but we need better weather to get her ready…next week hopefully for her time to slowly back the heat off for her heat pad to get her used to natural temperatures….hopefully for next week… xx Rachel and Speedy

  • ellen beck

    March 9, 2020 at 12:36 AM Reply

    Glad you’re feeling better colds and the like are just miserable. We haven’t had snow lately but it is muddy season early and it is going to rain tonight. The colony outside is a bit confused the inside cats could care less. Personally no snow does not bother me we have tons to do and moving slowly it seems.

  • Edith Chase

    March 8, 2020 at 11:57 PM Reply

    I’m glad you’re feeling better. My cat doesn’t seem any different, he would love to go outside but we live on a busy street.

  • Meezer'sMews&TerrieristicalWoofs

    March 8, 2020 at 11:49 PM Reply

    This was an interesting and even fun post! Glad you are feeling better, Layla!
    We had the nursing facility I work at under quarantine…but it was for Norovirus…equally yucky…I got it too…sigh…but t did not last long, and all is well here.
    Our first kitty (Groucho), paced and yowled for weeks after he unexpectedly lost his buddy (Simba), so we got him a kitten…MOL! (Suki) That helped immensely and he became a father figure to her and one other (Toki), later…

    We had a lovely day here, in the 60’s and bright sunshine….there may be hope for Spring’s arrival yet…and I saw snowdrops! The best sign!

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