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Mr Ringo

Lola’s Christmas List

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Lola in her tunnel, she loves this!

This will be our first Christmas without Mr Ringo and we will miss his little face on Christmas morning. He would look at me in an approving way only a cat can give as I left the house to go and visit and feed “his people” at Christmas.

The Christmas tree was fascinating to Ringo especially when he was young but he ignored it when older preferring to attempt to open the presents beneath (wise cat) instead. We have no idea what Miss Lola will make of it but I’m expecting lots of swiping! I think we will hide the breakable cat ornaments this year.

Lola loves to play and it’s so important to play with your cats especially if they are indoor only cats with lots of energy to expel. We try to play with Lola at least twice a day sometimes more as she’s young but older cats love to play too. Lola’s favourite toy is her wand toy, she loves to jump up to catch the “prey” on the end or stalk her “catch” when its dragged along the floor before she pounces for the “kill”! She often chirps as she stalks, which is entertaining for us too. Playing with your cat really helps with the human-cat bond and even if you lack time in your life, twice a day play for 10 minutes is better than nothing. So what’s on Lola’s Christmas list? Here’s a few of her favourite toys and a couple of new ones I’ve got for her to try…….

Anything by Honeysuckle Cat Toys, Ringo loved these toys and now Lola too. The toys are made from natural Tatarian Honeysuckle wood that comes from Canada where it has been used for cat toys for over 30 years, think of it as the new catnip. The toys come in wood slices or pouches filled with ground honeysuckle wood. This company is a small UK based business started by a women who is a feline behaviourist and knows cats well and what interests them. The wood slices can be re-vamped by wetting them, Lola reacts to these toys very like catnip, which she’s not really excited by.

Lola with Honeysuckle toys

From the next photo below you can see more toys, Lola’s wand toy is there and any make of wand toy cats love and I tend to buy any that has a clip at the end to attach replacement toys to and a wand that is retractable is useful for storage as they tend to be on the long side. If you buy a wand toy just remember to put them away when not being used for safety reasons.

The Catit Groovy Fish is a new toy that I’m trying out with Lola and I love the fact I can charge it up with a USB lead and so saving on expensive batteries, Catit products are good quality I love the design of their products. I will report back on Lola’s reaction to this new toy.

The mouse with the VERY long tail is from a company new to me Mimi’s Daughters, this company is run by another inspiring woman after a trip to Nepal, the products are all luxury, handmade eco-friendly and natural made from organic felted sheep’s wool and cats appear to be attracted to the lanolin which is antimicrobial and antifungal. I chose the mouse tail as Lola loves long strings to chase and attack,I will remember to put it away when not playing for safety. I’m also secretly in-love with their cat caves especially the tomato one.

Lastly I’m thinking of getting Lola a bigger cat tunnel because she loves her kitten one but it’s a bit short and there are longer ones on the market, she often goes in her tunnel to chase the wand toy and sometimes to just chill out and appears to feel safe in it. It’s important for cats to have a place to hide and chill out especially if they live in busy homes with other animals or small children.

So there we have it, Lola’s Christmas list and favourite cat toys, none of these toys were sent to me free of charge to feature on this blog, they are all products I have bought for her to try….

Let me know if you try any of these products and what you and your cats think, I’d love to know 🙂

I’ll be back before Christmas with a list of cat books that I’ve discovered this year that will make fab Christmas pressies for cat friends…….

Love and purrs Rachel & Lola xxx

I’ve Been Cat Sitting for 20 Years!

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Rachel and Lola the cat (both CEO’s)

I had to let you all know that I can’t quite believe it, but Portsmouth Cat Sitting has been in business for 20 years! I was thinking the other day, how things have changed in those years and thought it would make a fun blog to write. So here goes……..

  • When I first set up the business mobile phones were very rare and I didn’t have one for quite a while and all my calls were done via my land line, it’s so much nicer and quicker using a mobile for texting and calls, clients can also get a quick response..
  • The internet has changed so much and I used to have to use dial-up to go on my website!! Imagine trying to sort out your website while a client is trying to call you on the landline but it’s engaged……
  • Before meeting a new client, I remember having to look up addresses with my faithful paper street map! Remember those wonderful A-Z maps from Smith’s? Now I just use Google Maps or Sat Nav.
  • Social Media! Well Facebook didn’t exist and my mobile definitely didn’t take photos for many years and my texting was very iffy…..
  • If people wanted to get hold of me they had to call me on my landline or write me a letter (remember those?) and email was just becoming popular…..
  • Apart from a few months I have always had a Smart Car for work, the perfect car for nipping around Portsmouth and parking in very tight places. I have had as far as I can remember 7 Smart cars, I love them. Working as a cat sitter I’m often up early in the summer months and Christmas to feed cats and parking can be a nightmare, so a small car is a must……love my Smartie
  • Talking of Smart Cars, my first one was a left hand drive, it was all you could get. I remember having my Mum’s dog to stay and the dog would sit in the car with me and of course she looked like she was driving to people. People used to stare at me in the tiny car anyway as Smart cars were rare then and seeing a dog driving one was even odder, especially with cat sitting signage written on the car!
  • There’s lots of cat sitters in Portsmouth now, when I set up there was just me and another person who did dogs as well..
  • People can sit on a plane and pay me now! No waiting days for a cheque to clear…
  • Some people are slowly coming around to learning more about cat welfare and understanding that cats are not an easy option, I believe social media is helping with this but it’s a slow process, I hope to do more blogs and social media posts when I finally finish my Feline Behaviour studies.
  • I wonder how many cats I have fed and litter trays I have cleaned over 20 years?
  • In the 20 years in business 4 cats have shared our home,Tam, (RIP) Gizmo (RIP), Mr Ringo (RIP) and now Lola, it’s always tempting to have more but cats can become very stressed in multi cat households and Lola is so settled.
  • Have a giggle at a very young Rachel, with dark hair! See photo below as featured in the Portsmouth News in 2002! With the very special Gizzy who lived with us until she was 23!
This is a copy I found of a newspaper feature in Portsmouth News (local paper)

Remembering Mr Ringo……our boy…..

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Mr Ringo in his garden RIP

I have sad news Mr Ringo passed away on the 4th July, he was 19 years old and had lived his best life with my husband Tony and me. He had lived with a few health issues that were managed with medication but the time had come when he had simply had enough and we didn’t want him to suffer. Heartbreaking as it was and still is, you as responsible owners have to think of the cat and their quality of life. He was always such a lion, sleeping in the sun but keeping one eye on his territory and help any other cat that walked his way…….

Apart from his last 6 months he was always an active and adventurous cat, he loved going outside and would never had been a cat that was happy indoors. His favourite hobby included visiting the neighbours (lots of them, rather a lot!), he once stole a tuna steak from our next door neighbour and spent the night at another neighbours, sleeping on their son’s bed! I also often saw my close neighbours leave for the day to then notice Ringo in their bedroom window!

While cat sitting for my neighbours I would often find him sat on their sofa or eating their cats food, not sure who was more surprised Ringo or me!

19 years ago when I worked at a feline only vets a lady called and said she had a 20 week old ginger kitten that needed to find a home because he had been returned, due to him being too naughty!

My husband had always said he would like a ginger kitten and so home he came with us. We called him Ringo because he had ring markings on his side which unfortunately looked like a target! They fortunately disappeared as he got bigger 🙂

We had him neutered as soon as we could and as I worked at his vets,I was lucky to be present. He was very fortunate in having many amazing vets looking after him in the same practice for 19 years and they knew him well, this was just as well as he could be aggressive towards them when he was young but he mellowed in his later years.

Ringo lived with our two other older cats and they tolerated him, I’m not sure I would ever have a kitten with older cats again and I often had to keep him away from them in their later years. When they later passed away we decided to keep him as an only cat.

Over his life time he brought mice back but fortunately he wasn’t good at catching birds and in true lion style he was happy for someone else to provide the food while he protected his territory.

Both my husband and me are heartbroken and miss him very much but take comfort that he had such a good life and didn’t suffer at the end. We are very touched by the kind messages, cards and even donations remembering him, some from people I hardly know or know him from social media. We feel lucky to have had him in our lives for 19 years…………

We will of course open our home to another cat or cats in the future, when the time feels right.

Mr Ringo you were a legend! Meowsers!!!

Love and Purrs Rachel xxx

Mr Ringo 2003-2022

Mr Ringo Zooms Rooney the Southsea Model Village CEO!

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Mr Ringo zooms Rooney, Southsea Model Village CEO

Mr Ringo was very honoured to be allowed to recently interview a local celebrity. Rooney the cat and CEO of Southsea Model Village. Here’s the transcript of that exclusive scooper!

Mr Ringo- “Hey Rooney Dude! How you Purring?”

Rooney- “ Meowsers Ringo! I’m feline fine thanks, I’m really busy supervising the two legs getting the village in purrfect shape for the summer season. I’m looking forward to seeing all the two legs and their human kittens again. It’s been a long old winter and hibernation for most of the two legs”

Mr Ringo- “Meow, that’s fab! Yeah I’m busy neow too, ensuring the cat sitting biz is ready to visit all of my people, when the two legs can go on holiday again, staycations are GO!”

Rooney- “What do you do all day then Ringo?”

Mr Ringo- “well my two legs runs Portsmouth Cat Sitting, so I keep a check that all is running up to my high standards and then sleep on the laptop all day, catting the phone and spying on the neighbours. I also do quality inspections of the treat supplies. I have to do scent inspections too, I need to know which cats Rachel has been to and if enough treats and fuss has been given out! It’s exhausting and I need to sleep a lot to keep my energy levels up”

Rooney- “Yes I bet Ringo, all those scents to smell and you need to leave your mark too, it’s very labour intensive! I need to always be inspecting the village, especially when it’s quiet, keeping the foxes and local birds in check and the dogs when the village is open”

Rooney- “the seagulls are the worst, always around making that loud noise! Mine, mine mine!”

Mr Ringo- “much mouse action Rooney?”

Rooney- “a little but I keep it all in check, I get my snacks from the two legs who visit and sometimes from the yummy café’s delights!”

Mr Ringo- “Rooney you really are a rags to riches story! Or in your case a cardboard box to king of the village story! Meowsers, wowsers!”

Rooney- “you have done well too Ringo, from rescue to living with your own purrsonnal slave, to being CEO of Portsmouth Cat Sitting!”

Mr Ringo- “plans for the future Rooney?”

Rooney- “to be King of the Village and maybe run in the local elections in the Cat Purrty?”

Mr Ringo- “so cool dude! I’m going for world domination, after a nap of course and promotion of mandatory microchipping of all cats and free catnip to all feline!”

Rooney- “ you know Ringo, sometimes it’s just nice to just sit and watch the sea, with my beautiful view from the village and knock a few trains over in the village too”

Mr Ringo- “ok nice mewing with you Rooney! Meowsers out!”

Rooney- “bye Ringo, Purr on dude!”

Lots of love Rachel & Mr Ringo xx

Mr Ringo Interviews Larry the Downing Street Cat via Zoom!

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This is not a filter, I am a cat!

Earlier this year, Mr Ringo had the wonderful opportunity to interview Larry the 10 Downing Street cat, who recently celebrated 10 years in power and has seen off 2 Prime Ministers. He currently lives with PM Boris Johnson. Due to Covid restrictions they chose to zoom call and besides Mr Ringo didn’t wish to invade Larry’s territory. Read the full mews here…..

Mr Ringo: ” Meowsers! Larry, can you hear me? I can’t see you? Can you see me? Can you smell me?”

Larry: “Hey Ringo! Yes I can see and hear you but you can’t smell on zoom silly!”

Mr Ringo: “Hi Larry! How’s it going up there? Congrats on 10 years in power!”

Larry: “Not too bad dude all things considered, what with living with the two legs with Mad Hair, a baby two legs, that cries more than me and a DOG!”

Mr Ringo: ” How is Mad Hair these days?”

Larry: “ok but he changes his mind more than us cats, and he really needs a good groom, why can’t two legs groom themselves like us cats?”

Mr Ringo: “Oh meows! Tell me about it, some good whiskers coming on in this house too”

Larry: “Word on the street dude, is the price of organic catnip is going to rise with all this Brexit stuff, might even be a shortage!”

Mr Ringo: “Oh Neow!!!!”

Larry: “Yes and my PETition to get free cat flaps in every home, has due to cutbacks, gone out the door with the used litter! Not that I need a cat flap as I have staff to open my front door!”

Mr Ringo: “Yeah but you are making some progress with the plan to make microchipping cats compulsory! Tails up to you dude!”

Larry: “Thanks Mr R!”

Mr Ringo: ” Hey Larry apart from seeing off Palmerston the cat, any trouble from new Moggs on the street?”

Larry: ” Hiss meows yes! One called Rees the Mogg, I’m feeling territorially bothered by him! Can’t put my paw on it, but he’s on my patch and I’m the only Mogg in No 10!”

Mr Ringo: “OH no! You must warn Mad Hair soon!”

Larry: “Latest mews is that the two legs are not all going to get their jabs! They should be so lucky, its free and at least they don’t get it in the neck, like we do!”

Ringo: “Yes its purrfect and we get them out of our house and our territory back to normal”

Larry: “Meowsers to that Ringo!”

Mr Ringo: ” Ok Larry we better finish now and let you get back to sleep or controlling No 10, or the front door at least !

Larry: “Ok meowsers out!”

Mr Ringo: “Meows!”

Have a great April 1st everyone!

Love and purrs Mr Ringo & Rachel xx


What is it about Ginger Cats?

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Mr Ringo giving me the look!

I’ve been cat sitting now for over 16 years and as you can imagine my days have been filled with hundreds of felines of all breeds, sizes, ages and colours…..they all have their wonderful personalities and funny ways, but ginger cats seem to be in a league of their own…. a league of mischief makers!

Macavity, Macavity, there’s no one like Macavity!

T.S.Eliot

I suppose I maybe a little bias because Mr Ringo is ginger but they are such mischief makers. Everyone living on our side of the road or the people living in the houses that back on to our garden, know Ringo…. its a bit embarrassing to be honest. I have often felt like the school Mum who’s son is the classroom clown or worse thief!

Over the years Mr Ringo has emptied fish ponds, helped himself to neighbours BBQs, invaded their homes and even stayed the night! He’s wandered into neighbours kitchens and helped himself to their juicy tuna steaks! All very awkward when you are trying to run a professional cat sitting service……

But when a crime’s discovered, Macavity’s not there!

T.S.Eliot

Another thing that makes me smile, is when chatting to new clients, people often mention another cat coming in their house. My reply to them is often to ask if its ginger and nearly all the answers are yes but how did I know? Gingers just seem to think they can enter any house and make themselves at home! Gingers can be fighters too and I met many a ginger when I worked at The Cat Clinic with war wounds, often returning week after week and these cats were neutered…

Mr Ringo in his younger days…

I often think about putting a tracker collar on Mr Ringo to see where he goes, but then do I really want to know? He also seems to be entering his senior stage and just enjoys looking out the window, watching the neighbours, bird watching, until he sees another cat in his garden that is….

Cat Puzzle Feeder Review

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Mr Ringo tries out the Trixie Puzzle Feeder

Review of Trixie Puzzle Maze

What is the purpose of a puzzle feeder? Cats need to be able to display their natural behaviours. They need to search out prey and catch, kill and eat their hunting successes. We as owners give them 2 meals a day, popped into bowls and put on the floor, normally against the wall and nearly always by a water bowl. What if we as owners could feed our cats in a more natural way? This is when puzzle feeders are very useful. There are many on the market but the one I’ve chosen for Ringo to review is the Trixie Puzzle Maze. When you open the box you just place it on the floor away from the wall, giving the cat more room to investigate it and fill it up with the amount you need to feed your cat for one meal. Because the feeder is away from the wall the cat can see all around it, ensuring the cat is comfortable when using it.

Pros

  • This puzzle feeder is suitable for both wet and dry food which is useful as most are just for dried only.
  • It is also very easy to clean.
  • This feeder is fairly heavy, useful when placed on the floor as it doesn’t roll all over the place and under sofas etc.
  • This feeder as heavy can also be popped onto a table or anywhere high up and it won’t fall down. This is very useful if you have a dog or young child.
  • There are 5 different places to place the food, so adding more mental stimulation for your cat.
  • The balls can be removed for ease of washing.
  • As the feeder is sturdy and heavy, this is helpful if you have boisterous young cats and good for older cats as it doesn’t move about.
  • This feeder comes with good instructions and is good value for money at £15.
  • It is safe to leave alone with your cat.
  • The feeder can be placed in different areas of the home to encourage your cat to seek it out so displaying searching behaviours.
  • The feeder will allow the cat to use its senses, smell, touch, taste and hearing.

Cons

  • The feeder can be quiet messy if using wet food.
  • Not always ideal if you are out at work all day and want to feed more than one meal.
  • You would ideally need more than one if you have several cats as the cats may not feel comfortable sharing one feeder between them.
  • The bowls were not that big if your cat has big paws.
  • When tested on my cat Ringo he didn’t like the bowls and would leave them alone.

Overall I would definitely recommend this as a great puzzle feeder. I have been placing it in the lounge with enough room for Ringo to walk all around it. I am planning to put all his daily allowance of dried food in it over 5 small meals. I’m not sure I would put soft food in it as very messy and Ringo needs a tablet in it. He really didn’t like the bowls and kept batting them, I think he thought they should move like his other treat ball. I was very impressed that at 15 Ringo was very interested in this puzzle.

Trixie Puzzle Feeder

This cat puzzle is available from Amazon and other retailers.

Happy Meowmus and a Furry New Year!

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Mr Ringo’s Christmas Message

Mr Ringo and Rachel would like to wish you all a lovely Christmas and Happy 2018! 

Thank you to all our loyal customers for your business this year. The business keeps Mr Ringo in the lifestyle he is accustomed 

Mr Ringo would also like to thank Dr Dorey and the amazing Cat Clinic in Southsea for keeping him well this year, even though they take his blood, pee and fur!

Here’s to another year of feline adventures. Seasonal Meowsers! xxx