Treat Days with Whiskas

Never in 2019 did I think I would start a blog post saying 'I need to take more pictures of my cats'. But I really, REALLY do. I share so much of Reuben and Bronson on my social media these days, that some people might wonder what happened to my OGs, Dexter and Binx. They're still here, snoozing away in the background, slipping under the covers for cuddles and watching the view of the birds in our Garden at the new house. I never give these two furry lads enough credit. They've adapted extremely well to so many big changes over the past few years. Moving house twice, gaining a puppy fur brother and now a human brother too.

Dexter is 6 years old now, and Binx is 4. Dexter is a typical Ragdoll through and through, the chillest cat you will ever meet who loves the quiet life. Then came along Binx, the wild cat (literally) who constantly has a look of mischief in his eye. I don't know what breed Binx is, as he's feral, but the older he gets, the larger and fluffier he's become. He's developed a sturdy build similar to that of a Maine Coon or Norwegian Forest Cat. I know deep down that Binx isn't meant to be an indoor cat, but I was never able to let him out at our old flat as we lived on the second floor of a tenement building on a busy main road. He has a lot of built up energy, and tends to take it out on Dexter or the dog (or us!) and is an intense character who loves a bit of rough play. Since we have moved to the new house Dexter really enjoys watching the view from every single window in the house, and Binx has started to show an interest in what's on the other side of those windows. I've been in two minds about letting him outside, but we live in a very quiet area and have a massive garden at the back, so he's started venturing outside whenever Bronson goes out for a pee. I've been told if I want to start letting him out properly I'll need to get him vaccinated (and possibly get Dexter vaccinated too just to be safe) so if anyone has any experience of turning an indoor cat into an outdoor cat then I'd love to hear how you got on!

Dexter is a die hard fan of dry food (he won't even eat tinned tuna or cooked chicken - weirdo) so I've ended up giving Binx the same diet as him. But oh boy, Binx LOVES wet food. I often forget this until sometimes in the supermarket I'll randomly pick up some sachets for him, and he absolutely laps them up. These Whiskas Cat Casseroles are a total treat for Binx, he likes the ones in jelly (so he can lick all the jelly off before he eats the meat, whatever floats your boat my darling!) And when he licks the bowl clean, I do ask myself why don't I give him wet food every day? Cause this boy deserves whatever makes him happy, every single day. All of my furry babies do! I think if I decide to graduate Binx from indoor to outdoor cat, I'll probably up his calorie intake and start introducing wet food as well as dry. It's funny speaking about cats as if we 'own' them, when everyone knows it's really the cats who own us...

I mean, Dexter has already pursued a career in modelling thanks to Blow (and the gorgeous Sheri aka Forever Yours Betty) so he's already halfway there to earning his rent!

Although some days with animals can be stressful, and you lose count of the amount of furniture and wallpaper that gets ruined, and the litter you sweep up and the occasional furball... I feel very blessed to have these fluffy little pals in my life and how well they have adapted to changes over the years. They've comforted me when I've been down, curled up asleep next to me when I've not been feeling well, and they are so good with Reuben it's amazing (hoping I'll still be saying that once he's up on his feet and can run after them) The most common phrase I hear from visitors to my house is 'I don't usually like cats, but I like your cats' and that fills me with joy. As long as they don't mind a good patting down from the lint roller on the way out!

“I love cats because I enjoy my home; and little by little, they become its visible soul.” 
- Jean Cocteau