Momma Told Me: Cat-Toe Shoes + The Importance Of Compromise In A Cat-Human Slave Relationship

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Cat-Toe Shoes + The Importance Of Compromise In A Cat-Human Slave Relationship

Even when I make cat-toe flats and provide her with a real grass indoor lounge.
Momma Told Me: Compromise is key to any healthy relationship.


There comes a point in every cat-human slave relationship that you find yourself simply falling into a slump.  Wake up, feed cat. Scoop litter box. Pet cat. Slowly back away as cat makes it known they're done with you. Open window for cat. Pick up cat toys. Feed cat dinner. Scoop cat box. Attempt to pet cat again. Ignore rude feline slang and remind yourself they still love you. Go to bed. Wake up to cat on face. Do it all again.

It's no-one's fault, really. Light any long-term relationship it's bound to have it's ups and downs. But, unless your cat's making $1000's of dollars selling cereal on Instagram (yes, that's a thing) you might want to remind yourself who exactly wears the pants. Literally. Unless your cat is some sort of special pants wearing cat, in which case you're simply out of luck.
For a while, last year, Truffles and I had settled into an Eb and flow that was teetering on the edge of complacency. Our relationship was dull. I wanted nice, pretty, things, and all she wanted to do was lay around in the (dirty) sliding window track all day. She couldn't even be bothered to pull back the blinds before she smushed herself against the glass and drifted off for her afternoon naps. Neither of us seemed unhappy, but neither of us seemed particularly happy either.
So I decided to make some changes.

No long would I settle for our relationship consisting of little more than a routine. For example, if she wasn't going to get up off the floor and go buy her own groceries then she was at the very least going to help with the shopping decisions. There was some grumbling about 'angles' making her look fat, and data usage, but I at last got her to agree to Face Time on the phone during my visit to PetSmart. It turns out, much like the importance of good toilet paper to humans, cats have a lot to say about the litter they use.
Fresh Step at PetSmart
Truffles wanted a lower dust formula litter, while I wanted extreme clumping action that would make my human-slave duties much more tolerable each day. We'd been using Fresh Step cat litter for years, but never paid much attention to the new varieties and innovations with the brand. I guess you can just chalk it up too our slump. So, together, we decided to make the switch to a new lower dust Fresh Step with the Power of Febreze formula litter. Our compromise skills, however,were later put to the true test when I rolled past the PetSmart aisle with the toy mice. Turns out Truffles got some new toys, and I got a new pair of shoes.Preparing to make DIY kitty-toe flats.
Of course a plain pair of flats didn't quite make Truffles' fashion approval- they needed a but more pizazz. So I grabbed some painter's tape, a drop cloth, and acrylic paints and sat down to jazz up my new kicks a little.

My relationship efforts must have been paying off because Truffles immediately joined me, as soon as the box the shoes had arrived in was vacant.
I was excited my cat was taking interest in my hobbies, and immediately began explaining my project to her, but her eyes only offered a glazed expression. Baby steps, I told myself.

I took my painter's tape and blocked off an even section of the toe of each flat and gave it a good layer of black paint. I then carefully peeled back the tape and added two swooshes of 'ears'.
Either the scent of wet acrylic on leather was perking her up, or she'd hit the nip a little earlier in the day but Truffles then looked at me and meowed something I took to mean "Paint me like one of your French cats" and I felt myself immediately inspired. Since I also happen to like asymmetrical designed, I decided to paint one toe as Truffles, the tuxedo cat, and the other a mysterious black kitty.
D.I.Y Kitty-Toe Flats with painter's tape and acrylic paint. Insanely easy, riddiculously adorable!
This project was incredibly simple, and didn't really require any special materials or skills- I've since worn my snazzy new flats about town several times to many compliments. This look sure beats that 'gold toe' trend everyone was buzzing about last Spring! Of course a brand new Fresh Step litter variety wasn't quite equal to my new 'designer' kicks- so Truffles demanded we compromise a little more. A new piece of furniture was in order.
Since I knew how much Truffles longed to lounge in the warm grass on a sunny SoCal day, but so very much feared the sound of a car backfiring, or the bark of a stray dog, or the shadow of a fleeing mouse (she's kind of an agoraphobe, really) I decided to bring the outdoors in. For about $8 at the local hardware store I invested in a sturdy concrete mixing pan that just so happened to be the perfect size for a section of sod.

As it turns out you can walk into most major, and even private, hardware and nursery stores and order a section of fresh sod (grass) to pick up the same day. The smallest size, shown here, cost us $2.59, and is actually doubled onto itself in the tray. You can order your sod with or without the thick dirt base- we prefer with dirt because it just has that great spongy, Earthy, feel. Sod for this purpose is generally intended to be tossed at the end of it's life, rather than watered/maintained, and will stay green and plush for 5-7 days depending on your climate.

***Update: We have had sod beds last up to 10 days before they were starting to brown and dry. We do something like this about once a month as a treat whenever we pass by the sod farm but you can get set up on a delivery or pickup schedule for weekly/bi weekly sod if it's something you desire to do regularly. You can also install a 'living' sod bed much like an indoor plant and keep the grass thriving for months on end.
Make a grass lounge for your indoor cat with a cement mixing pan and a sheet of sod from your local hardware store. (Only $10 for the tray and sod, new sod costs about $2.50 in our area and lasts up to 5 days indoors.)
Now, let me tell you- I could have just had a Lay-Z-Boy recliner dropped off, that's how magical this lounger was for our relationship. What a difference a change of local can do for one's mindset! It was as though Truffles checked into the spa each afternoon and was the kitten I fell in love with all over again each night. After hours of recharging in the afternoon sun my cat would return to me a whole new feline, purring and begging for attention with nudges and cuddles.
Make a grass lounge for your indoor cat with a cement mixing pan and a sheet of sod from your local hardware store. (Only $10 for the tray and sod, new sod costs about $2.50 in our area and lasts up to 5 days indoors.)
We may not be completely out of our rut- After all, I'll always be the human slave, and she'll always be the cat, but things are running just a bit more amicably these days. Let's just say I'm still scooping the litter box, but at least she remembers to put Fresh Step Extreme with the Power of Febreze on the shopping list! Now, tell me, if you may Kitty-Toe Flats what type of cat would you feature on the front? Not a cat person? Tell me about your pet's favorite place to sleep in the house!

What Daughter Says: Happy cat, happy human-slave.

38 comments:

  1. This post cracked me up! It is funny that you mention the whole you're the slave of the cat he cracks me up because I know what that's like. I think you were very creative and getting your cat involved more. Hopefully you cat appreciate it.

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  2. My husband used to talk about a cat that he used to have, Oreo. He said Oreo would not even budge from the bed whenever he came in from work. He would just look up at him, then lay back down as if to say, "meh." I would say that is about as complacent as it gets.

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  3. I have two kitties I adore...a brother and sister! These shoes are adorbs. My cousin would LOVE them!

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  4. I'm pretty sure that my wife will surely love this cute shoes! I'll share this with her.

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  5. I cannot believe how cute those cat flats are. What a mega creative, fashionable DIY!

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  6. And then the cat pees in the grass...gross. Maybe astroturf you can rinse off?

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  7. My cats really perked up when I spent the extra dime and bought Breeze's system for their waste products. Hint: If you try it. sprinkle the "pee pad" with a liberal amount of baking soda. Check it out. Ya scoop the poop daily and the pee pad comes out weekly. NO DUST no kitty prints everywhere. I have been liberated.

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  8. This is a great idea for indoor cats. I love those shoes. We also have a tuxedo with a white mustache, so that would be adorable.
    http://therantingsofadramaqueensmum.blogspot.com

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  9. So do you replace the piece of sod every 5 days??!!

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    Replies
    1. This is my question, as well!

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    2. Me too. Do you replace the sod every 5 days?

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    3. How long the sod lasts will depend on where it is located in your house and the general climate of your home. Outside or in a window in direct sun it will begin to fade after 5-6 days. You can realistically use a piece for up to 10 days, indoors out of direct sunlight and in a cool environment. Remember the sod costs anywhere from $1.75-$3, it's not a huge expense, but also not something necessarily intended to be maintained year-round. Naturally one could also create a living bed of grass, much like an indoor plant, for their car to lounge on throughout the year.

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    4. Does your cat use the bathroom in it? I have wanted to do this but I am leery of the smell/mess potential.

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  10. Cats own you. My Cat moved in one day. I don't care for cats but this cat was in my driveway one morning. She was about six months old. She curled around my legs like I was her best bud. When I went in the house she followed me in. She was meowing and looked at my numerous chihuahuas like I'm moving in. and she did. she RULEs the house

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  11. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  12. You're living the same dream as me. I want to come back as a spoiled cat in my next life. I've got to do this sod bed for my Binks Brothers; William the Orange, Henry and Mr. Joe Binks. Ingenious and I haven't seen anything like it before. The let-go-of-my-eggo on the head...

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  13. okay... where is the cute lizard from?? :P

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  14. Happy Kitty, Sleepy Kitty, PURR, PURR, PURR.

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  15. OL My husband told me before he died he wanted to come back as a kitty especially one of ours. Spoiled brats. So I had one tattooed over my heart. I told him I would do it.

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  16. Hi, Jenna!

    I've been following you since like, 2011 and am finally starting a blog of my own! It's so good to see that you're still around!

    I love these cat flats! We have 3 rescue babies, and try to help the cat population in Morocco as much as possible. Hopefully I can find the paint to try these on my own!

    Sending my love, keep blogging!

    Jen
    Http://www.lovegawria.blogspot.com

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  17. Sod is a great idea. I have planted both grass and catnip in a plastic pan at one time or other and the problem has always been the weight of my cat's body on both. Granted, she is a little over weight (well, maybe more than a little) but this soon kills the planting. So sod will be a great substitute.

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  23. Hey Jenna,
    I was thinking to buy fresh step but I have a doubt. will this my felines liked it or not. Share your experience with us. NomNomNow

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  25. Dogs have owners, Cats have staff...(i.e., slaves)

    We have 2 cats and one 100-lb, gentle giant of a boxer/pittie mix. I don't have to tell you who rules the roost, it is "Dog, you shall not pass!" if he tries to walk by our female cat in the hallway. She'll smack him silly and he's quite intimidated. On the other hand, our male cat pretty much ignores him and they get along fine. He's a very laid-back, secure cat who loves to chase a toy or his sister until she gets P.O.'d and smacks HIM silly. Our days are rarely dull.

    Your indoor grass patch is a very clever idea.

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