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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

DIY (Kinda Hydroponic) Cat Grass Fish Tank + Catnip Marinator Cat Toy Tutorials- #ChickFilAMomsDIY

The post is brought to you in part by Chick-fil-A and the CFA Mom’s Panel DIY Upcycling Challenge. All ideas and opinions below are mine and should not be taken as religious or political agenda. #ChickFilAMomsDIY

Momma Told Me: Find new purpose in old things.

Some of you may or may not know that I am a member of the Chick-Fil-A® Moms group, a collection of influential women who help shape the company's many family friendly initiatives, and kid's meal prizes, through insight and feedback. I don't, personally, have a story of growing up with the chain. In fact, I only discovered the brand a few years back when my hometown opened a shiny new location devoted to inspiring the locals to 'Eat-Moar-Chickn,' in a family oriented atmosphere. I don't eat 'fast casual' a lot- in fact, I've cut it dramatically in recent years. Having health minded grilled chicken selections at my local Chick-Fil-A is always a real treat- and the lady at the drive-through says 'Absolutely!' to just about anything I ask.

Well, one of the the selections I've been particularly crushing on lately are the newer salad offerings. I've actually made a habit of stopping by after league for a Kale Superfood Side (Salad,) their small side veggie offering sold solo or as an alternative to fries. It's made with delicious fresh kale, broccolini, walnuts, and dried sour cherries tossed in a sweet and tangy maple vinaigrette. It's Ah-May-Zing.

So, when the Chick-Fil-A Moms group challenged me to try their Spicy Southwest Salad, and up-cycle the container into something awesome, I grabbed my fork and rose to the challenge. I really wasn't expecting this full size (meal) salad to bring the heat quite like it did. My taste-buds were seriously awakened with the slices of spicy grilled chicken, roasted corn, black beans, chili lime pepitas, and creamy salsa dressing. Together these elements make for one flavorful, spicy, chicken salad.

The inspiration behind my up-cycle was my cat, Truffles. Surprised right?

I really had no idea exactly how I'd tackle the project at first, but I wanted it to be something extremely simple to build, as the concept of caring for, and creating an appropriate environment for, fish is a bit of work in itself. My Upcycles (Kinda Hydroponic) Cat Grass Fish Tank can function with Guppies, but I highly suggest anyone who is not intermediately skilled in fish care start with a single beta fish, which is much less maintenance. Keep in mind a Beta fish needs to always be housed solo, and requires the water's surface to breath, as they are surface breathers- Guppies prefer to live in schools, making this tank suitable for 3 max, and 2 suggested. alternatively, if you have a larger (main) tank and want to use this as a raising/acclimation tank, you can do so too.

Here are the materials I used:

1 Chick-Fil-A Spicy Southwest Chicken Salad Container, Cleaned + Washed

An Old Beverage Dispenser (1.5-2 Gallon Capacity)

2 lbs Aquarium Gravel

Scissors

3.5-4" Nail

1/8" Cotton Rope (Wax To Dip Tips, Optional)

PH Meter/Water Conditioner For Tank Startup

2 C Organic Potting Soil (No Fertilizers)

1/2 C Cat (Wheatgrass) Seeds

Square Foot of Fine Mesh/Screen

***If housing a Beta do NOT use a bubbler or current system to oxygenate the water as it can by rough on their fins, and hard to swim against. For any other freshwater (Guppy-like) fish, consult your local pet store owner for necessary food and conditioning aids. Your tank WILL require aeration and a filtration system- I recommend the Small World Pump + Filter Kit (sold on Amazon.)

Step 1: Begin by poking approximately 12 holes around the perimeter of the bottom of both your clear and black Chick-Fil-A salad trays using the nail set aside. I found the black (bottom) tray was much easier to puncture, while the clear one required finessing as to not crack it under too much force.

Step 2: Using one blade of your scissors poke a slice into each corner of both trays, approximately 1/2" wide. Cut your rope into 14" sections. Feed your rope vertically through one of the punctures, and across the tray to the other side, as to create 4 separate pull tab handles from 2 sections of rope.

Step 3: If desired you may dip the frayed ends of your rope in warm wax to help seal the ends and prevent them from sliding or fraying further. Test both the clear and black tray inside your empty drink dispenser to determine which will sit the highest inside. I found my clear tray worked well for initial germination, while the black tray worked well to transfer my grass as the root system became heavier and more intricate.

Step 4: You will easily locate fine mesh screen at your local hardware store, though you may run into difficulty finding patch pieces small enough for your project. While the screen should be easy to trim, I found the simplest plan was to get a splatter screen from the dollar store kitchen department and trim my piece from that. Regardless, you will want to ensure that your screen sits comfortably at the bottom of your beverage dispenser/tank, just under the nozzle draw. This will help ensure that there is always a water reservoir below the rock level, to draw from.

Step 5: Add your water to the tank/beverage dispenser. You will likely only be able to fill it about 3/4 of the way to meet the sitting level of your prepared tray. The tray will initially float when empty, this is fine. Make sure to treat and prepare the water for your fish before adding any to the tank. It takes a minimum of 10 days for water to properly cycle- water tablets and drops may be purchased at the local pet supply store to speed up the process, but I highly suggest allowing your water to sit a minimum of 72 hours, even when using these 'quick' treatments. If you have an existing main tank you can help the transition by sourcing half of your water from the established tank.

***Never put fish directly into tap water, the chlorine levels can be toxic- treat water appropriately or follow the correct procedures for cycling. Allow your fish to 'acclimate' by floating inside their travel (sale) bag for an hour before adding them, to ensure the water temperatures have evened.

Step 6: Once your tank has a filtration system and air system (if not using a Beta,) and the water had been appropriately cycled you will add your fish, and can begin growing your cat grass. Add half your organic soil to your prepared up-cycled tray. Sprinkle your cat/wheat grass seeds directly across this layer of soil and cover with the remaining soil. Float the tray on the surface of the tank's water. When using the 1.5-2 gallon beverage dispenser you should notice the container will wedge itself at a maximum depth once it has slowly absorbed enough moisture through the tray's 'breathing' holes. This should leave the bottom of the tray approximately 1.5" submerged, and a generous rim of water surface around for fish to surface as desired.

Step #7: Once your cat grass soil has soaked initially you'll want to begin a daily cycle of soaking/floating the tray for a few hours a day, and 'docking' it on the lid of the tank/beverage dispenser for the rest. When the seeds begin sprouting and the grass has reached a height of about 2-3" you will want to stop cycling the tray through the water and begin a fresh tray.

Step #8: Use the dispenser's spout, at the bottom of the tank to drain half the water during weekly tank water changes to water your sprouted/growing cat grass. This nutrient rich water will contain traces of natural nitrates and other nutrients plants can benefit from in processing- use your fish water to water house and garden plants!

Step 9: Enjoy your tank garden and continue to cycle through trays as your cat enjoys the home-grown grass.With a little bit of research you can even refine a method that will allow you to keep recycling the wheat grass seeds indefinitely, making this one eco-friendly project!

If that project seems like it's a bit out of your league, and I promise, the only complicated thing about it is knowing some basic fish care and tank processing practices, I have another up-ycle you can throw together in 2 minutes! Ready? Let's get started!

D.I.Y Up-Cylced Catnip Marinator + Toy

1 Small Chick-Fil-A Superfood Side OR Kid's Nugget Tray

2' of Paracord

Scissors

Organic Catnip

Cat Toy Of Choice

Step 1: Using 1 blade of your scissors puncture a hole approximately 1/4" down from the rim, and 1/2" in width, in each corner of your clean Chick-Fil-A tray.

Step 2: Cut your paracord into 2 1' pieces. Tie a knot approximately 4" from one end of your paracord, on each of the 2 pieces of cording. Feed each end of your cord through the container slit diagonal to it as to create a criss-cross of cording.

Step 3: Pour a generous portion of catnip in the bottom of your black container and place an appropriately sized toy inside. Close the lid atop, sealing efficiently. Toss the container onto the ground with disregard and proceed to ignore it's existence.

If your completed project resembles trash with some colorful strings coming out of it, you've accomplished your goal. The slits will allow some of the catnip fragrance to seep out, while the closed container will saturate your toy of choice with fresh catnip 'flavor.' Let your cat knock it around and chew on the paracord for a few days then swap the toy inside out with a fresh one. It's a toy AND a catnip marinator!

Well, there you have it, my best ideas for putting those old Chick-Fil-A trays to good use. I always feel bad tossing them out, they are so sturdy and practical, we typically keep a few clean ones on hand to run leftovers to a sick neighbor or bring to a potluck. As it turns out there is a plethora of things you can do with these nifty containers once you've enjoyed the delicious-ness within. Check out the blog hop at the bottom of this post for more inspiration and D.I.Y up-cycling!

What Daughter Says: I love to imagine a new life for forgotten things- everything can have a purpose if you look at it in a new way!

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