I'm in my first trimester (eight weeks) and I feel like I'm going crazy! When I'm not throwing up from morning sickness (which lasts all day!), I am eating. I am so incredibly hungry! My weight goes up and down like a sin graph. Worst of all, I change moods every three seconds! I'm irritable and cranky and *cannot* get out of bed or off the couch. I watched TV for twelve hours today after my final!

What were your first trimester pregnancy experiences? I would love advice or 1st trimester stories to make sure I'm not crazy! This is my first pregnancy, and it was unexpected, so it's a lot to take in.

Hi guys! I need some opinions here:

I just signed a lease for an awesome new apartment next year. Of course, my first concern (aside from whether or not there are enough windows for my kitty to stare out of-- there are! :)) was whether or not they'd make an issue about my baby not being declawed. (If they were going to, I would've gotten the eff out of there.)

Now: in the lease, it does say that the cat must be declawed in order to live in the apartment. However, before signing the lease, I spoke with the manager many times about this (while consistently mentioning that my cat is not and will never be declawed) and she says they have never pressed this issue with a tenant and don't care about him having claws, provided he doesn't cause any damage to the actual apartment. Which is fine with me because he's generally a good kitty and only goes after my computer chair (which I don't care about). He's also getting a huge, brand new cat tree and several new scratching posts as move in presents.

While I don't foresee damage to the walls as a huge problem, I'd like to hear if you guys have ever had to deal with it. Like I said, he's generally really good about walls/carpet/stuff that ISN'T mine, lol, I just wish he was as good about jumping on top of where he's not supposed to do.

Also, another question: cat contracts. I'm just worried because it actually says
"declawed" on the lease versus their verbal promise that they wouldn't make a big deal about his claws. I'd heard about some members here using a pet contract to keep landlord "restrictions" for the benefits of their cats... advice? Should I get one? And if yes, what should I do/how should I go about getting one? Or am I just being paranoid?

Thanks so much! Sorry this is so much text!

As I've mentioned a few times, we feed our kittens raw. (Ok, so they're over a year old now, but I think they'll always be the 'kittens'...heh.) My 15 year old boy will only eat it sometimes though, so we have some dry here for the times he doesn't eat it, which is kept in a small container. On Halloween day he ran out so we had to go out and get some more, as well as run a few other errands. We came home a few hours later to this:




( More under here.... )

I've never posted a belly pic on here, so I'm going to now! My husband is so amazing and took some great photos of me. I'm usually the photographer of the family, but I taught him how to use my 50 year old Yashica-A medium format camera (you know the old kind of camera that you look down into). Anyway, here's a pic for you.



( 28 weeks )

I just can't believe how great I feel about my body. I've gained about 14 lbs, but I don't care. I had so many body issues before pregnancy that seem to have disappeared. I feel so lucky to feel this way.

I also had a bit of a scare today so I went to my dr and had them check the baby's heartbeat. She was fine of course, but she hadn't moved as much as usual (and she's been kicking hard lately!) and last night I woke up feeling weird. Like I couldn't catch my breath, and then all day I felt like my belly was smaller. My midwife said it was probably just anxiety, which wouldn't surprise me considering I worry too much as it is.

Other than the not-so-enjoyable 3rd trimester symptoms, I feel great and I'm so happy. I hope everyone else is having a wonderful pregnancy as well! 28 weeks seems like the perfect week! I know it's just going to get bulkier and more exhausting from here on out, but I'm ready!

;)

I was hoping to see if anyone had ordered from Armarkat. I think I asked about this about a year ago but since we're getting a second cat and our current kitty tree is really only built for one I was thinking about ordering one, since the biggest cat trees there are cheaper than the 2.5 foot tall one I have was.

So I was wondering how happy were you with what you got compared to what was on the website. Which tree did you get and how big was the box it came in and was it difficult to put together?

A couple of days ago we had a breakthrough with our youngest kitty - Lola. She is a lil' over 3 years old and has always been very independent and aloof since we picked her up from a rescue adoption place. She cuddles with my oldest kitty but our moody calico she stays away from since they don't get along very well.

As a result, she hardly sleeps on our bed and often goes to sleep on one of the couches all by herself. :( We have tried to get her to be more cuddly/lovey by bringing her into our room at night and trying to play a lot with her, but it doesn't seem to work with her and she always ends up walking out. I figured since she was going through her "teen" years that she would be better as she got a little older.

Well, she has started sleeping on the bed at night (often cuddling with my older kitty) and a couple nights ago she saw us sitting on the couch watching TV with a blanket and I patted the couch for her to jump up...and instead of ignoring me & walking away - she jumped up! I laid out some of the blanket for her and she curled up right next to me!! I couldn't believe it...she has never done anything like that before and I was so surprised that she came all on her own! She purred like crazy as I pet her and fell asleep right next to me. She has now done this the last couple nights and I can not tell you how happy I am that she is finally being the lovey cat I knew she was inside. :)

So, I just had to share with others that would understand how exciting this was! :)

And since it's not a good post without a photo...here is my Lola...laying on the stairs with the sunlight coming in from the windows.

25w2d

I had read that babies might react to different foods and so tonight I had some hot salsa (and I'm the kind of person who normally eats extra mild, I'm that much of a hot food wuss).
Baby's been kicking like crazy! (however digestive system is burning from top to bottom so I won't be doing that anymore). I've found a bit of movement after things like milk and orange, but nothing like this.

Has anyone else noticed food affecting their babies? What food was it?

I am 28w2d and I am EXHAUSTED! I sleep about 9 hours a night and have to draaag myself out of bed in the morning. I would rather just sleep all day! I went to bed around 2am this morning and slept until around 11:30am. I had to make myself get up and it's only 7pm and I'm already so tired I'm debating taking a nap. Is anyone else experiencing this or does anyone have an explanation? I don't feel sad, but I'm thinking it may be a bit of depression which I'll ask my doctor about next Thursday when I see her. I know a symptom of depression can be lack of motivation and constant fatigue. Other than maybe being depressed, anyone else have any clue? My boyfriend is so aggravated with me because I don't get anything done at all around the house and just can't make myself want to do anything. I'm SO TIRED! Thanks ladies.

so the first semi stranger out in the world noticed that i was pregnant today! super exciting. i mean, she works in the same building as me so she's not a complete stranger...but it still is exciting to think that i'm maybe starting to look pregnant.

also, since about 13 weeks or so (i'm 22 weeks now) i've had this weird rash on my legs. it's red, blotchy...looks like broken blood vessels and covers about 80% of my legs. honestly, it kind of looks like an infectious disease. i've brought it up to the dr. a couple of times and she just sort of brushed it off as it was nothing. anyone else have anything like this ever? it's not raised or itchy at all, just discolored. i hope its one of those pregnancy hormone things that will go away once babes is born.

( finally...a belly )

In what week did everyone start getting nursery ready or even just BUYING stuff for baby?

What do cats do all day? Well, apparently they spend a lot of time looking out of windows. :D

( Click the cut if you don't like to click on links )

I'm not very good at making sense lately, so bare with me.

( Weird pains )

( and then the nurse said... )

I feel like a kid again! Christmas time is near, and im buying gifts for my cat! :) I cant wait to give them to her! If i cant wait to give gifts to my cat then i dont wanna know how i feel about giving gifts to my kids some day. Anyways i bought her a stocking full of cat toys and then today i bought her this wonderful heat pad from amazon. I bought this one for when im not home i dont have to worry about it catching on fire, (no plug ins) Anyways i cant wait to get it, ill be giving her this gift as soon as it comes in the mail i hope she uses it. Has anyone ever gotten one of these and does your cat use it? Let me know, heres the link!:) Happy holidays everyone!

www.amazon.com/Pet-Thermal-Cat-Mat-Beige/dp/B001GF6MK0

-Love Mouse and lady.

PS let me know if the link does not work.

Today's cracked article (humor site!) is about 6 Adorable Cat Behaviors With Shockingly Evil Explanations

www.cracked.com/article/226_6-adorable-cat-behaviors-with-shockingly-evil-explanations/

People in the comments sections are getting waaaay offended. But I thought it made for a good read.

I just got home from the vet with my 8 month old kitten, Mango. She has had soft poops which turned to diarrhea so I decided to take her in, and it turns out she has Giardia. I feel so bad because she has a swollen belly, but since she's been like that since pretty much day one we assumed she just had a chubby belly. I did a quick google search and read something along the lines of "Giardia is not present in clean cats and clean households"
My house IS clean!
My cat IS clean!
I scoop her box daily, and empty/clean it at least once a week with vinegar and dr. bronners before putting new littler in (yesterday's news).



The vet administered some medication topically on her neck, gave me a daily chewable medication to give for a few weeks, and directions to bathe her this weekend.


Of course, as soon as I heard this I was looking forward to coming home and posting here for some advice, as this community is always so helpful!

My questions:

• Any tips on giving chewable meds? She is less than interested in doing much more than little licks of it and then moving on to something more interesting.
• I want to give her littler box a super deep cleaning. I use all natural cleaning products, but I will get something non-natural if it will increase the likelihood of getting rid of this quicker.
• Any tips on giving a bath? She likes sticking her paw under the faucet, but a full on bath should be quite an adventure haha.
• Any advice in general on dealing with Giardia would be much appreciated!

A few pictures because I can't post here without them!
( Mango enjoying her first Christmas season :-) )

so today is the first of my 4 due dates. I dont feel any different. Ive been noticing an increase is gas though. its very uncomfortable. and also and increase in discharge, just clear discharge so Im not worried about that. Ive had pains like menstrual cramps but no real contractions. so I'll just have to wait and see. Ive been sleeping horribly with my hips hurting and gas and my ligaments being pulled and trying to sleep sitting up. oohh man, I hope she comes soon...

I'm 18 weeks, and I feel little things that might be the baby moving, but I'm not sure. When did you guys start feeling your baby kick? When was it hard enough/often enough that someone else could put their hand on your belly and feel them? Just curious. Thanks!

So I posted recently showing off my daddy diaper bag (http://community.livejournal.com/pregnant/14965815.html) and thought I'd post the pictures of my own diaper bag. Basically when I painted my nursery (http://community.livejournal.com/pregnant/14849314.html#cutid2) I painted a mommy owl and baby owl and then saw member harunoame 's adorable nursery with owls in it (http://community.livejournal.com/pregnant/14934823.html#cutid1) and a color scheme I loved so I combined the two ideas and made this...

( Diaper Bag Photos. Yay me )

Just a couple cute pictures for the holidays :]



( +1 )

Hi everyone ♥
So me and my fiancée went out to buy a plastic Christmas tree a couple of days back, decorated it, and put it in our tiny livingroom corner. Its about 120 centimeters tall. It didnt take more than a minute before one of our cats, Tinkerbell, started attacking it. And then our other cat Pancakes joined in quickly, and it rapidly became clear to us that for the Christmas tree to survive until past Christmas Eve we would need a Christmas miracle. So i'm here for help about indoor cats and indoor trees - do any of you guys have any advice on this? Is there a way to stop them tearing the thing apart, making it fall over, and chewing on it all the time when we're not looking (and sometimes when we are)? I've heard that theres supposed to be something that can we can put on the tree that will repel them from it?

I'd really love it if the poor tree wasnt made so ugly after we just decorated it, even if theyre evidently very happy when theyre breaking the rules and poking it from all angles. XD