Jemma the Long-Haired Chihuahua

{Jemma} Aquabus

2012-01-29T02:51:00.000-08:00

This trip and its pictures were taken in the summer, but we never found enough time to write about it...until now.

One August afternoon last year, mom and dad decided it would be a wonderful idea to bring me to have a ride on an Aquabus. The Aquabus is a water taxi service that has several convenient stops.

We decided to board the Aquabus at Granville Island.

Excitedly rushing to the dock.

Once there, I looked at the map and told the humans which route we should take.

Then dad paid for the tickets. I got to ride for free.

As we were boarding the Aquabus, I was on a leash walking right behind mom. She took two steps into the bus when she heard a little commotion from the staff - I had fallen in between the gap of the boat and the dock!! But thank DOG the gap was narrow and I didn't fall right through, only the bottom half of me. I don't know what happened and neither does mom as it all happened so fast. Mom came to my rescue and lifted me out.

(Mom: This incident certainly does not help in trying to get her to overcome her slight fear of holes and especially going up/down skeleton stairs. Perhaps I should have picked her up and carried her into the Aquabus, but I don't really like to pamper her like that as I want her to be able to do things on her own.)

There were many passengers taking the same route when we got on. I received a whole lot of attention and pets from the others. As the ride went on, everyone got off at different stops until it was just us.

The driver's seat is right in the middle of the Aquabus.

I was extremely happy to be riding the Aquabus with mom and dad.

I spent much of the ride nestled right between them.

Once everyone got off, it was time to do a little exploring. That's another Aquabus right behind me.

Since I was being a good girl, I was rewarded with treats.

I also did a little sun basking.

And, of course, enjoyed the view and took in the breeze.

Here's a short video taken on the way back to Granville Island:

{Jemma} Is it time for my walkie yet?

2012-01-22T13:25:00.000-08:00

I am tired of waiting!

Small Dog, Big Cat

2012-01-13T16:41:00.000-08:00

Happy weekend, everybuddy! We are so excited it's finally here because Mom will be home with us again. That woman has a LOT of treats to make as she has a bunch of orders to fill. Hopefully we will benefit from it as well (more treats for us, please!!).

Love,
Jemma & Tofu

{Tofu} Catnip Addiction

2012-01-11T23:09:00.000-08:00

It's serious ;)

(Click to enlarge.)

MOAR!

How the Humans See

2012-01-10T09:43:00.000-08:00

{Jemma} Thank Dog It's Saturday

2012-01-07T07:21:00.000-08:00

And that the humans will be spending much of their time with me. I DARE them to use the "have to work" excuse on me today...

{Tofu} Sometimes the camera is a good thing.

2012-01-03T01:26:00.000-08:00

I know Jemma and I complain a whole lot about Mom's flashy box. It sucks when our privacy gets invaded while we're settled down for a nice comfy afternoon nap. Or when we just want to be alone (for me, anyway. Jemma never wants to seem to be alone, that weird dog.)

Not that stupid dumb camera again...

But I must admit that as bad as the camera is 99% of the time, there are times when it DOES work towards my benefit.

Say what?! Pictures in exchange for TREATS??? I'm in!

Is this good enough?

You can snap as MANY pictures as you want, Mom...

As long as I get to eat through every second of it.

MORE, please.

Of course, Jemma was happy to oblige with sitting through an entire photo session without eating until the very end.

"How obedient," the humans say. Sorry, I don't know what "obedient" means. I'm a cat. Meow.

P.S. Wishing everyone a happy and prosperous New Year again!

Launching Our Pet Treats Website

2011-12-27T01:55:00.000-08:00

At 12 am today, Mom finally launched her pet treats business website!!!

I believe she has been working at it for monthsss. OMDoG, she works s-l-o-w!

(Mom: Err, we ran into a lot of issues along the way! We were able to take orders since a long time ago, but the online store was a lot trickier. Then we had to deal with a house move, J found an awesome new job, I was offered a job unexpectedly [which I did not apply nor look for], etc etc etc. Yep, plenty of excuses :) Anyhow, it's up now and that's all that matters...right?)

Sure, Mom, whatever.

This woman has been sooo busy with life that she forgets about Tofu and I sometimes!

(Mom: Lies...)

She is so utterly busy making food and treats for other cats and dogs that she forgets to give us some. That explains why Tofu, the normally silent cat, has been so vocal lately.

At this time, we can only ship to Canadian addresses due to several reasons, but we have and will try to make exceptions for our special readers in the US. To place such orders, please send us an e-mail for an invoice -- the online shopping cart is ONLY for Canadian addresses.

Please check out our website and Facebook page and we would love it if you could share us with your friends and family as well! Many more flavors will be coming.

Well, I am back to snoopervising Mom while she works, so if we are too busy to update again before then, we want to wish all of you a very very Happy New Year! See you in 2012!

Love,
Jemma

Merry Christmas, friends!

2011-12-24T16:14:00.000-08:00

Wordless Wednesday

2011-11-30T05:22:00.000-08:00

{Tofu} Fun in the snow for me, too!

2011-11-25T04:29:00.000-08:00

I'm not used to such coldness on my precious paws.

I feel a bit like a mountain lion in snow.

I make pretty big and manly pawsteps, right?

I see that Jemma is watching me intently from the windows. What a perfect time to get her jealous.

Quick, look like I'm having loads of fun playing in the snow!

Did it work?

Of course it did. I bet she wishes she never begged to go inside. And now that my job is done out here, it's time for me to go back in.

Door, please.

{Jemma} Fun in the snow!

2011-11-23T01:45:00.000-08:00

It was chilly outside, but I could not hide from the cold forever, so I put on a sweater and went into the backyard for a while.

Walking through thick snow is quite difficult for a small dog like myself.

I always take the time to shake off any snow afterwards. I wouldn't want it to melt and get myself wet.

Okay, mom, it's time to go in now. What are we waiting for?

{Jemma} What to do on a sunny afternoon?

2011-11-17T07:09:00.000-08:00

Take a nice long nap while sunbathing, of course!

DJ Jemz & DJ 'Fu

2011-11-07T02:37:00.000-08:00

Those would be our aliases if we were DJs, but a quick search on Google tells us that those names are already taken. Too bad.

Dad's good friends bought him a set of Beats By Dr. Dre STUDIO headphones for his birthday. How very nice of them!

Of course we had to check it out and try it ourselves. These are worth $400, so we were told to be verrry careful with them.

How do we look?

{Tofu} Sleep Hidden!

2011-11-04T04:01:00.000-07:00

I was just minding my own business, taking a sunny day afternoon nap when I was AMBUSHED by an annoying pawparazzi.

At first I tried to continue sleeping like nothing was happening.

But then it started to get too bothersome.

I thought maybe if I gave her a shot that was different from the rest (i.e. non-sleeping with eyes kind of open), she would finally leave me alone. *purrraying*

Did it work? Nope.

Are you serious? What else do you want from me? Now I am extremely crabilated.

Lesson of the Day: NEVER, ever sleep in a wide open space where you can be spotted by the pawparazzis. Choose a cave, if you must. I think from now on, I'll be sleeping in tight enclosed spaces only.

{Jemma} Are they done yet?

2011-11-03T04:47:00.001-07:00

I am ever so patiently waiting for my chicken treats.

Are they done yet? How much longer? You do know that I don't mind eating the chicken pieces in their raw form, right???

{Jemma} Wordless Wednesday

2011-11-02T16:37:00.000-07:00

{Jemma} Hanging out at the park.

2011-10-29T02:14:00.000-07:00

These were taken last month.

It was after my first blood draw at the vet's and we had 2 hours to kill before I would go in for the second draw. I know, what torture, right?!

So, mom and Auntie J decided to bring me to a nearby park to hang out.

First things first - leave a pee-mail and wipe my paws.

Then carefully survey my surroundings.

Once I got tired of walking and running, there had to be some posing with Auntie J.

I had a nice time just hanging out at this park with my people. Time to see the vet for the second time today!

2011-10-25T20:58:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,

Sorry for the lack of updates and pictures as of late. I am completely swamped with work and have also been out of town on business-related trips. Jemma and Tofu wanted me to tell you guys that we will be back to our regular programming...soon :) We will try to get a real post up sometime this week. Thanks for reading!

Sincerely,
Jemma's Mom

{Tofu} Candy Apples

2011-10-13T10:37:00.000-07:00

Since I'm a big fan of fruits and vegetables (mom: weird cat), naturally, I was interested when Auntie J made candy apples for family and friends.

I was chosen to be the guinea pig and not Jemma because...well, she loves everything edible. I am sure I have a finer taste than her.

These meet my approval, if I do say so myself.

Auntie J, these are safe to give away. Remember to save one for me, too!

{Jemma} On The Playground

2011-10-01T17:41:00.000-07:00

As always, I have to pose pose pose.

Getting impatient. I just want to play!

I don't like driving.

Trying to look as majestic as possible.

For the first time in my life (9 years), I decided to actually slide down this thing, just like how human kids do it. In fact, I did it twice.

{Jemma} Episode 3 is up!

2011-09-19T10:52:00.000-07:00

Remember the hard work I put in over the summer to finish filming my role in the dogumentary? The episode is done and launched today!

Episode 1: http://youtu.be/fCUNB2k_zXI (I was in this.)
Episode 2: http://youtu.be/YUNK1_Ihfnk (I did not play a role in this.)

{Jemma} Living Life On The Edge at the vet clinic.

2011-09-14T02:49:00.000-07:00

I am once again out of town. Once again seeing the vet. And ONCE AGAIN had bloodwork done. OMD, this is going overboard.

Mom has pawsonally avoided getting routine bloodwork done for herself because she is not fond of the needle. What makes her think I'm happy with it?

Mom calls the following pictures, "Living Life On The EDGE":

In actuality, I just wanted to get off that exam table and go home!

ps - Details of this vet visit explained in my health blog.

Cat Litter

2011-09-10T23:59:00.000-07:00

We use Yesterday's News in the cat litter box here in this household because of the almost dust-free and minimal tracking benefits. In terms of scooping, I definitely prefer clumping clay litter as it makes my life that much easier. However, it tracks too much and 2-3 years ago, I got tired of constantly sweeping and seeing Tofu breathe in the dust, so I permanently changed him over to paper pellets.

The issue with that is the cost. With a bigger kitty like Tofu, we go through litter like it's running water. So I wait for sales and then stock up, like yesterday. We cleared half the shelf at the store and I seriously contemplated buying the other 6 bags as well. The cashier must have thought I have many cats at home. Little does she know...

Pictured: 2 bags of dog pee pads and 6 bags of cat litter.

Over $80 spent on cat litter all in one go is quite a bit. He goes through one bag every 3 weeks. It's a good thing we love him SO darn much.

What are you looking at? It's not me.

{Tofu} Wordless Wednesday

2011-09-07T08:08:00.001-07:00

{Jemma} Mom Lied.

2011-09-01T06:35:00.000-07:00

She said she would give me a "break" from her camera, but she might as well have NOT said it because...

She says this is a test shoot for something else. I don't mind the camera, but even models need a break sometimes, you know? I'm an overworked and underpaid model.

And this is also why we're behind on reading your blogs. Blame it all on her and her OCD (Obsessive Camera Disorder). Don't worry, I'll make sure she gets her priorities straight very soon.

Patient Chihuahua

2011-08-31T00:00:00.000-07:00

Jemma has got to be one of the most patient dogs I know, to put up with me and my camera all the time. I can't help it!

She is naturally photogenic AND she doesn't really mind the cameras at all. Who could ask for more? Perhaps because she is so used to them. To her, it's probably just a way of life :)

Anyway, I'll give her a break for a while - time to photograph some other dogs and cats!

{Tofu} I Love Food...sometimes

2011-08-29T23:51:00.000-07:00

Especially when it's the treats made by mom for us. I start begging out of desperation.

Please click to see in detail.

[Jemma} Is it treats time yet?

2011-08-29T05:19:00.000-07:00

{Jemma} Sunday Morning

2011-08-28T08:45:00.000-07:00

Today, I will be busy keeping watch of the house and taking short naps in between. There is also talk about seeing the groomer later.

I hope for a relaxing Sunday while mom works away at the computer. Enjoy your day today!

Love,
Jemma

Tofu's Turn...

2011-08-26T21:36:00.000-07:00

I had a mini photoshoot session with him today both indoors and outdoors. I'm not done looking through and editing most of the photos, but some of them caught my eye first. Thought I would post them to share.

Click to enlarge:

From my walk yesterday...

2011-08-25T01:27:00.001-07:00

Of course mom has to be attached to that camera 24/7.

We walked all the way until sunset and she snapped this photo. We love the beautiful blend of colors.

Love,
Jemma

Active Tofu

2011-08-23T05:58:00.000-07:00

It's a well-known fact that most cats sleep 16-18 hours per day, some even as much as 20. Tofu is no different. However, when he's not busy dreaming away of whatever fantasies cats hope for (probably wishing they had opposable thumbs), he's quite an acrobatic kitty. He has a lot of awesome moves and I'm only beginning to photograph them now.

Some of them are hilarious, almost as though he's dancing. Enjoy!

Up the cat tree...

Down the cat tree.

The sky's the limit.

Jump to the left

and to the right.

After every play session, he likes to eat a snack and then go back to sleep. Ah, the life of a cat.

- Jemma's Mom

Cat Stuff

2011-08-12T03:42:00.000-07:00

We're not home yet, but mom couldn't resist taking pics of some cat stuff she came across.

Blech. Who would want CAT BUTT gum? Enlarge to read why you would want to eat some.

Pawsonally, I'm not convinced.

(Mom: They say it like it's a bad thing...)

Tofu could learn a thing or two from this.

Love,
Jemma

I am going out of town

2011-08-09T18:34:00.000-07:00

(yes, again) with mom for a business meeting and she doesn't think she will have time on the road to update. So I thought I'd do one right before leaving. I know I'm thoughtful.

It's bits and pieces of different topics, so I must apologize in advance.

Picture from our Alberta trip in June

I grew up with mom's little cousins, so I have a good relationship with them. I am always excited to see them again because I know I will be getting lots of love.

Since I was always surrounded by babies and kids, mom considers me to be well-socialized with them. It's a mutual benefit. In turn, they also learn how to behave around doggies (and kitties). We all know what issues can arise when kids are too rowdy around animals!

Chicken pour moi?

Mom made me a whole entire mixing bowl of ground up chicken meat, can you believe it?!

(Of course other stuff has to be added to make it balanced.)

Chicken has always been my favorite protein, but then I developed an allergy to it some years ago, after eating a lot of it in processed form. But lately, after experimenting with different alternative therapies to improve my liver, the vet suggested we try something for my food allergies as well. Since it has a good track record of helping with liver disease, mom thought it wouldn't hurt and the worst that can happen is that she flushes money down the toilet.

I have my paws crossed, but it seems like I'm able to eat chicken again. Mom tried a small batch on me and I came out okay, so she made a bigger batch this time.

Another Blood Test

I had my blood stolen for the third time in 3 months. I won't go into details to bore anyone, but as we expected of my new liver diet, my bile acids are even lower than last time.

All this makes mom very happy except for one thing:

Tofu somehow scratched his left eye and has to be coned again. Good thing dad had already planned on staying behind for this trip. He will look after silly Tofu.

See you when we get back, friends! I love being 5 lbs and able to go everywhere with mom.

Love,
Jemma

World Cat Day 2011

2011-08-08T02:23:00.000-07:00

Hi everybuddy, Tofu here.

I've been told that today is World Cat Day, so I wanted to make a post. Us cats are so important that we deserve our very own day. Not that we shouldn't be loved and celebrated every day, but you know what I mean.

Today, it's not only important to celebrate your love for cats, but it should also be a day for everyone to reflect on how to improve our lives and well-being in general. Without a doubt, people should be aware of issues such as spaying/neutering to prevent contributing to the overpopulation crisis as well as Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) programs for feral cats.

So what am I going to be doing on this special day?

Watching Cat TV...

taking a nice stroll outside...

enjoying the beauty of nature...

stalking prey...

taking time to smell the flowers and plants...

taking naps outside...

and hunting.

Basically, enjoying life. Because there is nothing better than being a pampered kitty.

Also, a NEW stray/lost cat found mom. He's currently in the spare bathroom and mom is waiting for the vet clinics to open before making a few calls to see if his ear tattoo will help us locate his owners. He was found wearing a collar, but no tags.

So I guess he can join in on my fun on World Cat Day, too.

Meow,
Tofu

(Mom: I'm seriously a magnet for stray animals, especially cats. It's like they know I'm a sucker for them and they all come here. Or maybe Tofu is tipping them off? ;)

Which is fine because I have a serious love for cats (don't tell Jemma, LOL), but I really do wish that people would keep their cats safely indoors because we live in a very dangerous area with coyotes, raccoons, and fast cars.

Last year, driving home, I saw a kitty killed at the side of the road just 2 streets away from where we live. He was hit by a car. Months after that incident, a friendly neighborhood cat (she lived a few houses down) disappeared and I came across a LOT of white fur mixed in with either dark raccoon, coyote, or dog fur. There was obviously a huge struggle or fight and I guess you can imagine who lost. I have never seen the cat since and feel sad whenever I think about it. She was so friendly, she would come right over for pets without hesitation, even in the rain.

It's NOT a safe place for a cat at all. And this new one is super talkative, so I am worried that his voice will get him in trouble with predators. I'm really, really hoping that he just snuck outside and got lost.

Will upload more pics of him on Facebook so that I don't bombard Miss Jemma's blog with CAT pics, which she would throw a fit over :)

Second Priority

2011-08-04T03:48:00.000-07:00

We're home now!

Mom has a lot of work to do.

Guess who is being neglected?

(Mom: If I'm not spending every waking moment of my life with her when I'm at home, she's "neglected" and starts acting pouty and oh-so-abused. Joe doesn't call her Drama Queen for no reason.)

Guess who doesn't care because he is 1. too busy trying to keep himself cool and 2. actually likes it because this means mom is at home with him more?

*BIG SIGH*

Love,
Jemma

My Secretary

2011-07-28T12:00:00.000-07:00

A few of my ~~mom's~~ secretary's friends who follow this blog complains that she is almost non-existent on here. And that it might be nice for readers to see who's the slave behind these posts. Well, aside from mentions of her feeding and walking us, she is pretty much non-existent on here...BOL.

I've had this blog since 2006 and I think there are less than a handful of pics of her shared. Which is fine with me because it's MY blog. But I decided to be open-minded just for this one day.

Most of these are old(er) pics. Apologies to those who have seen these on Facebook already!

This is when mom first brought me home 9 years ago. We both looked so young then! She says her biggest regret is not taking more pics with me back then.

This is me at mom's university graduation. She made me attend because I helped her through school. Uncle B was holding me.

I'm not sure why she didn't bring me to her first graduation though. Maybe I wasn't much help then?

This is mom (middle) and her sisters, aka my aunties. They love me a lot and I love them heaps in return.

This is a recent one from May of mom and Auntie C. It was a "girls' night out" and I have no idea where they went, but they were rude enough not to invite me! I'm a girl!

And lastly, just because I'm the most impawtant, here's one of myself at 8 weeks old versus 8 years old. I promise I'm the same dog.

That's all for now - my secretary can go back into hiding once again.

Love,
Jemma

{Jemma} Helpful Jemma

2011-07-27T02:00:00.000-07:00

This is what I do when magic* is being made in the kitchen.

I am very helpful, right?

*magic = food and treats

Love,
Jemma

2011-07-24T03:45:00.000-07:00

We're away on a trip right now, but I recently received some pictures from the day Jemma was on set two weeks ago. I absolutely LOVE these pictures, so I wanted to take some time and share some of them with you.

My pretty girl.

Jemma and her on-screen dog mama.

With her on-screen best dog friend.

The next one is one of my favorites. Jemma racing her little heart out to me. So fast that she looks like she's flying. Trust me when I say she is normally NOT a runner. The photographer captured our relationship and bond with each other very well.

I have been told by dog people we meet on the streets that they can see there is a strong connection between Jemma and I that is easy to see. The couple of behaviorists we've had the chance of meeting have also affirmed this - according to them, Jemma just *knows* as soon as she looks at me. They have told me Jemma can read me very well, which is why it is easy for me to get her to do what I want all the time vs. if someone else tried.

An example would be if someone new offers her treats or tries to pet her. She wants to eat it or receive the pets really badly, but the first thing she does is look back and up towards me to read my facial expression. Usually if I'm relaxed, smile, or tell her, "It's okay," she'll take it. However, if she feels that I'm tense or uncertain, she will back away. I never taught her this. I can basically "speak" to her without saying a word, if that makes sense. We can understand each other 100%, no words spoken, and this is apparently normally achievable through a very strong bond.

Since she is my first + only dog, I always thought it was normal. I always knew we had a strong connection, but it is a whole different story when other people, strangers, recognize it immediately.

I guess a picture can speak a thousand words!

Lastly, I want to say that I will try my best to keep this blog updated as often as I can, but life has gotten very busy with the pet food business and my other project. Realistically, I know I can't continue to update as often as I used to (unless we let all the dogs go hungry!). However, some of you may have noticed that I have been using Facebook more and more recently. It is faster, easier, AND I can upload photo albums without writing essays to go along with them :)

So again, I will try my best, but feel free to add us on Facebook to keep up to date! You can find our profile on the sidebar of this blog.

Enjoy the rest of the weekend!

- Jemma's Mom

Tofu & His Dad

2011-07-17T03:32:00.000-07:00

These two have a close relationship. In this house, it's females versus males.

Okay, it's not exactly like that as I love both Jemma and Tofu dearly and equally, but Joe is definitely more of a cat person. For him, it's all about his cat.

Surprisingly, he didn't want a kitty to begin with when I first adopted Tofu and he never paid much attention to him as a kitten. Funny how things turn out.

There's also something about Tofu that makes self-proclaimed "non-cat" people start to appreciate felines, myself included.

- Jemma's Mom

Note: There's a new post in our health blog related to canine health issues.

Sleepy Tofu

2011-07-16T01:55:00.001-07:00

P.S. The dot above his eye is a scab.

My 9th Birthday Walk

2011-07-15T01:30:00.000-07:00

This post is over one month late now. I have a bad secretary.

Mom brings me somewhere fun to walk every year on my birthday. Since we were in Edmonton during my birthday this year, she decided to bring me to MacKinnon Ravine Park. The cool thing about this park is that it connects to a lot more parks (over 20!) around the city if you keep walking down the trails.

I lead the way, of course.

Alberta always has such pretty clouds. The sky is very beautiful there. In BC, there are no distinct fluffy clouds - everything is one grey depressing mess.

Camera angle trick. It looks like it's going downhill, but it was actually a steep uphill climb.

Which path would you take?

Can't go anywhere without having to pose for the camera, of course.

Left side view.

Right side view.

I took my sweet time smelling the flowers and leaving pee-mail.

It was a super long walk, so we had to take a rest at one point.

Oh, and for more pictures...

I made mom carry me for a little of the way because it was so very hot and I didn't want to get a heat stroke.

We walked all the way until just before a golf and driving range before mom decided it would be best to head back. This little fellow greeted us at the end of our walk. A beaver. Another thing we don't normally see in BC.

I'm officially 9 years old!

Love,
Jemma

On Set

2011-07-13T04:56:00.000-07:00

On my way to another hard work day.

Getting ready for a scene with my "owner".

Taking a much deserved break with Vita.

With my "owner" again.

Love,
Jemma

Mom's Note: We were there for approximately 6 hours. Most of the scenes required Jemma to do long sit-stays and directly in front of Vita, too. Since both Jemma and Vita are very calm and confident dogs, we had no issue with them facing (and staring at) each other. It was a breeze. For whatever reason, Jemma seems to have more of an issue with male dogs.

Anyway, there was one scene where both of them had to run off together as though they are friends, which was a bit tough as the timing had to be just perfect.

I put Jemma into a sit-stay and walked across the park to be out of the shot. Vita's owner put her in a sit-stay as well. As soon as "Action!" was called, Joe would release Jemma from her stay. She would race her little heart out to where I was, so that wasn't an issue at all. Vita, on the other hand, had a delay because she would be busy paying attention to her owner who was close to her and it would take a few seconds for her to realize she was supposed to run to me. That was probably the hardest scene of the day, but we got it after several takes. During the last and final take, I thought we had to redo it because Jemma did a face-plant and then got up and continued running. Fortunately, she was already out of the shot by then.

The other issue with this scene was that Jemma of course would reach me first and then Vita comes after. During one take, Jemma planted herself between my legs, watched as Vita quickly approached, and then told her off for getting too close to HER person (me). She is very protective.

Guests? We Love 'Em!

2011-07-11T00:00:00.000-07:00

This is the typical scene at our house when the humans have friends or guests over...

We guarantee you won't be lacking any attention...from us, anyway!

New Health Blog

2011-07-09T02:10:00.000-07:00

Just a quick post to let readers know that I have created a new blog to document both canine (sometimes feline) and Jemma health-related updates.

Please read more about it HERE.

Of course I will keep updating this blog for *general* Jemma & Tofu updates, too.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

- Jemma's Mom

Jellybean Update

2011-07-06T13:34:00.000-07:00

(Tofu here. Since this is cat-related, *I* get to do the posting.)

You all remember him, right?

If not, see: http://jemmathechihuahua.blogspot.com/2011/02/jellybean.html

Okay, his name is Nootka now. And he isn't really a he. She's female. I'm not sure why mom automatically assumes all cats are male.

Mom managed to "catch" her in April. Nootka always acted skittish and unapproachable, but one late night when mom and dad got home, they heard loud meowing. It sounded like a cat was in distress, so naturally, they both checked it out, especially since Nootka did NOT show up for dinner earlier that day. What they found was a skinny white cat at the side of the house howling her head off (in hindsight, probably in heat) and she was also skittish.

She was so skinny, mom didn't want to leave her alone outside by herself, so she took out her spare crate and tried to lure her in with a trail of treats. It was a no go.

Next thing you know, a black cat jumped over the neighbor's fence and came running to mom...and started rubbing her legs! Poor mom was so confused. She could not tell if the black cat was Nootka, but assumed not because this one was a little too affectionate and Nootka had always been scared of people.

The next day, Nootka showed up for dinner, but this time, she went running to mom first! "That was definitely her last night!" mom exclaimed. And she was so very happy because this little kitty had finally realized that she could trust her. That is a big step for us cats, especially one that acted feral-like to begin with.

So mom picked Nootka up (yes, this woman PICKED a stranger cat up without knowing how she would react) and put her in the garage.

She called the wonderful local cat rescue, VOKRA, and within half an hour, Nootka was picked up and promised a new home.

Now a month and a bit later, she is on VOKRA's website: http://www.orphankittenrescue.com/cats/nootka

These are the pictures on her page:

If anyone in the Lower Mainland has been thinking of adopting a cat, please consider Nootka. She is a lovely kitty who lived in a tree house, abandoned, and deserves a wonderful forever home to call her own.

Meow,
Tofu

Tough Choice!

2011-07-05T00:00:00.000-07:00

Mom sat me down.

"Pick one!" she said.

It is a VERY tough choice. The bison chews are good for my dental health and I am supposed to limit organ meats because of my liver condition.

In the end, I picked elk heart. Mom said it was a good choice since I already have a bison chew sitting somewhere around the house. Elk heart is actually muscle meat despite it being known as an organ, which is okay for me to eat.

Did you notice that I voluntarily ate it on the towel? Mom taught me that it's cleaner to eat on towels, when provided, instead of the bare floor.

These dehydrated treats were all of her creation. I'm not allowed to disclose (just yet) what exactly is in them or what they are made from, but they are all natural.

What I can say is this...remember in the beginning of the year when I told you she was working on a big project that was taking up a lot of her time? Have some of you noticed the new pet food & treats link I added at the top of my sidebar? I am sure you are all smart enough to put two and two together ;) More details to share in the coming days.

She's actually started a NEW project recently and I am back to being sooo neglected AGAIN. What is up with humans and work? Don't they ever know how to have fun? Blah!

Love,
Jemma

Jemma and Her Liver (Part II)

2011-07-04T00:00:00.000-07:00

Read Part I first. This is a continuation.

In just one month's time, I have already seen some positive changes in Jemma. What is simply amazing to me are the blood test results. We re-ran the same blood tests approximately four weeks after the vet appointment...

Her bile acids value was already within reference/normal range in the first test a month ago, but this time, not only did it continue to stay normal, but the value actually went down by quite a bit, becoming even MORE normal than ever before.

In January 2010, her post bile acids value was 18.3 (normal is 0.0-22.0 umol/L). In November 2010, her post bile acids value was 18.0. Four weeks ago, her post bile acids was 18.1. So you can see a trend there - it usually stays in the 18 range.

Now in July 2011, it is at 11.1, which is just about at the midway level of the normal range. This is her all-time low since being diagnosed with MVD four years ago. Excellent!

This indicates that she has lower bile acids circulating in her blood 2 hours after eating a full meal (than in previous tests), which is a GOOD thing. It means her liver is doing really well. With MVD, bile acids tend to run high as the organ is impaired and unable to work as efficiently.

It is amazing how much diet can affect the health. Okay, I always knew this, but I did not imagine that the incorporation of TCM properties in a liver diet could produce even better blood results.

I've always believed that everything happens for a reason and this time, perhaps there was a specific reason why she had to become ill at the same time we were out of town...we would not have had such a great vet experience otherwise! Oh, and the diagnosis for her feeling unwell in the first place? It was a stomachache afterall.

Jemma is proud of her 9 years old self. Yes, she turned 9 in the midst of all this. We'll make a post on that later.

P.S. For those who asked for more info on the diet and foods in Part I, I promise I will get back to you, just give me some time :) I'm behind on a lot of work and have to catch up first. Thanks!

Same goes for catching up on all your blogs. I'm so bad, I know.

{Tofu} The Dyson Monster

2011-06-27T18:36:00.000-07:00

The humans recently brought home a loud nasty monster known as Dyson. The darn thing has been wreaking havoc in this house since. He is LOUD and DESTRUCTIVE and eats up everything on the floor in sight.

This is what he managed to scrummage from the carpet right after the old Kenmore monster did his damage.

The humans are amazed, but most of it is carpet fiber - what's the big dealio?

As Dyson was busy eating, I snuck up on him to investigate.

He neither sounds nor smells nice. I refuse to let him get past me.

Meow,
Tofu

Visit to the Edmonton Humane Society

2011-06-22T00:00:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone, Tofu here.

Mom and Auntie C visited the Edmonton Humane Society today.

She was so impressed with the new facility that she decided it would be worthwhile to snap some pictures on her phone to share.

This is the "Adoption Gallery":

This is the admitting and pick-up area:

Since mom was neither admitting or picking up anything, naturally, they headed to the Adoption Gallery to view the animals. Okay, mostly cats, to be more specific. I did a darn good job of converting that woman to a cat lady.

This is the hallway that leads to the many cat rooms.

There are a few rooms with cats in cages, but most of them are free to roam in quiet and relaxing rooms where soft calming music is played for them.

Such as this room...

And this one...

Mom thinks the ones in cages are the newly admitted ones that need to be carefully monitored for a while. And the teensy weensy kittens.

Like this one...

Can you tell mom spent a good deal of time with this kitten? Thank cod she's not looking to adopt right now.

MOVING ON...

This one caught her eye, too.

And this one.

And...those are basically all the pics she took. Funny, all the cat pics she took were of ORANGE kitties. Coincidence much?

She was only able to leave when the intercom announced that they were closing. So she reluctantly left.

On her way out, she realized that there is even a big off-leash dog park right outside the EHS. At first she had thought it was a run meant for dogs up for adoption, but she was wrong.

We think the new facility (compared to the old smaller one) is fabulous and that the animals are happier living like this!

Meow,
Tofu

Snoopervising the New House

2011-06-13T00:00:00.000-07:00

Today, mom drove me to go check out a family house that is being built here in Edmonton. It is 99% completed. My duty is to check it out and make sure everything is in good working condition. Sure, I can do that.

This house was built from scratch as instructed by family using only the highest quality materials including marble flooring and lights that cost a human arm and leg. They did not skimp out at all, but then why does mom skimp out on treats for me??? She needs to get her priorities STRAIGHT.

Let me take you on a short tour of this house.

This is the main floor living room area.

It is too bad that mom didn't get a picture of the cool modern fireplace. Like I said, priorities.

This is the kitchen. I wish I could show you all the cool mechanisms in here, but I do not have hands like the humans and I'm pretty short.

This is the dining room area.

A peep of the upstairs. See that Eiffel Tower?

Um, yeah... (mom's idea)...

One of the money-wasting lights that could have bought me good food for at least a year.

The "world" looks so small next to me and I'm only 5 lbs! Mom tried to be all smart and explain it to me. I didn't really listen, but she said something about small dog breeds.

One of these things does not belong.

I won't bother with the rest of the house because it might take forever. Let's just skip to my favorite part...

The deck (not shown) and yard!

I LOVE a nice romp in a fully enclosed backyard.

(Yes, the grass is in very poor condition. This is what happens when it doesn't get enough water and no one has time to drop by to feed it water!)

The rocks aren't so nice to walk on for my tiny paws though.

I need to take a nice long rest after expending so much energy. Let me recharge.

Love,
Jemma

*This post is supported by Reader's Digest Canada.

Happy 4th Birthday, Tofu!

2011-06-10T00:00:00.000-07:00

They say I'm an even BIGGER man-cat today. I can't imagine being even bigger than I already was.

Since we are at our second home in Edmonton and not at the 'main' one in Vancouver, mom said we should keep my birthday low-key. Plus, we are here primarily to visit and take care of mom's grandpa, who is ill.

In between all the hospital visits and doctor appointments, mom was able to make time to go to a local specialty pet store and pick out something small for me. She debated between honeysuckle and catnip toys, but stuck with the latter in the end. She promises to go back and get some honeysuckle toys for me to try.

Mini pillows.

Not just any pillow, but CATNIP pillows. I LOVE catnip!

Open the package for me, please. I will lie on it to prevent such a good thing from running away.

(Mom: It's true, Tofu lies on his toys to prevent them from "running away", especially when he's exhausted and wants to take a break from chasing after them.)

Please hurry!

All else failed, so desperate measures call for desperate actions. I had to resort to using my teeth.

Mom ripped me off. I did all the hard work, but she only gave me ONE.

I discovered that these toys can be used for weight lifting.

Perfect size for bunny-kicking, too. Needless to say, I bunny-kicked the s#%@ out of it.

Such an intense workout is enough to put a man-cat to sleep.

I had some stinky mackerel fish for dinner.

Delicious.

You probably do not know this, but I rarely ever get fish except on special occasions like today. It has been linked to a few health issues in us kitties. You can read more about it here.

Meow,
Tofu

Jemma and Her Liver (Part I)

2011-06-09T21:24:00.000-07:00

As it always seems to be with my pets, it is just my luck that Jemma had to become ill at the perfect time (sarcasm), when we are miles away in Edmonton from our primary home and primary vet in Vancouver. Imagine my panic when she started acting off on Monday. She spent most of her time in bed, wasn't interested in seeing and sniffing people as they came and went from the door, and refused treats. For those who know Jemma, she has to be feeling quite ill to reject ANY food. That is always the first telltale sign for me that something is wrong.

I decided to give her until midnight to see if it was just a passing stomachache, something she sometimes (although seldom) experiences because of her liver condition. But I called first to book the vet appointment for the next day, just in case she needed to go in. The vet I wanted to bring her to see is a world-renowned holistic vet who gives lectures all over the world and is also an excellent naturopathic doctor for human patients. The only problem was that I had to cross the border into the US to see him, so I had no choice but to bundle the unhappy Jemma up a little after midnight to make the super long drive there.

Even though we had to go out of the country to see the vet, it was worth every minute. I must admit I had my doubts before going as we have had our fair share of bad vet experiences. However, all the praises I have heard about this vet both from dedicated pet owners + vets alike were true.

Do I have to come out of hiding?

I better not be here for bloodwork or else!

Is that the vet I hear? I wonder how evil this one is...

This is such unnecessary stress for my small body.

We ended up doing some blood work during the consultation (to Jemma's dismay, LOL) and also spent a great deal of time discussing Jemma's health history, mainly her specific liver condition. Since the vet is extremely well-versed in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), diet issues were discussed at great length and I learned some very useful information.

Although I have always believed in holistic ways of healing, this was our first experience with TCM. I learned about the properties of hot + cold foods in TCM and how certain foods, while fine to eat short-term, can actually be detrimental to the liver in the long run, especially with Jemma's form of liver disease (MVD). The vet has a lot of experience with liver disease and has seen many instances where lifespan was drastically decreased, related to diet, and how it eventually affected other organs of the body.

He has personally seen many dogs with MVD bounce back to life after following his diet protocol. This is good news as I know how horrible this disease is and have witnessed the deaths of many dogs on several health forums.

Although there wasn't anything wrong with the blood work and bile acids panel we had done at the appointment, I took the TCM information and applied it. This included making several changes to her home-cooked diet, geared towards helping her liver "heal" and minimizing its stress level. With liver disease, one wants as less stress as possible on the organ. There are many "normal" foods regularly fed to our dogs that actually put a HUGE load of stress on the liver (which is fine for healthy dogs, but potentially a lifespan decrease to those with liver disease).

Jemma was and is still eating a specialized diet tailored to her individual needs because of her several health issues. The vet also prescribed a special blend of herbs that he formulated specifically for Jemma and her symptoms.

All packed up and ready to GO. Thank dog! Let's book it out of here, mom!

To be continued...

[Edit] Comments now disabled. See Part II for update :)

Hello, Edmonton!

2011-05-31T00:00:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone, Jemma here. We have gotten comments and e-mails from our readers about what happened with Day 3 of our Vancouver Island trip. Unfortunately, we will have to finish that in a couple of weeks. For now, we are occupied with something else...

Mom is making her annual trip to visit family and friends up in Edmonton. Because we are both so great and so CARING, we accompany her, of course (like usual). The proof is in the pictures.

This is me waiting for the airplane to lift off.

They were doing some plane maintenance, so I fell asleep waiting.

Here is Tofu.

He, too, was falling sleepy waiting. It took sooo long.

And last, but not least, the both of us + mom together.

Love,
Jemma

Day 2, Part II -- Courtenay, BC

2011-05-17T02:00:00.000-07:00

Next stop: Courtenay.

We had to take the ferry to depart Salt Spring Island in order to get there. Once there, the humans had to drive a bit before reaching our destination.

I kept watch most of the way to ensure they would not get lost.

Again, they had to do their BORING business thing for a while before we could check into the hotel.

Not as big of a room this time, which means less to explore.

Can you find Jemma and I in this photo?

It wasn't long before we both discovered that we could fit under the bed and hang out there.

Jemma was very disappointed that the king-sized bed was much too high for her to jump onto. She had to sit and wait for mom to bring her up and down.

Of course, I had NO problem whatsoever.

I even window-watched for a little bit since the view was not bad.

I hung out in the room by myself again while the humans went out and took Jemma with them. They brought back pizza for dinner, which they did not share (again).

So typical of these humans to be selfish. I need to teach them better.

I ran around and played a bit while the humans got ready for bed. Then it was sleep time.

Good night!

Meow,
Tofu

Day 2, Part I -- Salt Spring Island, BC

2011-05-17T00:00:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone, Tofu here. Since Jemma narrated the first day, it's now my turn.

So the humans woke us up bright and early after a good night's rest at the hotel. I tried to sleep in until the last minute, but got woken and picked up (!!!) to eat my breakfast before heading out.

Jemma and I ate and then we drove to take the ferry from Victoria to Salt Spring Island. This was a smaller ferry and there was only one deck.

This is how I traveled all the way there:

This is how Jemma traveled:

Clearly, mom loves me more than her.

(Mom: Not true. Jemma likes laps, too, but she is also fine with being in a carrier. Tofu, on the other hand, refuses to settle down and will meow his head off if he's not allowed on my lap.)

Salt Spring Island is part of the Southern Gulf Islands on the east side of Vancouver Island. Did I confuse you yet?

It is a place of nature which is a nice change of scenery for once. Everywhere you look, there is green stuff.

There is an area lined with quaint little shops.

This is a very old looking small Sears store which mom desperately wanted to visit, but they had no time. It was going to be a busy day for them.

After they finished their business thing, the humans had brunch at a cool place called Tree House Cafe.

We didn't get to go in, but were told that it was really built like a tree house!

There are tree trunks and branches made to look like they hold the roof up.

Mom ordered the Tree House Breakfast.

Dad had the Forester's Breakfast.

They said it was good food.

Do you mean to say that you had EGGS and did not share with me?

(Mom: One of Tofu's favorite food is eggs. He goes bonkers for eggs.)

I was mad at them for being so selfish, so I decided it would be best if I sat by myself for a while to cool off.

(Mom: Who sleeps sitting up like that in a moving car?! He is clearly TOO relaxed. There is a reason why he is called "half dog" or cat-dog at our vet clinic, LOL, although that would be an insult to him.)

We were off to take ANOTHER ferry.

Meow,
Tofu

(To be continued...)

Day 1 -- Victoria, BC

2011-05-16T00:00:00.000-07:00

This morning, mom and dad loaded us into the company van and told us that we were going to go on a little business-related trip for a few days with them to Vancouver Island. We love traveling, so we settled in for a nice, long car ride.

After 1.5 hours on the ferry from Vancouver to Victoria, the humans did their business thing quickly and then we checked into the pet friendly hotel.

Tofu wastes no time. He goes into exploration mode immediately, checking every piece of furniture out.

After a bit of a rest, mom, dad, and I headed out to take a nice long walk.

There were plenty of interesting things to see. Dad said this doggy statue reminds him of me and how I always run alongside mom and bump into her deliberately to get her attention (especially when she's getting ready to go out and I know she's not planning to bring me!).

We saw lots of pretty flowers of all shapes and colors.

This is mom's unsuccessful attempt at getting me to pose beside some flowers. Instead, I decided to roll in something (mom assumes) stinky instead.

Nice and bright sunny day out, but it made me squinty.

Hi mom, can you hurry it up a bit? I still have lots of exploring to do!

Dad thought it would be funny for me to pose beside this dog, so he took some treats out.

I ate the treat and then had a GOOD look at the dog beside me.

Oh my dog, he is scary looking and startled me!!!

So I told him off really good.

(Mom's Note: It was hilarious. Jemma made a scene. She even sniffed the doggy statue's butt and then barked at him angrily. A man in a group walking by laughed and asked her, "Is it barking back at you?" and then proceeded to pet the statue dog to get more of a reaction out of Jemma. Joe and I could not stop laughing.)

Anyway...

Moving on...

This is the Parliament House of Victoria. Of course I left my mark there.

When I got tired, mom carried me around.

This is one MAJOR advantage of being only 5 lbs! No one will complain about how 'heavy' you are.

What was Tofu doing through all this? Back at the hotel cleaning himself and relaxing, of course.

(The shirt is to prevent him from shedding so much furs in the room. We did not want to make the housekeeper's job more difficult.)

Love,
Jemma

Yogurt

2011-05-14T00:00:00.000-07:00

Mom tries to eat yogurt as often as she can remember to. She especially likes it as a late night snack. She makes her own yogurt since she likes to share with us. She claims that this way, she can control the QUALITY of the ingredients.

She makes our food, our treats, and almost everything that goes into our mouths. She probably has some kind of control issue.

Sometimes, a tiny bit of honey is added for sweetness (for her own taste buds).

When she is 99.99999% finished, it is finally my turn. I can lick the bowl clean.

But wait! I have to wait for the release command.

I'm a good dishwasher.

Love,
Jemma

Bits and Pieces, Here and There

2011-05-13T11:31:00.000-07:00

Alright, we’re okay to do this the lazy way. Mom can’t muster up the energy to make REAL posts, so I’ve convinced her just to post pictures and forgo most of the writing. It’s better than nothing, right?

Every single one of these photos are also iPhone quality. Yes, I wasn’t kidding when I said she was being lazy…LAZY to the point of not wanting to bother picking up a real camera! Just be glad she’s not lazy enough to NOT feed us, okay?

VILLAGE STROLL @ WHISTLER, BC

It was MY first time here, but mom didn’t get to take very many pictures of me at all – she was busy answering questions about me to other people and getting me to look into their cameras while they snapped away.

(Mom’s Note: I learned my lesson. Never, ever bring Jemma to such a place if we want to go incognito!)

Here I was being dragged away from the Great Glass Elevator Candy Shop!!! Why?!

And instead, made to wait PATIENTLY for them to finish eating.

TANTULUS VIEWPOINT

CHIHUAHUA ON GUARD!

Evil mom tried to distract me.

But I am determined and I do my job well, distraction or not.

WINDOW WATCHING ON CAT TREE

I wonder what Tofu’s problem is?

FALSE CREEK @ VANCOUVER, BC

TROUT LAKE @ VANCOUVER, BC

TOFU SLEEPING...AWKWARD

It takes SKILLS to be able to sleep like this, BOL.

CHERRY BLOSSOM TREE WALK

So pretty!

More Walkies…

MY CANVAS (16 x 20)

I think this means I officially OWN the living room.

TOFU CUDDLES

Mom says kitty cuddles are the best, whatever that means. I believe I’m better to cuddle with. But she still chooses to cuddle with him anyway.

Love,
Jemma

2011-05-05T19:14:00.000-07:00

{Tofu} Wordless Wednesday: Afternoon Nap

2011-04-27T00:00:00.000-07:00

New Toys For Tofu

2011-04-24T20:30:00.000-07:00

Dad brought home new toys for me. Maybe he feels guilty that he hasn't been able to spend as much time with me. He has been very busy.

There is a tunnel...

I'm checking out the windows

which I can poke my head out of and watch TV. Convenient.

Be careful, there is a monster at the end of the tunnel. Scary, right?

It's just me. Feather toys have become much more fun with this tunnel.

Dad also got me a cube, which I like to take naps in. Luckily for me, Jemma doesn't like to crawl or go into things (if mom is not in there), so I have these toys all to myself.

Meow,
Tofu

Jemma and The Giant Marrow Bone

2011-04-24T20:06:00.000-07:00

Story behind these pictures:

I put the elk marrow bone on a towel on the floor for Jemma to work on, but she was not interested in it, so I left it there in case she changed her mind. She walked away and Tofu jumped off his cat tree to investigate it to make sure it's not EVIL.

Well, coincidentally at the same time, Jemma decided to come back into the living room, saw Tofu with HER marrow bone, and ran as fast as she could to where he was to take HER bone back.

Then she paced around with it, not letting it go even though she clearly was NOT interested in it. (That's when I took my camera out.)

Her mentality: If she can't have it, then no one else can either.

- Jemma's Mom

Tofu's Wellness Check-Up

2011-04-16T11:59:00.000-07:00

Today, mom harnessed me up and told me we had to go out. Fine with me.

Half an hour later, this is where I found myself...at the vet clinic! Do you see that look of betrayal I gave her? How could she do this to me?

I am SERIOUSLY displeased.

That didn't last long though, because then I saw a DOG outside the window, one of those huge scary things that like to prey on us innocent kitties.

Mom told me to be careful because that was a terrier and they are fearless and especially love chasing small animals. Er, okay, whatever that means. Do I LOOK scared to you?

(Mom: Yes, you do, just a little, LOL. You can't hide your dinosaur back!)

Yeah, sure, whatever, lady.

How come everything in here smells like DOG?

Furiends, I was violated in so many ways by the vet and even had my blood stolen, all for the name of a "wellness check-up". I did not move through it all though and especially when they stole my blood because I learned from mom that the more cooperative I am, the faster it will go. (If that woman wants to do something, she will NOT give up. You have to sit there nicely through nail cutting, ear cleaning, teeth brushing, everything...or else.)

Then the vet brought me back to mom and dad and said she almost stole me because I'm so adorable and good. I'm better than Jemma, right, mom?

The humans also found out that I now weigh 6.36 kg = 14 lbs. That's like three times the size of Jemma. So I am a BIG (not fat!) kitty, big deal. Manly kitties like myself have to be big or you get bullied.

Anyway, blood results came back perfectly normal and word is out that I will be sedated next weekend for a quick dental cleaning.

Oh, the crap I have to endure.

Meow,
Tofu

Bully Stick

2011-04-14T11:11:00.000-07:00

I haven't had a bully stick in SO long!

Naturally, I was ECSTATIC when mom recently came home with one...for me!

Life is sooo good sometimes.

Love,
Jemma

My Vegetable-Loving Pets

2011-04-14T00:00:00.000-07:00

I know, I know. It's been video overload lately. Can't help it.

These two are quite odd. I've never seen cats and dogs SO eager to eat vegetables. Have you? Tofu even gave me his "paw" for a bite of lettuce (not shown in video). He just has more of an issue eating it because of the way cats' teeth are designed.

I think they would be just as happy to survive on a vegetarian diet as they are with their current high protein diets! (Not that I advocate vegetarian for cats and dogs.)

A Relaxed Chihuahua

2011-04-12T09:46:00.000-07:00

Annoying Baby Tofu

2011-04-08T00:00:00.000-07:00

Baby kittens can be so pesky. Thank dog Tofu is all grown up now and sleeps for most of the day. I forgot just how annoying he used to be, terrorizing me all the time.

Here's my proof:

See what I had to put up with? That kitten was insane!

Love,
Jemma

Zooooomies

2011-04-02T19:21:00.000-07:00

This is what happens after every paw wash coming in from a walk...

It's the quickest way to dry myself and rub off the shampoo scent. I like to smell like my own self, thanks. Normally the pesky Tofu brother of mine is in the picture somewhere, running after me and watching like he's predator and I'm prey.

Love,
Jemma

House Arrest

2011-03-31T00:00:00.000-07:00

Help, we are being tortured and have been put under house arrest!!! We have NOT done anything bad to deserve this and of course mom has a million and one excuses.

Some of you may have read that trace amounts of radiation have been found this last week in Vancouver's rainwater from Japan's disaster. It is minute and nothing to worry about at this point, so we think mom is being overly cautious. She and dad goes out all the time and allow themselves to be in rainwater, but we are not allowed. Talk about inequality.

While the experts say the amounts are so little that people get more even from doing their normal day-to-day activities, it has also been noted that there is no 'safe' level or threshold. In other words, the less, the better. Mom is thinking if we don't HAVE to be exposed to it, why should we? Maybe she should speak for herself, too. Keep in mind this is the same woman who doesn't let us sleep near cell phones or use the microwave to heat up our food.

Anyway, since I am trained to go potty on both pee pads and outside, mom has resorted to making me use pee pads exclusively until tests show that the radiation level isn't getting worse and that the half-life has been reached. For iodine-131, the half-life is only 8 days, thank dog!

Since I have been 'exposed' already, she has some natural supplements on order for us to take. Yeah, I know...

Meanwhile, we can still go for car rides and stuff as long as we don't get wet. This means my walkies have been cut, too!

(Mom: Thankfully, she is just as happy to be inside snuggling with me as she is outside for walks. Another plus for Chis.)

I am thinking of taking up yoga to kill some time.

Tofu is being lazy as usual.

When do you think this torture is going to be over? Why does it have to rain so much here?!

Love,
Jemma & Tofu

"I need to wait for Mom."

2011-03-15T19:32:00.000-07:00

Jemma has a lot of quirks. Many of them in particular involves the bond she shares with me. For example, when I am not home, she acts completely depressed to the point where she has been known to sit by the door and not move for hours, waiting for my return.

One time, she was put into the kitchen with the door closed as there was someone over and I wanted to minimize the risk of her running out the door should the guest open and close the door. My sister was over to visit at that time and I had to head out. Once the visitor left and my sister let Jemma out of the kitchen, for some reason, she thought I was in my bedroom with the door closed and she laid there for hours. Nothing my sister said or did could coax her to move, not even when she offered a "treat!" (And Jemma LOVES eating.)

Over the years, based on her observations, my sister has always said that Jemma only needs me + food and she would be happy for life. I am so used to it, I guess I overlook it at times and don't see what other people see when looking in.

But I do know that I can always count on her for company -- she is *never* more than 5 feet away from me. Even at home, if I leave the room for more than a few minutes, even if she is in a deep comfortable sleep, she comes out to check on me. A couple of times, she was extra tired, so she checked up on me, looked around, and then walked back into the room to sleep, but coming out every so often. Um, yes, this also means she tries her best to come into the bathroom with me. I have had many baths where she would be lying right beside the tub waiting for me!

Because of our bond, *I* have to personally walk her every time. She refuses to walk with most other people, not even Joe. People often get frustrated if they want to take her out for a walk because "she doesn't walk!!!"

This is what happens when Joe brings her out...

She doesn't even take one single step! All she wants is to go back inside (where I was) or wait until I personally came out to walk her myself. The only reason she is out on the doorstep is because he picked her up and put her there before closing the door. Otherwise, she wouldn't even have walked out herself.

This is what happens when he picks her up and puts her down half a block away in hopes she would cooperate better...

(Sorry, the video is quite dark.)

But once he walks in the direction of our house, she happily runs back...and refuses to move away again.

My silly girl. As you can imagine, it can be a disadvantage in some situations, especially when I want someone to take over my walking duties at times, LOL.

- Jemma's Mom

Anal Glands

2011-03-11T00:00:00.000-08:00

I receive a lot of comments and e-mails regarding the care of anal glands because Miss Jemma has had them rupture twice in the past. I would like to share what has been working for us.

It has been approximately five months since Jemma's last visit to the vet to have her glands expressed. Prior to that, she had to go every 4-5 weeks and if I put it off for even a while longer, her scooting would lead to the glands rupturing, also known as an anal gland abscess.

She was on a lower protein diet due to her liver issues and I noticed then that the gland expressions became more frequent. She rarely had such an issue during the first few years of her life on a high protein diet. So, in October, I increased her protein intake by a bit. That seemed to really help. A diet high in carbs and subsequently low in protein and/or fats can lead to anal gland problems. If your pet is suffering from this, I suggest you re-evaluate the diet and see if any changes can be made first and foremost.

During the odd times that I caught her scooting after that (twice since October), I gave her 1/8 tsp pure psyllium husks daily for a few days and that solved the problem immediately. I add the psyllium into her food and mix in quite a bit of water. If you do decide to try this, it is important to give lots of liquid with it as consuming too much psyllium combined with dehydration can lead to intestinal discomfort or in the worst case scenario, a blockage.

Many websites suggest that pumpkin also works well. I tried it with Jemma and it actually made the problem worse, so it is may not be as effective as psyllium.

Please keep in mind that these are only preventative measures one can take in dealing with anal gland issues. If your dog (or cat) already has ruptured a gland, please take him/her to the vet to have the wound flushed out. You do NOT want to leave it and hope it will cure on its own without incident -- a wound in such a bacteria-filled area has a good chance of becoming infected.

I would also like to add that what works for one may not work for another. The psyllium is just what works over here. Your pet may or may not react the same way.

- Jemma's Mom

Roadrunner the Cat

2011-03-02T13:46:00.000-08:00

What a sweet story about a fitness trainer and his cat!

Jellybean

2011-02-27T00:00:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone, Tofu here.

This is the stray cat that's been hanging around this neighborhood for the past 6 years (minimum). We moved here a couple of years ago and more recently, seeing him around more often, Mom started feeding him. He was very skinny and frail looking in the beginning.

This is him today...

He has bulked up a lot. Mom feeds him home-cooked food sometimes! As much as I want her to help him out, I can't help but think that he is stealing my noms! What kind of stray cat gets specially cooked food? That is absurd!

Oh yeah, by the way, his temporary name is Jellybean. Mom read a story once about black cats having an easier time to be adopted at shelters when they were given colorful names such as Jellybean. That story has stuck in her mind since.

At first we thought Jellybean might be truly feral as he was extremely skittish, even more so than Mickey. But over time, he is slowly getting better and now when he sees Mom or Dad coming out to feed him, he *meows* at them non-stop...from a distance, of course. That's a sign that he was someone's pet at one point and either he got lost or his owner abandoned him, like what happened to Mickey.

We are getting ready to have him trapped and once vet-checked, he will be going to a local cat rescue's barn to live...until he becomes friendly enough to be adopted out.

Please keep your paws crossed that he will go into the trap without hesitation. It took Mickey six months to go into the trap and Mom doesn't want to have to go through that stress again.

I like my outside cat friend and want him to have a much better life than the one he is leading now. (Just don't steal my noms, please.)

Meow,
Tofu

Flowers For Me

2011-02-25T00:00:00.000-08:00

Dad brought home flowers for me on Valentine's Day.

(Mom: Umm, no. They were for me.)

Of course I wanted to take pictures with them to treasure the memory.

But Tofu ruined the moment. He tried to sneak up on me and steal the roses. I had to give him a dirty look so he could back off.

As always, it worked. At least he knows his place.

I love my roses!

Love,
Jemma

Some Things Never Change.

2011-02-20T00:00:00.000-08:00

2007:

2011:

Tofu: Purr, purr, purrrr. *knead knead knead*

2011-02-14T10:37:00.000-08:00

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY, everybuddy!

We hope you all get tons of hugs and kisses today!

(We know we sure are!)

XOXO,
Jemma & Tofu

P.S. We know Mom has been failing to visit your blogs, but please bear with her for a little while more. She is still working on that project of hers and it still is taking up a lot of time.

Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2 Review

2011-02-09T00:03:00.000-08:00

"From the creators of Beverly Hills Chihuahua, everybody’s favorite talking Chihuahuas are back in a comedy that’s a pack of outrageous fun for the whole family. Puppy mayhem turns the lives of newlywed Chihuahua parents, Papi and Chloe, upside down when their playful puppies present one challenge after another. But, when their human owners find themselves in trouble, the tiny pups will stop at nothing to save them—because in good times and hard times, the family always sticks together. Papi, Chloe and the puppies embark on a heroic adventure, proving once again that big heroes come in small packages."

Jemma managed to get her Chi paws on an advanced copy of the Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2 movie which was released on February 1, 2011. It comes in a two-disk combo pack with Blu-Ray and DVD.

We had been eagerly waiting days for it to arrive in the mail as we simply could not wait to watch it. It did not disappoint.

The same day we received it, we watched it in the evening over dinner.

A clan of Chihuahua puppies join Papi and Chloe from Beverly Hills Chihuahua 1. I found myself squee-ing in many of the scenes due to the puppies' cute antics. They get themselves into a lot of mischief and trouble, but still manage to remain as adorable as ever. (Of course as a Chi lover, there's almost nothing they can do that isn't cute :)

We enjoyed watching the scenes of how Chihuahuas were brave warriors in the Aztec times and helped their owners in different ways. It shows that they may be small, but they are extremely brave and fiercely loyal, typical traits of this breed. Our favorite part was the dog show. Some amazing talents were demonstrated, from a painting Poodle to a piano-playing Chihuahua (Chloe).

All in all, we enjoyed it as much as the first one. The addition of the Chihuahua puppies really made it that much more enjoyable. I will probably get in trouble for posting this for the world to see, but halfway through the movie, I had to pause it to tend to something else and my boyfriend actually rushed me to hurry so we could continue watching.

We highly recommend this movie, especially if you are a dog lover. It managed to make us laugh, worry, and feel a little sad all at different times. If you haven't seen it yet, you are missing out! But here is a sneak peek to tide you over until you do finally get a chance to watch it.

Pick up your copy of Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2!

Disney Movie Rewards currently has a $10 off coupon for the Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2 combo pack: www.disneymovierewards.go.com/promotions/special-offers/beverly-coupon

- Jemma's Mom

Tofu Likes...Sweet Potatoes?

2011-02-09T00:00:00.000-08:00

Dehydrated treats for Jemma.

I don't get why she loves them. She would kill for them. They don't even smell as good as my liver treats. But sure, I'll have a lick.

Meow,
Tofu

Note: Tofu is a vegetable/fruits lover despite the high protein diet he eats. He especially loves raspberries. He didn't end up eating the sweet potato chew, but if it were fresh and not dehydrated, you bet he would have tried.

CSN Stores Gift Certificate Winner

2011-02-02T22:45:00.001-08:00

Congratulations to Amber T., winner of the $60 CSN gift certificate giveaway! You will receive an e-mail from us shortly.

Thanks to CSN Stores for another great giveaway.

Waterfront Park, North Vancouver, BC

2011-01-31T15:03:00.000-08:00

My late night walk with Mom and Dad at Waterfront Park. We could see downtown Vancouver from there.

It was very cold and wet, but the humans took their sweet time.

Love,
Jemma

Patiently Waiting

2011-01-26T00:00:00.000-08:00

in the car with Mom while Dad picks up dinner.

Caught-Red Handed

2011-01-22T11:59:00.000-08:00

In Mom's laundry basket, leaving my furs all over her clothes.

Meow,
Tofu

$60 Gift Certificate Giveaway!

2011-01-20T00:00:00.000-08:00

I know that everyone enjoys winning free stuff (who doesn't?), so when CSN Stores asked me to work with them again, of course I could not decline, for the sake of my readers.

This time, the giveaway is a $60 gift certificate to use on ANY product in ANY of their 200+ online stores.

Just a quick peek into their vast selection of items and you will see that they offer just about everything, from adjustable bar stools to books. Anything you can think of...they most likely carry.

To Enter:
Entering in this giveaway is simple. First, you must be a follower of this blog. You can find the "Follow" button on the navigator bar at the top of this page. If you are already following, no need to unfollow and refollow.

Next, just fill out the form below and click "Submit". That's it -- you are now officially entered to win!

This contest will end on Saturday, January 29th, 2010 at 11:59 p.m. (PST) and is open to Canadian and U.S. entrants. The winner will be picked by a random number generator.

Good luck!

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Disclaimer: Product information courtesy of the sponsor. No monetary compensation was provided for this post.

The Ultimate Scratching Post

2011-01-16T00:00:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone, Tofu here.

The humans brought home something new.

As with all things foreign, I'm still suspicious of it.

It's called The ULTIMATE Scratching Post.

I haven't tested it out yet, so I'll report back later if it really is the ultimate scratch post. One thing for sure though - it is definitely super heavy and stable...even a ManCat like myself won't be able to knock it down.

Thanks, Mom, but you know I would be much happier if you didn't try to blind me with that flashy box so often.

Meow,
Tofu

A Quick Hello

2011-01-11T00:00:00.000-08:00

I am popping in quickly to say hello to everyone. Sorry I haven't been around much. Mom is extremely busy working on something she calls a big project. I am not allowed to disclose any information right now, but if/when she finishes, you definitely will hear all about it. There will be some major changes in 2011.

The project is swallowing up a lot of her time. As for me, little Miss Jemma, something is swallowing up a lot of my time, too. That something is e-a-t-i-n-g, of course.

Oh, and Tofu is also doing just fine. You know, the usual...having a grand time annoying me.

Don't forget about us!

Love,
Jemma

Santa Jemma

2010-12-27T00:00:00.000-08:00

You've all seen Tofu in my Santa costume. Now it is my turn!

I got some smelt as part of a gift package from a nice friend.

To mom's surprise, I did not swallow it whole the second she handed it to me. Instead, I rolled over it a bit and then did this...

There is not much that I refuse to eat except for REALLY strange and stinky smelling food. Naturally, at first thought, mom figured I found it too smelly and did not want it. She mumbled something like, "Wow, Miss Piggy doesn't want to eat for once?"

But then she thought better of it and took the silly Santa costume off. Next thing you know...

(No bottom teeth!)

I have mom trained pretty well now. I think I may have been giving her the evil smile here.

Then she said something very shocking to me and took me by surprise.

I am not allowed to share what she said, but my expression says it all.

The gift package also came with some cute toys. So cute that mom made me pose with them.

She thought this was funny to do to poor little me on Christmas day. Whatever.

We hope everyone had an awesome Christmas and if I don't get a chance to post again before then...

Happy New Year!!!

Love,
Jemma

Season's Greetings

2010-12-25T00:00:00.000-08:00

2010-12-21T00:00:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone, Jemma's mom here.

We feel so bad for posting so infrequently as of late that I just had to write something, anything, today. As it gets closer and closer to Christmas, we've been busy shopping and gift wrapping. Okay, maybe a bit of laziness on my part as well.

I don't have any new pictures of Jemma or Tofu to share because I'm bad like that - I haven't touched any of my cameras for a while.

In the previous post, we had mentioned that we were going to submit some of Jemma's urine for testing. We tested for two things: protein/creatinine ratio and cortisol/creatinine ratio.

Earlier this year, she had some excess protein in her urine, so that portion was just a follow-up to ensure there isn't a kidney issue.

The cortisol portion was because due to my paranoia, I started to think she might be showing some symptoms of Cushing's disease, such as slow fur growth and a change of skin color.

Fortunately, both results came back normal, which we, of course, are very happy about.

Those are all the updates for now! I'll try to pick up my camera again.

- Jemma's Mom

Post-Dental Cleaning & Extractions

2010-12-16T00:00:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone, Jemma here.

I am doing fine after the extraction of my 6 incisors. In fact, I was back to normal the very next day. Even after being drugged/sedated, I was able to eat a FULL meal right when I got home (despite the vet's discharge instructions to only eat a small, small meal). I was starving! However, for the remainder of the night, I was still very groggy and tired.

I have been known to sit and stare at blank walls even days after my spay surgery many years ago. I do not do well with being drugged.

My missing teeth do not seem to bother me much, if at all. I am not sure if *I* miss them, but I know Mom does. She isn't thrilled with the fact that I have missing teeth right at the front, but it's not even noticeable. On the bright side, she has less teeth to brush now. In my opinion, that is time consuming, so it is a good thing.

I am going back to the House of Torture (vet clinic) today for my post-dental check-up and for more tests. But don't worry! These ones are not invasive...they're just urine tests. Thank dog!!!

(I know, I know - it never ends. Sigh.)

Love,
Jemma

Inside is fine, thanks.

2010-12-14T03:16:00.000-08:00

This is what I spend most of my days doing now.

It's way too chilly out there for me to do anything. I don't even bother going out onto the balcony to sniff fresh air anymore.

Who wants to be cold when they can be all warm and cozy? Jemma is a little weird, I think. She likes to go for walks with the humans and get all wet and cold. Thank cod cats don't do that kind of thing.

Meow,
Tofu

Sad Day

2010-12-10T00:00:00.000-08:00

I'm going to tell you something shocking today that I don't even want to believe.

Two nights ago, Mom took out her camera, made me lie down, and started harassing me by opening my mouth this way and that way.

I was a little concerned about why she was doing such a thing, but I did not know why until the next day...

At 8:30am, she dropped me off at the House of Torture (aka vet clinic). It is called that because nothing good ever happens to me here. Today was no different.

Mom ordered something called a "dental cleaning" for me. Hmm, okay, cleaning? Maybe that's not so bad afterall. I'm used to having my teeth brushed every night anyway.

Next thing I know, I was mildly sedated (not anesthetized due to my liver dysfunction) and it began. I don't know exactly what happened as I was feeling a little out of it, but when I came to, I couldn't feel my front bottom teeth!

I waited for Mom and Dad to come get me so that I could hear the vet's explanation. What was going on?

The vet said that all my front bottom incisors are gone!!! WHAT? Are you #%$@ing kidding me?!?! I was supposed to have ONE tooth extracted, but apparently that was 5 teeth too little???

(Mom's Note: If you look at the picture above, it's very obvious that at least two front teeth on the left side are loose. One has been loose for almost two years now, but both the vet and I felt that because the rest of her teeth were in pretty good condition at that time, it was unnecessary to put her under to have that one tooth extracted as we also have liver disease to worry about.

However, as it is with most small dogs, even with almost daily brushing, her teeth got worse and worse over time and we decided last month that it was time to finally do the dental cleaning. Last month, our vet looked in her mouth and deemed that one front tooth would definitely have to be extracted. Two nights ago while closely examining her teeth, I realized that it had gotten a lot worse and was certain that at least 2-3 would be extracted.

During the dental cleaning, our vet felt iffy about whether to leave the right side alone or not as the teeth were kind of loose, but in the end, decided to take them all out as there is a good chance of food becoming lodged between the teeth and gum pocket, causing more issues down the road and perhaps another sedation for extraction. After she made this decision and as she began to extract the rest of the front teeth, she found that they were able to come out with just a slight pinch. So, Miss Jemma now has no front bottom incisors...)

This is my groggy post-sedation look. Apparently I whine a lot after coming out of sedation...or so the humans tell me.

You can't tell in this photo because my tongue is in the way, but I have NO FRONT BOTTOM TEETH!

If you look closely, you will see that the tip of my tongue is sticking out. This might happen more often now that I have NO FRONT BOTTOM TEETH.

The vet said I should be able to keep my tongue in unless my bottom canines were also taken out. Thank dog they were not, but really, what kind of princess does not have FRONT BOTTOM TEETH? I told you nothing good ever happens at the House of Torture!

Oh, woe is me.

Love,
Jemma

(Mom: I think her tongue was sticking out last night because she was still rather out of it thanks to the sedatives. It has gotten better now.)

Auntie M

2010-12-08T00:00:00.000-08:00

Auntie M came over just to visit me. (Mom: Not really, but sure...) I haven't seen her in 3 months, so naturally, I was quite excited.

Auntie M is one of Mom's closest friends. They have been friends for a little over 15 years now. Um, I'm not sure how long that is because I am only 8 years young. But that sounds like quite a long time to me.

Anyway, what's mine is mine and what's Mom's is also mine, so Auntie M is also a close friend of mine.

Can you tell?

Being the aloof Chi that I am towards strangers, I would never be caught climbing into the lap of someone I don't know. What does this say about Auntie M and I?

(Sorry, these are not the best pics. Mom only had her crappy camera around at the time. How convenient.)

Love,
Jemma

Wait and Watch

2010-12-04T00:00:00.000-08:00

I know, I know. I'm so bad. No, wait - actually Mom is the bad one. Because she dragged on her 'being sick and allergic' excuse to NOT have to update my blog. Ev-furry-one, please blame her and not me. She's the one with the opposable thumbs, remember?

I have not been up to too much exciting stuff anyway. Just the usual. Eating, sleeping, walkies, eating (did I mention that already?), car rides.

Oh, and waiting in the car. I seem to be doing a lot of that these days. Mom watches me watch Dad go into different buildings to...I assume...hunt to bring home food. Because when he comes out, he almost always has something delicious smelling. But they don't share. Obviously, I need to teach them better.

Because I'm so small, I have to sit up on the armrest to keep an eye out for Dad. Just in case someone pops up and kidnaps him. I need to be ready to jump out and save him, you know. It's not easy being a Chihuahua.

Love,
Jemma

2010-11-27T00:00:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone, Tofu here.

Mom hasn't been feeling too well these past few days and her allergies are really getting to her, so...we're going to give her a break from her blogging duties...just for a while! Sometimes you need to give your humans a break if you want them to continue providing you with noms, you know? Especially since we don't have opposable thumbs.

Plus, she says that not feeling 100% gets in the way of writing, something about a "writer's block", whatever strange thing that is.

We'll be back real soon!

Meow,
Tofu

Brrr, It's Cold!

2010-11-25T00:00:00.000-08:00

First of all, we wish all our American friends a Happy Thanksgiving!

It is FUR-eezing outside with snow, so today, I'm going to stay inside and catch up on sleep. Hope everyone will have a more fun and interesting day than me!

We also want to wish a special SuperDALE a very Happy 11th Birthday...

Can you guess who it is?

Yes, it's none other than the beautiful Sunshade!

We know that she will be super spoiled today with lots and lots of treats & love and we wish her very many more birthdays to come!

These pictures were taken in August, but lazy mom never got around to posting them. Here's one more of me, Toby, and Sunshade, in order from smallest to biggest.

Oh, and Jaffa is in the picture, too...he's the black dot at the top right corner, LOL.

Love,
Jemma

Early Morning Crazies

2010-11-24T03:00:00.000-08:00

My little tiger. Are we ever glad he's never seen a mouse before! We don't think they would stand a chance.

The Vet Stole My Blood

2010-11-23T00:00:00.000-08:00

Hi everyfurry, Jemma here.

I was dragged to see the vet on Saturday. They stole lots of my blood. It was horrifying. They needed enough blood for:

Geriatric Panel
Bile Acids Panel (this one is done in 2 parts -- one poke, eat, wait two hours, another poke)
Titers for Distemper and Parvo

This is me on a walk after eating, waiting to get my second poke for the bile acids.

As many of you know, I have a form of congenital liver disease called Hepatic Microvascular Dysplasia. Mom helps me manage the condition with a proper diet and supplements, but still, she insists on having bi-annual blood work done on me. All I know is that the vet has stolen a lot of blood from me!

We got the results back on Monday. Everything is normal! Nothing in my blood was out of range, so mom was very happy about that. Even the bile acids was normal, but that fluctuates from time to time. The vet told mom that she's very happy with the results, too, because this means that as far as we can tell based on these tests, my liver disease is not progressively getting worse and I am not going into liver failure. The words "liver failure" really scare mom. She says we have to look after my health.

Just like what Bella said in her book: Look after your health.

According to Bella, looking after my health is one of many paw steps to happiness, so I will be sure to take her advice.

We are very late in posting about this book, but if you haven't already done so, check out Bella's blog for more details and/or to buy your own "Paw Steps to Happiness"!

Thanks, Bella and Ollie, for the book!

Love,
Jemma

Mom: Tofu kitty, come out here onto the balcony to get some fresh air!

2010-11-21T14:03:00.000-08:00

Tofu: Again, you wake me from my happy time to come outside. It's cold.

...And there's snow???

Screw this, bye!

Meow,
Tofu