How The Cats Will Make Money

 Out of all the expenses I have, keeping the cats is one of the highest.

Because some of them have had problems with peeing, we feed them expensive food that stops crystals from forming in the urethra. At first, we thought about buying separate food, but soon realised that the cats would eat from the wrong bowl. It's just easier to feed them all the same food.

Then there are the other things that we need to buy, flea meds, cat litter and the occasional trip to the vets. Plus, replacing things that they have broken or peed on, it all adds up.

So I've been busy setting up an Etsy Shop to sell print-on-demand T-shirts inspired by my love for cats and Japan.

Here is the link JackiesNekoTales - Etsy Japan

Have a look. I hope you find something that you like!

One of the images I made

This was the original photo

Alfie

Alfie is my other grey, black and white cat.

Alfie

 Of all my cats, he is the most catish! 

He doesn't like people too much. He will endure some pets, but always on his terms. Once he's had enough, he's off!

He doesn't hang out with the other cats that much either; he will tolerate being with one other cat, but most of the time, he is by himself. At the moment, 7 of my cats are in the dining area, curled up together. Alfie and Fluffy are in the tatami room. This is normal!

He's quieter than the other cats, but if he gets upset, everyone knows it. We've had neighbourhood cats come around recently. I don't know if they are strays or if they belong to someone. But whenever they come around, my cats start fighting more, even laid back Alfie has been known to hiss and yeowl!

Just a few photos of Alfie.

In these photos, he is with Toast, the black cat or Fred, the other grey, black and white cat. He seems to get on with these two cats the best. 

The Cats Are On The Table

 I was rather surprised when I went to the dining room this afternoon. Six of my nine cats were on the table.

At first, I couldn't figure out why they usually get on the windowsill or the kitchen counter. 

I then realised that I had left the fan on, and the table was a nice and cool place to sleep on.

Today was very hot, the high was 31℃. I know that compared to Europe, it isn't that bad, but this is just the beginning of the summer.

I'm looking for some cooling treats for the cats. I'm looking for some cooling treats for me as well!

Before anyone comments on how bad it is to have the cats on the table, I know that. I tried to stop them, but that is impossible. So I disinfect and wipe the table with very hot water before we eat. It takes a lot less energy to do that than to stop the cats!

The Cats And Rain

 We are in the middle of the rainy season here in Japan. It's been raining almost nonstop most of the week. 

I've noticed that the cats are rather lethargic and fighting more than usual.

I checked online and found out that cats are also sensitive to the barometric pressure. I know that when the pressure drops, I get awful headaches and have very little energy, also I get very short-tempered. The cats are the same. 

Another thing that upsets the cats is the sound of the rain. The storms we've been having are very intense, the noise of the rain hitting the house is very loud to me, I think cats with their extra sensitive hearing must be really suffering!

I've put extra boxes around the house so that the cats can find a place to hide. I hope it helps. 

Fluffy is still up to mischief. She stole my chicken and water the other day. Yesterday she swiped the last piece of hamburger from my plate!

That's my last bit of hamburger!

Fluffy, My Water And My Chicken!

 Today's lunch was very Japanese: teriyaki chicken, rice, salad and miso soup.

Lunch.

Whenever I cook chicken, I always take the skin off and cut it into small pieces so that Fluffy can have some.

Just as our lunch is ready, the cats get fed; it's the easiest way to get them off the table, so I can give it a good clean before we eat.

Fluffy had her cat food, with the chicken on top; I was hoping that would be enough for her. 

As always, as I started to eat, Fluffy came sniffing around.

As always, she got to my glass of water before I could stop her, but that's okay; I just get another glass.

I had almost finished my lunch when my daughter sent me a text. I put my fork down, with my last piece of chicken on it, to see what my daughter had written.

Just as I picked up my phone, Fluffy snatched the chicken, with the fork, off my plate.

I couldn't believe it! 

She had eaten her lunch, drunk my water and now pinched my chicken!

The chicken is still on the fork!

Good job, she's cute!!!

The Cats have To Make Money

 I've decided that it's time for the cats to make some money!

I wish that each cat could get a job! But that's impossible, so I've decided to use this blog as an idea for T-shirts!

I've noticed a lot of cute T-shirts on Etsy and Shopify; a lot are made with Printify, a print-on-demand company. I decided to have a go. 

At the beginning of the month, I designed, with AI's help, a simple T-shirt. The design says "81 lives, endless chaos", which sums up my life with the cats. I ordered a sample, which arrived yesterday.

I was trying to show how the neck, sleeves and bottom are hemmed, so they don't fray. The material is very soft and comfortable.

Lovely T-shirt.

I never know how to stand in photos, plus my face is all blotchy and swollen from allergies. But the T-shirt looks good.

I hope to make a few more designs and start a shop on either Etsy or Shopify. 

Maybe I can make some money to pay for the cats!!!

Fred And The Oven

 I fixed the problem with the cats turning on the rice cooker. I moved the rice cooker to the edge of the counter, so there's no space for the cats to sit in front of it!

This afternoon, I was in my room, I could hear the oven beeping. It beeps when it's finished cooking; there's a timer setting on the oven. That really helps me as I tend to put things in the oven and then forget about them. Without the timer, I think I would have a lot of burnt offerings!

I couldn't figure out why the oven was beeping; I'm home alone- well, alone with nine cats! Maybe it's the resident ghost playing with the oven.

I went to investigate and found Fred leaning on the control panel of the oven!

Fred and my oven.

You can see the panel is lit up, which means that the oven is being used! Fortunately, he had only set the controls on the touch panel; to start it, you have to push a button, which I think (hope) they can't do.

I can't move the oven, and I don't want to unplug it. The best would be to keep the cats off the counter, but that doesn't seem to work!