cat condo

This one is for all the cat lovers out there. I have a great project for you. It’s easy, inexpensive and your little furry guys will absolutely LOVE it! But maybe not as much as you will!

This guy wants a cat condo.
 

I’m actually fine with spending all kinds of money on my pets, but why spend any money on a cat bed when your cat is just as happy – more likely happier – in a box.

Sure, all those other DIY cat beds out there are a hell of a lot prettier, but I guarantee they are a hell of a lot harder to put together than this one. And for all you that kind of suck at DIYing – like myself! – trust me, this is a very manageable one. Plus, it will only take like five seconds to finish.

Here is what you need:

1) a box (preferably big enough for your cat)

2) an old sheet

Here are the steps:

1) flip box to side

2) put sheet inside

TA-DA!

Cat Condo!

Now, watch as your cat comes sniffing around and then makes himself right at home inside.

He has claimed it as his own.
 

It also works if you keep the box upright and put the sheet at the bottom. A cat may actually prefer this, but I like the feeling of accomplishment I get whenever I see my cats sleeping inside. I’m selfish like that.

Some people may get all fancy and put an actual cushion inside, but I have found that an old sheet works just fine.


Able to groom in the privacy of his condo.
 

You can also decorate your box to your heart’s content, but I am keeping mine just the way it is. After all, why does it need to be fancy when I am just going to hide it in another room whenever we have guests.  

WARNING: this project will depend on your box. You have to find the right fit for your cat. I tried to do this with a much smaller box but with a sheet, it was just too small for our cats. Yes, they sat in it but that wasn’t good enough. We found the perfect box for about $300. Sure, the leaf blower that was inside is very nice but the box was top notch as a cat condo and I suspect it will get more use. 



Snug as a bug in a...CAT CONDO!
 

But sometimes one is left on the outside looking in...
 

 

winter is coming

Well, technically, winter has been here for a few weeks now, but down here winter doesn’t really rear its ugly head until right about now. Sure, there have been cold days and a couple of nights have dipped below freezing, but the real preparations for winter on the farm have only just begun.

Maybe I am only writing this now because  this week the highs are only expected to reach the upper 30s. And for all you from up north that say that is nothing, that is definitely SOMETHING for us down south. That is freaking cold, my friend, and I don’t like it one bit. I should be prepared. After all, like I mentioned, we have seen temperatures dip below freezing and we are several days past the first day of winter. However, just last week - just a couple of DAYS ago – it was in the 60s. Nice and mild with the sun shining gloriously on my face. Everyone on the farm was happy. 


Chickens happy in the field only a few days ago.
 

Then – BOOM - rain hit and the temperatures just dropped. I mean drrrroooopppped. It’s like you just wake up one morning and your whole world is a freezer. That is the one thing about Georgia weather, you can’t really prepare for the cold. It just hits you like a ton of ice bricks.

And before you know it, it will be 100 degrees again.

I can’t wait for that.

I do wish that if it was going to be cold, just be cold. Yes, it sucks to have temperatures below freezing but 40 degrees sucks too. But you know what below freezing gets you – snow and (most likely for us) ice, which around here should mean SNOW DAY. We get a lot of rain this time of year, but it is never really cold enough for it to turn into anything or – what we really need to happen – accumulate.

And I have not forgotten what happened to our fine city this time last year. Snowpocalypse. It did snow. It did accumulate. It did turn to ice. It did bring a city to its knees.

Fortunately, I wasn’t one of those people stuck in their cars for hours and hours. I was lucky to be safe and sound at home watching it all unfold on my TV. And while some people had to spend a night in their car, I got to enjoy something that I so rarely get to enjoy.



We're not used to this much snow.
 

Althea loved the snow.
 

And we unbelievably got hit twice with a dusting and a long freeze.

 

I loved it too!
 

Of course, we didn’t have our chickens yet. From their reactions to a bit of earlier frost that hit us, I can tell they will not enjoy the freezing weather. They didn’t even want to leave their coop that morning and decided to just all huddle together.  I always feel bad for the ones that are on the outside of that huddle.

 

Not that we are worried about the chickens in the cold. They are pretty hardy and the huddling together shows that they know how to keep warm.  Plus, they have a good shelter and we’ve put plastic around their run. And despite the dropping temps, they’ve been just as happy to be outside, even in the rain. But we’re keeping a close eye on them and their combs.  


Apparently, you can tell if a chicken has frostbite by her comb.
 

For now, we’re just getting ready for winter to really set in, and we’ll deal with any issues that may come up. And although I wouldn’t mind having one day of snow, I don’t think it would be a good thing to have a week and then another week of ice. We may have to keep the chickens inside if that happens again.

And we’ll just have to do the very best thing to do when it’s cold outside…


Naps!!!